Time Is Running Out

Message by Darrell Pickle.

Revelation 10:5-7 “And the angel which I saw stand upon the sea and upon the earth lifted up his hand to heaven, And sware by him that liveth for ever and ever, who created heaven, and the things that therein are, and the earth, and the things that therein are, and the sea, and the things which are therein, that there should be time no longer:  But in the days of the voice of the seventh angel, when he shall begin to sound, the mystery of God should be finished, as he hath declared to his servants the prophets.”

Time is between two eternities. God created all things. Time began. The last trumpet will sound and time will end.  The time we have is only this time—right now. Tomorrow may not come.  In Ephesians Paul says we are to redeem the time; in other words we are to take advantage of it.  Colossians 4:5 says “walk in wisdom toward them that are without, redeeming the time.”  First Peter 1:17 says “and if ye call on the Father, who without respect of persons, judgeth according to every man’s work, pass the time of your sojourning here in fear.”

Time is running out on many things, but some are very important.

Time is running out to get saved. The longer you live the harder it is to get saved. How many old people do you see get saved?  Not many. We get set in our ways. After about the age of 40 the number drops drastically.  Now is the easiest time there will ever be for you to get saved. The Spirit of God is the convicting power, but time after time of saying no to the Holy Spirit could bring a time when the Spirit convicts no more.  Second Corinthians 6:2 says “(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.)”

You don’t have plenty of time. Many things can happen—a stroke, an accident, some severe thing, even death. There was a man in the book of Luke who was prosperous. He thought he had it made. He had so much that he had nowhere to put it, so he said he’d tear down his barns and build bigger ones. He went on to bed to face another day. That night God told him his time was up. When death comes, we leave it all behind.

Some may live long enough for their reapers, the ones who care about their soul, pass on. They’ve outlived those who pray for them. Who will care for their soul? As the saved, we need to take it seriously. Time is running out. No one can explain how awful hell is.

Time is running out for the church to have revival, not meetings. I’m not talking about shouting. This comes after revival. The unsaved are not resurrected. Revive is to stir up something that is alive. Something alive will grow. The church needs to grow. It’s stagnated. There is a form but no power. These are the last days.  First Timothy says “now the Spirit speaketh expressly, that in the latter times some shall depart from the faith, giving heed to seducing spirits, and doctrines of devils; Speaking lies in hypocrisy; having their conscience seared with a hot iron.”

In Christendom there is a falling away. This is the world wide church. Many are departing.  Second Timothy 4:3 says “the time will come when they will not endure sound doctrine; but after their own lusts shall they heap to themselves teachers, having itching ears.”  A teacher or preacher walks around listening to what the people want to hear and that’s what he gives them. He doesn’t want to run anyone off. We are to turn from such things. The local church doesn’t have to fall away.

What about this church? Does it need revival?  What exactly is that? Souls getting saved are the result of a revival. Filled pews are the result of revival. When every member puts aside what needs to be put aside and loves and does all he can, revival will come.  Revival is when we do what HE wants.  Revival is when we put legs on our prayers.  Time is running out for revival in the local church. God expects us to surrender and move up.

Time is running out to be the best Christian church member we can be. “One of these days, I’ll be faithful. I’ll come on Sunday nights. One of these days I’ll sing in the choir. One of these days….” Romans 12:1-2 says “I beseech you therefore, brethren, by the mercies of God, that ye present your bodies a living sacrifice, holy, acceptable unto God, which is your reasonable service. And be not conformed to this world: but be ye transformed by the renewing of your mind, that ye may prove what is that good, and acceptable, and perfect, will of God.”

God expects us to not be conformed but transformed. We have to make up our mind. We need to pray more; we need to straighten up. We are ambassadors for Christ; the only Jesus some may know is the one we present. We are epistles. Someone is watching us. What kind of Jesus are we showing them? Do they see a weird God? Time is running out. Do it now. Time may be shorter than we think. Don’t dry out now and at death say “I wish I had of….”

Time is running out to love and support our family. The devil is trying to tear down America, and he started with the home.  We see hatred, unforgiveness, drugs, lack of love, and divorce. A child is to honor the father and mother in the Lord. To obey is right. Husbands are to love their wives as Christ loved the church. Wives are to submit to their husbands as to the Lord. The husband is the head not the wife. There are no two-headed monsters in God’s way.

Things are out of whack. Children hate parents. Parents hate children. They’ve killed each other in some cases. Jesus created the home when he created Adam and Eve, the man and woman. The devil is successful in disrupting the family. Judgment is coming. Millions of babies are murdered in this country. There is a displacing of the family by homosexuality. Time is running out to love them. Tell and show love.

Time won’t go on forever. Jesus is here. He loves us and wants to help us. Be revived. Be alive. Have an impact on the community. The unsaved should feel good around us; they should feel our love. Get things fixed up. Time is running out.

Lord, help us to realize how little time we have.