PREPARE FOR

THE DAY OF OUR LORD


Compilation, notes

by Eve (copyright 1994)



1 CORINTHIANS 1:8 He will keep you strong to the end, so that you will be blameless on the day of our Lord Jesus Christ.


*All Scripture in this volume is taken from the New International Version*



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PREFACE


2 TIMOTHY 3:1,2,3,4 But mark this: There will be terrible times in the last days. People will be lovers of themselves, lovers of money, boastful, proud, abusive, disobedient to their parents, ungrateful, unholy, without love, unforgiving, slanderous, without self-control, brutal, not lovers of the good, treacherous, rash, conceited, lovers of pleasure rather than lovers of God--



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CHAPTERS


We Are The Children Of God .....................


The Day Of Our Lord .................................


The Armor Of God .....................................

a) The Belt Of Truth .................................

b) The Breastplate Of Righteousness .......

c) Stand Ready, In The Gospel ................

d) The Shield Of Faith .............................

e) The Helmet Of Salvation ....................

f) The Sword Of The Spirit .....................

g) Pray In The Spirit ................................


The Last Days ...........................................


A Mystery .................................................


Conclusion ................................................





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WE ARE CHILDREN OF GOD



1 JOHN 3:1,2,3 How great is the love the Father has lavished on us, that we should be called children of God! And that is what we are! The reason the world does not know us is that it did not know him. Dear friends, now we are children of God, and what we will be has not yet been made known. But we know that when he appears, we shall be like him, for we shall see him as he is. Everyone who has this hope in him purifies himself, just as he is pure.



1 JOHN 3:4,5,6 Everyone who sins breaks the law; in fact, sin is lawlessness. But you know that he appeared so that he might take away our sins. And in him is no sin. No one who lives in him keeps on sinning. No one who continues to sin has either seen him or known him.



1 JOHN 3:7,8,9,10 Dear children do not let anyone lead you astray. He who does what is sinful is of the devil, because the devil has been sinning from the beginning. The reason the Son of God appeared was to destroy the devil's work. No one who is born of God will continue to sin, because God's seed remains in him; he cannot go on sinning, because he has been born of God. This is how we know who the children of God are and who the children of the devil are: Anyone who does not do what is right is not a child of God; nor is anyone who does not love his brother.



We are heirs of God:

ROMANS 8:12,13,14,15,16,17 Therefore, brothers, we have an obligation-- but it is not to the sinful nature, to live according to it. For if you live according to the sinful nature, you will die; but if by the Spirit you put to death the misdeeds of the body, you will live, because those who are led by the Spirit of God are sons of God. For you did not receive a spirit that makes you a slave again to fear, but you received the Spirit of sonship. And by him we cry, "Abba, Father." The Spirit himself testifies with our spirit that we are God's children. Now if we are children, then we are heirs-- heirs of God and co-heirs with Christ, if indeed we share in his sufferings in order that we may also share in his glory.



GALATIANS 3:26,27,28,29 You are all sons of God through faith in Christ Jesus, for all of you who were baptized into Christ have clothed yourselves with Christ. There is neither Jew nor Greek, slave nor free, male nor female, for you are all one in Christ Jesus. If you belong to Christ, then you are Abraham's seed, and heirs according to the promise.



Be imitators of God:

EPHESIANS 5:1,2 Be imitators of God, therefore, as dearly loved children and live a life of love, just as Christ loved us and gave himself up for us as a fragrant offering and sacrifice to God.



EPHESIANS 5:3,4,5,6,7 But among you there must not be even a hint of sexual immorality, or of any kind of impurity, or of greed, because these are improper for God's holy people. Nor should there be obscenity, foolish talk or coarse joking, which are out of place, but rather thanksgiving. For of this you can be sure; No immoral, impure or greedy person-- such a man is an idolater-- has any inheritance in the kingdom of Christ and of God. Let no one deceive you with empty words, for because of such things God's wrath comes on those who are disobedient. Therefore do not be partners with them.



