NOW WHEN THESE THINGS BEGIN TO HAPPEN, LOOK UP AND LIFT UP YOUR HEADS, BECAUSE YOUR REDEMPTION DRAWS NEAR. - LUKE 21:28
When Jesus returns to earth, there will be signs of His coming. There will be signs in the sun, moon and stars - Ozone depletion, global warming, greenhouse gases. There will be distress among nations - the collapse of communism, Middle East unrest, and crises in international economics.
There will be the failing of men's heart for fear -Aids, unemployment, collapse of the family. But Jesus said that when all "these things begin to happen, look up and lift up your heads, because your redemption draw near."
Every generation of Christians, beginning with the first century, have believed that Jesus would return in their lifetime. The headlines in the newspapers change, and the crises facing man continue to grow.
But the answer is always the same: "Look up and lift up your heads." The answer for man's need will never be found in technological breakthrough, political change, or social evolution. Earth's needs can only be answered by heaven's resource. So let us keep our eyes fixed heavenward as we continue living for Jesus and loving the world. He is coming back with power and great glory, very soon.
DO YOU DESIRE TO KNOW HIM ?
Do you desire a deeper and closer relationship and friendship with God ? Is your desire to know him and to please him growing ? Do you know that hearing God's voice is by far the most important part of your prayer and fellowship time with him ? God sees you as a precious treasure and he longs to have a close relationship with you. More than anything, God wants you to spend time with him, intimately communicate with him, enjoy fellowship with him, and give your life meaning & purpose by giving you the great privilege of joining Him in His eternal kingdom work. God needs to touch our hearts so that He is our first love, and so that we will faithfully seek Him and follow Him, however & wherever He may
lead us.
God needs to touch our hearts so that Jesus Christ is once again our First Love, and place into us Jesus' love and devotion and passion for God (see I Timothy 1:12-14). Only God can touch our hearts so that our main desire is to please Him (see John 5:30, 2 Corinthians 5:9,14), and to seek to know Him and want close fellowship and oneness with Him more than anything else:
"I will give them a heart to know me." - Jeremiah 24:7
" O Lord, God of our fathers, keep this desire in the hearts of your people forever, and keep their hearts loyal to you. And give my son Solomon the wholehearted devotion to keep your commands, requirements, and decrees..." - I Chronicles 29:18-19
"Create in me a pure heart, and renew a steadfast spirit in me. Do not cast me from your presence or take your Holy Spirit from me. Restore to me the joy of your salvation, and grant me a willing spirit to sustain me." - Psalm 51:10-12
"Turn my heart toward your statutes and not toward selfish gain. Turn my eyes from worthless things (idols); Preserve my life according to your word." - Psalm 119:36-37
"Give me an undivided heart." - Psalm 86:11
"Yet you have not called upon me... You have not wearied yourselves for me." - Isaiah 43:22
