Luke 12:35-38
Be dressed ready for service and keep your lamps burning, like men waiting for their master to return from a wedding banquet, so that when he comes and knocks they can immediately open the door for him. It will be good for those servants whose master finds them watching when he comes. I tell you the truth, he will dress himself to serve, will have them recline at the table and will come and wait on them. It will be good for those servants whose master finds them ready, even if he comes in the second or third watch of the night.
I'm a huge fan of 50's and 60's sci-fi movies. In fact, one of my most favorite movies is Howard Hawks The Thing From Another World. At the end of the movie after the monster has been dispatched, Scotty, the newspaper reporter, is giving his run down of what had transpired to another group of reporters. He closes with...."Tell every one you know to watch the skies." That isn't bad advice if you translate over to Scripture and what it says about the return of Christ. Reverend George Creel use to teach, "It's time we stop looking for signs and start listening for sounds." Are we close? Personally I think so.....but that is just my take on things. Could be 5 years.......500 years.....or even five minutes. Doesn't matter. What does matter is that we are called to be diligent in our watching and working for the Kingdom.
You don't hear much about the return of Christ anymore.
Lot's of messages on "A better life here and now." I don't know, but I think the message of the cross is don't get comfortable here in this life, but start preparing for the next. How do we do that? Prepare for the next life? By keeping our hearts and minds on living and sharing the gospel of Jesus Christ. Some people call it "Witnessing". Some call it "Telling Your Story." I not really concerned with what you call it or how you refer to it, as long as you do it. Bible says that where my heart is, is where my treasure lies. I want my treasure to be found in heaven. I want my treasure to be tied up in relationship with Jesus. I want every bit of my treasure to be given away to others so that they may come to an understanding of how the decisions we make on this side of eternity affects and determines where we spend it.
As you read this, I don't want to give you the impression that I am setting the standard for how you should live your life. I'm not. But I am very much aware that, in Scripture, Jesus lays down the way to walk out life here on this planet. I do know that Jesus says we can't love this world (the system and way of life) and love Him at the same time. It just will not work. Heaven AND earth do mix.
Paul, in the book of I Timothy, instructs Timothy. Paul writes: But you, Timothy, belong to God, so run from all these evil things and follow what is right and good. Pursue a godly life, along with faith, love and perseverance, and gentleness. Fight the good fight for what we believe. Hold tightly to the eternal life that God has given you, which you have confessed so well before many witnesses.
I hope I can write this as plain as possible.
God has not called you to act religious.
God has not called you to be spiritual.
God has not called you to think, act and behave from your own concepts, thoughts and ideas of what you believe a Christian to be.
God, in His infinite wisdom, has called you into relationship so He can fill you with His Holy Spirit. From this filling, you will be guided and directed into this new life. I know it all sounds mystical and magical, but in truth, it's kind of messy. Messy? Yes, messy. You miss the point sometimes and through your choices wind up in the proverbial ditch. But the Holy Spirit is a really good tow truck to haul you out and put you back on the road. Every day is an opportunity to learn how to hear God, how to follow what you hear. Every day is an opportunity to grow in Him.
Thanks for stopping by.....
God on you.....
mb
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