Jesus' Return - Lev. 1-3 & Matt. 24:1-25

I will most likely be focusing on the New Testament readings for the next couple of months due to the nature of the material in Leviticus, Numbers, and Deuteronomy - although I will comment on the OT when something catches my attention...

Today in Matt. 24, Jesus is questioned by His disciples about the end times when He comes back. It's neat to hear Jesus teach about this, especially considering that His teaching is not very similar to a lot of stuff you hear (even - or maybe especially - by Christian authors).

Here are some of the highlights for you:

"Don't let anyone mislead you, for many will come in my name, claiming, "I am the Messiah." They will deceive many. And you will hear of wars and threats of wars, but don't panic. Yes, these things must take place, but the end won't follow immediately. Nation will go to war against nation, and kingdom against kingdom. There will be famines and earthquakes in many parts of the world. But all this is only the first of the birth pains, with more to come."

I highlight some of Jesus' words in bold, because so many people are freaked out about Jesus' second coming. They say that there are false prophets around, and we've seen numerous earthquakes and famines....Jesus is coming soon! But the truth is that there have been false prophets around for centuries and there have been earthquakes and famine all over since the Bible days. Jesus says these things are only the beginning....don't panic! He goes on to say in verse 23 that, '...if anyone tells you, 'Look, here is the Messiah,' or 'There he is,' don't believe it."

As you read on (into tomorrow's passage) Jesus says that His coming will be like lightning flashing across the sky. He says that the sun will get dark and the stars will fall from the sky. And He will send out His angels with trumpets and they will gather His children.

So in light of these things, don't be freaked out about Jesus coming back. Don't hear me wrong - you should get yourself prepared spiritually - but if you have a relationship with Jesus and walk with Him daily you can relax and look forward to His coming. Don't believe all of the manipulative scare tactics out there. Look to the Bible for answers.

Enjoy the snow! (We got about 5-6 inches last night!)