Topic: The coming of the Lord - Part 1
Bible Reading: Joel 2:1-11
Introduction
Coming is the time of an act or instance of arriving. It is when something is due to happen or just beginning. Coming can also be described as the approach of something. Therefore, in the Biblical context the coming of the Lord is the time of the appearance of Jesus Christ our Savior to take the beloved home. It is the emergence of the Lord at the end of time to judge the world. Whether we like it or not, He will return to this world as promised to reward everyone according to their deeds. Either we believe or not the coming of the Lord is at hand, so be watchful.
Many of the people in the world today are not aware of the coming of the Lord. Countless of those who can perceive the coming of the Lord are neither prepare nor care, because of the vanity of this world. Majority of the believers even prioritize their ambitions, aspirations and the materialistic things of this world more than the coming of the Lord. Since Satan knew that he has a short time, he is using the worries of this world to put people in spiritual bondage, so that they will be ill-prepare for the coming of the Lord. When the Lord returns to take the beloved home, will He find persistent faith on earth? When Jesus Christ appears, how many people will He find on the earth who have faith? According to the scripture which says, “I tell you that he will avenge them speedily. Nevertheless, when the Son of Man comes, will he really find faith on the earth?” Luke 18:8. Whenever the Lord returns, will He find faithfulness on earth? Will humans still be loyal to God? Hearken to this warning, the coming of the Lord is at hand.
The Lord will come suddenly when people least expect; God alone knows the day and the hour of His coming. Neither the Son nor the angels knew the particular time, however, you should not use this as an excuse to be ill-prepared for the coming of the Lord. The coming of the Messiah will be just like the days of Noah. In those days before the flood, people were enjoying banquets and parties and weddings right up to the time Noah entered the ark. They did not realize what was happening until the flood came and swept them all away; that is how it will be at the coming of Messiah. As it is written “But of that day and hour no one knows, not even the angels of heaven, but My Father only. But as the days of Noah were, so also will the coming of the Son of Man be. For as in the days before the flood, they were eating and drinking, marrying and giving in marriage, until the day that Noah entered the ark, and did not know until the flood came and took them all away, so also will the coming of the Son of Man be” Matthew 24:36-39. Be prepared, for the coming of the Lord which is at hand. If you do not want to be unexpectedly judged with the world, you must be ready. If you do not want to be destroyed with the children of perdition, watch and pray.
The Bible stated that “Let the heavens rejoice, and let the earth be glad; let the sea roar, and all its fullness; let the field be joyful, and all that is in it. Then all the trees of the woods will rejoice before the Lord. For He is coming, for He is coming to judge the earth. He shall judge the world with righteousness, and the peoples with His truth” Psalm 96:11-13. Are you rejoicing at the coming of the Lord? Are you celebrating the return of Jesus Christ our Lord? Since the Lord is the Judge of judges, He will judge the world with honesty, integrity and justice; according to the scripture which says “Let the sea roar, and all its fullness, the world and those who dwell in it; let the rivers clap their hands; let the hills be joyful together before the Lord, for He is coming to judge the earth. With righteousness He shall judge the world, and the peoples with equity” Psalm 98:7-9. Inasmuch as it is inevitable for the Lord to return, are you prepare for His coming? What is your readiness for the coming of the Lord? Since it is clear that the coming of the Lord is a reality and not a fictitious tale.
When we told you about the power and the return of our Lord Jesus Christ, we were not telling clever stories that someone had made up. But with our own eyes we saw His true greatness and power through the wonders that He has performed, together with those that He is presently performing in our midst. We neither contrived fairy tales nor depended on crafty myths in making known to you the mighty coming of our Lord. As it is written “For we did not follow cunningly devised fables when we made known to you the power and coming of our Lord Jesus Christ, but we’re eyes witnesses of His majesty” 2 Peter1:16. Do not fear but be prepared. What you need now is patient endurance in order to rapture with Him whenever He returns. Hence, learn to be patient, so that you will please God and be given what He has promised, because the Lord is coming soon; It will not be very long before He returns; according to the Bible passages which says “For you have need of endurance, so that after you have done the will of God, you may receive the promise: ‘For yet a little while, and He who is coming will come and will not tarry’” Hebrews 10:36-37. Do you have the endurance to weather the spiritual storm of this world? Do you have the patience to wait for the coming of the Lord?
Jesus said to His disciples “‘I am going away and coming back to you.’ If you love Me, you would rejoice because I said, ‘I am going to the Father,’ For My Father is greater than I” John 14:28. Our Lord and Savior can be trusted to keep His word by returning to this world. In addition, He warned by saying “I will no longer talk much with you, for the ruler of this world is coming, and he has nothing in Me” John 14:30. Though, Lucifer the ruler of this world has no claim on Jesus Christ our Lord, the devil neither has power over Him nor anything that he can use against the Lord. However, you need to beware, because the end is near, and we know it is the end of time; since many antichrists have appeared in the world and they are dominating most of the establishments and organizations; as it is written “Little children, it is the last hour; and as you have heard that the Antichrist is coming, even now many antichrists have come by which we know that it is the last hour” 1 John 2:18.
Today, the antichrists are everywhere in the world, and you can identify them by their conducts. Anyone whose action is against Jesus Christ and those who are denying or fail to acknowledge the truth that Jesus Christ has come as a human are antichrists; according to the scripture which says, “And every spirit that does not confess that Jesus Christ has come in flesh is not of God. And this is the spirit of Antichrist, which you have heard was coming, and is now already in the world” 1 John 4:3. Since you are aware that there are many antichrists in the world, don’t you think it is time to move closer to God? You need to improve your relationship with your Creator, so that you will be among those who will accompany the Lord home whenever He returns. As it is written “Let not your heart be trouble; you believe in God, believe also in Me. In My Father’s house are many mansions; If it were not so, I would have told you. I go to prepare a place for you. And if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come again and receive you to Myself; that where I am, there you may be also” John 14:1-3. Be assured that Jesus Christ our Lord is coming back to get you, if you are worthy and righteous, so that you will live with Him forever.
The scripture says “Behold, He is coming with clouds, and every eye will see Him, even they who pierced Him. And all the tribes of the earth will mourn because of Him. Even so, Amen.” Revelation 1:7. At the appearance of the Lord, nations of the earth will mourn because of their misconducts. They will realize their sin and guilt with anticipation of the coming wrath. However, if you are obedient, you will rejoice that it is time to go home. You will be blessed if you are spiritually ready by not defiling your soul/mind. As it is written “Behold, I am coming as a thief. Blessed is he who watches, and keeps his garments, lest he walk naked and they see his shame” Revelation 16:15. You must not pollute your heart which is your spiritual garment, and be watchful, if you want to inherit the glorious home. Hence, Jesus is coming back to this world to reward and to bless those who heed the message of this publication; according to the Bible passage which says “Behold, I am coming quickly! Bless is he who keeps the words of the prophecy of this book” Revelation 22:7. Please do not joke with this publication so that you will be blessed.
Who is the Lord that is coming?
Jesus Christ our Savior is the Lord that is coming to save His beloved from perdition. He is also the Word of God, and the Bible stated that “In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. He was in the beginning with God. All things were made through Him and without Him nothing was made that was made” John 1:1-3. The passages clarify that the Lord who is coming is a God, and the Creator of everything both living and non-living things. His love for His creatures and His zeal for His Father’s work made His returning to this world inevitable; because He does not want the beloved to perish with the world.
Jesus came into the world the first time as human and the Bible corroborated this fact by saying “And the Word became flesh and dwelt among us, and we beheld His glory, the glory as of the only begotten of the Father, full of grace and truth” John 1:14. The Trinity is one indivisible entity that is governing the heavens and ruling the earth, of which Jesus Christ our Lord is one of them. The scripture confirmed this fact by saying “For there are three that bear witness in heaven: The Father, the Word and the Holy Spirit” 1 John 5:7. The heavenly vision revealed to John made it clear that; “He was clothed with a robe dipped in blood, and His name is called The Word of God” Revelation 19:13. It is evident that, the duty of our Lord Jesus Christ is to return to this world to save the beloved from perdition.
Our Lord is the Alpha and Omega
The scripture described Jesus Christ our Lord as the Alpha and Omega by saying “‘I am the Alpha and the Omega, the Beginning and the End,’ says the Lord, ‘Who is and who was and who is to come, the Almighty’” Revelation 1:8. Since Jesus Christ our Lord is the One who is to come: the Beginning and the End; it means our journeys of life started from Him and it will end with Him. So, He alone is able to give anyone the spiritual water of life, because He is the source of life. As it is written, “And He said to me, ‘It is done! I am the Alpha and the Omega, the Beginning and the End. I will give of the fountain of the water of life freely to him who thirsts’” Revelation 21:6. The Lord will give the beloved life-giving water which will permit them to live forever in His heavenly kingdom.
In addition, the Messiah is also the First and the Last; according to the scripture which says “I am the Alpha and the Omega, the Beginning and the End, the First and the Last” Revelation 22:13. Which means, there is no way to escape from the Lord, inasmuch as He is the First and the Last. For this reason, the Lord confirmed His coming by saying “And behold, I am coming quickly, and My reward is with Me, to give to every one according to his work.” Revelation 22:12. Since you have the verification from the Lord, be watchful and prepare for His coming.
