When He Returns!

[Naomi25]

And that is the crux of the problem.

Here we have those who have not seen and experienced all that has been promised arguing with those who have, even after Jesus has long ago said that the kingdom of God had come when He first came and then said He would come again "quickly" to those who heard Him knocking and open the door to Him. How sad it is that those who have not seen and have obviously not opened the door fully to Him according to His promises, should purpose to tell those who have seen just what is and what is not.

But I tell you - you have heard both testimonies, because both are true! For some "It is finished", and for some it is not, just as you have heard them say.

“Thou sayest.”

So...are you telling me that the Christians who face persecution for their faith, to pick just one small area of this still fallen world. These persecuted people who face having to watch there own children being killed in front of them, that they have attained the promise of a world of no more tears or pain or death?
I mean, you cannot. For all the wonderful, incredible, powerful things we have in Christ now...like the ability to stand firm in both faith, love and hope through such atrocities, he clearly has not yet put an end to death or sin. He is still redeeming people from both of those, and when he has called the last person to himself, then he will put death under his feet, wrapping up this age.

But look, if you can show me anything to suggest that sin is not rampant in this world, or that death still comes to every single person; believer and unbeliever alike, then, but only then, will I allow your notion may have merit.

 

[bbyrd009]

I am also unsure of where you @bbyrd009 are.

ah, never meant to imply that i was sure of anything myself, bc i do not know.
obv i would also be jazzed if believer's Return Fantasies were to manifest, but meanwhile speaking more realistically i would be agog and amazed if anyone could Quote it. Where i am on return is "Return to Me..." the return that i can plainly read in Scripture that somehow seems completely invisible to literalists

 

[bbyrd009]

As the world is now, with sin and death still existing, we must expect something else on the horizon, something else to do away with these things before we can move to God's Kingdom, where sin and heartache will be no more.

yes, you must die at baptism and leave the world, and have Christ revealed in your heart, before you can move into God's kingdom
imo

he clearly has not yet put an end to death or sin.

He has put an end to death and has brought Life and Immortality to light
He has offered Himself one time to destroy sin by His sacrifice.

Either you are the Body of Christ, or you are not, and your eye is your lamp here wadr.

 

[ScottA]

It does not help you (or anyone else) to take a Scripture out of context and try and apply it to the eternal Kingdom of God on earth. At the time that these words were spoken (and even now throughout the Church Age) the Kingdom of God is "within you" (within believers). It is not presently a visible Kingdom.

But that is not how it will always be. So why don't you take some time to properly study the matter, instead of casting aspersions (e.g. "Beware") and making insinuations about those who have not seen and cannot see (which really applies to you!) And then to claim that I contradict Christ, when it is you who has been blatantly contradicting the truth about the second coming of Christ!

Let me give you a clue from Scripture.

DANIEL 7
13 I saw in the night visions, and, behold, one like the Son of man came with the clouds of heaven, and came to the Ancient of days, and they brought him near before him.

14 And there was given him dominion, and glory, and a kingdom, that all people, nations, and languages, should serve him: his dominion is an everlasting dominion, which shall not pass away, and his kingdom that which shall not be destroyed.

Christ made reference to this passage when He was being interrogated by the high priest.

MATTHEW 26
62 And the high priest arose, and said unto him, Answerest thou nothing? what is it which these witness against thee?

63 But Jesus held his peace. And the high priest answered and said unto him, I adjure thee by the living God, that thou tell us whether thou be the Christ, the Son of God.

64 Jesus saith unto him, Thou hast said: nevertheless I say unto you, Hereafter shall ye see the Son of man sitting on the right hand of power, and coming in the clouds of heaven.

65 Then the high priest rent his clothes, saying, He hath spoken blasphemy; what further need have we of witnesses? behold, now ye have heard his blasphemy.

