October 29-31

October 30, 2000 (Revised from April 12, 2000)

Surprise!

"Be ye therefore ready also: for the Son of man cometh at an hour when ye think not."

(Luke 12:40)

Ready or not here He comes.

A Christian's greatest need is to be ready to face Jesus Christ at any moment. This is not easy, no matter what our experience has been. This battle is not against sin, difficulties, or circumstances, but against being so absorbed in our service to Jesus Christ that we are not ready to face Him at every turn. We sometimes get so caught up in church, that we never find the time for Christ to minister to us. We spend time helping others, but forget that we need help ourselves. The question is not of facing what we believe, or even whether we are doing His will, but rather will we be able to stand before Him, face to face.

You see, Jesus rarely comes where we expect Him and His return will be a surprise to many. The only way we as servants can be ready for His return is to remain true to God at all times. This readiness will not be brought about by service, because all of our works are as filthy rags. Rather, it will come when we have an intense spiritual relationship with the one we are waiting on. This earnest expectation in waiting, will give our lives the right type of attitude, that as of a child waiting for his birthday, to be ready to meet the Lord when He returns.

So if we are going to be ready for our Lord's return, we have to stop being religious. In other words, we must stop using religion as if it were some kind of a lofty lifestyle, or a thing we do to feel good about ourselves and instead become truly spiritual.

Scriptures declares that "the hour cometh, and now is, when the true worshippers shall worship the Father in spirit and in truth: for the Father seeketh such to worship him" John 4:23.

Walk with the Lord today and be a blessing to someone else.^TM

Maranatha - The Lord Is Coming!

Let it not be a surprise to you!

Tuesday, October 31, 2000

Will You Follow?

Simon Peter said unto him, Lord, whither goest thou? Jesus answered him, Whither I go, thou canst not follow me now; but thou shalt follow me afterwards.

John 13:36, 37

Peter was baffled. On all prior occasions Jesus said things like, "If any man would come after me let him take up his cross and follow me," or "whosoever doth not bear his cross, and come after me, cannot be my disciple." So what was this now? Why couldn't he follow Jesus? Did he do something wrong? Had Jesus forsaken him?

Last week I got the news from my pastor, "Bro. Ephraim let me be plain. Your name won't come up for a any office this coming year." He went on to try and explain, but it was pointless.

What did I do? Had God forsaken me? Had He left me to myself?

Friends, this is when you know that you are following Christ. On the cross of Calvary, Jesus would utter these words, "My God, my God, why hast thou forsaken me?" Some believe that it was a declaration that God had forsaken Him. Or that He had doubts about being lost. But nothing could be far from the truth. By God's providence, David would cry the same words but go on to explain.

In the 22^nd division of the Psalm, David would say "My God, my God, why has thou forsaken me?" Then show how God had always been with him, had been his right arm of power and deliver him from evil.

The cry, "My God, my God" can only be truly utter by those who are in God hand. David would exclaim that if in death we bow to the Lord and that "They shall come, and shall declare his righteousness unto a people that shall be born, that he hath done this." David understood God's will. It was after this cry that David would write one of the most indearing Psalms, the 23^rd - The Lord is my Shepherd.

Oh friends, will you follow when you cannot see the light? Will you following when it seems like God has forsaken you?

Jesus, in the Garden of Gethsamine said, "Thy will be done."

Walk with the Lord today and be a blessing to someone else.^TM

Maranatha - The Lord Is Coming!

Let it not be a surprise to you!