| Parousia Patris Perspectives
�Come Again� Vol 3 No 1 Matt 24:44 January 2008 Jessie placed the receiver in its cradle. Images of Mary and her baby Joseph danced in her mind. She remembered, it was the day after her brother had died, she received a call from Mary in her broken down shack by the river�s edge, all alone. Jessie had picked up the little blanket and care package to see Mary. She would never forget the smile on Mary�s face, when she presented little Joey bundled in that ragged brown sweater. Joey had puckered his little mouth in oos, and scrunched his tiny red nose at her. The joy of the newborn had taken away her lonely, discouraged heart�s suffering. Now Mary�s boy Joey had just called. He was coming again to her. A strapping young man, Jessie was as proud of him, she thought, as Mary. Indeed he had been her spiritual son, as she took him in her arms as a young boy and read him stories of Jesus. Joey was home from the mission field. He had reciprocated her kindness, with his stories of souls won to a faith and hope in Jesus. Joey�s coming again! Jessie pulled her arthritic body around in her wheel chair, busying herself preparing his special treat. She had made him a warm scarf, mittens and socks. Her countenance sparkled, bringing new life to an old body, when she opened the door to her Joey. Joey was appalled. �Aunt Jessie, I�m taking you home with me. You can�t stay in this old house anymore.� Jessie was so excited to be with Joey, she would agree to anything. She was ready. She had made plans. Her life�s work was done here. Joey picked her up in his arms and carried her out the door. Joey walked toward his car, suddenly both their heads turned skyward. A neighbor blinked his eyes. They had both vanished. He blinked again. What had happened? Some weeks ago we celebrated the Coming of an infant baby Jesus, Immanuel, as He came : In: weakness, As a : carpenter To: suffer He wore: swaddling clothes meekness teacher serve a seamless robe bscurity. friend save a crown of thorns We put Christmas and the birth of Jesus behind us going about the business of living in 2008. What are your goals and expectations for this new year? What do you anticipate in 2008? A new home, a new car, a new baby, a new career, a new full bank account, new hopes, healing, happiness or a new life? Are you anticpating Jesus soon return? Amidst all the living of our lives as in the days of Noah, He will return. My friend today is more and more like the days of Noah. Sin, sickness and evil abound. We are afraid to walk down the streets, or sit in a restaurant and eat, or let our children attend school, wondering if a shooter will appear and their/our lives will be ended abruptly without notice. The Bible�s prophecies have all come true to date. Jesus is COMING AGAIN. If we are still upon this earth it will happen for us as it did for Jessie and Joey. HOW? In like manner as Jesus left the earth, in the twinkling of an eye, like a thief in the night, in the clouds. WHEN? His coming is NEAR, at a time we do not expect, in just a little while. WHERE? �This Jesus, who was taken up from you into heaven, will come in like manner as you saw Him go into heaven.� �For as the lightning comes from the east and flashes to the west, so also will the coming of the Son of man be�. WHAT? Parousia, Maranatha! The Coming Again of the Beloved Son, the Sacrificied One to RAPTURE (taking away) of the saints. The sounding of the heavenly trumpet, the shout of the Lord and the dead in Christ shall arise, then the living saints of His Kingdom shall arise to meet Jesus in the air. I Thess 4 WHY? For God so loved the world that He gave his only Son so that WHOEVER believes in Him will not perish, but have eternal life. God did not send His Son into the world to condemn it, but to save it. And what was He saving us for? �I will come again and receive you unto Myself, that where I am there you may be also.� ��so you may believe that Jesus is the Messiah, the Son of God, and that by believing in Him, you will have LIFE.�(Jn 3:16; 14:1,2; 20:31) Our Creator wanted us to have a life that is beyond our imagination-- a life surrounded by only His love, Joy and Peace-- without sadness, sickness or sin. Jessie�s neighbor Jack shook his heavy head of dark hair in unbelief. Turning, he scurried back up the steps to tell his wife, Marty, teenage son Jeff and young Annie, what he had seen. Before he could open the door, Marty bolted through it into his arms screaming. �Jack! Jack! They are gone!� Jack held her at arm�s length. �You saw it too? Jessie and Joey?� Marty violently shook all over. Tears were flowing down her cheeks. What on earth was wrong with her? If she didn�t see . . . ? She pointed toward the door, the words escaping in a whisper, �Jeffy, Annie�gone!� Jack started to tremble, but he had to see for himself, as Marty led him through the house. They both collapsed on the sofa. They knew, they knew. They had heard the message Jeff pleaded them to believe. They had just scoffed at him. �Oh they�ve been saying for centuries that Jesus would come, that the signs are right. You really believe that stuff Jeff?� All the rest of the day, Marty kept mumbling, her eyes sorely red with tear stains, her face pale and gaunt. �Will we ever see our babies again? Why didn�t we take Jeff seriously? He told us to come to his Jesus and get ready. We weren�t ready.