Category Archives: Christian

What kind of servant are you? (Matthew 24:48-51) June 11, 2016

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Today’s Podcast

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Today’s Bible reading plan:

Read it in a year – Luke 11-12

see the whole year’s plan [here](http://www.bible-reading.com/bible-plan.pdf)

Today’s Devotional

Matthew 24:48-51
Jesus:But imagine that the master’s trust was misplaced, that the supposedly responsible servant is actually a thief who says to himself, “My master has been gone so long, he is not possibly coming back.” Then he beats his fellow servants and dines and drinks with drunkards. Well, when the master returns—as certainly he will—the servant will be caught unawares. The master will return on a day and at an hour when he isn’t expected. And he will cut his worthless servant into pieces and throw him out into darkness with the hypocrites, where there is weeping and grinding of teeth.

What do Jesus’ words mean for us today?

In our culture this sounds like a pretty brutal punishment for a wayward servant. We can’t fathom anyone taking such extreme measures because someone exploited their position. I was thinking of the Enron executives as I read these verses and even those, as bad as it was for their investors, we didn’t tear them into pieces and throw them into darkness. Imprison them? Sure. Make them pay back the funds they squandered? If we can. Ruin their reputation and make sure they can never do that to anyone again? I hope so. But tear them into pieces? We just can’t imagine that kind of punishment.

But let’s go back to the culture in which Jesus lived. Remember He lived in a small country occupied by the Romans. The Romans were knows for their methods of imposing unique forms of cruelty on those who disobeyed. And they very often performed those acts of cruelty in public so others would not be so quick to follow suit with their disobedience.

Because of my military travels, I’ve seen what men can do to other men. The horrors of war are not soon forgotten when you see just how inhumane we can be to each other. The Romans perfected those skills. That’s the culture in which Jesus lived. And there was no such thing as firing a servant. Servants were slaves to the owner. Often the individual sold him or herself to the master because that was the only way the individual could survive in a world with no social support and only the rich and the poor. You either owned or were owned. It was a matter of survival for many.

So when a servant earned the privilege of running the master’s entire household, acting on the master’s behalf, the master placed an incredible amount of trust in that servant. The master’s entire wealth was in that slave’s hands at that point. But if that kind of trust was given, the master expected his wishes to be carried out. If not, those living in that culture knew how to inflict incredible pain and a lasting message to others who would dare to disobey.

So here we are in America, the land of the free and the home of the brave, our national anthem reminds us. We know nothing of the culture Jesus talks about in this description of the master’s return. Those around Him understood it clearly. Perhaps even some of them were slaves in some Roman’s household and understood how their master handled disobedience. Jesus’ description didn’t surprise them.

But read a little further into Jesus’ words. Think about the tasks given the servant and the tasks Jesus has given us. Just before His ascension, Jesus gave His disciples, that includes us if we follow Him, a command. Remember what He told us? “I am here speaking with all the authority of God, who has commanded Me to give you this commission: Go out and make disciples in all the nations. Ceremonially wash them through baptism in the name of the triune God: Father, Son, and Holy Spirit. Then disciple them. Form them in the practices and postures that I have taught you, and show them how to follow the commands I have laid down for you. And I will be with you, day after day, to the end of the age.”

So that leads us to some pretty important questions in light of the description Jesus gave that day of His return and the coming judgment. First, am I one of His followers? If not, I won’t even have the opportunity to share with Him in glory. I’ll be part of the left behind, Jesus described earlier. I’ll never have an opportunity to carry out His tasks. I’ll face the full force of God’s wrath at judgment.

Second, if I am one of Jesus’ disciples, what am I doing to fulfill the task He gave us to go reproduce ourselves? Am I making more disciples? Am I teaching others the practices others have taught me so they can draw closer to God through solid Christian disciplines? Am I showing them how to follow the commands Jesus gave as a living example of obedience in front of them every day? How do I measure up? Am I a faithful, trustworthy servant working diligently until my Master’s return? Or am I a worthless slave not expecting Him to come any time soon and wallowing in disobedience?

Both kinds of servant will receive something from the Master. I’d much rather receive His praise and invitation to join Him that to hear His anger and be thrown into the pit where there is weeping and grinding of teeth. How about you? 

The Voice Bible Copyright © 2012 Thomas Nelson, Inc. The Voice™ translation © 2012 Ecclesia Bible Society All rights reserved.
In accordance with the requirements for FTC full disclosure, I may have affiliate relationships with some or all of the producers of the items mentioned in this post who may provide a small commission to me when purchased through this site.

Living with the Master should be enough (Matthew 24:45-47) June 10, 2016

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Today’s Podcast

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Today’s Bible reading plan:

Read it in a year – Ezekiel 1-6

see the whole year’s plan [here](http://www.bible-reading.com/bible-plan.pdf)

Today’s Devotional

Matthew 24:45-47
Jesus: The trustworthy servant is the one whom the master puts in charge of all the servants of his household; it is the trustworthy servant who not only oversees all the work, but also ensures the servants are properly fed and cared for. And it is, of course, crucial that a servant who is given such responsibility performs his responsibility to his master’s standards—so when the master returns he finds his trust has been rewarded. For then the master will put that good servant in charge of all his possessions.

What do Jesus’ words mean for us today?