So, instead of believing Christ and worshiping Him, these men accused Him of blasphemy because He was telling them that He is indeed the Son of God (also called the Son of Man in Daniel), and that He would establish His literal Kingdom on earth after His second coming. And now you are resisting the words of Christ and telling me that I am contradicting Him. I already quoted this from Matthew 24:30, but here it is again: And then shall appear the sign of the Son of man in heaven: and then shall all the tribes of the earth mourn, and they shall see the Son of man coming in the clouds of heaven with power and great glory.

More confessions from those who have not seen.

You quote the verses just as those who crucified Christ, and still you do not see that "the world is passing away" and "the earth is burned up", but "the kingdom of heaven (which is spiritual, just as "God is spirit") shall never pass away"...just as it is written.

And this you do because you do not yet "see Him as He is". But "you will see Him" just as it is written - only when "you are like Him" (spirit, as "God is spirit"). For now you look for Him "where He cannot be found", for, as He said, "the world will see me no more."

 

[Helen]

I have reading back and forth through some of the posts on this thread trying to understand what people are saying and/or believing, but only occasionally getting a little daylight. @ScottA has given me a flicker, but he's often too deep for me. I am also unsure of where you @bbyrd009 are.

I don't understand what people say they are believing about a second coming. To me Jesus came to us the first time when he was born to Mary in Bethlehem and during that first time beginning at age 30 he ministered to us. Why wouldn't the second coming be when he comes into our hearts, if he does? Why should another arrival be needed if He is in us already?

"To whom God would make known what is the riches of the glory of this mystery among the Gentiles; which is Christ in you, the hope of glory:" Col 1:27

If that is not speaking of the second coming, what is it then, a part B of the first coming?

"So Christ was once offered to bear the sins of many; and unto them that look for him shall he appear the second time without sin unto salvation." Heb 9:28

When do we do this looking for Him? Is that not what we did when we first heard Him calling to us? Did we not respond by repentance and He responded by filling us with Himself? What more should we look for but this which is what He told us to seek?

"But seek ye first the kingdom of God, and his righteousness; and all these things shall be added unto you.
Take therefore no thought for the morrow: for the morrow shall take thought for the things of itself. Sufficient unto the day is the evil thereof." Matt 6:33-34

If we are seeking always the first things first [God's kingdom, God's righteousness], is His promise not good? "All these things shall be added unto you."

Is He coming again tomorrow or next week or next year to us... or is He not already with us and/or in us?

"Which also said, Ye men of Galilee, why stand ye gazing up into heaven? this same Jesus, which is taken up from you into heaven, shall so come in like manner as ye have seen him go into heaven." Acts 1:11

"And no man hath ascended up to heaven, but he that came down from heaven, even the Son of man which is in heaven." John 3:13

What was it that they saw, those men of Galilee? What is it that we see or have seen? Without the Holy Ghost, what was it that our blind, unperceptive flesh saw? Where and what is heaven? Up? Which direction is that? Which way have we been looking, searching?
When a man repented and opened up his heart, did not Jesus come inside to have a place to lay His head? Is this not where Jesus is... within us? But then...?

"And Jesus said, I am: and ye shall see the Son of man sitting on the right hand of power, and coming in the clouds of heaven." Mark 14:62

When Jesus was "no more in the world" [John 17:11], where was He? Was He not already "in heaven"? Instead of looking here or there or wherever some man told us to look, what if we looked inside of ourselves?

"To whom God would make known what is the riches of the glory of this mystery among the Gentiles; which is Christ in you, the hope of glory:" Col 1:27

So Christ is in us sitting at the right hand of power and the power is...? Is it not God? Is not God's kingdom within us?

"Neither shall they say, Lo here! or, lo there! for, behold, the kingdom of God is within you." Luke 17:21

If we look within and do not see him, why can't we? Is He not there? Is our vision as through a glass darkly worse than we thought?

Without the Holy Ghost "eyes to see" have we not been blind?

"I counsel thee to buy of me gold tried in the fire, that thou mayest be rich; and white raiment, that thou mayest be clothed, and that the shame of thy nakedness do not appear; and anoint thine eyes with eyesalve, that thou mayest see." Rev 3:18

Good post John, and I agree.
I also believe that it is what @bbyrd009 has been saying also.
He has indeed COME.

