Don't Delay

In my home fellowship and study small group we have been looking at some eschatological verses from Revelation. My wife and I have also been reading through that book lately as part of our daily devotions. Easily noticed is the description of how depraved and evil the people on earth will become during the Tribulation years. It honestly reads like an enormous fiction and I wonder how it could ever be possible for people to grow so grotesque in character and sentiment. At one point it is revealed: “Men gnawed their tongues in agony and cursed the God of heaven because of their pains and their sores, but they refused to repent of what they had done.” (Rev. 16:10-11) Is it possible for men and women to sink to such a condition? Well, here’s a sobering thought. In a world that has beheld the influence of God’s Holy Spirit through the salt and light of His presence through the Church we were still witness to the great horrors of history to include the indescribable dreadfulness of such 20th century tragedies as Hitler’s Holocaust, Stalin’s purges and forced famines, Pol Pot’s elimination of 20% of his population. These three, although the most referred to, are not the only genocidal efforts in the last 100 years. Yet, the Tribulation promises to eclipse these experiences by exponential numbers. Who would possibly want to take a chance on risking such a prospect? Now, here’s another somber attention-getter. “They perish because they refused to love the truth and so be saved. For this reason God sends them a powerful delusion so that they will believe the lie and so that all will be condemned who have not believed the truth but have delighted in wickedness,” (2 Thes. 2:10-12) In other words, for those who have had the privilege of hearing God’s invitation of grace but are counting on biding their time to make their final decision when the crunch time begins, it’s already too late. Your opportunity is not then, it’s now . . . today. “For He says, ‘In the time of my favor I heard you, and in the day of salvation I helped you.’ I tell you, now is the time of God’s favor, now is the day of salvation.” (2 Cor. 6:2) Also, in the parable Jesus tells about a certain rich man who thought he had plenty of time to sort out his affairs, he was admonished: “But God said to him, ‘You fool! This very night your life will be demanded from you. Then who will get what you have prepared for yourself?’” (Luke 12:20) Let me encourage you if you are lukewarm . . . or even reticent about making Christ your Blessed Hope. Don’t risk waiting until the Tribulation; don’t wait for times to get better or worse; don’t rely on the wisdom of your own intellect, “There is a way that seems right to a man, but in the end it leads to death.” (Prov. 16:25) “For the wisdom of this world is foolishness in God’s sight.” (1 Cor. 3:19) Don’t delay another day. Put your trust in Him now . . . this moment. Welcome to the Kingdom!