March 29, 2025
Please use the comment section on this page to share insights from today’s reading OR your own personal Bible reading.
Reading along with us in our Lenten readings from “The Life of Jesus”? Here’s today’s reading:
Lent 2025 – Day 9 in the Book: “The Life of Jesus“
The Week Jesus Dies
Read Sections 5.14 through 5.15 (pages 145-148)
This book is an account of Jesus’ life and teachings told in chronological order from the four Gospels to create one continuous story.
*If you do not have a copy of the book please contact the church at (401)667-0775 and we can get you a copy.
Reading about end times is never comforting and it sounds more familiar every day as we signs and hints to it all the time around us. We are still no where near as bad yet as the descriptions like Jesus shared in this section. When I was young I attended a church that preached heavy about end times and I was always so afraid of it. Like there would be this pass/fail test and if you failed you suffer and if you passed you suffer just for different reasons and it differnet ways. As an adult I have come to a place of realization that these sections of scripture are less about scaring us and more about preparing us. For myself the specific details don’t matter as much to me as they once did but rather I must be prepared by building a strong foundation, being rooted in His word, and in a deep relationship with Him so that when and if I am part of the end times I won’t need to be afraid becasue I will hear His voice and trust His power and presence to follow the path He has for me through whatever comes my way.
This woman gave all she had with no idea when any other money would come to her. I’m concerned about enough money coming in so I can take my grandkids to Disney in a week. Quite the contrast!!! Jesus gives us warnings for the end times. 2 things stand out for me: Natural disasters and the gospel being preached to all nations. Remember when I became a believer, reading that and wondering how that could happen, but not anymore. Glad this has been written but what if our lives were taken from us tonight?
Reading this section of the Bible about the end times is actually quite timely. Recently, upon hearing the news about earthquakes in Thailand, I remembered this verse and I paid careful attention because according to my friend who is a missionary in Thailand, earthquakes are NOT COMMON in Thailand and their buildings are not earthquake-ready like the ones built in countries like Japan and the Philippines. I think we are truly living in the last days. The details sound horrible but I am actually looking forward to it……
The Life of Jesus 5.14-5.15
Lent Days 6-9
Day 8
One of the signs of Christ Jesus return is that the gospel will be preached throughout the world. Every nation, tribe, and tongue will hear the gospel. God is allowing all the people of the world to hear His salvation message. What great mercy God has for all mankind to reveal Himself to the world. There are other signs but witnessing for Christ are the things that we can control by obeying His word. Other signs like when the Anti Christ is revealed, or the One{Holy Spirit} that restrains the evil is taken away. Which implies the rapture for the Holy Spirit indwells us, or Israel being surrounded by attacking nations; we cannot control. That is all in God`s hands. We can only pray and witness. I believe in the rapture before the great tribulation. Whatever view we have about Christ`s return doesn`t really matter in the end, but it is true that He is coming back as King of kings and Lord of lords. What is important on our parts is that we are grounded in His word and drawing closer to Him and witnessing for Him. He is our refuge and strength. God bless us.
Lent 2025 – Days 7-9
Day 8
Lent 2025 – Day 9
”And then He will send His angels, and gather together His elect from the four winds, from the farthest part of earth to the farthest part of heaven.“
Mark 13:27 NKJV
I think this refers to Revelation 7, where Jesus comes and sends angels to gather His elect (I believe Jews are elected, especially since Rev 7 names off 144,000 specifically from each of the 12 tribes). I think this is after the rapture and these will be Jews during the tribulation.
Those who must flea fast are not those who are taken up by angels. The rapture is “in the twinkling of an eye”, so there is no gathering your stuff or running and hiding. Thessalonians says that some will be taken unawares like a thief, but not believers. We can take comfort knowing that when we watch for Jesus, we will know what is going on. Also, that we long for His appearing. If we are looking forward for His return, we should be comforted and not afraid.
”But you, brethren, are not in darkness, so that this Day should overtake you as a thief. You are all sons of light and sons of the day. We are not of the night nor of darkness. Therefore let us not sleep, as others do, but let us watch and be sober. For those who sleep, sleep at night, and those who get drunk are drunk at night. But let us who are of the day be sober, putting on the breastplate of faith and love, and as a helmet the hope of salvation. For God did not appoint us to wrath, but to obtain salvation through our Lord Jesus Christ, who died for us, that whether we wake or sleep, we should live together with Him. Therefore comfort each other and edify one another, just as you also are doing.“
I Thessalonians 5:4-11 NKJV