The Hope and Darkness of Advent

Bonnie Kristian

Paris Orlando/Wikimedia Commons
December 8, 2019



Christmas is coming, but it is not yet.

Commercially, of course, this year's Christmas season is already long in the tooth. But if you are a Christian in a tradition which keeps the full Western liturgical calendar (and not all traditions do), it has yet to begin. Advent is the four Sundays before Christmas Day, the season of preparation for Christmas, for re-enacting the anticipation of God's rescue of humanity that starts with the birth of Jesus. It is a time of expectation rather than fulfillment, of longing rather than joy. It is the season for waiting.

Coming to this as we do, two millennia after the fact, it is difficult — for me, anyway — to feel this wait as real. I can't pretend I don't know the end of the story. I've heard its spoilers my whole life. And I am not by nature sentimental: The Christmas tree in our home is a concession to my marriage, not something I'd bother with on my own. (Among my earliest memories is when, at 3, I took my mother up on her threat to cancel Christmas if I continued to refuse to dress for the Christmas Eve service — and considered it a fair bargain.) But while I struggle to share in the Advent wait for Christ's first coming, I have no such difficulty participating in its dual anticipation of his return. And the yearning that entails is a yearning I think we all share, whether or not you're a Christian in an Advent tradition, or even a Christian at all.


It is, most basically, a yearning for justice. I don't mean the unsatisfactory justice we habitually encounter, the justice of courts and cops and prison. I don't mean anything so empty as retribution, which as the subject of yearning nearly always takes the uglier form of revenge.

The justice Christians hope for in the return of Jesus is far more than that. It is no sterile terror, no cruel machine that gnaws the innocent and guilty alike. It is the sense — more than that, the reality — that all is as it should be. It is as small as a perfect dinner with loved ones and as grand as the greatest wrongs of history coming under divine judgment, their victims finally, fully made whole. It is God dwelling among his people on a renewed Earth, where "there will be no more death or mourning or crying or pain, for the old order of things has passed away." It is the redemption of everything, not only humanity, as "creation itself will be liberated from its bondage to decay and brought into the freedom and glory of the children of God."

It is an end to war and terrorism and abuse, yes, but also to the suffering of animals and the disfigurement of our planet. It is the realization of our hope that darkness will be broken by light, that death, evil, and oppression will not have the final word.

It may be tempting, when reading this, to say, "Well, that's all very nice, and naturally I would like that too, but that's not the real world. It's just a fairy tale for adults, or perhaps a falsely pious excuse to avoid the work of justice now, to imagine a future when God fixes it all for us so we are not responsible for fixing it ourselves." And that reaction would be very understandable, because too often Christians have used our expectation of Jesus returning in exactly that manner. There are even distorted theologies which explicitly make this move, condoning callousness about poverty because, in this age, "the poor you will always have with you" or dismissing concern over environmental destruction because "the Earth is going to be all burned up anyway. It's in the Bible."


But it's not, not like that, anyway. What the Bible describes, albeit in poetic, apocalyptic language very difficult for us to read in a culture which has lost the genre of apocalypse, is not "the abandonment of the present world, but rather its fulfillment," as N.T. Wright, a New Testament scholar who is among the most important living Christian theologians, has explained. "You don't liberate something by destroying it," Wright continues. "All the beauty, all the goodness, all the pulsating life of the present creation, is to be enhanced, lifted to a new level, in the world that is to be. ... [So] there is a strong incentive to work, in the present, to anticipate the new world in every possible way."

The occupation of those who live in this hope of justice is not to muck things up so God has more to make right. It is to work with God toward that good end, to act now, insofar as it is possible, as the sort of people we will be then. And I'd submit the appeal of this narrative is not an item of evidence for its falsehood: If the hope Advent offers is real, we would quite expect to find a longing for it in every human heart.

Advent, then, is a season of hope and darkness. It is a season which looks unflinchingly at the evil that now besets us and stubbornly insists its days are numbered. And then the joy of Christmas comes, bringing with it a gaiety which, T.S. Eliot tells us, must "not be forgotten in later experience/In the bored habituation, the fatigue, the tedium/The awareness of death, the consciousness of failure," so that our "accumulated memories of annual emotion/May be concentrated into a great joy/Which shall be also a great fear, as on the occasion/When fear came upon every soul:/Because the beginning shall remind us of the end/And the first coming of the second coming."

Christmas is coming, but it is not yet. Advent bids us wait, declaring justice is not yet either, but it will just as surely come.

Santa Claus Isn't Coming - Jesus Christ Is Coming!

Christmas

what's the real reason for the season?

Today in America, nearly everyone celebrates Christmas. But the real reason for the season seems to have been forgotten by many. So what's Christmas really all about? 

Christmas celebrates the birth of Jesus over 2,000 years ago:

"And she shall bring forth a son, and thou shalt call his name JESUS: for he 

shall save his people from their sins."  Matt. 1:21

Everyone has sinned and is in need of a Savior.

"For all have sinned, and come short of the glory of God" 

Rom. 3:23

That includes sins like lying (Ex.20:15), lusting (Mat 5:28),

using God's name in vain (Ex 20:7), and many other sins.

The punishment for our sin is death.

"For the wages of sin is death; but the gift of God is eternal life

through Jesus Christ our Lord." Rom 6:23

Jesus died in our place to save us from the 

punishment we deserve.

"He himself bore our sins in his body on the cross, that we might

die to sin and live to righteousness. By his wounds you have

been healed." 1Peter 2:24

What must I do to be saved?

"If thou shalt confess with they mouth the Lord Jesus, and shalt believe in thine heart 

that God hath raised him from the dead, thou shalt be saved." Rom 10:9

Turkey's Invasion of Syria

This is a video by Joel Richardson who has been studying eschatology for many years and has been visiting the Middle East regularly.  I wholeheartedly agree with him concerning our allegiance to Jesus, not a political party or ideology.  Let us be "wise as serpents and harmless as doves" Matt 10:16

Packed and Ready?

Billy Graham, Sept 1969

Fully Known and Truly Loved

John Piper

Jesus knows us fully and completely. He knows us better than we know ourselves. And He loves us - truly, fully and completely.  Have you surrendered your life to Him? Have you put your trust in Him? Will you spend eternity with Him?

What If Jesus Comes Tomorrow?

Where Are You Going?

Sermon by Bill Warren, Oct 13, 2019 (click here)

Ceaseless Prayer in the Church

By J. Mike Minnix
Bible Book: Isaiah 62 : 6-7

On your walls, O Jerusalem,
I have set watchmen;
all the day and all the night
they shall never be silent.
You who put the Lord in remembrance,
take no rest,
and give him no rest
until he establishes Jerusalem
and makes it a praise in the earth.

Introduction
I want to speak to you today on the subject of prayer, especially the effective prayer of God’s people when they join together on bended knee to call upon the Lord. It is a strange thing, but a very real one, that most of us will depend on our wisdom, experience, education, contacts, positions of power, and anything else at our disposal in God’s work until we find ourselves unable to move forward. Then, and only then, we will say, “I guess we had better pray about this situation.” If only we began with prayer, continued in prayer, and surrendered through prayer, we would find that the work never comes to an impasse. When we depend on ourselves, we get exactly what we are able to do. In a world of spiritual conflict, we will quickly discover that we have no power at all without God’s work in and through us. So, I want us to think about prayer and the work of God’s Church.

In Isaiah 62:6 and following, we find a very interesting passage of scripture that points clearly to the Church of our Lord. In this chapter, it is Christ who is speaking. He is speaking not just to Judah but to the Church. Why do I say that this word was spoken, not just to Judah, but to the Church – even though it was spoken seven-hundred years before the Church appeared on the earth? We see that this text refers to the Church in its use of the marriage analogy in verses 4 and 5. We further observe this truth in the words of verse 10 where the banner is raised for the nations to come. Only in Christ did the nations come to God's kingdom. The clear picture of the Church is seen in verses 11 and 12 where the "Holy People" and "Redeemed of the Lord" are mentioned. The "City No Longer Deserted" can be none other than the New Jerusalem of Revelation.

