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Why Are You Waiting?
Do you ever put things off that you really
should do immediately? That’s a silly question, I know, but one that we might
seldom stop to answer. I have, at times, been known to put things off. In the
summer time, I like to keep my grass cut
below my knees (you shouldn’t let it get much taller than that) but
occasionally I have been known to put that off for a few extra days. There have
been a small handful of times when I have failed to complete an item on my
“honey-do” list as promptly as Jamie might like. I guess most of us procrastinate sometimes.
We wait until tomorrow to do what we could do today.
On one hand, I believe that there are
certainly times when it is not necessary to do everything that we could
possibly do every day. (e.g. run yourself into the
ground trying to finish doing something that can wait). On the other hand,
there are some things in life that are of such dire importance that it would be
utterly devastating if you were to wait too late and miss your opportunity to
do them.
A few things I’m not talking about: I’m not talking about missed
opportunities to move forward financially. Too often we spend excess time
working…while we wait to spend time with family. I’m also not talking about “sowing
wild oats.” The world tries to convince us: “You won’t have a second chance to
be young, so live it up!” Solomon wrote
in Ecclesiastes 11:9, “Rejoice, O young man, in your youth, And let your heart
cheer you in the days of your youth; Walk in the ways of your heart, And in the
sight of your eyes; But know that for all these God will bring you into
judgment.” The world is right about one thing, you won’t have a second chance
to be young…but how many of us regret missed opportunities to sin? Instead, it’s
the sins themselves that we regret. The bottom line is that when time is no
more, none of us will regret missing out on anything this world has to offer. Any
eternal grief will only be caused by our failure to please God.
The question I am posing to you today is why are you waiting? Our earthly lives
are the one chance we have to please our Heavenly Father and inherit eternal
life. So let’s answer these questions with an open, honest heart.
Why are you waiting to reach out to the lost? “And Jesus
said to them, "I am the bread of life. He who comes to Me
shall never hunger, and he who believes in Me shall never thirst” (John
Only by the grace of God have we been led to
Jesus Christ and the saving power of His blood. It was His love for us that
caused Jesus to remain on the cross and die. “Looking unto Jesus, the author
and finisher of our faith, who for the joy that was set before Him
endured the cross, despising the shame, and has sat down at the right hand of
the throne of God.” Someone loved you enough to share the gift of hope with
you. Are there not any whom you love enough to give that gift? When you decide
to share the gospel of Christ with a lost soul, you can literally snatch them
out of the fires of hell (Jude 23). Why are you waiting to help save lost
souls?
Why are you waiting to lay aside the weight? If you are a Christian, you are running the race of a
lifetime. “Let us lay aside every weight, and the sin which so easily ensnares
us, and let us run with endurance the race that is set before us (Hebrews 12:1).
Every sin and every thing you place before God is slowing your pace. A runner
might work out with weights, even wear some weights on their ankles during
practice, but when it’s time to run that race those weights are cast aside.
What is the weight that you’re attempting to
carry along on your journey? Is it some sin that has wrapped itself around you?
We all sometimes want to cry out with these words of Paul in Romans 7:15, “For
what I am doing, I do not understand. For what I will to do, that I do not
practice; but what I hate, that I do.” However, to say “Well, we all sin…so I’m
doing the best I can” is not good enough for God. He has given us weapons to
fight evil, as well as the promise that we always have a way to escape temptations
(I Corinthians
What message do you send to others about the
importance of Christ and His church? What part of your heart yet lacks in your
dedication to God? Why are you waiting to give God His rightful place in your
life?
Why are you waiting to make your life right with
God? The
greatest need of any human is to be in a right relationship with God, the
Father. As the good old song goes, “What do you hope, dear brother, to gain by
a further delay? There’s no one to save you but Jesus, there’s no other way but
His way.” What could you possibly hope to gain by delaying your decision to
become a Christian or rededicate your life to the Lord? Another
weekend of sinful pleasure? “Freedom” from God’s law? “For what will it profit a man if
he gains the whole world, and loses his own soul? Or what will a man give in
exchange for his soul” (Mark
Felix, A governor and a man of great
authority, once heard the gospel message.
As it was explained to him, he became afraid, and answered Paul,
"Go away for now; when I have a convenient time I will call for you."
His fear caused him to put off obeying the gospel…as far as we know, he left this life without ever making this important
decision (Acts 24).
King Agrippa, in the very next chapter (Acts
25), made this sad statement: “You almost persuade me to become a Christian.” What
is holding you back? Why are you
waiting? Whatever your reason for waiting to submit to God, it is simply not
worth your eternal soul. Believe in
Jesus! “…For if you do not believe that I am He, you will die in your sins.”
