9/21 - Prayer & Scripture Reference

Good morning. I've been in 2 Thessalonians 2 for a couple days and want to spend a little more time in study before I share. The chapter goes into great detail about the rapture and the second coming of Christ, an issue I'm realizing I know far too little about. I should definitely look a little deeper considering how important these events are and how they could happen like now.....or now.....or maybe not until I'm long gone from this earth. The point is, we don't know the day nor the hour but it would behoove us to know what's coming, especially since he's made it known in His word. Here's a few scriptures outside this chapter I plan to look into concerning the last days if you'd like to follow along: Daniel 9:26-27, Matt 24:15, John 14:1-3, 1 Thess 4:13-18, 5:2-5, Hebrews 10:25, Rev 3:10, 13:2-10,18. I'm actually really excited about where this study will take me & what God has for us to learn.

I'd like to add our country to the prayer list. Keep praying for the U.S. because the division here seems to be getting worse. Keep our president & elected officials lifted up because whether we like them or not, God has appointed them (Colossians 3:22-25). Pray for Issue 3 in Ohio, the latest attempt to bring casinos to Ohio. This time it's being packaged as a way to create thousands of jobs but the cost, as always, is the moral decline that follows casinos where ever they go. And that's not a price I think we ought to pay, no matter what our economic situation may be.

9/11 - 1 Thessalonians 5

Paul explained to the Thessalonians at the end of chapter 4 that those who had already died would be with Christ when He returned. Apparently there had been some confusion about this and having such a brand new religion, such theological clarification was vital. One thing Paul knew they did understand about the second coming was how unexpected it will be. Verses 1-3:

"Now, brothers, about times and dates we do not need to write to you, for you know very well that the day of the Lord will come like a thief in the night. While people are saying, "Peace and safety," destruction will come on them suddenly, as labor pains on a pregnant woman, and they will not escape."

Considering Paul's previous exhortation I believe that not only did this church know this fact, they internalized it. Its one thing to know information, but wisdom is properly responding to the information.

In elementary school, whenever our teachers would have to leave the class for any amount of time, it was like it was an automatic reaction to act a fool. Throwing paper balls, blurting out obscenities, drawing on the chalkboard, spitballs - it was a free for all. It was pretty much "how much can I get away with b4 teacher comes back" and thinking back, that was pretty fun. All the while, we knew the teacher would return. So once the lookout (yes we had a lookout) said the teacher was coming back, seats were straightened, paper thrown away and our best innocent faces were put on. We straightened ourselves up when the teacher returned so at the end of the day we'd have a good report.

How much more should we now "straighten ourselves up" knowing the Master is returning. Especially since we don't know when He's coming. We don't have a lookout this time. Most of us know He's coming back and doing so unexpectedly. But if we truly internalized it, we wouldn't do (or not do) the things we do. This truth is supposed to drive action, not just be a piece of useful Christian knowledge. If you knew Christ was coming back in 2 hours, how would you act? Think about that for a moment. It'd be a little different than the 2 hours you had planned wouldn't it? If you truly believed He was coming back like a thief in the night, should it be different?