Is this your opportunity? Don’t miss it…

Ever heard the saying, “There is a time and season to everything.”? Most of us would probably agree with such truth, even being able to dredge up many various experiences which could prove the veracity of such a statement. We’ve all heard those miraculous stories about an individual, against all odds, finally getting that one shot in life to overcome and achieve their hearts desire, and when they acted, all their dreams came true. Stuff that fairy tales are made from. Many of us on the other hand, may not have one of those ‘miracle’ fairy tales we could share from the vault of our own experiences-although we all wish we did.

God Himself works in such a manner-in seasons. The Bible tells us in the book of Genesis, ‘As long as the Earth endures, seed time and harvest, cold and heat, summer and winter, day and night will never cease.’ We can see from this Scripture reference that God has created the Earth in such a way that different seasons exist for different moments in time and varying opportunities. Most of us could attest to the different seasons and times of day and how they dictate our various actions. Then we have instances such as a solar or lunar eclipse or a comet’s passing which only happen only ever so often. To see such an event must one plan accordingly and be on time to view the spectacle.

Not only are these things true in the natural world around us but they are also true in the spiritual realm. For many hundreds of years, the Israelites labored to please God. Before the Israelites were even the Israelites, there were various men of God who sought after the Lord, in hopes of pleasing Him and releasing the burden of sin that had been unleashed on the world at the fall of Adam and his wife Eve. At just the right time though, God sent His one and only Son into the world to redeem all of mankind-to lift the burden of sin and condemnation. His timing was impeccable. Everything had to be just right-that perfect moment in time, for the savior of humanity to come into the world. Divinity clothed with the stench of human flesh, redeeming the whole of human flesh, that we may once again know the divine.

There remains to this day, a time for each of us. An opportunity if you will, to have that same divine miracle, that same redeeming moment, happen in our lives. In the book of Titus that Paul the Apostle wrote, he makes this statement in his opening verses:

“…at His appointed season He brought His Word to light through the preaching entrusted to me (Paul the Apostle)..” (Titus 1:3a)

We see here in this verse, Paul making reference to an ‘appointed season’. There is an appointed season in every person’s life. A moment in time when the doors of one’s heart are opened by God’s Holy Spirit, enabling a person to understand and believe in Jesus Christ and the redemption accomplished upon the cross. You see, without God supernaturally revealing this information to us, we are simply unable to believe. That why it also says here that the ‘Word was brought to light’. The Bible says it’s like a veil covering our hearts and minds.

“But their minds were made dull, for to this day the same veil remains when the Old Covenant is read. It has not been removed, because only in Christ is it taken away.” (2 Corinthians 3:14)

And again in the next chapter of 2 Corinthians:

“And if our Gospel is veiled, it is veiled to those who are perishing. The god of this age has blinded the minds of unbelievers so that they cannot see the light of the gospel of the glory of Christ, who is the image of God.” (2 Corinthians 4:3-4)

Before God opens our dull hearts and minds, we are dead-spiritually dead-unable to hear and believe in the Gospel of Jesus Christ. Spiritually blind! That’s right…it’s not up to someone’s own decision if they want to choose to believe in this thing called ‘Christianity’. I know that make take some by surprise but it’s true. The Bible has much to say about this in many different places. In Romans 9, Paul touches quite extensively on this fact:

“It does not therefore depend on man’s desire or his (own) effort but rather on God’s mercy” (Romans 9:16)

“For God has bound all men over to disobedience that He may have mercy on them all.” (Romans 11:32)

Men and woman need God’s mercy to have their hearts opened by God-and God alone. And when it is finally opened, they need to hear the words of the Gospel spoken. That verse quoted previously said it was by ‘preaching’. I know many non-Christians are turned off by preachers-especially television preachers. But here is the thing…God uses that very preaching to deliver the message of the Gospel. It’s the vehicle He has chosen to deliver His precious salvation to the hearts of mankind.

“And God was pleased through the foolishness of what was preached, to save those who believe.” (1 Corinthians 1: 21b)

 

Ok, here is the thing…there is a season in which God has provided for each of us to hear the message of the Gospel and by which to respond. It’s not up to us-never was. So many people out there who need to hear the message that Jesus came and died for them, to save them from their sins and restore them to a right relationship to God. They need to hear it! But if they hear the message and it’s not the right season, well…they are literally unable to believe in it. The Bible says it’s ‘foolishness’ to them. Just plain outright stupidity. Nonsense. The Bible also says the ‘devil has taken them captive to do his will’. They are enslaved but don’t even know it.

What does all this mean? What am I getting at?

Is this YOUR opportunity? Is all this stuff I’m talking about just whimsical nonsense to you? Is it a bunch of religious jargon that I’m babbling about? Is Jesus just some fictitious character that adorns the pages of the Bible or part of some cross necklace so many people wear around their necks? Is faith something you see as a ‘crutch’ to those people who are weak and can’t get through life on their own?

Then this is for you. I pray that this is your season, your time. I pray your heart is opened to believe in this foolishness. I ask you to also pray. Ask God to have mercy on you-a sinner. Ask for God to let you see and understand. This Gospel message is salve to your blind eyes. It’s healing to your deaf hears and broken heart. It’s life-giving power to all who believe. God can restore your life as it was originally intended to be…in communication and relationship to God-the very God that created everything around us. God can and will forgive your sins-FOREVER! …simply by confessing the name above all names-the name of Jesus Christ-and acknowledging that He died to take your punishment and give you life. This is your season. This is your day. This is your moment of moments.

“Now is the time of God’s favor. Today is the day to be saved.” (2 Corinthians 6:2)

Is this your opportunity? Don’t miss it…