Do you really believe Jesus is coming?

Mat 25:6 And at midnight there was a cry made, Behold, the bridegroom cometh; go ye out to meet him.

The children of Israel had been given certain promises by God. Of course they were promised the land, the promised land. Yet because of unbelief and disobedience they were forced to wander and die in the wilderness for forty years. So here we have a vivid connection between disbelief and disobedience and the displeasure of God. That particular generation, all who were over 20 years of age, would not enter into that place promised by God. Now God took care of their basic needs, but they would not pass over into the promises nor would they take possession of all that God had for them.

Can I suggest that we are living in such a generation? The signs of the times are all around us. We know that Jesus told us that He would come back for His own. We know that there is a second coming and that Jesus told us about these things in Matt 24 and the parable of the foolish virgins and so on. We are given pointers from Scripture and of course we have the Holy Spirit to lead and to guide us and to show us the times in which we live. Many will casually say that the end is near, that the world is in chaos and without direction and that Jesus must be coming back soon. Yet my question is, does Christendom really believe that?

I have two scenarios for you to consider. The first scenario is that you go to the doctors tomorrow, he has recently ran a series of tests and he asks you to please sit down in a slightly strange tone of voice. He tells you that you have terminal cancer, it is beyond treatment. At best, you have two months left to live. Now here is what I want you to consider. Would you live your last two months on this earth the same way that you had just lived your previous two months? Can I suggest that you would not? The unimportant things of life would simply vanish would they not? The things that had previously caused you anxiety and stress would disappear as the reality of your impending departure brings into sharp focus what is truly important in this life and by the same token what is not.

Scenario number two. For whatever reason, it has been announced to you that the President of the United States is coming to visit you in two months time. He will visit for a couple of hours and eat dinner with you and your family at your house. Now what will the next two months look like? Will they be ordinary months? Will it be business as usual? Or, will you go to extraordinary lengths to make sure your house is in the best shape it can be? Maybe you need new carpet, you had not really thought about it much before but now it is a pressing issue. Maybe the walls need to be painted. They were not that bad before but now that the President is coming, well, not that bad is just not good enough. What about the landscaping outside your house, first impressions and all that? Then there is what you will feed your guest and so on. I would imagine that most people would be consumed with the visit for the better part of the two months until he comes.

Now, do you really believe that Jesus is coming back soon? Really? Does any of your actions and thoughts compare to the scenarios above? If not, why not? Is it possible you may have to re-think what you give lip service to? Where is the passion? What about the urgency? Are you caught up in the things of the world? How could that be if you truly believe that the Bride-groom is at the door and He is coming for His Bride? Now I agree that we should all be living for Christ every day of our lives. Yet can I suggest to you that human nature being what it is, tends to take the path of least resistance. We all need jolted into action at various times in our lives. The very real possibility of Jesus returning soon should be enough to wake up a sleeping church, a lethargic Christendom. But, and here is the key, you must believe that.

The Israelites had seen many miracles in their lives and had indeed seen all the plagues that had befallen Egypt. Can I suggest that our world today is riddled with plagues. Does it make you sit up and take notice? The Israelites had been delivered from the Egyptians by way of a mighty miracle. Have you not been delivered from the world by something more miraculous than the parting of the sea? Salvation by God Himself delivered you personally. Yet even after the sea was parted the Israelites still did not believe the promises of God. And before you are to hard on them, you who have been delivered, do you believe the word and the promises of God? The Israelites saw many miracles after they came through the red sea. Have you not seen miracles in your life? They still wandered aimlessly in dis-belief, how about you?

Brothers and sisters the time is short. Is serving Him your passion? Do you truly have an expectancy that the Lord is at the door? If so, does your life reflect such an urgency, such a fire and a passion? Our lives and the way we live them represents whether the Word in us is alive and full of light. Has disobedience and unbelief caused you to wander in a dry and dusty land where there is no water? There has to be living waters flowing through us. We need light for the darkness, we need waters for the drought, we need food for the famine and last and most importantly we need oil for our vessels and we need it now. Can I tell you that oil for your vessels comes from expectancy, comes from hope, comes from actually believing that the Lord is at the door. When we believe, when we obey, when we trust in Him because there is no other way, then we draw close to Jesus.

Jesus tells us that at the midnight hour that the cry went out that behold the Bridegroom comes, go out and meet Him. Go out and meet Him! In the parable of the foolish virgins, the wise virgins light up the way with their lamps in the midnight hour to lead the Bridegroom to the Bride. The world is facing the midnight hour. The Bridegroom comes. The cry is going out to awaken the church for His return is imminent. Will you light up the world in the midnight hour or will you be swallowed up in darkness? .......bro Frank

Hi Todd, great points to which I agree. A couple of things I would share from my own life and I have certainly been through the seasons that you spoke of, but I think the most important practical thing that we can all do is to simply take God at His Word.

An example for me would be John 17. The Lord said that He came so that we would be one, even as He and His Father are one so that the world would know, so that it would be a witness to a dying world that God sent Him and that God loves that dying world. When I decided to simply believe what Jesus said would come to pass because He said it, it revolutionized my thinking and my passions. Men's opinion lost its hold on me, and it had been a stranglehold for years.

