MY FRIENDS, CAN YOU GET IT DONE IN FORTY DAYS?

Jan. 23, 2015

MY FRIENDS, CAN YOU GET IT DONE IN FORTY DAYS?

Ezekiel 16:49-50 declares, “Now this was the sin of your sister Sodom: She and her daughters were arrogant, overfed and unconcerned; they did not help the poor and needy. They were haughty and did detestable things before me…”

My friends, as Christians we are forever attempting to explain away one warning of thus saith the Lord, over another. The area where Sodom and Gomorrah was, is now uninhabited wasteland which serves as a reminder of how God feels about sin in general.

Isaiah tells us in Isaiah 64:6 (KJV) “We are all infected and impure with sin. When we display our righteous deeds, they are nothing but filthy rags. Like autumn leaves, we wither and fall, and our sins sweep us away like the wind.”

God told Jonah to “Arise, go to Nineveh the great city and cry against it, for their wickedness has come up before Me.” After Jonah thought things over in the belly of a whale, and finally did what God ask him to do, he started out on his journey.

Jonah 3:4 (KJV) tells us “Then Jonah began to go through the city one day’s walk; and he cried out and said, “Yet forty days and Nineveh will be overthrown.” So God gives an ultimatum through his Prophet to the Ninevites that the entire city had 40 days to repent and be saved, or everyone will be destroyed.

My friends, did you notice God did not categorize their abominations, or determine their destruction by social class, or race, “for all have sinned and fallen short of the glory of God.” Jonah 3:5 (KJV) tells us “The Ninevites believed God, a fast was proclaimed, and all of them, from the greatest to the least, put on sackcloth.”

Key words here is “all of them” from the murderers, all the way down to the person who only bought bootleg tapes from some man selling them from the trunk of his car. Yes my friends, all repented within that 40 day span.

In addition, that tells all who are seeking God’s kingdom, once you let Christ into your life and once you allow His Spirit to have full control, your life changes you are a “new creature: old things are passed away; behold, all things are become new.” 2 Cor. 5:17 (KJV)

The Ninevites did it in 40 days, the thief on the cross in an instant, for others a lifetime. So today my friends if God gave you 40 days to repent and be saved where would you start, what about gossiping.

Paul tells us in Ephesians 4:29 (KJV) “Let no corrupting talk come out of your mouths, but only such as is good for building up, as fits the occasion, that it may give grace to those who hear.”

What about wasting God’s time. Paul tells us in” Ephesians 5:16-17 (KJV) “Making the best use of the time, because the days are evil. Therefore do not be foolish, but understand what the will of the Lord is.”

My friends I could continue, But the question is not about the sin itself, but how, or when, do we give it all to the Master? When do we as sinners place our life up against our Saviors and see how far we have to go to have the character of Christ?

And when do we look at the passion of Christ and see what was done for our salvation at Calvary and then with that same passion, when do we begin to serve Christ with all of our time and money. And when do we begin to Serve Christ with all of our mind and body even when everything looks dark or when the sun is shining bright.

Yes my friends, serve Him no matter the season of our life just serve and one day soon “we will receive the crown of righteousness which is laid up for the redeemed, which the Lord, the righteous Judge, will award to all who had faith and endured as they waited for his appearing.” 2 Tim 4:8 (paraphrase)

So my friends today. Stay focused, remain faithful, love one another and endure till the end and never forget to STUDY&PRAY