The Lord's Return

Habakkuk 1:5 - Look around at the nations; look and be amazed! For I am doing something in your own day, something you wouldn't believe even if someone told you about it.

I read the above scripture this morning. It's a good word for us. You know how I have written about God being in control of all things, even though we don't see it, how He sets all things in place like a puzzle. Someday He will put in that last puzzle piece. Like the words of the Bible, prophetic fulfillment...things must take place, will fall into place, for the fulfillment of the Lord's return.

For thousands of years we have heard Jesus is returning and we've not seen it. Some have placed dates on when He would return, and they were so terribly wrong. Remember a thousand years to God is as a day. Since creation He has been putting together that puzzle. This first must happen in order that this will and so on. You can't take one puzzle piece and place it haphazardly in the puzzle if it does not have another one to connect to. 

There will be skeptics...they are also called scoffers, those who roll their eyes at the truth. The Bible tells us this will happen. The Bible is truth. There will be wars and rumors of war. We see this happening. While I'm not the best person to write about prophetic events, and I may not be as in tune with world events as others, I think when something big happens I will know it. I sense things even now and wait for the other proverbial shoe to drop!

I read a news article the other day. It's been one I have anticipated and looked forward to for a while. It's been written that before the Lord returns, a new Temple must be built...in Jerusalem, the City of God, Israel's capital, the place where Jesus will return. I have read the new garments and utensils used within the Temple have been finished. The article I just read is entitled: Jewish Home MK calls for a Third Temple in Jerusalem and says that although there has been a plan for years to rebuild, that plan could be in motion shortly. For additional information, check out this link: Temple Institute. 

Even if we are wrong and we don't see His return in our lifetime, I am grateful to have been a part of all that is transpiring, to first be called by God to become a follower, to gain wisdom and discernment that He provides and to be able to see and identify that God's hand is working things out...all things work together for good...even if we have to go through difficulties in our lives. Those difficulties strengthen, and draw (or should) us closer to God.

If a person understands scripture and can relate it to what is happening around us today, we can see how all this is putting puzzle pieces together in God's eternal puzzle. He has so got it so all figured out. It's exciting even in the midst of probable disaster. If we are called His people we will be taken care of, we will be given strength to endure.

There WILL come a new world order (Revelation 13:16-17). There WILL be one charismatic man who will be the head of it (Daniel 7:8). He WILL be the anti-Christ, who is satan (1John 2:20), and he WILL profane God's Holy Place, the Temple, by proclaiming he is the Messiah (Daniel 11:36). (2Thessalonians 2:3-4 - Let no one deceive you by any means...the man of sin is revealed, the son of perdition, who opposes and exalts himself above all that is called God or that is worshiped, so that he sits as God in the temple of God, showing himself that he is God.) I've known for a time that the anti-Christ will be middle-eastern, probably Islamic. Does this give one a sense of what we have to look forward to for our future? Do we see a rise in this culture across the world? A good reason to know what the truth of God's Word says and Who Truth is and what He proclaims.

When this happens, there will be seven years like we've not seen before. And after those seven years Jesus will return to fight one last time before reigning for 1,000 years on earth with His people, called by His name, before reigning eternally in Heaven where there is no war, only peace, no sickness, only perfect bodies, where we will see the Lord face to face. 

Often God tells us to open our eyes, minds, ears and hearts to receive the words He has spoken. "Let no man deceive you..." If we don't know His Word we will be deceived. And one evil man will cause deception; he will cause one to scoff, he will cause the truth to be twisted. Will? Is!! I know there is a blindness in this world today that causes some to think everything will be just fine. Some day it will not. And for some it may be too late.

The word is out there. People are trying to bring the message...the same message that has been brought from Genesis to Revelation. There is a God who desires your allegiance...a personal one. He desires your heart so you will be spared in the last days. He desires hearts devoted to Him, not scoffers. He has laid out the source of all truth in His Word. He has sent His Word to us in the form of Jesus, who is also known as THE Truth. To avoid the disaster that is to come, follow the Way, Jesus.

Look around and see that God is doing something...in order that you might take notice. What's the worst thing that can happen? We give our lives to Christ and live with a peace in our hearts and confidence, that even if He doesn't show up in our life time (depending on our age!) we have become His, despite what the world wants to believe, and our eternal life is secure. To coin a very old phrase, better safe than sorry.

Acts 13:38-41 - "Therefore, my friends, I want you to know that through Jesus the forgiveness of sins is proclaimed to you. Through him everyone who believes is set free from every sin...Take care that what the prophets have said does not happen to you: "'Look, you scoffers, wonder and perish, for I am going to do something in your days that you would never believe, even if someone told you.'"

Newness

Matthew 5:17 - "Do not think that I came to destroy the Law or the Prophets. I did not come to destroy but to fulfill."

We have the Old Testament and the New. God covenanted with the Old Testament peoples. When things didn't work quite according to His plan He brought Christ. A new covenant was formed. In Christ all things are made new. A new testament that brought a  new testimony.

