GOD Morning! June 18, 2016 / Ready or Not, Here I Come!

GOD Morning!  June 18, 2016

Ready or Not, Here I Come!

Luke 17:20-37

²⁰ Now having been asked by the Pharisees when the kingdom of God would come, He replied, “The kingdom of God is not coming with signs to be observed or with a visible display; ²¹ nor will people say, ‘Look! Here it is!’ or, ‘There it is!’ For the kingdom of God is among you [because of My presence].”

The Kingdom of God is right here. When I read this scripture and simply think about His presence with me, I feel tears behind my eyes. Wow. I don’t have to say a word. I feel His sweet presence with me. Oh, that I would let go of life’s annoyances and focus on God’s Kingdom. Most of the time, my eyes skim over what’s real and focus on the vapor that is this life. What does a vapor do? Poof! It vanishes away in to nothingness.

Second Coming Foretold

²² Then He said to the disciples, “The time will come when you will long to see [even] one of the days of the Son of Man, and you will not see it. ²³ They will say to you, ‘Look [the Messiah is] there!’ or ‘Look [He is] here!’ Do not go away [to see Him], and do not run after them. ²⁴ For just like the lightning, when it flashes out of one part of the sky, gives light to the other part of the sky, so [visible] will the Son of Man be in His day. ²⁵ But first He must suffer many things and be repudiated and rejected and considered unfit [to be the Messiah] by this [unbelieving] generation.

Have you ever been considered by others to be unfit to do a task? Have you ever felt like you were given a task that was way beyond your abilities? Have you felt the scornful, unbelieving eyes of folks? Have you seemingly failed completely? Just remember things aren’t always as they seem. Things can turn around. Just wait it out! When it seems that all is lost, you’ll see things turn around before your very eyes. Jesus knows your pain very well.

²⁶ And just as it was in the days of Noah, so it will be in the time of [the second coming of] the Son of Man: ²⁷ the people were eating, they were drinking, they were marrying, they were being given in marriage, [they were indifferent to God] until the day that Noah went into the ark, and the flood came and destroyed them all. ²⁸ It was the same as it was in the days of Lot. People were eating, they were drinking, they were buying, they were selling, they were planting, they were building [carrying on business as usual, without regard for their sins]; ²⁹ but on the [very] day that Lot left Sodom it rained fire and brimstone (burning sulfur) from heaven and destroyed them all. ³⁰ It will be just the same on the day that the Son of Man is revealed. ³¹ On that day, whoever is on the housetop, with his belongings in the house, must not come down [and go inside] to take them out; and likewise whoever is in the field must not turn back. ³² Remember [what happened to] Lot’s wife [when she looked back]! ³³ Whoever seeks to save his life will [eventually] lose it [through death], and whoever loses his life [in this world] will keep it [from the consequences of sin and separation from God]. ³⁴ I tell you, on that night [when Messiah comes again] there will be two [sleeping] in one bed; the one (the non-believer) will be taken [away in judgment] and the other (the believer) will be left. ³⁵ There will be two women grinding [at the mill] together; the one (the non-believer) will be taken [away in judgment] and the other (the believer) will be left. ³⁶ [“Two men will be in the field; one will be taken and the other will be left.”] ³⁷ And they asked Him, “Where, Lord?” He answered, “Where the corpse is, there the vultures will be gathered.”

This passage describes our world exactly. We are completely oblivious to the Kingdom of God that is right here with us. This is not an amazing movie plot. This is soberingly real. But most of us really don’t believe. The stage is set for the return of the Lord. Unbelievers everywhere will become believers. But it will be too late. Oh, that folks would believe the word of God. But no.

“Dear Jesus, please! Continue to draw hearts to You. Please continue to draw me to You. I have to stop living life as though Your return is somewhere way out in the dim and distant future. Please, I beg You, help me to lay aside the “necessary” for the eternal. Do I really believe? I say I believe, but wow. Am I truly living my life as though I believe. When it really happens, will I be just as shocked as the unbelievers? Oh, God! I must groan and travail in Your presence this morning! I must beg You to continue to draw our attention to the reality of what’s coming. No one will be exempt from that great and terrible day. Your Kingdom is HERE. And NOW. Thank You for opening my blind eyes this morning. How I love You, my Jesus. AMEN.”