Download.. July 19, 2009, Sunday Morning service. Revival with Pastors from Cuba. Bro. Julio Perez. Bro. Luis Sanchez interpreting.
Whether we realize it or not, our spiritual body or "Suitcase" is preparing to leave for Eternity. Our body knows always when it is time to leave for the usual temporal functions, such as school, work, lunch etc. We tend to be expectant in preparation for the routines of our schedules. Yet even more importantly we need to be expectant for "that last trumpet sound," the call for our soul to leave this temporal life for Eternity.
TEXT I Thessalonians 4:16-17 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:
17: Then we which are alive and remain shall be caught up together with them in the clouds, to meet the Lord in the air: and so shall we ever be with the Lord.
Maybe you get distracted with the many pressures of everyday life. Your work, a nap, schooling, during church, etc. But God should not take us by surprise with His return,.. for our soul.
Be Ready!! For ALL eternity. Be Ready for the "Forever." Prepared to be With God! We should never procrastinate, to call on Him only when there is trouble in our life or with others. We need to always to Be Ready, no matter, even how happy our life is "progressing," along. Whether we are Ready or not,.. He Will Return! Other individuals cannot help prepare our suitcase of life for eternity. Only God can help us to be Ready! Pastor, friends, family, cannot help us prepare. Many times I cannot explain why God has taken some things out of my "suitcase." He alone has that wisdom and understanding for our necessary preparations. Preparations for a Very Special One Way Trip,..For All Eternity! Therefore the need to prepare what is in our suitcase. God and Me. Be thankful that God has the proper preparations for us. For God Will come with a loud voice. This then, will be the End. No time then, to prepare that "suitcase." Cannot do it "later." It will then be, ..too late! Today.. is the acceptable time.. II Corinthians 6:2 (For he saith, I have heard thee in a time accepted, and in the day of Salvation have I succoured thee: behold, now is the accepted time; behold, now is the day of Salvation.) Today is the time to prepare our "suitcase" of life,..Now. It is coming,.. closer. At an hour you expect it not. When we are not,..waiting for it. We Must "Listen" for our Own name. He knows Every name, exactly what is in Every heart. He Always knows what I am thinking, and that of All names, and of what and all lives in their "suitcases." So be prepared, in the middle of the night, ..or at the dawn. Listen,..Be Ready!
A thief comes when you look for him not. Matthew 24:43 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.
Luke 21:34,35 34 And take heed to yourselves, lest at any time your hearts be overcharged with surfeiting, and drunkenness, and cares of this life, and so that day come upon you unawares. 35 For as a Snare shall it come on all them that dwell on the face of the whole earth.
There will be nothing to warn souls of the snare that will trap all those not watching,.. and caught unaware. It will take you by surprise. When,..what time,..only God knows. You might be into the "things" of this life (some at the "max" of your sins), but also all those "just preoccupied" while "in the faith." Either way you can become very distracted. Worried. This is not about being against work, business, money specifically, but All that would take us away from an ever watchful and sober need to be at all times "ready."
So God exhorts us to Prepare our "luggage/suitcase" to "enter" Heaven. There are only two eternal countries/places for our "suitcase" or soul to enter. To Eternity with God, or Eternity with the Devil. This is not an attempt for the sake to "scare," but a genuine offer of help from God, to escape Satan's house of eternity. The God that gives health, life, The Creator, the Giver, is the same God that desires us to Watch,.. and be Ready. It won't be the preacher's ideas that will ultimately prepare us, but truly a loving desire to listen for God to direct our hearts. Jesus spoke of His definitive return,..not just about an idea. When He spoke of the kingdom, the disciples were lacking understanding, and were concerned about their position, and place. Only after His death, they finally understood. It was not about doctrine, but He came to seek those who were lost. We don't realize we are, as at, that moment of His return. So we must not allow ourselves to become "comfortable." Wait, be sober, ..do not be doubtful, He will return. Whether or not you believe, saved or not,..whether we wait or not, are faithful or not, Holy or not, ..He Will return. God tells us in His word He chose the Best for Us. Heaven,..where He went back to prepare us a place. Everything there is praise and obedience. A Special Place. Nothing to fear of this invitation of where to Live, with God and with an eternal rejoicing. Preparation though, is required for entrance to this heavenly home.