I'm amazed, as so often I am, that the people of the time of Moses, of the Exodus, of the time of release from captivity and a time of seeing God's miracles right before them, of His provision each day, didn't get it. It amazes me that even today sometimes we don't get it. 

Everything we have we owe to God. He has given us life. We are here for such a time as this, like Esther was for her people. We were born for these days. Perhaps it's like a test...will we choose to believe in God or not; will we choose Him or the world? This is an exciting time for those who see what is happening in this world. We are privileged to be discerners of the truth, despite the bitterness of it. We see these things because we also were made new. We see that in Christ we know the glorious ending that the world sees as possible disaster. I relish His return...

If you are reading this, you know that God has given you a physical life, but we are asked to partake of a better, newer life, in and through Christ. Jesus calls us to a new life and if we are willing to receive that life, there is a whole new world, which I've mentioned before. I seem to always end up on the same topic...being in Christ. Is there anything else of importance?

When we receive Christ we have that new life. The religious leaders during Jesus' day couldn't handle this new stuff. Aren't we a people who don't like change?? We can be so settled in the way things are. Like those in the days of Moses, they questioned His authority even though they were amazed (see, others were amazed, too) that without formal training like they had, He knew so much and spoke with a wisdom they could only dream about...how with all the training they had they could not speak with this same authority. Who was this Man? What power did He have?

They as much as admitted this in Mark 1:22,27 and 2:7: And they were astonished at His teaching, for He taught them as one having authority, and not as the scribes. Then they were all amazed, so that they questioned among themselves, saying, "What is this? What new doctrine is this? For with authority He commands even the unclean spirits, and they obey Him." "Why does this Man speak blasphemies like this? Who can forgive sins but God alone?" 

It was why they longed to kill Him. They didn't see Him as the Son of God. He was a threat to their ritualistic way of (Old Testament) life and the control they had over others. Some of our churches today attempt to do the same. They only are qualified to speak on behalf of God instead of allowing the Holy Spirit to speak God's Word through them. He, in some way today, is still a threat to them and their power. It was also why Christ came to earth, to die, not at the hands of these men, but because of our sins. Those men then couldn't kill Him because He chose to die. As He was a New Testament for mankind, we would become new, through Him. He and only He would be able to forgive us of our sins.

Who are we to think we are better or smarter than the Lord? Who is any man? Who is any minister in any denomination? It's all about Jesus. He is God and He is the only Way, Truth and Life. No one goes to the Father except by Him. He is the new way of life. In Christ we are made new.

Revelation 21 is a perfect example of all the things Christ promises us once we have received Him. It's not only for the future, it's for now. Although we might still go through difficult days on earth, as some can relate, underneath it all there should be an interesting and powerful sense of peace. Why? We do not fear what man can do to us nor do we fear death because Christ has conquered everything! Please read the link to the chapter. It is so very wonderful and can be an encouragement.

It's like our life before Christ is our Old Testament. We strive to do good to please God, if we believe He exists. We live according to our own desires when God wants nothing more than for us to worship Him that He might be our God. He tells us this is what He wants to do: [I want to do] a new thing! Now it springs up; do you not perceive it? [I want to make] a way in the desert and streams in the wasteland (Isaiah 43:19). Do you see? He wants to do a new thing. He wants to do... He wants... He... 

But we don't get it. We want to believe it's all about us and what we can do. Then one day we meet Jesus face to face and our world changes, hopefully. Our hearts are made new and along with that God's Spirit shows us and guides us into all things new: Ezekiel 36:26 - I will give you a new heart and put a new spirit within you... The world is different and new. We see a glimpse of heaven on earth because Christ now lives with us. We realize it's not about us, but about a Father in Heaven who gave His only Son to die for us.

In the Old Testament the people worshiped and sacrificed at the Temple. In the New, with and in Christ, we ARE the temple because Christ resides in us. We can sacrifice and worship anywhere, even within our own heart. If none of this makes sense, you need Jesus...to show you these things...you are still in the world and He wants to take you out of the old world and bring you into His new world that He might reside in you.

Christ was in the beginning and is now. He created the earth and all things in it. He created you, that you might receive Him. He will also be at the end of the world. And if you are in Christ, He will take you to His new home. His glory will be the Light that shines in this new world and new home. And if we are with Him then we will see His glory! 

Without Christ none of this can happen, either now or in the last days. If you aren't sure what this all means, ask Him to show you. Ask Him to reveal Himself to you. If you are sincere in your heart He will do just that. He will give you a peace you've never experienced. He will also frustrate you when you see others who do not share in this new life. You will wonder why others don't choose to believe in Him, who don't choose to have their name written in Christ's, the Lamb's, Book of Life.

Revelation 21:27 - But there shall by no means enter it [the New Jerusalem; the new world] anything that defiles, or causes an abomination or a lie, but only