How to Live in the Last Days

Welcome to this edition of PowerPoint with Jack Graham. A little later in the program we'll tell you how you can get a copy of Dr. Graham's brand new book, Reignite. But first, here's his message, How to Live in the Last Days. Be patient, therefore, brothers, until the coming of the Lord.

See how the farmer waits for the precious fruit of the earth, being patient about it, until he receives the early and the late rains. You also be patient. Establish your hearts, for the coming of the Lord is at hand. That is, it's near. Do not grumble against one another, brothers, so that you may not be judged.

Behold, the judge is standing at the door. As an example of suffering and patience, brothers, take the prophets who spoke in the name of the Lord. Behold, we consider those blessed who remain steadfast. You have heard of the steadfastness or the patience of Job.

And you have seen the purpose of the Lord, how the Lord is compassionate and merciful. But above all, my brothers, do not swear either by heaven or earth or by any other oath, but let your yes be yes and your no no, so that you may not fall under condemnation. How to live in the last days. Number one, be prepared.

Be prepared. Earlier in chapter five, as I mentioned, James writes to wicked men, wealthy, ungodly men, who are living self-indulgent lives, lovers of self, as the scripture says, rather than lovers of God. And he declares that they are laying up treasures in the last days for judgment, that that judgment is coming, and the cries of those who have been abused and used by those who are over them are now being heard in heaven and God will make everything right. There is nothing wrong with having wealth. The Bible speaks of the godly rich. But the Bible also speaks of the ungodly rich.

The wealthy who are wicked, who live for themselves, who think that life is all about making money, it's all about them. And we know that you can't live like that and expect to go to heaven. Expect to have eternal life.

Because you're putting all your hopes and all your stuff right here. You can't live for things and money and expect to know God. That's why the prophet said, prepare to meet your God. Prepare to meet God. But you know the preparation that we are to meet God also goes for us who are believers. We are to so live our lives in Christ as to be prepared spiritually and primarily we are to live with expectation and confidence. Let me just give you some verses regarding how we are to live in the last days. How we are to prepare for the last days. Titus 2 says that we are looking for the blessed hope.

Our eye is in the sky. 1 Corinthians 1 7 that we are waiting, anticipating the revelation, that is the return of the Lord Jesus Christ. Philippians 3 20, for our citizenship is in heaven from which we eagerly wait for the Savior, the Lord Jesus Christ. Colossians 3 4, when Christ who is our life appears, then you also will appear with Him in glory. 1 Thessalonians 1 9 and 10, for they themselves report concerning us the kind of reception we had among you and how you turned to God from idols to serve the true and living God and to wait for His Son from heaven whom He raised from the dead, Jesus who delivers us from the wrath to come. 1 John 3, beloved, we are God's children now and what we will be has not yet appeared but we know that when He appears we shall be like Him because we shall see Him as He is.

Not as He was in His humanity but Jesus in all of His glory and everyone who has this hope in Him purifies himself for He is pure. In view of the second coming with all of this going around us we are to look up. Look up, brother. Look up, sister, because Christ Jesus is coming again visibly and victoriously for all who know and trust in Him.

So get ready. Jesus is coming. The early Christians lived with this kind of expectation eagerly waiting for the coming of Christ.

They even coined a word that we've used from time to time, Maranatha. The Lord is coming. And when James speaks here several times in this passage about the coming of the Lord, the coming of the Lord, the appearing of the Lord, it means the arrival of the Lord. There is a date set in history and Christ will return. The same Jesus who was born, who lived, who died, who rose again, who ascended on high, our risen Redeemer is returning as King of Kings and Lord of Lords. Get ready.

It's coming. This is a can't miss core conviction of every Bible-believing Christian. If you know and believe God and His Word, you know the Bible teaches that Jesus Himself is coming again. Now there may be, and there are differences as to how it's all going to go down, and people have various kinds of theologies and eschatologies, the study of last things, and we may have differences in this, but the one thing that drives it home for all of us who are Christians is that we know Christ is for sure, for sure, for certain coming again. So get ready. Be prepared because it can happen at any moment.

People get ready. Jesus is coming again. But not only be prepared because Jesus is coming, but be patient because we are waiting for Him to come. That's why James says in verse 7, be patient. It's a word actually which means to be steadfast, to wait, and to wait with expectation, confident hope. Hope as we've defined it is knowing that our future is with Him.

