All right, 1 Chronicles chapter 12, verse 32. You know, I was just thinking about the whole idea of things to come, and it talks about, you know, be patient unto the coming of our Lord. That's the one I didn't put down in my notes, but it just happened to come up. How we need patience? I mean, it's just, The Lord says we need it, so we, may the Lord help us to do that. But it says in 1 Chronicles 12, verse 32, and of the children of Issachar, which were men that had understanding of the times, to know what Israel ought to do. The heads of them were 200, and all their brethren were at their commandment. We look at this and, Now that we have, in some measure at least, come to an understanding of the signs of the times and things to come, we now come to, well, let's do something with that knowledge. Let's apply that knowledge. God's word is not like some schooling you get. You know, you go to school sometimes and you're taught something. You have to take a subject in college that, you know, like humanities. What in the world am I going to use a course to help that you, so that you'll become a humanist or whatever. But anyway, God's course It's not one of those things where, well, you'll never use that in life, or let's just say algebra. You know, we might say, well, it's good. There's some practical value to it. You may not particularly do algebra on your job, but the point is, is that God's Word, His teaching, His instruction, His courses, if you will, It's always for everyone's use, in some way, shape, or form, or another. For our use, to use it. And so, to know what we ought to do. Well, we know what God's Word says, we just have to do it. And we have to constantly remind ourselves of that, don't we? And we need to be encouraged to do that. Just like on a football team, the coach has to go over the same things and has to get on players about certain things that they know, but they just don't know it well enough to apply it consistently. And so we have it here when we come to That which much is given, you know, God gives much to us in giving us his word, especially in this country and especially as a church of the Lord Jesus Christ, we've been given much. But I knew much is given, much is required. Now we don't like to hear that. Oh, I don't want to hear that because the flesh hates it. You know, oh, you mean you're telling me what I have to do? Well, no, not really. It's not me. It's what God's Word says. That's all. And we need to be careful we don't just get all in a huff about things just because you don't particularly like a particular person, which shouldn't be amongst God's people. But God does... give us things, not only that because they're necessary, but they're good for us and good for others. You see, it's not just, well, you do it because I told you to and that's it. You know how that is. But it's for our good. It's for our benefit. And so that should make it more receptable, if you will, when we recognize that. But we want to look at five things, God willing, here in this message about what should we do as we think about the things to come, as we think about Christ's return. And the first thing is we must be usable. In other words, we could say we must be ready. We must be usable. You know, if dinner isn't ready, it's not really usable. Edible, typically. It's got to be ready. It's got to be usable. And so, this kind of goes back to, again, doing what is to be done. You know, we see that in Matthew chapter 24 and verse 44, in one passage, it says, therefore be ye also ready For in such an hour as ye think not, the Son of Man cometh." Now, if we believe that Jesus is coming, then we will be ready. Otherwise, it's just talk. If we care about the glory of God and we care about the good of others and our own good, we want to be used of God. We want to be meat for the Master's use to be prepared, to be ready for every good work. And the first thing that we want to bear in mind is that if we want to be ready and meet for every good work in the passage I'm going to deal with in a minute, we have to repent. God is not going to use vessels that are not ready. Vessels that are unclean, if you will, because of some sin in our habit, whatever it is. In 2 Timothy 2, 19, it says this, Nevertheless, the foundation of God standeth sure, having this seal. The Lord knoweth them that are his. And what are those who are of God? And let everyone that nameth the name of Christ depart from iniquity to repent. Don't say, well, that's just the way I am. No, that doesn't cut it. You're robbing yourself of blessings, you're attempting to rob God of His glory, and you're robbing yourself of a blessing as well. It says there in verse 20, vessels of gold and of silver but also of wood and of earth and of some to honor and some to dishonor. If a man therefore purge himself from these, that is the iniquity, that you know how you purge? By the party. Not just say, oh well, everybody sins or anything like that. We have to say, I hate this sin and I want to stop it right now. God help me to once and for all deal with it and not put up with it. But it says, he shall be a vessel unto honor. That is, we are then in a position to be honorable to God, sanctify, in other words, set apart and meet, okay, for the Master's use and prepared unto every good work. So, in other words, we're ready, we're usable, we are