What time is it?
It is time for everyone to get serious about God.
My heart has been hurting for those people that are not taking God’s Word seriously.
If I may, please allow me to share what is on my mind about these people.
Answer the following questions and then go back and put someone you know in your place and see if you can answer those questions for them…
What if?
- What if Jesus was to return to earth 5 minutes from now, did you do everything you can do to insure you will be rising up to meet Him in the clouds?
- Or will you be wondering; “Where did everyone go?” and wishing you did things a little differently.
- What if you were standing face to face with God, will you hear those amazing words; “Great job my faithful servant!”?
- Or will you be standing face to face with God and being ashamed that you did not give 100%.
- What if you were presented with an opportunity to bless someone, will you have to think about it?
- Or will you trust in God to hold to His promise that you will reap MORE than you sow.
- What if God gave you they opportunity to be wealthy behold all imagination, but your eternity was not guaranteed would you accept?
- Or the other option was a life of serving Him and others but just barely getting by, until the day when He returns when you are guaranteed a place with Him in heaven.
- What if you were asked to invite others to know the things you know about God, will you extend the invitation?
- Or will you do what most people do, will you just let someone else do it?
It is time, it is way over due for the “Christian” people to stop being so darn selfish. God is not a secret. The opportunity to get to know God does not require any special password or expensive ticket to reserve a seat. We, believers, need to step up and be BOLD about our faith. We also need to take every opportunity we have to share God with others and just run with it.
I have heard too many excuses why ”Christians” do not either share God with others, or those who do not have that a personal relationship with Jesus Christ do not make an effort to get to know Him. Here are a few, feel free to add a few, maybe those people who use those excuses will be able to learn from this.
- I am too busy – too busy for God – Does God ever say He is too busy for us?
- I am not comfortable with it – Step out – Part of Faith is stepping out of your comfort zone.
- I do not know how – Get over it – If you can invite people over to watch a football game (or soccer for you other people), you can invite them to church.
- Nobody invited me - you are wrong – someone sowed a seed sometime in your life and God did the rest.
- I go to church – really where and how often? – If you say you are going to church, yet are lying, you are not lying to me, you are lying to yourself and God, if you do go to church, to God be ALL of the Glory…
- I do not need to go to a church – OK, you do not have to be IN church to pray – Luke 4:16 tells us that Jesus went to church regularly, we need to be like Jesus…
- I am too old – real simple- Pastor David Gant – I hope that when I am his age I have half of his energy – If you do not know Pastor Gant, come to visit our church, I will introduce him to you… www.discoverlifechurch.tv
- I am too young, or I have not been a “Christian” very long. - What a better opportunity- invite the people you hang around now to come experience God. If you saw a good movie, or for the women a real tear jerker, I bet before you got home from the movies you would have called or texted at least 3 friends to go see it – When is the last time you left church and called just 1 person to come experience God.
I can go on and on, but I am saving some good ones for those who are reading and replying…
What time is it? It is time for us ALL to step up for God… Will you?
Praise God!!!
March 25, 2009 at 6:29 am
Step up and step out. You’re right Jeff, the time is now, the day is today. Seize the moment and trust in God.
As it’s said in 1 John 2:17, “The world and its desires pass away, but the man who does the will of God lives forever”.
May God bless you in the your trip to Costa Rica this week. By the way – nice picture!
March 25, 2009 at 10:39 am
Wow Jeff! That’s truly telling it like it is. We all do need to get off our duffs and share Jesus with everyone we meet. Each day that I live I become closer to my Maker and realize that I’m not the only one in this world and that it’s not about me. Thanks to you for being open to God and bold enough to share a timeless message that we all NEED to hear. Last but not least thank you God for giving me a friend like Jeff Bechta to learn about You. Jeff you truly are an inspiration to me. Thank God!
March 25, 2009 at 2:20 pm
Thank you Brother Anil…
I was blessed with an amazing testamony from a young lady in Mississippi a few minutes ago. I asked if it was OK to share her testamony and she said yes and it was OK to share her name and where she is from.
Bonnie is 71 years old, she has been attending church most of her life. She was even teaching the youth on Sunday’s at church. Bonnie’s daughter Melanie has been also going to church most of her life. Melanie has been so faithful all of her life to Jesus even though with her illnesses, several painful and annoying ones, could have just discouraged her. She has been encouraging her mother to get more serious about her walk with Jesus Christ. Understand, Melanie was 26 years old and her mother was 71, almost 3 times her daughter’s age.
Just last year, while reading the Bible lessons to the youth, Bonnie realized she has never “seriously” accepted Jesus Christ as her Lord and Savior. Ever since that day, when she accepted Jesus Christ as her Lord and Savior, her life has not been the same.
At 71, Bonnie is a new person. Are you truly saved, or are you like bonnie who thought she was? Look deep inside, if you have not truly accepted Jesus Christ as your Lord AND Savior, maybe the time is now.
I am not finished, I hope you all are not also. Please comment on this, I am very passionate that everyone gets this.
To God be ALL of the Glory!!!
March 25, 2009 at 4:27 pm
Yes Jeff there have been rumblings from across the spectrum of His Body recently with many predictions of what is to happen and what it will look like. Scripture tells us to ‘despise not prophesying’ (1 Thessalonians 5:20) but to ‘judge all things’ (1Corinthians 2:14-16)Once the emotion, senationalism, and fear mongering have been stripped away from these prophecies, there remains a consistency that Ruach haKodesh (the Holy spirit) seems to be speaking and that we should give an ear to. What becomes apparently clear is the Spirit of the Living God is giving us an indication that His Kingdom is close at hand -soon to burst upon ‘all flesh’.
If we are not careful, we will put ourselves in the position of worshipping scripture instead of Him by embracing the teaching that has come from what we consider a ‘reputable source’ without putting forth the due diligence of ferreting out every word we hear before the Lord. From the beginning, scripture was only meant to point us into the direction of, to give us understanding of this Spirit Person.
The highest I can encourage all of us is to press into Him and become acquainted with Him in the intimacy that is afforded us today – for tomorrow will soon come and the Day will become dark and we will need His Oil we have gathered in our lamps today to light the way through the darkness. Listen to everyone, but depend on no one but Him.
Scripture will validate what we hear through Ruach haKodesh as being Him (Revelation 19:10) He is faithful to lead us into Truth IF (big little word) we allow Him to by not being determined to follow our own way.
March 25, 2009 at 5:06 pm
Jeff, this is so timely and is something we all need to be reminded of if we are saved and need to proclaim as part of our witness to in the world. I pray for the Costa Rica team and what God is going to do through them. Continue to use your gifting to share the good news. You are so gifted in your writing and it gets right to the point making one examine themselves and the direction they are going in. Continue to bless!