Are you ready for what's next?

[0:00] I can remember when, as a young family, we would take some long treks through the outback into some far reaches and then travel back to Adelaide in the car.

[0:10] And Julie likes to call it the blue thing it was. It was an econovam that had no air conditioning. We used to travel in the heat of summer and we loved getting in the blue thing and coming down to Adelaide.

[0:22] But one of the things that children used to yell out in the back seat on these long treks through the outback, driving those many kilometres, those long hours, those long dreary journeys, they would often cry to me, the driver, from the back seat and say, are we there yet? Are we there yet?

[0:42] Who's had that happen? You know, a big trip. How about you young people? You say that to mum and dad sometimes. Are we there yet? You know, it's just taking too long, isn't it? Well, we're talking about readiness today, readiness for the second coming.

[0:55] And we think about the state of play in our world today. Israel is in this state of war, isn't it? It's a horrible thing. Radicals are calling for holy war, they call it. Spreading violence worldwide. These are graphic times, graphic pictures.

[1:12] Now, this isn't Israel or Gaza, this is London. You've got Big Ben there. You've got masses of people protesting, stirring up crowds in cities like London, Paris, Berlin.

[1:24] And the police are not coping sometimes with the massive protests and the cries for blood. And the chaos is spilling out over many nations around the globe today.

[1:34] It doesn't look like the mayhem and the destruction is going to finish any time soon. I think it's only just started. That's the reality. And there's this dread foreboding.

[1:46] Now, that little boy there in Gaza, I don't think that's a toy machine gun. I think that's a real one. This is what's happening. I got this today. This is today's news.

[1:57] And they're arming Israeli children too. They're putting weapons in the arms of women, children, anyone that can carry a gun.

[2:09] And this is dreadful stuff, people. What are we to make of all this? As Bible-believing people. This dread foreboding, this relentless conflict that's spreading.

[2:20] And it doesn't look like it's going to stop any time soon. We know that Israel in the Bible is ground zero for the end times. And Israel has been called God's time clock.

[2:33] It's like the alarm is sounding right now. It's going off and it's deafening. Israel certainly is facing trouble right now. And in the time of the end, the Bible tells of a specific time of Jacob's trouble.

[2:48] Are we there yet? It does make you wonder. I'm not saying we are there yet, but I'm saying Jacob's trouble. Israel's in trouble, isn't it?

[2:59] There's some trouble brewing. There's some trouble happening right now in the nation of Israel. And Jeremiah 30 verse 7, it says, Alas, for that day is great, so that none is like it.

[3:10] It is even the time of Jacob's trouble. Jacob being Israel. But he shall be saved out of it. So there's hope of deliverance, yeah. But it tells of a time of Jacob's trouble.

[3:22] And I put to you people today, friends, we can be, I think, alarmed and aware that this is escalating to a level, they're calling it unprecedented.

[3:33] And even the worldly media are saying, this is getting biblical. They know it's getting biblical. The world says this is biblical. They're talking of words like apocalypse.

[3:44] They're talking of words like Armageddon. Now, of course, we can take heart as God's people not to be alarmed in such a time. But I think we should be alerted. Are we there yet?

[3:57] Demonic ideologies are fueling radical hate. Dangerous acts. Evil is exploding. Fear is rising across the globe. We're seeing this in these times, in these very days that we live.

[4:09] And some are seeing mounting signs alike to what we read in chapters 37 and 38 of Ezekiel. This is David Jeremiah's picture here of how the nations referred to in Ezekiel 37 and 38, how they relate to some modern day nations.

[4:28] Some of it is speculation. Some say Magog is Russia. Some say it's Turkey. There's a degree of interpretation of anticipation that may not be exact.

[4:41] But nevertheless, we're seeing these things that seem to relate. They seem to correlate to biblical prophecies. Because Ezekiel foreshadows an invasion of Israel.

[4:53] And what are we hearing lately? An invasion of Israel. And we're seeing an invasion of Gaza. We're seeing this tension. One fights the other and the other fights back.

