1. Introduction
   1. You and I live in a day and age where we need to be on high alert. We’re not living in the same time as 20 years ago. We’re living in a very different world and climate.
   2. Christians at one time were always the majority, and now we are quickly becoming the minority. You and I need to take our rightful position and place now more than ever. Our rights depend on it and our freedom all the more. Galatians 5:1: Stand fast therefore in the liberty wherewith Christ hath made us free, and be not entangled again with the yoke of bondage.
   3. A new face is being put on our country, the land of the free and the home of the brave. You and I live in what the bible calls the Laodicean Church Age, civil rights of common people. Revelation 3:17-18: Because thou sayest, I am rich, and increased with goods, and have need of nothing; and knowest not that thou art wretched, and miserable, and poor, and blind, and naked: I counsel thee to buy of me gold tried in the fire, that thou mayest be rich; and white raiment, that thou mayest be clothed, and that the shame of thy nakedness do not appear; and anoint thine eyes with eyesalve,

that thou mayest see. It seems as though people have the right to do whatever they choose. We’ve never seen such violence in all of our lives as there is now, and only threatening to have more to come.

1. As we’re getting closer to the return of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ, you and I need to prepare ourselves in every way that the bible describes.
2. Freedom more than ever will now come with a price. As we look into our brief message today, you and I need to prepare for such a time as this.

 

2. Do you know what to prepare for? If you don’t I’m prepared to give you what the bible says about how to prepare yourself to live out all the days of your life under the shadow of God’s Wings. (leading to the coming of the Lord)
   1. First and foremost, you can never truly prepare for what is to come unless you are born again. John 3:3: Jesus answered and said unto him, Verily, verily, I say unto thee, Except a man be born again, he cannot see the kingdom of God. Is your name written in the Lamb’s Book of Life? Do you know for sure that when you leave this world, you are heaven bound?
   2. Are you spending time in God’s Word, to know what His Will is for your life? Psalm 119:10-11: With my whole heart have I sought thee:

O let me not wander from thy commandments. Thy word have I hid in mine heart, that I might not sin against thee. If you crack open that book every day, God will prepare you for what the day has in store. He will show you what He wants you to do.

1. Do you seek the Lord in prayer with your whole heart every day? Jeremiah 29:13: And ye shall seek me, and find me, when ye shall search for me with all your heart. Whatever is going on in the world or in your life, seek the Lord first. Don’t neglect spending daily time with Him in His Word and prayer.
2. Are you in church, fellowshipping with God’s People and getting fed God’s Word, letting people pray with and for you? Hebrews 10:24-25: And let us consider one another to provoke unto love and to good works: Not forsaking the assembling of ourselves together, as the manner of some is; but exhorting one another: and so much the more, as ye see the day approaching. This is not a time for home Baptists. Lone rangers will never make it. We need each other. We need to be in church so we can learn, grow, and function as the family of God.

 

 

 

3. You and I must study God’s Word to know the course of action and direction he’d have you and I to take.
   1. God does not hide His Will from us if we are seeking Him. He will clearly show us through His Word. Isaiah 30:21: And thine ears shall hear a word behind thee, saying, This is the way, walk ye in it, when ye turn to the right hand, and when ye turn to the left. If we’re studying, and if we’re seeking Him, He will be faithful to lead us and prepare us for all that life has in store.
   2. If we are studying God’s Word, His Spirit will lead us and guide us. Jesus says this. John 16:13: Howbeit when he, the Spirit of truth, is come, he will guide you into all truth: for he shall not speak of himself; but whatsoever he shall hear, that shall he speak: and he will shew you things to come. Are you tuned into the Holy Spirit and asking Him to illuminate God’s Word to your heart and mind. He is faithful.

 

4. You and I must prepare physically, mentally, emotionally and spiritually as our world is changing rapidly before our eyes.
   1. Here is a passage that can help us to prepare for uncertain and changing times. Take a look at Hebrews 12:1-2:  Wherefore seeing we also are compassed about with so great a cloud of witnesses, (this refers to the faithful patriarchs in chapter 11),  let us lay aside every weight, and the sin which doth so easily beset us, (We all have one sin or another that we have struggled with, for example smoking, drinking, drugs, over-eating etc. We need to always seek to be free of these things with God’s Help.) and let us run with patience the race that is set before us, (The Christian life is a type of race and we all need to run the race and be all we can be for Him.) Looking unto Jesus the author and finisher of our faith; who for the joy that was set before him endured the cross, despising the shame, and is set down at the right hand of the throne of God. Are you confessing and repenting of sins in your life? Are you endeavoring to persevere and run the race, always keeping our eyes focused on Jesus?
   2. We need to live our lives as a living sacrifice to God, not living for our own agendas, but for His. Not being like the rest of the world, but different and set apart. Romans 12:1-2: I beseech you therefore, brethren, by the mercies of God, that ye present your bodies a living sacrifice, holy, acceptable unto God, which is your reasonable service. And be not conformed to this world: but be ye transformed by the renewing of your mind, that ye may prove what is that good, and acceptable, and perfect, will of God.                   As you pray, study, and worship, you will be transformed and become more and more like Jesus and less like the rest of the world. They will see something different. They will see you having peace even when the world is in chaos.