In our culture we don’t relate well to Jesus’ metaphor of the trustworthy servant. We do so much to forget about that chapter in our history when men owned other men and for good reason. Slavery has so many bad things about it. But in Jesus’ day and throughout most of man’s history, slaves have been a part of life. The wealthy had slaves and the poor were slaves. The concept of hourly wages for a regular job in not a very old concept.

There were day laborers in Jesus’ day as indicated by the story of the workers in the vineyard, but not many businesses hired people full time on regular salaries. You were part of a family and the family ran the business and you enjoyed the profits of that business, or you were hired on a very temporary basis for a specific task such as harvesting a crop or cutting lumber. Few people had full time jobs unless as slaves. In which case, you became part of the family, and the families profit and loss determined how well you were kept.

Slavery, good or bad, was part of His culture and He understood it the way all of His listeners understood it. Good servants, good slaves took care of his masters’ property. The master didn’t worry about his things when in the hands of his servants because the good servant knew the welfare of not just the master and his family, but his own welfare depended on taking good care of the family business. So the good servant took great pains to help the master prosper. And the good servant didn’t despair or feel bad about giving the profits to the master any more than we should feel bad about giving the profits we make for our employer over to her. It’s her money as risk. She is the one who provides all the necessary up front funds, equipment, business design, and so forth to all us to earn our salary and make a living.

The good servant did what the master wanted done whether or not the master was present. The servant’s outcome didn’t depend on the master’s presence, but on how well he didn his job caring for the master’s business affairs. We sometimes get that so mixed up and messed up in our current culture that thinks the government or our business or God owes us something. When you really stop and think it through, none of those owe us anything. It is by their design there is a job available in the first place. We should give thanks if we have one.

In cultures in which there is no such thing as social welfare or retirement funds or government assistance, people have a much better handle on what Jesus talked about in this short metaphor about the role of the servant in taking care of the master’s household. In those cultures, the only thing you can rely on is the work you perform. If you do well, the owner of the property will take good care of you. If you don’t perform well, you are put off the property and get to figure out how to make it on your own in a world where there are only masters and slaves and you just lost your only reference.

But when you are a trustworthy servant, it’s like being that employee the boss can count on for anything. The promotions come fast because the boss knows you will do what you say and will get the job done efficiently and effectively every time. You’ll take care of all the other employees in the process. You’ll satisfy the customers, you’ll make sure profits come in and the boss can go on vacation knowing everything will run smoothly when he puts you in charge.

That’s kind of what God has done with those who believe in Him. I’m not sure why He would entrust sinful man with the story of redemption but He did. Now He expects us to carry out His work until He returns. He’s like that master that went away and left his faithful servant in charge. He trusts us to do the work He left us to do. He expects us to do it to His standard without expecting anything in return, just knowing we are doing His work. Just like the faithful servant of the master in the story He told.

When we do, we will reap the benefits in the end. There is the reward of a job well done and the benefits of living in the master’s home with Him forever. That should be enough.

The Voice Bible Copyright © 2012 Thomas Nelson, Inc. The Voice™ translation © 2012 Ecclesia Bible Society All rights reserved.
In accordance with the requirements for FTC full disclosure, I may have affiliate relationships with some or all of the producers of the items mentioned in this post who may provide a small commission to me when purchased through this site.

We know He’s coming, be ready! (Matthew 24:42-44) June 9, 2016

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Today’s Bible reading plan:

Read it in a year – Proverbs 2-3

see the whole year’s plan [here](http://www.bible-reading.com/bible-plan.pdf)

Today’s Devotional

Matthew 24:42-44
Jesus: So keep watch. You don’t know when your Lord will come. But you should know this: If the owner of a house had known his house was about to be broken into, he would have stayed up all night, vigilantly. He would have kept watch, and he would have thwarted the thief. So you must be ready because you know the Son of Man will come, but you can’t know precisely when.

What do Jesus’ words mean for us today?

It’s hard to miss the theme over the last several days. Jesus continues to talk about His return. For the disciples around Him, He hasn’t departed yet, so they are confused. They don’t really understand what He’s talking about. He’s told them He’s going to die in Jerusalem, but they are having a hard time accepting it. But now He spends all this time talking about returning to Jerusalem to take them to be with Him and His Father in heaven.

To those who heard this for the first time, the words must have been incredible. How could He return, first of all. Once you’re dead, you’re dead. No one comes back from the grave. And now He spends all this time talking about coming back for them when He leaves them. They are dumbfounded. Then Jesus gives them all these signs that will point to His return. Signs that will show the beginning of the end or is it the end of the beginning. He tells them the temple will fall, the weather will wreak havoc on the earth, earthquakes will all but tear the world apart, and nations will try to destroy each other in war.

Once again He tells them His coming will be quick and silent, like a thief in the middle of the night. Be prepared. Watch. Stay awake and ready for Him to come.

As I was thinking about His words and what He might think about our actions today, I thought about how different our culture has become from that in Jesus day. Thieves didn’t have to work very hard to break into houses in His day. Sure there were locks, but nothing compared to the security of our homes today. We live in gated communities, some with 24 hour guards at the gates. We have all kinds of security systems that alert the police if there are intruders. We rest at night with almost complete confidence that no one will break in and harm us.

