Recently I went outside to look at the stars,and in those pre-dawn hours it suddenly impressed me that Jesus was soon to come.For more than a decade,this realization had been my blessed hope,and just a simple task of looking at the stars,gave me a glimpse of not too distant future events. I am overwhelmed as I see the prophecies unfold in such graphic detail. I do so want to be ready when Jesus comes,do you?

The very fact that you and I are still here proves that the opening three verses of Revelation 7 are yet being fulfilled. God is holding back the winds of strife,theTime of Trouble,until all His servants are sealed.Jesus will not come,while one soul is still wrestling with eternal questions. It is always surprising to hear believers,try to extend the second coming by five,ten,fifteen,twenty years.A day is a moment too long. For as the Father sees the Earth in turmoil, I imagine that His heart must be in pain. Steeven Curtis Chapman has it wrong,there are tears in heaven,for Jesus sheds them,each time a soul is lost to the Rebel-Prince, Lucifer. Were time to be extended for all those who are milking this life for all it's worth-millions now holding on,by the strands of simple faith-would loose out on heaven. God cannot and will not allow it. "Behold I come quickly," He has promised.Friend,are you praying as John,"Even so come Lord JESUS.", I hope you are.

If we were to chronicle the death toll on this planet,that were a direct result from the war called,"The Great Controversey",the answer would be all of them-for indeed,all who have fell victim to the grave,did so as a consequence of that first battle waged in Eden.And in the present day we are in the period known as,the"little time of trouble"(read about it in GC:"Earth's Final Warning"),Sister White says that millions will loose their lives in a single day.But,and this is good news,it also heralds that death knell of Lucifer,for then comes in rapid fire succession our;trials,tribulations,and our delivverance. Pray daily to be accounted worthy to walk with Christ,in white,in that city pure and bright.

The signs of the times are so clear, Jesus is soon to return: fires,floods,droughts,and famines. There are earthquakes in divers places,hurricanes,hail and tornadoes-the meteorologists are saying that the unprecedented intensity and frequence of these killer storms,are of,"Biblical proportions," all this will lead to (according to Ellen White) an eventual call for a Sunday Law in our nation.

There has never been a time quite like this moment in history. All of the major prophecies of the Bible that helped us to prepare for the second coming have been or are being fulfilled. Thats why the angel of Revelatiion 10 makes the critical announcement,which is the title chosen for this article. He swears,"by Him, that liveth forever and ever,who created heave, and the things that are therein, and earth,and the things that are therein,and the sea,and the things which are therein,that there should be TIME NO LONGER..."(v.6).

Revelation is a most awesome book,it outlines the final events of history in graphic detail. It doesn't take a rocket-scientist to figure out that this is the generation that will see Jesus return to this world. But in the meantime we are in a war and the battle is intensifying.Enter now the Titanic parallel-the allegoric parable of a people headed towards an ice-berg,unbeknown to them,while the band plays on. Indeed heaven has issued a telegram to the doomed vessel,"ICE-BERG AHEAD!!!"-but they are all too busy to take note.

A call goes out to you this moment,will you freeze to death in the icy waters of this life or will you be safely about the life-boat as it sails to heaven's shore? There is no time to decide,delay is deadly,it could cost you dearly.Only those who are on their watch would be ready. The story of the wise and foolish virgins illustrates this point vividly(Matt 25:1-13). It is at an hour when we are unaware, that Christ will come(ibid v.44).

Always keep a vigilant watch,for you never can be too sure. Never allow yourself to be caught off guard(Hab.2:1-3)-did you catch it? The prophecy speaks of a tarrying time",just like in the parable in Matthew 25. Could it be that this tarrying time is the sifting/shaking period that is mentioned in The Spirit of prophecy? And is it the same as the parable of the sheep and the goats in Matthew 25(see verse 31-46)? Indeed we are living in the moments when the true followers of Christ are being separated from those who follow Him in name only(Matthew 15:8). The distinguishing marks between the wheat and the tares are now readily seen. The enemy's plans are unmasked...There shall be time no longer. Will this generation be granted one final chance to test their faithfulness?

And what of the people who say they are God's? Would they know that God has granted them just moments to do a most awesome work(1Peter 1?:13-25;3:8-16;James 1:12-26),a most awesome task indeed,whose end would result in the ransome of the purchased possession(see Joel 2:1-13). According to Ellen White,the people of God have a twin work to do in these end times. Seek and save the lost and work on their defects of character(Matt. 28:18-20;Acts 3:19-21;Hosea 6:1-3;Zech. 10:1). In the work of soul saving we must warn the people to prepare for the coming of the Lord,we must entreat them to resist the mark of the beast. Heaven will not be gained by any who refuse to minister to the lost and perishing soul. According to Sister White the "stars" that adorn our crowns, represent the souls we have won for Christ,and she states emphatically,that there will be no starless crowns in heaven,what will you do:

EMILY

I SAW HER THE OTHER DAY
A GIRL I MET ALONG LIFE'S WAY
SHE WAS WANDERING ALONG THE STREET
A LITTLE GIRL WITH A SMILE SO SWEET
SHE SMILED WHEN I TOLD HER HI
AND I - THOUGH I DON'T KNOW WHY
BEGAN TO TELL HER ABOUT MY fRIEND
THE ONE SHE WOULD MEET AT LIFE'S END
AND I COULD TELL
SHE DIDN'T KNOW HIM WELL
SO I INVITED HER TO THIS PLACE
AND BY THE LOOK ON HER FACE
I COULD TELL SHE WAS SAD
SHE HAD LOST HER MOM AND DAD
WITH NO ONE TO TURN TO
SHE DIDN'T KNOW WHAT TO DO
SO SHE WANDERED THIS LIFE ALONE AND AFRAID
NOW SHE CRIES ON MY SHOULDER,FOR THE MISTAKES SHE MADE
I TOLD HER ABOUT JESUS AND HOW MUCH HE LOVES HER
THAT HE WOULD BE TO HER A FAITHFUL BROTHER
AS I LEFT HER IN THE HOME OF A SISTER
SHE SAID TO ME,"HEY MISTER-
THANKS FOR THE KINDNESS YOU'VE SHOWN TO ME
AND I PRAY THAT I COULD BE
JUST LIKE YOU TO SOME OTHER LOST BOY OR GIRL
AND LEAD THEM TO JESUS AND HIS BRAND NEW WORLD."

Jesus is coming soon,whatever we are going to do before He comes,we have to do it very soon. All that He expects from us is a life that remains faithful to Him. And no matter what He asks of us,we should do it. For there can be no greater sacrifice than that which Christ made on Calvary's cross. By choosing to die for us,He showed that He'd rather die than live without us. I want to meet Him when He comes,what about you? But before then, the mind that is in you must be the mind of Christ(see Phil.2:5). That is what Christ is waiting for: the reproduction of His character in His people. Every faithful Seventh-Day Adventist must be now doing the work of Daniel 7-making an end of sin(see also Matt. 5:48),this according to the spirit of prophecy is the final work God will do for the church.Then it is that the latter rain will fall(seeJer.51:21,Joel 2). Then it is that Jesus will come.

My fellow believer,it is critical that we do not allow the tempest that is lashing against the ramparts of our church to knock us off course. Its going home time...and I do believe I see the gleams of the golden morning. Stay the course...Our Lord Comes...Maranatha!!!

© 1999 Elmshaven Ministries