[5:03] And it's just mounting mayhem, isn't it? An eye for an eye. And bloodthirstiness is just shocking stuff. And I think we should be very much aware that it's getting biblical.

[5:16] There's some growing signs that Turkey, Iran and Russia are in a close alliance. The Bible talks about just that. China and Russia are also very close. These things are happening in our time.

[5:28] Now, of course, in times past they would have said such things too. But I think as the words have been used by the press, it's unprecedented. Unprecedented. The Bible speaks about Persia, which is an ancient name for Iran.

[5:43] Could it be? Could it be that the stage is being set for these last days events that Ezekiel prophesied of? Whatever the case, one thing is for sure. We need to prepare.

[5:56] We individually. Each one of us need to personally prepare for the coming of Christ. What are the people of God to do in such a time as this?

[6:07] When our Lord tells of this time to come, the time of his returning, he refers to two men. The lives of two men. And the context of both occasions is of judgment.

[6:20] We can go to Luke 17, for example, to read about the world that Noah lived in. And how it relates to the days of the end. And our Lord tells us here in Luke 17, from verse 26, And as it was in the days of Noah, so shall it be.

[6:40] So shall it be also in the days of the Son of Man. They did eat, they drank, they married wives, they were given in marriage, until the day that Noah entered into the ark, and the flood came and destroyed them all.

[6:55] The world that Noah lived in was filled with evil. Yet they just stumbled on, didn't they? Oh, just another day. They stumbled on regardless.

[7:07] It was business as usual. They were oblivious, unaware. Oh, she'll be right, mate. God's judgment was so close, so close. Yet they just carried on with life as normal.

[7:19] Isn't that just like us Aussies? Many in our day are just the same. The same as the people in Noah's day. Even those who profess Christ seem to be unaware, unheeding, of the days that we're living in.

[7:36] Noah's day had some clear markers, and we do well to take note, because as it was in the days of Noah, so shall it be, when Christ comes. So let's have a look at some of those markers.

[7:47] It says in Genesis 6 verse 11 that the earth also was corrupt before God, and the earth was filled with violence. What are the headlines on our newspapers?

[8:00] Violence, isn't it? It's violence every day now, and rising violence in our days. Yet like in Noah's day, people are spiritually careless.

[8:11] When we go door knocking, telling people about the need to trust Christ, to trust him, they are careless. I've got my own religion.

[8:26] I've got my own beliefs. I don't know what they believe in, but unless it's Christ, it's not going to help them. Unless you're believing in Christ, you're damned.

[8:37] You're hell bound. There's no hope for you. You must trust Christ. One name under heaven, given among men. One name, Jesus. Jesus.

[8:48] Jesus only. Yet like in Noah's day, they're careless. Are we moving to a time alike to the days of Noah? I think we are. People are oblivious, apathetic, complacent.

[8:59] The Aussie culture, the world's culture is careless, isn't it? And Noah was the one person, only one, living for God in this evil world.

[9:09] One man in a million. Millions. Genesis 6 verse 8. It tells of Noah, but Noah found grace in the eyes of the Lord. These are the generations of Noah.

[9:22] Noah was a just man and perfect in his generations. And Noah walked with God. Wow. Wouldn't that be something? Dare we be like Noah?

[9:34] Dare we be like Noah? Noah. When you walk with God, you might stand out from the crowd. People might think you're a bit weird. Maybe it's good to be weird sometimes. Maybe it's good to be different.

[9:45] Amen? When the world's going to hell, maybe it's good that we're going a different direction from the majority, isn't it? You're probably going to look weird if you stand up for Christ in your workplace, in your family, in your community.

[9:57] There's so many pressures to conform, to go along, to conform to the world around us. But Noah, something about Noah, he was different.

[10:10] He trusted Christ. In effect, he trusted the Saviour. He was the only one alive that pleased God, that knew salvation, that knew the grace of God.

[10:20] And it tells of Noah that he walked with God in this unwavering faithfulness and solid in that time of total ungodliness. We read elsewhere that Noah was moved with fear.

