‘O Lord, You are my God; I will exalt You and praise Your Name… You have done marvellous things’ (Isaiah 25:1). We remember what God has done for us. He sent His Son, Jesus Christ, to be our Saviour. We rejoice in Jesus Christ who died for us. We rejoice in Jesus Christ who rose again for us. We look forward to the return of our Lord Jesus Christ. We look forward to the Day when ‘He will swallow up death for ever.’ On that Day, ‘the Lord God will wipe away the tears from all faces’. On that Day, we will look back and say, ‘Surely this is our God; we trusted in Him, and He saved us.’ On that Day, we will ‘rejoice and be glad in His salvation’ (Isaiah 25:8-9). Here and now, let us learn to ‘trust in the Lord’. We can trust in Him ‘for ever’. He is ‘the everlasting Rock’- ‘the Rock of our salvation’ (Isaiah 26:4; Psalm 95:1).
Showing posts with label christ's return. Show all posts
Showing posts with label christ's return. Show all posts
Our Mssion Looks Forward To The Coming Son Of God.
Jesus Christ is "King of kings and Lord of lords" - the coming Son of God. In our age, it isn't always very clear what people mean when they speak about mission. Sometimes, it seems that there are those who have such a this-worldly way of speaking about the Christian mission that we wonder whether they really believe that Christ will return in great power and glory. Some speak of the future, but they speak only of salvation without ever speaking of judgment. When the book of Revelation speaks of Christ as "King of kings and Lord of lords", it doesn't lead our thoughts in a universalist direction. Jesus Christ is "the King of love" (paraphrase of Psalm 23). He is also "the King of glory" (Psalm 24). I fear that many of today's theologians start from the idea that "love is God". They have an idea of what love must mean. They apply that idea to God. They quote the words, "God is love." They do not, however, learn, from the Scriptures, what God is like. If they had come to the Scriptures with a real desire to hear all that the Scriptures have to say to us, they would not have placed such a one-sided emphasis on love and salvation. They would also speak of holiness and judgment - "We must all appear before the judgment seat of Christ... Knowing, therefore, the terror of the Lord, we persuade men" (2 Corinthians 5:10). The warning of the Gospel needs to be heard as well as the promise of the Gospel.
Jesus Is Calling Us On To His Future.
Jesus Christ is not merely a figure from the past. He is “Jesus Christ, risen from the dead” (Hebrews 13:8). Jesus Christ, the risen Saviour, the living Lord, stands at the centre of our future. He does not only speak to us from the past. He also speaks to us from the future. What is He saying to us? How will He affect our present way of living? Jesus speaks to us from the future. He calls us on to heaven, but He does not turn us into dreamers who are so “heavenly-minded” that we’re not learning to serve the Lord right now. We sing of our heavenly hope: “On that bright and cloudless morning when the dead in Christ shall rise, and the glory of His resurrection share; when His chosen ones shall gather to their home beyond the skies, and the roll is called up yonder, I’ll be there.” What is to be our present response to this glorious hope? - “Let us labour for the Master from the dawn till setting sun. Let us talk of all His wondrous love and care. Then when all of life is over, and our work on earth is done, and the roll is called up yonder, I’ll be there.”
Looking Forward to Christ's Return, Let Us Live For Him Here-And-Now.
Revelation 1:1-8
2009 is a New Year. we look forward in faith. Looking to Jesus Christ, we look beyond the New Year. We look on to the eternal glory of God's everlasting Kingdom - "The revelation of Jesus Christ, which God gave Him to show His servants what must soon take place" (Revelation 1:1); "He is "coming with the clouds" (Revelation 1:7). He is "the Alpha and the Omega (the A and the Z, the Beginning and the End), who is, and who was, and who is to come" (Revelation 1:8).
Many people speak about "New Year Resolutions." Let us pray for a 'new life revolution' - "a new creation in Christ Jesus" (2 Corinthians 5:17). Let there be revolution because there is revelation. In 2009, may our lives be changes by the Word of the Lord. May we learn to look more and more to Jesus. May we become more and more like Jesus. May we give more give more and more glory to Him. May He give more and more blessing to us. May we win more and more people for Him. In 2009, let there be more of Christ and less of self.
