THAT BLESSED END DATE! Part 2

SCRIPTURE:  “But of that day and hour no one knows, not even the angels of heaven, nor the Son, but the Father alone.”  Matthew 24:36 (NKJV)

 Like many of you, I have been especially focused lately on Scriptures that declare the certain end of the escalating perils that increasingly dominate our daily newscasts.  Verses like Revelation 22:20 have joined my daily supplications:  “Even so, come Lord Jesus.”  “In just a little while, He who is coming will come and will NOT delay.”  (Hebrews 10:37)   How are we Christ followers to occupy ourselves in the interim?

 We’re instructed to await the revealing of our Christ by utilizing our spiritual gifts, for our Lord will sustain us. (1 Cor. 1:7, 8) We’re told to be patient and establish our hearts, for Jesus’ return is imminent!  (James 5:8) Even as we had a mild foretaste of unbiblically-supported predictions of specific dates of Christ’s return several years ago, and such prognostications from folks famous and obscure have recurred periodically throughout the centuries, we are not to believe any soul that claims to KNOW the Christ’s e.t.a. (estimated time of arrival) or definite arrival date, warns Matthew 24:36!  ONLY God the Father knows the day and the hour.  It’s ENOUGH for you and I to know that He IS COMING!  He IS returning FIRST to RAPTURE from this sin-infested earth those of us who belong to Him.  (1 Thess. 4:16-18)

 Although the eventual eternal punishment of Satan and all those belonging to him is also certain, Scripture says of the latter in Ezekiel 33:11, “As surely as I live, says the Lord GOD, I have NO pleasure in the death of the wicked; but that the wicked turn from his way and live.” So, REMEMBER the next time you sigh with weariness about all the trouble in this world on every plane-- it ALL has an END date, which only our heavenly Father knows!  My prayer—AND I’m sure it is yours, too--is that He will  SOON rapture us who know Him off this planet OR give us strength spiritually and mentally to withstand the insanity of the times.

PRAYER:  Dear Abba, may Your kingdom people maintain vigilance, prayerfulness, and increasing hope in Your imminent return—while serving You and holding forth the light of Your truth.  For such times as these You have planted each of us in history.  Amen!

(By Denise Diggs)