Topic: The coming of the Lord - Part 2
Bible Reading: Joel 2:1-11
We shall continue our discussions by analyzing the signs of the coming of the Lord that was stated in the scripture, so that we can prepare ourselves for His coming.
The signs of the coming of the Lord
God promised in the scripture to send Elijah the prophet who was carried to heaven by a chariot of fire to the world; according to the Book of Malachi which stated that “Behold I will send you Elijah the prophet before the coming of the great and dreadful day of the Lord. And he will turn the hearts of the fathers to the children, and the hearts of the children to their fathers, lest I come and strike the earth with a curse” Malachi 4:5-6. Elijah came as John the Baptist the forerunner of our Lord Jesus Christ, who preached repentance throughout the first coming of Jesus Christ into this world as a human. The obedience of John the Baptist plus the deeds and the efforts of our Lord Jesus Christ through the dissemination of the Gospel and the truth of God made our heavenly Father not to strike the world with a curse of complete destruction, instead He had a change of mind. But that does not mean that Jesus Christ will not return to this world to take the beloved home as previously mentioned.
Spiritual gifts and heavenly signs: God knew that mankind love miracles and until we see signs and wonders, we will neither have faith in Him nor trust His Son Jesus Christ who was sent to the world. Jesus Himself corroborated this fact by saying “Unless you people see signs and wonders, you will by no means believe” John 41:48. For this reason, the signs of the coming of the Lord was given to us; as it is written “And I will show wonders in the heavens and in the earth: blood and fire and pillars of smoke. The sun shall be turned into darkness, and the moon into blood, before the coming of the great and awesome day of the Lord” Joel 2:30-31. This prophecy has come to pass since we have witnessed many eclipses (both the solar eclipse and the lunar eclipse). The eclipse of the sun (whereby the moon comes between the sun and earth, during a total solar eclipse, the disk of the moon fully covers that of the sun, and only the sun’s corona is visible) which will make the sun to be darkened as prophesied. Whereas during the eclipse of the moon (called lunar eclipse, the earth is between the sun and the moon; the earth completely blocks direct sunlight from reaching the moon). The moon will turn to red color as prophesied by the Rayleigh scattering of the sunlight through the earth atmosphere. Inasmuch as this prophecy has come to pass, it is evident that the coming of the Lord is at hand.
Furthermore, the Book of Joel stated that “And it shall come to pass afterward that I will pour My Spirit on all flesh; your sons and your daughters shall prophesy, your old men shall dream dreams, your young men shall see visions. And also, on My menservants and maidservants I will pour out My Spirit in those days” Joel 2:28-29. This prophecy has been fulfilled because spiritual gifts of the Lord are widespread among mankind. Though, the fulfillment of this prophecy signifies that the coming of the Lord is near. It does not mean you should trust every spirit, instead test the spirits to ascertain that they are from God; according to the scripture which says “Behold do not believe every spirit, but test the spirits, whether they are of God; because many false prophets have gone out into the world” 1 John 4:1. Beware, because the false prophets and fake men of God are everywhere in the world, and Satan is using them to lead the beloved astray and make the elect to fall in the presence of God.
Signs of times and end of age: Jesus Christ our Lord told the apostles to be careful so that no one will mislead or deceive them, thereby leading them into error. You too need to be watchful, make sure you do not allow anyone to fool you and lead you astray. Many will come in Christ’s name, they will misuse the Savior’s name and appropriate the strength of the Name which belongs to Messiah to themselves by saying ‘I am the Christ, the Anointed of the Lord.’ Many people will declare that they are the Savior of the world and claim to be Jesus Christ. They will say that they are the Messiah; they will fool many people and lead countless people astray. You will continually hear of wars and rumors of wars. But make sure that you are neither frightened nor troubled because these things must take place, but the end is not yet Matthew 24:3-6. Since the news of wars and threats of wars are prevalent throughout the world, it means the coming of the Lord is at hand.
Nations will rise against nations, and kingdoms will fight against one another by going to war. There will be famines which will cause starvation for numerous people. There will be earthquakes in various places on earth. All these events are just the beginning of the sufferings associated with the end time. These incidents are the beginning of intolerable anguish and the time of unprecedented trouble of the end of age. They will arrest the believers, abuse them and kill some of them; all nations will hate the believers on account of Christ’s name. Believers will be afflicted, persecuted and punished. Believers will be handed over to those who will torture and kill them. All nations will hate the believers because they are followers of Christ and because of His name’s sake. At that time many will be offended and repelled by their association with Christ. And they will begin to distrust and desert, and fall away from Jesus Christ whom they ought to trust and obey. Many will stumble and betray one another by handing over believers to their prosecutors, and they will pursue one another with hatred. Many will give up their faith or lose faith at that time; they will be trapped into betraying and hating each other. Many false prophets will rise up and deceive and lead many astray Matthew 24:7-11. Do not forget that these events are currently happening, many false prophets are in the world fooling and misleading people which is an indication that the coming of the Lord is very close.
Lawlessness will multiply and disobedience will expand, to the extent that the love of most people will grow cold. Evil will spread and iniquity will increase in manner that will make many people to stop loving others. But anyone who endures to the end will be saved. However, the Good News of the kingdom of heaven will be preached throughout the whole world as a testimony to all the nations, and then the end of age will come Matthew 24:8-14. Right now, the Gospel has been preached and proclaimed all over the world, and all nations are well informed; even though some nations restricted the dissemination and publication of the Gospel. Whether such nations believe or not, the end of age is near or very close.
The great tribulation. The injustice, corruption and exploitation that is widespread in the world signifies that the great tribulation is here. It was written in the Bible that there will be great tribulation, affliction, pressure and oppression throughout the world, such that has not occurred since the beginning of the world until now and never will again see such. This period will be the time of trouble, distress and great suffering since the beginning of the world, as it is today. There will be greater anguish than at any time since the world began, and it will never be so great again. God in His infinite mercy will make the time shorter for the sake of His chosen ones. Had it been that God does not make the time shorter, not a single person will be able to survive the calamity Matthew 24:15-22.
Then, if anyone tells you during the great tribulation that, ‘Look, here is the Messiah’ or ‘There He is,’ do not believe it. For false christs and false prophets will arise, and they will show great signs and wonders, so as to deceive and lead many astray; including the elect if possible. Just as it is rampant in the world today, many false messiahs and false prophets have appeared, and they are performing fake miracles and amazing things, in order to fool even those whom God has chosen. Beware, since you have been warned ahead of time and take note because you have been alerted in advance. So, if they tell you that the Messiah is in the wilderness, do not bother to go and look. If they tell you that He is hiding in the secret places or inner rooms, do not believe it. If they posted it on the internet or televise it on the television that He appears in Saudi Arabia among the pilgrims do not believe it because it is a lie. For as the lighting flashes in the east and shines to the west, so will be the coming in glory of the Son of Man and everyone will see Him clearly. The coming of the Lord will be like lightning that flashes out of the east and fills the sky to the western horizon for all eyes to see Matthew 24:23-27.
The great apostasy: Brethren, do not let your mind be troubled or disturbed concerning the coming of the Lord as if the day of Christ has come. However, you must be prepared because of the on-going defections from Christianity to other baseless religions. The rate at which people are being misled which is causing them to abandon their first love (Christianity) is alarming. Many are deserting their previous loyalty to God because of material things. People are refusing to continue to follow and recognize Christianity, as the only religion of peace; instead they are criticizing the doctrines of the churches and the teachings of the Bible; either due to lack of knowledge or because they think that they are smarter than God. Nowadays, many are disobeying the commandments of the Lord, because they prefer an easy ride with the devil.
Therefore, do not be fooled: the final rebellion against God will take place before the Lord returns. Let no one deceive or beguile you in any way. For that day will not come except apostasy comes first. Unless the abandonment of the faith and great falling away of those who have professed to be Christians comes first, the coming of the Lord will not occur. Then the man of lawlessness will be revealed, the son of perdition and doom, the Antichrist who is destined to be destroyed. He will brag and oppose all things that are holy or sacred. He will even sit in God’s temple and claim to be God. The Antichrist will exalt himself proudly and insolently defy everything that people call God. He will declare that he himself is God, in the temple of our God. 2 Thessalonians 2:1-4.
In addition, when the Antichrist appear, he will be equipped with satanic power; and through the efforts of Satan, he will perform all kinds of false miracles, signs and wonders. The coming of the lawless one is through the activity of Satan, and will be attended by great power to execute various types of counterfeit miracles and deceptive signs together with delusive marvels; however, everything he does are lying wonders. But when the Lord comes, Jesus will kill him simply by breathing on him. He will be completely destroyed by the Lord’s glorious return and dazzling presence. Jesus Christ our Lord will slay the lawless one with the breath of His mouth, and bring him to an end by the magnificence and greatness of His coming 2 Thessalonians 2:8-9.
