Rewarded.

 

THE FAITHFUL REWARDED AT HIS COMING

It will not be in vain that they look for him, for shall appear to their salvation. Heb. 9:28. 

Heb 9:28  So Christ was once offered to bear the sins of many; and unto them that look for him shall he appear the second time without sin unto salvation. 

It is in vain that they love his appearing, for a crown righteousness is laid up for such. 2 Tim. 4:8. 

2Ti 4:8  Henceforth there is laid up for me a crown of righteousness, which the Lord, the righteous judge, shall give me at that day: and not to me only, but unto all them also that love his appearing. 

Their faithful waiting shall be rewarded, for when he appears they shall appear with him in glory. Col 3:4. 

Col 3:4  When Christ, who is our life, shall appear, then shall ye also appear with him in glory. 

Their names may be cast out as evil, they may suffer reproach and scorn here, but when he comes they shall receive a crown of glory that fadeth not away. 1 Peter 5:4.

Words cannot describe that glory. Finite man cannot fathom its greatness; for, truly, "Eye hath not seen, nor ear heard, neither have entered into heart of man, the things which God hath prepared for them that love him."

We cannot understand why any who take the Bible for their teacher, and profess to love the Lord Jesus, can have a prejudice  against his second coming. He promised his followers that they should be recompensed at the resurrection of the just, which takes place at his coming, and will never take place unless he comes.  Luke 14:14. 

Luk 14:14  And thou shalt be blessed; for they cannot recompense thee: for thou shalt be recompensed at the resurrection of the just.

Speaking of the signs of his coming he said: "And when these things begin come to pass, then look up, and lift up your heads; your redemption draweth nigh." Luke 21:28. 

Luk 21:28  And when these things begin to come to pass, then look up, and lift up your heads; for your redemption draweth nigh. 

The saints, who have the first-fruits of the Spirit, are groaning for the redemption of the body. Rom. 8:23. 

Rom 8:23  And not only they, but ourselves also, which have the firstfruits of the Spirit, even we ourselves groan within ourselves, waiting for the adoption, to wit, the redemption of our body.

This is the redemption which will be accomplished at the coming of Christ and the resurrection of the just. The joy of that day is unspeakable.

"Behold, I come quickly," says the Saviour, "and my, reward is with me." Fervently our hearts respond, "Even so, come, Lord Jesus." Rev. 22:12, 20. 

(Excerpt)

EXPOSITION OF MATTHEW XXIV  24  (((Written in 1890 - remember when reading the excerpt 131 years have passed since it was written. History does matter.))))

 (End of Excerpt)

A Message For Our Time.

 (Excerpt)

EXPOSITION OF MATTHEW XXIV  24  (((Written in 1890 - remember when reading the excerpt 131 years have passed since it was written. History does matter.))))

A PRACTICAL DOCTRINE…

The truth on this subject is important; it is important to us that we understand it. The oft-repeated saying that "it makes no difference," is not applicable here. But many evade the truth on this subject by referring to the good and pious of former generations, to whom the

warning message of Rev. 14:9-12 was not given. They were accepted of God, and died happy; we will live as they lived, and go to heaven also. To this there are two just replies:–

1. Professors of this day are not living as their fathers lived. Even one generation ago Christians professed a simplicity of godliness which is ignored by the mass of professors in this day. The church suppers and festivals, the gambling devices to obtain money, the church theatricals, and other profane amusements now foisted upon the name of Christianity "for pious uses" (to quote a term of the mother church), would not have been tolerated for a moment by our fathers of past generations. The earnest vital godliness of a half century ago is now known to the few,–a "little flock" when all told. Our fathers, in the denominations, will rise up to condemn this pleasure-loving age. The objection we are noticing is a reproach to the piety and zeal of our fathers, as their lives are a rebuke to the cold formality of present-day religion. 

 

Let us in turn ask, Why was it that Seth, Enoch, and others before the day of Noah, were not required to build an ark? Enoch was so godly as to receive the testimony that his ways pleased God, and to be translated without seeing death. Could not Noah as live  as Enoch lived and be saved, without the cross and labor of building an ark? The answer is nigh unto everyone. He could not, and why?–Because Noah lived in the time of the flood and Enoch did not.

Enoch could not preach Noah's message; he lived at a time too early for that. Noah could not be accepted of God and do only that which Enoch did, as he lived under different 

circumstances. Extraordinary events require extraordinary preparations; and those preparations are suited to no other time but their own. 

 

And so with the preaching of the Lord's coming. To past generations it was not "present truth." They could not give the message of warning. But we, who have seen the signs of his coming, who know the time (Rom. 13:11, 12), who see the day approaching (Heb. 10:25), must proclaim this truth, sound the alarm, as Noah proclaimed the approach of the flood. As it was

necessary in order to be saved to receive the message of Noah, so it is necessary in order to be prepared for our Lord's advent that we accept the truth in regard to his near coming.  (End Excerpt)

Could Christ Return Tomorrow?

 A servant of the Lord can be an evil servant, yet of the Lord. We don't want to believe it, but it's true. So many profess to belong to the Lord, the evil servant professes to belong to the Lord. The evil servant however is believing in his heart that Christ is delayed in His return. BECAUSE the evil servant believes inwardly, perhaps even secretly, that Christ isn't coming anytime soon- the evil servant of the Lord lives their life towards their lusts, their appetites, their sinful, self-serving ways.