But I started thinking about that. We don’t watch like people did in Jesus day. I remember those times I spent in combat zones, we always had people awake watching the perimeter of our camp while the rest of us slept. We never had all of us asleep at the same time. Someone was always watching for the enemy. But that’s not true in our homes. We assume we’re safe.

Those in Jesus’ day didn’t feel quite as safe as we do today. Especially in the outlying villages. Not only did bandits roam the countryside, but there were also lions and bears to worry about. Those things in the wild will eat people if they get old and hungry and unable to chase the wild game they usually dined on. So homes were not always safe.

I wonder if our relative physical safety in this country have made us begin to get lax in watching for dangers everywhere. We don’t notice subtle differences in our surroundings on our routine route to work, something that soldiers learn to spy quickly in combat zones to keep them safe from ambush and improvised explosive devices. We don’t notice changed actions in those around us because we are not supposed to profile or be intolerant of abberrant behavior.

We don’t notice the signs all around us that tell us that Jesus is coming again and His coming is getting close. We don’t pay attention to the natural disasters happening all over the world. Unless they happen in our backyard, we don’t pay attention. But 90 medium-sized and greater earthquakes a week is probably something to begin paying attention to if you’re looking for Jesus to return. Maybe the change in weather sparking the change in sea-states is not man’s doing, but God’s. Maybe He’s telling us it’s just about time for Jesus to get His bride.

The question is whether we’re watching. He will come quickly, like a thief in the night. If the owner of the house knew the thief were coming, he’d stay up all night watching for him and be prepared to defend his home against the intruder. He’d be prepared. Jesus is coming just as quickly and just as stealthily. Unless you’re prepared to see for His coming you won’t see Him before it’s all over. You’ll be like the owner of the house who came in after then fact and found all his possessions gone. The thief came and went and you were not prepared for him. The house is empty and all is gone.

If Jesus comes back and leaves you here that’s what your life will be like. Empty. Hopeless. Everything lost. It pays to watch for Him. We know He’s coming. Be ready. 

The Voice Bible Copyright © 2012 Thomas Nelson, Inc. The Voice™ translation © 2012 Ecclesia Bible Society All rights reserved.
In accordance with the requirements for FTC full disclosure, I may have affiliate relationships with some or all of the producers of the items mentioned in this post who may provide a small commission to me when purchased through this site.

Don’t stand on the wrong side of the door (Matthew 24:37-41) June 8, 2016

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Today’s Podcast

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Today’s Bible reading plan:

Read it in a year – Psalms 66-68

see the whole year’s plan [here](http://www.bible-reading.com/bible-plan.pdf)

Today’s Devotional

Matthew 24:37-41
Jesus: As it was at the time of Noah, so it will be with the coming of the Son of Man. In the days before the flood, people were busy making lives for themselves: they were eating and drinking, marrying and giving in marriage, making plans and having children and growing old, until the day Noah entered the ark. Those people had no idea what was coming; they knew nothing about the floods until the floods were upon them, sweeping them all away. That is how it will be with the coming of the Son of Man. Two men will be plowing a field: one will be taken, and the other will be left in the field. Two women will be somewhere grinding at a mill: one will be taken, and the other will be left at the mill.

What do Jesus’ words mean for us today?

We probably all know the story of Noah. He built the ark and God saved him and his family from the flood that covered the earth. We often rush through the details of the early part of the story, though. We forget it took Noah a hundred years to build the ark. Can you picture what was going on during that time? Noah was building a boat in preparation for the rains and the flood that were going to cover the earth. It had never rained before. Until the flood, God had watered the earth by the dew of the morning, not with rain.

I can imagine what his neighbors thought. If his subdivision had an HOA, he’d probably be thrown out on his ear. A 450 foot boat being built in the back yard. Who does that? This guy must be crazy. God tells him water will fall from the sky and kill everyone unless they repent and change their ways and do what this invisible voice tells them to do. What an idiot, right? Who does Noah think he is?

Noah has his sons believing this drivel, too. They work right along side him, cutting trees, sawing logs, melting pitch to seal the cracks. They are loyal to their father and trust his words. They have to listen to the same ridicule his father takes every day, but they honor their father and stand beside him day by day as he works on this giant ship that will house them during something they’ve never seen and don’t understand.

Everyone else goes about their daily business. They hear Noah’s story. They hear him talking about this coming flood. They see him working every day for a hundred years on this insane project. They even see the animals starting to appear out of nowhere. They watch as animals start to climb aboard this giant boat. Normal preditors and prey side by side entering the door of the ark without fighting. They watch but still laugh at the insane man listening to God.

But then the water starts falling from the sky. Just like Noah said it would. They don’t think too much about it until it doesn’t stop. It just keeps falling until the river floods. This has never happened before. Now they start to get a little worried. A few people slosh over to Noah’s boat and knock on the door. “Hey, Noah, can we come in?”

Noah can’t open the door. God shut the door. The water keeps rising. More people bang on the door. “Noah, let us in!” But as much as Noah might want to save his neighbors, he can’t open the door because God shut the door.

That’s what it will be like when Jesus returns. Those like Noah who listen to God’s voice will see all the signs of the coming disaster and prepare. Noah listened and built the ark, put food for his family and the animals God would save into the structure and saved his family. He tried to convince others, but they wouldn’t listen. Others around him saw the signs. The animals started coming around. They watched Noah prepare. They saw strange things happening in the sky they had never seen before, but they wouldn’t listen. Then it was too late.