EPHESIANS 5:8,9,10,11,12,13,14,15,16,17 For you were once darkness, but now you are light in the Lord. Live as children of light (for the fruit of the light consists in all goodness, righteousness and truth) and find out what pleases the Lord. Have nothing to do with the fruitless deeds of darkness, but rather expose them. For it is shameful even to mention what the disobedient do in secret. But everything exposed by the light becomes visible, for it is light that makes everything visible. This is why it is said: "Wake up, O sleeper, rise from the dead, and Christ will shine on you." Be very careful, then, how you live-- not as unwise but as wise, making the most of every opportunity, because the days are evil. Therefore do not be foolish, but understand what the Lord's will is.



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THE DAY OF OUR LORD



1 THESSALONIANS 4:15,16,17,18 According to the Lord's own word, we tell you that we who are still alive, who are left till the coming of the Lord, will certainly not precede those who have fallen asleep. For the Lord himself will come down from heaven, with a loud command, with the voice of the archangel and with the trumpet call of God, and the dead in Christ will rise first. After that, we who are still alive and are left will be caught up together with them in the clouds to meet the Lord in the air. And so we will be with the Lord forever. Therefore encourage each other with these words.



1 THESSALONIANS 5:1,2,3,4,5,6,7,8,9,10 ...for you know very well that the day of the Lord will come like a thief in the night. While people are saying, "Peace and safety," destruction will come on them suddenly, as labor pains on a pregnant woman, and they will not escape. But you, brothers, are not in darkness so that this day should surprise you like a thief. You are all sons of the light and sons of the day. We do not belong to the night or to the darkness, So then, let us not be like others, who are asleep, but let us be alert and self-controlled. For those who sleep, sleep at night, and those who get drunk, get drunk at night. But since we belong to the day, let us be self-controlled, putting on faith and love as a breastplate, and the hope of salvation as a helmet. For God did not appoint us to suffer wrath but to receive salvation through our Lord Jesus Christ. He died for us so that, whether we are awake or asleep, we may live together with him.



We will all stand before the judgment seat:

2 CORINTHIANS 5:10 For we must all appear before the judgment seat of Christ, that each one may receive what is due him for the things done while in the body, whether good or bad.



ROMANS 14:10,11,12 ....we will all stand before God's judgment seat. It is written: "'As surely as I live,' says the Lord, 'every knee will bow before me; every tongue will confess to God.'" So then, each of us will give an account of himself to God.



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THE ARMOR OF GOD



Put on the full armor of God to stand against the devil:

EPHESIANS 6:10,11,12 Finally, be strong in the Lord and in his mighty power. Put on the full armor of God so that you can take your stand against the devil's schemes. For our struggle is not against flesh and blood, but against the ruler, against the authorities, against the powers of this dark world and against the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly realms.



EPHESIANS 6:13,14,15,16,17,18, Therefore put on the full armor of God, so that when the day of evil comes, you may be able to stand your ground, and after you have done everything, to stand. Stand firm then, with the belt of truth buckled around your waist, with the breastplate of righteousness in place, and with your feet fitted with the readiness that comes from the gospel of peace. In addition to all this take up the shield of faith, with which you can extinguish all the flaming arrows of the evil one. Take the helmet of salvation and the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God. And pray in the Spirit on all occasions with all kinds of prayers and requests. With this in mind, be alert and always keep on praying for all the saints.



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THE BELT OF TRUTH



Jesus says:

JOHN 14:6 "I am the way and the truth and the life."



JOHN 3:20,21 "Everyone who does evil hates the light, and will not come into the light for fear that his deeds will be exposed. But whoever lives by the truth comes into the light, so that it may be seen plainly that what he has done has been done through God."

JOHN 8:31,32 ..."If you hold to my teaching, you are really my disciples. Then you will know the truth, and the truth will set you free."



The Word is truth:

2 TIMOTHY 2:15 Do your best to present yourself to God as one approved, a workman who does not need to be ashamed and who correctly handles the word of truth.



JAMES 1:18 He chose to give us birth through the word of truth, that we might be a kind of firstfruits of all he created.



