Sunday 020925
Let’s only follow what we find that pertains to us and realize that it’s only from our own effort in studying His Word that is going to let us take anything away that we can use in our lives by ourselves and with those that we love.
The verses we are going to study tonight:
Revelation 22:12; Romans 13:11-14; Ephesians 5:15-20; Hebrews 4:12; 2 Timothy 2:15; Romans 10:17; 1 Timothy 4:13; Acts 20:32.
Today, as I was sitting in my ‘easy chair,’ laptop turned on and opened as I was doing my daily study in the Word.
Reading in Genesis, Exodus, the four gospels and then into Acts; reading some interpretations online when I noticed a person wanting to see proof from a verse, taken from the AV1611.
I spent a good fifteen to thirty minutes continuing to read this debate online when I heard a ‘ding’ from my phone, reminding me I had unopened messages on one of my Facebook accounts.
I switched to Facebook and began reading the notifications, when I saw one from my son-in-law, so I began reading his post.
As I was reading what he wrote, I visualized, in the back of my mind, what I’d seen from the television show the Chosen.
JW was talking about the word ‘LATER’ and how imprecise it actually was, and I remembered how the television show described the inexactness in the word ‘soon.’
Both words: ‘SOON’ and ‘LATER’ are subjective. They both are inexact expressions in lengths of time that vary from person to person and circumstance to circumstance.
The terms ‘soon’ and ‘later’ both refer to time, but they convey different meanings regarding when something will happen.
Soon: This term implies that something will happen in the near future. It suggests a relatively short time frame, often within minutes, hours, or days. For example, if someone says, ‘I’ll call you soon,’ they likely mean they will call within a short period.
Later: This term indicates that something will occur after some time has passed, but it does not specify how long. ‘Later’ can refer to a timeframe that could be hours, days, weeks, or even longer. For instance, if someone says, ‘Let’s meet later,’ they could mean at any point in the future that is not immediate.
In summary, ‘soon’ suggests a closer time frame, while ‘later’ indicates a more indefinite or extended future time.
JW’s wrote:
‘Later’ – talk to you later. – I’ll call you later. – see you later. – we’ll walk later. ‘I’ll tell you later.’
We leave everything for later but forget that ‘later’ does not belong to us.
Later, our loved ones are no longer with us.
Later, we don’t hear them, and we don’t see them.
Later, they are just memories.
Later, the day becomes night, the force becomes helpless, the smile becomes grimace, and life become death.
‘LATER’ becomes ‘TOO LATE.’
And just as fast, I was reminded of the man that wrote needing to see a verse, but only from the AV1611 version.
So, I went and found the verse.
Revelation 22:12
‘…Listen!” says Jesus. I am coming soon! I will bring my rewards with me, to give to each one according to what he has done…’ GNT (Good News Translation)
‘…And behold, I come quickly; and my reward is with me, to give every man according as his work shall be…’ AKJV (Authorized King James Version)
And right away I noticed the word ‘soon’ is not used in the AV1611.
But just as ‘quickly’ I realized, there was a group of men back in the times of Jesus that read the Bible daily, they knew everything that was written but what was unfortunate is that these men, they never heard the words that God was speaking to them. The same as this man that needed the AV1611 version.
Notice the word ‘quickly’ from the AV1611 and the word I used in the previous paragraph, that statement made by Jesus was nearly 2000 years ago … how quick is ‘quickly?’
I ‘quickly’ realized this AV1611 version meant nothing.
Once again this is ‘MAN’ trying to let God know He made a mistake.
‘MAN’ once again didn’t believe. He was showing his UNBELIEF.
Almost the entire OT is one large display of mankind’s UNBELIEF in God.
JW making his statement how we (mankind), we are unable to make the promise ‘LATER,’ is very true because we have no control over ‘LATER.’
Later is time, mankind we are unable to alter time.
