20/01/2017 - THERE IS STILL TIME

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Who knows if He will turn and relent, and leave a blessing behind Him— a grain offering and a drink offering for the Lord your God? Joel 2.14

There are people that are about to commit a sin that will lead them towards eternal punishment, but they do not even notice it. The worst failure of an unwarned Christian is to think he can play with danger, thinking he is too mature not to fall. Another problem is for those who have been forgiven many times to think that they can deceive the Lord; what they don’t know is that the door is about to be closed. Their false faith will make them stumble.

Joel was used to send a message to the careless Israelites. Whenever God’s patience ended, they would pay a high price. Punishment for them was already determined, but since the Lord wants all to be saved, this word was for them to repent, because maybe the Most High would turn to them and grant them a blessing. The proposal is true for us as well, but unfortunately many do not believe in it.

Judas Iscariots was invited personally by Jesus to compose His group of disciples, entrusting him the financial stewardship of the ministry. Thus, he was relevant in the group. One day, to cover up for his mistakes, when he saw a sinner breaking an alabaster flask with oil of spikenard and pouring it over the head of the Master, he questioned if it wouldn’t be better to sell the costly perfume and give the money to the poor. However, Judas was a thief.

In Paul’s days, there was a worker called Demas, who was close to the Apostle. However, he let himself be deceived by the temptation and abandoned Paul when he most needed him. Demas loved this present world, cherishing his own life. If he did not repent before parting, he was lost forever. The devil still uses the same strategies, and therefore, leads many servants to Hell. But there is still time!

Many saved people ignore the orders of the Word and do not evangelize. They should read Ezekiel 3.17-20 to see what Waits for them. Afterwards, they should meditate in Ezekiel 33.3-20. He who disregards a mission that God orders will also be disregarded in his own requests. We have not been left to be idle; we must fulfill the Lord’s plans.

Be careful not to do what God hasn’t ordered you, as it happened with Moses, who was the meekest man on Earth. He had been so provoked by the Israelites that he lost his patience and struck the rock twice, when he should have spoken for water to pour from the rock. Since Moses was a symbol of Jesus, he did wrong: the son of God could not be struck more than once, as it is written. There is still time to leave the wrong way!

Solomon was warned by the Most High to flee from the women that were not from his own people, because if he clung to them he would fall astray and worship the demons that were the gods of those lands. There was still time to do what was right, but since he did not seek for his deliverance, he sinned and his last days were very sad.

In Christ, with love,

R. R. Soares