� The Bible tells us in 2 Peter, there will be those who don�t believe in His coming. Those who scoff. forgetting the God who made the heavens by His Word. Who don�t believe that Jesus came to earth and died upon a cross to save them from their sins, that they might have eternal life. This same Jesus has prepared a place for those who believe in Him as Savior and Lord, and He is coming again to receive them to Himself. They scoff at His delay not believing that He is still coming, though the Father is being patient, but not slow, because He loves all people so very much; He is giving more time for everyone to repent. We are all either Jessie�s and Joey�s who believe and live expecting His return, or Jack and Marty�s scoffing and delaying in receiving Jesus unto ourselves in preparation for His coming. WHO?--- He is COMING AGAIN As: Triumphant Warrior Ancient of Days Bridegroom Lion of Judah Sacrificed One Commander in Chief True Vine Anointed One Bright Star Lovely One Shepherd Conquering One True Judge Alpha Omega Blessed Ruler Lord of Lords Sovereign King of Kings ANTICIPATE IN 2008�Are you anticipating the COMING AGAIN of JESUS? We travel the highways of this life, doing what needs to be done daily. We live from day to day expecting the sun to rise tomorrow and go on our way with the plans we have made. Let me ask you, was 2007 exactly like you expected it to be? Did things come up you had never dreamed would happen? Life is very unpredictable isn�t it? We don�t REALLY know what tomorrow will bring. I can say my 2007 was not what I expected. We had no idea that we would be moving from our country home to live in town and all that would entail at the beginning of 2007�not even an inkling! I had no glimpse of my mom leaving this earth and being gone from my presence. Yet those things and more happened�some we deemed good things, some we did not�but the unexpected became reality. I�m sure you can recall many things in 2007 that you didn�t expect either. In 2008 we have many changes lurking �an election for a new President, a changing economy, the advancement of technology, changes in many areas of our personal lives as well. Our lives are unpredictable. But there is one thing that is sure�Jesus will COME AGAIN. It may not be today or tomorrow, for the Heavenly Father is patiently waiting for many who don�t know Jesus yet to come to Him, that they may be READY FOR HIS COMING. ARE YOU READY? ANTICPATE IN 2008�His Love, Blessings and His COMING AGAIN�BE READY! Be living,loving learning, and looking for that Blessed Hope and Glorious appearing of our Great God and Savior Jesus Christ. How do we get ready for His COMING AGAIN? First have you accepted His invitation? �And the Spirit and the bride say, �Come.� And let the one who hears say, �Come.� And let the one who is thirsty come; let the one who wishes take the water of life without cost.� Jesus shouted to the crowd, �If you are thirsty, come to Me!� �Jesus said to her, �If you knew the gift of God, who it is who says to you, �Give me a drink,� you would have asked Him, and He would have given you Living water� the water I shall give him shall become in him a well of water springing up to eternal life.� Drink of the Water of Life, take Jesus into your heart as your Lord and Savior. Second, Jesus says �If anyone serves Me, let him follow Me; and where I am there shall My servant also be, if anyone serves Me, the Father will honor him.� BE FOLLOWING JESUS and SERVING HIM, by living by His Spirit in you and showing others His way, truth and life that they too may be ready for His coming. Jesus told us no one knows the day or the hour, only the Father knows when He will return. �Two men will be working together in the field; one will be taken, the other left� Be ready all the time, for the Son of Man will come when least expected.� We never know when our time on earth is �up�. No one really knows the moment of their death�their transition from this life to the next. My mom didn�t, you won�t nor will I. She was ready, she had already accepted Jesus as her Savior and was taken into His waiting arms. When that time comes, we won�t have another chance---any of us could breathe our last breath in the next few seconds. Are you, your loved ones ready? NOW is the time of your salvation. 2Cor 6:2. Do you want to see your loved ones in heaven? Tell them now how Jesus loved us so much, He gave His life to provide the way for whoever believes to have eternal life. Jesus could come any minute, in the twinkling of an eye! Have you accepted Him as your Savior and your Lord? Receive Him now and spend the rest of your life, following, loving and serving Jesus. He will bless you with His presence. Just tell Jesus, �Lord I want to be ready for Your coming for me. Please forgive me of my sins and save me. I believe and receive you into my heart now. I want to follow, love and serve you until you COME AGAIN to receive me to yourself for ETERNITY in Your glorious kingdom.� When you are discouraged, depressed, afraid, sick, hopeless or lonely, remember the HOPE of His COMING AGAIN SOON. THE BEST IS YET TO COME!�as we look for His COMING AGAIN TO RECEIVE US INTO HIS KINGDOM FOR ETERNITY when we will REJOICE TOGETHER MEETING JESUS IN THE AIR! [email protected] P.O. Box 1393 Ava, MO 65608 BHG---�2008 Pamela Gray Karges |
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