Over the last several months, my sermons have been focused mostly on current events and the nearness of Christ’s coming, because I want everyone within the sphere of my influence to be informed about what’s going on in the world as it relates to Bible prophecy. In fact, I’m sure you’ve heard something in the news this past month about Project 2025, haven’t you? It’s all over in the news and on various social media platforms about how the Democrats are associating Donald Trump with The Heritage Foundation’s agenda and how he has denied knowing anything about it. However, I find it interesting that what The Heritage Foundation has outlined for the next Republican administration and what Trump says his administration wants to accomplish, seems to be very much in lockstep, and I have to say, for the most part is in keeping with Christian values, and that’s what’s so tricky about it.

Remember what the Apostle Paul said in 2 Corinthians 11:14, 15? He said we shouldn’t marvel at the fact that Satan is able to transform himself into an angel of light and his ministers into ministers of righteousness. In other words, the devil and his agents can make themselves look like good Christians to those who have no spiritual discernment. Over the past 6,000 years the devil has been very careful about not moving too quickly so as not to blow his cover, but he is getting close enough to his goal now and is beginning to act more openly, and will soon strike his fatal blow upon those who don’t know Jesus and are not searching the Scriptures to show themselves approved unto God, as they rightly divide the word of truth.

Now, even though we are Christians, we don’t want the government to mandate religious laws because we know where that will lead. The reason our founders drafted the Constitution is so the government wouldn’t favor one religion over another, because that always leads to persecution of the minority, and since God’s people have always been the minority, we know what that means, don’t we? If you were to read The Heritage Foundation’s Project 2025 document titled “The Presidential Transition Project,” as a Christian you would find that you would agree with nearly all of its goals, especially as you compare it with the liberal agenda of same sex marriage, homosexuality, transgenderism and abortion on demand. But when you read the section dealing with religion and the Sabbath and find that it naturally defaults, as they say, to Sunday, it becomes quite obvious to those who understand Bible prophecy where this is all headed.

I spoke about Project 2025 and what that all means last November when it first came to my attention, and it’s going to be very interesting to see what happens after this next election, isn’t it? Friends, I think we better make sure that our spiritual seat belts are well fastened, because I believe America, as well as the rest of the world, is in for a wild and bumpy ride.

We have a current president that is mentally diminished, to put it kindly, and has now dropped out of the race, and we have a former president who has all his mental faculties and wants to make America great again, but what that greatness entails is the big question. It’s obvious to me, in light of the recent assassination attempt upon President Trump’s life, that the hatred and division in America has just about reached the boiling point, and those who are unbalanced in mind will stop at absolutely nothing in order to stop what they perceive as an attack upon Democracy. But let’s not forget that the God of Heaven is still in control, and He is able to hold the four winds of strife a little longer so the third angel’s message of Revelation 14:9-12 has accomplished its purpose, and His people are sealed in their foreheads. And so, since that message will be accomplished, because everything the Bible says will come to pass, we must be involved with proclaiming it or we will lose out in the end.

Now, it’s not my place as a minister of the Gospel to say that the candidates running for president and vice president are disingenuous. I have an opinion about it, but it’s just that, an opinion, and opinions are not Bible truth, are they? However, based upon what I read in Testimonies for the Church, volume five, page 753, I can say with great confidence that whoever is going to be the next president does not know where the great controversy is headed. But I can’t say that about The Heritage Foundation because the president of that organization is a self-described practicing Roman Catholic, has served as president of a Catholic College in Wyoming, and holds a PhD in American history. And so he knows more about where this country has come from and what it will take for the deadly wound of the papacy to be healed and to undo all that Protestantism has done than the average person. That being said however, I don’t think the hundreds of conservative Christians that are part of The Heritage Foundation understand what the president of that organization understands and is working toward, and neither do they know what Bible prophecy has to say about the connection between the mark of the beast and the coming Sunday law. And even though all these things may be interesting to consider, and we of all people should be aware of where it’s all headed, that’s not going to be my subject today. And so I’m going to leave all that right there for now and talk to you about something much more important, something Jesus told us to be found doing as the end draws near, and surely we are nearer to the end of all things than when we first believed.

Turn with me please to Luke 19:12, 13. Jesus said, “A certain nobleman went into a far country to receive for himself a kingdom, and to return. And he called his ten servants, and delivered them ten pounds, and said unto them, Occupy (for how long?) till I come.” What Jesus meant by telling this parable is that we should keep busy, first and foremost doing what we can to promote His coming kingdom, to help others, and also to better our own situation in life and that of our children, and we should do these things until He returns.

