Readiness // Nick Serban III

Readiness __ Nick Serban III

SUMMARY KEYWORDS

lord, jesus, return, talking, heaven, god, ready, today, day, peter, coming, years, matthew, temple, hear, place, birth pains, israel, moment, week

I appreciate you all being here today. And let me just personally just say thank you and welcome to those that are guests. For the, for the first time, whether you're traveling through town met a great couple here from North Carolina driving through, and I'm sure there's there's others here in the house that are local and, and you're here today. And we're glad everybody's here, turn the person next to you and say I'm glad you're here and turn the other person the other side say you too. Well, we're in a unique time and for the for the next two weeks. Today. Starting today, and next week, I want to talk about just some of this some of the endtime things we've been a part of, you know, back in the early of the year, just kind of looking at the calendar, looking at things I would speak on. This was a direction that I wanted to go towards. And it's kind of prompted my heart to kind of go this directions, some even more. And let me just start off by saying this, what's happening in the world today does not surprise the Lord. It's not this Oh, Holy Spirit, what's going on down there. He's in a place where he is in total control. He's everywhere all the time. And he's all powerful. He's a mighty God that we serve. And so he's not surprised about what's what's taking place. And quite honestly, at times, it feels like things are falling a part. But I want you to kind of look at it differently this morning, that things are falling into place. It's not falling apart. But it's falling into place, almost like a puzzle. Things are coming together. And so this is the time that that we want the Lord to awaken us this time. If we could turn the lights up in the worship centers a little bit more, there we go. Next season season eyeballs. So it's not a time that we're just going to keep scrolling through life. Nope, nope, no pun intended, that we're on Instagram and Facebook most of the time, or we're not. We're just going through life, on abandoned Lee not thinking about the future, but that we would truly be heaven minded. That we will be heaven minded in our pursuit of the Lord, haven't minded in our marriage, haven't minded in our relationships have been minded when we spend money. Have in mind that when we go to the mall, Heaven minded when we drive the car, that we would be heaven minded. Today I have I've got a ton of Scripture was going to be up behind me. And so if you've got your device or you've got your Bible this morning, I'm going to encourage it. First, we're going to look in the book of Matthew chapter 24, Matthew 24. And it sets the stage and I want to set a stage here where Jesus and his disciples are in Jerusalem, and they're leaving the temple grounds. And I think they're probably admiring the buildings at the time. I think they're probably saying, Wow, isn't that beautiful? How many like history? How many like looking at, you know, great architectural things? Well, I think that we're having this moment having this time. And Jesus says something to them that they didn't want to hear, probably didn't want to hear. And they probably thought, you know, you know, let's talk about this later. And so we hit Matthew chapter 24. And here's what it says, As Jesus was leaving the temple grounds, his disciples pointed out to him various temple buildings. But he responded, do you see all these buildings, I tell you the truth, they will be completely demolished, not one stone will be left on top of another, not one stone will be left on top of another. Now, if you're familiar with any of the architect in the Middle East, I want you to know that these the way that the temple was built, the way the Western Wall is built, the the, there's columns, there's, there's boulders, there's rocks, they're stones, and they're huge. They're this wide, they're this high, they're this wide the other way, I mean, they're just massive, and they go so deeply into the ground. And so you got to imagine that, as the disciples are hearing this out of the out of the mouth of Jesus are kind of wondering, there's there's no way this stuff is moving. There's no I mean, it would, it would take something massive for this to happen. And so uniquely, Jesus is speaking to them about something that would seem to be impossible. But sure enough, in 70 ad, you're gonna get a bit of a history lesson today, in 70 AD, the temple was destroyed by the Romans. And so sure enough, you know, part of it is like what exactly happened? And so there's no longer any more Jerusalem. There's no longer any more Israel. Matthew 24, three later, Jesus said on the Mount of Olives, his disciples came to him privately and said, Tell us when will all this happen? What sign will signal your return and the end of the world? And so, here's a little bit of a shift that takes place here and again, this is this is subject to the interpreter. There's a subject to it. You're taking a deeper dive and maybe hearing the things that I think through some diving that I've gone through. He kind of answers to questions here, because they were kind of wondering, he's talking about the temple. But now they're talking about the end of the world. They're talking about the return of Christ. They're talking about, well, here's destruction here. But when's everything ultimately going to happen? And so there, they really don't necessarily know what's going on. They don't necessarily know what direction he's going to share. But Jesus answers them by giving them two different answers. He talks to them about the fall of Jerusalem, and he talks to them about the end of time. And so when, as I stated earlier, I