CHRIST IS RETURNING, ARE YOU READY?

CHRIST IS RETURNING

ARE YOU READY?

In my quiet office and our peaceful area, I am remembering our trip to the east coast last month.  We had a great time with family and being tourists.  But I was impressed with the amount of people everywhere.  Here in our city we do have traffic and lines in stores, but nothing quite like being in some of the areas back there.  In one location at a theme park, thousands of people packed the huge gift shop, and people waited in lines outside.  And talk about traffic!  Sometimes we waited and waited for traffic to move.  And in that theme park it was literally wall to wall people.

And I watch people and wonder about what is going on in their lives.  And in the masses of people I wondered how many loved the Lord and if the Lord returned at that moment how many would meet Him in the air.  How many are ready to die?  We never know what the next day or even the next hour will hold.  And I ask you, out there, are you ready?  And in those kinds of moments I wanted to shout to the masses, “Jesus is coming, put aside the trappings and love of the world and get your heart ready, look to the cross, He died for all of you.”  I want to tell them that there are only two roads to travel in this life, the narrow road that leads to salvation and the broad way that leads to destruction.

Christ is coming soon, just look around you at the world as it falls apart.  Look around you at the lives that are in sin, deep sin.  The world is in darkness and need the “Light” of the Lord Jesus to shine.  And that day will come soon and when we do not expect it.  He will come as a “Thief in the Night.”  Don’t be caught unaware.

CHRIST RETURNETH

“It may be at morn, when the day is awakening, when sunlight thro’ darkness and shadow is breaking, that Jesus will come in the fullness of glory to receive from the world “His own.”

O Lord Jesus, how long, how long ere we shout the glad song, Christ returneth! Hallelujah!  Hallelujah! Amen.

It may be at midday, it may be at twilight, it may be, perchance, that the blackness of midnight will burst into light in the blaze of His glory, when Jesus receives “His own.”

Oh, joy! Oh, delight! Should we go without dying, no sickness, no sadness, no dread and no crying, caught up thro’ the clouds with our Lord into glory, when Jesus receives “His own.” (James McGranahan).

The history of this old hymn is not known, only that it was written in the early 19^th century.  But it has been the cry of every generation and each person hoped and prayed that they were the ones who would be caught up to meet Jesus, the generation of believers who would not see death.  I, myself, remember as a small child being taught that Jesus could come any moment and we were to be ready at all times.  But the years have moved on, and believers still wonder if we are living in that day.  I ask myself, as I grow older, and feel the years, “How long Jesus, when are you coming back?”

“But of that day and hour no one knows, not even the angels of heaven, but My Father only” Matthew 24:36.

Many over the years and even in recent times have tried to predict when Jesus is coming, but only He knows.  It may be at dawn when the light is just breaking over the eastern sky.  It may be at noon, lunch time.  You may be in your office grabbing a quick lunch.  It may be at the end of the day, twilight, when all is calm.  It may be at midnight, when all of a sudden the sky will light up in the “blaze of His glory”, when He comes with His saints and His angels, and the trumpet sounds. But are you ready?

“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” I Thessalonians 4:16-17.

And He is coming for “His Own.”  He is coming for me and for you who love and serve Him, who have accepted Him as your own personal Savior.  We will hear that trumpet call, because His sheep hear His voice, John 10:3-4. He is coming for His Church, His own sheep who have served Him faithfully and have been waiting for His return.  And the cry of our hearts is found in Revelation 22:20: “He who testifies to these things says, “Surely I am coming quickly.”  Amen.  Even so, come, Lord Jesus!

But as we look around our world, even in our churches, the hour is calling, don’t wait, judgment is coming.  What kind of people are we to be when we see these things happening in our world?  I am very burdened for who are going on with their lives unprepared for the judgment that is coming.  And I am calling you to make yourself ready, He could come this next hour, this next day or tonight.

“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, looking for and hastening the coming of the day of God, because of which the heavens will be dissolved, being on fire, and the elements will melt with fervent heat? 2 Peter 3:10-12.

And to think that we could be that generation of believers who would go without dying is such a precious promise.  There will be no more sickness, pain or sorrow.  And we would never grow old.  Can you imagine being caught up in the clouds to meet Jesus there?  I think about it often, especially on a cloudy day.  And I think about it when flying above in those clouds and looking down on cities below.

So, my friends, Jesus is returning and very soon.  I call to you to be ready, to meet Jesus.  Ask Him into your heart now, He is waiting, waiting for you.  He desires to call you “His own.”  Won’t you make that decision today?  That is the most important decision to make for all of eternity.

In Jesus’ Name,

Pastor Sharon