The fact that this passage is addressed to the Church takes on deeper meaning when we investigate the significance it has for us today. Let us begin at verse 6 and learn something about the power and peace of prevailing prayer in the New Testament Church.

I. THE POSTING - ISAIAH 62:6A

In verses 6 we notice that God has posted some people on the wall of the city, whom He calls “watchmen.” What was a watchman? In the days of old, people lived within walled cities. Unlike people in our day, who like to live in the suburbs of larger cities rather than in the city proper, the people in ancient times wanted to live with the city itself. Why? Because the city was surrounded by walls which protected the inhabitants from bands of enemies, barbarians and terrorists who desired to kill anyone in their path and steal everything of value.

Watchmen were placed on the walls to protect the citizens inside the city gates. If trouble inside or outside the walls was spotted, a watchman would call for the captain of the guard who would bring soldiers to defend the city against any threat.

How does the analogy of the watchman apply to the Church? In just this way. God has chosen to use prayer as his method of sending out an alarm or call for help. He places believers on the wall of prayer and tells us to cry out when something is amiss. Who do we call? There is no human army that can deal with the spiritual assaults which are mounted against God’s people – against the Church of our Lord! No, we can call on no other than the Captain of our Salvation - our precious Lord - to come to our rescue. Thus, God places believers on the wall of prayer to call out to Him!

We need to note two important characteristics regarding the posting of the watchers on the wall of prayer.

A. The Personal Commission ... By the Lord

Remember, we need to see that is it our Lord – Jesus, Himself - speaking in the passage before us. He says, "I have posted watchmen on your walls...". The Lord is the One who has chosen to use prayer as a means of accomplishing His work. We can never fully understand how prayer works. I am convinced that we are not to understand prayer but simply undertake prayer and then we will see God work through it!

Jesus is our Master. We are not to question Him but simply to act in faith. Jesus once made mud from the mixture of His saliva and the dust of the ground. He put the strange concoction on the eyes of a blind man and told him to go wash in the pool of Siloam. The order seemed ridiculous, but nevertheless the poor blind man obeyed and received His sight! Our duty is to do what He tells us and to trust fully in His power to accomplish the promises He has made.

B. The Positional Condition ... In the Lord

But we must note another important feature of the posting of the watchers. God only commissions prayer for those who are in Christ. We see this in the fact that He is addressing those who are united to Him through marriage. Look more closely at Isaiah 62:4 and 5. Surely this imagery signifies the manner in which the Lord speaks of His Church in the New Testament. This portion of scripture is prophetic and powerful. The Lord loves the Church as a bridegroom loves his bride. Jesus is the Bridegroom of the Church and the Church is the Bride of Christ!

Many times God addresses the important aspect of our union with the Savior in the Scriptures. Note at least five of these occasions.

1. Matrimonial Example
Bride wed to the Bridegroom (Isaiah 62:5 et al) - Christ the Bridegroom

2. Biological Example
Members of the Body (Eph. 4:15‑16) ‑ Christ the Head

3. Horticultural Example
Branches in the Vine (John 15:5) ‑ Christ the Stem

4. Architectural Example
Stones in the Building (Eph. 2:20‑22) ‑ Christ the Corner

5. Zoological Example
Sheep of a Flock (Acts 20:28) ‑ Christ the Shepherd

Only those who have accepted Christ as Savior and, thus, have been united with Him can offer effective prayers. It is not enough to know about Him. It is not enough to simply believe that he exists. After all, the devils believe in God and tremble at His power, but they cannot pray. No, you must be born again through a personal encounter and relationship with Christ in order to minister through prayer.

II. THE PRAYING OF THE WATCHERS - Isaiah 62:6b-7a

What is it that the Christians posted on the wall are to do? They are to call to God in the face of the enemies of the Church and our souls. In fact, this is just another way of saying that we are to pray fervently. This is God's command to us. God has chosen to hear prayer and to act when His people pray. Prayer is not something we fully understand but when we undertake to pray as we are instructed we discover the power and wonder in it. Note two significant facts about the praying of the watchers.

A. The Constant Work

The work of praying on the wall is to be constant. The Lord says we are to never be silent in this operation. How is this possible? I cannot pray day and night. I must sleep. I must work and sometimes my work will demand concentration which will not allow me to pray. How can I do this thing which the Lord requests?

Remember that watchmen served in turns. That is, some people served while others went about their other duties. Then they exchanged positions. People in the military serve on guard duty, but a soldier does not stay out on duty for eight hours. Rather, a soldier will be on duty two hours, and then off duty for four hours. So, the soldiers take turns guarding their post.

This is precisely the way God meant for us to pray. In fact, I’m proposing that we begin a Prayer Wall Ministry [This was a plan I used in First Baptist Church, Lilburn, Metro Atlanta, Georgia in 1994], as some other churches are doing, so that we can have continual prayer going up to God from our church family. Each person is being asked to take an hour on watch per week. During that specific hour, you will pray and call upon God in behalf of the many needs which can be observed all around us. If one-hundred and sixty-eight people would agree to take one hour each, we could pray without ceasing as a church family. With our attendance, there is no reason we cannot have two or more people for each hour of each day per week calling on the Lord. We can be engaged in the constant work of praying around the clock.

B. The Calling Work

The praying of the watchers was also to be a calling on the Lord in which we take no rest nor give God any rest. What an interesting way for the Lord to summon us to prayer. We are to remind God; that is the fullest meaning of our text. The Hebrew word means to be a remembrancer.

Does God need reminding? Has He some form of cosmic, celestial Alzheimer’s disease? God does not need reminding, but He has chosen to work based on the remembered promises which His people claim before Him. Does this mean that God may not work if we do not remind Him of some promise? Precisely! You will remember that Jesus once went to minister in Galilee but could not do many mighty miracles there because of their unbelief (Mark 6:4-6). God has linked Himself in some spiritual manner to the prayers and faith of His people. For us to fail to prayer is in essence to pray to fail!

We are to remind God of His promises. This is not so that God will remember His promises, it is so that we will remember and claim those promises which God has made to us!

III. THE PROMISES TO THE WATCHERS - ISAIAH 62:7B

God has made specific promises to those who will mount the walls of prayer. These promises should grip our hearts and cause us to sprint to the walls of prayer.
A. Protection so that the Enemy may not Steal our Work

Verses 6 through 9 tell us that the hand of God will be granted to us when we pray. For what purpose will God's hand be extended? So that the enemy can no longer steal the fruit of our work! Nothing is worse than laboring faithfully and then finding that Satan has stolen the fruit of our work. That is what happened in the days of Isaiah. The people planted their crops, weeded them and watered them faithfully. They worked in the hot sun for hours each day to insure a good crop. Then, when the crop was ready for harvest, an enemy would come along and steal their crops from the field. That is what Satan wants to do today! We must so pray that God will extend His hand of provision and block the enemy from stealing that which God has granted.

B. Proclamation so that the Enemy may not Suppress our Witness

Furthermore, God promises to open a highway of proclamation so that the enemy cannot stifle our witness. What good is our testimony for Christ, unless God's Spirit administers it to the hearer? Satan would love for us to witness in the flesh for he knows that such evangelism is infertile and in vain! Let us ascend the walls of prayer so that each witness will have God's touch of power upon it. Then the lost will come weeping and will turn to Christ. Before another teenage suicide, before another broken family, before another soul plunges into hell, let us pray and not be silent even as God has commanded.