said, you know, things are not falling apart or falling into place. And so we're gonna go deeper next week into it, and I promise you, you'll walk away with, you'll walk away with just a clearer picture. Okay, this is what's going to happen. And by the end of next week, you will know the date the Lord's gonna return. No, that's not true. Just just seeing if you're awake here, right? No one knows the time or the hour. Okay. No one knows. If you meet somebody who says, you know, what, though, is gonna return here, you know, what was it at eight reasons why God was gonna turn in 1988, than it was at nine reasons why God was gonna return. And then there was 90 reasons and 2000 reasons. And there are a lot of directional points we can look at, though, there are a lot of things we can understand. And I'm going to, I'm going to share some Whammies with you this morning. But ultimately, we pick it back up in Matthew 24. Jesus told them, Don't let anyone mislead you. For many will come in My name, claiming I am Messiah. They will deceive many, and you will hear of wars and threats of wars. But don't panic. Now, just timeout. Has anybody heard? rumors of war, or threats of war, or actually, war is taking place? Do not panic. Yes, these things must take place. But the end won't follow immediately. Nations will go to war against nation, and kingdom against kingdom. There will be famines and earthquakes in many parts of the world. But all of this is all only part, only the first part of birth pains with more to come. And so we walk away through Matthew 24. We tried to separate interpret, you know, what was he talking about? It was the times are what he's talking about, about the temple being ruined. And so let me just make this statement that this has been debated. This has been spoken about. This has been argued, this is this is separated denominations, movements, churches. Since Jesus spoke about it, on people's interpretation, in fact, a number of years ago, I had a great man of God come to my office, he wasn't real happy. I could just tell, you know, when you can tell somebody that we're happy. Anybody ever experienced that before? I don't know what it is. But they walked in. And after he slammed his Bible on my desk, I just kind of picked up on him. And he says, You know, I don't believe in your stance on when the Lord's gonna return. You know, because and, again, we'll get a little bit into it next week. But there's pre trip post trip mid trip, you know, does God come before everything falls apart does because the middle of it doesn't come at the end? The end of the day, it's Guess what? You just need to be in a place where you're going, all right, whether it's early, whether it's mid or was what it was later, and we can debate all day long. But I said to him, I just I just smiled at him. I actually kind of chuckled, I'm like, Oh, I said, I'm not talking about this. He's like, no, no, I want I want you to show me in scripture where you think whatever. And I'm like, what does it matter? Does it really does this have anything to do with your salvation? Are you right with the Lord right now? Are you ready if he comes. And so I'm not minimizing what's taking place, even the disciples want to know what's what's taking place, and how it's going to take place. But it all comes down to even the the title of our message today, to be in a spirit of readiness, spirit of readiness, Matthew 24. But all this is only the first of birth pains and more to come. Verse 36, however, no one knows the day or the hour, when these things will happen. Not even the angels in heaven, or the son of Son himself, only the Father knows. So when people tell you, you know, that's all our stuff and go move to a mountain high, and we're gonna live up there and the Lord's gonna return. You know, y2k. How many were a lot around when y2k happened. Everybody thought he was coming then. Okay, we're still here. But let me just tell you, he is coming. He is coming soon. He is coming sooner than we think. And if you knew when he was coming through, you would lose the breath you have in your lungs, as you guessed, thinking about all the things that you want to get done or all the things that you want to do. Matthew 2442 so you too must keep watch for you don't know what they your Lord is coming. Understand this if a homeowner knew exactly when a burglar was coming, he would keep Watch and not permit his house to be broken into. You also must be ready all the time for the Son of Man will come when it's least expected. I don't think I've ever, in fact, in all the years and all the sermons ever pretended like I've ever actually preached big time on this, but he's coming soon. And that's the primary message that we need to embrace today. Jesus is coming soon he will return on this Earth, with the sound of a trumpet in the twinkling of an eye, like a thief in the night, he will return one day. And so the big word, if you don't know what the word is, when he talks about and times when he talks about things that may happen, you tend to talk about moments. There's a great word, it's on the screen, and it's called eschatology, as it's so I'll say that together, eschatology. So the eschatology, you know, and so, so anyway, so many may ask you well, T, what's your eschatology? You know? And not that's not like, nobody would probably ask you that. But you know, people will say, you know, what do you believe? When is it coming? The prime, here's the primary message, he is coming. Here's the primary message, he will return. And so it's important to study events like this, the Second Coming the judgment of the world, the creation of new heavens and new earth, the judgments. And so we'll talk a little bit more about that next week. But again, the essential doctrine is that Jesus will return I've said