Tag: return of jesus

The End of the World as We Know It

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“Since everything will be destroyed in this way, what kind of people ought you to be?” – II Peter 3:11 (NIV)

A definite, predetermined, cataclysmic event awaits us. It is not far off, as understood in the context of God’s plan. The world knows it will happen; though people may refer to vague and remote catastrophes such as the earth falling into the expanding sun after a few billion years, or a massive asteroid impact, or dreaded and deadly nuclear war, or a black hole disaster, or any other number of proposed life-ending episodes.

No matter what people propose as the method, something in human nature points to a general feeling of the temporary nature of this world as we currently know it. In their suspicion of final destruction, humans are right. However, the circumstances and the ultimate result are critical.

The infallible Word of God reports to us the glaring and glorious reality: everything of this earth as we know it will be destroyed. Peter is specific, “The heavens will disappear with a roar; the elements will be destroyed by fire, and the earth and everything in it will be laid bare” (II Peter 3:10, NIV). As straightforward as this message is and as threatening as it sounds, God tells us to look forward to this earth’s end (II Peter 3:12). Why? Because the dissolution of what is imperfect and painful means a rebuilding into what is perfect and delightful. Jesus must clear the old to make room for the perpetually new!

Getting back to the heartbeat of Peter’s theme of introspection here, we listen to him say once again, “Since everything will be destroyed in this way, what kind of people ought you to be?” Wow. This is one serious, life-altering question. Everything of this earth and heavens is going to be consumed by fire – absolutely everything. What, then, should be my focus? What should my life look like? What should constitute the moments of my days, the thoughts of my mind, and the affections of my heart?

My life would be quite radical in comparison to the average life if I honestly lived by the proposition that this current world system is headed for a colossal undoing. Does the constant redecorating of my house just to keep up with current trends really matter? Does a scratch on my new car bother me more than the sin in my own heart? Is my investment in another vacation or summer home important compared to my investment in the seeking of lost souls in this life? Are hours of television viewing a worthy endeavor compared to the saturation of my mind with the living Word of God? To put it another way, what am I doing? What kind of person am I?

A temptation of the enemy is to get us to live moments in light of the here and now, rather than in light of the immense change just on the horizon. Hebrews 10:37 (NIV) describes it this way, “For in just a very little while, ‘He who is coming will come and will not delay.'” He will come in just a very little while. Though the end of this current world seems so far away, it comes upon us quickly. Our timeless God does not view events as we do. He knows Jesus will be coming back soon. We need to listen to God’s truth and prepare ourselves in light of what He knows – not what our opinion or feeling is. We may not sense the return of the Lord while we brush our teeth in the morning, but the truth remains. Though I do not always feel the reality of the impending eradication of the world, I need to operate according to that truth.

The entire Bible is God’s Word. Everything will be destroyed. Then righteousness will reign in the Person of Jesus Christ. So, what kind of person should I be?

What if the Sun Went Dark?

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We count on the rising of the sun. We take for granted that the moon will shine at night. We expect the stars to stay in place, twinkling through the darkness. Though humans may never ponder exactly why we hold these assumptions, the clear answer is the created order of our God. The Creator “gives the sun for light by day and the fixed order of the moon and the stars for light by night . . . the LORD of hosts is his name” (Jeremiah 31:35, ESV). Yes, He is the Lord of hosts! He is the Master of that which goes forth, including angelic beings and heavenly bodies.

Precisely because the order of the heavens is so regular and very much taken for granted, the words of Matthew 24:29 (ESV) ring forebodingly in our ears, “Immediately after the tribulation of those days the sun will be darkened, and the moon will not give its light, and the stars will fall from heaven, and the powers of the heavens will be shaken.” Imagine it. Whether we take these words of Jesus literally, figuratively, or as a combination of the two, Christ means for us to know that He is going to shake things up in a way as never before. The natural ordinances on which we had depended will suddenly evaporate, as God Almighty displays His power for judgment, accountability, and newness. The Boss of the sun and stars will demand the heavenly bodies change their course and usher in a cataclysmic shift to a new order. As radically as Jesus Christ can make a person’s spirit new by the power of His blood, so will he radically recreate the cosmos.

