Friday, Apr 17, 2009

4-17 Signs of His Coming

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Did you get out in that sunshine yesterday? That was perfect! What a great day. I went out to the Amphitheater and discovered that Mike had finished the bricks on the eastern stairway! Now that was great! Thanks Mike! I brought a bit of dirt in to fill in some holes. The lawn does need raking and mowing badly! I was going to do one or the other but Evie and Isaiah came out and we talked for a while. Evie is making a great little garden with raised beds… and she wants to take the pond I build for Susan when we lived there… and turn it into a fire pit! I guess a small pond would make a nice fire pit. After work Kyle, Marcia and I went outside in the sun and did a brisk 2 mile walk. More sun.

Today is April 17, this is time with God, I’m Pastor Dennis - I’ve been waiting here for you. Welcome to our life transforming community. TWG is a complete turn of events; it is a 180 degree turn around. God is changing us and turning us around as a community. This is not business as usual, this is life transforming, this is spiritual, this is essential.

Today's Scripture reading is 1 Samuel 4; Proverbs 23; Luke 24:1-35
To Listen to Today’s Reading http://timewithgod.podbean.com - Archives can be found at http://timewithgod.mypodcast.com

Today’s thought comes from 2 Peter 3:3 knowing this first: that scoffers will come in the last days, walking according to their own lusts, 4 and saying, "Where is the promise of His coming? For since the fathers fell asleep, all things continue as they were from the beginning of creation." 5 For this they willfully forget: that by the word of God the heavens were of old, and the earth standing out of water and in the water, 6 by which the world that then existed perished, being flooded with water. 7 But the heavens and the earth which are now preserved by the same word, are reserved for fire until the day of judgment and perdition of ungodly men.

Where is the promise of His coming? It has been 2000 years since Jesus left, 2000 years of more of the same stuff that went on the previous 2000 years. Nations rise and fall. Famines, earthquakes and natural disasters come and go… tyrants, deliverers and would be messiahs live and die, and yet life goes on. Scoffers say, “Come on! Don’t you get it? God is not real! His promises are not going to come true. Where are the signs of his coming? Why is he waiting so long? If he was going to come, he would have come already! There isn’t the slightest evidence for it. You Christians are completely deluded.” How do you answer that? The fact is, if someone doesn’t want to listen to the evidence, there is nary a thing that you can do to convince him. On the one hand, we like to say that the coming of the Lord for his Saints is “sign less.” In other words there really isn’t any prophetic sign that must be fulfilled before Christ returns for His saints. He could come any day, any minute or any second! Be ready. On the other hand there have been a host of signs that have preceded His coming for His saints. Let me refresh your memory: Israel is back in the land as prophesied by Ezekiel. That is THE one crucial and amazing sign because they have to be in the land for God to deal with them during the Tribulation. No other nation has ever returned to their land… they’ve done it three times! Another sign: The gospel will be preached to the whole world; Matthew 24:14. We’re not there yet, but we are so very close! With TV, radio and internet as well as a missionary force we are closing in on it! There are many more, such as the rise of the European Union, the end times “kings” of the North (Russia) and the East (China) with a million man army – as prophesied. And how about the development of WMD’s, worldwide communications, the exponential increase in natural disasters and wars all as prophesied. Add them up and you have a huge body of evidence! Not to mention one other point… The world was destroyed once by the flood… if true it is a major biblical proof that the end is coming. The flood last time, the fire next time! Be ready.

Dear Lord Jesus, come quickly! Perhaps today, maybe tonight! We look for you. Dear Lord, help me to be ready and waiting. Help me to be doing the things you would be pleased with when you return. Help me to find my purpose in life in serving you as I anxiously await your promised coming for the saints!

I have loved you with an everlasting love, therefore with loving kindness have I drawn you

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