Truly if you BELIEVE that Christ could come tomorrow… what? Wait… don’t all those prophecies need to be fulfilled yet? Yes, they do. The thing is, a lot of those prophecies yet to be fulfilled will only be fulfilled AFTER probation is closed- and the just will remain just and the unjust will remain unjust. IF a person is waiting for ANYTHING, and I do mean ANYTHING, before they get serious about the Lord's return, then they are an evil servant. When we wait before choosing the Lord, before choosing to believe that He will be coming soon, that waiting is our lack of faith. We cannot live as if our Savior is NOT returning tomorrow.  Yes, I said tomorrow once more.  Do I believe He will return tomorrow- a huge part of me says, no. That huge part says no because I have it in my head that certain things have to take place. HOWEVER, I long for His return to be tomorrow, and for me to be wrong about the things that need to take place. I pray for forgiveness, I do NOT want to be an evil servant and think in any way that the Lord is delaying His return!

Truly, what is the difference between believing our Savior IS returning tomorrow, and comprehending tomorrow could be our last day due to our death? Being ready always, always without exception- being a good servant of the Lord's.

When the people saw the stars falling from heavens in an unprecedented manner, and in a manner they've not fallen since- they believed Christ's coming was near, even at the door, they readied themselves as best they could because they were so sure it could be any moment. 

The problem with waiting for signs to take place BEFORE believing Christ's return is settling into a state of lulled behavior with your mind slipping into the murky territory of the signs being delayed and therefore- Christ is delaying His return. It's a very slippery slope to take. 

In 1890 as they believed in the imminent return of Christ not long after the stars fell, the sun went dark and the moon wouldn't give its light, they weren't thinking about the times of the Gentiles being fulfilled, as spoken about in Luke 21:24. They didn't say, well, we still have to wait for this to take place, and that to take place, and yes, this other thing hasn't happened yet either.

GOD wants us to be ready NOW for Christ's return at ANY moment! 

So, I say again, truly, if you believe that Christ could come tomorrow, are you living a life that reveals that you are a servant of the Lord's, a good servant, not an evil servant. A good servant who is prepared and wanting others to be prepared. Or does your life reveal you are living for this world and all its ways? 

We need to examine ourselves, our own motives, our own beliefs, our own actions. Are we among those who are of the world so that we cannot be distinguished from all others? Is Christ's return on our lips always? If not, why not?

The evil servant of the Lord's, believes they are of the Lord in truth. To all outward appearances they are still a servant of the Lord- and the evil they keep in their hearts is hidden so that they are leading others down the wrong path, the evil path. Their followers are using the example of the evil servant thinking it's the right example because it's from the Lord's servant. They aren't considering for a moment that there are evil servants of the Lord whose subtle evil seduces many from God.  God gives us all we need to be discerning, to know truth from lies, evil from good, but we need to heed the Holy Spirit when we are shown that even a seemingly beloved servant of God could be an evil servant of God.

Jesus is coming very, very soon! We are on the precipice of eternity! 

Let's LIVE this truth! 

All by the grace and mercy of our LORD and SAVIOR, JESUS CHRIST! NOW AND FOREVER!!!!!!! Amen!

(Excerpt)

EXPOSITION OF MATTHEW XXIV  24  (((Written in 1890 - remember when reading the excerpt 131 years have passed since it was written. History does matter.))))

THE EVIL SERVANT

VERSES 48-51: "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."

What the evil servant says and does shows most dearly the position and work of the faithful and wise servant. The reason why the evil servant says, "My Lord delayeth his coming," is that the faithful servant is proclaiming the coming of his lord. The evil servant smites the faithful servant, because he teaches the speedy coming of his lord. The faithful servant, true to his commission to preach the "gospel of the kingdom" to a fallen church and a  scoffing world, toils on, and the evil servant smites on. One is laying up treasure in heaven, and is preparing to go home to his eternal reward, while the other is calling down upon his head the displeasure of the high and holy One, and is getting ready to receive the unmingled cup of the fury of the Lord. The faithful servant is turning some to righteousness, to shine forever as stars in his crown of glory, while the evil servant pursues his downward course and work of death, making the bitter cup of woe which awaits him still more bitter. But the separating day is coming. The Lord will come, and cut asunder the evil servant, and appoint him his portion with the lost. In the general wailing and gnashing of teeth, with hypocrites he will receive the portion due him for his works.

That this application is correct is shown by the words of the Saviour in the closing part of this chapter. Both parties are professedly "servants" of God. The "evil servant" says, "My lord delayeth "his coming." But when, because of his unfaithfulness because of his refusal to heed the instructions and. warnings of his lord, and of his ill-treatment of his fellow-servant who is sounding the alarm, the lord shall appoint him his portion with the hypocrites, it will avail him nothing that he has called the lord his lord; that he has been looked up to as a leader of the flock. They have the duty laid upon them, as servants, to give meat in due season; to sound the alarm; to proclaim the message of the advent near, even at the doors. But they are "evil servants," recreant to the trust committed to them, unmindful of the "sure word of prophecy." They do not want to think, nor to have the people think, of the Lord's coming. All scriptures which speak of that day call for watchfulness, diligence, and earnest zeal to be prepared to meet him. But these are worldlyminded, selfish servants. They love their ease; they cry, "Peace and safety," when sudden destruction is impending. 1 Thess. 5:1-3.

