Daily Reading

Matthew 24:29-51; Psalm 30:1-12; Proverbs 7:24-27 Today's reading picks up at event #3 of the end times. To refresh your memory: event #1 encompasses the time between Jesus' Ascension & the tribulation. During this time we can expect to see wars, famines, earthquakes, and persecution of Christians. Yep, that's what's happening now (& has been happening for the last 2,000 years). The "abomination of desolation" starts event #2 - the Tribulation, when the anti-christ gains power over the world. Finally, event #3 - the return of Jesus Christ. The signs for this event are pretty hard to miss - the sun with darken, the angels will give a trumpet blast (which for those who attend Victory Church on Sunday mornings - when Rob plays the shofar, that large rams horn that makes such a wonderful sound my soul quickens, that is the sound that everyone will hear far & wide to signal the return of Jesus. It is a sound like no other & can surely never be mistaken as a normal sound we hear in everyday life.) & then Jesus will return in the clouds. It will be amazing & terrifying, especially for those who have spent their days denying the existence of God, for no one will be able to ignore this. It will be like those cartoons when the light bulb pops on over a head - EVERYONE will suddenly be aware of the perfect, sinless Son of God who died on the cross for THEIR sins. Can you imagine the shear terror those who have been spitting in His face for years will feel when they come face to face with the Son? Jesus Himself says, "there will be a deep mourning all around the earth." So, our LORD says - Be prepared! Don't be caught unaware. For no one knows when this time will come, not even Jesus Himself. Hmmm . . . our psalm, it's just a good reflection of life. We love the Lord, we listen, obey, fellowship with Him. We find joy, and peace, and reprieve. We know we are right where we are suppose to be. And then, we walk away for whatever reason & find ourselves in dark, scary places where nothing seems right. We call out to the Lord wondering why He has abandoned us, forgetting that it was us that abandoned Him. And then, lo & behold, He comes running. As soon as we recognize our need for Him, He is there taking us back to that place of joy, peace, & reprieve. So why, why do we ever walk away? It's simply a matter of letting our guard down & letting that sin nature of ours whisper sweet nothings in our ears. Maybe this is why our Proverbs for the last couple of weeks have been so serious about prostitutes & seduction. Could it be that Proverbs is not only warning of sexual sin, but also of allowing anything in our lives to seduce us away from God, including our own natures? I can do nothing other than praise & thank the Lord for His patience with me. For the fact that He never gives up on me. That He will always be there. I must also pray that I do not take Him for granted & let myself fall for the seduction of my own sin nature. Help me Lord to remember that You truly are the only One that I should be focused on.