 Today, we're going to be looking at Mark chapter 13 verses 28 through 31. We're going to look at the parable of the fig tree. And as is my usual way of doing things, I'm going to highlight various things that we've already seen in chapter 13 to lead us up to and introduce the verses that we'll be looking at today, this parable that the Lord gives to us here in Mark chapter 13. So beginning at Mark 13 verse 28, reading to verse 31, Jesus said, Now learn this parable from the fig tree. When its branches already become tender and puts forth leaves, you know that summer is near. So you also, when you see these things happening, know that it is near at the doors. Now, shortly I say to you, this generation will by no means pass away till all these things take place. Heaven and earth will pass away, but my words will by no means pass away. And so let me give you the context here as we look at chapter 13. Jesus has prophesied that the temple would be destroyed. Remember how the men had been looking at the temple and marveling at its beauty and everything about it, but the Lord had said in verse 2, Do you see these great buildings? Not one stone shall be left upon another that shall not be thrown down. Well that had caused his disciples to ask him a question. It's found in verse 4 of chapter 13, Peter, James, John and Andrew had asked him, Tell us, when will these things be? And what will be the sign when all these things will be fulfilled? So chapter 13 here in the gospel of Mark is Jesus' answer to their question. Now throughout the chapter, Jesus has spoken of conditions that will exist prior to his return. He began by saying that there will be a time of general tribulation. That occurs in what has been called the church age. That occurs prior to the rapture. And in verse 8 of chapter 13, Jesus said, All these things are the beginning of sorrows. I mentioned to you that the word sorrows is a Greek word that speaks of birth pains. These are things, in other words, to prepare people for what is to come. And that would be his return. So the disasters over the centuries that have occurred have been fortates of the things to come. These are previews of events that occurred during the tribulation. You see, after the rapture, the tribulation, the seven-year period of judgment begins. It's going to start with the signing of a covenant between one called the Antichrist and the nation of Israel. And that's going to initiate a series of increasing judgments for the first three-and-a-half years of that seven-year period. Now part of the agreement may include the rebuilding of the Jewish temple. The temple has been destroyed since Titus of Rome destroyed it in the early part of the first century. And so what you have now is you have the temple mount, but you have no temple up there. And I've shared with you some things about that. But when we go to Israel, we'll go up normally, we go up to the temple mount. We have an opportunity to walk around that space of land there and all, but there's no temple there. It's right now under the control of the Muslims, and when you go in there, there are restrictions that you'll find yourself to have to undergo. They don't want you smiling or laughing when you're up there. They don't want you holding hands with your wife or whatever. They don't want signs of affection. They don't want you to bring your Bibles up there. It's very restricted up there, and the regulations that they have there are strictly enforced. Well, the Antichrist in Israel are going to sign a covenant. And part of that covenant, that agreement, that treaty is going to be the rebuilding of the temple. But in the middle of the tribulation, that covenant will be violated. You see, according to Daniel, chapter 9, verse 27, Antichrist will confirm a covenant with many for one seven. That's a seven-year period. In the middle of the seven, in the third and a half year, he will put an end to sacrifice and offering, and at the temple, he will set up an abomination that causes desolation until the end that is decreed is poured out on him. So there's going to be something referred to as the abomination that causes desolation or destruction. Second Thessalonians, chapter 2, verse 4, says it like this, Antichrist will oppose and will exalt himself over everything that is called God, or his worship, so that he sets himself up in God's temple, proclaiming himself to be God. Well, when that takes place, Israel will be caught by surprise. They didn't expect anything like that to take place. So in 1 Thessalonians, chapter 5, verse 3, Paul said, 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. So this abomination occurs in the middle of the tribulation, and from there the great tribulation ensues. Now at the conclusion of the seven year period of tribulation, Jesus returns. Remember in Matthew in chapter 24, verse 3, he was asked, what is the sign of your coming and the end of the age? And in his answer he made it clear that his second coming is as real as the first. So by answering this question, Jesus is making something clear to his men. The reality of his return is to motivate all who serve him. In 1 John, chapter 3, verse 3, 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. We make ourself ready. We prepare to be with Christ. You see the return of Christ, the rapture of the church, then in the second coming we'll look at that in a moment. But the anticipation of being with the Lord is what is to prepare us to be with him. It's like a bride who prepares herself to meet her groom. Whenever the young lady prepares herself to meet the groom, she beautifies herself to the most that she can. She wants to appear to him as beautiful as is possible. She's prepared herself. It just causes me to remember something when I did a wedding one time, and it was one of those things. I didn't really know the couple, but they were well respected and all. And it was one of those things