Loving the Appearing of Christ — Carter Conlon

Loving the Appearing of Christ

If you turn in your Bibles, please, to the book of 2 Timothy, chapter 4. In the New Testament, I'm going to speak today on loving the appearing of Christ. Loving the appearing of Christ. Now, Father, I know you gave me this message.

As surely as I stand here, you've spoken this to my heart. Lord, you are the one who has to deliver it today. Holy Spirit, I thank you for the quickening power that you will place on this entire house, on my life and the ears of the hearers, that I may speak it and that we all may hear it.

Help us, Lord, to hear it in the inner man, and God, to love your appearing until the day you come and take us home. Lord Jesus, let that be the trademark of Times Square Church, that we are a church who loves the appearing of Jesus Christ.

We thank you for this. We praise you in your mighty name. Now, this is understood to be the last chapter, the last letter of the Apostle Paul, just before he was martyred. 2 Timothy, he's writing to Timothy, a young pastor that has been raised up under Paul's ministry.

And this is chapter 4, and he says, I charge thee, therefore, before God and the Lord Jesus Christ, who shall judge the quick and the dead at his appearing in his kingdom, preach the word, be instant in season and out of season, reprove, rebuke, exhort with all longsuffering and doctrine.

For the time will come when they will not endure sound doctrine, but after their own lusts shall they heap to themselves teachers having itching ears, and they shall turn away their ears from the truth and shall be turned into fables.

But watch thou in all things, endure afflictions, do the work of an evangelist, make full proof of thy ministry. For I am now ready to be offered, and the time of my departure is at hand. I have fought a good fight, I have finished my course, I have kept the faith.

And henceforth there is laid up for me a crown of righteousness, which the Lord, the righteous judge, shall give me at that day, and not to me only, but unto all them that love his appearing. Loving the appearing of Christ.

Christ’s Present Appearing Through the Word

Now, Paul is speaking something specific to Timothy's. We know there's a day that Christ is going to return. He's going to come and he's going to gather both those that have died, believing and trusting in him, and those who remain on the earth.

The Bible says that very clearly. There's going to be a day of his physical appearing that he's going to take his church away. But until that day, there is a constant... I'm going to try to prove to you through the Scriptures that there's a constant appearing of Christ.

Christ is here today. Christ is appearing to you today as we read the words of this book. And it is quickened by the Holy Spirit. And the very life and light of Christ takes the Word of God and makes it alive, and brings it into your heart and into your life.

The loving of the appearing of Christ is not just a one-time event. It's something that is in the heart of every true believer in Jesus Christ. I love his appearing. I love it when I open my Bible in the morning, and the Holy Spirit quickens the Word of God.

And off of what would be a dead letter, in effect, without the Spirit of God, I see the appearance of Christ. He comes in his light, in his glory. And he begins to challenge my heart. Every time he appears, my heart is challenged.

Issues that don't represent him become plain and obvious at the appearing of Jesus Christ. The appearing of Christ is strength. It's love. It's mercy. A reproof. And then he brings us into that life that he has provided for us on Calvary.

And when he rose again from the grave, where he sits at the right hand of all power. Paul says, to all those that love is appearing, there's a crown of righteousness that awaits. And the word for love means agapeo.

It means a direction of the will and finding one's joy in something. And the appearing in the original text means to appear, to shine over upon, or to give light to something. And all those, Paul is saying, that love and find their joy in the sudden appearing of his light.

Both now and the light of Christ that is soon to come. The love is appearing. If you are a genuine believer in Christ, when you gather together, for example, today, and a preacher of the gospel opens the word of God, there's something in your heart that says, Jesus, come to me.

Make yourself known to me in a way that I didn't know you when I got up this morning. In effect, it's not a physical appearance. We're not talking about that. But come to me. Appear to me. I find my joy in your life.

Come and shine on my path. Shine on my heart. Shine into my mind. And show me your plan and purpose for my life. Show me what it is that you want to do in my life today. Lord, I love your appearing. Now, Paul in this last letter to Timothy is telling him, in essence, he says, Timothy, I've loved his appearing.

Paul’s Example of Loving Christ’s Appearing

From Damascus road to this Roman prison, Jesus has appeared to correct me. He has appeared to guide me in confusing times. You remember Paul on the ship, when there was confusion all about him. He was able to stand on the deck of that ship and declare the word of the Lord that had been brought to his heart and had given him clear direction in these confusing, difficult days he was encountering.

