When was the last time someone presented you with a book and said, “I just read this book and I could see you all through It. You’ve just got to read it!”

Or perhaps, ‘your friend’ has a tape from some well known preacher of speaker. Yet when you listened to the tape, or read the book, you didn’t see yourself in it. You saw many examples of your friend and wondered why they couldn’t see and begin to put into practice the changes they want everyone else to make.

I want to challenge you to make an exception with this sermon. Even before you begin to read, stop and ask the Holy Spirit to speak to your life; to address the issues He sees and longs to help you correct. Then, are you read, listen for His still small voice. Turn your inner eyes away from the shortcomings of your family and friends, and allow the Holy Spirit to turn the spotlight on the inside of your own life.

The message in this sermon is a personal message. We do not know how many times the Holy Spirit has convicted someone else. But we need to know He will not always remain patient with us if we are deliberately deaf to His voice.

This is not the place to rummage around in self-imposed condemnation. The enemy of our souls will always assist us in that dirty task. Rather, just be open to the wind words of the Holy Spirit. And when you hear them — be obedient. That is all He asks. That is our prayer for you.

Flo Gamble

 

Whose timetable are you working on?

Today I want to take you on a journey; a journey that will show you that we must respond to what God is doing in our lives before it is too late. I do not want to bring you into condemnation but rather into the reality that we can not always play games and get away with it. It does not matter that some of you think God would never say ‘Enough’! Nor does it matter that you don’t believe He would actually bring judgement. The fact is God will not always strive with man.

Gen 6:3

And the LORD said, My spirit shall not always strive with man, for that he also is flesh: yet his days shall be an hundred and twenty years.

I submit to you that this issue of responding to God is bigger than simple salvation — it covers all areas of our existence. It covers those who will not quit sinning; it covers those who refuse to walk in the call on their life. It covers the leader who refuses to be like Jesus and it covers the sinner that constantly refuses the salvation call. It covers the couple that will not be honest and deal with issues in their lives. It covers those believers who bury their heads in the sand hoping the problems will all go away. I believe it covers every aspect of our lives from the moment God’s Spirit calls us into fellowship with Jesus, all the way through the changes we need to make in our lives. It covers all areas.

We cannot pick and choose. When God decides it is time to deal with an area, that is the time we must respond. We need to realize we operate on His timetable — not ours. He is God; we are not.

From Genesis 6:3, we see that because of God’s displeasure there was a day when He withdrew from those refusing to be obedient His Spirit. Have you ever thought about how many ways we grieve His Spirit? How many ways do we resist what He wants do in and through us? Somehow, many people have bought into the lie that we have forever to change, forever to get right with God. In my mind, one of the biggest tricks of the enemy is to tell us that there is always a tomorrow to do what is right. How long do you really think we can provoke God by our resistance to doing things His way and in His chosen time frame?

God’s Spirit strives with sinners bringing conviction and admonitions of conscience in order to turn them from sin to God. If God’s Spirit is resisted or quenched, and if we refuse to respond, there comes a day when He stops tugging or wooing us into His plans.

If we continually fuel the corrupt nature and those things that oppose the Spirit’s strivings, it renders His efforts ineffective. When sinners, or even believers, continue to side with the flesh and things of the world, they will come to a place where they forfeit the moving of the Spirit in their lives. We need to come to grips with the time of God’s patience. We need to ask, “How long will He spend with me?” As with sinners, sometimes it may be quite long but there is indeed a time limit on how long He will reach out to us.

Many of us today are at that moment of decision. Many have resisted God’s nudging in their lives for a long time. My heart’s cry, that I believe strongly is being compelled by God, is that today is the day, not tomorrow. Some of us have seen many signs as we have travelled down the road of life and we have consistently refused their direction. Why? Because we thought there was lots of time. A very large sign that is facing many today says ‘The End’.