The same will happen with Jesus’ return. Those who truly follow Him will prepare. They will see the signs Jesus gave us concerning His return and recognize the time is short. Everyone else will see the signs and ignore them. They will go about their everyday lives and not see the signs for what they are. But then, one day, the signs will be obvious just like the rain falling for the first time was obvious and people will cry out for help. But like those in Noah’s day who ran to the ark for safety. It will be too late.

God shut the door on those who would not heed the message Noah had for them in that day. On the day of Jesus’ return, it will be too late. Jesus tells us in these verses His coming will be like the days of Noah. Those that are ready will be taken with Him. Those that are not, will be left to face the wrath of God. Don’t be caught standing on the wrong side of the door. 

The Voice Bible Copyright © 2012 Thomas Nelson, Inc. The Voice™ translation © 2012 Ecclesia Bible Society All rights reserved.
In accordance with the requirements for FTC full disclosure, I may have affiliate relationships with some or all of the producers of the items mentioned in this post who may provide a small commission to me when purchased through this site.

No one knows the hour or the day, not even the messengers in heaven, not even the Son. Only the Father knows. (Matthew 24:36) June 7, 2016

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Today’s Podcast

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Today’s Bible reading plan:

Read it in a year – 1 Kings 5-9

see the whole year’s plan [here](http://www.bible-reading.com/bible-plan.pdf)

Today’s Devotional

Matthew 24:36
No one knows the hour or the day, not even the messengers in heaven, not even the Son. Only the Father knows.

What do Jesus’ words mean for us today?

I’ve got to tell you, today’s verse confused me for a long time. Jesus is fully God and fully man. So how could Jesus, the Son of God, part of the triune Godhead, not know when He was coming back to retrieve His bride the church if there is only one God represented in three persons, Father, Son, and Holy Spirit? I just couldn’t wrap my mind around it. I still can’t to a great extent. But I’m human, not God.

Maybe some of my thought process could help someone else if you’ve ever spent more than a minute or two thinking about that question, though. So here we go. First, let’s think about the culture of the day and understand why the Father knows the information about the wedding between the groom, Jesus, and His bride, the church.

In Jesus day, families didn’t build separate houses. When a son became engaged, those were arranged marriages, by the way, his father had him start building a room or two on the family home for his new bride as a place to begin their new family. The family property was often bounded by a fence or wall to keep wild animals out and the families animals in, so the son would build within the confines of that structure. The extended family would share kitchens, common areas, storage space, usually only bedrooms were separate. And the son, his wife, and as many children as would fit in the bedroom slept together in that room.

The father determined when the son’s room was sufficiently prepared to house his new bride and accommodate the making of his new family. The wedding date wasn’t up to the bride, the son, the in-laws, the father made the decision. People in the village knew it was getting close as the new room got closer to its finished construction, but the wedding didn’t happen until the father said, “Son, go get your bride.”

And on that day, a wedding happened. No six-week notice in the mail. No engraved invitations. No twitter or Facebook save the date. The father said, “Go get your bride.” And that was the day.

So now you know a little more about why the Father knows the day and not the Son as to when the wedding takes place, when the Son will come to retrieve His bride, the church, to bring her home with Him. But how could Jesus not know if He is God? That’s the dilemma that always confused me.

So here’s how I figured it out one day as I was sitting around thinking about who Jesus is and what He did for us. God’s word says He is fully God, yet He is also fully Man. As I continue to read scripture and study Jesus’ life I get more and more amazed at what I see when I watch His life when He lived along side us. There is no question in my mind He is God incarnate, God in the flesh, God presented in the form of Man. But as I look at what He did on earth, I see more and more of His human side while He lived among us and communed with His Father side in heaven.

As Jesus spoke to His disciples that day and shared with them only the Father knows the time and day of the Son’s return, I think it tells us Jesus will return again in His fully human, fully God form once more. His human side had the limitations we have because He was human. He could do miracles because He had the presence and power of the Father and Spirit with Him. So did Peter, James, and John with the help of God’s Spirit.

The human side of Jesus didn’t know when He will return, but He will return, fully human, fully God once again. But next time, I have a feeling His human side will take the backseat instead of His God-side taking the backseat. When He came to live among us before, He limited His power and lived with us and like us experiencing every emotion, every pain, every temptation we experience. He didn’t sin, but He experienced all the things we experience.

When He comes back, God the Father will tell the Man/God Son, “Go get your bride.” And the God/Man will come back in His glory to take us home. We will see Him in His glory, fully God, and fully man. Jesus, the Man, doesn’t know when that will be. Does Jesus, the Godhead, present at creation? That’s a question well beyond my feeble attempts to understand. I’m just waiting for the Father to nod His head with a smile and tell Jesus to go. That will be a great day for His church.

The Voice Bible Copyright © 2012 Thomas Nelson, Inc. The Voice™ translation © 2012 Ecclesia Bible Society All rights reserved.
In accordance with the requirements for FTC full disclosure, I may have affiliate relationships with some or all of the producers of the items mentioned in this post who may provide a small commission to me when purchased through this site.

