Today's Passage - Luke 17:22-27

River of Life Christian Church ︳www.rolcc.net/english Luke 17:22-27   Then he said to his disciples, 'The time is coming when you will long to see one of the days of the Son of Man, but you will not see it.  Men will tell you, "There he is!" or "Here he is!"  Do not go running off after them.  For the Son of Man in his day d will be like the lightning, which flashes and lights up the sky from one end to the other.  But first he must suffer many things and be rejected by this generation.  Just as it was in the days of Noah, so also will it be in the days of the Son of Man.  People were eating, drinking, marrying and being given in marriage up to the day Noah entered the ark. Then the flood came and destroyed them all.   Many believers have a lukewarm and carefree attitude towards the coming back of the Lord.  Lord said here that such attitude is much like the days of Noah.  When Noah received God's word that He will use flood to destroy the whole world, everyone thought that's was just scare tactic.  When God's time came, however, flood covered the whole world and only Noah and his family survived.  Every word and stroke of God's word will come true, and everything will happen according to what He had said.   In Matthew 24, Jesus told us that there will be many signs prior to the return of the Lord.  Looking at the world today, you will see many of those signs.  Lord said that at the end days many will claim to be Christ, famine will happen everywhere, and earthquakes will shake the world.  According to statistics, the number of earthquakes that occurred in the 20th century is more than the total number of earthquakes took place in the first nineteen centuries.  Lord said that people will fight people and nation will fight nation; there are now many wars between nations, as well as civil wars.  Lord also said that in the end days, unrighteous things will be prevalent, people will have less love, and many false prophets will deceive people.  Isn't this what the world is going through today?  Jesus said that when we see these things, we should expect His return soon.   Many people are wise with things of the world, but are confused when it comes to spiritual matters.  Jesus has told the Pharisees before: "You know how to interpret the appearance of the sky, but you cannot interpret the signs of the times.'  If we study God's word with a fearful heart, and we observe what's happening in the world today, we will be convinced that the Lord's return is near.  2 Peter 3:8-9 said: "But do not forget this one thing, dear friends: With the Lord a day is like a thousand years, and a thousand years are like a day.  The Lord is not slow in keeping his promise, as some understand slowness.  He is patient with you, not wanting anyone to perish, but everyone to come to repentance."  It is God's will to have every saved and no one perish, so may God help us to see the signs of the time, to listen to His words, and prepare ourselves for His second-coming.     Pray with Pastor Tong           Dear Lord, if we have any careless attitude towards your return, we ask that the Holy Spirit open our eyes and shine in our hearts, to know that none of your word is written in vain.  Whatever you said will be accomplished.  Let us have hearts that fear Christ for the remainder of our life, until the Lord returns.  I think you and I pray in the victorious name of Jesus, amen!