Another practical matter is taking the Lord at His word when He says " Seek ye first the Kingdom of God and His righteousness." This, like all of the commands of Jesus, is not a one time thing but a continuous action. Practically I decided to get up and walk every morning seeking the Lord and dedicating the day unto Him, whether rain or snow or 100 degrees. It revolutionized my walk with Jesus.

I think the most practical advice though, for such a time as ours, and not how some saint walked 50 years ago or 1000 years ago or 1500 years ago is knowing that the Lord's return is near. I am not naming days or even years when He is coming back, but just knowing that it is soon. I actually believe that with all of my heart that the Lord will probably come back in our lifetime. If not ours, certainly our children or grandchildren's. Obviously we could talk about prophecy and so on but that would I think miss the point of the post. This is about simply " knowing," in your spirit and yielding to that knowing. Once we know and believe then our passions are aroused in every area of our lives. Knowing He is coming soon you will want to press in closer to Him. Knowing He is coming soon your ambitions in life will be to please Him, not to get that next big promotion, so therefore it would engender contentment. Knowing He is coming soon would mean sharing the Gospel more and with more passion. Knowing He is coming soon and just how dark it will be prior to His coming means that we would desire to be endued with power from on high so that we could endure and overcome. Knowing that He is coming soon would increase in us a desire for boldness in a rapidly hostile world we find ourselves in. I could go on for another 10,000 words which would begin with " Knowing He is coming soon."

Lastly, I believe that it is a very practical matter to prepare for things that we know are to come. It is prudent in all aspects of life including the life of the Spirit. Jesus prepared Himself for Calvary, the culmination of that being Gethsemane. We should do likewise for the strength to drink fully from the cup to come and for the strength to be able to declare " not my will but thine be done," oh Lord............bro Frank

The Coming of Christ will not be silent, secret or invisible, but rather will be announced with a loud trump.

Luk 21:26 MEN'S HEARTS FAILING THEM FOR FEAR, and for looking after those things which are coming on the earth: for the powers of heaven shall be shaken.
Luk 21:27 AND THEN SHALL THEY SEE the Son of man coming in a cloud with power and great glory.

1Th 4:16 For the Lord himself shall DESCEND from heaven with a shout, with the voice of the archangel, and with the trump of God: and the dead in Christ shall rise first:

Everyone will see Him:
Luke 21:35 For as a snare shall it come ON ALL THEM that dwell on the face of the whole earth.

Also called the "Day of God". (See 2 Pet 3:10 for context)
2Pet 3:12 Looking for and hasting unto the coming of the DAY OF GOD, wherein the heavens being on fire shall be dissolved, and the elements shall melt with fervent heat?

2Pet 3:10 But the DAY OF THE LORD will come as a thief in the night; in the which the heavens shall pass away with a great noise, and the elements shall melt with fervent heat, the earth also and the works that are therein shall be burned up.

He will appear:
Tit 2:13 Looking for that blessed hope, and THE GLORIOUS APPEARING appearing of the great God and our Saviour Jesus Christ;

edited

Savannah and Julias, my thoughts were designed to encourage and challenge the saints. I wonder if we could skip the theological debate? Thanks guys. Jesus did not come back in 70ad and He is coming back, now the questions raised in the OP is how we handle and react to the reality of His soon coming.........bro Frank

Frank,

Whose debating? I posted my beliefs based on scripture. Then, Savannah made his posts. I did not reply to him or have any intention of replying. You asked a question, I responded, and really don't have anything else to say.

I only posted once.

2 Peter 3:11-12

Since all these things are to be destroyed in this way, what sort of people are you to be in holy conduct and godliness looking for and hasting the coming of the day of God,

If we truly believed in the soon coming of Jesus Christ. I think there would be more of a desire for holiness as unto Christ. Our passion for a christ-centered righteousness would increase with a ferver to see His soon glorious appearing.

Peter goes on to say that there will be a new heaven and a new earth. A new kingdom if you will in which righteousness dwells. For if we truly believe He is soon to return. Our dezire for righteousness. Our desire for a practical Christ centered righteousness would be greater.

My thoughts.

Julius, you missed the point of the OP and it was probably because it could be written much better. I was not asking for differing opinions about whether He is coming back or not. That is a given. My question was do we really believe that, really believe that. Catch my drift :) ? Its hard on a forum because a forum is two dimensional. Dont be offended, it was a friendly request not to let the posts be a prelude to a theological debate where everyone cuts and paste their favorite dead guys:)...........bro Frank

Blaine writes.......

"If we truly believed in the soon coming of Jesus Christ. I think there would be more of a desire for holiness as unto Christ. Our passion for a christ-centered righteousness would increase with a ferver to see His soon glorious appearing."