2009 is a New Year. we look forward in faith. Looking to Jesus Christ, we look beyond the New Year. We look on to the eternal glory of God's everlasting Kingdom - "The revelation of Jesus Christ, which God gave Him to show His servants what must soon take place" (Revelation 1:1); "He is "coming with the clouds" (Revelation 1:7). He is "the Alpha and the Omega (the A and the Z, the Beginning and the End), who is, and who was, and who is to come" (Revelation 1:8).
Many people speak about "New Year Resolutions." Let us pray for a 'new life revolution' - "a new creation in Christ Jesus" (2 Corinthians 5:17). Let there be revolution because there is revelation. In 2009, may our lives be changes by the Word of the Lord. May we learn to look more and more to Jesus. May we become more and more like Jesus. May we give more give more and more glory to Him. May He give more and more blessing to us. May we win more and more people for Him. In 2009, let there be more of Christ and less of self.
Christ Has Been Raised For Us. We Will Be Raised With Him.
Mark 15:42-16:20
Dead and buried (44-46) - ‘The End’? No! There is more. An ‘Appendix’? No! A whole new beginning - For Jesus, for us! He is ‘the first fruits’(1 Corinthians 15:20,23). The full glory is still to come (1 Corinthians 15:24). He has risen (6). ‘At His coming, those who belong to Christ’ will be raised - with Him and by Him - to everlasting life (1 Corinthians 15:23). This is the glory of the resurrection. It is not simply a thing of the past. It is our glorious future - we ‘will be raised imperishable’(1 Corinthians 15:52). There is a Gospel to be preached - the Gospel of salvation (15-16). May God help us to preach the Gospel ‘everywhere’- This will involve all of us, not just a few of us! May He give us the joy of seeing Him at work, confirming the message by the signs that attend it (20).
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Blessings in Christ
Christ in all the Scriptures
http://christinallthescriptures.blogspot.com
Dead and buried (44-46) - ‘The End’? No! There is more. An ‘Appendix’? No! A whole new beginning - For Jesus, for us! He is ‘the first fruits’(1 Corinthians 15:20,23). The full glory is still to come (1 Corinthians 15:24). He has risen (6). ‘At His coming, those who belong to Christ’ will be raised - with Him and by Him - to everlasting life (1 Corinthians 15:23). This is the glory of the resurrection. It is not simply a thing of the past. It is our glorious future - we ‘will be raised imperishable’(1 Corinthians 15:52). There is a Gospel to be preached - the Gospel of salvation (15-16). May God help us to preach the Gospel ‘everywhere’- This will involve all of us, not just a few of us! May He give us the joy of seeing Him at work, confirming the message by the signs that attend it (20).
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Blessings in Christ
Christ in all the Scriptures
http://christinallthescriptures.blogspot.com
A Godly Silence And A Guilty Silence
Mark14:53-15:5
Jesus is ‘the Christ, the Son of the Blessed’. He is ‘seated at the right hand of Power’. He is ‘coming with the clouds of heaven’(61-62). He is ‘the King of the Jews’: His Kingdom is greater than Herod imagined - it is ‘not of this world’(2; John 18:36). Why, then, did He remain silent when false charges were brought against Him? He was bearing our sin- That is why ‘He did not open His mouth’(Isaiah 53:4-7; 1 Peter 2:22-24; 3:18; 2 Corinthians 5:21). He knew that He was going to the Cross - for us (John 10:11,15,17-18). Jesus did not deny us: His silence was a godly silence - ‘He bore the sin of many’, making ‘Himself an offering for sin’(Isaiah 53:12,10). Will we deny Him? Our silence is a guilty silence (66-71). May Christ’s Word, and His look of love, cause us to weep - and repent (72; Luke 22:61-62; 2 Corinthians 7:10).
