Daily devotion -The danger of procrastination.
Act 24:27 But after two years Porcius Festus came into Felix’ room: and Felix, willing to shew the Jews a pleasure, left Paul bound.
Felix and his wife Drusilla were presented by the Lord a beautiful opportunity to hear the Gospel and give their lives over to Christ, but they procrastinated and put off making a decision. The most important decision of their lives.
Did you know that 82% of all Christians are saved at the age of 19 or younger? The lower the age, the higher the percentage of those who make a commitment to Jesus Christ. Why? Because a person who puts off a decision, saying, “Not now, I will think about it; I’ll wait until later; I want more information,” will find his or herself falling into a pattern that becomes more and more difficult to break.
He or she trembles when they say “No” to the Holy Spirit the first time.
The next time they hear the Gospel and say “No,” they tremble less.
The third time, it’s pretty easy to say “No.”
The fourth time, it’s a piece of cake!
This reaction happens not only when the Holy Spirit is convicting unbelievers, but also when He convicts Christians. The first time we are tempted to do wrong, we tremble. The second time the temptation comes our way, it still bothers us, but not as much as it did the first time.
The third time bothers us a little less.
The fourth time, giving into temptation does not bother us at all!
Our conscience must be guarded very carefully because it can become hard as our hearts also – 1 Timothy 4:2 (NLT) – These people are hypocrites and liars, and their consciences are dead
(KJV) – speaking lies in hypocrisy, having their own conscience seared with a hot iron..
The word seared here means – in a medical sense, to cauterise…no feelings, no sensitivity any more….hardened!
Not only will our conscience become seared or desensitised, it will become evil – Heb 10:22
Let us draw near with a true heart in full assurance of faith, having our hearts sprinkled from an evil conscience, and our bodies washed with pure water.
Our conscience can begin to speak to us justifying wrong by whispering … “Don’t worry about what you are doing or what you are watching..everyone does it…no harm!”
Felix and Drusilla went from having a tender conscience, shaken when they felt the convicting work of the Holy Spirit – Acts 24:25, to having a seared conscience!
Back in the book of Genesis God gave humanity a warning that they did not heed.
Gen 6:3 And the LORD said, My spirit shall not always strive with man.
When God speaks to your heart….do not procrastinate….immediately obey the voice of the Holy Spirit and keep your heart soft and sensitive to the work of His Spirit.