Come Lord Jesus: Intro: Living While We Wait: Hope, Watchfulness, and Restoration

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Welcome to the Diary of a Black Woman podcast. I'm your host,

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Connie Morris, and this is Faith on the Go, where you take the word with you

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on your drive to work, while you're getting ready in the morning,

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or even in those quiet moments before prayer.

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Real life, real word, and real growth, all while you are on the go.

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Before we get into today's word, let's take a moment to center ourselves with a familiar prayer.

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The prayer of Jabez.

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Oh, that you would bless me indeed and enlarge my territory.

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Let your hand be with me and keep me from harm so that I will be free from pain.

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Father God, we come before you this day asking that you would indeed bless us,

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not just with what we have, but in who we are becoming.

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Enlarge our territory, Lord. Expand our capacity, our mindset,

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and our ability to receive what you have for us.

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Let your hand be upon us, guiding us, covering us, and leading us in every decision we make.

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And Father, keep us from harm, physically, emotionally, and spiritually,

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that we may walk in peace and not in pain.

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And Lord, just as you heard Jabez when he cried out to you, Hear us now.

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Your word says that you granted his request, and we believe that you are the same God today.

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So we come boldly before you, knowing that you hear us, knowing that you see

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us, and knowing that you respond to the prayers of your people.

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Have your way in this moment as we sit, listen, and receive your word.

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In Jesus' name, amen.

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Hello and welcome back to the Diary of a Black Woman podcast.

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I'm your host Connie Morris and today we're going to.

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Switch topics only because I think it's time we have finished,

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we have not finished the Abraham story, but we will finish that series next summer.

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It was a summer series, summer is over and so it was really on my heart to continue

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with this topic and the title of this topic and for our next pretty much our

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introduction into the fall series will be this title.

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It's Come, Lord Jesus, come.

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Those are simple words, but they carry so much.

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They carry an expectation of hope, expectation of a change, a longing on a deep,

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on the inside of us, faith and readiness.

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And before we go any further, I want to explain why this topic is important right now.

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We are living in a time when many people feel overwhelmed by what they see around them.

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There is war, division, political tension, economic uncertainty,

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violence, fear, confusion, and rapid change.

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And for many of us, that rapid change is happening fast.

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One minute is sunshine, next minute you're in the middle of torrential rainfall

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leading to floods, tornadoes, and storms.

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You know, we blink our eye and the gas prices are up.

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And we can lose our focus when we begin to focus on the rapid changes around us.

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Even the church, we begin to get focused on what's happening in the world.

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And we lose sight of something that Jesus told us very clearly in his word.

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And he says, he is coming again. That matters because the return of Jesus Christ recenters our hope.

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Our hope is not ultimately in a government.

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It's not in a political party. And we hear that now because we have the midterms

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coming up. So we got all this political stuff coming at us.

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Like who do we choose? Why do we choose them? And I was thinking the other day

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that our whole world's always focused on the next election, the next election.

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And sometimes we can get tied up on what's happening next, What should we do

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next? Because if you watch a lot of TV or wherever you get your news from,

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they always want to keep us focused on this person, that person.

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In reality, we need to focus our attention on Jesus, not in a political party. Yes, you need to vote.

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Do your duty. Do your due diligence. Not in the economy.

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Not in technology.

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You know, now they're talking about building super buildings that suck up all

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the water and all the energy in the air to feed AI.

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But our hope is in Jesus Christ. And it doesn't mean believers withdraw from the world.

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We can't live in isolation. We are not of this world, but we cannot withdraw

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because they need our presence.

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God needs our presence in the places that he's called you to do.

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You know, we should still serve, still doing what God has called us to do.

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We should still care about justice. We should still help people.

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We should still love our neighbors.

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And we should still do the work God has placed in our hands.

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But we do those things knowing that His presence in this present world is not our final chapter.

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And I don't know about you, but that gives you joy when we know that this is not the end.

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That God is not finished with us yet, even though the world looks like it's

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trying to suck us up into its abyss, you know, with all the topics, with the storms.

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With everything that's going on around us, with the battle in the news,

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with the news getting more and more graphic, because people are actually losing their mind.

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But this topic matters right now because there's a fear in the air.

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The fear is very loud. We have an expectation of, it's like it wants to draw

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us in with all the action and all the noise.

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But the world does not have a voice louder than Jesus.

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Jesus promised us that I will come again.

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You know, and you can remember the story of Acts before they were filled.

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Jesus says, I'll be back. And then he disappears into the clouds.

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And the angel said, why are you still looking at the clouds?

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He's going to return the same way.

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So that's a confidence that when we see clouds forming, when we can understand

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that his presence is there, you see what I'm saying? So we're not we're not stuck.

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We know that God is coming back for us. You know, even when this world feels

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unstable, believers need to remember that God is not unstable.

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When circumstances change, his promise has not changed.

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When people do not know what tomorrow will bring, the church still has a future and a hope.

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But there's another reason this topic is important. We can't become spiritually distracted.

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We can spend much time watching the world that we stop watching our own hearts. We watch the news.

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We watch politics. We watch social media.

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We watch everything else. But are we watching for Jesus? Jesus said, watch therefore.

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That means the return of Christ should cause us to examine ourselves.

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We should ask ourselves, am I ready? Am I living faithfully?

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Am I walking in forgiveness? Am I doing what God has called me to do?

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Am I going closer to Christ, or have I become comfortable and spiritually asleep?

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That is why Come Lord Jesus is not just a prophetic topic. It's a heart check.

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Reminds us that while we are waiting for Jesus to change the world,

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God is also calling us to allow him to change us.

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You know, we are responsible for the skeletons in our closets,

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right? We are responsible for the idols that we have set up.

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God is calling us to clean house, you know.

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And for those believers who are tired, grieving, discouraged,

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or wondering whether evil will ever end, the return of Christ reminds us that

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this is not the end of the story.

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Death does not get the final word. Injustice does not get the final word.

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Pain does not get the last word.

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Evil definitely does not get the last word.

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Jesus does. So when we say, even so, come Lord Jesus, we're not speaking out of hopelessness.

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We're not trying to escape the reality. We're speaking out of hope.

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And our focus is on Jesus. Always look to heaven. Where? because that's where Jesus is.

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We are saying, come Lord Jesus. When we say that, we're saying, Lord, we trust you.

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Lord, we believe in your promise. Lord, keep us faithful while we wait.

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And bring us to, that brings us to our foundational scripture,

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which is found in Revelation 20 to 20.

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This is an introduction, so I want you to just follow along with me.

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I want you to be encouraged.

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It's Revelation 20 to 20. It says, He which testifies these things says, Surely I come quickly.

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Amen. Even so, come Lord Jesus. He said, I come quickly.

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This is the foundation of scripture for our entire life.

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Series. Near the end of Revelation, Jesus gives us the promise, surely I come quickly.

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And the response is, even so, Lord Jesus. Like we're agreeing,

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yes, you say you're coming, I'm going to believe that you are coming back.

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This is not just a simple statement about prophecy. It is a response of faith.

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Believers hear the promise of Christ and answers, I believe you.

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I am waiting for you, come Lord Jesus. How powerful a statement is that?

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I believe you. You said it. Your word will not return void. It will produce whatever you said.

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So if the word of God says he's coming, then you might as well buckle up your

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seatbelts and get ready because we agree.

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I believe that you're coming back, Jesus.

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I'm waiting for you. Come Lord Jesus.

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These words reveal a longing. an expectation, a hope, and a readiness.

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And the Bible ends not with the church running away from Jesus,

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not the church running away.

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Getting out there. They call it their escape blanket so that we can fly off

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into the heavens. No, our hope is that he will come.

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How will he come? What would that look like?

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You think we're going to run off and God created this earth for us to live in

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and let evil have his way?

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There's a time that evil will have his way on this earth. That's true.

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But have we had all that God wants us to have here on earth?

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Is there a heaven on earth that we should experience as believers?

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Should our expectation not be in a rapture, a rapture-ready blanket,

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but also in the faith that he will come?

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But he's not going to come and scoop us up and let us just run off and let evil take over.

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He has to show out for evil that he is a victor and that we are the winners

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because we believe in Jesus.

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We say, I believe. I am waiting for you. Come, Lord Jesus.

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That's our point, that we are believing. We don't see it, but we know in our

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heart that our response is from a believer who trusts.

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In Christ's return. Let's go to John 14, 1 through 3, where God promises us his return.

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John 14, verses 1 through 3. And let not your heart be troubled.

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Ye believed in God, believe also in me.

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In my Father's house are many mansions. If were not so, I would have told you.

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I go and prepare a place for you.

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And if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come again and receive you unto

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myself, that where I am, you should be also.

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The Bible tells us, now let our heart be troubled.

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Ye believe in God, believe also in me. In my Father's house,

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there are many mansions.

