How Will This Word End - 138-144

138.  What will people be like in the last days?

• 2 Timothy 3:1 This know also, that in the last days perilous times shall come.
• 2 Timothy 3:2 For men shall be lovers of their own selves, covetous, boasters, proud, blasphemers, disobedient to parents, unthankful, unholy,
• 2 Timothy 3:3 Without natural affection, trucebreakers, false accusers, incontinent, fierce, despisers of those that are good,
• 2 Timothy 3:4 Traitors, heady, highminded, lovers of pleasures more than lovers of God;
• 2 Peter 3:3 Knowing this first, that there shall come in the last days scoffers, walking after their own lusts,

Dear Lord, We are in the last days, perilous times are here! You know, Lord, all around are people scoffing at the Bible, so they can indulge their lusts. As I consider the low moral level of humanity, I know that without You, I am no different. How much I need You, Lord, to keep away from the corrupting influences of our worldly society. Motivate me to love You more than my selfish pleasures and desires. Even as in this world rebellion against You increases, help my love for You to intensify.

139.  What are the signs of Christ's coming?

• Matthew 24:6 And ye shall hear of wars and rumours of wars: see that ye be not troubled: for all these things must come to pass, but the end is not yet.
• Matthew 24:7 For nation shall rise against nation, and kingdom against kingdom: and there shall be famines, and pestilences, and earthquakes, in divers places.
• Matthew 24:11 And many false prophets shall rise, and shall deceive many.
• Matthew 24:12 And because iniquity shall abound, the love of many shall wax cold.
• Matthew 24:14 And this gospel of the kingdom shall be preached in all the world for a witness unto all nations; and then shall the end come.

Dear Jesus, the signs of Your coming are rapidly increasing. The wars, terrorism, disasters, financial difficulties are causing fear and anxiety on every side. Many false leaders of various religions are causing confusion with their deceptions. And Your true gospel is being preached all over the world. Arouse me, Lord, to eagerly desire Your soon coming.

140.  Will the second coming be silent and secret, or will it be noisy?

• Psalm 50:3 Our God shall come, and shall not keep silence: a fire shall devour before him, and it shall be very tempestuous round about him.
• Matthew 24:31 And he shall send his angels with a great sound of a trumpet, and they shall gather together his elect from the four winds, from one end of heaven to the other.
• 1 Thessalonians 4:16 For the Lord himself shall descend from heaven with a shout, with the voice of the archangel, and with the trump of God: and the dead in Christ shall rise first:
• 1 Corinthians 15:52 In a moment, in the twinkling of an eye, at the last trump: for the trumpet shall sound, and the dead shall be raised incorruptible, and we shall be changed.
• 2 Peter 3:10 But the day of the Lord will come as a thief in the night; in the which the heavens shall pass away with a great noise, and the elements shall melt with fervent heat, the earth also and the works that are therein shall be burned up.

Dear Lord, Your Word describes Your second coming, not as silent and secret, but with more stupendous noise than this world has ever heard. Your angels will blow their trumpets loud enough to raise the dead! You declare that with a great noise, the Heavens will pass away. No humanly invented contraption has even come close to making the magnificent noise we will hear at Your return. You will truly have the riveting attention of every being on earth as You descend from Heaven. Lord, prepare my heart for Your coming, and tune my ears to gladly hear that glorious last trumpet call for this world.

140.  Will the second coming of Christ be invisible or visible?

• Matthew 24:27 For as the lightning cometh out of the east, and shineth even unto the west; so shall also the coming of the Son of man be.
• Matthew 24:30 And then shall appear the sign of the Son of man in heaven: and then shall all the tribes of the earth mourn, and they shall see the Son of man coming in the clouds of heaven with power and great glory.
• Luke 21:28 And when these things begin to come to pass, then look up, and lift up your heads; for your redemption draweth nigh.
• Acts 1:11 Which also said, Ye men of Galilee, why stand ye gazing up into heaven? this same Jesus, which is taken up from you into heaven, shall so come in like manner as ye have seen him go into heaven.
• Revelation 1:7 Behold, he cometh with clouds; and every eye shall see him, and they also which pierced him: and all kindreds of the earth shall wail because of him. Even so, Amen.

