TIME – By Pastor Paul M Hanssen
There are two gifts that God has given to man that are the greatest gifts of all gifts. The first gift is His unfailing Grace, and the second gift is “time”.
Not only are these two gifts the greatest of all gifts, but they are also the most abused and misused of all of God’s gifts. Grace and time go hand in hand. They walk together. They work together. When time ceases to exist, or at the end of the revolving of time, God’s grace which freely flows to human kind in time will also cease to flow. When time comes to an end, the period of God’s judgments will begin. This is called the “time of the dead”.
And the nations were angry, and thy wrath is come, and the time of the dead, that they should be judged, and that thou shouldest give reward unto thy servants the prophets, and to the saints, and them that fear thy name, small and great; and shouldest destroy them which destroy the earth. (Revelation 11:18) (emphasis by author)
Grace and time walk together. At the end of time the judgments of God will be unleashed upon the earth and upon all who have lived upon the earth. Judgments and rewards will be granted according to what every soul has done during time. (Matthew 16:27, Revelation 22:12)
There was a period in history when time was plenteous. At that point, creation had many years ahead and human beings lived for long years of time. However, this is no longer the case. None of us, no not one; not young nor old; not wealthy or poor; not the great or the small, has a bountiful amount of time left. As time decreases, it also becomes more valuable. Grace, hence, is also more potent and valuable today than in any other period of history. Please take note, God’s grace has always been as valuable as it is today. It has never been cheap, nor has it ever been worthless. However, due to man’s proximity to the end of time, the great gift of grace is more valuable to him now than ever in history. Grace gives mankind the opportunity and the power to find and fulfill God’s purpose for life and for living.
As time decreases, it is advisable that believers reevaluate the use of their God given gift of time. None of us abuse anything as much as we abuse time. Why is this? It is simply because we do not understand time’s value. I don’t believe that there are many believers in the world today who truly have a revelation and an understanding of the value of the years, months, weeks, days, and even seconds in which we still have the opportunity to find and fulfill God’s purpose according to His grace (2 Timothy 1:9). If God’s people truly had the revelation of the decreasing of time, would we not be running in haste with all of our might to bow before God’s Kingship, yield to His dominance, accept His Lordship, and in so doing, use the moments that are left to give Him preeminence in all that is done in time?
For by him were all things created, that are in heaven, and that are in earth, visible and invisible, whether they be thrones, or dominions, or principalities, or powers: all things were created by him, and for him: And he is before all things, and by him all things consist. And he is the head of the body, the church: who is the beginning, the firstborn from the dead; that in all things he might have the preeminence. (Colossians 1:16-18) (emphasis by author).
Everything that exists in time, including you and me, were created by the Lord Jesus, and for the Lord Jesus. He was the firstborn of all of the Eternal Father’s plan. He is before anything. Everything consists and is upheld by Him. He is the Head, King, governor, and Lord of His church, His body. All of this is true and because of this Truth, He is to have preeminence in the lives of His creation, and most certainly in the lives of those who believe in Him.
Preeminence means to be first (in rank or influence). It also means foremost (in time, place, order or importance), the best, chief (-est), and first (of all).
We have been given “time” to see these scriptures become a reality in our lives by choice. Pause for a moment and consider what you have just read. Read it again! THAT IN ALL THINGS HE MIGHT HAVE THE PREEMINANCE! This means that in every situation, every circumstance, and every moment in time, our Master and Lord, may be FIRST in rank (or authority), FIRST in influence, FIRST in time, FIRST in place, FIRST in order, FIRST in importance, and FIRST OF ALL!!
We all live in a wasteful society. We have been blessed with plenty of practically everything. The more that we have of any given matter, the more we waste it. But, we are now facing the “last time”.
Little children, it is the last time: and as ye have heard that antichrist shall come, even now are there many antichrists; whereby we know that it is the last time. (1 John 2:18)
How that they told you there should be mockers in the last time, who should walk after their own ungodly lusts. (Jude 1:18)
One of the major signs of the “last time” (the final, and end of), are the spirits of anti-Christ that are moving among, upon, and in humanity (including in believers). Other signs are those who mock and scoff at the Truth, and those who walk after their ungodly lusts, or desires.
In these last days of time, now at the end, these anti-Christ spirits will hover over the head of believers as they attempt to sway their minds away from Truth, and instead lead gullible minds into the fulfillment of personal desires, or lusts. Check yourself beloved; what desire has preeminence in your life? What fleshly impulse takes you away from the things of God? Where have you allowed anti-Christ spirits to dominate your mind, feelings, desires, choices, and actions away from that which gives the Master, the Lord Jesus, the preeminence over your life? How many things take preeminence in your daily living?
Time is short. We are living in the “last period of time”. May God awaken His people to see the importance and the value of the few moments that we still have left to give Him His rightful place. Use time well – it is running out!! Time is closing!