Can I share something with you? Well, it’s actually two things. The first thing is this, God can use anyone to share His word. You don’t have to be a pastor, you don’t have to have attended seminary school, you don’t have to be well versed in Scripture. God can and will use anyone He chooses even if you feel unqualified to do so. He qualifies you! He only needs for you to be willing even when you are afraid.
The other thing I want to share with you is this: you are not alone in feeling afraid to do the work of the Lord.
If I can speak transparently, every week that the Lord allows me to share a word of encouragement or a blog post, there is fear.
I am usually afraid because I want to make sure I am sharing the word the way the Lord would have me do it. I don’t want to disappoint Him and I don’t want to misspeak His word. Even though I am afraid I still do it and encourage you to do whatever He is asking you to do too.
I have one more thing to share with you and this is a word the Lord gave me that I delayed in sharing out of fear.
Some of us are waiting for the right time to come to Jesus. But the right time is now! There is a hymn that I remembered as I was writing that says,
“Come to Jesus
Come to Jesus
Come to Jesus just now
Just now come to Jesus
Come to Jesus just now.”
Jesus was sent for all and the opportunity to come to HIm is now.
“For God so loved the world in this way: He gave his one and only Son, so that everyone who believes in him will not perish but have eternal life.” (John 3:16 CSB).
Before Jesus went to the cross, He told His disciples (this applies to us as well)
“And if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come again and receive you to Myself; that where I am, there you may be also.” (John 14:3 NKJV).
This talk of His return was is a promise. He will be back, we just don’t know when.
In 2 Peter 3:9-10, Peter says:
“The Lord does not delay [as though He were unable to act] and is not slow about His promise, as some count slowness, but is [extraordinarily] patient toward you, not wishing for any to perish but for all to come to repentance. But the day of the Lord will come like a thief, and then the heavens will vanish with a [mighty and thunderous] roar, and the [material] elements will be destroyed with intense heat, and the earth and the works that are on it will be burned up.” (AMP).
The Lord is patiently waiting, but He will not wait forever. There is an appointed time for His return. He doesn’t want anyone to be fooled into thinking that they have all the time in the world to make a decision.
In Matthew 25:1-13, Jesus shares the Parable of the Ten Virgins. He starts the parable by saying:
“At that time the kingdom of heaven will be like ten virgins who took their lamps and went out to meet the groom.” (vs. 1 CSB). Five of these ten virgins were wise and five were foolish. The five wise not only came with their lamps but also brought oil and the five foolish only came with their lamps. The groom was delayed, meaning he had not yet arrived, not that he was late, i.e. 2 Peter, the virgins fell asleep, and in the middle of the night, there was a shout that the groom had arrived. The virgins arose and prepared their lamps but the five foolish ones lamps started to go out and they asked the five wise ones to give them some of their oil. The five wise could not give them any so the five foolish went to purchase some. The five wise were prepared and went into the wedding banquet with the groom while the five foolish being unprepared missed the processional. When the five foolish returned to the door to the wedding banquet, the door was shut and though they shouted to be let in, the reply from the groom was “...Truly I tell you, I don’t know you!” (vs. 12). Jesus concludes the parable by saying, “So you, too, must keep watch! For you do not know the day or hour of my return.” (vs. 13 NLT).
So you see, you can’t delay in choosing to believe and accept Jesus Christ as Lord and Savior. The door will be shut and the Lord will say that He does not know you.
It is foolish for us to think and act as if that day will not happen, when Jesus has left us a clear warning in Scripture.
If you are someone who is saying, “I need to get right before I give my life to God and accept Him as Lord and Savior”. Sister/brother, the only acceptable time is right now!
He doesn’t need you to be “right” because He makes all things new. So come and be made new. Come to Jesus, now!
“Father, thank You for this word. Thank You for Your love that You gave Your one and only Son that we may have life abundantly, and that abundance is life everlasting.
Forgive us for our foolish thinking because we do not want to be one of those who You have shut the door on because we were ill-prepared. We want to be like the five wise virgins and enter in with You. Thank You, Lord, that You make us new creatures, and the old passes away when we receive You as Lord and Savior. Thank You, Jesus, that I can confess through Your crucifixion, I too have been crucified and I no longer live because You live in me and the life I live in the body, I live by faith in the Son of God, You love me and gave Yourself for me and I can’t thank You enough. In Jesus’ Name, Amen”.
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