Ephesians 5:27 “…that He might sanctify and cleanse her with the washing of water by the word. vs. 27 that He might present her to Himself a glorious church, not having spot or wrinkle or any such thing, but that she should be holy and without blemish.”
Procrastinator, are you in this class of waiting to self destruct?
I have come to believe from my personal experiences that procrastination is a habit! Yes, a habit and a bad habit! A sin habit!
Proverbs 29
1 A man who remains stiff-necked after many rebukes _ will suddenly be destroyed—without remedy.”
Again, Proverbs 29
1For people who hate discipline and only get more stubborn, there’ll come a day when life tumbles in and they break, but by then it’ll be too late to help them.”
Procrastination-putting off something… Procrastination is manifested in our lives by:
a) Delaying a decision, Matthew 19:16-22
b) Putting other things first, Luke 9: 59-62.
c) Presuming on tomorrow, Proverbs 27:1
d) Rejecting reproof, Proverb 29:1..
Results in our lives of Procrastinating!
a) Missing Salvation, 2 Cor. 6:1
b) Life’s importance, Eccl. 12;1
c) God’s opportunity…Jer. 13:16.
Let us read together Jeremiah 13:16-17 on missing God’s opportunity and just see what procrastinating might mean to us in some area of our lives.
15 Hear and pay attention, _ do not be arrogant, _ for the LORD has spoken.
16 Give glory to the LORD your God _ before he brings the darkness, _ before your feet stumble _ on the darkening hills. _ You hope for light, _ but he will turn it to thick darkness _ and change it to deep gloom.
17 But if you do not listen, _ I will weep in secret _ because of your pride; _ my eyes will weep bitterly, _ overflowing with tears, _ because the LORD’s flock will be taken captive.
I listen to many sad situations almost on a daily basis including my own. If we want the answers to our dilemma most of the time we can find it right in “procrastinating’…. putting off what we know according to God’s Word we should do.
We agree His Word is Holy. His Word is sure and will not fail. His Word will not return void. But, I hear all too often but but but but. We are full of buts. We know God can and will save, deliver, heal and guide and help in the time of our needs and troubles. Or, in the lives of our family and friends. But, we are like goats butting and kicking against the goads. We should be good sheep following and obeying the great good Shepherd, Jesus. But He, we think, God needs our ‘act of rebellion’ to help Him because it makes us feel a little better. An act of importance on our part one more time, just one more time my way.
I would like to encourage each of you to join me for spring exercise by breaking old habits and rejuvenating our lives by our words and actions.
Have you seen or read the play “Your Arms Are Too Short to Box with God.” Think, our arms are just too short when we are trying to manipulate life to suit us. We sing, pray and believe for The Holy Spirt to flow through us. For it is the anointing of God that breaks every yoke of rebellion in us. Holy Spirit, we pray, flow through us. Breathe on us and flow through us.
thedailylily.com 
Each word of this teaching and each Scripture cut like a two-edged sword. EN GARDE!!! Touche! But the Verses on “putting other things first” and “presuming on tomorrow” were especially striking. When I contemplated those whose plans were quickly interruped by what were determined as an “untimely” death or other grave circumstances…that imposed upon lives, and shattered the plans for the future because someone had “put off and put off and put off” until tomorrow what should have been done today, it is frightening to consider the consequences, sometimes FATAL, that result from presuming upon GOD’s grace. This is a wake up call to all of us who are looking to the soon coming of our KING and Savior JESUS CHRIST for the catching away of HIS bride. I don’t want to be a bridesmaid or a wedding guest. I want to go into the King’s chamber. I want to be at the Bridgroom’s side at the Marriage Supper of the Lamb. I don’t want to be a flower girl, or the matron of honor. I
am determined to clean up my act, to get out the ironing board and the IRON (the ROD OF IRON, the Word of God) and press out the wrinkles. I need to remove the spots and stains of mis-steps and blunders and contrary acts of disobedience. I want to be without blemish. I don’t want to be a wall flower. I WANT TO BE THE BRIDE!!!!!!
This article showed me that the Biblical definition of procrastination is much more expansive than I had thought…not just putting off a chore I don’t particularly enjoy. It means being timely and orderly about all I do in my thoughts, actions and words for the seriousness may be life or death according to what I read above in Jeremiah 16.
DEBI, would you please tell us vs. of Jeremiah 16 you are referring to, or write the scripture or explain a little more. I read Jeremiah 16, the complete chapter and could not tie it together.
Thanks,
Sorry, I wrote my scripture incorrectly. It is Jeremiah 13:16-17 that you wrote about above.
“Do not boast about tomorrow, For you do not know what a day may bring forth. Also read James 4:13-16
It seems we really need to hear the voice of the Holy Spirit and His direction and counsel so that we do not presume we can do it another time or our way. As I thought on this scripture today I was thinking how important it is to prioritise and make sure we grade things of importance so we do the important and not just do.
I use a Franklin Covey calendar to help me with this and it works when I take the valuable time to do this and to follow it.
I have also noticed that when I read my devotions and pray my daily prayers orderly and timely things seem to go so much smoother than when I drop those to do what I think is important at the moment like hurry up to hurry up and hurry up to go or do what I feel like doing for the moment.
Just a thought: Do you think procrastination is a substitute for commitment?
I think you are onto something there. I think we delude ourselves into thinking that if we PROMISE to do IT later; tomorrow; when the rain stops; when all the finances are in; when the kids get older; when,when, when…that’s like but, but, but. Sara, you are on the right path. There’s an old saying that even scares me terribly to quote….I’m sure everyone’s heard it from time to time….
“the road to hell is paved with good intentions” NOW THAT’S Scary!
But is it scary enough to make me change my patterns?
Thank you for this insightful article. May God’s anointing break every yoke of rebellion in me and others so that our clocks may be white as snow and without blemish or wrinkle.
Your article reminded me of a poem I wrote entitled THE ROSE OF SHARON for the Rose of Sharon School of Learning where I said…
“He has united us as the ribbon doeth
His blood payeth it all!
I’m simple, the path is simple…
Why are you like donkeys kicking against a wall?
There is no wall
Walk ahead or are you so blind that you can’t see? (pride)
Search! Look! I’m before you with love outstretched
Come my children, come!
May each of us give up whatever it takes to put the right cloaks on to eat at the table of the Lord.
Yes, Rena, I love Psalm 23, because the Psalmist reminds us as he sings that… “He prepares a table before us in the presence of our enemines.” I many times see this table of great hope, love and forgiveness when I realize my enemy is that of rebellion, pride or many other enemies of our soul.
I am glad that He loves us so much to prepare a table for us. I think of this at times when I don’t feel like sitting a lovely table for my family and then I remember how God prepares a table for us. Such love, such beauty. I love a beautiful table as it reminds me of Jesus.