Watch the seasons change (Matthew 24:32-35) June 6, 2016

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Today’s Podcast

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Today’s Bible reading plan:

Read it in a year – Exodus 37-40

see the whole year’s plan [here](http://www.bible-reading.com/bible-plan.pdf)

Today’s Devotional

Matthew 24:32-35
Jesus: Now think of the fig tree. As soon as its twigs get tender and greenish, as soon as it begins to sprout leaves, you know to expect summer. In the same way, when you see the wars and the suffering and the false liberators and the desolations, you will know the Son of Man is near—right at the door. I tell you this: this generation will see all these things take place before it passes away. My words are always true and always here with you. Heaven and earth will pass away, but My words will never pass away.

What do Jesus’ words mean for us today?

Jesus spends a lot of time and effort telling His followers about the signs of the end times. He also spends a lot of time and gives us a lot of metaphors warning us to watch for those signs indicating to us they will not be a surprise. No one will have an excuse and not realizing He was coming back. He told us in as many ways as He could that He would return one day and told us to watch for Him.

Living in San Antonio, Texas we don’t have the same kind of weather as the northern states, but I’ve lived far enough north that I can relate to His comments about spring. Even in San Antonio, we do have a couple of season. We have a green season from September through June and a brown season in July and August when it’s so hot everything burns up. Just kidding. Sort of.

But it is fairly simple, if you look around at nature to watch the signs of the different season of the year. Just a few days ago the signs of the coming summer came to my yard in the form of a fawn born by one of the does that camp out on my lawn three or four times a week. I’m not sure I care for the deer eating my shrubs, but sometimes it’s kind of cool to look out the back windows and see a small herd sleeping around the house. But the fawn was too young to keep up with the herd in the morning, so its mother left it by my garage until its wobbly legs strengthen and she could come back and get it.

Signs of late spring and early summer in Texas. I can watch the different birds that have come to nest and eat the birdseed in my mother-in-law’s bird feeder and know that spring is just about over and summer is here. As different birds migrate through different areas of the country, the species of the season tell us what time of year we’re in.

And as Jesus points out, we can tell the time of year by seeing the green shoots spring from the tree branches. New leaves open and it seems new life begins on those barren trees each year. New blades of grass spring from the earth. Plants sprout and grow as seeds take root and draw water and nourishment from the soil. We know the seasons of the year just by looking around.

Those of you in the north, know winter is almost here when those leaves turn colors and you begin to spend hours of your weekends raking them up. Then the snow falls and blankets the earth with its cold, white cover. We know the seasons by the signs we see all around us. It doesn’t take a calendar for us to know what time of year it is. Just look around and you can tell.

So it is with the end times, Jesus tells us. His word gives us all the signs. He tells us to watch and those who look around can see the seasons change and know that His coming is not far off. The signs are cascading all around us. Wars, rumors of wars, nations fighting against nations, earthquakes, natural disasters of all types, famine, diseases, out of control weather patterns – what else do we need to see to know that the signs are all pointing toward His coming back?

The seasons are changing in God’s plan for sending His Son to come back for His bride, the church. Jesus told us the signs. He told us to watch. He doesn’t want us to be surprised when He streaks across the sky to gather us together to take us home with Him. So, are you watching for Him?

We get ready for winter by protecting our pipes, covering sensitive plants or bringing them indoors, checking our heating systems, putting snow tires on the car and checking the antifreeze, all kinds of things to get ready for the season. We get ready for the summer by calling the air conditioning services to check our HVAC system, we check the car’s coolant levels, we fertilize the yard and clean up the tree limbs and flower beds that didn’t make it through the winter. We the seasons watch and get ready.

Jesus says He’s coming back. Watch for the signs and be ready. Only the Father knows when Jesus will return, but the signs are coming fast and furious. Don’t be caught unaware. Watch the seasons change.

The Voice Bible Copyright © 2012 Thomas Nelson, Inc. The Voice™ translation © 2012 Ecclesia Bible Society All rights reserved.
In accordance with the requirements for FTC full disclosure, I may have affiliate relationships with some or all of the producers of the items mentioned in this post who may provide a small commission to me when purchased through this site.

There is coming a day (Matthew 24:29-31) June 5, 2016

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Today’s Podcast

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Today’s Bible reading plan:

Read it in a year – Galatians 4-6

see the whole year’s plan [here](http://www.bible-reading.com/bible-plan.pdf)

Today’s Devotional

Matthew 24:29-31
Jesus: And as the prophets have foretold it: after the distress of those days,

The sun will grow dark,
and the moon will be hidden.
The stars will fall from the sky,
and all the powers in the heavens will be dislodged and shaken from their places.

That is when the sign of the Son of Man will appear in the sky. All the nations of the earth will mourn. They will see the Son of Man coming; they will see Him powerful and glorious, riding on chariots of clouds in the sky. With a loud trumpet call, He will send out battalions of heavenly messengers; and they will gather His beloved faithful elect from the four corners of creation, from one end of heaven to the other.

What do Jesus’ words mean for us today?

What an incredible day that will be. Song writers pen marvelous lyrics about that day. The music is always upbeat, uplifting, exciting. It makes your heart beat a little faster and puts a smile on your face. It reminds you that Jesus is coming back to retrieve His bride, the church, from this wicked world and take us to live with Him for eternity.

But it will be a sad day, too. Jesus will come and many will find themselves on the wrong side of His grace. His battalions of heavenly messengers will gather the faithful, but those who are not of that number will be left behind. Books and messages and songs have been written about those, too. Those songs are not so uplifting, so beautiful, so exciting and upbeat. Those are somber, dreadful, dreary songs and books and messages.