C. Preservation so that the enemy may not Stop our Worship

That which is described in the final verses of Isaiah chapter 62 relates to the return of Christ. He will come with His reward. What shall we do on that day? In the Book of Revelation we read the record of those events. Chapter 4 of Revelation tells us that we shall receive crowns but we shall cast them at His feet. Chapter five tells us that we shall sing a song of praise to the Lamb. We shall praise Him forevermore. Here our praise is deep and real, but it is tempered with the trials and tribulations of our flesh. One day we shall praise Him freely and forever. We shall never grow weary or need rest from giving Him glory!

Conclusion

What is needed is a commitment to obey our Lord in this matter. We must take our place upon the wall of pray so that we are never silent and we call to Him day and night! It will make a difference in our Work, a difference in our Witness and a difference in our Worship now and forever.

Moses prayed for the Lord not to consume the people when they had sinned. He reminded God of His great mercy (Numbers 11:1-2).

Samuel told the people that he would not sin against the Lord by failing to pray for them (1 Samuel 12:23-25).

Daniel prayed for the people (Daniel 9:17-19).

Stephen prayed as he died for the people who stoned him (Acts 7:60).

Paul prayed for Israel to be saved (Romans 9:2).

Christ intercedes for us before the throne of the Father (Hebrews 7:25).

The Holy Spirit is always available to help us when we pray (Romans 8:25).

We cannot work till we pray, but we can do mighty work after we pray! So let us join the saints of old and be a people of prayer. Let us join our blessed Savior in the act of intercession. Let us cooperate with the Holy Spirit in the matter of true prayer!

Someone here today needs to pray a prayer of repentance from sin and faith in Christ. If that is your need, when we sing in moment, you can come and one of our counselors will pray with you.

I’m asking for you as members to come and pick up a card this morning. Take it home and commit to the Lord to take one hour a week to pray, so that we fill every hour of every day to lift up prayers to the Lord. Turn in your card in the next four weeks and we will begin to fill in each hour for each day.

Charles Spurgeon once said, “I would rather teach one man to pray than 10 men to preach." Andrew Murray wrote, “The man who mobilizes the Christian church to pray will make the greatest contribution to world evangelization in history.”

[Our church filled every hour of every day for an entire year - in that year our church prayed around the clock. Those praying did not have to come to the church – they prayed wherever they were at their given hour of commitment. We also offered prayer guides to help those who struggled with praying. In that year and a couple of years afterward, we saw incredible growth in spirit and in numbers, and broke the all-time record for baptisms in our church. A couple of years later we entered into a Prayer Partner Ministry, and once again we saw remarkable results. I encourage every pastor to lead your people to be a praying congregation. No plan or program can be what God intends without persistent, believing, dedicated prayer.]

Who Are Today's Watchmen?

 by Darris McNeely 

In ancient times, watchmen stood guard on a city's walls to see to the welfare of its citizens and to warn of coming trouble. Who is to do that job today in a dangerous world moving closer to the crisis of the close of the age?

Do we sigh and cry for the moral condition of our nation? Do we see the world through God’s eyes and understand how far people have strayed from His righteous commandments?

Through Isaiah the prophet, God promises the watchful eye of servants who will hold day and night vigils for the peace of Jerusalem and its inhabitants:

“I have set watchmen on your walls, O Jerusalem; they shall never hold their peace day or night. You who make mention of the Lord, do not keep silent, and give Him no rest till He establishes and till He makes Jerusalem a praise in the earth” (Isaiah 62:6-7).

God charges this group to watch for the safety of the city and its citizens.

Walking in God’s laws and instruction insulates us from the course of the world and its deceptions.

These special servants understand the dangers of the present world. They see the dark clouds gathering on the world’s horizon and are moved to proclaim a warning message to all who will hear.

The message would also include teaching the way to personal peace for those who listen. It will show the true teaching of God and the way to salvation. It will show how one could choose to escape the judgment God will bring on the world.

Do you see yourself in this group of watchmen? Is there a role for you among those who watch today’s world and yearn to make it better? Putting a number of scriptural commands and principles together, it becomes clear that today’s true Christians are meant to shoulder this grave responsibility now in the last days. We are to share in the role of standing vigil like a watchman of old, and showing the way forward through the suffering and evil in much of our world.
Sigh and cry

We saw in part 1 of this article that Ezekiel was set as a watchman to the house of Israel (Ezekiel 3). God took Ezekiel in vision back to Jerusalem to observe the lifestyle of those Jews who were left behind when Nebuchadnezzar captured the city and took many captive to Babylon.

It seems that the majority of the populace had not learned from the many warnings to change their wicked ways. In Jerusalem the people continued to worship false gods and strange customs completely different from what God had given their forefathers. Violence was an everyday occurrence.

While in the temple—the heart of the city and the place representative of the presence of God—Ezekiel saw six men (angels actually) approach, each carrying a battle-ax. Another angel had a writer’s inkhorn; they all came and stood beside the altar (Ezekiel 9:1-2).

Next, God “called to the man clothed with linen, who had the writer’s inkhorn at his side; and the Lord said to him, ‘Go through the midst . . . of Jerusalem, and put a mark on the foreheads of the men who sigh and cry over all the abominations that are done within it’ ” (Ezekiel 9:3-4).

God was going to send the six angels through the city to kill the disobedient. But those who were not caught up in sin and rebellion against God would be spared. Those who prayed from a heart sick with grief over the state of society were granted a mark that protected them from God’s judgment.

What was their distinguishing feature? Their active concern for the moral and ethical condition of the society. God honored that attitude.

Does this describe you or me? Do we sigh and cry for the moral condition of our nation? Do we see the world through God’s eyes and understand how far people have strayed from His righteous commandments?

If so, then we have a duty to help others understand what is coming when God sets His hand in judgment on the nations.
A national affliction

Today America and Great Britain stand at a crossroads. For more than 200 years they have dominated the world in virtually every arena. As Great Britain retreated from its empire after World War II, America was there to take its place and continue the legacy set by the English through their peak years.

But America’s dominant power is under siege from many sectors. Its will to stay the course in Iraq is being tested, its military machine strained under the pressure of the extended fighting. Though it is the primary engine for the world’s economy, a weakened dollar and a trade balance deficit are both troubling indicators of a major crisis ahead.

God warns us through the message of the prophets that sins will demand a day of reckoning. People cannot continue worshiping the false gods of materialism and self, blindly stumbling along in their own righteousness, and expect their affluent standard of living to continue.

God’s Word confirms there will be an accounting; the lesson of history is that any people who corrupt their moral core will eventually fade from power. God calls on America and Great Britain to wake up, acknowledge their sins and repent before national calamity descends on them.
“Do this and live”

Amos the prophet walked into the city of Samaria, capital of the northern kingdom of Israel, and boldly told the king and city leaders to repent or face captivity at the hands of the Assyrians. He pointed to neighboring states that had fallen and said, “You are no better than they were.”

He rebuked those who did not want to hear a “message of doom.” To those who stocked their homes with the finest luxury goods and gourmet foods, trusting that affluence was a sign of God’s blessing, he said, “Don’t trust in materialism.” The citizenry, at all levels, looked only to their comfort and ease and did not grieve “for the affliction of Joseph” (Amos 6:6).

Those who “grieve” and “sigh and cry” over societal sins are called to a unique role. They are part of God’s elect, called to the duty of proclaiming the announcement of the Kingdom of God. That message includes the good news of Jesus Christ’s return to restore all things (see Acts 3:19-21). The message also contains a warning to repent and receive God’s blessing or ignore the warning and face the judgment of God. It is a double-edged message—plain-spoken, yet full of hope.

Fulfilling this role requires courage, perseverance and a love for the people addressed. One of the best examples of this was the prophet Jeremiah. Jeremiah spent more than 40 years in the role of a watchman to the nation of Judah, urging people to heed his warnings and return to the ways of God.

Notice this passage: “Stand in the ways and see, and ask for the old paths, where the good way is, and walk in it; then you will find rest for your souls. But they said, ‘We will not walk in it’ ” (Jeremiah 6:16).

