George Mueller , a leader among the Plymouth Brethren, once shared this testimony: “In July 1829 it pleased God to reveal to my heart the truth regarding the return of the Lord Jesus and to show me that I had made a great mistake by sitting back and watching for the complete conversion of the world. It produced the following effect on me: Deep within my soul, I was moved to feel compassion for perishing sinners and for a world lulled to sleep by the wicked Enemy. And I began to think, ‘Should I not do whatever I can for the Lord Jesus and try to awake His slumbering church before He returns?’”

There may still be many difficult years of hard work ahead of us before the fulfillment of His prophetic return, but the signs of His coming today are very encouraging. In fact, I would not be at all surprised if I saw the apocalyptic angel spread its wings for its last triumphal flight before today’s sunset. Nor would I be surprised if tomorrow morning’s news thrilled us with the proclamation that Christ the Lord had arrived atop the Mount of Olives or Mount Calvary to declare His worldwide dominion.

O dead churches, wake up! O Christ, descend! Scarred head, take Your crown! Bruised hands, take Your scepter! Wounded feet, take Your throne! “For thine is the kingdom” (Matthew 6:13 KJV). THOMAS DEWITT TALMAGE

It may be in the evening, When the work of the day is done, And you have time to sit in the twilight, And watch the sinking sun, While the long bright day dies slowly Over the sea, And the hours grow quiet and holy With thoughts of Me; While you hear the village children Running along the street— Among those passing footsteps May come the sound of My Feet.

Therefore I tell you, Watch! By the Light of the evening star When the room is growing darker As the clouds afar, Let your door be closed and latched In your home, For it may be in the evening I will come.

Be strong and of a good courage, fear not, nor be afraid of them: for the Lord thy God, he it is that doth go with thee; he will not fail thee, nor forsake thee.

The Lord, he it is that doth go before thee; he will be with thee, he will not fail thee, neither forsake thee: fear not, neither be dismayed.

Have not I commanded thee? Be strong and of a good courage; be not afraid, neither be thou dismayed: for the Lord thy God is with thee whithersoever thou goest.

In all thy ways acknowledge him, and he shall direct thy paths.

He hath said, I will never leave thee, nor forsake thee. So that we may boldly say, The Lord is my helper, and I will not fear what man shall do unto me.

Our sufficiency is of God.

Lead us not into temptation.

O Lord, I know that the way of man is not in himself: it is not in man that walketh to direct his steps.

My times are in thy hand.

He that trusteth in his own heart is a fool: but whoso walketh wisely, he shall be delivered.

Let no man say when he is tempted, I am tempted of God: for God cannot be tempted with evil, neither tempteth he any man: but every man is tempted, when he is drawn away of his own lust, and enticed.

Wherefore come out from among them, and be ye separate, saith the Lord, and touch not the unclean thing; and I will receive you.

Lot lifted up his eyes, and beheld all the plain of Jordan, that it was well watered everywhere, . . . even as the garden of the Lord. Then Lot chose him all the plain of Jordan; but the men of Sodom were wicked and sinners before the Lord exceedingly.

[The Lord] delivered just Lot, vexed with the filthy conversation of the wicked. The Lord knoweth how to deliver the godly out of temptations.

Yea, he shall be holden up: for God is able to make him stand.

The Lord reigneth, he is clothed with majesty: thy throne is established of old: thou art from everlasting.

The Lord is . . . great in power.—If God be for us, who can be against us?—Our God whom we serve is able to deliver us, and he will deliver us.—My Father, which gave them me, is greater than all; and no man is able to pluck them out of my Father's hand.—Greater is he that is in you, than he that is in the world.

Not unto us, O Lord , not unto us, but unto thy name give glory.—Thine, O Lord , is the greatness, and the power, and the glory, and the victory, and the majesty: for all that is in the heaven and in the earth is thine; thine is the kingdom, O Lord , and thou art exalted as head above all. Now therefore, our God, we thank thee and praise thy glorious name. But who am I, and what is my people, that we should be able to offer so willingly after this sort? for all things come of thee, and of thine own have we given thee.

Amen: the Lord God . . . say so too.—He who blesseth himself in the earth shall bless himself in the God of truth (Heb. The Amen) and he that sweareth in the earth shall swear by the God of truth (The Amen).

When God made promise to Abraham, because he could swear by no greater, he sware by himself. For men verily swear by the greater: and an oath for confirmation is to them an end of all strife.

Wherein God, willing more abundantly to shew unto the heirs of promise the immutability of his counsel, confirmed it by an oath: that by two immutable things, in which it was impossible for God to lie, we might have a strong consolation, who have fled for refuge to lay hold upon the hope set before us.

These things saith the Amen, the faithful and true witness.—For all the promises of God in him are yea, and in him Amen, unto the glory of God by us.

Blessed be the Lord God, the God of Israel, who only doeth wondrous things. And blessed be his glorious name for ever. Amen, and Amen.