JESUS IS COMING - ARE YOU READY?

 

THE NECESSITY OF WALKING IN READINESS.

1 Thessalonians 5:1-11

 

“For you know perfectly the day of the Lord so cometh as a thief in the night.” “You are not in darkness that that day should overtake you as a thief” (vs 2,4).

 

The conditions of walking in readiness. (5:6-8)

 

  • We must live daily with an attitude of watchfulness (let us not sleep but stay alert)

 

  • We must live daily with the discipline of self-control (don’t allow anything of the world to influence our moral alertness)

 

  • We must live daily with God’s protective armour (put on the breast plate of faith & lover – psalm 3:3

 

The Blessing, peace and security we have when walking in readiness

 

  • We will look for Christ’s coming with excitement and expectancy – there will be no fear and dread. (Titus 2:13)

 

  • We will have the comfort of knowing that we will be saved from the wrath of God. Revelation 3:21 (to him who overcomes I will give the right to sit with me on the throne…….)

 

    The Fruit of Repentance

2

     True repentance is not an emotion, but a decision of the will – a decision to turn away from sin

     (envy, unforgiveness, resentment, pride, etc) and submit unreservedly to the Lordship of Jesus.

     Psalm 51:17

 

    1.  Respect for the Authority of Scripture – To delight in God’s Word.

     Isaiah 66:2 This is one I esteem;He who is humble and contrite in Spirit, and trembles

     at my word.        All scripture is inspired by the Holy Spirit 2 Tim 3:16

 

     2.  We EXALT Jesus at ALL times John 16:13-14

 

     3.  We have a great love for our fellow Christians. We make love our AIM at all times.

     In John 13:35, Jesus told His followers, "By this all men will know that you are my disciples,

     if you love one another."

 

  1. Loving concern for the unreached. John 4:35 Open your eyes and look at the fields! They are ripe for harvest. We no longer hold on to a form of religion 2 Tim 3:5. The Holy Spirit within us will be fire in our bones and thrust us into the world’s harvest field (city, neighbours and beyond).

  Printed by kind permission of Bp Martin Breytenbach RSA)

 

 

     It is amazing what ordinary people (weak and fallible) can do when we are truly surrendered to Him!

JSi