prepared, we are, that word means to make provision for. We are ready. And part of that means in 1 Timothy 6, 18, it says that they do good, that they be rich in good works. Here again, we have the whole idea of every good work, rich in good works, ready to distribute, willing to communicate. That means to not just give of our good works, finances or give of, you know, but to give of the words that we speak that would be edifying to people. To give of ourselves to the Lord. So we need to be willing to communicate, to be able to communicate love by being supportive of those who love you. That's how we show we love them back. It is encouraging to the person and discouraging if it's not the case. But in Luke chapter 12, if you turn over there, it says this in verse 36. Luke chapter 12 verse 36 concerning the return of Christ. And ye yourselves like unto men that wait for their Lord. Now waiting, of course, is when you're waiting for something, that means you're ready for whatever comes. You're waiting because you're ready. waiting, or wait for their Lord, when He will return from the wedding, and that when He cometh and knocketh, they may open unto Him immediately. So ready that you're ready for Christ to come immediately. And that means, again, that we're also ready for good works. We've repented of sin. We're living the life to be prepared unto every good work. And part of that means, and this is something we have to bear in mind too, in 2 Timothy 4.6, now this is in a different context, but the application is just the same. Paul says there, for I am now ready to be offered, and the time of my departure is at Now he's talking about he's going to die, but we could be ready to depart in terms of the rapture. Like we're ready now, not later, maybe next week. Now. And that's what I challenge myself and all of us, that is now. No dilly-dallying around, no procrastinating. because the time is at hand, as the scriptures say. And then, of course, in Titus 3.1, put them in mind to be subject to principalities and powers, to obey magistrate, to be ready to every good work. That means we need to Being ready doesn't mean that we're just going to just fight everybody and everything that comes along. We're to be respectful. We're to obey government leaders when they don't call us to disobey God. And even if we are going to have to rebuke or reprove, we do it in love. We do it knowing that we're sinners just like them, in humility, and know when to speak and when to be silent. All those things are in play here. if we're ready for Christ's return. And then also it says in 1 Peter 3 and verse 15, but sanctify the Lord God in your hearts. It's not a matter of something that's just outwardly done. It's something that's on the inside. You know, anybody can put on a good show and say, you know, this or that, sweet and amiable and all that kind of stuff. But in our hearts, that's where it starts. Because if you start in the heart, You don't have all those surprise blow-ups that happen because your heart is dealt with, you see. So, we need to be ready, sanctify the Lord God in our hearts and be ready, that's how we're ready, always to give an answer to every man to ask of you a reason of the hope that is in you with meekness and fear. Now, why would somebody ask you that? Because you've sanctified the Lord God in your hearts. There's a difference in your life. It's that you have consistently lived the life and let your light so shine among men that they would glorify the Father in heaven, possibly by God's grace, but they are asking you, and that's amazing. So, and in Revelation, we look at it in terms of us as God's people. It says in Revelation 19, 7, and let us be glad and rejoice and give honor to him, for the marriage of the Lamb is come, and his wife hath made herself ready. Are we ready to be in the bride of Christ? Is that what we want? Is that what we want? That means we have to be the best of the best of Christians, not so that we can glory in ourselves, but that we may glory in God, that we may honor Him. It's just like if there's the perfect husband out there, then there will be those ladies who want that perfect husband, and what are they going to do? They're going to make themselves ready. They're going to be as sweet, and I mean, if they're doing it with the right heart, that they're going to be as sweet as they can be. They're going to, you know, do everything that that hopefully future husband wants them to be. And so that is what we as God's people is we want to be in the bride. We don't want to just give Christ the dregs of our life or the leftovers. He deserves so much more than that. And it is something, just like a lady trying to court or get perfect husband, she doesn't, oh, I've got to do that. No, she is ready. She is gladly doing these things. That's the way it ought to be looked at, that way. Of course, part of what that means is, and I say this over and over again as I preach in the streets and talk to people and stuff like that, and yet it seems like it doesn't take root and bear fruit. It says there in Hebrews 10 through 23, let us hold fast the profession of our faith without wavering, for he is faithful that promised, being steadfast. And let us consider one another. You know, we can't hold fast and be faithful as we ought to if we don't do what we see in this text. And let