Thursday, December 31, 2015

THE SECOND COMING (2)

FOCUSING ON LOOKING FORWARD

(Philippians 3:13)  Learn from it and move on 


Dear Friends, here we are, mere hours away from entering into a brand new year: 2016 will have many making New Year’s resolutions, while at the same time there are hundreds perhaps even thousands of believers are planning to re-dedicate, offer total surrender, and/or begin a brand new committed walk with Christ Jesus.

 

As children of God, we are focusing our thoughts on The Second Coming of Jesus: and armed with New attitudes, we are letting go of the past, and as we grow in the Word of God, we joyfully acknowledge that God is about to mix the former latter rain of His Blessings and shower us abundantly with the Power of His Anointing.


Sometime ago I read a wonderful story in a Daily Devotion Magazine, that I’d like to share with you now, and I pray that you will be ever so inspired by it as I was. 


One day in an orchard, seven-year-old Walter noticed an owl sleeping on a branch.  Thinking it would make a wonderful pet he approached quietly and grabbed its leg.  In a flurry of beating wings, wild eyes and frightened cries, the bird struggled so the boy threw it down and stomped it to death.  Horrified by his actions, he fled.  When he returned later to bury it, each shovelful of earth was mixed with tears of regret.  The incident haunted him and he told no one about it – till years later when it had awakened in him a fresh appreciation for life.  All the promises in the world couldn’t bring back that one owl, but through its death a world of animals was born.  The boy’s gone, but his legacy lives on in the drawings of Walter Elias. . . aka, Walt Disney. 


 

Charles Dickens said, “Reflect on your blessings of which every man has plenty, not on your past misfortunes of which all men have some.”  Learn from your past, then “Focus on…looking forward.”

 
Paul Harvey writes: “The relationships we entered, stayed in, or ended, taught us important lessons.  Some of us have emerged from painful circumstances with strong insights about who we are and what we want.  Our mistakes? Necessary!  Our frustrations, failures…stumbling attempts at growth and progress?  Necessary too! Each step of the way we learned.  We went through exactly what we needed to become who we are today.  Is our past a mistake?  No.  Our mistake is mistaking that for the truth.”  God can ‘reframe’ our past in the light of the grace and mercy that brought us to where we are today.  So, what are we to do?  We are to learn from it and move on.  Amen

 

 

 

 

 

Trials and Temptations
 James 1:2-5 (NIV)


“Consider it pure joy, my brothers and sisters, whenever you face trials of many kinds, because you know that the testing of your faith produces perseverance. Let perseverance finish its work so that you may be mature and complete, not lacking anything. If any of you lacks wisdom, you should ask God, who gives generously to all without finding fault, and it will be given to you.”

 

Playwright Janet Irene Thomas
Founder/Chairman/CEO
Bible Stories Theatre of
Fine & Performing Arts
   
                                                    
www.biblestoriestheatre.org                        info@biblestoriestheatre.org

 

Wednesday, December 30, 2015

THE SECOND COMING OF CHRIST JESUS


He is The Way, the Truth, and the Life

(1 Thessalonians 4:16,17; 5:5-11; Acts 1:10; Philippians 4:4; John 14:1-3) 


Jesus promised His disciples He would come again. 
John 14:1-3 (NKJV)

14 “Let not your heart be troubled; you believe in God, believe also in Me. (2) In My Father’s house are many mansions; if it were not so, I would have told you. I go to prepare a place for you. (3) And if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come again and receive you to Myself; that where I am, there you may be also.”


 

 


Second Coming of Jesus

Christmas, we shared biblical truth that with the Birth of Christ Jesus, there also came victory over sin and death.  Today, as we continue in our study, and in our Thanksgiving, Worship, Praise, and Exaltation of the CHRISTmas, (our greatest gift) we will commit to our everlasting remembrance a precious promise He left all believers at THE LAST SUPPER.  He promised His disciples He would come again.  That promise brings Joy to the World.  You will find that promise in John 14:1-3, "Let not your heart be troubled. You are trusting God, now trust in Me. There are many homes up there where my Father lives, and I am going to prepare them for your coming. When everything is ready, then I will come and get you, so that you can always be with Me where I am. If this weren't so, I would tell you plainly. And you know where I am going and how to get there."

The Holy Bible tells us that Christ's return will be exact and genuine.  Scriptures also tells us that as Jesus ascended to heaven and as his disciples were looking, two angels stood by them dressed in white (Acts 1:10). These angels told the disciples something very important: “Men of Galilee, why do you stand gazing up into heaven? This same Jesus, who was taken up from you into heaven, will so come in like manner as you saw Him go into heaven.”

Luke says thusly: "At that time they will see the Son of Man coming in a cloud with power and great glory."



D

ear Friends, I cannot express this enough. . .as we celebrate, we ought to meditate (myself included) on the very reason that we even have CHRISTmas. Last eve, after feasting on food for my  physical body,  I fed my spiritual body, mind, and heart and soul on a few of TCM biblical movies that celebrated the Birth of Christ.  Good stuff.  This morning, as I thought on how, and/or what direction I would continue my writing on the ‘First’ Coming of Christ,  my mind was still (Holy Spirit at work)reflecting on one of the TCM movies_ King of King; I went to this scripture passage: Revelation 1:7, NIV. "Look, He is coming with the clouds, and every eye will see Him, even those who pierced Him; and all the peoples of the earth will mourn because of Him." Hmmm,  why am I here, I wondered?  Was there something left wondering in my mind after seeing that particular movie?  Was there perhaps a message that I am to share with you  while I too learn more of His Saving Grace?  Shall we go back to the First Coming – The Birth of Christ.






