TIME IS AT HAND ~ TICK TOCK ~ TICK TOCK

TIME IS AT HAND

TICK TOCK - TICK TOCK

We have an antique grandfathers’ clock that Dan’s mother gave us.  The clock stands in our living room next to the fireplace.  Every thirty minutes this clock chimes and of course on the hour it dongs the number of that hour.  If there is no other noise going on in the house you can distinctively hear the tick tock, tick tock.  Sixteen months ago, we moved out to the lake house full-time and soon after that began to realize the clock was not conducive for sleeping.  Due to the age of the clock, you can only turn off the sound by stopping the clock.  Therefore, for the last sixteen months, time has stood still for the grandfathers’ clock.  I often wish I could make time standstill, but time stands still for no man or woman.  Faded memories of days gone by, those very special moments you wish could last forever, become more distant with each tick tock, tick tock. 

When I was a young mother, the words of older women always irritated me when they would say; “the kids will grow up before you know, enjoy them while they are young”.  Now I find I am the older woman saying that ~ sigh. 

We have all been given the same 24 hours a day to do with as we please.  Some of us use those hours wisely, others waste their time on meaningless trivia.  All of us wish there were certain things in life we could redo.  However, we can only move forward and make the most out of today and tomorrows. 

I feel like many of us have grown very numb to what is happening around us because we are so wrapped up in our own world and yes, life is busy.  Time is at hand and all of creation is crying out begging for our attention pointing to the most amazing event history will ever portray.  Yes, the Lord is going to return just as He promised.  Urgency of this moment is begging us to pay attention, why are we numb?  Why are we not seeing what is surrounding us, screaming in our deaf ears.  I am just as guilty as the next person is.  Lord Jesus wake up your Bride, do not let us sleep!  Stir up our spirit to attention and enable us for the Kingdom work!

We are to keep watch:

(Mark 13:19 NKJV)  "For in those days there will be tribulation, such as has not been since the beginning of the creation which God created until this time, nor ever shall be.

(Rom 1:20 NKJV)  For since the creation of the world His invisible attributes are clearly seen, being understood by the things that are made, even His eternal power and Godhead, so that they are without excuse,

(Rom 8:19 NKJV)  For the earnest expectation of the creation eagerly waits for the revealing of the sons of God.

(Rom 8:21 NKJV)  because the creation itself also will be delivered from the bondage of corruption into the glorious liberty of the children of God.

(Rom 8:22 NKJV)  For we know that the whole creation groans and labors with birth pangs together until now.

(Mat 24:42 NKJV)  "Watch therefore, for you do not know what hour your Lord is coming.

(Mat 25:13 NKJV)  "Watch therefore, for you know neither the day nor the hour in which the Son of Man is coming.

 (Mark 13:33 NKJV)  "Take heed, watch and pray; for you do not know when the time is.

(Mark 13:35 NKJV)  "Watch therefore, for you do not know when the master of the house is coming; in the evening, at midnight, at the crowing of the rooster, or in the morning;

(Mark 13:37 NKJV)  "And what I say to you, I say to all: Watch!"

Mark 24:  20 NKJV  "And pray that your flight may not be in winter or on the Sabbath.

21  "For then there will be great tribulation, such as has not been since the beginning of the world until this time, no, nor ever shall be.

22  "And unless those days were shortened, no flesh would be saved; but for the elect's sake those days will be shortened.

23  "Then if anyone says to you, 'Look, here is the Christ!' or 'There!' do not believe it.

24  "For false christs and false prophets will rise and show great signs and wonders to deceive, if possible, even the elect.

25  "See, I have told you beforehand.

26  "Therefore if they say to you, 'Look, He is in the desert!' do not go out; or 'Look, He is in the inner rooms!' do not believe it.

27  "For as the lightning comes from the east and flashes to the west, so also will the coming of the Son of Man be.

28  "For wherever the carcass is, there the eagles will be gathered together.

29  "Immediately after the tribulation of those days the sun will be darkened, and the moon will not give its light; the stars will fall from heaven, and the powers of the heavens will be shaken.

30  "Then the sign of the Son of Man will appear in heaven, and then all the tribes of the earth will mourn, and they will see the Son of Man coming on the clouds of heaven with power and great glory.

31  "And He will send His angels with a great sound of a trumpet, and they will gather together His elect from the four winds, from one end of heaven to the other.

(Luke 21:36 NKJV)  "Watch therefore, and pray always that you may be counted worthy to escape all these things that will come to pass, and to stand before the Son of Man."

(Rev 3:3 NKJV)  "Remember therefore how you have received and heard; hold fast and repent. Therefore if you will not watch, I will come upon you as a thief, and you will not know what hour I will come upon you.

Not only are we to keep watch, we have been commissioned:

Mark 16:  17 (NKJV)  "And these signs will follow those who believe: In My name they will cast out demons; they will speak with new tongues;

18  "they will take up serpents; and if they drink anything deadly, it will by no means hurt them; they will lay hands on the sick, and they will recover."

19  So then, after the Lord had spoken to them, He was received up into heaven, and sat down at the right hand of God.

20  And they went out and preached everywhere, the Lord working with them and confirming the word through the accompanying signs. Amen.

(Mat 10:7 -8 NKJV)  "And as you go, preach, saying, 'The kingdom of heaven is at hand.'  "Heal the sick, cleanse the lepers, raise the dead, cast out demons. Freely you have received, freely give.

Now I do realize we do not all have the temperament of an evangelist but the Bible does say: 

1 Cor. 12:1-11  Now concerning spiritual gifts, brethren, I do not want you to be ignorant:

2  You know that you were Gentiles, carried away to these dumb idols, however you were led.

3  Therefore I make known to you that no one speaking by the Spirit of God calls Jesus accursed, and no one can say that Jesus is Lord except by the Holy Spirit.

4  There are diversities of gifts, but the same Spirit.

5  There are differences of ministries, but the same Lord.

6  And there are diversities of activities, but it is the same God who works all in all.

7  But the manifestation of the Spirit is given to each one for the profit of all:

8  for to one is given the word of wisdom through the Spirit, to another the word of knowledge through the same Spirit,

9  to another faith by the same Spirit, to another gifts of healings by the same Spirit,

10  to another the working of miracles, to another prophecy, to another discerning of spirits, to another different kinds of tongues, to another the interpretation of tongues.

11  But one and the same Spirit works all these things, distributing to each one individually as He wills.

Tick Tock, Tick, Tock it is time to find your sweet spot.  How you can flourish in proclaiming the kingdom of God?  We have all been given gifts….time is at hand.