that purposefully, at least five times, I'll say, number six, Jesus will return. That's what eschatology is all about. Don't get stuck in a ditch, whether it's coming early, whether it's coming to the middle, or whether it's coming late. And it's your I have my ways of thinking, and I can show you why. And someone else can turn around and say, Well, I think he's coming this way. And I can show you why the end of the day is, we all must be ready. There are 260, some chapters in Scripture, the New Testament 300 references to the return of Christ. And in the book of Revelations as well, where Jesus says, I am coming soon. And it's not necessarily a time reference. But it's a moment reference. Let's not get lost in I think this, I think that the central message of eschatology is to keep watching to have a spirit of readiness. And so keep watch, be ready. Keep watch, be ready. So we're going to transition from Matthew into one other book of Scripture, and it's in Second Peter, Second Peter chapter three, towards the latter part of the New Testament, Second Peter three, the title of it and most of our Scriptures The Day of the Lord. And I want to break down some very specific points. I'm gonna share some illustrations and thoughts and stories, just to bring alive to us. But in Second Peter chapter three. It says this verse, verse three, above all, you must understand that in the last days scoffers, another word for scoffers is ridicules, will come scoffing, ridiculing and following their own evil desires. They will say, where is this coming? Promise? He promised? Isn't we ever heard that? Well, the Lord's not here yet. You know, when they come in, where is this coming? He promised ever since our ancestors died, everything goes on as if, as it has since the beginning of creation. Well, it hasn't happened yet. And I guess we could, you know, kind of kind of get into a moment here. It hasn't haven't happened yet. So what do we do? Well, I think one of the unique thing is I think the enemy comes in and just kind of changes our mindset, our mode, and we don't think about it much anymore. We tend to spend our money the way you want to spend it. We tend to pursue the things we want to pursue. We certainly seem to chase the things that we want to chase. And oftentimes it doesn't associate discipleship, oftentimes, it doesn't disciple or doesn't follow God's purpose and direction in our life. And Peter says, Don't think that just become because he hasn't come that he's not coming. So back in the late 90s. It was late 90s. We have we happen to have four children. Our youngest, Jacob was 18 months old. And Kim reminded me the other day, I don't know how I did this, but she went away to a women's conference and we had four boys, the youngest is at 18 months and so you do the math. I don't know, 343456 or the other ones. And so she went away, and I decided that was gonna be Father of the Year at this point. And so, I don't know if she went away two days or three days, but I was like, I got this. So I decided that, you know, life goes on. I mean, if she can do it, I can certainly do it. And so I decided that I was going to go to a hockey game with all the boys and 18 month in diapers and, and the rest, and I don't know what came over me, I don't, I don't know, all what happened. I know, all the children are alive today. And they can, they can talk about it. But um, you know, I knew when she was coming home. And so I had a pretty good idea that she was going to be traveling up from from the cape, and it would take her approximately three hours to get home. So I always knew in the back in my mind that she was coming. And so when, when we when we got home, and during those days, we kind of just let everything fall apart. I'll be honest with there's toys everywhere. I mean, there's, you know, changing diapers, you know, running here and, and I ran a pretty tight ship, I'll just be honest with you. But it was it got messy. I mean, there was Legos everywhere. I mean, they were in I don't know what they were wearing different colors, shoes, different color pants. I mean, it was it was just a mess. But I knew when she was coming home, that I needed about three hours to get the house back in order. You know, I'm saying, you know, get, you know, she's coming home, because Father of the Year here, there's nothing, there's no dishes to wash, the kids all have their baths. It all it all takes place. And so that's great that I knew when she was coming. And it wouldn't be great for us also to know when he is coming. And yet we don't know exactly when he's coming. But isn't it amazing? Back to the scenario, if I didn't know, when she was coming home, there were two choices I was going to have, I'm either going to kids, you're not going to move for three days. So you're going to sit there and do nothing. I will feed you and I will grab your utensils and your plate when you're done and put them in the sink. You'll sit here and you want to play with another you want to take toys out you will not do anything. You'll go to bed, you'll get up and I could run a ship like that. Or, you know, there would be incredible anxiety or stress kind of wondering, you know, When is she going to get home? What is she going to think? And I think that's kind of the way it is in our lives, whether it's a three hour window, or it's been a 30 year window since you except for the Lord or when exactly. But it comes back to do you have a spirit of readiness? Jesus is coming back. Why isn't he come back? I want to think maybe the argument or maybe the discussion is you know what? Because he's patient. He's purposeful. He wants as many to come to him as there can be, could have came back last week could have came back five years ago. And I think we could we could kind of get into the mode of arguing