"11 Let the heavens rejoice, and let the Earth be glad; let the sea roar, and the fulness thereof.
12 Let the field be joyful, and all that is therein: then shall all the trees of the wood rejoice
13 before the LORD: for HE COMETH, for He cometh to judge the Earth: He shall judge the world with Righteousness, and the people with His Truth" (Psalm 96:11-13).
What can I say at this stage of turmoil and uncertainty in our country? We certainly know One Positive Thing. Jesus is coming soon! Not just that He is coming-- for that has been known for a long time in the annals of Scripture. "And the LORD shall be seen over them, and His arrow shall go forth as the lightning: and the LORD GOD shall blow the trumpet, and shall go with whirlwinds of the south" (Zechariah 9:14). But He is coming soon!
"I come quickly" (Revelation 3:11, 22:7; 22:12; 22:20).
How do we know that "quickly" isn't just another 2000 years? Scripture teaches us to compare current events with the signs of His Coming. "And when these things begin to come to pass, then look up, and lift up your heads; for your Redemption draweth nigh" (Luke 21:28).
There is no "maybe soon" about it. He is coming very soon!
"5 Sing unto the LORD with the harp; with the harp, and the voice of a psalm.
6 With trumpets and sound of cornet make a joyful noise before the LORD, the King.
7 Let the sea roar, and the fulness thereof; the world, and they that dwell therein.
8 Let the floods clap their hands: let the hills be joyful together
9 before the LORD; for He cometh to judge the Earth: with Righteousness shall He judge the world, and the people with equity" (Psalm 98:5-9).
The theme; in case you missed it, was/is joyfulness!
All the Earth - Listen!
The darkness from sin in this world is so dense! There are evil tidings in every direction of the globe. The Good News is that Jesus is coming soon and will eventually put an end to this sickening downward pull of the Devil. Jesus said "evil men and seducers shall wax worse and worse, deceiving, and being deceived" (2Timothy 3:13).
In the days of C. H. Spurgeon (1834-1892), of the Philadelphian Church Age period in which he lived ( the Church of Philadelphia) "thou hast a little strength" [Revelation 3:8]), Pastor Spurgeon said, "Worst of all, the church, so largely apostate as it is..." And that was more than a hundred years ago! That was Philadelphia, the Church period when the LORD said that the Church still had "a little strength"! Is it really any wonder to us today, that the Professed Church, as a whole, has no strength to it at all?
Of course, there are tiny pockets of exceptions. The LORD will have His "remnant." As it was in Elijah's day, "even so then at this present time also there is a remnant according to the election of Grace" (Romans 11:5). But, the Professed Church today has been swallowed up by the world. "When the Son Of Man cometh, shall He find Faith on the Earth?" (Luke 18:8).
"I looked for the Church and I found it in the world;
I looked for the world, and alas, I found it in the Church."
--Horatius Bonar
As for the world, listen. "O Earth, Earth, Earth, hear the Word of the LORD... Behold, the days come, saith the LORD, that I will raise unto David a Righteous Branch, and a King shall reign and prosper, and shall execute Judgment and Justice in the Earth" (Jeremiah 22:29, 23:5). And He is coming soon!
"1 O sing unto the LORD a new song: sing unto the LORD, all the Earth.
2 Sing unto the LORD, bless His Name; show forth His Salvation from day to day.
3 Declare His Glory among the heathen, His Wonders among all people.
4 For the LORD is Great, and greatly to be praised: He is to be feared above all gods.
5 For all the gods of the nations are idols: but the LORD made the heavens.
6 Honour and Majesty are before Him: Strength and Beauty are in His Sanctuary.
7 Give unto the LORD, O ye kindreds of the people, give unto the LORD Glory and Strength.
8 Give unto the LORD the Glory due unto His Name: bring an offering, and come into His courts.
9 O worship the LORD in the Beauty of Holiness: fear before Him, all the Earth.
10 Say among the heathen that the LORD reigneth: the world also shall be established that it shall not be moved: He shall judge the people righteously.
11 Let the heavens rejoice, and let the Earth be glad; let the sea roar, and the fulness thereof.
12 Let the field be joyful, and all that is therein: then shall all the trees of the wood rejoice
13 before the LORD: for HE COMETH, for He cometh to judge the Earth: He shall judge the world with Righteousness, and the people with His Truth"
(Psalm 96:1-13).