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Blessings in Christ
Christ in all the Scriptures
http://christinallthescriptures.blogspot.com
Jesus is ‘the Christ, the Son of the Blessed’. He is ‘seated at the right hand of Power’. He is ‘coming with the clouds of heaven’(61-62). He is ‘the King of the Jews’: His Kingdom is greater than Herod imagined - it is ‘not of this world’(2; John 18:36). Why, then, did He remain silent when false charges were brought against Him? He was bearing our sin- That is why ‘He did not open His mouth’(Isaiah 53:4-7; 1 Peter 2:22-24; 3:18; 2 Corinthians 5:21). He knew that He was going to the Cross - for us (John 10:11,15,17-18). Jesus did not deny us: His silence was a godly silence - ‘He bore the sin of many’, making ‘Himself an offering for sin’(Isaiah 53:12,10). Will we deny Him? Our silence is a guilty silence (66-71). May Christ’s Word, and His look of love, cause us to weep - and repent (72; Luke 22:61-62; 2 Corinthians 7:10).
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Blessings in Christ
Christ in all the Scriptures
http://christinallthescriptures.blogspot.com
‘He Who Endures To The End Will Be Saved.’
Mark 13:1-37
We are not to be a people whose ‘faith’ is locked in the past! We are to be a people of hope. We look to the future. We ‘see the Son of man coming in clouds with great power and glory’(26). There may be ‘wars and rumours of wars’(7). When Christ returns, only one thing will matter: ‘he who endures to the end will be saved’(13). ‘This day - the noise of battle’: Look beyond all that to ‘the victor’s song’(Church Hymnary,481). In human conflict, there is so much of self - ‘We are the people’. When Christ returns, nothing will matter but this: ‘When the roll is called up yonder, I'll be there’(Mission Praise,759). We hear of ‘wars and rumours of wars’. Do we say, ‘This is part of our history. It’s always been this way’?. We must remember: Preaching Christ's Gospel is far more important than ‘defending’ our ways (10)!
_________________
Blessings in Christ
Christ in all the Scriptures
http://christinallthescriptures.blogspot.com
We are not to be a people whose ‘faith’ is locked in the past! We are to be a people of hope. We look to the future. We ‘see the Son of man coming in clouds with great power and glory’(26). There may be ‘wars and rumours of wars’(7). When Christ returns, only one thing will matter: ‘he who endures to the end will be saved’(13). ‘This day - the noise of battle’: Look beyond all that to ‘the victor’s song’(Church Hymnary,481). In human conflict, there is so much of self - ‘We are the people’. When Christ returns, nothing will matter but this: ‘When the roll is called up yonder, I'll be there’(Mission Praise,759). We hear of ‘wars and rumours of wars’. Do we say, ‘This is part of our history. It’s always been this way’?. We must remember: Preaching Christ's Gospel is far more important than ‘defending’ our ways (10)!
_________________
Blessings in Christ
Christ in all the Scriptures
http://christinallthescriptures.blogspot.com
Never Take Pride In Your Own Spirituality.
Exodus 34:1-35
God gives His promise (33:19). God keeps His promise (5-7). The glory of Christ is revealed to those who are learning to love Him (John 14:21). We are not yet ready for the full glory (33:20). When Christ returns, ‘we shall see Him as He is’(1 John 3:2). There is to be ‘no other god’ but the Lord (14). We are not to be squeezed into the world’s mould (Romans 12:2). ‘No molten gods’, ‘no graven image’- We are to be remoulded by God, ‘conformed to the image of His Son’(17; 20:4; Romans 12:2; 8:29). Moses’ face was shining - Other people noticed (29)! Let others see Christ in you. Never take pride in your own spirituality - ‘If anyone imagines that he knows something, he does not know (the Lord) as he ought to know (Him)’(1 Corinthians 8:2). Keep your eyes on Jesus. The glory comes from Him. No glory for me - All glory to Him (2 Corinthians 3:18)!
_________________
Blessings in Christ
Christ in all the Scriptures
http://christinallthescriptures.blogspot.com
God gives His promise (33:19). God keeps His promise (5-7). The glory of Christ is revealed to those who are learning to love Him (John 14:21). We are not yet ready for the full glory (33:20). When Christ returns, ‘we shall see Him as He is’(1 John 3:2). There is to be ‘no other god’ but the Lord (14). We are not to be squeezed into the world’s mould (Romans 12:2). ‘No molten gods’, ‘no graven image’- We are to be remoulded by God, ‘conformed to the image of His Son’(17; 20:4; Romans 12:2; 8:29). Moses’ face was shining - Other people noticed (29)! Let others see Christ in you. Never take pride in your own spirituality - ‘If anyone imagines that he knows something, he does not know (the Lord) as he ought to know (Him)’(1 Corinthians 8:2). Keep your eyes on Jesus. The glory comes from Him. No glory for me - All glory to Him (2 Corinthians 3:18)!
