THIS TIME – THE TIME – AND HIGH TIME!

THIS TIME – THE TIME – AND HIGH TIME!

Matt 16:3

3 And in the morning, It will be foul weather to day: for the sky is red and lowring. O ye hypocrites, ye can discern the face of the sky; but can ye not discern the signs of the times?

Luke 12:54-56

54 And he said also to the people, When ye see a cloud rise out of the west, straightway ye say, There cometh a shower; and so it is.

55 And when ye see the south wind blow, ye say, There will be heat; and it cometh to pass.

56 Ye hypocrites, ye can discern the face of the sky and of the earth; but how is it that ye do not discern this time?

1. THIS TIME!

           Both Matthew and Luke write about Jesus’ rebuke of the Pharisees’ ignorance. Here in North Central Texas the weather patterns can be read easily. A red sun in the morning means to take warning while a red sun at night is “a sailor’s delight.” The preaching and the miracles performed by Jesus along with the writing of the prophets foretold this perfect storm. They should have been aware that Messiah was coming!

           While “no man knows the day or the hour” (Matthew 25:13), we can discern the signs of Christ’s coming. As it was in the days of Noah so it is again in our time. We see political unrest, economic collapse and religious confusion. Our hearts faint and our minds struggle to grasp the significance of it all. Like the words of the old gospel song, it is time to “secure whatever ill be tied.”

2. THE TIME!

Eph 5:14-17

14 Wherefore he saith, Awake thou that sleepest, and arise from the dead, and Christ shall give thee light.

15 See then that ye walk circumspectly, not as fools, but as wise,

16 Redeeming the time, because the days are evil.

17 Wherefore be ye not unwise, but understanding what the will of the Lord is.

           The time, our time, is the tiny period we call life. The past yields its clues and the future presents its mysteries but THE TIME fast slips away. The time, our time, is opportunity and responsibility. Like the five wise virgins, we need to be sure there is oil in our lamps. Redeeming the time means that we should be buying up those moments which others seem to throw away! It is time for concentrated effort at living the Christian life and understanding His will.

           I have reached the time of life when I should be slowing down but instead I find myself still and again enrolled in school. I am driven to learn, to know and to do, as if there were few tomorrows left to me. I am covered with a blanket of seriousness and I struggle not to become morose in my musing.

           Friend, your life slowly slips away and time seems so very unimportant until it is almost gone. Do you sense the urgency of knowing and fulfilling your purpose? This is THE TIME.

III. HIGH TIME!

Rom 13:11-12

11 And that, knowing the time, that now it is high time to awake out of sleep: for now is our salvation nearer than when we believed.

12 The night is far spent, the day is at hand: let us therefore cast off the works of darkness, and let us put on the armour of light.

Adam Clarke, in his commentary, puts it this way: “We have now many advantages which we did not formerly possess. Salvation is nearer-the whole Christian system is more fully explained, and the knowledge of it more easily to be acquired than formerly; on which account a greater progress in religious knowledge and in practical piety is required of us. And we have for a long time been too remiss in these respects.”

Dear Lord, without being gloomy, let me be serious regarding my time. Help me to buy up precious moments today. AMEN

THE REALITIES OF THE FLESH!

THE REALITIES OF THE FLESH!

Matt 26:40-41

40 And he cometh unto the disciples, and findeth them asleep, and saith unto Peter, What, could ye not watch with me one hour?

41 Watch and pray, that ye enter not into temptation: the spirit indeed is willing, but the flesh is weak.

           The disciples had marched the dusty road to Gethsemane. The dirt, like powder and cool, soothed their weary feet. Finding a comfortable place, they stretched out on the rocks and wrapped themselves in the dew of evening. Jesus takes Peter, James and John then said to the others: “Stay here while I go yonder and pray.”

           It had been a difficult day. Their minds still were trying to process the announcement that Jesus was going to die. Maybe he was speaking metaphorically. Then there was the strange twist to the familiar supper when Jesus offered the bread and declared that it was his body. Then he offered the cup and declared that it was his blood. What could that mean? A yawn and a stretch and soon the three that was closest to Him fell fast asleep. Following this man was exhausting work.

Gal 5:17

17 For the flesh lusteth against the Spirit, and the Spirit against the flesh: and these are contrary the one to the other: so that ye cannot do the things that ye would.

           There are some harsh realities of the flesh. Our bodies, at the same time, make it possible for us to serve God and resist the rigors of the service. Our bodies prefer comfort and must be dragged along on the journey at times. Discipline is both difficult and necessary if we are to accomplish our spiritual goals.

1 Cor 9:27

27 But [like a boxer] I buffet my body [handle it roughly, discipline it by hardships] and subdue it, for fear that after proclaiming to others the Gospel and things pertaining to it, I myself should become unfit [not stand the test, be unapproved and rejected as a counterfeit].

AMPLIFIED NEW TESTAMENT

Dear Lord, give me the courage to refuse my body the pampering it demands so that I might accomplish your purposes today. AMEN

GOD IS NOT THE AUTHOR OF CONFUSION!

GOD IS NOT THE AUTHOR OF CONFUSION!

1 Cor 14:33

33 For God is not the author of confusion, but of peace, as in all churches of the saints.

           When we place this little verse in its context, verse 26 through verse 36, we see that Paul is giving instruction about spontaneous utterances, especially in a foreign language, within the church. The Corinthians were exercising this temporary gift without rules and the result was confusion.

           The word “confusion” is the Greek word akatastasia and means “instability or disorder.” It is easy to picture if we imagine a technical difficulty at a meeting of the United Nations when all the translating equipment had failed. Every man would be speaking in his own language and nobody understanding anything.

           Today, however, I’d like to suggest that there are times in our Christian life when all the messages we receive from Heaven are marred by static. It is not what God has designed and we can imagine the enemy jamming the signals. Sometimes we fail to receive Divine direction because of interference. It is hard to hear the whisper of the Spirit over the shouts and clamor of a world in which each wants his own way! Gideon took great advantage of this trait of human nature and held the lamps while the enemy destroyed themselves through confusion. (See Judges 7: 18-22)

           There is also a confusion of spirit in which all our efforts seem to be frustrated. Our spiritual compass spins out of control and we can’t find true north. We are lost in a familiar place; stuck in a roundabout and going nowhere. Often when we feel God is very far away He is actually very near. When we feel the most uncertain God may be working unseen and unfelt to bring us out of our confusion. Paul experienced a time when he said he had no rest. We expect more stability from Paul but we learn that he was much like us.

2 Cor 7:5

5 For, when we were come into Macedonia, our flesh had no rest, but we were troubled on every side; without were fightings, within were fears.

Mic 7:7-9

I will look unto the LORD; I will wait for the God of my salvation: my God will hear me.

8 Rejoice not against me, O mine enemy: when I fall, I shall arise; when I sit in darkness, the LORD shall be a light unto me.

9 I will bear the indignation of the LORD, because I have sinned against him, until he plead my cause, and execute judgment for me: he will bring me forth to the light, and I shall behold his righteousness.

Dear Lord, roll away the clouds of confusion for me. I wait for your light and your guidance. AMEN