But the truth is that many will see God’s messengers sweep across the world to take His children home, but as much as they plead to be taken along, it will be too late. Time will have ended. The opportunity to receive His grace and forgiveness will have passed. The judgment of all mankind will have begun. The awful Day of the Lord will by on us.

At one time I hoped to live to see the day when Jesus returns. I don’t think I want to see that anymore. As I see all the evil and carnage that man can level against man, that is enough to shake me to the core. But as I read the descriptions of the end times and all the things that happen just leading up to the tribulation, the birth pangs that show it is coming, I really don’t want to go through those times.

Then if all those things, the wars, the famine, the earthquakes, the signs in the sky with the darkening of the moon, sun and stars. If all those things are just the beginning of the tribulation to fall on us, I kind of hope my years are over before those days come. I think now about my children and grandchildren and hope they do not have to go through those things either.

But the signs get closer every day. Like a woman getting closer to childbirth, those pains just get closer and closer together and they get more intense with each passing day until final full labor begins. Then those hours of labor are just miserable. That’s what the tribulation will be like. We’re just in the birth pangs now, but labor will begin soon and the labor will be absolutely miserable. The worst pain imaginable.

There is an end to it though. Jesus will take His faithful home. We will be with Him forever. His heavenly messengers will sweep across the earth to gather us together to join with Him for eternity. We will be spare the rest of the outpouring of God’s wrath, but those that are left will not. In the blink of an eye, we will be gone. The rest of humanity will face the worst God has to offer them. What is that? The absence of His presence. He will let them loose to face themselves without restraint of evil.

Can you imagine a world with no restraint on evil? Our world is a pretty wicked place right now, but there is still a strangle hold on evil for the sake of God’s faithful. God’s spirit is still in control of this place. He hold reign over Satan and his minions and will not let them loose to do as they please. But imagine if He opened the gates and let Satan do whatever he wished for a time.

We think about some of those seemingly soulless people we imprison for the rest of their lives – serial killers, serial rapists, those with no conscience that seem to thrive on the performance of evil and terror against others. Imagine a world full of those people running loose to do whatever they choose. That’s the world after the faithful are taken home with Christ.

There is coming a day when Jesus returns to take His faithful home. The question to ponder today, Will I be part of the crowd His heavenly messengers gather to be with Him, or part of the crowd left behind? It’s my choice as to which side I’m on. He’s ready to take Me with Him on that day fateful day, if I just repent and follow Him today.

The Voice Bible Copyright © 2012 Thomas Nelson, Inc. The Voice™ translation © 2012 Ecclesia Bible Society All rights reserved.
In accordance with the requirements for FTC full disclosure, I may have affiliate relationships with some or all of the producers of the items mentioned in this post who may provide a small commission to me when purchased through this site.

As fast as lightning (Matthew 24:23-28) June 4, 2016

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Today’s Bible reading plan:

Read it in a year – Luke 9-10

see the whole year’s plan [here](http://www.bible-reading.com/bible-plan.pdf)

Today’s Devotional

Matthew 24:23-28
Jesus: I cannot say this clearly enough: during this time, someone will say to you, “Look, here is the Anointed One!” or “Aren’t you relieved? Haven’t you seen the Savior down there, around the bend, over the hill and dale?” Do not believe them. False liberators and false prophets will appear, and they will know a few tricks—they will perform great miracles, and they will make great promises. If it were possible, they would even deceive God’s elect. But I am warning you ahead of time: remember—do not fall for their lies or lines or promises. If someone says, “He’s out there in the desert”—do not go. And if someone says, “He’s here at our house, at our table”—do not believe him. When the Son of Man comes, He will be as visible as lightning in the East is visible even in the West. And where the carcass is, there will always be vultures.

What do Jesus’ words mean for us today?

My wife and I were fortunate enough to purchase land the day our subdivision opened lots for sale and chose the highest lot in the neighborhood. From our backyard we can see the Tower of the Americas in downtown San Antonio, twenty miles away. From the front of the house we can see the city of Boerne eight miles away. The vista is beautiful. We see miles in every direction from our little piece of the world.

One other thing happens on the top of this hill, though, that I really enjoy. I kind of like thunderstorms. In thunderstorm, we see lightning strikes everywhere around us. We’ve never been hit by lightning, but because we can see so far in the distance, when thunderstorms hit, we see them forever. The skies are bright for a long time as they advance toward us and as they retreat from us. Especially in the middle of the night, the light shows are magnificent.

Some of you might think I’m a little crazy because I think storms are so beautiful. My dog thinks so. He’s terrified of storms and hides when they come around. But I’ve always enjoyed watching them. The shear power and majesty hidden in the clouds helps me recognize once again the absolute authority God has over this earth.

But those thunderstorms also remind me of these verses in Matthew and Paul’s description of Jesus’ coming again in 1 Corinthians 15. Jesus says everyone will know of His return. Like lightning in the East is visible in the West. That’s the way it is on my hilltop. Sometimes I don’t know where the lightning is, I just know it’s really bright because it stuck somewhere around us and whole sky lit up when it did.