_________________
Blessings in Christ
Christ in all the Scriptures
http://christinallthescriptures.blogspot.com
God Is Calling Us Back To Himself.
Zephaniah 1:1-2:7
‘The great Day of the Lord is near - near and coming quickly... That Day will be a Day of wrath... I will bring distress upon the people... because they have sinned against the Lord’(1:14-17). This is God’s Word of warning. He is calling us back to Himself: ‘Seek the Lord - before the fierce anger of the Lord comes upon you, before the Day of the Lord’s wrath comes upon you’. We are to seek the Lord in ‘righteousness’ and ‘humility’. This is the way of being ‘sheltered on the Day of the Lord’s anger’(2:2-3). God is calling us to ‘worship Him in Spirit and in truth’: ‘Offer yourselves as a living sacrifice to God, dedicated to His service and pleasing to Him. This is the true worship that you should offer’(John 4:24; Romans 12:1).
Zephaniah 2:8-3:20
Here, we have a story of sin- Woe to the city of oppressors, rebellious and defiled! She has not obeyed His voice. She has not accepted correction. She has not trusted in the Lord. She has not drawn near to her God’- and a story of salvation- ‘Sing, O Daughter of Zion; shout aloud, O Israel! Be glad and rejoice with all your heart, O Daughter of Jerusalem! The Lord has taken away your punishment. He has turned back your enemy... The Lord your God is with you. He is mighty to save. He will take great delight in you. He will renew you in His love. He will rejoice over you with singing’(3:1-2,14-17). The story of our sin is full of sadness. The story of God’s salvation fills us with gladness - ‘Rejoice and be glad! The Redeemer has come’(Mission Praise, 573).
_________________
Blessings in Christ
Christ in all the Scriptures
http://christinallthescriptures.blogspot.com
‘The great Day of the Lord is near - near and coming quickly... That Day will be a Day of wrath... I will bring distress upon the people... because they have sinned against the Lord’(1:14-17). This is God’s Word of warning. He is calling us back to Himself: ‘Seek the Lord - before the fierce anger of the Lord comes upon you, before the Day of the Lord’s wrath comes upon you’. We are to seek the Lord in ‘righteousness’ and ‘humility’. This is the way of being ‘sheltered on the Day of the Lord’s anger’(2:2-3). God is calling us to ‘worship Him in Spirit and in truth’: ‘Offer yourselves as a living sacrifice to God, dedicated to His service and pleasing to Him. This is the true worship that you should offer’(John 4:24; Romans 12:1).
Zephaniah 2:8-3:20
Here, we have a story of sin- Woe to the city of oppressors, rebellious and defiled! She has not obeyed His voice. She has not accepted correction. She has not trusted in the Lord. She has not drawn near to her God’- and a story of salvation- ‘Sing, O Daughter of Zion; shout aloud, O Israel! Be glad and rejoice with all your heart, O Daughter of Jerusalem! The Lord has taken away your punishment. He has turned back your enemy... The Lord your God is with you. He is mighty to save. He will take great delight in you. He will renew you in His love. He will rejoice over you with singing’(3:1-2,14-17). The story of our sin is full of sadness. The story of God’s salvation fills us with gladness - ‘Rejoice and be glad! The Redeemer has come’(Mission Praise, 573).
_________________
Blessings in Christ
Christ in all the Scriptures
http://christinallthescriptures.blogspot.com
"Believe In The Lord Jesus, And You Will Be Saved."
