A Glorious Appearing
by Dr. Paul Chappell
“And then shall they see the Son of man coming in a cloud with power and great glory. And when these things begin to come to pass, then look up, and lift up your heads; for your redemption draweth nigh.”
Luke 21:27–28
The Irish evangelist Dr. Henry Guinness used this illustration of the Second Coming. “I heard The Messiah with great delight last evening. Now if a man had asked me after the performance had proceeded a couple of hours how long I thought it would continue, I would have answered, ‘About five minutes.’ ‘But,’ the man might have expostulated, ‘how can that be? It is in full swing, has been going on for two hours, and I see no reason why it should not continue for two hours longer. How do you know it will be over in five minutes?’ Then I should have answered him, ‘Because I have the score.’”
There are even more promises in the Bible regarding the Second Coming than there are about the first appearing of Jesus. In the 270 chapters of the New Testament, scholars find more than three hundred references to the return of the Lord. We may not see many signs of hope in our world. It may seem like things are getting darker and darker, and there is nothing good to which to look forward.
For the Christian, the days may be dark, but there is a bright light at the end of the book where the Bible tells us that Jesus is going to come back. There have now been almost two thousand years since Jesus returned to Heaven, but the promise made that day will be kept. “Which also said, Ye men of Galilee, why stand ye gazing up into heaven? this same Jesus, which is taken up from you into heaven, shall so come in like manner as ye have seen him go into heaven” (Acts 1:11).
Luke 21:27–28
The Irish evangelist Dr. Henry Guinness used this illustration of the Second Coming. “I heard The Messiah with great delight last evening. Now if a man had asked me after the performance had proceeded a couple of hours how long I thought it would continue, I would have answered, ‘About five minutes.’ ‘But,’ the man might have expostulated, ‘how can that be? It is in full swing, has been going on for two hours, and I see no reason why it should not continue for two hours longer. How do you know it will be over in five minutes?’ Then I should have answered him, ‘Because I have the score.’”
There are even more promises in the Bible regarding the Second Coming than there are about the first appearing of Jesus. In the 270 chapters of the New Testament, scholars find more than three hundred references to the return of the Lord. We may not see many signs of hope in our world. It may seem like things are getting darker and darker, and there is nothing good to which to look forward.
For the Christian, the days may be dark, but there is a bright light at the end of the book where the Bible tells us that Jesus is going to come back. There have now been almost two thousand years since Jesus returned to Heaven, but the promise made that day will be kept. “Which also said, Ye men of Galilee, why stand ye gazing up into heaven? this same Jesus, which is taken up from you into heaven, shall so come in like manner as ye have seen him go into heaven” (Acts 1:11).
Today’s Growth Principle:
We have the promises of God to count on for the future, so we can be certain that the Lord will return.
Obedience Brings Success
by Joyce Meyer - posted October 02, 2016Every Scripture is God-breathed (given by His inspiration) and profitable for instruction, for reproof and conviction of sin, for correction of error and discipline in obedience, [and] for training in righteousness (in holy living, in conformity to God’s will in thought, purpose, and action).
— 2 Timothy 3:16
The Bible says that we will reap what we sow. The dividing line between success and failure is doing what God tells us to do. We pray for fruit in our lives, but we don’t always want to pray for roots.
If we want our days to go right, we need to do whatever God tells us to do. If we don’t walk in obedience, then we can’t complain if we wind up in a mess. If we are lonely and God tells us to invite somebody over, but we decide it is too much trouble, then we will stay lonely.
Obedience brings the fruit of the Spirit in your life. Dig deep into God’s Word before you walk away from blessings today.
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