POST-GENESIS, pre-Revelation
Understanding where we fit in history
By Steve Nelson The problem and solution: Most of the world is confused about the future, and Christians are sometimes the most ignorant on this, due to misinformation. For your blessing and understanding, this article will shed light on this exaggerated and over-analyzed subject of popular controversy. We can discover what the truth is, not by watching Hollywood movies about “apocalyptic events,” nor by reading top-selling fantasy books about the “end times,” nor by listening to the next smooth-talking preachers who give us their two cents about when they guess Jesus is coming back. Scripture exclusively is how to know the truth accurately. (“Every word of God is pure...” – Proverbs 30:5) A running head start... The Olympic Games will occur July 23 – August 8, 2021. In light of this legendary sporting event, let’s begin our discussion of time here. The pinnacle of sports achievement is earning a gold medal, and in doing so get your name etched in stone, preserved as a champion. Suppose you are a runner, about to race in the marathon. Once your race begins, what will you think about? Do you dwell upon the previous race? No!! (Philippians 3:13 says to “forget what lies behind.”) Or do you worry about the next race? No!! (Matthew 6:34 tells us “don’t worry about tomorrow.”) Think about the race going on right now. Focus less on the past and future, in proportion to the present. To aid your performance during the long race, you might recall on occasion the successful tactics of previous runners (just like Christians do in looking at Old Testament believers). Also during the race, you might gain motivation as you imagine yourself inspiring future runners (just like Christians
12 July / August 2021 | Christian Living
look forward to the ultimate future ahead when evil is defeated once and for all). Yet thoughts of the past and future are few in comparison to the many thoughts of the present. The race right now requires our urgent and diligent attention! We must adjust to the other competitors constantly, minute by minute and sometimes second by second. Also affecting our speed and endurance, we consider other dynamic factors: terrain, temperature, wind, hydration, energy and many other physical and mental conditions. (The marathon current world record is 2 hours, 1 minute, 39 seconds.) Focusing on the PRESENT is the will of God. Distracted about the future is the will of Satan. To overlook the past completely would cause us to be ignorant. To ignore the future completely would cause us to wander aimlessly. So we keep those things in proper measure. Just like a runner, each human being could and should spend a majority of their focus, energy and effort on the PRESENT. Since this is true, then why are so many Christians distracted, consumed with tunnel vision on the future? This is because Satan prefers this distraction of converting us into fortune tellers and predictors of future events, instead of us Christians focusing on our top priority, being “witnesses unto the uttermost part of the earth” RIGHT NOW. We need to be ambassadors for Jesus Christ about God’s power – it’s available to anyone, RIGHT NOW. The race we run is the most important to us. Hebrews 12:1 tells us to run “the race set before US,” not the race of others in the future. As Christians, we will not be around when Revelation commences anyway, so why fuss about it? Now consider this in the context of studying Scripture. Why not study those things most importantly that relate to us right
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