Proverbs 25:2 2 It is the glory of God to conceal a matter, But the glory of kings is to search out a matter. 2Tim 4:1 I solemnly charge you in the presence of God and of Christ Jesus, who is to judge the living and the dead, and by His appearing and His kingdom: to preach the word; be ready in season and out of season; reprove, rebuke, exhort, with great patience and instruction. Even the earth is anxiously awaiting His Return: Romans 8:19 19 For the anxious longing of the creation waits eagerly for the revealing of the sons of God. We too, are to wait anxiously: Jude 1:21 keep yourselves in the love of God, waiting anxiously for the mercy of our Lord Jesus Christ to eternal life. Isaiah 8:17 17 And I will wait for the LORD who is hiding His face from the house of Jacob; I will even look eagerly for Him. Isaiah 49:23 Those who hopefully wait for Me will not be put to shame. Micah 7:7 But as for me, I will watch expectantly for the LORD; I will wait for the God of my salvation. My God will hear me. In Matthew 24, when the Apostles asked Jesus "When will these things be?" They too wanted to know, and they were not rebuked for asking the question. Are we to be rebuked for asking? Our God is a God of numbers, days and signs. The Pharisees of Jesus' time were rebuked for not knowing that the exact number of days had been fulfilled that announced Jesus the Messiah's arrival. http://www.khouse.org/articles/1996/46/ We would agree that no man knows the exact day or hour, (there are 24 time zones and it is two different days around the world at all times) and yet does that preclude knowing the year, the season, the month? Most of us would assert with sound biblical reasoning that the Lord has demonstrated His penchant for some days over others for repeated expressions of His Glory. Consider the history of the 9th of Av, or Pentecost, or Passover, or First Fruits. It's also relevant to state that the Lord specifically stated that the heavenly bodies were given for "signs and for seasons", so our looking toward the sky is in compliment to our study. A sense of urgency is cultivated when we contemplate and search out the possibilities of the Rapture. No one likes surprises, and earnestly looking for His Appearance helps us greatly. This sense of urgency fosters several actions: We're given a Living Hope 1 Peter 1:3 Nowhere in Scripture are we forbidden to know or look for the timing of the Rapture. Philippians 3:20 For our citizenship is in heaven, from which also we eagerly wait for a Savior, the Lord Jesus Christ; So many encouraging verses! The Romans 8 Chapter is my favorite because it talks about the creature shall be delivered from the bondage of corruption into the glorious liberty of the children of God ... And not only they .. but ourselves also ... groan within ourselves, waiting for the adoption ... the redemption of our body. Our pets are part of the good gifts the Lord has given to us. He pronounced them good after he created them in the garden. I have high hopes they will be joining us on the other side when the rapture occurs. :yes: When I turned the calendar over on March 1st ... I couldn’t help but sing “Were marching to Zion, beautiful beautiful Zion, were marching upward to Zion the beautiful City of God”. My puppy dog got excited and started packing his travel bag of treasures ... Then he barked “Let’s Go!” I love all of these reminders! I often turn to I Thessalonians. Each chapter ends with a reminder of what we are waiting for. They tell how you turned to God from idols to serve the living and true God, 10 and to wait for his Son from heaven, whom he raised from the dead—Jesus, who rescues us from the coming wrath. (1:9-10) 19 For what is our hope, our joy, or the crown in which we will glory in the presence of our Lord Jesus when he comes? Is it not you? (2:19) 13 May he strengthen your hearts so that you will be blameless and holy in the presence of our God and Father when our Lord Jesus comes with all his holy ones. (3:13) 16 For 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. 17 After 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. 18 Therefore encourage one another with these words. (4:16-18) Maranatha! Even all creation awaits it's redemption. The example of Solomon and the Shulamite bride speaks of the anxiousness of a marriage. In light of His rejecting Lucifer and the Angels and choosing to offer Himself to us is overwhelming. He offered Himself on the cross as a dowry, and then offers His bride eternal pleasures evermore! Truly, redemption alone would be more than could be anticipated. But He had higher thoughts regarding us. Truly, He first loved us. Before the foundations of the world were laid. This has confused and angered Satan throughout time. As the scripture has taught, we are not to assume the chief seats, but wait to be called unto them. So too, we were created a little lower than the angels. But will eventually rule and judge them! If we are patient, we can then see the glories of God performed. TR Your pup is adorable!! I hold onto this verse in believing that our pets will go