God’s main message throughout the Bible is to return to His paths, His teachings, as the solution for the suffering and pain of human life. “Do this and live,” He says.

Jeremiah and others like him have stood in the role of a watchman. “Also, I set watchmen over you, saying, ‘Listen to the sound of the trumpet!’ But they said, ‘We will not listen.’ Therefore hear, you nations … Behold, I will certainly bring calamity on this people —the fruit of their thoughts, because they have not heeded My words nor My law, but rejected it” (Jeremiah 6:17-19).
Today’s watchmen

Examining the concept of watching in the New Testament helps to complete the picture of this role. The Greek word gregoreo, translated as “watch,” means to keep awake, to watch and to take heed. Through neglect or laziness we could let down and be overcome with sin, or a sudden calamity could overwhelm us spiritually.

Notice in Mark 13:32-37, in Jesus’ prophecy of the end time, that He urges His disciples three times to “watch” during the times leading to His second coming. The emphasis is on a personal watch through prayer to know the times.

By prayer and righteous living, we stay tuned to Jesus Christ. Through this way of life one can discern the moral climate of the times and avoid being tossed around with every shifting ideology of modern culture. Walking in God’s laws and instruction insulates us from the course of the world and its deceptions.

Revelation 16 describes a massive end-time deception perpetrated by Satan and demons that work through the human instruments called “the Beast” and “the False Prophet” (Revelation 16:13). Their influence gathers the leaders of the earth “to the battle of that great day of God Almighty . . . to the place called in Hebrew, Armageddon” (Revelation 16:14-16).

In our fascination over these otherworldly figures, we can easily skip over Christ’s charge: “Behold, I am coming as a thief”—suddenly and unexpectedly. “Blessed is he who watches, and keeps his garments, lest he walk naked and they see his shame” (Revelation 16:15, emphasis added throughout).

Jesus pronounces a blessing for those who, during mankind’s darkest moment, watch. That is, they are living prudently and properly. The natural by-product of this close relationship with God is being alert to religious deception. Those who frame their life around the coming Kingdom of God will watch and keep themselves from the wiles of the devil.

This is the end result of fulfilling the role of a watchman within the Body of Christ—to be found standing in the faith, blessed of God at the dawn of His Kingdom on this earth.

Our world is moving toward this time of global cataclysm. Revelation 16 describes a future moment when people will be caught up in events engineered through the Beast and False Prophet. The former is a political leader of compelling personality and ability; and the other, a religious leader unlike any in modern times.Together they will convince armies to move toward Jerusalem to fight Jesus Christ at His coming.
Warning and hope

This is a time for the watchmen to mount the walls and sound a clear, unmistakable warning message of the dangers facing not just the English-speaking peoples but also the whole world. It is a time to make known the hope of the coming Kingdom of God.

Isaiah’s message stands bright and clear today: “How beautiful upon the mountains are the feet of him who brings good news, who proclaims peace, who brings glad tidings of good things, who proclaims salvation, who says to Zion, ‘Your God reigns!’ Your watchmen shall lift up their voices, with their voices they shall sing together; for they shall see eye to eye when the Lord brings back Zion” (Isaiah 52:7).

Come, take your place on the walls, work for the Kingdom and pray for its speedy arrival!

Purpose in Anticipation

(excerpt from Josh Buish article) 

Do you often consider the simple conversations that you have on a daily basis? What about that person that you talked with on the subway this week? What about the Uber driver that you talked with last week? What about the person in the coffee shop who talked with you as you waited on your Frappuccino to be served? The God who rules the Universe also directs the steps of us all—and there is no “chance” conversation that we have in a single day.

If we anticipate the return of Jesus—it will change how we look at such conversations, friendships, family connections, and work relationships. We will look at people through an eschatological lens and our conversations will suddenly have a much deeper purpose. We should not look at people as “projects” or opportunities for notches in our evangelistic belts, but a proper anticipation of Jesus’ return will cause us to engage in disciple-making at a much deeper level.

Furthermore, as we anticipate the return of Christ it will often redirect our priorities to be less self-focused and more Kingdom-focused. Why would we pile up resources to use for our own pleasure and temporal joys when the world needs to know the true joy of Jesus Christ? Longing for the return of Christ doesn’t make you hate taking vacations, but it will certainly prevent you from wasting your resources without any care for the lost world that is perishing around you.

We live in-between the already and the not-yet reality of the rule of Jesus. While Jesus has defeated death and paid for the sins of all of his people, we still live in the world of brokenness and sin. Such reality is heavy and burdensome at times. But, we live with hope of a Christian that Jesus rules today from heaven’s throne and that he will one day return in visible victory for the whole world to see. When Christ returns—all things will be made new.

Witnessing 101

Most Americans, when asked, will say they are Christian. They grew up believing they are Christian. They may have gone to church on Easter, Christmas and even a few times in-between. They believe in God, they've heard of Jesus, too. They even know some of the Bible stories like Jonah and the whale; Moses; and Noah's Ark. I mean, if you had to pick a religion and you had been raised this way, you would say you are a Christian, right? That's what I said. That's what I believed. That's how I raised you. I was wrong. Really wrong. And I need to tell you why . . .. . . . . . .

This is a pamphlet written by me to my son many years ago.  I used it as a witnessing tool to help explain to him what Jesus did for us and what it means to accept Christ and follow him.  Since then I have sent it to many of my friends and family.  It's a great tool and a way to reach loved ones that may be a distance from you.  You can order it here:

The Book Patch

Maranatha

Some of you may remember Joel Richardson from his visit to Salisbury many years ago.  He had just written a couple of books on Islam and End Times and was so interesting to listen to and learn from.  He has gone on to write many more books, take trips to distant lands and even make a couple of films.  The lastest movie is called Sheep Among Wolves Part II.  I believe it may have just come out - here's the trailer:

I love how Joel reminds us that while Islam may be a CHALLENGE, it is not a threat.  God is greater than Satan and Islam and He WILL have the final word!  Praise Him!!!

Oh, yes, the film is out - here it is:

What God Says to Your Tears

Article by
Scott Hubbard
Editor, desiringGod.org


For centuries, Christians have called this world a “valley of tears.”

Yes, Christ has come. Yes, he is risen. And yes, he will come again. But still we mourn and ache and weep — and walk alongside those who mourn and ache and weep. We plod through the valley with hearts heavy laden, grieving for any one of a thousand reasons: our depressed children, our distant spouses, our dashed hopes, our deceased loved ones, our ruinous sin.
“The God of all comfort keeps watch over your weeping.”

Sometimes, we cry because life’s sorrows have become chronic, filling our life like unwelcome houseguests who just won’t leave. Other times, we cry because some unexpected misery lands like a meteor and carves a crater in our soul. And still other times, we cry and don’t know quite why; the grief evades description and analysis.

To such mourners, the Bible’s message is not to dry up your tears. No, the Bible says weeping is typical of life in the valley, and its message to mourners is much more sympathetic — and much more steadying.
“I See Them”

Not one sparrow falls to the ground apart from God’s notice (Matthew 10:29), and neither does one of your tears.

When Hagar lifted up her voice in the wilderness of Beersheba, God drew near (Genesis 21:17). When Hannah wept bitterly outside the temple of the Lord, God noticed and remembered (1 Samuel 1:10, 17). When David became weary with moaning, God didn’t become weary with listening (Psalm 6:6–9).

The God of all comfort keeps watch over your weeping. He gathers up all your tears and puts them in his bottle (Psalm 56:8). Like a mother sitting beside her child’s sickbed, God marks every sigh of discomfort and pain. No matter how much of your anguish has gone unnoticed by others, not one moment has escaped the attention of the God who neither slumbers nor sleeps (Psalm 121:4).