[10:33] He had a fear of God. He cared about the things of God. He took it seriously. What about you and me? Are we moved? Moved by faith? Moved by that fear of God? Moved by that conviction?

[10:44] Or do we live carelessly and don't really care? Moved by that fear. Another big lesson we can learn from Noah is don't miss the boat. Don't miss the boat.

[10:55] There's a time of departure. There's a time when the boat's going to leave the shore and the moorings are going to be loosed and the boat's going to be gone. And we're going to be in it. That trust him.

[11:06] Friends, don't miss the boat. God's judgment is sure. It's looming. It's coming. Some will be spared. Saved. But others will be destroyed.

[11:18] Destroyed. It's interesting to consider, really, who is the world's first preacher. It was Noah. It was Noah. He was the one who was the world's first preacher.

[11:29] And what was his first sermon? Noah was the first preacher. And his message was one of strong warning. God's judgment came.

[11:40] It tells us in 2 Peter 2 that God's judgment is spared not the old world, but God saved Noah, the eighth person, a preacher of righteousness, bringing in the flood upon the world of the ungodly.

[11:53] So it's telling you here, brothers and sisters, that God is going to pour out his judgment, his wrath. And yet, only some are going to be saved.

[12:07] It tells us eight. Eight in the whole world. And the world of the ungodly is going to face judgment. We should take it seriously. Look at the spirit of the age that we're living in.

[12:20] It's right for God's judgment, isn't it? We see the state of it. Noah did not hide his faith. He stood up and told and witnessed of his faith. He wasn't focused on fitting in with the world, going along with the crowd.

[12:34] God, his message was to urge people back to God. And we know the story goes how Noah and his family entered the ark. They were saved. They were saved. Kept safe in the ark, which represents for us Christ, that he is our safety.

[12:50] And his safekeeping is his salvation. And all the animals. It was not raining when Noah entered the ark. In fact, it didn't rain for an entire week after Noah entered the ark with his family.

[13:02] That would have been a time of waiting, wouldn't it? Imagine that. God gave Noah the instruction to build the ark. He built it. It took many long years.

[13:13] Some hundred plus years. And then God brought the animals two by two, two of every one and some extras, into the ark.

[13:26] And Noah entered the ark then with his family. And God shut the door. That was it. You miss the boat if you're not inside the ark, right? And so then they waited.

[13:38] Imagine how they would have waited inside the ark. Might have been those smelly animals and lots of noise and ruckus. And they just waited. A whole week. A whole week.

[13:50] And then the first droplet came. It was then too late for those outside of the ark. There's a time limit for salvation. It's for a limited time only.

[14:01] Truly it is. And people's hearts have hardened today. And some are not going to hear. Even though there's so many signs. They will not see them. They will not hear the warning.

[14:13] Flee from the wrath to come. Get in the ark. Oh, I'm too busy. I'm doing this or that. I've got other things to do. I've got my own beliefs.

[14:27] Heard the warning, people. Flee from the judgment to come. Our Lord says that the time of his returning is going to be like that time. Of Noah.

[14:38] Our Lord goes on to say in Luke 17 of a second man, Lot. We read of that in Luke 17, verse 28. Likewise also it was in the days of Lot.

[14:49] They did eat. They drank. They bought. They sold. They planted. They built it. But the same day that Lot went out of Sodom, it rained fire and brimstone from heaven.

[14:59] And destroyed them all. Even thus shall it be in the day when the Son of Man is revealed. Isn't it just human nature? Carry on as normal. Sodom was this depraved city.

[15:12] Its people were unbridled in their sin and godless ways. God's people were taken out. Judgment fell. There's a picture here of the time of Christ returning.

[15:26] Of course there's different views on this and that of timing. But the truth and the point is, the clear picture is, God's people are out. God's judgment comes. Friends, are you in the ark?

[15:38] Are you in God's safekeeping? Are the angels going to hold your hand and take you out of Sodom? Or are you just going to stay in Sodom and be damned and destroyed with the depraved city?

