The Second Coming of Christ

“Watch therefore: for ye know not what hour your Lord doth come. But know this, that if the goodman of the house had known in what watch the thief would come, he would have watched, and would not have suffered his house to be broken up. Therefore be ye also ready: for in such an hour as ye think not the Son of man cometh” (Matthew 24:42–44).

As Christians we are told to watch for and expect the second coming of Christ. "And there shall be signs in the sun, and in the moon, and in the stars; and upon the earth distress of nations, with perplexity; the sea and the waves roaring; Men’s hearts failing them for fear, and for looking after those things which are coming on the earth: for the powers of heaven shall be shaken. And then shall they see the Son of man coming in a cloud with power and great glory. And when these things begin to come to pass, then look up, and lift up your heads; for your redemption draweth nigh." (Lk 21:25-28).

This is called the blessed hope! "For the grace of God that bringeth salvation hath appeared to all men, Teaching us that, denying ungodliness and worldly lusts, we should live soberly, righteously, and godly, in this present world; Looking for that blessed hope, and the glorious appearing of the great God and our Saviour Jesus Christ; Who gave himself for us, that he might redeem us from all iniquity, and purify unto himself a peculiar people, zealous of good works."(Tit 2:11-14).

We need to daily remind ourselves that we are in this world but not of it and that we are watching, waiting and living for the establishment of "THY KINGDOM COME, ON EARTH AS IT IS IN HEAVEN!

Grace and Peace,
Ed

THE BOOKENDS OF SUCCESS

The idea for this post came to me from an e-mail subscription to Leadership Wired a ministry of John Maxwell http://www.injoy.com/.

Great leaders understand the two bookends of success: starting and finishing. We generally think about them in terms of doing a task or project. However, what's true in our approach to projects is also true in our approach to each day. How we spend our mornings and evenings has a tremendous bearing on the course of our leadership.

Our mornings and evenings are just about the only times of the day where we can have control over what we do with our time. I try to isolate the first and last half hour of each day for my communion with God. I start my morning remembering who God is, who He says I am, and what He has sent me to do for that particular day. It is a prayerful, meditative strategy session.

I try each day to make Jesus the first one I talk to. During this time, I allow no interruptions, and I isolate myself from distractions. I do not permit myself to strategize years down the road or to project my thoughts months into the future. Rather, I narrow my focus to the upcoming 24 hours. I ask myself: "Just for today, how can I be a success?" Viewing life in 24-hour increments, I place a premium on each day. I try to make each one the best possible!

During the evening, I reflect on my day. By reflecting, I translate my day's experiences into learning opportunities. This process solidifies in my mind the lessons I've discovered or bits of knowledge I've uncovered. Reflecting also gives me the space to assess my progress on the goals I made during the morning.

Relaxation is another important part of my evening routine. I make a point to put my leisure time into activities that replenish me by refueling my energy. For me, such activities include spending quality time with my wife, reading a book, or studying Scriptures. Relaxation puts me in a good emotional state, lifts my spirits, and reminds me of the joys of life. My last half hour is devoted to time with God. Sitting or laying out in His Presence, waiting on Him, loving Him and casting all my cares on Him because he cares for me and will instruct me in throughout the night!

When I neglect to carve out time in the morning to meet with God and plan my day, I notice adverse effects. First, I don't live my day on purpose. Instead of choosing where to invest my time, I cede control of my schedule to whatever circumstances happen to arise. Second, I squander my energy. Since I don't have clear goals for my day, I float from one activity to another without getting anything done. Finally, when I skip my morning meditation, I feel overwhelmed. If I don't focus my attention, the weight of my numerous involvements begins to drag me down.

When I am not intentional about setting aside evening time to meet with God and for relaxation, I encounter negative symptoms, too. First, I get uptight. My times of reflection and relaxation act like valves that release stress from my life. If I don't guard those times, I get tense, my thoughts are more negative, and my health suffers. Second, I lose passion. My leisure times fuel me. If I am not intentional about putting time into my favorite activities, then life loses its luster. Third, I miss chances to grow. When I don't reflect on the meaningful moments from each day, I rob myself of the benefits of experience.

Yesterday is gone, and tomorrow is out of reach. That's why today matters. Leaders who value each day know the importance of starting well and finishing strong. By mastering the bookends of success, leaders position themselves to make an impact every day.

One of the greatest leaders to ever live wrote, "This book of the law shall not depart out of thy mouth; but thou shalt meditate therein day and night, that thou mayest observe to do according to all that is written therein: for then thou shalt make thy way prosperous, and then thou shalt have good success". Josh.1:8. Give God your mornings and evenings and watch what happens!

Grace and Peace,

Ed

Faith

Heb 11:6
"But without faith it is impossible to please him: for he that cometh to God must believe that he is, and that he is a rewarder of them that diligently seek him". I keep forgetting that it is faith that pleases God. Not belief in one's self or own abilities but faith in God who loved us and gave His Son for us!

Heb 2:17
"Wherefore in all things it behoved him to be made like unto his brethren, that he might be a merciful and faithful high priest in things pertaining to God, to make reconciliation for the sins of the people". Jesus knows our frame and our condition. He knows what it's like to be faced day in and day out with in congruency in the world and people around us!

Heb 6:1

"Therefore leaving the principles of the doctrine of Christ, let us go on unto perfection; not laying again the foundation of repentance from dead works, and of faith toward God". When we study the first principles of our faith this is the first, the starting point. But, oftentimes as we run our race the starting line becomes a dim vision of the past. We press to achieve and forget HOW we are to achieve.

Heb 4:1-3

"Let us therefore fear, lest, a promise being left us of entering into his rest, any of you should seem to come short of it. For unto us was the gospel preached, as well as unto them: but the word preached did not profit them, not being mixed with faith in them that heard it. For we which have believed do enter into rest, as he said, As I have sworn in my wrath, if they shall enter into my rest: although the works were finished from the foundation of the world". Today I will strive but I will strive to enter into the rest of the finished work of Jesus Christ! Who after accomplishing for me what i could not accomplish for myself said, "It is finished"!

Grace and Peace,

Ed