The word occupy, in this instance, means to be employed in useful labor, to trade, to make wise improvement, to be engaged in business, and doing what we can to increase our usefulness here in this world, with the object in view of becoming the best that we can be for Christ’s sake. And we should do this for how long? Until He comes, or until our life on this earth comes to an end.

When Jesus said, “Occupy till I come,” it was in the context of improving the talents that we’ve been given, because when He returns, He’s going to require His own with what? With interest. And if all we have to offer Him at that time is to return no more or less than what He has given us, then we will lose everything, including eternal life. And so, it’s very serious, isn’t it?

Notice what it says in Last Day Events, page 76, and I have to admit that I find this statement a little puzzling since Revelation 13:17 says we won’t be able to buy or sell unless we receive the mark of the beast, and of course that takes place sometime before Jesus comes, doesn’t it? Nevertheless, notice what it says, “Christ declared that when He comes some (how many?) some (that means not all) of His waiting people will be engaged in business transactions. Some will be sowing in the field, others reaping and gathering in the harvest, and others grinding at the mill. It is not God’s will (now listen) It is not God’s will that His elect shall abandon life’s duties and responsibilities and give themselves up to idle contemplation, living in a religious dream.”

Have you known people like that? I have. Yes, Jesus is coming soon, and yes, we are to do what we can to hasten the day of His return, but we are not to quit living our everyday lives by abandoning our duties and responsibilities, twiddling our thumbs, and dreaming that our work is done, in a physical sense as well as in a spiritual sense.

Now, the only thing I can think of to make this statement make sense is that the “some” mentioned here that will be engaged in business transactions and sowing and reaping and still working when Jesus comes, will be those who have followed the council we’ve been given to get out of the cities and have a small piece of land where we can grow our own provisions, and that they will be able to live like kings and queens when the rest of the world is in chaos, as it says in Country Living, pages 10, 18. Anyway, I find this statement intriguing and I think I’ll have to study it more thoroughly. She also says, “it may be but a few years, until our life history shall close, but we must occupy till then.”

And in Upward Look, page 62, the question is asked, “What is it to occupy? (And the answer is given) To be laborers together with God. Therefore, it is of the greatest consequence that we understand in clear lines what it is to be laborers together with God.”

The reason I’ve chosen this particular subject to talk about today is because I believe there’s danger in being so focused on the time of trouble that’s coming, that we forget what Jesus said when He said, “Occupy till I come.” Let me remind you of one more quote along these lines before we move on, because we don’t want to be among those who are heaping together treasures for the last days to use on self, or for self- security, or to hoard wealth while the cause of God is languishing.

Early Writings, pages 56, 57 says the following, “I was shown that it is the will of God that the saints should cut loose from every encumbrance before the time of trouble comes, and make a covenant with God through sacrifice. If they have their property on the altar and earnestly inquire of God for duty, He will teach them when to dispose of these things. Then they will be free in the time of trouble and have no clogs to weigh them down. I saw that if any held on to their property and did not inquire of the Lord as to their duty, He would not make duty known, and they would be permitted to keep their property, and in the time of trouble it would come up before them like a mountain to crush them, and they would try to dispose of it, but would not be able. I heard some mourn like this: ‘The cause was languishing, God’s people were starving for the truth, and we made no effort to supply the lack; now our property is useless. Oh, that we had let it go, and laid up treasure in heaven!’”

Now, what I just read to you does not mean that it’s wrong to have an emergency fund in case something goes wrong with our car, or for needed home repairs, or medical emergencies, or a myriad of other things that can go wrong. But we have the promise that if we say, “Lord, I realize that everything I have is Yours, and whenever You want me to cut loose of what You have given me, please let me know,” and He will do that while it can still do some good, because He has promised. You know, I don’t think we realize the kind of dedication the Lord requires, do you?

Even though there are plenty of signs indicating that the end of all things is at hand, the fact remains that no one really knows when Jesus will come to set up His kingdom; isn’t that so? When Jesus was here, He told His disciples, the times and the seasons the Father has put in His own power, which means we’re not going to be able to figure it out, and so we shouldn’t try to guess at things that we can’t possibly know for certain. We can know when it’s at the doors, and it certainly is, but we don’t know how long Jesus is going to stand at the door before He comes through the door.