Yes indeed brother, that was the essence of my post..................bro Frank

by appolus on 2015/12/1 19:06:49

Julius, you missed the point of the OP and it was probably because it could be written much better. I was not asking for differing opinions about whether He is coming back or not. That is a given. My question was do we really believe that, really believe that. Catch my drift :) ? Its hard on a forum because a forum is two dimensional. Don't be offended, it was a friendly request not to let the posts be a prelude to a theological debate where everyone cuts and paste their favorite dead guys:)...........bro Frank

Sure, no problem Frank. Not offended.

I wonder why Christians don't live with an urgency, NOW! Christ has come to them, lives inside them and joined them to Him. They are now living in the Kingdom of God and rule and reign with Christ over their enemies (powers of darkness), seated in heavenly places with Christ.

When Jesus Christ comes again, it will be the 3rd coming, to me, since His first coming was to die and His 2nd coming was when I was born-again. When He comes again, it's all over.

Israel in the OT was unfaithful and disobedient knowing that a Messiah was coming. Seems that believing Jesus Christ is coming again, with the multitude of futurist books written has done nothing to spur the Church into living holy and righteous lives. So many are asleep, resting in false security, living like they were never joined to the Lord and He never came and took up residence in them. The apostle John spoke more of coming persecution than the coming of Christ. The early church lived the way they did and every great man through the ages lived the way they did because of a very present reality in them of the living Christ having come to them and living in them. This is why you live holy and righteous, because you are joined to the Lord!

We have received the Kingdom, now!!!
Heb 12:28 Wherefore we receiving a kingdom which cannot be moved, let us have grace, whereby we may serve God acceptably with reverence and godly fear:

But, this is not on topic so I will create a new thread for this subject.

I think the reason people don't live with urgency that He is coming is that they really don't believe He is here now, living in them (unbelief,sin,false conversion). And He is probably not. Their faith has become cold and dead and they are only going through the motions of learned outward behavior needed when they are around church people.

The Holy Spirit and genuine conversions are missing today and many possessing a form of godliness are lost. Those who are abiding in Christ daily are uncomfortable in this world but very comfortable in the kingdom of God which has come to them. They see things that are not readily seen with the physical eyes and that is why they have an urgency in their lives.

Bro David, I had such a witness in my spirit as I read your post. This is my heart in all the scriptures that you quoted and explained. To me, this is the " knowing," witness.( I cannot define that or explain that so I hope no one asks)

And sis MJ, I can sense your spirits heartbeat in what you write and what you have just shared, the heartbeat of the Body beats as one, maybe that is part of the " knowing," in your spirit.

And brother Ron you said " He said it and He will do it." That's a declaration and I love declarations. At our prayer meeting last Saturday morning we took the time to make declarations. There is a power and an infilling that comes as we begin to openly and boldly declare the truths of our God and His Word.

I am encouraged by the replies to this thread. I just sense in my spirit that God's people, yes here in America, are going to do exploits for God. He is waking up saints all over the land and all over the world, waking them up to His reality that He is indeed coming and He is coming soon.

Amo 9:13 Behold, the days come, saith the LORD, that the plowman shall overtake the reaper, and the treader of grapes him that soweth seed; and the mountains shall drop sweet wine, and all the hills shall melt.

This precious Scripture comes in the midst of great judgment and persecution. A promise in the midst of judgement. Its a promise to us too in the coming days. God will pour out His Spirit I believe, in such a mighty fashion as has not been seen before. I believe He will do that because the persecution will be so intense. Yet, despite the intensity of the fires, God's grace is sufficient for us.

When the enemy comes flooding in, then God raise up a standard. And so it follows that in the midst of the greatest persecution the world has ever seen, which is what we see prior to the Lord Jesus coming back, then God will pour out His Spirit like the world has never seen. He is faithful and true and He never leaves us nor forsakes us. That is why we can look forward to His return and not fear the persecution that takes place prior to His return, because God's word is true. We have seen much evidence of this in measure down through the last two thousand years. Saints so filled with His Spirit that they could sing spiritual songs even as the flames licked about their mortal bodies.

We remember that the wicked king made the furnace seven times hotter for the Hebrew children. He did that because they told him that their God would save them, but even if they died in that fire that they would never bow down to the gods of this world. God is raising up such an indignation in His saints, glory be to God.

And I heard a loud voice saying in heaven, Now is come salvation, and strength, and the kingdom of our God, and the power of his Christ: for the accuser of our brethren is cast down, which accused them before our God day and night. And they overcame him by the blood of the Lamb, and by the word of their testimony; and they loved not their lives unto the death. (Rev 12:10-11)

Bro Travis, I really appreciated your thoughts on this subject. I think so many good people could relate to points that you raised. I think Maryjanes point about either/or is an excellent point as well. If our hearts and passions are for Jesus it will show in everything that we do, no matter what we do. And in the midst of all of that we have the seasons of life, the ebbs and flows. We have the deep winters when nothing seems to be happening, there seems to be no life at all. We have the violent storms of spring in our lives where all we can manage to do is remain standing as the wind blows, yet out of that comes life. The long hot summers that can sap our strength. The fall where there is sweet relief from the heat and the beauty that surrounds us as the leaves begin to turn and fall.