The return of the Lord: The scripture confirmed that immediately after the tribulation of those days, the sun will be darkened and the moon will not provide its light, the stars will fall from the sky and the powers of the heavens will be shaken. Then the sign of the Son of Man coming in His glory will appear in the sky, and all the tribes of the earth will mourn and lament in anguish, by regretting their rebellion against God and their rejection of the Messiah. And they will see the Son of Man coming in the clouds of heaven, with power and great glory in brilliance and splendor. The great trumpet will sound, then the Messiah will send out His angels to the four corners of the earth and they will gather His chosen people from one end of the world to the other. At the sound of a loud trumpet, Jesus Christ will instruct His angels and they will gather all His elect from all over the world; from one end of the universe to the other Matthew 24:29-31. Are you prepare for the sound of the trumpet? Will your deeds permit you to be among the elect? What is the level of your readiness to accompany your Savior home? Will the vanities of this world allow you to pay attention to the sound of the trumpet?
Topic: The coming of the Lord - Part 3
Bible Reading: Joel 2:1-11
We shall continue our discussions with the call to repentance, inasmuch as the coming of the Lord is at hand.
The call to repentance
Repentance is indispensable and unavoidable for anyone who intend to inherit the kingdom of God. In fact, it is important and essential for whoever wants to rapture and reign eternally with our Lord Jesus Christ. Brethren, it is time for us to view our actions that are displeasing the Lord with deep regret and think of our omissions with remorse. The time has come for us to express our sincere regret for our transgressions and exhibit signs of remorse for all our wrongdoings. Today is the day that we need to turn from sin, and dedicate ourselves to the amendment of our lives in order to placate the Lord.
All of us are sinners: The scripture stated that the primary mission of our Lord Jesus Christ on earth was to call those who recognize their sin and actively seek forgiveness to repentance. Jesus came not to call and invite to repentance, those who are upright and in right standing with God, but the erring ones and all those who are not free from sin. As it is written “But go and learn what this means: ‘I desire mercy and not sacrifice.’ For I did not come to call the righteous, but sinners to repentance” Matthew 9:13. But all of us are sinners, according to the Bible passage which says “Behold, I was brought forth in iniquity, and in sin my mother conceived me” Psalm 51:5. We can deduce from this passage that all of us are sinners who need to repent. Jesus Christ demonstrated this fact further when a woman caught in adultery was brought to Him for judgment. He wrote on the ground “He who is without sin among you, let him throw a stone at her first.” Then, the accusers of the woman slipped away conscience-stricken one by one beginning with the oldest, until Jesus was left alone with the woman John 8:3-9. If Paul apostle can declare himself as a sinner, then all of us need to repent. Paul said, “This is a faithful saying and worthy of all acceptance, that Christ Jesus came into the world to save sinners, of whom I am chief” 1 Timothy 1:15. The passage clarify that even the apostles, the priests and all the leaders of Christianity are sinners. For this reason, you need to feel sorry for your shortcomings. So, repent now, before it is be too late.
No one is righteous: The Bible says “For we have all sinned and fall short of the glory of God” Romans 3:23. Which means we cannot be considered as righteous in the presence of God. So, those who think that they are righteous must think twice, because we are all infected and impure with sin, and all our righteous acts together with each of our good deeds are like a polluted garment. All of us have been sinful, thereby making us unfit to worship God unless we first repent. As it is written “But we are like an unclean thing, and all our righteousnesses are like filthy rags; we all fade as a leaf, and our iniquities, like the wind, have taken us away” Isaiah 64:6. Therefore, no human is righteous or acceptable to God unless we repent first; according to the scripture which says “There is none righteous, no, not one” Romans 3:10. Hence, repentance and fervent prayers are inevitable for us. We need to plead with God, not to bring us into judgment, since no one alive is righteous in His sight. Inasmuch as no living thing can be justified before the Lord without repentance, then pray to God not to put you on trial because you are not innocent. As it is written “Do not enter into judgment with Your servant, for in Your sight no one living is righteous” Psalm 143:2. Do not have false confidence, thinking that you are righteous, but review your actions (both past and present) and feel contrite for your wrongdoings with a commitment to change for the better. Even if you think you are standing securely and you can stand up to temptation, you must be careful; else you will fall. As it is written, Therefore, let him who thinks he stands take heed lest he fall” 1 Corinthians 10:12. For this reason, you must acknowledge your misconducts and be sorry for your sins of commission or omission, then be determined to change your ways.
Rend your heart and turn to God: Be sorrowful over your sins and transgressions that can make you unworthy when the Lord returns and obstruct you from following Him home. You can still return to the Lord today, because it is not too late. But you must repent sincerely and return to our Creator with fasting, weeping and mourning now while there is time. Tearing your clothes in grief is not enough, but tear your heart and let your broken heart show your sorrow. Return to the Lord who is merciful and gracious, then He will relent and revoke His sentence of evil against you. Increase awareness among believers, declare a time of fasting and call a sacred assembly. Let the priests and the ministers of the Lord weep, and pray fervently to God. As it is written “‘Now, therefore,’ says the Lord, ‘Turn to Me with all your heart, with fasting, with weeping, and with mourning.’ So, rend your heart, and not your garment; return to the Lord your God, for He is gracious and merciful, slow to anger, and of great kindness; And He relents from doing harm…” Joel 2:12-17. Are the pastors in your church praying to God by saying ‘Have compassion and spare Your people: do not make Your inheritance (the believers) an object of ridicule, or a humiliating byword among the Gentiles’? Is repentance the paramount teaching in your church? Did your pastor announce fasting and prayer to seek the eye of the Lord and reconcile with Him? Were you taught the steps to be taken to prepare for the coming of the Lord? You must neither be stubborn nor adamant like your ancestors, but yield and repent wholeheartedly. Give up your evil ways, stop all your wicked practices; according to the scripture which says “‘Do not be like your fathers, to whom the former prophets preached, saying, ‘Thus says the Lord of hosts: “Turn now from your evil ways and your evil deeds.” ‘But they did not hear nor heed Me, says the Lord” Zechariah 1:4. Stop your wicked deeds and quit your sinful lifestyle, so as to start preparing for the coming of the Lord.
Repent and turn to the Lord: It is repentance time before the coming of the Lord. So, “Gird yourselves and lament, you priests; wail, you who minister before the altar; come, lie all night in sackcloth, you who minister to my God; For the grain offering and the drink offering are withheld from the house of your God. Consecrate a fast, call a sacred assembly; gather the elders and all the inhabitants of the land into the house of the Lord your God, and cry out to the Lord. Alas for the day! For the day of the Lord is at hand; It shall come as destruction from the Almighty” Joel 1:13-15. These passages clearly stated the conditionality to prevent the impending destruction. We must put on sackcloth and mourn, because the world has been spiritually inverted. We need to seek God through fasting and prayer. In addition, we must organize/convene crusades to raise the level of awareness of people concerning the coming of the Lord and spiritually revive them from their slumber.
What the Lord required of you is to admit that you have rebelled and transgressed against Him by your waywardness. God wants you to acknowledge your guilt and wrongdoing, since you have defied and disobeyed His directives. If you repent and turn to God, then He will not be angry with you anymore; according to the Bible passages which says “Go and proclaim these words toward the north, and say: ‘Return, backsliding Israel,’ says the Lord; ‘I will not cause My anger to fall on you. For I am merciful,’ says the Lord; ‘I will not remain angry forever. Only acknowledge your iniquity, that you have transgressed against the Lord your God, and have scattered your charms to alien deities under every green tree, and you have not obeyed My voice,’ says the Lord” Jeremiah 3:12-13. Are you one of those that are serving God and materialistic things? You must assess yourself and make amendments in order to pacify the anger of the Lord. Therefore, let us return to the Lord. Though He has hurt us, but He will surely make us well; He has wounded us, yet He will bandage our wounds: according to the scripture which says; “Come and let us return to the Lord, for He has torn, but He will heal us; He has stricken, but He will bind us up” Hosea 6:1. If you want the Lord to heal your spiritual injuries, you must repent and turn to Him. If you want to rapture with the Lord when He returns, you must seek Him diligently.
Seek the Lord: You need to realize that the only way to live comfortably in this world and live eternally in the kingdom of heaven is to seek God; as it is written; “For thus says the Lord to the house of Israel: ‘Seek Me and live;’” Amos 5:4. Now the message of the Lord to the believers is: ‘Come back to Me and live.’ Heed the message of the Lord by turning back to Him so as to live perpetually. Hence, “Seek the Lord, all you meek of the earth, who have upheld His justice. Seek righteousness, seek humility. It may be that you will be hidden in the day of the Lord’s anger” Zephaniah 2:3. The only way to escape condemnation in the day of the Lord, is to repent and turn to Him. The only antidote to perdition is obedience and seeking the Lord. For this reason, “Wash yourselves, make yourselves clean; put away the evil of your doings from before My eyes. Cease to do evil, learn to do good; seek justice, rebuke the oppressors; defend the fatherless, plead for the widow. ‘Come now, and let us reason together,’ says the Lord, ‘Though your sins are like scarlet, they shall be as white as snow; though they are red like crimson, they shall be as wool. If you are willing and obedient, you shall eat the good of the land’” Isaiah 1:16-19. If you consent and listen to the Lord, it shall be well with you in the land of the living.
