“Keep Watch and Be Ready,”

 “Keep Watch and Be Ready!”

 

So, you, must keep watch!  For you don’t know what day your Lord is coming.  Understand this:  If a homeowner knew exactly when a burglar was coming, he would keep watch and not permit his house to be broken into.  You must also be ready all the time, for the Son of Man will come when least expected.   Matthew 24:42-44

 

I truly BELIEVE that we are living in the LAST DAYS.   The Lord Jesus gave His Disciples instructions for living in the LAST DAYS.  Two things He mentioned that a TRUE BELIEVER should do while waiting for the RETURN of JESUS to RAPTURE His Church, which consists of ALL TRUE BELIEVERS, no matter where you are at.  Whether you are in the DEEPEST PART of AFRICA or the CROWDED STREETS of NEW YORK CITY. If you are a BORN AGAIN, TRUE BELIEVER, you are a PART of the BODY of CHRIST, the CHURCH.

 

There are TWO parts of the SECOND COMING of the LORD JESUS CHRIST.  The FIRST PART is the RAPTURE or SNATCHING AWAY the TRUE BELIEVERS, the CHURCH.  This can happen at ANY TIME, maybe before I finish this lesson.  And our verses we are using today, are referring to the RAPTURE of the CHURCH.  The SECOND PART of the SECOND COMING is when JESUS RETURNS to the MOUNT of OLIVES, and to set up His KINGDOM and His THOUSAND YEAR REIGN.  So, we are going to look at the FIRST PART the RAPTURE.

 

Many of US, who are TRUE BELIEVERS, those who have come to JESUS for the INNER CLEANSING of our SOULS and the OUTWARD TRANSFORMATION of our BODY, MIND and SOUL, which adds up to the ACT of SALVATION.  We then become the CHILDREN of the LIVING GOD.  We have been ADOPTED into God’s Family.  And we have become JOINT HEIRS with His SON, the LORD JESUS CHRIST, the one who SUFFERED, BLED, and DIED in OUR place, in order to SECURE for us— ETERNAL SALVATION.  

 

This process is a PART of BEING READY, and it is a MUST that you do it.  Those who have done it are very ANXIOUS and EXCITED about the RAPTURE.  We are KEEPING WATCH, like the homeowner who is KEEPING WATCH over his family and home.  KEEPING WATCH is being ALERT and READY because the TIMING of the RAPTURE is UNKNOWN.  And BEING READY is STAYING CLOSE to the LORD and STAY AWAY from things that are of a SINFUL NATURE, things that could cause a TRUE BELIEVER to LOSE their REWARDS.  Being READY and on ALERT is also living in a way that is PLEASING to the Lord at ALL TIMES.  This will prevent you from being ASHAMED when He COMES for the CHURCH.  

 

In order to be ABLE to go in the RAPTURE, you MUST BE A PART of the BODY OF CHRIST.  To do that YOU MUST be DRAWN by the HOLY SPIRIT, which means that He will CONVICT you about your SINFUL LIFESTYLE. And when He does this, YOU MUST ADMIT that YOU are a SINNER in NEED of the SAVIOR, the LORD JESUS CHRIST, who DIED for YOU.  He PAID the PRICE YOU could NOT PAY.  YOU MUST BELIEVE that JESUS died for YOU, and that He is ALIVE in HEAVEN, making intercession for YOU, before GOD.  YOU MUST CONFESS your SINS to Him and ask Him for His FORGIVENESS.  YOU MUST be WILLING to TURN AWAY FROM your SINFUL LIFESTYLE and TURN TO GOD, with a TRUE REPENTANT HEART.  YOU MUST ACCEPT God’s Gift of SALVATION and KEEP WATCH AND BE READY for YOU DON’T KNOW WHEN HE WILL COME.  So, do this NOW, while you STILL can.  He’s WAITING and COMING SOON!!!  Don’t Be LEFT BEHIND!!!