We can set our watches, set the alarm clocks for in the morning, set the timers on our stoves and microwaves but that is about our limit. We can’t make time, we can spend it, but we can’t add to it.
Romans 13
vs11 ‘…I say this because you know that we live in an important time. Yes, it is now time for you to wake up from your sleep. Our salvation is nearer now than when we first believed…’
vs12 ‘…The night is almost finished. The day is almost here. So, we should stop doing whatever belongs to darkness. We should prepare ourselves to fight evil with the weapons that belong to the light…’
vs13 ‘…We should live in a right way, like people who belong to the day. We should not have wild parties or be drunk. We should not be involved in sexual sin or any kind of immoral behavior. We should not cause arguments and trouble or be jealous…’
vs14 ‘…But be like the Lord Jesus Christ, so that when people see what you do, they will see Christ. Don’t think about how to satisfy the desires of your sinful self…’ ERV (Easy-to-Read Version)
TIME …
Ephesians 5
vs15 ‘…So be very careful how you live. Do not live like those who are not wise, but live wisely…’
vs16 ‘…Use every chance you have for doing good, because these are evil times…’
vs17 ‘…So do not be foolish but learn what the Lord wants you to do…’
vs18 ‘…Do not be drunk with wine, which will ruin you, but be filled with the Spirit…’
vs19 ‘…Speak to each other with psalms, hymns, and spiritual songs, singing and making music in your hearts to the Lord…’
vs20 ‘…Always give thanks to God the Father for everything, in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ…’ NCV (New Century Version)
TIME …
Our days remaining on this earth are numbered. Us human beings, we don’t know that number, we don’t know if it’s minutes, days, months or even years … we don’t know and we don’t have control over time.
But what we do have control over is we can get up right now, get our Bibles, open them up and begin reading the Word that will help us in this ‘TIME.’
Hebrews 4:12 ‘…For the Word of God is living and active and sharper than any double-edged sword, piercing even to the point of dividing soul from spirit, and joints from marrow; it is able to judge the desires and thoughts of the heart…’ NET (New English Translation)
Jesus is not with us here today in the 21st century. It is only going to be through His Word that we are going to be able to find out the truth that He has for us. We are only going to find it if we’re looking for it.
2 Timothy 2:15 ‘…Do your best to know that God is pleased with you. Be as a workman who has nothing to be ashamed of. Teach the words of truth in the right way…’ NLV (New Life Version)
We would be foolish to just run away and hide. We should make our way out in front and shout the Word to others … because odds are, they need it more than we do.
Romans 10:17 ‘…So then, people must hear the message before they can trust God. And people hear that message when someone tells them about Christ…’ EASY (Easy English Bible)
For those that have never had the opportunity to listen and hear the Word of God, they will never know until they are able to hear the Words spoken to them.
1 Timothy 4:13 ‘…Until I come, give your time and effort to the public reading of the Scriptures and to preaching and teaching…’ GNT (Good News Translation)
Once again as I said earlier, we don’t know when Jesus is going to return. We’ve got from now to whenever, after He returns, it’s too late.
Acts 20:32 ‘…Now I trust God to take care of you. I commit you to the message about his grace. It can build you up. Then you will share in what God plans to give all his people…’ NIRV (New International Readers Version)
You could very well be the only person that could speak to someone that is lost, and it could be words from your mouth that might be able to save someone.
Open your mouths and help spread the words of God onto this evil world that we are living in.
I love each and every one of y’all. Just remember that day is coming when Jesus will tell us Himself just exactly ALL that word means.
Keep your Bibles always open and continue to study His Word. Keep your Bibles near you so you can easily reach over and grab the Word and begin to read. Download Bible apps onto your smartphones, your tablets and computers. Keep the Word available to you at all times.
Jesus, I pray that those ears and eyes, either listening or seeing this message today would be opened to the very fullest and allow Your love to come inside their lives and comfort them. Teach us Jesus. Protect us. We love You. Amen
InHIM. ><)))o>