where you have to, like I said, okay, I'll do it for them, but I had never seen them. And so they came up and it was awkward, as I think it. It was awkward how, you know, I was giving them the, you know, preparation and all she had available. It was really amazing. And he says to me, this is so awkward. I don't even know what I'm telling you. But anyway, he said, what do I owe you? And you don't owe me anything. So I looked at it and I said, look at, and I was laughing. I said, just give me what you think she's worth. So he gave me a dollar and I lifted her veil and I gave him 50 cents back. No, I'm just kidding. Are you with me? Are you awake? Don't hate me. It just came to my face. The guy's like that. I don't know. I didn't say that for a service. I just felt like it. Forgive me. You still appreciate me. I'm sure you do. Anyway, getting back to the Bible study. Everyone who has this hope in him purifies himself just as he is pure. So the desire to be with Jesus Christ is what motivates us to live a life that is better. And we live and we act as if we expect to see him. And so we prepare ourselves to be with him. In Titus chapter two, verses 12 through 14, Paul said, the grace of God that brings salvation has appeared to all men teaching us that denying ungodliness and worldly lusts, we should live soberly, righteously and godly in the present age. Looking for the blessed hope and glorious appearing of our great God and Savior Jesus Christ who gave himself for us. That he might redeem us from every lawless deed and purify for himself his own special people. Zalas for good works. So we prepare ourselves to be with him. We live in a way that that reveals that we have an anticipation. We live soberly, righteously and godly in this present age. Why? Because we're looking for the blessed hope and glorious appearing of our great God and Savior Jesus Christ. He gave himself for us. So you're in preparation. See there's a growing longing to see him. That's an earmark of a genuine Christian. It reveals a genuine love for him. In Matthew 24, Jesus said it like this in verses 48 through 51. He said, if that evil servant says in his heart my master is delaying his coming and begins to beat his fellow servants and to eat and drink with the drunkards. The master of that servant will come on a day when he's not looking for him and at an hour that he is not aware of and will cut him in two and appoint him his portion with the hypocrites. There shall be weeping and gnashing of tea. It's the evil servant who says the Lord delays his coming. It's the one who loves him who's prepared at any given moment for the Lord to be with him. So there are those who remind us that Jesus said he'd return. It's been almost 2000 years and he hasn't. So they asked the question, well where is he? He said he's going to return but he hasn't. Well this too was spoken up to give us hope. It's the sign of the last days when somebody is saying where is he? He's promised but he's not here. In 2 Peter chapter 3 verses 3 and 4, the apostle says knowing this first that scoffers will come in the last days. Walking according to their own lust and saying where is the promise of his coming for since the fathers fell asleep. All things continue as they were from the beginning of creation. Where is he? He said he's going to come. He hasn't come yet. Well Paul referred to this to stir believers to keep them from losing hope. In Romans 13 verse 11 he said do this understanding the present time. The hour has already come for you to wake up from your slumber. Because he said our salvation is nearer now than when we first believed. He's closer to coming back now than when I almost 52 years ago first believed. Every day makes it one day closer to his return. Now in our last study we concluded with the second coming. Here Jesus continues his answer by giving his disciples a parable. And he gives a parable of the fig tree illustrating when he would return. You see in this parable Jesus used a fig tree to represent the nation of Israel. In Scripture the fig tree is one of the seven crops that represented Israel. In Deuteronomy 8 7 and 8 it says the Lord your God is bringing you into a good land. A land with streams and pools of water with springs flowing in the valleys and hills. A land with wheat and barley vines and fig trees pomegranates olive oil and honey. Now earlier Jesus had used a fig tree to symbolize the nation of Israel as being fruitless. In Luke 13 6 through 9 he told this parable a man had a fig tree planted it in his vineyard and went to look for fruit on it but did not find any. So he said to the man who took care of the vineyard for three years now I've been coming to look for fruit on this fig tree and haven't found any. Cut it down. Why should it dig up the soil? Use up the soil. Sir the man replied leave it alone for one more year and I'll dig around it and fertilize it. If it bears fruit next year then fine. If not then cut it down. Well that fig tree symbolized national Israel. It was a spiritually dead nation and that fig tree still symbolizes the nation of Israel. It has the appearance of life that isn't producing spiritual fruit. You see Israel during the time of Christ had the outward trappings of a deeply religious people. They were known for being the people of the book. I've mentioned to you how one of our guides is pointing out that that the children would be raised with the knowledge of scripture. They would actually at a certain age memorize the first five books of the Bible. They were people of high literacy and they were known as people of faith. That's why they called them the people of the book. They had an outward trapping of religiosity. They had an appearance of faith but in fact the nation was spiritually dead. They had religious zeal but they didn't have a relationship with the Lord. When Jesus was speaking about their outer trappings he spoke of the way that they