April 23, 2010

As much as I wanted to get into a less weighted topic than yesterday's, I couldn't help honing in on this verse, as it seemed to deserve our focused attention: “But take heed to yourselves, lest your hearts be weighed down with carousing, drunkenness, and cares of this life, and that Day come on you unexpectedly. For it will come as a snare on all those who dwell on the face of the whole earth. Watch therefore, and pray always that you may be counted worthy to escape all these things that will come to pass, and to stand before the Son of Man.” Luke 21: 34-38
[It is a very good study to look up the words in this verse in the Greek--I did.]

I was brought up believing in the Rapture (the doctrine that says Christians will be taken off of Earth while the unbelievers suffer through the tribulation and God's wrath).  When I began to see that Jesus' exhortations and prophecies were meant to help us "endure until the end," I then had a big question about the above verse-- Jesus telling us to pray we'd be counted worthy to escape.  I've never heard a Rapture doctrine about being worthy, only about being a Christian, and then, of course, about people getting saved afterward, such as in the "Left Behind" series.  As as good friend of mine used to say, "The only way to get out of here is to die."

I wish that there was such a thing as being Christlike enough to get lifted off the world and out of trouble.  I think of Enoch as an example.  But as that leaves little hope for me, and probably for you either, I'm searching for a better answer.  What does Jesus mean-- counted worthy to escape?  Are people like Enoch and Elijah the only ones who get to escape?  I hope not, because "all these things that will come to pass" don't sound too pretty.  I seriously want to escape!  You?

Jesus was well aware of this desire to escape, and addressed it in the above verses. “But take heed to yourselves, lest your hearts be weighed down with carousing, drunkenness, and cares of this life."   Most of us avoid the carousing and drunkenness, don't we?  But most of us are certainly weighed down with the cares of this life.  Negative thoughts swirl about our heads, things like "it was sure nice when life was good."  The temptation of escapism is greater than it has ever been.  And the modes of practicing escapism are grand and varied indeed.  It's hard to resist getting lost in whatever form of entertainment appeals to us at the moment. 

It is easy for me to imagine staying lost in some awesome BluRay movie, cool video game, or fantasy novel for the rest of my life.  Then what:  I couldn't stand before the Lord: I'd be covered in shame, with what excuse-- I didn't have the strength to watch and pray, and to get His help in staying mentally, emotionally and spiritually sober.  No difference whatsoever, from when I was lost in drug-land long ago.  The motivation would have been the same:  I couldn't handle life.  (I still enjoy movies, games, and books in moderation, don't get me wrong.  I still have to be careful I don't use them wrongly.  God ministers to our hearts, each on the things we need to deal with.  I use myself as an example.)

I've come a long way from my drug-using days, and yet, I still feel intense pressure to escape.  Things in the world are hard to face-- I can't fix them.  I sometimes feel at a loss to even deal with things in my own firsthand world.  It would be nice not to think about them.  And yet the Lord challenges us to stay awake, watch for Him, live for Him. The Holy Spirit is our constant helper.

There is a great Harvest of souls to come out of the world and into God's Kingdom, and I want to be here to work in that field.  People are frightened and hurting, dazed and confused.  Jesus Christ Himself is what we have to give them, and if we keep our eyes open in the spirit, we will be able to do "whatever I see my Father doing."  We have to live on the Earth in order to do that.  How will we survive in such a dangerous time as this?  I'm so glad you asked.

Psalm 91 showed up right when I needed it!  This Psalm has been such a comfort for me ever since I was first born-again.  It speaks to me of how we can escape the evil and dangers of the last days and keep our wits about us too.  We are to dwell in God:  "Because you have made the LORD, who is my refuge, Even the Most High, your dwelling place, No evil shall befall you, Nor shall any plague come near your dwelling; 11 For He shall give His angels charge over you, To keep you in all your ways." Psalm 91: 9-11  We can dwell in the Secret Place of the Most High! 

Jesus is our secret place, and we know that we are in Him and He is in us-- we are seated in the heavenlies.  We enter into this reality by faith, by spending time with Him and allowing Him to establish this reality in us, so that we can experience it.  It takes focus on heavenly things, laying aside everything that keeps us weighed down.  Once we realize that we can be empowered to overcome, here on Earth, for His purposes, it makes it a lot easier to watch for Him, trust Him and do His will.
If we're listening, we won't be surprised, or ashamed, at His coming!

For further study-- people and situations in Scripture who escaped the judgments of God without leaving Earth:
Israel in Goshen and at Passover
Lot and his family from Sodom [his wife didn't "stand"]
Noah and his family when God flooded the earth
(There are more, I'm sure, but these are what I thought of right away.)