Timothy has appeared to encourage me in weakness. To comfort me in sorrow. To lead me in the storm. To uphold me before my enemies and to give me a clear vision of tomorrow. Timothy, I am in a Roman prison and very soon I'm going to be offered, but I've not been conquered.

I am more than a conqueror through him that loved me. Nothing can separate me from him. I have loved him. I have loved his appearing and I'm soon to appear before the one who has appeared to me. And Paul was saying, I've loved that appearing.

And Timothy, you must love it too as well. Timothy, preach the word. The word in the original text for the word is logos. It means that which may be clearly understood and comes from the mind of God. Timothy, preach that which God has spoken.

Let the righteousness of God be that which comes from your life. Let it be his word that comes out of your lips. And Paul warns him and says, for the time is coming when they will not endure sound doctrine.

Paul says, be ready for a season when men will no longer desire the appearing of Christ before them. They will no longer want his appearing. And they will invent stories about God. To create a false inner peace in perilous times.

They will not endure. See, the Holy Spirit was speaking to Paul. And Paul knew this day was coming. And I believe that Paul, yes, there have been seasons and times from the life of Paul. Where various societies have absolutely fallen into the categories of truth that are represented here.

But I believe in the end that Paul was seeing something quite far down the road. And quite conceivably the day that you and I are living in right now. The time will come when they will not endure. They will not stand for sound truth.

They do not want the appearing of Christ. And now he's not just even talking about the unsaved society now. Paul is talking about even in the house of what is supposed to be the house of God. Even among people who are supposed to be called by the name of Christ.

But they will heap to themselves teachers having itching ears and turn away their ears from the truth. And shall be turned to stories, fables. A word for fables in the Greek is muthos. It means a parable that has a meaning.

It might even be a good meaning. They'll be turned to stories about God. But they no longer want the appearing of Christ. And there's a reason for this. John chapter 3 verse 20. Jesus said it this way.

Everyone that does evil hates the light. And neither comes to the light lest his deeds should be reproved. Yes, they want stories about Christ. But they don't want Christ. They don't want his appearing.

Rejection of Truth and the Demand for Change

You'll see it time and again in the Old Testament. When the people began to turn away from God. They would cry out to the prophets. Take away the Holy One of Israel from before us. And prophesy to us smooth things.

Give us deceits. This is in effect what the people wanted. We don't love his appearing. We don't want the Holy One of Israel before us. Because every time he comes before us it demands of us change. There has to be a change when there's an appearance of Christ.

From image to image and glory to glory. It will all culminate. The Apostle Paul says when we will finally appear with him in glory we will be just as he is. But until that day there is an ever increasing change going on in the lives of those who are his.

And those who belong to him know his appearing. When he appears if I'm alive on this earth he will not be a stranger to me. I know him. I'll not be a stranger to him either. I have seen him. I have walked with him.

I've talked with him. I'll make his appearance. Every time I open this Bible I ask God to appear to me. Manifest your nature. Manifest your life in these scriptures. And make it known to me. And then make it known in me.

And through me. And you see they didn't want change. Every man wanted his own agenda. Everyone wanted his own way. And when that begins to permeate the church. And here's the danger. Because in our generation God's people are not turned away from the things of the world.

God's people are intertwined. They're bound together as it is. With unregenerate, unsaved, unsanctified men all around them. And because they are bound together. The church that has refused to separate itself from the things of this world.

No longer wants the appearing of Christ. No longer wants the word of God. I can guarantee you there are certain churches in America. That if I were standing in their pulpits this morning. They would be literally infuriated at what I'm speaking.

They would be infuriated. And just like God's people in the days of old. They would say take the holy one of Israel away from us. Take away his claims and his demands for holiness. Take away all of the life and light that exposes what is in our hearts.

And prophesy deceits. Give us smooth things. Tell us that what we're doing is okay. Tell us there's peace when there's no peace. Say to everyone that walks after the imagination of his own heart. No evil shall befall you.

Nothing shall happen to you. Tell everyone who's not in right relationship that it is well with their soul. Paul said to Timothy. But watch thou in all things and endure afflictions. And do the work of an evangelist and make full proof of thy ministry.

Enduring Affliction and Preaching the Gospel

Now here's what Paul is saying to Timothy. And here's what I believe the Holy Spirit is saying to the true church. The true Christian. Be ready to endure afflictions. For the days ahead of you are going to be difficult.

Be ready. Be ready to endure. But you see, Paul's life had been an example to Timothy. And Timothy knew what Paul had endured. And Timothy knew that God had brought him through. And Timothy knew that Paul still had, even though he was in a Roman jail, he still had the word to direct the church of Jesus Christ.