Listen, Earth, for the Voice of the LORD encircles the globe.
(Job 37:4-5)
"4 After it a Voice roareth: He thundereth with the Voice of His Excellency; and He will not stay them when His Voice is heard.
5 God thundereth marvelously with His Voice; great things doeth He, which we cannot comprehend."
(Job 40:9) "Hast thou an arm like God? or canst thou thunder with a Voice like Him?"
(Psalm 29:3-5)
"3 The Voice of the LORD is upon the waters: the God of Glory thundereth: the LORD is upon many waters.
4 The Voice of the LORD is powerful; the Voice of the LORD is full of majesty.
5 The Voice of the LORD breaketh the cedars; yea, the LORD breaketh the cedars of Lebanon."
(Psalm 46:6) "The heathen raged, the kingdoms were moved: He uttered His Voice, the Earth melted."
The Great Judge has entered His Own Holy Courtroom. "A fiery stream issued and came forth from before Him: thousand thousands ministered unto Him, and ten thousand times ten thousand stood before Him: the Judgment was set, and the Books were opened." (Daniel 7:10).
The LORD is about to pass Judgment upon a planet of sinning inhabitants. "The adversaries of the LORD shall be broken to pieces; out of Heaven shall He thunder upon them: the LORD shall judge the ends of the Earth; and He shall give strength unto His King [His Son, Jesus Christ], and exalt the horn of His Anointed" (1Samuel 2:10). "Arise, O God, judge the Earth: for Thou shalt inherit all nations" (Psalm 82:8).
The martyred in Heaven yearn for the Judgment to take place. "And they cried with a loud voice, saying, How long, O LORD, Holy and True, dost Thou not judge and avenge our blood on them that dwell on the Earth?" (Revelation 6:10).
The poor and the meek, having been trodden down by those who have no mercy, yearn for the Judgment to take place. "With Righteousness shall He judge the poor, and reprove with Equity for the meek of the Earth: and He shall smite the Earth with the Rod of His mouth, and with the Breath of His lips shall He slay the wicked" (Isaiah 11:4).
The oppressed and the orphan, having no power of their own, yearn for the Judgment of the LORD to make haste. "To judge the fatherless and the oppressed, that the man of the Earth may no more oppress" (Psalm 10:18).
The righteous and even the planet, itself, even "the whole creation groaneth and travaileth in pain together until now" (Romans 8:22). For "then shall the trees of the wood sing out at the presence of the LORD, because He cometh to judge the Earth" (1Chronicles 16:33).
"Lift up Thyself, Thou Judge of the Earth: render a reward to the proud" (Psalm 94:2).
(Genesis 18:25) "That be far from Thee to do after this manner, to slay the righteous with the wicked: and that the righteous should be as the wicked, that be far from Thee: Shall not the Judge of all the Earth do right?"
(Psalm 67:4) "O let the nations be glad and sing for joy: for Thou shalt judge the people righteously, and govern the nations upon Earth. Selah."
We Have Waited For Him
For those of us who "have waited for Him", the LORD will not let us down. "And it shall be said in that day, Lo, this is our God; we have waited for Him, and He will save us: this is the LORD; we have waited for Him, we will be glad and rejoice in His Salvation" (Isaiah 25:9). Many have said things intended to work against our faith, but God's Word sustains us. "Because of His Strength will I wait upon Thee: for God is my Defense" (Psalm 59:9).
"3 Knowing this first, that there shall come in the last days scoffers, walking after their own lusts,
4 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.
5 For this they willingly are ignorant of that by the Word of God the heavens were of old, and the Earth standing out of the water and in the water:
6 whereby the world that then was, being overflowed with water, perished:
7 but the heavens and the Earth, which are now, by the Same Word are kept in store, reserved unto fire against the Day of Judgment and perdition of ungodly men"
(2Peter 3:3-7).
Those that scoff now, if they continue in their willful ignorance, will perish later. "Evildoers shall be cut off: but those that wait upon the LORD, they shall inherit the Earth" (Psalm 37:9).