These are the seasons that effect every saints life. Yet, just as in the natural, the older we get and the longer we are in the Lord we know that " this too shall pass." We begin to rest in the security and knowledge that the Lord is faithful and out of our understanding His faithfulness our own faith grows. But of course, we have to be ready in season and out of season to share our faith. Even in the depths of the cave David says that his soul remains steadfast.

I do believe there is a final season of this world that no saint has ever entered into before and we may well be the generation that does. Its the harvest, the end of all things, the end of the ages. Yes the saints for 2000 years have believed in one fashion or another that Jesus is coming back soon, in fact that is the argument some naysayers will use. The fact that the Master has been away for a long time they begin to think He is never really coming back. They begin to beat the servants and get drunk the Scriptures tell us in parable and all of a sudden that time appears. Eventually we collide with the prophetic calendar.........bro Frank

Romans 13:11-14

Do this, knowing the time, that it is already the hour for you to awaken from sleep, for now salvation is near to us than when we first believed. The night is almost gone, and the day is near. Therefore let us lay aside the deeds of darkness and put on the armor of light. Let's behave properly as in the day, not in carousing and drunkenness, not in sexual promiscuity and sensuality, not in stripe and jealousy. But put on the Lord Jesus Christ, and make no provision for the flesh in regard to its lusts.

Looking at where human history is at. And looking at where we are headed. The above verses take on a greater urgency. Knowing that Jesus will soon return should make us want to apply Romans 13:11-14 to our every day life. For we know that our ultimate salvation is nearer now than when we first believed.

My thoughts

The Word of God is timeless.

I am sure everyone in every generation thought the Lord's return was imminent. If I lived anytime during the 7 centuries of Inquisition and Vatican persecution when over 50 million were martyred, I would have thought they were the end times. The Christians in China during the Mao Tse Tung purge thought they were in the end times, the Early Church being hung up on crosses and used as torches in the night thought they were in the last days. People caught up in WWII where so many countries were involved and millions killed thought they were in the last days. They were all correct. Because there has always been "great tribulation", I believe since Jesus resurrected, we HAVE BEEN in the LAST DAYS.

But the real reason we have been in the "Last Days" is because the Holy Spirit indicated through Paul that we were.

Heb 1:2 HATH IN THESE LAST DAYS spoken unto us by his Son, whom he hath appointed heir of all things, by whom also he made the worlds;

What matters is whether He is living in us now and we are manifesting Jesus Christ.

We have to continue to live in the present, though we have thousands of books today telling us about the future events and what will happen and how it will happen. We have to live with the recognition that we are Overcomers in Christ and that He has won the victory in the past, on the cross for us to walk in, now.

Even though everything in the physical realm seems contrary to Christ and His victory, we have hope that we will experience His victory, unhindered (by Satan, the flesh, the world) someday in the future. So, we have to live in the present, no matter how tough things get for us. We are called to manifest the character of Christ in every circumstance and to endure in the midst of animosity and mistreatment. Whether we are experiencing hostility, persecution, tribulation, suffering and yes even if we are met with violent physical death, we must persevere.

We have to be willing for Jesus in us to continue to be mistreated and persecuted and even subjected to death. Paul told us that "through great tribulation we must enter the kingdom of God" (Acts 14:22)

One imminent event that the apostle John always expected was persecution. No matter what is happening in the world or our lives, we have to always focus on Jesus Christ.

Julius Jesus tells us in Matthew 24 that you will be hated by all nations on account of my my name. It is estimated that there are 139 nations today out of about 192 geopolitical entities that our hostile to the things of Christ.

Observers tell us that more believers have been martered for Christ in the 20th century alone then in all of 19 centuries previously. Greg posted an article where it's estimated that every 5 minutes someone is martyred for Christ.
It's estimated over 100,000 250,000 believers lay down their lives for the Lord Jesus Christ every year.

I do not mean to be clinical in the numbers above. But simply to add that the level of persecution to believers is increasing globally. Again observers who track the persecution of different faiths say that Christianity is the most persecuted religion in the world.

I have even seen articles where observers are asking if there will be at church left in the Middle East. I can say there will be. But that would be a different post perhaps a different thread. But one would have hardly asked that question a few years ago.

Also the brutality of persecution is increasing. In Revelation we read that there would be those saints who would be beheaded. We see that the day courtesy of ISIS.

I do agree we need to live in the present. But Jesus did lay out signs that would proceed His return. And certainly the increase of persecution is one of them. This we certainly see happening today.

Hi Julias, you write

"We have to continue to live in the present, though we have thousands of books today telling us about the future events and what will happen and how it will happen. We have to live with the recognition that we are Overcomers in Christ and that He has won the victory in the past, on the cross for us to walk in, now."

No one would argue about the need for being overcomers and we are called to endure and of course Jesus won the victory on the cross, but can I suggest that He won the victory on the cross in the garden of gethsemane? The cross was the fleshing out of the Lord's descision, knowing what was to come, bowed the knee, drank fully from the cup and declared " not my will but thine be done."