II Timothy 3:10, 11 10: But thou hast fully known my doctrine, manner of life, purpose, faith, longsuffering, charity, patience, 11: Persecutions, afflictions, which came unto me at Antioch, at Iconium, at Lystra; what persecutions I endured: but out of them all the Lord delivered me.
God showed Timothy through Paul's exhortations that He delivers out of all our distractions, hardships, persecutions, so we can complete our most important and final trip of this life, or our "suitcase," for eternity. Paul exhorts Timothy and all others here that to prepare and endure for this trip, is to "pass the baton" of example and exhortation by following on, to the next generation. Following those created marks of faith along the way, not just in an example of "survival," to not drop "the baton," but also to not waste precious time." This preparation is for all our young, and older alike, that it is our turn to run,.. we must not slow the pace. This is the only way to give to the children, and the next generation, to reach Heaven. We must win the race,..others that have gone on before, have already won this last race, for eternity.
II Timothy 3:15-17 15: And that from a child thou hast known the holy scriptures, which are able to make thee wise unto salvation through faith which is in Christ Jesus. 16: All scripture is given by inspiration of God, and is profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for correction, for instruction in righteousness: 17: That the man of God may be perfect, throughly furnished unto all good works. It is so easy to get a bible, any library, some may want a "modern" version, from a modern man instead of the word from an old fisherman. It is written with the breath of God, the Holy Spirit. God's encouragement,.. his breathing on us. "Did not our heart burn"... Luke 24:32 And they said one to another, Did not our heart burn within us, while he talked with us by the way, and while he opened to us the scriptures? Our hearts need to "burn" also, there are things we need to have in our "suitcase." Not simply a book, but God's Word. What a privilege! God's chosen men took the time to transcribe God's Word, to pass "the baton" on to All generations.
II Timothy 4:1, 2 1: I charge thee therefore before God, and the Lord Jesus Christ, who shall judge the quick and the dead at his appearing and his kingdom; 2: Preach the word; be instant in season, out of season; reprove, rebuke, exhort with all longsuffering and doctrine. Paul exhorts here to Timothy and all that go on to embrace God's Word, to be faithful at All times, urgently, there is no time to prepare at the last minute. Everyday we must be vigilant to maintain our "readiness." There will be no whistle blowing to warn us ahead of time, to give us plenty of time, but,..in the twinkling of an eye, .. He will be here. ICorinthians 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. No time to prepare, ..Today,.the announcement is to "Be Ready," ..Keep Prepared!" Invest, in God!
Mary was preparing at Jesus' feet. Luke 10: 38b-42 ..38b a certain woman named Martha received him into her house. 39 And she had a sister called Mary, which also sat at Jesus' feet, and heard his word. 40 But Martha was cumbered about much serving, and came to him, and said, Lord, dost thou not care that my sister hath left me to serve alone? bid her therefore that she help me. 41 And Jesus answered and said unto her, Martha, Martha, thou art careful and troubled about many things: 42 But one thing is needful: and Mary hath chosen that good part, which shall not be taken away from her. Mary did not wait to die, to prepare for her life's "suitcase." We do not need to use "fear," but we have the best invitation to live in the Best Place/Home, there is no better! There,..there is no danger, no pain, no sadness or sorrow. Get your ticket! You will not have to go alone! But you must desire supremely to go and all that it requires to live by,.. to be able to obtain that destination.
II Timothy 4:3-5 3: For the time will come when they will not endure sound doctrine; but after their own lusts shall they heap to themselves teachers, having itching ears; 4: And they shall turn away their ears from the truth, and shall be turned unto fables. 5: But watch thou in all things, endure afflictions, do the work of an evangelist, make full proof of thy ministry. We have come to that time. Paul warned us. Many people today, do not want to hear,..they want "fables and stories." People are often deluded in the sense of still having time,.."they are still young." Often people today are passing the time being entertained, eating, etc.,.. but not preparing for their departure. Friends,..it is time to prepare! Even though your desire might be to just relax. Yet Paul said, or exhorts us to "be balanced for their imminent departure. So many are spiritually unorganized. Paul said to be sober, analyze what is in your life's "luggage/suitcase." Don't waste time with bitterness, for.. the end Is Coming! What will we do when we hear that last trumpet sound,..for that last departure?
