Will You Be Ready When The Lord Shall Come Mp3 [2021] Download

Who then [John Piper], is the faithful and wise manager, whom his master will set over his household, to give them their portion of food at the proper time? Blessed is that servant whom his master will find so doing when he comes. Truly, I say to you, he will set him over all his possessions.

Scripture teaches with unmistakable clarity that all believers in Christ will give an account of their lives to their Lord (Romans 14:10-12). Even if Christ does not return for two hundred years, we will meet Him in our deaths, whether in twenty years, twenty months, or twenty minutes. God encourages us not to be surprised about the soon coming of our appointment to stand before Him. If we are ready to meet Christ, we will long for His return. If we are not ready, we will dread it. If we do not feel ready to meet Him, now is the time to get ready.

Will You Be Ready When The Lord Shall Come Mp3 Download

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Dear Lord, I have swept and I have washed but

still nothing is as shining as it should be

for you. Under the sink, for example, is an

uproar of mice it is the season of their

many children. What shall I do? And under the eaves

and through the walls the squirrels

have gnawed their ragged entrances but it is the season

when they need shelter, so what shall I do? And

the raccoon limps into the kitchen and opens the cupboard

while the dog snores, the cat hugs the pillow;

what shall I do? Beautiful is the new snow falling

in the yard and the fox who is staring boldly

up the path, to the door. And still I believe you will

come, Lord: you will, when I speak to the fox,

the sparrow, the lost dog, the shivering sea-goose, know

that really I am speaking to you whenever I say,

as I do all morning and afternoon: Come in, Come in.

The Servant who would be ready for his Lord's Com|ing, considers what his Lord has given him to do, before he comes and calls him to an Account: and this he sets himself about immediately, and without any Delay, least his Lord should come before it be done. He don't leave Things to be done next Year or next Month, or so much as till to Morrow, that can as well be done to Day: For, for aught he knows his Soul may be this Night required of him. He is ambitious of being able to say at the Com|ing of his Lord, in some good Measure as Christ himself did, when he was about to leave the World, Joh. xvii.4. I have glorified thee on Earth, and finished the Work which thou gavest me to do. Accordingly, he considers what Work God has given him to do, in and by which hePage 20might serve and glorify him. That is, he considers his general and his particular Calling, and the Duties that result therefrom; and attends the same with all Diligence.

Moreover, the Christian who would be always ready and even waiting for the Coming of his Lord, will considerPage 21the several Stations & Relations he stands in to his Fellow-Creatures, and the various Duties that result therefrom; and is concerned to be constantly and faithfully discharging the same.

His Treasure is in Heaven, and his Heart is there also: yea, his Conversation is in Heaven, from whence he looks for the Saviour, which is Christ Jesus the Lord. He consi|ders Christ is coming: And this draws forth his Soul in longing Desires after him; saying with the Psalmist, Psal. xl.2. My Soul thirsteth for God, for the living God, when shall I come and appear before him? Moreover, he thinks of Heaven, and this puts him into an heavenly Frame. He loves to contemplate the Glories of Heaven, and he loves to speak of Heaven, where he hopes to be in a little Time, with all the Saints that are gone before: And this puts him upon labouring more and more after the heavenly Temper. Having the Promises, and so the realizing Views of this blessed and glorious State, he is for cleansing himself yet more and more from all Filthiness of Flesh and Spirit, perfecting Holiness in the Fear of God. And the nearer he draws to the heavenly World, the more of Holiness, Humility, Love and Charity, appear in him, so that Heaven seems to be begun in his Soul, and some Rays of the heavenly Light and Glory begin to dawn upon him.

Page 25It may seem a Paradox to some, to tell them it is a blessed Thing to be always tho'tful of Death, and a blessed State, and to be constantly looking and waiting for that great Change. Some Persons are so far from thinking it a blessed State, that they look upon it as a very uneasy Posture to be in, & strive all they can, by Company, Diversions, or Busi|ness, to croud such gloomy melancholy Thoughts out of their Minds. And as to some, it is a constant Burden upon their Spirits; and the servile Fear hereof takes away all the Comforts of Life. Hence we read, Heb. ii.15. of those, who thro' Fear of Death, were all their Life-time subject to Bondage. But he who will seriously consider of the Matter, will find that the Thoughts of Death, and being in a wachful Frame, getting ready for the Coming of Christ, is the most blessed Frame we can be in, during the whole Course of Life, stretched out to the longest Pe|riod. If a Man should live Threescore Years and ten, yea, if by Reason of Strength, he should attain to Four|score Years; yet the most desireable Way of Living for that Man from his Youth-up, would be to have his Loins girded, and his Lights burning, and he as one waiting for the Coming of his Lord; and to be in Readiness for him, as if he was actually at the Door. Never does a Man live to so good Purpose. as when he is in actual as well as habitual Readiness for the Coming of Christ. And Oh! what a blessed Frame would People be in, did they live always in the near Views of Death, Judgment, and Eter|nity! And he who lives in the nearest & most realizing Views hereof, is the most blessed Man, as he is in the most blessed Way of living. For,

