BE YE PREPARED

“Therefore be ye also ready: for in such an hour as ye think not the Son of man cometh.”

Matthew 24: 44.

In Matt. 24: 36-41, our Lord Jesus Christ spoke about the “parousia” (second coming).  He in context was referring to the Rapture of the Church in which He would come in a twinkle of an eye to snatch away the Church before the Tribulation period begins.  This phase of His coming is imminent and unpredictable for 'the day and the hour no man knows' (24: 36).  The time of the Rapture is known only to God.  Therefore Christians are commanded to watch and be ready.

The word of the Lord has established the fact that it is not fallacy. The announcement of this truth has been on for many years now and it seems it will not come to pass; but, be assured that it will surely come to pass, hence the reason for us to adequately prepare.

James tells us we don't know what will happen tomorrow, and that life is like a vapour that appears for a little time and then vanishes away.  Yet, time is something we take for granted, I will do that tomorrow, or that can wait to another time, next week, next month, next year, however, for some, that tomorrow might not come

The illustration of the Ten Virgin is a thorough picture of what will happen to all mankind especially to Christians.  A Virgin is regarded as a specially pure and unpolluted woman. Yet in this parable, five of them were careless.  They were dedicated and committed to the course of Christ but they lacked oil in their lamp. They left their duty post I search for oil at the time they supposed to be watchful. The other five wise Virgin were not so careless they took of all encumbrances and weaknesses in their life.

The events and happenings in the world today are clear indications that the Lord's return is approaching, sooner than many can imagine.

 The church today is full of many careless Christians. Who uses the standard of the world to assess their lives. They lack the word of God in their heart.  Many are so carnal.  Evangelism has been neglected for prosperity adventure.  The word of Apostle Paul written in 2 Timothy 3: 1-2 – “You may as well know this too, Timothy, that in the last days it is going to be very difficult to be a Christian.  For people will love only themselves and their money; they will be proud and boastful, sneering at God, disobedient to their parents, ungrateful to them, and thoroughly bad.”

These have indeed come to pass in this terrible and perverse generation. ‘We only had the form of godliness but we deny the power thereof.’

We must look deeply into our lives and settle things with God in our Marriage, office, immediate and extended family, in our groups in the church etc. Excess luggage such as malice, unforgiveness, fornication, adultery, lies, corruption etc. must not even be permitted in our lives.  We must live a holy life, be expectant of His coming, live by the word of God and be prayerful.  We must take preaching the true gospel as our priority just as Christ charged us before He ascended.  Don't procrastinate, it's very dangerous.  Be ready, be prepared at all cost.

Heb. 9: 28 – “...and unto them that look for him shall he appear the second time without sin unto salvation.”

1 Thess. 5: 6 admonishes us not to sleep spiritually, but be alert and awake in the spirit.

Beloved, you cannot watch and be ready for Christ if you do not know Him.  The Bible says that you cannot know Christ until God brings you the new birth.  The new birth comes your way when you trust Jesus Christ as your personal Saviour and make Him Lord of your life; inviting Him into your life to make you the kind of person He wants you to be.

Brethren, have you made the wonderful discovery of knowing Christ personally?  You can know Him if you will accept Him as Lord and Saviour.  Then you can begin to watch and be ready for the coming of Christ in the Rapture.

‘Life Is Short,’ ‘Death can come anytime soon’ and ‘Eternity Is Long.’  

Be Ye Prepared!

The Revd Victor O. Adeyemo