Romans 13—Part Two

Chapter 13, Romans. Two weeks ago we touched on the first part of Romans Chapter 13, and then last Sunday we set it aside to meditate on the resurrection, since it was Resurrection Sunday. And this morning I am going to finish the chapter. I was debating whether I should simply go on to Chapter 15. We are already nearing the end of this beautiful study of the Epistle to the Romans. It has blessed me tremendously on a personal level to be able to go through this epistle, which is so profound, so rich, but I decided: let us stop at the second part of Chapter 13. It seems very appropriate to me that we do so this morning in light of everything we have received from the Lord.

Remember that Romans has two parts; it is like a book in two parts. The first part is very lofty, very theological in its content: a revelation about the nature of God’s plan, humanity’s sin, humanity’s inability to redeem itself through its own works, the need for a Savior who is Christ Jesus, the need for God’s grace, the total sinfulness of man, as well as the grace and mercy and purity, the holiness of God—many beautiful things in those first 12 chapters of Romans. Actually, 11 chapters. Then, from Chapter 12 onward, there is a practical part, a part about behavior and conduct, about what the Christian life should be like in light of what God has done to bring us into His plan of salvation.

And so the Apostle Paul launches into a series of counsels—practical counsels, what I call down-to-earth counsels, counsels for everyday life—about what our lives should be like in light of the exalted nature of the plan of salvation and of God’s dealings with humanity. So, in Chapter 13, we saw that in the first part—you who were here two Sundays ago will remember—the Apostle Paul speaks about respecting what he calls the higher authorities. That may be civil authority, governmental authority, police authority; it may mean respecting our... those who serve in the armed forces, those who protect our nation, those who have authority in some way, paying our taxes, obeying traffic laws, obeying civil laws, all these things. And we said that the Christian’s fundamental posture is one of respect for authority. We also said that the Apostle Paul did not limit himself merely to authority in the sense of people who go around with a revolver or a badge or a government title or something like that. Rather, Paul goes deeper and is more comprehensive in his call to respect authority, and he says: respect all authorities.

Our brother was singing about his pastor, and how lovely it was that he honored his pastor, and that he retains that—no veiled hints being dropped here, just in case, right? But now, if you want to, well, you know, that would not hurt either. He who has ears to hear, let him hear; a word to the wise... By the way, my birthday is... No, no.

Now, what strikes me is that this young man came to the knowledge of God through his pastor, and his voice has a special resonance when he speaks about his pastor. And you know this is on the Internet, so if you want your pastor to hear it over there in Honduras or to see it, you can go to our website and tell him that he can hear your words of respect for him. So perhaps he can contact him over there in Honduras through the video as well.

But what moves me is this young man’s desire to honor his spiritual authority. I was telling the young people, and all of us, that we should also honor our parents. Amen. How many believe that? Let us honor our grandparents; let us honor our teachers; let us honor anyone who has had a positive influence on our lives. Let us honor the ushers and deacons who work in the congregation, our elders, the people who are in authority and who get things done.

And that is why Paul, at the end, in verse 7 of his meditation on authority, says:

“...Give everyone what you owe them...”

Up to that point he is talking about officers of the law, but then at one point he says:

“...Give everyone what you owe them: if tribute, then tribute; if taxes, then taxes...”—but then he says—“...if respect, then respect; if honor, then honor...”

In other words, never leave any kind of respect owing to anyone. I believe there are many people who have troubled lives, failed lives, lives that are hindered in some dimension because they are not paying what they owe; they owe somebody something in terms of honor, tribute, respect, or consideration.

Many young people are living failed lives; there is a “stop payment” on their account of heavenly blessings because they are not paying the honor and respect they owe a teacher, a father, or a mother. A child’s disrespectful, critical, resentful attitude toward a father or mother always prevents God’s blessing from flowing through that child’s life. Now, when a young man or woman honors his or her father and mother, blesses them, blesses their teachers and elders, and takes off their hat before gray hair, there is a special blessing for that. When you respect an officer of the law, it is a blessing.

