The Word of the Lord

The Word of the Lord

"ARISE AND SHINE" By Barbara Maddox

What a time frame we live in. There are some times when I just turn off the news and let my mind and nerves get quiet from the stuff we are hearing. However, nothing in the news should take us by surprise as the Lord has given us understanding from the Bible of what these last days will be like.

Second Timothy 4:3-4 gives us insight. "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." "And they shall turn away their ears from the truth and shall be turned unto fables."

Look closely at 2 Timothy 3:1-5. "This know also, that in the LAST days perilous times shall come." "For men shall be lovers of their own selves, covetous, boasters, proud, blasphemers, disobedient to parents, unthankful, unholy." "Without natural affection, trucebreakers, false accusers, incontinent, fierce, despisers of those that are good." "Traitors, heady, high-minded, lovers of pleasures, more than lovers of God." "Having a form of godliness, but denying the power thereof: from such turn away."

Then we have Matthew 24:5-14 where we read of false Christ's who will deceive many. Wars, and rumors of wars, nation against nation, kingdom against kingdom, famines, pestilence's, and earthquakes in many places. There will be false prophets who will deceive many and because iniquity shall about the love of may shall grow cold.

Second Peter 3: 3-4, "Knowing this first, that there shall come in the LAST days scoffers, walking after their own lusts." "Saying, where is the promise of His coming? For since the fathers fell sleep (died), all things continue as they were from the beginning of creation."

It is an interesting study to do on the End Times. I would recommend that you do so soon.

For a long time many ministers did not speak much of the Second Coming of Christ but it is beginning to be taught more and more. However, be careful to not get caught up with false teachings of people setting dates. Matthew 24:36 "But of that day and hour knoweth no man, no, not the angels of heaven, but my Father only."

Second Peter 3:11 says, "What manner of persons ought we to be?" This is simply telling us that we cannot afford to be following God a few days out of the week and doing our own thing the rest of the time. Even when we sin against God and think we got away with it we need to pay attention to 2 Peter 3:8, "Beloved, be not ignorant of this one thing, that one day is with the Lord as a thousand years, and a thousand years as one day." God is long suffering and not willing that any should perish but there does come an end to His dealing with us. I ask again what Peter said, "What manner of person ought we to be?"

There is an interesting verse in Revelation that tells us that because we are neither hot nor cold for Jesus, He will spew us out of His mouth. My friends, we either love Jesus Christ and serve Him or we don't. THERE IS NO MIDDLE OF THE ROAD. He didn't just partly pay the penalty for our sins, He paid the full price.........HIS LIFE.

So let us look at what we need to be doing in the light of Jesus Christ soon return.
Isaiah 60:1, "Arise, Shine; for thy light is come, and the glory of the Lord is risen up on thee."
ARISE IN HEBREW means get up, accomplish, be clearer, decree, perform an act, stir up, strengthen, uphold.
SHINE IN HEBREW means give light, set on fire, be glorious.

Jesus said in Matthew 5:14, "You are the light of the world." Philippians 2:15 says "As believers in the midst of a crooked and perverse nation we are to shine as lights in the world."

We are not great lights in ourselves, it is when we reflect the light of Jesus that we can shine brightly enough that those lost might be able to see the way unto salvation. John 1:4, "In Jesus was life; and the life was the LIGHT of men." John 8:12, "I am the LIGHT of the world." John 12:46, "I am come a light unto the world, that whosoever believes on me should not abide in darkness, but shall have the LIGHT of life."

Does it matter what you say, do or how you act as a Christian? YES!!! For Jesus is in heaven at the right hand of God the Father and the Holy Spirit is on the earth abiding in the believer. We are truly the only physical light the dark world can see of Jesus.
Jesus came, lived His life as the Light and when He returned back to heaven He passed the baton on to you and me.

I will wrap this thought of you and me being the Light of Jesus to the world with words from 2 Peter 3:14, "Be diligent that you may be found of him in peace, without spot and blameless."

Also Paul wrote to Timothy in 4:16, "Take heed unto thyself, and unto the doctrine, continue in them: for in doing this Thy shall both save thyself, and them that hear you."

SO MY FRIENDS, ARISE, SHINE AND OCCUPY UNTIL JESUS COMES.

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