Christ's Second Coming.

An ICCDBB Sermon by Dr. Bob Benchoff February 18, 2003.

In the beginning:

The God of glory existed. With the existance of the glory of God, God worked. The work that God chose to do was to create glorification of goodness. To that end God chose to create perfection. The perfection that God created is Jesus Christ.

As for the faithful followers of Jesus Christ, after Christ rose from the tomb, Christ appeared for those faithful followers.

The whole have no need of a physician, so when Christ rose and appeared unto them, although they were devout disciples, they had a need. They needed to better understand that Christ overcame death as he ascended into heaven.

Those that are lukewarm, God spits out, and those that choose evil are crushed to powder by the rock that is Jesus Christ. Yet those who fear the Lord and follow the Lord in a pure heart see the Lord face to face, in love and glory.

I must confess that in my sinful ways I as far as I remember, I have not yet recognized Christ in a face to face meeting. Yet faith in Christ has otherwise filled my life with new meaning and substance, and has given me a multitude of indications of righteousness and the glory that is Christ Jesus.

When you read and hear the Bible and related information and when you write and speak accordingly, you too will find power as only from the presence of God.

When you work to charitably do God's will, your whole being, your essence, and your life energy is reinforced by God from heaven within you.

Externally, boundless heaven and heavenly love is also there for you, if you look for it. Heaven is not there for you to glorify your selfish respect for yourself (even Christ suffered and died on the cross), but heaven is there for you according to your love of righteousness that is Christ.

Christ will come again: for you indirectly, and for fulfillment of God's plan directly; and therefore, according to God's plan, for you directly.

Christ is not a respecter of people, but is a respecter of God's plan, and you are celebrated in God's plan and therefore Christ accordingly follows God's plan of love and devotion and respect and honor of you personally, and so Christ wants to help you follow God's plan for God's glory.

Be strong in the faith of God's plan for the glory of Christ, so that when you meet Christ, it is with glory for being a true and faithful servant.

Instead of selfishly seeking to see Christ, seek to do God's will that you may be recognized by Christ as doing that which was appointed you. Do God's good work that Christ may see you, for the glory of God.

I believe that if you unselfishly bring other people to Christ, you will see Christ, according to God's plan and schedule.

I like the TV show Friends (no affiliation). Even though I do not find it perfectly in accordance with Christ's teachings, it does offer many blessings. In one episode Joey told Pheobe "There is no unselfish act.". Joey should study how Christ suffered and died for him.

Do a good deed and do another. Suffer for Christ's plan, but suffer according to Christ's will. Christ already suffered, and so Christ, knowing this, said to follow Christ and your burden will be light. Do not challenge [tempt] God, but test the spirits to see if they are directly of God, or if they are indirect and of confusion.

Do a good deed and see if you find that immediately and/or in some future date you derive direct benefit from the good deed you did for someone else in accordance with God's plan to glorify Jesus Christ.

So, through Christ you can do a selfless good deed. And otherwise Joey was right, that even if you derive no benefit other than to feel good about the good deed, it is selfish. Deeds not done through Jesus Christ are selfish.

Likewise, a person can do so-called good deeds all day, but only through Christ are unselfish good deeds according to God's plan, since only Christ is pure and without sin. For example, if you say that you do this act against Christ that you give a dollar to a stranger, then you work to glorify yourself against Christ as if you were better than Christ, hence you vest in selfishness.

Therefore only Christians see Christ to their own benefit, in accordance with God's plan for glorifying Christ. Non-Christian so-called good deed doers do not share that.

Internally, the Word of God is within heaven within you. Externally, heaven abounds due to the person Jesus Christ, God: creator of God's plan for you for the glory of God. God's plan is not for selfish self-glorification. God's plan is to righteously glorify goodness perfected in Jesus Christ.

In accordance with God's plan, only Christians can enter the kingdom of heaven (whether internal and/or external). Via your good choosing to work to follow God's plan, you can do good deeds in the name of Jesus Christ, for Christ's greater glory, and you can wait on the Lord; and the kingdom of heaven will not be far from you.

Jesus Christ said (this or similar words of similar meaning), "Surely I come quickly." (King James Version, Revelation 22.20) and/or "Surely I am coming soon." (Revised Standard Version, Revelation 22.20).

Jesus Christ in fact wants to see you face to face. But according to God's plan, Jesus Christ does not want to meet you when you are not ready (back sliding), for your sake. Jesus Christ does not want the devil to sift you as wheat, Jesus Christ does not want you to suffer.

Rather, Christ wants to meet you in glory, or at least initially in following God's plan. Join Christ's team for Christ, that you may be with Christ's team in victory in the end time, for the greater glory of God.

See Christ lifted up in praise and glory.

See Christ.

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