How you doin? So I was talking to a Pastor from Atlantic County last night for over an hour on the phone. He's 46 years and love's the Lord in a notable way. At one point of the conversation we were talking about eschatology. He put a very interesting spin on it. He said, "I don't really care". As a Pastor, of course he does, but he explained that when his wife died of breast cancer in 2008 and he was left to raise his 11 year old and 14 year old sons, that was his tribulation. Meaning that he knew want it meant to be dispirit for Jesus. He said that it's his believe that we need to be preaching that whether you are pre-trib, mid-trib, or post-trib eschatology, you need Jesus. COME ON!!!!!!! That's a good word. I myself have experienced trials and tribulations in my life that made it abundantly clear that I need Jesus now. Praise Jesus for revealing to me that I don't need to wait for His 2nd coming for His will to be done on earth as it is in heaven. I pray that eschatology stops preventing people from receiving the fullness of Christ right now. I pray that we as the body of Christ receive the revelation that we can access the resources of heaven and bring those resources here to prepare a heavenly place for Jesus to return to. WOW WOW WOW!!!!!!! Some just came down right here and now. After all, earth is the 1st realm of heaven and we are reign in it. I for one want to start treating it that way. 2 Timothy 4 today.
Verses 1-2, "I solemnly charge you in the presence of God and of Christ Jesus, who is to judge the living and the dead, and by His appearing and His kingdom: 2 preach the word; be ready in season and out of season; reprove, rebuke, exhort, with [a]great patience and instruction." That's quite a charge. Without pasting in the entire 4th chapter, I will add the next 3 verses. Verses 3-5, "For the time will come when they will not endure sound doctrine; but wanting to have their ears tickled, they will accumulate for themselves teachers in accordance to their own desires, 4 and will turn away their ears from the truth and will turn aside to myths. 5 But you, be sober in all things, endure hardship, do the work of an evangelist, fulfill your ministry." Here's a good list of thing not to do. I take these warnings and instructions to heart. Not just to stay away from those who have been bewitched in this way, but to be mindful that this doesn't happen to me. I trust the Holy Ghost. I believe the Scripture that promises me refuge from false teaching. For the Holy Ghost Himself is my primary teacher. COME ON!!!!!!!
Verses 7-8, "I have fought the good fight, I have finished the course, I have kept the faith; 8 in the future there is laid up for me the crown of righteousness, which the Lord, the righteous Judge, will award to me on that day; and not only to me, but also to all who have loved His appearing." WOW!!!!!!! "... all who have loved His appearing". That gets me. I'm so thankful that I love His appearing. It hurts me to see those who don't love His appearing. Stacey and I have such a heart for discipleship. Helping those in the body to desire an intimate relationship with Him. To desire God to take them from glory to glory. SO GOOD!!!!!!! I'm pursuing that crown of righteousness with fervor.
Verses 17-18, "But the Lord stood with me and strengthened me, so that through me the proclamation might [e]be fully accomplished, and that all the Gentiles might hear; and I was rescued out of the lion’s mouth. 18 The Lord will rescue me from every evil deed, and will [f]bring me safely to His heavenly kingdom; to [g]Him be the glory forever and ever. Amen." I'm speechless. I'm just going to put my hands out in front of me, palms up, and let that settle into them. HOLY MAC A LOLY!!!!!!!
I love Paul's "bombs" he closes chapters or letters with. Here's one of the best. Verse 22, "The Lord be with your spirit. Grace be with you." 10 of the most blessing words I can read. I'll reach out and grab this blessing. SO GOOD!!!!!!! I don't always think of separating these 2 things. It does make perfectly good sense to me though. Love His appearing today.
PS This thought of loving "His appearing" forced me to ask a tough question, "Do I love "His appearing?". For the first time ever I didn't want to vomit at my answer. My answer is "YES". I know He will be appearing at our conference this week/weekend. Stacey and I were discussing our outrageous anticipation of something good and "His appearing" at this conference. We're so close to this massive breakthrough.
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