Abiding

Hostile Watching vs Grounded Readiness for Christ’s Return [podcast]

Paula White Exposed [video]

THAT’s My King! Pastor Lockridge [video]

Powerful Prayers from Children-This Will Shake You [video]

The Fear of the LORD is to Hate Evil: Pride, and Arrogancy #shorts [video]

So let me get this straight…. we are frantic about the timing of the most anticipated event in human history, the return of Heaven’s King …. yet we don’t love that coming King enough to diligently seek His face and be preoccupied, consumed with serving Him – as we obey Him by daily denying self, taking up the cross, worshipping and executing His Great Commission mandate that He gave us? If this is the case, does it not prove that we are all about ourselves and not the LORD we feign to follow – as in we don’t truly love Him but rather seek to self-preservingly keep ourselves out of hell?

“And when he was demanded of the Pharisees, WHEN the kingdom of God should come, he answered them and said, The kingdom of God cometh not with observation (hostile watching): 21 Neither shall they say, Lo here! or, lo there! for, behold, the kingdom of God is within you.” Luke 17:20-21

Are we frantic about the WHEN and not fervent about seeking, knowing, worshipping, and obeying the WHO? Should we be crying “WHEN?!” OR “WHAT do You want me to do LORD, HOW do You want to use me?!”

The Coming of the Kingdom

“And when he was demanded of the Pharisees, WHEN the kingdom of God should come, he answered them and said, The kingdom of God cometh not with observation:

21 Neither shall they say, Lo here! or, lo there! for, behold, the kingdom of God is within you.

22 And he said unto the disciples, The days will come, when ye shall desire to see one of the days of the Son of man, and ye shall not see it.

23 And they shall say to you, See here; or, see there: go not after them, nor follow them.

24 For as the lightning, that lighteneth out of the one part under heaven, shineth unto the other part under heaven; so shall also the Son of man be in his day.”

In this passage it seems to fit that “observation” refers to hostile, anxious watching. Notice the setting. The Pharisee enemies are demanding “WHEN the kingdom of God should come.” Jesus then answers them and seems to communicate that we are not to seek to determine by physical evidence “WHEN” He’s returning and that “the kingdom of God is within you.” (v21)

Of Jesus’s words in Luke 17:20, the Pulpit commentary notes:

“The kingdom of God cometh not with observation. This answer of our Lord’s may be paraphrased: “The kingdom of God cometh not in conjunction with such observation and watching for external glorious things as now exist among you here. Lo, it will burst upon you suddenly, unawares.” The English word “observation” answers to the signification of the Greek as meaning a singularly anxious watching.”

Our preoccupation should not be with the timing, the exact day or hour of His coming but rather in knowing Him, being rooted and grounded in our abiding relationship with the Savior. Living in readiness (Luke 12:40; 21:34-36). Our relationship with Him, moment by moment is what is most important and determines our present abiding fruitfulness (John 15:1-16) and future place with our coming King.

“Help me Jesus to keep my eye on the prize. You are my exceedingly great reward! And there is none upon the earth I desire more than thee. Those that are yours are preparing their hearts to be with you in glory for ever and ever! Behold Lord you are the God of our salvation!” Karen Cochran

Jesus came and died to give us a relationship with the Father and Himself.

“And this is life eternal (the whole divine reason for it), that they might know thee the only true God, and Jesus Christ, whom thou hast sent.” John 17:3

We must let God be God, letting Him determine the orchestrating and timing of His coming and rather be preoccupied with seeking, loving, knowing, and obeying our coming King.

“That I may know him, and the power of his resurrection, and the fellowship of his sufferings, being made conformable unto his death;” Philippians 3:10

When lightening strikes “EVERY EYE” sees it (Revelation 1:7). Speaks of … He is coming with such force that lights of the whole sky escapes no one. So shall it be when the Author of lightening splits the eastern sky beloved! When Jesus Christ splits the eastern sky no one will miss it.

“For then shall be great tribulation, such as was not since the beginning of the world to this time, no, nor ever shall be. 22 And except those days should be shortened, there should no flesh be saved: but for the elect’s sake those days shall be shortened. 23 Then if any man shall say unto you, Lo, here is Christ, or there; believe it not.24 For there shall arise false Christs, and false prophets, and shall shew great signs and wonders; insomuch that, if it were possible, they shall deceive the very elect. 25 Behold, I have told you before. 26 Wherefore if they shall say unto you, Behold, he is in the desert; go not forth: behold, he is in the secret chambers; believe it not. 27 For as the lightning cometh out of the east, and shineth even unto the west; so shall also the coming of the Son of man be.” Matthew 24:21-27

God knows and is in control of the end of all things, the return of the Son of God.