while yet he hasn't come so he's not going to come. So I'm not going to wait for him to come. But that's, I believe the trick of the enemy, that we begin to become not focused anymore, that he's coming soon. He will return. We accepted Christ in our life as a personal Savior so that we can live in freedom that one day will make it to heaven. The opposite is hell. I'm sure there's no one in this room necessarily that said, you know, I just want Jesus. You know, I want to get out of hell free card. So let me just accept Jesus in my life. But no, no, we accepted Jesus in our lives. So we can live in freedom, so that we could actually make a difference that we could bring others with us. We could compel others, we can encourage others. And yet, over the years, and some of us in this room are older than others over the years, we've had these moments of Is he coming? Is he not coming? Kindergarten, right here. Do you remember when they did the fire alarm test at school? And remember that they still do it today doesn't do they still do that? And in our schools. And so I remember like the first time doing it, it's kind of like I was on I didn't really I didn't understand the whole deal that the alarm goes off, and all the kids are lining up, and they marched us out into the playground. And we're standing there in line. And we see people walking in and out and then I find out later it's only a drill, fire fire alarm drill. Well, by time sixth grade comes around, you know, it's kind of like, oh, this is just a drill again. I mean, we're stopping at the water fountain on the way out, you know, get a drink everything. Everything's situated here, okay? On my way out. And yet, oftentimes, we have these moments or we have these we have these times, you know, the alarm goes off and yet Peter says be careful, if that's how you're approaching this, you know, kind of way For one more time, one more idea. One more thought, if he's going to come second Peter three, five says, but they deliberately forgot that long ago by God's Word, the heavens came into being and the earth was formed out of water and by water. So Peters, here's a Peter saying, listen, when it all comes down to it, and last week, if you didn't, if you weren't here last week, and you get a chance to watch it a pastor Victor Gomez, share an incredible word about the sovereignty of God. Listen, God is sovereign. He's all powerful. He's all knowing. And he's everywhere all the time. Okay? He he, he's full of mercy. He's full of grace. And Peter saying, listen, he formed the world, he formed the Earth, he's a mighty God, he formed the Heavens, He created us. Don't forget how powerful that God is. Deliberately. I don't know if people deliberately forget. Maybe it's intentionally not remembering. I could deliberately deliberately forget to pay a bill. Or maybe intentionally, I was so stressed out about it. I didn't necessarily remember that bill was coming. Or that that thing was coming, kind of like kind of like in many situations in our life, at the, at the, at the crux of the primary of the gospel, living for Him, understanding Him, knowing that he's gone to prepare a place for you. And for me, there's a place called heaven, and there's a place called hell. But is it possible that maybe we've intentionally not remembered that he's going to return? Or maybe, maybe we just had to wait for him, maybe in the economy of time, and 2023, God had you here for this day, in this moment, and this situation, just to kind of, not ruffle your feathers, but kind of provoke you and direct you that you know what? He's coming soon. Second, Peter, three, six by these waters, also, the world of that time was deluged and destroyed by the same word. The present heavens and earth are reserved for fire being kept for the day of judgment and destruction of the ungodly. Sometimes we forget about that. Sometimes we forget about heaven and hell, because I think the enemy has kind of lulled us into and I've made comments on the platform here, we kind of live in a piece of heaven here, in this neck of the woods. We kind of, we could pretty much change anything, we could pretty much drive anything we want, or live anywhere we want. We pretty much can buy our way out of or, or give towards or change things financially. But don't remember the crux, don't remember that there needs to be a spirit of readiness. Second, Peter three. Don't forget this one thing, dear friends with the Lord a day is like 1000 years, and 1000 years are like a day. So here, come when he's talking to disciples back in Matthew, and he's saying, Hey, listen, the temple is going to be destroyed, and it's going to change and all these pieces, and yet now Peter is saying, You know what? No, man has created time. Do you realize we all realize out here in this room that, you know, a human being developed? Effective, just 12 hours, 24 hours a day? You know, daylight savings, how many enjoyed that last week? Hallelujah. I mean, that was like the day of the Lord last week, fall back in again in our sleep. But what it all comes down to it. He's saying, You know what? God keeps. He's above all time. He's above all, all walls or ways you could kind of put them in, put them put them in a hole, Peter, just as he's talking. Why is taking Why is it taking God so long? How does God see time? How does God remind us in time? Well, we often come back to the way we see things dimensionally, we can all come back to the way we see a chair the way that we see a building the way that we see a person and yet his time is different than ours, that maybe he could say if a if a day is like 1000 years or 1000 years like a day. If God was here today, he could say Jesus died a couple days ago. Think about that. If it was 1000 and I thought I thought that was great. A great point there I