BIBLE MEDITATION:
But of that day and hour knoweth no man, no, not the angels of heaven, but My Father only. Matthew 24:36
DEVOTIONAL THOUGHT:
Anybody who sets a date for the Second Coming of Jesus Christ may be getting close to the line of blasphemy. The Bible teaches very plainly, and our Lord taught, that no one knows the time—no one.
Just before Jesus was taken up into glory, the disciples asked Him, “Lord, wilt Thou at this time restore again the kingdom to Israel? And He said unto them, It is not for you to know the times or the seasons, which the Father hath put in His own power” (Acts 1:6-7).
Two things we can be sure of: (1) the certainty of His coming, (2) the uncertainty of the time: “For yourselves know perfectly that the day of the Lord so cometh as a thief in the night” (1 Thessalonians 5:2). No thief has ever told you “I’m coming to your house on such-and-such a day.”
So why hasn’t Jesus Christ come yet? Because “The Lord is not slack concerning His promise as some men count slackness, but is longsuffering to us. Not willing that any should perish but that all should come to repentance.” (2 Peter 3:9).
The Lord is waiting on you to be saved. But one of these days, soon and very soon perhaps, Jesus will come. It is the mercy of God that holds back the second coming of Jesus. But the justice of God and the judgment of God says one day He will come.
No one knows when that day is, but what a glorious day that will be!
ACTION POINT:
Read 1 Thessalonians 4:13-18. What encouragement do you need to share with someone today?
Looking unto Jesus, the author and finisher of our faith; who for the joy that was set before Him endured the cross, despising the shame, and is set down at the right hand of the throne of God. Hebrews 12:2
DEVOTIONAL THOUGHT:
How do you have faith? You look to Jesus, and faith is produced in your heart.
You don’t have to “work up” faith.
Suppose I needed to cross the Mississippi River and I wasn’t sure whether the bridge could hold me up or not. I could do one of two things:
• Stand on the bank and try to work up enough courage to believe in the structural integrity of that bridge, then timidly walk over it.
• Or look at the semi-trucks traveling across the mighty steel and concrete of that bridge, believe, and boldly walk across in faith!
In this case, faith is the by-product of seeing the strength of the bridge itself. In the same way, it’s not great faith in God that you need; it’s faith in a great God!
When you see who Jesus Christ is, when you become acquainted with Him, when you look unto Jesus, who is our chief example, He gives you strength for the race. Not only is He the Author of our faith, He’s also the Finisher of our faith.
“Finisher” means He is the one who completes and perfects our faith. He gives you the strength to run the race. He puts us in the race, then He gives us the strength for it.
ACTION POINT:
Pray: Father, I have been a lazy spiritual athlete. Help those of us who have not known discipline, determination, and direction, to learn them. And, Lord, help us always to be looking unto Jesus.