That’s how it will be when Jesus returns he says. His coming will be like lightning. Paul says it will happen in the blink of an eye. Just think about how fast the blink of an eye. It’s measured in milliseconds. And just that fast, Jesus will come, take His redeemed with Him and be gone at the rapture. That’s fast. It’s like a lightning strike He says. Ever try to capture a lightning strike on film. You almost have to take a move and then capture the one or two frames within the movie on which the strike occurs. If you wait to push the button to activate the lens when you see the strike, you will already have missed it. That’s how fast Jesus’ return will be.

So I don’t listen to anyone who says, “Follow me, I’m the one.” There are a bunch of them out there, though. Some of you are old enough to remember Jim Jones and the purple cool-aid. Then there was David Koresh and the Waco bunch. Those made national news, but they are not the only self proclaimed messiah’s in the world. Lots of people follow lots of false messiahs who tell them what they want to hear. They give them false hope or tickle their ears with good sounding words, but end up eternally with the same fate as those in Waco and Jonestown. Death. But spiritual death. Eternal death.

But if Jesus’ return will be as quick as lightning, no one who sticks around longer than a couple of milliseconds is Him. That should be our first clue about anyone who claims they are the anointed one, the messiah, God’s special messenger come to take us home. If we would just read God’s word and understand what it says, we could not be fooled by such cult leaders who get so full of themselves they can’t see past their ego and then blind others with what they think is their wonderful message. It’s only more garbage.

Remember that lightning analogy Jesus uses? Remember that blink of an eye analogy Paul uses? It won’t take long for Jesus to take His own home with Him. Everyone will see Him, just like I can see the light from thunderstorms light up the sky all around my house no matter which direction the strikes happen. They are so brief, but in that moment, they turn the night into day. And just that quickly, one day I’ll be caught up in the air with Him when He comes again. 

The Voice Bible Copyright © 2012 Thomas Nelson, Inc. The Voice™ translation © 2012 Ecclesia Bible Society All rights reserved.
In accordance with the requirements for FTC full disclosure, I may have affiliate relationships with some or all of the producers of the items mentioned in this post who may provide a small commission to me when purchased through this site.

The rapture, get the question right. (Matthew 24:15-22) June 3, 2016

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Today’s Bible reading plan:

Read it in a year – Lamentations

see the whole year’s plan [here](http://www.bible-reading.com/bible-plan.pdf)

Today’s Devotional

Matthew 24:15-22
Jesus: You will remember that the prophet Daniel predicted this—predicted the abomination that causes desolation—when you see the prophesied desolation of the holy place. (Reader, take notice; it is important that you understand this.) When you see this, let those in Judea flee to the mountains. If you are relaxing on your rooftop one evening and the signs of the temple’s destruction come, don’t return to your house to rescue a book or a pet or a scrap of clothing. If you are in the field when the great destruction begins, don’t return home for a cloak. Pregnant women and nursing mothers will have the worst of it. And as for you, pray that your flight to the hills will not come on the Sabbath or in the cold of winter. For the tribulation will be unparalleled—hardships of a magnitude that has not been seen since creation and that will not be seen again. Indeed the Lord God your merciful judge will cut this time of trial short, and this will be done for the benefit of the elect that some might indeed be saved—for no one could survive the depravity for very long.

What do Jesus’ words mean for us today?

There’s a lot of debate about the rapture, the point in time when Jesus will resurrect His followers who have died and take up those who are still living to be with Him forever. Some say the rapture will happen before the tribulation, some say it will happen during the tribulation and some say it will happen after the tribulation. Scripture can support any of the theories depending on which scriptures you use and how you interpret them.

I suppose I could give you my opinion and you could send me your concurrence or argument against my opinion if you choose, but really, what does it matter? If God chooses for His children to go through the tribulation to sift out the true believers from those who just use His name as a tag to hide behind, that’s His business. He will be with us to the end and give us strength to endure the tribulation if He wants us to walk through it.

If God chooses to put us through to the midpoint of the tribulation when the three prophets speak in Jerusalem, that’s okay, too. We will witness the beginning of the outpouring of God’s wrath and perhaps be able to win some of those we’ve prayed for so long. Perhaps with God’s help in those days, He will enable us to share in new ways the good news of salvation so that some will come to know Him because of the intense suffering that so many will endure during those first three years of the tribulation. If then God chooses to take us home with Him at the midpoint to spare us from the remaining aftermath of His wrath, He just shows us more of His grace and mercy and love to an undeserving bunch of sinners.

And if God chooses to take us home with Him before the tribulation begins to spare us from even the beginning of the outpouring of His wrath upon the world for humanity’s refusal to acknowledge Him as God, then we are certainly blessed by the outpouring of His mercy. Do we deserve an early rapture? No. Do we deserve redemption? No. Do we deserve anything from God? No.

So how should we approach the debate when Christians begin to argue among themselves so fervently about pre-, mid-, and post-tribulation rapture? We should probably sit back and laugh at the brawl that ensues or perhaps weep for our misguided brothers and sisters who spend so much energy on such an unimportant thing.

What does it really matter after all? The question really is, “Will I be part of the rapture when it happens?” As long as I’m right with God, He will see me through the tribulation. Will I suffer during those times? Probably, as will every other human being on the planet. Will I suffer as much as those not right with God? Probably not. But for sure, if I’m right with God, I will not spend eternity in hell, separated from Him. If I’m right with God, I will be part of the rapture whenever it occurs and that’s the more important question. Not when it will be, but will I be part of it?