1 PETER 1:22,23 Now that you have purified yourselves by obeying the truth so that you have sincere love for your brothers, love one another deeply, from the heart. For you have been born again, not of perishable seed, but of imperishable, through the living and enduring word of God.



This is a knowledge of the truth:

2 TIMOTHY 2:5 For there is one God and one mediator between God and men, the man Christ Jesus, who gave himself as a ransom for all men--the testimony given in its proper time.



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THE BREASTPLATE OF RIGHTEOUSNESS



Righteousness of God:

MATTHEW 6:33 "... seek first his kingdom and his righteousness,..."



ROMANS 10:4 Christ is the end of the law so that there my be righteousness for everyone who believes.



ROMANS 4:3 What does the scripture say? "Abraham believed God, and it was credited to him as righteousness."



ROMANS 6:13,14 Do not offer the parts of your body to sin, as instruments of wickedness, but rather offer yourselves to God, as those who have been brought from death to life; and offer the parts of your body to him as instruments of righteousness. For sin shall not be your master, because you are not under law, but under grace.



Promises to the righteous:

PROVERBS 11:4,5,6,7,8,910, Wealth is worthless in the day of wrath, but righteousness delivers from death. The righteousness of the blameless makes a straight way for them, but the wicked are brought down by their own wickedness. The righteousness of the upright delivers them, but the unfaithful are trapped by evil desires. When a wicked man dies, his hope perishes; all he expected from his power comes to nothing. The righteous man is rescued from trouble, and it comes on the wicked instead. With his mouth the godless destroys his neighbor, but through knowledge the righteous escape. When the righteous prosper, the city rejoices; when the wicked perish there are shouts of joy.



The parable of the weeds in the field:

MATTHEW 14:24,25,26,27,28,29,30 "The kingdom of heaven is like a man who sowed good seed in his field. But while everyone was sleeping, his enemy came and sowed weeds among the wheat, and went away. When the wheat sprouted and formed heads, then the weeds also appeared." "The owner's servants came to him and said, 'Sir, didn't you sow good seed in your field? Where then did the weeds come from?'" "'An enemy did this,' he replied." "The servants asked him, 'Do you want us to go and pull them up?'" "'No,' he answered, 'because while you are pulling the weeds, you may root up the wheat with them. Let both grow together until the harvest. At that time I will tell the harvesters: First collect the weeds and tie them in bundles to be burned; than gather the wheat and bring it into my barn.'"



Jesus explains the parable of the weeds in the field:

MATTHEW 13:36,37,38,39,40,41,42,43 ...His disciples came to him and said, "Explain to us the parable of the weeds in the field." He answered, "The one who sowed the good seed is the Son of Man. The field is the world, and the good seed stands for the sons of the kingdom. The weeds are the sons of the evil one, and the enemy who sows them is the devil. The harvest is the end of the age, and the harvesters are angels." "As the weeds are pulled up and burned in the fire, so it will be at the end of the age. The Son of Man will send out his angels, and they will weed out of his kingdom everything that causes sin and all who do evil. They will throw them into the fiery furnace, where there will be weeping and gnashing of teeth. Then the righteous will shine like the sun in the Kingdom of their Father. He who has ears, let him hear.



Training in righteousness:

2 TIMOTHY 3:16,17 All Scripture is God-breathed and is useful for teaching, rebuking, correcting and training in righteousness, so that the man of God may be thoroughly equipped for every good work.



Righteousness is revealed in the gospel:

ROMAN 1:17 For in the gospel a righteousness from God is revealed, a righteousness that is by faith from first to last, just as it is written: "The righteous will live by faith."



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STAND READY, IN THE GOSPEL



Be self-controlled and alert:

1 PETER 5:6 Humble yourselves, therefore, under God's mighty hand, that he may lift you up in due time. Cast all your anxiety on him because he cares for you. Be self-controlled and alert. Your enemy the devil prowls around like a roaring lion looking for someone to devour. Resist him, standing firm in the faith, because you know that your brothers throughout the world are undergoing the same kind of sufferings.



1 THESSALONIANS 5:5,6 You are all sons of the light and sons of the day. We do not belong to the night or to the darkness. So then, let us not be like others, who are asleep, but let us be alert and self-controlled.



