By Lou K. Coleman | WSS News Contributor
DO NOT listen to all those soothing voices whispering you have all the time in the world. “Seek ye the LORD while he may be found, call ye upon him while he is near: Let the wicked forsake his way, and the unrighteous man his thoughts: and let him return unto the LORD, and he will have mercy upon him; and to our God, for he will abundantly pardon.” [Isaiah 55:6-7].
For Gods says in [Isaiah 48:9] “For my own name’s sake I delay my wrath; for the sake of my praise, I hold it back from you, so as not to destroy you completely.” I’m putting my grace on display, my mercy, my long suffering, my patience, but that want last forever. This is all the more urgent, for you to know how late it is; time is running out. Wake up, for your salvation is nearer now than when you first believed. [Romans 13:11].
Understand, the offer of Salvation has a time element to it! How much time is left, you ask? Now that we do not know. That is a mystery that God holds in His hand, and He will not tell us. But what He does tell us is that it’s later than you think. It will not be long before this present age as we know it will end. Wake up and do it NOW! The time is short! And be careful how you live, not as unwise but as wise, making the most of every opportunity because the days are evil. [Ephesians 5:11].
Understand, salvation is a life and death matter, it’s a matter of heaven or hell! When you give your life to God you are not only saved from sin, the evil one, and death; you are also saved from the wrath of God and the judgment to come. The point of this paragraph of God’s Word is that there will be no escape for any of us who neglects our great salvation. [Hebrews 2:1–4].
Besides, if Jesus came on the scene saying “Repent for the Kingdom of God is at Hand” how important do you think it is? Wake up and do it now! For the Lord is not slow in keeping His promises, as some understand slowness. He is patient with you, not wanting anyone to perish, but everyone to come to repentance.” [2 Peter 3:9].
In the past God overlooked such ignorance, but now He commands all people everywhere to repent. [Acts 17:30]. As [Luke 13:22] admonishes, make every effort to enter the narrow door, because many will try to enter and will not be able to. Once the master of the house gets up and closes the door, you’ll stand outside knocking and pleading, sir open the door for us. But “He will answer,” I don’t know you or where you come from. Don’t wait until it’s too late!
Consider this borrowed time, that God has allotted, which can be compared to the seven days of grace God gave to the people in Noah’s day. The ark was finished, and all the people and the animals were onboard; but God gave all those outside the ark seven days of grace. He told Noah, for yet seven days, and I will cause it to rain upon the earth forty days and forty nights; and every living substance that I have made will I destroy from off the face of the earth [Genesis 7:4].
God left the door open so that those who wanted could enter the ark, but they just mocked and made fun of Noah and his family like they had been doing for many years. And it came to pass after seven days, that the waters of the flood were upon the earth…and the Lord shut him in [Genesis 7:10,16].
Time is about to run out. Don’t wait until it’s too late. Enter the Ark. It is not the will of your Father which is in Heaven, that you should perish [Matthew 18:14; 2 Peter 3:9]. If you have any conscience at all, you will enter the ark while the door is still open.
You know the prophet Isaiah was told to tell King Hezekiah, Thus saith the Lord, Set thine house in order: for thou shalt die, and not live. Then Hezekiah turned his face toward the wall, and prayed unto the Lord, and said, remember now, O Lord, I beseech thee, how I have walked before thee in truth and with a perfect heart, and have done that which is good in thy sight. And Hezekiah wept sore [Isaiah 38:1-3].
God did not disagree with Hezekiah, so He gave him borrowed time. Then came the word of the Lord to Isaiah, saying, Go, and say to Hezekiah, Thus saith the Lord, the God of David thy father, I have heard thy prayer, I have seen thy tears: behold, I will add unto thy days fifteen years [Isaiah 38:4,5]. Every minute of that was borrowed time because God had originally said that Hezekiah’s time was up. God’s grace!
So, beloved, be not ignorant of this one thing, that one day is with the Lord as a thousand years, and a thousand years as one day. [2 Peter 3:8].
And as it is appointed unto men once to die, but after this the judgment. [Hebrews 9:27].
Behold, NOW is the accepted time; Behold, NOW is the day of salvation [2 Corinthians 6:2].
And do this, knowing the time, that now it is high time to awake out of sleep; for NOW, our salvation is nearer than when we first believed. The night is far spent, the day is at hand [Romans 13:11-14]. For, “The time is fulfilled, and the kingdom of God is at hand. Repent, and believe in the gospel.” [Mark 1:15].
And the angel which I saw stand upon the sea and upon the earth lifted up his hand to heaven, and swore by him that liveth forever and ever, who created heaven, and the things that therein are, and the earth, and the things that therein are, and the sea, and the things which are therein, that there should be time no longer [Revelation 10:5,6].
You also must be ready, for the Son of Man is coming at an hour you do not expect.” [Luke 12:40].