Published by admin on 15 Sep 2018 at 07:58 pm
I’M LATE! I’M LATE!!
There’s a saying, “I’m LATE, I’m LATE, for a very important date!” We’ve all heard it, and we’ve all done it before. But there’s one important date we’d better NOT be late for, and that’s the one when the LORD calls us.
This week earlier was the Holy Day called THE FEAST OF TRUMPETS, which signifies the time of the blowing of the trumpet of God to signify His coming, found in Matthew 24:
29 Immediately after the tribulation of those days shall the sun be darkened, and the moon shall not give her light, and the stars shall fall from heaven, and the powers of the heavens shall be shaken:
30 And then shall appear the sign of the Son of man in heaven: and then shall all the tribes of the earth mourn, and they shall see the Son of man coming in the clouds of heaven with power and great glory.
31 And he shall send his angels with a great sound of a trumpet, and they shall gather together his elect from the four winds, from one end of heaven to the other.
32 Now learn a parable of the fig tree; When his branch is yet tender, and putteth forth leaves, ye know that summer is nigh:
33 So likewise ye, when ye shall see all these things, know that it is near, even at the doors.
34 Verily I say unto you, This generation shall not pass, till all these things be fulfilled.
35 Heaven and earth shall pass away, but my words shall not pass away.
36 But of that day and hour knoweth no man, no, not the angels of heaven, but my Father only.
37 But as the days of Noe were, so shall also the coming of the Son of man be.
38 For as in the days that were before the flood they were eating and drinking, marrying and giving in marriage, until the day that Noe entered into the ark,
39 And knew not until the flood came, and took them all away; so shall also the coming of the Son of man be.
40 Then shall two be in the field; the one shall be taken, and the other left.
41 Two women shall be grinding at the mill; the one shall be taken, and the other left.
42 Watch therefore: for ye know not what hour your Lord doth come.
And that Holy Day is also tied to the parable of the ten virgins, found in Matthew 25:1-13,
1 Then shall the kingdom of heaven be likened unto ten virgins, which took their lamps, and went forth to meet the bridegroom.
2 And five of them were wise, and five were foolish.
3 They that were foolish took their lamps, and took no oil with them:
4 But the wise took oil in their vessels with their lamps.
5 While the bridegroom tarried, they all slumbered and slept.
6 And at midnight there was a cry made, Behold, the bridegroom cometh; go ye out to meet him.
7 Then all those virgins arose, and trimmed their lamps.
8 And the foolish said unto the wise, Give us of your oil; for our lamps are gone out.
9 But the wise answered, saying, Not so; lest there be not enough for us and you: but go ye rather to them that sell, and buy for yourselves.
10 And while they went to buy, the bridegroom came; and they that were ready went in with him to the marriage: and the door was shut.
11 Afterward came also the other virgins, saying, Lord, Lord, open to us.
12 But he answered and said, Verily I say unto you, I know you not.
13 Watch therefore, for ye know neither the day nor the hour wherein the Son of man cometh.
Whenever Jesus repeated something, it’s because it’s IMPORTANT! PAY ATTENTION!
You’ll notice that all ten virgins were invited to the wedding feast, but that five had not made the proper preparation for the possibility of a long wait. We think the LORD may come quickly. Well, that depends on what His definition of “quickly” is, for sure. Quickly could be ten minutes, or ten centuries, but one thing for sure, we won’t be looking for it when it comes, because He said so.
One of my favorite sayings when someone asks me if I’m ready is, “I’m like lunchmeat: I’m ALWAYS ready!” And that’s the way we must be, because when He decides to come, we won’t have time to GET ready, and He will only take those who ARE ready. Will you come running to the door to the Kingdom saying, “I’m LATE! I’m LATE!”, only to find it already CLOSED? Or, will you go in with the others who ARE ready?
I can’t stress enough how important it is that you spend quality time with the LORD, NOW, while you still can. The Lord Jesus said in John 9:4, I must work the works of him that sent me, while it is day: the night cometh, when no man can work. Even the Lord Jesus had prepare Himself for the time of His offering up for our sins. If He missed His time, there would be no salvation for any of us. And if you miss YOUR time, there will be no salvation for you, either. When that trumpet blows at His return, there’s no time to get ready. It is finished. Don’t come running, saying, I’m LATE! I’m LATE!