Even So, Come Lord Jesus

All scripture references, unless otherwise noted, are from the King James Version of the Holy Bible.
An interesting passage of scripture is found in next to the last verse, in the last book of the Bible. Revelation 22:20 says, "He which testifieth these things saith, Surely I come quickly. Amen. Even so, come, Lord Jesus." We find the promise from the Lord Jesus himself of His soon return and the cry of His church for His return, "... Even so, come, Lord Jesus." I was talking to an old friend on the phone yesterday and we both concluded that there would be a day come when the unjust and the filthy would have no more place of getting right with God before His return, and the righteous and the holy would be vindicated for their lifestyle. (See Revelation 22:11) An old chorus we used to sing in the Tigard, Oregon church goes like this;
     Oh that will be, glory for me;
     Glory for me, glory for me.
     When by His grace I shall look on His face

     That will be glory, be glory for me.

Its true! One day, and I believe it will be soon, the Lord Jesus will return to take His church out of this world. I want to be ready to go when he returns. But there will be a generation that will not be ready when Jesus comes back.  The Lord Jesus said in Matthew 24:44 , "Therefore be ye also ready: for in such an hour as ye think not the Son of man cometh."

The Lord will come back in an hour when the so-called Christian world will have ceased to believe in His return. But I heard the same message of His soon return 50 plus years ago. The Bible asks the question, where is the promise of His coming? (See 2nd Peter 3:4) What? Do you mean to say that it has been 2,000 years or so since, according to Acts 1:11, the angels said to the early church apostles and disciples, "...Ye men of Galilee, why stand ye gazing up into heaven? this same Jesus, which is taken up from you into heaven, shall so come in like manner as ye have seen him go into heaven." The return of the Lord Jesus is still the hope of the church.

The Bible says in Hebrews 10:37, "For yet a little while, and he that shall come will come, and will not tarry." When Jesus comes back for His church, there will be those who have lived a filthy lifestyle and those who have never trusted the Just one, who has justified the believer.  And there will be those, who have never trusted in their own righteousness or holiness, but have put their trust in the only one who is truly righteous and holy, the Lord Jesus Christ. (See Romans 3:26) In essence ,when Jesus does return, it will be too late to find a place of repentance before God, and it will be too late to have faith in Jesus for salvation.

My friend, there is still time. It is not too late to repent toward God and to put your faith in Jesus Christ. He loves you with an inexpressible love, but He wants you to make Him your choice. If you have never obeyed the gospel, if you have never repented of your sins, if you have never been baptized in Jesus precious name and received God's promised Holy Spirit, I encourage you to do so today. Find someone who will baptize you according to Peter's answer to his Jewish hearers found in Acts 2:37-39. The day of the Lord will come as a thief in the night. (See 2nd Peter 3:10) Then it will be too late. "... Even so, come, Lord Jesus."