That the best truly is yet to come. To be patient. But we are in a waiting mode a lot, whether it's a teenager waiting to get their driver's license, can't wait, or someone waiting for their wedding date, can't wait for that, or waiting for their birthday, some of us will quit counting those, or waiting for Christmas. But that's the idea, the expectation. It's like a child getting up on Christmas morning. That's the kind of waiting, our expectation.

It's not passive. We're not just sitting around, you know, ordering our ascension robes and waiting for the second coming. We are waiting with anticipation and perseverance. And this word steadfastness, it's a word that I love, be steadfast, immovable, always abounding in the work of the Lord.

Because we know that we can be patient, that we can persevere, we can be steadfast because Jesus is coming. And when He comes, it's going to be a great celebration of the harvest that is yet to come. That's why James talks here about farmers. I don't know a lot about farmers. What I learned about farming, I learned when I was a pastor, my first pastorate up in western Oklahoma.

And wheat farmers, Dutch German wheat farmers, people whose names were like Greb and Fidelik and Fennelhoven, people like that, great people, salt of the earth people. And I learned a little bit about the hardworking farmer and the sowing and the reaping and waiting on the rain and waiting on the harvest and living and dying, you know, your whole life passing before you based on the weather or based on the winds. And James says, we're to be like that farmer, sowing and reaping and waiting and God uses both sun and rain, sun and rain in our lives to produce this spiritual harvest. That's why the scripture says in Galatians, don't be weary in well doing for in good season, due season, you will reap if you do not quit. Too many are quitting too soon on their marriages, quitting too soon on their careers, on their jobs, quitting too soon on their church, quitting too soon on their faith and some are even quitting too soon on God. I've been a pastor long enough now to have observed so many believers enduring and persevering through the most unfathomable difficulties. But from time to time, I've seen people who have been given a lot and then when it's taken away, they quit on God, give up on their faith. Because I presume they thought God owed them something better.

They didn't deserve cancer or tragedy or suffering. The generation that seems to quit almost everything. We as Christians must not quit.

Be able to live in the last days. Bring fresh passion and joy to your faith with Dr. Graham's newest book reignite an intimate account of how God led Dr. Graham through one of the darkest seasons of his life. Whether you're facing disappointment, doubt, depression or heartache reignite offers biblical insights to encourage you in your pain and help fan the flames of faith in your life. Thank you for your gift to PowerPoint. So call today to get your copy of reignite as thanks for your support. Call 1-800-795-4627. That's 1-800-795-4627.

You can also text the word PowerPoint to 313131. And don't forget to visit Jack Graham.org where you can shop our e-store, give a gift online or sign up for Dr. Graham's free daily email devotional. Our website again is Jack Graham.org. Now let's get back to today's message, how to live in the last days. James references the patience or the steadfastness of Job. One day Satan was given access to the throne of God and he spoke to God and said, see your servant Job down there? God said, yes he's one of my finest, he's one of my best. Satan sneered and said, aha, the only reason, the only reason that he serves you and lives a righteous life is because you've given him so much, you've blessed him so much.

If you take that stuff away from him, he'll deny you, he'll curse you to your face. God said, alright try it. And Job was attacked by Satan and tragedy came and there were high winds and his house fell down and his children died in this tragedy and he lost his wealth, he lost his crops, he lost everything financially. And yet he continued to trust in God. In fact in Job 1.21, one of the greatest confessions of faith in all the Bible, he said the Lord gives, the Lord takes away, blessed be the name of the Lord. Job would later say, Lord though you slay me, yet will I trust in you. He believed in the sovereignty and the sufficiency of God. That when God is all you have, God is enough.

What do you do when there doesn't seem to be an answer for the questions? And we all have questions. Well I tell you what you don't do, you don't doubt in the dark what God showed you in the light.

I tell you what you don't do, you don't trade what you don't know for what you know. And what you know is that God is good and that he is merciful and gracious. And James tells us Job learned that lesson, that God is faithful, that God is merciful. The devil went back to God and said, well I tell you what, if you attack him personally, if you take away his health, he will deny you. And so God allowed Job to get sick and he had boils and open sores on his skin. He was miserable and depressed and despondent and yet he would not deny his God. And the book of Job is about the entire conversation that he had with God and conversation with his friends and even his family. You know his wife said, Job why don't you just curse God and die?