Jesus is the Refuge we run to. 
Jesus is our Hope for our future. 
Jesus is our Safe Home.

April 22, 2010

The Scriptures in which Jesus talks about the end times are, to me, some of the most important ones we can study, and hear His voice in, for NOW.  He tells us these things not to frighten us, but to prepare us and comfort us.  All these "dreadful portents" are indications that the Kingdom of Heaven is soon to be Christ's reign on Earth!  How could these things be our doom?  They are only foreboding to those who reject Christ, and to the rebellious kingdoms of the earth.  If we endure, we very well could be among the generation to see "the Son of Man coming in a cloud with power and great glory" ! 

Jesus made it clear that these terrible signs and events should give us a sense of expectation, not the fear and confusion that would be characteristic of the nations of the earth.  "Now when these things begin to take place, stand up and raise your heads, because your redemption is drawing near." Luke 21:28  Our response should be to get ready and be watchful-- keeping our eyes on heavenly things and our focus on Jesus Christ.  It is time to renew our commitment to serving the Lord, putting aside all the idols that distract us and take our attention away from Him.  It is time to lay down all the things in the past that keep us focused on ourselves and that hinder us by causing us to have a victim mentality.  

It is time to rise up and show the world that there is an unshakeable Kingdom, with a glorious King who reigns with love and wisdom, and to call people into it. We are in this Kingdom already, because we are in Christ who is the King.  We will have righteousness, peace and joy if we will actually live in the Kingdom we are part of.  We are, in truth, high above all that is happening on this earth.

I believe we have physicalized the concept of the "Rapture" because we took the things in Scripture and interpreted them the only way we knew how, naturally.  But if we can see things according to the Spirit, we will realize that we are ALREADY "seated in heavenly places with Christ Jesus".  "But God, who is rich in mercy, because of His great love with which He loved us, even when we were dead in trespasses, made us alive together with Christ (by grace you have been saved), and raised us up together, and made us sit together in the heavenly places in Christ Jesus, that in the ages to come He might show the exceeding riches of His grace in His kindness toward us in Christ Jesus." Ephesians 2: 4-7

Oh, how the Spirit of the Lord is singing over us right now, desiring with fervor for us to get a hold of this REALITY!

"Who hath delivered us from the power of darkness, and hath translated us into the kingdom of his dear Son" Colossians 1:13 KJV

"He has delivered us from the power of darkness and conveyed us into the kingdom of the Son of His love" NKJV

"For he has rescued us from the dominion of darkness and brought us into the kingdom of the Son he loves" NIV

"For he has rescued us from the one who rules in the kingdom of darkness, and he has brought us into the Kingdom of his dear Son" NLT

"He has delivered us from the domain of darkness and transferred us to the kingdom of his beloved Son" ESV

"el cual nos ha librado de la potestad de las tinieblas, y trasladado al reino de su amado Hijo" RVR

"He has delivered us from the dominion of darkness and transferred us to the kingdom of his beloved Son" RSV

"who did rescue us out of the authority of the darkness, and did translate us into the reign of the Son of His love" ASV


"who delivered us out of the power of darkness, and translated us into the Kingdom of the Son of his love" HNV

It has already been done!  Can you hear the music?  Will you sing it with Him?

P.S.
The sudden switch of tone and perspective in the second half of Psalm 89 reminds me of the way we think and feel when we do not realize what God has already accomplished in Christ, for us. 

P.P.S  PLEASE READ THIS!
So you don't get the wrong idea from what I'm saying:
Now, brethren, concerning the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ and our gathering together to Him, we ask you, not to be soon shaken in mind or troubled, either by spirit or by word or by letter, as if from us, as though the day of Christ had come.
2 Thessalonians 2: 1-2

Jesus is still returning in person to reign on Earth, and we will reign with Him!

I suggest reading this chapter, as well as chapter 1. Paul is encouraging the brethren who are enduring persecutions and tribulations. Jesus said we would have these things, and that is why we must endure. But our endurance and patient perseverance is going to be dictated by our internal outlook and perspective.

"that you may be counted worthy of the kingdom of God, for which you also suffer;
since it is a righteous thing with God to repay with tribulation those who trouble you, and to give you who are troubled rest with us when the Lord Jesus is revealed from heaven with His mighty angels. . . when He comes, in that Day, to be glorified in His saints and to be admired among all those who believe, because our testimony among you was believed. Therefore we also pray always for you that our God would count you worthy of this calling, and fulfill all the good pleasure of His goodness and the work of faith with power, that the name of our Lord Jesus Christ may be glorified in you, and you in Him, according to the grace of our God and the Lord Jesus Christ. " 2 Thessalonians 1: 5a-7,10