hope. He uses figurative language and yet, here we are today trying to be have a spirit of readiness. When are you going to re turn maybe here in this room and say I'm I'm in mid 50s At this juncture in my life, let me just tell you, a week for me is a whole lot different today. More than a week for me when I was a child. A day for me is a whole lot different than a day for me when I was a child, if you're 7080 years old, 90 years old in the room, how many could attest to you know, things are a little different today, you know, a month is like a week, you know, a week, like a day, you know, or, or vice versa. And so perspective is something that we need to also look into Second Peter three, nine, the Lord is not slow in keeping his promise. The Lord is not slow in keeping his promises. Let's take a timeout here for a second. All right, but the Lord is not slow and keeping all his promises. Okay. It's not just all about the return of him. But the promises that we have freedom today the promises that we can live for Him, the promises that will bless us and a bunch of things that we step into, they will bless our future, bless our steps, so go with us. The Lord is not slow in keeping his promise as as some understand slowness. Instead, he is patient with you, not wanting anyone to perish, but everyone to come to repentance. God is patient with me that we all just say that together and say the word me because you're talking about you, okay? God is patient with me one more time. God is patient with me. He doesn't want anyone to perish but everyone to come to repentance. Verse 15, bear in mind that our Lord's patient means salvation, just as our dear brother Paul owes or also wrote, you with the wisdom that God gave Him. God is slow. No, good. God isn't slow. But God is patient. Maybe it's hard to get our mind around because you kind of like you know us for no more, you know, my family say things are ready to go. Let's go. fact when we when we kind of let it land the plane this morning, you know, there's there's some indifference that many, maybe we're we might be thinking about, because maybe we haven't been thinking about it. And then for others, we'd be in a place. And we say, you know, well, I'm just not ready. Yet. There's some things I wanted to experience. There's things I want to finish, there's things I want to fix. Second, Peter 310, but the day the Lord will come like a thief. The heavens will disappear with a roar. The elements will be destroyed by fire, and the earth and everything done in it will be laid bare. Peter uses this metaphor about the thief in the night. goes back even to Thessalonians Jews by Jesus in Matthew 24. He literally comes like a thief. We knew a thief was coming. We'd be ready. We know Jesus is coming. And we must be ready. Back to Matthew chapter 24 verse four. Jesus told them Don't let anyone mislead you. For many will come in My name claiming I am the Messiah. They will deceive many. And you will bear hear of wars and threats of wars. But don't panic. These yes, these things must take place but the end will follow immediately. Nations will go to war against nations kingdom against kingdoms. There will be famines and earthquakes in many parts of the world. But all this is only the first of the birth pains. And more is to come. I know about birth pains. I have four children. Well maybe I don't really know about birth pains. I had two kidney stones. And let me just tell you, you know what they say I never experienced birth pains. But I did help a little bit in one particular area. And it was called monitoring. The closer we got to giving birth Kim giving birth me standing on the side. We monitored the contractions and we specifically I believe we monitored how close they became Jesus says is like birth pains. It's like it's like a labor. So we don't make we don't know the day. We don't know the hour. But we can look and say you know what, there's some birth pains going on right now. And now we look at freaking NC. Now we look at how quickly they come together. A lot of things have been happening in this world from wars, the rumors of wars, and there have been rumors of wars for years. But now all of a sudden, with Israel, and with the N times, and I'm not, I'm not sounding the alarm. Today, I'm going to share something that might be incredibly controversial. Aren't you glad to be part of a controversial moment here at FAU live. I'll get there in a second. Matthew 2432. Now learn a lesson from the fig tree. Now I want you to keep this in mind. Often when the fig tree is referred to it's referred to as symbolically as Israel. Y'all got that? Now learn a lesson from the victory when its branches but in his leaves begin to sprout, you'll know that summer is near again, we're in this chapter 24 talking about the return talking about the end times. So now learn a lesson from the fig tree when its branches, bud, okay, the fig tree is Israel. Now let's learn a lesson from the fig tree. When its branches bud when the branch is budding means comes alive. When the when the branches come to fruition when there's fruit and and its leaves begin to sprout when it's alive. Did we earlier Do you remember when we said that? In 70 ad that Rome, demolished the temple just took away all their identity. And for almost 2000 years, I'm getting ahead of myself here. But this is the kind of the cool part. For 2000 years, there was there may have been the name Israel, we read in the Bible, but there was not a place called Israel nor Jerusalem. You know that summer is near. Just one more time. And I'm not trying to provoke you here. But so we're learning a lesson here from a fig tree. When its branches and buds and its leaves begin to sprout, you'll know that summer is near, you'll know the time is near. In the same way, when you see all