That is why he says in verse 8, “...Owe no one anything, except to love one another...”

Suddenly his meditation seems to change direction... That is how Paul often writes. He is writing there rapidly, as when someone writes a letter: suddenly you are on one subject and a word pulls you into another association, and Paul writes like that, very spontaneously. So he moves from authority and the respect that must be paid to people, from respect for authority and all that, and says: Look, do not owe anyone anything. If you owe someone honor, pay them honor; if you owe them a compliment, pay them a compliment; if you owe someone a word of encouragement, give them that word of encouragement; if you owe someone advice, give them the advice. Do not leave anything owing to anyone, brother.

How many times do we leave something unsaid that we owe someone? A word—how many of us have had our parents die or a friend pass away, and something was left inside us? Goodness, if only I had told them how much I loved them. If only I had written that letter, if only I had called them on the phone, if only I had taken them out to dinner that day when I wanted to...

And the Apostle Paul says: Do not leave anything owing to anyone. If you can do some good, do it now. If you can call your mother and bless her today, do it today; do not wait until Mother’s Day, okay? Amen. Do not send her a card that weighs three pounds on Mother’s Day and then send her nothing the rest of the time. Look, spread it out; two ounces every week is better. Amen. Do not send her a bouquet on Mother’s Day that is so large it has to be brought through the door very carefully; send her a bouquet every month. Amen. Spread it out. Do not owe anyone anything. Bless people with something.

Then he says: “...Owe no one anything except to love one another...”

Why does Paul say that? Because sometimes a person can become very technical about it: Ah, well, I owe so-and-so this, and I owe someone else... And Paul says: You know what? Do you know what will guide you in giving people what they deserve in any situation? Love. Love is like a radar that shows you what you should do with people in any situation. Sometimes love requires you to tell someone the truth, so you pay them the truth. Sometimes love requires you to encourage someone; give them a word of encouragement. Sometimes love requires you to give someone advice or a compliment, or to pay them respect; pay them respect. Love is a wonderful guide directing people to do what is right.

And by the way, when I said that, the mental association immediately came to mind—and I believe it is spiritual—that I think I understand better what Paul says when he speaks about the qualities of love. He says that love does nothing improper. He also says that love—there is another word I am looking for here—is not unseemly; it is not unseemly. And the word “unseemly” means that it does nothing inconvenient, nothing inappropriate.

I believe that when a person has love in their heart, they somehow always know how to find their bearings in any setting, and they somehow always know how to relate to people. They can be in China and know how to behave even if they do not know all the customs of the Chinese, because love is a way of getting in tune with the other person, of identifying with the other person. And as you come to know their heart, what is in their mind and in their spirit—because love brings you immediately into the person’s inner vibrations—you know how to treat that person. You put yourself in their place, and you already know almost instinctively how that person thinks. Then you know whether that person needs a word of affection, encouragement, respect, advice, or whatever it may be.

That is why I believe Paul says here in Romans 13, “...because whoever loves their neighbor has fulfilled the whole law...”

In other words, Paul always resisted legalism, as did Jesus, because the Jews became very technical. Well, I must forgive my brother for this and for that; I must pay this or that to the other person; and so it becomes a whole set of rules. And when Paul said, Give people what you owe them, a person could fall into that matter of, Well, what do I owe them, how much, and what exactly? Paul says: Look, when all is said and done, it is not a matter of doing calculations there with a little calculator. No, no; simply let love guide you. And if love is in your heart, along with the desire to bless others, that will guide you, and you will know exactly what to do in situations with people.

And that is why he says, “...and because whoever loves their neighbor has fulfilled the whole law, for you shall not commit adultery, you shall not murder, you shall not steal, you shall not bear false witness, you shall not covet, and any other commandment is summed up in this saying: You shall love your neighbor as yourself.”

