After a yummy hot dog dinner, Alice, Shelley and I sat down to continue our studies on the last days. We watched a you tube video that had a narration read from Ezekiel with corresponding pictures from our time. It's amazing how close to "the end" we really are. We also watched a pastor from Texas give a sermon on the end times. There is so much to it!!! It can be overwhelming, but the important part for me is being taken up before all the "bad stuff" happens - I'll be having a seven year feast in heaven while all the nasty things are taking place on earth. I do think it is important to know what's going to happen anyway because it gives people motivation to accept Christ!!! He he!
We also watched part of a documentary on the shroud of Torin - a piece of material that scientists are trying to prove is the linen that Christ was wrapped in after his death. So far, with what we watched, it appears to be of a man who was both scourged and crucified. We never got to the end to see if they could, in fact, prove that is was dated back to the time of Christ's death.
I was super tired and felt like a zombie because the previous night there was family drama. However, I am just so thankful that I have the opportunity to meet with these beautiful ladies and grow in Jesus' love! Even though I was a zombie, it was so nice to be there. I'm so, so blessed!
Showing posts with label The Rapture. Show all posts
Showing posts with label The Rapture. Show all posts
Sunday, April 4, 2010
Friday, March 26, 2010
Thursday, March 25 - The End Times
We met at Shelley's house this time and she made a delicious lasagna! Yummy! But first, the food for our spirits!
Alice wanted to focus on the 2nd coming and the time line around that taking place. There are a lot of things we understand, vaguely understand, and don't understand at all. She wanted us to pick some things about the end times and 2nd coming and we would collectively dive in!
She first showed us a quick clip called Are You Ready? Click here to see! It was a short illustration of how the Rapture might occur... kinda cool actually. I used to worry about whether I would be burned to a crisp when Jesus returned, mostly because of the legalistic way I was raised. I had a lot of toxic shame (not healthy guilt) about all of my sins and didn't think I would ever be good enough to "make it". Alice pointed out that we had all accepted Jesus as our Savior. In that regard, we'll be in good hands when the worst of the end is taking place.
In 1 Peter 4:7 it talks about being watchful and aware that the end is near, though, thus being a good call to understand what will happen during these times.
Anyway, Alice pointed out that Matthew 24:36 says that no one will know the day or the hour when Jesus will come again. She thought it interesting that it didn't mention a year - she did a little math. Ezekiel talks about the Jews being restored to Israel as part of the last day prophecies. In 1948, Israel was restored. Matthew 24:34 indicates that in the same generation that Israel is restored, Jesus would return. So, just for fun, Alice determined what an approximate "generation" would be. She determined, based on the genealogy of Christ given in Matthew, that a generation is about 70 years. She looked at the time that had passed from Abraham to Jesus - 2018 years. From Jesus to Israel becoming a nation - 2018 years. The year that took place was 1948 and adding a "generation" to it of 70 years - the year 2018. Just a fun thought. Not doctrinal, but definitely interesting.
In any case, we know based on all of the "events" that are to take place in the "last days", the end is certainly near. The eschatology - the study of end times - is a subject large enough to study for days, weeks, months, even years!!! We pretty much barely touched the vast variety of topics that can be discussed regarding the end time events... more to come!!!
In the meantime, I had an "aha" moment - or what Alice called a "Golden Nugget".
I had been continuing to contemplate the concept of the Trinity - I really was doing well with accepting that belief, but then I listened to an interview with Shawn McCraney and it became even more clear to me.
He referred to our bodies as three in one because we have a body, a soul (our mind, emotions, and will) and our spirit which enters fully when we are re-born in Christ. Three different elements, one being. Makes sense... well, it makes sense about God too!!! Love it!!!
Alice wanted to focus on the 2nd coming and the time line around that taking place. There are a lot of things we understand, vaguely understand, and don't understand at all. She wanted us to pick some things about the end times and 2nd coming and we would collectively dive in!
She first showed us a quick clip called Are You Ready? Click here to see! It was a short illustration of how the Rapture might occur... kinda cool actually. I used to worry about whether I would be burned to a crisp when Jesus returned, mostly because of the legalistic way I was raised. I had a lot of toxic shame (not healthy guilt) about all of my sins and didn't think I would ever be good enough to "make it". Alice pointed out that we had all accepted Jesus as our Savior. In that regard, we'll be in good hands when the worst of the end is taking place.
1 Thessalonians 4:16-17 (New International Version)
16For the Lord himself will come down from heaven, with a loud command, with the voice of the archangel and with the trumpet call of God, and the dead in Christ will rise first. 17After that, we who are still alive and are left will be caught up together with them in the clouds to meet the Lord in the air. And so we will be with the Lord forever.
In 1 Peter 4:7 it talks about being watchful and aware that the end is near, though, thus being a good call to understand what will happen during these times.
Anyway, Alice pointed out that Matthew 24:36 says that no one will know the day or the hour when Jesus will come again. She thought it interesting that it didn't mention a year - she did a little math. Ezekiel talks about the Jews being restored to Israel as part of the last day prophecies. In 1948, Israel was restored. Matthew 24:34 indicates that in the same generation that Israel is restored, Jesus would return. So, just for fun, Alice determined what an approximate "generation" would be. She determined, based on the genealogy of Christ given in Matthew, that a generation is about 70 years. She looked at the time that had passed from Abraham to Jesus - 2018 years. From Jesus to Israel becoming a nation - 2018 years. The year that took place was 1948 and adding a "generation" to it of 70 years - the year 2018. Just a fun thought. Not doctrinal, but definitely interesting.
In any case, we know based on all of the "events" that are to take place in the "last days", the end is certainly near. The eschatology - the study of end times - is a subject large enough to study for days, weeks, months, even years!!! We pretty much barely touched the vast variety of topics that can be discussed regarding the end time events... more to come!!!
In the meantime, I had an "aha" moment - or what Alice called a "Golden Nugget".
I had been continuing to contemplate the concept of the Trinity - I really was doing well with accepting that belief, but then I listened to an interview with Shawn McCraney and it became even more clear to me.
He referred to our bodies as three in one because we have a body, a soul (our mind, emotions, and will) and our spirit which enters fully when we are re-born in Christ. Three different elements, one being. Makes sense... well, it makes sense about God too!!! Love it!!!
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