Are you prepared for Jesus to return?
The number 40 is significant in the Bible. It is mentioned over 240 times. Here are just a few instances:
The rain fell for 40 days and night when Noah and his family and all the animals were on the ark.
The Israelites were in the desert for 40 years.
Goliath taunted the Israelite army for 40 days.
Saul, David and Solomon all were king for 40 years.
Jesus was in the wilderness for 40 days fasting and praying prior to Satan tempting him.
Preparing our hearts for Easter -- The day celebrating Jesus's resurrection. Where is your heart right now? Are you prepared for Jesus to return? How is your "Love" life? Who are you really?
"If I speak in the tongues[a] of men or of angels, but do not have love, I am only a resounding gong or a clanging cymbal." 1 Corinthians 13:1
Four Applications which can help you live in Readiness:
#1 Go off and pray:
"After he had dismissed them, he went up on a mountainside by himself to pray. Later that night, he was there alone," Matthew 14:23
"After leaving them, he went up on a mountainside to pray." Mark 6:46
"One of those days Jesus went out to a mountainside to pray, and spent the night praying to God." Luke 6:12
Jesus spent his time preaching, teaching and healing. About 500 people followed him around all the time. He would have gotten very drained from all this. If he needed to go off and recharge in God's presence, we need to too. Shut everything off. And just let it be you and God. Get off by yourself and pray.
READ THE WORD!
“Woe to you, teachers of the law and Pharisees, you hypocrites! You are like whitewashed tombs, which look beautiful on the outside but on the inside are full of the bones of the dead and everything unclean. 28 In the same way, on the outside you appear to people as righteous but on the inside you are full of hypocrisy and wickedness." Matthew 23:27-28
Jesus was direct.
#2 Clean your "house":
"Do you not know that your bodies are temples of the Holy Spirit, who is in you, whom you have received from God? You are not your own; 20 you were bought at a price. Therefore honor God with your bodies." 1 Corinthians 6:19-20
"Cleanse me with hyssop, and I will be clean;
wash me, and I will be whiter than snow." Psalm 51:7
Don't get caught short. Don't be a whitewashed tomb. We know Jesus is coming back. Clean yourself on the inside where only God can see.
45 “Who then is the faithful and wise servant, whom the master has put in charge of the servants in his household to give them their food at the proper time? 46 It will be good for that servant whose master finds him doing so when he returns." Matthew 24:45-46
"Come near to God and he will come near to you. Wash your hands, you sinners, and purify your hearts, you double-minded." James 4:8
#3 Heart Preparation -- prepare your heart (is love lacking in your heart):
"A person may think their own ways are right,
but the Lord weighs the heart." Proverbs 21:2
10 For it is with your heart that you believe and are justified, and it is with your mouth that you profess your faith and are saved." Romans 10:10
"2 Do not conform to the pattern of this world but be transformed by the renewing of your mind. Then you will be able to test and approve what God’s will is—his good, pleasing and perfect will." Romans 12:2
Swim upstream. Don't go along with the crowd,w ith the world.
#4 Put on your "Sunday best!"
Be ready every single day for Jesus to return.
8 But do not forget this one thing, dear friends: With the Lord a day is like a thousand years, and a thousand years are like a day. 9 The Lord is not slow in keeping his promise, as some understand slowness. Instead he is patient with you, not wanting anyone to perish, but everyone to come to repentance." 2 Peter 3:8-9
9 If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just and will forgive us our sins and purify us from all unrighteousness." 1 John 1:9
Be "dressed" for the Master.
22 You were taught, with regard to your former way of life, to put off your old self, which is being corrupted by its deceitful desires; 23 to be made new in the attitude of your minds; 24 and to put on the new self, created to be like God in true righteousness and holiness." Ephesians 4:22-24
16 “When you fast, do not look somber as the hypocrites do, for they disfigure their faces to show others they are fasting. Truly I tell you, they have received their reward in full. 17 But when you fast, put oil on your head and wash your face, 18 so that it will not be obvious to others that you are fasting, but only to your Father, who is unseen; and your Father, who sees what is done in secret, will reward you." Matthew 6:16-18
Therefore:
12 Therefore, as God’s chosen people, holy and dearly loved, clothe yourselves with compassion, kindness, humility, gentleness and patience. 13 Bear with each other and forgive one another if any of you has a grievance against someone. Forgive as the Lord forgave you. 14 And over all these virtues put on love, which binds them all together in perfect unity." Colossians 3:12-14