• Register
  • Login
  • Forgot Password?
  • My Profile
  • Choose An Icon
  • Upload An Icon
  • Messenger
  • Member Search
  • Who's Online
    Members: 1601

    ONLINE:
    Members: 0
    Anonymous: 1
    Today: 18
    Newest Member:
    Joseph Mahabir
  • You are here: Blogs Directory / Ministries / A Godly View of the World Welcome Guest
    A Godly View of the World
          Retiredrev's Personal Viewpoint

    Sun, Feb 28th - 11:47PM



    A Generation Will See The Fig Tree Bloom

    Jesus shared with His disciples a parable about a fig tree. The parable is found in Matthew 24:32-35. The fig tree, when it puts forth leaves and tender branches, indicates that summer isn’t far away.

    The parable then reveals the lesson this riddle teaches. Jesus said that “when you see all these things, know that it is near—at the doors!”(v. 33). Some translations will replace “it” with “He”, meaning that when certain events happen, Jesus Himself will be at the doors ready for His second appearance to earth.

    Jesus then says something that is debated by Bible students today, as well as through the years past. He said, “this generation will by no means pass away till all these things take place”(v. 34). The question raised by this verse is “what does Jesus mean by ‘this generation’?”

    We know that Jesus couldn’t have been referring to that generation to whom He spoke. Some 2,000 years have come and gone since He spoke those words. In recent years some groups have pointed to certain events as representing the fig tree analogy. As a result, many thought Jesus would come in their lifetime. But, He didn’t return and people were left red faced while others where confused.

    Was Jesus wrong in His teachings? No! He knew what He meant! And time will play out just as His prophesy foretells!

    I am fully aware of what Jesus told His disciples just prior to His ascension to Heaven after His death and resurrection. He told them that “It is not for you to know times and seasons which the Father has put in His own authority”(Acts 1:7). He also said in Matthew 24:36, “But of that day and hour no one knows, not even the angels of Heaven, but My Father only.”

    That is where the fig tree parable comes in. Its budding revealed the coming of the summer season, not necessarily the exact day summer begins. That still leaves the “generation” question unanswered.

    In Matthew 24:1-31, we read about future events which Jesus is aware will take place prior to His second coming. One of the important events He describes is found in verse 15. There Jesus tells about the fulfillment of Daniel’s prophesy concerning “the abomination of desolation”.

    Abomination refers to something which becomes despised or hated. The Holman Bible Dictionary gives the illustration taken from Exodus 7:18 about water which becomes polluted by dead fish. The word desolation, according to HBD (p. 8), means “to be desolated, ravaged” or “to be appalled, astounded”. Bible students who hold to the pre-tribulation view of the rapture, sees Daniel’s prophesy coming at the mid-point of the seven year tribulation, or 3½ years into the tribulation.

    Thus, the phrase, “abomination of desolation”, which is a unique word to Daniel’s prophesy, is when the antichrist stands in the Holy of Holies and proclaims himself to be their god. He puts an end to the sacrificial worship of the Jews.

    Now, back to the “generation” question. What generation will see the budding of the fig tree? It won’t be the church age folks, who according to 1st Thessalonians 4:13-18, will be caught up into the air to meet the Lord. The great tribulation will occur during the next seven year period after the Rapture of the church. The events of Matthew’s warning and Revelation’s prophesy will be in full force against the world system which has totally turned the back to God.

    Jesus, as recorded in Matthew 24:16, warned that when the people see the antichrist stand in the Temple and declare himself to be God, they are to “flee to the mountains”. Some Bible students believe that the mountains here refers to Masada, “a mountain which is located twenty miles south of Sodom on the Dead Sea and rises thirteen hundred feet into the sky with a flat top of one-half mile.”(Jerusalem Countdown - p. 69). Whether that is the true mountain to which they are to flea, we can’t be sure. But they will be protected by God.

    I personally believe that this is the generation which shall see Jesus at the doors, ready to enter once again upon the world scene. The first time He came to a cross, this time to conquer!

