"Later"

"Later" has a way of becoming "never." The men of Israel who believed the ten spies "Later has a way of becoming "never.." The men of Israel who believed the negative report of the ten spies who had returned from the Promised Land and had, consequently, rebelled against God's promises found that out. They "presumed to go up into the hill top" and take the Promised Land after God said they would be wandering in the wilderness for forty years. They decided that God's "It's too late" was not really true just as they had decided a few days before that God's "Now is the time" was not really true. They were guilty of those presumptuous sins the Psalmist prays that God will deliver him from. The enemy routed them.
Never presume upon the goodness or severity of God. When He says something, do it immediately. Many have hesitated and found it to be too late. Esau sought repentance with tears, but it was too late to get the blessing he had despised. For Ananias and Sapphira it was too late to serve God completely and honestly. For Noah's generation it was too late to return to their Creator and to worship Him. For Judas, too late. Lot's wife--too late. Sodom and Gomorrah--too late. Gehazi--too late. The rich man and his barns--too late. A generation of Israelites--too late. Obey God now when the call comes for obedience. Obeying God later may be later than you think. Beware. Satan always has some reasonable alternative to ready obedience, the result of which is heartache and failure. When the Spirit of God reveals to you a step of obedience, do not presume upon the patience of God. Act now.
"Keep back Thy servant from presumptuous sins and let them not have dominion over me; then shall I be upright, and I shall be innocent from the great transgression."