READY OR NOT Jesus Is Coming Again

He will Judge the Nations and Rule with a rod of iron.

Looking around our world we can not help but wonder if the time of the end is at hand. Violence worldwide is increased. Islamic terrorism, genocide of Christians around the world, poverty and disease spreading. Families are more fragile than ever. Governments are ever corrupting. People all over the world are becoming more and more dependent on government to meet their “needs” and thereby setting themselves up for more government control and ultimately a totalitarian world system. Even if this is of no concern to you, you will die, sooner or later.

What attitude and action should a Christian have and take in view of these things?

Christians have been looking forward to the Second Coming of Christ from the time Jesus lifted off the earth 2000 years ago. Even before His death the apostles were asking “What is the sign of your coming and the end of this age?” Matthew 24:3.  Just before His ascension the twelve who had JUST been taught for 40 days about the Kingdom of God by the King Himself asked, “Lord, are you going to restore the Kingdom to Israel now?” Acts 1:6.

The Return of Christ is a watch word of the Church. Jesus is coming again. As we see the world changing and aligning with biblical prophecies of the end-times we should “look up for our redemption is drawing near.” We are not to be ignorant of the SIGNS of the times. In fact, Jesus Himself warned us to not be ignorant of the signs of His return.

Israel becoming a NATION,  literally in a day, is probably the biggest SIGN in recent history that indicates that the “end-time clock” is ticking (Isaiah 11:11; 66:8). Since Israel became a Nation over 50 prophecies have been fulfilled (See Ken Johnson’s book, “Ancient Prophecies Revealed”).

Looking for and anticipating the Lord’s return will change our lives. Instead of being self-centered we will be more God focused, Christocentric and willing to do His will. What is His will? It reminds us that, when Jesus comes or when we die, we will be judged for our faithfulness, our obedience, during the time God gives each of us before we see HIM face to face.

The will of God is for us to know God’s Word and live according to His Word having a faith that pleases God (Romans 12:1-2; Hebrews 11:6).

“…In the last days perilous times will come. For men will be lovers of themselves, lovers of money, boasters, proud, blasphemers, disobedient to parents, unthankful, unholy, unloving, unforgiving, slanderers, without self-control, brutal, despisers of good, traitors, headstrong, haughty, lovers of pleasure rather than lovers of God.” (2 Tim. 3:1-4)

The world is ready for the end. How about you Christian? Are you ready? Because, Ready or Not when He appears we will either be confident or ashamed before Him at His coming. (1 John 2:28)

Following from “Believers Sharing or Forfeiting Christ’s Glorious Reign” Page 17, 18  By W. F. Roadhouse