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And if it were not so, I would have told you. I go to prepare a place for you.

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And if I go to prepare a place for you, then I will come again and receive you

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unto myself. That's where I am.

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You will be also. Jesus speaks these words to disciples who lives are about

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to change dramatically.

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They are facing uncertainty. They do not fully understand what is coming.

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But Jesus begins by saying, let not your heart be troubled.

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Then he gives them a reason for hope, because I will come again.

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That's a very important statement. Our hope in the return of Christ does not

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begin with speculation.

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It begins with the promise of Jesus himself. And note the promise of his return,

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that where I am, dare ye be also.

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The heart of promise is relationship. Jesus is not simply promising an event.

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He is promising that he will begin, that he will bring his people with him.

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He said, where I am, you will be also.

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The return of Christ is personal. Jesus is coming for his people so that we

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may be with him. How powerful is that?

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He is coming for us so that we may be with him.

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Go with me to Acts 1 verses 9 through 11.

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And when he had spoken these words, while they beheld, he was taken up and a

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cloud received him out of their sight.

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And while they looked steadfastly towards heaven, as he went up,

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behold, two people, two men stood by them in white apparel, which also said,

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ye men of Galilee, why stand ye gazing up in the heavens?

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This same Jesus, which is taken from you into heaven, should so come in like

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manner as ye seen him go into heaven.

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Just as you have seen him go, you're going to see him come.

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In the same way. So think about being the disciples.

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Jesus was talking, and all of a sudden, he just was taken back into heaven.

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They watched his ascend. And while they're still looking into heaven,

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they received another promise.

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This same Jesus should so come.

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I love these words because this same Jesus, the same Jesus who healed,

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the same Jesus who taught, the same Jesus who died, the same Jesus who rose

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again, the same Jesus who ascended, He is coming back again.

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The hope of the church is not centered on an abstract event.

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Our hope is centered on Jesus Christ.

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We are not simply waiting for something to happen. We are waiting for someone to return.

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Let's go to Titus 2, chapter 2, verses 11 through 13. It tells us about a blessed hope.

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It says, For the grace of God that bringeth salvation hath appeared to all men,

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teaching us that denying ungodliness

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and worldly lusts, we should live soberly, righteously, and godly

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in the present world, looking for that blessed hope and the glorious appearance

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of the great God, our Lord, and our Savior, Jesus Christ. How are we supposed to live?

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We're supposed to live with soberly. So living sober, living righteously,

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living godly in this present world.

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He doesn't want you to slack. He don't want you to give in.

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He wants you to live with an expectation in your heart that Jesus will return.

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And he calls him the blessed hope. Paul calls the return of Christ, that blessed hope.

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That tells us how believers should view the return of Jesus,

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not only with fear, not only with concern, but with hope.

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But notice what Paul connects to that hope.

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While we are waiting, we are supposed to live soberly, righteously, and godly.

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What do those mean? Soberly.

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Righteously and godly. I want to take a moment. I want to look at these words

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because we need to be ready. And we can't skip over how to get ready.

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You don't want to wait to the last minute, you know.

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You ever had a dream about leaving somewhere and you don't have your luggage? You're not ready.

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You're not ready. And so we're going to look those up.

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In biblical terms, so we can get it right. God says, while we wait,

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Paul says, while we wait, we wait for that blessed hope.

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And so right now, when I'm looking at definition, when we think about the word

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soberly, soberly means, I like to give you information so that you can write

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it down and say, okay, I know what it means.

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I don't want you to get it twisted, and I don't want you to miss Jesus. Amen.

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So soberly means living with self-control, sound judgment, and spiritual alertness.

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In biblical terms, it's not limited by just avoiding drunkenness.

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It carries the idea of being clear-minded, disciplined, restrained.

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And not controlled by impulses, passion, fear, or the spirit of the age.

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Okay, that's a big definition.

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It tells us to be soberly that we need to live in self-control with spiritual alertness.

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Not saying, you know, I don't drink. Okay, that's nice you don't drink,

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that you're sober, but are you doing anything else? Are you living with a sound

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judgment? Are you living with spiritual alertness?

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Are you living with a clear mind? Are you living discipline?

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Are you living restraint? Or are you living with impulses? Or are you living

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with passion or fear of this age?

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He wants us to be ready. And a sober believer asks this question,

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am I thinking clearly? Am I ruled by my emotions or by wisdom or the Spirit of God?

00:18:29.777 --> 00:18:32.668
Ask yourself, how am I living? Am I living soberly?

00:18:32.871 --> 00:18:36.784
Not about not drinking, not avoiding drunkenness, but am I really,

00:18:36.784 --> 00:18:40.702
really alert and ready for Jesus? Let's look at the word righteously.

00:18:41.891 --> 00:18:45.880
Righteously means living in a way that's just, upright, honest,

00:18:46.158 --> 00:18:50.941
consistent with what God says is right, and especially speaks on how we conduct

00:18:50.941 --> 00:18:53.200
ourselves towards other people.

00:18:53.484 --> 00:18:58.192
Think about that. To live righteous means that do we deal fairly,

00:18:58.395 --> 00:19:03.248
speak truthfully, keep integrity, avoid wrongdoing, and choose what is right,

00:19:03.446 --> 00:19:05.451
even when it costs us something?

00:19:05.451 --> 00:19:09.082
A righteous believer asks, am I treating people rightly?

00:19:09.309 --> 00:19:13.355
Are my actions consistent with God's standard?

00:19:13.512 --> 00:19:18.871
Godliness means living with the reverence of God, living with the reverence

00:19:18.871 --> 00:19:22.678
towards God, with a life that reflects a devotion to Him.

00:19:22.840 --> 00:19:26.497
It's about more than outward morality.

00:19:26.677 --> 00:19:30.201
It describes a life that's consciously lived before God.

00:19:30.538 --> 00:19:34.084
That means you are living before God and you're making the decision.

00:19:34.618 --> 00:19:37.352
And what would God say if He sees me?

00:19:37.561 --> 00:19:41.246
Long, long time ago, there was these what would Jesus do bracelets.

00:19:41.408 --> 00:19:45.721
And people were wearing these bracelets, doing some stuff. Why I know because

00:19:45.721 --> 00:19:50.411
as a police officer, I would see them with the bracelets on after they arrested

00:19:50.411 --> 00:19:53.157
for a crime or incident that they were involved in.

00:19:53.453 --> 00:19:57.679
Just because you wear the t-shirt, just because you wear the bracelet,

00:19:57.952 --> 00:20:04.436
just because you wear the cross, it doesn't mean that you're living soberly, righteously, or godly.

00:20:04.727 --> 00:20:10.741
Does your action fit what God requires of you? I know, take a pause and think about that.

00:20:11.141 --> 00:20:14.166
It's not just wearing a t-shirt. It's not just wearing a cross.

00:20:14.346 --> 00:20:18.293
When you do wear the t-shirt, when you do wear the cross, you should become aware.

00:20:19.067 --> 00:20:23.096
What's going on, right? You should come aware of what God has expected of you.

00:20:23.258 --> 00:20:25.067
I'm not just looking holy.

00:20:25.367 --> 00:20:28.640
I am holy. I'm not looking sober. I am sober.

00:20:28.860 --> 00:20:33.467
I saw people with a bracelet who was drunk, people with a bracelet cursing other

00:20:33.467 --> 00:20:39.637
people out, people with bracelets in the middle of adultery doing things that

00:20:39.637 --> 00:20:41.276
God was just frowned upon.

00:20:41.542 --> 00:20:46.662
Remember, it's more than just wearing the the biblical t-shirt.

00:20:46.878 --> 00:20:52.867
It's about how do you respond to Jesus? Are you a reflection of Jesus or are

00:20:52.867 --> 00:20:55.625
you embarrassing him and his family?

00:20:55.899 --> 00:21:00.457
You know, godliness also includes worship, obedience, the key word,

00:21:00.457 --> 00:21:05.767
obedience, prayer, holiness, dependence upon God, and a desire to please him.

00:21:06.107 --> 00:21:12.118
A godly believer asks, does my life show that God is truly at the center of it?

00:21:12.338 --> 00:21:17.244
A simple way to remember these three is that sober is how I govern myself.

00:21:17.447 --> 00:21:19.420
Righteously is how I treat others.

00:21:19.687 --> 00:21:23.356
And godly is how I live before God.

00:21:23.583 --> 00:21:29.393
What makes Titus 2.12 especially powerful for your come Lord Jesus is this, right?

00:21:29.781 --> 00:21:31.802
Are you controlled? Paul says.

00:21:32.337 --> 00:21:37.930
That while we wait for Jesus' return, we are not supposed to merely watch the world.

00:21:38.203 --> 00:21:43.973
We're supposed to live controlled with self-control towards ourselves. Come on now.

