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Tag Archives: Second Coming

Revelation

03 Jul

Dear God, I have a question: Should I care about Revelation? If so, what should I care about? I was listening to a video by N.T. Wright last night, and…well, let me back up really quickly.

Monday night at the Christian Men’s Life Skills Bible study, the ice-breaker question was, “If you could ask God one question, what would it be?” Several people asked about the end times and Revelation. One of the leaders got up and started talking a lot about the end times possibly being now. I remained silent throughout the discussion, but then when I got up and had my turn to talk to start my Bible study on David’s ascent to the throne over all of Israel I found myself telling the men, “I don’t care about Revelation.” The same leader who talked about end times also made a great statement when he was asked for his question of you. He basically said, “I don’t have any questions of God. My job is just to serve him.” I wholeheartedly agree, so I leaned into that. I told them that, for me, I don’t care about the end times because you have given me work to do today. I also try not to care about what’s in it for me because I “consider my life worth nothing to me.” (Acts 20:24) Then I went into your exchange with Job in Job 38-42. I found my voice getting really passionate about it as I said it all. I could feel it happening in real time. I thought I hadn’t been that animated during most of the Samuel/Saul/Jonathan/David stuff, but I apparently had something to say about this. It was interesting.

Fast forward to last night, and I am listening to the N.T. Wright talk. Someone had put up a video comparing his theology on this issue with John MacArthur’s. MacArthur has a much more rapture/tribulation/second coming view of the end. First, isn’t it fascinating to see how we can read the same things and disagree?

One thing Wright said that I’d never heard before in a second video I listened to was that the imagery John used in Revelation was commonly understood by readers of the day and that the whole part about you winning and Jesus on the throne has already happened. All we are waiting for is your second coming, but even that won’t be something where we are taken away from earth. You will return to earth and rule here. We will meet you in the sky because people go out to greet their king, but then we will return with you to earth.

So back to my initial question. And I really mean this. Am I missing something that you want to use to develop me by ignoring Revelation. The thoughts that are coming to me right now is that I am missing the warnings to the churches. Those are important for anyone to heed. It makes me wonder if John were writing Revelation today, what would your words be to the church in the United States? What would it be to the different denominations? What would it be to me?

Father, I think over the next few days I am going to go to the parts of Revelation that are the letters to the churches. I want to see what you said to them and what I need to understand from them. Oh, how I love you. Oh, how I love to sit and do things like this with you. When I sat down this morning, I had zero idea what I would pray about, and then I let your Holy Spirit guide me into this wonderful thought process and discussion with you. Help me to not become so into it that I lose my salt for the earth. And thank you for teaching me new skills for this Christian Men’s Life Skills class. You are stretching me and growing me through it. Thank you for stretching me and growing me in such a gentle and delightful way. And thank you, Father, for the good news for a couple of relatives yesterday. And for good news for other prayers as well. I don’t thank you enough for the answers to prayers. But I am grateful for your movement in my life and in the lives around me. Thank you.

I pray this in Jesus and with your Holy Spirit,

Amen

 
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Posted by on July 3, 2025 in Miscellaneous, Musings and Stories, Revelation

 

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Peter & John — 2 Peter 3:1-13

31 Jan

2 Peter 3:1-13 NIV
[1] Dear friends, this is now my second letter to you. I have written both of them as reminders to stimulate you to wholesome thinking. [2] I want you to recall the words spoken in the past by the holy prophets and the command given by our Lord and Savior through your apostles. [3] Above all, you must understand that in the last days scoffers will come, scoffing and following their own evil desires. [4] They will say, “Where is this ‘coming’ he promised? Ever since our ancestors died, everything goes on as it has since the beginning of creation.” [5] But they deliberately forget that long ago by God’s word the heavens came into being and the earth was formed out of water and by water. [6] By these waters also the world of that time was deluged and destroyed. [7] By the same word the present heavens and earth are reserved for fire, being kept for the day of judgment and destruction of the ungodly. [8] But do not forget this one thing, dear friends: With the Lord a day is like a thousand years, and a thousand years are like a day. [9] The Lord is not slow in keeping his promise, as some understand slowness. Instead he is patient with you, not wanting anyone to perish, but everyone to come to repentance. [10] But the day of the Lord will come like a thief. The heavens will disappear with a roar; the elements will be destroyed by fire, and the earth and everything done in it will be laid bare. [11] Since everything will be destroyed in this way, what kind of people ought you to be? You ought to live holy and godly lives [12] as you look forward to the day of God and speed its coming. That day will bring about the destruction of the heavens by fire, and the elements will melt in the heat. [13] But in keeping with his promise we are looking forward to a new heaven and a new earth, where righteousness dwells.