They love to slumber; they say, to-morrow shall be as this day, and much more abundant." Isa. 56:10-12. They join the idle throng in singing, "There's a good time coming." In the words of the Saviour, they "eat and drink with the drunken," "walking after their own lusts." The sociable, the festival, the fair, the supper for feasting–these have attractions for them which their selfishness cannot resist. By these is piety dethroned; zeal is extinguished; cross-bearing and self-denying become distasteful graces; to hunger and thirst after righteousness is a burden; the "form of godliness" is retained, but "the power thereof" is gone. What a condition for a servant of God to be found in when his Master appears! And yet this is a fitting description of the mass of feasting professors who turn away with scorn from the unwelcome thought of the Lord's near coming. How different the lot of those who bear the cross, and give the household of faith meat due season! "Blessed is that servant, whom his lord when he cometh shall find so doing." "Then shall the righteous shine forth as the sun in the kingdom of their Father."

We invite the attention of the reader to the following list of points made plain in our  examination of this chapter:–

1. The Saviour gave definite and plain signs which are to precede his coming.

2. He told the effect which these things would produce. See Joel  2:1 and other prophecies.

3. He said that by these signs we might know when his coming is near, even at the doors.

4. And the language is stronger than that of permission or the expression of ability to know. It is imperative; we are commanded and required to know when it is near.

5. The signs are so easy to understand that we may know when it is near, just as we may know that summer is near when the trees put forth their leaves.

6. That we are commanded and required to know is confirmed by the illustration of the time of Noah. 

(1) Noah knew the time that the flood was near. 

(2) He preached its coming. 

(3) He prepared for  the event. 

(4) It was fatal to all those who did not (would not) know the time. "So shall also the coming of the Son of man be."

7. The Saviour says it will in like manner be a fatal error on the part of those who do not know when the Son of man is coming. But this could not be so 

(1) if we could not know the time, or 

(2) if it makes no difference whether we know or do not. 

All this teaches us that the doctrine of the second advent is A PRACTICAL DOCTRINE…   (End Excerpt)

Lies, Fables...

 We all believe our faith is the truth. Some of us refuse to believe that it is wrong for anyone to tell another person their faith is really all lies.

We live in a time when it is NOT acceptable to recognize anyone doing anything wrong- unless it is an outright criminal act punishable by the laws of our land. Do your own thing as long as you aren't hurting anyone and you're fine, this is the attitude that is acceptable today. We dare not confront others about their faith because we have no right to tell them their faith is a lie. We are countered with why is our faith right and theirs wrong? And even then NO ONE wants to listen to the real why, they want to fight for their right to believe in whatever they want. Everyone has their own truth, but HOW can that be?  A murderer might believe they have their own truth and we shouldn't judge them, but we've drawn lines along the borders we as a majority of the population believe are correct. 

We STOP drawing lines though when it comes to spiritual matters because in the past Satan mingled government with religion forcing people in that government to worship their way or die and people rose up against that forced worship. The entire United States was founded along the lines of separation between church and state. Because we've separated church (religious beliefs of any kind) from oversight by government, religious beliefs of any and all kinds are now believed to be truth- if not for you in particular, then for whoever it is holding to their own truths. The outright worshipers of Satan are accepted and allowed their ways without being subject to any sort of censorship by any individual. When protesters of any religious belief stands up against another they are tolerated as long as they are peaceful, but still mostly shunned by the vast majority who believe - to each his own - as long as no one is forcing their beliefs down the other's throat.

We have so very many religions today, too many to fully count because offshoots rise up constantly slapping the label of their religion upon themselves.

W e are told this by God- 

2Ti 4:3  For the time will come when they will not endure sound doctrine; but after their own lusts shall they heap to themselves teachers, having itching ears; 

2Ti 4:4  And they shall turn away their ears from the truth, and shall be turned unto fables.

… they shall turn away their ears from truth…

We KNOW there is a truth of God that exists beyond any other so called truth. There is God's truth and then there are FABLES.

Our world is rife with FABLE filled religions again, too numerous to count. And each FABLE filled religion believes they have the truth and they SHUT their ears to anything but what they believe is truth. They shut their ears to TRUTH. They will NOT listen to SOUND BIBLICAL DOCTRINE! They don't want to listen to doctrines they consider strange, and false because they differ from their own cherished fables. You could hold up your Bible and proclaim fact after fact and they'd cover their ears and cry out "Lies, all lies!"  They would be perfectly content to call God's truth's lies simply because they have turned their Fables into God's truth- they are DECEIVED!

Could I stand up to someone and tell them what they believe is a bunch of lies? Only if I'm compelled by God to do so and empowered by the Holy Spirit to speak. I present truth and only truth, Biblically backed truth, exegetically studied truth. Could I give an answer face to face, I don't know, I pray God could use me for His truth no matter the cost. I'm an introvert, I avoid confrontations like the plague. I smile and hide fear and anxiety. I am a very weak vessel with so many cracks, so many flaws but my Savior has mended me and keeps mending me and I rely upon HIM to use me as He needs to.  All by His mercy and grace, His love, His unending love!  Now and forever! Amen!!!!!!!

(Excerpt)

EXPOSITION OF MATTHEW XXIV  24  (((Written in 1890 - remember when reading the excerpt 131 years have passed since it was written. History does matter.))))

THE FAITHFUL AND WISE SERVANT

VERSES 45-47: "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 the lord when he cometh shall find so doing. Verily I say unto you, That he shall make him ruler over all his goods." 