Return to the Lord
The time has come for everyone to reconcile and return to their Maker. We need to return to God in repentance, because our sins have been our downfall; according to the scripture which says “O Israel, return to the Lord your God, for you have stumbled because of your iniquity” Hosea 14:1. For you not to be visited by tragedy or fall in the presence of God, flee from sins and wickedness. Majority of the people in the world have scorned the decrees of the Lord and failed to obey them; ever since the days of their ancestors, countless people like their ancestors before them, have turned away from the laws of the Lord and have not kept them; these people need to turn back to God, so that He Himself will turn back to them. As it is written “‘Yet from the days of your fathers you have gone away from My ordinances and have not kept them. Return to Me, and I will return to you,’ says the Lord of hosts. ‘But you said, in what way shall we return?’” Malachi 3:7. Are you among those who have ignored the commandment of the Lord since birth? Have you departed from the statutes of the Lord because of your situation or difficulties? You must return to the Lord in repentance, fasting and prayer. Hence, “Take words with you, and return to the Lord. Say to Him, ‘Take away all iniquity; receive us graciously, for we will offer the sacrifices of our lips’” Hosea 14:2. You must return to God in repentance and humility, you must pray to Him to forgive all your sins and graciously accept you. Plead with God to spiritually demolish you and remold you to suit His purpose.
Mankind must realize that the day of the Lord is coming, when the Lord will pass judgment on the nations of the world, and they will be punished for their wrong and criminal acts. As it is written “For the day of the Lord upon all the nations is near; as you have done, it shall be done to you; your reprisal shall return upon your own head” Obadiah 1:15. Since you know that payback and retribution will occur on that day, why not repent and turn to God? As it is written, “ Therefore say to them, ‘Thus says the Lord of hosts:’ “Return to Me,” says the Lord of host, “and I will return to you,” says the Lord of hosts” Zechariah 1:3. Make haste and return to God today with a repentant heart, because tomorrow might be too late.
Topic: The coming of the Lord - Part 4
Bible Reading: Joel 2:1-11
We shall continue our discussions by mentioning the harvest of the earth and the necessary preparations that must be made by the believers for the coming of the Lord.
The harvest of the Earth
The interconnection between the coming of the Lord and the harvest of the earth makes it inevitable for us to discuss it. We must know that this world is ripe for harvesting because the signs are everywhere that we are at the end of age, when the Lord will return with His angels to reap the harvest of the earth. During this harvesting, the righteous people will be rewarded for their endurance and loyalty to the Lord with eternal life; while the wicked will be condemned to eternal perdition and second death. It is our prayer that all of us will be among the people that will reign perpetually with our Lord and Savior.
We need to realize that this world is the vineyard of the Lord, and the crop which He sowed in it was the mankind. Now the coming of the Lord is at hand to harvest humans. Though the expectation of the Lord is to get a bountiful harvest but unfortunately, He will only get little because many of the crop have overripe and begin to decay while several were eaten either by animals or birds.
The scripture confirmed this fact according to the prophecy of Isaiah which says “Though the number of the children of Israel be as the sand of the sea, the remnant will be saved” Romans 9:27. Will you be among the few that will be saved? What do you think you will reap during the harvest? Is it life or death? Is it joy or condemnation? Will your lifestyle permit you to be counted worthy of the kingdom of heaven? There is still time for you to make amendments, so that you will be among the few people who will be chosen to accompany the Lord home whenever He returns. As it is written “For many are called, but few are chosen” Matthew 22:14. We pray that you will be among the few who will be chosen to rapture with the Lord. Amen.
The harvest is ripe: The Bible stated that “Put in the sickle, for the harvest is ripe. Come, go down; for the winepress is full, the vat overflow—for their wickedness is great” Joel 3:13. The time for the Lord to harvest this world is at hand. He will swing the sickle of judgment and crush the sinners until the winepress of His anger is full. The barrels are full of the iniquities and transgressions of the humans, and they are spilling over because the nations of world are evil and cruel. It is for this reason that corruption and oppression are prevalent across the globe and injustice was entrenched among mankind. Jesus Christ also corroborated this fact during His first coming by saying “Do you not say, ‘There are still four months and then comes the harvest?’ Behold, I say to you, lift up your eyes and look at the fields, for they are already white for harvest!” John 4:35. This world is already ripe and set to be harvested, therefore be prepared for the coming of the Lord and the great harvest.
The parables of the tares: Jesus Christ described the kingdom of heaven with a parable in manner that is related to the harvest of the earth. He said “The kingdom of heaven is like a man who sowed good seed in his field; but while men slept, his enemy came and sowed tares among the wheat and went his way. But when the grain had sprouted and produced a crop, then the tares also appeared. So, the servants of the owner came and said to him, ‘Sir, did you not sow good seed in your field? How then does it have tares?’ He said to them, ‘An enemy has done this.’ The servants said to him, ‘Do you want us then to go and gather them up?’ But he said, ‘No, lest while you gather up the tares you also uproot the wheat with them. Let both grow together until the harvest, and at the time of harvest I will say to the reapers, “First gather together the tares and bind them into bundles to burn them, but gather the wheat into my barn”’” Matthew 13:24-30.
The explanation was “‘He who sows the good seed is the Son of Man. The field is the world, the good seeds are the sons of the kingdom, but the tares are the sons of the wicked one. The enemy who sowed them is the devil, the harvest is the end of the age, and the reapers are the angels. Therefore, as the tares are gathered and burned in the fire, so it will be at the end of this age. The Son of Man will send out His angels, and they will gather out of His kingdom all things that offend, and those who practice lawlessness, and will cast them into the furnace of fire. There will be wailing and gnashing of teeth. Then the righteous will shine forth as the sun in the kingdom of their Father. He who has ears to hear, let him hear!’” Matthew 13:37-43. You have been forewarned, so heed this message. Will your deeds make you to be thrown into the blazing furnace or be kept in the barn? It is time to repent and prepare for the return of the Lord.
The parable of the dragnet: Another parable that connected to the harvest of the earth was discussed by Jesus Christ. He explained the association between the two by saying “Again, the kingdom of heaven is like a dragnet that was cast into the sea and gathered some of every kind, which, when it was full, they drew to shore; and they sat down and gathered the good into vessels, but threw the bad away. So, it will be at the end of the age. The angels will come forth, separate the wicked from among the just, and cast them into the furnace of fire. There will be wailing and gnashing of teeth” Matthew 13:47-50. Will eternal joy be your portion or gnashing of teeth?
If your spiritual eyes were opened you will see Jesus Christ with a sharp sickle of judgment in His hand ready to harvest and judge the world. As it is written “Then I looked, and behold, a white cloud, and on the cloud sat One like the Son of Man, having on His head a golden crown, and in His hand a sharp sickle. And another angel came out of the temple, crying with a loud voice to Him who sat on the cloud, ‘Thrust Your sickle and reap, for the time has come for You to reap, for the harvest of the earth is ripe” Revelation 14:14-15. The harvest of the earth is ripe and the Lord is coming to reap it. Are you prepare for the coming of the Lord?
Prepare for the coming of the Lord
The Bible stated that the Lord thunders orders to His forces, and leads His strong and powerful hosts of countless and immense troops; and they obey His commands. The day of His judgment is so terrible that many cannot stand it. As it is written “The Lord gives voice before His army, for His camp is very great; for strong is the One who executes His word. For the day of the Lord is great and very terrible; who can endure it?” Joel 2:11. Do you think you will be among those who will survive when the Lord returns? It is time to raise awareness among the believers concerning the coming of the Lord and the great judgment. Make announcement to warn people to amend their ways, because the judgment day of the Lord is coming soon.
It is your duty to declare in the congregation of the children of God to alert them of the impending judgment, and sound the alarm in the churches that the day of the Lord is at hand so that they can prepare; according to the scripture which says “Blow the trumpet in Zion, and sound an alarm in My holy mountain! Let all the inhabitants of the land tremble; for the day of the Lord is coming, for it is at hand” Joel 2:1. The churches should postpone preaching about prosperity and materialism, instead they should concentrate their energy on teaching their members about the fear of God, and the coming of the Lord. The mountains too should pause their sermons about blessings and success, instead they should speak and evangelize about repentance and the great impeding judgment; so that people will learn how to prepare for the coming of the Lord.
The day of the Lord will come suddenly: It is a fact that the coming of the Lord will be like a thief in the night, and the Bible testified to this fact by saying “But concerning the times and the seasons, brethren, you have no need that I should write to you. For you yourselves know perfectly that the day of the Lord so comes as a thief in the night” 1 Thessalonians 5:1-2. Since you know that the day of the Lord’s return will come unexpectedly and suddenly, what is your readiness for the coming of the Lord? The scripture says “But the day of the Lord will come as a thief in the night, in which the heavens will pass away with a great noise, and the elements will melt with fervent heat; both the earth and the works that are in it will be burned up. Therefore, since all these things will be dissolved, what manner of persons ought you to be in holy conduct and godliness” 2 Peter 3:10-11.
Since everything will be dissolved or destroyed on the day of the Lord, don’t you think that you should start conducting yourself in holiness? Don’t you think godliness should be your watchword? Hence, begin to display reverence toward our awesome God because that is the pattern of daily life that sets you apart as a believer. For this reason, remember how you received Christianity, what you were taught and what you have heard. Hold on firmly to it and turn from your sins. It is time to wake up from your spiritual slumber, so, take to heart the lessons you have received and heard. Keep and obey them, and repent by changing your sinful way of thinking, and demonstrate your repentance with new behavior that proves a conscious decision to turn away from sin; else the Lord will come unexpectedly upon you like a thief. As it is written “Remember therefore, how you have received and heard; hold fast and repent. Therefore, if you will not watch, I will come upon you as a thief, and you will not know what hour I will come upon you” Revelation 3:3. The Lord is coming unexpectedly, are you ready?
