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We Truly and Urgently Need to Focus on The Kingdom and The Big Picture for the Days Ahead. Will You Be Ready?
Our lives are busy. Perhaps that is an understatement? Our lives are ultra busy; some may even say frantic with trying to squeeze in everything we want to do. It is so easy to get distracted and lose track of time. Before we know it, we wonder where the day went, and things of necessity or interest are shelved for tomorrow. We ask ourselves how could this happen again? Are we trying to do too much? Or are we side tracked by others, or things that we like to do which are really not all that profitable? We tell ourselves yet again, we must not get distracted! Just how do we achieve this? Is there a foolproof formula guaranteed to work? If so, what is it?
If we knew all that God knows we would be making each and every day count with the greatest diligence. After all, God tells us that diligence is man’s most precious possession (Proverbs 12:27). God gives us enough wisdom through His Word in order to be wise stewards redeeming the time (Ephesians 5:16, Psalm 90:12). There are plenty of warnings and admonitions in the Bible to alert us that we must wake up and be ready for Christ’s return. One powerful account is given in Matthew 25 with the 5 wise and 5 foolish virgins. However, human nature wants to have its own way, and it is all too easy to give in and opt for easier choices, such as pleasurable pursuits and various forms of entertainment. There is so much out there to distract us. So what are we to do about it?
Simply put, we should be planning for the here and now, with the "big picture" firmly in sharp focus, not letting anything be left to chance. We must not be random in the way we live our lives. God plans His desires and leaves nothing to chance. He is organised and knows what He must do in order to accomplish everything that must be done. Likewise we must desire to be like our Creator in order to achieve readiness through the best preparation we can have now while the times are relatively peaceful.
Matthew 6:33 is paramount in exercising our daily spiritual muscle with God instructing us to “...seek first the kingdom of God and His righteousness, and all these things shall be added to you”. That means everything else needs to fall into line after our spiritual development. If we make God our number one focus He will ensure everything else is exactly where it should be.
For me, I take my iPad in the car and download a few sermons each day. By the time I get home from work I have listened to at least 2 in addition to reading a Proverb a day and reading through the Bible cover to cover over the course of one year. The reading is only about 30 minutes when broken down in daily segments, so anyone can achieve this. At the end of the day I have some balance by allowing myself a TV programme like Master Chef (Australian TV) or Fixer Upper (USA TV). Wholesome shows that I find beneficial. Balance is important in order to sustain any type of rigorous schedule. It means there is something to look forward to when all the important things have been attended to and without compromising in any way a righteous walk with God. I used to randomly watch TV but the language and the violence, or the overt sexual inferences with nudity, seem to be the norm today. We are God’s children who are set apart to imitate Christ. There is no room for lust.
We know we are limited in these physical bodies eagerly awaiting the occasion of our change, when we will be changed in the twinkling of an eye (1 Corinthians 15:51). Many of us are weak physically due to illness, disability, pain, allergies, genetic issues, or any number of health problems that plague us. Even so, we do try to make the best of our particular situation but have to “pace” ourselves so that we can achieve some level of productivity that is pleasing. Inevitably, the older we become there is usually less muscle strength and stamina, more restroom stops, afternoon naps, and any number of things that “interfere” with, as the French would say, “Joie de Vivre” or joy of living.
What can we do? The short answer is read the Bible and pray. Prayer on behalf of others is a powerful tool and weapon in our spiritual armour (Ephesians 6:10-18). Even those who are bedridden can read and pray. Prayer should never be underestimated. We can listen to sermons online. There is so much spiritual food to digest on the Church website. We will need every bit of preparation between now and the catastrophic times just ahead in order to be one of those wise virgins.
The Time of the End Plan
In Haggai 2:6-7 we can read these words "For thus says the LORD of hosts: "Once more (it is a little while) I will shake heaven and earth, the sea and dry land; 'and I will shake all nations, and they shall come to the Desire of All Nations, and I will fill this temple with glory', says the LORD of hosts". What does this scripture mean and does it have relevance for us in these end times?
The prophet Haggai was powerfully used by God to get His message across to the people of the day. They were greatly discouraged with the rebuilding of God’s temple. The second temple was but a mere shadow of the former. Reading through the book of Haggai we can see that God greatly desired to give His people ongoing encouragement as He so desires each and every one of us to be saved (1 Timothy 2:4). Haggai stirred the people up to have firm conviction and realise that no matter how things looked, God’s presence was still with them. They needed to change their attitudes and deeply desire to finish the work of rebuilding the temple.
What about us? Are any of you out there discouraged? Do you feel or think God has forgotten about you or is not listening to you? Perhaps you are tired, thinking why bother today, after all I can do tomorrow, a few days here and there won’t make much of a difference. That is precisely how the devil wants you to think.
This is what God wants you to know right here and now. Isaiah 44:22 “I have blotted out, like a thick cloud, your transgressions, and like a cloud, your sins. Return to me, for I have redeemed you”. Are these not powerful words with great meaning? Come on! God has given us everything. EVERYTHING. Even His only Son who died such a vile death so that we might live (John 3:16). It had to be this way just like we now have to show Him we are deeply committed and convicted.
God definitely wants to encourage each and every one of us, particularly you, about the temple we are working on. Yes, ourselves — “Do you not know that you are the temple of God and that the Spirit of God dwells in you” (1 Corinthians 3:16)? We have the law written on our hearts; we have His Word the Holy Bible in our hands, we are the daily living sacrifices, our prayers are the pungent incense; God’s Spirit dwells within the members of His spiritual temple. This is very real. Ask God to put a fire in your belly as it were. If you are lacking motivation and desire you need to know that your race is almost run (2 Timothy 4:7-8). Think of all the hard yards you have gone through already. Tests and trials will come and go. If we didn’t have any then one would wonder if God is truly working to change me? Do not grow weary. Physically we get weary every day. We can’t help that. The thing is to draw from God’s strength, not our own — we don’t have any!
We simply do not have to grow weary spiritually. We each have to make the effort. Whatever has happened in the past, leave it there. What truly counts is today. It is as simple as kneeling down and opening yourself up to God as His child, a sheep that may have wandered into the back paddock, or even outside the fence. Remember what God says about the one sheep that returned to the flock? Luke 15:4-7 contains this beautiful heartfelt message.
At the conclusion of the matter we must remember that God is for us and He will never leave us (Hebrews 13:5-6). Whatever you do just start today and take one day at a time. Your spiritual life is at stake and it matters. Would you not want to be there to see the third and final temple completed and the full glory of God’s presence, where we can live together forever through infinity in supernatural peace, when we will never grow weary or feel depressed or discouraged? The former things will have passed away and it will all be just a distant memory. God knows you can do this and He will finish His work in you according to Philippians 1:6.