[15:50] Look at Sodom today. Look at the Sodomites today. In 2 Peter 2 we read more of Lot. It tells, turning the cities of Sodom and Gomorrah into ashes. God condemned them with an overthrow, making them an example unto those that are after should live ungodly.

[16:08] And it says, and God delivered just Lot. Righteous Lot. God delivered him. And it says he was vexed with the filthy conversation. Of the wicked. Lot was called righteous.

[16:21] As much as at times we know Lot had his failings just like Noah did. Lot was a wavering man sometimes. He made foolish mistakes. Why was he even in Sodom? Yet it says that Lot was grieved.

[16:33] Lot was grieved by the filthy ways. By the filthy conversation. By the sensual culture. The selfish way of life.

[16:44] The selfish ways of the day. And the Sodomites prevailed. It sounds a lot like our land, doesn't it? The Sodomites are prevailing in Australia.

[16:55] It's like you can't dare say anything against the Sodomites today. Because they've got such a prominent place in our culture. Aussie culture is pretty pathetic and corrupted, I put to you.

[17:08] And it sounds a lot like our land, what Sodom was like. Ordin't we to be like Lot? Ordin't we to be like Lot? We see as we read on, verse 8. For that righteous man, Lot, dwelling among them, in seeing and hearing, vexed his righteous soul from day to day with their unlawful deeds.

[17:29] Ordin't we to be like Lot? That the things of Sodom are repulsive to us? That they are vile to us? That we will speak against them? When we see the ungodliness of our land and our leaders?

[17:43] Ordin't we to be vexed? Vexed. It's got the sense of distress, troubled, disturbed. We should be disturbed spiritually. We should be disturbed in our spirit.

[17:54] His righteous soul was grieved to see the ungodliness of his day. We should not accept this conversation, this lifestyle of sin and overlook it.

[18:04] It should be something repulsive and vile to us. And of course, but for the grace of God, we'd be in it. And thank God some of us were in it and now we've been saved from it. The lifestyle of sin is more than one kind of sin, of course.

[18:19] But we see the lifestyle of the lost here. That it vexed his righteous soul. He knew they were damned. He knew they were hell bound. What he heard, what he saw day after day, it grieved him.

[18:31] Let's not get accustomed to evil such that we whitewash it and excuse it or condone it. That we lose that godly reaction. That's wrong. That's wrong. That's sin.

[18:42] Call it for what it is. It's nothing to be laughed about or overlooked. And I'm saying every sin, truly. What unlawful deeds.

[18:53] There's all kinds of deeds of evil. But we see Sodom as that picture, that graphic picture of sin. And of the lifestyle of sin. And it says then the angels came.

[19:05] And in grace they found Lot sitting there. And he was sitting at the seat of leadership. He was at the gate. Maybe he was trying to be an influence.

[19:16] Maybe he was trying to help. To be salt and light. Maybe some good was done. Yet he was almost presiding over this sinful city.

[19:29] And it was a shame. It was a reproach. That he was such a man. In such a place. A shameful place to be. And the angels warned Lot of the impending danger.

[19:43] And then we see that Lot gave warning to others. We see as his righteous soul was vexed. And then he started to warn his sons-in-law. In Genesis 19, 14.

[19:55] It tells how he went out. He spake to his sons-in-law. Which were married, his daughters. And said, Ah, get you out of this place. For the Lord will destroy this city. But he seemed as one that mocked unto his sons-in-law.

[20:08] What a sad thing. And we can find that too. As you might witness to a loved one. As you might reach to dear ones in your life. Family members. Warning others.

[20:20] And they just dismiss what you're saying. It says they kind of laughed it off. They thought it was a big joke. We all know people that we're trying to reach for Christ. And they dismiss it.

[20:32] They laugh it off. We would beckon to them. Flee to Christ. And they would react against that warning.

[20:42] They don't take it seriously. Can we see that we are, as it were, as it was in the days of Noah. As it was in the days of Lot.

[20:53] These are not times to trifle. To take salvation lightly. We should take it dead seriously. And I need this too.