Dear God, I was thinking recently about the accumulation of wealth and striving for retirement. In fact, a friend and I were talking yesterday about when enough will be enough. He is wanting to go into nonprofit work, but feels like he has to first get his kids all of the way through college and then have his retirement planned before he can do that. He was looking at being a minimum of 15 years away from that.

As for me, when I first took the job I currently have at a nonprofit I was in my mid-30s and in no way expected it to be my last job. I figured I would get my daughter (she was six at the time) through high school so she wouldn’t have to move and then move on. Well, my daughter stopped going to school in our town almost five years ago and here I am still at this job. I told the friend yesterday that a few years ago I actually started to get my head into a space where this could actually be my last job. I’ve been there 13 years now. I know that if you are willing I have at least 20 more years of being able to work productively. Will I really look back and say that I worked for this nonprofit for over 30 years?

The questions that start to come to me out of this thought are interesting. The first is, how am I going to start accumulating more for retirement? Nonprofits, by nature, don’t pay at a level that will allow me to stick a lot away into an IRA. Should I take a second job driving for wine tours on weekends to prepare for that day?

Then there is achievement. When I was fresh out of college I had dreams of doing great things. “Great” was undefined, but I am pretty sure working for a nonprofit in a rural community wouldn’t have registered in my top 10 at the time.

Spiritually, I had a dream to influence hundreds or thousands of people (or tens of thousands or millions) towards believing in and pursuing you. My first job out of college was working for a Christian music publisher. At that point, I thought I would end up in Nashville and eventually run the label and distribution company. I remember privately working on projects that would build Bible studies out of musical albums. Even some of the writing I have done over the years might have caught on and influenced a lot of people. But that hasn’t really happened.

Father, I leave all of that hubris and ego at the foot of your cross. I leave the fear of scarcity and the lethargy of desiring retirement and comfort at the foot of your cross. I leave the preoccupation of my future (which is completely unknown to all but you) at the foot of the cross. All I have is today as I await your return. I have the work you have put in front of me to do today. That includes how you want me to love my family, reach out to others, and then do the paid and unpaid tasks that you have put in front of me to do. Help me to do it all with your peace, your strength, and for your glory and not mine.

In Jesus’ name I pray,

Amen

 
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Posted by on January 31, 2019 in 2 Peter, Peter and John

 

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Peter & John — 1 Peter 4:7-11

16 Jan

1 Peter 4:7-11 NIV
[7] The end of all things is near. Therefore be alert and of sober mind so that you may pray. [8] Above all, love each other deeply, because love covers over a multitude of sins. [9] Offer hospitality to one another without grumbling. [10] Each of you should use whatever gift you have received to serve others, as faithful stewards of God’s grace in its various forms. [11] If anyone speaks, they should do so as one who speaks the very words of God. If anyone serves, they should do so with the strength God provides, so that in all things God may be praised through Jesus Christ. To him be the glory and the power for ever and ever. Amen.

Dear God, it’s interesting that Peter and Paul were under the impression that you would be returning at any minute. I suppose that created quite a sense of urgency for them.

I wonder how my life would change if I felt that same sense of urgency. What would it look like if I were able to make some of my decisions as if I’m in this earthly life for the long hall and but still had this overriding drive telling me you could be returning at any moment? Would my job be the same, but interactions with others be different? Would I actually make a lot of mistakes because I would lose my patience with how slowly your plan can unfold sometimes? As I think about it, one of the things you’ve really taught me over the last few years is to wait on you. I can see where the overriding thought that you could return at any moment would actually nudge me into doing some damage.

Father, as always, help me to hear your voice and follow your leading at any given time. Love through me. Encourage and inspire through me. And also encourage me along the way, although it feels silly to ask you that last one because you’ve encouraged me several times over the last year (and always). So thank you for that too. I really am grateful and try not to take you for granted.