As God says to King Hezekiah, so he could say to each of his children, “I have heard your prayer; I have seen your tears” (2 Kings 20:5).
“I Care About Them”

Many of us feel ashamed of our tears, especially if others see them. In a culture that prizes strength and grows uncomfortable with prolonged grieving, many of us respond to our own tears with a hasty wipe of the sleeve and a quick “Get over it.”

Not so with God, whose fatherly compassion compels him to draw near to the brokenhearted and bind up their wounds (Psalm 147:3). The God who said, “Blessed are you who weep now” (Luke 6:21) will not reproach you for the tears you shed as you walk through the ruins of our broken world.
“God will not reproach you for the tears you shed as you walk through the ruins of our broken world.”

When Jesus joined a crowd outside the town of Nain and watched a widow weep over her son’s body, “he had compassion on her” (Luke 7:13). Later, when Mary fell apart at Jesus’s feet over the death of her brother, the man of sorrows went one step further: “Jesus wept” (John 11:35). Jesus had compassion, and Jesus wept — even though Jesus was about to speak the word to snatch them both back from death (Luke 7:14; John 11:43).

Just because Jesus loves us and knows how to fix our problems doesn’t mean he takes a shortcut through our grief. The same one who raises the dead first stops to linger with us in our sorrow — to climb down into our valley of tears and walk alongside us.

To be sure, not all tears awaken our Lord’s compassion. God has little patience when we weep in misery over the idols he removes from us, as when Israel preferred Egypt’s meat to God’s presence (Numbers 11:4–10). But every tear you shed in faith — shattered but trusting, gutted but believing — has this banner hanging over it: “The Lord is near to the brokenhearted” (Psalm 34:18).
“I Will Turn Them into Shouts of Joy”

A few hours before Jesus was betrayed, tried, beaten, and crucified, he told his disciples, “Truly, truly, I say to you, you will weep and lament, but the world will rejoice. You will be sorrowful, but your sorrow will turn into joy” (John 16:20). Sorrow and sighing will flee. Tears will dry up. Grief will lose its grip. So it was for Jesus’s disciples, when a resurrection sunrise scattered the shadows from their hearts. And so it is for every child of God.

Every tear you shed is preparing for you “an eternal weight of glory beyond all comparison” (2 Corinthians 4:17). Every drop of agony and heartache sinks down into the ground like a seed, waiting to sprout up into an oak of laughter.
“The same one who raises the dead stops to linger with us in our sorrow, to climb down into our valley of tears.”

Maybe that sounds impossible. Maybe you wonder, “How could this sorrow, this heartache, this grief ever give way to joy?” That’s alright if you can’t understand the howright now. God’s ways are often too high and too marvelous for us to grasp. But can you believe — in hope against hope — that what is impossible with man is possible with God (Luke 18:27; Romans 4:18)?

Believing that God will turn our tears into shouts of joy does not mean that we no longer grieve. But it does mean that we cling to him through the pain, and let every calamity crash us into his arms. And that we learn to lament to God instead of curse his name.

We’ll keep reading our Bibles, even when we feel dead to God’s word. We’ll keep on crying out to God, even when he feels deaf to us. We’ll keep on gathering with God’s people, even when they don’t understand what we’re going through. We’ll keep on serving others, even while we carry our sorrow wherever we go. And we’ll keep on sowing the seeds of truth and grace into our barren souls, waiting for the day when God takes us home.
“I Will Wipe Them All Away”

As Andrew Peterson sings in “After the Last Tear Falls,”

In the end, . . .
We’ll see how the tears that have fallen
Were caught in the palms of the Giver of love and the Lover of all.
And we’ll look back on these tears as old tales.

Our weeping may tarry for a long, long night. As long as we journey through this valley, we will be vulnerable to the assaults of loss and disappointment and death. But joy will come in the morning, when God turns this valley of tears into a city of everlasting joy.
“God will turn this valley of tears into a city of everlasting joy.”

In that day, God himself will stoop down to each of his grieving children and — somehow, someway — he will dry up tears forever. “He will wipe away every tear from their eyes, and death shall be no more, neither shall there be mourning, nor crying, nor pain anymore, for the former things have passed away” (Revelation 21:4).

And then your cracked and weary voice will swell to a shout as you testify with heaven’s multitudes, “You have delivered my soul from death, my eyes from tears, my feet from stumbling; I will walk before the Lord in the land of the living” (Psalm 116:8–9).

And in a moment, tears will become the stuff of old tales.

Dr. Tony Evans

(click on it)

Pursuing Your Heavenly Citizenship

A Classic Billy Graham

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The Second Coming

So Will I

It's NOT Too Late!!!!

If you haven't accepted Jesus Christ as your Lord and Savior, it's not too late.  One day it will be and if you want to know more, listen to Dr. Graham's sermon on Revelation 6:9-17 here.

This is an excellent talk to send to any nonbeliever you might know.  Jesus will return soon - have we done all he asked us to do?  I know I haven't.

All Things New

Jack Graham

How to Live in the Last Days

by Jack Graham

How should a Christian view climate change?

Question: "How should a Christian view climate change? What does the Bible say about climate change?"  (from Gotquestions.org)


Answer: It is interesting to note how the phrase "climate change" is replacing "global warming" as the catch phrase of environmentalism. Some scientists/climatologists are certain that human activity, primarily greenhouse gas emissions, is impacting the environment. What they are not certain about is precisely what the impact will be. A couple of decades ago, "global cooling" was the fear, with warnings of a new ice age being the primary scare tactic. While most scientists/climatologists today believe that global warming is the primary risk, uncertainty has led to "climate change" being used as a less specific warning. Essentially, the climate change message is this: greenhouse gas emissions are damaging the environment, and, while we are not certain what the effect will be, we know it will be bad.

Climatologists, ecologists, geologists, etc., are unanimous in recognizing that the earth has gone through significant temperature/climate changes in the past. Despite the fact that these climate changes were obviously not caused by human activity, many of these same scientists are convinced that human activity is the primary cause of climate change today. Why? There seem to be three primary motivations.

First, some truly and fully believe the greenhouse gas emissions are causing climate change. They honestly examine the data and come to that conclusion. Second, some hold to the climate change mindset with an almost religious fervor. Many within the environmentalist movement are so obsessed with protecting "Mother Earth" that they will use any argument to accomplish that goal, no matter how biased and unbalanced it is. Third, some promote the climate change mentality for financial gain. Some of the strongest proponents of climate change legislation are those who stand to have the greatest financial gain from "green" laws and technologies. Before the climate change mindset is accepted, it should be recognized that not everyone who promotes climate change is doing so from an informed foundation and pure motives.

How, then, should a Christian view climate change? We should view it skeptically and critically, but at the same time honestly and respectfully. Most importantly, though, Christians should look at climate change biblically. What does the Bible say about climate change? Not much. Likely the closest biblical examples of what could be considered climate change would be the end times disasters prophesied in Revelation 6–18. Yet these prophecies have nothing to do with greenhouse gas emissions; rather, they are the result of the wrath of God, pouring out justice on an increasingly wicked world. Also, a Christian must remember that God is in control and that this world is not our home. God will one day erase this current universe (2 Peter 3:7-12) and replace it with the New Heavens and New Earth (Revelation 21–22). How much effort should be made "saving" a planet that God is eventually going to obliterate and replace with a planet so amazing and wonderful that the current earth pales in comparison?

Is there anything wrong with going green? No, of course not. Is trying to reduce your carbon footprint a good thing? Probably so. Are solar panels, wind mills, and other renewable energy sources worth pursuing? Of course. Are any of these things to be the primary focus of followers of Jesus Christ? Absolutely not! As Christians, our focus should be proclaiming the truth of the gospel, the message that has the power to save souls. Saving the planet is not within our power or responsibility. Climate change may or may not be real, and may or may not be human-caused. What we can know for certain is that God is good and sovereign, and that Planet Earth will be our habitat for as long as God desires it to be. Psalm 46:2-3, "Therefore we will not fear, though the earth give way and the mountains fall into the heart of the sea, though its waters roar and foam and the mountains quake with their surging."

