Yes, one of the big problems of the 21st century is lack of the time. Ops, I think I'm wrong. lack of the time is not a 21st century problem, it is a problem that comes from before time start to be counted...
When one of those at the table with him heard this, he said to Jesus, “Blessed is the one who will eat at the feast in the kingdom of God.” Jesus replied: “A certain man was preparing a great banquet and invited many guests. At the time of the banquet he sent his servant to tell those who had been invited, ‘Come, for everything is now ready.’ “But they all alike began to make excuses. The first said, ‘I have just bought a field, and I must go and see it. Please excuse me.’ “Another said, ‘I have just bought five yoke of oxen, and I’m on my way to try them out. Please excuse me.’ “Still another said, ‘I just got married, so I can’t come.’ “The servant came back and reported this to his master. Then the owner of the house became angry and ordered his servant, ‘Go out quickly into the streets and alleys of the town and bring in the poor, the crippled, the blind and the lame.’ - Luke 14
Believe it or not, many good people who are involved in doing wonderful things do not go to heaven. Worse, many who consider themselves Christians and are convinced that they are going to heaven but will be outside of it! - even though they are not involved in gross sin or any thing wrong!
The Christians of whom I speak not use drugs or alcohol. Do not play. Do not indulge in pornography or sexual perversion. Are not among those who are corrupt or vile. In fact, you can find many of them in church on Sunday morning. And they spend most of their free time with friends and family, enjoy nice things. They are people of family and family values.
Having said that, I wish to make an even bolder statement - which may offend some. However, I do so love interest for those in the church of Jesus Christ who can not see they are heading toward disaster: some are in danger of losing their own souls - even though they sat in the church, are absolutely convinced that the way the heaven !
My point is this: some believers will be shut out of heaven not because of the bad things they did - but because they were so anxious to do good things and legitimate to neglect the ones that really count: the eternal things.
Lack of the time is not about clock. Lack of the time is about CHOICE. Good people are loosing their place in the heaven and I am nothing talking about bad people, prostitutes or thief. People chose house, family...
These people are so busy with every detail of daily life, which literally have no time for the deeper things of spiritual life. They are giving their sweat to build their businesses, advance their careers, support their families - but the target of interest was completely out of order!
The Bible says, "But seek first his kingdom and his righteousness and all these things shall be added" (Matt. 6:33).
These are words of Christ himself, and not a suggestion but a commandment. Jesus means what He says, "If you seek the Lord first, He will take care of all the things you have worked hard - career, business, home, family. But you must make him their number one priority ! "
The apostle Paul adds:
"Set your mind on things above, not on things on the earth. For ye are dead, and your life is hidden with Christ in God" (Col. 3:2-3)
Please understand: God has never demanded that we all sell our houses, land and property, never said we need to quit our jobs and become monks, going to dedicate ourselves entirely to meditation and Bible study. (Yes, Jesus said this, but for one man - because this man's possessions had become their idols. God does not say this to everyone.)
The greatest indignity that any Christian can commit against the Lord is to put him in a secondary position. This is a slap in the face of God. You may find that he is not guilty of such an affront to him - but how do you prioritize your time? For example, how many times have you missed church for the benefit of your business? On these occasions, there were customers who were waiting for - God was. They were put first, above his interests!
I understand that you can not help missing church if you have a job that prevents you from attending - if for example, a nurse or a night worker. But I'm talking about people who have a choice - those who run their own business, for example, and who choose to work instead of attending the house of God. The Bible warns:
"Not forsaking the assembling of ourselves together, as the manner of some, but exhorting one and all the more as ye see the day approaching" (Heb. 10:25).
"As the days of Noah, is also in the days of the Son of man, eating, drinking, marrying and giving in marriage, until the day that Noah entered the ark and the flood came and destroyed everyone. same happened in the days of Lot: they ate, drank, bought, sold, planting and building, but the day Lot left Sodom, it rained fire and brimstone from heaven and destroyed them all. This is the day when the Son of man revealed "(Luke 17:26-30).
