Mark 13:29 “Even so, when you see these things happening, you know that it is near, right at the door.”
Rounding Third…
When is “Now!” present tense
and great urgency — pressing?
When “watching and praying”
gives way to HIS face?
Isn’t this span the same
as all others before it?
Won’t Breathe just continue
unchecked and unchanged?
For Life’s heartbreaks and trials
have so long been witnessed:
Destruction and Peril
have always been seen.
Thus the cry of “The End!”
fades because Persecution
has ever lived with us…
both now and back then.
But GOD’s WORD disagrees and
prophetically shows us
that “Now!” is far different
through verse and clear signs.
Thus comes Tribulation
which had not yet surfaced;
With actions and actors
described from past time!
Yes! Penned several hundreds
of years, even thousands…
so clearly predicted
and certainly known.
Very soon shall we then see
our LORD in the heavens!
The ONE, WHO from Wrath
will rescue us — Home!
As just one of HIServants on the Home Team,
Whitney
Devotional: 1 Thessalonians 5:20-21 “Do not despise prophecies, but test everything; hold fast what is good.”
Joe Nuxhall (1928-2007) was both. Cincinnati Reds baseball player and radio, play-by-play announcer for them.
His signature line which he recited at the end of every game was:
“This is the ‘ol left-hander’ rounding third and heading for home. So long, everybody!”
As a kid often listening to my dad’s old transistor radio, I always loved hearing his voice stating those words so “matter-of-factory”.
It was like a confirmation of my own life and being at home…which was the safest place with my brother, mother and father.
So whenever I was away from home, I wanted to be home. It was my safe haven, expectation, refuge and Hope.
If the day had been filled with trouble, chaos, Disappointment, injustice, etc…then getting home meant things would be much better. What expectation indeed!
But who is watching? Who is fervently looking for HIM in the Heavens?
Now some have lumped the negative words just listed to equal “tribulation” as written in the Bible. Their belief is we’re already “in the tribulation” and CHRIST’s return must be coming mid-trib or post trib. AS IF CHRIST’s sacrifice at Calvary DIDN’T pay it all.
Meaning…they’re not looking.
Matthew 26:41” Watch and pray so that you will not fall into temptation. The spirit is willing, but the flesh is weak.”
What’s the Temptation then? To discount and diminish GOD’s written WORD repeatedly! To be clear, it tells us to watch and pray: to look up and be ready!
But also consider that the word Tribulation in Revelation isn’t referring to various forms of Persecution.
Let’s restate that once more. The Persecution we see of CHRISTians is not The Tribulation. Period. Nothing in Scripture supports that connection. It is the Time of Jacob’s Trouble…not the Time of the Church’s Trouble.
There are specific events mapped out clearly in the WORD of GOD that taken in context and cross referenced ONLY permit a rescue of the church just as Noah and his family were also rescued.
Please understand that GOD is just and must punish sin. All that punishment fell on JESUS and that’s why it’s Good News!
Anything other than a pre-tribulation Rapture can then be mapped to the exact day of HIS return. But none know the Hour NOR the day!
Take note that even if one adamantly denies the Rapture stating “the word rapture isn’t in the Bible” — ignoring that the word “harpazo” is meaning a “sudden catching away” — then they have to reconcile why we’d still be here to face the specific span HE calls Tribulation.
Consider also anything other than a pre-tribulation Rapture means you will have to suffer the same wrath of GOD as the unbeliever.
WHICH MEANS such a belief also discounts CHRIST’s sacrifice as inadequate, insufficient, lacking, and simply put, “not enough”.
Many won’t admit that out loud. But by claiming anything other than pre-tribulation rescue — JUST LIKE THE EXAMPLE OF NOAH is to us…then one IS stating CHRIST didn’t do enough.
So as we are presently rounding third given the already completed signs in the world and the skies as well as the checkboxes with Scripture.
But GOD! HE is sending CHRIST to BRING US HOME! So we wait upon our Sovereign REDEEMER!
So be a Broken and Contrite Berean, studying Scripture, rightly dividing Truth and proclaiming the GOOD NEWS!
Why? Because there isn’t any Good news IF we have to go through HIS spelled out, specific period of wrath meant to reconcile Israel back to HIMSELF!
I Chronicles 29:11-13 “YOURS, O LORD, is the greatness,
The power and the glory,
The victory and the majesty;
For all that is in heaven and
in earth is YOURS;
YOURS is the kingdom, O LORD!
And YOU are exalted as
Head over all!
12 Both riches and honor
come from YOU and YOU
reign over all.
In YOUR hand is power and might;
In YOUR hand it is to make great
and to give strength to all.
13 “Now therefore, our GOD,
we thank YOU and praise YOUR glorious NAME.”
Thank YOU for YOUR promises, LORD JESUS! We long to see YOUR face! Amen and amen!
2CJC 