Ever Ready
by David Brenneman
"Be ready, servant of Christ, for your Master will come suddenly, when an ungodly world least expects Him. See to it that you are faithful in His work, for the grave will soon be dug for you. Be ready, parents—see that your children are brought up in the fear of God, for they will soon be orphans. Be ready, businesspeople — take care that your affairs are correct and that you serve God with all your hearts, for the days of your earthly service will soon end and you will be called to give account for “the things done while in the body, whether good or bad” (2 Corinthians 5:10). May we all prepare for the great King’s court hearing with special attention, a care that will be rewarded with the gracious commendation, “Well done, good and faithful servant” (Matthew 25:21). - C.H. Spurgeon Morning and Evening.
A new book is coming out from Dr. David Jeremiah that is about being ready for the return of Jesus Christ for His Church. This has actually always been on my mind for many decades. In fact, at every company that I work for that has me using a computer, there's a file that I leave on the desktop. It explains what has happened should there be this mass disappearance while I am there. I believe not only in the risen Savior, I firmly believe He's coming back to receive His Church to Himself, myself included.
The only pertinent question, my Dear Friend, is do you know Him? A very popular preacher's sermon says much to this question. S.M Lockridge had this to say:
My King was born King.
The Bible says He’s a Seven Way King.
He’s the King of the Jews
He’s the King of Israel
He’s the King of righteousness.
He’s the King of the ages.
He’s the King of Heaven.
He’s the King of glory.
He’s the King of kings and He is the Lord of lords.
Now that’s my King.
Well I wonder if you know Him. Do you know Him?
Well, well, He’s enduringly strong.
He’s entirely sincere.
He’s eternally steadfast.
He’s immortally graceful.
He’s imperially powerful.
He’s impartially merciful.
That’s my King.
He’s God’s Son.
He’s the sinner’s saviour.
He’s the centrepiece of civilization.
He stands alone in Himself.
He’s honest.
He’s unique.
He’s unparalleled.
He’s unprecedented.
He’s supreme.
He’s pre-eminent.
Well, He’s the grandest idea in literature.
He’s the highest personality in philosophy.
He’s the supreme problem in high criticism.
He’s the fundamental doctrine of proved theology.
He’s the cardinal necessity of spiritual religion.
That’s my King.
That's just an excerpt of his sermon...but you get the point? Jesus isn't who we say Jesus is. Jesus is who the Spirit says He is. Jesus is the Mediator between God and mankind. Jesus is a man of His word. Jesus is...coming again.
Jesus said...and it was. Jesus thought...and so it came to be. Jesus planned and it happened without deviation. The Father’s will was completed in Him. The work on the cross finished it. Jesus promised to return on that day set by His Father. He promised who have been in His Church from day one until His eventual return that He would never leave them nor forsake them.
In Romans, Paul, through the Spirit, had this to say: "But what does it say? “The word is near you, in your mouth and in your heart”—that is, the word of faith which we are preaching, that if you confess with your mouth Jesus as Lord, and believe in your heart that God raised Him from the dead, you will be saved; for with the heart a person believes, resulting in righteousness, and with the mouth he confesses, resulting in salvation. For the Scripture says, “Whoever believes in Him will not be put to shame.” For there is no distinction between Jew and Greek; for the same Lord is Lord of all, abounding in riches for all who call on Him; for “Everyone who calls on the name of the Lord will be saved.” Romans 10:8-13 NASB
"And if I go and prepare a place for you, I am coming again and will take you to Myself, so that where I am, there you also will be." John 14:3.
Jesus has always been the promise maker and the promise keeper. My Dear Reader, are you really ready?
What will your life show? Will it show a life that was wholly devoted to Him? Will it show one where you honestly lived for your own desires?
Will you be left behind? That is the crucial question. All that remains between this very moment and the Rapture of the Church is that last single person who hasn't said yes to the free gift of salvation. My firm belief is that it will be like bookends. The thief on the cross was the first, he was told by Jesus that he would be with Him in paradise. The man wasn't baptized, never heard a sermon. Never attended a service. Never participated in a single Bible study. My belief is the last person who will be saved, that is the hallmark of that day set by the Father’s own understanding, will be much the same. I wouldn't at all be surprised if he or she were a death row inmate. Someone already condemned to die and their sentence was being carried out. Their decision to come to Christ will be just as silent as that thief.
You will not see any fanfare. No fireworks. No Hollywood gala event. No CNN, Fox News, or anything else proclaiming the return of Jesus Christ for His Church.
The Bible simply says that it will be in the twinkling of an eye. How fast is that? Faster than the speed of light. A blink of an eye is slower.
Nobody will see it coming.
It's why Jesus said to be ready for had the man of the house known at what hour the thief was coming he would not have let his house be broken into. He repeated the statement to be ready.
This was taught often at the beginning of the Church. Satan had twisted it quickly to get some to try to proclaim that it had already happened.
Are you indeed ready? If indeed you are saved, is your life showing the world that you are? Are you growing in Christ as of first importance to you? Are there things in your life that need to go?
If you haven't received Jesus Christ as your personal Savior, what's holding you back? Jesus said to come as a child. The question and the belief are simple enough for a child to understand it. Come as you are. Jesus will take care of the rest. That's another promise of His to you. You don't need to fix up your life first. You don't neec to quit this or start that first. Just come to Jesus.
My life has all kinds of things in it that I wish had never happened. Things that my shame still impacts me today. All has been forgiven by my Savior, Jesus Christ.
Maybe today's your day to just come back to Jesus. You're tired of living life your way and it's not been working. He says He is faithful and just to forgive our sins and cleanse us from all unrighteousness. Believe Him.
Come to Jesus all you who are weak and heavy laden and He will give you rest.
All NASB 1995 and NASB Scripture Excerpts used by permission. Lockman Foundation.
No comments:
Post a Comment