Await His Coming Prepared

Hello everyone,

How are you doing on this day? I hope well and bubbling in the Lord.

Primary Text

“Another reason for right living is this: you know how late it is; time is running out. Wake up, for the coming of the Lord is nearer now than when we first believed. The night is far gone, the day of his return will soon be here. So quit the evil deeds of darkness and put on the armor of right living, as we who live in the daylight should! Be decent and true in everything you do so that all can approve your behavior. Don’t spend your time in wild parties and getting drunk or in adultery and lust or fighting or jealousy. But ask the Lord Jesus Christ to help you live as you should, and don’t make plans to enjoy evil.” Romans 13v11-14 (TLB)

As we wait for the Lord’s return, there are certain ways in which we should wait. For one, we should wait patiently. Though the Lord tarries He will come – for our sakes He is being patient that none should perish (see 2 Peter 3v9 below). Another way is to wait expectantly – we should look forward to His return. In 2 Timothy 4v8 (AMP), Paul writes “[As to what remains] henceforth there is laid up for me the [victor’s] crown of righteousness [for being right with God and doing right], which the Lord, the righteous Judge, will award to me and recompense me on that [great] day—and not to me only, but also to all those who have loved and yearned for and welcomed His appearing (His return).” We should also wait prepared, as we see in Romans 13v11-14 above, and living pure lives. 1 John 3v2-6 (NIV) saying “Dear friends, now we are children of God, and what we will be has not yet been made known. But we know that when Christ appears, we shall be like Him, for we shall see Him as He is. All who have this hope in Him purify themselves, just as He is pure. Everyone who sins breaks the law; in fact, sin is lawlessness. But you know that He appeared so that He might take away our sins. And in Him is no sin.  No one who lives in Him keeps on sinning. No one who continues to sin has either seen Him or known Him.”

Supplementary Text

“But you must not forget this one thing, dear friends: A day is like a thousand years to the Lord, and a thousand years is like a day. The Lord isn’t really being slow about His promise, as some people think. No, He is being patient for your sake. He does not want anyone to be destroyed, but wants everyone to repent. But the day of the Lord will come as unexpectedly as a thief. Then the heavens will pass away with a terrible noise, and the very elements themselves will disappear in fire, and the earth and everything on it will be found to deserve judgment. Since everything around us is going to be destroyed like this, what holy and godly lives you should live,  looking forward to the day of God and hurrying it along. On that day, he will set the heavens on fire, and the elements will melt away in the flames. But we are looking forward to the new heavens and new earth He has promised, a world filled with God’s righteousness.” 2 Peter 3v8-13 (NLT)

Prayer

Father, we thank You for Your Word and Your patience. We pray that You will help us to live lives that would glorify You. That we will wait for Your coming patiently, expectantly, and prepared. We pray we will not be caught unawares but will make the most of each day, redeeming the time for the days are evil. We love You and appreciate You and look forward to Your coming. For those who do not yet know You, we pray You will send labourers to them and that the Word of God will grow and multiply in Jesus name, amen. We pray for strength and grace for missionaries all over the world. Blessed be Your holy name forevermore, in Jesus name we pray with thanksgiving, amen.

If you do not yet have a relationship with the Lord. The gospel we preach is this – that we are sinners, but Christ came to die for us, to take our place and destroy the power of sin and death. To be born again is asking Him to be your Lord and Saviour – to repent of the sins you have done, and turn away from them, and let Him begin to be Lord over your life. If this is your desire, you can pray along these lines:

Heavenly Father, I come to You today, confessing that I am a sinner. I am sorry for all that I have done and ask that You forgive me for all of my sins and cleanse me from all unrighteousness. Lord Jesus, I ask that You be Lord and Saviour over my life. I believe that You came to die for my sins, and that God raised You from the dead. Thank You Father for translating me out of the kingdom of darkness into the Kingdom of Your dear Son. Thank You for sealing me with Your Holy Spirit of promise. Please keep me till the end in You, and may Your Name alone be glorified in my life, in Jesus name I pray, amen.

If you said this prayer today, know that you are now a child of God and that there is much jubilation in heaven because of you. Begin to attend a Bible-believing church, and keep the faith! Welcome into God’s family.