Rumors Of Wars

"But of that day and hour no one knows, not even the angels of heaven, but My Father only.  "But as the days of Noah were, so also will the coming of the Son of Man be.  "For as in the days before the flood camea d took them away, so also will the coming of the Son of Man be.  "Then two men will be in the field; one will be taken and the other left.  "Two women will be grinding at the mill; one will be taken and the other left.  "Watch therefore, for you do not know what hour your Lord is coming.  "But know this, that if the master of the house had known what hour the thief would come, he would have watched and not allowed his house to be broken into.  "Therefore you also be ready, for the Son of Man is coming at an hour you do not ecpect.  "We are to remain in a perpetual state of readiness."
Matthew 24:36-44 NKJV

Can anyone imagine just how low our national crime rate would be if one knew just when things were about to happen?  What chance would anyone with wicked intents even have?  How about football?  Imagine if one team knew well beforehand just what their opponent was planning to do.  We have seen this already, as New England Patriots head coach Bill Belichick was disciplined in 2007 for videotaping the signals of New York Jets coaches during a playoff game.  Now, if anyone has seen the New York Jets play, Belichick most likely did not need to cheat to beat them.  That being said, my point is this, how much easier would life be if we knew beforehand just when something would happen?  So much for taking someone unaware.  However, so much also for surprise gifts and parties.  So perhaps not knowing what our future holds isn't really such a bad thing?  In some instances, yes.  However, it is also good to be prepared.  We can prepare for possibly being the victims of crime by securing our homes, cars and ourselves against such a possibility.  Although we most likely will not stop any crime from occuring, we're prepared nonetheless.  So, are we prepared?  For many earthly possibilities I'm sure that we are.  Yet, there is one event which Christ Jesus HImself has warned us to also be prepared for.  That being His iminent return to claim those who are His and call them unto Himself.  This "Second coming" of Christ has been the subject of debate for many years.  In my time, I have seen many a self proclaimed prophet make their prediction as to the coming of Jesus.  So far, all have been wrong.  And no wonder, for Jesus Himself has proclaimed that only His Father in heaven knows the day and hour of His Sons return.

Now, as He sat on the Mount of Olives, the disciples came to Him privately, saying, "Tell us, when will these things be?  And what will be the sign of your coming, and of the end of the age?"  And Jesus answered and said to them: "Take heed that no one deceives you.  "For many will come in my name saying, 'I am the Christ,' and will deceive many.  "And you will hear of wars and rumors of wars.  See that you are not troubled; for all these things must come to pass, but the end is not yet.  "For nation will rise against nation, and kingdom against kingdom.  And there will be famines, pestilences, and earthquakes in various places.  "All these are the begining of sorrows.  "Then they will deliver you up to tribulation and kill you, and you will be hated by all nations for My name's sake.  "And then many will be offended, will betray one another, and will hate one another.  "Then many false prophets will rise up and deceieve many.  "And because lawlessness will abound, the love of many will grow cold.  But he who endures to the end will be saved.  "And this gospel of the kingdom will be preached in all the world as a witness to all the nations, and then the end will come."
Matthew 24: 3-14 NKJV

Reading Jesus's warnings of the things to come in Matthew 24 we can be assured of one thing, that these events have been predetermined, and that they WILL come to pass.  For Jesus is never known to lie.  In fact, it is against His very nature to lie.  So, we can rest assured that all Jesus predicted that day on the Mount of Olives with His disciples will come to pass.  The question many have been fighting ever since is, when?  Indeed, there have been many a "False prophet" who has cashed in on these predictions of Christ.  It wasn't too long ago when the gloom and doomsday movement was strong in christianity.  The funny thing about these con jobs is, as followers of Jesus, we already KNOW the end is coming!  As followers of Jesus, we rejoice in His coming again!  We need not fear that sentence of  our Lords righteous judgement which will passed down on that day.  I fear that one of the main aims of those who preach the destruction of the end times and Christ's second coming is not to warn but to instill fear and dred.  It seems to reason, that if one wishes to avoid such suffering, that he would immediately come face to face with Christ.  For Jesus is not seeking victims, but that all would be saved through Him {John 3: 16-17}.  So how do we who have trusted in Christ prepare for His coming?  We rejoice in it, we welcome it!  For this tempoary home of ours pales in comparison to what Jesus has prepared for us {John 14:2-3}.

"Let not your heart be troubled; you believe in God, believe also in Me.  "In my Fathers house are many mansions; if it were not so, I would have told you.  I go to prepare a place for you.  "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."
John 14: 1-3 NKJV

For those who now live in Christ {Galations 2:20}, there is no need to fear that events of the end of the age, for it is here where we will finally be led by our Lord into our eternity with Him.

~Scott~