There is yet to be a new heaven and a new earth...of which we are told very little about. It makes me laugh when I read people waxing eloquent about them, just as if the bible is loaded with information about such things. :) ( and many other subjects too, come to that!)

 

[ScottA]

So...are you telling me that the Christians who face persecution for their faith, to pick just one small area of this still fallen world. These persecuted people who face having to watch there own children being killed in front of them, that they have attained the promise of a world of no more tears or pain or death?
I mean, you cannot. For all the wonderful, incredible, powerful things we have in Christ now...like the ability to stand firm in both faith, love and hope through such atrocities, he clearly has not yet put an end to death or sin. He is still redeeming people from both of those, and when he has called the last person to himself, then he will put death under his feet, wrapping up this age.

But look, if you can show me anything to suggest that sin is not rampant in this world, or that death still comes to every single person; believer and unbeliever alike, then, but only then, will I allow your notion may have merit.

Sin is rampant in the world! But He does not come again to save the world from sin - for He has finished it already.

You misunderstand. As He said, "the world will see me no more."

When He said "He who believes in Me, though he may die, he shall live. And whoever lives and believes in Me shall never die." -- "Do you believe this?"

So, then, what you are seeing now is not Him delaying His coming - but you delaying your own belief in His complete ability to manage the salvation and resurrection of many yesterday, you today, and still others tomorrow. Just as Paul explained, "each in his own order."

Nonetheless, in the end you "will see the Son of Man coming in the clouds with great power and glory" ...that being the spiritual glory of God - not a worldly defeat of Roman, as those who crucified Him also thought.

 

[bbyrd009]

There is yet to be a new heaven and a new earth...of which we are told very little about. It makes me laugh when I read people waxing eloquent about them, just as if the bible is loaded with information about such things.

yes, while we ignore that we have a new earth and new heavens right now, we live on a completely diff planet than even 100 years ago, 200 for sure. But we all seek instantaneous miracles, right

 

[faithfulness]

For the Lord God, the Holy One of Israel has said this, “In returning [to Me] and rest you shall be saved, In quietness and confident trust is your strength.” But you were not willing. Isa30:15
I will never leave you nor forsake you.
Draw me, we will run after thee: the king hath brought me into his chambers: we will be glad and rejoice in thee, we will remember thy love more than wine: the upright love thee. SoS1:4
I sat down under His shadow with great delight, under the shadow of the apple tree. SoS2:3
Who is this coming up from the wilderness leaning on her Beloved? Under the apple tree I awakened thee. SoS8:5
Till the day spring, and shadows be bowed down. My darling, turn thou again; be thou like a capret, and a calf of harts, on the hills of Bether (separation). SoS2:17

He says, “You have ravished My heart, My sister My bride. You have ravished My heart even with one look of your eyes.”

 

[amadeus]

To me, what little I can recite, and want to comprehend, everything has not already happened...

I cannot even say that it has or it has not all already happened. If it is all happening in each one of us then it has happened on an individual basis for those who have finished their course, but where then is the Bride and where then is the Body of Christ? Since there is still time for us and for some others, the Bride and the Body are incomplete unless we can see it from the viewpoint of a timeless God. In any case consider this:

We shall not all sleep, but we shall all be changed...in a moment, in the twinkling of an eye, the last trumpet shall sound and the dead shall be raised incorruptible, and death and the grave shall be swallowed in victory and (God shall fill all in all). 1Cor15:52

For our timeless God [if that is what He is] what and when is this sleep? For us it may be those who have finished their course in Him and with Him while awaiting the others who have yet to complete their course so that the Bride and/or the Body of Christ will have all of its parts "... fitly joined together and compacted by that which every joint supplieth, according to the effectual working in the measure of every part, maketh increase of the body unto the edifying of itself in love." Eph 4:16