He was being given revelation that few, if any, were having at his particular time. And Paul says, Timothy, there's an hour coming. I believe that's even worse than what Paul was experiencing. What Paul was experiencing was an intolerance.

But he says, there's a worse hour coming. They will not endure it. Society in general are going to turn against religion in all of its forms. And ultimately, the weaponry of the devil in this particular case is to have the world turn against Christ.

It's all about Jesus Christ. It's not about Mohammed. It's not about any other religion, whether they're pacifists or violent. It's not about them. Everything the enemy orchestrates is about Christ. It's to create an intolerance for Christ in the world.

And Paul says, Timothy, there is a day coming of affliction. And you have to be ready for it. You have to have determined in your heart not only to preach, but you have received the word of God. You have loved the appearing of Jesus Christ.

You've called for Him. You've honored His presence. You've made way in your heart for His truth. You've asked Him to come and live and abide within you. And out of that relationship, you are now speaking what God, through the Holy Spirit, has given to you.

You are speaking that which is intelligent, and it can be clearly understood by all men. Hallelujah. You'll know men and women who have been in the presence of God don't speak in mysteries. They don't speak with mutterings and peepings and things that people can't understand to try to give people the impression that they are some great spiritual one.

In visions and dreams and trying to convince the masses that they live in some kind of a spiritual hyperplane that no one else can attain to. No, men and women of God who have been in His presence speak as plainly as Jesus did.

As clearly. The gospel is meant for all men to understand. And to come to the knowledge that there is a living God, a living Savior who paid the price for their sins. Who will not only forgive them, but will come and live within them and empower them.

Give them the ability to rise above the curse of sin and the curse of a fallen world and to begin to live the life in the life of Christ. And to begin to love the kingdom of God. I want to take us back for a moment into another time of history.

Josiah’s Reforms and the Need for Genuine Revival

Go to the book of Jeremiah, please, with me. Actually, go to 2 Chronicles first, if you will. This is another time in history. And it was 40 years before the invasion and captivity of God's people in Judah.

Which included the destruction of Jerusalem and the temple. Everything familiar was about to be taken away. The people were spiritually complacent. Something had gotten into the nation. They were going through religious exercise, but God was far from their hearts.

In 2 Chronicles chapter 34, one of Judah's last kings was a righteous king. Now, we're only roughly 40 years now from the time of destruction. And a young king, 8 years old, began to reign. 2 Chronicles 34, his name was Josiah.

And Josiah was 8 years old when he began to reign. And he reigned in Jerusalem for 1 in 30 years. And he did that which was right in the sight of the Lord, and walked in the ways of David his father, and declined neither to the right hand nor to the left.

For in the 8th year of his reign, while he was yet young, he began to seek after God, the God of David his father. And in the 12th year, he began to purge Judah and Jerusalem from the high places, the groves and the carved images and the molten images.

And they broke down the altars of Balaam and the images that were high above them. And he cut down the groves and the carved images and the molten images. He broke in pieces and made dust of them and strewed it upon the graves of them that had sacrificed unto them.

Now, this king rose up. The Bible does declare him to be a righteous king. He had a zeal for God. He was the secular leader of the nation. The scripture says he burnt the bones of the priests upon their altars and cleansed Judah and Jerusalem.

And so he did in the cities of Manasseh and Ephraim and Simeon, even unto Naphtali, with their mattocks round about. And when he had broken down the altars and the groves and had beaten the graven images into powder and cut down all the idols throughout the land of Israel, he returned to Jerusalem.

Now, stop there for a moment. Josiah is reigning. He has now reigned for 12 years. He is a 20-year-old king, as it is. He is moving by the conviction that God has placed in his heart and he's tearing down altars, tearing down false worship, tearing down as much as the Lord is enabling him to, the false concepts of God and all these other things that had entrenched themselves in that society and were bringing it very rapidly to judgment.

And reform, obviously, had begun under the leadership of Josiah. And there is some evidence of renewed spiritual life among some of the people. And no doubt, everyone is talking about revival. Everyone now is talking about the nation turning back to God.

You can hear the people singing. Those that profess to love God are coming into the temple. There are probably prayers going up that are talking about the wondrous things that are happening. The fact that judgment is now averted.

Who knows what else is being said. But certainly we know that everyone is talking about this revival that's begun. Yet, beloved, whatever professes to be of God has to stand the test of and love is appearing.

