Opening Prayer
I have always had the mindset that our greatest asset in life is time. That is just my opinion, and others may disagree. But then it occurred to me — time is indeed a great asset, yet it still does not belong to me or you. Time is not owned, it is loaned. God is the Giver of Time, and every time we fall into sin knowing that it is wrong, we are gambling with borrowed time.
We don’t know when Jesus is coming, but we do know that it is soon. That is what Jesus told us over 2,000 years ago.
Revelation 22:7
“Look, I am coming soon! Blessed is the one who keeps the words of the prophecy written in this scroll.”
We say Christ is coming soon. We sing it. We shout it and we talk about it. But do you really understand what that means while you treat it like a distant prophecy? Do you understand it while you live as if this world is all you have?
Jesus said:
Matthew 24:44
“Be ready, for the Son of Man is coming at an hour you do not expect.”
Not at an hour we predict. Not at an hour we choose. At an hour we do not expect. Time — that’s the greatest illusion we’ve bought into. We think because we woke up today, we’ll wake up tomorrow. We think because the clock keeps ticking, it will keep ticking. But time does not belong to you or me. Time belongs to God.
Psalm 31:15 “My times are in Your hand.”
Your breath. Your heartbeat. You’re waking up. You’re going out. You’re coming home. All of it is borrowed. And every time you fall back into sin knowing it’s wrong, you gamble with borrowed time. You don’t do it out of joy — you do it out of will. A will that resists the Holy Spirit. A will that says “later” to the voice that says “now.” And that will is rebellion against the order God has set.
Not tomorrow. Not next month. Not after the fun is over. Today. We must stop treating repentance like a project you’ll start when the deadline approaches. You don’t know when that deadline is. You don’t know when the trumpet will sound. You don’t know when mercy will end.
1 Thessalonians 4:16
“The Lord Himself will descend from heaven with a shout… and the trumpet of God…”
When that trumpet sounds, it’s over. No extensions. No retakes. No extra credit. No bargaining.
So when you keep waiting — when you keep saying “I’ll repent tomorrow,” you are disrespecting the very mercy that gives you breath today. We are warned in Romans:
Romans 2:4
Do you despise the riches of His goodness, forbearance, and longsuffering, not knowing that the goodness of God leads you to repentance?”
Every breath is borrowed:
Job 12:10
“In His hand is the life of every living thing and the breath of all mankind.”
And one day the Giver will demand it back. While you hesitate, judgment day moves closer. Also in Romans we see:
Romans 13:11
“Now it is high time to awake out of sleep; for now our salvation is nearer than when we first believed.”
You do not get to schedule Christ’s return. You do not get to schedule death.
Proverbs 27:1
“Do not boast about tomorrow, for you do not know what a day may bring.”
When will you realize your first enemy isn’t the world? The battleground is not out there — it’s in your chest. The war is not in Government, it’s in your mind. The conflict is not political, it’s spiritual. God raises up leaders and removes them.
It does not matter if you are republican, democrat or whatever. God places men and women in places of authority whether they are good or bad leaders and when we rebel against these governing authorities we are rebelling against what God has instituted. These are The Words of God not mine. Look at King Saul as your paradigm of hope. Look at Pharoah, look at King Nebuchadnezzar and King Xerxes. The most important thing to remember here is that God’s Will is still being done no matter who is in a position of Authority and if they abuse that authority, then God takes action in His Time.
Submission to Governing Authorities:
Romans 13:1–3
Let everyone be subject to the governing authorities, for there is no authority except that which God has established. The authorities that exist have been established by God. Consequently, whoever rebels against the authority is rebelling against what God has instituted, and those who do so will bring judgment on themselves. For rulers hold no terror for those who do right, but for those who do wrong. Do you want to be free from fear of the one in authority? Then do what is right and you will be commended.
Daniel 2:21
He changes times and seasons; he deposes kings and raises up others. He gives wisdom to the wise and knowledge to the discerning.
Isaiah 61:1
“The Spirit of the Sovereign Lord is on me, because the Lord has anointed me to proclaim good news to the poor. He has sent me to bind up the brokenhearted, to proclaim freedom for the captives and release from darkness for the prisoners.
The key has never changed: Love Christ so deeply that sin loses its grip on you. Wisdom cannot always save you. Knowledge cannot always free you. Discipline cannot always keep you. Only love for Christ can. Jesus said:
John 14:15
“If you love Me, keep My commandments.”
Not “if you fear hell.” Not “if you feel guilty.” If you love Me.
So humble yourself:
James 4:10
“Humble yourselves before the Lord, and He will lift you up.”
Before it’s too late. Before mercy runs out. Isaiah 30:18 reminds us that the LORD longs to be gracious, but He is also a God of justice.
Isaiah 30:18
Yet the LORD longs to be gracious to you; therefore he will rise up to show you compassion. For the LORD is a God of justice. Blessed are all who wait for him!
If His Heart could allow the Sacrifice of Jesus, do not think His judgment will not fall.
Do not be deceived by the illusion of time when you’re actually running out.
2 Peter 3:9–10
“The Lord is not slow in keeping his promise, as some understand slowness. Instead he is patient with you, not wanting anyone to perish, but everyone to come to repentance. But the day of the Lord will come like a thief. The heavens will disappear with a roar; the elements will be destroyed by fire, and the earth and everything done in it will be laid bare.”
The Lord is patient, not willing that any should perish — but the day of the Lord will come like a thief. His patience is mercy. But His judgment is certain. Get yourself together. Do not gamble with eternity. Temptation won’t disappear overnight. Habits won’t die in a day. The flesh won’t surrender without a fight. But when your love for Christ runs deeper, you will begin to choose differently.
That is sanctification:
1 Thessalonians 4:3-8
It is God’s will that you should be sanctified: that you should avoid sexual immorality; that each of you should learn to control your own body in a way that is holy and honorable, not in passionate lust like the pagans, who do not know God; and that in this matter no one should wrong or take advantage of a brother or sister. The Lord will punish all those who commit such sins, as we told you and warned you before. For God did not call us to be impure, but to live a holy life. Therefore, anyone who rejects this instruction does not reject a human being but God, the very God who gives you his Holy Spirit.
So go all in — not halfway in. When Jesus went to The Cross he wasn’t halfway in, He was all the way in. Know your Lord. Read His Word. Walk with Him. Talk to Him. Obey Him. Kneel. Repent. Weep. Surrender.
This is not optional. This is eternity. Do not gamble with eternity. Do not gamble with mercy. Do not gamble with borrowed time.