Beyond the Point of No Return

There truly is a point of no return. If we could go today to visit people in hell, what do you think they would have to say? Would they say that they had bought into the things of the world, things that are only temporal, things that don’t last? Would they say they had saved many things for the rainy days? Would they tell us that they had bought into the lie that said they must do all sorts of things before responding to God’s call of salvation or His call to be sold out to Him 100%. There is a time appointed for each of us to die and we do not know when that time is.

Eccl 3:1-2

1     To every thing there is a season, and a time to every purpose under the heaven:

2     A time to be born, and a time to die; a time to plant, and a time to pluck up that which is planted;

We readily buy into the lie that we have all the time in the world to change the course that we are heading down. Yet in the light of eternity, we are only here for less than a blink of an eye.

How many times will we roll the dice of rebellion against doing what God wants because we think we will have lots of time to make the changes later?

Why do so many believe they can respond whenever they want? Why do they think they are the one who calls the shots about when to get right with God? Hear me plain and clear — it is the Holy Spirit who does the wooing and it is when He comes calling that we must respond. I said it earlier but it bears repeating, one of the biggest lies that we buy into from the devil is that we can make things right whenever we want. The enemy will tell us over and over that we can come to God when we want and that we have all the time in the world to respond.

Let me give you a few facts. The majority of believers got saved when they were in their childhood. The next largest group are teens, a small group are middle-aged. The smallest group find Christ when they are older.

In other words, the longer we wait the harder it becomes to make that important decision. Do you really believe that the desire to respond to God will still be there somewhere down the road?

Will you risk eternity by waiting too long? What makes you think that you will be alerted somewhere down the road?

If the Holy Spirit cannot penetrate your heart today, what would change after even more time for the hardening of your heart to occur? We cannot pick and choose the time. Will you risk not walking in His fullness by failing to respond today?

How many things do you allow to drown out the voice of God as He is calling? What things of the flesh or the world do you put before Jesus?

2 Cor 6:2

(For he saith, I have heard thee in a time accepted, and in the day of salvation have I succoured thee: behold, now is the accepted time; behold, now is the day of salvation.)

The Word does not say ‘tomorrow’. It says ‘today’ is the day to get right with God. For those that have not said yes to Jesus — today is the day!

Jesus spoke more about not going to hell than he did about the things of heaven. We are warned over and over. What is within you that would cause you to respond more to the things of the world than to God?

For those who have said ‘yes’ to the Spirit’s call to receive salvation, we, also, must come to that place where we stop rejecting the Holy Spirit.

Eph 4:30

And grieve not the holy Spirit of God, whereby ye are sealed unto the day of redemption.

Do we act toward the Holy Spirit in the manner of a true friend or in a manner that would cause Him pain? There is a course of conduct which will drive God’s Spirit from our minds.

What about Matthew 12:31?

Wherefore I say unto you, All manner of sin and blasphemy shall be forgiven unto men: but the blasphemy against the Holy Ghost shall not be forgiven unto men.

Is there a pattern in our lives that may bring this verse into effect? Let us consider some conduct which, if left unchecked, would cause Him to leave. Is the end result of unchecked things in our lives the unpardonable sin?

There is a Road that Leads to Blasphemy

Let’s go through a few areas that lead to destruction or cause us to go on a different course than God would have us take.

(1)   Open and gross sins.

(2)   Anger, in all its forms. Nothing is more suited to drive away all serious and tender impressions from the mind,  than the indulgence of anger.

(3)   Wrong thoughts and desires. The Spirit of God is pure. He does not dwell in a soul filled with corrupt imaginings.

(4)   Ingratitude. We feel ingratitude perhaps more than anything else. Why should we suppose that the Holy Spirit would not feel it also?   

(5)   Neglect. The Spirit of God is grieved by this. Often He  prompts us to pray; He influences the mind to seriousness, to the perusal of the Bible, to tenderness and penitence. How often do we lose those tender times where we could become more like God and instead tolerating the crap of the world.

(6)   Resistance. Christians often resist the Holy Spirit. He leads us to die to the things of the world but so many people try to store up all sorts of stuff under the guise that we are doing right. In the end we rely on the stuff more than God.