Isn’t God able to hold the four winds as long as He needs to in order to have a people who are sealed in their foreheads? Absolutely He’s able. And if we study that out, being sealed in our foreheads means to become like Christ in character, and we don’t have to know when Jesus is coming in order to accomplish this. In fact, if we did know when He was coming, we would probably never become like Him in character because we would try putting it off two days before He comes, and we know that would never do, because it takes time to develop character. And we know, too, that the world economy is in terrible shape, but God can put another Band-Aid on the economy to make it continue on a little longer, can’t He? Yes, He can. Adventists have had a very troubled history with time excitement right from the beginning of the movement, and unfortunately, many today haven’t learned from our history, to say nothing of those who have been discouraged to the point of giving up because of repeated false alarms. It reminds me of the little boy who cried wolf one too many times, doesn’t it?

In fact, we’ve been warned about this in Selected Messages, Book 1, page 189 where it say, “We are not to live upon time excitement. We are not to be engrossed with speculations in regard to the times and the seasons which God has not revealed. Jesus has told His disciples to ‘watch,’ but not for a definite time. . . . We will not be able to say that He will come in one, two, or five years, neither are we to put off His coming by stating that it may not be for ten or twenty years.”

I remember talking to a brother years ago who said to me, “the Lord just has to be here within the next 10 years. I just don’t see how things can go on any longer than that.” And I said brother, do you realize you’re involved in time setting when you say things like that? And he was, wasn’t he? Even though we may not set upon a certain date like October 22, 1844, we are still time setting when we say it just can’t be for more than five, ten, or twenty years or whatever.

Notice also what it says in Selected Messages, book two, page 113. “No one has a true message fixing the time when Christ is to come or not to come. Be assured that God gives no one authority to say that Christ delays His coming five years, ten years, or twenty years. ‘Be ye also ready: for in such an hour as you think not, the Son of Man cometh.’”

The emphasis here isn’t when Jesus is coming, but that He is coming, and that we should be ready today and every day thereafter and not just sometime in the future, but today. If we are ready today, we don’t have to be concerned about the when, that will happen according to God’s timetable. And the reason Jesus gave as to why we should be ready is because there’s going to be an element of surprise to His coming. In such an hour as you think not, He said, I’m coming. The point is, we are not to be concerned so much about the time frame as we are about being ready at all times.

Turn in your Bibles with me to the Scripture I mentioned a few moments ago in Luke 19. In verses 12-27 Jesus gave the parable of the ten pounds, and also in Matthew 25 He told a similar parable dealing with the talents that teaches the same lesson. But we’re going to consider the one about the pounds this morning, because in this parable there are certain words that Jesus used that I want to explore with you. Beginning with Luke 19:12 Jesus said, “A certain nobleman went into a far country to receive for himself a kingdom, and to return.” The nobleman here, of course, is Jesus. He’s the one who went back to a far country to receive a kingdom it says, and then His plan is to return. And so, we see here that He has not yet received that kingdom because He’s not yet returned. The kingdom is in the process of being made up right now as the life of each person who has ever accepted Christ comes up in review before God. As names are accepted or rejected based on whether or not they were found faithful to the end, the kingdom is made up, and when that work of investigation is complete because what is a kingdom without subjects? Then He’ll make the pronouncement “It is finished,” and will soon afterward make the necessary preparations to descend the skies. Are you looking forward to that day, friend? Or are you fearful that it will catch you unprepared? Something to think about. The Apostle Paul said, “now is the day of salvation,” and that means don’t put off till tomorrow what you know you should do today. Then Jesus said this nobleman “called his ten servants, and delivered them ten pounds, and said to them, Occupy till I come.” Occupy till I come.

According to the concordance, the word occupy means “to busy oneself with, that is, to trade,” and to trade means “to buy and sell or exchange property.” Therefore, Jesus is giving us instruction here as to how we should conduct ourselves regarding our work life and our business affairs. So, the words “occupy till I come” mean that we are always to be busy trying to improve our situation, because as we prosper as individuals, so the cause of God will prosper, if we are faithful stewards.

In the parable of the pounds, Jesus refers to trading with money in order to increase the amount each person was given so that when He returns from a far country, He would receive more than He gave to each one at the beginning. In other words, Jesus expects us to have something to show for our time here on earth. But the point of the parable isn’t so much about money as it is about staying busy improving what God has entrusted to us. Normally when you hear a sermon preached about this parable and the one about the talents, it usually has to do with the gifts of the spirit and the talents and the abilities that each person is given and how they are to use and improve these gifts, and there’s nothing wrong with that, because we should. But this morning I want to approach this subject from a different angle, because if we just stay busy doing the right things, we will make the improvements God calls for and as a result have something to offer the Lord when He returns from receiving His Kingdom.

