URGENCY!

The Church has lost its URGENCY.

I am sure you are saying “What does that mean?” So…let me explain.

We now live in the last days. We know that for a fact…as Peter said in Acts 2:16-18 NKJV “But this is what was spoken by the prophet Joel: 'And it shall come to pass in the last days, says God, That I will pour out of My Spirit on all flesh; Your sons and your daughters shall prophesy, Your young men shall see visions, Your old men shall dream dreams. And on My menservants and on My maidservants I will pour out My Spirit in those days; And they shall prophesy.”

Peter SPECIFICALLY referred to the prophecy in Joel…and he SPECIFICALLY states that “this is what was spoken by the prophet Joel”…going on to say that “in the last days” God would “pour out of My Spirit on all flesh…” So…we can KNOW FOR SURE that Peter was proclaiming that the LAST DAYS had begun.

So…knowing that fact…where is our URGENCY?

Follow me here:

If we TRULY believe that we are living in the LAST DAYS…and, if we TRULY believe Matthew 24:36-42 (KJV), which states “But of that day and hour knoweth no man, no, not the angels of heaven, but my Father only. But as the days of Noe were, so shall also the coming of the Son of man be. 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, and knew not until the flood came, and took them all away; so shall also the coming of the Son of man be. Then shall two be in the field; the one shall be taken, and the other left. Two women shall be grinding at the mill; the one shall be taken, and the other left. Watch therefore: for ye know not what hour your Lord doth come.”…then tell me…where is our URGENCY?

Again…what do I mean by URGENCY?

Here is what we KNOW…and any study of God’s Word shows this to be TRUE: we are NOT promised TOMORROW…and we do NOT know exactly WHEN Jesus will come for His Church (what most call the RAPTURE). Yet, when we study God’s Word, we find that there are no longer ANY prophecies of Scripture which MUST be fulfilled BEFORE Jesus Christ returns to receive to Himself His Church!

Jesus would tell His followers that they should not worry about TOMORROW…and that they should focus on TODAY…the “here and now”, as we call it. In doing so, Jesus would tell them that gathering up RICHES for TOMORROW was a fruitless endeavor…because, again, TOMORROW is not promised. Jesus would then say that if we gather to ourselves TREASURES here on earth…TREASURES to try to secure our FUTURE here on earth…that we are simply LAYING UP TREASURES. Jesus says it this way:

"Do not lay up for yourselves treasures on earth, where moth and rust destroy and where thieves break in and steal; but lay up for yourselves treasures in heaven, where neither moth nor rust destroys and where thieves do not break in and steal. For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also.” (Matthew 6:19-21 NKJV)

Jesus was CONSTANTLY telling believers that we are NOT to place our bets on TOMORROW!

TOMORROW is a day which may never come! TOMORROW is “another day”…and it is a day that we can not be SURE OF! TOMORROW is the focus of someone whose plans are EARTHLY…because there is no time (thus, no day or night, etc.) in heaven! When our plans are based on TOMORROW…then we feel no URGENCY in what we do! Why? Because “There is always tomorrow!”

Now…with all of that in mind…here is what Jesus spoke to me this past Friday: “The Church has lost its URGENCY.”

As I thought about that statement, I began to picture the passage of Scripture quoted above…where two are in the field: then, suddenly, one is taken and the other is left behind. Pictures began to flood my mind! I saw my wife at her desk at work…my parents at home…my brother delivering packages. I saw people on city streets…people in restaurants…people in factories…people of every race, people of every economic status, people young and old. I saw churches filled with people.

And…whether saved or unsaved…they all had one thing in common: they had NO IDEA when Jesus was going to return for those who have given their lives to Him…returning for those who have accepted Him as Savior and Lord.

I wept.

Not in an audible voice…but in my heart and mind…I could hear the Spirit of God saying (as I saw these masses of people): “Where is the URGENCY?”

Suddenly…I understood. Suddenly…it was clear.

If we TRULY BELIEVE that Jesus could return at any time…then how is that BELIEF playing out in our actions…and, especially in our SERMONS?

It was then that I “heard” (again…not audibly) these words: “Are your sermons about TOMORROW…or are they about TODAY?”

Think about it: if TODAY is “the day of salvation”…if we TRULY need to accept Jesus Christ TODAY…then we must make it clear to the world (and…sadly…to the Church) that this is an URGENT call to “Come!”…realizing that for someone…or maybe for us ALL…that we are NOT promised TOMORROW!