would pray. He spoke of the way that they would give. They would fast. These are all outward trappings of a religious people. They had a religious priesthood and these people were well respected. They had a temple where sacrifices were offered. They knew their scripture. They memorized their prayers. They had every outer appearance. They were like a fig tree that was producing no fruit. So Paul spoke of this in the letter to the Romans in chapter 10 verses one through three when he said brothers my hearts desire and pray to God for Israel is that they may be saved for I can testify about them that they are zealous for God but their zeal is not based on knowledge for they being ignorant of God's righteousness seeking to establish their own righteousness have not submitted to the righteousness of God. You see in Romans Paul said Gentiles were open to Christ but Israel rejected him. They believed that they could be made righteous by the law by obedience to the law. They didn't seek a right standing with God through faith but by works. So in doing that they rejected the righteousness that comes by faith alone. Paul again in Romans chapter three verses 21 and 22 said it like this. He said but now apart from the law the righteousness of God has been made known to which the law and the prophets testify. This righteousness is given through faith in Jesus Christ to all who believe. There is no difference between Jew and Gentile. That's why to the Galatians in chapter two verse 21 he said I do not frustrate the grace of God for if righteousness came by the law then Christ has died in vain. So the Jewish nation was living up to certain exterior standards. They had a priesthood they had sacrifice but they had rejected the grace that comes through faith in Christ and so Jesus is about to give a parable to his men and as we look at this parable what would be the point that Jesus is making? Well Jesus is revealing the signs that precede his second coming. He's given an outline of the events that are going to occur before his return. He had told them what would happen but they had wondered when it would happen. So he's giving to them the parable of the fig tree. That was your introduction. Let's get into our study. Verse 28. Now learn this parable from the fig tree. When its branches already become tender and puts forth leaves you know that summer is near. Well Jesus is there during the time that the fig tree would be producing leaves but summer is when it was going to produce the fruit and so he's speaking concerning this when he says that the branch has become tender. See at that point the sap has begun to flow into the branches and that's when the leaves begin to appear. That would be a picture of the closeness of his return. Now many believe that Jesus is speaking of the miraculous rebirth of the nation of Israel and in its restoration to political statehood the fig tree had budded. There are many who point to that you see because the nation of Israel is a one miraculous nation on the face of the of the planet earth. The nation that that had been abandoned there was no nation of Israel since Titus of Rome came in and destroyed and sent all the people so many of the people throughout the world they were dispersed and all there's always been a presence of Jews in the nation there's never been a time since that point that there weren't Jewish people still settled and still using the land but it was not the nation that it had at one time been during the time of Christ and so people will point to the miraculous rebirth of the nation of Israel as a sign that the tree has budded that it's close to the time when the Lord Jesus Christ will return. So I want to look at that with you for just a moment. I want to look at that by if you will turn your Bibles to Ezekiel. Those of you who have your Bibles with you Ezekiel 37. I want to show you something there. I'm going to give you a brief touch of a study here in Ezekiel 37 just looking at verses 1 through 14. We're going to be looking at the vision of the valley of the dry bones found in Ezekiel 37. Now as you're turning your Bibles those of you who are hunting for Ezekiel you'll find them. Ezekiel the book was written in 586 BC. We're going to be looking at this together in Ezekiel 37 1 through 14. Let me read to you and then I'll just give you some things to build up the study so you can see what's going on. The hand of the Lord came upon me and and brought me brought me out in the spirit of the Lord and set me down in the midst of the valley. It was full of bones. Then he caused me to pass by them all around and behold there were very many in the open valley and indeed they were very dry and he said to me son of man can these bones live. Again he said to me prophesy to these bones say to them oh dry bones hear the word of the Lord thus says the Lord God to these bones surely I will cause breath to enter into you and you shall live I will put sinews on you and bring flesh upon you cover you with skin put breath in you you shall live then you shall know that I am the Lord. So I prophesied as I was commanded and as I prophesied there was a noise and suddenly a rattling and the bones came together bone to bone indeed as I looked the sinews and the flesh came upon them the skin covered them over but there was no breath in them also he said to me prophesied to the breath prophesied son of man say to the breath thus says the Lord God come from the forewinds oh breath and breathe on these slain that they may live so I prophesied as he commanded me and breath came into them and they lived and stood upon their feet and exceedingly great army then he said to me son of man these bones are the whole house of Israel they indeed say our bones are dry our hope is lost we ourselves are cut off therefore prophesy and say to them thus says the Lord God behold oh my people I will open your graves and cause you to come up from your graves and