The twinkling is that moment [if it may be a called a moment in time] when all of the properly fitted parts make up the whole according to God's vision or plan. Then at the sounding of the seventh trumpet "... there were great voices in heaven, saying, The kingdoms of this world are become the kingdoms of our Lord, and of his Christ; and he shall reign for ever and ever." Rev 11:15

The creation is waiting and groaning for the full manifestation of the sons of God,( a manifestation of Himself in the earth).
Wherefore, gird up the loins of your mind, be sober, and hope to the end, for the grace that is to be brought unto you at the revelation of Jesus Christ. 1Peter1:4
Christ in you, the hope of glory...you in Christ, the glory.

Heaven is the place we hope for, but is it in some hereafter physical place beyond our perception on physical planet Earth or is it within the earthen vessels of those sons of God? Jesus is not in only one heaven but something more than that as we see here:

"And no man hath ascended up to heaven, but he that came down from heaven, even the Son of man which is in heaven." John 3:13

So then where is heaven or where is it to be?

But if He is to lay His Head in Zion, where can that be but within us?

"And Jesus saith unto him, The foxes have holes, and the birds of the air have nests; but the Son of man hath not where to lay his head." Matt 8:20

"For the LORD hath chosen Zion; he hath desired it for his habitation.
This is my rest for ever: here will I dwell; for I have desired it." Psalm 132:13-14

 

[faithfulness]

I cannot even say that it has or it had not all already happened. If it is all happening in each one of us then it has happened on an individual basis for those who have finished their course, but where then is the Bride and where then is the Body of Christ? Since there is still time for us and for some others, the Bride and the Body are incomplete unless we can see it from the viewpoint of a timeless God. In any case consider this:

For our timeless God [if that is what He is] what and when is this sleep? For us it may be those who have finished their course in Him and with Him while awaiting the others who have yet to complete their course so that the Bride and/or the Body of Christ will have all of its parts "... fitly joined together and compacted by that which every joint supplieth, according to the effectual working in the measure of every part, maketh increase of the body unto the edifying of itself in love." Eph 4:16

The twinkling is that moment [if it may be a called a moment in time] when all of the properly fitted parts make up the whole according to God's vision or plan. Then at the sounding of the seventh trumpet "... there were great voices in heaven, saying, The kingdoms of this world are become the kingdoms of our Lord, and of his Christ; and he shall reign for ever and ever." Rev 11:15



Heaven is the place we hope for, but is it in some hereafter physical place beyond our perception on physical planet Earth or is it within the earthen vessels of those sons of God? Jesus not in only one heaven but something more than that as we see here:

"And no man hath ascended up to heaven, but he that came down from heaven, even the Son of man which is in heaven." John 3:13

So then where is heaven or where is it to be?

But if He is to lay His Head in Zion, where can that be but within us?

"And Jesus saith unto him, The foxes have holes, and the birds of the air have nests; but the Son of man hath not where to lay his head." Matt 8:20

"For the LORD hath chosen Zion; he hath desired it for his habitation.
This is my rest for ever: here will I dwell; for I have desired it." Psalm 132:13-14

Thank you for this. Will read/reread until He quickens something and my pea-brain gets it!
“For we know that if our earthly house of this tabernacle were dissolved, we have a
building of God, and house not made with hands, eternal in the heavens.” 2 Cor. 5:1
I'm still hoping He's building a house and bringing forth a bride...being honest here...fear seizes me at times when I perceive those who are living in the Holy of Holies...what can we do but surrender/cry out to Him with Whom we have to do?

 

[amadeus]

Hi amadeus,
The Bible clearly speaks about an event that brings this current age to an end. This event is the return of Christ.

Yes, but did Jesus return as promised by means of another Comforter, the Holy Ghost, on that day of Pentecost described in Acts 2? I do have all of the pieces to answer every question a person might ask me, but what is it that each of us needs?

There are too many references to post but here are some. If you have any more questions you can't get answers to by searching (googling) online I can further assist.