But what if we don’t occupy till He comes? Will there be negative consequences? I should think so. For instance, what if the parents of a child believe that Jesus is coming back before that child is able to finish their schooling, and they say, “there’s no need to educate our child because there’s not enough time before Jesus comes, so we’re just not going worry about it.” Now you may think this scenario is a bit far-fetched, but friends I have talked to people with this very attitude, and this was ten to fifteen years ago, and I wonder how that child, who is now an adult, is able to make a living without having any marketable job skills.

I was just reading in the book Fundamentals of Christian Education and on page 97 it says that it was regarded as a crime in Israel to allow children to grow up in ignorance of useful labor, and that it was in obedience to the command of God that every child was taught some trade. So, if you are a parent, it is your God-given duty to make sure your children are able to support themselves by useful labor when they get out on their own.

Here’s another one. What if a person has a business and they have an excellent opportunity to grow that business, to secure a better future for themselves and their families, and also to have more to give to God’s cause, but they don’t do it because they think, “what’s the use. The Lord will be here within the next couple years.” But what if the Lord doesn’t come within the next couple years? Then they will have missed a good opportunity that may never present itself again.

What if a person believes the Lord will be here before they hit retirement age and they do nothing to prepare for their “golden years” and they end up old and broke and in need of health care they can’t afford. Aren’t most people better procrastinators than they are preparers? Unfortunately, this is true, isn’t it? Putting things off comes naturally for the fallen nature, and so we have to make a different choice by following the dictates of the divine nature instead. And the divine nature knows no procrastination. All I’m trying to say is that it would be better to be prepared and not need the things that you’ve prepared for then not to be prepared when your time to prepare runs out. Does that make sense?

I’ll give you one more thing to think about and then we’ll move on. When you first became a Christian, or when you first became aware of the fulfillment of last day events, did you think you would still be here in 2024? I didn’t. When I first became aware of Bible prophecy rapidly being fulfilled in my early 20s, I never would have believed that I would see my 73rd birthday, but here I am, a grandfather several times over and even a great grandfather. And here you are. And even though we see things escalating almost out of control today, we still cannot say that Jesus will be here or not be here within a certain time period. That’s just the fact. And so that’s why Jesus said, “Occupy till I come.”

If we are not preparing and improving and carrying on with business, we are not occupying till He comes. When Jesus said those four little words, “occupy till I come,” they tell me at least two things. Number one, make advancement, keep moving forward, both spiritually and with life in general, and don’t be lazy. And number two, He meant for people to live their lives with the possibility that they may not live to see Him come. So make the best use of your time while you are here and don’t stop planning and setting goals, because a plan without a goal is only a dream, and dreams rarely come true. And yes, I know that we are told to strive to be among the 144,000 and I am, and I hope you are too, but you know what? Some of us may have to grow old and go to sleep before Jesus comes, and I know when I say this that there will probably be those who will accuse me of saying my Lord delayeth His coming. But friends, I think we should be realists, because there is no guarantee that we will be translated without seeing death. So, to occupy till He comes means we are to live our lives one day at a time, but at the same time, prepare as though we will be here tomorrow. I believe it was Martin Luther who said, “if I knew Jesus was coming tomorrow, I’d plant an apple tree today.” And I think that’s about as concise of a way as you will ever find to explain what Jesus meant when He said, “occupy till I come,” or do business till I come, or continue to trade till I come. Stay busy.

In Councils on Stewardship, page 116 it says, “a man who has ten pounds is held responsible for all that ten pounds would do if used aright.” And according to the parable using it aright is to continue to do business and multiply your Lord’s goods until there is no more opportunity to do so. That’s what occupy till I come means. And think about this, which do you think will more quickly hasten the Lord’s return, keeping busy by trading with your Lord’s goods, or by holding back because you don’t think there’s enough time to accomplish anything? The answer ought to be obvious. To not keep busy would be like laying up your pound in a napkin, as it says in the parable, and when the Lord is on His way back, you say, “here, Lord, I still have the same amount You gave me. Aren’t I a good steward?” And according to the parable, the Lord wasn’t very happy about that, was He?

