The Time Has Come

When it is time for something to happen, it is time!! You may say, "You are so smart," when you say that statement. If it is true, then why don't we proceed when it is time? Doubt? Fear? Laziness? More and more excuses pile up when it comes to us "moving ahead," and God is not about excuses. His timing is perfect, and His discernment for us is also perfect, if we are "tuned in" to what He is doing. What is God doing? Many times in scripture, Jesus would move "immediately" because that was God's timing. Faithless Christians love the scripture where God's Word says, "Be still." I am not minimizing God's Word, but part of the meaning of that verse involves us really believing God is who He says He is. Psalm 46:“Be still, and know that I am God! I will be honored by every nation. I will be honored throughout the world.” Remember, Moses stood at the edge of the Red Sea, and he had to make a decision: Step into the water or stay on the shore. Motivating circumstances included the Egyptians coming and the deep water in front of Him. What did Moses do? He stepped into the water, not just to get his feet wet, but to walk across with God going before Him. How could he do that? He trusted God!

Our faith is so weak at times that we would not even leave the rule of the Egyptians. We would keep making bricks and ignoring God's deliverance. And yet we want to have faith to live our lives for Jesus. The question is "Do you believe?" Do we really believe? Augustine wrote: Understanding is the reward of faith. Therefore, seek not to understand that thou mayest believe, but believe that thou mayest understand. I think Augustine has a point. But in my faith, an argument enters the picture where I must be "realistic" in my faith, and that is where the argument for faith takes a turn. Where will that turn go? More toward God or more toward humanistic thinking? Good question.

Elijah was a great man of faith, and when he prayed, God worked. Here is James' explanation of what kind of man Elijah was in James 17. Elijah was as human as we are, and yet when he prayed earnestly that no rain would fall, none fell for three and a half years! 18 Then, when he prayed again, the sky sent down rain and the earth began to yield its crops. Once again, do you believe? When you don't know what to pray, the Holy Spirit will show you what to pray, and God will listen, and believe it or not, He will act, as only God can. I talk a lot about faith, but how much do I really have when it comes down to it? Martin Luther said the following words: God our Father has made all things depend on faith so that whoever has faith will have everything, and whoever does not have faith will have nothing. If that is true, then I had better start believing and quit playing around in mediocrity because God has work to do!!

In the following verses there is an important part of faith we might miss if we don't open our hearts to the message of God's Word. Acts 1: 6 So when the apostles were with Jesus, they kept asking him, “Lord, has the time come for you to free Israel and restore our kingdom?” 7 He replied, “The Father alone has the authority to set those dates and times, and they are not for you to know. 8 But you will receive power when the Holy Spirit comes upon you. And you will be my witnesses, telling people about me everywhere—in Jerusalem, throughout Judea, in Samaria, and to the ends of the earth.” 9 After saying this, he was taken up into a cloud while they were watching, and they could no longer see him. 10 As they strained to see him rising into heaven, two white-robed men suddenly stood among them. 11 “Men of Galilee,” they said, “why are you standing here staring into heaven? Jesus has been taken from you into heaven, but someday he will return from heaven in the same way you saw him go!”

First, the apostles asked Jesus when this whole thing would happen, and Jesus deferred to God the Father and told them they would need to trust God. Duh. Jesus then told them they would have the power to be His witnesses when the Holy Spirit comes. The Holy Spirit came at Pentecost, so the Holy Spirit has come. Then Jesus was taken up to heaven, and they could no longer see Him. Then two white-robed men stood in their midst and asked the following words. 1 “Men of Galilee,” they said, “why are you standing here staring into heaven? Jesus has been taken from you into heaven, but someday he will return from heaven in the same way you saw him go!”

Before Jesus went to heaven, His last words were for all of His disciples. That's you and me. His last words were And you will be my witnesses, telling people about me everywhere—in Jerusalem, throughout Judea, in Samaria, and to the ends of the earth.” We don't have to try to guess when we are to be those people because, since the Holy Spirit came at Pentecost, we have been equipped with the power of the Holy Spirit to move in His power to share the message of the gospel. The only other thing that needs to happen is for us to believe and then show our faith by doing what He said to do. To quote Jesus, "The Time Has Come!" Final question from today's message, "Do You Believe?" Time to go.

Today's Message,

David Warren