NOW is the TIME

John 14:1-4 “Do not let your hearts be troubled. Trust in God; trust also in me. In my Father's house are many rooms; if it were not so, I would have told you. I am going there to prepare a place for you. And if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come back and take you to be with me that you also may be where I am. You know the way to the place where I am going."

Some years ago, while Jan and I were ministering in YWAM Kona, the Lord spoke to me about opening up the doors to Korea. I was a little unsure that I had heard right, until ½ hour later when a young Korean woman came to our door with an invitation to teach in Seoul! That was approximately six years ago, and since that time I have made well over thirty trips not only to several provinces in South Korea, but also to Korean organizations in other countries. My love for the people, the culture and the country was almost immediate and I found I was able to communicate (via some amazing translators) with ease and clarity. And without exception, I have felt a powerful presence of Holy Spirit moving during the meetings, often even feeling He is there waiting for us! I believe that all of this blessing has nothing to do with me and everything to do with Jesus, who went before me and then came back to (speak to) me so that I could be where He is. And what He will do for me, He will do for you!

Because Jesus is the Alpha and the Omega and the Beginning and the End of all things, He operates in the area of infinity. We, on the other hand, operate in the context of time – 60 seconds to a minute, 60 minutes to an hour and 24 hours to a day. Time has authority over us in our daily lives, but our God has all authority over time.

Many Christians understand these four verses to mean that when Christ returns and takes his Bride with Him, we will have a place or a house or a mansion of some description where we will dwell for eternity with Him. Some would say this is a spiritual home; while others would say it is an actual physical house. Either way believers are very encouraged to hear these words; a guarantee that He is coming back for His Bride in His timing. However, because Jesus is eternal, then is now and now is then. In other words, He has prepared for us a house or a place… NOW!

Jesus prompts us to pray like this:

Matt 6:9-13

Our Father in heaven,

Hallowed be your name,

Your kingdom come,

Your will be done

On earth as it is in heaven.

Give us today our daily bread.

Forgive us our debts,

As we also have forgiven our debtors.

And lead us not into temptation,

But deliver us from the evil one.

NIV

We are asking God to bring his Kingdom NOW and that His will be done NOW. So the Kingdom of God is here NOW. It is at hand. We can embrace it. We do not have to ‘pull it down’ so to speak - it is here NOW! Of course, we are not experiencing the ‘fullness’ of His Kingdom, because we are living between the times, however as we move in obedience to His voice, we will see more of the demonstrations of the Kingdom that Jesus commissioned us to perform NOW - healings, miracles, signs and wonders and even raising the dead!

But the thought I want to leave with you is this: God, through His Son Jesus, has prepared a place for you and I NOW – a place to move in your calling with your spiritual gifts NOW. He has prepared a place for you not only in eternity, but also in the Now. He has equipped you and designed you for a place NOW. If we understand this, it brings great faith to know that ministry is for every Christian, not just the clergy. That each born again believer no matter what age, has a gift, a calling and a place to operate from on a daily basis. Listen for His voice – He may be opening a door for you in Korea or in Kelowna. Your door may be a school, university, a hospital, the street, your family, your employer or your workplace. He has prepared the place – and the fields are white – go with Him and harvest!