In this figure, Christ is represented as the Lord of the household of faith (see Mark 13: 34; Heb. 3:6 -- Mar 13:34  For the Son of man is as a man taking a far journey, who left his house, and gave authority to his servants, and to every man his work, and commanded the porter to watch. Heb 3:6  But Christ as a son over his own house; whose house are we, if we hold fast the confidence and the rejoicing of the hope firm unto the end. ), leaving his house, and committing to his servants the work of caring for his church. They are to feed the flock of God, over whom the Holy Ghost hath made overseers. Acts 20:28. They must preach the Word. 2 Tim. 4:2. They should watch for souls as they that must give account. Heb. 13:17. They will not only give meat to the household, but they will give it in due season. They will preach the present truth. Their last work before the return of their Master will be to proclaim his coming, and to teach the necessary preparation. They will sacrifice the society and blessings of home, and go everywhere, preaching the word, suffering fatigue of body and burden of spirit. But such will have great reward in the kingdom of God. Who is that faithful and wise servant? Where shall we find him?–It is he who is faithfully and wisely attending to  the interests of the household of faith. Blessed is that servant, whom his Lord when he cometh shall find so doing." 

1. He is faithful. As a faithful watchman, he will give timely warning when he sees the sword coming. His work just before the end is seen in the following scriptures. Joel. 2:1: "Blow ye the trumpet in Zion and sound an alarm in my holy mountain; let all the inhabitants of the land tremble; for the day of the Lord cometh, for it is nigh at hand." Isa. 58:1: "Cry aloud, spare not, lift up thy voice like a trumpet, and show my people their  transgression, and the house of Jacob their sins." 2 Tim. 4:1-5: "I charge thee therefore before God, and the Lord Jesus Christ, who I shall judge the quick and the dead at his appearing and his kingdom: Preach the word; be instant in season, out of season; reprove, rebuke, exhort with all long-suffering and  doctrine. For the time will come when they will not endure sound doctrine; but after their own lusts shall they heap to themselves, teachers, having itching ears; and they shall turn away their ears from the truth, and shall be turned unto fables. But watch thou in all things, endure afflictions, do the work of an evangelist, make full proof of thy ministry."

2. He is wise. "He that winneth souls is wise." He will expose error, then hold forth the truth in its harmony and beauty, and thus win men to the truth. When it becomes his duty to reprove and rebuke, it will be at a proper time and place, and then with all "long-suffering and doctrine." He will study to show himself "approved unto God, a workman that needeth not to be ashamed, rightly dividing the word of truth." 2 Tim. 2:15. (End Excerpt)

Don't Wait To Be Warned.

 If your thief had the courtesy to let you know when the thievery was to take place, would it have taken place? No.

You would have stopped the thief if you knew they were going to be stealing from your home. 

If you were told that thieves were going about your neighborhood breaking into houses, would you be more on your guard and taking precautions against being robbed? Yes.

We are told by God that we need to WATCH for the return of the Lord.

Watching is an active word. When I say I watch something, that means I'm doing something. If I say I watched the ball game then you know I was watching what was going on with the ball game. You wouldn't think that I was sleeping if I said I was watching, would you? No. In fact if I fall asleep that ends my ability to watch. 

We must WATCH for our Savior's return. We must know the signs that are heralding His soon coming. The watching must be a daily activity, a daily watching, a forever watching until the day arrives.  We cannot say we are watching for our Savior's return if we truly are not watching for it. Well, we could say it, but it won't be true. 

We don't know what hour Christ is returning, but we have to watch, we have to be ready. These words are in a little ways ominous…

'…for in such an hour as ye think not the Son of man cometh.' 

Watching always will have us prepared, it's when we stop watching that we have something to worry about. If you choose to stop watching for the Lord to return you do so at the risk of His coming and you being caught off guard and unaware, and unsaved.   

Seriously. We don't want to hear those words. We want to live in the delusion that we can accept Christ as our Savior and then go about our day to day business no longer having to concern ourselves about whether or not we belong to Christ. We accepted Him and that's that. If we occasionally think on Him that's great, but He doesn't need to consume our lives - that's for the preachers and teachers of Christ, not for the average person, the average person has another kind of job to do.  So there we are safe and secure in NOT watching but letting others do the watching for us. Surely our preachers or Christ believing friends will wake us up to  Christ's soon coming when it's time. These are Satanic deceptions and Satan has used them well. 

If we are not watching for our Savior's return, it will come and we WILL NOT be His, He will not know us! This is truth, God says so in His word to us!

We liked to believe that some big alarm bell will sound giving us time to get our affairs in order, but that's NOT going to happen. Our affairs need to be in order at all times!  We need to be the LORD'S at all times! ALL TIMES! 

Don't wait for someone to tell you to get ready and start watching… make your entire life one of watching as a Christ follower. Do your day to day job with Christ front and center in your thoughts, in your work, with you, a part of you. 

God help us to this end, to be found watching and ready, waiting for our Lord to return so that we are prepared and not taken by surprise!

All through Jesus Christ our Lord and Savior, now and forever!!!!!!! Amen!

(Excerpt)

EXPOSITION OF MATTHEW XXIV  24  (((Written in 1890 - remember when reading the excerpt 131 years have passed since it was written. History does matter.))))

OUR DUTY TO WATCH

VERSES 42-44: "Watch therefore; for ye know not what hour your Lord doth come. But know this, that if the good man of the house had known in what watch the thief would come, he would have watched, and would not have suffered his house to be broken up. Therefore be ye also ready; for in such an hour as ye think not the Son of man cometh."

They who hide themselves behind the saying that that day will come as a thief, and that therefore they cannot know, will find when it comes that they have only insured their own destruction by willfully placing themselves beside those who did not know that the flood was, coming, because they refused to heed the counsel God sent by the mouth of his prophets. 