00:21:44.385 --> 00:21:51.781
Living rightfully towards others and faithfully before God. That's what it means to live soberly.

00:21:52.089 --> 00:21:57.278
That's what it means to live righteously. And that's what it means to live godly.

00:21:57.499 --> 00:22:01.040
That means that while we wait for Jesus, it's not passive.

00:22:01.319 --> 00:22:06.450
If I believe he is coming, then that belief should affect my character.

00:22:06.630 --> 00:22:11.971
It should affect my choices, my relationships, my priorities, my obedience.

00:22:12.186 --> 00:22:20.504
Biblical hope is not a passive hope. The expectation of Christ's return should shape how we live today.

00:22:20.777 --> 00:22:25.804
Let's go to Matthew 24, 42. Matthew 24, 42.

00:22:26.071 --> 00:22:29.407
Hope you're getting stirred up today. We're going to live right.

00:22:29.407 --> 00:22:32.657
We're not just going to escape on the rapture cloth. There's some things we

00:22:32.657 --> 00:22:36.205
got to do now to prepare ourselves for Jesus.

00:22:36.345 --> 00:22:44.988
Verse 24, verse 42. And it says, Watch therefore, for ye know not what hour the Lord does come.

00:22:45.174 --> 00:22:47.844
Wow. Remember, he can come as a thief in the night.

00:22:48.111 --> 00:22:50.248
He's not going to tell you when he's coming.

00:22:50.526 --> 00:22:56.285
You should kind of feel it in the atmosphere that something is shifting. Something is changing.

00:22:56.575 --> 00:23:01.677
You know, Jesus does not tell his followers to spend their lives trying to calculate

00:23:01.677 --> 00:23:03.315
the exact date of his return.

00:23:03.605 --> 00:23:07.697
But what he says is to watch. And I want to look up the word watch too,

00:23:07.697 --> 00:23:13.735
because the word watch means more than just standing there looking at the sky, right?

00:23:13.857 --> 00:23:19.215
The word watch means, in a biblical term, it means to stay spiritually awake,

00:23:19.342 --> 00:23:21.937
alert, attentive, and ready.

00:23:22.524 --> 00:23:27.985
Right? Staying faithful, staying prepared. This idea gives us being spiritually

00:23:27.985 --> 00:23:29.096
alert, remaining prepared,

00:23:29.427 --> 00:23:35.085
not becoming careless or complacent, staying faithful, being aware that Christ

00:23:35.085 --> 00:23:37.976
could return, guarding your heart in conduct.

00:23:38.255 --> 00:23:42.585
So when Jesus says, watch, he's not telling you to spend your whole life trying

00:23:42.585 --> 00:23:47.075
to predict days and stay in your prayer closet.

00:23:47.075 --> 00:23:50.468
He wants you to live your life, but he still wants you to be ready,

00:23:50.735 --> 00:23:54.561
be awake, be faithful, and don't drift.

00:23:54.781 --> 00:24:00.065
Do not drift, you know? And so we have to add that to our list.

00:24:00.065 --> 00:24:05.010
We have to be sober, righteously, godly, and we have to watch.

00:24:05.242 --> 00:24:11.268
The danger is that we can become so absorbed in everyday life that we stop thinking about eternity.

00:24:11.604 --> 00:24:17.792
We can become spiritually sleeping. Jesus reminds us, do not lose your readiness,

00:24:17.996 --> 00:24:19.824
right? Do not lose your readiness.

00:24:20.074 --> 00:24:25.861
You know, the question is not simple. When Jesus, when is Jesus coming? It's more personal.

00:24:26.117 --> 00:24:32.989
It's like, will I be ready when he comes? The purpose of watching is readiness, not fear.

00:24:33.267 --> 00:24:38.138
We're not going to be afraid. We're just going to be ready. Let's go to 1 Thessalonians.

00:24:38.376 --> 00:24:46.445
That's way in the back of our New Testament. 1 Thessalonians chapter 4, verse 16 through 18.

00:24:46.445 --> 00:24:51.106
For the Lord himself should descend from heaven with a shout,

00:24:51.315 --> 00:24:58.325
with the voice of the archangel angel, with a trump of God, and the dead in

00:24:58.325 --> 00:25:00.470
Christ should rise first.

00:25:00.696 --> 00:25:05.675
Then we which are alive and remain should be caught up together with him in

00:25:05.675 --> 00:25:12.364
the clouds to meet the Lord in the air, and so should we ever be seen. with the Lord.

00:25:12.589 --> 00:25:16.700
Wherefore, comfort one another with these words.

00:25:16.944 --> 00:25:20.851
God said, I'm going to meet you. I'm going to meet you in the air.

00:25:21.942 --> 00:25:25.561
I'm coming, I'm not going to touch the ground quite yet because we know in Revelation

00:25:25.561 --> 00:25:30.521
he comes, he does come and touch the ground with his warrior people,

00:25:30.521 --> 00:25:35.576
us as Christians, and then he destroys the enemy for the final time.

00:25:35.889 --> 00:25:40.998
But he tells us, he describes Christ's return as a gathering of believers.

00:25:41.207 --> 00:25:42.966
But listen carefully how he ends it.

00:25:43.302 --> 00:25:46.681
Comfort one another with these words. That's important.

00:25:46.942 --> 00:25:51.311
The doctrine of Christ's return was intended to bring comfort to believers.

00:25:51.311 --> 00:25:54.349
Why? Because death does not have the final word.

00:25:54.686 --> 00:25:59.730
Grief does not have the final word. Separation does not have the final word.

00:25:59.963 --> 00:26:05.721
The promise is, so shall we ever be with the Lord. Again, the greatest part

00:26:05.721 --> 00:26:11.387
of the promise is not simply where will we be, it's who we will be with.

00:26:11.677 --> 00:26:16.269
The return of Jesus gives believers hope beyond death and grief.

00:26:16.576 --> 00:26:21.975
Let's go to 1 Corinthians 16 verse 22.

00:26:22.531 --> 00:26:27.020
If any man love not the Lord Jesus Christ, let him be.

00:26:28.537 --> 00:26:33.896
Athenum maranatha. It means that if the Lord comes, let him be.

00:26:34.163 --> 00:26:41.205
If anyone loves the Lord, let him be anathema maranatha. Look at that word, anathema maranatha.

00:26:41.367 --> 00:26:47.405
Have I seen that word before? No. So of course, I want to take a moment and find out what it means.

00:26:48.177 --> 00:26:52.417
What does it mean? Let him come. Let him come. Wow.

00:26:52.757 --> 00:26:57.836
The word maranatha comes closely associated with the longing for the Lord to come.

00:26:58.086 --> 00:27:01.104
In a sense, it says that our Lord come.

00:27:01.377 --> 00:27:04.750
The expectation was present among every believer.

00:27:05.046 --> 00:27:11.855
You know, so anathema means a curse devoted to judgment or set apart for condemnation.

00:27:11.983 --> 00:27:16.482
In this verse, Paul is speaking very strongly about the seriousness of rejecting

00:27:16.615 --> 00:27:18.877
or not loving the Lord Jesus Christ.

00:27:20.057 --> 00:27:28.456
Maranatha is an Aramic expression commonly understood as our Lord come, or come, O Lord.

00:27:28.758 --> 00:27:32.235
So, the verse carries both a warning and an expectation.

00:27:32.584 --> 00:27:37.750
The warning is, do not reject Christ. The expectation is, the Lord is coming.

00:27:38.005 --> 00:27:42.620
How powerful is that? So, anathema is a warning.

00:27:43.172 --> 00:27:47.735
Maranatha is a hope. Our one speaks of judgment for rejecting Christ.

00:27:48.100 --> 00:27:51.792
The other looks forward to the coming of the Lord.

00:27:52.013 --> 00:27:57.731
It reminds us that Christ's return is comforting for the believer, but it's also serious.

00:27:58.021 --> 00:28:03.919
His coming means hope, reunion, fulfillment for those who belong to him.

00:28:04.168 --> 00:28:08.325
But it also means accountability. I want us to remember that.

00:28:08.598 --> 00:28:11.703
This word said, anathema and maranatha.

00:28:11.982 --> 00:28:16.574
Like, are you ready? Are you devoted? Or are you ready for his coming?

00:28:16.887 --> 00:28:20.066
How powerful is that? That's a different word for me. You know,

00:28:20.066 --> 00:28:22.634
I was like, anathema maranatha.

00:28:22.913 --> 00:28:27.184
Wow, are you ready, Lord? He tells us, do not reject Christ.

00:28:27.416 --> 00:28:31.036
The expectation, the warning is don't reject him. The Lord is coming.

00:28:31.036 --> 00:28:34.776
This morning, I had to walk with a friend and I haven't talked to him in a while.