[21:05] Maybe Lot had not been the testimony that he could have been. Even Lot himself hesitated to leave. He should have known. Righteous Lot. Just Lot. He was a righteous man.

[21:16] But the world still had a draw on him. It's like the angels had to kind of coax him. The world still had its draw. And it has on us too. If we don't wake up.

[21:28] Lot and his daughters escaped Sodom. But then as the judgment falls. Lot's wife disobeyed the command of the angels. There they were getting rescued. And she looked back.

[21:39] She looked back. What was it that she was hankering for? Was there something there that she still had a tie to? She looked back and she was turned into a pillar of salt.

[21:50] Her body had left Sodom. But her heart never could. What about you? Our Lord says remember Lot's wife. She hankered for the world.

[22:02] She wanted to go back. She wanted to return. She still had a love for Sodom. Some are careless like Lot's wife. Our Lord says remember Lot's wife.

[22:15] Don't be like her. Spiritually careless. Judgment looms and she wants to go back. Consider the common theme. As in the days of Noah. As in the days of Lot.

[22:27] In both examples we see some common themes. In both examples we see a conflict between righteousness and evil. We see the warning. The urgency to wake up.

[22:38] To flee to Christ. With both scenarios it shows the removal of the righteous. And the judgment of the unbelievers. And the message. Be ready.

[22:51] Now of course some of these scriptures might have a different context for this and that. But the theme is still true for today. As at any time.

[23:02] Be ready. Be ready. For in such an hour as you think not. The son of man cometh. Judgment is at the door. We don't know how long we've got.

[23:13] Are we there yet? I can't tell you. How far. How long. How much longer. How many more days. Are we there yet? I can tell you there's some signs.

[23:24] I can tell you there's some signs happening. Of increasing world turmoil. I can tell you there's some signs of wars. And rumours of wars. And of violence. Times of violence. As it was in the days of Noah.

[23:35] As it was in the days of Lot. Many false religions and philosophies rising. People kidding themselves. Deception is everywhere. And the devil wants it just that way. You know often when we go witnessing.

[23:48] People say well there's so much trouble in the world. You know. Why doesn't God do something? God has done something. He sent his only beloved son. His blessed only begotten son.

[24:00] He sent his son. So that we need not perish. But we can have everlasting life. God has done something. He's done everything. That had to be done.

[24:11] And he's still giving us time. A waiting time. Until he says. Time's up. You missed the boat. You missed the boat. The door's shut. God shuts the door. Noah didn't shut the door.

[24:22] Noah didn't decide who's going to be in. And who's going to be out. God said. Time's up. One day he's going to say that. One day soon I think. And so for the meantime. We see many false religions.

[24:34] And false philosophies. It tells of how many are going to come. In my name. In Christ's name. Saying I am Christ. And many shall. And shall deceive many. And you shall hear of wars.

[24:45] And rumours of wars. See that you be not troubled. For all these things must come to pass. But the end is not yet. For nation shall rise against nation.

[24:56] Kingdom against kingdom. There shall be famines. And pestilences. And earthquakes. In diverse places. All these are the beginning of sorrows. They shall deliver you up. To be afflicted.

[25:06] And shall kill you. And you shall be hated of all nations. For my name's sake. And then. Shall many be offended. And shall betray one another. And shall hate one another. And many false prophets shall rise.

[25:18] And shall deceive many. And because iniquity shall abound. The love of many shall wax cold. Of course we know. Some would interpret these verses. For a different time. A different space.

[25:28] A different people. But we're seeing the times. That we're living in. There surely is a rising up. Of nation against nation. Isn't that happening now? Aren't we seeing wars?

[25:40] Rumours of wars? Aren't we seeing. That there's going to be some deceiving. Multiple deceptive cults out there. Knocking doors. Putting all sorts of falsehood out there.

[25:52] And here's a picture. Just to grab this from a video. They're singing songs now. In Palestine. In Gaza. And the song is saying.