The Two Comings of Christ

Here’s what we know: At present we are living amongst the two comings of Christ. Christ came to earth the FIRST TIME about 2000 years ago when he was born as a Baby in Bethlehem. Someday Christ will come to this earth for a second time. We call this the SECOND COMING of Christ. The first coming is a past event. It has already happened. The Bible says, "Christ Jesus came into the world to save sinners " (1 Timothy 1:15). He has already done this! "And we know that the Son of God is (has) come. " (1 JOHN 5:20). He has come, and the Bible also teaches that He will come again!


Some of the differences between the first and second comings of Christ:


THE FIRST COMING OF CHRIST
THE SECOND COMING OF CHRIST

      The Cross
                       Christ came to die.




                          
              The Crown
 Christ will come to rule and reign.
The first coming of Christ is a matter of HISTORY.
The second coming of Christ is a matter of PROPHECY.
It has already  happened!
God's Word tells us that it will happen!
Christ HAS COME (1 John 4:2).
It will take place in the FUTURE.
Christ came to be the SAVIOUR OF SINNERS (Matthew 1:21).
Christ WILL COME (Acts 1:11).
Christ came to be man’s SAVIOUR (John 3:17).
Christ will come to be the KING OF KINGS (Revelation 19:16).
Christ was killed by His enemies (Matthew 27:20-25).
Christ will come to be man’s JUDGE (Jude 14-15).
When Christ came the first time He was rejected by the Jewish people (John 1:11). They crucified their Messiah.
When Christ comes the second time He will be received by the Jewish people (Zechariah 12:10-11; Romans 11:25-28; Matthew 23:39).


O
hhhh, Dear Friends, there is soooo much to be shared about CHRISTmas, that will surely change yours lives. But, alas, there’s no time; I wish we could sit around a fire place, drink a few mugs of hot tea, and share Jesus.  However, since we can’t do that, (this time) here are a few things that will start us on our way to seeing Jesus face-to-face.  Oh, if I could only be found as faithful as Enoch. Hebrews 11:5, tells us by faith Enoch was taken away so that he did not see death, “and was not found, because God had taken him”; for before he was taken he had this testimony, that he pleased God.

So, who will see Him when He comes and what exactly will we see and hear when He comes? I want to be in that number!  Did you see the movie ‘Left Behind’?  I certainly don’t want to be in that number of those left behind.
In 1 Thessalonians 4:16-17, we fine: "For the Lord himself will come down from heaven, with a loud command, with the voice of the archangel and with the trumpet call of God, and the dead in Christ will rise first. After that, we who are still alive and are left will be caught up with them in the clouds to meet the Lord in the air. And so we will be with the Lord forever."  Are you happy about it?  I am.  I get excited about NOTHING ELSE but the WORD of GOD.  

What can man tell me about His Coming?  Why should we believe man when the Bible tells us in 2 Peter 3:10, NKJV that Christ's coming will be unexpected and dramatic..  And His coming will be visible to us all so it says in the Book of Matthew 24:27, NIV:  "For as the lightning comes from the east and flashes to the west, so will be the coming of the Son of Man.” And   continue reading where it ‘clearly’ states thusly:  “But the day of the Lord will come as a thief in the night, in which the heavens will pass away with a great noise, and the elements will melt with fervent heat; both the earth and the works that are in it will be burned up."

 

Closing Thoughts –

The Lord's Second Coming to Earth will be Unrestricted, Almighty, and Spectacular.



In His FIRST COMING Christ came as Savior; in His SECOND COMING, He will come as judge!


Tonight, I want to leave this reminder from Matthew 24:36-39: "No one knows about that day or hour, not even the angels in heaven, nor the Son, but only the Father."  So, with that thought in mind, I personally will be living each day as if it were the last.  "As it was in the days of Noah, so it will be at the coming of the Son of Man. For in the days before the flood, people were eating and drinking, marrying and giving in marriage, up to the day Noah entered the ark; and they knew nothing about what would happen until the flood came and took them all away. That is how it will be at the coming of the Son of Man."

B
UT, in the Book of Titus 2:11-14, are Words of hope while we wait for Jesus.  Scripture goes thusly: " For the grace of God that brings salvation has appeared to all men, teaching us that, denying ungodliness and worldly lusts, we should live soberly, righteously, and godly in the present age, looking for the blessed hope and glorious appearing of our great God and Savior Jesus Christ, who gave Himself for us, that He might redeem us from every lawless deed and purify for Himself His own special people, zealous for good works."



 J
 esus is coming to receive us, HIS BRIDE which is the Church  stands before us today as our Savior, the Lamb slain for our sins. But if we do not turn to Him in faith, He will one day stand before us as our righteous Judge. He will say: "On earth I was your Savior, but you would not believe. Here I am your Judge; depart from Me to everlasting punishment. “We don’t have to face the Lion in the judgment. The Lamb is waiting to save us. Believing on Him today! 



Playwright Janet Irene Thomas
Founder/Chairman/CEO
Bible Stories Theatre of     
Fine & Performing Arts