HERE I COME READY OR NOT!
BE READY --- MAKE PLANS --- BE VIGILENT
By Wade Martin Hughes, Sr.
READY:
With preparation. Easily secured.
Complete, in a fit state.
Willing, inclined to resolve, within reach.
A plan, prepared, vigilant, alert, urgent.
I. THERE IS A PREPARED PLACE FOR A PREPARED PEOPLE.
A. As a child we would play Hide and Seek.
One would cover their eyes and count backward, Ten, nine, eight, seven, six, five, four, three, two, one --- and then we would yell to the top of our voice.
READY OR NOT, HERE I COME!
Then the search would begin.
B. Well, the world and the media laughs at the church and the Bible when we teach that Jesus is coming again. They call us escapist, dooms dayers and many other names, but Jesus is coming again, He promised and we must be ready.
John 14:1 Let not your heart be troubled: ye believe in God, believe also in me.
2 In my Father’s house are many mansions: if it were not so, I would have told you. I go to prepare a place for you.
3 And if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come again, and receive you unto myself; that where I am, there ye may be also.
II. IT BECOMES OUR CHRISTAIN DUTY TO BE READY FOR THE
SECOND COMING OF JESUS CHRIST.
A. Jesus is returning for His church!
B. There is a church without spot or blemish.
C. Many see the faults, sins, and weaknesses of the church, they fail to realize the church
is not full of perfect people, it is a group of people that have been forgiven.
Matthew 24:44 Therefore be ye also ready: for in such an hour as ye think not the Son of man cometh.
D. WE MUST BE READY AND PRAY. THIS IS MORE THAN PASSIVE SITTING IDLY OR DRIFTING FAR FROM THE SHORE.
Mark 14:38 Watch ye and pray, lest ye enter into temptation. The spirit truly is ready, but the flesh is weak.
III. TAKE HEED TO YOURSELVES.
A. Today many take heed about others and exempt themselves from evaluation
and accountability FOR SELF ACTION.
B. YOU DON’T HAVE TO WORRY ABOUT HYPOCRITES AND EXCUSE YOURSELF BECAUSE YOU ARE BETTER THAN THEY ARE.
C. They shall stand before the Judgment Bar of Jesus, but remember you will be there standing before the same judge.
D. Good people go to hell just like bad people. You must be born again.
Mark 13:9 But take heed to yourselves: for they shall deliver you up to councils; and in the synagogues ye shall be beaten: and ye shall be brought before rulers
and kings for my sake, for a testimony against them.
Mark 13:33 Take ye heed, watch and pray: for ye know not when the time is.
Matthew 24:4 And Jesus answered and said unto them, Take heed that no man deceive you.
IV. WHAT DO WE CONSIDER IMPORTANT?
DO WE SEND MIXED MESSAGES?
A. Is what breaks our hearts --- what breaks God’s hearts?
1 Cor. 14:8 For if the trumpet give an uncertain sound, who shall prepare himself to the battle?
B. Are we chasing butterflies and rainbows and not having the rightful priority system?
Matthew 6:33 But seek ye first the kingdom of God, and his righteousness; and all these things shall be added unto you.
C. Do we tend to be lazy procrastinators?
V. SAUL WAS GIVEN TO SPIRITUAL SLEEP.
A. Any King knows that you have to be alert and ready.
Where are the watchmen?
1 Samuel 26:7 So David and Abishai came to the people by night: and, behold, Saul lay sleeping within the trench, and his spear stuck in the ground at his bolster: but Abner and the people lay round about him.
B. While King Saul and his men were asleep, David was able to take his spear and his canteen of water.
1 Samuel 26:12 So David took the spear and the cruse of water from Saul’s bolster; and they gat them away, and no man saw it, nor knew it, neither awaked: for they were all asleep; because a deep sleep from the Lord was fallen upon them.
C. The spear represents power, Saul was loosing his power, he was spiritually asleep.
D. Saul also lost his personal water supply, his essentials for life was lost.
E. NOT ONLY HAD SAUL FAILED TO BE ALERT AND READY, THOSE AROUND HIM FAILED THE KING.
1 Samuel 26:16 This thing is not good that thou hast done. As the Lord liveth, ye are worthy to die, because ye have not kept your master, the Lord’s anointed. And now see where the king’s spear is, and the cruse of water that was at his bolster.
F. DAVID LATER ASKS AFTER SAUL AND HIS SONS DEATHS, HOW ARE THE MIGHTY FALLEN? The mighty fall when they are spiritually asleep, NOT ALERT OR READY.
G. We can not sleep through important issues and times. SAUL WAS NOT READY!
VI. HOW CAN A LITTLE WOMMAN DEFEAT A MIGHTY GENERAL?
A. THERE WAS A MIGHTY GENERAL IN JUDGES CHAPTER 4, HIS NAME WAS SISERA.
B. Sisera was winning on every front.
C. Whatever battle Sisera went into he came out in
V-I-C-T-O-R-Y.
