Just Do It .... Now!

Just Do It…Now!

A Sunday School teacher was teaching her children the benefits of unselfishness. She concluded by saying: "The reason you are in this world, children, is to help others." After a moment’s silence, a little girl piped up: "Well, then, what are the OTHERS here for?"

Exodus 32:29 Then Moses said, "You have been set apart to the Lord today, …..and he has blessed you this day."

An out-of-towner drove his car into a ditch in a desolated area. Luckily, a local farmer came to help with his big strong horse named Buddy. He hitched Buddy up to the car and yelled, "Pull, Nellie, pull!" Buddy didn’t move. Then the farmer hollered, "Pull, Buster, pull!" Buddy didn’t respond. Once more the farmer commanded, "Pull, Cocoa, pull!" Nothing.

Then the farmer nonchalantly said, "Pull, Buddy, pull!" And the horse easily dragged the car out of the ditch. The motorist was most appreciative and very curious. He asked the Farmer why he called his horse by the wrong name three times. The farmer said, "Oh, Buddy is blind and if he thought he was the only one pulling, he wouldn’t even try!"

• The Nike© commercials urge people to "just do it." They are encouraging people in the area of athletics and to quit being a couch potato. Of course, ideally if you "just do it" you will need shoes and hopefully you will buy their shoes. The more you "just do it" the more your shoes will wear out and they will be rich from the repeat business. They do not say it, but they are implying that they want you to "just do it" now!

• That is not a bad thing because Americans as a whole are great at procrastinating.

• Christians are good at procrastination. I do not know an honest Christian that would not say that this country is in great need of revival. With as many Christians as we have in this country, why do we not have a revival? Partly, because we are really seeking a political solution rather than a spiritual solution to the problems. Another reason we do not have revival is that we have relegated it to occurring only when we have revival meetings, which in our age is once a year whether we need it or not.

• We may talk about the wonderful program and great sermons for awhile, but only for awhile.

• We start reading and praying again but this activity is much like a New Year’s resolution that lasts for a few days and then we go back to our normal mundane selfish ways until our emotions are stirred up again next year.

I. Consecrate means to devote yourself or dedicate yourself.

a. In this passage, the words translated as consecrate literally mean to fill up your hands with God.

b. 1 Tim. 2:8 I want men everywhere to lift up holy hands in prayer,

This is an act of surrender and gesture of desire and willingness to receive from God what He would give. God cannot pour His riches into hands already full. To fill up your hands with God you first have to empty them of all the vain and useless things that you are holding onto as if they were treasure.

c. You may be holding on to habits that temporarily bring some pleasure to your mind and flesh, but rob you of being filled with God.

d. Drop them like they were fiery coals before they burn you anymore.

e. It may be places you like to go that you don’t want to be caught at if Jesus comes, but who knows when that is so you risk it.

f. It may be friends you refuse to give up though they drag you down into this world’s muck and mire.

i. If they are not helping you to get closer to Jesus then you need to get as far away from them as East is from West.

g. Whatever or whoever it is that has your hands full that you cannot receive from God dump it or them.

h. Paul dropped all the things that he had in this world.

i. What was treasure to him and this world before Christ became dung. What dung are you holding on to? Why smell that when you can smell sweet incense of Heaven as He communes with you and fills your hands with that which will be treasure forever and not just a season?

j. Empty your hands and filled them with God.

k. How does that happen in the New Testament?

l. We are to be filled with the Holy Spirit. If you are filled with the Spirit you are obedient to God and a renewed obedience to God is revival.

m. Be revived today! Consecrate yourselves TODAY! Just do it... now!