[True story] There was once a sinner who was given an invitation to receive the Lord. Shortly after receiving the Lord, the saint passed away. Immediately upon reaching paradise, the saint recounts, "Only a few hours ago I was a lost sinner and far from God. Oh, tell me, am I in heaven? The sermon I cannot forget. Oh, how God blessed the preacher! His words went to my heart. I was grieving over my sins and crying. I was praying, Oh, how Jesus revealed Himself to me, and gave me rest! I was on my dying bed. A meeting appointed and the house was crowded, only last night. Oh, tell me, I pray you, am I in heaven?" "You are safe," the saint replied, "safe at home. Can you repeat any of the sermon to us?" So my beloved friend, herebelow is the sermon that led this man to the Lord.
Is It Time to Seek the Lord?
"Sow for yourselves, with a view to righteousness; Harvest in accordance with kindness. Break up your uncultivated ground, For it is time to seek the LORD Until He comes and rains righteousness on you." Hosea 10:12.
Is it time to seek the Lord? At 5 a.m. when the first gleams of the morning appear, you ask, ‘Is it time to seek the Lord?’ A voice from heaven whispers, ‘They that seek Me early shall find Me.’
At 7 a.m. again you ask, ‘Is it now time to seek the Lord?’ A
voice from the throne replies: ‘Remember now thy Creator in the days of thy youth.’ Oh, what a beautiful Light is circling round the brow and becoming a center of joy within the character of that child of God who has early learned to lisp the name of Jesus!
Again at 9 a.m. the bell calls and you ask, ‘Is it time to seek the Lord?’ Conscience trembles and says, ‘I have passed many an open door of grace already and the sins of my youth are multiplied.’ As you listen to the voice you hear it saying, ‘Now is
the accepted time: now is the day of salvation.’ High noon has now come to many a soul here. The most important period of life has already past or is now upon you. The golden opportunities of childhood and youth will return to you no more. Yet you say with an indifferent air, ‘Is it time for me to seek the Lord?’ Satan now begins to whisper, ‘Your heart is hard, you cannot easily repent with all your cares upon you.’
"Turn your eyes upward and listen," the preacher said, "as you say, ‘what must I do to be saved?’ Everything within you has been saying, ‘Repent, repent.’ Now the echo comes back from heaven as though sounded with the trump of God: "Repent ye and believe the gospel. Come unto me and I will give you rest. In the day that ye seek me with all the heart I will be found of you.’
"Consider your situation as it is in God’s sight. Think you of the littleness of time that is left you for so great a preparation. Think you of your accountability to God. You will soon stand before Him, and render an impartial account of your stewardship.
Think you of your accountability to God. You will soon stand before Him, and render an impartial account of your stewardship. Think you of your reply to Him who sitteth upon the throne when He shall say, 'Friend, how did you come in here without wedding clothes?' (Matthew 22:12)
Oh, think you of your feelings when you will look this way and that, to find yourself so confounded that you are speechless, as you call back the days when showers of grace from heaven fell so often upon you and your heart yielded no fruit of righteousness in return.
Think of the barren fig tree that stood so many years in the vineyard, having been digged about and watered so long without any fruit; that when mercy shall cry, ‘cut it down,’ anticipate your sorrow and think what your feelings will be. "Think deeply of the weeds which have been growing in your heart so long and scattering their seed in other soil around you. Think of the ripening harvest from your sowing, and that ‘whatever a man sows, this he will also reap.’ Think of the rich man in torment, remembering good only to lighten his sorrow, knowing it might have been otherwise with his soul, but now being tormented he could see ‘Lazarus afar off in Abraham’s bosom.’
"As these considerations are before you, haste with all speed to Him who alone is able to save you. Oh, do not live longer as if there were neither a bed of death nor a bar of judgment. Be wise; look your danger in the face. Anticipate the day when you shall behold a God in judgment and a world in flames; and flee to your God from the wrath to come."
LET'S PRAY Holy Lord Jesus I open my heart to you Come in, live in me Jesus you alone I receive My savior from sin and hell You alone are my Lord, Savior and King For all eternity - Amen