As Christians, whether you believe in a Pre-Tribulation Rapture or in a Pre-Wrath Rapture, as I do, the thing of Supreme Importance is that "it is required in stewards, that a man be found faithful" (1Corinthians 4:2).
Do not "strive" with each other whether the Rapture is "pre, mid, or post," or whether it might be a combination of several for "the servant of the LORD must not strive; but be gentle unto all men, apt to teach, patient" (2Timothy 2:24).
(James 5:9) "Grudge not one against another, brethren, lest ye be condemned: behold, the Judge standeth before the door."
(Psalm 98:9) "for He cometh to judge the Earth: with Righteousness shall He judge the world, and the people with Equity."
Be ready for the LORD, "holding faith, and a good conscience; which some having put away concerning faith have made shipwreck" (1Timothy 1:19). And then, when that wonderful day of Homegoing is lighted as a beacon for us, we shall find that our LORD has come to lead us in His Glory. "1 Arise, shine; for thy Light is come, and the Glory of the LORD is risen upon thee. 2 For, behold, the darkness shall cover the Earth, and gross darkness the people: but the LORD shall arise upon thee, and His Glory shall be seen upon thee" (Isaiah 60:1-2).
Our Precious LORD Jesus is given to us by our Great Father in Heaven that we might always stand in confidence. "Wherefore also it is contained in the Scripture, Behold, I lay in Sion a Chief Corner Stone, Elect, Precious: and he that believeth on Him shall not be confounded" (1Peter 2:6).
It is our duty-- even privilege-- to keep "looking unto Jesus the Author and Finisher of our Faith" (Hebrews 12:2). "Behold, as the eyes of servants look unto the hand of their masters, and as the eyes of a maiden unto the hand of her mistress; so our eyes wait upon the LORD our God, until that He have Mercy upon us" (Psalm 123:2).
Jesus is The Source of Mercy, Hope, and everything pertaining to life and sustenance. (Jude 21) "Keep yourselves in the Love of God, looking for the Mercy of our LORD Jesus Christ unto Eternal Life."
(Titus 2:13) "Looking for that Blessed Hope, and the Glorious Appearing of the Great God and our Saviour Jesus Christ."
(Psalm 145:15) "The eyes of all wait upon Thee; and Thou givest them their meat in due season."
Look to receive from the hand of God. "While we look not at the things which are seen, but at the things which are not seen: for the things which are seen are temporal; but the things which are not seen are Eternal" (2Corinthians 4:18). We have waited. He has answered-- and will answer. Even the "temporal" things, though they last "even a vapour, that appeareth for a little time, and then vanisheth away" (James 4:14), have Eternal Weight and Glory when received by Faith.. "Be patient therefore, brethren, unto the Coming of the LORD. Behold, the husbandman waiteth for the precious fruit of the Earth, and hath long patience for it, until he receive the early and latter rain" (James 5:7).
As we wait patiently, we should tend our earthly gardens, watching over them so as to protect the "precious fruit". "For what is our hope, or joy, or crown of rejoicing? Are not even ye in the presence of our LORD Jesus Christ at His Coming?"
(1Thessalonians 2:19).
Jesus came the first time "to seek and to save that which was lost" (Luke 19:10). As we wait for Him, let us work for Him. "Sow to yourselves in Righteousness, reap in Mercy" (Hosea 10:12). For "he that goeth forth and weepeth, bearing precious seed, shall doubtless come again with rejoicing, bringing his sheaves with him" (Psalm 126:6).
What "joy" it will be to meet the LORD with others that we have brought with us. "The fruit of the righteous is a Tree of Life; and he that winneth souls is Wise" (Proverbs 11:30). Brethren, "walk in Wisdom toward them that are without, redeeming the time" (Colossians 4:5). Be careful to "walk in Love, as Christ also hath loved us, and hath given Himself for us an Offering and a Sacrifice to God for a Sweet smelling Savour" (Ephesians 5:2).
"Be ye also patient; stablish your hearts: for the Coming of the LORD draweth nigh" (James 5:8).
Clothed Upon with Our House from Heaven
The LORD has provided for our temporal needs, and has never let us down. "I have been young, and now am old; yet have I not seen the righteous forsaken, nor his seed begging bread" (Psalm 37:25).
