BEHOLD HE COMETH

BEHOLD HE COMETH

‘Behold he cometh, with cloud of glory and every eye will see him, even those who pierced him and all people of the earth shall mourn because of him’. Rev1v7.

Mr. Okezie has no premonition of what he would encounter on that day. To him it was just any other day of Monday morning. Calling his wife, to tell her he is set for work, he bit her good-bye, till evening when they will see each other. Since they are not going to the same place of work, she gave her husband a peck and reminded him to remember to pick their daughter when coming back, who had earlier left for school with the school bus: Havana private school Owerri. Entering his car, he set his face to his place of work as the wife wish him nice day. Just along PH road, before entering Owerri, he saw an old man waiting for a taxi. As he was about to bye-pass the old man, something pricks his heart to carry him. Suddenly he stop, and bit the old man to come in. The octogenarian hesitantly boarded, off they continue their way toward Owerri. Few minutes later, they get talking. The old man asks him whether he knows what happened in heaven today. Mr. Okezie was surprise and ask the old man what he meant by that. There he told him ‘just this morning, almighty God looked down on earth and saw darkness and wickedness of men. It pricks him in heart that the world is still full of evil and has not acknowledged the love He has shown to them through Christ. He called for the trumpet sound to end it all. All of a sudden, the Lord Jesus started crying with blood dribbling down from His two palms, the Lord said to His father to give Him more time to perfect His Church and empower her for the ministry of reconciliation as His precious blood cannot be shed in vain. He called few of the angels to go immediately to the world and warm the church and sons of men, to repent and turn from their evil ways, even as his coming is very near. So I am just one of the few angels sent, so warn your people and tell them about this, for the coming of the Lord is near’. As soon as the old man said this, he vanishes. The state of Mr. Okezie at that moment is better imagining than experienced.

For the lord himself will come down from heaven, with a loud command, with the voice of the archangel and with the trumpet call of God and the dead in Christ will rise first. After that, we who are still alive and are left will be  caught up together with them in the clouds to meet the Lord in the air. And so we will be with Lord forever. 1Thes 4v16-17.

The coming of Christ is very imminent, so close that believers need to fasten their belt in readiness. If I may ask what was the last but greatest promised in the scripture. You can agree with me that the promise centre on the second coming of Christ. ‘Behold I am coming soon Rev 22v20. And so for this reason those who have this hope must get themselves ready for his coming. The Lord also has given us some signs to let us know that his coming is near. After revealing the signs, He cautioned: ‘watch therefore, for you do not know what hour your Lord will come…’ Mathew 24:42. Someone may ask what Jesus will do when He comes again. Let us consider some of these points:

    There will be separation: the Lord will separate the righteous from the wicked. ‘When the son of man shall come in His glory… He will separate the people one from another as shepherd separates the sheep from the goats. Mathew 25v31-32.

    He will usher in the millennium which is the thousand- year period when the Lord Jesus will rein with the saints, on the earth. ‘I saw thrones on which were seated those who had been given authority to judge. And I saw the souls of those who had been be-headed because of their testimony for Jesus and the word of God… they came to life and rein with Christ for a thousand years.

The wicked that are living at the time of the second coming of the Lord will be destroyed in the flesh. They along with the wicked, who are already dead, will have to wait until the last resurrection. All of the remaining dead will rise to meet God. They will either inherit the glorious kingdom or be cast into outer darkness with Satan. Rev 20v5.

So blessed and holy are those who have part in the first resurrection… they will be priests of God and of Christ and will reign with Him for a thousand years.

                                HOW PREPARED ARE YOU?

Since everything will be… in this way, what kind of people ought you to be? You ought to live a holy and godly life as you look forward to the day of God and speed its coming. 2 Peter3v11.

We ought to live a holy live so as to see the Lord, for nothing impure and defile shall take part in His glory. We must lay aside those weight and sins that entangles. Most believers are still in secret sins and such a life does not please God. The coming of the Lord is at hand, hence we must, present ourselves holy unto God, for He is coming to rapture a church without spot or wrinkle. ‘Present your body living sacrifice holy and acceptable to God. Rom 12v1.

Never conform to this world: ‘do not conform any longer to the pattern of this world..’ Rom 12v2. We must not love the world, knowing that it is for a brief moment of time. This is one of the problems that made most believers to lose focus about the soon coming Lord. Paul gave a disheartening report about Demas over his devotion to the things of God. ‘Demas has forsaken me having love the present world’ 2Tim 4v9.  Here was a man called by God, one who was an associate of Apostle Paul, he must have a devoted preacher of the word seeing that he an associate to Apostle Paul in the work of the ministry, but Later he departed from faith and the ministry of his calling  ‘having love this present world’.  That is to let us know it is not how you started but your ending is what matters most. Judas Iscariot was another example of backsliding. Therefore let him that thinketh he stands, take heed less he falls. The scripture commanded us never to love this present world. ‘Love not the world neither the things of the world, if any man

(be it a preacher, bishop or Apostle no matter who you are) love the world the love of the Father is not in Him. We must always remember that this present life will soon pass away; only those who do the will of God abide forever and so shall be rapturable on that day!

    Watch and pray: The end of all things is at hand be you therefore sober and watch unto pray.1 peter4v7.  With the recent signs we can see all around, we can attest that the end is at hand! Now is the time for us to be serious with God in prayer.  It is high time for us to awake from sleep; for our salvation is nearer than when we believed.

Preach the word: preach the world; be instant in season and out of season. Be watchful in all things, endure affliction, do the work of an evangelist, make full proof of your ministry. . 2. Tim 4v2,5.  Paul says ‘woe to me if I do not preach the gospel’. The lives of the people around us has been committed in our hands, we are accountable to them if we fail to led them to the truth. On that great day of the Lord, our reward shall be based on the number of souls we were able to won for the Lord. We have been committed with the ministry of reconciliation, so the Lord is counting on us and we cannot afford to fail Him.

Fellowship: Never given up meeting together as some are in the habit of doing, but encouraging one another: all the more as you see the Day approaching. Heb 10v25.   When we gather together in love and unity, there is always renewal for strength and sanctification. ‘the blood of Jesus cleanses us from sin. We are strengthening as we wait for His coming.

Be patient: you too, be patient and stand firm, because the Lord’s coming is near. James 5v8. We must be patient for His coming; hence we must be weary in well doing and not be like scoffers who became discourage in waiting and said ‘ ever since our ancestors, it has been said that Christ is coming, yet we have not seen any sign of it’. As the Lord’s faithful, we must know that our ways are not His way. For a thousand years is like a day in His sight. So we must not see as men see. Those who endure to the end shall be saved.

‘Behold he cometh, with cloud of glory and every eye will see him, even those who pierced him and all people of the earth shall mourn because of him’. Rev1v7.