The parable of the wise and foolish virgins: The coming of the Lord is like what happened one night when ten virgins took their oil lamps and went to a wedding to meet the bridegroom. Five of them were wise, and five were foolish. The foolish virgins took their lamps without extra oil, but the wise took extra oil in their vessels with their lamps. When the bridegroom was delayed, they all became drowsy and slept. At midnight they were roused by the shout, ‘Look, the bridegroom is coming! Come out and meet him!’ Then all the virgins got up and prepared their lamps. And the foolish virgins said to the sensible ones ‘Give us some of your oil, for our lamps are going out’ The wise virgins replied saying ‘No, the oil we have might not be enough for all of us. Go to the people who sell oil and buy some, and those who were ready went in with Him to the wedding; and the door was shut. Afterward the other virgins came also, saying ‘Lord, Lord, open to us!’ But he answered and said, ‘Assuredly, I say to you, I do not know you.’ “Watch therefore, for you know neither the day nor the hour in which the Son of Man is coming” Matthew 25:1-13. Which class do you belong to? Is it the class of the foolish virgins or the wise virgins? Watch and pray because the coming of the Lord will be unanticipated, so be prepared.
The parable of the fig tree: Jesus said “Now learn this parable from the fig tree: when its branch has already become tender and put forth leaves, you know that summer is near. So, you also, when you see all these things, know that it is near—at the doors! Assuredly, I say to you, this generation will by no means pass away till all these things take place” Matthew 24:32-34. The current events in the world prove that the coming of the Lord is close, so be prepared.
The faithful servant and the evil servant: Only handful of the leaders of Christianity that are in charge of the vineyard of the Lord are faithful, selfless and thoughtful. However, majority of them are selfish, corrupt and deceivers, who are exploiting the members of their congregations. This category of leaders are the ones who are embezzling their churches’ money/funds and misusing the church resources; they will never hesitate to fraudulently use their office to maltreat or oppress their parishioners, because of their sinful ambitions and evil aspirations. The Bible described these two groups of leaders by saying “Who then is faithful and wise servant, whom his master made ruler over his household, to give them food in due season? Blessed is that servant whom his master, when he come, will find so doing. Assuredly, I say to you that he will make him ruler over all his goods. But if that evil servant says in his heart, ‘My master is delaying his coming,’ and begins to beat his fellow servants, and to eat and drink with drunkards, the master of that servant will come on a day when he is not looking for him and at an hour that he is not aware of, and will cut him in two and appoint him his portion with the hypocrites. There shall be weeping and gnashing of teeth” Matthew 24:45-51. Are you using your post/office in the church judiciously or you are using it to abuse others? Are you catering for the needs of the church or you are using craftiness to siphon church resources? Are you donating to the church or you are converting church properties to personal properties? Change today so that you will be rewarded instead of being condemned when the Lord returns.
That day, “Two men will be in the field: one will be taken and the other left. Two women will be grinding at the mill: one will be taken and the other left. Watch therefore, for you do not know what hour your Lord is coming. But know this, that if the master of the house had known what hour the thief would come, he would have watched and not allowed his house to be broken into. Therefore, you also be ready, for the Son of Man is coming at an hour you do not expect” Matthew 24:40-44. What is the level of your preparedness? You must always be ready because the Lord will come when you least expected.
Therefore, Christians let us follow the way of the Lord and walk in the Law of God. Let us live a life of transparency in the light of God and walk in the Lord’s guiding light; according to the scripture which says “O house of Jacob, come and let us walk in the light of the Lord” Isaiah 2:5. You must live the way the Lord has taught you and walk in His light, else you will walk in darkness perpetually. For this reason, “‘Sing and rejoice, O daughter of Zion! For behold, I am coming and I will dwell in your midst,’ says the Lord” Zechariah 2:10. Though the Lord has promised to come and live with us, but we still need to prepare for His coming.
Topic: The coming of the Lord - Part 5
Bible Reading: Joel 2:1-11
We shall resume our discussions with the continuation of the preparations that must be made by the believers for the return of the Lord.
Walk blamelessly and uprightly: The delight of the Lord is for every human being to be innocent, and His desire is for us to walk guiltlessly with Him. God requires that believers must be virtuous, by having or showing high moral standards. Hence, it will greatly please the Lord if we are righteous and upright. The Bible stated that “Good and upright is the Lord; therefore He teaches sinners in the way” Psalm 25:8. Since God always lead by example: He shows the proper path to those who go astray and instruct the sinners the right way to follow in order to be restored, because we were created uprightly in the beginning. God created people to be virtuous, but we have turned to follow our own downward path. We were completely honest when God created us, but now, we have made ourselves very complicated with twisted/corrupted minds. As it is written “Truly, this only I have found: that God made man upright, but they have sought out many schemes” Ecclesiastes 7:29. Refrain from sinful lifestyle so as to follow the Lord home. You must realize that unless you are upright, you will be denied the opportunity to follow the Lord to His eternal kingdom; according to the scripture which says, “For the perverse person is an abomination to the Lord, but His secret counsel is with the upright” Proverbs 3:32. Inasmuch as the Lord hates the perverse people, one of the ways to prepare for the return of the Lord and inherit His heavenly kingdom is to be upright.
Christians must beware and prepare for the coming of the Lord. They must hold firmly to the messages of the Lord which comforts and benefits those who walk uprightly; according to the scripture which says “You who are named the house of Jacob: ‘Is the Spirit of the Lord restricted? Are these His doings? Do not My words do good to him who walks uprightly?’” Micah 2:7. If you are upright, the words of the Lord will assist you and make you to prosper. In addition, God will neither deny nor refuse to give any good thing to those who live right, instead, He will freely give the good things of life to those who do what is right. As it is written, “For the Lord God is a sun and shield; the Lord will give grace and glory; no good thing will He withhold from those who walk uprightly” Psalm 84:11. Therefore, “If you were pure and upright, surely now He would awake for you, and prosper your rightful dwelling place” Job 8:6. Start living right so that God will prosper and restore your home, then you will have the grace to rapture.
It was the commandment of the Lord that we must never be guilty of doing any disgusting thing. His instruction to us was not to do anything He considers wrong; which means, God wants us to be innocent and be faithful to Him. As it is written “You shall be blameless before the Lord your God” Deuteronomy 18:13. Hence, you must exhibit complete loyalty to God by preparing for the return of the Lord. Blamelessness is a precondition for God to make and establish His covenant in anyone’s life. The Book of Genesis demonstrated this fact by saying “When Abram was ninety-nine years old, the Lord appeared to Abram and said to him, ‘I am Almighty God; walk before Me and be blameless. And I will make My covenant between Me and you, and will multiply you exceedingly’” Genesis 17:1-2. If you want to inherit the eternal kingdom of God, be blameless and prepare for the coming of the Lord. Job was also described as blameless during his lifetime; according to the Bible passage which says “There was a man in the land of Uz, whose name was Job; and that man was blameless and upright, and one who feared God and shunned evil” Job 1:1. Can people testify that you are blameless and upright? Do you fear God and abstain from evil? Think deeply and assess yourself if you can be considered or qualified as the pride of the Christendom. Emulate Job who retained and held on to his integrity during his turbulent period. Despite what he passed through, Job held on to his principles and remain faithful to God. The scripture corroborated this fact by saying “Then the Lord said to Satan, ‘Have you considered My servant Job, that there is none like him on earth, a blameless and upright man, one who fears God and shun evil? And still he holds fast to his integrity, although you incited Me against him, to destroy him without cause’” Job 2:3. You will neither rapture nor inherit the kingdom of heaven, unless you are blameless and upright.
God will never abandon a person of integrity; He will never reject a blameless person or support the wicked. The Bible says, “Behold, God will not cast away the blameless, nor will He uphold the evildoers” Job 8:20. Inasmuch as the blameless and upright people are the apple of the eyes of the Lord, then He gives them a bright and peaceful future; as it is written “Mark the blameless man, and observe the upright; for the future of that man is peace” Psalm 37:37. If you want your future to be filled with posterity and tranquility, you must be blameless and upright. Since those who live only for pleasure are spiritually dead even while they are alive. People who live in self-gratification, by giving themselves up to luxury and self-indulgence are dead spiritually even if they claim to be alive physically; according to the scripture which says “But she who lives in pleasure is dead while she lives. And these things command, that they may be blameless” 1 Timothy 5:6-7. We are giving these instructions to the churches, so that they will not be exposed to blame/criticism. So that they can prove themselves to be innocent, faultless and uncontaminated children of God in the midst of a morally corrupt, spiritually twisted and wicked generation. As it is written “That you may become blameless and harmless, children of God without fault in the midst of a crooked and perverse generation, among whom you shine as lights in the world” Philippians 2:15. Live clean live if you want to become a beacon, shinning out clearly in this dark world. Do not forget that you can only be counted worthy when the Lord returns if you are blameless.