According to the near and realizing Views Men have of the Coming of Christ, will their Tempers towards one another be corrected. How does Pride and Envy, Wrath and Hatred subside, and Clamour & Evil-speaking grow silent, when Christ our Lord by the Messenger of Death appears to be at the Door? And how does Love and Good-will to all Men begin to rise and glow in the Hearts of Saints, when they by some evident Tokens see Death hastning upon them? And what a forgiving, and asking Forgiveness? And what a Care to repair every Injury they have done, and to give all Christian Satis|faction, where they have given Offence; when in the near Views of Death and Judgment? Which shews, that if Christians were always in such a waiting Posture, they would live more up to the Christian Law of Love to one another. Then Christians would have a stricter Regard to Truth and Justice in all their Concerns one with ano|ther, and abound in all Acts of Kindness and Charity to the proper Objects thereof; and endeavour to be of all the Benefit to Mankind they can, by their Counsels and Instructions, and Prayers, and every kind Office. And in short, will at such a Time exhibit a bright Example of all Christian Graces and Vertues; and set forth the Beau|ties and Glories of Religion, so as to recommend the same to the Esteem and Choice of others. When does Religion appear so amiable and excellent, as in a Servant waiting for the Coming of his Lord, full of Faith, full of Love to God, and Charity to Men, & with an Heart emptied of the World; but full of God and Christ, full of Heaven, and heavenly Conversation: And at the same Time acting with Dili|gence, Care and Fidelity in every Station and Relation of Life? Insomuch that if it was not for the horrible Cor|ruptions & Prejudices of Mens Hearts against the truePage 27Religion of Christ, every one would be enamoured by his Example. Christians in a truly watching & waiting Frame, will so cause their Light to shine before Men, that others seeing their good Works, will be strongly induced to glo|rify our Father which is in Heaven.

The Loins girded about, and the Lights burning, what is it, but Grace in the several Branches of it, in lively Exercise? And surely there is nothing that affords such true Peace, such real Pleasure, and solid Satisfaction to the Soul, as this. Her Ways are Ways of Pleasantness, and all her Paths are Peace. She is a Tree of Life to them that lay hold upon her, and happy is every one that retaineth her, Prov. iii.17, 18. Whatever the vain, carnal, thoughtless World may think of it; yet it is certain, that no Men do so ef|fectually consult their own Peace and Comfort in this World, as they who are in a watching waiting Frame for the Coming of Christ, and have every Thing ready for his most sudden Appearance. When does the Man live so near to God; when does he live so like to God, or en|joy such Communion with him, as when Faith, and Hope, and Charity, are drawn forth into lively Exercise? More|over in such a Way, the Christian is most likely to see God's reconciled Face, and to enjoy the Evidences of his Love; Yea, and to walk up & down in the Light of his Countenance, which puts more Gladness in the Heart, than when Corn and Wine and Oil are increased. Psal. iv.6, 7.

But as I am speaking more especially of first Rate Christians, who are eminent for their Watchfulness, and Readiness for the Coming of Christ; so we may consider such, as receiving higher Marks of Favour than other Saints. They shall be not only barely admitted into Hea|ven: but shall have an Entrance ministred to them abun|dantly into the Everlasting Kingdom. They shall not squeeze thro' the Gates into the Celestial City; but they shall have an open Entrance, and this ministred to them abundantly: And they, instead of some of the lower Seats, shall be advanced to the higher Mansions. Such DistinctionPage 30will be made among the Saints: For as one Star differeth from another in Glory, so also is the Resurrection, and Glo|rification of the Saints, 1 Cor. xv.41, 42. And then Christ their Lord, will as it were make them to sit down to Meat, and serve them: for he will make most free and full Com|munications of himself, and of the Tokens of his Love unto them, far beyond all that we can describe. "For Eye hath not seen, nor Ear heard, neither hath it so much as entred into the Heart of Man to conceive, what glorious Things are prepared and laid up for such:" And so I forbear. And what has been said, is abundantly sufficient to set forth the Blessedness of every watching and waiting Christian. 9af72c28ce