I use google at times, but what of the poor slob of not that many years ago who had no computer and no Internet access or even today to the person who is computer illiterate? Google will likely have more than one answer, but then which one, if any, would be also God's answer?

I believe it is vitally important for everyone to be aware that Christ will return to catch away His saints just as a Jewish bridegroom returned for his bride after a time of betrothal when he had made a new home ready for her. The return of Christ will set in motion a cataclysm that will destroy this fallen Creation.

Why is it vitally important to be aware of this? Who is the Bride and who is the Body? Do we have to know precisely or do we simply have to always be seeking those first things first and then leaving the rest up to Him?

"But seek ye first the kingdom of God, and his righteousness; and all these things shall be added unto you." Matt 6:33

Who is it that is to be "caught away"? Perhaps it is the Bride when she is taken out of the Body of man.

"And the LORD God caused a deep sleep to fall upon Adam, and he slept: and he took one of his ribs, and closed up the flesh instead thereof;
And the rib, which the LORD God had taken from man, made he a woman, and brought her unto the man.
And Adam said, This is now bone of my bones, and flesh of my flesh: she shall be called Woman, because she was taken out of Man." Gen 2:21-23

Now we have more questions that answers, do we not? Do we need all of the answers to all of the questions to go forward with God or can we proceed leaning heavily on Him?

" Trust in the LORD with all thine heart; and lean not unto thine own understanding.
In all thy ways acknowledge him, and he shall direct thy paths.
Be not wise in thine own eyes: fear the LORD, and depart from evil.
It shall be health to thy navel, and marrow to thy bones." Prov 3:5-8

"For the Lord himself shall descend from heaven with a shout, with the voice of the archangel, and with the trump of God: and the dead in Christ shall rise first:
Then we which are alive and remain shall be caught up together with them in the clouds, to meet the Lord in the air: and so shall we ever be with the Lord." I Thess 4:16-17

The Lord is to descend from heaven, but again where is that and which of the heavens would it or should it be? Is heaven within us so that Jesus has a place now to lay His Head?

Acts 1:6-11
(6) When they therefore were come together, they asked of him, saying, Lord, will you at this time restore again the kingdom to Israel?
(7) And he said unto them, It is not for you to know the times or the seasons, which the Father has put in his own power.
(8) But you shall receive power, after that the Holy Ghost is come upon you: and you shall be witnesses unto me both in Jerusalem, and in all Judaea, and in Samaria, and unto the uttermost part of the earth.
(9) And when he had spoken these things, while they beheld, he was taken up; and a cloud received him out of their sight.
(10) And while they looked stedfastly toward heaven as he went up, behold, two men stood by them in white apparel;
(11) Which also said, You men of Galilee, why stand you gazing up into heaven? this same Jesus, which is taken up from you into heaven, shall so come in like manner as you have seen him go into heaven.

They apparently saw something, but without the baptism of the Holy Ghost, what exactly did they see? Again the question, What have we seen thus far in our walk since we have supposedly all received the baptism of the Holy Ghost?

Have we seen him go into heaven? What does this last question even mean to us without the descriptions provided by our church groups or other men? What have we been shown by the Holy Ghost?

Titus 2:13

Looking for that blessed hope, and the glorious appearing of the great God and our Saviour Jesus Christ;
2Pe 3:1-4
(1) This second epistle, beloved, I now write unto you; in both which I stir up your pure minds by way of remembrance:
(2) That you may be mindful of the words which were spoken before by the holy prophets, and of the commandment of us the apostles of the Lord and Saviour:
(3) Knowing this first, that there shall come in the last days scoffers, walking after their own lusts,
(4) And saying, Where is the promise of his coming? for since the fathers fell asleep, all things continue as they were from the beginning of the creation.
2Peter 3:10-13
(10) But the day of the Lord will come as a thief in the night; in the which the heavens shall pass away with a great noise, and the elements shall melt with fervent heat, the earth also and the works that are therein shall be burned up.
(11) Seeing then that all these things shall be dissolved, what manner of persons ought you to be in all holy conversation and godliness,
(12) Looking for and hasting unto the coming of the day of God, wherein the heavens being on fire shall be dissolved, and the elements shall melt with fervent heat?
(13) Nevertheless we, according to his promise, look for new heavens and a new earth, wherein dwells righteousness.