bring you into the land of Israel then you shall know that I am the Lord when I have opened your graves oh my people and brought you up from your graves I will put my spirit in you you shall live I will place you in your land then you shall know that I the Lord have spoken it and performed it says the Lord now basically that passage has been interpreted in various ways I'll give you a couple of them some see this as a general picture of the resurrection from the dead some say that the speaks of Israel is regathering from the captivity of Babylon they believe it refers to them being brought back into the land of Israel it would speak of the nation awakening to life again after their release from Babylon there are others who interpret this as a political revival of the nation but there's a fourth way of seeing this and this is what we hold to this speaks of their spiritual condition during centuries of dispersion it points to the national resurrection and restoration of Israel to the land verses 21 and 22 of that chapter seemed to point that out because Ezekiel 37 21 and 22 reads then say to them thus says the Lord God surely I will take the children of Israel from among the nations wherever they have gone and will gather them from every side and bring them into their own land and I will make them one nation in the land on the mountains of Israel one king shall be king over them they shall no longer be two nations nor shall they ever be divided into two kingdoms again this would seem to be obvious the national resurrection and restoration of Israel to the land again the nation of Israel as we know was scattered throughout the world for over 1900 years it would be speaking of the rebirth of Israel prophesied by Ezekiel there's never been a nation that has been scattered in the way that Israel was that it's ever reconnected with its roots and once again became a nation after 1900 years never it's the miracle of Israel so in verses one through three Ezekiel is brought by the spirit notice how he was sat down sat down in a valley of dry bones these bones are described as being bleached by the sun they'd been there for some time there's absolutely no life physical nor spiritual to be seen so the question was asked in verse three when god said can these bones live and Ezekiel responded by saying god you know so that emphasizes first the hopelessness of the situation can these dry bones live that's hopeless but it secondly it requires more power than man possesses to make these bones live that's why Ezekiel said god you know I don't have the answer because it requires more power than I have to make these bones live and so in verses four through six again he said prophesy to these bones say to them oh dry bones hear the word of the lord thus says the lord god to these bones surely I will cause breath to enter into you you shall live I'll put sinews on you bring flesh upon you cover you with skin put breath in you you shall live then you shall know that I am the lord so he said prophesy to these bones and say to them the life-giving word of god is going to accomplish this impossible task god said I'm going to restore the nation and it was he who would do this impossible thing in Psalm 33 verse 6 by the word of the lord the heavens were made and all the host of them by the breath of his mouth Psalm 33 verse 9 he spoke it was done he commanded and it stood fast and that's why in verse 5 god said surely I will cause breath to enter into you nation of Israel you will once again come to life the ultimate result they're going to recognize that that god is their lord verse 6 says you shall know that I am the lord in verses 7 through 10 again I prophesied as I was commanded I prophesied there was a noise suddenly a rattling the bones came together bone to bone indeed as I looked the sinews and the flesh came upon them the skin covered them over but there was no breath in them he said to me prophesied to the breath prophesied said a man say to the breath thus says the lord god come from the forewinds oh breath breathe on these slain that they may live so I prophesied as he commanded me and breath came into them and they lived stood upon their feet and exceedingly great army so Ezekiel prophesied over the dead bones obeying god's command to do so once again they're clothed with flesh and yet they're still dead that would be a picture of Israel the Israel of our day reassembled but without spiritual life when you go to Israel you see that the first time I went to Israel I honestly thought I'm going to be walking the land of well it's the land of miracles it's the land where Jesus walked it's the land that God had established through Abraham and you get very excited but it doesn't take long for you to realize that the nation by and large has rejected their god and in your first trip there you might feel even a little disappointed in that but it's a fact they've been reassembled but there's no spiritual life at them it reminds me of Adam when Adam had been formed and yet there was no life in him it says in Genesis chapter 2 verse 7 that the lord god formed a man from the dust of the ground and breathed into his nostrils the breath of life and the man became a living being there he was perfectly and beautifully fashioned with no life in him it took the breath of God for him to become a living soul the nation of Israel is being reformed and as it's being reformed it's taking shape but it still has no breath of God in it well after the tribulation God will once again be there God it says in verses 11 through 14 again of Ezekiel he said to me son of man these bones are the whole house of Israel they indeed say our bones are dry our hope is lost we ourselves are cut off therefore prophesy say to them thus says the Lord God behold oh my people I will open your graves cause you'd come up from your graves bring you into the land of Israel then you shall know that I am the Lord