Let’s look at another text in 3rd John verse 2. Notice how it begins. “Beloved,” don’t you just love that? This is God speaking to you personally. We are to personalize the scriptures. He is saying to you, “Beloved, I wish above all things that thou mayest prosper and be in health, even as thy soul prospereth,” or even as your spirit thrives, you could say. The word “prosper” means to succeed in reaching your goal or to succeed in business affairs. That’s what the Greek means. According to this verse then, there are two things that God wants His people to succeed at above everything else. Number one, our business affairs and or the things we do to make a living; and number two, having sound health, which would include our whole being, physical, mental and spiritual. And if you haven’t noticed, both of these things depend on whether or not we stay busy doing the things that God has told us to do. And not only does God want us to have success in these two areas of our lives, but when God asks us to do something, the promise to succeed is in the request. Isn’t that wonderful? We don’t have to worry about God doing His part. He is faithful, and He has the power to accomplish His word. In Philippians 1:6 Paul said, “being confident of this very thing, that he which hath begun a good work in you will perform it until the day of Jesus Christ.” Are you confident that God is able and faithful and powerful enough to accomplish what He says? Then when He says “Occupy till I come,” we better do it. All we have to do is make sure we know what the truth is and then follow it, and God has pledged Himself to do the follow-up work. Praise the Lord!

It’s clear from what we’ve already discussed, that God wants us to stay busy, and be happy and healthy while we stay busy. But what do you suppose He wants us to do with any advancement or increase we gain while we are here on this earth? Well, you can probably guess, but we don’t have to guess because the answer is in Christ’s Object Lessons, pages 351, 352. “God also entrusts men with means. He gives them power to get wealth. He waters the earth with the dews of heaven and with the showers of refreshing rain. He gives the sunlight, which warms the earth, awakening to life the things of nature and causing them to flourish and bear fruit. And He asks for a return of His own. Our money has not been given us that we might honor and glorify ourselves. As faithful stewards we are to use it for the honor and glory of God. Some think that only a portion of their means is the Lord’s. When they have set apart a portion for religious and charitable purposes, they regard the remainder as their own, to be used as they see fit. But in this they mistake. All we possess is the Lord’s, and we are accountable to Him for the use we make of it. In the use of every penny, it will be seen whether we love God supremely and our neighbor as ourselves. Money has great value, because it can do great good. In the hands of God’s children it is food for the hungry, drink for the thirsty, and clothing for the naked. It is a defense for the oppressed, and a means of help to the sick. But money is of no more value than sand, only as it is put to use in providing for the necessities of life, in blessing others, and advancing the cause of Christ.”

Did you notice the three things that we’re to use our money for? It’s for the necessities of life. Not the indulgences, not the wants, but the necessities of life, and blessing others and advancing the cause of Christ. The quote goes on to say, “Hoarded wealth is not merely useless, it is a curse. In this life it is a snare to the soul, drawing the affections away from the heavenly treasure. In the great day of God its witness to unused talents and neglected opportunities will condemn its possessor. The Scripture says, ‘Go to now, ye rich men, weep and howl for your miseries that shall come upon you. Your riches are corrupted, and your garments are moth eaten. Your gold and silver is cankered; and the rust of them shall bear witness against you, and shall eat your flesh as it were fire. Ye have heaped treasure together for the last days. Behold, the hire of the laborers who have reaped down your fields, which is of you kept back by fraud, crieth; and the cries of them which have reaped are entered into the ears of the Lord sabaoth.’ You know what the word sabaoth means? It means “armies.” The Lord of sabaoth is the God of armies.

I’m going to leave this quote and come back to it in a minute, but notice what it says in Revelation 19:11-16. “And I saw heaven opened, and behold a white horse; and he that sat upon him was called Faithful and True, and in righteousness he doth judge (and what?) make war. His eyes were as a flame of fire, and on his head were many crowns; and he had a name written, that no man knew, but he himself. And he was clothed with a vesture dipped in blood: and his name is called The Word of God. And the armies which were in heaven followed him upon white horses (Followed the Lord of sabaoth), clothed in fine linen, white and clean. And out of his mouth goeth a sharp sword, that with it he should smite the nations: and he shall rule them with a rod of iron: and he treadeth the winepress of the fierceness and wrath of Almighty God. And he hath on his vesture and on his thigh a name written, KING OF KINGS, AND LORD OF LORDS.” Oh, I tell you friends, we want to make sure that we belong to the Lord of sabaoth when He comes to deliver His people, Amen?

Christ’s Object Lessons, page 352 continues, “But Christ sanctions no lavish or careless use of means. His lesson in economy, ‘Gather up the fragments that remain, that nothing be lost,’ is for all His followers. He who realizes that his money is a talent from God will use it economically, and will feel it a duty to save that he may give. (That he may give! It goes on to say) The more means we expend in display and self-indulgence, the less we can have to feed the hungry and clothe the naked. Every penny used unnecessarily deprives the spender of a precious opportunity of doing good. It is robbing God of the honor and glory which should flow back to Him through the improvements of His entrusted talents.”

