The Time Is...NOW!

God says, “I heard you at the right time, and I gave you help on the day of salvation.” I tell you that the “right time” is now. The “day of salvation” is now. 2 Corinthians 6:2 ERV

For God so love the world that He gave His only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in Him should not perish, but have everlasting life. John 3:16 KJV. God’s love for humanity is beyond our human comprehension. God’s love for humanity was demonstrated when Christ died for us on the cross. A sacrifice that cannot be compared. God did not spare His Son, Yeshua, but offered Him as a sacrifice. How many of us would give up our only son for a sinful world? I guess none of us, but God did.

With the death of Yeshua, we can now have eternal life. It is a gift offered to us by God the Father. He gave us His Son, so that we may be save and have eternal life. Now I know that many of us love to receive gifts. If someone offers you a gift, the expectation is that you would receive the gift right away. It would be senseless if you tell the person, that you do not want the gift today, they can give it to you tomorrow or next week, next month or next year. When a gift is offered, it is to be received right there and then.

Every day, the gift of salvation which leads to eternal life is offered to humanity. When we share the gospel, the good news of Yeshua, we are presenting the gift of salvation. Some accept right away, and others do not. The scripture tells us that God’s grace is given every day and that it should not be taken in vain. The scripture continues to say, now is the accepted time, now is the day of salvation.

When the gift of salvation, eternal life is offered, it is to be received, it is to be accepted now, right away. When one does not accept the gift, there is no guarantee they would have the opportunity again to do so. You see, life is not under our control. Missed opportunities may never come again. Scripture says, now is the accepted time, now is day of salvation, not tomorrow or next week or next year, for tomorrow is not promised to anyone.

If you have not accepted the free gift of salvation that leads to eternal life, why not do it today. Why not do it now? The right time is now! Don’t delay!

Feeling Worn Down? Show Up!

“Don’t you know? Haven’t you heard? The LORD is the everlasting God; he created all the world. He never grows tired or weary.” - Isaiah 40:28 GNT

The bigger the changes that happen in your life, the more time you need to spend with God.

That time with God is called a quiet time. You read the Bible, talk to God in prayer, and are quiet so you can listen to what God wants to say to you.

When you’re stressed out, time alone with God is the great stabilizer in your life. It’s also the greatest re-energizer when you’re worn out. We’ve all gone through a lot of stress the last few years, and some of us don’t have as much energy as we used to. Chronic stress has drained us as so much in our lives has changed.

Are you feeling fatigued? That’s natural. It’s what chronic stress does to our bodies. No matter how much sleep we get at night, we wake up tired or start to drag a few hours into the day. If you feel like you’re just trying to get by, you are not alone.

If you’re feeling overwhelmed, exhausted, stressed out, and like you’re barely hanging on, then you need to remember Isaiah 40:28: “Don’t you know? Haven’t you heard? The LORD is the everlasting God; He created all the world. He never grows tired or weary”.

God created the entire universe in six days…and He only rested on the seventh day to model a Sabbath for us. He never gets tired! He is never overwhelmed or worn out. He never gets stressed. He can handle anything…including all the things you can’t.

If you spend more time with God, who never grows tired or weary, then you’re going to have more energy. Spending time with God is not a burden or a drudgery or a drain…it’s the opposite! He gives strength to those who are weary. He gives peace and rest.

If you’re stressed, don’t seek a quick fix. Don’t look for a shortcut. Don’t fight changes that you can’t possibly control. Instead, spend time with God every day.

Instruments of Righteousness

“Do not let any part of your body become a tool of wickedness, to be used for sinning. Instead, give yourself completely to God…as a tool to do what is right for the glory of God” (Romans 6:13 NLT).

Daniel had a choice. Eat the king’s food, or control his ego and his appetite.

Daniel chose the latter.

Many teenagers wouldn’t have made that choice. Think about it. You’re 15 years old, and you’ve been taken by force from your home country. You’re never going to see your parents again. You’re in a foreign country with no parental supervision. Then the most powerful man in that country offers you all kinds of perks and says, “You’re going to be on my personal staff. I’m going to give you power, prestige, and pleasure. You’ll get the best of everything.”

Could you turn that down?

Just consider what we see sometimes in sports. A kid can shoot a basketball, throw a football, or swing a bat. They’re drafted into the professional leagues and receive tons of money. They’re given all kinds of perks, but they can’t handle that kind of success. Good kids can be ruined by too much success, too early.

That could have easily been Daniel’s story, but it wasn’t. He was incredibly disciplined for a 15-year-old kid isolated from his parents. Daniel reflected what Paul wrote hundreds of years later, when he said in Romans 6:13: “Do not let any part of your body become a tool of wickedness, to be used for sinning. Instead, give yourself completely to God…as a tool to do what is right for the glory of God” (NLT).

For Daniel, a lack of discipline would mean forfeiting God’s unique plan for his life. Daniel wouldn’t do that.

So he tells the most powerful man in the world, “Nebuchadnezzar, I’m going to serve you because God put me here. I’m not here without His permission, so I’ll serve you. You are a pagan king. But I’m not going to be indebted to you or conformed by you. You can give me all these kinds of perks, but I’m never going to forget that I’m not you. I’m not one of you. I’m Jewish. I’m not Babylonian.”

That’s maturity…and discipline, particularly for a 15-year-old. When we’re disciplined and obedient and following God’s will, we will be successful in God’s eyes.