us consider one another, be considerate of one another, to provoke unto love and to good works. Not forsaking the assembly of ourselves together as a matter of some is, but exhorting one another. That's what we're supposed to be doing, encouraging one another. And so much the more as you see the day approaching. That's part of being ready. And again, if we're not If we're not ready to come to the house of God and be like David, I was glad when they said to me, let us go in the house of God. Think about what it was back in those days. They didn't even have as much as we got as far as the Bible was concerned. And yet he was glad to go into the house of God when people told him about going to the house of God. We have to say, Lord, unless there's some kind of horrible sin going on, or some kind of unfaithfulness to the scriptures, then we ought to be glad to be in the house of God and do our part in that respect, to make it a gladsome thing. So many people just want to sit back and complain about everything instead of trying to make a difference. That's what we're supposed to do, provoking unto love and to good works. But then secondly, we must not only be usable, we must be watchful. Revelation chapter 3, now this is to the church of Sardis, but it has a reference because it's the same word that's used later about concerning the things that come, the coming of Christ. It says, be watchful and strengthen the things which remain. We cannot be strong and stay strong unless we're watchful. And it goes on to that, I read today, for I have not found thy words perfect before God. This word watchful is a Greek word Gregorio, and it means to, of course, watch. It means to wake, to be alert, to be awake. Not woke, but awake. to be awake, to not only be watching as observing, but we're alert to things. We're not just alert to what we see, but we're alert to what they mean. And we're alert to where we will, of course, apply. It means to give a strict attention to, to be cautious, to be active even. To take heed, lest through laziness some destructive calamity suddenly overtakes us. That's what the word means, to be watchful. Some will sadly that in this storm, they weren't ready for it. They weren't watchful, if you will. And they didn't have any supplies or anything. for a time of emergency. And so they, some of them were overtaken by this calamity. And we don't want to be like that as we think about the times that are upon us are gonna be perilous times. We need to be ready unless we be overtaken. Now it doesn't have to just be physical material. It can also mean speech. spiritual damage being done. There are spiritual storms, if you will, that we have to be ready for. and watchful because they're coming. John records there in Revelation three, verse three, again, continuing with his church's artists, which by the way, didn't have much of anything good to say about it, except there were some things that, there's some things that remained that needed, but they're ready to die. But it says, remember in chapter 3 in Revelation, remember therefore how thou hast received and heard, and hold fast and repent. If therefore thou shalt not watch, so there's a connection with watching with all these things, we're watchful, we're alert to what these times, we're active, we receive, we hear, we hold fast, we repent. I will come on thee as a thief. and thou shalt know what hour I will come upon thee. And so we find over and over in scriptures where we have to be watchful or Christ will come as a thief, will be unsuspecting, will be unprepared, will be ashamed at his coming. And that's a position I don't want any of us or myself either to be in. But it's just not going to just come automatic. There's a need for watchfulness. And of course, in terms of the bride, it says in Revelation 16, 15, behold, I come as a thief, blessed he that watcheth and keepeth his garments, lest he walk naked and they see his shame. Again, being clothed, we find later in Revelation 19, 8, it talks about that she clothed with the righteousness of the saints. We won't have that, if you will, as the Bride of Christ if we are not watchful. And this goes along with being alert there in 1 Thessalonians chapter 5 verse 6. Therefore let us not sleep as do others, but let us watch and be sober. If we're watching right, we're going to be sober. We're not going to be silly. We're not going to waste our lives in foolish jesting and things of that, or get so wrapped up in the world that we're not watchful. We're just not watchful. And of course we find that Luke, excuse me, 1 Corinthians chapter 16 verse 13, Stand fast in the faith. If we're going to be watchful, we'll be standing fast. We'll be standing firm. We're not going to be like a vessel that's in the waves and tossed by the winds and the waves, but we'll stand fast. It says, quit you like men. Be strong. If we're going to be strong and unwavering, and steadfast to be as a rock, then we must be watchful. Now, when we think of being watchful, I think of the watchman. You know, what does a watchman do? You know, Ezekiel was called the watchman to Israel. And the watchman would get on the watchtower, if you will, on the outpost, even at times, but they'll be up on the tower looking over the whole situation and looking for danger. All these things, that's what it means to be watchful. And