Getting Ready For The Lord's Return

Matthew 24:32-25:13

‘The times they are-a-changing’. There is, however, one thing that remains constant. Jesus says, ‘My words will not pass away’ (35). In an age of unbelief, our faith is often under threat. We must stand upon this solid Rock: ‘The Word of the Lord stands forever’ (1 Peter 1:25). The scoffers will say, ‘Where is the promise of His coming?’ (2 Peter 3:3-4). We are to believe that ‘He is near’ (33). Christ has risen. He will return (1 Corinthians 15:20-23). When He returns need not concern us: ‘the Son of Man is coming at an hour you do not expect’ (44). We are to be ready at all times (13) - doing the Lord's will (46). We are to be ‘faithful and wise’ (45). As ‘the bride of Christ’ (Revelation 19:7; 21:2), we await the Return of Christ our Bridegroom: ‘Behold, the bridegroom! Come out to meet Him’ (6).

Let Us Give Jesus Christ His Rightful Place In Our Lives

Luke 21:1-38
The ‘poor widow’ gave her ‘all’ to the Lord (1-4). True giving is a response to ‘the grace of God’. Learning to appreciate ‘the grace of our Lord Jesus Christ’, we will learn to give with ‘abundance of joy’ and ‘wealth of liberality’(2 Corinthians 8:1-2, 9). Let us give ourselves to our Lord. True Christian living will not be easy (12; 2 Timothy 3:12). The Lord will be with us in all our difficulties (15, 18-19). Christ will return ‘with power and great glory’(27). For some this will be a time of ‘distress... perplexity... fear... foreboding’(25-26). For others, it will be the Day of ‘redemption’(28). To all, there is the warning: ‘Take heed to yourselves... watch at all times’(34-36). Let us restore Him to His rightful place in our lives - ‘...all the people came to Him...’(38).
_________________
Blessings in Christ
Christ in all the Scriptures
http://christinallthescriptures.blogspot.com

Some Important Lessons About Faith

Luke 18:1-43
Here, we learn some important lessons about faith. (a) Our faith is precious. We must not lose it! The question is asked, ‘When the Son of man comes, will He find faith on earth?’(8). ‘Don’t lose heart’(1). (b) We are to have a humble faith (14). Pray, ‘God, be merciful to me a sinner’(13). ‘Receive the Kingdom of God like a child’(17). (c) We are to have a committed faith (22), always remembering that salvation comes from the Lord and not from ourselves (26-27). Our commitment can never be a way of earning God’s salvation. He always gives us so much more than we could ever give to Him (29-30). (d) We are to have a Christ-centred faith, centred on His death and resurrection (31-33). (e) Our faith is to be full of worship. Our eyes opened by Christ and to Him, we are to glorify God and give praise to Him (43).
_________________
Blessings in Christ
Christ in all the Scriptures
http://christinallthescriptures.blogspot.com

‘Be Ready’ For Christ’s Return.

Luke 12:35-59
‘Be ready’ for Christ’s Return(40): Wait on the Lord (36; Isaiah 40:31). Stay ‘awake’(37), ‘your loins girded with truth’(35; Ephesians 6:14) - be real; be true to the Word of God. Keep ‘your lamps burning’(35). Our ‘lamp’ is Christ, ‘the Lamb of God who takes away the sin of the world’(Revelation 21:23; John 1:29). Be faithful(41-48): There can be no fruitfulness without faithfulness. God’s blessing is given to those who are faithful (42-43). With the promise of blessing, there is also the warning of judgment. Knowing the will of God and not doing it leads to judgment (47). Going Christ's way will not be easy(49-53): We must avoid the way of the ‘hypocrites’ who have no real knowledge of God (54-56), the legalists who know nothing of the Spirit of grace (57-59). Keep close to Christ: He will keep you - faithful and ready.
_________________
Blessings in Christ
Christ in all the Scriptures
http://christinallthescriptures.blogspot.com

‘Be Ready’ For Christ’s Return.

Luke 12:35-59
‘Be ready’ for Christ’s Return(40): Wait on the Lord (36; Isaiah 40:31). Stay ‘awake’(37), ‘your loins girded with truth’(35; Ephesians 6:14) - be real; be true to the Word of God. Keep ‘your lamps burning’(35). Our ‘lamp’ is Christ, ‘the Lamb of God who takes away the sin of the world’ (Revelation 21:23; John 1:29). Be faithful(41-48): There can be no fruitfulness without faithfulness. God’s blessing is given to those who are faithful (42-43). With the promise of blessing, there is also the warning of judgment. Knowing the will of God and not doing it leads to judgment (47). Going Christ's way will not be easy(49-53): We must avoid the way of the ‘hypocrites’ who have no real knowledge of God (54-56), the legalists who know nothing of the Spirit of grace (57-59). Keep close to Christ: He will keep you - faithful and ready.
_________________
Blessings in Christ
Christ in all the Scriptures
http://christinallthescriptures.blogspot.com

Let Christ Be ‘Born This Day’ - In Your Heart!