1 CORINTHIANS 16:13,14 Be on your guard; stand firm in the faith; be men of courage; be strong. Do everything in love.



2 TITUS 2:11,12,13,14 For the grace of God that brings salvation has appeared to all men. It teaches us to say "No" to ungodliness and worldly passions, and to live self-controlled, upright and godly lives in this present age, while we wait for the blessed hope--the glorious appearing of our great God and Savior, Jesus Christ, who gave himself for us to redeem us from all wickedness and to purify for himself a people that are his very own, eager to do what is good.



Jesus says to be alert and on guard:

MARK 13:32,33 "No one knows about that day or hour, not even the angels in heaven nor the Son, but only the Father. Be on guard! Be alert! You do not know when that time will come.

God's foundation stands firm:

2 TIMOTHY 2:19 ...God's solid foundation stands firm, sealed with this inscription: "The Lord knows those who are his," and, "Everyone who confesses the name of the Lord must turn away from wickedness."



Stand firm and hold on to the teachings:

2 THESSALONIANS 2:13,14,15 ...from the beginning God chose you to be saved through the sanctifying work of the Spirit and through belief in the truth. He called you to this through our gospel, that you might share in the glory of our Lord Jesus Christ. So then, brothers, stand firm and hold to the teachings we passed on to you, whether by word of mouth or by letter.



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THE SHIELD OF FAITH



The author of our faith:

HEBREWS 12:2 Let us fix our eyes on Jesus, the author and perfecter of our faith, ...



Live by faith:

ROMANS 1:16,17 I am not ashamed of the gospel, because it is the power of God for the salvation of everyone who believes: first for the Jew, then for the Gentile. For in the gospel a righteousness from God is revealed, a righteousness that is by faith from first to last, just as it is written: "The righteous will live by faith."



Faith is:

HEBREWS 11:1,2,3 Now faith is being sure of what we hope for and certain of what we do not see. This is what the ancients were commended for. By faith we understand that the universe was formed at God's command, so that what is seen was not made out of what was visible.



Without faith:

HEBREWS 11:6 And without faith it is impossible to please God, because anyone who comes to him must believe that he exists and that he rewards those who earnestly seek him.



Saved through faith:

EPHESIANS 2:8 For it is by grace you have been saved, through faith--and this not from yourselves, it is the gift of God--



2 TIMOTHY 3:15 ...from infancy you have known the holy Scriptures, which are able to make you wise for salvation through faith in Christ Jesus.



ROMANS 5:1,2 Therefore, since we have been justified through faith we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ, through whom we have gained access by faith into this grace in which we now stand.



Faith comes from hearing the Word:

ROMANS 10:17 Consequently, faith comes from hearing the message, and the message is heard through the word of Christ.



Pursue faith:

1 TIMOTHY 6:11,12 ....pursue righteousness, godliness, faith, love, endurance and gentleness. Fight the good fight of the faith. Take hold of the eternal life to which you were called....



Ask in faith without doubting:

JAMES 1:5,6,7,8, If any of you lacks wisdom, he should ask God, who gives generously to all without finding fault, and it will be given to him. But when he asks he must believe and not doubt, because he who doubts is like a wave of the sea, blown and tossed by the wind. That man should not think he will receive anything from the Lord; he is a double-minded man, unstable in all he does.



Faith without works:

JAMES 2:17 ...faith by itself, if it is not accompanied by action, is dead.



JAMES 2:26 As the body without the spirit is dead, so faith without deeds is dead.



The word of faith proclaimed:

ROMANS 10:8,9,10 ...."The word is near you; it is in your mouth and in your heart," that is, the word of faith we are proclaiming: That if you confess with your mouth, "Jesus is Lord," and believe in your heart that God raised him form the dead, you will be saved. For it is with your heart that you believe and are justified, and it is with your mouth that you confess and are saved.