He is ALWAYS there for us. "And God is able to make all Grace abound toward you; that ye, always having all sufficiency in all things, may abound to every good
work" (2Corinthians 9:8).
And if we have needs-- He fills them. "My God shall supply all your need according to His riches in Glory by Christ Jesus" (Philippians 4:19). In fact, we can confidently believe that, "no good thing will He withhold from them that walk uprightly" (Psalm 84:11).
As the waves roll in, we are not overcome. Our foundation is sure and steadfast. We have God's "Grace" (His help) "abound" to us, "always having all sufficiency in all things." You shall have the "supply" of "your need" if the "earthly house of this tabernacle" (2Corinthians 5:1) were "clothed upon with our House which is from Heaven" (5:2), in the lesser sense of this passage. The fuller meaning of the passage refers to our Home going, either by the death of this body or by the Rapture of this body by Christ's Return in the Pre-Tribulational-- and later, again, by the Pre- Wrath-- Raptures of the Church, the Body of Christ.
"1 For we know that if our earthly house of this tabernacle were dissolved, we have a Building of God, an House not made with hands, Eternal in the Heavens.
2 For in this we groan, earnestly desiring to be clothed upon with our House which is from Heaven:
3 if so be that being clothed we shall not be found naked.
4 For we that are in this tabernacle do groan, being burdened: not for that we would be unclothed, but clothed upon, that mortality might be swallowed up of Life"
(2Corinthians 5:1-4).
Therefore, this life, complete with the trials, testings, and sufferings necessary to be "conformed to the image of His Son" (Romans 8:29), still is promised by the LORD to be a life that is "perfect and entire, wanting nothing" (James 1:4). Waiting on the LORD reaps the answers needed. "Wait on the LORD, and He shall save thee" (Proverbs 20:22). But the Glory "which shall be" cannot be compared to the life "of this present time" (Romans 8:18).
"18 For I reckon that the sufferings of this present time are not worthy to be compared with the Glory which shall be revealed in us.
19 For the earnest expectation of the creature waiteth for the manifestation of the sons of God...
22 For we know that the whole Creation groaneth and travaileth in pain together until now.
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.
24 For we are saved by hope: but hope that is seen is not hope: for what a man seeth, why doth he yet hope for?
25 But if we hope for that we see not, then do we with patience wait for it"
(Romans 8:18-19, 22-25).
And this Eternal Glory promised becomes real sight to our beings when our LORD Jesus Christ takes us Home with Him.
"1 If ye then be risen with Christ, seek those things which are Above, where Christ sitteth on the right hand of God.
2 Set your affection on things Above, not on things on the Earth.
3 For ye are dead [to the world], and your life is hid with Christ in God.
4 When Christ, Who is our Life, shall appear, then shall ye also appear with Him in Glory.
5 Mortify therefore your members which are upon the Earth; fornication, uncleanness, inordinate affection, evil concupiscence, and covetousness, which is idolatry:
6 for which things' sake the Wrath of God cometh on the children of disobedience"
(Colossians 3:1-6).
Therefore, brethren, "what manner of persons ought ye to be in all holy conversation and godliness" (2Peter 3:11).
"12 Put on therefore, as the elect of God, holy and beloved, bowels of mercies, kindness, humbleness of mind, meekness, longsuffering;
13 forbearing one another, and forgiving one another, if any man have a quarrel against any: even as Christ forgave you, so also do ye.
14 And above all these things put on Charity, which is the bond of perfectness.
15 And let the peace of God rule in your hearts, to the which also ye are called in one body; and be ye thankful.
16 Let the Word of Christ dwell in you richly in all Wisdom; teaching and admonishing one another in psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, singing with grace in your hearts to the LORD.
17 And whatsoever ye do in word or deed, do all in the Name of the LORD Jesus, giving thanks to God and the Father by Him.
18 Wives, submit yourselves unto your own husbands, as it is fit in the LORD.
19 Husbands, love your wives, and be not bitter against them.
20 Children, obey your parents in all things: for this is well pleasing unto the LORD.
21 Fathers, provoke not your children to anger, lest they be discouraged.
22 Servants, obey in all things your masters according to the flesh; not with eyeservice, as menpleasers; but in singleness of heart, fearing God:
23 and whatsoever ye do, do it heartily, as to the LORD, and not unto men;
24 knowing that of the LORD ye shall receive the reward of the inheritance: for ye serve the LORD Christ.
