ACCEPTED TIME I - 07/02/2014
Yesterday’s message was titled “THE PARADOX OF THE CHRISTIAN LIFE”, while
today’s message is titled “ACCEPTED TIME
I” as given by Pastor E. A. Adeboye in Open Heavens Devotional (Adeboye,
2014). In today’s message, we have been asked to memorise Ecclesiastes 3:1: “To every thing there is a season, and a
time to every purpose under the heaven.” and read Ecclesiastes 3:1-8. Our Bible in one year for today has been taken
from Isaiah 14:28 to Isaiah 19:15 and Psalm 33: 12-22 (Adeboye,
2014).
As usual, let’s take a look at
the quoted text for today’s message as provided by Pastor E. A. Adeboye
(Adeboye, 2013)
“God
in His perfection has His own ways of doing things. One of such ways is that He
has a timetable by which He works, and He follows it strictly. This is
demonstrated in the way He handled the case of Lazarus, the brother of Mary and
Martha (lohn ll:l-8) The Bible says He loved this man and his two sisters.
because of this love, the sisters of Lazarus were in no panicky state at all when
he fell sick because they knew that all they needed was for Jesus to hear that
His friend was sick and He would rush to the scene and heal him immediately.
How mistaken they were. However, God knew of the condition of Lazarus even
before it happened. The Bible says:
“Known
unto God are all his works from the beginning of the world.” Acts 15:18
Lazarus’
sisters waited for Jesus to come till the time they concluded it was all over.
They were not disappointed at the end because when it was time for Him to act
according to His timetable, their mourning turned to joy and theysang a new
song. lf you are truly His child, walking
uprightly before Him, be aware that He knows of that experience you are having
for which you earnestly desire a change. He is not just getting aware of it now
but He knew about it before you were born. How amazing! When He stepped into
the case of Lazarus according to His own time-table on the fourth day of his demise,
the hopeless situation became a great testimony. Has His “delay” made your case
worse, or has your case degenerated and decayed, just like the body of Lazarus
in the grave for four days? I have good news for you: the Lord will step in and
yours shall be a mighty testimony, and great joy shall follow in Jesus‘ Name. Note
that while the disappointment of Martha and Mary lasted over their dead brother,
it was not reported that they got angry
with Jesus. In grief, they did not consider Him less than they had taken Him to be. They did not
blaspheme or say rubbish against God. There is no doubt that they were pained because Jesus did not come around at
their own timing when, supposedly, there was still hope. Nevertheless, their response to Jesus was
still that of reverence (John 1 1 :32)”
The key point for today is to ensure you do not get angry with God when
faced with trouble, as this could your problem.
I pray that the spirit of
patience and perseverance will never depart from us in Jesus Name, amen.
Reference:
Adeboye, E. A. (2014) Open
Heavens: A Guide to Close Fellowship with God, Volume 14, 2014. Nigeria: Open
Heavens Media Limited.
Very timely word!
ReplyDeleteFather I thank you for ur word today. I pray that u will help me uphold my brothers and sisters whose cases are exactly like Lazarus. You are the never-late God.
Hallelujah to your holy name.
Good morning everyone.
Lord teach me how to wait patiently for your perfect timing . Renew my strength as I wait for Your blessing in my life
ReplyDeleteThanks be to God and to His ministers the couriers of glad tiddings. Indeed, if a man's travails are occasioned by abiding in sin, only he can work his salvation through repentance and return to righteousness. But" lf you are truly His child, walking uprightly before Him, " there is good reason not to worry but wait in hope and joy on God's timetable. The grace to elect the right option, grant to us oh Lord!
ReplyDeleteSister Yetunde, thanks for the message and for your time in putting it up. Just to point out, the Bible in one year reading for today should also have Psalm 33: 12-22. God bless
ReplyDeleteThanks and God bless you for the observation. I've updated accordingly
DeleteI have been waiting on God for a good job for 14 yrs, I'm still trusting Him for my own appointed time. While waiting I kept growing academically, professionally, morally, spiritually and in my service to God. With today's message I have been re-assured my own time of lifting is well known to Jesus and it shall surely come. Amen.
ReplyDeleteAMEN!
DeleteAmen, time and chance will not pass me by.
ReplyDeleteThank you Lord for your faithfulness to me, even when I'm faithless, you remain faithful because that's who You Are.
ReplyDeleteTruly , God knows the end from our beginnings . Thank you Lord for your strange interventions and I know that even today your faithfulness will establish your covenants in mylife. I am holding on and I know by your grace you will perfect all that concerns me. Praises to your name Abba father.
ReplyDeleteWith Jesus on our side, a great future and a bright hope is ours. However, our part include that we wait earnestly, live holy, obey God's commandments, hearken unto Him in all things, etc.
ReplyDeleteTo everything there is a season,
ReplyDeleteA time for every purpose under heaven:
2 A time to be born,
And a time to die;
A time to plant,
And a time to pluck what is planted;
3 A time to kill,
And a time to heal;
A time to break down,
And a time to build up;
4 A time to weep,
And a time to laugh;
A time to mourn,
And a time to dance;
5 A time to cast away stones,
And a time to gather stones;
A time to embrace,
And a time to refrain from embracing;
6 A time to gain,
And a time to lose;
A time to keep,
And a time to throw away;
7 A time to tear,
And a time to sew;
A time to keep silence,
And a time to speak;
8 A time to love,
And a time to hate;
A time of war,
And a time of peace.