Unless We Allow The Holy Spirit To Take Full Control Of Our Heart The Second Coming Of Christ Will Never Seem Near Be ye also patient; stablish your hearts: for the coming of the Lord draweth nigh. (James 5:8) Jesus Is Coming Soon - https://youtube/watch?v=cvx8blPKFBo When we got up out of bed this morning what was the first thing that occupied our mind? What is resting on our minds right now? What do we find resting on our minds throughout the day? I guess for some of us the upcoming examinations rest heavily on our minds. For others it’s the upcoming wedding and the activities which must be done today in preparation for that exciting day. For many of us, there are a lot of different things that occupy our minds when we wake up in the morning and all throughout the day. This morning, the Lord is reminding us that our minds should be occupied with the nearness of His second coming. So many people in the Lord have said that Jesus is taking too long to come. I have been hearing this from my childhood and He has not come as yet. Some of us should be very happy He has not put in his appearance as yet. Should He come today there are many of us would not be ready. That being said, what does God really want us to focus on during this time? God wants us to recognize that He coming is at the door. In other words, the moment we breathe our last breath, He has technically come. For the next time we open our eyes Jesus will be in the clouds either at his second coming our third coming. The Bible says that 1000 years is like one day in the slight of the Lord. So although we have been living on this earth for “so long” as far as God is concerned we have not even completed one day as yet. This morning, the Lord wants us to focus our attention on being ready. “…For in an hour that we think not, the son of man cometh.” We cannot allow ourselves to become like the 5 foolish virgin. We must have the extra oil like the 5 wise virgins so that when the call is made, we are ready to go into the marriage support with the Lord. Now is not the time for us to become too preoccupied with the things of this world. While we must occupy until Jesus comes, we cannot allow ourselves to become too occupied with the earthly things. Our minds must be fixed on the second coming of Jesus. His second coming should be occupying our minds the moment we wake up and it should be occupying our minds all throughout the day. My friend there is NOTHING in this world more important that ETERNAL LIFE… NOTHING!!!! I pray that while we occupy until Jesus comes that we will put NOTHING before the preparation for the second coming of Jesus. This is what we are called to do if we want to be caught up to meet Jesus in the air at His second coming. To us who are standing on the very verge of their fulfillment, of what deep moment, what living interest, are these delineations of the things to come,--events for which, since our first parents turned their steps from Eden, Gods children have watched and waited, longed and prayed! Fellow pilgrim, we are still amid the shadows and turmoil of earthly activities; but soon our Saviour is to appear to bring deliverance and rest. Let us by faith behold the blessed hereafter, as pictured by the hand of God. He who died for the sins of the world, is opening wide the gates of Paradise to all who believe on him. Soon the battle will have been fought, the victory won. Soon we shall see him in whom our hopes of eternal life are centered. And in his presence the trials and sufferings of this life will seem as nothingness. The former things shall not be remembered, nor come into mind. Isaiah 65:17. Cast not away therefore your confidence, which hath great recompense of reward. For ye have need of patience, that, after ye have done the will of God, ye might receive the promise. For yet a little while, and he that shall come will come, and will not tarry. Hebrews 10:35-37. Israel shall be saved. . . . with an everlasting salvation: ye shall not be ashamed nor confounded world without end. Isaiah 45:17. Look up, look up, and let your faith continually increase. Let this faith guide you along the narrow path that leads through the gates of the city into the great beyond, the wide, unbounded future of glory that is for the redeemed. Be patient therefore, brethren, unto the coming of the Lord. Behold, the husbandman waiteth for the precious fruit of the earth, and hath long patience for it, until he receive the early and latter rain. Be ye also patient; stablish your hearts: for the coming of the Lord draweth nigh. James 5:7, 8. (Review and Herald, July 1, 1915 – Ellen G. White) The exact time of Christs second coming is not revealed. Jesus said, No man knoweth the day nor the hour, But he also gave signs of his coming, and said, When ye shall see all these things, know that it is near, even at the door. He bade them, as the signs of his coming should appear, Look up, and lift up your heads; for your redemption draweth nigh. And in view of these things the apostle wrote: Ye, brethren, are not in darkness, that that day should overtake you as a thief. Ye are all the children of light, and the children of the day. Since we know not the hour of Christs coming, we must live soberly and godly in this present world, looking for that blessed hope, and the glorious appearing of the great God and our Saviour Jesus Christ. Christ gave himself for us, that he might redeem us from all iniquity and purify unto himself a peculiar people, zealous of good works. His people are to preserve their peculiar character as his representatives. There is work for every one of them to do. The rich should bring their means, the honored their influence, the learned their wisdom, the poor their virtue, if they would be effective workers with God. They are to bring themselves into right relation with God, that they may reflect the light of the glory of God that shines in the face of Jesus Christ. We read of a class who put far off the day of the coming of Jesus; but upon such his coming will be as a thief in the night, and they will be suddenly overtaken with destruction. How many there are who are willing to be rocked to sleep in the cradle of carnal security; but it is time for us to wake out of sleep. Says the apostle, We are not of the night, nor of darkness. Therefore let us not sleep, as do others; but let us watch and be sober. {ST, June 24, 1889 par. 4} We should be awake to discern the signs of the times, and to give warning to the people. There are many in the world who seek to quiet the alarm of the people, who say,Peace, peace; when there is no peace; but we should take an opposite course from this. There are many who say to the aroused people, Do not disturb yourselves, go on in godlessness, go on glorifying yourselves, and living in pleasure. The day of the Lord is not at hand. Did not Christ have an object in view when he said, Behold, I come quickly? Did he not see that his church would need to keep this solemn event in mind? Shall we say with the last-day scoffers, Where is the promise of his coming? for since the fathers fell asleep, all things continue as they were from the beginning of the creation? I do not mean to be with this class. I mean to arouse men with the message of Christs near coming. (Signs of the Times, June 24, 1889 – Ellen G. White)
Posted on: Mon, 08 Dec 2014 11:17:52 +0000
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