snow jobs come in many forms

At the time of this posting the area of central Pa that I live in is under an all day blizzard watch. Soon I will begin round 1 of digging out. 
The days leading up to this storm were typically media driven frantic. One has to scratch their head and wonder as to where logic,reason and common sense go when weather events occur such as this. I know its a generational thing.
Millennials love the sensational things given to every aspect of their lives but it still makes a sane person wonder.

But  I will say, due to a most unusual winter season to this point ( it was close to 70 degrees Christmas week)  the preparation level for this storm was truly impressive. I have not seen such preparation for a storm like this in a long time. I'm thinking that up to this point winter had not yet come to this area and whether people knew it or not, they knew it was coming and when they heard that this big storm (3 ft in my area) was coming, they were more then ready.

On the day before the storm, I came into the house and I kinda made an off comment to my wife,concerning the storm , just a random thought after observing on the news, all those preparing for the storm.

I said "boy, wouldn't it be nice if people prepared for the return of Jesus like this"
I said that as a passing thought , but as with most things , I thought about that for a moment and many many truths came to mind.

BTW, that's what this blog is all about. Slowing things down, things we say and hear and read. Slowing things down is the number one benefit I'd receive since that first time thru the entire Bible. When I saw how easily scripture can be twisted it alarmed  me greatly.

Anyway, back to this storm we are "enjoying."
Can you imagine what it might be like if people did prepare for Jesus' return as they do a storm?

This may sound like a silly notion but the more one thinks about it the more some truth is revealed .
I should add to that, only those believers who have a solid understanding of how Gods Word in context ,will better understand this.

Before anyone thinks that that is a selfish and arrogant statement I would ask them to hang in there with me.
Many of these thoughts are "still under construction" in my brain but as I continue to post my thoughts on the "letters" of Revelation , this will then make more sense.

To comprehend my thoughts here , you must consider the language most church goers are used to when they even consider the return of Jesus.
I am making this comparison to ( a snow storm) to reveal its problems.

We hear things like " He's coming quickly "  or  "are you ready?"
Add decades worth of "sensational" to that and can anyone wonder why that after awhile , the promise of "He comes quickly" sounds more like a threat than a promise to the average church goer.

Think about it for a minute.

I was ready for this storm. Plenty of fuel for snow blower, Kerosene for inside, salt for pavements, even bought a new shovel and we have plenty of food and of course, you cant have a big storm without bread and milk.
We were ready.

I said to my wife, what if I had done nothing? 

Fact is, the storm is still coming.

The question becomes, did I or did I not Believe the storm was coming.
Lets say, I believed but decided to do nothing for one reason or another.
Besides,only I know if I believed or not.

Someone might ask me ,concerning this storm, "are you ready?"
They might say "its coming quick."

How does one answer the "are you ready" question?
No, I'm not ready. 
The repeated nature of the question (are you ready) makes it sound like I need to do something more. 

It's not so much the question than it's asked over and over. 
If we answer "yes, I'm ready" , that's not enough. 
If we say "no, I'm not ready" then it's like salvation becomes a law. 

Think about the language  church goers use to talk about the return of Jesus, Its off. Way off.

For so many church goers , such as I was for many years, at some point they hear about Jesus.
From that moment on, the likelihood of being misled goes way up. That happens when we take the gospel message to casual.

The whole thing (Christ's return) gets placed in a "question"  format. 

This  leads you to, making a "choice". 

This (thinking)  train speeds up because we are told..
"He's coming quickly" (oh no)
"are you ready" (no)
 "He could come before I finish this post" (oh my gosh!)

Fact is, for the believer waiting and hoping for Jesus to return , observing the clear signs, the return of Jesus will not be some ,sprung on you ,type thing.

 For that one who is waiting for the thief (they know is coming because a friend warned them), or a storm we see on radar or Jesus (as His complete Word reveals), its not quickly, not a shock, not a surprise.

We believe the storms coming (by seeing radar)  we believe the thief is coming (a warning from a friend) and we  believe Jesus to be the son of God ( a complete work of Holy Spirit)  and He will return for those who's trust Him and believe Him.

In a church goers mind , these three examples get grouped together. The one ignorant of Gods Word does not understand the ideas of being an "overcomer" or a "conqueror."
We do not understand the why I want Jesus to return.
I love Jesus. I love the one coming back. This should be why I look forward to His return.

The "behold I come quickly" in Gods Word are not intended for the believer as a means of exhortation (or in other words, trying to get a believer motivated to live right)  but how many times do you, as a believer , get pressed on that?
Just think of all the times, since becoming a Christian, have you heard, in church , tell you Jesus is coming quick!
Saying it this way is also used as methods of evangelizing the unsaved . That does not work either. They do not care.
They will when the realize their sins are forgiven.  

Then, on the heels of being threatened of His return we are asked another tough question.
"Are you ready" (for His return)
the answer will always be, No!

The reason for that is in how Gods Words is thought of. 

If the answer to the question "are you ready" is attributed to anything other than Gods free gift of salvation, that would put it a context of "law" and we all know that the "law" can not save anyone,right?

Sadly,no. Many church goers do not know that.

For so many church goers, Faith and Trust (in God) is not enough.
That faith and trust are not even ours. Those are gifts to us, from God.
We do not bring anything to this.

The thing that hooks and fools the church goer is,

 they remember all those times some preacher said.. 

"Sure, you believe, but  the demons also believed..."

 and the church goer had no real good reply to that. 
Being compared to a demon usually trips up the believer. 

Do you know why?

Because the average church goer has never read his Bible through. 
There is no way I can adequately answer this in this post because the list of missed concepts of todays church goer is vast. It includes everything from Salvation to sin nature to redemption and the list goes endlessly on.
This list could end with them not knowing about sin,works,rewards and even those "soiled garments" in Rev 3.

Its not about whose smarter than anyone else, its about, have you ever read the thing? (Bible)

Look, after one reads it and sees how its mis used, theres plenty of time and resources to reveal to that one ,why and how Gods Word gets so mis treated. 

To the one who believes they are sinful,
they have offended a Holy God,
they are desperately lost and need a savior
and have told God all this and more ,

how might your perspective be if you knew its Gods righteousness in you..
and any good thing you might do ,as you walk in His will faithfully ,
God graciously gives you rewards in heaven. 

To that individual I strongly encourage, read your Bible.
I know there are many others that can say things better than me, but its not about this life.. in this flesh. 

Why do you spend so much time and energy fretting about things? 

Truth is, deep down, many do not believe Jesus will return, well, not in the same way as some storm and thats too bad. 
It does not have to be that way.

Its all in how things are properly communicated. 
(see "blogs purpose and challenge" page -link)

Again,  many will say I am crazy. They say things like " people like you don't want anyone to have a rich life on earth" Thinking about the next life while living in this life is a hard thing to do. This is because we somehow separate the two.
But it has been and always will be about eternity. One thing , eternity.


Yes, much can be learned from observing others as they prepare for the things they know are coming,like a snowstorm. All there preparation and belief can be attributed the "themselves"

Sadly , many church goers view the return of Jesus this same way and whats even sadder is their are many who use church language to complicate an otherwise un complicated event, that being the return of Jesus.

After spending a couple hours with snow blower,not much success.