Mat 25:10 And while they went to buy, the bridegroom came; and they that were ready went in with him to the marriage: and the door was shut.

Those that were ready, those that had counted the cost and had made preparations in their heart, oil in the vessel so to speak, they went in and the foolish virgins did not. While we live in the now, those of the Kingdom live and walk in a Kingdom that was and is and is to come. We live and breathe and have our being now in Him but we look forward with our eyes on the prize so to speak, we are eternally minded. No matter how bad it gets for us saints here on earth, we know that Jesus is coming, we know that we are going, to Him. Its a fully three dimensional view that can look back and see what God has done, that can walk in His presence today and that can look forward and know that our redemption draws nigh................bro Frank

Oracio writes..........

"With all due respect, I would not agree with the sentiment that we can know for sure that we are indeed, beyond the shadow of a doubt, part of the generation that will see Christ’s return."

Did someone write that brother? It is important not to add words to someone's sentiment to bolster your argument. The point of the rest of your post was addressed already that in some sense Christians have always believed that. The answer to that was that at some time Jesus actually comes back so the prophetic calander actually catches up with us.

Now I know this is not you Oracio, but in the past we have had the crazies that name the day and the hour on one side and the naysayers on the other who typically make the argument " well we have always believe that." I am sure you will agree that Jesus is actually coming back and that there will be a generation of Christians who will know that in their spirits? ............bro Frank

Hypocrites! You know how to interpret the appearance of the earth and the sky. How is it that you don't know how to interpret this present time? ( Luke 12:56)

He answered and said unto them, When it is evening, ye say, It will be fair weather: for the sky is red. And in the morning, It will be foul weather to day: for the sky is red and lowring. O ye hypocrites, ye can discern the face of the sky; but can ye not discern the signs of the times? A wicked and adulterous generation seeketh after a sign; and there shall no sign be given unto it, but the sign of the prophet Jonas. And he left them, and departed.
(Mat 16:2-4)

Thanks for clarification, we can agree to disagree :) ..............bro Frank

Oracio I'm a bit puzzled brother. Are you saying that we will not see Jesus return?

Respectfully asked and submitted :-).

by appolus on 2015/12/3 16:24:00
No one would argue about the need for being overcomers and we are called to endure and of course Jesus won the victory on the cross, but can I suggest that He won the victory on the cross in the garden of gethsemane? The cross was the fleshing out of the Lord's decision, knowing what was to come, bowed the knee, drank fully from the cup and declared " not my will but thine be done."

Hi Frank,

I think He certainly did win the victory in the garden, and "walked it out" on the cross. The One who encourages us to "endure to the end", did it first.

Will we see the Lord's coming in this generation? No one knows.

But, as I was trying to say, He is with us and there is much to be done with this one life He has given us.

There have been endless predictions of the coming of Christ and recently, Harold Camping predicted October 21, 2011 as the END. He died on December 15, 2013. He predicted the rapture on May 21, 2011. Shortly after the May 21 prediction he suffered a stroke and he could no longer talk.

Let's not continue to make the same mistake these people did. The Early Church never set dates and the Church looks foolish in the world's eye engaging in such shenanigans.
https://www.raptureready.com/rr-date-setters.html

Reading these posts at midnight. Much encouraged by all you dear saints. As He said, Arise, trim your lamps and go ye out to meet him.

Amen, Everyone!

Jesus could come for anyone of us, Today. Do we live like this could be our last day on earth? Are we walking circumspectly? (Eph 5:5).

The book of Revelation was indeed written as an encouragement to the Church in all ages. It is after all, not about an event but about Jesus Christ, "The revelation of Christ", Rev 1:1.

It wasn't given to us to create an endless series of prophetic timelines. If we do that we are totally missing the point and the Person of Jesus Christ.

John is covering a huge array of events that seem to span Church history. He depicts the false religious kingdom of Satan and all of his counterfeits set against the Kingdom of God and in the end, the biggest encouragement is that Jesus Christ is Victor over all.

The last book of the Bible is the climactic revelation of how Christ, is superior to and triumphant over Satan's kingdom (all false religious systems). It reveals that Christianity has nothing in common with religion but rather is about the Person of Jesus Christ and our relationship with Him. It shows that Jesus has won the victory over Satan and is reigning in His spiritual kingdom and will ultimately consummate His victory on His return when all pretenders inspired by Satan and Satan himself, are destroyed.

In the four gospels we see Jesus constantly and consistently repudiating the religious spirit of the scribes, Pharisees and Saduccees, which "bind burdens on men that they themselves will not carry". He goes to great lengths to explain that His kingdom is entirely different than that which is anticipated by the religious leaders and the Jewish religion of that day. His kingdom functions by grace and His message exposed the religious leaders and they finally realized this. "And when the chief priests and Pharisees had heard his parables, they perceived that he spake of them." (Mat 21:45)

Because His kingdom functions by grace it is absolutely not of this world.

In the Acts of the Apostles we see the Early Church breaking free from Judaic religion to be unhindered in serving Christ.

