Prayer – Lord, wake me up! I’m feeling a little spiritual drowsy and it’s time to get back to You—to dig deeper into Your word—and to wake up others, too. Thank you for not giving up on me—and for continually having unconditional love.
Meditate. Wake up.
We are told that we need to be prepared and to be watchful. I’m not sure I even understand what The Day of the Lord is…but I’ve done some searching. According to the Thayer’s Greek Lexicon, Strongs G2250, The Day of the Lord is described as the last day of this present age. We can be sure that only God the Father knows the exact day and time, so that seems to be what I’ve been taught as the time after the thousand-year reign of Jesus Christ. No matter if it is the day of Christ’s return at the Rapture, or at His return after the Millenium, it will happen suddenly. If it is after the Millenium, then this is written for those who become Christians during those thousand years as we earlier Christians will already be in Heaven. God has told us all this—but it is like a puzzle, and you have to find the pieces and put them together to see the whole story. I like puzzles, but I don’t often do jigsaw puzzles—just occasionally read novels that have a mystery to them that has to be unraveled and put together to understand. Intriguing. That is just how I see God’s story of the end times. Fascinating. Enthralling. Mysterious. Intriguing.
Now concerning how and when all this will happen, dear brothers and sisters, we don't really need to write you. For you know quite well that the day of the Lord's return will come unexpectedly, like a thief in the night. When people are saying, "Everything is peaceful and secure," then disaster will fall on them as suddenly as a pregnant woman's labor pains begin. And there will be no escape. But you aren't in the dark about these things, dear brothers and sisters, and you won't be surprised when the day of the Lord comes like a thief. For you are all children of the light and of the day; we don't belong to darkness and night. So be on your guard, not asleep like the others. Stay alert and be clearheaded. 1 Thessalonians 5:1-6 (Underlined for emphasis.)
But you must not forget this one thing, dear friends: A day is like a thousand years to the Lord, and a thousand years is like a day. The Lord isn't really being slow about his promise, as some people think. No, he is being patient for your sake. He does not want anyone to be destroyed, but wants everyone to repent. But the day of the Lord will come as unexpectedly as a thief. Then the heavens will pass away with a terrible noise, and the very elements themselves will disappear in fire, and the earth and everything on it will be found to deserve judgment. Since everything around us is going to be destroyed like this, what holy and godly lives you should live, looking forward to the day of God and hurrying it along. On that day, he will set the heavens on fire, and the elements will melt away in the flames. But we are looking forward to the new heavens and new earth he has promised, a world filled with God's righteousness. 2 Peter 3:8-13 (Underlined for emphasis.)
Be prepared. Watch. Look at what is happening in the world today. Is it any different from ten or twenty years ago, or a couple thousand years ago?
"Look, I will come as unexpectedly as a thief! Blessed are all who are watching for me, who keep their clothing ready so they will not have to walk around naked and ashamed." Revelation 16:15
Are you expecting Jesus to return or to be raptured in your lifetime? Are you choosing to be prepared and to watch for Him?
Verse of Salvation ~ The message of the cross is foolish to those who are headed for destruction! But we who are being saved know it is the very power of God. As the Scriptures say, "I will destroy the wisdom of the wise and discard the intelligence of the intelligent." So where does this leave the philosophers, the scholars, and the world's brilliant debaters? God has made the wisdom of this world look foolish. Since God in his wisdom saw to it that the world would never know him through human wisdom, he has used our foolish preaching to save those who believe. It is foolish to the Jews, who ask for signs from heaven. And it is foolish to the Greeks, who seek human wisdom. So when we preach that Christ was crucified, the Jews are offended and the Gentiles say it's all nonsense. But to those called by God to salvation, both Jews and Gentiles, Christ is the power of God and the wisdom of God. This foolish plan of God is wiser than the wisest of human plans, and God's weakness is stronger than the greatest of human strength. 1 Corinthians 1:18-25 NLT
It’s summer. What would Jesus be eating in Israel? Time for plenty of fresh fruits and vegetables. Figs and lychees are ripe now in Israel. Remember the story of Jesus cursing the baren fig tree. No one would be eating from that tree again!
Fresh figs from California are available soon in July and October here in the United States. They are so good to just wash, bite into, and eat. They are a little crunchy as the flower is on the inside of the plant. Yes, you can eat the skin. Another way to eat figs is chopped and added to some feta cheese on crisp whole grain crackers. Figs can be incorporated into a salad or found in the great American cookie—fig bars. There are lots of ways to use and enjoy them—Jesus did. Will we be eating figs in heaven some day? Only God knows.
© 2024 Text, photos, and illustrations by Mickey M. Hunacek. All rights reserved.
All scripture quoted from the New Living Translation (NLT) unless otherwise noted.
New Living Translation copyright © 1996, 2004, 2007 by Tyndale House Foundation.
Used by permission of Tyndale House Publishers Inc., Carol Stream, Illinois 60188. All rights reserved.
Biblical search from Blue Letter Bible - http://v3.blueletterbible.org/search.cfm.
Books by Mickey M. Hunacek
Available as e-books or paperbacks at Amazon.com
Parenting Day By Day - Daily Devotional for Building Character
Coins in the Bible: New Testament Stories
No comments:
Post a Comment