The Bible says, God hates sneaky people but He likes everyone who lives right. Our God detests those with crooked hearts but favors those who are sincere in their ways. As it is written “Those who are of a perverse heart are an abomination to the Lord, but the blameless in their ways are His delight” Proverbs 11:20. Do you have a twisted mind? Are you one of the evil-minded people? Change and do what is right if you don’t want to be repulsive to the Lord. Since “Whoever walks blamelessly will be saved, but he who is perverse in his ways will suddenly fall” Proverbs 28:18. Honesty will keep you safe, so refrain from nefarious activities. Abstain from dishonesty because it will ruin you and make you to fall spiritually. For this reason, “But you, O man of God, flee these things and pursue righteousness, godliness, faith, love, patience, gentleness. Fight the good fight of faith, lay hold on eternal life, to which you were also called and have confessed the good confession in the presence of many witnesses. I urge you in the sight of God who gives life to all things, and before Christ Jesus who witnessed the good confession before Pontius Pilate, that you keep this commandment without spot, blameless until our Lord Jesus Christ’s appearing” 1 Timothy 6:11-14. We are advising the ministers of God to obey their commission spotlessly and irreproachably, until our Lord returns. Brethren, we must heed this order without fault or failure, until the appearance of our Lord Jesus Christ. It is our duty to keep the precepts of the Lord unsullied and flawlessly throughout our existence.
Endure all things: Every Christian should have endurance. We must be able to endure any unpleasant condition because of our faith. It is essential for believers to tolerate difficult process or situation without giving way. The children of God must be able to bear pain, suffering and hardship under adverse conditions like fatigue and stress. It is necessary for Christians to have the power to withstand any challenge, and the ability to remain faithful to the Lord under an unpleasant or painful situation, for a long time without complaints. Nowadays people in the world will yield under pressure, and countless will crumble when confronted by persecution. Several people are denying Jesus Christ and the existence of the Holy Spirit because of the fear of losing their lives. The explanation of the seed which fell on rocky places in the parable of the sower clarify this issue, and the state of preparedness of the earthlings concerning the coming of the Lord. The Bible says “But he who received the seed on stony places, this is he who hears the word and immediately receives it with joy; yet he has no root in himself, but endures only for a while. For when tribulation or persecution arises, because of the word, immediately he stumbles” Matthew 13:20-21. Are you among those who gladly received the message of the Lord and accepted it, but later compromise when the going is tough? When affliction or trouble comes on account of the Word of God that you believe, will you be able to resist and withstand without betraying the covenant of God? Do you respond by blessing those who are abusing and insulting you? Do you revenge or endure, whenever people harass you? As it is written “And we labor, working with our own hands. Being reviled, we bless; being persecuted, we endure” 1 Corinthians 4:12. Therefore, it is our duty to bless those who are cursing us and endure whatever that we are passing through; according to the commandment of the Lord which says “Bless those who curse you, and pray for those who spitefully use you” Luke 6:28.
We need to accept our share of hardship and suffering like good soldiers of Christ. We must partake in the distress of the saints, and endure suffering along with them, to prove that we are loyal soldiers of Jesus Christ; according to the scripture which says “You therefore must endure hardship as a good soldier of Jesus Christ” 2 Timothy 2:3. So, it is our duty to persevere and tolerate everything for the sake of God’s chosen people, in order that they too may obtain salvation that comes through Christ and brings eternal glory; according to the scripture which says “Therefore I endure all things for the sake of the elect, that they also many obtain the salvation which is in Christ Jesus with eternal glory” 2 Timothy 2:10. Are you selfish? If not, you must be willing to put up with anything, if it will bring salvation and eternal glory to others. For this reason, you must bear in mind that “If we endure, we shall also reign with Him. If we deny Him, He also will deny us” 2 Timothy 2:12. It is clear, if you want to rule with Christ, you must endure hardship. If you do not want Jesus to disown and reject you, you must never deny Him as your Lord and Savior. We must also realize that whatever that we are suffering now is incomparable with the glory that is about to be revealed to us and in us when the Lord returns; according to the scripture which says “For I consider that the sufferings of this present time are not worthy to be compared with the glory which shall be revealed in us” Romans 8:18. You must endure for the glory to be revealed in you.
Brethren, be prepared to suffer many things so that the Good News will not be held back. We must be ready to put up with anything rather than be an obstacle to the Gospel. It is our duty to endure all kinds of things so as not to impede the proclamation of the coming of the Lord. As it is written “If others are partakers of this right over you, are we not even more? Nevertheless, we have not used this right, but endure all things lest we hinder the Gospel of Christ” 1 Corinthians 9:12. What are you tolerating for the propagation of the Gospel? You must emulate Jesus Christ our Lord, who for the joy of accomplishing the goal set before Him endured the painful death on the cross; according to the scripture which says “Looking unto Jesus, the author and finisher of our faith, who for the joy that was set before Him endured the cross, despising the shame, and he sat down at the right hand of the throne of God” Hebrews 12:2. If you want to be admitted into the kingdom of God, you must endure afflictions and persecution. Are you ready to endure mockery and ignore shame in order to be glorified?
The scripture says, “Blessed is the man who endures temptation; for when he has been approved, he will receive the crown of life which the Lord has promised to those who love Him” James 1:12. It can be deduced that you will be blessed, if you endure whatever you are passing through, because of the coming of the Lord. So, do not fear, because your suffering and challenges will soon turn to history. God will resolve the issues of your life before long, and make you to forget your past miseries. He will renew and transform your life, in manner that will make endless joy to fill your journey. As it is written “For His anger is but for a moment, His favor is for life: weeping may endure for a night, but joy comes in the morning” Psalm 30:5. God in His infinite mercy will wipe away your tears, pacify you, and make the event that will cause celebration in your life to occur without delay. He will reward you for your endurance, by delivering you from the troubles that are making your life unbearable, and rescue you from the hosts of hell that are seeking your downfall; according to the scripture which says “But he who endures to the end shall be saved” Matthew 21:13. For the salvation of the Lord to manifest in your life, you must endure till the end.
Wait eagerly for the coming of the Lord: Christians are citizens of heaven, and it is from there that we expect a Deliverer, the Lord Jesus, the Messiah. We are patiently waiting for Jesus Christ our Savior to come from heaven, and take us home. As it is written “For our citizenship is in heaven, from which we also eagerly wait for the Savior the Lord Jesus Christ” Philippians 3:20. “Therefore, be patient brethren until the coming of the Lord. See how the farmer waits for the precious fruit of the earth, waiting patiently for it until it receives the early and latter rain” James 5:7. It is inevitable for you to wait patiently until the Lord returns, if you want to rapture with Him. Imitate the patience of the farmers, who cultivate their lands, and patiently wait for the crops to grow until they are ready to be harvested. If you have patience, you will not fall behind or lack any spiritual endowment or Christian grace; the reception of which is due to the power of divine grace operating in your soul by the Holy Spirit, while you wait and watch, constantly living in hope for the return of the Lord. And He will establish you to the end by keeping you steadfast, giving you strength and guarantee your vindication; He will be your warranty against all accusations or indictments so that you will be guiltless, faultless and irreproachable in the day of our Lord Jesus Christ. According to the Book of Corinthians which says “So that you come short in no gift, eagerly waiting for the revelation of our Lord Jesus Christ, who will also confirm you to the end, that you may be blameless in the day of our Lord Jesus Christ” 1 Corinthians 1:7-8. For this reason, be patient; strengthen your heart, keep it energized and firmly committed to God, because the coming of the Lord is very close. As it is written “You also be patient establish your hearts, for the coming of the Lord is at hand” James 5:8. Since the return of the Lord is near, be patient and settle your heart, also take courage, and keep your hope alive/high.
Topic: The coming of the Lord - Part 6
Bible Reading: Joel 2:1-11
We shall continue our discussions by mentioning the resurrection and the great judgment that will occur when the Lord returns.
The resurrection of the dead
When the Lord returns, the dead will be restored back to life to give account of their stewardship. Resurrection is the rising of the dead, to give account of what they have done in flesh during their lifetime, before the throne of judgment. Jesus Christ our Lord is the only being that is capable, justified, and authorized by our heavenly Father, to judge both the living and nonliving things whenever He returns.
Christ will give you light, life and salvation: Only Jesus Christ can give anyone eternal life and admit such person to live and reign perpetually in His eternal kingdom. The Bible confirmed this fact when Jesus said to Martha “I am the resurrection and the life. He who believes in Me, though he may die, he shall live” John 11:25. If you prefer to have eternal life instead of the second death, you must trust in Jesus and relies on Him as your Savior. We need to realize that Jesus Christ is coming back not to take away the sins of many people, but for the salvation of the souls of those patiently waiting for His return. Since salvation of souls is paramount to our Lord, He will return to take the beloved home. However, He will return as the Lion of Judah to judge the world; unlike the first time which He came as the Lamb of God, to give repentance and take our sins away. As it is written that “Christ was offered once to bear the sins of many. To those who eagerly wait for Him He will appear a second time, apart from sin, for Salvation” Hebrews 9:28. Will you be worthy to receive the eternal salvation of the Lord? Therefore “Awake, you who sleep, arise from the dead, and Christ will give you light” Ephesians 5:14.
