Titus Women

Immediately
by Frances Hughes

Immediately: A small but forceful word used several times in Scripture and meaning directly, and straightway.  An active verb showing movement.  In Matthew there is 6 instances of its use.  In Mark there are 17.  There are more, but you get the idea it is used frequently in the New Testament of the Bible...

Mark 4:14-15 in the parable of the sower says,

 "The sower soweth the Word. And these are they by the wayside, where the Word is sown; but when they have heard, satan cometh immediately and taketh away the Word that was sown."

Do you see how quickly satan works to perform his desires to destroy anything pertaining to God.  Wouldn't it wonderful if we as Christians would be so eager to spread the Word to others.

Then there was the time that Peter, seeking to make sure that the person who spoke to them was Jesus, said in Matthew chapter 14 verses 28-31,  

"Lord if it be thou, bid me to come unto thee on the water.  And He said,  Come.' And when Peter was come down out of the boat, he walked on the water, to go to Jesus.  But when he saw the wind boisterous, he was afraid; and beginning to sink, he cried, saying, Lord save me.  And immediately Jesus stretched forth His hand, and caught him, and said unto him,  O thou of little faith, why didst thou doubt?"  (KJV)

What do you think would have happened if Jesus had not caught him?   Of course, he would have sunk and would have missed a very important lesson in trusting the Lord.  The longer I live in Christ the more importantly am I impressed of the reality of trusting in the Lord.  How many times He must be disappointed in His followers who do not become able to do this.  It is like saying You are a liar and not believing anything He says.  If it bothers me that much to see a professing child of His do this time after time, I can't help but feel sorrow for God.

Another time when Jesus was healing people in the crowds that followed Him, in Mark 5 there was a woman who heard of His many works of wonder and she touched his garment.  Verse 30, 

"And Jesus, immediately knowing in Himself that power had gone out of Him, turned about in the crowd and said,  Who touched my clothes?"  The woman became fearful, and trembling came and fell down before Him.  She knew that she had been healed.  He said unto her "Thy faith had made thee well.  Go in peace." (KJV) 

Do you see in each instance how this word hastened the need at hand to be fulfilled?  I am certain that it has some special meaning that goes with it for the Holy Spirit to have inspired the writers of the Scripture to put it in there.  Perhaps in our day and time, to impress us how near the time for Christ to return for His Bride is, maybe closer than we think.

We are admonished and told many times throughout Scripture since the Lord went back to heaven where He is now interceding for us before the Throne of Grace, to be always ready and looking for Him to come again.  The Word tells of how He will come in a twinkling of an eye.  You know how quick that is. So a word of caution, I must leave in your thoughts today.

2 Cor. 15:52-53
"In a moment, in the twinkling of an eye, at the last trump; for the trumpet shall sound, and the dead shall be raised incorruptible, and we shall be changed. For this corruptible must put on incorruption, and this mortal must put on immortality." (KJV)

So the importance of the word IMMEDIATELY can't be stressed too often since it ties in with the phrase "in the twinkling of an eye" the trumpet shall sound!  May God bless you all, and cause you to think on these things about your future.

Will it be with the Lord as His Bride or with satan and his angels?

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Copyright 2001 by Frances Hughes.