And he didn't get a lot of encouragement from his friends or his family, his wife. But he learned to know God and ultimately God restored double what he had lost. But in the midst of that he experienced, he said, I know that my redeemer lives.

In the dark when you don't understand, don't trade what you don't know for what you know, I know my redeemer lives, that Jesus lives, that Jesus is Lord. And so Job in the 42nd chapter says something like this in verses 5 and 6, I heard of you, talking about God, I heard of you in the hearing of the ear but now, but now my eyes see you and I repent. In dust and ashes, he repented and received the reality of God in his life. And before he knew about God, he knew God, he loved God. There was a lot he knew about God. God loved him.

But through this experience, these dark tunnel experiences in his life, he said, you know I had heard about you, I had heard about you but now I see you. I know that you are sovereign over all my life, that you are sufficient and strong enough for every problem. So we can endure.

We can be steadfast and strong. James doubles down on the idea of patience when he says in verse 6 I believe, be strong in heart, don't be anxious or afraid but know that Jesus is near, he's coming soon. Now we all know there are cynics and skeptics who have said through generations, well he's not coming, it's been 2,000 years, why are you still holding on to this promise? Well the fact is that Peter addressed this problem in 1 Peter chapter 3 knowing this first of all that scoffers will come in the last days with scoffing following their own sinful desires. They will say where is the promise of his coming for ever since the fathers fell asleep all things are continuing as they were from the beginning of creation.

For they deliberately overlooked the fact that the heavens existed long ago and the earth was formed out of water and through water by the word of God and that by means of this world then existed was deluged with water. He's talking about the flood, the judgment, but by the same word the heavens and earth that now exist are stored up by fire. He's talking about a coming judgment now, being kept unto the day of judgment and destruction of the ungodly. But do not overlook this one fact beloved that with the Lord one day is 1,000 years and 1,000 years is one day. The Lord is not slow to fulfill His promise as some count slowness but is patient, aren't you glad? Patient toward you, not wishing that any should perish but that all should reach repentance. God is waiting on you to come to Him. God is waiting for the last one to come in. And if you are a scoffer, if you are a cynic you need to get on your knees right now and thank God that He hasn't come today because when He comes today if you don't know Christ there is hell to pay, there is judgment to follow. He loves you, He's waiting on you, He's patient with you, He's merciful towards you.

He said be patient, be prepared and one final thing quickly He said be positive. Be positive by having a sweet disposition, look at verse 9. Do not grumble against one another. When we face pressure we often blow our stack and we start complaining or blaming and grumbling and going negative. We feel the heat, we boil over, we begin to criticize others. Don't be a negative Christian, we are optimists, we're pure optimists.

There's no reason to grumble or complain. See how practical James is, he moves from the heavenlies and Christ is coming and eternity is real to write down where we live when he said don't be grumbling, don't be grousing, don't be grumpy, don't be miserable and make others around you miserable especially brothers and sisters in Christ. You can't afford to be arguing and debating and fighting and holding grudges and resentments because as he says the judge is at the door. That's all going to be evaluated. Our very words are going to be evaluated at the judgment seat of Christ. The judge is standing at the door. You know if you were arguing with your family, maybe you're having a big time argument with your wife and there's a doorbell and somebody looks outside and says it's Jesus out there.

I think you'd clean things up, right? Jesus is at the door, we live every day with the nearness and dearness of Christ. Paul said in Philippians 4, 4, rejoice in the Lord always and again I say rejoice. Don't go negative. Don't be a miserable, always upset, always getting offended kind of person. Jesus is coming.

Look up. Your redemption is drawing near. And then he said not only have a sweet disposition but have a sincere declaration. He says in verse 12, it looks like it's out of place. He says, but above all, brethren, let your yes be yes, your no, no. Don't be swearing by heaven or by earth.

Again, being very practical, very personal. James is saying be careful the way you communicate, the way you talk because you know the way you talk is really the way you are. What's down in the well comes up in the bucket. Jesus said out of the heart, the mouth speaks. And he says don't be making all these oaths. Sometimes when trouble comes, we make oaths. We make promises we can't keep.

Stuff like, well God if you'll get me out of this, this is what I'm going to do. And then we don't do it. Or we swear and profane God.

