Audio Length: 54:57 Ministered @ Grace Community Church, Arroyo Hondo New Mexico

Many Pastors and ministers have preached to get ready for the appearance of the Lord Jesus Christ before it’s too late. But it has dawned me, that we need to be ready for that day. There’s a difference between getting ready and being ready and that’s what’s this message will be about.

Opening Scripture: Romans 10:9-17 That if thou shalt confess with thy mouth the Lord Jesus, and shalt believe in thine heart that God hath raised Him from the dead, thou shalt be saved. For with the heart man believeth unto righteousness; and with the mouth confession is made unto salvation.

For the scripture saith, Whosoever believeth on Him shall not be ashamed. For there is no difference between the Jew and the Greek: for the same Lord over all is rich unto all that call upon Him. For whosoever shall call upon the name of the Lord shall be saved.

How then shall they call on Him in whom they have not believed? And how shall they believe in Him of whom they have not heard? And how shall they hear without a preacher? And how shall they preach, except they be sent?

As it is written, How beautiful are the feet of them that preach the gospel of peace, and bring glad tidings of good things! But they have not all obeyed the gospel. For Esaias saith, Lord, who hath believed our report? So then faith cometh by hearing, and hearing by the word of God.

Someone told me, “you cant be ready for the coming of the Lord.” If that were so, than Jesus would never had taught  “be ye also ready” in Matthew 24:44 Therefore be ye also ready: for in such an hour as ye think not the Son of Man cometh.

This is all part of making your call and election sure. Jesus not only instructed us to get ready, but to also be ready. Jesus Christ illustrates “being ready” this way, Mark 13:5 And Jesus answering them began to say, Take heed lest any man deceive you:

Mark 13:33-34 Take ye heed, watch and pray: for ye know not when the time is. For the Son of Man is as a man taking a far journey, who left His house, and gave authority to His servants, and to every man His work, and commanded the porter to watch.

Mark 13:35-37 Watch ye therefore: for ye know not when the master of the house cometh, at even, or at midnight, or at the cockcrowing, or in the morning: Lest coming suddenly He find you sleeping. And what I say unto you I say unto all, Watch.

Be ready lest when the Lord comes, find you without faith, finds you backslidden or finds you asleep. You see, all this will keep any Christian out of Heaven and Jesus Christ addresses these issues in Christianity today.

Why has Jesus Christ adamantly taught to “be ready” with passion as He was facing the cross? Because His teachings are sure in warning, He will appear again, suddenly.

For those who keeps watch and knows the truth and is not deceived, He will appear with signs in the Heavens,

Matthew 24:29-31 Immediately after the tribulation of those days shall the sun be darkened, and the moon shall not give her light, and the stars shall fall from heaven, and the powers of the heavens shall be shaken:

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.

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.

But to those who do not know the truth, who don’t know what to look for and don’t know to keep watch and be ready. The sign of the coming of the Lord is no sign at all. But a sudden appearance,

Matthew 24:36-42 But of that day and hour knoweth no man, no, not the angels of heaven, but My Father only. But as the days of Noah were, so shall also the coming of the Son of Man be.

For as in the days that were before the flood they were eating and drinking, marrying and giving in marriage, until the day that Noah entered into the ark, And knew not until the flood came, and took them all away; so shall also the coming of the Son of Man be.

Then shall two be in the field; the one shall be taken, and the other left. Two women shall be grinding at the mill; the one shall be taken, and the other left. Watch therefore: for ye know not what hour your Lord doth come.

Watching and praying! Staying alert! Staying on our guard, that’s all part of being ready!

When Jesus Christ Appears, Will He Find You Without Faith?

Jesus say’s, “When the Son of Man cometh, shall He find faith on the earth (Luke 18:8)?” It takes faith to be saved. It also takes faith to live according to the standards of God found in His Holy Bible. The Apostle James ministers on this line by the Holy Spirit on the sermon of faith and works,

James 2:14;17-26 What doth it profit, my brethren, though a man say he hath faith, and have not works? can faith save him?