Luke 2:1-20
God is in control! Jesus was born in Bethlehem. Long before it happened, God had it planned (1-7; Micah 5:2-3). As we approach Christ's Return, God still has His plan. He is still in control. The birth of Christ is not merely an event from the past. It is also a message for the future. We look back so that we can move forward. We are fearful about many things. ‘What's the world coming to?’, we ask. God turns our question on its head: ‘Christ is coming to the world’. From His first coming, we look on to His Second Coming - He ‘will come to all the people’(10): ‘every eye will see Him’(Revelation 1:7). His Return invites us to ask another question: ‘when the Son of man comes, will He find faith on earth?’(18:8). For you, is it still ‘before Christ’? Let the ‘new age’ begin: Let Christ be ‘born this day’(11) - in your heart!
_________________
Blessings in Christ
Christ in all the Scriptures
http://christinallthescriptures.blogspot.com

In Christ, We Are Being Led On To ‘A Better Country... A Heavenly One.’

Genesis 47:27-48:22
No more fear (46:3). No more pride (47:9). Now, no more doubt - God will bless (15-16, 19-21). Let it be confidence(Philippians 1:6), humility(John 15:5) and faith(Hebrews 11:1; Philippians 3:14). Man's way is set aside - ‘his younger brother shall be greater than he’(19). We are ‘saved by grace’(Ephesians 2:8). There is one way of salvation - God’s way (John 14:6). Israel was promised a ‘land’(21). In Christ, we are being led on to ‘a better country... a heavenly one’ (Hebrews 11:16). Jacob said, ‘I am about to die’(21). Jesus says, ‘I died and... I am alive for evermore’(Revelation 1:18). He says, ‘I will come again and will take you to Myself, that where I am you may be also’(John 14:3). No more fear, pride, doubt - Christ saves ‘to the uttermost’(Hebrews 7:25).
______________
Blessings in Christ
Christ in all the Scriptures
http://christinallthescriptures.blogspot.com

Christ Will Come Again - ‘With Power And Great Glory’. ‘Come, Lord Jesus.’

Zechariah 9:1-10:12
'...See your King comes to you... gentle and riding on a donkey...’(9:9). These words point us to our Lord and Saviour, Jesus Christ. Jesus is our King. Jesus comes to us. How are we to welcome our King? We are to welcome Him with joyful praise - ‘Blessed is He who comes in the Name of the Lord’(Matthew 21:1-9; John 12:12-16). Jesus our King has come to us from God the Father: ‘When the time had fully come, God sent His Son...’. Jesus our King has come to us to be our Saviour: ‘Christ Jesus came into the world to save sinners’(Galatians 4:4; 1 Timothy 1:15). Christ will come again - ‘with power and great glory’. ‘Come, Lord Jesus’(Matthew 24:30; Revelation 22:20).

Zechariah 11:1-12:14
'‘They will look on Him whom they have pierced...’(12:10). These words point us to Christ’s crucifixion. In Psalm 22:1, we read Christ’s prayer from the Cross: ‘My God, my God, why have You forsaken Me?’(Matthew 27:46; Mark 15:34). In the same Psalm, we read these words: ‘They have pierced My hands and My feet’(16). In Isaiah 53:5, we learn that Christ ‘was pierced for our sins’(53:5). In Revelation 1:7, the words of Zechariah 12:10 form part of a prophecy concerning Christ’s Return: ‘Look, He is coming with the clouds, and every eye will see Him, even those who pierced Him ...’. In His heavenly glory, Christ will always be ‘the Lamb’ who was ‘slain’(Revelation 5:6,9).

Zechariah 13:1-14:21
We ‘call on the Lord’s Name’. He ‘answers’ our prayer - ‘I will say, “They are My people”, and they will say, “The Lord is our God’(13:9). We confess our faith in ‘the Lord’. He is ‘Lord of lords’. The Lord is King. He is ‘King of kings’. His Name is ‘the only Name’ of our salvation. His Name is ‘the Name that is above every name’(14:9; Revelation 19:16; Acts 4:12; Philippians 2:9-11). We ‘worship the King, the Lord Almighty’. We sing ‘Holy to the Lord’: ‘Holy is the Lord God Almighty who was and is and is to come! Worthy is the Lord God Almighty who was and is and is to come! Glory to the Lord God Almighty who was and is and is to come!’(16,20; Mission Praise, 239).
_________________
Blessings in Christ
Christ in all the Scriptures
http://christinallthescriptures.blogspot.com

Thought For The Day - "We Look Forward To Christ's Return ... "

We look forward to Christ's return: the completion of the triumph achieved in His death and resurrection.

--------------------

This thought is taken from

Isaiah 25:1-26:9

'O Lord, You are my God; I will exalt You and praise Your Name...You have done marvellous things' (25:1). We remember what God has done for us. He sent His Son, Jesus Christ, to be our Saviour. We rejoice in Jesus Christ who died for us. We rejoice in Jesus Christ who rose again for us. We look forward to the return of our Lord Jesus Christ. We look forward to the Day when 'He will swallow up death for ever'. On that Day, 'the Lord God will wipe away the tears from all faces'. On that Day, we will look back and say, 'Surely this is our God; we trusted in Him, and He saved us'. On that Day, we will 'rejoice and be glad in His salvation' (25:8-9). Here and now, let us learn to 'trust in the Lord'. We can trust in Him 'for ever'. He is 'the everlasting Rock' - 'the Rock of our salvation' (4; Psalm 95:1).