Love does no harm to one’s neighbor, so love is the fulfillment of the law. In other words, when you truly love, when a child loves his father, you do not have to keep telling him, Respect your father. When there is sincere love, love from the heart, legitimate love, authentic love, that child will love and honor his father because there will be a desire not to do anything that harms his father or mother, that offends them, embarrasses them, or brings sorrow to their heart.

So Paul says: Look, let yourselves be guided instead of going around saying, Pay respect to the police officer, or to the one who does this, or the one who does that. No, whoever it may be—even a humble person sometimes... Francis, who works out there in the parking lot, does not have a badge; he does not have an insignia here; I do not see a revolver on him; he is not a rich or incredibly educated person. Ah, I do not have to... No, there is something you have to pay him. Love will put you in tune with what he needs, and you will give that young man a word of encouragement, gratitude, or respect because he is doing useful and important work. Love is the supreme law, brothers and sisters. I hope we can say to Him, Christ, cause Your love always to dwell in my heart.

Love is the essence; it is what crowns everything. Many of the counsels and lists of conduct found in Scripture always conclude with love as the crowning virtue. Love is the pinnacle of all virtues.

But there is something even more important that I want to address before finishing, and it is what remains of that passage, beginning with verse 11 through verse 14. It concerns the life of purity and holiness to which God calls us as His children, and the Apostle Paul’s treatment of that subject is very beautiful, very important, and it captivated me, and I want to share it with you. In verse 11, Romans 13 says—well, let us go to verse 10:

“...Love does no harm to a neighbor, so love is the fulfillment of the law”—then he says—“and do this, knowing the time, that it is already the hour for us to awaken from sleep, because our salvation is nearer now than when we first believed. The night is far spent, and the day is approaching. Therefore, let us cast off the works of darkness and put on the armor of light. Let us walk honestly, as in the daytime, not in gluttony and drunkenness, not in lust and licentiousness, not in strife and envy, but put on the Lord Jesus Christ and make no provision for the desires of the flesh.”

There are many texts like this in which the believer is called to leave behind the behavior of the man without God, of the woman who has not been dealt with by God, who does not know Jesus Christ, and to adopt a different life, a life radically different from the behavior of the people Paul describes, in fact, in Chapters 1 and 2 of Romans. Those people who have run headlong after sin and vice, who have lost all shame, who have given themselves over to it and take pleasure with all those who sin, and who no longer have any restraint; they are consumed by a carnal appetite that leads them to do one thing and another, and they no longer have any control and are completely alienated from the life of God.

And Paul says: Now you, children of God, who have been healed by God through Christ Jesus and have the Holy Spirit within you, must live a very different life. And that is the beautiful thing, and the approach Paul takes is very interesting, because he says:

“...and do this, knowing the time...”

I made a few notes here because I have some verses I want you to notice about this, “knowing the time.” What time? What is he talking about? He is talking about the fact of the coming of Jesus Christ. He is placing Christian conduct characterized by purity, holiness, and uprightness in light of the fact that Christ is coming, that His coming is drawing near. How many believe that Christ will come and that He is coming soon? Amen.

The first Christians lived gripped by that idea that Christ was coming soon. Now, two thousand years later, that has somewhat faded, but I do believe, brothers and sisters, that Christ is at the door. All the signs are there. And I believe that, in any case, the people of God must always live expecting Christ to come at any moment.

The Lord Jesus Christ told a parable precisely in anticipation of the fact that He was going to take His time, and Paul, in fact, made a correction in another passage regarding those who believed Christ was coming tomorrow and stopped working and stopped doing this and that. And Paul said, no, no, it is not that simple; there are some clear signs: first the Antichrist has to come, certain things have to happen, and then the Lord will come in His glory. Let us look at the times, let us look at humanity’s corruption, let us look at how the times are accelerating, with wars, rumors of war, famine, and earthquakes. There was an earthquake in Mexico recently, global warming, and all sorts of things; nature is rebelling. Many things are happening; everything seems to be accelerating in human history. Man is becoming increasingly corrupt, increasingly distant from God; more liberties are permitted, nature is in turmoil, nations rise up against one another, and there are rebellions and revolutions everywhere. All of this announces to us that the times are accelerating. The time is drawing near.