again, I ask your prayers about that because I'm to be as a watchman. It's a word that is synonymous with a prophet or one who would proclaim the word of God, watching for the dangers, declaring the warnings. And you know, that's not always a popular, People don't want to hear that negative. I don't like hearing a negative, really, but I like to be ready. I like to know what I need to do if something's coming. And so, like I say, don't stone the messenger. I'm just the messenger. But Daniel says in Daniel chapter four, verse 17, this matter is by the decree of the watchers. Who are the watchers? Well, in this particular case, it is angelic beings. An angel, translated, means a messenger, like a preacher. like a pastor, observes and watches for signs and for orders to send the appropriate message from headquarters, if you will, in heaven to what needs to be said. It's not just, well, I think I'll just preach this. I'll just happen to read this in my devotion. That's what I'm preaching. No, it's prayerfully considering, Lord, what do you want me to preach? And I don't think, well I don't think you can unless you've been there, but how many know what it is like, even a little bit, to prepare the message? Hebrews chapter 13 verse 17, Obey them which have the rule over you, and submit yourselves, for they watch for your souls. as they that must give account, that they may do it with joy and not with grief, for that is unprofitable for you. You're shooting yourself in the foot. God says it. So, again, it's a great responsibility. It says there in 2 Timothy 4-5, Not only is there a need to watch over the flock as a shepherd does, but Paul tells Timothy, watch thou in all things, endure afflictions, do the work of an evangelist, make full proof of thy ministry. All those things taken into consideration. Watching, observing, you know, listening. Sometimes I'll listen to the messages and critique myself after I've already preached it already and kind of looking from the outside because I want to make sure I'm doing the right thing. And, you know, if you've ever taught a lesson, you always, at least I do anyway, critique yourself and you kind of beat yourself up. And that can be good in one sense, but it also can be very destructive and discouraging. But I appreciate your prayers about that. But then being watchful is the second thing. The third thing is we must be prayerful. Notice it says in 1 Peter chapter 4 and verse 7, but the end of all things is at hand. Therefore, sober and watch unto prayer. So watchfulness is often joined with prayerfulness. When you see what's going on, when people's individual lives, when you see what's going on in your own personal life, when you see what's going on in our country and in the world, it should cause us to fall down on our face before God because of what we see. And that's why it says there in Matthew 26, 41, watch and pray that ye enter not into temptation, Because we're talking about a time in which we've already talked about where the iniquity is going to abound. So abounding iniquity means there's going to be abounding temptation. And then the love of many, wax cold. Why? Because they haven't watched and prayed. That's why. We will be prone to temptations and falling into those temptations and be among the number of those who, because iniquity abounding, they haven't watched and prayed, have a love that's cold. It's not a warm, fiery, burning love for Jesus Christ and for others for the glory of God. And of course, we find also that in Matthew chapter 24 verse 5, For many shall come in my name, saying, I am Christ, and shall deceive many. Being watchful and prayerful means that we see the deception everywhere. We see it all over. We see it on vice presidential debates, you know, where things are not treated properly and there's an obvious prejudice and deception going on. But it's all over. And so we have to be watchful and prayerful because of the deception that is going to occur more and more. They're going to wax worse and worse. Remember, we talked about that. And then Colossians 4, 2, I think, gives us a reminder in all this. Continue in prayer and in the same with thanksgiving. We can be so just consumed with everything that's going on and we are not thankful. We're not thankful for the Lord's goodness toward us, counting our blessings, naming them one by one. We don't do that and we just complain and complain and complain and are down and down and down. Watching and praying means we're thankful for the good. I'm not saying put your head in the sand over the bad things. Make sure they're really bad though. It's worth even saying anything about. That we are thankful for the good. And you know, with all the bad news, it's kind of easy to be that way, isn't it? Because we do all this, you know, and then we tend to be that way. We all have a tendency for that. So we have to be mindful of that. So we'll be ready to, okay, all right, that may be true, but hey, I'm thankful. for what the Lord has done for me and for so and so and all these things. And so it goes on and says in Ephesians chapter six verse 18, praying always with all ways, with all prayer and supplication in the spirit and watching there into with all perseverance and supplication for all things. Not just praying about ourselves. praying for all saints, especially in the church here, praying