25 But he that doeth wrong shall receive for the wrong which he hath done: and there is no respect of persons."
(Colossians 3:12-25).
Come Quickly, LORD Jesus!
Think about it. Every time you pray this plea, His Coming is ever closer. "He which testifieth these things saith, Surely I come quickly. Amen. Even so, come, LORD Jesus" (Revelation 22:20).
Pray it!
"7 And shall not God avenge His own elect, which cry day and night unto Him, though He bear long with them?
8 I tell you that He will avenge them speedily. Nevertheless when the Son Of Man cometh, shall He find Faith on the Earth?" (Luke 18:7-8).
Don't listen to the scorners, the mockers, nor even the procrastinators, who want to delay His Coming.
"48 But and if that evil servant shall say in his heart, My LORD delayeth His Coming...
50 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,
51 and shall cut him asunder, and appoint him his portion with the hypocrites: there shall be weeping and gnashing of teeth"
(Matthew 24:48,50-51).
"In Thee, O LORD, do I put my trust: let me never be put to confusion" (Psalm 71:1).
The LORD does "tarry", but that is fulfilling His Purpose. Only when the moment is in the fulness of His Providence, only then will He come. "For yet a little while, and He that shall come will come, and will not tarry" (Hebrews 10:37). The LORD's Plan is perfect. His Timing is perfect. His Coming is perfect.
"For the Vision is yet for an appointed time, but at the end it shall speak, and not lie: though it tarry, wait for it; because it will surely come, it will not tarry"
(Hebrews 2:3).
They shall not be ashamed that wait for Me" (Isaiah 49:23).
That's His Promise! "The LORD recompense thy work, and a full reward be given thee of the LORD God of Israel, under Whose wings thou art come to trust" (Ruth 2:12).
Don't doubt it! Don't give it up! Don't turn back!
"35 Cast not away therefore your confidence, which hath great recompense of reward.
36 For ye have need of patience, that, after ye have done the Will of God, ye might receive the Promise.
37 For yet a little while, and He that shall come will come, and will not tarry.
38 Now the just shall live by faith: but if any man draw back, My soul shall have no pleasure in him.
39 But we are not of them who draw back unto perdition; but of them that believe to the saving of the soul.
11:1 Now faith is the substance of things hoped for, the evidence of things not seen" (Hebrews 10:35-39; 11:1).
And, what do we do while we wait?
Jesus gave the Command - "Occupy till I come" (Luke 19:13).
"2 Continue in prayer, and watch in the same with thanksgiving;
3 withal praying also for us, that God would open unto us a door of utterance, to speak the Mystery of Christ, for which I am also in bonds:
4 that I may make it manifest, as I ought to speak.
5 Walk in Wisdom toward them that are without, redeeming the time.
6 Let your speech be alway with Grace, seasoned with Salt, that ye may know how ye ought to answer every man" (Colossians 4:2-6).
Jesus Is Coming Soon!
"11 Let the heavens rejoice, and let the Earth be glad; let the sea roar, and the fulness thereof.
12 Let the field be joyful, and all that is therein: then shall all the trees of the wood rejoice
13 before the LORD: for HE COMETH, for He cometh to judge the Earth: He shall judge the world with Righteousness, and the people with His Truth"
(Psalm 96:11-13).
How to Be Ready for the Rapture
It is the height of conceit that we would ever think that we will make ourself ready to be raptured home to Heaven by the simple force of our will. 'O LORD, I know that the way of man is not in himself: it is not in man that walketh to direct his steps' (Jeremiah 10:23).
If we have learned anything about the LORD Jesus Christ, we have learned that 'not by works of righteousness which we have done, but according to His mercy He saved us' (Titus 3:5). In other words, we must be trusting in His merit and not any so-called worthiness of our own for Salvation, Sanctification, and Eternity...
However, in our attempt to properly emphasize the 'Grace of God that bringeth Salvation' (Titus 2:11), we have a tendency to discount those Scriptures that make us responsible for our own readiness to meet the LORD Jesus Christ, when He returns for us in the Rapture. 'Even so Faith, if it hath not works, is dead, being alone' (James 2:17).
