Everyone has a time of visitation

We all understand that the word ‘visit’ is a temporary thing. If someone came to visit you, you will expect the visit to be temporary, just for a limited time.

When our Lord Jesus Christ came near mount Olives in the days of His earthly time, He said something about the city in the book of Luke: (Mount of Olives is the hill facing the old city of Jerusalem, on the eastern side of Kidron valley ) http://www.biblewalks.com/Sites/MountOlives.html

Luke 19: 37;38, 41-44

³⁷And when he was come nigh, even now at the descent of the mount of Olives, the whole multitude of the disciples began to rejoice and praise God with a loud voice for all the mighty works that they had seen;

³⁸Saying, Blessed be the King that cometh in the name of the Lord: peace in heaven, and glory in the highest.

⁴¹And when he was come near, he beheld the city, and wept over it,

⁴²Saying, If thou hadst known, even thou, at least in this thy day, the things which belong unto thy peace! but now they are hid from thine eyes.

⁴³For the days shall come upon thee, that thine enemies shall cast a trench about thee, and compass thee round, and keep thee in on every side,

⁴⁴And shall lay thee even with the ground, and thy children within thee; and they shall not leave in thee one stone upon another; because thou knewest not the time of thy visitation.

The reason Jesus wept over the city (Jerusalem) was because the city did not know their time of visitation. If the city had known and received Jesus then the account on verse 43 i,e their enemies casting a trench around them , compassing them on every side and laying them on the ground etc would not have happened. All this happened because the city did not know the time of its visitation.

Matthew 23:37

³⁷O Jerusalem, Jerusalem, thou that killest the prophets, and stonest them which are sent unto thee, how often would I have gathered thy children together, even as a hen gathereth her chickens under her wings, and ye would not!

Everyone has a time of visitation. What do l mean? In the above account the bible talks about Jerusalem killing the prophets and stoning them sent unto them.

While people do not necessary stone others nowadays, how many times has the Lord sent people unto others to share the gospel of peace with them and they refuse? So sad, but there have been times when people attended services and refused to respond to an altar call. Sometimes its peoples last chance to make a right choice for eternity. They miss their time of visitation. Times of visitations and opportunities vary from person to person to know the Lord. But the wise will respond to the call of salvation now and today for you don’t know what tomorrow may hold. God forbid that its too late.

2 Corinthians 6 : 2

²(For he saith, I have heard thee in a time accepted, and in the day of salvation have I succoured thee: behold, now is the accepted time; behold, now is the day of salvation.)

The time of visitation for some people is that they may respond and receive Jesus Christ as Lord and Saviour.  For others that already know the Lord, is a time to respond to the call to ministry. A time to get closer to the Lord. Maybe the Lord over a period has been calling you into a deeper walk with Him, please respond. Nobody has forever to respond.

I recently read an account of a well known man of God today. He left ministry because he felt he was inadequate and went into business. Years later the Lord called him back into ministry but he did not respond. Later he received a Word that his commission was going to be given to another person if he did not respond. He ran and went back into ministry, today his ministry is blessing thousands. He responded to his time of visitation.

I listened to true account a few months ago which was very very sad. A certain man of God went to preach someone and sensed a strong urge that someone in the congregation had to give their life to the Lord. In the preachers words, he saw darkness in front of the person. He gave the Word and said that their is someone here, l see darkness ahead of you and if you enter that darkness you will never never come out of it. However if you give your life to the Lord that will change.

To cut a long story short, the gentleman who the Word was for knew that it was him but never responded. At the end of the meeting, the host pastor went to the man and spoke at length with him. He politely turned down the invitation to make Jesus Christ his Lord and saviour.

A few nights later, he got drunk and by mistake went into the wrong house and tried to force himself in. He was shot in the face and rushed to hospital. The Pastor who spoke to him was called and he rushed to the hospital. As he approached the man who was well dressed only a few days ago, now his face was disfigured and he heard him say’ why didn’t l listen, why didn’t l listen, l knew that was me on Sunday night, why didn’t l listen and died.

The above account is true and very moving. Friends, hell is very real and the Lord is always sending people across to speak to those who don’t know Him yet. If you don’t know the Lord, cry unto Him now, today is the day of salvation.

If you already know the Lord, begin to listen to your heart. What is the Lord saying? Get closer to me? Get serious? Start that ministry? Handle money better? Treat brethren better? Walk in love? etc the list goes on.

We all have times and seasons of various visitations in our lives. Lets respond and walk worthy of the Lord unto all pleasing.

Anything the Lord is trying to get us to do, is for our benefit and for the benefit of His kingdom.

Lets not miss or neglect our times of visitations in life. Nobody has forever to respond. The wise respond today to whatever the Lord is saying.

 

Bisi Oladipupo