Is it morning? Is it noon time? Is it evening? With people working all hours, sometimes what to do and when to do it might be blurred.
But don’t get faint hearted. Paul said, “And that knowing the time, that now, it is high time to awake out of sleep. The night is far spent, the day is at hand.” The Lord will be returning.
Romans 13:11 gives us guidance that we stop doing things that are underhanded (cast off the works of darkness.) Wear armor. The armor of light. Then he tells us to not be caught “naked” at the time of Jesus’ return. Someone asks, “How can I be naked? I wear clothes all the time.”
If we pretend to be followers of Jesus by being riotous type person, argumentative, hanging out all night, getting into fights, going around to this bar and that bar instead of going home and preparing for the next day to bring success, but lacking the clothing which constitutes a follower of Jesus Christ, that’s not keeping and showing ourselves as examples of Christ you may be naked!
Here is our dress code: when to wake up, how to dress ourselves, and how to walk and what steps to take and provision to make to ensure that we represent ourselves to others as Jesus’ disciples. Our salvation is nearer, closer than we thought. We’re asleep if we are practicing illicit practices against the goodness of Jesus.
Yes. And that old word that many hate to hear, “practicing sin.” It’s time to get stirred up to awakeness. Evaluate yourself and confer with the Holy Spirit to determine the time of your life and the time of life. If you’re 17 years old and carousing and ignoring Jesus’ criteria for salvation, surprise!! None of us know how long we have.
Some never consider what it is like to be older. You may get away with living in “nasty” ways, but it could be short lived. Children of God are children of light all of us. Our light should be shining brightly radiating the good works. Every day Jesus is calling us to be with him and walk closely with him. Don’t even be named with the works or workers of darkness.
The more the days are shortened, the more grace is increased, the nearer is our salvation, and the quicker and more vigorous we should be in our spiritual motions. Let us behave decently as in the daytime, not in drunkenness or sexual immorality, not in jealousy. (Romans 13:13)
Divorce the imaginations of the mind, which can create evil imaginations of the heart. We are told to put off our night clothes where we are clothed with adultery, fornication. But wait! Someone said, “I’m not nothing those things.”
Okay. Ask yourself what you are worshipping – greed, clothes, food, feeling good all the time and forgetting about our neighbors. Let’s be truthful and sincere so that when we look inside (examine) ourselves, we need not be ashamed and excluded if our Lord comes right now. Accept the wonderful tomorrow that he can stop feeling like “I should be a star too!” Not everything that glitters is gold.
We can overdue many habits that we have engrafted into our everyday lives. Wait!!! It’s not too late! STOP! Worrying and engaging in it. Think Godly thoughts. Pray for our own selves. Pray to Jesus Christ without ceasing.
Be diligent to put on the whole armor of God and stand fast in “faith;” feed the body without satisfying greed and excessive appetites. Be immovable, steadfast, and not wavering!
Thanks for reading! Jeanette Grattan Parker is the founder-superintendent of Today’s Fresh Start Charter School, 4514 Crenshaw Boulevard, L.A. 90043, 323-293-9826, www.todaysfreshstart.org, (Ask Dr. Jeanette TM) “Inquiring Minds Want to Know.” All articles are copyright. All rights reserved © Errors? Or Questions? Please let me know. Join Sundays for music and message at 11:30 a.m. by calling (712) 775-8971, code 266751. References: The Holy Bible and Matthew Henry Commentary..