And I believe that this word from the Apostle Paul is more important than ever. One of the things Paul often emphasized when speaking about holiness and the life we ought to lead was this: in light of the coming of Jesus Christ, in light of that eternity surrounding us and drawing closer to us with each passing day, let us live a lifestyle that prepares us for that coming of Jesus Christ. Let us make the most of the time.

There is a hymn that has been on my mind... and unfortunately, I do not think we have it; if we did, it would make my cup overflow:

“Soon the night is coming; it is time to work...”

I do not remember the rest of the lyrics, but it is one of those old hymns that I wish we would sing in our congregation, because they are beautiful hymns and have so much meaning that they must not be lost. But the Apostle was always saying that we have to live life with one eye and one ear fixed on the Second Coming, on that trumpet that will sound one day.

And that is why the Lord, in His parable about the foolish virgins and the wise virgins, said: Do not be like those foolish virgins who, when the bridegroom was expected to arrive, said, “Oh, he will not be arriving anytime soon,” because back then there was no television, no telephone, no Internet, no cell phones. When the bridegroom arrived for the wedding to take place, he might have been coming from another village or town, and people did not know what time he would arrive. He could arrive in the middle of the night, and how many of you who lived in the countryside in our countries know this? Sometimes we knew that a relative was coming, but we did not know what time he would arrive. Does anyone remember that? Okay, at least some of you dare to say yes. And you knew he was going to arrive, but you did not know at what time; sometimes he arrived at 11 at night, sometimes at 1 in the morning, or at 2 in the morning, and you had to get up to make him a little coffee or something and give him something to eat before everyone went to sleep. I see some of you smiling; it seems you know what I am talking about.

That idea was even stronger then, and so the Lord said, “Do not be like those virgins who were already waiting for the wedding to be celebrated, and the bridegroom arrived with his entire entourage, and they were all there sleeping, and they had no oil; their lamps were not ready to light up the night and welcome the man who was going to be married.” And we are likewise.

The Apostle Paul or Peter says that it will be as it was in the days of Noah—or was it Jesus who said it? The point is that it will be as it was in the days of Noah. It is early, brothers and sisters; give me a break, please. They were eating, drinking, and celebrating, and the flood came and swept them all away. That is how the Second Coming of Jesus Christ will be, and people will say, “Those are fairy tales; that was a long time ago, and we need to forget about it now. These Christians have been saying for two thousand years that Jesus is coming, and He has never appeared. Let us forget about it; it is a myth.” But do you know what? One day we will hear the trumpet sound, and we will see, it says, that every eye will see Him, and He will come in the clouds, surrounded by His angels and archangels. There will be people celebrating weddings and holding their parties, and there will be wars, and people will be at their jobs, but that will be the moment when God opens the letter and says to His Son, “Now is the time; go, take authority, receive everything I have promised You, and take what is Yours.”

That day will come, and the Word says: Do not be caught by surprise as everyone else will be; instead, live lives such that when the trumpet sounds, rather than going to hide under the rocks, as some will say, “Rock, hide us,” you will say, “Come, Lord Jesus, come; we are ready and waiting for You. I am ready. I have my passport in order, I have my visa, and I have everything I need. Take me with You, because we are prepared; we are living our lives, we are redeeming the time. We are doing what we have to do.”

We do not have to be ashamed. We do not have to be afraid to look upon His face. We do not have to fear appearing before His throne, because we know that we are covered with the blood of Jesus and are doing everything we can to please our Heavenly Father. As far as possible, we are living lives...

Ah, the words of the hymn are ready; glory to God. We are going to sing it, then; hopefully I will not forget after all I have done. Amen.

