Ready to Go, or Stay

There is a lot of watcher com-traffic on You Tube as of late as more and more watcher Christians are chiming in on the nearness of the Lord’s return for His Church.  This could be the month, or perhaps October, or even later.  I would like to think that we could be home before the end of the year; but then I wish I could eat like I did when I was 19 and not gain weight.  We’ll save that ride for the Marriage Supper of the Lamb.

I want to caution my brothers and sisters out there who are earnestly seeking the Lord and His return.  It’s good to watch as we wait and work; I think that I have made that clear in my many past blogs.  However, watching for a certain date or season can also be taxing on those whose lives are so messed up that looking up is all the hope that they have.  For you, I pray God’s grace upon your life to sustain you and give you peace as He refines you into the image of His Son Jesus.  Until then, when we are made perfect as His revelation, we are all still here, grinding away as we witness for, and serve the Lord.

My thought here has more do with having a mindset of being ready to go, by being prepared to stay.  Nobody wants to bolt more than I; however, while we’re still here, we have work to do, the Master’s work.

Jesus said it this way, “Then Jesus spoke to them again, saying, “I am the light of the world. He who follows Me shall not walk in darkness, but have the light of life.”        – John 8:12

• Jesus describes Himself as ‘the light of the world.’  Interestingly enough, at creation, ^{(Genesis 1:1-3)} when God said, ‘Let there be light,’ this was the manifestation of the Christ, who was always and eternal with God, but who was manifested to the world as light.  We know this because the sun wasn’t created yet.

Our walk with Jesus is ‘not in darkness’ or sin, but because we have the light of life, which is Christ Jesus our Lord, we are to walk in that light, His light.

Later the Apostle John would pen, “If we say that we have fellowship with Him, and walk in darkness, we lie and do not practice the truth. ⁷ But if we walk in the light as He is in the light, we have fellowship with one another, and the blood of Jesus Christ His Son cleanses us from all sin.”                                                                           – 1 John 1:6,7

• The idea of ‘walking in the light as Christ is in the light’ has more to do with being that light in spite of ourselves.  Our imperfection doesn’t diminish God’s light; it’s only exposed by His light so that we will confess it, repent of it, and trust the Lord to overcome it. Why?  Because we are walking in the light.

Jesus said, “I (We) must work the works of Him who sent Me while it is day; the night is coming when no one can work. ⁵ As long as I am in the world, I am the light of the world.”                                                                    – John 9:4,5   

• The idea of ‘night’ coming has more to do with not being able to be the light of the world, mainly because we are no loner in it.  As long as we’re in this world, we are a light to this world.  So it was with Jesus, and so it is with us, if we are in Christ.

Jesus was setting an example for all of His followers; then in the 1^st century, all the way through to us in the 21^st century.  As long as we are in the world, we are to be a light to this world, our world; in whatever NT time frame that may be.  For us, it’s the mid-part of 2024.   For others, it was a different time frame, but they shared their faith and advanced the gospel message through the NT years until it finally reached us.

All of us has a testimony of how we came to faith in Jesus.  It stemmed from someone who, in their past, came to faith in Jesus by hearing the gospel message from someone, who in their past, forwarded that gospel message along after they received it from someone in the past; all the way back to the time of the apostles and 1^st century Church believers.   They were walking in the light and they advanced that light to the next person who also walked in the light and who also advanced it to the next person; all the way through the NT era until it reached us.  Now we must walk in the light and advance it to the next person and so on and so on, until we die or the Master returns for us.

In the Sermon on the Mount, Jesus proclaimed, “You are the salt of the earth; but if the salt loses its flavor, how shall it be seasoned? It is then good for nothing but to be thrown out and trampled underfoot by men. ¹⁴ “You are the light of the world. A city that is set on a hill cannot be hidden. ¹⁵ Nor do they light a lamp and put it under a basket, but on a lampstand, and it gives light to all who are in the house.”               – Matthew 5:13 -15

• Our commission to be salt and light to a tasteless and dark world is what Jesus has called us to.  Since we are the flavor and light of this world, so we must do our best to be our best as we illuminate this world with God’s love; bringing His gospel message of hope and salvation through Jesus.

This command was given to all believers, throughout the entire NT era.  We feel that we are about to go in the Rapture because the Spirit of the Lord has prompted us to believe this. We who are in tune to the nearness of the Master’s return are also upping our game, as it were, in our witness and service to the Lord.  This has more to do with us being able to see the darkness approaching, the shadow of the seven-year tribulation. 

When the tribulation finally does arrive, the NT Church will be gone baby!  As a matter of fact, the tribulation can’t begin until the Church is gone.  This has more to do with us being the light, and in the light, God’s light.  While it’s true that tribulation saints (those saved after the Rapture) will also be a light, it’s equally true that they will be extinguished (martyred) rather quickly as the enemy will move against them as the remnant of God’s people who have come to faith after the Rapture.

So, to put it clearly, being ready to go means that we are saved.  If we are saved, than we are to be a light to this darkening world.  To do this we must plan long in our witness for the Lord as we continue to work; even in our fatigue, and to make a living as best we can.  A mindset of being here for a little longer may be difficult for some, but this mindset will insulate your faith a bit more when a high watch season passes.  We are not to be looking for a day or a season so much as we are to be seeking the Lord in light of Bible prophecy; and be ever more aware of Christ’ soon return.  As we tarry a bit more, let’s work the vineyard we are called to serve in.

I close this blog with this final thought.  As many of you know, I drive a school bus (among other things) for our local school district.  It’s not something that I planned to do, but alas, here I am killing it as I enter into my 3^rd year.  I decided to improve my serve to the district a bit more so I signed on for extra trips with some other drivers.  These trips are over and above our regular routes.  We had an orientation meeting a few days ago with the other ‘trip’ drivers; as we gathered, I felt the Lord prompt me to be intentional in my witness of the Christ to them.  My first thought was, ‘Why, we’re outta of here in a few days or weeks?’  The Lord responded, ‘Occupy until I return.’   

The message to me was clear; the message to you via this blog is even more clear.  While we are in this world, we are to be a light to this world. When night finally comes (the tribulation), we will no longer be the light of this world because we will have been taken out of this world.    In order to be a light, we need to plan to keep on being a light, which requires a long-term focus forward.  If we’re ready to go, than we need to be ready to stay; perhaps just a bit longer.  Hang in there brother (sister), light up the world for Jesus, we’re almost home.

Maranatha!

Encouragemen is a blog written by Pastor Rob Lee, recently relocated to Northern Missouri.  He lives with his wife of 35-years, near their three adult children, their spouses, and children (their grandchildren).  Pastor Rob is an Ordained Assemblies of God minister, a former Lead Pastor (25 years), police chaplain, and community advocate.  He continues to serve, consult, and disciple men of God, including those who are in the ministry.