Monday, October 10, 2011
While We Wait
God blesses the one who reads the words of this prophecy to the church, and he blesses all who listen to its message and obey what it says, for the time is near. —Revelation 1:3
It seems that people go to one of two extremes when it comes to the topic of Bible prophecy. One extreme is an obsession with it, where they eat, drink, and breathe Bible prophecy. In their minds, everything they read and everything they hear is a fulfillment of prophecy.
Then there are those who completely ignore it, and in some cases, don’t really want to know that much about it. But that is a big mistake.
There are benefits to studying Bible prophecy. If we really believe that Jesus Christ is coming back again soon, it will cause us to want to live godly lives. In 1 John 3:2–3 we read, “Dear friends, we are already God’s children, but he has not yet shown us what we will be like when Christ appears. But we do know that we will be like him, for we will see him as he really is. And all who have this eager expectation will keep themselves pure, just as he is pure.” Believing in Christ’s soon return has a spiritually purifying effect on our lives.
Also, believing that Christ is coming back should motivate us to reach others with the message of the gospel. We read in 2 Peter 3, “And so, dear friends, while you are waiting for these things to happen, make every effort to be found living peaceful lives that are pure and blameless in his sight. And remember, the Lord’s patience gives people time to be saved . . . ” (2 Peter 3:14–15). We want to be reaching as many as we can as we await Christ’s return.
The Bible promises a special blessing to the person who studies, understands, and keeps the words of the prophecy of the Lord Jesus Christ (see Revelation 1:3). I don’t want to miss any blessings that God has for me. Do you?
Summary sentence: I don’t want to miss any blessings that God has for me. Do you?
Tags: Prophecy, Revelation
Copyright © 2011 by Harvest Ministries. All rights reserved.
Scripture quotations are taken from the Holy Bible, New Living Translation, copyright 1996, 2004. Used by permission of Tyndale House Publishers, Inc., Wheaton, Illinois 60189. All rights reserved.
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