Jesus Christ is still saving the lost and building His Church.
Listen - - I just heard the disciples ask Jesus (Matthew 24:3, Acts 1:6) when would be the time and what would be the sign of His Coming to set up His kingdom. Sh-sh! I want to hear what Jesus tells them. Jesus said that they (and we) could see and hear of many dreadful calamities but all those things (Matthew 24:8) are just the birth pangs, the beginning of intolerable anguish. Jesus said (Matthew 24:36, Acts 1:7) it was not for them to know the exact time which no one knows but God the Father. However, they could see the signs (Matthew 24:33) when it was very near. I think what we are seeing in our world at this present time is the buildup in preparation for the Great Tribulation. Because we know that the Rapture is just before the Tribulation, we know that all true Christians will not endure (Revelation 3:10) the worst of times, such as (Matthew 24:21) has never been from the beginning of time and never will be again. Our top priority should be (Matthew 24:14) to share in the spreading of the Good News NOW of the Gospel of Grace before the Rapture and thus before the time of God’s holy wrath because of Grace rejected.
The Holy Spirit has shown me another aspect to the question which the disciples asked. In His Word, God has commanded us to (Romans 12:1-2) surrender ourselves completely to Him, to adopt (Philippians 2:5) the mindset of Christ Jesus for total obedience, to (1 Peter 1:16) be holy, to (1 John 4:7) love one another, to (Romans 12:12) constant in prayer, to abstain (1 Peter 2:11) from fleshly lusts which injure the soul, to let (Colossians 3:16) God’s Word dwell in us richly, to share in (James 2:15-16) meeting the needs of believers all over the world, to be (Acts 1:8) faithful witnesses to the Lord Jesus Christ. To let our endurance (James 1:4) be a finished product so that we may be complete having no defects.
Now I’m hearing that question asked again but this time it does not come from the disciples or from us - - it is actually asked of us. In the light of God’s commands, the Holy spirit is asking us - - - when will these things be, be fully obeyed in our lives? Just because many people in our present-day culture believe a lie, it is STILL A LIE! Why are so many Christians willing to join them, to adopt the current ways and styles of those who are in the quicksand of falsehood? Every command of God contains 2 solemn truths. The promise of enabling power for obedience and the warning of serious, severe consequences for disobedience. We need to consider very seriously how we will answer the Holy Spirit’s question.
The next major event on God’s calendar is the Rapture of the Church, which could happen at any moment. There is only one thing that prevents it from happening immediately. That is that, Jesus Christ is still saving the lost (Matthew 18:11, 2 Peter 2:9) and has not yet fully completed the building of His Church. When the Church, the Bride of Christ, is complete, Jesus will descend into outer space, we will ascend right up through stellar heavens (1 Thessalonians 4:17) to meet Him in the air and He will take us (John 14:2-3) to the Father’s House. Two faithful obedient martyrs gave us good advice for our remaining time on earth. Peter points us (1 Peter 4:7) to the signs of the times. The end of all things is near at hand so keep alert and watchful for the faithful practice of prayer. The Christian life is a battle. It is not deliverance from trouble, but (John 16:33) is deliverance in trouble. Jesus is the OVERCOMER so there is nothing to fear. My life should be totally available for God to use in whatever is necessary to bring back the Bridegroom, the King.
Paul admonishes us (Ephesians 6:18) to be engaged in warfare prayer at all times, in all circumstances, for all people, for all needs and to keep alert, watchful and to persevere in prayer. Prayer is more essential to us than breathing and prayer should be as natural to us as breathing. (OSWALD CHAMBERS) “God wants to turn our prayer times into mounts of transfiguration.”
How precious and priceless is our holy privilege to have such a personal relationship with the Almighty Sovereign Ruler of the universe that we can, in very truth, call Him Abba Father! Priceless beyond any measure or calculation.