But, you say, “Lord, I don’t know anyone who is hungry and naked and in need of clothing and so forth.” Well, it may be that you don’t personally know anyone who fits that description, but you can give to a ministry that supports an orphanage, can’t you? Absolutely. There’s more than one independent ministry out there that supports an orphanage. And if we will but press together, as we have been told, we can accomplish a great amount of good. And I hope you’ll think about it and then act, because you know how far good intentions go. Not very far.

You know, in 1 Corinthians 6:19, 20 the Apostle Paul said, “ye are not your own, for ye are (what?) bought with a price.” And of course, that price is the precious blood of the Lamb. That’s something we need to think about more than we do. We are not our own. That means that we are not to live like we can do anything we want to with what’s left over after we return a faithful tithe and give an offering. It means that we are not to live any way we want after we have met what we consider our obligations to the Lord, because our obligations never end. Everything that we have belongs to Him.

Notice what it says in Our High Calling, page 42, “We are the Lord’s by creation, and we are His by redemption. Therefore we have no right to think that we can do as we please. All we handle is the Lord’s. (Not just ten percent.) All we handle is the Lord’s. We have no right of ourselves to anything, not even to an existence. All our money, time, and talents belong to God, and are lent us by Him that we may accomplish the work He has given us to do. He has given us the charge, ‘Occupy till I come.’”

I don’t think we realize the kind of dedication the Lord requires, do we? When I read things like this, I say, “God, help me to understand what it truly means to be a Christian. Help me to be more dedicated to Your cause. Help me to do everything I can to hasten the coming of Jesus. Help me to be a more effective witness for You.” Is that the way you feel? If it is, then God is asking you to make a choice, not to have a divided interest, not to have one foot in heaven and one foot in the world. In fact, we know that this is an impossibility because Jesus said, he who is not with me (is what?) He’s against me. We are in a marriage relationship with the Lord, and if we don’t keep ourselves wholly unto Him, then we are guilty of spiritual adultery, friends. God is looking for people, a peculiar people that want to please Him more than they want to please themselves or anyone else. Are you that kind of people or person? If not, don’t let this day pass until you get right with God. He has given all for you, and He requires all in return.

In Luke 14:33, Jesus said, “Whosoever he be of you that forsaketh not all that he hath, he cannot be my disciple.” I want to be His disciple, don’t you? In Signs of the Times, November 20, 1884, it says, “The Master has given directions, ‘Occupy till I come.’ He is the great Proprietor, and has a right to investigate every transaction, and approve or condemn; He has a right to rebuke, to encourage, to counsel, or to expel. The Lord’s work requires careful thought and the highest intellect. He will not inquire how successful you have been in gathering means to hoard, or that you may excel your neighbors in property, and gather attention to yourself while excluding God from your hearts and homes. He will inquire (now listen carefully because these next few questions come to you personally) He will inquire, What have you done to advance My cause with the talents I lent you? What have you done for Me in the person of the poor, the afflicted, the orphan, and the fatherless? I was sick, poor, hungry, and destitute of clothing; what did you do for Me with my entrusted means? How was the time I lent you employed? How did you use your pen, your voice, your money, your influence? I made you the depositary of a precious trust by opening before you the thrilling truths heralding My second coming. What have you done with the light and knowledge I gave you to make men wise unto salvation?”

Jesus said, “Occupy till I come,” and I hope we have a better understanding now about what He meant when He said that. And not only that we understand, but also that we will stay busy doing everything we can to fulfill what He has asked us to do. Let’s not be complacent or indolent or uncaring or unconcerned about why we are here. We know why we are here! It’s to make men wise unto salvation. And the more advancement we can make here, the more opportunities the Lord will give us to teach people the truth. Let’s be diligent to trade with our Lord’s goods until He comes, that we will not be so concerned about when He is coming, but that we are prepared whenever He comes. Let’s not be fearful and listen to those who are preaching the gospel of fear. Let’s not get all wrapped up in conspiracy theories and the cares of this life and what the government is doing or not doing. There are so many side issues today that people get caught up in, that they forget why we are here. We’re not here to debate and to argue over things that have no relevance to the salvation of souls, but to make good use of our time and our talents and our means to lighten the community where we live with the truth of the gospel. May each one of us take to heart the words that Jesus said, “Occupy till I come.”

Four Important Little Words