Another Political Season

Another election season has begun and it's no surprise that it's as contentious and pugnacious as ever.  And it will continue to worsen until the day of the election (and maybe even after as we saw this past election).  

We call ourselves a Christian country - or at least a majority Christian - and yet the behavior on both sides is anything but Christian.  Accusations, name calling, screaming and even calls for violence are an everyday occurrence.  Somehow we feel justified doing all these things and more.  The division is increasing and turning into pure hatred.  While we used to respectfully disagree with the "other side," now each side feels so righteous in their beliefs that they feel the need to demonize the other side.  No longer is there a sharing of ideas or a healthy debate where debaters leave the room shaking hands and slapping backs. 

Brothers and sisters, stop.  Stop this behavior which is anything but Christ-like.  Stop acting like the world is going to end because the other side won the election.  Stop calling names, making unsubstantiated accusations, being disrespectful and worse.  We have a system in place and we work through the system to accomplish our goals in an orderly and lawful way.  And when the other side wins, we take a couple of days to lick our wounds but then we are supposed to be gracious (remember who showed us mercy and grace??) and respectful.  There will be another election to try and be persuasive - unless Jesus comes for His bride before the election and that's even better!!!

Perhaps we aren't opening our Bibles enough and remembering God's instructions. 

Let everyone be subject to the governing authorities, for there is no authority except that which God has established.  The authorities that exist have been established by God. Romans 13:1

I urge, then, first of all, that petitions, prayers, intercession and thanksgiving be made for all people— for kings and all those in authority, that we may live peaceful and quiet lives in all godliness and holiness. 1 Timothy 2:1-2

Show proper respect to everyone, love the family of believers, fear God, honor the emperor. 1Peter 2:17

The king’s heart is a stream of water in the hand of the LORD; he turns it wherever he will. Proverbs 21:1

These are just a few scriptures that command us to not only be respectful, but to pray for our leaders. Our leaders have difficult jobs and need our prayers.  God has appointed them and will use them as He wills and yet He listens to our prayers and can be stirred by them. God doesn't care about politics - God cares about souls; about character; about people.  And His ways are not our ways. . . . . . .

For my thoughts are not your thoughts,
neither are your ways my ways, declares the Lord.
For as the heavens are higher than the earth,
so are my ways higher than your ways
and my thoughts than your thoughts. Isaiah 55:8-9

Therefore we are arrogant when we believe we know better than God. We do not have His vantage point or His mind. We see things from our perspective only - our time in history, our color, our sex, our culture, etc. God is above all these things. God is wise, omnipotent, omniscient and omnipresent. He uses believers and nonbelievers alike. And so we are to trust Him and obey His commands. We would be far better off to be less concerned about politics and more concerned about sharing the good news with others.

Six Reasons Why All Christians Should Desire the Soon Return of Jesus

 by Dr. David R. Reagan


As every new year dawns, I find myself earnestly yearning that it will be the year that will initiate the end time events that will lead to the Lord’s return to this earth.

The first of those events will be the Rapture of the Church. That will be followed by the Great Tribulation of seven years, a period of unparalleled horror that will culminate in the return of Jesus to reign over all the world.

The writings of the early Church Fathers (100 to 300 A.D.) reveal that one of the earliest prayers of the Church was “Maranatha!” (1 Corinthians 16:22). That word is actually an Aramaic phrase that means “Our Lord come!”

This prayer expresses a fact that is confirmed by many other scriptures; namely, that the First Century Church had an ardent desire for the soon return of Jesus.

A Waning of the Zeal
The Twentieth Century Church seems to have lost that desire. Most professing Christians today do not pray “Maranatha!” They do not yearn for the return of the Lord. Instead of yearning, they are yawning.

Christendom at large is caught up in apathy regarding the return of Jesus. And that is sad, for the Word says that the return of the Lord is our “Blessed Hope” (Titus 2:13).

Also, we are constantly admonished in Scripture to watch for the Lord’s coming and to be ready. Jesus Himself said, “Be dressed in readiness, and keep your lamps alight . . . for the Son of Man is coming at an hour that you do not expect” (Luke 12:35,40). Paul exhorted Titus to live “looking for the blessed hope and the appearing of the glory of our great God and savior, Christ Jesus” (Titus 2:13). And as Paul faced death in prison, he wrote:

I have fought the good fight, I have finished the course, I have kept the faith; in the future there is laid up for me the crown of righteousness, which the Lord, the righteous Judge, will award to me on that day; and not only to me, but also to all who have loved His appearing. — 2 Timothy 4:7-8

Think of it, Paul says that a special reward — “a crown of righteousness,” will be given to any person who lives his or her life loving the appearing of the Lord.

Are you a candidate for this reward? Do you have a zealous yearning in your heart for the Lord’s soon return? Do you pray daily, “Maranatha!”?

Looking for Jesus
There are at least six reasons why every Christian should earnestly desire the soon return of Jesus:

1) Jesus — When Jesus returns He will get what He deserves — honor, glory and power.

When He came the first time, He was repudiated by the Jews, rejected by His home town, and spurned by his family. He was persecuted by the religious leaders, betrayed by a friend, denied by another friend, deserted by His disciples, and mocked by the masses. He had no place to lay His head. His only possession was a robe.

He was born in a stable, raised in poverty, nailed to a tree, and buried in a borrowed tomb. Today, people scoff at Him and ridicule Him. His name is used as a curse word.

That is not what He deserves!

It is going to be different when He returns. The first time He came as a gentle and helpless baby. He is going to return as a mighty warrior. He came the first time as a suffering lamb to die for the sins of the world, but He will return as a conquering lion who will pour out the wrath of God on those who have rejected the love, mercy and grace of God. His first coming was marked by compassion, humility, and a willingness to be judged and to die. He will return in triumph and in wrath to judge and make war against the enemies of God. He came the first time as a Servant; He is returning as a Monarch.

Jesus was humiliated in history. I want to see Him vindicated and glorified in history. And He will be because His Father has promised Him that He will reign over all the earth (Psalm 2:7-9). He has also been promised that He will manifest His glory before His saints (Isaiah 24:21-23) and before the nations of the earth (Isaiah 66:18 & Psalm 22:27-31). Paul says He is returning “to be glorified in His saints . . . and to be marveled at among all who have believed” (2 Thessalonians 1:10).

2) Satan — When Jesus returns, Satan will receive what he deserves — defeat, dishonor and humiliation.

I’m sick of Satan. I’m tired of his plots and schemes and lies and deceptions. I’m fed up with his sicknesses and temptations. I’m weary of his physical, emotional and spiritual pollution. I’m disgusted with his wrecking of marriages and homes. I loath his wars and terrorism. I despise His ceaseless attacks on the Church.

I often feel like the martyrs portrayed in Revelation who cry out day and night before the throne of God, “How long, O Lord, holy and true, will You refrain from judging and avenging our blood?” (Revelation 6:10) Like Isaiah, I want to cry out to God, “Oh, that You would rend the heavens and come down!” (Isaiah 64:1).

The fate of Satan was sealed by the Cross, but his nefarious activities will not cease until the Lord returns. At that time, the Word says that God will deal with Satan decisively. Luke 18:7 says that God will vindicate His elect who cry out to Him day and night by providing them justice. Romans 16:20 says that Satan will be “crushed.” The book of Revelation says he will then be thrown into the lake of fire where he “will be tormented day and night forever and ever” (Revelation 20:10 — see also, Isaiah 14:12-17).

But Satan doesn’t want to go to Hell alone. He’s working overtime to take as many people with him as he can. And I want that work stopped! I want Satan to get what he deserves.