Simon Peter did this. He made a bodacious promise that he would never deny the Lord and he ended up denying the Lord. And with it he was swearing and profaning and saying I never knew him.

He lied and he lost his testimony and nearly lost his faith that Christ not restored him. Do you know why we curse and swear and profane and use vain words? It's because we're trying to add emphasis to our words or emphasis to our lies. Don't trust anybody who regularly uses profanity to punctuate their speech.

Especially somebody you're going to marry and spend the rest of your life with. Here's what James is saying. If you're a person of integrity, you don't need to add anything to give your words weight or meaning.

Let your yes be yes and your no be no. This is the echo of what Jesus taught us in the Sermon on the Mount. He's saying in view of the second coming, watch your mouth. Watch your mouth.

He's talking about the simplicity and sincerity and integrity and purity of what we say. He that has this hope in him purifies himself. Ask God to purify your heart and your mind. I'm going to close this message with how to live in the last days.

Here's how. Number one, we need to be praying for our loved ones and lost people all around us. Ramp up the prayers in these dangerous days. Number two, we need to boldly share our faith with those around us. Especially our family, our friends and the people closest to us, our own neighbors. Number three, we need to live godly lives separated from the world. To be holy as God is holy by the power of his spirit. Live a separated life.

A life that's different from the world. Number four, we need to teach God's word and help people understand the last days. That's what we're trying to do today. I'm getting you prepared.

I'm helping you to know. It's coming. Get ready. We need to teach God's word. Number five, we need to be comforted by our own clear focus on the reigning and returning Christ. And never, never be discouraged and never, ever quit.

And number six, we need to live in hope that God is sovereign and sufficient and he will fulfill all things in his time and in his way. You're listening to PowerPoint with Jack Graham and today's message, how to live in the last days. Chances are you've faced your share of crisis.

Maybe you're even in the fight of your life right now. Or maybe you're simply feeling exhausted by the busyness of life and sapped of spiritual strength. Whatever you're facing, we want to help fan the flame of faith in your life by sending you Dr. Graham's newest book, Reignite.

This personal account of how God led Dr. Graham through his own crisis will help you focus on God during difficult seasons so you can experience fresh passion and joy in Jesus. And we'll send you a copy as thanks for your gift today. So call now to request your copy of Reignite. Call 1-800-795-4627. That's 1-800-795-4627.

You can also text the word PowerPoint to 313131. And don't forget to visit Jack Graham.org where you can shop our e-store, give a gift online, or sign up for Dr. Graham's free daily email devotional. Our website again is Jack Graham.org. Pastor, what is your PowerPoint for today? It's very important as we live in these last days that we not get discouraged, that we look up. And I say look up because Jesus truly is coming again and He's coming soon. Our lives should reflect our anticipation, our excitement, our expectation of His promised return. The Bible tells us that in the last days it will be a time of demonized fierceness, a time when the entire world will be churned into a frenzy.

We're seeing that of course today. During these days the world is controlled by fear and anxiety and terrorism. But we can't give in to that.

We need to always look up. Christians live with a sure expectation, a confident hope. We know, we know that our future is secure with Christ.

We know when He comes back He's coming again victoriously. And surely, truly the best is yet to come. So as we look forward to the return of Christ we have an important role to play. Not just to hold out to the end but to hold out hope to a lost and dying generation. We are to be a beacon of light in the encroaching darkness all around us. So we don't just sit around and order our ascension robes but we persevere.

We live out our purpose. We are steadfast and immovable in our faith and always abounding in the work of the Lord. That's 1 Corinthians 15, 58. It would be a great verse to memorize. Here it is again, be steadfast, immovable, always abounding in the work of the Lord for you know your labor in the Lord is not in vain. We are living with purpose, we are living with passion and we are looking up. In this generation that seems to quit almost everything we cannot, we must not quit doing what God has called us to do.

We are to light the night and to live as lights in the world. And that is today's Power Point. And when you give a gift to Power Point today, we'll send you Dr. Graham's brand new book, Reignite, as our thanks. Call 1-800-795-4627. That's 1-800-795-4627. You can also text the word Power Point to 313131. Text Power Point to 313131. And join Dr. Graham next time when he brings a message about how you can experience God's healing power. That's next time on Power Point with Jack Graham. Power Point with Jack Graham is sponsored by Power Point Ministries.