Continue in your faith:

COLOSSIANS 1:21,22,23 Once you were alienated from God and were enemies in your minds because of your evil behavior. But now he has reconciled you by Christ's physical body through death to present you holy in his sight, without blemish and free from accusation -- if you continue in your faith, established and firm, not moved from the hope held out in the gospel....



Faith without Love:

1 CORINTHIANS 12:31, 13:1,2,3,4,5,6,7,8 ...And now I will show you the most excellent way. If I speak in the tongues of men and of angels, but have not love, I am only a resounding gong or a clanging cymbal. If I have the gift of prophecy and can fathom all mysteries and all knowledge, and if I have a faith that can move mountains, but have not love, I am nothing. If I give all I possess to the poor and surrender my body to the flames, but have not love, I gain nothing. Love is patient, love is kind. It does not envy, it does not boast, it is not proud. It is not rude, it is not self-seeking, it is not easily angered, it keeps no record of wrongs. Love does not delight in evil but rejoices with the truth. It always protects, always trusts, always hopes, always perseveres. Love never fails. ...



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THE HELMET OF SALVATION



Make your calling and election sure:

2 PETER 1:3,4,5,6,7, His divine power has given us everything we need for life and godliness through our knowledge of him who called us by his own glory and goodness. Through these he has given us his very great and precious promises, so that through them you may participate in the divine nature and escape the corruption in the world caused by evil desires. For this very reason, make every effort to add to your faith goodness; and to goodness, knowledge; and to knowledge, self-control; and to self-control perseverance; and to perseverance, godliness; and to godliness, brotherly kindness; and to brotherly kindness, love.



2 PETER 1:8,9,10,11

For if you possess these qualities in increasing measure, they will keep you from being ineffective and unproductive in your knowledge of our Lord Jesus Christ. But if anyone does not have them, he is nearsighted and blind, and has forgotten that he has been cleansed from his past sins. Therefore, my brothers, be all the more eager to make your calling and election sure. For if you do these things, you will never fall, and you will receive a rich welcome into the eternal kingdom of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ.



No one can enter the kingdom of God unless he is born again:

JOHN 3:3,4,5,6,7,8 ...Jesus declared, "I tell you the truth, no one can see the kingdom of God unless he is born again." "How can a man be born when he is old?" Nicodemus asked. "Surely he cannot enter a second time into his mother's womb to be born!" Jesus answered, "I tell you the truth, no one can enter the kingdom of God unless he is born of water and the Spirit. Flesh gives birth to flesh, but the Spirit gives birth to spirit. You should not be surprised at my saying, 'You must be born again.' The wind blows wherever it pleases. You hear its sound, but you cannot tell where it comes from or where it is going. So it is with everyone born of the Spirit."



Jesus says, you must believe in him for eternal life:

JOHN 3:16,17,18,19,20,21 "For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life. For God did not send his Son into the world to condemn the world, but to save the world through him. Whoever believes in him is not condemned, but whoever does not believe stands condemned already because he has not believed in the name of God's one and only Son. This is the verdict: Light has come into the world, but men loved darkness instead of light because their deeds were evil. Everyone who does evil hates the light, and will not come into the light for fear that his deeds will be exposed. But whoever lives by the truth comes into the light, so that it may be seen plainly that what he has done has been done through God."



JOHN 5:24,25,26,27 "I tell you the truth, whoever hears my word and believes him who sent me has eternal life and will not be condemned; he has crossed over from death to life. I tell you truth, a time is coming and has now come when the dead will hear the voice of the Son of God and those who hear will live. For as the Father has life in himself, so he has granted the Son to have life in himself. And he has given him authority to judge because he is the Son of Man."



The apostles ask what works God requires:

JOHN 6:28,29 Then they asked him, "What must we do to do the works God requires?" Jesus answered, "The work of God is this: to believe in the one he has sent."



Salvation by Grace:

EPHESIANS 1:4,5,6,7,8 For he chose us in him before the creation of the world to be holy and blameless in his sight. In love he predestined us to be adopted as his sons through Jesus Christ, in accordance with his pleasure and will-- to the praise of his glorious grace, which he has freely given us in the One he loves. In him we have redemption through his blood, the forgiveness of sins, in accordance with the riches of God's grace that he lavished on us with all wisdom and understanding.