    No one knows the hour nor the day Jesus will come again. We can believe His word on the matter. People in Jesus’ day didn’t need to know and we don’t need to know today. That little fact won’t help us one bit! But those who see the fulfillment of the words of Jesus in Matthew 24, it will mean a great deal to know that their season of redemption and the end to their persecution is just around the corner.

    You and I might be experiencing the beginning of the fig tree’s tender branches. But we won’t know it until after the Rapture. Regardless of the when, we have the now in which we can live faithful Christian lives! 


    Comment (0)

    Sun, Feb 21st - 9:56PM



    Holy Bible, Book Divine

    The information age is in full bloom. With hundreds of books coming off the presses each year and being added to the thousands which grace the shelves of bookstores and libraries, knowledge is king. We are told in the Bible that knowledge will increase and we are experiencing that explosion in this very hour in which we live.

    The computer and the world-wide web have given rise to more authors who are expressing their opinions. Blogs, which can be utilized by anyone, anywhere, without cost, is introducing to the world a tremendous number of new authors. It is a fabulous method of gaining information from a variety of sources with stats and other bits and pieces of information. Whereas it once took hours to learn some things about a subject, the same research can be done in minutes. So, the computer is having a great deal of input for those who search for proof and ideas.

    The danger is that error will and can be sighted as proof for many honest reports. So, even when a subject is found which supports a given topic, the researcher must seek further opinions to make sure before writing or speaking. For even though knowledge is exploding, so are the false writings and teachers of untruths.

    The question often comes up, "Can I trust what I’m reading?" That is an excellent question to consider. If integrity and truthfulness were sanctified eternal character traits, one wouldn’t have to question the information given by certain authorities. But, as long as we live in our fallen nature, all information can not be automatically received as trustworthy.

    Of all the books ever printed, which one comes close to being completely trustworthy in all its pages? "None", you say? And your are correct . . . with the one exception! The Bible, known as the Word of God, is that one book. We call it the "Bible".

    See the defense of the Bible by the author Himself. In 2nd Timothy 3:16, Paul is inspired by the Holy Spirit to write to the young preacher Timothy, "All scripture is given by inspiration of God . . .". The Bible is God breathed. The human authors of the Bible didn’t write by natural inspiration. That kind of inspiration might resulted in a Shakspere play or a Nobel Prize dissertation, but not in Holy Writings.

    One might not always be able to give a full interpretation of a text, but that text can always be trusted. It speaks truth in all matters. The Bible doesn’t contain the Word of God, the Bible is the Word of God. For that reason, Paul could affirm that the Bible, the Word of God, is indeed a profitable book. You can trust its doctrine. That belief system follows the same line of thought all the way through its pages. That belief system isn’t unveiled all at once but comes to human history in waves of teaching, moving ever toward the crucifixion, the resurrection, and the second coming.

    Paul says also that it can be trusted as a book to be used for reproof. We can best understand the word "reproof" by using the Holman Christian Standard Bible’s interpretation of "rebuking". The Bible does rebuke when needed.

    Paul was also led to write that the Bible is profitable for correction. While pointing out error, the Bible gives the correct way to think about a specific thing, to act in a right way, and, among other great trusts, how to consider the future.

    The Bible is also found to be a book of instruction in righteousness. The individual who is upright with God is instructed in how to live a life which honors Him.

    But why is this Book so important to humans? Why should its infallibility be preserved in the minds of people in churches? Paul gives the answer in verse 17: "so that the man of God may be complete, equipped for every good work"(HCSB).

    Peter, in his 2nd letter summed up the matter very well. He wrote, "knowing this first, that no prophecy of Scripture is of any private interpretation, for prophesy never came by the will of man, but holy men of God spoke as they were moved by the Holy Spirit"(vs. 20-21). I, for one, will take the Bible’s own testimony of itself. It is the inspired, inerrant Word from God to mankind!



    Comment (0)

    Sun, Feb 14th - 9:25PM



    Get Ready! Jesus Is Coming Again

    Procrastination is a killer of intent and preparation. I’m sure that no one reading these lines has this problem. I, for one, must admit that procrastination does hinder some of my projects. Putting things off until the last minute is very dangerous. An unexpected event, a last minute visitor, or a thousand other last minute hindrances can cause great problems for the procrastinator. When those last minute details can’t be completed, the individual must proceed unprepared.