They were destroyed because they knew not; and they knew not because they would not heed the warning. And is the word of the Son of God of less consequence than that of Noah?–By no means.  If they were destroyed who refused the testimony of Noah, how shall they escape who shut their eyes and ears against the words of warning given by the Lord Jesus? Oh, that men would be wise, and listen to the Saviour's counsel to watch, to observe the signs, and to know when the day is near, that they might not be taken away in the Lord's anger!

"Unto them that look for him shall he appear the second time without sin unto salvation." Heb. 9:28. None would look for him– none would be watching and waiting for him–if they could have no knowledge that he was near to come. None would sound an alarm, and call upon the inhabitants of the earth to tremble because the day of the Lord is near, if they had no evidence from the words of prophecy that it is near. Joel 2:1. 

We are thankful that our heavenly Father, in the greatness of his mercy, has given us signs, and warnings, and such strong assurances, that we may know when the day is near, so that it shall not come as a thief upon the believing soul; thankful that we are thus afforded the means of escaping from the ruin that- is impending, and of sharing in the triumph of the redeemed followers of the Lamb. The present watching, waiting position requires much faith and patience. Says Paul: "Cast not away therefore your confidence, which hath great recompense of reward. For ye have need of patience, that ye have done the will of God [in proclaiming the coming of Christ], ye might receive the promise. For yet a little while, and He that shall come will come, and will not tarry. Now the just shall live by faith; that if any man, draw back, my soul shall have no pleasure in him. But we are not of them who draw hack unto perdition, but of them that believe to the saving of the soul." Heb. 10:35-30.

Says James: ,"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 utter rain. Be ye also patient; stablish your hearts; for the coming of the Lord draweth nigh." Chap, 5:7, 8.  The present position and present duty of God's people are defined in Rev. 14:12: "Here is the patience of the saints; here are they that keep the commandments of God, and the faith of Jesus." (End Excerpt)

Returned to Christ, or Christ Returns For Us?

 You have been warned.

You have been given all you need to know about the coming of the Lord and when it is close.

Again, I say that and you respond with people have been thinking the Lord was coming for 2000 years, what makes today any different?

Nothing. I tell you in truth, nothing.

By faith each and every Christ follower who has believed Christ was coming soon, and then died before seeing His return, they died in faith. They died and the next thing they'll know is Christ's return when He calls them up from their graves.

Do you see? They didn't die in vain. Their belief in the soon coming of the Lord wasn't a folly. They didn't die in disappointment. They died knowing that in truth the Lord was going to return, just not in their day.

Tell me this? Why does it matter that we believe in Christ's soon return if when we die we go right to Him? 

If we are to be returned to Christ, and not Christ returning for us, does it matter?

In TRUTH we are NOT returned to Christ when we die as so many millions believe. Christ has no reason to return IF we all just go to Him when we die. Just wiping us all out in some natural catastrophe would have all who are His with him, if that were true. 

The word of God tells us that the DEAD in CHRIST shall rise when Christ returns. Why do the dead need to rise if they are already with Christ? Why? WHY? Don't ignore this question! Don't pass over this as if it weren't a valid question! DO NOT shun the Holy Spirit pricking your conscious right this very moment! DO NOT let Satan keep the blinders on you! DO NOT let Satan  stop your ears up with His cherished, comfortable lies! You've believe the dead go to heaven ALL YOUR LIFE! You believe their spirit holding all their thoughts and memories are all intact and has flown off to heaven to be with Jesus and all the others who have gone on before them. ALL your friends believe this! Your church believes this! Your ministers, pastors, priest all believe this to be truth! Remember BROAD is the way and many are going that way but it won't lead to SALVATION! STOP believing the lies!

The dead are in their graves, their thoughts have perished, they sleep death's sleep and know ABSOLUTELY nothing until Jesus returns! 

They died in their hope of Jesus' soon coming and to them, the next thing they will know is His coming for them as He calls them from the grave!

Jesus will return. This awful sin filled world will be made new. There is an end of all sin, of all the results of sin- all tears, fears, pain, hate, agony, heartache, all of this will be gone completely and utterly and this will happen, first, Christ will return for ALL His followers, all His believers, all those He knows as His- dead and alive since the world was created. 

I want this evil world to end. I want evil to end. I want my SAVIOR to return!

I am watching as we are told to do.

I am praying as we are told to do.

I am studying the signs as we are told to do.

My Savior is coming soon. The prophecies are almost all complete.

We have the end of probation next, those who receive the mark of the beast right before that time (in their thoughts and actions are marked as Satan's) will be marked, and then a time of terrible trouble in which the plagues will fall, and the battle of the great day of God almighty will take place. 

During the time of trouble, as the plagues fall over the world here and there, as Satan makes his final stand before He is bound for 1000 years, we who are Christ's will be protected. It will NOT be a happy time for us, we will be tormented and tried by Satan mercilessly, but we will be Christ's and He will be our hope through it all, through all the darkness we will face.  We still have a lot to go through, but it will be cut short.

Mar_13:20  And except that the Lord had shortened those days, no flesh should be saved: but for the elect's sake, whom he hath chosen, he hath shortened the days.

Watch and pray, watch and pray, watch and pray.

May we be ready and found in Christ when He returns, and if we are blessed to be among those who are alive when He returns, may we strong in HIM and HIS righteousness, enduring all that may come through the power of the Holy Spirit!