2 TIMOTHY 1:9,10 ....This grace was given us in Christ Jesus before the beginning of time, but it has now been revealed through the appearing of our Savior, Christ Jesus, who has destroyed death and has brought life and immortality to light through the gospel.



TITUS 3:4,5,6,7,8 ....when the kindness and love of God our Savior appeared, he saved us, not because of righteous things we had done, but because of his mercy. He saved us through the washing of rebirth and renewal by the holy Spirit, whom he poured out on us generously through Jesus Christ our Savior, so that, having been justified by his grace, we might become heirs having the hope of eternal life. This is a trustworthy saying.



EPHESIANS 2:1,2,3,4,5 As for you, you were dead in your transgressions and sins, in which you used to live when you followed the ways of this world and of the ruler of the kingdom of the air, the spirit who is now at work in those who are disobedient. All of us also lived among them at one time, gratifying the cravings of our sinful nature and following its desires and thoughts. Like the rest, we were by nature objects of wrath. But because of his great love for us, God, who is rich in mercy, made us alive with Christ even when we were dead in transgressions-- it is by grace you have been saved.



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THE SWORD OF THE SPIRIT



The sword of the Spirit is the Word of God:

JOHN 1:1 In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God.



Christ as the Word:

JOHN 1:14 The Word became flesh, and made his dwelling among us. We have seen his glory, the glory of the One and Only, who came from the Father, full of grace and truth.



God tells Jeremiah He watches over his Word:

JEREMIAH 1:12 The Lord said to me, "You have seen correctly, for I am watching to see that my word is fulfilled."



The Word is living and active:

HEBREWS 4:12 For the word of God is living and active. Sharper than any two-edged sword, it penetrates even to dividing souls and spirit, joints and marrow; it judges the thoughts and attitudes of the heart.



The Word is health to the body:

PROVERBS 4:20,21,22 My son, pay attention to what I say; listen closely to my words. Do not let them out of your sight, keep them within your heart; for they are life to those who find them and health to a man's whole body.



JOSHUA 1:8 Do not let this Book of the Law depart from your mouth; meditate on it day and night, so that you may be careful to do everything written in it. Then you will be prosperous and successful.



Jesus says his Words will not pass away:

MATTHEW 24:35 "Heaven and earth will pass away, but my words shall not pass away."

Be a doer of the Word:

JAMES 1:21,22 Therefore, get rid of all moral filth and the evil that is so prevalent and humbly accept the word planted in you, which can save you. Do not merely listen to the word, and so deceive yourselves. Do what it says.



All Scripture is God-breathed:

2 TIMOTHY 3:16,17 All Scripture is God-breathed and is useful for teaching, rebuking, correcting and training in righteousness, so that the man of God may be thoroughly equipped for every good work.





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PRAY IN THE SPIRIT



Praying in the Spirit:

ROMANS 8:26,27 .... We do not know what we ought to pray for, but the Spirit himself intercedes for us with groans that words cannot express. And he who searches our hearts knows the mind of the Spirit, because the Spirit intercedes for the saints in accordance with Gods's will.

1 CORINTHIANS 14:15 So what shall I do? I will pray with my spirit, but I will also pray with my mind; I will sing with my spirit, but I will also sing with my mind.



Devote yourselves to prayer:

1 COLOSSIANS 4:2 Devote yourselves to prayer, being watchful and thankful.



Pray always and be alert:

EPHESIANS 6:18 And pray in the Spirit on all occasions with all kinds of prayers and requests. With this in mind, be alert and always keep on praying for all the saints.



LUKE 21:36 "Be always on the watch, and pray that you may be able to escape all that is about to happen, and that you may be able to stand before the Son of Man."



1 PETER 4:7 The end of all things is near. Therefore be clear minded and self-controlled so that you can pray.



The Lord hears our prayer:

ISAIAH 65:24 Before they call I will answer; while they are still speaking I will hear.



1 JOHN 5:14,15 This is the confidence we have in approaching God: that if we ask anything according to his will, he hears us. And if we know that he hears us-- whatever we ask-- we know that we have what we asked of him.