You see, whatever professes to be of God, God will come. Christ will come and He will test it. You know the story in Revelation chapter 3. Please note, turn there. Verse 1, there's a church called Sardis.

And this church, really a generation from the cross, the Bible says had a reputation of being alive to all around them. We don't know whether that was their worship. What gave them their reputation or whether it was they were charitable, reaching out into society around them.

We don't know what it was. But they had a reputation. The Scripture says that they were alive until Christ appeared. Then when Christ appeared and walked in the middle of that church, He said, I'm the one that holds the candlesticks.

I walk in the midst of all the candlesticks. That means the testimonies that I have established in the earth. I come to prove them. And I hold the future. And I hold the keys to all power. And He comes and walks in the midst of the church of Sardis.

He said, I know your works, that you have a reputation, that you live, but you're dead. He said, the people around you have a sense that you have been quickened and enlivened by my Spirit. But He says, in fact, you are necros.

Necros in the Greek means that you are separated from the enlivening influence of the Spirit of God. You have a reputation, but Jesus Christ said, I'm not in it. You know, the historians, as far as I can understand, at least anyway, tell us, I believe that the church of Sardis just simply eventually disappeared.

Folks, I want to tell you something. They may have had a reputation. And I don't really know what was going on in their midst, but I know for sure that there were many probably there who didn't love His appearing.

They loved the reputation. They loved the worship. Perhaps they loved the preaching, even, in Sardis. But they didn't love His appearing. When Christ came and walked in the midst, and when He does come, He will reprove everything around Him that is unlike Himself.

They proved themselves to be absolutely, in fact, dead and separated from their only source of spiritual life. You see, the Word came to them and tested them. So, too, in Josiah's day, the Word of God came to test and to plead against.

They pretended devotion and turning to God among the people of the land. Now go to Jeremiah, chapter 1. This is now, the book of Jeremiah, chapter 1, tells us that there was a sudden appearing, as it is.

Jeremiah’s Ministry and the Word That Tests Revival

Now, I am trying to make the point today that whenever God sends His Word, that's a sudden appearing. Whenever the Word is quick and it comes alive, and the presence of Christ comes through the Word, that is an appearing, as it is, of Jesus Christ.

And thank God for that. Thank God. You see half of the charismatic church world now running around the world, looking for visible manifestations of Jesus Christ, and really shows how far they really are from understanding God and the things of God.

Jeremiah, chapter 1, says the words of Jeremiah, the son of Hilkiah, of the priests that were in Anathoth in the land of Benjamin, to whom the Word of the Lord came in the days of Josiah, the son of Ammon, king of Judah, in the thirteenth year of his reign.

Now remember, it was in the eighth year he began to purge the land. It was in the twelfth year that he's tearing down altars and burning groves and taking the bones, as it is, of the priests who were leading people in false worship and scattering them.

And all of this thing is happening, supposedly cleansing all around, and everyone's talking about revival. Then the Word of the Lord suddenly comes in the thirteenth year. God says, yes, there's talk of revival, but I've now come to prove it.

I've come to prove what it is that is happening. And it came also in the days of Jehoiakim, the son of Josiah, king of Judah, unto the end of the eleventh year of Zedekiah, the son of Josiah, king of Judah, unto the carrying away of Jerusalem captive in the fifth month.

Now that's an incredible thing. God says, yes, everyone's talking about revival, but now I'm going to come and I'm going to send my word and I'm going to now suddenly appear through a vessel that was seeking Christ and immediately brought him into conflict with the false securities of his day.

Beloved, that appearing came until they were carried away. Christ came until the enemies surrounded the cities, until the wall of Jerusalem was broken down and the temple was destroyed and the choices to the young men were carried away.

And then the second invasion, and the third, and finally the temple is completely destroyed and Jerusalem is razed to the ground, virtually, r-a-z-e-d, right to the ground. And folks, the tragedy is, even some in this house today, the word of God will plead with you until you are carried away.

Did you know that? God will plead with you. There are people in this house today, you've not made the break from homosexuality. You've not made the break from immorality. You've not made the break from the seat of the scornful in this nation.

You've not made the break from religious pretending to real, live relationship, where Christ can come and appear to you and prove your heart. You've not made the break from false dealing in your finances and cheating and thievery.

You've not made the break from immoral relationships. Many, many things and such like. And Christ will plead with you. The Holy Spirit will come, especially those that have called themselves by the name of God.