"Stand fast therefore in the liberty wherewith Christ hath made us free, and be not entangled again with the yoke of bondage. Behold, I Paul say unto you, that if ye be circumcised, Christ shall profit you nothing." (Gal 5:1-2)

"In Paul's letters it is evident that he saw clearly the dichotomy between religion and Christianity. To the Romans Paul explains that righteousness is not in religious rites or the Law, but in Jesus Christ, the Righteous One. In the first epistle to the Corinthians Paul counters the religious excesses that were developing in the young church in Corinth. In the second epistle to the Corinthians Paul differentiates between gospel ministry by the grace of God and the manipulations of religious method. The letter to the Galatians forcefully denies that there is "another gospel" as inculcated by legalistic religion. The gospel is Jesus Christ alone functioning by grace. Writing to the Ephesians Paul contrasts religious exclusivism with the universality of the Christian gospel and explains that in Jesus Christ all men become a new humanity. In his correspondence with the Colossians Paul combats the effects of the regional religionism of Asia, emphasizing the preeminence of Jesus Christ, who is our life.

The writer to the Hebrews explains how the old and the new covenants are differentiated. The old tenets of Judaic religion are replaced by the life of Jesus Christ. James explains that if one is just going through the rituals, such religion is vain. Christian faith is the outworking of the life of Jesus Christ. Finally, then, in the Revelation, John relates in story form that religion will try to overcome and secularize Christianity, but Jesus Christ overcomes all the machinations of religion by His life."

Throughout the centuries religion has succumbed to the lust for power. In the first century, the religion of Judaism expected God to act with militaristic power against the Romans. "Beat 'em, bash 'em, knock 'em dead!" Religion adopts the world's view of straight-line, strong-arm, clenched-fist power. The misnomer of "Christian religion" has abused power likewise: the Crusades, the Inquisitions, for example. Today we see so-called "Protestants and Catholics" fighting with guns and bombs in Northern Ireland, while "religionists" bomb abortion clinics and murder doctors in the U.S. The Islamic "religionists" battle with tanks and jet fighters and the most sophisticated "fire-power" in the Middle-East. The "power-plays" of the religious power-brokers never seems to cease! But they will some day, as the Revelation reveals to us." James Fowler (http://www.christinyou.net/pages/revintro.html)

But back to the present: "So teach us to number our days, that we may apply our hearts unto wisdom." (Psa 90:12)

Are we applying "our hearts unto wisdom" while it is called Today?

Not only could the Lord come for us today, but multitudes are in the valley of decision and today may be their last day. Today is the day of salvation for everyone of us.

"But let us, who are of the day, be sober, putting on the breastplate of faith and love; and for an helmet, the hope of salvation." (1Th 5:8)

twayne,

I think you are echoing in another way and perspective what many are saying. OUR days are numbered on earth. We can't preach the Gospel in heaven, we can't overcome in heaven, we can't deny the flesh in heaven. We want the Lord to say, "Well done, thou good and faithful servant...".

The prophetic timeline keeps changing...When someone sets a date, and the Lord does not come back on that date, then many think He delayed His coming. The Jews who don't believe He has come yet, do indeed think He has delayed His coming. They are still waiting for His first coming, but He came and He is now here with us. We are partaking of eternal life, right now. He is the "Resurrection and the Life", the second death will not touch us. But, we only have one, precious life to live on earth and FOR US, the clock is ticking.

As far as the "fig tree", in Matt 24:32 many believe that had to do with the destruction of Jerusalem in 70AD. But, let's just say it has to do with the days we are living in.

Mat 24:34 Verily I say unto you, This generation shall not pass, till all these things be fulfilled.

In 1948, people first said a generation in the Bible is defined as 40 years so we were all waiting for the Lord's coming in 1988. Now, everyone says, well technically it could be 70 years. Now, many are watching for the Lord's coming in 2018. Well, Lord willing, most of us will be alive to see that. Should I live for 2018 or should I live for TODAY?

Maybe some will say, "The Lord has delayed His coming until 2018, therefore I can relax in my walk with God today and enjoy the world a little bit."

But, notice the the Lord will come for him in a DAY and an HOUR that he is not looking (for the Lord). In other words, that man's life will be required of him even before the Lord's return. So, I ask again, should we live for 2018 or live for TODAY? How can we ignore the One who has joined us to His Spirit and dwells inside us?

Mat 24:48 But and if that evil servant shall say in his heart, MY LORD DELAYETH HIS COMING:
Mat 24:49 And shall begin to smite his fellowservants (treat people badly), and to eat and drink with the drunken;
Mat 24:50 The lord of that servant SHALL COME IN A DAY WHEN HE LOOKETH NOT FOR HIM AND IN AN HOUR THAT HE IS NOT AWARE OF, (it will be a big surprise).
Mat 24:51 And shall cut him asunder, and appoint him his portion with the hypocrites: there shall be weeping and gnashing of teeth.

Travis writes ......