1. ““WAIT FOR”—Heb. 9:28, “Unto them that wait for Him shall He appear a second time, apart from sin, unto salvation.” 1 Cor. 1:7, “Waiting for the revelation of the Lord.” Also Rom. 8:19, 23, 25; Gal. 5:5; Phil. 3:20; also 1 Thess. 1:10.
2. “GIVE DILIGENCE” (an overplus word)—2 Tim. 2:15, “Give diligence to present thyself approved unto God.” Heb. 4:11.
3. “WORKing” (both ergon and poieo, Gr.)—Col. 4:11, “Fellow-workers unto the kingdom of God.” 1 Tim. 6:18, “Rich in good works . . . laying up . . . lay hold on . . .” Paul speaks 16 times of “good works.” Total usage is 26 times; look them up. We are “saved” without works—we are studying rewards here.
4. “AWAKE”—Rom. 3:11-13, “That now it is high time to awake out of sleep, for now is our salvation (end-time rapture) nearer . . . the night is far spent, the day is at hand.”—Eph. 5:5ff.
5. “WATCH”—Luke 21:36, “Watch ye therefore . . . (thus) accounted worth to escape” (in rapture). Mark 13:35; Matt. 24:43; Rev. 16:15. Used 15 times.
6. “PRAY”—Luke 21:36, “And pray always . . . escape.” Escape used 13 times.
7. “LOOK FOR”—Titus 2:13, “Looking for that blessed hope.” Jude 21, etc. Used 14 times.
8. “HASTING UNTO”—2 Pet. 3:12, “Hasting unto the day of God.” Used 3 times.
9. “ENDURANCE”—Jas. 1:12, “Blessed is the man that endureth (hupomeno, Gr.) temptation . . . approved . . . the crown.” Heb. 12:1; Matt. 24:31; Mark 13:13. 12 times, and another great word (makrothumia, Gr.), 3 times, Jas. 5:7, 8, “Be patient therefore unto the coming”; Heb. 6:12.
10. “LOVE”—2 Tim. 4:8, “Unto them that have loved His appearing.” Contrast Demas (v. 10; Jas. 4:4). Matt. 24:12. The overcomers (Rev. 12:11) “loved not their lives unto the death.” The word is hagios, the deeper word for love.
11. “Be ye HOLY”—2 Peter 3:11, “Seeing . . . what manner . . . in all holy living and godliness.” Cf. 1 John 3:1ff; 1 Thess. 5:23, 24; 2 Pet. 3:14; Rev. 22:11. 20 times!
12. “READY”—Matt. 24:44, “Therefore, be ye also ready . . . the Son of man cometh.” Luke 12:40. This word is used fully 10 times re preparedness. “All things are now ready!” Are we?
13. “ABIDE”—1 John 2:28, ‘And now little children, abide in Him; that if He shall be manifested, we may have BOLDNESS, and NOT BE ASHAMED before Him at His presence?” 1 John 2:17, “He that doeth the will of God, ABIDETH FOREVER.” 1 Cor. 3:14, “If any man’s work ABIDE . . .” 5 times.

SUMMARY—Thus there are 122 references to one’s deep, innate attitude toward our Lord’s Return. The worldling, the apostate, the agnostic, the cleric minus the evangelical message (1 Cor. 15:1-4), the all-absorbed world-betterer without “the blessed hope,: these and multitudes everywhere of indifferent, self-pleasing believers will be shortcomers in that day—not “overcomers” as the foregoing Scriptures reveal these to be! It is His standard—not ours! Do we “love His appearing?””

Thy Kingdom Come!

God’s Kingdom that is coming is the Kingdom Reign of His dear Son, the Lord Jesus Christ. God’s promised kingdom will break upon the world stage with a frightening force, with wrath and destruction all around. Jesus will right all the wrongs. The same One who “delivered Daniel from the power of the lions will come and deliver and rescue and perform signs and wonders in heaven and on earth.” Daniel 7:27

We follow our Lord’s example and pray for and anticipate the soon return of  the Son of Man, the son of David to establish the promised and prophesied Kingdom of God. God the Father has given the Kingdom to His dear Son. HIS WILL will be done on the earth as it is in the Heaven of Heavens once His Son returns.

Until then Satan is the ruler of this world and the prince of the power of the air. Until then the servants of the King are tempted and tried and abused and martyred. Until then we serve as the coming King’s Ambassadors preaching “Prepare yourselves for the coming of the Lord!” “Repent, for the Kingdom of God is coming.” “You must be born again to enter into the Kingdom of Heaven (Christ’s Kingdom here on earth).

The Kingdom is not “at hand” as it was when the Son of Man came the first time, BUT it is for sure. Like Paul in Acts 28:30 we should be preaching about the Kingdom of God and teaching concerning the LORD (God) Jesus (Savior) Christ (Coming King).

“How beautiful are the feet of those who bring good news of good things!” Romans 10:13

JESUS said,
“And behold, I am coming quickly (suddenly, unexpectedly). Blessed is he who heeds the words of the prophecy of this book!”

“Behold, I am coming quickly, and My reward is with ME, to render to every man according to what he has done. I am the Alpha and the Omega, the first and the last, the beginning and the end.”

“I, Jesus, have sent my angel to testify to you these things for the churches. I am the root and the descendant of DAVID, the bright morning star.”

“YES, I am coming quickly!”

AMEN! Come, Lord Jesus!

Revelation 22:7, 12, 13, 16, 20

Are You Ready to Go?

