If I were to guess, I’d think anyone reading this has heard of Jesus Christ and believes that he walked the earth some 2,000 years ago. Some may believe he was a great teacher and led an exemplary life of love and how to treat our fellow man. Others may believe he is the Son of God who came to save the world from sin. Regardless of what you may think about who Jesus is, I wonder how many know — or truly understand — that he is coming back again? He spoke of it himself many times and it was an assurance and comfort to his followers. In other words, his return was something to watch for and look forward to!

After Jesus’s death and resurrection, he spent forty days on the earth before ascending back into heaven. He spent much of that time with his apostles, teaching them and convincing them he was indeed alive — so much so that they eventually turned the world upside down as they spread the word about the kingdom of God and were willing to die as martyrs for their faith. When the time came for Christ to leave earth and return to heaven, “he was taken up before their very eyes, and a cloud hid him from their sight. They were looking intently up into the sky as he was going, when suddenly two men dressed in white stood beside them. ‘Men of Galilee,’ they said, ‘why do you stand here looking into the sky? This same Jesus, who has been taken from you into heaven, will come back in the same way you have seen him go into heaven.’” (Acts 1:9-11) 

Jesus is coming back, and next time it won’t be as an inconspicuous babe who had nowhere to sleep but in a manger. Instead, he will return in all his power and glory and majesty, and the whole world will see him coming in the clouds. This is a reality not many seem to think or care much about, but that doesn’t change the fact that he will return as promised. Some argue that Jesus said we would not know “the day or the hour” of his return, so we shouldn’t be preoccupied with trying to figure out when that will be. But Jesus chastised the religious leaders of his day who knew what Scripture foretold about the coming Messiah and should have recognized his first coming. “Do you know how to discern the appearance of the sky, but cannot discern the signs of the times?” (Matthew 16:3) He also said we’d recognize the general season of his return when he referred to the fig tree: 

Now learn this lesson from the fig tree: As soon as its twigs get tender and its leaves come out, you know that summer is near. Even so, when you see all these things, you know that it is near, right at the door. Truly I tell you, this generation will certainly not pass away until all of these things have happened. Heaven and earth will pass away, but my words will never pass away. (Matthew 24:32-34)

Many Biblical scholars believe that the sign of the fig tree represents Israel and its rebirth as a nation in 1948, and that the generation that has witnessed the rebirth of Israel will be the generation that witnesses the fulfillment of all of the prophecies concerning Christ’s second return. When Jesus was telling his disciples about the signs of the end times (see Matthew 24 and Luke 21), it was as if he paused at one point and said, you know, it will be like it was in the days of Noah:

But about that day or hour no one knows, not even the angels in heaven, nor the Son, but only the Father. As it was in the days of Noah, so it will be at the coming of the Son of Man. For in the days before the flood, people were eating and drinking and marrying and giving in marriage, up to the day Noah entered the ark, and they knew nothing about what would happen until the flood came and took them all away. That is how it will be at the coming of the Son of Man. (Matthew 24:36-39)

He went on to say, “Therefore keep watch, because you do not know on what day your Lord will come. But understand this: if the owner of the house had known at what time of night the thief was coming, he would have kept watch and would not have let his house be broken into. So you also must be ready, because the Son of Man will come at an hour when you do not expect him” (Matthew 24:42-44).

That is a sobering thought — that Jesus will return at an hour when we do not expect him. He spoke a lot about his second coming and the signs of his return, speaking plainly and also through parables that we need to be watching and alert, aware of the times and the seasons, so we are not caught off guard. In Noah’s day people must have wondered who this crazy man was, building an ark and warning of the coming flood of judgment. They probably laughed and scoffed and went on their merry way, oblivious to the coming storm. Nothing has really changed – there have always been scoffers and there are scoffers today, as the Bible said there would be. “Above all, you must understand that in the last days scoffers will come, scoffing and following their own evil desires. They will say, ‘Where is this ‘coming’ he promised? Ever since our ancestors died, everything goes on as it has since the beginning of creation,” not realizing that “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. Instead he is patient with you, not wanting anyone to perish, but everyone to come to repentance.” (2 Peter 3:3-4, 8-9)

The primary motivating factor in starting Holding Fast Now is because we believe that a perfect storm is brewing. Before Christ’s second return there will be what is called the tribulation period. As mentioned in another post, Christ said the signs of his return would be like birth pangs, with the signs occurring closer and closer together in increasing intensity. Even before the actual tribulation period begins, the labor pains will have already begun. We do not know when he will return, but we do see what is happening around us and anticipate a ratcheting up of the signs. Though right now you may dismiss this whole idea as ridiculous, there will come a time when some of what is said here may start to resonate with you. I hear and read over and over again that people everywhere are sensing that something is going on, that something big is about to happen. If you are sensing that too, please don’t ignore that inner nudging. I will be writing in my next post about some specific signs to watch for. If we are indeed beginning to experience the intensifying of birth pangs, then it only stands to reason that the intensity and frequency will increase, so that a few weeks from now or a few months from now or even one short year from now you may begin to see and understand what we’re trying to get people to realize and take notice of.

It’s hard for any of us growing up in America to imagine life not continuing to go on as it always has … at least in our generation. We have lived with prosperity and freedom and there is so much we have all taken for granted. It’s hard to comprehend why anticipating and looking forward to Christ’s return would be better than the good life we now enjoy. But I, along with many others, suspect that things may start to unravel sooner than any of us care to think about. So even though considering this possibility may be inconvenient or unpleasant, I believe it is important to start thinking about these things now, because what you believe about Jesus will make all the difference when the storms come.

Therefore everyone who hears these words of mine and puts them into practice is like a wise man who built his house on the rock. The rain came down, the streams rose, and the winds blew and beat against that house; yet it did not fall, because it had its foundation on the rock. But everyone who hears these words of mine and does not put them into practice is like a foolish man who built his house on the sand. The rain came down, the streams rose, and the winds blew and beat against that house, and it fell with a great crash. (Matthew 7:24-27)

There is a storm coming. If Jesus is the Rock and Foundation of your life, and you hear and put into practice his words, there will be nothing to fear. He doesn’t want us to be afraid. He has promised to be with us always, even to the end of the age. And that is good news.

Holding Fast,

Lisa

Be strong and courageous. Do not be afraid; do not be discouraged, for the Lord your God will be with you wherever you go. (Joshua 1:9)

^{Photography by Irene Becker}