Jeremiah had a broken heart all the days of his ministry because Christ was in him, and he was approving this supposed revival that began in Josiah's day. And of course, it wasn't a real revival. It was only in the heart of the king.

And the king was commanding, but it never touched the populace. And God sent Jeremiah to expose it for the falseness that it is. We live in a generation in the day when we've experienced an attack in New York City.

Our commerce was attacked and the symbols of power were attacked. And all of a sudden, everyone is standing and singing, God bless America. Everyone is getting together to encourage one another. Everyone is talking about revival and turning to God.

Folks, there is no turning to God. Set an issue in your heart. If there was a turning to God, you would know it. You would hear about it. There'd be an appearing of Christ. There'd be lives transformed.

There'd be testimonies raised up. There'd be righteous legislators standing in Congress and appealing for Jesus Christ and for the cause of Christ. There'd be men and women speaking for the unborn and those who don't have a voice to speak for themselves.

Hallelujah. Jeremiah stood up and began to speak on God's behalf. And Paul said to Timothy, there's perilous days coming. Perilous times. We're going to enter into a season where it's not going to be popular to preach the gospel of Jesus Christ.

The Exclusivity of the Gospel in Perilous Times

Because Christ is exclusive. And the buzzword in the coming days, I personally believe, is going to be inclusion. You're okay. I'm okay. Everybody's okay. We're all going to heaven. Let's just all get along.

And those who don't know Christ will fall in line and say, yes, this is wonderful. We'll have a one-world religion. You believe what you believe and I'll believe what I believe. But I won't tell you you're wrong and you don't tell me I'm wrong.

We'll all get along. And the world will live in peace. But it's not about peace. It's about the gospel of Jesus Christ. Gospel. Because the gospel is exclusive. Jesus said, I am the way, the truth, and the life.

No man comes to the Father except through me. Christ is exclusive. And the devil knows it. And there's a day coming when it's going to be unpopular to stand for the things of God. It's going to be unpopular.

There will no longer be a time and a season where everybody thinks that the gospel is just a wonderful thing and part of culture. All folks, mark the word that you're hearing today because there's a perilous days are coming our way.

In the not too distant future. Jeremiah 1, 13. He says, the word of the Lord came to me. You'll see it all the way through Jeremiah. You begin to follow it. If you have a strong concordance, just look up the word, word, in the book of Jeremiah.

You're going to see all the times. Jeremiah says, the word came to me. The word came to me. The word came to me. Who is the word? Jesus Christ is the word of God. And the word came to me. I loved His appearing.

He came to me. Not to make me popular. Not to make me God's man or woman of the hour. The word came to me. To stand as a wall and a brazen pillar against a generation that was going to hell and didn't know it.

And the word came to me, says the second time, saying, what do you see? And I said, I see a seething pot. And the face thereof is toward the north. Chapter 1, verse 14. And the Lord said to me, out of the north, an evil shall break forth upon all the inhabitants of the land.

For lo, I will call all the families of the kingdoms of the north. And they shall set every one his throne at the entering of the gates of Jerusalem and against all the walls thereof round about and against all the cities of Judah.

And I will utter my judgments against them, touching all their wickedness, who have forsaken me and have burned incense unto other gods and worship the works of their own hands. Therefore gird up your loins and arise and speak to them all that I command thee.

And be not dismayed at their faces, lest I confound thee before them. For behold, I have made thee this day a defense city and an iron pillar and brazen walls against the whole land. Against the kings of Judah, against the princes thereof, against the priests thereof and against the people of the land.

And they shall fight against thee, but they shall not prevail against thee. For I am with thee, says the Lord, to deliver thee. God says, you're going to come into conflict, Jeremiah, with the kings in the midst of this supposed turning to me.

I am going to appear to them through the word that I'm giving you. And you're going to be in immediate conflict with kings and princes and priests and people. And you're going to find out that the supposed revival is not founded in any truth or reality.

Jeremiah 6 and the Loss of Conviction

Chapter 6, verse 13. God says to Jeremiah, from the least of them, even to the greatest of them, everyone is given to covetousness. And from the prophet, even to the priest, everyone deals falsely. He says there's massive greed and dishonesty.

In the leaders and also in those that are leading the house of God. Massive greed and dishonesty. They have healed also the hurt of the daughter of my people slightly. Saying, peace, peace, when there is no peace.

There's a message of false peace that has no grounding in truth. God says to Jeremiah, that is still being preached in my people. The message that they're receiving. Yes, the king is commanding. Now, we're at a later date now.