these things you can know his return is very near right at the door. I tell you the truth this generation will not pass from the scene until all these things take place. Heaven and earth will disappear. But my words will never disappear. Now some may interpret that that Jesus is restoring referring just to the destruction of the temple and all Jerusalem and the people. Some may take it as interpretation of the fact that in 1948, Israel became sovereign again became a country became a state became became a recognized entity. And thus, we have a war taking place right now. On whose land is it? Number of weeks ago, we talked about why we're in the place that we are in. So many interpreted one way, some may interpret it another way. But again, believe it was a miracle that Israel became a nation after 2000 years, that the blossoming of victory that Jesus is talking about, if that's true. Okay, so here's the here's the here's the Whammy here. Are you ready? Are you ready? If that is true, and we interpreted this way, and again, what did I say earlier about eschatology? It's to do nothing but give us a spirit of readiness. Okay, so we can debate all that. In fact, you may you may leave Atlanta, I don't agree with pastor. You know what, it's perfectly fine. But when it comes down to it, are you ready? Whatever happened tomorrow? Whatever happens next week, but here's the are you ready? I think physical. So if he said that the generation will not pass from the budding from the birth, that would mean that 1948 was possibly the birth. That means that that age, the average age will be about 75 years old. And that generation will not pass password Jesus returns. It could mean that so that means we could be right around that moment. No one knows the time or the hour, but we have a good night we can have a good idea. The second piece though is if you if you interpret that, that Israel is the fig tree and that it blossoms or buds is the fact that in 1967 there was the Yom Kippur War there was a attack On the city, during that time, it was called the Six Day War. And Israel took back control of Jerusalem in those six days. So could that could be used as a picture of what Jesus was trying to say, you know, whether it was the birth, or then the blossoming of this times, if you use that as a pin point of saying, Okay, I'm gonna figure out what the Lord's gonna return. That means that the generation for that age is about the average of 5556 years old. And if a generation, if it's true, when he says, they will not that the generation will not pass before Jesus returns, you can use the number of return on 75 ish life expectancy, let's say 100 years old, let's say, use your number. If it's 75 100, if it's 55 100, the end of the day is no one knows the time or the hour. But we are to what? Keep watch, have a spirit of readiness. Here are the three things I want you to take away this morning. And it sums it up in Second Peter, we're jumping back in Second Peter Tip three everybody okay, so far, Holly. Okay. Wait till next week that the second Peter 311, since everything will be destroyed in this way. What kind of people are you to be saying, Okay, what do you what should you be right now? You ought to live holy and godly lives. As you look forward to the day of God and speed, it's coming. Through your three thoughts, number one, live holy. year to live holy, under LIVE HOLY. I, I've said it for years, I'll keep saying it for as long as I can. That's why even in a service like today, when there's time to come to them come to an altar, come to an altar come to a place your life. Where do you need to do to live holy? You know, it's not a one time deal. It's not a free pass to get to heaven? But are you living unto the Lord? Is is your thoughts life aligned with his are your are the things that you're doing? Because, again, if what you're not doing for the Lord will be burned to up it means nothing. You won't talk about crowns and rewards when we get there. That's next week. But when all comes down to it, what are you doing that's pleasing the Lord? What are you doing? That's unto him? Living Holy, holy, godly lives anticipate his return? I don't think we're out. I appreciate one of the call them doomsday. Doomsday people. What do you call people who build a preppers? Yeah, I think prepping is okay. You know, I got a pool. I'm gonna cover I'm gonna put a cover on top of it. And I'm just kidding. But you know, should we build bomb shelters? Should we stock up with food? You know, we got a little extra food in the house, just in case the electricity goes out. Should we try to identify the Antichrist? Should we try to hunt him down? Should we preach to the 10 League of Nations? Should we pick at the UN? You know God's asking us to live holy. Who will ascend to the hill of the Lord. Those with clean hands and a pure heart. Number to live purposefully. magic magic going on. How many? How many have ever been on a plane before? How many have not been on a plane before? Anybody? It's okay. Every has been on a plane. Good. So imagine going on a plane and you get on the you get on the plane. Excuse me. And there's someone will call it southwest. We'll call we'll make the airline southwest which is southwest. And so you get on and so many so many is sitting on the plane. And they've already got their seat and the seat they have they actually brought with them. And it's it's it is mack daddy valid. Okay, it's got everything you get the it's got sequences on it. You got there's some mahogany on the on the on the armrests. I mean, it's cushiony. They got this VR, the latest the VR thing. I mean, they could they could see everything and and I mean it goes back seat goes back to the your feet go up. I mean it's it's cool. It's like first class but southwest doesn't have first