Am I preparing for Christ’s return for His Church, tonight?  If not then I fail to comprehend, accept or contemplate the principle of imminence.  I also have become determined to overlook or ignore that Jesus continued to offer preparedness parables to the faithful.  Jesus, although He continually expressed the need to spread the Gospel, so that the lost would find salvation, He repeatedly offered teaching regarding, “being ready” to the saints.  Being ready for what, you ask?  Thank you for asking.  Being ready for His return for the Church.

Jesus’ second coming will be nothing if but spectacular, coming down from the clouds, the faithful behind, to speak into existence the level judgment of the disobedient and salvation to the Jews.  Why then did He continually remind the saints that “He would come like a thief in the night”?  Clearly He referred to two differing events, one a return to snatch the Church from the judgment to come, which they were not designated to suffer, the next a dynamic entrance to take back the deed to the Earth and pass judgment on the wicked.

The Lord will at some point come to remove the faithful.  I prefer to understand and obey His repeated calls to “readiness” as a Christian.  Current evidence in the powerlessness of the Church unfortunately cries out to the absence of the Holy Spirit within those who believe they are within the Body of Christ.  Since the Lord continually called us to have “oil in our lamps”, being filled, so that we might be found “ready” when the Master comes, then the answer to this questioned readiness resides in the filling of the Holy Spirit.  This was one of the Lord’s most frequent topics when teaching to believers.  It is essential that we seek to understand this teaching and take adequate steps in faith to making our hearts, minds and spirits ready for His coming.

I look forward to the Day of the Lord.  Not because wickedness will finally be dealt a resounding blow by the Creator, but because this world will finally accept that there is one Creator, who is the rightful ruler of all universes, to include mankind.  I weep the deception ever present in today’s discussion, I mourn those lost to pursue magic potions, divination and escapism, I crave a day when the truth is no longer argued and we can get about the business of doing the work without question.  I want to serve.  I don’t want to be king.  I don’t want to be God or be honored for how well I’ve worshiped His Glory.  That is where satan’s travesty began, probably accepting glory for how well he worshiped God.  My pride is just as dangerous.  May I lead you to the Cross where you may understand God’s eternal Glory and bask in His righteousness.  May I only exist to encourage you and love you in your travails.

I am sorry that the terrorist’s quest for peace with God has left them destitute, angry and misshapen.  I pray that the Lord our God, touches their hearts in such a way that the veil of hate is removed from their eyes and they may finally see their sin, so that they may be cleansed by the Blood of Jesus Christ the King.  I am sorry that God’s enemies had to suffer death at the hand of our soldiers, I only wish that they had found Jesus reflected in our hearts, words and faces before they found it necessary to enter in war against us.  May the fire of heaven rain down upon the enemies of God and may we find it in our hearts to forgive those who have brought misfortune, pain and death to our families.  Heal us Father, take from us the bitterness that leads to rage and separation from Your Everlasting Love.  Grant this Earth Peace.  Lord rebuke Your enemies if it is in Your Will to do so, and let us love them enough to forgive them and change their hearts forever through the Power of Your Love for mankind.  In Jesus’ Name.