Happy Resurrection Sunday!
I was awakened this morning by the Holy Spirit to pray and I heard the words: The time is now. So immediately I began to pray and the LORD said to share this word with anyone that has an ear to hear.
1Pet 4:17 For the time is come that judgment must begin at the house of God: and if it first begin at us, what shall the end be of them that obey not the gospel of God?
1Pet 4:18 And if the righteous scarcely be saved, where shall the ungodly and the sinner appear?
The Apostle Peter said that the time is come for us to judge ourselves. Why would he say that? Because it is better to judge ourselves now than to be judged by the Righteous Judge of heaven and earth who is the LORD, El Elyon, the Most High God.
Ecc 3:17 says, “I said in mine heart, God shall judge the righteous and the wicked: for there is a time there for every purpose and for every work.”
The Apostle Peter by the spirit of the living God tells us that the time is come that judgment must begin at the house of God. How do we judge ourselves? Well Paul tells us in 2 Cor 13:5, “Examine yourselves, whether you be in the faith; prove your own selves.” The Bible gives us revelational guidance how to examine ourselves.
Just as the Passover lamb was examined in Exodus 12 for no defects or blemish, even as Christ was examined by the religious and Roman authorities, and there was no fault found in him, we must examine ourselves to make sure we are in the faith! As the Church abides in our homes, we should be abiding in the LORD like never before. (John 15: 3-8) We should be abiding in the Word, and we should be abiding in prayer to examine ourselves. Why? because the time has come according to Peter to judge ourselves.
The best example to follow in judging ourselves is found in in Phil 2.
Php 2:5 Let this mind be in you, which was also in Christ Jesus:
Php 2:6 Who, being in the form of God, thought it not robbery to be equal with God:
Php 2:7 But made himself of no reputation, and took upon him the form of a servant, and was made in the likeness of men:
Php 2:8 And being found in fashion as a man, he humbled himself, and became obedient unto death, even the death of the cross.
The example of Christ is no reputation, in other words, he did not strive to be at the top. He did not chase after popularity, but instead he served others. He was also humble, he knew who he was, but he walked in humility. He was also obedient and willing to do the will of the Father even if it meant dying on the cross as a sacrifice. So we find the following attributes of Christ: No reputation, servant, humility, obedient, and willing to sacrifice.
Peter than says in 1 Pet 4:18 And if the righteous scarcely be saved, where shall the ungodly and the sinner appear?
For those that do not know the LORD, the time is now. The time of salvation is at hand. It is not so much a church relationship, or a religious relationship, but a relationship with Jesus Christ! How do we do this? By accepting his sacrifice and death at the cross of Calvary.
Rom 10:9 that if you confess with your mouth the Lord Jesus and believe in your heart that God has raised Him from the dead, you will be saved.
Rom 10:10 For with the heart one believes unto righteousness, and with the mouth confession is made unto salvation.
What is salvation? It is being saved. It is being born again in Jesus. Salvation literally means something saved, deliverance, aid, victory, prosperity, health, help, salvation, saving (health), and welfare.
Paul confirms the timing of the LORD in Rom 13:11, “And do this, knowing the time, that now it is high time to awake out of sleep; for now our salvation is nearer than when we first believed.
Rom 13:12 The night is far spent, the day is at hand. Therefore let us cast off the works of darkness, and let us put on the armor of light.
Rom 13:13 Let us walk properly, as in the day, not in revelry and drunkenness, not in lewdness and lust, not in strife and envy.
Rom 13:14 But put on the Lord Jesus Christ, and make no provision for the flesh, to fulfill its lusts.
The Apostle Paul says that the times in which we live are critical. He says that it is “high time” which is an expression to denote the seriousness of the times that we are in, that it is time for us to awake out of sleep. What sleep is that? Spiritual sleep. In other words, open your eyes and wake up! For now, or salvation is nearer than when we first believed.
These words were penned hundreds of years ago, and ring ever so true today! Paul says the night is far spent, the day is at hand! Self examination will cause us to cast off the works of darkness, and to walk properly according to Rom 13:13.
So he says, put on the LORD Jesus Christ and make no provision for the flesh to fulfill its lusts. In other words, don’t allow the flesh to dictate your behavior!
2Co 6:2 For He says: “In an acceptable time I have heard you, and in the day of salvation I have helped you. “Behold, now is the accepted time; behold, now is the day of salvation.”
Paul then says in an acceptable time I have heard you, and in the day of salvation I have helped you. In other words think about this, when you needed divine assistance and cried out to me, I heard you. When you needed help, I helped you, and now is the acceptable time and NOW is the day of salvation!
With all that we have been through in our churches, communities, cities, and country, the time is now to seek the LORD. We have sought everything else and it has not worked. We have leaned on our own understanding, and it has not worked. Now is the accepted time, and behold now is the day of salvation in the LORD!
On this Resurrection Sunday in which it is referred to as Easter Sunday, for those that are saved, let us celebrate Jesus for he is RISEN! If you are not saved, don’t delay in receiving Jesus Christ as your LORD and Savior. Tomorrow is not promised! The time is now. If you would like to know more about salvation and having a personal relationship with Christ the LORD! Click this link: https://firmfoundationcf.org/salvation/
May God bless you!
Pastor Quinn