"A thought does come to mind though. Why should the imminent return of Christ cause us to behave any differently than if we knew for a fact that He would not return for another 1000 years? Why should it make any difference to us?"

Good question brother and it is a vital part of the equation of " how then shall we live."

The answer.......love. What do I mean by that? If I could use my own relationship with Jesus as an example. I love my Lord with all of my heart. He is the air that I breathe.He is the reason I get up in the morning. He is my very sanity. He is my saviour. My King, my everything. He is the reason that I was born. He has sustained me and fed me and held me up. He has came to me with my head on my pillow and wiped away my tears. He took away my old heart of steel and gave me a wonderful heart of flesh that beats with the rhythm of heaven.

I have been married for 33 years, got married when I was 17. I love my wife, she is a very part of me, the Lord made us one flesh. Oftentimes in my marriage I have traveled alone for family business or ministry, sometimes weeks at a time. When I am gone I call my wife on the phone everyday. With the advent of technology I skype her now or facetime her and so on and it is wonderful. Yet as the days go on, my heart yearns to back in her arms. As the day approaches of my return their is an excitement that builds and a passion to see her face to face. It is hard to describe, it is a longing.

Now, I talk to my Lord every day. I have experienced His manifest presence many many times. They have changed me completely and deepened my relationship with Him as He has drawn me deeper into the Father's heart. But you know what, there is coming a day when it will be moments no more. I will dwell in the unadulterated presence of the living God for all eternity. I will know as I am known because the in-corruption of this flesh will no longer be any kind of barrier to a full on eternal encounter because I will be raised in in-corruption.

Love is the reason for it all. Whether one day or a thousand, this pilgrim longs for the day when he arrives at his final destination and that sin is gone and Jesus is brighter than the sun and His light penetrates every part of who I am for ever.

I hope that answers that question brother Travis. God bless you........bro Frank

But when that which is perfect is come, then that which is in part shall be done away. When I was a child, I spake as a child, I understood as a child, I thought as a child: but when I became a man, I put away childish things. For now we see through a glass, darkly; but then face to face: now I know in part; but then shall I know even as also I am known. And now abideth faith, hope, love, these three; but the greatest of these is love.
(1Co 13:10-13)

Brothers and sisters I do not think anybody is setting dates as to the return of Jesus in this thread. I think what are brother Frank is exhorting us to do is to be aware that His soon coming is at the door. For sure this is what Jesus warned us to do when he said be on the alert. This as regards to His soon return.

Some have compared the signs of Matthew 24, Mark 13, and Luke 21 to birth pangs. When a woman in her third trimester is with child. She feels those birth pangs. The doctor may try to set a specific date for the delivery of that child. But when that child is ready to come out into this world. The mother knows.

Saints we must look around at what is happening in the world around us. There is an increase of earthquakes like we've never seen before. There is an increase of famines. I can certainly argue the increase of persecution of our brothers and sisters because of the nature of my prayer ministry.

Jesus said that there will be wars and rumors of wars. Whether or not one believes that the Ezekiel 38 and 39 war has been fulfilled. The fact is the world powers are involved in Syria. And observers already talking about this being a possible World War 3. Or that we are involved in world war 3.

I do believe those birth pangs are increasing in frequency. I do believe we are in the last trimester preceding the return of Jesus Christ.

As such personally I cannot think in terms of seeing age 70. I'm presently 64 years of age. I do believe my days are numbered. As brother Julius posted teach me to number my days that I may present yo Thee a heart of wisdom.

Please understand I am NOT speaking regarding my health. But I am speaking that Jesus Will return. Perhaps within 3 to 5 years. And that I'm probably being very conservative in my estimate. Some who walk with the Lord believe He may return in the next 18 to 24 months.

But I do believe we get a sense that this planet is heading toward its eternal destiny. And that will be too soon return of Jesus.

So let us do as our sister Leslie posted. Let us trim our wicks and go out to meet the bridegroom. For behold he Surely cometh.

Thoughts of Bearmaster from the bear cave.

:-) :-) :-)

Amen brothers I agree it is the love of God that compels us to serve Jesus. Because of what He has done for us. We should want to do all that we can to serve Him. But if we know He is soon to return puts an added umph in our serving Him.

Consider a brother may be blessed with a Proverbs 31 wife who is an excellent house keeper. Becsuse of her love to Christ and her husbabd she maintains a clean presenrmtable home. Then one day she learns that that a soecial person is coming ( you can fill in the bkank). This soecial woman of God will go the extra mile to see her home is very presentable to that special person. Whereas before she may have vacuumed the carpets she will have them shampooed. Wheras she may have washed or wiped the walls. She will have them repainted. I think saints you get the drift of what I'm saying.

If we get the leading that Jesus will soon return in our lifetime. We will go the extra mile and then some to want to serve him all the more.