3) The Creation — When Jesus returns, the creation will receive what it has been promised — restoration.

The material universe was originally created in beauty and perfection. There were no poisonous plants or animals, nor were there any meat eating animals. There were no natural cataclysms like earthquakes and tornados. Mankind lived in perfect harmony with nature.

But when Man rebelled against God, one of the consequences of his sin was that God placed a curse on the creation. Poisonous plants and animals suddenly appeared. The animal kingdom turned against itself and Man as some of the animals became meat eaters. And the natural cataclysms began to take their toll. Man now had to strive against nature to survive.

But the moment God placed the curse on the creation, He promised that one day it would be lifted through “the seed of woman” (Genesis 3:15). That promise is repeated throughout the Scriptures. For example, in Isaiah 11, the prophet says that when the Messiah comes to reign, “the wolf will dwell with the lamb” and “the lion will eat straw like the ox.” He further states that “the nursing child will play by the hole of the cobra” because the snake will no longer be poisonous.

Paul reaffirms this promise in the New Testament in the eighth chapter of Romans. He pictures the whole creation as being like a pregnant woman gripped by birth pains, crying out for the moment of delivery. He says that moment will come when “the sons of God are revealed.” In other words, it will occur at the resurrection when the Lord returns (Romans 8:18-23).

On the day the Lord returns, the earth will be renovated by earthquakes and supernatural phenomena in the heavens (Revelation 6:12-17). The result will be a refreshed and beautified earth. The destructive forces of nature will be curtailed. Deserts will bloom. The plant and animal kingdoms will be redeemed. Poisonous plants and animals will cease to be poisonous. The carnivorous animals will become herbivorous. All of nature will cease to strive against itself. Instead, it will work together harmoniously to the benefit of Man. (Isaiah 11:6-9; Isaiah 35:1-10; Isaiah 65:17-25; Acts 3:19-21; and Romans 8:18-23)

4) The Nations — When Jesus returns, the nations will receive what they have been promised — peace, righteousness and justice.

Mankind has dreamed of world peace throughout history. Disarmament treaties have been negotiated, peace treaties have been signed, international organizations have been created, but true peace has remained elusive.

The Bible says that permanent world peace will never be achieved until the Prince of Peace, the Messiah, returns. Both Isaiah and Micah prophesied that when the Lord returns, the nations “will hammer their swords into plowshares and their spears into pruning hooks” and that “nation will not lift up sword against nation, and never again will they train for war” (Isaiah 2:4 and Micah 4:3).

The hope of the world for peace will never be realized in summit conferences between heads of state. The only hope is the return of Jesus who will rule the world with “a rod of iron” (Psalm 2:9 and Revelation 2:26-27).

5) The Jews — When Jesus returns, the Jews will receive what they have been promised — salvation and primacy.

God has made many wonderful promises to His chosen people, the nation of Israel. Most of these are unfulfilled and will not be fulfilled until a remnant of the Jews turn to Jesus and accept Him as their Messiah. The prophetic scriptures tell us this will happen at the end of the Tribulation when the Jews who are left alive have come to the end of themselves and decide to turn to God.

Zechariah says this remnant will “look upon Him whom they have pierced and will mourn for Him as one mourns for an only son” (Zechariah 12:10). The prophet also says that on that day of repentance, “a fountain of salvation will be opened for the house of David and for the inhabitants of Jerusalem, for sin and for impurity” (Zechariah 13:1).

This believing remnant will then be regathered to the land of Israel to receive the blessings that God has promised the nation. Those incredible blessings are described in great detail in chapters 60 through 62 of Isaiah. God’s Shekinah glory will return (60:2) to a rebuilt Temple (60:7). The nations will send all kinds of assistance (60:10), including their wealth (60:5). The land of Israel will be reclaimed (60:13), the nation will receive respect (60:15), the people will enjoy peace (60: 18), and the Messiah will live in their presence (60:13,19). All the ruins will be rebuilt (61:4) and the land will be filled with joy (61:7-8) and praise (61:10-11). The nation will be a beacon of righteousness, and its glory will be witnessed all over the world (62:1-3). To sum it up, Isaiah says the nation of Israel will be “a crown of beauty in the hand of the Lord, and a royal diadem in the hand of God” (62:3).

In effect, the world will be turned upside down regarding its relationship to the Jews. Today the Jewish people are despised and persecuted. They are the butt of jokes and ridicule. But a day is coming when all that will cease. Zechariah says that during the Lord’s millennial reign the Jewish people will be so honored that when a Jew walks by, ten Gentiles will grab his clothing and say, “Let us go with you, for we have heard that God is with you” (Zechariah 8:23).

6) The Saints — Some of the promises to the Saints — to those who are member’s of the Lord’s Church — will be fulfilled at the time of the Rapture. The Rapture is an event that could occur any moment. It will precede the Second Coming.

At the Rapture, the dead in Christ will be resurrected and the living will be translated to meet Him in the air (1 Thessalonians 4:13-18). It is at this time that both the living and dead in Christ will receive their glorified bodies. These will be immortal, perfected bodies — like the body that Jesus had after His resurrection (1 Corinthians 15:42-53 and Philippians 3:21).

When Jesus returns to this earth, the Saints will come with Him and will witness His glorious victory over the Antichrist and his forces (Revelation 19:11-21). The Saints will then receive what they have been promised — a redeemed earth and ruling power over the nations (Matthew 5:5 and Revelation 2:26-27).

Jesus will reign from Mount Zion in Jerusalem as King of kings and Lord of lords (Isaiah 24:21-23). David in his glorified body will reign as king of Israel (Jeremiah 30:9 and Ezekiel 34:23-24). The Saints in their glorified bodies will be scattered all over the world to assist with the Lord’s reign (2 Timothy 2:12 and Revelation 2:26-27). Some will serve as administrators (mayors, governors, presidents, and kings), others will serve as judges, but most will serve as teachers, for the entire educational system of the world will be in the hands of glorified Saints. It will be their responsibility to teach those who are in the flesh about the Lord. There will be no legislators (thank God!), for Jesus Himself will give the law. (See Isaiah 2:1-4; Isaiah 66:19-21; Jeremiah 3:12-18; and Luke 19:11-27.)

These six reasons make it clear that every Christian should be earnestly desiring the return of the Lord. Yet apathy prevails. Why?

Yawning about Jesus
I have found four reasons for the apathy and indifference that characterize the Christian community concerning the return of Jesus: unbelief, ignorance, fear, and carnality.

Unbelief — Regarding unbelief, many professing Christians simply do not believe that Jesus will ever return. Most of these are people with a liberal view of Scripture. They have spiritualized away the meaning of the Second Coming, just as they have spiritualized the virgin birth and the miracles. To them, the Second Coming is nothing more than a fairy tale. In 2 Peter 3:3-4 we are told that the end times will be characterized by scoffers who will mock the Lord’s promise to return. The tragedy is that many of these are people who profess to be Christians.

Ignorance — I think most of the Christians who are apathetic about the Lord’s return are just ignorant about what will happen when He comes back. As a result, they cannot get excited about an event they know nothing about. I was in this category for thirty years. Although I attended church faithfully, my church ignored the teaching and preaching of God’s Prophetic Word. I didn’t have the foggiest idea about what would happen when the Lord came back, and the result was apathy about His return. But when I began studying Bible prophecy and learned what is in store for believers when the Lord returns, I started jumping pews and shouting “Maranatha!” I have never been apathetic since that time.

Fear — The apathy of some Christians is due to the fact that they fear the Lord’s return. Because of that fear, they try to repress the thought that He might break from the Heavens at any moment. They fear He might return on one of their “bad” days or when they have an “unconfessed sin” on their conscience. These people are caught up in works salvation. They do not understand that they are saved by grace and that “there is no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus” (Romans 8:1).

