by David Brenneman
"The Pharisees and Sadducees came up, and testing Jesus, they asked Him to show them a sign from heaven. But He replied to them, “When it is evening, you say, ‘It will be fair weather, for the sky is red.’ And in the morning, ‘There will be a storm today, for the sky is red and threatening.’ Do you know how to discern the appearance of the sky, but cannot discern the signs of the times? An evil and adulterous generation seeks after a sign; and a sign will not be given it, except the sign of Jonah.” And He left them and went away." Matthew 16:1-4.
“But of that day and hour no one knows, not even the angels of heaven, nor the Son, but the Father alone. For the coming of the Son of Man will be just like the days of Noah. For as in those days before the flood they were eating and drinking, marrying and giving in marriage, until the day that Noah entered the ark, and they did not understand until the flood came and took them all away; so will the coming of the Son of Man be. Then there will be two men in the field; one will be taken and one will be left. Two women will be grinding at the mill; one will be taken and one will be left. “Therefore be on the alert, for you do not know which day your Lord is coming. But be sure of this, that if the head of the house had known at what time of the night the thief was coming, he would have been on the alert and would not have allowed his house to be broken into. For this reason you also must be ready; for the Son of Man is coming at an hour when you do not think He will. Who then is the faithful and sensible slave whom his master put in charge of his household to give them their food at the proper time? Blessed is that slave whom his master finds so doing when he comes. Truly I say to you that he will put him in charge of all his possessions. But if that evil slave says in his heart, ‘My master is not coming for a long time,’ and begins to beat his fellow slaves and eat and drink with drunkards; the master of that slave will come on a day when he does not expect him and at an hour which he does not know, and will cut him in pieces and assign him a place with the hypocrites; in that place there will be weeping and gnashing of teeth." Matthew 24:36-51.
Indeed in the world in which you and I live...there are those marrying and being given in marriage. There are those who give no consideration to their day, only that it is today and they have things to do.
What of you? Are you of a mind to consider it from a spiritual perspective? To realize with the Apostle Paul that today might even be that day that the Lord Jesus Christ would come to receive to Himself all that loved His appearing?
Are you excited for the prospect of Jesus coming back for you if indeed you are saved? I certainly am.
Are you so wound up in your schedule that stopping to spend time with Jesus is an afterthought?
Are you more concerned with people's perceptions of you than you are in how well you are obeying God?
Are you more or less dictating in your prayers how you want God to handle your requests or are you of a mind that it's His Will be done on Earth as it is in Heaven?
Are your prayers a mere repetition of words? Saying the same thing each time you're praying.
Where's the heart of your prayers?
What goes on in your day? Have you a meeting time established with your Savior and Lord Jesus Christ?
Are you seeking first His kingdom and His righteousness?
Are your thoughts on yourself?
Questions a plenty and for sure there could be more.
If indeed you came to Christ for salvation there was your belief that He indeed would save you. Isn't there as well the belief in the rest of His solemn Word to consider as well?
Jesus spoke against the useless repetition of the so-called prayers of the Pharisees and Sadducees.
Jesus said to be on the alert.
Jesus wants a heart to heart relationship with you...does He have that?
Are you conditionally praying? Laying down what you want people to pray for concerned those who've crossed your path and your mind? Are you more fearful of blowback from those whom are going through difficulties than you are in your consideration that it's to be His will being done? Are you maintaining an ignorance of the truth that we "For our struggle is not against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the powers, against the world forces of this darkness, against the spiritual forces of wickedness in the heavenly places." Ephesians 6:12?
In these days of Noah where we find ourselves...there's no room anything but obedience to God's Word.
I've pondered this many times but how is it 2,025 years ago people had no trouble recognizing demons in people. Yet today people are wholly ignorant of recognizing them. They are fearful of misdiagnosis. Fearful of all sorts of fallout. Demons used to be cast out, today they roam freely. The whole armor of God is not to be taken off for a reason. Standing firm in the Lord isn't an on again off again scenario. Being ready because our adversary the devil roams around seeking someone to devour. He disguises himself as an angel of light. Blinding people to the truth.
For sure the days of Noah Jesus spoke of are here. The return of Jesus Christ could literally be at any time. He mentioned in the Gospels that we ought to be able to recognizing the signs of the times.
Keep your eyes on Jesus. I for one am so convinced that the day's drawing near that while I do the day-to-day things that He gives me to be doing...I keep an ear out for a shout from on high to come home.
How's your walk with Jesus? Is it a walk of you listening and obeying or of you walking and are dictating your wants and desires?
Pray without ceasing. Seeking first His kingdom and His righteousness. His will be done on Earth as it is in Heaven.
All NASB Scripture Excerpts used by permission.
New American Standard Bible
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