LUKE 21 (PART 2): the kingdom is near

Jesus said,
“Don’t let anyone mislead you,
for many will come in my name,
and claim, ‘I am the Messiah,’
and say, ‘The time has come!’
“But do not believe them”
Luke 21:8

Following this statement,
Jesus tells us that many things will come
before the Day of the Lord.

At first, 
we will see a time of great persecution,
where even family members
will kill each other
for following Christ. 

We will see an uprising of war
coming from nations against nations
which is really ethnos against ethnos,
and we will see swords rising up
between kingdoms;
and there will earthquakes and floods,
and great famines and plagues -
and just when it seems like
it can’t get any worse, 
armies will surround Jerusalem
and people will run.
People will be killed by the sword
or sent away as captives
to all the nations of the world.

“And Jerusalem
will be trampled down
by the Gentiles
until the period of the Gentiles
comes to an end.”
Luke 21:24

Then there will be
strange things happening
in the sky -
everyone will see Jesus
coming down on a cloud!

This is when we will see everything foretold
by the Spirit of Christ
to the prophets from the book of Old.

Let us remember,
there is a difference between the statements,
“the time has come” and “the Kingdom is near.” 

The Bible tells us
that we should be shouting from our rooftops
"THE KINGDOM IS NEAR"
so that people will remember to get prepared.

Just a mustard seed of faith is needed
to be act upon what you hear,
we all get to choose to listen,
or close our ears.

Some will doubt yet still act
out of obedience
and will respond with repentance
to what the Word of God says.

But many are rebellious
because of stubbornness,
they think they know best
and put their fingers in their ears 
to anything that diverts them
from believing and doing what they want.

Do not be afraid -
Be bold and courageous,
continue to speak God's truth in love.
If they want to listen and respond,
then they will surely be ready
when His Kingdom Comes.

If they choose to be disobedient,
and not listen to Me,
then wipe the dust from your feet
and walk away.
Death in the flesh will surely come,
and when it does,
they will not be allowed to enter My Kingdom,
nor be a citizen of Heaven.

Be on guard!
You will see many signs and wonders
that do NOT come from God,
but from Satan,
whose mission is to deceive you
and get you off the beaten path!

Demons use humans
to highlight humanity
as the center-of-peace;
and presents it on a table
that looks like the wedding feast.

But beneath the tablecloth
will be the truth -
Satan and his demons are deceiving you.

Satan understands what worship feels like,
He was the most beautiful angel ever to exist.
The more he loved himself,
the less he loved God,
and before he knew it,
he was cast down from heaven.
And ever since then,
the one thing that he hates the most,
are humans who are created in the image of God.

So stay sober-minded and remember
that God loves you -
so much so that He sent his beloved son
to be the final living sacrifice for you.

It is time to focus on finishing the race,
to endure living in the flesh
in a world that is still under the curse;
Take up Jesus’s cross
and be willing to suffer and sacrifice -
because the "THE KINGDOM IS NEAR"
and Jesus is coming back for you.

If you do all of this,
if you prepare yourselves and endure to the end,
then you will live again; 
God is going to destroy all that is cursed,
and He is going to create
a new earth and a new Heaven.

My friend,
I’m here to encourage you with the truth!
I’m here to edify you with proper instruction,
and most importantly,
I am here to exhort you 
to do something for the Kingdom of Heaven.
Can you imagine what it will be like
to dwell in the house of the LORD,
to gaze on His beauty and be with Him in His temple?

Will you open your ears?

Do you hear the Lord calling you near?

Has the seed of Jesus been planted in your heart?
Has the seed been nourished?
Have your grown spiritually mature?
What kind of tree have you become?
Are you an Oak - majestic and firmly rooted?
Has the Fruit of the Spirit began to bloom?
Are you ready to reproduce the Word,
the beautiful truth that has planted in you?
 
I ask you,
What will you do with the Word of God?
Will you hid it under a basket,
or will you send it out?