(John 8:24). The day will come when “Every knee shall bow, And
every tongue shall confess to God."
No matter where your life is in relation to God, that day will come! Its meaning for you will be determined by your life. Repent of your sins (Luke 13:3). Paul wrote in Romans 14:12, “So then each
of us shall give account of himself to God.” “Why do you wait, dear
brother, O why do you tarry so long? Your Savior is waiting to give you a place
in His sanctified throng.”
“And now why are you waiting? Arise
and be baptized, and wash away your sins, calling on the name of the Lord.”
(Acts
- - -
- Darrell Powell
News
& Notes
1. Prayer List: In Need Of Prayers: Jimmy
Allen, Deane
Autrey, Comer Blackmon, Mae Beverly, Nell Cates, Billy Wayne Conway, Ann
Dean (aunt of Cheryl Pierce), Roy Goodwin, Judy Green, Montine Hardin, Evan
Hartsell, Linda Holley, Mary Lawrence, Abby Lee, Shaunnie McGough, Emily
McCreary (daughter-in-law of Becky McCreary), Fay Maddox (mother of Wanda
Santo), Reba Miller (mother of Pam Till), Jo Ann Moorer, Curtis Newton, Vela
Pugh (mother of Janice Cole), Mary Powell, Bobby Ray (father of Michael
Ray), Linda Sexton, Thelma Sheffield, Don Shirley, Austin Shows, Gene Skipper,
Vickie Starkie, Richard Watts, Donald Williams, and
Mary Williams. Crowne Health Care: Mary Alexander, James Alford,
Gladys Childs, Kathy Johnson, Wallace Murry, and Myrtle Perdue. Pine
Needle: Mary Lou Phelps. Georgiana Nursing Facility:
Helen Autrey, and Doris Pierce. Shut-Ins: Emma Lee Gafford, Jean
Hayes, and Doris Taylor.
2. Sympathy
Expressed: Our love and sympathy is expressed to the family of J.C. Pouncey.
3. Please
Pray For: The following people are serving in
4. Birthdays: Celebrating
birthdays this week are: April 20th Hannah Owens, April
20th Jerry Sanders, April 24th Amanda
Bagents, April 25th Mary Lou Phelps, and April 26th Cindy
Faulk and Bobby Godwin.
5. Special Thank You: Thank you to
Jamie Powell, Bruce and Ann Cauthen, Barbara Walker, Paige Barr, and Donna
Hoffman for working so hard to make our Prom Alternative such a great success.
Without each of you, the event would have been nearly impossible. Thanks also
to all the ladies who prepared the wonderful food. Darrell Powell
6. Charles Box in
7. Thank
You: I appreciate your prayers, phone calls and cards. Your love and
support help me through a difficult time. May God bless each and every one of you. Thank you, Thelma Sheffield
8. Backwoods Christian Camp Walk-A-Thon: Eleven young people from
9. Put These Dates On
Your Calendar: (a) June
22nd-26th –
10.
Yes, Lord,
We Will Ride With You
While I was driving in
Nearly the entire religious world and
numerous people who don’t even claim to be faithful declare a deep reverence
for Jesus Christ. They are willing to say to Him, “get in,” or “come into my
life;” however, for Jesus to come into one’s life, he or she must enter “into” Christ. In Galatians
Then there are those who have entered into
Christ, but by their actions they have said to Him, “sit
down and shut up.” They say, “I love you, Lord, but I don’t want to hear what
you have to say about pre-marital sex.” (I Corinthians 16:18.) They say, “Save
me, Lord, but I don’t think it’s best to commemorate your death with the Lord’s
Supper every first day of the week.” (Acts 20:7) They say, “I am yours, Lord,
but I will not hear your ways.” “Woe to the rebellious children, says the LORD,
who take counsel, but not of Me, And who devise plans, but not of My Spirit,
that they may add sin to sin”
(Isaiah 30:1).
We must be so careful that our lives do not send this message to the Lord: “Get in, Lord, but hold on because I’m driving!” Jeremiah said, “O LORD, I know the way of man is not in himself; it is not in man who walks to direct his own steps.” (Jeremiah 10:23.) We must have the humility to realize that God’s way is ever superior to our own. So, let go of the steering wheel of self-will, and let Him take control.
- - - - Darrell Powell
“Disaster
pursues sinners, but the righteous are rewarded with good.” (Proverbs 13:21)
Don’t just own a Bible; read it!
(334-382-3001)