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Jesus
We all seem to fall into procrastination at one time or another. It's
easy to put off until tomorrow what we know we should be doing today.
You might call it the Scarlet O'Hara Syndrome, "I'll think about it
tomorrow." While we all do this in the little things, when we
procrastinate about the big things we can get into real trouble.
Consider the story of Felix, the Judean governor, and his meeting
with the apostle Paul found in Acts 24:22-27.
Felix procrastinated concerning the most important issue possible-his eternal soul.
Scripture paints a vivid portrait of this event. Just prior to this,
Paul had been in Jerusalem attempting to tell the people of his
conversion to Jesus Christ. Paul was shipped to Caesarea to stand
trial before Felix because the Pharisees and Sadducees were so
enraged by his testimony. Felix's response to Paul's testimony
reveals the heart of this powerful governor and shows us how some
people treat the gospel message today.
As the Roman governor of Judea, Felix rendered life or death verdicts
upon the people he ruled. He was a corrupt man: for the right price
he would let guilty criminals go free. He was an adulterer: he
enticed his wife Drusilla to run off with him even though she was
already married. But he was also a man of great curiosity.
Paul intrigued him, and he decided to listen to Paul's defense concerning
the charges against him. Paul stayed faithful to the message God had
given him and, with a holy boldness, unloaded both barrels of
spiritual truth on Felix.
Paul's three point sermon to the governor addressed the topics of
righteousness, self-control, and the judgment to come. Concerning
righteousness, Paul probably shared about man's sinful condition
before God and how that condition can be changed only through the
shed blood of Jesus Christ. Only by accepting God's provision could
Felix be accepted by Him. After Paul spoke about righteousness, he
dealt with self-control. The term literally refers to control over
one's passions or lusts. It describes a life not governed by the flesh but governed by God. Paul wrapped up his message by speaking of
the judgment to come. He reminded Felix that someday he would stand
before God and his role would be quite different.
Felix would step out of the judge's seat and, in effect, be placed on trial before
God, just as Paul now stood on trial before Felix.
By concluding his message speaking of the judgment to come, Paul was offering a very
balanced message to Felix. To tell people of God's love for them and of His free gift of grace without telling them clearly of the penalty
involved in rejecting Him would be imbalanced.
Paul said, "We must all appear before the judgment seat of Christ, that each one may
receive the things done in the body, according to what he has done
whether good or bad. Knowing, therefore, the terror of the Lord, we
persuade men" (2 Corinthians 5:10-11). Paul not only knew the love of
the Lord but the fear of the Lord as well, so he shared the full gospel with Felix.
What was Felix's reaction? "Felix was afraid" (Acts 24:25) or, as it
says in the King James translation, "He trembled." Though Paul stood
before Felix in chains and possessed no earthly power to move Felix
whatsoever, the simple message of righteousness, self-control, and
the judgment to come caused Felix to be disturbed to the point of
physically trembling. The truth Paul shared caused a struggle within
Felix. What would he do-obey the clear admonition of Scripture and
repent or continue in sin and risk eternal damnation?
Even today, some hear this message, turn from their sin, and are born again but
so many others take the road of procrastination taken by Felix and
eventually seal their fate forever. Unwilling to act on what God had
revealed to him, Felix said the most deadly words possible, "Go away
for now; when I have a convenient time I will call for you"
(Acts 24:25). The convenient time never came.
Felix was replaced two years later by Porcius Festus and never turned to God.
Although Felix was moved emotionally for a moment,
he decided to postpone what God wanted to do in his life-with eternal consequences.
Most people won't blatantly deny that God exists but they will
say, "Maybe tomorrow I'll give my life to Jesus, but not now.
When
it's convenient for me, I'll call upon the Lord."
For so many, tomorrow never comes. It's easy to see how this applies to the non-believer, but what about the believer?
How do we apply this lesson to our lives? There is still a trap of procrastination.
If you've been saying, "Tomorrow I'll really start to live for Jesus"; "When I have
more time I'll be a witness for Him"; or "When it's more convenient
I'll surrender all to the Lord," it's time to turn from your
spiritual lethargy and let God use you now!
Let's follow Paul's example: regardless of the consequences, the threat of personal loss, or the discomfort it may bring us or the people we speak to, let's
share the message of righteousness, self-control, and the judgment to
come.
In His strong love,
Skip Heitzig
Submitted by Red
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