In Jesus’ name I pray,

Amen

 
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Posted by on January 16, 2019 in 1 Peter, Peter and John

 

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Emails to God – Ignoring the Second Coming (Matthew 24:1-35)

14 Apr

1 Jesus left the temple and was walking away when his disciples came up to him to call his attention to its buildings. 2 “Do you see all these things?” he asked. “Truly I tell you, not one stone here will be left on another; every one will be thrown down.”

3 As Jesus was sitting on the Mount of Olives, the disciples came to him privately. “Tell us,” they said, “when will this happen, and what will be the sign of your coming and of the end of the age?”

4 Jesus answered: “Watch out that no one deceives you. 5 For many will come in my name, claiming, ‘I am the Messiah,’ and will deceive many. 6 You will hear of wars and rumors of wars, but see to it that you are not alarmed. Such things must happen, but the end is still to come. 7 Nation will rise against nation, and kingdom against kingdom. There will be famines and earthquakes in various places. 8 All these are the beginning of birth pains.

9 “Then you will be handed over to be persecuted and put to death, and you will be hated by all nations because of me. 10 At that time many will turn away from the faith and will betray and hate each other, 11 and many false prophets will appear and deceive many people. 12 Because of the increase of wickedness, the love of most will grow cold, 13 but the one who stands firm to the end will be saved. 14 And this gospel of the kingdom will be preached in the whole world as a testimony to all nations, and then the end will come.

15 “So when you see standing in the holy place ‘the abomination that causes desolation,’ spoken of through the prophet Daniel—let the reader understand— 16 then let those who are in Judea flee to the mountains. 17 Let no one on the housetop go down to take anything out of the house. 18 Let no one in the field go back to get their cloak. 19 How dreadful it will be in those days for pregnant women and nursing mothers! 20 Pray that your flight will not take place in winter or on the Sabbath. 21 For then there will be great distress, unequaled from the beginning of the world until now—and never to be equaled again.

22 “If those days had not been cut short, no one would survive, but for the sake of the elect those days will be shortened. 23 At that time if anyone says to you, ‘Look, here is the Messiah!’ or, ‘There he is!’ do not believe it. 24 For false messiahs and false prophets will appear and perform great signs and wonders to deceive, if possible, even the elect. 25 See, I have told you ahead of time.

26 “So if anyone tells you, ‘There he is, out in the wilderness,’ do not go out; or, ‘Here he is, in the inner rooms,’ do not believe it. 27 For as lightning that comes from the east is visible even in the west, so will be the coming of the Son of Man. 28 Wherever there is a carcass, there the vultures will gather.

29 “Immediately after the distress of those days

“‘the sun will be darkened,
and the moon will not give its light;
the stars will fall from the sky,
and the heavenly bodies will be shaken.’

30 “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. 31 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.

32 “Now learn this lesson from the fig tree: As soon as its twigs get tender and its leaves come out, you know that summer is near. 33 Even so, when you see all these things, you know that it is near, right at the door. 34 Truly I tell you, this generation will certainly not pass away until all these things have happened. 35 Heaven and earth will pass away, but my words will never pass away.

Dear God, is it bad that I ignore passages like this one? Is it a problem that I have decided that I can’t make decisions about how to live my daily life based on the second coming and still keep my sanity? Nearly 2,000 years have passed since you spoke these words. I suppose a case could be made that we are closer now than ever so I should be aware (maybe it will be on December 21, 2012), but I just can’t live that way.

So how should I live? Is there a part of this message that is imperative for me to adopt. Beyond ignoring the false prophets, I think you are also calling me to not slumber. I need to pursue you. I need to know you and let you direct my path. Perhaps this passage was more about telling the disciples to not be so impressed with the buildings they were seeing at the beginning of the chapter and less about you coming back, riding on the clouds.

Father, I don’t want to miss the lesson of this passage, but I also don’t want to read too much into it. I guess the part that always amazes me, as I sit here at type, is that out of all of the billions of people in the world, you are interested in me. You are interested in these prayers. You are interested in the lessons I will learn from you and the actions I will take. You are interested in me getting to know you and having a relationship with you. You long for me. Basically, if I will take the lesson from the last chapter and love you with all my heart, mind, and strength then I will be okay. That’s what I’ll try to do.

 
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Posted by on April 14, 2012 in Matthew

 

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