Carnality — Finally, there are many carnal Christians who cannot get excited about the coming of the Lord because they are in love with the world. They are walking with one foot in the church and one foot in the country club. They want the Lord to come, but they want Him to come when they are 80 years old and have experienced all that this world has to offer. In other words, they want Him to come, but they don’t want Him to mess up their lives.

A Seventh Reason
Let me conclude with a personal note. There is another reason I want Jesus to return. It has to do with the fact that when you love someone, you want to be with them. I love to fellowship with Jesus in worship, in prayer, and in His Word. But these forms of fellowship are no substitute for being with Him. I love Him, and therefore . . .

I want to be with Him.
I want to bask in the presence of His love and
holiness.
I want to see the glory of God in His face.
I want to kiss His nail-scarred hands and say,
“Thank you!”
Thank you for . . .
dying for me,
forgiving me,
changing me,
guiding me,
comforting me,
and for giving my life meaning and purpose.
And I want to join the Saints and the Heavenly
Host in singing, “Worthy is the Lamb!”
Maranatha!

WAKE UP, CHURCH: JESUS IS COMING!

David Wilkerson

When I was a boy the cry of the church was, “Jesus is coming!” All through my teenage years, every evangelist who came to preach in my father’s church had a stirring message about the soon return of Christ. Even today their sermons remain burned in my memory: “The Bible says Christ will come like a thief in the night, when you least expect him. It will happen in the twinkling of an eye, with the sound of a trumpet. You must be ready at all times.”

The powerful cry, “Jesus is coming!” is seldom heard in God’s house today. Very few Christians live with a sense of expectancy, looking and yearning for Jesus’ return. How has this happened?

The New Testament gives many warnings that mockers will appear in the last days, ridiculing the doctrine of Christ’s coming. Peter writes, “There shall come in the last days scoffers, walking after their own lusts, and saying, 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” (2 Peter 3:3-4). This mocking can be heard today: “What does anyone have to fear? All things continue just as they always have. There is no reason to fear a Judgment Day, because it simply isn’t coming.”

After the terrorist attacks of September 11, 2001, people flocked to churches and prayed with a fervor that hasn’t been seen in recent times. Yet, just six months later, fewer people were attending church than before the 9/11 attacks. Just as Peter prophesied, the mockers have arrived.

The devil has whispered a different lie into the ears of many believers. That lie is, “Christ has delayed his coming.” Jesus addresses this in Matthew 24 in his parable about being ready for his return: “Be ye also ready: for in such an hour as ye think not the Son of man cometh.

Who then is a faithful and wise servant, whom his lord hath made ruler over his household, to give them meat in due season? Blessed is that servant, whom his lord when he cometh shall find so doing. Verily I say unto you, That he shall make him ruler over all his goods.

“But and if that evil servant shall say in his heart, My lord delayeth his coming; and shall begin to smite his fellow servants, and to eat and drink with the drunken; the lord of that servant shall come in a day when he looketh not for him, and in an hour that he is not aware of, and shall cut him asunder, and appoint him his portion with the hypocrites: there shall be weeping and gnashing of teeth” (Matthew 24:45-51).

Jesus is speaking here about believers, identifying them as servants. One of these servants is faithful while the other is evil. What makes the second servant evil in the Lord’s eyes? According to Jesus, it is something “he shall say in his heart” — that “the Lord delays his coming.” In other words, he’s convinced Jesus won’t come suddenly or unexpectedly. He has been instructed to “watch,” to “be ready,” “for the Son of man cometh at an hour when ye think not” (Luke 12:40). But instead this servant eases his conscience by believing Satan’s lie.

Once he accepts the devil’s lie, here is the fruit: Because he sees no need to watch for Christ’s coming, he doesn’t see any need to make peace with his fellow servants. There is no need to preserve unity at home, at work, in the church, no need to make things right with others. Instead, he feels he could “smite his fellow servants,” accusing them, holding grudges and destroying others’ reputations. This servant seeks only to play, to have pleasure, to live with no conscience. In short, he wants both Jesus and the world.

Paul constantly cried, “Wake up! It is past midnight, and the Lord’s coming has drawn near. Stir yourself and don’t be slothful. Jesus is coming for those who are expecting him.” He wrote to the church in Rome: “Knowing the time, that now it is high time to awake out of sleep: for now is our salvation nearer than when we believed. The night is far spent, the day is at hand: let us therefore cast off the works of darkness, and let us put on the armor of light” (Romans 13:11-12). He also wrote to the church in Philippi: “Let your moderation be known unto all men. The Lord is at hand” (Philippians 4:5).

This brings me to the heart of my message: the heart-cry of the one in Christ.

In Revelation 22:17, we read, “The Spirit and the bride say, Come.” The bride of Christ consists of a worldwide body of believers who are under the lordship of Jesus. These are born-again, blood-cleansed believers.

This verse shows us the very last cry, or prayer, of the Holy Spirit, when he knows his work on earth is about to be completed: “Come, Lord Jesus!” This cry of the Spirit is not directed to men but to Christ. It means, in essence, “Lord, hasten your coming.”

All who make up the body of Christ know this cry of the Spirit. They live and walk in the Spirit, with their souls seated in heavenly places, and their bodies are his temple. The Spirit himself prays within them, “Come, hasten, Lord Jesus,” and so this becomes their heart-cry also. In verse 7 of this chapter, Jesus announces, “Behold, I come quickly: blessed is he that keepeth the sayings of the prophesy of this book.” Verse 12 adds, “Behold, I come quickly; and my reward is with me, to give every man according as his work shall be.” If I believe the world is racing toward unrestrained chaos, and that Christ is coming, then this must be my cry to my family and friends who are unprepared. My prayer must be, “Come, Lord. But first, give my unprepared loved ones ears to hear. Save them, Jesus.”

Have you made this your cry for your loved ones? May they no longer believe mockers who say, “All things are continuing in good order. Enjoy yourself, indulge, do whatever makes you happy.” May all such blindness be removed! Terrorists have blown up New York’s twin towers. Rogue nations with nuclear bombs are preparing to hold the world hostage. New diseases never before known to humankind, such as SARS and ebola, can destroy bodies within a week. Some 700,000 innocent Rwandans died at the hands of their own countrymen. The list goes on and on.

All things continue as they have? What willful ignorance! The truth is that God is shaking all that can be shaken. And what is still to come is too dreadful to think about.

The Holy Spirit knows what is soon to take place, when there is no longer any restraint.

When that time comes, every man will give himself over to his lusts. Every militant religion will force its gods on others. And every holy thing will be despised, with every law broken. Meanwhile, the backslidden church will preach the most corrupt, damnable doctrines of hell.

In the midst of all this, I hear Jesus saying, “Surely I come quickly” (Revelation 22:20). I also hear the bride of Christ answering, as John did, “Amen. Even so, come, Lord Jesus” (same verse).

I urge you: For a moment try to set aside all thoughts of differing doctrines about Christ’s coming. Instead, listen to the heart-cry of the man and woman who love the thought of our Lord’s appearing. This cry is at the heart of the entire matter: “We shall see him face to face. We shall behold him” (see 1 Corinthians 13:12).

Jesus’ coming ought to thrill your heart. It ought never to disturb you. Can you imagine what it will be like when he calls you by name? If you truly love someone, you want that person to be near you.

Imagine a newlywed couple, with the husband quickly called away, perhaps into the military or on business. He tells his wife, “I’m coming back but I don’t know when.” For the first few years the wife writes him often with beautiful love letters. But she never says in them, “Come back soon.” Years pass and she writes him less and less, still never saying, “Come quickly, I beseech you. I pray for your soon return.”

Beloved, how can we tell Christ we love him and miss him yet never pray he comes back for us? How can we never express to him our cry that he must come back and take us with him so we can be in his constant company?

May this be our cry continually: “Come quickly, Lord Jesus!”