Acts 7:51 Ye stiffnecked and uncircumcised in heart and ears, ye do always resist the Holy Ghost: as your fathers did, so do ye.

(7)   Quenching. Does our continual resisting of His Spirit cause our hearts to become hard? Somewhere during this process the Holy Spirit quits leading us to repentance. If we are no longer convicted of sin, where will the road we are on lead us? Only God knows when we have resisted too long.

(8)   Doubt. If we operate in doubt over long periods, what  happens? Is this not contrary to allowing God to cultivate the measure of faith He has given you?

(9)   Voice of the Spirit. If, by being continually rejected, we  are no longer convicted, are we not left open to all sorts of demonic influence? Could this be how many cults are formed? They once had a form of truth but, in reality, what they are now operating in is not God at all. Think about it. This could explain many things today...

(10) Saying, “It’s not God”. Another area that offends the Holy Spirit is where we say that His miracles are not real or that His works are really from the devil. We need to be very careful what we ascribe to God and what we give the devil credit for. Just because something does not fit our current understanding of God or how He operates doesn’t automatically mean He’s not involved. Let’s always be aware we do not understand everything about Him. Let’s be honest — there are a lot of strange things that went on in the Bible which if we saw them today, would cause many to say “It’s not God”.

(11) Forsaking God. What about making a conscious choice to resist God and do things our way? That is one of the first steps down the road to destruction. It is not that we don’t know God’s way — we make the choice to go our own way. We are either serving the things of God or the things of Satan. There is no middle ground. Is our day-to-day walk filled with our own passions and desires? Again, I don’t believe God expects instant perfection but we must be heading down the road that leads to less of self and more of God. The bottom line is simple, if we forsake the things of God, He will eventually give us up to a mind of evil.

Rom 1:28

And even as they did not like to retain God in their knowledge, God gave them over to a reprobate mind, to do those things which are not convenient;

Is it not time that we quit playing Russian roulette spiritually? Think about it, the only voice that will keep you from responding to God is the one that has been selling you a bill of goods for years. It is the same one that has promised you everything yet given you nothing but pain and misery.

The enemy will glamorize everything from drugs to crime to money to power to sex and all the rest, but, in the end, there is only pain, loneliness, anger and despair. We must stop listening to him before it’s too late. His promises take us to a false pleasure that produces pain.

Please stop grieving the Holy Spirit.

Respond to Him today —

while you still have the chance.

I heard Dwight Thompson share a second hand but true story about a minister. He felt strongly impressed to tell two ladies that the Holy Spirit was prompting him to tell them that tonight was their night to receive Jesus.

They both said how they liked Jesus and that they planned that sometime during the meetings in the next few nights they would receive Him, but not tonight. This happened a few times, each time the minister stressed more strongly as he shared with them that it was their time to respond.

The last time he spoke to them the Holy Spirit prompted him to be very clear that something was going to happen and that this was the night! He urged them not to put it off any longer. They again said they were planning to respond but not tonight. That night, after the ladies went home, their house was broken into and they where brutally beaten to death.

Friends, I do not share this to scare you or to cause you to respond because of man’s attempts to motivate you. Rather, I want to show you that we really do not know when our chances run out. We do not know the day or the hour when God’s Spirit will no longer call.

Don’t roll the dice with your life! Eternity is a very long time!

Making the Right Choice

Let’s put all of this into terms of things we all have gone through. Can you think of a time when, after you had gotten something, you wished you had responded differently or made a different choice? How many times have we caused pain or gotten into trouble by responding the wrong way and then afterwards wondered, why did I do that? Why did I not made a different choice? Why did I not take the way of escape from that problem that was available for me?

You did not make the right choice because God was not involved in your decision. You did it based on the flesh or because it felt good — thinking you could change later. Now you have to pay the price.

I beg you — make the right choice when it comes to salvation. You never know when the chances will run out and the price you will then pay is for an eternity.

