Take just a moment if you will to check out how the gospel writer, Luke, carefully recorded Jesus' promise about how He will one day return to this planet (it'll happen after Rapture of the church outta here, and the battle of Armageddon). He said, "..the powers of the heavens will be shaken. Then they will see the Son of Man coming in a cloud with power and great glory" (21:27). Man, it's going to be one exciting time down here for believer, but wouldn't want to be caught outside of a relationship with Jesus. Luke didn't just say glory, but he said Christ will arrive with "great glory" (which is from the Greek root, "δόξα doxa." See g1391 in the Strongs).. and any time God says great glory, He really means it.
I can hardly wait to see Him in the clouds!
In Latin it is, "et tunc videbunt Filium hominis venientem in nube cum potestate magna et maiestate" (and me, having been raised in the Roman church, I certainly heard a lot of Latin..) but the term "advent" basically means "a coming." Perhaps you too have heard this term used in your church.
In the weeks before Christmas this can be wonderful time of year—a season of repentance and expectation as we celebrate our Lord's first "advent" in Bethlehem. But that's in the past and we are now in the present and also anticipating Christ's second advent in the future when He returns in great glory. Are you ready for His appearing? Are you helping others to get ready? Listen, I'm talking about the will of God for you here. Thrilling stuff!
The first time Jesus came to earth, Humble was His story; but He has promised to return with power and great glory. ~ Sper
Been watching others do some waiting today. Isn't it fun to watch little kids all dressed up on Easter Sunday as they wait to go find their baskets of candy. This has been happening even downtown in Dallas here.
I too use to feel what they feel.. when I was a child. One year me, my brothers Kevin and Kyle and also my sister, Kathy, even received real baby ducks along with our wooden baskets. We had to wake up and go hunt around the house on Cliff Drive for em.
But me and my brothers and my sister also had a hard time waiting there at my Grandpa Beck's home in Newport Beach. Even the night before it was hard to go to sleep.. before we were allowed to climb out of bed and locate the booty.
You know, today, I feel that same kind of anticipation as I wait to see my living Lord return here as when He departed. Every day I feel like saying, Come quickly, Lord! And some days more than others.
Look around you. As our society's morals keep eroding and as this world is getting darker and darker, the promised return of Jesus Christ just gets brighter and brighter. And we as believers are called to reflect His holy light. We are called to go share the Gospel in love.. for decisions. How else will the unregenerate people see and believe?
As I often watch world news (personally, I like Fox..) and see all that is going on around me today, guess what! I am so looking forward to the Rapture of the Church and the Second Coming. How about you? I want to take people with me to heaven by faith.
Do you remember how John the beloved described how it would be in the last days when Christ would come again? He wrote, because he also wanted to take as many people with him as possible. Yes, John said, "Behold, He is coming with clouds, and every eye will see Him, even they who pierced Him. And all the tribes of the earth will mourn because of Him. Even so, Amen." (Rev. 1:7). It's kind of an interesting tension we live with, having a desire to depart to be with the Groom, but also this desire to witness and win unbelievers to this Groom. Ongoing believing prayer is helps with this.
"Jesus, we have much that we are thankful for. Yet we do long for the day when You will return to bring wickedness and disaster to an end, and to usher in Your reign of peace. Come quickly, Lord Jesus! Amen." ~ Vernon C. Grounds
'Behold, I am coming quickly, and My reward is with Me." ~ Revelation 22:12
"When I was first converted, and for some years afterward, the second coming of Christ was a thrilling idea, a blessed hope, a glorious promise, the theme of some of the most inspiring songs of the church. Later it became an accepted tenet of faith, a cardinal doctrine, a kind of invisible trademark of my ministry. It was the favorite arena of my theological discussions, in the pulpit and in print. Now suddenly the second coming means something more to me. Paul called it 'the blessed hope.' But today it appears as the only hope of the world." ~ Anon.
Found it kinda interesting this week, in a "This Week with Christiane Amanpour interview" with anchor Christiane for ABC News, Franklin Graham of his dad's BGEA organization casually told Ms. Amanpour that perhaps people around the world will record the return of Christ with cell phones and cameras, adding:
"The Bible says that every eye is going to see (the second coming). How is the whole world going to see (Christ) all at one time? I don't know, unless all of a sudden everybody's taking pictures and it's on the media worldwide. I don't know. Social media could have a big part in that.
Just look at what's happening in Libya or Egypt. Everybody's got their phone up, and everybody's taking recordings and posting it on YouTube and whatever and sending it to you, and it gets shown around the world."
P. Praise you, Lord Jesus! Please give us zeal, passion, guidance, and wisdom so that we can be ready and help others also get ready. Please be Lord of our every moment today.. and throughout this whole week. Thanks a lot for dying on the cross and then coming out of the tomb alive for us! We are so excited about seeing You soon, I mean in the upcoming Rapture of the Church, as well as in Your Second Coming! Don't want to see anyone get judged under the wrath of God on this planet. We so want to know You better today and to obey Your commands. Thanks for the tools we have to use in spreading the Gospel. Some of them can become dangerous if we become slothful or too laid back. Let us not become ensnared, but give holy fear and use us to do Your work. It really looks like things are getting closer to this time of Your Rapture now, so we desire to be ready at every moment. What can we do better—how can we be instruments in Your hands? How can we utilize everything unto the glory of God? Need wisdom here. We are also concerned for our friends and relatives who don't yet know you in a personal way. Seems like some believers have almost given up while waiting. Perhaps this is because they've prayed and waited so long for their stubborn loved ones to board the clue bus so they'll be born again. Please help and use us to inspire these discourage believers, as we make the most of each day. Amen.