00:28:34.776 --> 00:28:36.815
So I was like, let's go for a walk, let's talk.

00:28:37.105 --> 00:28:42.256
But the one thing that was really on my heart was, are you ready to accept Jesus?

00:28:42.556 --> 00:28:46.927
And he says, no, I'm praying. I said, praying to who? And he couldn't say.

00:28:47.351 --> 00:28:50.656
And he says, I'm trying not to want to be in judgment. I said,

00:28:50.656 --> 00:28:52.964
I'm not judging you. I'm asking you, are you ready?

00:28:53.161 --> 00:28:55.942
And he said, no. And I said, okay, we changed the subject.

00:28:56.308 --> 00:29:00.865
So a lot of times people will actually reject Jesus. I don't want your Jesus.

00:29:01.079 --> 00:29:03.425
But he's thinking like, why does she keep asking me?

00:29:03.668 --> 00:29:07.256
Not in judgment, but we know what the expectation is.

00:29:07.552 --> 00:29:11.496
There's heaven or hell. We have to prepare our friends. We have to tell them.

00:29:11.496 --> 00:29:13.142
We have to warn them, right?

00:29:13.392 --> 00:29:17.641
As believers, we should be the ones blowing the trumpet before Jesus, right?

00:29:17.925 --> 00:29:21.455
Telling our friends it's time to get ready because Jesus is coming.

00:29:21.715 --> 00:29:27.044
And that was on my heart today as I was walking, just getting ready, you know?

00:29:27.333 --> 00:29:31.252
And you can tell it's time because people who I haven't talked to are calling

00:29:31.578 --> 00:29:35.234
and they're asking something about, because in Nebraska, we had a lot of rain,

00:29:35.833 --> 00:29:38.857
last week or so, and they'll say, are you safe?

00:29:39.490 --> 00:29:43.475
I think you're not calling about no weather because we had a tornado a year

00:29:43.475 --> 00:29:44.813
ago. I didn't hear your voice.

00:29:44.959 --> 00:29:48.895
You know, so I get that. I'm calling a check on you, but I haven't talked to

00:29:48.895 --> 00:29:53.214
you in about five or six years. So you got questions. You want to know how I'm living.

00:29:53.545 --> 00:29:57.480
We need to talk about that. Are you seriously ready for Jesus?

00:29:57.672 --> 00:30:00.127
And so I asked the Lord, I said, what is this call about?

00:30:00.441 --> 00:30:02.896
He said, she got something going on she wants to talk to you about.

00:30:03.024 --> 00:30:07.715
And so we're going to continue our conversation next, maybe tomorrow or next

00:30:07.715 --> 00:30:11.365
week, Because it's important when people reach out you haven't heard from in

00:30:11.610 --> 00:30:14.355
a long time, don't think that it's just random.

00:30:14.669 --> 00:30:19.243
God is telling you, you better sound the trumpet before he sounds the trumpet.

00:30:19.568 --> 00:30:23.215
God wished that all men should live and come into the life of him,

00:30:23.215 --> 00:30:25.603
the everlasting life that he promises us, right?

00:30:25.818 --> 00:30:28.155
So we should still have that longing, that.

00:30:32.169 --> 00:30:37.596
Maranatha expression, that longing, come Lord Jesus, in our hearts.

00:30:37.863 --> 00:30:41.785
You know, when we put these scriptures together, we see a clear message.

00:30:41.785 --> 00:30:45.545
We see here that Revelation 20, 20 tells us that he's coming.

00:30:45.870 --> 00:30:48.047
John 14 tells his promise.

00:30:48.615 --> 00:30:52.730
This promise to come again. Acts 1 tells us that the same Jesus will return.

00:30:52.852 --> 00:30:56.144
Titus 2 tells us his return is our blessed hope.

00:30:56.451 --> 00:30:59.975
Matthew 24 tells us to watch and remain ready.

00:31:00.213 --> 00:31:06.244
In 1 Thessalonians 4 tells us his return should comfort believers.

00:31:06.418 --> 00:31:12.693
In 1 Corinthians 16, it reminds us that the longing for his coming has been

00:31:12.693 --> 00:31:16.548
part of the Christ's expectation from the beginning.

00:31:16.751 --> 00:31:21.330
And together, they lead us back to one prayer, come Lord Jesus.

00:31:21.638 --> 00:31:24.360
People say, come Lord Jesus, as he's wanting to escape.

00:31:25.103 --> 00:31:30.311
We want to escape and get to heaven. Yes, heaven is a beautiful place. It's going to be there.

00:31:30.688 --> 00:31:34.862
But what is that one thing he's coming for? He wants everybody to come.

00:31:35.756 --> 00:31:40.127
So when we say, come Lord Jesus, we're not simply talking about the end of the world.

00:31:40.475 --> 00:31:45.351
We are declaring, Jesus, I believe in your promise. I believe you are coming again.

00:31:45.647 --> 00:31:51.667
I believe this world is not the end. I believe death should not have the final word.

00:31:51.998 --> 00:31:57.321
I believe evil does not have the final word. I believe my hope is in you because

00:31:57.449 --> 00:31:58.958
I believe you are coming.

00:31:59.190 --> 00:32:01.222
Help me to live ready.

00:32:01.460 --> 00:32:06.523
Help me to live in godliness, righteousness, you know, soberly.

00:32:06.523 --> 00:32:08.823
Help me to be ready, right?

00:32:09.203 --> 00:32:11.892
Don't let me miss it. I don't want to miss it.

00:32:12.908 --> 00:32:17.515
And that's why it matters right now. Those are foundational scriptures.

00:32:17.742 --> 00:32:22.101
And that's why this cry of our heart should still remain.

00:32:22.514 --> 00:32:30.716
Amen. Even so, come Lord Jesus. Come Lord Jesus. If you haven't said that, you should say that.

00:32:31.128 --> 00:32:34.867
That's your prayer. Come Lord Jesus.

00:32:35.012 --> 00:32:40.863
I want to continue this introduction because I want you to actually now begin to absorb it.

00:32:41.107 --> 00:32:45.014
You know that when we pray that God hears our prayers, how many believe that, right?

00:32:45.595 --> 00:32:49.914
So when life is good, He hears our prayers. When life is bad, He hears our prayers.

00:32:50.245 --> 00:32:54.299
But these prayers rise up out of our heart that's deep.

00:32:54.819 --> 00:33:00.375
We have this longing in our heart for Jesus. We have that longing in our heart for Jesus.

00:33:00.648 --> 00:33:03.209
And I remember one time in morning prayer, I was just praying,

00:33:03.209 --> 00:33:07.155
and all of a sudden it came over me, come Lord Jesus, not that I was going through anything.

00:33:07.701 --> 00:33:11.439
I just like, I know you're coming. You promised that you're going to return.

00:33:11.764 --> 00:33:16.379
But not come and take me away, but come and show me your glory.

00:33:16.379 --> 00:33:19.042
I want to see your magnificent glory.

00:33:19.321 --> 00:33:21.875
I want to see you. I want to see your face.

00:33:22.723 --> 00:33:26.829
Going to heaven is like how you go on vacation, you get in a car or whatever,

00:33:26.829 --> 00:33:32.049
you drive, you fly, and you get there. You ever realize that big expectation

00:33:32.049 --> 00:33:34.559
that you thought you were going to get once you got on vacation?

00:33:34.745 --> 00:33:38.930
You're excited. Everything is going well. You packed. You're ready to have this great time.

00:33:39.308 --> 00:33:44.526
When you get there, it's good, but it's not as good as you had hyped it up.

00:33:44.834 --> 00:33:48.779
The pictures didn't, you've ever been on vacation and the vacation doesn't look

00:33:48.779 --> 00:33:52.039
like the pictures that you, your brochures. I was like, dang,

00:33:52.039 --> 00:33:55.009
I thought it was going to be this. I thought it was going to be that.

00:33:55.009 --> 00:33:58.168
Man will not be disappointed when Jesus come.

00:33:58.290 --> 00:34:02.226
You know, if we think about this, we all have this longing in our heart.

00:34:02.586 --> 00:34:06.429
We might think that it's to buy some new clothes or eat some new food or do

00:34:06.429 --> 00:34:12.402
something new, but God creates in us of restlessness, that we know that this is not the end.

00:34:12.690 --> 00:34:17.891
The earth is not our final place. God wants us to be in expectation.

00:34:18.177 --> 00:34:21.287
You know, so let me give you some examples of what that looked like, right?

00:34:21.850 --> 00:34:27.271
So it is the prayer of a woman who has been waiting so long that she has stopped

00:34:27.271 --> 00:34:31.180
telling people how tired she is. You ever been in that situation?

00:34:31.499 --> 00:34:34.605
I don't need to tell everybody I'm tired because they already know they heard that story.

00:34:34.952 --> 00:34:41.263
But a woman knows something about waiting. Sarah knew what it was to wait for a child.