And what do all of those words in those verses [Titus 2:13 & in II Peter 3] mean? Let us take them as they come to us as we walk with God in their time.

"To every thing there is a season, and a time to every purpose under the heaven:" Ecc 3:1

This all comes back to the next verse of the one I have already cited here, does it not?

"Take therefore no thought for the morrow: for the morrow shall take thought for the things of itself. Sufficient unto the day is the evil thereof." Matt 6:34

If I were to go through each verse or each phrase of each verse and each word of each phrase, assuming that I could, and explained what I saw, what would likely happen if it disagreed with what you saw?

 

[amadeus]

Hi amadeus! It's a valid question and certainly an important one. While we can know, from scripture and the evidence within us, that Christ indeed lives within our hearts, we need to understand that there is a great distinction between that, and the promise of his second, and final, return.

To start with, the indwelling nature is one of the Holy Spirit, and this union makes us "in Christ". It is not always easy to understand, but in a very real sense it's about ownership. We are now heirs proper, bought and paid for by Christ, sealed and guaranteed by the presence of the Spirit. What we see and experience now, is not what we will see and experience when Christ returns...there are certain promises that have not been met and are not seen yet, that will be at that time.

My superficial understanding of what you wrote seemingly puts us apart as it seems to be a key part of your explanation. I cannot accept the premise that OSAS [Once Saved Always Saved] is correct, so I we may be finished for moment as I won't discuss our differences on that point here.

Thank you for your efforts here.

 

[bbyrd009]

When we do a search for the words "appearing", "coming" "return" we find verse after verse talking about it

ah, if you could show me that "return" one, i would appreciate it, ty
seems like there should be one at least, to hide wisdom from the wise?
"If I go, I will come back" studiously avoids shuvu for some reason, why do you think that is?
In fact it may be translated exactly like our "come again?" of today

 

[amadeus]

amadeus said: ↑
Why wouldn't the second coming be when he comes into our hearts, if he does?

@Enoch111

Because Christ coming into our hearts is simply for our personal salvation. It is not a "second coming" at all.

It is not? I cannot find a single specific instance of the simple phrase "second coming" in any of the several Bibles I searched. I know that people use the phrase in many places, but I still don't see it. What I see is a connection between all of the prepared parts of those to be in the Body of Christ via the Holy Ghost. With that connection in place with all of the parts properly prepared for their particular functions and connected to the Head, what would the purpose of such a second coming? I am not saying there is not one, but so far no one here has made it clear what it is.

amadeus said: Why should another arrival be needed if He is in us already?

Enoch111 said:
Because He must establish His visible, physical (and spiritual) Kingdom on earth AFTER He has destroyed all His enemies. "The whole world lieth in wickedness" (as Scripture reveals) but God desires that the whole world be established in universal righteousness and peace. So who do you think can cleanse this world, and actually establish the literal Kingdom of God on earth?

Cleanse the world? The individual worlds of men with God are as I see them, [and as I believe God sees them] are already dead places. When the flesh follows the rest of the old dead men to death, then other dead ones will bury them. What would then need to be cleaned? Planet Earth? The only filth on planet Earth is unredeemed men. When all those are gone what further clean up will be needed... especially if the Kingdom of God is inside of men rather than on the surface of planet Earth?

There are dozens of Scriptures to support this truth, so now it is up to you to study them. Nave's Topical Bible (KJB) could be a tremendous help.

You may be right that there are many scriptures which could be used to support your belief, but they can also used to support many other beliefs. Is it up to me to study this "truth" and every other "truth" that anyone supports and believes or is up to me to simply go after first things firsts and let all the rest be added to me as per Matt 6:33? The Truth is Jesus, but how well do we know Him? Should we look for Him in google searches or is there not a better way?