Make no mistake about it; the beginning of the miraculous change is marked by fundamental, unexpected feats and by a judgment that will shock unbelievers at their core. Matthew 24:30 (ESV) goes on to instruct, “Then will appear in heaven the sign of the Son of Man, and then all the tribes of the earth will mourn, and they will see the Son of Man coming on the clouds of heaven with power and great glory.” Notice the word “mourn.” People from every part of the earth will wail as they realize – once and for all – that Jesus changes everything. Sadly, unbelievers will then know that God will be recognized for who He is, whether willingly in the present, or by mandate in the future. All the world will ultimately realize what believers now know – Jesus is in charge!

On that day, the clouds of heaven will not float peacefully against a blue sky. Rather, the clouds will escort the very Son of Man to the earth He has created. With power and glory untold, Jesus will begin the necessary task of judging wrong and rewarding right. He will return to do what He has promised – deliver His people from a twisted existence to enjoy Him forever.

Are you ready for the essential, inexplicable change about to occur in the heavens? When you see Jesus, will you grieve because you have not responded to His forgiveness, or will you rejoice in that power and great glory which will materialize just as He promised?

The shakeup is coming. The next time you stand in the light of that old sun, or dream upon a star, or delight in the moon’s glow; think about the words of Jesus Christ. He means what He says.

Inverting the Flow of Life

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We have things a bit turned around in our world, inverting the proper flow of life. It seems some of us Christians seek to accumulate earthly goods, access many avenues of entertainment, secure successful career paths, and fill our families’ lives with countless activities which are meant to lead to healthy self-esteem and proper socialization. These pursuits appear to come first, followed by the occasional or regular prayer to invoke the blessing of God on the myriad endeavors. We, as good Christians, seek the Lord to bless our fast-paced, culture-driven lives.

Starkly contrasted to this rhythm, the heart of the endeared apostle Paul streamed in the opposite direction. He spoke clearly in Colossians 4:2 (NIV), “Devote yourselves to prayer, being watchful and thankful.” Paul endured the gloom of Roman imprisonment when he penned this directive, and his heart was sure of one fact – all of life and its activities follow after a soul fixed on God’s ideals. We ought to have a permanent bent in our attitude. We ought not to jump from one pursuit to the next event without knowing our very heart is stayed on God. Do we arise in the morning clearly cognizant of His Lordship and His promises? Are we determined to know His Word in such a way as it boldly jumps to the forefront in our moments of rest and moments of work?

Lips moving and words spoken are one way to pray – and a pivotal one. However, prayer is also a state of mind. The God of all reality should be the most important consideration in all things. Am I devoted to prayer, or am I devoted to an “acceptable life”? Am I devoted to prayer, or am I devoted to “success”? Am I devoted to prayer, or am I devoted to busyness? Am I devoted to prayer, or am I devoted to the escape from boredom? Am I devoted to prayer, or am I devoted to me?

Without basic freedom and suffering for His faith in Jesus, Paul pronounces that prayer is to be coupled with watchfulness and thankfulness (note again Colossians 4:2 . . . “Devote yourselves to prayer, being watchful and thankful”). Even while jailed, Paul recognizes the need to be vigilant – to refuse to drift through life or allow circumstances to pull us along. Rather, we must remain alert, aware of the human tendency to drop to status quo – mediocrity. We are to be consciously aware of the condition of our heart and the spiritual realm surrounding. Life is so much more than what we eat and drink and watch on television. We are to be constantly asking, “What is God up to?” and “How are the spiritual forces of wickedness seeking to divert God’s work in my life”?