Then, brothers and sisters, it says, and this: “...knowing the time, that now it is high time to awake out of sleep; for now our salvation is nearer than when we believed. Glory to the Lord.”

And that is true. It is nearer because perhaps you were converted a year ago, 10 days ago, or a week ago; you are a little nearer to the coming of Jesus Christ, so it is time to wake from sleep. The Christian is not supposed to be sleeping, brothers and sisters. God likes diligent people; God likes people who are strong and courageous, people who are working for the Lord, people who are investing their time well, using their talents, using their money, using their profession, using their strength, working and advancing the Kingdom of God. That is how God wants you and me to live.

We have to live, brothers and sisters, as though saying, hey, I already know that this world is temporary; everything people work themselves to death to accumulate and possess will all burn up in a moment. It says that the elements themselves will burn and the earth will melt, the clouds will melt, the atoms that make up the universe and matter will melt, and God will have to make new heavens and a new earth. All the paintings by the great painters will melt and burn, all the great cars that people pay tens of thousands of dollars to buy will melt, and the skyscrapers will crumble. Matter itself, the stones, will melt like lava, and everything will disappear so that God can make a new heaven, a new earth, a new atmosphere, without a single stain of sin in it. And all the worries, all the efforts, all the tears, and everything for which people wear themselves out and work themselves to death will cease to have meaning, because that entire system will have passed away.

So we have to live with an understanding of that, and we have to live lives consecrated to the Lord. What we live, what we do, and what we invest, we have to do in light of that eternity in which we live, in light of what is going to happen. We cannot live as though this world were everything. We cannot live like people whose entire lives are confined within the bubble of time and space. We are beings of eternity. Glory to the Lord. And therefore, we do not worry about the little things that bewilder and obsess people here. We know that all of this is temporary, as the writer of Ecclesiastes says: “...vanity of vanities; all is vanity.”

The person gripped by an eternal perspective, who knows that Christ will come one day and that His coming will be sooner rather than later, has to live differently from everyone else. We cannot live there worshiping our ATM: “Oh, adored ATM, how I bless you, bank account. May you be glorified and protected from every pastor who wants your money.” No, we cannot worship that machine. Our worship is offered to the eternal Christ, the Christ who is the same yesterday, today, and throughout the ages to come. Hallelujah!

We have to live in light of that eternity. Yes, brothers and sisters, that means—and that is why—we have to make an effort; we have to live the life God wants us to live. The night is far spent, the Apostle Paul says, and the day is at hand. Glory to the Lord.

Do you know something? It may look as though the sun is shining outside, but spiritually it is night. The prince of darkness rules this world; darkness reigns. “The rulers of the darkness of this age,” says the Apostle Paul. There is a spiritual darkness ruling this humanity. Economic systems, judicial systems, governmental systems, and military systems are governed by a prince, a spirit, an attitude, a mentality that is not divine; it is not one of love, generosity, justice, or the holiness of God. It is an economy completely different from the one that rules humanity; it is the dark spirit that governs man’s heart and systems.

But the Apostle Paul says that the day is drawing near. A moment is coming when the darkness will be torn apart and dispelled, and God’s sun will shine upon humanity for the rest of eternity. And that day is drawing near.

Then he says, “...let us therefore cast off the works of darkness, and let us put on the armor of light.” Glory to the Lord. There is the heart of that text: let us therefore cast off the works of darkness and put on the armor of light, because the time is drawing near. It is not for us to live drowsily, brothers and sisters. Night is the time for sleeping. We have to live; we are inhabitants of the day, not of darkness.

Likewise, a passage that I cannot remember right now says that we are not of darkness, but of the light. In fact, it says that we are neither of the night nor of darkness,

but that we are of the light. I think it is 1 Thessalonians 5:5, if I am not mistaken. Let me see whether it is still there.

“...for you are all children of light and children of the day; we are not of the night nor of darkness...” Glory to the Lord.