All through Jesus Christ our LORD and SAVIOR, now and forever! AMEN!!!!!!!

(Excerpt)

EXPOSITION OF MATTHEW XXIV  24  (((Written in 1890 - remember when reading the excerpt 131 years have passed since it was written. History does matter.))))

OBJECT OF MATTHEW 24

Now we have a most important consideration to present to the minds of the readers. We think we have given facts and reasonings to prove that the coming of the Lord, mentioned in Matthew 24, is a literal, personal, visible coming. We have no idea that these facts can be controverted, or that these reasonings can be refuted. But if the question be asked of us, Do you, then, believe that the instruction of this chapter was given to prove that the second coming of Christ will be literal and personal, even as his first was? we answer, No, we do not. No such object was in view; no question concerning the nature of his coming was asked. Mark well this point. The disciples did not ask him, Master, will you actually come to this world again, that we may behold you personally as we see you now? No, no; this was not yet a matter of query. The Universalist, or spiritualizing, view of the second coming was not yet invented. Nor did the Saviour say, When ye see these things, then ye may know that my coming is personal and visible.

The question was, "What shall be the sign of thy coming, and of the end of the world?" It was a question concerning a certain event, and the time of its fulfillment; and the answer was to this question, and to no other. And to this it was direct: "When ye shall see all these things, know that it is near, even at the doors." 

Thus is shown the great mistake made by a majority of those who study this chapter. They appear to think that the sole object of the Saviour was to guard his followers against the idea that they can know anything about the time of his coming. But, to the contrary, he leads our minds down through a series of events and signs with the special object that we may know the time, not,  indeed, the day nor the hour, but the time when it is near,–very near, even at the doors. 

Verse 36 is often perverted when it is used to justify the oft-repeated assertion that "we cannot tell anything about the time of the Lord's coming." When our opposers quote this verse, we accept its statement fully and cheerfully. They seem to have exceeding strong confidence in our Saviour's words, that we cannot tell the day nor the hour. We have equal confidence in this

declaration. But will they accept, with the same confidence, the statement in verse 33, which gives assurance that we may know when it is near? If they accept this as they do verse 36, then the controversy of this chapter is ended. If they do not accept it, but still insist that we cannot know, then how can they consistently claim to be believers of the Saviour's words? We invite all readers to look candidly at this point, and answer to their own hearts before God this question: For what was the instruction of this chapter given? If the Lord did not intend that his people shall know anything about the time, what is the meaning of the words in verse 33? He says  that we may know when his coming is near, and we have too much reverence for, and fear of, his word to contradict him. And more than this, we believe that verse 33 is not merely

instructive but also preceptive. It contains not only a statement, but a commandment. It does not barely inform us that we may know, but it commands us to know. The original shows, but the English does not plainly show, that the Saviour spoke in the imperative; and therefore no one can justly claim exemption, and say it makes no difference whether we know or do not. To say that we cannot know is to slight the words of the Lord. To refuse to diligently and prayerfully search in order to know, is to disobey the Lord's commandment. Reverence, humility, and a spirit of obedience, all call for a careful examination of our Saviour's teachings, and a reception of the evidence of his near coming. By many the evidences of the soon coming of Christ are considered insufficient to base faith upon. But mark: the testimony

and acts of one man condemned the people destroyed by the flood. The evidences then were sufficient, otherwise the world would not have been condemned. But behold the evidences which come pouring in upon us on all sides that the day of the Lord is near, and hasteth greatly. We follow down the numerous prophetic chains of Daniel, and of the Revelation, and we find ourselves in every instance standing just before the day of wrath. We see the signs spoken of by prophets, by Christ, and in the Epistles, fulfilling or fulfilled. And at the right time, and in the right manner, to fulfill certain prophecies, a solemn message arises in different parts of the world: "Blow ye the trumpet in Zion, and sound an alarm in my holy mountain; let all the inhabitants of the land tremble; for the day of the Lord cometh, for it is nigh at hand." Joel 2:1. Wherever we look, we see prophecy fulfilling. And while the knowledge of God and the spirit of holiness are departing, spiritual wickedness like a flood covers the land. But these evidences are considered insufficient to rest faith upon. Well, what kind of evidence is required? "When the signs of the end," says the skeptic, "are fulfilled, they will be so plain that no one can doubt." But if the signs are of such a nature, and are fulfilled in such a manner, as to compel all to believe in the coming of Christ, how can it be as it was in the days of Noah? Men were not then compelled to believe. But eight believing souls were saved, while all the world beside sunk in their unbelief beneath the waters of the flood. God has never revealed his truth to man in a manner to compel him to believe. Those who have wished to doubt his word, have found a wide field in which to doubt, and a broad road to perdition. Only those who wish to believe find solid rock on which to rest their faith. "When the Son of man cometh, shall he find faith on the earth?" Luke 18:8. He will find but little. It will be as in the days of Noah. A few will believe, and stand complete in God amid all the perils of the last days. "Fear not, little flock; for it is your Father's good pleasure to give you the kingdom." Luke 12:32. Just before the end, the world will be hardened in sin, indifferent to the claims of God, careless about heeding warnings of danger, blinded by cares, pleasures, and riches; an unbelieving and infidel  race, eating, drinking, marrying, building, planting, sowing. It is right to eat and drink, but the sin is in excess and gluttony. The marriage covenant is holy, but God's glory is seldom thought of. Building, planting, and sowing, necessary for convenient shelter, food, and doing, are right, but the world has gone wholly after these things, so that they have no time nor disposition to think of God, heaven, Christ's coming, and the judgment. This world is their god, and all their energies of body and mind bow down to serve it. And the evil day is put far away. The faithful watchman who sounds the alarm as he sees destruction coming, is considered a "fanatic," a "teacher of dangerous heresies;" while a long period of peace and prosperity is predicted from the popular pulpit. So the churches are quieted to sleep. The scoffer continues to scoff, and the mocker mocks on. But their day is coming. Thus saith the prophet of God: "Howl ye; for  the day of the Lord is at hand; it shall come as a destruction from the Almighty. Therefore shall all hands be faint, and every man's heart shall melt; and they shall be afraid; pangs and sorrow shall take hold of them; they shall be in pain as a woman that travaileth; they shall be amazed one at another; their faces shall be as flames. Behold, the day of the Lord cometh, cruel both with wrath and fierce anger, to lay the land desolate; and he shall destroy the sinners thereof out of it." Isa. 13:6-9. 

