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There are just some things that I don’t like to do and want to put off as long as possible. One of those things is going to the doctor. When I begin to feel sick the first thing I do is go to the nearest market and buy some medicine. If that doesn’t work, I will normally go back to the market a second time and try to find some different medicine that might help to make me feel better. If the second medicine doesn’t work, then I will usually start thinking about going to the doctor. There is nothing pleasant about going to the doctor’s office and waiting for several hours for him to see me and then giving me two or three different kinds of medicine that are going to cost me a lot of money. I want to put that visit off as long as possible.
I am sure that you can think of a few things that you have put off a lot longer than you really needed to as well. Maybe it’s going to the doctor, the dentist, the hospital, the graveyard, apologizing, etc. It can be a host of different things that we put off. However, I’m afraid that a lot of us are guilty of putting off the Lord Jesus Christ. Most people in our society seem to find the time for all the less important things in life and very little if any time for Jesus.
Felix is a great example of putting off the Lord. In the book of Acts, we read, “But when Felix heard these things, having more accurate knowledge of the Way, he adjourned the proceedings and said, when Lysias the commander comes down, I will make a decision on your case. So he commanded the centurion to keep Paul and to let him have liberty, and told him not to forbid any of his friends to provide for or visit him. And after some days, when Felix came with his wife Drusilla, who was Jewish, he sent for Paul and heard him concerning the faith in Christ. Now as he reasoned about righteousness, self-control, and the judgment to come, Felix was afraid and answered, go away for now; when I have a convenient time I will call for you.Meanwhile he also hoped that money would be given him by Paul, that he might release him.Therefore he sent for him more often and conversed with him. But after two years Porcius Festus succeeded Felix; and Felix, wanting to do the Jews a favor, left Paul bound” (Acts 24:22-27).
In this particular passage we see Felix almost make time for the Lord, but in the end he was too busy. Felix, like some sinners, had a “more perfect knowledge” of the truth (Acts 24:22). Felix was the governor of Judea and Samaria. There is very little chance that he could have done this without becoming familiar with the place and activities of the Christians. Paul even came in and reasoned with Felix concerning righteousness, self-control and the judgment to come. Felix heard about sin and the consequences. He was told the importance of self-control. Paul even tried to teach him about the judgment that comes to all men (Heb. 9:27). When Felix heard these words from Paul, he became afraid.
At this point it would seem that Felix is going to change his life and make Jesus a part of it. But then we read one of the most disheartening passages in the Bible. Felix was afraid and answered, “Go away for now; when I have a convenient time I will call for you” (v. 25).
After hearing Paul preach a sermon on sin and the judgment to come, Felix decided to ask Paul to leave until another time. He wanted to wait for a more convenient season. His whole thinking was centered around, “Someday.” Someday, I will obey the Gospel. Someday, I will live my life for the Lord. The sad thing about this whole passage is that we never read about Felix finding that more convenient season, “Someday.” He left office and left Paul bound behind in prison (Acts 24:27). Edward Young said, “Procrastination is the thief of time.” I have often heard it said, “Why put off tomorrow what you can do today?” Folks, a lot of us are just like Felix. We spend way too much time procrastinating, especially when it comes to God and our relationship with Him. We need to forget about “Someday” and get our life right “TODAY.” We need to stop and realize that life is short and the worst thing we can do is put off God until tomorrow because there might not be a tomorrow for us.
A preacher once commented that, “Someday is not on the calendar.” The longer we put something off the better chance there is that we will never get around to doing it. The wise man said, “Do not boast about tomorrow, for you do not know what a day may bring forth” (Pro. 27:1). Friends, take time today to make your life right with God and don’t put Him off any longer.
Now that’s Something to Think About!
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