The dead will rapture first: The scripture says, “For we say to you by the word of the Lord, that we who are alive and remain until the coming of the Lord will by no means precede those who are asleep. For the Lord Himself will descend from heaven with a shout, with the voice of an archangel, and with the trumpet of God. And the dead in Christ will rise first. Then we who are alive and remain shall be caught up together with them in the clouds to meet the Lord in the air. And thus, we shall always be with the Lord” 1 Thessalonians 4:15-17. In addition, “Behold, I tell you a mystery: we shall not all sleep, but we shall all be changed —in a moment, in the twinkling of an eye, at the last trumpet. For the trumpet will sound, and the dead will be raised incorruptible, and we shall be changed. For this corruptible must put on incorruption, and this mortal must put on immortality. So, when this corruptible has put on incorruption, and this mortal has put on immortality, then shall be brought to pass the saying that is written: ‘Death is swallowed up in victory’ ”1 Corinthians 15:51-54. Then, “Many of those who sleep in the dust of the earth shall awake, some to everlasting life, some to shame and everlasting contempt” Daniel 12:2. For this reason, “Do not marvel at this; for the hour is coming in which all who are in the graves will hear His voice and come forth—those who have done good, to the resurrection of life, and those who have done evil, to the resurrection of condemnation” John 5:28-29. Will you resurrect to eternal life or eternal perdition? If you do not want eternal punishment and damnation, you must repent and change while there is still time.
The last judgment
The last judgment is real and it is the last day of the world; when God through His Son Jesus Christ will judge everyone who has died, and also the non-living things. Christ will then decide those who are guilty that will go to hell, and those who are justified to inherit the kingdom of heaven. The second coming of Jesus Christ our Lord is when the final and eternal judgment of God will happen. God will authorize His Son Jesus Christ to judge people in every nation of the world, which will result in glorification of some who will reign eternally with Him, and perdition for many who will suffer perpetually in hell.
Jesus is coming to judge the world: It is a fact that the Lord is coming to destroy the abominable places in the world. So, either we believe or not, He will come to crush underfoot the worship places of the earth where people are worshipping contrary gods and strange spirits. The Bible corroborated this fact by saying “For behold, the Lord is coming out of His place; He will come down and tread on the high places of the earth” Micah 1:3. The Lord is coming not only to destroy the detestable place in the world, but He will also judge the world. Whether we like or not, He is coming to judge everyone on the earth with fairness and truth; according to the scripture which says “….For He is coming to judge the earth. He shall judge the world with righteousness and the people with His truth” Psalm 96:13, 98:9. Since the Lord is the Judge of judges, He will judge and rule the world with justice and equity. Inasmuch as our heavenly Father judges no one, but has given the prerogative of judging and the last judgment entirely into the hand of Jesus Christ our Lord; It is inevitable for Him to judge the world; as it is written, “For the Father judges no one, but has committed all judgment to the Son” John 5:22. It is essential for you to prepare and wait patiently for the coming of the Lord, since Jesus Christ the Son has absolute authority to judge; and all judgment has been entrusted to Him. In addition, Almighty God has given Jesus Christ our Lord the authority and granted Him the power to pass judgment; because He is a sinless being and Savior of the world, which qualifies Him to sit in judgment over mankind; according to the Bible passage which says, “And has given Him authority to execute judgment also because He is the Son of Man” John 5:27. Jesus Christ has the authority and the right to judge everyone, because He alone is worthy to judge the world when He returns. Don’t you think you need to improve your relationship with Him and wait patiently for His return? If He returns today, do you think you will be justified? Since He cannot be deceived, don’t you think He may pronounce a guilty verdict on you because of your deeds and lifestyle? Change today before it is too late.
We must appear before the judgment seat: Everyone must die once and after that they will be judged by God. Humans are destined to die once and then face judgement. As it is written, “And as it is appointed for men to die once, but after this the judgment” Hebrews 9:27. Since no one will escape death and judgment, why not do what is right and inherit the kingdom of God? So, why are you criticizing other believers? Why are you looking down on them? Why do you regard other Christians with contempt? Why do you hate brothers and sisters in the Lord instead of loving them? Have you forgotten that all of us will stand before the judgment seat of Christ to give an account of what we have done while living in the world? As it is written, “But why do you judge your brother? Or why do you show contempt for your brother? For we shall all stand before the judgment seat of Christ. For it is written: ‘As I live, says the Lord, every knee shall bow to Me, and every tongue shall confess to God.’ So, then each of us shall give account of himself to God” Romans 14:10-12. For this reason, do not condemn another believer, else you will be guilty, since we will give account for every careless word that we have spoken on the day of judgment. On judgment day people will be held accountable for every useless sentence and idle word that they have spoken; according to the scripture which says “But I say to you that for every idle word men may speak, they will give account of it in the day of judgment” Matthew 12:36. Be careful about the words that are coming out of your mouth so that you will not be guilty through your statements. Since we must all stand before Christ to be judged and each of us will receive whatever we deserve, for the good or evil that we have done in our earthly body. As it written “For we must all appear before the judgment seat of Christ, that each one may receive the things done in the body, according to what he has done whether good or bad” 2 Corinthians 5:10. Never forget that we will be held responsible for our actions, purposes, goals and motives. Therefore, “… in accordance with your hardness and your impenitent heart you are treasuring up for yourself wrath in the day of wrath and revelation of the righteous judgment of God, who will render to each one according to his deeds: eternal life to those who by patient continuance in doing good seek for glory, honor, and immortality” Romans 2:5-7. Since God will repay you according to what you have done, why not discard your stubbornness and unrepentant heart, so that you will not be penalized? Why not persistently seek the honor and the glory of God? Why not seek immortality by perseverance in doing good in order to receive eternal life?
The Lord is not partial: Our Lord is neither partial nor unjust, He does not discriminate or exhibit favoritism but He is fair and righteous in all His ways, because He is the Judge of all judges. The Bible says “For if God did not spare the angels who sinned, but cast them down to hell and delivered them into chains of darkness, to be reserved for judgment” 2 Peter 2:4. Do you think you will be spared if you are not righteous? Since God is not partial, it is better for you to do what is right and acceptable to Him, else you will be penalized. If you do not want to be thrown in hell, you must be obedient, and prepare for the coming of the Lord. Because “Now is the judgment of this world; now the ruler of this world will be cast out” John 12:31. The time for judging this world has come, when Satan the prince and ruler of this world will be overthrown and expelled. What steps are you taking to prepare for the coming of the Lord and this great day? Since God has commanded the present heavens and earth to remain until the day of judgment. Then they will be set on fire, and the ungodly people will be destroyed. As it is written “But the heavens and the earth which are now preserved by the same word, are reserved for fire until the day of judgment and perdition of ungodly men” 2 Peter 3:7. Hence, you need to know that the angels who did not keep their positions but abandoned their places. God has kept them securely chained in prisons of darkness, waiting for the great day of judgment; according to the scripture which says “And the angels who did not keep their proper domain, but left their own abode, He has reserved in everlasting chains under darkness for the judgment of the great day” Jude 1:6. Start doing what pleases the Lord, if you do not want to end up in Satan’s camp. If you do not want to spend your eternity in hell, you must begin making preparation for the coming of the Lord.
The Son of Man will judge the world: Jesus Christ our Lord will come in His glory with His angels and He will sit on the throne of His glory. The nations of the world will stand before Him, then He will separate the goats from the sheep. He will keep the sheep on His right hand and the goats on the left. Then He will say to those on His right hand ‘Come you blessed of My Father, inherit the kingdom prepared for you from the foundation of the world: For I was hungry and you gave Me food; I was thirsty and you gave Me drink; I was a stranger and you took Me in; I was naked and you clothed Me; I was sick and you visited Me; I was in prison and you came to Me.’ “Then the righteous will answer Him saying, ‘Lord when did we see You hungry and feed You, or thirsty and give you drink? When did we see You a stranger and take You in, or naked and clothe You? Or when did we see You sick, or in prison, and come to You?’ And Jesus Christ will answer and say to them, ‘Assuredly, I say to you, inasmuch as you did it to one of the least of these brethren, you did it to Me.’
“Then He will also say to those on the left hand, ‘Depart from Me, you cursed, into everlasting fire prepared for the devil and his angels: For I was hungry and you gave Me no food; I was thirsty and you gave Me no drink; I was a stranger and you did not take Me in, naked and you did not cloth Me, sick and in prison and you did not visit Me.’ And these group will go away into everlasting punishment, but the righteous into eternal life” Matthew 25:31-46. The choice of where you will spend your eternity depends on your deeds, but we pray that you will not spend your eternity in hell.
The great white throne of judgment: The Bible says “Then I saw a great white throne and Him who sat on it, from whose face the earth and the heaven fled away. And there was found no place for them. And I saw the dead, small and great, standing before God, and books were opened. And another book was opened, which is the Book of Life. And the dead were judged according to their works, by the things which were written in the books. The sea gave up the dead who were in it, and Death and Hades delivered up the dead who were with them. And they were judged, each one according to his works. Then Death and Hades were cast into the lake of fire. This is the second death. And anyone not found written in the Book of Life was cast into the lake of fire” Revelation 20:11-15. We pray that your name will be found written in the Book of life.
Topic: The coming of the Lord - Part 7
Bible Reading: Joel 2:1-11
We shall continue our discussions by mentioning the benefits that will accrued to anyone who patiently wait for the return of the Lord.
Benefits of waiting for the return of the Lord
There are many benefits that those who eagerly wait for the coming of the Lord will receive and some of them will be discussed.