II Timothy 4:6 For I am now ready to be offered, and the time of my departure is at hand. Each of our lives is an offering to God,..not just for the church, but every soul's life is an offering to God! What type of offering are you? Are you pleasing to God? Our life is a monument to "something" in this world. This underscores the value of why our heart, life, actions, and speech is so greatly important. Are we a good and acceptable offering? What Is in our "suitcase?" Worry not about your appearance to the world. If our offering is acceptable to God,..the world will be able to see that!
II Timothy 4:7 I have fought a good fight, I have finished my course, I have kept the faith: Make plans for when this race is over. The runner of a race focuses on the Reward. Plan for your life to reach Heaven! How will it be to meet all the faithful saints that have already gone on before? There awaits a Welcome in Heaven to all who win this race, for what a Joy when our Saviour with His nailed scarred hands, welcomes us home, for all eternity! To be able to thank Him who died for us,.. on that cross! This is more real than anything tangibly, on this temporal earth. This final train of transportation, will never break down! Yet this final redemptive trip needs to always be planned for by our continual faithfulness. We must never take it for granted, so we will not be "derailed." Our suitcase' contents must always be approved by God, to be prepared to enter His Home. Must always Watch and Pray, to plan for that life. Our all will be presented to,.. the King! Some will not be prepared. Sad. Friends, family, other souls that have heard, will end up in the "other place," unnecessarily! God the most wise one has planned for me, before I was born! Let's be happy and rejoice to be received by the true Pilot of life's ship,.. the master of Galilee. The one from before the beginning, who thought of and planned for me, a beautiful Home.
II Timothy 4: 8 Henceforth there is laid up for me a crown of righteousness, which the Lord, the righteous judge, shall give me at that day: and not to me only, but unto all them also that love his appearing. Early saints always had communion, they expected Him any day. Even in their earlier times, they were Always Looking for Him.. We need to Still continually look for and Announce His coming! Do you love the imminent Return of Jesus? So that your life' "suitcase" will be prepared not for this earth, which is not an eternal home, but Heaven that most supreme place of eternity?
Lot chose a place, not the fertile lands for an inherited prosperity, but one that only gratified the present fleshly attractions, near a city of sin. Genesis 13:10-11,12b,13 10 And Lot lifted up his eyes, and beheld all the plain of Jordan, that it was well watered every where, before the LORD destroyed Sodom and Gomorrah, even as the garden of the LORD, like the land of Egypt, as thou comest unto Zoar. 11 Then Lot chose him all the plain of Jordan; and Lot journeyed east: and they separated themselves the one from the other. 12b.. ,and Lot dwelled in the cities of the plain, and pitched his tent toward Sodom. 13 But the men of Sodom were wicked and sinners before the LORD exceedingly. Ultimately death came to his wife, corruption to his children, ..and he was ultimately blinded by his flesh. Lot led his family to destruction by his choices. All the allowed contents of their "suitcases" were a destruction to their soul's preparation. This is an exhortation for us not "lose" what the pioneers and saints Already won, for the heritage of all future souls to come to the inheritance of Salvation,.. Heaven.
Many other illustrations are in God's word with examples of good and bad choices that affected other's life's preparations for eternity. For example, were the Israelites displaying many ill conceived choices in attitudes, resulting in the ultimate demise of a host of their peoples. God wants us to heed these real life history's examples. So we can be prepare our "suitcase" of life with only that which will please Him and gain our "ticket" for Heaven. We must not Lose that crown, or the race in this precious journey,.. that Final trip. It does exist,..it Will happen! Whether you choose to believe it or not. Your "suitcase" Must be Ready, for that departure! Desire to be Ready at His altar of Salvation, for the Trumpet Will sound off, ..relatively soon. Prepare for your journey with God!