Believers, I have this question for you? What are the things in your life that you know you should be dealing with — those little areas of sin or disobedience? You know you should deal with them but you just keep putting them off. Be honest with yourself — as these areas stay longer, do you feel the tugs of the Holy Spirit as strong today as you once did telling you to deal with those things?

Don’t fool yourself. The longer we put off the urging of the Holy Spirit, the less likely we will ever deal with them. I believe there are a lot of Christians who have already waited too long. The believer who has not responded to God in many areas reminds me of the following verse.

Matt 13:22

He also that received seed among the thorns is he that heareth the word; and the care of this world, and the deceitfulness of riches, choke the word, and he becometh unfruitful.

To me, this verse describes many believers today. They hear the Word of God, but refuse to allow it to bring changes in their lives. They may say ‘yes’ to it, but in reality do nothing.

Many do not walk out their talk, but rather let the things of the world or the flesh rob the truth of God’s Word out of their lives. They find all sorts of reasons to resist the convicting power of the Holy Spirit.

Many believers have allowed their hearts to become hard and stony. It’s like the Word of God is spoken and even before it can take root, they allow Satan to steal it. We need to cry out to God that He would break up the hardness of our hearts so His truth can take hold and grow in our lives. We have the responsibility of cultivating His words with prayer and Bible reading as well as going forth doing the works of Jesus.

Matt 24:38-39

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.

I have a grave concern that many will miss out and be found asleep when Jesus comes, as they did in the days of Noah. I am concerned that we are going to have a repeat of history. So many have become deluded into a false security thinking there is no rush to get right with God. Their attitude is “Relax, I have lots of time. It’s no big deal”.

Christians, have you bought into or are you fixing your affections on things of the world?

1 John 2:15-17

15   Love not the world, neither the things that are in the world. If any man love the world, the love of the Father is not in him.

16   For all that is in the world, the lust of the flesh, and the lust of the eyes, and the pride of life, is not of the Father, but is of the world.

17   And the world passeth away, and the lust thereof: but he that doeth the will of God abideth for ever.

We must not make this world the object of our chief affections. We are not to be looking at the things of this world as our security. Think about this for a moment, although there is nothing wrong with saving, etc., be careful that you do not start to rely on anything other than God to give your life security.

As we begin to wrap up this message, ask yourself if you have rejected God in any way? Are you guilty of rejecting the work of the Holy Spirit in your life? Where is your security? Is it in your money, your job, etc.? A couple of quick thoughts for those who say money is not their security. How are you investing your money? Is it for your security or God’s work? In the way you use it or even your thoughts towards it, what will it really do in the light of eternity?

Here’s a test for you. Is there any tug or even a pin prick of conscience saying you need to change? Is there a time, maybe even during worship, that, no matter how small the flame is, there is a little bit of something that would cause you to want to change?

The good news for you is, if there is even the slightest prick of wanting change, then you have not gone too far. But today, start to deal with whatever it is before you go any farther. As with the one that has never responded to the call of Jesus — you are no different. God will not always strive with you.

For both the sinner who has never repented and the believer who is not responding to correction in his life, there is a real danger that you will wait too long and the Spirit will leave you to your own wickedness.

Look around at this world we live in. It does not take a rocket scientist to see something is about to happen. There is change in the wind. Things are very quickly approaching an end. We must, each one of us, today respond to the call of the Holy Spirit.

In closing let me leave you with the following Scripture.

Matt 25:13

Watch therefore, for ye know neither the day nor the hour wherein the Son of man cometh.

Let us be aware that Jesus will come at a time when we will not expect Him, but rest assured He will come. So, no matter how we look at things, the Word is very clear. God will not always strive with us. We can offend or reject His Spirit by our actions or by a lack of actions. Remember, Jesus is coming at a day or hour we will not expect Him.

We must stop resisting and embrace all that Jesus is and is about. If you truly want an abundant life, then respond today while you can.

Right now, if you have not responded to Jesus, give Him, not only your heart, but your whole life. Do not put it off, but respond today as His Spirit is calling you. Today can be the beginning of hope and true purpose in your life.