Occupy Until He Comes

As an addendum to yesterday's message on creating a mission mindset for your life, I wanted to add some additional thoughts here that I did not have time to cover in the teaching.

As you know, the interpretations of end times prophecy are all over the map. There is pre-tribulation theology, mid-trib, and post-trib, and there is a group of people, including famous theologian R.C. Sproul, who believe that most of the prophecies in Daniel, Revelations, Matthew 24, and Mark 13, to name just a few, refer to events that have already taken place (i.e. Jesus' figurative return in the judgment of Israel when Rome sacked Jerusalem in 70 A.D. and completely destroyed the Temple, where not one stone was left upon another).

The reason I bring this up is because many modern Christians' views of end times events have crippled our ability to advance the Kingdom in our present age because of an escapist mentality. In other words, many Christians are waiting for Jesus to return and rescue them from an evil age instead of occupying the territory and doing the work of the Kingdom until He comes.

To 'occupy' is a military term meaning to advance against the enemy, take territory previously occupied by the enemy, and take up residency there where a new rule is set up. That's what we are supposed to be doing, NOT sitting aroud waiting for Jesus to rescue us.

Here's a sobering thought: While these are troubling times to be sure, there is no gaurantee that Jesus is coming back in our lifetime. So we had better be busy doing the work of the Kingdom while we are here. When we stand before the Great Bema Seat Judgment someday, it will not be an acceptable excuse for not using our time better to say, "I thought you were coming back any day."

Friends, if Jesus does come back in our lifetime, HOW MUCH MORE SHOULD WE BE ABOUT THE WORK OF OUR MASTER BEFORE HE RETURNS!

It's time to get busy getting before the Lord and asking Him to help you develop a vision and mission for your life, and then do something everyday toward that mission. It doesn't have to be grandiose; it just has to be Kingdom focused.