Today or Tomorrow?

Tomorrow is when idle men work and when fools repent. Tomorrow is Satan’s today.

The answer to the question that determines success or failure is oftentimes simply … when?

I know that many folks struggle with “God’s Will” for their lives. The reality is that, in truth, God is not keeping His Will a secret. Those who are frantically attempting to determine what they believe to be that elusive message from God, deep down already know what it is and the problem is not what but when. When are you going to do what you know God is calling you to do?

Remember the phrase “...Let me first…”? With God, the “first” has to do with nothing other than His Kingdom and His Righteousness! Remember this conversation?

Now it happened as they journeyed on the road, that someone said to Him, “Lord, I will follow You wherever You go.” And Jesus said to him, “Foxes have holes and birds of the air have nests, but the Son of Man has nowhere to lay His head.” Then He said to another, “Follow Me.” But he said, “Lord, let me first go and bury my father.” Jesus said to him, “Let the dead bury their own dead, but you go and preach the kingdom of God.” And another also said, “Lord, I will follow You, but let me first go and bid them farewell who are at my house.” But Jesus said to him, “No one, having put his hand to the plow, and looking back, is fit for the kingdom of God.”

Luke 9:57-62

What is God calling you to do and WHEN are you going to put your hand to the plow and get started?

Now if you really don’t know what God has in mind for you, let me give you some things that might get the car out of the ditch and moving down the road. By doing the following you can “prime the pump” and put yourself in the position of hearing.

1. Remember the art of listening.

Our world is noisy and Satan has a BIG mouth. You need to establish a time and place each day to have a quiet time with God. Bring your Bible, pen and paper, and find your spot!

2. Read your BIBLE!

I know there are some great devotional guides out there, but do not substitute them for time in the Word of God! Those books and tapes need to complement your Bible reading, not take the place of the Bible. Where should you start? If it has been a while just pick a Gospel and jump in-the Gospels never fail!

3. Start a conversation with God.

Talk to Him as you would a friend and remember, a conversation needs to be two-sided; in other words, make sure you take the time to listen.

4. Take the time to worship the Lord.

This can be done in a variety of ways but make sure you take the time to acknowledge the Greatness of God! Make sure to fear Him and remember this has more to do with awe and respect than about being afraid!

5. Finally, you might want to consider a fast.

Sometimes when our spiritual spout is all clogged up, a time of fasting can remove the gunk. If you’re not sure about fasting, why not bring it up to God as you pray. Sometimes He will move you to fast something other than food; maybe he has something else in mind that is affecting your intimacy with Him.

Before I conclude, let me ask you a question. Why did God create you? Did He create you to do or to be? Does God need you to do something for Him or did He create you to have a relationship with Him?

I hope you know that your relationship with Him comes first! I know it is hard for our minds to comprehend it, but God created each one of us to have a friendship, a relationship, with the Creator of the Universe.

Let us not address the Lover of our souls by saying “...Let me first …” but let us follow His command:

But seek first His kingdom and His righteousness, and all these things will be given to you as well. Therefore do not worry about tomorrow, for tomorrow will worry about itself. Each day has enough trouble of its own.

Matthew 6:32-34

And when should we start? See the opening quotes and call to mind what the writer to the Hebrews in chapter 3 had to say:

See to it, brothers, that none of you has a sinful, unbelieving heart that turns away from the living God. But encourage one another daily, as long as it is called Today, so that none of you may be hardened by sin’s deceitfulness. We have come to share in Christ if we hold firmly till the end the confidence we had at first. As has just been said: “Today, if you hear his voice, do not harden your hearts as you did in the rebellion.”

Hebrews 3:12-15

TODAY IS THE DAY!

Hallelujah!