Matthew – Fulfilled
When someone predicts something will happen and it does happen, then that person becomes someone you begin to trust for future advice. The stock market rises and falls based on a few people who predict what the market will do. Countries run on the advice of a few who think they have a handle on the future. But we are advised by most financial advisers to “hold tight” or “stay with it” when the market takes a dive.
So it seems that we need to be wise and stay with what we know through all kinds of unpredictable circumstances. Storms come and they move on. Who we are and Who we trust through the unpredictables of life is what needs to be considered. We can worry ourselves to death looking for signs along the way of what might happen and when.
Jesus tells his disciples (and us) that what God requires of us is to simply “stay with it”, stay with Who you know, focused on how He works and trust Him alone to save us. Now, isn’t that more comforting that reading the stock market pages? Be wise, but trust God and do what He says. Listen to Him. He really DOES KNOW what will happen and when!
Matthew 24, The Message
Routine History
24 1-2 Jesus then left the Temple. As he walked away, his disciples pointed out how very impressive the Temple architecture was. Jesus said, “You’re not impressed by all this sheer size, are you? The truth of the matter is that there’s not a stone in that building that is not going to end up in a pile of rubble.”
3 Later as he was sitting on Mount Olives, his disciples approached and asked him, “Tell us, when are these things going to happen? What will be the sign of your coming, that the time’s up?”
4-8 Jesus said, “Watch out for doomsday deceivers. Many leaders are going to show up with forged identities, claiming, ‘I am Christ, the Messiah.’ They will deceive a lot of people. When reports come in of wars and rumored wars, keep your head and don’t panic. This is routine history; this is no sign of the end. Nation will fight nation and ruler fight ruler, over and over. Famines and earthquakes will occur in various places. This is nothing compared to what is coming.
9-10 “They are going to throw you to the wolves and kill you, everyone hating you because you carry my name. And then, going from bad to worse, it will be dog-eat-dog, everyone at each other’s throat, everyone hating each other.
11-12 “In the confusion, lying preachers will come forward and deceive a lot of people. For many others, the overwhelming spread of evil will do them in—nothing left of their love but a mound of ashes.
13-14 “Staying with it—that’s what God requires. Stay with it to the end. You won’t be sorry, and you’ll be saved. All during this time, the good news—the Message of the kingdom—will be preached all over the world, a witness staked out in every country. And then the end will come.
Think about it…
I think of Jesus, at the right hand of God, saying, “one more day, give them another chance to come to us and repent…therefore NO ONE but God knows when THAT DAY will come.
Praying for the lost, In Jesus Name, Amen