Look again at this list Jesus gives us, and consider the things that people did at that time. We know that there was violence as the world had never seen, along with gross immorality such as sodomy and homosexuality. But Jesus does not speak any of these things here. Nor does he mention alcoholism or perversion. Instead, note carefully what he says that people were doing just before the condemnation fall upon them: eating, drinking (but He does not mention drunkenness), getting married, engaged, buying, selling, planting, building. There is no sin in this list. All these things are good, legitimate.
Why, then, Jesus focuses on just the good, legitimate things people did in the days before the trial? It is because He is trying to tell us something vital:
He is warning us As Our total disregard his word to become completely absorbed by our own interests!
Think about it: The Bible never speaks a word saying that Noah was mocked, mistreated or persecuted during the 120 years he worked with the ark. Apparently, his work and his preaching were never interrupted. God is saying, "Yes, there was violence and corruption at the time. But the vast majority of the people were so busy doing good, legitimate, they had no time to reflect on the warnings of Noah Everyone was too busy to marry , out to eat, to get involved with friends and enjoy the pleasure, they had no time to listen. "
The preaching of Noah was lost in the midst of a great outrage Business!
I can write books and preach messages about coming judgments, however, with the exception of a small remnant of believers, just listen and keep my words. The masses of Christians do not care. Why? It is because they are involved in their own plans for marriage, children, home, job, career. Do not have time to listen to messages about the coming of the Lord!
"This will be the day when the Son of man is revealed" (Luke 17:30). Jesus is warning: "Shall the same as last generation.'ll Be so busy, so involved with their own interests, they will put aside all my interests!"
It has been for centuries. Many are convinced they are bound for heaven. But week after week, they neglect the house of God, the word of God, prayer, worship. However, this procedure is not sinful in his own eyes:
"... Why then, says my people ... will come no more unto thee? ... ... My people have forgotten me days without number. ... Yet you say I am innocent .. . " (Jerem. 2:31-31,35)
These people may be doing good, legitimate things - but the Lord is not the first for them! He is not the center of their lives. If he were, do not brush him aside. They would find time to be with him!
Did you give Jesus a partial acceptance?
You could say: "I have to earn my living. The Lord understands." Not so! He will never understand - nor ever accept - the fact we put the background in relation to someone or something.
This sin of putting family before the Lord is one of the sins most damaging in the Church today
I know housewives who find it difficult to go to church on Sunday morning, than do anything else. But during the week, they have time left to muck around! They are always running, doing something special for their children. They make time for dance classes, music for school functions, parties, picnics, sports, shopping. And the list keeps growing. But for the things of God, they think a short time. The incoming message is this: "My kids come first!"
I tell you, if you neglect the interests of God and put their children first, you cursed them! This is what happened with Hezekiah and Manasseh. The Lord gave Hezekiah fifteen more years of life, he should spend years bending to the Lord and bringing renewal to Israel. Instead, Hezekiah spent those years playing with adult toys, collecting jewelry, livestock, and building construction. The son he created during these years, Manasseh the father watched his toys and putting family first. The result? Manasseh became one of the most wicked kings in Israel's history.
What was the sin of the three men in this parable? It was the land, oxen and family interests all put aside the invitation to enjoy the intimacy and communion with you. Do not get me wrong: all the things they were doing was good and legitimate. But they became sinful - unforgivable - to steal your time these gentlemen and their reverence for the Lord!
If Jesus is not the apple of his eye - if you are not focused on Him, in His church in His word, His interests - you can not be His disciple. Better you be an outcast, to being so hypocritical!
Again I say, in love, many of you who are reading this message will not be able to - unless they make a commitment today:
"Lord, from this moment, I commit myself before Thee who will be the center of my life. Everything else will be secondary. You're everything to me, Jesus. And I know that, otherwise, everything else will be in vain ! "
Amen!
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