Awake, Ready, and Watching

"And that, knowing the time and now it is high time to awake out of sleep: for  now  is our salvation nearer than when we believed."   Romans 13:11

A gentleman visiting a certain school announced that he would give the pupil whose desk he found in the best order when he returned a prize. "But when will you return?" some of the children asked. "That I cannot tell," was the answer. A little girl, noted for her disorderly habits, announced that she intended to win the prize. "You!" her classmates jeered, "your desk is always a mess." The girl replied, "Oh, but I plan to clean it the first of every week." "But suppose he should come at the end of the week?" someone asked. The determined girl answered, "Then I will clean it every morning." "But he may come at the end of the day," someone said. For a moment, the little girl was silent. "I know what I will do," she said decidedly, "I'll just keep it clean!"

For two years, Americans have watched as our nation has imploded internally. We are in a time of great instability across the entire world. The gas and food prices are higher than I have ever seen in my lifetime. We go to bed at night knowing we may awaken to the news that we are in a third world war. But, amid chaos, fear, and uncertainty, there is one thing I  am  sure of, my salvation is nearer than when I first believed!

Jesus Christ  is  going to return for His church. He made the promise to His anxious, downcast disciples the night before His death. 

"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 unto Myself; that where I am, there you may be also." John 14: 1-3

I may not trust what I hear on the news or coming from Washington, DC, but I trust the words of Jesus completely...He is coming for me! I don't know the day or the hour, but I know it is soon, and I plan to stay awake, ready, and watch.

A mother was explaining to her little girl the death of her father. The mother said, "God has sent for your father and will send for us, but I do not know just when." Finally, the little girl said: "If we do not know just when God is going to send for us, do you not think we had better pack up and get ready to go? God might send when we are not ready."

The " Guinness World Book of Records " contains all kinds of record-setting events and accomplishments. Some years ago, a group of people set out to break the record in standing dominos up in such a way that when a key domino was tripped, all the rest would fall. The event was aired on television. They showed a large room with what looked like millions of dominos set up on end. For this group to break the record, every domino had to fall.

The time came to trip the first domino. It touched the next, which in turn fell onto the next, and so on. Viewers were amazed as they watched this chain of events transpire. In the end, every domino had fallen, the group had set a new world record, and their names were placed in the  "Guinness World Book of Records"  for toppling the most dominos over at that time.

As spectacular as that was, the chain of action by those dominos is nothing in comparison to what will happen at the Rapture of the church. When Jesus returns in the clouds to resurrect the believers that have died and  "catch up"  those still living, it will set off a chain of events like this world has never seen. It will be the beginning of the Great Tribulation.

If you are reading this and are not ready to meet the Lord, I implore you to get ready. The Bible says the Rapture is going to happen in  "the twinkling of an eye."   There will be no time to repent. Today is the day of salvation.

Nearly twenty years ago, I was battling aggressive cancer that threatened my life, but God intervened and miraculously healed me. It amazes me to realize that I have lived to be part of the generation that very well could see the return of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ to catch away His bride!  

"For such a time as this,"  you and I are here. We need to be faithful to our local churches, continue to share the good news of the gospel, and be  "salt and light"   to this lost and dying world. We need to work while we still have time, and most of all, pray as we have never prayed before.

In Matthew chapter 24, the disciples asked Jesus what the signs of the end times would be. Three times He warned them to guard against deception. One of Satan's main objectives in this day is to get Christians to believe his lie. That lie is, "Christ has delayed His coming." Jesus Christ,  THE TRUTH  said, " Therefore be ye also ready: for in such an hour as you think not the Son of Man cometh."   Matthew 24:44

In June 1940, in Nuremberg, Germany, nearly a quarter of a million Nazi party faithful were assembled to hear their great Fuhrer, Adolph Hitler, speak. German troops had defeated France only the week before, meaning that practically all of Europe lay at the feet of Hitler. The only feeble pocket of resistance was a tiny island, separated by a few miles of North Atlantic water from Hitler's mighty empire. The little island was occupied by Great Britain, which the entire world was certain would soon be invaded. The only question was when.

As Hitler approached the microphone, he began: "I hear the British are asking, 'When is he coming? When is the coming?' Well, tonight I say to the British, be patient, for, I AM COMING!" According to witnesses, Hitler screamed out the phrase, "I am coming," three times. The results of the third time were as if a bomb had exploded, causing those thousands of Nazis to leap to their feet and scream out until many lost their voices:  "Sieg Heil, Sieg Heil, Sieg Heil!"  (Hail victory)

Nearly two thousand years ago, Jesus Christ ascended to heaven.  (Acts 1)  He promised He would return. The skeptics and infidels have scoffed and mocked His followers, demanding to know, "When is He coming? When is He coming? He'll never come!"  (2 Peter 3:3,4)

If you are spiritually awake, ready, and watching, you should be able to hear that still, small voice speaking to your heart: "I say to you, My child, let not your heart be troubled, be patient, for  I AM COMING! "

The cry of the church should be resounding forth in jubilation:  "Maranatha, Maranatha, Maranatha!"   O, Lord Come!

"How sweet is rest after fatigue! How sweet heaven will be when our journey is ended." ~   George Whitefield

"He which testifieth these things says, Surely I come quickly. Amen. Even so, come, Lord Jesus."    Revelation 22:20