00:34:41.546 --> 00:34:48.205
God promised, had made a promise to Abraham and his descendants that we'll become a great nation.

00:34:48.588 --> 00:34:52.072
But year after year, Sarah remained without a child.

00:34:52.814 --> 00:34:57.545
So she longed, that she longed for, she knew what it felt like to hear a promise.

00:34:57.825 --> 00:35:01.939
And with them waking up every morning with no evidence that it was happening.

00:35:01.939 --> 00:35:03.785
And that might be in your life today.

00:35:04.087 --> 00:35:07.924
You're waiting for God to do something magnificent in your life,

00:35:08.162 --> 00:35:10.802
but you wake up and nothing is happening.

00:35:11.139 --> 00:35:15.377
It's like I heard a preacher say nothing, nothing, nothing. And then bam,

00:35:15.742 --> 00:35:19.603
like God has a way of teaching us how to be patient.

00:35:20.015 --> 00:35:24.374
You know, women understand Sarah's and men understand Sarah too.

00:35:24.612 --> 00:35:27.666
The woman waiting for a positive pregnancy test, right?

00:35:27.962 --> 00:35:32.693
The woman sitting in a fertility clinic, woman praying for a child she has not yet received.

00:35:33.012 --> 00:35:38.742
Woman whose biological clock is moving while the answer to her prayer keeps standing still.

00:35:38.991 --> 00:35:45.435
Hannah knew what it was to wait while watching someone else receive what she desperately wanted.

00:35:45.789 --> 00:35:50.079
Year after year, she went to worship, carrying the same unanswered prayer.

00:35:50.839 --> 00:35:54.619
Her pain became so deep that when she prayed, her lips moved,

00:35:54.619 --> 00:35:58.223
but no sound came out. Some women still pray like Hannah.

00:35:58.531 --> 00:36:01.904
They sit in churches surrounded by people celebrating engagements,

00:36:02.130 --> 00:36:07.379
marriages, pregnancies, promotion, healing, and answer prayer while quietly

00:36:07.379 --> 00:36:09.779
asking God, when will it be my turn?

00:36:09.779 --> 00:36:12.769
Think about this. Example of women. This is Diary of Black Women.

00:36:12.769 --> 00:36:17.715
I want to give you some women that were in waiting Did Sarah ever have her baby? Yes.

00:36:17.913 --> 00:36:22.702
Did Hannah ever have her baby? Yes. But that wait, that in between that prayer

00:36:22.998 --> 00:36:27.189
and that expected answer, there's a period that we call the waiting.

00:36:27.189 --> 00:36:29.906
And we're in that period of that waiting.

00:36:30.155 --> 00:36:34.085
But did their faith grow long and strong or did they give up?

00:36:34.283 --> 00:36:37.493
They kept going with it. They believed God.

00:36:38.101 --> 00:36:41.240
They believe God that even though the situation looks like I'm not going to

00:36:41.240 --> 00:36:44.230
have a baby, even though the situation looks like I'm going to continue to live

00:36:44.230 --> 00:36:47.767
paycheck to paycheck, I'm going to be working in this dead-end job,

00:36:47.958 --> 00:36:51.824
even though it looked like it, faith is what keeps you going.

00:36:52.370 --> 00:36:58.686
My question is, what happened, right? Ruth knew what it was like to wait after life had fallen apart.

00:36:58.889 --> 00:37:02.296
She lost her husband. She left the life she knew.

00:37:02.482 --> 00:37:06.640
She entered a new land with no guarantee of what would happen next.

00:37:06.640 --> 00:37:11.432
She did not know that following Naomi would eventually lead to Boaz.

00:37:11.659 --> 00:37:14.944
Restoration and a place in the lineage of Jesus. Come on now.

00:37:15.269 --> 00:37:20.440
If you keep believing, if you keep hoping, if you keep just having faith that

00:37:20.440 --> 00:37:23.580
God's going to do what he's going to do, nothing, nothing, nothing.

00:37:23.580 --> 00:37:28.749
And then bam, it's right there. Women right now are living in that season right now.

00:37:29.079 --> 00:37:33.108
They're starting over after divorce, starting over after losing a spouse,

00:37:33.433 --> 00:37:38.120
moving into a new city, changing careers, walking away from something familiar

00:37:38.120 --> 00:37:42.495
without knowing exactly what God has waiting on the other side.

00:37:42.646 --> 00:37:45.490
Esther knew how to wait for the right moment to speak.

00:37:45.734 --> 00:37:49.246
She carried information that would determine the future of her people,

00:37:49.536 --> 00:37:52.381
but she could not simply rush into God's presence.

00:37:52.561 --> 00:37:57.686
She had to pray. She had to fast. She had to prepare, discern the right time,

00:37:57.936 --> 00:37:59.846
and then find the courage to speak.

00:38:00.380 --> 00:38:04.460
Some women right now understand Esther's waiting, waiting for the right moment

00:38:04.460 --> 00:38:07.821
to have the difficult conversation, waiting to tell the truth,

00:38:08.168 --> 00:38:14.110
waiting to speak up about something wrong, waiting because the wisdom says not yet.

00:38:14.110 --> 00:38:18.502
Even our courage says you cannot remain silent forever.

00:38:19.594 --> 00:38:24.342
Elizabeth knew what it was to wait. She had almost stopped expecting the answer.

00:38:24.545 --> 00:38:28.922
She and Zachariah had prayed for a child, but years have passed.

00:38:29.213 --> 00:38:33.532
But the angel announced that she would give birth to John the Baptist.

00:38:33.683 --> 00:38:38.657
The prayer belonged to much earlier season in her life. There are prayers like that.

00:38:38.930 --> 00:38:41.908
Prayers we prayed years ago. Come on, ladies.

00:38:42.280 --> 00:38:44.358
Prayers we eventually stopped mentioning.

00:38:44.741 --> 00:38:48.801
Prayers we placed somewhere in the back of our heart because talking about them

00:38:48.801 --> 00:38:51.144
hurt too much. And then God moves.

00:38:51.382 --> 00:38:53.303
Mary knew the difference in waiting.

00:38:53.559 --> 00:38:57.041
She received the promise quickly, but she still had to carry it.

00:38:57.381 --> 00:39:00.791
For months, she lived with something God has placed on the inside of her.

00:39:00.791 --> 00:39:03.542
Not, no one could fully understand.

00:39:03.744 --> 00:39:08.249
She had to endure the questions, the assumptions, the whisper, the uncertainty.

00:39:08.534 --> 00:39:12.461
And she had to trust God while the promise was still developing.

00:39:12.461 --> 00:39:17.041
Some women are carrying something like Mary, a vision, a business,

00:39:17.041 --> 00:39:21.811
a ministry, a book, a career change, a calling, something God placed in their

00:39:21.811 --> 00:39:24.555
hearts that has not yet fully come to life.

00:39:24.823 --> 00:39:28.445
Other people cannot see it, but she can still feel it growing.

00:39:28.678 --> 00:39:34.029
Martha and Mary knew what it was to wait for Jesus when they desperately needed him to come.

00:39:34.325 --> 00:39:36.368
Their brother Latharus was sick.

00:39:36.676 --> 00:39:40.507
They sent word to Jesus. They expected him to come right away,

00:39:40.793 --> 00:39:43.021
But Jesus did not ride when they expected him to.

00:39:43.441 --> 00:39:47.701
Latharus died while they were waiting. When Jesus finally arrived,

00:39:48.003 --> 00:39:52.088
Martha said what many women had probably whispered to God in their own way,

00:39:52.309 --> 00:39:54.050
Lord, if you would have been here.

00:39:54.259 --> 00:39:56.651
In other words, Jesus, where are you?

00:39:56.924 --> 00:40:00.396
Women still ask questions. Where were you when my marriage ended?

00:40:00.651 --> 00:40:06.042
Where were you when I lost my job? Where were you when the doctor gave me the diagnosis?

00:40:06.315 --> 00:40:08.283
Where were you when my child was struggling?

00:40:08.643 --> 00:40:12.501
Where were you when I prayed and nothing seems to change? Where were you when

00:40:12.501 --> 00:40:14.401
I needed you to move quickly?

00:40:14.802 --> 00:40:19.102
But Martha did not know that Jesus had come to reveal something greater than

00:40:19.102 --> 00:40:22.610
the answer she had originally requested. She wanted healing.

00:40:22.883 --> 00:40:28.672
Jesus wanted her to show her resurrection. Sometimes our waiting is not because

00:40:28.672 --> 00:40:32.438
God has forgotten us. Sometimes we cannot yet see what he is doing.

00:40:32.606 --> 00:40:35.862
The women with the issue of blood waited 12 years.

00:40:36.106 --> 00:40:38.922
12 years of sickness. 12 years of doctors.

