Category: Very helpful

In Your Lifetime?

second-coming

“And then they will see the Son of Man coming in a cloud with power and great glory.”

Luke 21:27

There is nothing more compelling, and more certain than the return of Jesus Christ. There is a huge interest in the speculation and books, tapes, websites etc: I suppose that this is good. Perhaps we would live more sincerely, and authentically if we understood fully the imminent return of Jesus.

This just may be a twist. But many of us struggle in areas of personal godliness. Perhaps much of our personal conflict, our deep failure and compromised living is missing this critical element– a deep confidence of the sudden return of the King.

I suppose that living life with a daily awareness that this “second coming” is to be “on the front burner.” It is both inescapable and completely unavoidable. Jesus Himself compares the days leading up to the Second Coming to the time preceding the great flood of Noah’s day. Unsuspecting people lived life to the fullest right up to the moment of the flood, having ignored the warnings–just as people ignore the signs of Christ’s imminent return today.

When we are sincere and true, we will almost always have a strong sense that Jesus is about ready to ‘stand up.’ He is very close to taking visible control. Up to now the Kingdom has been hidden. But soon, very soon, it will get very obvious. I suppose many believers, will suddenly be shocked when Jesus steps in visibly.

Imagine your response to having your world interrupted by Him. He interjects His presence “in your face.” Whether you agree or not, suddenly He is here. There was an old gospel song, “I Wish We Had All Been Ready,” which shares the earnestness, and the sadness of the many who are missing others who weren’t ready to leave.

“Precisely because we cannot predict the moment, we must be ready at all moments.”

C.S. Lewis

bry-signat (1)

cropped-christiangraffiti1.jpg

&]

Related articles

Caving Into the Presence

 

cave_claustro

“Let us go right into the presence of God with sincere hearts fully trusting him. For our guilty consciences have been sprinkled with Christ’s blood to make us clean, and our bodies have been washed with pure water.”

Hebrews 10:22

 I have never really understood “caving”.  Some consider it a sport, but I guess I really don’t see the athleticism of it.  People actually seem to derive some satisfaction and thrill from exploring muddy caves in the dark.  I guess I can try to grab the basic idea of it, but to me it’s a whole lot like “parachuting”.  Why jump out of a perfectly decent airplane, when you can sit in a Starbucks with a vanilla latte?  It doesn’t compute.

But there is a sense about caving that resonates with the hunger in a man’s or woman’s heart.  Hebrews tell us that we are to enter the presence of God.  The keys will be sincerity and trust.  In other words, a honesty, and a trust that will open up the passage.  Spiritual spelunkers in a quest for His glorOUCC-Cave-Climbingy.

Sometimes something will block a person.  Depression is a barrier for us.  Essentially it effects our passion and strength.  Our pursuit of God is nullified by the corrosive facets of depression and melancholy.  There is no longer any zip or zeal for His presence.  The fire of zeal we once had just fizzles out.  But to reach our goal, we need to squeeze beyond the blockage. There is a spiritual resistance.  Our infernal enemy is working against any progress.

So much involves patience and humility.  A person must continue to probe ahead but slowly and patiently, taking their time and monitoring their progress.  Humility is necessary.  An awareness of self and our dimensions in tight spots.  “Am I small enough to squeeze through that hole?”

Our scripture tells us that we have a key to the throne room of God.  Our guiltiness and our defiled conscience have both been cleansed or sanitized from anything that would corrupt us.  We haven’t done a thing.  And we are exhorted to be very bold.  Jesus has made us pure.  We are clean.

bry-signat (1)

cropped-christiangraffiti1.jpg

 

You’re His Special Delight

Delighted In

“He also brought me out into a broad place;
He delivered me because He delighted in me.” 

Psalm 18:19

God doesn’t deliver us because He feels He has to, or should, but because He wants to.

Lord, thank You for taking delight in us. May we delight in You as well! And here’s a simple poem…

source – marciahinds.com

Always

I delight in you
in the dead of night
during your darkest day
I’m loving you, always.

I delight in you
when everything’s alright
in the midst of praise
I’m loving you, always.

#

Please visit Deb Feller’s blog, “SIMPLE POEMS, SIMPLE FAITH”

http://iftodaywehear.wordpress.com/

cropped-christiangraffiti1.jpg

Related articles

A 100% Authentic Sinner

‘This is a trustworthy saying, and everyone should accept it: “Christ Jesus came into the world to save sinners”—and I am the worst of them all.”  

1 Tim. 1:15, NLT

There are some things that can be easily understood, they are obvious.  As believers, there are certain things that are just written in stone.  They are revealed to us in a moment of time, and give us dimensions to a knowable truth.  In this case, ‘people sin all the time’. Our essential nature as a human being is to sin. We are “factories of sin.”

Paul’s relationship has its starting point in theology.  He declares to us directly the perhaps ultimate fact in the entire universe.  Jesus has come for sinners.  Sinners, transgressors, perverts, and the foolishly ignorant are special recipients of a grace that is irresistible.  This is why Jesus came, to find us who have been so twisted up by life, and left wrecked by the side of the road.

It’s funny but I have a point of departure with Paul’s proclamation of being the worst, or the chief of sinners.  I contend with it because I know and believe in my own wickedness.  (I’ve always felt Paul was a bit premature on this).  My own iniquity is such that I feel I can supplant Paul’s personal place.

But in this central verse in 1 Tim 1:15 lays out some vital truth.

  • Jesus has come.
  • He has focused on the “world.”
  • His purpose in coming was to save each of us.
  • Paul understands and thinks he is the ultimate sinner.

Who are we, exactly?  I think we need to realize that scriptural truth has come to us, and rather some diverse mist that just accepts all of us just as we are.  Rather, it’s more like each of us accepting God’s terms of what is theologically real and walking away from it, having absorbed the truth.

It is true, that united with Christ I live a resurrected life. But there can be no resurrection with something dying first. Both are needful. Both are to be part of our theology. Thats what is really important.

bry-signat (1)

cropped-christiangraffiti1.jpg

Related articles