when I have opened your graves oh my people and brought you up from your graves I will put my spirit in you you shall live and I will place you in your own land then you shall know that I the Lord have spoken it and performed it sayeth the Lord he's going to do that he's going to breathe into them after the tribulation and so many have gone through the purging process he's going to breathe into them and the nation of Israel once again say God is my God and so Jesus is speaking of this notice in verse 29 so you also when you see these things happening know that it is near at the doors this would be speaking of those who are alive during the tribulation those who have been saved in the tribulation and the events unfolding will be preparing them believers at the end of the age will see the events of the tribulation and be ready the judgments that fall on earth will be signs of Jesus's return remember in verse 14 Mark had added the words let the reader understand I mentioned to you that he's speaking as if you were talking directly to future believers these are the ones who survived the tribulation and experienced his return these are the ones who've gone through it and they're aware of the promises and the words that God has spoken and when they see these taking place these things they're going to be aware that Jesus is returning these are last day believers these are indicators for us these are indicators that his return is near for those who are going through it it'll indicate that his return is soon even as Israel is regathering right before us we know we know that God's word is true the sap is moving in the branches the leaves are budding the summer is near and Jesus is coming soon so we need to be prepared for the rapture we need to be aware that he's coming to take his bride we need to be prepared we have this hope within us and we prepare ourselves we purify ourselves we live lives that are holy and blameless to set apart for him in anticipation we're ready in ourself to meet him to go with him those who go through the tribulation these things will be indicators that his return is soon and for them they're going to be prepared also now notice what he says in verse 30 assuredly I say to you this generation will by no means pass away till all these things take place this generation those alive during those times who are viewing these signs you see for us when Israel became a nation it revealed that we are at the end of history that the rapture is about to occur but for others before the rapture multitudes did not embrace Jesus Christ after the rapture many will be saved and will await his second coming you know there's a benefiting growing old as I have is that you have an opportunity to look further back and see how things have changed over the years and for me and people around my age and all we see an entirely different world whereas at one time when when we were young we would see things differently than we see today there was a time when when there was no such thing as being canceled that didn't occur there was there were times when when when it was recognized and accepted as a nation that there were Christian holidays that that that the nation actually celebrated together I can still remember in earlier days of my life watching television around the time of Christmas and and you would have Jewish comedians having the Christmas specials and they weren't offended because the word Christmas was used in all of that but things have changed the world has changed and and as we've tried to kick God out of everything that we can possibly kick him out of as we've kicked him out of city council meetings or out of schools and all while we are reaping the consequences we've sown to the wind we're reaping the whirlwind as a nation right now there was a time when people would actually regard the things that mattered the things that we knew would keep us together that we knew as a nation that faith was very important that raising your children to believe in God was very important we knew all of those things but those things are fading fast that's what's taking place what's happening is it's going to continue that way the rapture is going to occur there's going to be a removal of the church and then the antichrist will be able to make his entrance after the rapture when the church is gone people will be remembering messages that had been spoken things that they had read in the Bible or heard or knew that Christians believed there will be people who are preaching there will be a continuation of a of a evangelization of declarations of Christ and things like that that will take place those of you who are familiar with revelation or who have gone through revelation with us recently you know that there'll be various witnesses and there'll be a great a great multitude who come to faith in Jesus Christ there'll be a purging in the nation of Israel many will come to faith in Jesus Christ but many did not many did not embrace him now the rapture many get saved afterwards they're waiting in second coming they will go through affliction but ultimately many will see his return and so he said I say unto you this generation will by no means pass away till all these things take place and then he says in verse 31 heaven and earth will pass away but my words will by no means pass away heaven and earth will pass away but my words will by no means pass away this present world is temporary but in Christ we have eternal life in 1st John 2 17 the world is passing away and also its lusts but the one who does the will of God lives forever the Bible teaches us that the universe itself will ultimately be recreated in 2nd Peter chapter 3 verse 10 the day of the Lord will come as the thief in the night in which the heavens will pass away with the great noise the elements will melt with fervent heat both the earth and the works that are in it will be burned up and when the Lord Jesus Christ rules and reigns after his second coming there's going to be a thousand year what is called a thousand year rule of Christ at the millennial reign the devil unbelievers will be judged at the end of the reign and after this there'll be a new heaven and a new earth revelation 21 verse 1 I saw a new heaven and a new earth for the first heaven and the first earth passed away also there was no more mercy so Jesus makes it very clear notice again verse 31 heaven and earth will pass away but my words will by no means pass away heaven and earth themselves will pass away but my word is eternal God's word endures forever God's word is permanent and it cannot fail in Psalm 100 verse 5 the Lord is good his mercy is everlasting his truth endures to all generations there's no such thing as my truth in your truth there's simply truth and all truth is God's truth and his word is true and that's why we sang even today in preparation for our Bible study that every word is true we believe his word if he said it that that settles it it finishes it for me he said it I believe it that that settles it God's word is true now there are people who would say I don't believe the word of God is the word of God well come on Wednesday night we'll look at the reasons why the word of God can be trusted but the bottom line is I figure it kind of like this if I can believe the first few words of the book of Genesis I can believe the rest of the book in the beginning God if I remember the first four words the rest is easy if I believe the first four words in the beginning God then everything else is going to flow with that if I don't believe that I might as well not read the Bible but I believe in the beginning God and God's word is true let every man be a liar his word endures forever if he has said it will he not do it our God is able to do that which is declared why our God is not a liar man may be but God is not in 1 Peter 1 24 and 25 all flesh is as grass the glory of man as the flower of grass the grass withers the flower thereof falls away but the word of the Lord endures forever and this is the word which by the gospel is preached unto you and that is why we take time to do what I did today to try and give you an actual Bible study not my stories not my history not my testimony not my opinions but God's word why because it is God's word that is true I want to equip you the church for the works of service I've been doing it here in this church for 41 years and I want to see God be glorified in your lives it would be easy for me to come up with stories and jokes it's easy to do that but that doesn't save you what saves you is God's word knowing what it says and knowing how to apply it that's what Christianity is but we're living in a time when people want entertainment it's been said that we want to entertain the goats instead of feeding the sheep goats want to be entertained sheep want to be fed and sheep are fed by the word of God that helps me to know when I'm when I'm in a Bible study whether or not I'm actually a goat or a sheep if I'm listening to the word of God and I'm growing thereof if God is working in me I'm being fed his word I'm a sheep but if I'm there saying oh I want something different this isn't funny this isn't exciting this you know we ought to be juggling as he's talking entertain me well I think that's the state of the church today that's why a lot of pastors have stopped teaching the word of God and are giving their opinions every time they gather but we're not going to do that we're going to give you the word of God why because it's a word of God that saves you when you embrace God's word your life is transformed that's how it works and so God's word endures forever he says this is a word which by the gospel is preached unto you what Jesus has said about the tribulation his return and his return is completely true you can be certain about it he said it and trust it completely numbers 2319 God is not a man that he should lie nor the son of man that he should change his mind as he said it will he not do it as he's spoken and will he not fulfill it God has said it I believe it that settles it so we need to be prepared for the return of Jesus Christ the rapture is going to happen soon it's my prayer that it happens in my lifetime it's one day closer than when I first believed I got saved in 1970 it'll be 52 years in a couple of months and I've been waiting every day for his return and it's going to happen he's going to call the voice of the archangel the dead and cross will rise first and we who are alive and remain shall be caught up together with them in the air and thus shall we always be with the Lord and at that point I'm not going to be saying man I wish I'd about that other car I wish I had that cool cool those cool shoes I'm not going to be doing that all I'm going to be doing along with you is looking into the face of the one who loved us who went for us in that garden who put his hands on a cross so that he could die for me and all I'm going to be doing is adoring him and loving him and worshiping him and thanking him for eternity and there I'm going to see my mom and I'm going to see my dad and I'm going to see my friends and I'm going to see a baby that Marie and I didn't have when she miscarried I'm going to see that and I know that's going to be mine and I'm going to be with my family my family forever and ever and ever because God has said it that settles it I believe it and one day I'll experience it and I pray that every one of you are able to be there too so together we can celebrate the reality of what God has done for us God's word is true and every man let him be a liar God doesn't lie has he not said it and will he not do it and that's why the Lord said heaven and earth will pass away but my words will by no means pass away because every word of God is true not one of those words will fail and we thank God for his word bless you Lord