When Jesus’ own disciples fell asleep just hours before His arrest, Jesus told them, “Watch and pray so that you will not fall into temptation. The spirit is willing, but the body is weak” (Matthew 26:41, NIV). As the disciples dozed, Jesus was getting ready to change eternity by His death and resurrection. Could they not stay alert? Realizing our bodies tend to spiral downward in devotion, Jesus emphasized the spirit’s dominance and agrees with Paul in declaring we need to watch and pray. Amazingly, Jesus is about to change eternity again by coming back to this earth to gather His own people to Himself and usher in His grand remaking of heaven and earth. When He returns, will we, too, be sleeping and resting? Are we so slothful and unaware of God’s working in the world? We have it backwards. Life is not about the filling of moments with our own plans and procedures, but a focus on God Almighty, whose plan overpowers all!

We notice Paul adds thankfulness to his watchful and prayerful demeanor. We note so little gratitude among people in today’s world – even believers. Perhaps we are not thankful because we are focusing on our own work rather than the mysterious work of God. My preoccupation does not make me thankful, but my meditation on the moment-by-moment, righteous working of God causes my heart to leap! Things may not always truly be as they appear. Yes, Paul was in prison, but God’s inexplicable joy and future hope pervaded Paul’s soul. The Gospel rang out loudly to innumerable people. We, too, may live in muddled times. The answer is not changed circumstances, but a heart devoted to prayer with watchfulness and thankfulness.

Tracing God’s Heart through Geography and History: The Mount of Olives

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Today in the Middle East, just to the right of Jerusalem, stands the Mount of Olives. This mountain is separated from the great city by a narrow area called the Kidron Valley. The Mount of Olives is approximately one mile long and rises to 2,680 feet above sea level. This mountain tells us much about the heart of God. For, God is the God of geography and history. Too many people today think the true God is “spiritual only,” but He is God over every realm! He is Lord over geography because He made this terrestrial ball and the entire universe (Psalm 121:2), and He is Lord over history because He stands outside of time as the “Beginning and the End” (Revelation 22:13).

What does this actual, geographical location reveal to us about the heart of God? Let’s look at three things:

    1) In Luke 21:37, we learn that Jesus would actually rest on the Mount of Olives following long days of teaching disciples. Our Savior would close His eyes and sleep on the mount at night. This amazes me, because Matthew 26:38 reveals that at this same place – the Mount of Olives – Jesus was nearly overwhelmed by the weight of the sacrifice He would make for the sins of the world. You see, the Garden of Gethsemane – where Jesus prayed right before His arrest and crucifixion – lies on the western slope of the Mount of Olives. Our Savior commenced His unimaginable suffering at the very place He rested so many other days before. I am ashamed to say that there have been times I can hardly sleep at night if I know I have an impending difficult time ahead; yet, Jesus rested in the very place He knew He would carry the weight of human sin. Jesus Christ could rest because He knew that His plan would prevail in the end, no matter how dark the time at hand.

    The Mount of Olives reminds us that we can rest in the midst of difficult circumstances and while facing an unknown future because God is in control.
    2) The words of Acts 1:9-12 tell us that Jesus Christ left this earth from the Mount of Olives. After instructing the disciples that they should concentrate on spending their lives as a testimony to God by the power of the Holy Spirit dwelling in them, Jesus was taken up into a cloud and was drawn out of sight. The disciples no doubt stood dumbfounded. They had finally wrapped their minds around His divinity because He had risen from the dead just as the Scripture promised, and He had walked on the earth for forty days following His resurrection. Now, after those seemingly short forty days, He was leaving! Their mouths probably hung open as they watched Him go. Perhaps they were thinking, “Why is He leaving us after rising from the dead?” and “Why is He not fixing this world system right now; why is He allowing the Romans to continue in their plot?” and “When will we see Him again?” As those disciples stood there, two angels informed them that “this Jesus” will come back the same way He left.