Each One will Give an Account

The “chiliastic” view of biblical prophecy teaches that Jesus the Christ will literally reign on this earth for 1000 years before He transforms the universe into the New Heaven and New Earth. This doctrine has been much disparaged since the 3rd century, but it has been continually believed from the Apostles to the present day. This literal understanding of Scriptures anticipates the literal return of  the Lord Jesus Christ to establish the Kingdom of God promised to the nation of Israel in spite of her failures on this present earth. It is the same grace that ultimately saves believers in Jesus today in spite of our failures. Jesus, the son of David, will rule from David’s throne in Jerusalem and put all his enemies “under his foot.”

Before Jesus returns to claim his throne Israel must be prepared to receive her king. She rejected her Messiah and crucified Him when he came the first time. This rejection postponed the establishment of the Kingdom of God and made way for the time of the Gentiles. A time when ALL people are being invited into God’s elect family by faith in the Lord Jesus. The Master has gone away for an unspecified period of time. In the meantime, his servants (believers) are to be SERVING him by “making disciples” of everyone, everywhere until his return.

His return will begin with a “catching away” of His people before He judges the world and prepares the Nation of Israel to receive him. This “catching away” is what we call the “rapture.” To be a part of this “rapture” you must be “born again.” To be born again you must put your trust in the person of the Lord Jesus Christ. He is God in the flesh, who lived the perfect life you could not live before God. He is also the One who died an acceptable death in your place so that you could have eternal life. He is also the ONE who rose from the dead on the third day proving He died for our sin and not His. He had no sin, so He could effectively die in our place and survive, since death had not claim on Him. He rose from the dead so that all who believe in Him could be made righteous, justified, before God. Those who believe in Jesus will experience the first resurrection which is to Life. Those NOT raised in the first resurrection will be raised in the 2nd resurrection to be finally judged and cast into the eternal Lake of Fire.

Are you ready for the FIRST Resurrection? All who have believed in Jesus before His return to reign as King of kings will experience the “catching away,” the Rapture.

*Erich Sauer describes the rapture this way.

The Rapture is a:
A Catching away – a taking out of all distress of soul and body (2 Cor. 5:2, 4; Phil. 3:21), out of all persecution and oppression by the foe, out of the entire sphere of sin (Rom. 6:6) and of death (Rom. 7:24). It is rest with all saints (2 Thes. 1:7) in “the day of the coming redemption” (Eph. 4:30; Rom. 8:23). This is the “redemption of the body.”

This catching away is an act of Divine Grace (1 Peter 1:13) freeing us from all sin. It is an act of Divine mercy, which we are waiting for (Jude 21) and will free us from all misery. It is an act of Divine omnipotence, which transfigures us into conformity with our Redeemer and elevates us to the most glorious spiritual body. (Phil 3:21)

“Rapture” is a strong word meaning to SNATCH or jerk out with force. 1 Thes 4:17; Acts 23:10). It also means to rescue with power as in the word “salvation” in 1 Thes. 1:10. The Greek word used is “rhuo” and is also used in 2 Tim. 4:17 speaking of rescuing Paul from the Lion’s jaws.

Strong military terms are used in reference to this event. The Lord himself will descend from heaven with an “alarm signal,” with a “word of command,” a “battle cry,” with a “trumpet clang” of the “trump of God.” And then, the royal Conqueror, accompanied by the armies of heaven, will unite with Himself forever His earthly warriors! Praise the Lord!

And this is very important because the rapture is:

A Catching Up! A uniting of the members of the Head (1Thes4:16, 17) for the purpose of perfecting His glory as the Redeemer (Eph. 1:23, John 14:2, 3). Thus for the first time the ENTIRE church will be with one another and the LORD not on earth but UP in heaven having been transfigured (1 Cor. 15:51, 52) in a moment in the twinkling of an eye in the air.

A Triumph! The air is the very sphere of operation of the evil one. He is the prince of the power of the air. This is the enemy’s headquarters. But it is in the AIR that the Lord declares His total victory as He gathers His Church in the heart of enemy territory. This is the BLESSED HOPE of the redeemed. Titus 2:13 cp. Isaiah 26:19, 35:10; 51:11.

*“The Triumph of the Crucified, A Survey of the History of Salvation in the New Testament” by Erich Sauer

CHART of the Book of Revelation