for each member each day, and praying for them, being thankful for them, and also praying for those needs that they have. But now, fourthly, we must be rational. And Mark chapter 13 verse 7, and we shall hear of wars and rumors of wars, be ye not troubled, for such things must needs be, but the end shall not be yet. So in terms of the coming of Christ and things to come, we see things rapidly unfolding as never before in history concerning the return of Christ, the things to come, the signs of the times, But we're not to be troubled. We're to be not anxious, not worried, not panicking. We are to be calm and rational. How can you do that? Because we remember that the Lord is on our side. He's on our side. He is, as Brother Randall mentioned, in control of the storms. He's in control of the whirlwinds. And so it's all good in the sense that he's in control and he's working all things together for our good. When we realize that, it should cause us to to not be worried and not panic about things, to be so troubled about it that we be consumed by overmuch sorrow or whatever the case might be, our hearts failing us for fear and all that. God is not a neglectful, disabled parent. He is, he takes care, gives us exceedingly abundant above what we could ask or think, and he's give us a cup that runneth over with blessings, and he certainly is not one that is unable to provide. He's the sovereign God who works all things after the counsel of his own will. And then as I mentioned last time, and let me just touch on it as we come to a close, fifthly, we must be evangelical. Like I said in Matthew 24, 14, and this gospel of the kingdom shall be preached in all the world for a witness unto all nations and then shall the end come. That involves, you know, love, wax, cold is going to be typical for the last days. When we love God, we want to glorify Him. We want to, how do you glorify him? By hiding under a bushel basket? No, by letting Christ be known. in the way we live and the way that we speak and the things that we say. And one of the most wonderful things we can do is just share the gospel with someone. We've got a tract out there. You don't even have to necessarily say anything. Just lay a tract somewhere. I mean, it's so easy. It's really, there's no excuse for us not to. be evangelical in that sense. You know, we may call ourselves evangelical, like a lot of conservative Christians do, but are we is the question. Well, I'm part of an evangelical church. Well, then why would we not want to do what the church believes or what the Bible says? So it's about glorifying God and loving our neighbor. We love our neighbor because we care about what happens to them. And we know that they're going to go to hell. And unless they have to hear the gospel, if God's going to say something about it, they have to hear the gospel. Why not be having a privilege and honor and to give God glory and do good for your neighbor and show it by saying, you know, I'm a sin of two and I deserve hell as much as anybody. But, you know, do you know about this salvation, that Jesus came to save people from our sins and from hell to come? And just start out a conversation like that, or in some way like that. Be a willing vessel in the hands of God. And then, of course, we find that in 2 Timothy chapter 4, in verse 1. Speaking of the last days, as we wind up this message now in 2 Timothy chapter 4, as Paul is closing his letter to Timothy, he says, I charge thee therefore before God and the Lord Jesus Christ, who shall judge the quick and the dead at His appearing and His Kingdom, preach the Word. Be instant, in season, out of season, reprove, rebuke, resort with all long-suffering and doctrine. Now you might not be a preacher, but you know what? We preach, in a sense, with our words, what we do, things that we say. We are proclaiming a message of some kind. We might not even have the opportunity to preach, but our life speaks volumes. For the time will come when they will not endure sound doctrine. Does that mean, Timothy, that you give up? No, you keep on going. But after their own lusts shall they heap to themselves. Teachers have in each an ear, and they shall turn their ears from the truth, and shall be turned unto fables. But watch thou in all things, endure afflictions, do the work of an evangelist, Make full proof of thy ministry. It's got to be all of that. For I am ready. Apparently Paul was doing all that. I'm ready to be offered. In the time my departure's in, I've fought a good fight, I've finished my course, I've kept the faith. Henceforth is laid for me a crown of righteousness, which the Lord, the righteous judge, shall give me at that day, and not to me only. but unto all them also that love his appearance. Just like a good, faithful wife, when her husband is off on a long journey, she's watching and waiting and loving his appearance. That's what we ought to be like, is we're watchful. Is he coming yet? You know, it's like back in those days you didn't always know the exact timing like we do these days where it says the GPS says you'll be there in two hours and three minutes. No, it's not like that. And so, every day, we're watching. Jesus said, after all, we don't know the day or the hour. So may God add His blessing to His Word, as it has been brought to our attention, and may the Lord be honored by it.