Foreword
And while they looked steadfastly toward heaven as he went up, behold, two men stood by them in white apparel; 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.
Acts 1:10-11
Are you prepared for Christ to return today?
Several years ago as I was reading the first thirteen verses of Matthew 25, I was struck with the urgency of the message. These verses weighed heavily on me for they showed me my own lack of urgency towards the things of the Lord. The wise virgins were ready, they heard God’s Word, believed, and were prepared for the Lord’s coming. The foolish virgins had heard the same word, did not believe, and were therefore unprepared. While trusting in Christ alone for my salvation was I acting like Paul who pressed on for the high call of Christ Jesus or like the man who decided tomorrow he would tare down his small barns and build bigger barns? With all of the pleasures and treasure that the world has to offer am I thanking God for them and using all for the advancement of His Kingdom or am I lackadaisical to Christ’s gifts and promise concerning His imminent return? This opening question then is first and foremost for me. Am I prepared for Christ to return today? The hour when this earthly race will end is surely and shortly coming. What manner of men ought we to be right now if Christ is returning this evening?
The devotionals that follow from the parable of the ten virgins seek to emphasize the urgency of the matter before us – Behold, the bridegroom cometh! The study of this parable has brought me face to face with the power of God in salvation and the reality that the time of salvation is ending. Therefore, it is time to make my calling and election sure and to go into the world calling all to repentance of sin and faith in the Lord Jesus Christ. My desire is that these verses of Scripture would have a similar impact on the reader – to show the power and glory of God revealed in the person, work, and promised imminent return of Jesus Christ. In so doing, I pray that God would bring all men and women boys and girls in all places to know the time, that now it is high time to wake out of sleep, “for now our salvation is nearer than when we first believed” (1).
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Romans 13:11 And do this, knowing the time, that now it is high time to awake out of sleep; for now our salvation is nearer than when we first believed.
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