One Second

            This is a year where we seem to be focused on how many people die of the new virus. If you pass by a news channel, you soon hear how many people have died today and how many people have died in the past year as a result of the virus that is traveling around the world. Statistics are wonderful things to get people stirred up. Virus deaths seem to be a staggering number but there are other areas that are even higher that we don't report about as they are not as newsworthy as talking about the virus. Another statistic that one should consider is this. Every second of the clock, five people die without Christ. In the two or three seconds it took you to read that sentence, ten to fifteen people died without Christ. If you are a believer in the Lord Jesus Christ, you know the ramifications of what that means. Jesus said that He was the only way to the Father so everyone who dies without Christ is lost forever, in hell. There will be no comfort, no hope, no peace, no love but lost for eternity. This statistic would come out to sixty people dying every minute and ten minutes would see 3000 people going to a Christless eternity. You can expand the statistic as far as you want. Now what does that do to us? How do we respond to such a statistic? Second Timothy 4:2 says, “Preach the word; be instant in season, out of season; reprove, rebuke, exhort with all longsuffering and doctrine.” 

            Every area where Christ is not the head and worshiped is a mission field. Paul reminded young Timothy about the frequency of his preaching. He was to be ready in season and out of season. In other words, he was to be ready at every moment to share the message of the Lord Jesus Christ. He was to proclaim the message to everyone and in everywhere. It is the same message to each and every believer. You may not have a title as a preacher or an evangelist but that doesn't make any difference. It is not the title on your name, but God has done in your life. One of the important observations about this passage is that it is centered on the Word. Timothy wasn't to speak about a social gospel or mother earth or mother nature but about the Supreme Originator of the universe, God Himself. In being ready to share the message, we have to look just outside our on walls to the field before us. It consists of those who will be walking by or who stop to chat about the weather or to comment on their cute little puppy but what if God called them home today? Where would they spend eternity. Everyone thinks that they have a lifetime to make such a decision but the fact is, we don't know how long our lifetime is going to be. One cannot assume that it will last a hundred years. We must assume that this is the last day and that there is no tomorrow to wait for the spreading of the message of hope and peace through the Lord Jesus Christ. The statistic continues and in the time you took to read this, perhaps 1800 people died without Christ. Yes, virus deaths are alarming but they are only a part of the picture and it is a very small part when compared to those who pass away without believing in the Lord Jesus Christ as their personal Lord and Savior. Sow some seed from the Word of God today and let the Lord of the harvest reap those who would come to Him. As Paul said to Timothy, “Preach the Word...” Praise God that He is still calling for people to be saved.