Most dreadful day! And is it near, and hasting on as fast as the rapid wheels of time can bring it?–Yes, it hasteth! It hasteth greatly! What a description given by the prophet! Read it, and as you read, try to feel how dreadful will be that day. "The great day of the Lord is near, it is near, and hasteth greatly, even the voice of the day of the Lord; the mighty man shall cry there bitterly. That day is a day of wrath, a day of trouble and distress, a day of wasteness and desolation, a day of darkness and gloominess, a day of clouds and thick darkness, a day of the trumpet and alarm against the fenced cities, and against the high towers. And I will bring distress upon men, that they shall walk like blind men, because they have sinned against the Lord; and their blood shall be poured out as dust, and their flesh as the dung. Neither their silver nor their gold shall be able to deliver them in the day of the Lord's wrath; but the whole land shall be devoured by the fire of his jealousy; for he shall make even a speedy riddance of all them that dwell in the land." Zeph. 1:14-18. 

Now we hear the cry from the pulpit, and all the way along down to the grog-shop, "Where is the promise of his coming?" But the scene will speedily change: "For when they shall say, Peace and safety; then sudden destruction cometh upon them. . . . and they shall not escape." The scoffing of the haughty scoffer will soon be turned to wailing and howling." "The lofty looks of man shall be humbled, and the haughtiness of men shall be bowed down, and the Lord alone shall be exalted in that day. For the day of the Lord of hosts shall be upon everyone that is proud and lofty, and upon everyone that is lifted up; and he shall be brought low." Isa. 2:11, 12. "And the slain of the Lord shall be at that day from one end of  the earth even unto the other end of the earth; they shall not be lamented, neither gathered, nor buried; they shall be dung upon the ground." Jer. 25:33.

The last plagues, in which is filled up the wrath of God, waiting for mercy to finish her last pleadings; will be poured out. See Rev. 15:1, and 16 entire. Unmingled wrath of Jehovah! And not one drop of mercy?–Not one! Jesus will lay off his priestly attire, eave [sic.] the mercy-seat, and put on the garments of vengeance, never more to offer his blood to cleanse the sinner from his sins. The angels will wipe away the last tear shed over sinners, while the mandate resounds through all heaven, Let them alone! The groaning, weeping, praying, preaching church on earth, who in the last message use every means within their reach, and employ every power of their being, to sound everywhere the loud cry, lest the blood of souls be found on their garments, are now hushed in solemn silence. The Holy Spirit has written within them these prophetic words of their soon-expected Lord: "He that is unjust, let him be unjust still; and he which is filthy, let him be filthy still; and he that is righteous, let him be righteous still; and he that is holy, let him be holy still." Rev. 22:11.

Now the ministers of truth have a message for the people, and gladly speak the words of life; but then they will have no message. Now their prayers and strong cries go up to Heaven in behalf of sinners; then they will have no spirit of prayer for them. Now the church says to the sinner, Come; and Jesus stands ready to plead his blood in his behalf, that he may be washed from sin and live; but then salvation's hour will have passed, and the sinner will be shut

up in darkness and black despair. 

It will be a day of mourning and lamentation, and famine for hearing the words of the Lord. "I will turn your feasts into mourning, and all your songs into lamentation; and I will bring up sackcloth upon all loins, and baldness upon every head; and I will  make it as the mourning of an only son, and the end thereof as a bitter day. Behold, the days come, saith the Lord God, that I will send a famine in the land, not a famine of bread, nor a thirst for water, but of hearing the words of the Lord; and they be a witness against you, and shall eat your flesh as it were fire. Ye have heaped treasure together for the last days." James 5:1-3. Now silver and gold may be used to God's glory, for the advancement of his cause, but in that day "they shall cast their silver in the streets, and their gold shall be removed; their silver and their gold shall not be able to deliver them in the day of the wrath of the Lord; they shall not satisfy their souls, neither fill their bowels; because it is the stumbling-block of their iniquity." Eze. 7:19. Now they may lay up a treasure in heaven, in bags that wax not old. Now they may deposit in the bank of heaven, and deliver their souls, Then, overwhelmed with terror, they will cast their wealth into the mire of the streets; but "their silver and their gold shall not be able to deliver them in the day of the wrath of the Lord."  (End Excerpt) 

Your Last Day On Earth.

 Will your last day be one of regret or joy?

Eating, drinking, giving in marriage, marrying… all day to day occurrences. Is it safe to say that on any given day people around our world are being married?

