Are YOU Prepared?

During the American Revolutionary War, a loyalist spy appeared at the headquarters of Hessian commander Colonel Johann Rall, carrying an urgent message. General George Washington and his Continental army had secretly crossed the Delaware River that morning and were advancing on Trenton, New Jersey where the Hessians were encamped.

The spy was denied an audience with the commander and instead wrote his message on a piece of paper. A porter took the note to the Hessian colonel, but because Rall was involved in a poker game he stuffed the unread note into his pocket. When the guards at the Hessian camp began firing their muskets in a futile attempt to stop Washington's army, Rall was still playing cards.

Without time to organize, the Hessian army was captured. The battle occurred the day after Christmas, 1776, giving the colonists a late present--their first major victory of the war.

During Paul's time, being Christian was unpopular and even outlawed in certain places. Many times when someone made the decision to become a Christian, they had to leave their family behind and live in hiding. As you could imagine, a Christian needed all of the encouragement they could get to keep the faith.

That's a big reason why Paul wrote to the Christians at Thessalonica. Since he couldn't make their situation any easier, and he couldn't promise them it wouldn't get worse before it got better; he promised them that one day Jesus would return and make things okay.

The coming of Christ will be sudden, and unknown before hand. He will come when we least expect it. The Thessalonians knew this fully, so it was pointless for Paul to write about the time and season of His return. 1 Thessalonians 5:2 tells us that "the Lord shall come as a thief in the night," suddenly and unexpectedly, as a robber breaks into a home.

A thief comes without giving any warning, or any indications of his approach. He is careful there is no forewarning of any kind. It is a point with him that, if possible, the man whose house he is about to rob shall have no way of knowing he is coming until he suddenly shows up. See: Luke 12:39-40; Matthew 24:37-40.

This is how the Lord Jesus will return to judgment; and this proves that all attempts to determine the day, the year, or the century when he will come, are simply false. He wants us to know that his coming to this world will be sudden and unexpected. You might be thinking, "So, what are we supposed to do?" See Acts 1:7.

A Christian should always live so that the coming of the Son of God in the clouds of heaven would cause the least amount of alarm. We should live with such alertness and clarity as to always be prepared to meet the Son of God. The coming of the Lord should always be treated as an event that could occur at any moment. Are YOU prepared for Jesus?

Scripture: 1 Peter 5:8; Mark 13:33; Colossians 4:2; 1 Corinthians 16:13; Luke 21:36; Matthew 24:42; Revelation 3:3; Mark 13:35; 2 Samuel 5:24.

Let's pray:

Heavenly Father,
I offer you my efforts in order to obtain that all hearts may acknowledge your Sacred Royalty, and that thus the Kingdom of Your peace may be established throughout the universe. Amen.

May God bless you,

Cindy