Promise Of His Coming

The first thing I want to deal with in this message of REPENTANCE is the same thing Peter felt he had to deal with; and that is THE SOON RETURN OF OUR LORD AND SAVIOR JESUS CHRIST! And as Peter put it: THE PROMISE OF HIS COMING!

Let's take a look at verses 3 & 4 again. (Knowing this first, that there shall come in the last days scoffers, walking after their own lusts, ver.4 And saying, Where is the promise of his coming? for since the fathers fell asleep, all things continue as they were from the beginning of the creation.) And then again in the first part of verse 9 we read; (The Lord is not slack concerning his promise, as some men count slackness;) Now the PROMISE that the Lord is not slack concerning is THE PROMISE OF HIS COMING!

Friend, JESUS IS COMING AGAIN SOON! And He's coming back for a people that are LOOKING FOR HIS COMING. For the Word of God let's us know this truth in Heb.9:28 (So Christ was once offered to bear the sins of many; and unto them that look for him shall he appear the second time without sin unto salvation.)

Someone may ask; Preacher, when is He coming? My answer is: I don't know the day or hour, no man does. But the signs given in the Word concerning His coming, and the things Jesus told us to look for, that would let us know His coming is soon are evident all around the world. Here's what Luke 21:28 has to say to the people of God concerning the time of Jesus' coming; (And when these things begin to come to pass, then look up, and lift up your heads; for your redemption draweth nigh.) Notice that Jesus said; When you see these things BEGINING to come to pass. He did not say; When you get half way through it, or 3/4 of the way through it then look up and lift up your heads for your redemption draweth nigh. He said: And when these things begin to come to pass, then look up, and lift up your heads; for your redemption draweth nigh! Look at 1 Thess.5:1 also, (But of the times and the seasons, brethren, ye have no need that I write unto you. ver.2 For yourselves know perfectly that the day of the Lord so cometh as a thief in the night. ver.3 For when they shall say, Peace and safety; then sudden destruction cometh upon them, as travail upon a woman with child; and they shall not escape. ver.4 But ye, brethren, are not in darkness, that that day should overtake you as a thief.)

You see, what men everywhere need to realize, is this: THE PROMISE OF JESUS' SOON COMING IS NOT JUST IDLE TALK! If He PROMISED to come back: THEN YOU BETTER BELIEVE HE'S COMING BACK! For the Lord is not SLACK CONCERNING HIS PROMISE. And it's a fact that He did PROMISE to come back for His church, to CATCH THEM AWAY TO BE WITH HIM. Take a look with me at John 14:1-3, (Let not your heart be troubled: ye believe in God, believe also in me. ver.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. ver.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.) Let's look at 1 Thess. 4:16-18 also; (For the Lord himself shall descend from heaven with a shout, with the voice of the archangel, and with the trump of God: and the dead in Christ shall rise first: ver.17 Then we which are alive and remain shall be caught up together with them in the clouds, to meet the Lord in the air: and so shall we ever be with the Lord. ver.18 Wherefore comfort one another with these words.)

Dear saints of God I want to COMFORT you by way of this message, and through this newsletter, by letting you know once again that: JESUS IS COMING SOON TO CATCH AWAY HIS OWN TO BE WITH HIM, SO LOOK UP, AND LIFT UP YOUR HEADS, FOR YOUR REDEMPTION DRAWETH NIGH! One of the most important messages for this hour that this generation must hear in order to bring them to REPENTANCE, is the message of Jesus' Coming. Let's take a look at Luke 17:26-30, (And as it was in the days of Noe, so shall it be also in the days of the Son of man. ver.27 They did eat, they drank, they married wives, they were given in marriage, until the day that Noe entered into the ark, and the flood came, and destroyed them all. ver.28 Likewise also as it was in the days of Lot; they did eat, they drank, they bought, they sold, they planted, they builded; ver.29 But the same day that Lot went out of Sodom it rained fire and brimstone from heaven, and destroyed them all. ver.30 Even thus shall it be in the day when the Son of man is revealed.)

Even as Noah preached, warning his generation about the flood that God was going to send to destroy the wicked from off the earth; and also to show them God's mercy in preparing a way of escape, by way of an ark, we also must warn men everywhere of the soon coming Judgment and Wrath of the All Mighty God upon the wicked and ungodly. Letting them know also that God has prepared a way of escape, and that way of escape is JESUS. JESUS IS THE ARK OF SAFETY! And only those who are safe IN Christ will escape the awful Wrath and Vengeance of our Holy God against the wicked.

That All Come To Repentance

Some may ask; does God enjoy, and want any to be ETERNALLY LOST? Let's look at 2 Peter 3:9 again; (The Lord is not slack concerning his promise, as some men count slackness; but is longsuffering to us-ward, not willing that any should perish, but that all should come to repentance.) We see by this that God wants no one to be lost. The whole reason for God giving us his Son Jesus is that; WHOSOEVER Believeth On Him Should Not Perish But Have Everlasting Life!

