The Time is Not Yet

We have been home from Thailand for about three weeks and we are getting back into the routine of life here in the States – somewhat! There are some things that have caught our attention, one being that the news and views of world and national events from both the secular and religious medias are much like a soap opera – not much has changed from when we left to when we got back! So if you are living under the immediate danger, threat level red, induced and perpetuated by the reports you are hearing from the secular and religious media, we would encourage you to reassess your level of stress and reprioritize your priorities! Yashua left us with the message to work while there was day for soon the night is coming when no man can work. What is the work? to make disciples. How do we do that? Yashua told those he sent out to: “go to the lost sheep of the house of Israel, proclaim that the kingdom of heaven is near at hand, to heal the sick, cleanse the leper, raise the dead, cast out demons, freely you have received, freely give.” The night is coming when we will not be able to do this work anymore, but if we are alive then that time is not yet. The modern doomsday purveyors are reminiscent of the story of the little boy that cried wolf, but there was no wolf and when the wolf did finally come no one came to help because they thought the call was just another false alarm and as a result of their desensitization much loss of life resulted. The bond-slave of Yashua remains sensitized to the voice of His master, and as the song goes we, “Turn our eyes upon Yashua, look full in His wonderful face and the things of this world will grow strangely dim in the light of His glory and grace.” Prophecy is for us to know and recognize when recorded events happen, and be encouraged that the time of the fulfillment of all things is drawing close. Prophecy helps keep us from succumbing to the false flags and distractions that the enemy of the brethren would way-lay us with and by, hoping to distract our vision from the one who holds the world in His hands.

In the parable of the ten virgins they all fell asleep, but only five fell asleep with provision, the other five were left out of the wedding feast because they had not made adequate preparation. Let’s look at this “falling asleep” for a moment as a reference to death. Down through history many have fallen asleep in death who considered themselves a part of the “Bridal Company”. Their expectation was of Yashua returning in their lifetime; but the Bridegroom tarried. Can we see in the parable of the ten virgins five who died still holding fast to the promises, still sheltered under the wings of the Almighty, while the other five died having lost hope because they did not see that which they believed they would see. Yashua may have told this parable to help prepare those who have ears to hear; don’t lose hope, and though I tarry wait for me!

For those of us who consider ourselves a part of the Bridal Company today, we too need to heed the warning that there is going to be a time of waiting. The call has gone out, we have our light, but are we prepared to wait and wait some more until the Bridegroom does come even if He tarries beyond our life time? Friends let us work while we wait – the wait won’t seem so long if we are being about His business!

I would like to submit to you that we get back to the job that Yashua left us with. Prophecy is future history, it will unfold just as it is written and whether we understand the timelines or have the date down to the day or if we know who’s the anti-Messiah is frankly, in my opinion irrelevant, if Yashua does not find us being the people and doing the work that He left us to do. Could it be that we are so obsessed with end-time prophecy because we want to know the last possible moment to get out of Babylon and get Babylon out of us so we can have the proverbial cake and eat it too? If we are dwelling in the shelter of the Most High, abiding in the shadow of the Almighty day by day, what else really matters? Prophecies were given to us as signposts so we would be aware of the times as they unfold. As we see them fulfilled we rejoice because we realize the time of our soon-coming Savior is near. We rejoice because we know in whom we have believed and are persuaded that He is able to keep us against that day – the day of YHVH’s wrath.

It is easy to fall into the trap of self-preservation, we have been there and done that, bought that T-shirt (so to speak), but Yashua said that “those who would save their life will lose it and those that would lose their life for My sake and the gospels will save it, for what does it profit a man if he gain the whole world but lose his soul.” We believe the time to hunker down is not yet, the fields are white with the harvest. Go therefore into the fields and help bring it in! Will He find us faithful when He returns?

This posting is not about whether we believe the time of Yashua’s return is imminent or not. We pray and hope and believe that He will return in our life-time. What we are trying to convey is this - what are we doing with our time while we wait. Let us remain faithful no matter how long our Bridegroom tarries.