Do you know that? You do not dwell in darkness; demons like to dwell in darkness. Where is so much wickedness and so much crime committed? In darkness. Thieves wait for darkness. Cockroaches like darkness, do they not? Therefore, let us not sleep as others do, but let us watch and be sober. All vermin and harmful creatures, snakes and evil things, do their shameless deeds at night. Go into the jungle, and when you read National Geographic, do you know when the large animals hunt? At night. The night is where death dwells, where evil dwells, where sin dwells, where wickedness dwells.

And Paul says: You are not of the night or of darkness; you are people of the light. The Christian has to be transparent. The Christian cannot live with hidden things, brothers and sisters; the Christian has to be an open book, with his heart in his hand. People should know what he is, what she is. They should not be expecting that the Christian will stab them in the back if they turn around. The Christian should be a person whose yes is yes and whose no is no, a person whom you know you can trust with your life and your reputation, your name and your property, and that person will guard them like a treasure, because that person is honest, is open, is of the light, and is not of darkness or the night.

So Paul calls us to an attitude of honesty, openness, good conduct, and things that do not have to be hidden—not things of which we have to repent, but living lives that are open letters.

It says, “...let us walk honestly, as in the day, not in gluttony and drunkenness, not in lust and licentiousness, not in strife and envy...”

Do you see? He is giving examples of the kind of conduct that belongs to darkness and the night. He is not making an exhaustive list of sins, but he says: These are the kinds of sins people commit when they belong to darkness, when their nature is of darkness, of the devil, of hell, of the dark things with which you must not associate. Your conduct and your life must be radically opposed to all of that.

So there are many passages that speak about that kind of conduct which we should avoid as much as possible, asking the Lord to help us. Look at Ephesians, for example, chapter 4, verse 17. It says:

‘...This I say, therefore, and testify in the Lord, that you should no longer walk as the other Gentiles walk, in the futility of their minds, having their understanding darkened—do you see the darkness there?—alienated from the life of God...’

Further on it says, ‘...with regard to your former way of life, put off the old man, which is corrupted according to deceitful desires...’

Then another passage in Chapter 5, verse 3, says: ‘...but fornication, all uncleanness, and covetousness, let them not even be named among you, as is fitting for saints; neither filthy language, foolish talk, nor coarse joking, which are not fitting, but rather thanksgiving, because you know this: no fornicator, unclean person, covetous person, or idolater has any inheritance in the kingdom of Christ and of God. Therefore, do not be partakers with them...’

Look, verse 8 says, ‘...for you were once darkness, but now you are’—what?—‘light in the Lord. Walk as children of light...’

Verse 11: ‘...and have no part in the unfruitful works of darkness, but rather expose them...’—verse 13—‘...but all things, when they are exposed by the light, are made manifest, for light is what makes everything manifest. Therefore it says: Awake, you who sleep, arise from the dead, and Christ will give you light. See, then, that you walk diligently, not as fools but as wise...’

Look here again at this concept: ‘...making’—what?—‘good use of the time, because the days are evil...’

Do you see the connection here between conduct that is pure, holy, and pleasing to the Lord; awareness of the time that is passing; and awareness that we must make good use of our time in good works because time is passing?

That is the idea: we have to invest our time in worthwhile things—knowing the Lord better, preparing ourselves to preach the Gospel, working for the work of God, worshiping the Lord. I love those people who, as they say, do not miss even a puppet dance. They are at the Wednesday service and the Sunday service; sometimes they even stay for both services. They go partying to every prayer service there is; they are in the cell groups, discipleship, everything, and they do not miss a thing because they love the Lord and are redeeming the time. It is not that you necessarily have to do that, but it is like a symbol of the level at which we must live. We must redeem the time. We must make good use of the time: ‘Awake, you who sleep.’

Many people here need to be told, ‘Wake up.’ Tell the brother beside you, ‘Awake, you who sleep, and Christ will give you light.’ Glory to the Lord. Amen.

