Help! Love, MOM

 But the day of the Lord will come like a thief,
and then the heavens will pass away with a roar,
and the heavenly bodies will be burned up and dissolved,
and the earth and the works that are done on it will be exposed.

Since all these things are thus to be dissolved, 
what sort of people ought you to be
in lives of holiness and godliness, 
waiting for and hastening the coming of the day of God…

 2 Peter 3:10-12a, ESV

Have you observed that the thing, the habit, the flaw, the annoying, irritating mannerism that another person in your sphere exhibits, sometimes, is a struggle for you, too?

One of “the things” that will turn me upside down with frustration at someone else is the perception that they are wasting my time.

Not my time, Ma’am. Not my time, Sir.

Recently, I’ve been wrestling in earnest with the challenging truth that I, too, often poorly manage time.

For example I dropped the pen and failed at the 10 posts in 10 days challenge for myself at Day 8. So close!!!

Mismanaging time and opportunities is serious for at least 2 reasons. First, as the For King and Country song suggests, the LORD is not making more time.

Second, in the presence of the LORD, and to the LORD Himself, I must account for everything I’ve ever done or left undone and I could have performed, and, for every word I ever uttered or could have spoken and did not.

You too, believer or not, will one day give an account for every action, inaction, and thought before the LORD Most High.

This is a most sobering reality.

One way to focus and sharpen our ability to use time with purpose and wisely is to prepare for an event.

An event that has global and eternal significance is the Second Coming of the Lord Jesus Christ. Some Christians have termed this, the Rapture.

It seems that the Rapture has disappeared from many sermons. When I was growing up in church, it was a constant source of preaching material.

Perhaps preaching and teaching about the Rapture/Second Coming is also making a come back.

Anticipating the Return of the Lord

Preparation and Practical Love

The pastor of 2819 Church in Atlanta GA, Philip Anthony Mitchell, was reared in Queens, NYC. HEY!!

Known for a passionate preaching style, this past Sunday Pastor Philip encouraged, warned and reminded the congregation about the second coming of the Lord Jesus Christ.

In that sermon titled “Entry and End Times: The Second Coming”: Pastor Philip exhorted Christians to awake to and remain on mission as it relates to soul winning and doing good works in the world specifically because Jesus is coming again and we do not have a lot of time left.

Time and again Mitchell referred to a clock counting down.

To be clear, I believe that in every pulpit where God’s word is preached in spirit and in truth is one in which, during the sermon, the LORD is speaking to the congregation through that Pastor.

So, to my mind, Mitchell’s message was the Lord’s encouragement and clear reminder to the people of God to stay on mission.

What is that mission?

Go therefore and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit,  teaching them to observe all that I have commanded you. And behold, I am with you always, to the end of the age.”

Matthew 28:19-20

On mission Christians know that they’re waiting for and working toward Christ’s return.

How should Christians prepare?

Scripture urges spiritual readiness through, for example:

~ being with God in solitude,

~ praying,

~ repenting, and

~ “doing life” with other believers among other practices.

Scripture also commands

~ making Christ known by going, evangelizing and making disciples, and,

~ by doing good in the world.

In other words, living not in perfection, but in holy preparedness, which John Piper describes as going to work and going to church in his book, Come, Lord Jesus.

Mitchell and other pastors in their sober Jesus proclamations, emphasize pure Christianity.

They preach that Believers must cling to Jesus, His teachings and His church and to completely abandon cultural or pagan practices such as burning sage among other rituals.

That specific message and others like it remind us that true readiness includes evidences of spiritual fruit. For example, the fruit of faithfulness to the mission as evidenced by continued, consistent Christ-honoring outreach.

Again, for the bleacher creatures, and er’body in the stadium today:

Missional Christians know that they’re waiting for and working toward Christ’s return.

I endeavor to be the kind of Christian, who, devoured by Gospel determination and desire leans into a Gospel-shaped life no matter the cost.

Next post look for some thoughts on how to pursue ways of doing good in this world in your real life.

I’d love it if you would share your thoughts on any part of this post.

Let today be the day. Come, Lord Jesus!