lgstarr: New Testament

http://billygraham.org/story/come-quickly-lord-jesus/

After His death and resurrection, Jesus ascended into the heavens, while disciples stood awestruck and attending angels made this promise: “This Jesus, who has been taken up from you into heaven, will come in just the same way as you have watched Him go into heaven” (Acts 1:11, NASB).

Unlike the incarnation, where our Savior’s full deity was cloaked in His humanity, the Second Coming of Christ will be visible to everyone on planet Earth. “For just as the lightning comes from the east and flashes even to the west, so will the coming of the Son of Man be” (Matthew 24:27, NASB).

For the believer who has placed his faith in Christ’s atoning work on the cross, it will be a time of great rejoicing. The dead in Christ, and those alive at His coming, will receive new, redeemed bodies.

For the unbeliever, however, it will be a time of terror and dismay, as they see the Savior they have rejected and scorned coming in great power and glory. Fear and trembling will overwhelm them as they await their final judgment and assignment to hell’s lake of never-ending fire.

Although the Bible says that certain signs will precede and accompany Jesus’ glorious return, it also tells us that no one knows the day or hour when it will occur. The Scripture’s emphasis is always on spiritual readiness.

The believer in Jesus Christ is to be eagerly watching and waiting for the return of the Savior. Like the servants in the parable of the talents, followers of Christ should be busy with the Lord’s work, using their time, talents, and resources for the sake of the Kingdom.

We also should be boldly sharing our faith with those who still live in spiritual darkness and death, telling them of the great joy of eternity with Christ and the great horror of eternity apart from Christ.

Above all, believers should be daily yielding to the rule and reign of the Holy Spirit, walking in holiness. “But the day of the Lord will come like a thief. The heavens will disappear with a roar; the elements will be destroyed by fire, and the earth and everything in it will be laid bare. Since everything will be destroyed in this way, … you ought to live holy and godly lives” (2 Peter 3:10-11, NIV).

***snip***

It is my prayer that this emphasis will increase your love for the Savior, and encourage you in the faith. Death, sin, sickness, and every form of evil will be done away with as Jesus returns to establish His Kingdom. No more tears, no more pain, no more despair.

Come quickly, Lord Jesus.

from the January 2009 issue of “Decision” magazine

HAT TIP: Instapundit

Yes, I know this article says "world's most fearless atheist" but he is also the world's most famous--most vocal?--atheist as well...]

In a recent Al-Jazeerah interview, Richard Dawkins was asked his views on God. He argued that the god of "the Old Testament" is "hideous" and "a monster", and reiterated his claim from The God Delusion that the God of the Torah is the most unpleasant character "in fiction".

As you can see, Dawkins has no trouble attacking the Hebrew God in a most direct and uncompromising manner. No atheist wallflower he.

Asked if he thought the same of the God of the Koran, Dawkins ducked the question, saying: "Well, um, the God of the Koran I don't know so much about."

How can it be that the world's most fearless atheist, celebrated for his strident opinions on the Christian and Jewish Gods, could profess to know so little about the God of the Koran? Has he not had the time? Or is Professor Dawkins simply demonstrating that most crucial trait of his species: survival instinct.

Whoops. It’s funny how these confident, cocksure prophets of atheism-who barely have time to take a breath between slamming the tenets of Christianity and Judaism-often get curiously tongue-tied and shy when the subject of Islam comes up. The idea that Dawkins doesn’t “know so much about” the God of the Koran is absurd. Of course he knows about Islam. And the same disdain and disregard that he has for Judaism and Christianity should surely apply to Islam as well.

The truth is that bashing and mocking Judaism and Christianity is easy and painless. You’ll get praise and admiration from those within the “right” circles of academia, media, and entertainment. Your opponents will argue with and debate your views and they may even offer (gasp) to pray for you. There’s no real price to pay at all.

However, should you direct the same scathing criticisms towards Islam you’ll find those “right” circles suddenly closed off to you. And your opponents’ rebuttals may not be offered in articles and debate halls, but rather with bullets, bombs, and knives. Standing up to that takes real courage not the false bravado we see on displays as atheists attack Judaism and Christianity.