    The text for today’s devotion is found in Matthew 24:45-51. It is a parable. A parable is an earthly story with a heavenly message. Jesus used parables to hide the true meaning of the "mysteries" of the kingdom of heaven. The word "mysteries" is a term used to explain to His disciples the explanation. A more modern term is "a riddle". The parable is a verbal puzzle.

    This particular parable is known as the parable of the faithful servant and the evil servant. To gain its full impact, to understand the puzzle, we have to go back to previous verses.

    Matthew was a Jew, writing to Jews, about a Jewish question. In Matthew 24:3, Jesus’ disciples questioned Him about the sign of His coming [the second coming, not the rapture] and the end of the age. His answer revealed deeper and worse days ahead. He talked about wars, rumors of wars, famines, earthquakes, and impostors pretending to be the Christ.

    Jesus spoke to them about end time events. When He comes back the second time, He won’t be coming to a cross, but to put an end to the world of sin. But no one knows when that return will be, only the Father knows the true ending date.

    Then Jesus spoke words everyone must consider. He said, "Therefore you also be ready, for the Son of Man is coming at an hour you do not expect"(v. 44). Thus the central truth of this parable is preparation. As the Old Testament prophet shouted to the people in his day, Jesus would echo that same warning when telling people to be ready, "Prepare to meet your God".

    The parable warns people to be prepared at all times and that requires obedience. In the story before us, there was a just servant and an unjust servant. One was obedient, the other disobedient. The wise servant was prepared when the master of the house returned. The other, or the unwise servant, noticed the master delayed his coming, so he began to treat and feed the household rudely and recklessly. Naturally, he was found guilty of his lack of preparation and suffered the consequences while the faithful servant was rewarded.

    The parable points to a yet future event when Jesus will come a second time to earth. Those who have prepared themselves will be cared for, but the unprepared will suffer God’s eternal judgement. So, how can we prepare for His second coming to the earth?

    Preparation for His second coming requires repentance. That is where everyone begins. The lost person must repent of their sin and cry out to Jesus to become their Savior. The child of God, in order to continue a successful redeemed life, must repent too. Before God hears the pleas from people, those who are praying must repent of sin in their life. That means being broken over sin, being crushed because you didn’t live up to expectations.

    Preparation also means that one is born again. This isn’t being reborn, but an absolute new birth. In the lost condition, there is no hope. But salvation means you are a new person. And no one goes to Heaven without the new birth in Christ Jesus.

    Preparation also is a faithful lifestyle. Please remember that every step a born again person takes is either a step for Jesus or a step against Jesus. Whether its foul language, wayward places, or questionable activities, lost people are watching. And of course, when the believer lives a life representing Jesus, people will take notice of that positive witness also.

    Preparation also requires personal obedience. Seek out His will for your life and then pursue that life with all you know how. Plan! Prepare! Then fulfill His will for your life!

    The church today looks forward to the rapture of the church, which I believe will occur seven years prior to the second coming mentioned above. If so, and if events in our world are giving clues to His soon return, then His return for the church could be at any moment. Be prepared!



    Comment (1)

    Back to Blog Main Page


    About Me

    Name: Odus Jackson
    ChristiansUnite ID: retiredrev
    Member Since: 2006-02-25
    Location: Gloster, Mississippi, United States
    Denomination: Southern Baptist
    About Me: I was born July 13th, 1936. Married to Peggy Ann Lewis of Gloster. Two children, a girl and a boy. Four grandchildren, 2 girls and 2 boys. Will celebrate our 50th wedding anniversary in 2007. Retired from active pastor of local churches in 1998 after... more

    Feb. 2010
      1 2 3 4 5 6
    7 8 9 10 11 12 13
    14 15 16 17 18 19 20
    21 22 23 24 25 26 27
    28            
    prev   next


    More From ChristiansUnite...    About Us | Privacy Policy | | ChristiansUnite.com Site Map | Statement of Beliefs



    Copyright © 1999-2019 ChristiansUnite.com. All rights reserved.
    Please send your questions, comments, or bug reports to the