Lesson 98: Get ready, Christ is coming!

If you look through the windows of the world, you will realize that all the events that have been unfolding are fulfilling the prophetic order of what is written in the Bible about the Second Coming of Christ.

The church of the Lord is called to live with many expectations in these final times. The signals are mainly fulfilled. It is the task of us Christians to be prepared in three important aspects, so that when Christ comes in the clouds, the church can participate in the rapture.

Throughout the Scriptures we find three warnings for us regarding the return of the Lord:

Look faithfully
Work diligently
Wait quietly

1. We must look.

The Lord repeatedly said that we must watch over his coming because we do not know the day or time of his return (Mt 24:42; 25:13). In Luke 21:36, Jesus gave this specific instruction: "Watch, therefore, at all times praying that you may be considered worthy to escape all these things that will come, and to stand before the Son of Man."

We must do more than pray while we watch. We must be firm in faith, with courage and strength (1 Cor 16:13). We must look soberly, armed with faith, love and salvation (1 Thess. 5: 8). As we observe, we must remain especially alert to false prophets. We must dissent the spirits and flatly reject all those who do not confess that Jesus Christ is God made flesh (2 Peter 2: 1; 1 Jn 4: 1-2).

Jesus spoke to John in a vision and gave this great promise to those who remain vigilant: "Behold, I come as a thief. Blessed is he who watches" (Revelation 16:15).

2. We must work.

Why does Jesus after saving us leave us here on earth? Why are we not immediately taken to the presence of the Lord as soon as we are born again? Because we still have work to do!

First, God calls us to win souls. We must be witnesses of the Lord, speaking about the love of God and the atoning death of Jesus Christ. We must testify of what he has done in our own lives, both with our words and with our example. As long as there is only one soul on earth who has not heard the gospel of our Lord Jesus Christ, we have work to do!

Second, we must grow spiritually, developing an ever deeper intimacy with the Lord. None of us live up to their spiritual potential. We all have the possibility to grow more. In those areas where we discover that we are not like Christ, we must work with the Spirit to conform to his likeness. Our minds must be renewed (Ro 12: 1). Our internal wounds and our emotions must be healed. We must grow in spiritual discernment and in the wisdom of God. Our faith must be strengthened and used so that our prayers and our actions contribute more effectively to the kingdom of the Lord.

3. We must wait.

Waiting is not easy. Impatience often leads to frustration. Waiting can also increase our fear. The later in the occurrence of something we anticipate, the greater our concern about what will happen, and this can degenerate into anxiety about what might happen. Fear is just one step away.

The angels declared peace on earth at the first coming of Jesus (Luke 2:14). More than three hundred times in the Scriptures, the Lord says that we should not fear but enjoy peace. The prophet Isaiah referred to Jesus as the Prince of peace (Is 9: 6). Throughout his ministry, the Lord Jesus declared peace. To the woman with blood flow he said "go in peace"; He was calmed by the stormy sea saying "shut up, shut up", and told the disciples: "I give you my peace." The Lord calls us to peace as long as we keep his return.

Apart from Jesus, there is no peace, neither within each human heart nor among human beings or nations. With Jesus, we can experience a peace that goes beyond our capacity for understanding and that is rooted in the depths of our being (Philippians 4: 7). We must seek and find this peace while we wait for the Lord's return.

When the Lord comes, will he find you among those who love him and will call him your Savior and Lord?
When the Lord comes, will you find him doing what he has commanded you to do?
When the Lord returns, will you find him anxious to see him?
When the Lord comes, will you find him ready for his glorious manifestation?
When the Lord calls you with a cry from heaven, will you rise instantly to meet Him?
When the Lord appears in the clouds, will his heart rejoice with such a great and inexplicable joy?

You, reader friend, are perfectly capable of giving an affirmative answer to these questions.
How will you choose to respond to the Lord's challenges over your life?

The reality is that Christ is coming!