In 2018  2,132,853 marriages took place in the USA, approximately 5800 a day. Of course that is an estimate, most assuredly there could have been 8000 on one day and only 2000 on another and so on. The fact remains that in the United States alone there were over 2 million marriages in the year 2018. Is it any wonder Jesus included those words- marrying and giving in marriage. I say that because it is an everyday happening and something people do as a matter of leading a life of future expectation. A marriage as a rule is a symbol of the future. You marry with the hopes of sharing a life together, a future together. Though I'm sure there are marriages of convenience and marriages that are forced, arranged marriages, and so on and so forth. Some people do get annulments quickly after marriage when they realize it's a mistake, but the majority of marriages are done in hopes for a future. 

Eating, drinking, marrying…  you eat, drink and get marry… no cares about the world ending, no concern for Jesus' returning and all that means.

Picture for a moment Noah's huge ark. You've lived in its shadow all the while it was being built. You listened to the crazy old ark builder's reasoning, people laugh about him all the time, you laugh about it often.  It was a great source of amusement since its beginning. While the ark increased in size slowly, the frame, and the filling of the frame, life went on as usual. Noah's and his ark was a story being told to little children as they grew up, people grew used to the presence of the ark and its builder- they became a part of their way of life. They were something to be ignore as of little consequence. The ark didn't affect their lives in any way really, why would it? Noah wasn't trying to get them to help build the crazy thing. Every now and again Noah's story, the reason for that monstrous contraption, would be told. The old man said there was a god that was going to destroy everyone with water because they didn't believe in that god and follow his ways. Being killed with water, while not unheard of, people had drowned in rivers, wells and such, but everyone being killed with water so that they would need huge boat to survive, that was preposterous. But that was the strange reason for the crazy old man and his crazy old family doing what they did. 

Noah was crazy, until he wasn't any longer, but the people who realized too late that he wasn't only did so in their final moments, on the last day of their lives.

It is going to be the SAME way when Jesus returns.

Many people are going to believe those who are waiting for Jesus' return are crazy. It won't be until their last day on earth that they realize they were wrong. 

Don't be among those who realize too late. Please. Accept the Lord Jesus Christ as your savior right now, repent, seek forgiveness and have faith in our Lord. He will return. This life isn't all there is because without Christ, this life is one of hopelessness. Christ is hope. Choose hope.

All by the grace of our Lord and Savior, through His mercy! Now and forever! Amen!!!!!!

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EXPOSITION OF MATTHEW XXIV  24  (((Written in 1890 - remember when reading the excerpt 131 years have passed since it was written. History does matter.))))

NOAH'S TIME AND OURS

VERSES 37-39: "But as the days of Noe were, so shall also the coming of the Son of man be. For as in the days that were before the flood they were eating and drinking, marrying and giving in marriage, until the day that Noe entered into the ark, and knew not until the flood came, and took them all away; so shall also the coming of the Son of man be."

A picture of the present condition of the mass of mankind is here, drawn. The people of the last generation will be like that before the flood, while the ark was preparing. This shows that we cannot innocently be ignorant on the subject of the Lord's soon coming. It will be a terrible calamity in that day to those who do not know, even as it was to the world in the days of Noah, because they did not know of the approaching time of the flood. If they had had no means of knowing, they would, of course, have been innocent, and have escaped destruction. But they might have known, for Noah warned them by his preaching, and yet more forcibly in building the ark. In this he "condemned the world." Heb. 11:7. He proved his faith by his works. They proved their unbelief, and were justly condemned. They turned away from his warnings, and forgot his words, and so the flood came when they did not expect it,–they did not know,– and took them all away. So will it be when the Son of man is revealed. Matt. 24:39. 

Noah preached and warned the people of the coming flood, and they mocked. He built the ark and they scoffed. He was a preacher of righteousness. His works were calculated to give point to, and set home to the heart, what he preached. Every righteous sermon, and every blow struck in building the ark, condemned a careless, scoffing world. As the time grew nearer, they grew more careless, more hardened, more bold and impudent, and their condemnation surer. Noah and his family were alone. And could one family know more than all the world? The ark was a matter of ridicule, and Noah was regarded as a willful bigot. But the Lord calls Noah into the ark, and says to him, "Yet seven days, and I will cause it to rain upon the earth;" and by the hand of Providence the beasts are led into the ark, and the Lord shuts Noah in. This is regarded at first by the scoffing multitude as something wonderful; but it is soon explained away by the wiser ones, so as to calm their fears, and they breathe easier. But the day arrives. The sun rises as usual, and the heavens are clear. "Now where is old Noah's flood?" is heard-from a thousand impious lips. On this very day some are being joined in marriage. It is a day of unusual feasting and sports. The farmer is planting and sowing, and the mechanic is heard pursuing his work of building. And while all are looking over long years of future prosperity and happiness, suddenly the heavens gather blackness. Fear fills every heart. They think of Noah, and as they turn to look toward the ark, the windows of heaven open, and the rain descends in torrents. "The fountains of the great deep are broken up," and here and there come gushing up rivers of water. The valleys are fast filling, and thousands are swept away in death. Some flee to the highest point of land, but the waters fast follow them. Men bear their wives and children to the mountains, but are obliged to leave them there to drown, while they climb the highest trees. But soon they too are covered with water. Not a scoffer remains. All are still in death. Horrible death! made still more horrible by being the consequence of slighted mercy! But where is Noah?–Ah! safe in the ark, borne upon the billow. Safe from the flood, safe, for God "shut him in." (End Excerpt)