[26:03] They're calling for the Imam Mahdi. The Palestinians are singing songs. Calling for the Imam Mahdi. Now this word Mahdi.

[26:15] The Mahdi is the final leader. In Islamic eschatology. So Islamic end time teaching. The final leader.

[26:26] The Mahdi. They believe that the Mahdi will appear. In the end times. To rid the world of evil. And injustice. He's said to be a descendant of Muhammad.

[26:37] Who will appear shortly. Before the prophet Isa. Jesus Christ. And will lead the Muslims. To rule the entire world. Here's a young boy. Singing.

[26:48] Singing. Singing for the Mahdi to come. The Islamic Mahdi to come. The Bible says. Many shall come in my name. Saying I am Christ.

[27:00] I am Christ. And shall deceive many. So this Mahdi is like a Christ. We could think of it. As an antichrist. We see that this. Calls for such a.

[27:11] Leader to come. To rid the world of evil. And they're singing his praises. And anticipating that he will appear. And meantime. Rabbis in Israel. Are also.

[27:24] Saying that the Messiah. Is just about. To reveal himself. These are the top rabbis. In orthodox Judaism. It's saying here. That there's some.

[27:35] Man. Who's apparently. Performed some. Six miracles. Healing. A young girl's cancer. And Jewish people. Are going to give him praise. Like no one else. So there's already people.

[27:48] Putting themselves forward. As. Christs. In Islam. In Judaism. The Bible says. Many false prophets. Shall. Rise.

[28:00] And shall deceive many. Some of these people. Have got big followings. And. Like I say. These are top rabbis. In Israel. In orthodox Judaism. Who are. Basically.

[28:13] Claiming these people. Are the. Are the Christ. Returned. The Messiah. Well. They don't. Of course. We know. They missed the first time. He came. They missed the first time. That he came. The true Christ.

[28:24] And now they still think. This is their Messiah. Yet to come. It's deception. Isn't it? It's just what the devil wants. Isn't it? To have people. So deceived. It says that. These false prophets.

[28:35] Are going to rise. And they shall deceive many. Many. And meantime. The love of. Many. Is going to grow cold. The question is. Are you ready? Will you stand up for the name of Jesus?

[28:49] Is your love for Jesus so strong. That you will face whatever comes. Or has it grown cold? I'm asking myself that question. Friends.

[29:00] We're all in this together. I believe that we are seeing some signs. Some unsettling. And it's a setting of the stage for the end. Like Noah and Lot.

[29:10] We ought to be like Noah. We ought to be like Lot. People who stand out. Who speak up. People who call us weird. It doesn't matter. There's not much time. For us to care about such things.

[29:23] The world's going to hate you. It's going to hate the gospel. It already does. And it's going to hate you. Because you speak the name of Jesus. The one name. That the world needs to hear.

[29:34] The one name that saves. And what stands out to me about Noah and Lot. There's quite a few things really. That they were in a minority. I mean really when you think of it.

[29:46] Bible believing born again Christians. Are the ultimate minority group. Aren't we? In Noah's day. Only eight. Only eight. Were saved. In Lot's day.

[29:56] They couldn't find ten people. To spare that great city. God's people are vastly outnumbered. And in Noah's day. Corruption and wickedness prevailed. In Lot's day.

[30:07] The lifestyle of the world. Was described as filthy. Friends. It is filthy. What Sodomites get up to is filthy. I can't describe it enough. To say how filthy it is.

[30:18] And I don't want to. But they try to whitewash it. As if it's something normal. Something to be sought after. Something to be celebrated. But Sodom's ways are just as vile and wicked. As they ever were.

[30:28] There's no hiding of it. In Noah's day. He was a preacher of righteousness. Lot was a righteous soul. Now it wasn't a righteousness of their own making. God gave grace to Noah.

[30:40] God found grace. Grace in the eyes of the Lord. Grace saved Noah. As he trusted. By faith Noah. By faith Noah.

[30:52] And they were both warned of judgment to come. But the world turned a deaf ear. Didn't it? And it still does. Doesn't it? They can't see. It's getting biblical. Biblical.

