Living with a Sense of Urgency

I wrote this a few days ago but it was lost somewhere in cyber space.

It is important that we live our lives with a sense of urgency. The older I get the more I realize how valuable time is. I do know the teaching that "time is an illusion" meaning that it is a man made construct that should not stress us out. Even though we know that we have life eternal, we are only on this planet for a set period of time.

Jesus in several parables spoke about the importance of maximizing our time. "No one knows the day or hour when the son of man shall appear..." "...He shall come like a thief in the night." Jesus emphasized the importance of doing the work and the will of God in the present--NOW! Not procrastinating or hoping a some day or one day. The Apostle Paul shared of the importance of "redeeming the time..." He knew the importance of making the most of the time.

Now interestingly enough, the Apostles and the early Church was convinced that Jesus was coming back in their time. That is why they lived with a sense of urgency because they knew he was coming back again. The idea of Jesus coming back was metaphoric in the context of Jesus had placed his Spirit within them and He stated, "He would never leave nor forsake them..." He would always be with the, ..."Even to the end of the world." But in the context of judgment he would come back to assess and to audit what they did with the mission.

Jesus speaks of this kind of Judgment in the parable of the talents in the Gospel of Matthew Chapter 25. He gave one individual five talents, another three and another one. Each according to their ability. Talents is a denomination of money, but in the text it represents the rich inner resources that God has blessed us with. The resources that we have are all based on our ability or inability to receive them based on our faith. No one has a right or claim to any more resources than the other. The only difference is that some lay claim to the fullness of all that God has for them while others do not. It is all based on their "ability to believe."

The parable continues that the one who had the five and the other with the three, they went out immediately and they cultivated and developed that which God had blessed them with and received a return 100 times over. The one with five gained five more. The one who had three gained three more. What are you doing with the rich inner resources that God has blessed you with? Are you developing and cultivating them to their highest. Most people have stopped growing since they got out of school. Most people stop expanding themselves reading, intellectual and spiritual growth and development, professional challenges. Most people simply exist. The one's who maximized their gifts went to work at cultivated and developed themselves fully to receive greater blessings and resources. This is the key!

However, the one who had the one talent buried it. He was fearful so he never expanded himself and develop his full potentiality. Interestingly enough this man was sentenced to Hell. Let me share with you Hell is not just an eternal destination, it is a state of complaceny and apathy. Hell is a place where there is a shortage of resources and lack. When we fail to develop the resources and the tools that God has graced us with, we place ourselves in Hell!

Think about this, Jesus is coming back again. It may be through situations and circumstances in our lives which try the basic fabric of our lives. Nevertheless, the stewardship of our lives are examined in times of trial. Perhaps even He comes in death and judgment. Friends those of us who have accepted the Salvation of the Father through Christ understand that judgment is not about the rights and wrongs. Scriptures are clear we have been redeemed from the penalty of sin (error). Metaphorically, we have been washed in the blood of the lamb. Our judgment will be on whether or not we maximized our lives. Did you write the books or songs that God placed in your heart for the world to hear? Did you move beyond your fears to develop the ministry that God called you to do? Did you start that business that would create tremendous resources and bless others? Did you move beyond your fears and allow God to manifest FULLY in your life?

When we are manifesting the power of God, we live in a sense of URGENCY! Because we know that "no man knows the day or hour that the Son of man shall appear."

Stop procrastinating and making excuses! Live life FULLY manifesting the Power of God!

Living with Faith and Power and Creating a Phenomenal Life!

Bishop Keith Russell Lee
Hoffman Estates, IL and Los Angeles, CA

UPDATE: The Special Television Program promoting "The Fourteen Principles to Power Faith and Living" will be airing in the Chicago market on WJYS Channel 62 (Not sure of the cable number) next week. It will be airing twice next week.