I was asked to give a short message at the prayer meeting before Church this morning and felt to speak on ‘now is the time.’ I remember a chorus we used to sing back in the day called “Don’t you know it’s time to Praise the Lord?” It’s always the right time.
With the advent of digital clocks and watches, I like to use the time to remind me of important verses in the bible. The meeting was for 9 am so I began the message by saying that 9.00 is very important to us Pentecostal Christians because it was at 9 am that the Holy Spirit came 2000 years ago and the Church was birthed. I like to remind myself of this truth whenever I see 9.00 on my clock or watch.
“When the day of Pentecost came, they were all together in one place. Suddenly a sound like the blowing of a violent wind came from heaven and filled the whole house where they were sitting. They saw what seemed to be tongues of fire that separated and came to rest on each of them. All of them were filled with the Holy Spirit and began to speak in other tongues as the Spirit enabled them.” Acts 2:1-4
There were those who mocked and said that they were all drunk, but Peter’s reply was.
“These people are not drunk, as you suppose. It’s only nine in the morning! No, this is what was spoken by the prophet Joel” Acts 2:15 -16
It’s interesting to note that they were not standing or jumping up and down when the Spirit came but sitting down. It’s also amazing to see that the Spirit not only filled them but also the whole room.
Its important to remind ourselves of this truth about the coming of the Holy Spirit along with speaking in tongues, for 1900 years later the experience had almost disappeared off the Christian calendar. In the early 1900s no one was speaking in tongues anymore.
In the year 1900 at a New Year’s Eve service in Topeka, Kansas a minister called Charles Parham encouraged his bible students to believe for the baptism in the Holy Spirit once more. A lady called Agnes Ozman came forward and asked to be prayed for the baptism in the Holy Spirit with the evidence of speaking in tongues. She was mightily baptised in the Spirit, spoke in tongues, and could only speak Chinese for the next 3 days. She had never spoken in Chinese before and this was considered a real sign from God. Charles Parham continued to preach on the baptism of the Holy Spirit around America and a few years later a black man called William J. Seymour received the Holy Ghost Baptism and this led to the Azusa Street Revival that birthed the Pentecostal movement. The rest is history.
10:10 is the next important time for me. When I see it on the clock it reminds me of John 10:10
“The thief comes only to steal and kill and destroy; I have come that they may have life, and have it to the full.”
I remind myself that those things in my life that are being stolen from me are of the Devil. He comes to steal my joy, rob me of blessings and destroy my health and its not the Lord who is doing it. Jesus said that He has come to give me life and life abundant.
11:11 is one of my latest times that I acknowledge. This reminds me of Matthew 11:11
“Truly I tell you, among those born of women there has not risen anyone greater than John the Baptist; yet whoever is least in the kingdom of heaven is greater than he.”
Jesus said that John the Baptist was the greatest of all the Prophets. Greater than Elijah and Elisha. Greater than Jeremiah or Isaiah and Samuel. Greater than Moses or Abraham, but then goes on to say than even the least in the Kingdom is greater than he was. That means that you and I who are Born Again are greater than John, for we are in the Kingdom of God and have Christ in us. We are washed in the blood of the Lamb and are the righteousness of God in Christ. We are now joined to Christ and are as pure as He is. Indeed we are greater than John in Christ. It’s good to remind yourself of this.
12:00 (noon) is another great time. Acts 26:12-14
“On one of these journeys I was going to Damascus with the authority and commission of the chief priests. About noon, King Agrippa, as I was on the road, I saw a light from heaven, brighter than the sun, blazing around me and my companions. We all fell to the ground, and I heard a voice saying to me in Aramaic, ‘Saul, Saul, why do you persecute me? It is hard for you to kick against the goads.’
Paul was saved after this encounter with God at noon and changed from a God hater to one of the world’s most amazing Apostles. This gives us all great encouragement as we pray for our loved ones who are far from God. God can change them into mighty men and women of God. There are no hard cases for Him for with God nothing shall be impossible.
Here are a few more verses that encourage me in the afternoon.
1:26 Genesis 1:26 reminds us that God’s original intent was and still is that we should be made into the image of God. We are not just saved so that we might go to heaven one day, but are saved to be transformed into His image by the power of the Holy Spirit.
2:20 is a big verse for me also. This reminds me of Galatians 2:20
“I have been crucified with Christ and I no longer live, but Christ lives in me. The life I now live in the body, I live by faith in the Son of God, who loved me and gave himself for me.”
I remind myself that Graeme Hotter is dead and that I am now alive unto God. I am joined to Christ and He is now living in me.
3:20 is a great encouragement to believe for in prayer. This is a reminder of Ephesians 3:20
“Now to him who is able to do immeasurably more than all we ask or imagine, according to his power that is at work within us,”
3:33 is an encouragement to keep on praying for it reminds us of Gods’ telephone number in Jeremiah 33:3.
“Call to me and I will answer you and tell you great and unsearchable things you do not know.”
There are so many times during the day that trigger great bible verses for me, but I’d like to close on a verse from Psalm 119 where David speaks of midnight. 00:00
“At midnight I will arise and praise you for your word.”
I have a Smart Clock next to my bed that tells me the time. When I wake up in the night I’m too lazy to open my eyes so I just ask Alexa who never slumbers nor sleeps. “Alexa what is the time?” And she tells me too the exact second. Wouldn’t it be great if she became a Christian and when you ask her the time she says?
“Don’t you know its time to Praise the Lord.” Lol