    I love it! “This Jesus”! Not another Jesus, but the very same One who walked with them, hugged them, ate with them, was nailed to a cross for them, resurrected for them, walked with them again in His new, glorified body; and ate fish with them in His new, glorified body – this Jesus would return to this earth! The Jesus that was put in the tomb is the Jesus that came out of the tomb and is the Jesus who will return on day. Similarly, the same me that dies physically is the same me that will rise physically and enjoy what Jesus prepares one day. Because of Him, we live too!

    The Mount of Olives reminds us that a very real Jesus is coming back to this earth to make a home of righteousness for us to enjoy with Him in very real, glorified bodies.
    3) The prophet Zechariah declares in Zechariah 14:4 that one future day the feet of Jesus will stand again on the Mount of Olives. At some point before the second coming of Christ, great armies will go to battle against Jerusalem. The city will be captured, and the end of Jerusalem and its inhabitants will seem inevitable. But, just when things seem hopeless – and not before – Jesus will descend on that mount. His feet will cause the Mount of Olives to split in half, producing a valley between the newly formed northern and southern halves of the mountain. That valley will be the way of escape for the inhabitants of Jerusalem. Zechariah goes on to explain that the inauguration of the millennial reign of Christ will mean the people of Jerusalem will dwell securely, with no more curse (Zechariah 14:11).

    Just as God provided a way of escape for His people when they were caught between the Red Sea and the approaching Egyptians, so He will provide a way of escape when the Antichrist and all the godless armies seek to destroy God’s remnant of people. Nothing stops God’s plan. In a real and tangible way, Jesus will once again be seen on the Mount of Olives.

    The Mount of Olives reminds us that Jesus is in charge of this world and all of history. He will provide the way of escape for His people and usher in the beginning of His, perfect kingdom.

Allow the God of all history and geography to strengthen your heart with the truths about one, particular location in the Middle East. The Mount of Olives is very important to Jesus, and it should be very important to us, too.

“Preoccupied”: A Poem to Help Us Understand the Question, “Am I Ready?”

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PREOCCUPIED

Planned a party.
Now I’m waiting
for you to arrive.

Others present;
talking, laughing.
But you
I have not yet seen.

Though I’m with them,
my mind keeps drifting
to thoughts of you.

I hear your voice,
I see your face,
as I imagine
your arrival.

They keep begging me
to join in
with abandonment.

I cannot.

You are all
I really think of.

Please come.
Please come very soon.

This is no real party
until
I am right beside you.

This poem is weighty. It can help our hearts discern their true status. God’s Word says, “So Christ was sacrificed once to take away the sins of many people; and He will appear a second time, not to bear sin, but to bring salvation to those who are waiting for Him.” (Hebrews 9:28, NIV, emphasis mine)

Many people ask sincerely, “Just what does it mean to be saved?” Stunningly, it means much more than most imagine. Notice Hebrews 9:28 tells us that while Jesus died for many people (in fact, for the entire world), He is only returning for those who are waiting for Him! Just as Matthew 7:13 whittles down the road to life to only a few travelers, while the road to destruction remains wide; so Hebrews 9:28 confirms and delineates the criteria.

What does it mean to be saved? Deny it however much we want in order to try in vain to produce a sense of security, the answer is clear . . . it means we are absolutely preoccupied with Jesus!

As the host of the party in the poem cannot put first in his heart or mind other people or activities, so the truly saved person cannot put first in her heart or mind other people or activities. Expectant waiting for the One we love the most packs full every moment!

Are we “looking out the window” for Jesus to come?

Are we paying more attention to our television, our cell phone, our ipod, our social time, our facebook account, our children’s activities, our hobbies, or any combination of various distractions “at the party”? Or are we so in love with Jesus that His Word and precious time in prayer with Him are nearest and dearest for us?

He died for the sins of the world, but He is only coming back for those who are waiting for Him.

Are you waiting . . . ?