The will neither be judged nor condemned: The scripture says “What man can live and not see death? Can he deliver his life from the power of the grace?” Psalm 89:48. Since no one can escape the power of death and grave except with the assistance of the Lord, then you need to wait for His return. Inasmuch as the wrath of the Lord is coming on the disobedient, then it is inevitable for you to wait for the return of the Lord so that you will not be judged but saved. Do not forget that only Jesus Christ has the authority and capability to end the power of death and give you immortality. One of the ways that Christ can show you the kindness of God is to give you life that never ends when He appears, instead of judgment. As it is written “But has now been revealed by the appearing of our Savior Jesus Christ, who has abolished death and brought life and immortality to light through the Gospel” 2 Timothy 1:10. It is plain enough, Jesus broke the power of death and illuminated the way to life and immortality through the Good News. For this reason, those who listen to this message and believe in God have eternal life. They will neither be judged nor condemned for their sins, but they have already passed from death to life; according to the scripture which says, “Most assuredly, I say to you, he who hears My word and believes in Him who sent Me has everlasting life, and shall not come into judgment, but has passed from death into life” John 5:24. Therefore, if you want to benefit from the coming of the Lord, have faith in God and believes His messages.
If you are making preparation for the coming of the Lord, then weapons made to attack you spiritually won’t be successful and no weapon will be able to hurt you. You will have an answer for anyone who accuses you and silence every voice raised up to accuse you. As it is written “No weapon formed against you shall prosper. And every tongue which rises against you in judgment you shall condemn. This is the heritage of the servants of the Lord, and their righteousness is from Me,” says the Lord Isaiah 54:17. If you want to inherit this promise and enjoy this benefit, you must be prepared for the coming of the Lord. In addition, those who have faith in Jesus will not be condemned, but those who did not have faith in Him have already been condemned. There is no judgment against anyone who believes in Christ, but anyone who does not believe in Him has already been judged; according to the scripture which says “He who believes in Him is not condemned; but he who does not believe is condemned already, because he has not believed in the name of the only begotten Son of God” John 3:18. For you not to be guilty or condemned, you must take steps that will prove that you are ready for the coming of the Lord. Hence “There is therefore now no condemnation to those who are in Christ Jesus, who do not walk according to the flesh, but according to the Spirit” Romans 8:1. The only way to escape condemnation and punishment is to be prepared for the coming of the Lord.
They will be saved: The Bible stated that Salvation belongs to Jesus and it can be found in no other being except Jesus Christ. There is Salvation in no one else except our Lord Jesus Christ. Only Jesus has the power to save and His name is the only One in all the world that can save anyone. The scripture says “Nor is there salvation in any other, for there is no other name under heaven given among men by which we must be saved” Act 4:12. So, it is unavoidable for you to be prepared for the coming of the Lord in order to be saved. Inasmuch as Christ died once to take away our sins, but when He returns, it will not be to take away our sins, He will return to save everyone who is waiting for Him. As it is written “So Christ was offered once to bear the sins of many. To those who eagerly wait for Him He will appear a second time apart from sin, for Salvation” Hebrews 9:28. Christ will appear a second time to bring salvation to the beloved and take them home. If you are loyal to God, then you will be protected and guarded by God’s power so that you can receive the salvation that He is ready to reveal in the last time. As it is written “Who are kept by the power of God through faith for salvation ready to be revealed in the last time” 1 Peter 1:5. Are you prepare for the salvation which God is ready to reveal at the end of time? If you are ready, then you will have opportunity to be among those who will be clothed with white robes that will worship before the heavenly throne of God saying “Salvation belongs to our God who sits on the throne, and the Lamb” Revelation 7:9-10. For you to inherit the kingdom of God, you must be obedient and prepared for the coming of the Lord.
Second death will have no power over them: Jesus Christ warned us in the Book of Revelation that anyone who has ears must list to what the Spirit says to the churches and whoever is victorious will not be harmed by the second death, according to the scripture which says “He who has an ear, Let him hear what the Spirit says to the churches. He who overcomes shall not be hurt by the second death” Revelation 2:11. Do you pay attention to what the Spirit is saying in your church? Will you be among the overcomes who will not be harmed by second death? Wake up from your spiritual slumbering because many people will end their journeys in Satan’s camp. They will be thrown in the lake of fire that is burning with sulfur which is the second death. As it is written “But the cowardly, unbelieving, abominable, murderers, sexual immoral, sorcerers, idolaters, and all liars shall have their part in the lake which burns with fire and brimstone, which is the second death” Revelation 21:8. If you do not want to end up in hell fire you must abstain from all the aforementioned vices. You must know that there is nowhere that you can hide for second death not to find you, so the only antidote to second death is righteousness, according to the scripture which says “The sea gave up the dead who were in it, and Death and Hades delivered up the dead who were in them. And they were judged, each one according to his works. Then Death and Hades were cast into the lake of fire. This is the second death” Revelation 20:13-14. If you do not want eternal punishment and perdition, prepare for the coming of the Lord.
They will use 1000 years with Christ: The Bible says those who have not worship the beast or his image and did not received his mark on their foreheads or on their hands will live and reign with Christ for a thousand years as a token of appreciation for their loyalty. During this period the rest of the dead will not live until the thousand years has finished. This is the first resurrection. Blessed and holy is he who has part in the first resurrection. Over such people second death has no power, but they shall be priests of God and of Christ, and shall reign with Him a thousand years Revelation 20:4-6. Jesus Christ made mention of this first resurrection which is the token of appreciation for the faithful by saying “And you will be blessed because they cannot repay you; for you shall be repaid at the resurrection of the just” Luke 14:14. If you want to partake in first resurrection make sure that you look after the less privilege. If you want to be a priest of God, do not encourage the activities of the darkness or associate with them. If you want to reign with Christ for a thousand years you must not receive any satanic mark.
They will have eternal life: Living perpetually in heaven is among the benefits of the coming of the Lord. The Bible stated that “For the wages of sin is death, but the gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord” Romans 6:23. The passage clarify that it is only through Jesus Christ our Lord that we can have eternal life. The Book of John testified that God gave Jesus Christ power over mankind so that He can give eternal life to the people given to Him. As it is written “As you have given Him authority over all flesh, that He should give eternal life to as many as You have given Him” John 17:2. Do not look for eternal life elsewhere because Christ alone has the authority to give it to you. For this reason, Jesus Christ was nailed to the cross, so that whoever believes in Him should not perish but have everlasting life John 3:14-15. If you do not want to perish with this world, but have eternal life, you must harken to His messages.
Human beings have evidence of God’s kindness, the evidence is: God has given us eternal life, and this life has its source in Jesus Christ; according to the scripture which says “And this is the testimony: that God has given us eternal life, and this life is in His Son” 1 John 5:11. The testimony of God is true and His promise of eternal life through Christ will come to pass, even if this world passes away. As it is written “And this is the promise that He has promised us—eternal life” 1 John 2:25. Christ Himself promised us eternal life if and only if we abide in Him and wait for His coming. For this reason, Christ died for us, so that we could live with Him eternally, whether we are alive or dead whenever He returns. As it is written “Who died for us, that whether we wake or sleep, we should live together with Him” 1 Thessalonians 5:10. Be prepared for the return of the Lord if you want to live forever with Him.
They will be glorified: Jesus said to His disciples that they will be glorified with Him because they will judge the tribes of Israel; according to the Book of Matthew which says “So Jesus said to them, ‘Assuredly I say to you, that in the regeneration, when the Son of Man sits on the throne of His glory, you who have followed Me will also sit on the twelve thrones judging the twelve tribes of Israel. And everyone who has left houses or brothers or sisters or father or mother or wife or children or lands, for My name’s sake, shall receive a hundred-fold and inherit eternal life’” Matthew 19:28-29. If you want to be glorified with Christ, you must be prepared, so that “When Christ who is our life appears, then you also will appear with Him in glory” Colossians 3:4. If you intend to share Christ’s glory whenever He appears, be upright, so that you will receive glory as your unfading crown and you will be given a crown that never loses its glory. As it is written “And when the Chief Shepherd appears, you will receive the crown of glory that does not fade away” 1 Peter 5:4. Honesty is a requirement to receive the crown of glory. They will be invited to partake in the marriage of the Lamb; according to the Bible passage which says “Let us be glad and rejoice and give Him glory, for the marriage of the Lamb has come, and His wife has made herself ready” Revelation 19:7. It is for this reason that Jesus said “Let not your heart be troubled; you believe in God, believe also in Me. In My Father’s house are many mansions; if it were not so, I would have told you. I go to prepare a place for you. And if I go and prepare a place for you. I will come again and receive you to Myself, that where I am, there you may be also” John 14:1-3. We pray that you will be among those who will follow the Lord home when He returns, so that you can inherit the kingdom of God and live in New Jerusalem forever. As it is written “But I saw no temple in it, for the Lord God Almighty and the Lamb are its temple. The city had no need of sun or of the moon to shine in it, for the glory of God illuminate it. The Lamb is its light” Revelation 21:22-23. We pray that you will not miss the heavenly Jerusalem.
Finally, may the Lord establish your hearts blameless in holiness before our God and Father at the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ with all His saints 1 Thessalonians 3:13.
The Seal: 1 Thessalonians 5:23: Now may God of peace Himself sanctify you completely; and may your whole spirit, soul, and body be preserved blamelessly at the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ.