Matthew 24;14
And the Good News about the kingdom will be preached throughout the whole world, so that all nations will hear it; and then, finally the end will come.
The end.
Sounds final doesn't it.
If you're at the movies and those words, THE END, come upon the screen, you know that the movie is over.
If you're reading a book and you turn to the final page, there in black and white you'll read THE END.
Even the old Looney Tunes Cartoons had Porky Pig bursting through to loudly proclaim.....Be-de, Be-de, Be-de...Tha...That's All Folks. Just another way of saying...THE END.
Jesus proclaims that at a certain time, dependent on a certain event, this world, as we know it, will reach a final stage. He states that "Finally, the end will come."
How do you feel when you read such things as "The End Of Time? THE END OF THE AGE? THE END?"
For me, it's hard to wrap my noggin around such concepts. After all time has been a part of my life ever since I was born. Time dictated what I did....go to bed...get up.....
Time coined such phrases as "Don't be late" and "Time to rest".
Time has ticked off, moved forward (in the case of Daylight Savings Time), and has been measured by time pieces and sun dials. It has fueled the imagination of men such as H.G. Wells and his classic story of THE TIME MACHINE. Time...always around us. Yet, Jesus proclaims that at some point in TIME, the end will come. In other words, God's plan will have reached a culmination and the need for time will no longer exist.
In the Matthew 24 passage, Jesus says that when the gospel has been preached in ALL the world, then finally the end will come. I'm not the brightest bulb in the pack but I don't think it takes a rocket scientist to know that with the advent of technology, our world has shrunk. The ability to speak and be heard through this technology has carried the Word of God into all the world. I am an avid listener to Dr. J. Vernon McGee's THROUGH THE BIBLE PROGRAM. Dr. McGee teaches through the Bible, verse by verse, over a period of 5 years. When I first started listening to his program, the only way to hear it was via radio. There were many times I was unable to catch the teaching of the day due to my work. But now, with the advent of the Internet and the capability to download, I can take Dr. McGee's teaching with me to listen at any time. Day after day, as I listen to the program, the host reads letters from all over the world telling of how people have become new believers because they were able to hear the Word of God taught.
THROUGH THE BIBLE is broadcast in over 130 different languages and dialects and reaches the "Uttermost" part of this world.
This is just one man and one program. Consider the number of other's who are broadcasting the Scripture to people's all over this planet. Consider the number of missionaries that have left their homes to go and live and teach in different countries.
Taking all of this in context to the Matthew 24 passage, I think I could say with confidence that we are truly entering a time of THE END.
We are seeing the rise of evil and the darkness that blinds the heart and mind to truth. We are seeing the devil flex his muscle to deceive and draw away people from the truth of God. But I do not fear such times. Why? Because I know that no matter what it looks like, God's plan is still moving forward. God is still in control.
IF this is the case, then we need to look to our own hearts to make sure that we are not standing on the outside of God's offer of salvation. We need to make sure that what we believe to be salvation is nothing more than a religious mindset that has convinced us we are truly saved. You see, the end is going to come for all of us. Either I will be alive to see Jesus in the air, calling and drawing his bride (the real church) to himself, or I will die and be ushered into His presence. But the end is going to come to each of us. This is not something that we need to take lightly or reject simply because we don't want to believe it. It is worthy of placing thought and prayer upon. We need to consider that God created time, but He stands outside of it. God is not bound or hindered by time. Time is for our benefit and a measurement of the length of God's plan to redeem and restore His creation. The Devil knows that time is not on his side and that is why he has ramped up his attacks to corrupt and destroy humanity. You could almost say that time is like a cup and God is allowing the cup to become full before He pours it out. I want myself and my family to fall under the Psalm 91 covering and protection of God during these "last days". To be counted among the faithful and truly be His witnesses to others who do not know Jesus.
I know that for some who stop by here and read this posting, if you have made this far, you may think it all to be religious mumbo-jumbo. It isn't. It is truth. For once in your life, lay down all your anger against God, church and religion and let Him speak to your heart. Don't shut the door to His voice, but let Him show you how much He does love you. Let the Word of God richly dwell in your heart and let the kindness and goodness of God bring you to repentance and a new way of living. For us who believe, the thought of THE END only excites us because we know that THE END is only the transition point to THE BEGINNING of this life we have in Jesus.
God on you.....
Thanks for stopping by the GREENE STREET LETTERS.
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