[31:03] Well maybe you'd better read the Bible. And see what's happening. If it's getting biblical. Then why don't we check the book. And see what it says. As it was in the days of Noah.

[31:17] As it was in the days of Lot. Friends. I can't urge you enough. I don't mean to be exaggerating it. But I think these are days when the people of God should have their eyes wide open.

[31:29] So shall it be. Are you prepared? Are you ready? Do you know Christ? The simple gospel. As was expounded before. The simple gospel. Have you trusted? Trusted him.

[31:40] Trusted him. Who only he can save you. Trusted him. Believing in him. Are you prepared? For the coming of our Lord. Are you prepared? For mounting persecution.

[31:51] You that profess his name. Are you ready to stand for Christ. When all around you are deceived. And careless. My message here today. Is we must make preparation.

[32:03] Make preparation now. Be spiritually prepared. Firstly. By assuredly being saved. How do we prepare? Get saved. Seek God. And another thing.

[32:15] I know I touched on with a recent text message. Really as you see the day approaching. Or don't we to fellowship. Or don't we to fellowship. It's. Not less and less.

[32:26] But more and more. Amen. Fellowship. It's important. Exhorting one another. We need one another. I need you to exhort me. As well as. Me exhort you. Exhorting one another.

[32:37] It's mutual isn't it? As we see the day approaching. Friends. The day is approaching surely. And the signs are ever more. Around us.

[32:48] Ever more visible. Friends. Hold fast the word of God. Don't be discouraged in your faith. Even when. Hardness comes.

[32:59] Even more so. Don't give up. Take heed to the word of God. Take heart in it. In its promises. We see. Revelation 3 verse 10. Our Lord commends. A church here.

[33:10] Because thou hast kept the word of my patience. I also will keep thee. From the hour of temptation. Which shall come upon all the world. To try them that dwell upon the earth. So we see here God's people.

[33:21] A church of God is addressed here. In Revelation 3 verse 10. And the Lord says. A time of testing is surely coming. I believe that the people of God will be taken out. Caught up.

[33:33] No matter what the world will face. In terms of judgment. As it was in the days of Noah. And of Lot. God rescued his people. There's comfort we can know. Notice here it says. That I will keep thee from.

[33:45] Keep thee from. The hour of temptation. Or the hour of trial. The word from. Is apparently. Has the meaning to. Physically remove something. Or take something out of.

[33:57] We're going to be out of here. We're going to be out of here. We're going to be taken out. Out of here. I will keep thee from. I will get thee out of here.

[34:07] I will take you from. Out of the world. I will keep you from. The hour of trial. Friends. There's a great heart. We can take in that promise. Are we there yet? Are we there yet?

[34:17] I don't know. It could be. There's many more moons to come. Yeah. This could be just a foreshadow. But I let you know today. That we should get ready. For the coming of Christ.

[34:28] I don't know how much time. That we really have got left. But whatever time that we do have. Let's use that wisely. Amen. Can I exhort you that way? Can I urge you that way?

[34:39] Christ is coming. Amen. The question is. Are you ready? Now. I can assure you there's an escape plan. An escape plan. In Luke 21.36.

[34:50] It says. Watch ye therefore and pray always. That ye may be accounted worthy to escape. All these things that shall come to pass. And to stand before the son of man. Of course we know. Some would take that to mean a particular group of people escape.

[35:03] That might not be the church. Nevertheless. We can pray that we'll be accounted worthy to escape. We'll be counted. Pray that we can't escape. This judgment yet to come. Pray that we can escape.

[35:14] And know God's keeping. That God will catch us up. To meet him in the air. Are we there yet? I think the time is short. And we should get right with God. Are we there yet? I think that these are perilous times.

[35:27] That we ought to be hearing the scriptures. There is a blessed hope. Get ready. Get ready. Come tonight and hear about God's escape plan.

[35:37] I'll just put a little advert there. For that message you'll have to come tonight at 6pm. To hear what the escape plan is. So fasten your seatbelts and come tonight. Thank you.