But even in Josiah's time, the king is commanding. And everything around seems to be changing. But it's not touching the population. It's not touching the people in general. It's one man's revival who has the power to do certain things in the nation.

But it's not touching the people. There's still greed in the leadership and dishonesty. The prophets and priests are still preaching a false peace. And telling those who live in sin, it is well when it's not well with them.

Verse 15, he says, were they ashamed when they had committed an abomination? No, they're not at all ashamed. And neither could they blush. Therefore, they shall fall among them that fall at the time that I visit them.

They shall be cast down, saith the Lord. There's a loss of conviction over sin. There's not even the ability to blush anymore. Now, he's not necessarily talking about the unsaved. We understand that. But even among those that are professing to know God.

There's no conviction anymore. People have done wrong for so long it's become right. Verse 16 says, thus saith the Lord, stand in the ways and see and ask for the old paths. Where is the good way? And walk therein, and you shall find rest for your souls.

But they said, we will not walk therein. And I said, watchmen over you, saying, hearken to the sound of the trumpet. But they said, we will not hearken. And ultimately, at the bottom of it all, there was still a deep-set rebellion against truth.

They didn't want the truth of God because they didn't want the appearing of Jesus Christ. Love is a presence. They loved religion. They loved everything. They loved their culture. They loved the pleasures of their day, but they didn't love the appearing of Christ.

Holiness, Light, and the Work of Christ

And tragically, I see history repeating itself again in our generation. The Apostle Paul, in the book of Ephesians, chapter 5, verse 5, says these words. He says, for this you know, that no whoremonger, nor unclean person, nor covetous man who is an idolater, has any inheritance in the kingdom of Christ and of God.

Verse 6, he says, let no man deceive you with vain words. For because of these things comes the wrath of God upon the children of disobedience. Be not therefore partakers with them. Paul says, don't let anyone deceive you.

Those who are immoral and unclean, who are not true worshippers of Christ, have no inheritance in the kingdom of Christ and of God. For you were sometimes darkness. Verse 8, but now you are light in the Lord and walk as children of light.

The word for light is, the context is, you now have within you a light that was never kindled by man and cannot be quenched by man. It's a divine light. It's the life of Christ is now in you. Paul really is what he's saying.

For the fruit of the Spirit is in all goodness and righteousness and truth, proving what is acceptable unto the Lord. And have no fellowship with the unfruitful works of darkness, but rather reprove them.

For it's a shame even to speak of those things which are done of them in secret. But all things that are reproved are made manifest by the light. For whatsoever doth make manifest is light. Here's what Paul's saying in verse 13.

All things that are brought to the surface, and the word for are made manifest means divinely revealed. If you have the light of Christ in you, as Christ comes to you, everything in you, unlike Him, is divinely revealed.

Things that you are holding to, believing. And if genuinely we love His appearing, we will turn quickly from these things. For whatsoever doth make manifest is light, and the word for light in verse 13 is Christos, which is Christ.

Jesus Christ. That within you which makes unholiness known to you is Christ. Paul's saying when Christ comes to you, when you are in the presence of Christ, when Christ is appearing to you, you become intimately aware of everything in you that is unlike Him.

And Paul's essentially saying if you begin to feel this way, don't be afraid of that. You are in the presence of Christ. Christ is your light. Christ is your light. And wherefore, in verse 14, he says, Awake thou that sleepest, and arise from the dead, and Christ will give you light.

Christ will give you light. Christ will come. Christ will give you the power over your sin. Christ will give you a new heart. Christ will give you a new mind. Christ will give you a new nature. Christ will give you stability for your times.

Christ will take away the turmoil and give you confidence and strength. Christ will be your hope for today. Christ will be your pathway for tomorrow. Christ will be the words in your mouth. Christ will be the meditation in your heart.

Christ will be the strength of your hand. Christ will be the light in your eye. Christ will be the one who takes you from image to image and glory to glory. Christ, if your love is appearing, if you love Him, He will come and plant His Word deep within your heart.

Christ will set you on a rock high above those storms that will be all around you. Christ will give you the power to go through difficult times. Christ will cause you to stand when everything around you is falling apart.

Christ will give you a sure word, a prophecy for those who are going through difficult times. Christ within you will be your absolute hope. He will be your high tower. He will be your sustaining power.

Christ within you will be all and everything. He will be your all-sufficiency. It will be Christ appearing outside, inside, and all around those who are called by His name. Hallelujah. Hallelujah. When captivity finally came, it was Jeremiah who had the word of hope, which eventually led the people to freedom.