 

[amadeus]

Thank you for this. Will read/reread until He quickens something and my pea-brain gets it!
“For we know that if our earthly house of this tabernacle were dissolved, we have a
building of God, and house not made with hands, eternal in the heavens.” 2 Cor. 5:1
I'm still hoping He's building a house and bringing forth a bride...being honest here...fear seizes me at times when I perceive those who are living in the Holy of Holies...what can we do but surrender/cry out to Him with Whom we have to do?

The only thing to be afraid of is God when we are walking away from Him following our own lead instead of His. He knows our frailties better than we do. What He expects from us is surrender so that He can handle the situation in the best way for us. For God nothing is impossible if He is allowed to work. He needs our permission to come into us and He needs our permission to work in us. Until He is finished with that work we will need to repeatedly give the reins back to Him. The reins are ours to use, but we do not know how to use them. God gave us the free will, but if we hold onto it instead of yielding repeatedly to His, we will not make it to the end of our course with Him.

"O LORD, I know that the way of man is not in himself: it is not in man that walketh to direct his steps." Jerem 10:23

"O that my ways were directed to keep thy statutes!" Psalm 119:5

"And ye shall be hated of all men for my name's sake: but he that endureth to the end shall be saved." Matt 10:22

 

[amadeus]

ah, never meant to imply that i was sure of anything myself, bc i do not know.
obv i would also be jazzed if believer's Return Fantasies were to manifest, but meanwhile speaking more realistically i would be agog and amazed if anyone could Quote it. Where i am on return is "Return to Me..." the return that i can plainly read in Scripture that somehow seems completely invisible to literalists

To be sure, being sure is an unsure thing when it comes to relating our beliefs which really are from God to others who hold onto to something else. One problem of course is that sometimes we do not know that it is we who are holding onto that something else.

I did check out your "return to me" phrase and found only this one verse relating to the death of the child resulting from the adultery between David and Bathsheba:

"But now he is dead, wherefore should I fast? can I bring him back again? I shall go to him, but he shall not return to me." II Sam 12:23

It does not seem to me to relate at all to a second coming of Christ, but perhaps you see something else in it?

 

[faithfulness]

The only thing to be afraid of is God when we are walking away from Him following our own lead instead of His. He knows our frailties better than we do. What He expects from us is surrender so that He can handle the situation in the best way for us. For God nothing is impossible if He is allowed to work. He needs our permission to come into us and He needs our permission to work in us. Until He is finished with that work we will need to repeatedly give the reins back to Him. The reins are ours to use, but we do not know how to use them. God gave us the free will, but if we hold onto it instead of yielding repeatedly to His, we will not make it to the end of our course with Him.

"O LORD, I know that the way of man is not in himself: it is not in man that walketh to direct his steps." Jerem 10:23

"O that my ways were directed to keep thy statutes!" Psalm 119:5

"And ye shall be hated of all men for my name's sake: but he that endureth to the end shall be saved." Matt 10:22

Thank you again. Yes. "Let me work."
I enjoyed freedom/liberty in the Spirit, perhaps for the first time yesterday. He let me go my way/will, acknowledging Him, by and in the Spirit, and His presence was with me the whole time/day. Not so much today; careless, not as sensitive. He lets me get shot full of holes when I'm not...thank You Lord.

 

[bbyrd009]

It does not seem to me to relate at all to a second coming of Christ, but perhaps you see something else in it?

ah sorry, i've repeated it so often lately i thought i was being redundant lol
"Return to Me, and I will return to you"

various OT prophets, Zecharia, Malachai

 

[bbyrd009]

You may be right that there are many scriptures which could be used to support your belief

you might notice it is no longer a belief, but a "truth" now?

 

[bbyrd009]

The Bible clearly speaks about an event that brings this current age to an end. This event is the return of Christ.

this event is surely you, changing your mind wadr