Also in Rev.22:17 it says, (And the Spirit and the bride say, Come. And let him that heareth say, Come. And let him that is athirst come. And whosoever will, let him take the water of life freely.) You see God has made it possible for ALL to be saved. And He desires for ALL to be saved. But the choice is not God's; IT'S YOURS! YOU MUST COME TO REPENTANCE! He will not make you REPENT. He will not make you RECEIVE JESUS, but he will give you the opportunity too. Rev.2:21 says, (And I gave her space to repent of her fornication; and she repented not.)

True REPENTANCE must be preached to this generation. The message REPENT, REPENT, REPENT MUST BE HEARD ONCE AGAIN IN OUR CHURCHES, IN OUR CITIES, IN OUR SCHOOLS, IN OUR HOMES, IN OUR STREETS, IN OUR GOVERNMENT, IN OUR NATION, ON RADIO, ON TV, AND AROUND THE WORLD! Jesus preached it. The early church preached it, and we also must preach it.

That ALL might come to REPENTANCE. The simple truth is this: Acts 17:30 (And the times of this ignorance God winked at; but now commandeth all men every where to repent:)

And let me go on record saying: ONE OF THE FIRST PLACES THE MESSAGE OF REPENTANCE NEEDS TO BE PREACHED, IS IN THE CHURCH! Look what Jesus said in Rev.2:4,5,16,22 to the church; (Nevertheless I have somewhat against thee, because thou hast left thy first love. ver.5 Remember therefore from whence thou art fallen, and repent, and do the first works; or else I will come unto thee quickly, and will remove thy candlestick out of his place, except thou repent.) ver.16 (Repent; or else I will come unto thee quickly, and will fight against them with the sword of my mouth.) ver.22 (Behold, I will cast her into a bed, and them that commit adultery with her into great tribulation, except they repent of their deeds.) Rev.3:2 & 19 (Be watchful, and strengthen the things which remain, that are ready to die: for I have not found thy works perfect before God. ver.3 Remember therefore how thou hast received and heard, and hold fast, and repent. If therefore thou shalt not watch, I will come on thee as a thief, and thou shalt not know what hour I will come upon thee.) ver.19 (As many as I love, I rebuke and chasten: be zealous therefore, and repent.)

What does it mean to REPENT OF SIN? It means that you are truly sorry for ALL the sins that you have committed against God and His Word, 2 Cor.7:9 & 10 (Now I rejoice, not that ye were made sorry, but that ye sorrowed to repentance: for ye were made sorry after a godly manner, that ye might receive damage by us in nothing. ver.10 For godly sorrow worketh repentance to salvation not to be repented of: but the sorrow of the world worketh death.) and are ready to FORSAKE ALL SIN to serve God, that you TURN AWAY FROM SIN, as to turn your back on something. It means you have made the choice by God's help, grace, and strangth to QUIT SINNING!

In 2 Chr.7:14 God put's it this way; (If my people, which are called by my name, shall humble themselves, and pray, and seek my face, and turn from their wicked ways; then will I hear from heaven, and will forgive their sin, and will heal their land.) Some more scriptures to read about Repentance Ezk.18:30 (Therefore I will judge you, O house of Israel, every one according to his ways, saith the Lord GOD. Repent, and turn yourselves from all your transgressions; so iniquity shall not be your ruin.) Mat.4:17 (From that time Jesus began to preach, and to say, Repent: for the kingdom of heaven is at hand.) Mark 1:15 (And saying, The time is fulfilled, and the kingdom of God is at hand: repent ye, and believe the gospel.) Luke 13:13:1-5 (There were present at that season some that told him of the Galilaeans, whose blood Pilate had mingled with their sacrifices. ver.2 And Jesus answering said unto them, Suppose ye that these Galilaeans were sinners above all the Galilaeans, because they suffered such things? ver.3 I tell you, Nay: but, except ye repent, ye shall all likewise perish. ver.4 Or those eighteen, upon whom the tower in Siloam fell, and slew them, think ye that they were sinners above all men that dwelt in Jerusalem? ver.5 I tell you, Nay: but, except ye repent, ye shall all likewise perish.) Luke 24:47 (And that repentance and remission of sins should be preached in his name among all nations, beginning at Jerusalem.) Acts 3:19 (Repent ye therefore, and be converted, that your sins may be blotted out, when the times of refreshing shall come from the presence of the Lord;) Acts 8:20-23 (But Peter said unto him, Thy money perish with thee, because thou hast thought that the gift of God may be purchased with money. ver.21 Thou hast neither part nor lot in this matter: for thy heart is not right in the sight of God. ver.22 Repent therefore of this thy wickedness, and pray God, if perhaps the thought of thine heart may be forgiven thee. ver.23 For I perceive that thou art in the gall of bitterness, and in the bond of iniquity.) Acts 26: 20b & 21 (that they should repent and turn to God, and do works meet for repentance. ver.21 For these causes the Jews caught me in the temple, and went about to kill me.)