 

5. What have you done to prepare yourself? Are you reaching out to your family, friends, encouraging people to come to church, sharing your testimony with those in our world who desperately need a touch from the Almighty.
   1. Are you reaching out and inviting people to come to church? Mark 16:14-15: Afterward he appeared unto the eleven as they sat at meat, and upbraided them with their unbelief and hardness of heart, because they believed not them which had seen him after he was risen. And he said unto them, Go ye into all the world, and preach the gospel to every creature. The most important job of every Christian is to go out and lead people to Jesus, but too often, we sit in the churches and wait for the lost to come in. He said go out and compel them to come in, not sit and hope they’ll come in.
   2. Are you sharing your testimony. People can argue about many things related to our faith, but they can never take away your testimony. Revelation 19:10: And I fell at his feet to worship him. And he said unto me, See thou do it not: I am thy fellowservant, and of thy brethren that have the testimony of Jesus: worship God: for the testimony of Jesus is the spirit of prophecy. When you share the testimony of what Jesus has done in your life, you are sharing the prophetic Word of God that will bring life to those that hear.

 

6. The world is at enmity with God. But God loves the people in the world. You and I are the only vehicle that he has to bring the message of salvation to a world that is hopelessly lost without Jesus.
   1. As I said, the world is at enmity with God, and anyone who is a friend of the world is an enemy of God. James 4:4: Ye adulterers and adulteresses, know ye not that the friendship of the world is enmity with God? whosoever therefore will be a friend of the world is the enemy of God. We need to love the people, and go out and reach them for Jesus, but we are never to be a friend of the world.

 

7. Saints, we need to rise up, press in, press forward to the mark of the higher calling. (scripture)
   1. Let’s look at what the Apostle Paul had to say about this. It will be a guide for you as you live the Christian life in the changing world in which we live. Philippians 3:13-14: Brethren, I count not myself to have apprehended: but this one thing I do, forgetting those things which are behind, and reaching forth unto those things which are before, I press toward the mark for the prize of the high calling of God in Christ Jesus. What Paul says here is what you and I should do every day. We should first forget those things which are behind. We can learn from the mistakes of our past, but after that forget them! Move forward!
   2. Paul then says that he reaches forth unto those things which are before him. If you’re driving down the road, always looking in the rear view mirror, you’re bound to get into an accident. Be like Paul and press the accelerator forward, and press on to all God has for you.

 

8. We must study and pray and share the salvation message to everyone we come in contact with.
   1. We must study God’s Word regularly. 2nd Timothy 2:15: Study to shew thyself approved unto God, a workman that needeth not to be ashamed, rightly dividing the word of truth. We study to show ourselves approved not to man but to God.
   2. When we study, we are a workman that needs not to be ashamed,
   3. for the gospel of Jesus Christ is the power unto our salvation. When we study we can then rightly divide the Word of Truth to those who so desperately need to know Him.
   4. We must pray and talk to God about every area of our lives. Matthew 6:6: But thou, when thou prayest, enter into thy closet, and when thou hast shut thy door, pray to thy Father which is in secret; and thy Father which seeth in secret shall reward thee openly. Do you have a place in your home where you can just be alone with God and talk to Him with no distractions? Make sure to set a time every day when you can talk to God and let Him talk to you through His Word.
   5. We need to share the salvation message with those who have not given their hearts to Jesus. Luke 14:23: And the lord said unto the servant, Go out into the highways and hedges, and compel them to come in, that my house may be filled. We all have a part to play in seeing souls come into the kingdom. We’re all to do the work of an evangelist. There are no exceptions.

 

 

 

9. God has been building a testimony in you since the day you were born. I encourage you to share your testimony.
   1. You never know the life that you’ll have changed until you get to heaven. Be not only a community changer, but a world changer.

 

10. Story – A Relationship with Jesus
    1. In metro Detroit, Stephen, one of our chaplains, encountered Brad, a homeowner in his late 40s distressed over the effects of recent torrential rains that caused widespread flooding.
    2. When the chaplain asked if he had a relationship with Jesus Christ, he said he did not but needed spiritual help.
    3. “I’ve never heard that Jesus wants a relationship with me.” Stephen then shared the Gospel with Brad, who followed along intently.
    4. Brad indicated he wanted to begin a relationship with the Lord, and he prayed to surrender his life to Christ.
    5. Chaplains also met a homeowner named Arezo* who invited them into her house.
    6. She and her family were Muslim and had migrated to Pakistan and later to the United States. The chaplains guided the conversation to the Gospel.
    7. Arezo told them she was familiar with Jesus but did not have a relationship with Him.
    8. When they asked about the peace in her life, she responded that she had none.
    9. They shared how Jesus could give her His peace, and she could have the assurance of eternal life.
    10. Their discussion drew tears as Arezo acknowledged she needed that in her life.
    11. They shared the Good News with her, showing how Scripture points to the Lord Jesus Christ.
    12. When confronted with her need for forgiveness, Arezo said she wanted to pray to accept Christ into her life as her Savior and Lord.
    13. Chaplains rejoiced with her, gave her a new Bible, and bookmarked it at the Gospel of John for her to begin reading.
    14. You too can lead those you come in contact with to a loving savior who will embrace them into His Family.

 

11. Conclusion
    1. Prepare for such a time as this.