Tag: End Times

Posted in Bible study, Come, Lord Jesus, Come, Devotion, From the Insideout, Journey Through The Word, Know These Truths, LGG Study, Prayer Starters, Quiet Time

He’s Coming Again!

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Based on the LGG Study, Come, Lord Jesus, Come / w2d3

Scripture: Revelation 3:10-11 (11)

 Because you have kept my admonition to endure steadfastly, I will also keep you from the hour of testing that is about to come on the whole world to test those who live on the earth. 11 I am coming soon. Hold on to what you have so that no one can take away your crown. – Rev 3:10-11. NET

Despite the fact that I frequently share the devotions from the study journal, I will not always do so. However, I do believe they are most helpful in gaining further insight. I find this to be especially true in this particular study since some passages, like today’s, deal with eschatological events; I’ve mentioned before that while I have heard many messages preached about the end times and have read through the book of Revelation, I have never delved into a study of Revelation and/or the end times. So, as it arises in this study and others, I lean even more heavily on trusted resources, friends, and Pastors to help me understand what I’m reading in order that I might correctly explain the Word of God. 1

This one thing I do know and cling to daily – Jesus is coming again!

Coming again coming again
Maybe morning maybe noon
Maybe evening and maybe soon
Coming again coming again
Oh what a wonderful day it will be
Jesus is coming again

Jesus is Coming Again / John W. Peterson

INTO THE WORD from p 64 of the Come, Lord Jesus, Come / an LGG study

Because you have kept my admonition to endure steadfastly, I will also keep you from the hour of testing that is about to come on the whole world to test those who live on the earth. Revelation 3:11

These verses, originally written to the church in Philadelphia, can be considered controversial depending on your view of the end times. Some scholars have read these verses and believe they are a promise that the church, as a whole, will be spared from experiencing the tribulation in the end times (1 Thessalonians 4:13—5:11). However, other scholars believe these verses apply to only the church in Philadelphia, regarding a specific hour of testing and persecution in their time and region.

Either way, we know Jesus is coming back. That is both a fact and a promise. So, whether God chooses to remove the church before His final testing, sometimes called the tribulation, like He did with Noah from the flood and Lot from Sodom, or He allows the church to go through the tribulation and protects her as He did with Israel in Egypt or with Daniel in Babylon, we know that God has made a provision for us. He has been providing the church with strength and courage in the midst of horrific persecution throughout the centuries and is doing so to this day.

Instead of allowing division to form around the interpretation of eschatological events, let’s remain united around the promise of Jesus’ return and our hope of eternity spent with Him.

PRAYER

Prayer

Dear Lord, thank You for the promise that You are always with us, to the end of the age. Help us not allow our hearts and minds to give in to fear, but give us supernatural courage to face the world without fear, knowing that You are fighting our battles. Help us remember our persecuted brothers and sisters around the world who are currently facing great difficulty for Your name. Thank You, Lord, for Your goodness in our lives and the blessed hope we can carry in our hearts as we look to our future spent with You in heaven for eternity! Until that glorious day, we will continue to pray come, Lord Jesus, come. Amen.

The More You Know

Are you ready? If you have believed in Jesus Christ as your Lord and Savior then you are by the grace of God part of the family of God, and your eternity is secured forever in Heaven with God. However, if you have not believed, I plead with you to read Know These Truths and call upon the name of Jesus and be saved.

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Posted in Bible study, Come, Lord Jesus, Come, LGG Study

The Last Hour

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(Love God Greatly: Come, Lord Jesus, Come – week 1, day 5)

Today’s Reading: 1 John 2:18-19 (SOAP: 18-19)

18 Dear children, the last hour is here. You have heard that the Antichrist is coming, and already many such antichrists have appeared. From this we know that the last hour has come. 19 These people left our churches, but they never really belonged with us; otherwise they would have stayed with us. When they left, it proved that they did not belong with us. 1 John 2:18-19 NLT

John warns against the Antichrist*

John defines an antichrist as “he who denies the Father and the Son” (1 John 2:22), does not confess Jesus (1 John 4:3), and does not confess Jesus as coming in the flesh (2 John 1:7). We find him here in verses 18-19 of 1 John 2 talking about how many have already appeared and that this indicates “the last hour has come”. In verse 19, John also gives us details of how we will know them. The details are both shocking and concerning. First, the shocking detail is we will know them because they were part of our churches. Which leads me to the concerning detail, they were a part of our churches. They were those thought to be brothers and sisters in Christ, most likely even leaders in the church. The encouraging news is that once they go out from us we will know them for what and who they are, antichrists, those who are against Christ and who deny the Father and the Son. Surely our concern should be for their souls. However, it seems the greater concern for the body is knowing that they may be among us. At the very least it is certainly a reminder and encouragement to know the Scriptures well and be alert to the teaching we receive and the conversations we have, so that we are not duped into believing or following false teachers, preachers, or – as John so aptly names them -antichrists. One other thought that strikes me as important is that because they dwell among us they know the things we teach and how we act and what is expected which means they may be difficult to distinguish.

*The term ‘antichrist’ here is not the same as the term “The Antichrist” found in the book of Revelation.

Response to the Word

Father, help us to stay alert, not only does our adversary, the devil, prowl around like a roaring lion looking for someone to devour, there may be antichrists among us. Perhaps it will be a teacher, a pastor, a friend, or a family member that we believe are true followers of Jesus Christ but who will sadly one day reveal themselves as being against Jesus and all that we believe. Oh give us eyes to see, minds that are alert, and hearts that are so filled with Your Word and awake to Your Spirit that we will not be deceived. Prod us to pray for these antichrists Father that their hearts will be changed while they dwell among us and they will turn to You and not against You. These things I pray in Jesus’ name and for Your glory!

Your Turn: Reflections

  • Is everyone who goes to church also going to heaven?
  • What does 1 John 2:18-19 say about this?