It would be a grave mistake to assume that any action that we have taken in the past, will be sufficient by itself to ensure our readiness to be raptured. 'Watch ye therefore, and pray always, that ye may be accounted worthy to escape all these things that shall come to pass, and to stand before the Son of Man' (Luke 21:36).
Rather than relying upon any metaphysical formula from men promising that God will grant us the indulgence of our sins that we are committing or will commit-- and, still rapture us home to Heaven-- we ought rather to faithfully declare our absolute necessity of a continuing and practical holiness. 'Follow Peace with all men, and Holiness, without which no man shall see the LORD' (Hebrews 12:14).
More Than One- Look for the Final One
The Church's uncertainty of Rapture or no Rapture-- and, if Rapture, then when-- is interesting, considering the fact that there have already been at least two Saints that have been Raptured, ( Enoch and Elijah) and that, before the New Covenant!
'But now hath He obtained a more excellent ministry, by how much also He is the Mediator of a Better Covenant, which was established upon Better Promises' (Hebrews 8:6)...
The possibility of More Than One Advent for the Messiah has given the Church the Doctrine of the Second Coming of Jesus Christ, and it has also given the Body of Christ the legitimate expectation that More Than One Rapture will yet provide for the Son a worthy inheritance... The examples of Enoch and Elijah only reinforce the concept that the LORD God has wisely seen fit to accomplish More Than One Rapture already, setting the precedent for the future. 'Now all these things happened unto them for ensamples: and they are written for our admonition, upon whom the ends of the world are come' (1Corinthians 10:11).
A Sober Warning
"Watch ye therefore, and pray always, that ye may be accounted worthy to escape all these things that shall come to pass, and to stand before the Son of man" (Luke 21:36).
The disciples were not privileged to know, then, what the Spirit has revealed, now, to the Church. 'And he saith unto me, Seal not the sayings of the prophecy of this Book: for the time is at hand' (Revelation 22:10).
We have too many signs that the original disciples did not have to indicate the exact nearness of the soon coming of the LORD Jesus Christ for His Church at the Pre-Tribulational Rapture. 'Can ye not discern the signs of the times?' (Matthew 16:3).
On May 14,1948 Israel was back in the land.
On June 7,1967 Israel recaptured Jerusalem and the Temple Mount.
Both of these events are signs (Matthew 24:15 and Luke 21:24b) that we are in the Last Generation.
'And when these things begin to come to pass, then look up, and lift up your heads; for Your Redemption draweth nigh' (Luke 21:28).
In Closing ...
God Does Care About Sin and Righteousness in a Nation. America's churches have lost their pilgrim character. 'Dearly beloved, I beseech you as strangers and pilgrims, abstain from fleshly lusts, which war against the soul' (1Peter 2:11).
At home in the world, is the unfortunate description of the churches of America. 'Woe to them that are at ease in Zion' (Amos 6:1). Without a clear-cut separation from sin and the world, America's churches have lost their distinctive platform to call the nation to repentance. Her ministers and leaders have brought great reproach upon the Name of God in front of the unconverted. 'Her priests have violated My Law, and have profaned Mine holy things: they have put no difference between the holy and profane, neither have they shewed difference between the unclean and the clean, and have hid their eyes from My Sabbaths, and I am profaned among them' (Ezekiel 22:26)."
It is incumbent on our Church leaders today to teach us to live holy lives- to come out of the world and all of those things that it provides that hold a claim on us. To teach us how to live joyfully apart from the World while we wait on that Glorious Appearing that takes us all Home. I don't envy them this task. Yet it is one that they each assumed when they signed on to Lead the Flock. To teach us to live with the sure knowledge that Jesus could arrive at any moment. and we simply must be ready. To live in a state of readiness of His Return; while we also carry on with our day to day lives. And we as the people of the flock need to support them in this endeavor.
At least once a week I will get an email on my "Prayer hotline" that asks the question:
1. How do I live as if Jesus is going to return today and yet still carry on with my daily affairs - affairs which take me out into the World?
This question isn't as difficult to answer as many Leaders of the Flock today seem to want to make it. In fact it seems to me as elemental as it comes.
