It would be human and natural for me to be diverted today, but I think staying the course is the better choice....but on the human side - I am grappling with a huge challenge, and praying for God's intervention and grace.... I need to see trouble as an opportunity and ask God what He is trying to teach me through it....
Matthew 24:23-28 is the designated segment of scripture for today.
"At that time if anyone says to you, 'Look,here is the Christ!' or, 'There he is!' do not believe it. For false Christs and false prophets will appear and perform great signs and miracles to deceive even the elect - - if that were possible. See, I have told you ahead of time.
"So, if anyone tells you, 'There he is out in the desert', do not go out; or, 'Here he is in the inner rooms', do not believe it. For as lightning that comes from the east is visible even in the west, so will be the coming of the Son of Man. Wherever there is a carcass, there the vultures will gather...."
The first thing that leaps out to me is to be alert and aware that Jesus is not coming to earth again in such an innocuous way that we will be confused. He is coming in power and in glory. My understanding is that he is gathering those who believe in him first - in what we refer to as 'The Rapture' - - which is not a term in the Bible...and then, other events unfold before his ultimate 'Second Coming.'
But, his actions are not contingent on my understanding - and that is the point of this journey - to search out what the Bible says and seek to hear what God has to say to me - and to others in this process of consideration - about what he wants us to know at this juncture in our journey. My experience with God is that he is always on time - but rarely early. In other words, he discloses tidbits and allows our eyes to be opened to what he has always known, in layers. He doesn't need us to know it all in advance - but in retrospect we see what he said, and our rear-view vision is clear. The beauty in that is that it envelops us with Trust. Over and over we have been able to see that what he promised, he did. And, we know that what is still to be fulfilled, he will also do. We can have absolute confidence in that!
Not everyone is a prophet. Not everyone has their eyes opened to be able to be on the frontlines of sharing the knowledge of His ever-unveiling truth of things to come. I do not have an expectation of being that messenger, but I do want him to be my teacher - and I am willing to share the perspectives I have along the way. And - I believe that when there are those who do speak what he has revealed to them, his Spirit witnesses with our Spirit. That is why it is so critical to keep that relationship with God intact - so we can hear what it is he is saying accurately.
We certainly have seen false prophets - and currently with the political correctness that has swept our world, those who have been deceived and are caught up in tickling the ears of those whose ears they have sway over. Jesus warning to us is, "Do not be deceived - even if they perform miracles." He has clearly prescribed the way he will come, and this isn't it....
The most important messages I can convey today are: God knows what he is doing, and will reveal it as he chooses;
and
Test everything by His Word. If what is 'revealed' doesn't line up with what His Word says, it isn't true. It can sound good - it can even be part-truth - - but he is TRUTH - 100% - and there is no fault in him - - no supposition, no maybe, no if. It is very important to keep that clearly in mind....
When I was a youth leader I told the kids: "Challenge everything I say. Test it by God's Word."
There are many 'blind guides' - - and many endearing, lovely people who just follow blindly, never reading their Bible, never searching out Truth from the One who is Truth. The Bible is the plumb line. It preceded all of the -isms and their writings. Anything that doesn't line up with God's Word is a lie. A scary, deceiving lie. And - Galatians 1:8 warns us about that. The point of that verse is very clear: even if angels come and tell us something other than what God's Word says, we are not to fall for the lie. There is only one gospel - one Truth - one Good News - and it is that Jesus Christ came to earth to purchase our salvation by His blood shed for our sin as the ultimate sacrifice.
The Bible is the plumb line. God's Word is Truth. Some of it has yet to be revealed - but it is true. We have to begin with that as the premise to have a Biblical view of what will come....
For the next tidbit on the comparison of the 3 major religions: all believe that there will be signs preceding judgment day. Surprising to me is that the chart I am using for my information states that the teaching of Islam is that one of the signs is that the Jews will be gathered together. They believe there will be a final battle between the Muslims and the Jews. It cites that the Quran/ Koran tells a revised edition of the battle of Gog & Magog - a war the Bible predicted long before the Koran was ever drafted.
Satan wraps his lies in truth. Buyer beware! Even the very elect are at risk if we aren't careful to keep our plumb line plumb.
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