Ministers…this is TRULY what I hear the Spirit of God saying: “It is time that the pulpit speaks a TODAY Gospel…not a TOMORROW gospel!”

Salvation is a TODAY Gospel! Abstaining from sin is a TODAY Gospel! Walking in OBEDIENCE to God is a TODAY Gospel! Seeking God is a TODAY Gospel! Worship is a TODAY Gospel! Praying is a TODAY Gospel!

But…how to live HAPPY in life is a TOMORROW gospel. How to get RICHES from God is a TOMORROW gospel. Any thought of GRADUAL SALVATION…or any thought that I can GRADUALLY witness…is a TOMORROW gospel. Anything which focuses on contentment in the WORLD…riches, wealth, fame, popularity, comfort, etc…is a TOMORROW gospel.

Here is EXACTLY what I felt the Spirit of God wanted me to ask to ALL who will read this: “If God would somehow tell ALL CHRISTIANS that He was going to tell His Son…Jesus Christ…”Go get my children!”…and, in doing so, God revealed that He would do this within the next 30 days…how would our LIVES and our MESSAGE change?”

If we KNEW that Jesus Christ was returning within the next 30 days (notice…I did not say “IN 30 days”…just “within” the next 30 days: in other words, we do not know if it will be 1 day or 20 days or 30 days!)…then would there be any REASON to preach or teach ANYTHING about “God wants you rich!” or “God wants to bless you financially!” or “You need to plant a seed and you need to expect a harvest in the next season!”?

Can you grasp it?? If we have URGENCY…if we could (and, indeed, we SHOULD) believe that Jesus Christ is returning WITHIN 30 days…and that day could be TOMORROW or NEXT WEEK or 20 days from now…then some sermons would simply be seen for what they are: FOOLISHNESS!

You see…God has NOT spoken to us that He will tell Jesus to return within 30 days. But…guess what? God has not spoken to us that His Son Jesus will NOT return within 30 days…or even TOMORROW, for that matter!

We DO NOT KNOW when Jesus Christ will return! It could even be TODAY! It could be TOMORROW! It could be before your next CHURCH SERVICE!

So…what do you plan to do about it??

The Disciples lived with an ESSENTIAL belief…a belief that Jesus was going to return VERY SOON! Read the New Testament…and it is EVIDENT that Peter and Paul and John and others ALL believed that Jesus would return VERY SOON!

This URGENCY drove them! This URGENCY molded them! This URGENCY changed them! This URGENCY was ESSENTIAL…because this URGENCY caused them to live READY…and it caused them to preach TODAY…and it caused them to proclaim to THEMSELVES and to the WORLD: “Do not wait! Do not put off til tomorrow what NEEDS to be done TODAY!”

URGENCY will change your perspective. URGENCY will change your walk with God. URGENCY will change your plans. URGENCY will change your sermon. URGENCY will change your witness. URGENCY will change your FOCUS. URGENCY will change your belief. URGENCY will change your prayer. URGENCY will change your worship. URGENCY will change your church. URGENCY will change your attitude. URGENCY will change your Sunday Service.

I dare you to live in URGENCY. I dare you to preach URGENCY. I dare you to pray URGENCY. I dare you to worship in URGENCY. 

This may go against ALL modern ideas of ministry…but a TOMORROW “word” is not good for a TODAY Church! Some will denounce this statement…but they will do so with NO DISCERNMENT: I do not need to know how to face TOMORROW…I need to know how to live TODAY! If I live for God TODAY…if I trust God TODAY…if I can serve God in my poverty (as some are) or in my wealth (as some are)…then TOMORROW will take care of itself…if TOMORROW ever even comes.

It is time that the pulpits are filled with TODAY messages! What does that mean? Jesus can come back TODAY…and things in lives must be taken care of TODAY. If I do all the things that PROSPERITY PREACHERS tell me to do…if I “sow a seed” for “tomorrow’s blessings”…yet I never deal with my sin TODAY…what will TOMORROW profit me?

We MUST return to the belief that Jesus Christ could return TODAY…at ANY MOMENT. We must LIVE in that EXPECTANCY…and in that URGENCY.

Do you have unsaved loved ones? Do you need to take care of sin in your life? Do you need to tell someone about Jesus? Do you need to get your spiritual house in order?

If you said YES to any of those questions…then it is time to live in URGENCY. Do not wait until TOMORROW.

TODAY is the day…for TOMORROW may never come.

Pastor…I beg you…never preach a TOMORROW gospel: preach the TRUE GOSPEL…one of URGENCY.

In Christ,
Ron