2 Thessalonians 1:1-2:12
For ‘all those who have believed’, ‘the Coming of our Lord Jesus Christ’ will be a great Day, the Day of celebration, the Day of our salvation, the Day of ‘our being gathered to Him’(2:1; 1:10). ‘When the Lord Jesus is revealed from heaven’, it will be a Day of judgment for ‘those who do not know God and do not obey the Gospel of our Lord Jesus’(1:7-8). The Word of God is very clear about God’s purpose of salvation: ‘God did not send His Son into the world to condemn the world, but to save the world through Him’. ‘The Lord does not want anyone to perish, but everyone to come to repentance’. ‘God wants all people to be saved’(John 3:17; 2 Peter 3:9; 1 Timothy 2:4). You can say ‘No’ to Christ - and perish. Say “Yes’to Him - ‘Believe in the Lord Jesus, and you will be saved’(2:10; John 3:18; Acts 16:31).
2 Thessalonians 2:13-3:18
Paul prayed for the Thessalonians and he asked them to pray for him. He prayed that God would ‘comfort their hearts and establish them in every good work and word’(2:16-17). He prayed that they would enjoy peace: ‘Now may the Lord of peace Himself give you peace at all times and in all ways’(3:16). He asked them to pray for his ministry - ‘pray for us, that the Word of the Lord may speed on and triumph among you’(1). Paul was writing to the Thessalonians, ‘You keep on praying for us and we’ll keep on praying for you’. We must not forget each other. We must remember each other - in prayer. Far too often, we forget. It becomes a case of ‘out of sight, out of mind’. We’re not to live in the past. We are to keep on praying for those who belong to our past. Don’t forget to remember!
For ‘all those who have believed’, ‘the Coming of our Lord Jesus Christ’ will be a great Day, the Day of celebration, the Day of our salvation, the Day of ‘our being gathered to Him’(2:1; 1:10). ‘When the Lord Jesus is revealed from heaven’, it will be a Day of judgment for ‘those who do not know God and do not obey the Gospel of our Lord Jesus’(1:7-8). The Word of God is very clear about God’s purpose of salvation: ‘God did not send His Son into the world to condemn the world, but to save the world through Him’. ‘The Lord does not want anyone to perish, but everyone to come to repentance’. ‘God wants all people to be saved’(John 3:17; 2 Peter 3:9; 1 Timothy 2:4). You can say ‘No’ to Christ - and perish. Say “Yes’to Him - ‘Believe in the Lord Jesus, and you will be saved’(2:10; John 3:18; Acts 16:31).
2 Thessalonians 2:13-3:18
Paul prayed for the Thessalonians and he asked them to pray for him. He prayed that God would ‘comfort their hearts and establish them in every good work and word’(2:16-17). He prayed that they would enjoy peace: ‘Now may the Lord of peace Himself give you peace at all times and in all ways’(3:16). He asked them to pray for his ministry - ‘pray for us, that the Word of the Lord may speed on and triumph among you’(1). Paul was writing to the Thessalonians, ‘You keep on praying for us and we’ll keep on praying for you’. We must not forget each other. We must remember each other - in prayer. Far too often, we forget. It becomes a case of ‘out of sight, out of mind’. We’re not to live in the past. We are to keep on praying for those who belong to our past. Don’t forget to remember!
We Need More Than The Words Of The Preacher. We Need The Power Of The Holy Spirit.
1 Thessalonians 1:1-2:20
If God is to be glorified through the preaching of His Word, there needs to be more than the ‘words’ of the preacher. There needs to be ‘the power of the Holy Spirit’(1:5). Good preaching is not a matter of ‘plausible words of wisdom’. We must look for ‘a demonstration of the Spirit’s power’(1 Corinthians 2:4). When the Spirit is at work, there is effective communication, leading to a life-changing encounter with God. ‘When you received the Word of God which you heard from us, you accepted it not as the word of men but as it really is, the Word of God, which is at work in you believers’(13). Don’t let God’s Word ‘go in one ear and out the other’. The ‘message’ will do you no good if you don’t hear it ‘with faith’- ‘Today, when you hear His voice, harden not your hearts’(Hebrews 4:2; 3:15).