Jesus says, our prayers are answered:

MARK 11:24 "Therefore I tell you, whatever you ask for in prayer, believe that you have received it, and it will be yours."



MATTHEW 21:22 "If you believe, you will receive whatever you ask for in prayer."



Pray with all kinds of prayers and requests:

1 THESSALONIANS 5:16,17,18 Be joyful always; pray continually; give thanks in all circumstances, for this is God's will for you in Christ Jesus.



Jesus says, when you pray forgive:

MARK 11:25,26 "And when you stand praying, if you hold anything against anyone, forgive him, so that your Father in heaven may forgive you your sins."



Pray so that you do not fall into temptation:

MATTHEW 26:41 "Watch and pray so that you will not fall into temptation. The spirit is willing, but the body is weak."



Pray for the troubled, the sick, and for each other:

JAMES 5:13,14,15,16 Is any one of you in trouble? He should pray. Is anyone happy? Let him sing songs of praise. Is any one of you sick? He should call the elders of the church to pray over him and anoint him with oil in the name of the Lord. And the prayer offered in faith will make the sick person well; the Lord will raise him up. If he has sinned, he will be forgiven. Therefore confess your sins to each other and pray for each other so that you may be healed. The prayer of a righteous man is powerful and effective.



Pray for others:

1 TIMOTHY 2:1,3,4 I urge, then, first of all, that requests, prayers, intercession and thanksgiving be made for everyone-- for kings and all those in authority, that we may live peaceful and quiet lives in all godliness and holiness. This is good, and pleases God our Savior, who wants all men to be saved and to come to a knowledge of the truth.



Present your requests to God:

PHILIPPIANS 4:6 Do not be anxious about anything, but in everything, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God.



Be faithful in prayer:

ROMANS 12:12 Be joyful in hope, patient in affliction, faithful in prayer.





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THE LAST DAYS



Jesus tells his disciples the signs of the last days:

MATTHEW 24:3,4,5,6,7,8, As Jesus was sitting on the Mount of Olives, the disciples came to him privately. "Tell us," they said, "when will this happen, and what will be the sign of your coming and of the end of the age." Jesus answered: "Watch out that no one deceives you. For many will come in my name, claiming, 'I am the Christ' and will deceive many. You will hear of wars and rumors of wars, but see to it that you are not alarmed. Such things must happen, but the end is still to come. Nation will rise against nation, and the kingdom against kingdom. There will be famines and earthquakes in various places. All these are the beginning of birth pains."



MATTHEW 24:9,10,11,12,13,14, "Then you will be handed over to be persecuted and put to death, and you will be hated by all nations because of me. At that time many will turn away from the faith and will betray and hate each other, and many false prophets will appear and deceive many people. Because of the increase of wickedness, the love of most will grow cold, but he who stands firm to the end will be saved. And this gospel of the kingdom will be preached in the whole world as a testimony to all nations and then the end will come."



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A MYSTERY



1 CORINTHIANS 15:51,52,53,54,55,56,57 Listen, I tell you a mystery: We will not all sleep, but we will all be changed-- in a flash, in the twinkling of an eye, at the last trumpet. For the trumpet will sound, the dead will be raised imperishable, and we will be changed. For the perishable must clothe itself with the imperishable, and the mortal with immortality. When the perishable has been clothed with the imperishable, and the mortal with immortality, then the saying that is written will come true: "Death has been swallowed up in victory." "Where, O death, is your victory? Where, O death, is your sting?" The sting of death is sin, and the power of sin is the law. But thanks be to God! He gives us the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ.



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CONCLUSION



Serve others, faithfully administering God's grace:

1 PETER 4:7,8,9,10,11 The end of all things is near. Therefore be clear minded and self-controlled so that you can pray. Above all, love each other deeply, because love covers over a multitude of sins. Offer hospitality to one another without grumbling. Each one should use whatever gift he has received to serve others, faithfully administering God's grace in its various forms. If anyone speaks, he should do it as one speaking the very words of God.



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