“But of that day and hour knoweth no man, no, not the angels of heaven, but my Father only.” Matthew 24:36

We need not run around frantically looking for the coming of the KING and His kingdom because “the kingdom of God is within you.” The domain of the KING is in us—KING-dom! That’s what it means.

The preoccupation of the Heaven bound saint of Christ should be his relationship with King Jesus.

“Be ye therefore ready also: for the Son of man cometh at an hour when ye think not.” Luke 12:40

Some people are so busy trying to figure out exactly when Jesus is coming back and how the end time events are going to unfold that they aren’t preparing themselves to meet Him! They live in unwarranted anxiety, in hostile watching instead of settling down to know Him and therefore they aren’t ready to meet Jesus nor helping others to be prepared for the soon return of Christ. Fruitfulness comes from an abiding relationship with Christ.

Living in hostility, anxiety and fear destroys present abiding and fruitfulness. Many today jump from one end times ministry to another, fueling their anxiety with speculations. They are perpetually incapacitated from the daily abiding and fruitfulness Jesus ordains (John 15:1-16).

I’ve seen many who spend more time worrying, monitoring and trying in vain to determine what month or day Jesus would return. It seems that those same people are not fervently seeking the face of the LORD, are not evangelizing, do not have their hand to the plow of the Great Commission work of Christ. Rather they are foolishly seeking to play God by frantically attempting to figure out the exact or approximate timing of Jesus’ second coming. And yet they don’t have an heart after God and are therefore not ready for when Jesus returns (Matthew 26:41; Luke 12:40; Ephesians 5:25-27).

God is calling us to settle down and seek His face.

“Seek the LORD and his strength, seek his face continually.” 1 Chronicles 16:11

“My soul followeth hard after thee: thy right hand upholdeth me.” Psalms 63:8

God is calling us to be anchored in Christ, our “blessed hope.” Titus 2:13

Titus 2 seems to be speaking of our lives, our spiritual state in light of Jesus’ coming.

“For the grace of God that bringeth salvation hath appeared to all men, 12 Teaching us that, denying ungodliness and worldly lusts, we should live soberly, righteously, and godly, in this present world; 13 Looking for that blessed hope, and the glorious appearing of the great God and our Saviour Jesus Christ; 14 Who gave himself for us, that he might redeem us from all iniquity, and purify unto himself a peculiar people, zealous of good works. 15 These things speak, and exhort, and rebuke with all authority. Let no man despise thee.” Titus 2:11-15

Hope in Christ, as we truly abide in Him, in the crucified life He ordained, is the “anchor of the soul” of the remnant disciple.

“Which hope we have as an anchor of the soul, both sure and stedfast, and which entereth into that within the veil;” Hebrews 6:19

Prayer: Father, please ground me in You, establish Your kingdom and fruitfulness in my life. In Jesus’ name, amen.

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Abiding

“The Knowledge of the Holy is Understanding” [podcast]

“He that is of God heareth God’s words: ye therefore hear them not, because ye are not of God.” John 8:47

A long time friend of mine, after realizing that….

“Thank you for the lambasting.”

“For we are not as many, which corrupt the word of God: but as of sincerity, but as of God, in the sight of God speak we in Christ.” 2 Corinthians 2:17

“A wise man will hear, and will increase learning; and a man of understanding shall attain unto wise counsels:” Proverbs 1:5

“Give instruction to a wise man, and he will be yet wiser: teach a just man, and he will increase in learning. 10 The fear of the LORD is the beginning of wisdom: and the knowledge of the holy is understanding.” Proverbs 9:9-10

“The ear that heareth the reproof of life abideth among the wise. 32 He that refuseth instruction despiseth his own soul: but he that heareth reproof getteth understanding. 33 The fear of the LORD is the instruction of wisdom; and before honour is humility.” Proverbs 15:31-33

“Let the righteous smite me; it shall be a kindness: and let him reprove me; it shall be an excellent oil, which shall not break my head: for yet my prayer also shall be in their calamities.” Psalms 141:5

PRAYER: Father I want the knowledge of the holy. I want to know and serve You on Your terms and no other. Please forgive my sins which include being hardened in heart, being full of pride and rebellion, being therefore unteachable. Break me dear LORD. Let the righteous, let Your people rebuke me as is needed. I want to know, love, worship, and be with You forever. In the name of Jesus Christ. Amen.