00:40:39.235 --> 00:40:44.384
12 years of spending money trying to get better. 12 years of hoping something would finally work.

00:40:44.500 --> 00:40:47.763
Then she heard that Jesus was passing by.

00:40:47.983 --> 00:40:51.565
Some women understand the 12-year prayers, waiting for healing,

00:40:51.861 --> 00:40:55.681
waiting for chronic pain to improve, waiting for a diagnosis,

00:40:56.000 --> 00:41:02.425
waiting for treatment to work, waiting for anxiety to lift, waiting for the depression to break.

00:41:02.820 --> 00:41:05.049
Waiting to feel like themselves again.

00:41:05.188 --> 00:41:07.649
And waiting is not always about something dramatic.

00:41:07.928 --> 00:41:12.462
Sometimes a woman is waiting for the phone to ring after a job interview,

00:41:12.729 --> 00:41:17.512
waiting for application to be approved, waiting for a loan, waiting for the

00:41:17.512 --> 00:41:19.561
house, waiting for retirement,

00:41:19.933 --> 00:41:25.392
waiting for her finances to stabilize, waiting for relationship to become clear,

00:41:25.392 --> 00:41:28.919
waiting for an apology, waiting for reconciliation,

00:41:29.273 --> 00:41:33.981
waiting for her adult child to come home, waiting for her husband to change,

00:41:34.335 --> 00:41:36.198
waiting for the court case to end,

00:41:36.581 --> 00:41:41.429
waiting for test results, waiting for grief to stop hurting quite so much,

00:41:41.649 --> 00:41:45.469
waiting for a door God seems to have promised but not yet open.

00:41:45.835 --> 00:41:50.177
And sometimes she is simply waiting for life to feel different.

00:41:50.508 --> 00:41:54.852
That is what makes waiting so personal. The Bible is filled with women who have

00:41:54.852 --> 00:41:58.529
lived between what God said and what they could see.

00:41:58.761 --> 00:42:00.874
And that is where many of us live too.

00:42:01.350 --> 00:42:05.669
Between the promise and the fulfillment, between the prayer and the answer,

00:42:05.930 --> 00:42:08.235
between what was and what will be.

00:42:08.502 --> 00:42:11.015
Every believer shares one waiting.

00:42:11.306 --> 00:42:16.043
We are waiting for Jesus. Before he left his disciples, Jesus made a promise.

00:42:16.043 --> 00:42:20.503
I will come again, John 14, 3. And the church has been carrying that promise

00:42:20.503 --> 00:42:22.843
for more than 2,000 years.

00:42:22.843 --> 00:42:27.073
Generation after generation has lived, prayed, suffered, worshiped,

00:42:27.073 --> 00:42:32.616
hoped, and died, believing that the story was not yet finished. we are still waiting.

00:42:32.900 --> 00:42:35.750
But biblical waiting is not empty waiting.

00:42:36.174 --> 00:42:39.953
Sarah teaches us that waiting does not cancel God's promise.

00:42:40.174 --> 00:42:45.483
Hannah teaches us that we can bring our deepest pain into Jesus' presence.

00:42:45.483 --> 00:42:50.275
Ruth teaches us that God can be working in a season that looks like loss.

00:42:50.396 --> 00:42:55.220
Esther teaches us that waiting sometimes prepares us for a moment of courage.

00:42:55.383 --> 00:43:00.566
Elizabeth teaches us for an old prayer is not necessarily a forgotten prayer.

00:43:00.699 --> 00:43:06.312
And Mary teaches us that some promises must be carried before we can even see them.

00:43:06.545 --> 00:43:11.333
Martha and Mary teaches us that God's delay doesn't mean God's absence.

00:43:11.333 --> 00:43:15.693
And the woman with the issue of blood teaches us that years of suffering do

00:43:15.693 --> 00:43:18.288
not place us beyond the reach of Jesus.

00:43:18.486 --> 00:43:24.412
So when we say, come, Jesus, come, we are not speaking as women who have no hope.

00:43:24.558 --> 00:43:28.773
We are speaking as women who understand waiting. We have waited for answers.

00:43:28.773 --> 00:43:31.245
We have waited for healing. We have waited for change.

00:43:31.500 --> 00:43:34.867
We have waited for restoration. We have waited for open doors.

00:43:35.053 --> 00:43:37.056
We have waited for prayers to be answered.

00:43:37.346 --> 00:43:39.413
And now we join generations of

00:43:39.413 --> 00:43:43.981
believers who are waiting for the greatest promise of all to be fulfilled.

00:43:44.231 --> 00:43:46.802
Jesus is coming again.

00:43:47.334 --> 00:43:50.580
This devotional is not about predicting the exact day he returned.

00:43:50.835 --> 00:43:54.705
It's about learning how to live while we wait.

00:43:54.862 --> 00:44:00.708
How do we keep believing when the promises seem to take longer than expected?

00:44:01.004 --> 00:44:05.143
How do we keep our hearts tender when the world becomes harder?

00:44:05.427 --> 00:44:08.057
How do we remain faithful when we are tired?

00:44:08.382 --> 00:44:12.115
How do we keep our lamps burning when the night feels long?

00:44:12.364 --> 00:44:19.353
And how do we return to hope when everything around us seems to say that nothing will ever change?

00:44:19.591 --> 00:44:22.506
We remember the promise, the King is coming.

00:44:22.790 --> 00:44:27.306
And until He does, we wait with faith. We wait with expectation.

00:44:27.684 --> 00:44:32.136
We wait with our lamps burning. We wait with hope. And together we pray,

00:44:32.357 --> 00:44:35.578
come, Jesus, come. What is still to come?

00:44:35.903 --> 00:44:39.009
We're not going to stop believing. We're going to keep praying.

00:44:39.224 --> 00:44:42.498
What is to come? What is our expectation on?

00:44:42.794 --> 00:44:48.396
We're not at the end of our wits end. Prayers are answered eventually.

00:44:48.541 --> 00:44:50.352
God does hear us when we pray.

00:44:50.880 --> 00:44:55.355
Our Redeemer is coming. Our King is coming. A kingdom is coming.

00:44:55.599 --> 00:44:58.222
Justice is coming. Restoration is coming.

00:44:58.565 --> 00:45:04.063
And Jesus is coming again. To understand Christ's return, we must have to understand

00:45:04.063 --> 00:45:05.392
the story that leads to it.

00:45:05.734 --> 00:45:10.314
We will begin in the Old Testament where promise of deliverance slowly comes into focus.

00:45:10.622 --> 00:45:14.513
We will look at the words of the prophet who spoke of a coming king,

00:45:14.513 --> 00:45:19.443
a righteous king, a day of the Lord, a judgment against evil,

00:45:19.443 --> 00:45:23.759
and a future where God would establish his rule over the earth.

00:45:23.991 --> 00:45:27.473
Isaiah saw a king whose government would have no end.

00:45:27.893 --> 00:45:31.973
Daniel saw the son of man coming with the clouds of heaven and receiving an

00:45:31.973 --> 00:45:35.589
everlasting kingdom. Joel spoke of the day of the Lord.

00:45:35.839 --> 00:45:41.513
Zechariah saw the Lord standing upon the Mount of Olives and becoming king over

00:45:41.513 --> 00:45:47.745
all the earth. Long before Bethlehem, God was already telling humanity, someone is coming.

00:45:48.058 --> 00:45:50.229
Then we will move into the gospels.

00:45:50.716 --> 00:45:55.499
Jesus came quickly as the prophets promised, but his first coming was not the end of the story.

00:45:55.772 --> 00:46:01.269
He was born, he ministered, he healed, he taught, he confronted evil, he died, he rose again.

00:46:01.687 --> 00:46:05.513
And before leaving his disciples, Jesus made another promise.

00:46:05.513 --> 00:46:10.575
He said, I will come again. We will listen closely to Jesus' own teaching about His return.

00:46:10.934 --> 00:46:14.563
We will study His warning about deception, fear, lawlessness,

00:46:14.928 --> 00:46:16.856
persecution, and spiritual sleepiness.

00:46:17.233 --> 00:46:22.347
We will look at His parable about servants waiting for their masters and bridesmaids,

00:46:22.707 --> 00:46:24.785
waiting for the groom, the bridegroom.

00:46:25.017 --> 00:46:28.216
And we will ask one of the most important questions of this devotional,

00:46:28.802 --> 00:46:32.372
what does Jesus expect us to be doing while we wait for Him?

00:46:33.047 --> 00:46:37.528
Because Jesus did not tell his followers to spend the life calculating dates.

00:46:37.754 --> 00:46:42.580
He told them to watch. He told them to pray. He told them to remain faithful.

00:46:42.940 --> 00:46:47.884
Love one another. Serve. Endure. Stay ready. Keep their lamps burning.