I will let others argue about when the rapture will happen. I don’t really care. I just want to be in it. So how do I want to live in relation to the tribulation? I will live so close to God that if the rapture is post-tribulation, I will rest in Him and be prepare to suffer through the awful state of the earth through those seven years of God’s wrath. If Jesus comes at the midpoint of the tribulation to take His bride home and the tribulation happens at the three and a half year point, I will praise Him for relief from the suffering and rejoice with Him forever. And if the rapture comes before the tribulation, well…, can you say joy unspeakable?

When those around you want to argue about the timing of the rapture, just remember the real question. It’s not when it comes, it’s are you part of it? 

The Voice Bible Copyright © 2012 Thomas Nelson, Inc. The Voice™ translation © 2012 Ecclesia Bible Society All rights reserved.
In accordance with the requirements for FTC full disclosure, I may have affiliate relationships with some or all of the producers of the items mentioned in this post who may provide a small commission to me when purchased through this site.

The consummation of all things is not far away (Matthew 24:13-14) June 2, 2016

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Today’s Podcast

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Today’s Bible reading plan:

Read it in a year – Proverbs 1

see the whole year’s plan [here](http://www.bible-reading.com/bible-plan.pdf)

Today’s Devotional

Matthew 24:13-14
Jesus: But those who do not waver from our path and do not follow those false prophets—those among you will be saved. And this good news of God’s kingdom will be preached throughout the whole world, a testimony to all people and all nations. Then, beloved, the end, the consummation of all things, will come.

What do Jesus’ words mean for us today?

Growing up, I always wondered about that part Jesus’ prophecy to His disciples that the end would come after the good news of God’s kingdom is preached throughout the whole world. It always seemed that’s what He was saying in the words He gave to His followers. They must have thought that would be a long time coming since news traveled so slowly in His day.

It took months and years to get news from one end of the known world to another. Modes of transportation were as fast as a horse or a ship or a man’s feet. And the path from east Asia to Spain to Egypt and Africa was a long treacherous one. Surely it would be a long time before Jesus returned if this was one of the things that must happen before His return.

When I was a boy, missionaries would come to our church and speak about the things they saw and the places they had traveled. Some to previously unexplored parts of the Amazon and the darkest parts of Africa. But today, there are few parts of the world that have been unexplored. There are few pockets of people who have been untouched by civilization. Few populations can say they have no knowledge of the at least some events that happen outside their community.

But what of the sharing of the gospel? Has the good news of God’s salvation reached around the world, yet? That’s the question we might ask ourselves. How close are we to reaching the world with the message of God’s kingdom at hand?

I’m sure my grandparents use to wonder if Jesus’ coming was right around the corner with the advent of radio. That invention made possible the transmission of the message to every square inch of the globe as long as someone had a receiver to pick up the radio waves and hear the message transmitted. Of course, the question then would be whether they understood the language of the speaker. I never worried about that translation, though, because I knew of the miracle of translation when Peter spoke on the day of Pentecost. People from every nation were gathered to celebrate and heard him speak in their own language. They understood even though he spoke in Greek, they heard in their native tongue. Translation for God is not an issue. Transmission of the gospel is the issue for us.

So then our parents wondered if perhaps television was the answer to spreading the gospel. This new media that rose to prominence in the 1950s and 1960s now invades every home in almost every nation of the world. The flick of a switch (or the push of a button on the remote) puts ideas into the minds of those who sit in front of the screen. Unfortunately, more of the world’s ideas than God’s come through that media. But it still gave hope to some that God’s message might be spread around the world through television.

For our generation the Internet seems to be the vehicle that promises to reach the world. You just can’t get away from it. The Internet permeates our lives. It seems to control almost every aspect of life. Our banking, our entertainment, our medical systems, our jobs – whatever they might be. The Internet is everywhere. Perhaps it might be the vehicle by which the gospel moves across the globe to every nation to spread the news that Jesus died that we might live.

There’s a very interesting statistic I’ll share with you about this podcast that amazes me every time I see it. I don’t understand it, I don’t know why it happens, I don’t know how it started, but one day I was curious as to where the downloads for my podcast went. One of the categories I can use to parse information about the podcast is the geographic origin of downloads, so I clicked on it and was astonished at the results.

I expected San Antonio to be the city with the largest number of downloads and it was. That’s where I live, so no surprise there. But the next cities in order did surprise me. I’ve been around a bit and have friends in a lot of places, but here are the next for cities in order San Francisco, Washington DC, Beijing, and Seattle. San Francisco? Shock. Beijing? Super shock! Did I think my podcast would reach around the world and anyone would be interested in what I had to say on a consistent basis in Beijing, China? Never in a million years.

But God’s message goes where He wants it to go. One day, and it’s coming closer every day, it will spread around the world and then, as Jesus says, the end, the consummation of all things, will come. Be ready, it’s not far away. 

The Voice Bible Copyright © 2012 Thomas Nelson, Inc. The Voice™ translation © 2012 Ecclesia Bible Society All rights reserved.
In accordance with the requirements for FTC full disclosure, I may have affiliate relationships with some or all of the producers of the items mentioned in this post who may provide a small commission to me when purchased through this site.