class, but this seat is just amazing. And this guy, this guy sitting there and he I mean it kind of all the bells and whistles, I mean, just everything. You kind of look at him and he said you know what do you what's going on? He's like man I got this leather from Italy was shipped in all the leather on the seat and all that the mahogany is from Africa. And he's gonna look at him. Well, why do you do that? Well, I just I do want to my ride to be the best I could. I want to I want to my, my flight in the air the best, I want to do enjoy it to the best of my ability. I'm kind of sharing this Joking, joking story and in a facetious way, because when that seemed kind of crazy to us, that someone would be on Southwest that doesn't have first class that brought their own seat that has all this stuff, right? Are you? We think in here, are you catching what I'm throwing? Alright. So then the question is, well forget it was southwest. Again, very provoking. But in our hearts. Look at the kingdom's that we've built up on our own. That's even bigger than a seat. We've got this and this and this. And this. We need. We need this status. We need that status we need that says, Listen, I love nice things. Don't get me wrong, I love nice things. And I'm gonna share it. I'm just sharing, trying to be led by the spirit here. This is not a message of condemnation. There's not a message. But what do you what are you focusing on? The seat for everything is different in first class and coach on a plane, guess what? That plane, everybody, whether you're a first class or coach, you all land together. But God looks at the heart. God looks at the heart, often talking about the Holy Spirit, and the power of the Holy Spirit. And I heard that I heard a again, this can be controversial, but take it for what it's worth. A great minister, friend of mine, one of the churches that he was the senior leader, he talked about the baptism, the Holy Spirit, talked about the power of the Holy Spirit. He said, You know, you may make it to heaven without the baptism Holy Spirit. But why wouldn't you want to apply first class as opposed to coach? Why wouldn't you want everything but it's all gonna land together. And I know that's kind of a rough way to look at it. But when it all comes down to it, when's the last time you said God, everything you want from me, I desire everything all every way you want it to lead me and guide me. I want it all. I want what you want for me, not what Nick wants for me. Because we have a tendency as humans with our sinful nature to build our chairs and the build braider chairs and bigger chairs by the way the seat had a massage feature on it as well. I mean live purposefully and number three live ready live ready as our worship team comes. love my wife. And it's unique have an empty nest, we pretty much have an empty nest at our at our home. And Kim is Kim is very punctual person. And so one thing I think I can share this is okay. We didn't talk ahead of time, but I will talk later. She's very punctual. And she loves a specific time. So if I if I say hey, we're gonna leave at 1030 that goes somewhere. Unfortunately, my, my, my challengers, I'm ready to go 1020 or 1025. So I've learned over the years, I kind of just give a generic direction as opposed to a time because often if because Kim is punctual, she follows follows direction if somebody said to do this, you know. And so, oftentimes I'll say, are you ready? Ready to go. And she'll say something like, I'm almost ready, or that I am ready, but she's not ready. And it's it's okay, that you're not ready. And I publicly confess that and she takes takes your time, and she does what she does, and there we go, we're ready. But for many of you, this will this will relate home, maybe in your household, or maybe it's maybe your children, it's never you that are that are late, but it was kinda like, Hey, you're ready to go. And everybody's in the car. It's kind of like, Well, somebody's not there yet, because they're not ready. They thought they were ready. They thought everything was everything was fine. Well, you said 1030 We're leaving. It's 1025 it's not it's not time yet. Let me just let me just leave this with you this morning. He's not given us a time. He's given us direction. And let me just implore you as one day I will stand before God and be doubly judged as a minister of the gospel, for your hearts, and lives are in my care, I want you to hear from me, like, no other time I've ever, ever really proclaimed this. But I truly believe the Lord is coming back. I don't know if it's in 50 years. I don't live within 100 years. But I'm not going to live looking for a time I'm going to live the spirit of readiness, that the decisions I make are based on that he's coming soon. That the that the things I pour my life into, are not just temporary. Well, I can get well I did that today. And get away with tomorrow. Let me try it again. Over here. Live as if you are ready. And what does that mean? Here it is plain vanilla. Welcome the full life. If there is sin in your heart, and life, repent of it. If there's something you need to confess, have confessed to confess to it. If you have a bad attitude, and it needs to change, change your attitude. If there's an addiction, that you finally need help with, get some help for it. If you've made a vow, and you've not kept your vow, ask for forgiveness, move forward. If you're harboring unforgiveness towards somebody, a family member, listen, let me just tell you that I was encouraged. I think I think the Lord everything was fine when my mom passed away a year ago. But I tell you what, in circumstances and situations, when there's people in your lives that you've not made things right with, it can happen like that. Isn't that a fear moment, but it's a freedom moment. It's