No man could defeat him.
D. This strong and mighty general was troubled by God, and he ran until his horses could not run any more. He leaves his chariot and horses behind and finds his
way to a little woman’s tent.
E. This little woman was used by God. She feeds Sisera some warm milk, and while the Mighty General slept, little woman --- JAEL nails his head to the floor.
F. SISERA WAS NOT READY! hE WAS ASLEEP.
Judges 4:21 Then Jael Heber’s wife took a nail of the tent, and took an hammer in her hand, and went softly unto him, and smote the nail into his temples, and fastened it into the ground: for he was fast asleep and weary. So he died.
G. Even mighty generals are weak when they sleep, with no guards in place.
H. We must always stay mentally and spiritually alert and ready for the second coming
of Jesus Christ.
VII. SAMSON WAS IN DEEP TROUBLE AND WAS SPIRITUALLY BLIND BEFORE HE WAS PHYSICALLY BLIND. DELILAH NEVER LOVED SAMSON, SHE USED HIM.
A. My heart breaks for this special man, Samson.
He was called of God before his birth.
B. While Samson was so strong, he was also very weak, and a slow learner.
Judges 16:19 And she made him sleep upon her knees; and she called for a man, and she caused him to shave off the seven locks of his head; and she began to afflict him, and his strength went from him.
C. SAMSON COULD SEE MORE WHEN HE WAS BLIND THAN HE COULD WHEN HE HAD 20/20 VISION.
D. Don’t wait until the enemy puts your eyes out to see what is important!
E. STRONG SAMSON WAS NOT READY, HE WAS PLAYING SPIRITUAL GAMES.
VIII. PAUL WAS ONE OF THE GREATEST PREACHERS OF THE NEW TESTAMENT AND HE HAD SLEEPING SAINTS DURING HIS ANOINTED MESSAGE.
A. Paul was preaching his last message to this group of believers, he would never be this way again.
B. Paul preaches the everlasting Gospel, and one of the members falls out the window in a deep sleep.
C. He was missing the message from God and went to sleep.
Acts 20:9 And there sat in a window a certain young man named Eutychus, being fallen into a deep sleep: and as Paul was long preaching, he sunk down with sleep, and fell down from the third loft, and was taken up dead.
D. How embarrassing would it be to go to sleep during the message, and wake up to a crowd gathered around you?
E. BE READY, BE ALERT, BE LISTENING AND LEARNING.
IX. JESUS CALLS HIS BEST STUDENTS TO HIS SIDE TO WATCH AND PRAY AND THEY FELL ASLEEP.
A. Jesus will soon be facing the mobs and hearing the cry of CRUCIFY, CRUCIFY!
Jesus needs to talk to His Father, and Jesus takes his three best men with Him to pray.
B. Jesus walks ahead and returns to find them asleep?
C.This breaks Jesus’ heart. Please boys BE WITH ME! WAKE UP.
D. THE SECOND TIME JESUS FINDS HIS STUDENTS ASLEEP AND SNORING? WAKE UP.
Mark 14:38 Watch ye and pray, lest ye enter into temptation. The spirit truly is ready, but the flesh is weak.
E. THE THIRD TIME JESUS DOES NOT EVEN TRY TO WAKE HIS WORKERS UP, SLEEP ON?
Mark 14:41 And he cometh the third time, and saith unto them, Sleep on now, and take your rest: it is enough, the hour is come; behold, the Son of man is
betrayed into the hands of sinners.
F. HOW SAD IS THE JUDGMENT SLEEP ON? THERE IS NO REASON TO TRY TO WAKE YOU UP?
G. DON’T FORGET THIS POINT: JESUS HAD PRAYED, HE GOT PERSONAL COMMUNICATION THROUGH TO HIS FATHER. JESUS HAD HEARD FROM GOD.
H. IT IS OK IF EVERYBODY IS ASLEEP, IF YOU HAVE HEARD FROM THE FATHER.
X. WE NEED AN ALARM CLOCK IN THE CHURCH.
THERE IS A: --- HERE I COME READY OR NOT ALERT GOING FORWARD. THE SOUND FROM THE WORD OF GOD IS REVEILE.
WAKE UP CHURCH AND BE READY.
A. Reveille is a French word, a signal or sound to wake up, be alert, be ready.
B. Do we want to hit the SNOOZE AGAIN?
C. DO NOT TURN OVER AND SLEEP ON CHURCH, BE READY --- BE ALERT --- HAVE OIL IN YOUR LAMPS.
His servant, Wade Martin Hughes, Sr. Kyfingers@aol.com
Could you join my team and help enlarge my work? Send this to others?