with us in the Rapture: Exo_12:23 For the LORD will pass through to strike the Egyptians; and when He sees the blood on the lintel and on the two doorposts, the LORD will pass over the door and not allow the destroyer to come into your houses to strike you. We are cover in the Blood of the Lamb and as the heads of our household, in this case, the authority over our pets, they are covered, too. I just cannot imagine, our Lord knowing how much they mean to us, He would not allow them to come up with us too. Just my opinion, but it brings me comfort. But No One Knows the Day or the Hour... Really? Do you know that is one of the most misunderstood verses in the entire Bible and the Jews are responsible for the confusion. Israel today is in disobedience to the Law of Moses. There is no blood sacrifice for sin because there is no temple. They do not follow the Law which requires them to celebrate the Feast of the New Moon to commence every single month as much as celebrating their Sabbaths. Their calendar is lunar and while (before the era of computers) no one knew the day or hour of the new moon appearing, they did know that it would fall on one of two days to start the new month. Yes, all Israel knew within two days when the new moon would appear but no one knew which day or even the hour it would appear. In order to fulfill the law they were forced to have watchmen who loved God's Law, waiting and watching the skies at night for the first sliver of the new moon and it required two witnesses to run to the high priest to confirm the new moon had appeared for the start of the new month. Then the shofar trumpet would be sounded and the signal fires would be lit so the whole of Israel would prepare for the joyful celebration. In Jesus time every Jew young and old hearing the phrase "no one knows the day or the hour" understood that meant to be on the lookout, waiting and watching for the signs of His appearing just like watching in the darkness for the new moon appearing because you will know the approximate time. Satan has managed to twist that to mean the opposite... go to sleep church because there is no point in looking for no one can know and most of the church, like Israel, is in the deep sleep of disobedience because they are neither waiting nor watching for the signs of His soon appearing. If you understood the Law of Moses and the feast of the new moon it would be clear when you heard the phrase "no one knows the day or the hour" that it was a command to be waiting and watching and so likewise we will know the approximate time of the Lords return by the convergence of the signs. Just like the people would hear the high priest blow the trumpet in the darkness so we will hear our Great High Priest blow the trump of God when with the cry of command He calls us Come Up Here! That is why we are told we are not of the darkness that the Day of His appearing should take us unawares and why we are commanded to WATCH THEREFORE Matt.25: 13 Watch therefore, for you know neither the day nor the hour.. What's the point in telling us to watch for His return and then telling us we can't watch for it because no one knows when it will come? God is not a God of confusion. The new moon was a shadow of things to come. It was symbolizing coming from darkness to light, from death to life. It was symbolic of a new beginning at the start of each month and it was a joyful celebration everyone looked forward to. It was a festal gathering just like when we meet innumerable angels in festal gathering. Every time a soul is saved all the angels in heaven rejoice because when our number is complete the party of eternity begins and they are waiting to get dressed for it! So just as they are waiting for it, just as Jesus is waiting for it, we are to be on watch and actively waiting for that day and hour when the trumpet blast calls us upwards for a new beginning of which the new moon was a shadow of what's coming... Col.2 16 Therefore let no one pass judgment on you in questions of food and drink, or with regard to a festival or a new moon or a Sabbath. 17 These are a shadow of the things to come, but the substance belongs to Christ. Geri7, what kind of dog is that? Is it a Fox Terrier? Jack Russel? He is very cute! I had two Fox Terriers who are both gone now, but they are the best dogs! Hi Chelle, Thank you. Yep, this is Dodger ... he is a Toy Fox Terrier. He was only 5 lbs when I got him and now 16 lbs. Very loving ... always giving out kisses. So sorry to hear your Fox Terriers are gone. They are waiting for you up in heaven. I have a childhood Toy Fox waiting up there as well. Soon very soon we will all be up there and they will be running around together. Can you imagine them all talking too? LOL Its going to be fun!!!
We're purified by this Hope: 1 John 3:3
We're passionately driven to lives of obedience and holiness: 2 Peter 3:11-12
We're passionately driven to witness the Gospel 2Tim 4:1
We're passionately driven to pray for the lost 1 Timothy 2:1-6 Colossians 1:9-14 Matthew 20:28
Matt.2513 Watch therefore, for you know neither the day nor the hour.
