Thursday, October 16, 2008

Today's Devotional

The Day of the Lord

"For you yourselves know full well that the day of the Lord will come just like a thief in the night." - 1 Thessalonians 5:2 NASB

Traveling throughout Holland and Germany in 1677 when he was 33 years old, William Penn experienced a deepening of his faith. One of his discoveries was a new understanding of "the day of the Lord." He wrote that this day "hath been deeply impressed upon me, and my soul and spirit hath frequently been possessed with an holy and weighty concern for the glory and name of the Lord and the spreading of his everlasting truth."

Later, William returned to this theme when he preached a sermon called "A Summons or Call to Christendom." Through this sermon, he hoped to prepare Christians "for the Great and Notable Day of the Lord that is at the Door."

He pointed out that many were spiritually dead, had become weak, or had abandoned the true Light of the Gospel. He called them to wake up! To repent so they "may enter into the rest of God." To walk after the Spirit, not the flesh.

In his own life, William Penn had made a radical commitment to God, and he felt he had put these words into practice. This consciousness of the day of the Lord freed him from worries about the opinions of others and helped give him greater boldness. He was willing to take a stand for his faith, even to the point of enduring jail time and ridicule.

Today, Christians need this same sensitivity to the day of the Lord. This day will come "just like a thief in the night." Make sure you are ready. Seek first God's Kingdom. Dedicate your resources to reaching Souls with the Gospel, while there is still time. Don't compromise. Be bold. The day of the Lord is coming!



Dear Lord Jesus, help me to be ready for Your return. I declare that You are my Lord. Use me to reach the unsaved with the Gospel. Help me to stand for Your Kingdom. In Your name. Amen.

Extended Reading: 1 Thessalonians 5

Praying with you in agreement... for what shall it profit a man if he gain the whole world.. and die not knowing the one who purchased him..