00:46:48.203 --> 00:46:52.051
Then we stand with the disciples at Acts. As Jesus ascended to heaven,

00:46:52.393 --> 00:46:54.506
they watched him disappear from their sight.

00:46:54.768 --> 00:47:00.410
Angels gave them a promise. This same Jesus should so come also as a like manner

00:47:00.410 --> 00:47:05.565
as you see him go into heaven. From that moment forward, the church became a waiting church.

00:47:05.838 --> 00:47:11.294
The apostles lived expecting Jesus to return. Paul wrote about it repeatedly.

00:47:11.637 --> 00:47:15.660
He told believers that the Lord himself would descend from heaven.

00:47:15.915 --> 00:47:17.657
He taught about resurrection.

00:47:17.993 --> 00:47:24.094
He described believers being gathered to Christ. He called the return of Jesus our blessed hope.

00:47:24.420 --> 00:47:28.895
Peter addressed believers who wonder why the promise seemed to take so long.

00:47:29.151 --> 00:47:33.882
James told Suffering Church, be patient because the Lord's coming was drawing near.

00:47:34.143 --> 00:47:38.584
John told believers to remain in Christ so they should be ready when he appear.

00:47:38.909 --> 00:47:42.984
Throughout the New Testament, the same message, Jesus is coming again.

00:47:43.748 --> 00:47:46.285
But this devotional will also deal with a difficult question.

00:47:46.546 --> 00:47:52.066
If the church believed Jesus was coming, believers have been waiting for more than 2,000 years.

00:47:52.304 --> 00:47:56.995
Why hasn't he returned yet? Scripture does not ignore that question.

00:47:56.995 --> 00:48:03.078
Peter in 2 Peter 3.9 says, The Lord is not slack concerning his promise.

00:48:03.252 --> 00:48:10.462
God's timing is not the same as ours. What feels like delay to humanity may actually be mercy.

00:48:10.613 --> 00:48:13.683
Every additional day is another day for someone to hear the gospel.

00:48:13.828 --> 00:48:18.571
Another day for someone to repent, another day for another life to be changed,

00:48:18.827 --> 00:48:23.325
another day for someone to come home to God. So we learn that waiting is not

00:48:23.325 --> 00:48:25.079
evidence that the promise has failed.

00:48:25.299 --> 00:48:27.435
Sometimes waiting is part of the promise.

00:48:27.755 --> 00:48:30.518
Then our journey will take us back to the book of Revelations.

00:48:30.657 --> 00:48:34.030
For many people, the book of Revelation is intimidating.

00:48:34.332 --> 00:48:37.165
They hear about the beast, the seals, the trumpet, the bows,

00:48:37.524 --> 00:48:42.087
Babylon, judgment, war, and the end of the world, and they become afraid.

00:48:42.337 --> 00:48:47.543
But we must remember the name of the book. It's the revelation of Jesus Christ.

00:48:47.682 --> 00:48:50.126
Revelation is ultimately about Jesus.

00:48:50.375 --> 00:48:53.715
It begins with him, it centers on him, and it ends with him.

00:48:54.115 --> 00:48:59.367
We will see Jesus as the lamb who was slain. We will see him as the lion of the tribe of Judah.

00:48:59.768 --> 00:49:04.122
We will see him as faithful and true, and we'll see him as the word of God.

00:49:04.400 --> 00:49:09.715
And finally, we will see him as King of Kings and Lord of Lords.

00:49:10.035 --> 00:49:13.804
We will watch corrupt kingdoms fall. We will see evil judge.

00:49:14.054 --> 00:49:18.826
We will see Satan defeated and we will see death itself destroyed.

00:49:19.220 --> 00:49:23.441
We will see the death, the dead raised. We will see the final judgment.

00:49:23.748 --> 00:49:25.514
But even that is not where the

00:49:25.514 --> 00:49:31.585
story ends. The Bible does not end in destruction. It ends in restoration.

00:49:31.835 --> 00:49:36.055
John says, John sees a new heaven and a new earth.

00:49:36.223 --> 00:49:40.008
Revelations 21.1, God comes to dwell with his people.

00:49:40.287 --> 00:49:43.640
The curse is removed. The tree of life appears again.

00:49:43.885 --> 00:49:48.034
What was lost in Genesis is restored in Revelation. And then comes one of the

00:49:48.034 --> 00:49:52.939
promises women carry grief, loss, disappointment, and pain needs to hear.

00:49:53.062 --> 00:49:56.969
And God will wipe away all tears from their eyes.

00:49:57.241 --> 00:50:01.438
Revelation 21.4, no more death, no more sorrow, no more pain,

00:50:01.688 --> 00:50:03.626
no more crying. Think about that.

00:50:03.761 --> 00:50:07.667
Every funeral will be over. Every hospital room will be behind us.

00:50:07.830 --> 00:50:12.985
Every goodbye will be finished. Every injustice will have been answered.

00:50:13.194 --> 00:50:19.162
Every wound will be healed. So everything sin damaged will finally be made right.

00:50:19.451 --> 00:50:24.560
Revelation 21.5 says, Jesus says, Behold, I make all things new.

00:50:24.781 --> 00:50:26.342
And that is what's still to come.

00:50:26.585 --> 00:50:30.734
And along the way, this devotion will not only ask what will happen when Jesus

00:50:30.734 --> 00:50:38.864
turns, but we will ask what should his return change about the way we live today.

00:50:39.054 --> 00:50:41.886
If Jesus is coming, how should I handle disappointment?

00:50:42.147 --> 00:50:45.386
How should I treat people? How should I respond to injustice?

00:50:45.706 --> 00:50:49.328
How should I use my time? What should I do with unforgiveness?

00:50:49.676 --> 00:50:52.759
How should I face fear? How should I endure suffering?

00:50:53.049 --> 00:50:57.004
How do I remain hopeful when the world appears to be getting darker?

00:50:57.004 --> 00:51:02.047
And perhaps most importantly, am I ready to meet the one I'm asking to come?

00:51:02.360 --> 00:51:05.506
There's a difference between studying Jesus' return and longing for it.

00:51:05.744 --> 00:51:10.272
One fills our mind with information, the other transforms our heart.

00:51:10.592 --> 00:51:12.850
This devotion is meant to do both.

00:51:13.233 --> 00:51:15.485
We will study, we will reflect, we will pray.

00:51:15.873 --> 00:51:19.845
We will look back at what Jesus has already fulfilled. We'll look around on

00:51:19.845 --> 00:51:22.694
what he's doing now and how we're living.

00:51:23.083 --> 00:51:27.071
And we will look forward to what God has promised that is still to come.

00:51:27.175 --> 00:51:29.335
Our journey will move through the promise.

00:51:29.672 --> 00:51:33.325
God announced what a delivery is coming. We're going to talk about the prophet.

00:51:33.325 --> 00:51:37.508
Scripture begins revealing coming king and his kingdom.

00:51:37.775 --> 00:51:41.100
The first coming. Jesus entered the world and fulfilled the promise of the Messiah.

00:51:41.495 --> 00:51:45.390
The promise to return. Jesus tells his followers, I will come again.

00:51:45.651 --> 00:51:50.766
The waiting church, the apostles teach believers how to live while waiting.

00:51:50.934 --> 00:51:56.100
Signs and warning, Jesus teaches his followers to wait, to watch,

00:51:56.280 --> 00:51:58.840
to endure, and to refuse deception.

00:51:59.107 --> 00:52:02.973
The blessed hope, the resurrection of gathering of God's people.

00:52:03.304 --> 00:52:07.020
The day of the Lord, God's final confrontation with evil.

00:52:07.345 --> 00:52:10.636
The return of the king, Jesus appears in power and glory.

00:52:10.897 --> 00:52:15.595
Final judgment, evil, death, and Satan are defeated. All things new,

00:52:15.595 --> 00:52:18.055
God created a new heaven and a new earth.

00:52:18.380 --> 00:52:23.825
And then finally, come, Jesus, come. The revelation closes with Jesus giving

00:52:23.825 --> 00:52:27.285
his final promise and his people giving their final response.

00:52:27.476 --> 00:52:32.335
Jesus says, surely I will come quickly. And John answers, amen.

00:52:32.556 --> 00:52:34.541
Even so, come, Lord Jesus.

00:52:34.814 --> 00:52:40.118
That will be our destination. But between here and there, we're going to learn what it means to wait.

00:52:40.374 --> 00:52:45.225
Not in fear, not in hopelessness, not staring in the sky trying to determine

00:52:45.225 --> 00:52:51.183
the day, but faithfully living the life God has placed before us while keeping one eye on the promise.

00:52:51.630 --> 00:52:56.570
Because although we do not know the day, we do know the one who is coming,

00:52:56.860 --> 00:52:58.869
and we know how the story ends.