Even so faith, if it hath not works, is dead, being alone. Yea, a man may say, Thou hast faith, and I have works: shew me thy faith without thy works, and I will shew thee my faith by my works.

Thou believest that there is one God; thou doest well: the devils also believe, and tremble. But wilt thou know, O vain man, that faith without works is dead?

Was not Abraham our father justified by works, when he had offered Isaac his son upon the altar? Seest thou how faith wrought with his works, and by works was faith made perfect?

And the scripture was fulfilled which saith, Abraham believed God, and it was imputed unto him for righteousness: and he was called the Friend of God.

Ye see then how that by works a man is justified, and not by faith only. Likewise also was not Rahab the harlot justified by works, when she had received the messengers, and had sent them out another way? For as the body without the spirit is dead, so faith without works is dead also.

Repentance is all part of works that James is ministering about here. He’s not just talking about the works of love and of good fruits only. But believing, applying (doing) what the Holy Bible says to do also. This is all part of being ready.

When Jesus Christ Appears, Will He Find You Backslidden?

There are people who calls themselves Christian’s who says, ‘there is no way anybody can live according to the standards of the Holy Bible.’

Proverbs 13:15 Good understanding giveth favour: but the way of transgressors is hard.

The way of the transgressor and the backslider is greased with excuses. Jesus Christ revealed the way of the righteous is difficult, not impossible (Matthew 7:13-14).

He reveals this fact because He knows the trials and tribulations of life, the wiles and schemes of the devil, and the temptations of the flesh will try to stand in our way from receiving eternal life.

He knows this first hand because He already went through it all (Hebrews 4:14-16). Some will say, I cant live that way. They say that because they are filled with their own way and not by the Holy Spirit

Proverbs 14:14 The backslider in heart shall be filled with his own ways

Matthew 24:43-51 But know this, that if the goodman of the house had known in what watch the thief would come, he would have watched, and would not have suffered his house to be broken up. Therefore be ye also ready: for in such an hour as ye think not the Son of Man cometh.

Who then is a faithful and wise servant, whom his Lord hath made ruler over His household, to give them meat in due season? Blessed is that servant, whom his Lord when He cometh shall find so doing. Verily I say unto you, That he shall make him ruler over all His goods.

But and if that evil servant shall say in his heart, My Lord delayeth His coming; And shall begin to smite his fellowservants, and to eat and drink with the drunken;

The Lord of that servant shall come in a day when he looketh not for Him, and in an hour that he is not aware of, And shall cut him asunder, and appoint him his portion with the hypocrites: there shall be weeping and gnashing of teeth.

When Jesus Christ Appears, Will He Find You Asleep And Be Not Ready?

Luke 13:23-28 Then said one unto Him, Lord, are there few that be saved? Strive to enter in at the strait gate: for many, I say unto you, will seek to enter in, and shall not be able.

Now we know who are the ones who will not be able to enter Heaven. The ones with no faith. The ones who are backslidden and the ones who fell asleep and are not ready for the appearance of Jesus Christ. These are they who will not be able to enter Heaven

When once the Master of the house is risen up, and hath shut to the door, and ye begin to stand without, and to knock at the door, saying, Lord, Lord, open unto us; and He shall answer, and say unto you, I know you not whence ye are:

Then shall ye begin to say, We have eaten and drunk in Thy presence, and Thou hast taught in our streets. But He shall say, I tell you, I know you not whence ye are; depart from Me, all ye workers of iniquity.

There shall be weeping and gnashing of teeth, when ye shall see Abraham, and Isaac, and Jacob, and all the prophets in the Kingdom of God, and you yourselves thrust out.

These are the very reasons why we all must take heed, stay on our guard, be alert, watch and pray, lest He finds us suddenly in any of these conditions and cause us to miss out on Heaven either at the end of our life or when the Lord appears, which ever come first.