You Can’t Do it Without God
Many people think they can face the future without God. It cannot be done (John 15:5). The Lord is coming soon and many plagues will precede His arrival (Matt. 24:21-22). This time will be called Jacob’s distress because it is coming upon all people, especially the descendants of the ancient Israelites (Jer. 30:7; Dan. 12:1).
Now is the time to prepare for the Lord’s coming and the day of distress! How should we prepare? God says He will protect all who are wholly devoted to pleasing Him (Is. 3:10; 1 Kings 8:61; Eccl. 8:12). We please God when we live to keep His Ways and do His Will on this earth, just as He does in heaven (Matt. 6:10).
We must learn righteousness by becoming concerned about the things that concern and please God. The fruits of the Spirit listed in Galatians 5:22-23 describe God’s personality. These fruits are love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness and self-control. Because God’s Ways are not our ways, we must practice the fruits of the Spirit daily toward our friends and neighbors until God has a chance to form Jesus Christ’s nature in us (Is. 55:8-9; Gal. 4:19).
Building godly character is easy and pleasant, but it does not happen overnight (Matt. 11:30). It is a process that requires daily discipline and practice (1 Tim. 4:7). We, like Jesus, need to keep busy doing the righteous works of God in our lives (Luke 2:49; John 4:34; 5:30, 36; 14:12; 21:25). We need to live as Jesus lived and keep His deeds by overcoming the evil pulls of our flesh (Rev. 2:26). As we continue to zealously practice this righteous Way of life, we will truly be prepared to meet the Lord at His imminent return (Titus 2:14; 1 Peter 2:9; Luke 1:17; 21:36). Without God, our righteousness is useless (Is. 64:6-7; Rom. 10:2-3). With God, we can have peace and look forward to the future (1 John 2:28; 1 Peter 4:18)!