JESUS IS COMING SOON
Over the last few centuries, there has come in almost every generation a fresh emphasis and teaching on the END TIMES,this emphasis would last for a few years and then seemed to disappear from Preacher’s & Teacher’s agendas. As a teenager and young adult 50-60 years ago it was a common topic. Teachers would have charts and would promote their particular school of thought on the subject. Many people were scared into making decisions for Christ, I would love to know the percentage of those who continued to stand and follow the Lord. Sadly we are now living in a time where Christ’s soon return HARDLY EVER SEEMS TO BE MENTIONED.
There has literally been tens of millions of words written and spoken about “end times”, and many of them contrary to each other. I came to the conclusion in those days, that there were 2 things I would do.
- I would seek to be ready for the Lord’s return
- I would seek to be busy preaching the Gospel and seeking to see people come to Christ.
The early Church lived in the light of Christ’s soon return, and here we are 2000 years later and the Lord has not yet returned. I believe the current Pope has even suggested that their will not be a second coming of Christ.
The scriptures have highlighted in many places, that things, like floods and famines, wars and rumours of wars, earthquakes, bushfires, typhoons and tornados will all be signs of the end. We have been seeing these for hundreds of years, and it would seem they are on the increase.
I, of course was taught the Doctrine of Eschatology (End Times) in Bible College from my denomination’s theological perspective, and it made sense to me, and I have taught it myself from time to time in my Pastoral Ministry, but I have come to that place where I will not be locked into a specific Theological school of thought, but major on the 2 points I made earlier.
Just, this last weekend we saw Japan experience a very nasty typhoon and earthquake, we in Australia have been having some very nasty bushfires and it is still only Spring. These things are happening almost continually around the world.
There is one statement that I have never forgotten in all the teaching I have received and read, (over the years) it is KEEP YOUR EYES ON ISRAEL AND THE MIDDLE EAST.
It seems to me that this region has been ready to explode for quite sometime, and there has already been some nasty wars in the last 70 years.. This present incursion by Turkey into Syria has the potential to cause the whole region to erupt. Many of these nations are mentioned numerous times in the Bible, and we need to keep an eye on them including Iran, and many of these nations are also looking to Russia for assistance. There is a major war prophesied in the last days called the Battle of Gog & Magog, which very much includes (as I understand it Russia and Israel are also involved), so I say again, don’t just look at the cataclysmic things caused by the weather happening in the world, but KEEP YOUR EYES ON ISRAEL AND THE MIDDLE EAST.
There can be no doubt we are LIVING IN THE LAST OF THE LAST DAYS, and many of us could very well see the UPPER TAKER JESUS BREAKING THROUGH THE CLOUDS, are you ready, are you looking up. listen to the Apostle John in 1 John 3:2-3 NKJV Beloved, now we are children of God; and it has not yet been revealed what we shall be, but we know that when He is revealed, we shall be like Him, for we shall see Him as He is. And everyone who has this hope (OF CHRIST’S SOON RETURN) in Him purifies himself, just as He is pure.
The MESSAGE Bible expresses it this way in verses 1-3 What marvelous love the Father has extended to us! Just look at it—we’re called children of God! That’s who we really are. But that’s also why the world doesn’t recognize us or take us seriously, because it has no idea who he is or what he’s up to.
But friends, that’s exactly who we are: children of God. And that’s only the beginning. Who knows how we’ll end up! What we know is that when Christ is openly revealed, we’ll see him—and in seeing him, become like him. All of us who look forward to his Coming stay ready, with the glistening purity of Jesus’ life as a model for our own.
Each morning when you wake, have the thought JESUS COULD COME TODAY, it will change your thinking and attitudes and even your plans for the day. God bless you.