an invigorating moment that God is here. There's somebody you need to ask to forgive you. Ask them to forgive you. Don't say, Well, maybe tomorrow. Because tomorrow may be too late. What do we do? We get ready for Friendsgiving on Thursday, come on. We're going to pack some boxes for OCC of spiritual seeds and tools are going to be sent around the world Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday, Thursday, Friday, Saturday, Sunday, we're going to we're going to get ready. We're going to be collecting agency. We're gonna get ready to come back next Sunday and worship the Lord. But I gotta tell you, who you bring in with you. Who are you bringing with you on this journey? What's right or not right in your life? Lord, I just need more of you. Lord, I look to you. With the Lord have a joyful anticipation that he's going to return. We're gonna pick some specific things up next week. It'll be very encouraging, as it'll be part of a Thanksgiving message. But let me tell you, I'm excited. I'm excited. And if for some reason, maybe maybe you're the opposite right now. Well, I've got some things to get done. I want to encourage you. Get it done. Don't wait till tomorrow. If you're not right with the Lord today, get right with him today. If you've never asked Jesus in your life, or you're away from him today, I want to encourage you whether you're in this room or watching online, as him into your life, choose to live for Him, choose to surrender to Him, choose to follow him choose to listen to him, choose to be ready. This is when Jesus ascended, he said I'm going to I'm going to go prepare place, I'm going to prepare place. Heaven is our destination. He's patient right now. It could happen at any moment. Life is not out of control. Things are not falling apart. But things are falling into place. Maybe for you today this message is something that you know, I've been maybe thought about it, I haven't thought about it. Well, this is the way the Holy Spirit works. This is how God works. He wants to point us back. The point is back. This is not about being nervous is not about being afraid. But I will tell you, we all have a life expectancy. We're all going to live, we're all gonna die someday. So we're either going to die or we're gonna be caught up in the air with him. At the sound of a trumpet when the Lord returns. He's coming soon. And I've been hearing this for 55 years. And like my aunts and families, my great grandmother's had been hearing this and teaching me this. They didn't see the return of Christ. I believe that this is one of the best opportunities for his return the way the world is. We'll get deeper into that next Week, but I'm going to tell you, he's coming soon. It's time to get right before him. Would you stand with me today? Hallelujah, with our heads bowed and eyes closed just for a moment, may ask just two questions today, if you're here today and you say, Pastor, I knew that you're right with the Lord. Maybe you've done it before, maybe you've kind of you've kind of an up and down, you've been on top of the valley. Below the valley, you're not quite sure where you are. If you don't know, if you were to die today, if the Lord have returned today, you don't know what your status is. I would love to pray with you to pray with you just right where you're at. I'm going to embarrass you. I just I just want to pray with you. I want to make sure that you are. You've confessed before the Lord that He is your Lord and Savior, and just with grace and there could be one, there could be two, there could be none here in this room. You say would you remember me in prayer. All I want to do is pray with you. Anybody here in the room today? Amen. Amen. Amen. Anybody else you say, you know, I want to be right before the Lord. Amen. Anyone else? Come on. He's here right now. Amen. Amen. Hallelujah. Come on up. Come on up. Let me pray with it today, Father, Lord, every hand has been raised today. I pray Lord God, Lord, that they would come before you even right now. You know, Father, we look to you. We love you. We need you even right now. We need you even right now. You know what his congregation today? Would you pray this? Forgive me. For those of you who raise your hand for salvation, be right before the Lord. Pray this out loud. I mean, in your heart, changes everything. The Lord Jesus, come into my life changed me forever. I need you. I long for you. Be the Lord of my life. Forgive me today. Cleanse me today. Take away all my sins today that I could live for you. I give you my life. I give him a heart. I proclaim you as Lord. I need you today. lead me and guide me. Strengthen me. Go before me. I commit my life to you. In Jesus name. In Jesus name. Amen. And amen. And amen. Amen. If you prayed that prayer today, I'm saying that as a first start, love to connect with you before you leave. But let me ask the second question. If you're here today. You say, Pastor Forster, my heart today. I'm going to take this message, I want to be ready. I need to be ready. I long for his return, that you today with an upgrade saying hey, you know what would you pray for me today that I would live the life God has called me to that I would follow him that I would surrender to him. I would look to him that God would use me. And so Father with hands raised all around this room. We say yes to you. We long for you. We look to you. We desire you today. Father, I blog every man and woman Lord that desires you to lead in God. Thank You, Lord God, we will be ready for your return. Lord, we look to the day Father, help us to bring as many along with us as we can. Lord, help us to be bold. Help us to be strong. Help us to share your love and to share your purpose and our testimony with others. Father, we need you. We longed for you. We desire you. In Jesus name.