My Jesus, how I long to see Your return, with the brilliance of lightening, illuminating the entire sky. If every lightning bolt and all fireworks ever displayed should simultaneously appear in the sky, it wouldn't even come close to the magnificence of Your coming. All will see You, every single eye, both the living wicked and righteous. Lord Jesus, You will be coming down in unrivaled power and great glory, descending in a similar way as You ascended physically from the earth over 2000 years ago. Prepare my heart to look on Your face and rejoice at Your appearance!

141.  Does the Bible teach that there is only one appearing or coming of the Lord to receive the saints?

• 1 Thessalonians 4:15 For this we say unto you by the word of the Lord, that we which are alive and remain unto the coming [parousia] of the Lord shall not prevent [precede] them which are asleep.
• 2 Thessalonians 2:8 And then shall that Wicked be revealed, whom the Lord shall consume with the spirit of his mouth, and shall destroy with the brightness [epiphaneia] of his coming [parousia]:
• 1 Timothy 6:14 That thou keep this commandment without spot, unrebukeable, until the appearing [epiphaneia] of our Lord Jesus Christ:
• 1 Peter 1:7 That the trial of your faith, being much more precious than of gold that perisheth, though it be tried with fire, might be found unto praise and honour and glory at the appearing [apokalupsis] of Jesus Christ:
• 2 Peter 3:12 Looking for and hasting unto the coming [parousia] of the day of God, wherein the heavens being on fire shall be dissolved, and the elements shall melt with fervent heat?

Dear Lord, Many confusing things are being taught regarding Your second coming. Your Word tells me that when You come again, all the saints will be caught up, the resurrected and the living. We will see Your glory at Your appearing and the wicked and the earth will be destroyed. This is the end of the world. There is no second chance, no additional 7 years. Keep me from being deceived by popular teachings, dear Lord!

142.  Does our Lord bring His reward with Him when He comes?

• Isaiah 26:21 For, behold, the LORD cometh out of his place to punish the inhabitants of the earth for their iniquity: the earth also shall disclose her blood, and shall no more cover her slain.
• Isaiah 40:10 Behold, the Lord GOD will come with strong hand, and his arm shall rule for him: behold, his reward is with him, and his work before him.
• Isaiah 62:11 Behold, the LORD hath proclaimed unto the end of the world, Say ye to the daughter of Zion, Behold, thy salvation cometh; behold, his reward is with him, and his work before him.
• Matthew 16:27 For the Son of man shall come in the glory of his Father with his angels; and then he shall reward every man according to his works.
• Revelation 22:12 And, behold, I come quickly; and my reward is with me, to give every man according as his work shall be.

Dear Son of Man, You have plainly declared that Your reward is with You when You come, to give to every man according to his works. This makes it clear that nobody goes to their reward at death. You bring Your reward with You at Your second coming. What a glorious day that will be when You return in the glory of the Father with Your holy angels. Lord Jesus, may all my work be done in You so that I may receive the reward of the faithful.

144.  Are there separate resurrections for the righteous and the wicked?

• Daniel 12:2 And many of them that sleep in the dust of the earth shall awake, some to everlasting life, and some to shame and everlasting contempt.
• John 5:28 Marvel not at this: for the hour is coming, in the which all that are in the graves shall hear his voice,
• John 5:29 And shall come forth; they that have done good, unto the resurrection of life; and they that have done evil, unto the resurrection of damnation.
• Revelation 20:5 But the rest of the dead lived not again until the thousand years were finished. This is the first resurrection.
• Revelation 20:6 Blessed and holy is he that hath part in the first resurrection: on such the second death hath no power, but they shall be priests of God and of Christ, and shall reign with him a thousand years.

Lord, if I should die before You come, by Your grace I am determined to be in the first resurrection. Everyone will be raised at some point. Please Lord, remember me in the resurrection of the righteous at the beginning of the 1000 years. Help me choose to receive Your transforming grace every day, which will enable me to do good, and be blessed and holy in Your sight. I praise You, Lord!

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