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PROCRASTINATION BUSTER NUMBER 1 – Second Coming
“Like a Thief in the night He will come,” sang Cliff Richard. “There will be no place to run.” (Luke 12:40; I Thess.5:2; Rev. 6:16ff). Eugene Peterson’s trendy English version put it this way: “He will not call up and make an appointment any more than a burglar would.” (I Thess.5:1-3). “When I spot Jesus in the mid-heavens, I will quit those despicable dirty habits I have.” That may not be a great idea. Ask Paul. “It will happen in a moment, in the blinking of an eye, when the last trumpet is blown.” (I Cor. 15:52).
For the Old Testament writers, “The Day of the Lord” was the great Day of Judgment. On that day Jesus will call each of us to account (Rom.14:12; Eccl. 11:9). Prophet Joel has a message for this ‘take-it-easy” generation: “The Day of the Lord is an awesome, terrible thing. Who can endure it? That is why the Lord says, ‘Turn to me now, while there is time. Give me your heart.’” (Joel 2:11, 12 NLT).
I wondered why Jesus once preached, “Remember Lot’s wife!” (Luke 17:32). I guess He had a message for the commitment-not-now generation. When the angels kept saying God’s judgment was going to come on Sodom and Gomorrah for its sin immediately, there weren’t too many takers for the warning. Lot’s wife (Mrs. Lot), as she walked out of the town, wanted one last, lingering look at the city which symbolized what was ungodly and evil which was against the command of the Angels of God.
“There is some more time for the judgment to come!” she must have thought. Mrs. Lot did not realize she did not have lots of time. She turned into a salt shaft!! She died instantly. Her sin? She never took the warning of soon-coming judgment seriously. Jesus is coming back as a judge. It could be anytime. It could be when we have our ‘one last look’ at sinful pleasures!!
“Like a Thief in the night He will come,” sang Cliff Richard. “There will be no place to run.” (Luke 12:40; I Thess.5:2; Rev. 6:16ff). Eugene Peterson’s trendy English version put it this way: “He will not call up and make an appointment any more than a burglar would.” (I Thess.5:1-3). “When I spot Jesus in the mid-heavens, I will quit those despicable dirty habits I have.” That may not be a great idea. Ask Paul. “It will happen in a moment, in the blinking of an eye, when the last trumpet is blown.” (I Cor. 15:52).
For the Old Testament writers, “The Day of the Lord” was the great Day of Judgment. On that day Jesus will call each of us to account (Rom.14:12; Eccl. 11:9). Prophet Joel has a message for this ‘take-it-easy” generation: “The Day of the Lord is an awesome, terrible thing. Who can endure it? That is why the Lord says, ‘Turn to me now, while there is time. Give me your heart.’” (Joel 2:11, 12 NLT).
I wondered why Jesus once preached, “Remember Lot’s wife!” (Luke 17:32). I guess He had a message for the commitment-not-now generation. When the angels kept saying God’s judgment was going to come on Sodom and Gomorrah for its sin immediately, there weren’t too many takers for the warning. Lot’s wife (Mrs. Lot), as she walked out of the town, wanted one last, lingering look at the city which symbolized what was ungodly and evil which was against the command of the Angels of God.
“There is some more time for the judgment to come!” she must have thought. Mrs. Lot did not realize she did not have lots of time. She turned into a salt shaft!! She died instantly. Her sin? She never took the warning of soon-coming judgment seriously. Jesus is coming back as a judge. It could be anytime. It could be when we have our ‘one last look’ at sinful pleasures!!
