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James 5:8, You also be patient.  Establish your hearts, for the coming of the Lord is at hand.

We began the week with the resurrection of Jesus Christ.  We finish the week with thoughts about His return.  Dr. David Jeremiah has stated that scholars have identified 1,845 biblical references to the Second Coming of Jesus Christ; over three hundred of these are found in the New Testament.  The book I referred to a while back that made me realize I needed the Savior was about prophecy.  I guess in the forty-four years since that time I am just as interested in prophecy as I was then. 

I select this verse of Scripture today for several reasons.  The disciples were looking for the Lord Jesus to return to destroy the Roman oppression and establish His kingdom.  Obviously, we are still waiting for that to happen (More on this later).  If we discern the time we live in, one could easily believe His return is near.  I’m not talking about the time when the true Church is taken to meet Him in the clouds.  The time when the Lord Jesus Christ will return will be after great tribulation on earth – a seven-year period.  Discussion of the Great Tribulation will be another time.  Dr. Jeremiah has said that on any given day we are only seven years away from the return of the Lord Jesus Christ.   His coming will be a time of judgment upon the wicked and to reward the righteous.  I believe that we are close to that time being upon us.

You and I are to be patient and establish our hearts. This is not to be a passive time.  Patience is the ability to wait on God’s timing.  He delays because He does not want anyone to be lost.  Yet, it seems people’s hearts are only growing colder and people are turning from Him.  It seems people today are no different from those who lived during biblical times.  They looked for a Messiah for all the wrong reasons, they misunderstood Him when He was with them and walked away.  People are still misunderstanding Him and turning away.  Not much has changed!

I believe the way to get through these times is to get closer to God in all that you do.  The motive is found in the last few words of verse 9 in this chapter in James.  “Behold the Judge is standing at the door.”  One of these days, Believers are going to be taken out of this world in the rapture, seven years of tribulation will occur, and then “the King of kings, the Lord of lords” will come!  What a glorious day that will be!

Prophecy is given to us by God to strengthen and comfort His people.  The future is very uncertain and fearful for many people.  Never forget that God holds the future in His hand.  Trust Him.  I’ve read many books on prophecy by biblical scholars and I have read the Bible through to the end.  They all agree!  Those who believe that Jesus died so their sins would be forgiven, that He rose from the dead and lives again will spend eternity in heaven!  We win!

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