1 Thessalonians 3:1-4:12
We need both ‘love’ and ‘holiness’(3:12-13). Our love is to be holy. Our holiness is to be loving. Getting the right balance between love and holiness is like walking a tightrope. You can easily lose your balance and fall off. We can be too soft - all love and no holiness. We can be too hard - all holiness and no love. Love doesn’t mean ‘anything goes’- ‘I don’t care how you live’. That’s not love. That’s indifference, a ‘couldn’t care less’ attitude. Holiness doesn’t mean looking down your nose at other people - ‘You’ve sinned and I will never let you forget it’. Don’t be like ‘the Pharisees’. They wanted to ‘stone the woman caught in adultery’. We must not ‘stone’ people with our ‘hot tongue and cold shoulder’! Be like Jesus. Show love- ‘I don’t condemn you’- and holiness- ‘Do not sin again’(John 8:3-11).
1 Thessalonians 4:13-5:28
Do you feel like giving up? God is not about to give up on you: ‘He who calls you is utterly faithful and He will finish what He set out to do’(23). He has a great future for us: ‘God has not destined us for wrath, but to obtain salvation through our Lord Jesus Christ’(9). We look forward to the Return of our Lord Jesus Christ: ‘The Lord Himself will descend from heaven’(4:16). We look forward to heavenly and eternal glory: ‘We shall always be with the Lord’(4:17). This is the kind of encouragement we need. We are to remind one another of these things: ‘Comfort one another with these words’(4:18). We are ‘to encourage one another’ to go on with the Lord. Let’s ‘build one another up’, encouraging each other to build on ‘the Rock’ which is ‘Christ’(11; 1 Corinthians 10:3; Matthew 7:24-27).
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Blessings in Christ
Christ in all the Scriptures
http://christinallthescriptures.blogspot.com
If God is to be glorified through the preaching of His Word, there needs to be more than the ‘words’ of the preacher. There needs to be ‘the power of the Holy Spirit’(1:5). Good preaching is not a matter of ‘plausible words of wisdom’. We must look for ‘a demonstration of the Spirit’s power’(1 Corinthians 2:4). When the Spirit is at work, there is effective communication, leading to a life-changing encounter with God. ‘When you received the Word of God which you heard from us, you accepted it not as the word of men but as it really is, the Word of God, which is at work in you believers’(13). Don’t let God’s Word ‘go in one ear and out the other’. The ‘message’ will do you no good if you don’t hear it ‘with faith’- ‘Today, when you hear His voice, harden not your hearts’(Hebrews 4:2; 3:15).
1 Thessalonians 3:1-4:12
We need both ‘love’ and ‘holiness’(3:12-13). Our love is to be holy. Our holiness is to be loving. Getting the right balance between love and holiness is like walking a tightrope. You can easily lose your balance and fall off. We can be too soft - all love and no holiness. We can be too hard - all holiness and no love. Love doesn’t mean ‘anything goes’- ‘I don’t care how you live’. That’s not love. That’s indifference, a ‘couldn’t care less’ attitude. Holiness doesn’t mean looking down your nose at other people - ‘You’ve sinned and I will never let you forget it’. Don’t be like ‘the Pharisees’. They wanted to ‘stone the woman caught in adultery’. We must not ‘stone’ people with our ‘hot tongue and cold shoulder’! Be like Jesus. Show love- ‘I don’t condemn you’- and holiness- ‘Do not sin again’(John 8:3-11).
1 Thessalonians 4:13-5:28
Do you feel like giving up? God is not about to give up on you: ‘He who calls you is utterly faithful and He will finish what He set out to do’(23). He has a great future for us: ‘God has not destined us for wrath, but to obtain salvation through our Lord Jesus Christ’(9). We look forward to the Return of our Lord Jesus Christ: ‘The Lord Himself will descend from heaven’(4:16). We look forward to heavenly and eternal glory: ‘We shall always be with the Lord’(4:17). This is the kind of encouragement we need. We are to remind one another of these things: ‘Comfort one another with these words’(4:18). We are ‘to encourage one another’ to go on with the Lord. Let’s ‘build one another up’, encouraging each other to build on ‘the Rock’ which is ‘Christ’(11; 1 Corinthians 10:3; Matthew 7:24-27).
_________________
Blessings in Christ
Christ in all the Scriptures
http://christinallthescriptures.blogspot.com
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