Shaken Anyone Out Of Bed Lately?

"And there will be signs in sun and moon and stars, and on the earth distress of nations in perplexity because of the roaring of the sea and the waves, people fainting with fear and with foreboding of what is coming on the world. For the powers of the heavens will be shaken. And then they will see the Son of Man coming in a cloud with power and great glory. Now when these things begin to take place, straighten up and raise your heads, because your redemption is drawing near.”  ... Luke 21:25-28


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I remember the 1970's and early 80's.

You could switch on your radio and hear Larry Norman singing I Wish We'd All Been Ready or Amy Grant and her In A Little While song.

You'd drive to church and the pastor would remind you that Jesus was coming soon. I was young then and often felt tempted to peek at the back door expecting Jesus to burst through any second.

I still have books from those days. And while a young mom, I recall walking around the neighborhood with a friend, both of us agreeing that, yes, it can't be long now before Jesus comes back, for the world had gone crazy. We not only expected Jesus' return, but wanted it. Wanted Him.

Do you recall those happy times?

But these days feel different. Rarely do I hear Christians excited about Jesus' return, well, except when someone longs to bail out of a world-gone-mean-and-ugly. Yet, to me, that's not the same. There's a difference in growing weary of our fleshly struggles and exploding with joy over finally touching the lover of our souls.

And churches today? How many center their life upon becoming a clean, not-agreeing-with-the-world bride for a soon-coming King? Mostly I hear that the book of Revelation is banned and I believe that, for I have friends who say it was tacked onto the end of the Bible by some moron who grabbed the wrong scrolls. Or that Revelation already happened(!)

Oh dear. It all reminds me of a cold, creeping darkness. Of this:


"Where is the promise of His coming?" they will ask. "Ever since our fathers fell asleep, everything continues as it has from the beginning of creation."  ...   2 Peter 3:4


Anyway. I just want to publicly say this: I believe Jesus' return is close. I'm so anticipating meeting Him face to face! Yet in the meantime I'll keep enjoying who He has become to me here and spreading the good news that Jesus changes absolutely everything, even now, even here on this troubled ol' planet.

And as sin increases (beware, it will!), so will His grace. Oh, not to just drag us, limping, scared through the hard, wild in-between time. No! But rather, through Grace we can shine as lights, beacons, to all the floundering, fearful ones who haven't a clue--- or a hope. 

After all, that's why we're still here.



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"Now concerning the times and the seasons, brothers, you have no need to have anything written to you. For you yourselves are fully aware that the day of the Lord will come like a thief in the night. While people are saying, “There is peace and security,” then sudden destruction will come upon them as labor pains come upon a pregnant woman, and they will not escape." ... 1 Thessalonians 5:1-3

"Therefore you also must be ready, for the Son of Man is coming at an hour you do not expect." ...Matthew 24:44

"Do not love the world or the things in the world. If anyone loves the world, the love of the Father is not in him."...1 John 2:15


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“There’s a great deal to say in the Bible about the signs we’re to watch for and when these signs all converge at one place we can be sure that we’re close to the end of the age,” Billy Graham wrote. “And those signs, in my judgment, are converging now for the first time since Jesus made those predictions.”

In his new book, “The Reason for My Hope: Salvation,” the famed preacher who has delivered the gospel message to more people face-to-face than anyone in history wrote the great hope of the Christian faith rests in the promised return of Christ.

Graham said he now has a burden for “sounding the alarm for humanity to repent and turn from their sin … just as Noah did in ancient days.”

... copied from here

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I was horrified yesterday to discover that lots of churches performed Michael Jackson's Thriller during their worship services on Halloween weekend. 

Don't believe me?  Go here.

So Thriller is ok, but Revelation is not? Oh, the darkness which quietly, subtly takes root and grows deception in the ground of peoples' hearts. And oh, what will come to pastors who sow those seeds...

Wake up!



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"This know also, that in the last days perilous times shall come." ... 2 Timmothy 3:1