You simply live joyfully in all that you do. In the house, out of the house- live joyfully. Live with the knowledge that Jesus could very well come today (which should put a smile on your face) and then get on with your day.
Listen; unless you are fortunate enough to live completely Off of the Grid then you are going to have to come out into the World from time to time. Even if it is just to make a run to the grocery store for a carton of milk. "Living apart from the World" doesn't mean we are all suppose to give up our homes, our lives, in favor of living in a cave. It simply means that we are to steer clear of things that are not godly- not Nice - in the eyes of the Lord.
Examples if you please:
1. Ok; how about these movies that deal with the paranormal. Are watching "ghosts" that slingshot people around the house or move furniture from place to place edifying to your spiritual life? Then don't watch them.
2. I remember my Grams had a saying about clothing "If it's above the knees then it doesn't please" (meaning please God). Although it may be the current rage in the fashion world today- is wearing a skirt, dress or shorts cut clear up to your butt cheeks edifying to your (or anyone else) spiritual life? Then why put them on? I personally am a huge fan of capris, a cutesy shirt and sandals year round. Hardly attire that would spin heads or elicit wolf calls as I pass by. But it works for me. I feel good, I am comfortable as I go about my day, modest without looking like a Nun about to enter the convent and it edifies my spiritual life. But; that's just me. You might feel the same way in a jeans and t-shirt or a modest dress. But! for Heaven sake! If you live in a house with anyone other than just your cat - put on a bra and cover them puppies up!
3. If you are a homemaker- tackle your household tasks with JOY in your heart. Take care of your home, your family. These are the things that God has given you stewardship over- wonderful gifts of children (still living at home or grown and on their own), a roof over your head (be it a shack in the back woods or a palace on a hill), food in the pantry (rather that is a case of canned green beans or a freezer full of the best cut steaks). You have a responsibility to take care of those things that God has given you stewardship over to the best of your ability.
Look around you. If your domicile is an absolute train wreck (a messy household does not equal good stewardship of the Gifts God has given you), if you are serving your family frozen pizza several times a week because you are too lazy to get in there and rattle a few pots and pans on a nightly basis (this does not equal good stewardship of the resources God has given you) Get your priorities in line! If Jesus arrived on the scene right this very moment- would you be embarrassed for Him to look around? My guess it that many of you would.
4. If you are a working man or woman- out in the public day after day- do your work Joyfully. At the end of the day- leave work at work. Come home to your home and family and take care of your responsibilities there.
5. For years I was not only a career woman but I also had a husband and children. I know! how hard it can be to balance taking care of all of these responsibilities but it can be done. It's a matter of priorities and delegation of responsibilities. There is nothing wrong with asking your spouse to chip in and help out- nothing wrong with teaching your children to do various things around the house and then holding them accountable to do it. Do all things with Joy in your heart and the day will go a lot more smoothly.
* The point is that Jesus expects us to LIVE our lives Joyfully while we Wait on His Return. Those of you that spend the entire day and night reading the Bible, listening to Christian music or completing "How to be a better Christian" booklets day after day - meanwhile your house and household falls in around you - is hardly utilizing the time that God has given you wisely and certainly not using the resources that God has given you wisely. Doing all of these things IS uplifting, edifying, prudent and lovely but if the rest of your life is suffering because of it then maybe you need to take a moment to realign your activities. All of these things can still be done along with your household responsibilities IF you organize your day properly.
6. Get along with your fellow man. You don't have to think like every other Christian thinks, You don't have to live exactly like every other Christian lives, You don't even have to exactly have the same exact beliefs as every other Christian but you do have to get along with them. You have to lift them up, You have to edify them, You have to enjoy the time that you are able to fellowship with them. After all; They are waiting on the same Jesus as you are and doing the best that they can until He gets here. Be nice, Be kind, Be joy filled. When Jesus said "Love One Another" He wasn't just throwing out a suggestion. He fully expects you to follow through with this Command. So; Love Them.
Living your daily life along with expecting the Lord to Return at any moment can not only BE done but it can BE done with a joy filled heart that is expectant that should the Lord not come today then tomorrow we can start all over again. We can keep our eyes on the Sky and still keep our day to day lives running smoothly and joyfully.
Any questions?