Simply my thoughts.

by Oracio on 2015/12/4 18:00:04

Brethren, I would agree that the underlying motive for following and serving the Lord has to be the love of God shed abroad in our hearts. But I also believe the Scriptures clearly teach that there must also be a healthy fear of God in light of His awesome holiness and wrath. One example of this is in Matthew 10:28 where Jesus is specifically addressing His disciples, "And do not fear those who kill the body but cannot kill the soul. But rather fear Him who is able to destroy both soul and body in hell.” Another example is Philippians 2:12-13, "Therefore, my beloved, as you have always obeyed, not as in my presence only, but now much more in my absence, work out your own salvation with fear and trembling; 13 for it is God who works in you both to will and to do for His good pleasure.”

So in the context of the OP this would entail a healthy sense of fear lest we are caught unready at our Lord’s return.

I was thinking of the same verse (love of God shed abroad in our hearts), Oracio.

And the context of that verse is hardship, tribulations.

Rom 5:3 And not only so, but we glory in tribulations also: knowing that tribulation worketh patience;
Rom 5:4 And patience, experience; and experience, hope:
Rom 5:5 And hope maketh not ashamed; because the love of God is shed abroad in our hearts by the Holy Ghost which is given unto us.
Rom 5:6 For when we were yet without strength, in due time Christ died for the ungodly.

We are told we will have tribulation in this world. We will be mistreated, encounter hostility, suffering at the hands of men and the like and without the love of God, we will not understand where they are operating from or be able to forgive them.

For God so loved the world that He asked His Father to forgive them, they know what they do. And we must also be as our Father in heaven and God gives us everything we need (His Spirit) to carry our His will in our lives.

It has been the Love of God in my life that has brought me through trials and tribulation and a healthy fear of God (as Oracio spoke of), that reminds me to not play around with sin.

2Co_7:1 Having therefore these promises, dearly beloved, let us cleanse ourselves from all filthiness of the flesh and spirit, PERFECTING HOLINESS IN THE FEAR OF GOD.

My wife and I got married just six weeks after our 17th birthday. I loved her but we got married because she was pregnant. I left school at 16 and was an apprentice Bricklayer. We were homeless and spent three months in the Salvation Army's home for battered women. We were their first ever " honeymoon couple." After three months we got a government apartment in the projects and lived there for the next eight years. I say all that to show that I was as green as they come and dumber than a box of rocks at 17.

One night about six months into my wives pregnancy, she started to get these pains in her stomach. Now we had been given some literature about pregnancy and I had actually read them. Seemed to me she was having contractions. I timed them, and then timed them again and again. This is what the book had described. The baby was coming but how could that be, she was only six months? I told my wife I was going to call an ambulance. We had no phone, no one where we lived had phones but there was a public phone a few blocks away, of course it was typically vandalized.

It was pouring down with rain as I pulled my coat on. My wife asked me where I was going. I told her to call an ambulance. She told me she was fine and that I was not to humiliate her. I told her she was not fine. She started screaming at me that I was not to go and call anyone. Despite her remonstrations, I pulled on my coat and headed out the door. Even although I had walked away from the Lord, had given my heart to Him at eight, I prayed the whole way to the phone box. I begged the Lord " please Lord, please do not allow the phone box to be vadalized."

When I got to the phone box it was working, praise God. I called 999 ( British emergency number) The lady asked me what service I needed and I told her " Ambulance." She put me through to a woman. The woman asked me what was the nature of my emergency. I told her my wife was pregnant and that the baby was coming. She asked me how far along she was and I told her six months. She then began to tell me that it was highly unlikely the baby was coming and to just go home and see how it goes. I insisted, she resisted. I cursed this woman out on the phone and old her to send me a ( you know what) ambulance. She finally relented.

Now you have to understand, all of this was outwith my pay grade. Yet " I knew," the baby was coming. The signs were there, I had read all about them, and no one, not so called experts or the my screaming wife was going to tell me otherwise. Before the Ambulance even arrived my wife started to bleed. It turned out the baby was coming but the cord was around his neck and my wife was haemmoraging. Later they told us that if she had not been rushed into hospital she would have died. They delivered the baby by emergency section. He lived for two days and then slipped away.

Now, why that story? Sometimes brothers and sisters, all the experts in the world can tell you something and it can all make perfect sense. Jesus told us about birth pangs, the beginning of sorrows. He not only told us in the Word but He also gave us signs to accompany the Word. He not only gave us the Word and signs but He also gave us His Holy Spirit who would lead us. Given all the signs and the Word there is also " the knowing." Many times in our lives we have to simply follow Him and how He is leading us.

Saints from every possible background and from every country , city and village are testifying that the Holy Spirit is showing them that the time is short. The signs of the times have been given. Israel stands as a nation, it cannot be underestimated how astonishing this is. We have had two world wars and the worse human carnage the world has ever witnessed in the last 100 years. Nation against nation now Kingdom against Kingdom. Travel is greatly increased and knowledge has exploded ( Daniel) The world lies in utter chaos and the amount and intensity of " natural disasters in the last 15 years have been mind-blowing. The great falling away has happened. Europe is a spiritual wasteland and America is right behind them. Hatred for Christians has not been this intense since before the middle ages. Persecution on a grand scales lies just ahead. It is time to press in and prepare our hearts for what is to come...........bro Frank