00:52:59.043 --> 00:53:01.887
Jesus wins. Death loses.

00:53:02.148 --> 00:53:05.109
Kingdom come. Everything is made new.

00:53:05.399 --> 00:53:11.280
And until that day, our prayer still remains. Come, Jesus, come. We are waiting.

00:53:11.878 --> 00:53:17.625
Thank you that we are waiting, Lord. Let your kingdom come. Let your will be done.

00:53:18.601 --> 00:53:23.749
Let our hearts be ready. Let our expectations still continue that we expect

00:53:23.749 --> 00:53:28.452
you to come. Blow the trumpet, that our angel will blow the trumpet,

00:53:28.783 --> 00:53:31.064
and we will all meet you in the sky.

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We are ready, Lord, for that appointment. And if we're not ready,

00:53:34.939 --> 00:53:41.189
Lord, get us ready so that none of us will be lost in that great coming and

00:53:41.189 --> 00:53:43.532
awakening. Wake us up, Lord Jesus.

00:53:43.816 --> 00:53:48.751
If we're sleepy, if we're lazy, if we've grown complacent, come and wake us up.

00:53:49.099 --> 00:53:53.395
Let your spirit just dwell in our homes, in our hearts, Lord God.

00:53:53.714 --> 00:53:59.369
Let us know what that feels like. Show us your miraculous work as we follow,

00:53:59.369 --> 00:54:01.672
as we are faithful to continue to pray.

00:54:02.102 --> 00:54:05.759
Turn the hearts of our friends, our families, our foes, Lord God,

00:54:05.916 --> 00:54:10.258
towards you. And we will not give up calling them, getting them ready.

00:54:10.473 --> 00:54:14.229
Only the Holy Spirit can do that. So, Lord, we ask the Holy Spirit to go forth

00:54:14.577 --> 00:54:17.462
and prepare the heart. Minister to them right where they are.

00:54:17.781 --> 00:54:22.721
Give us a word in due season for our family, for our friends, and for our foes.

00:54:22.959 --> 00:54:28.828
So, Lord God, that no one be left behind in this great coming of you, Jesus.

00:54:29.072 --> 00:54:31.081
This has been your host, Connie Morris.

00:54:31.371 --> 00:54:34.326
This is the Diary of a Black Woman podcast.

00:54:35.010 --> 00:54:41.100
And our next episode will be regarding someone is coming, the promise begins.

00:54:41.337 --> 00:54:44.141
So get excited with great expectation.

00:54:44.408 --> 00:54:48.519
Tell your friends, your family, your foe to turn on the Diary of Black Women

00:54:48.825 --> 00:54:52.448
and let them listen to a word in due season for their hearts.

00:54:52.657 --> 00:54:55.275
Not a judgment, just a preparation time.

00:54:55.571 --> 00:55:00.033
And I will see you on the next episode. Before we close today,

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I don't want to take for granted that everyone listening knows Jesus personally.

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If you have listened to this episode or any other episodes and felt something

00:55:09.043 --> 00:55:14.153
stirring in your heart, maybe you know about God, but you're not sure you truly know Him.

00:55:14.327 --> 00:55:18.530
Maybe you grew up in church, walked away, got hurt, became tired,

00:55:18.913 --> 00:55:21.263
and never fully surrendered your life to Jesus.

00:55:21.643 --> 00:55:26.073
I want you to know this. God loves you. He has not forgotten you.

00:55:26.073 --> 00:55:28.015
He is not waiting to shame you.

00:55:28.183 --> 00:55:31.161
He is calling you home.

00:55:31.335 --> 00:55:35.340
The Bible says in Romans 10, 9, if you declare with your mouth,

00:55:35.560 --> 00:55:42.816
Jesus is Lord, and believe in your heart that God raised him from the dead, you will be saved.

00:55:43.020 --> 00:55:45.440
Salvation is not about being perfect.

00:55:45.650 --> 00:55:48.559
It's about surrendering to the one who is perfect.

00:55:48.842 --> 00:55:56.290
Jesus died for your sins, rose again, and made a way for you to be forgiven, restored, and made new.

00:55:56.400 --> 00:55:59.935
So right where you are, you can pray this prayer with me.

00:56:00.086 --> 00:56:05.253
Lord Jesus, I come to you today with an open heart. I believe you are the Son of God.

00:56:05.630 --> 00:56:12.944
I believe you died on the cross for my sins. And I believe that God raised you from the dead today.

00:56:13.339 --> 00:56:16.406
I confess that I need you. I repent of my sins.

00:56:16.726 --> 00:56:23.184
I ask you to forgive me, cleanse me, and make me brand new. Jesus, come into my heart.

00:56:23.504 --> 00:56:27.306
Be my Lord, my Savior, my Redeemer, and my King.

00:56:27.686 --> 00:56:32.645
I surrender my life to you. I give you my past, my present, and my future.

00:56:32.924 --> 00:56:36.848
Teach me how to walk with you. Fill me with your Holy Spirit.

00:56:37.121 --> 00:56:41.066
Lead me in truth, healing, obedience, and love.

00:56:41.386 --> 00:56:43.946
From this day forward, I belong to you.

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In Jesus' name, amen. If you pray that prayer from your heart,

00:56:48.481 --> 00:56:52.812
I want you to know that heaven has heard you. This is not the end.

00:56:53.143 --> 00:56:58.030
This is only the beginning of your walk with Jesus. Find a Bible-believing church,

00:56:58.205 --> 00:57:03.383
begin reading the word of God, pray daily, and ask the Holy Spirit to help you grow.

00:57:03.661 --> 00:57:08.416
God is not looking for perfection from you. He is inviting you into relationship,

00:57:08.723 --> 00:57:12.282
transformation, and eternal life through Jesus Christ.

00:57:12.479 --> 00:57:18.551
And remember, you are loved, you are not forgotten, and God still has a purpose for your life.

00:57:18.882 --> 00:57:21.767
Thank you for listening to the Diary of a Black Woman podcast.

00:57:21.964 --> 00:57:26.434
Until next time, keep walking in truth, faith, and freedom.

00:57:37.397 --> 00:57:40.567
Family, thank you for spending time with me today.

00:57:40.851 --> 00:57:44.509
To every woman listening who has ever felt hidden, overlooked,

00:57:44.509 --> 00:57:46.964
or pushed aside, hear me clearly.

00:57:47.237 --> 00:57:51.776
God has not forgotten you, and neither have I.

00:57:52.165 --> 00:57:56.931
Now let's go before the Lord and close this out with a word from God,

00:57:57.349 --> 00:58:01.778
because someone out there needs this reminder today.

00:58:02.045 --> 00:58:06.033
Jeremiah 29, 11, verses 11 through 14.

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For I know the plans I have for you, declares the Lord, plans to prosper you

00:58:11.319 --> 00:58:15.223
and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future.

00:58:15.513 --> 00:58:20.261
Then when you call on me and come and pray to me, and I will listen to you,

00:58:20.523 --> 00:58:25.839
you will seek me and find me when you seek me with all your heart.

00:58:25.839 --> 00:58:31.895
I will be found by you, declares the Lord, and bring you back from captivity.

00:58:32.260 --> 00:58:38.232
Father God, we thank you for your word, that it is true, that it is living, that it is for us.

00:58:38.383 --> 00:58:43.429
You said you know the plans you have for us, plans to prosper us and not to

00:58:43.429 --> 00:58:46.342
harm us, plans to give us hope and a future.

00:58:46.626 --> 00:58:50.934
So today we receive that, not just in our minds, but in our hearts.

00:58:51.154 --> 00:58:54.864
When we feel overlooked, remind us you still see us.

00:58:55.160 --> 00:59:00.390
When we feel forgotten, remind us you still have a plan. And when we feel hidden,

00:59:00.715 --> 00:59:02.921
remind us you are still working.

00:59:03.188 --> 00:59:06.369
Your word says that when we call on you, you will listen.

00:59:06.700 --> 00:59:09.893
So we call on you now. Hear us. Strengthen us.

00:59:10.142 --> 00:59:14.490
Guide us. Help us to seek you with our whole heart, not halfway,

00:59:14.676 --> 00:59:16.644
not sometimes, but fully.

00:59:16.934 --> 00:59:21.300
And as we seek you, let us find you in every season, in every place.

00:59:21.822 --> 00:59:27.047
Even the hidden one. Restore what was lost, renew what feels broken,

00:59:27.366 --> 00:59:31.778
and remind us that nothing in our lives is wasted in your hand.

00:59:32.184 --> 00:59:38.371
Lord, we trust you, we believe you, and we stand on your word. In Jesus' name, amen.

00:59:38.684 --> 00:59:42.754
This is Diary of a Black Woman podcast, and I'm your host, Connie Morris,

00:59:43.027 --> 00:59:45.778
and I'll see you on the next episode.