by David Brenneman
"So when they had come together, they were asking Him, saying, “Lord, is it at this time You are restoring the kingdom to Israel?” He said to them, “It is not for you to know times or epochs which the Father has fixed by His own authority; but you will receive power when the Holy Spirit has come upon you; and you shall be My witnesses both in Jerusalem, and in all Judea and Samaria, and even to the remotest part of the earth.” Acts 1:6-8.
"If I go and prepare a place for you, I will come again and receive you to Myself, that where I am, there you may be also." John 14:3.
"Behold, He is coming with the clouds, and every eye will see Him, even those who pierced Him; and all the tribes of the earth will mourn over Him. So it is to be. Amen." Revelation 1:7.
"For the Lord Himself will descend from heaven with a shout, with the voice of the archangel and with the trumpet of God, and the dead in Christ will rise first. Then we who are alive and remain will be caught up together with them in the clouds to meet the Lord in the air, and so we shall always be with the Lord. Therefore comfort one another with these words." 1 Thessalonians 4:16-18.
Throughout the Christian world there's every facet of thought concerning the reality of the return of Jesus.
While we are to look forward to His coming, that can be at any moment, we aren't to be consumed with preparation for it above all else.
When we know someone special is going to arrive we do indeed make preparations. However there's a point where we arrive at knowing that enough has been done and some parts of our normal life must be resumed until they get here.
Indeed Jesus is going to come, just as the Bible says that it shall be like. The greater question is this: do you long for His return or does it really bring anxiety or remorse? Are you knowingly living a life that doesn't meet the approval of God? Why stay living that way rather than turning in faith to what life you were called to be living in?
We do indeed have a life to be lived to the full in Christ. A life that for each of us means a paring away of things that are hindering our growth in Christ. Yet at the same time we should be looking forward to His return for us just as we look forward to His fulfilling all the other promises that He's made.
The key, I believe, to His return, is the completion of the work for the workers in His fields. There is that parable to read of the workers agreeing to work for a denarius. There is that point where the work is completed and he pays those workers.
The Lord Himself said to pray for the needed workers in His harvest.
We come to Christ, we are sealed in the Spirit, we begin learning how to walk with Jesus. We learn how to let go and let God. We learn how to become disciples of Jesus Christ. We are His workmanship created in Christ Jesus for good works that we might walk in them. We point people to Jesus for salvation. We learn to live life in Christ in such a way that people see our good works and glorify our Father in Heaven. These traits and attributes are what's needed and necessary to be workers in His fields.
There in lay the reason why I firmly believe that His return is tied to that last person who has been designated by the Father to be saved before the Great Tribulation can begin. That person is the last in the fields of God that are to be saved before a different group of workers can take over during the Great Tribulation.
While indeed we are to look forward to His appearing, we do indeed need to make every effort to be obedient to the work He has for us to be doing in Christ Jesus.
Remove whatever is hindering your life in Christ. The Disciples removed everything from the physical to the mental that wasn't helping them in being a disciple of Christ Jesus.
There's a great many things that I desire but if they're not in accordance with the will of God for me in Christ then they are to be cast aside. Just as the Disciples learned to do.
When God in Christ Jesus gives us something to be doing then we're to give it our all in doing it.
When the Spirit points to things that are not helpful in growing in Christ then we're to pay attention and do something about it.
"All things are lawful, but not all things are profitable. All things are lawful, but not all things edify. Let no one seek his own good, but that of his neighbor." 1 Corinthians 10:23-24.
My mind wants to take me places that aren't good, right or healthy in Christ. My sin nature wants to assert itself in any way it can. To lull my heart into a false sense of security.
Your sin nature as well as mine want nothing to do with growing in Christ. Your sin nature as well as mine don't want to think about the return of Jesus. Your sin nature as well as mine wants to live for self, in the moment.
Set your mind on the things that are above and not on the things that are of this world. We have a class to attend daily in learning how to grow in Christ. We have work to be done in Christ that is to be done as unto the Lord. We are to walk as children of Light and not as those in the darkness of the world.
Being aware but not consumed by this world.
I am really aware of the evils of this world. Not all, thank you Jesus, but am aware of a lot. It's a daily battle to keep my mind off those ideas and temptations and to stay focused on my Savior. Once they're let in they're difficult to get rid of.
Pray for your heart to be in tune with the heart of Christ.
Pray for you to make wise decisions in His fields. You may be the person who leads that last person designated by the Father to receive the free gift of salvation before Jesus returns. We don't win souls to Christ, the Spirit does that. We are the workers in His fields.
All New American Standard Bible Scripture Excerpts used by permission. (C) 1960, 1962, 1963, 1968, 1971, 1972, 1973, 1975, 1977, 1995 by the Lockman Foundation. A corporation not for profit.
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