Tag: prophecy

Excruciating and Unrelenting… Or Is It?

Just today alone, I witnessed a horrific plane crash in Taiwan, a fiery train derailment in New York City, and a brutal execution in the Middle East. Thank goodness (for me) these were sanitized news clips. I was not forced to watch anyone actually die, or directly see anyone be seriously, life-alteringly injured.

But make no mistake, deaths occurred today. Gruesome injuries changed lives. Families and individuals were deeply, irreversibly impacted. Anguished loved ones will mourn and grieve their losses.

Anyone paying attention has to ask, “Is this what life is about? Is this all we have to look forward to? How are we supposed to absorb this excruciating, unrelenting pain — these losses that occur on a daily basis? How do we make sense of it?”

Near the end of his ministry, Jesus predicted that such deeply distressing, apparently senseless times would come: “For then there will be great distress, unequaled from the beginning of the world until now—and never to be equaled again” (Matthew 24:21, NIV).

But Jesus’ prediction did not end there.

Jesus taught his disciples that these times of great distress would not be the end of the story. This pain is not all there is. This world will not continue forever, suffering one loss, then another, and then another.

Because Jesus is coming back. And when he comes, he will change everything.

Everything.

Are you ready for it?

“Then will appear the sign of the Son of Man in heaven. And then all the peoples of the earth will mourn when they see the Son of Man coming on the clouds of heaven, with power and great glory. And he will send his angels with a loud trumpet call, and they will gather his elect from the four winds, from one end of the heavens to the other” (Matthew 24:30-31, NIV).

Lord Jesus, give me a compassionate heart, prayerful words, and helpful hands for those around me who are experiencing the distress that our world is currently dishing out by the shovel load. Thank you for your predictions and promises that these times of distress will be limited, and will come to a complete stop when you return. Make me ready for that day.

Our Bible reading for Thursday, February 5, is Job 35:1 – 37:24, Matthew 24:1-31 and Proverbs 4:1-9.

Header image based on "PAIN Knuckle Tatoo" by Depolo, CC by 2.0

How to Be a Wise Man (or Woman) in 3 Easy Steps

What in the world are “magi”? Strong’s Concordance defines the word this way: a magus; the name given by the Babylonians (Chaldeans), Medes, Persians, and others, to the wise men, teachers, priests, physicians, astrologers, seers, interpreters of dreams, augers, soothsayers, sorcerers etc.

It’s a pretty broad job description, isn’t it?

Matthew, one of Jesus’ disciples, writes about the wise men: “After Jesus was born in Bethlehem in Judea, during the time of King Herod, Magi from the east came to Jerusalem and asked, ‘Where is the one who has been born king of the Jews? We saw his star when it rose and have come to worship him'” (Matthew 2:1-2, NIV).

Something in their education and experience told the wise men that this particular star was unusual, and the fulfillment of an ancient prophecy about the birth of a king.

Whatever it was that told them this, they dropped everything—their schedules, their jobs, their families, their friends, their familiar places of living—and went together to find Jesus.

Why? Because they knew the most important thing they could do in this moment of their lives was just that. Find Jesus, the king, and then worship him. But they also knew that their destination was far. And as the old saying goes, “If you want to go fast, go alone. If you want to go far, go together.”

Wise men, indeed!

What if you grabbed another person or two this year and did the same? You’re just three steps away!

Step 1: Commit to someone. Ask your spouse to pray and read the Bible together with you in 2015. In my humble opinion, way too few marriages feature spouses that pray and read the Bible together daily. Just saying. Alternatively, you could do the same with your children, or a buddy from church or your growth group. If you’re feeling particularly outreach-minded in 2015, you could even select someone from work, or school, or your neighborhood.

Step 2: Commit verbally. Say to the person(s) you have selected “Let’s do this! Let’s go search for Jesus, the King, together. We’ll pray with each other each day, share our SOAP journals, and go together to worship Jesus every day this year.”

Step 3: Commit the time. Put it on your calendar. Block out a daily opportunity with your fellow “wise man” when you can meet (even over the phone or via text) and share your thoughts about the King. Don’t forget to clear a space for prayer together daily, too.

Lord, help me to find you daily in the gospel. Help me to find someone with whom I can share this daily journey. And then, put your Spirit in my heart so that we may respond—mind, body, heart and soul—with worship.

Our reading for Friday, January 2, is Genesis 2:18 – 4:16, Matthew 2:1-18 and Psalm 2:1-12.

Header image based on "Orion Nebula" by Familiar, CC by 2.0

A heart of worship. A song of joy.

Today is Christmas! And you know what that means, don’t you?

Our Salvation has come! Jesus, the Chosen One—whose arrival was prophesied for millennia—has made his way into our world.

The most wonderful thing ever is God becoming man so that he could demonstrate to us the full extent of his love! Our redemption draws near!

And that fact cries out for worship in our hearts and a song on our lips!

“And they were singing the song of Moses, the servant of God, and the song of the Lamb: ‘Great and marvelous are your works, O Lord God, the Almighty. Just and true are your ways, O King of the nations. Who will not fear you, Lord, and glorify your name? For you alone are holy. All nations will come and worship before you, for your righteous deeds have been revealed'” (Revelations 15:3-4, NLT).

Our reading for today, Christmas Day, is Haggai 1:1 – 2:23, Psalm 147:7-11, Proverbs 30:20 and Revelation 15:1-8.