We have to wake up; we have to be active. We have to be dynamic. We have to invest. Brothers and sisters, the Christian is not called to waste life. I am going to ask the musicians to come up here quickly. Thank you, brothers.

God calls us to enjoy life, but He also calls us to invest and to work hard for the Lord’s work, to live a life of holiness and a life of activity. Oh, that came out nicely. Holiness and activity. Glory to the Lord. I am inspired this morning.

We must live a healthy life that gives us strength and helps us rest well. We must eat good, healthy, sensible food. We must exercise; we must invest time in good, wholesome recreation and listen to wholesome music. If we are going to watch a movie, let it be a wholesome movie, and then we will be strong, joyful, and energetic so that we can serve the Lord and give Him everything we have. Glory to God. That is beautiful.

It is a precious life, brothers and sisters, knowing that time is short and night will soon come. One day the church may be persecuted. The church is already being persecuted in many countries around the world. Even here in this nation, there are already people who would love to persecute the church. Many people hate Christ and hate the church, and that spirit of hatred toward the Christian church is there, waiting like a beast ready to pounce at any moment; and when the Lord gives it a little freedom, it will do so, and God has His reasons for allowing that.

And the Apostle Paul says: work while you can. Live a holy life, because the time is drawing near. Christian, do not forget the second coming of Jesus Christ. Do not forget that Christ is coming. Do not forget that one day all of this will perish. Do not forget that your citizenship is not in this country or in your native country; it is in heaven. Hallelujah! Your citizenship is eternity. You are a foreigner; you are a pilgrim here on earth. We are heading toward that city not built by human hands, that heavenly homeland, and therefore we must live here like those who are simply waiting to be called.

When you go to the airport, you are constantly listening to every announcement, aren’t you? You want to know whether anything is relevant to your trip. You are always checking the screen to see whether your flight has been changed or whatever the case may be. You are there watching the time because you do not want to miss your plane, right? That is how we must live, looking up from time to time: Could today be the day Christ comes? And am I living the kind of life that will allow me to look at Him and say, ‘Lord, I am ready. Come, Lord Jesus’?

Let us live diligent lives. Let us live consecrated lives; let us live active lives. Let us live lives of earnest effort for the Lord, devoted to the Lord, so that we can be enthusiastic about the idea of Jesus’ second coming.

Let us stand, brothers and sisters. Today, take a moment in your heart to renew in your spirit the awareness of Christ’s coming. I have to do it, because we become so caught up even in the concerns of ministry and life that it is easy for us to think... yes, He is going to come, but who knows when, and this and that. No, no; we have to remember again: Christ is coming. Christ is coming. Christ is coming. And we have to say, ‘Come, Lord Jesus.’

One of the last statements in Scripture is this: ‘Come, Lord Jesus.’ We must ask the Lord right now. Ask Him there in your heart: ‘Father, remind me day after day that Christ is coming—while I am at the office, at school, washing the dishes at home, cleaning the floor of my house, while I am driving in the five o’clock rush and in the traffic jams—so that I may remember that Christ is coming soon. When I have to give my tithe, when I have to invest in the Lord’s work, when I have to work for You, when I have to do something for You that I do not want to do, Lord, help me remember: Christ is coming soon. I have to redeem the time. I have to make good use of the time. I have to remember that the darkness is approaching, that the day will soon come when it will not be so easy to move about, and also that the day is coming when the light of Christ will burst forth and all the darkness of this world will be dispelled and replaced by that city which needs no sun because the presence of Christ, of God, gives it light.’

Hallelujah! So, Father, seal us this morning with an awareness of the second coming of Jesus, and help us to live at that level of purity, integrity, activity, and diligence, Lord, for the glory of Your name—living in love, living in holiness, living considerately toward one another, Father, with transparency, simplicity, and humility. Those are words so fitting for a child of Yours, Lord. Thank You; we worship You and bless You.