Hull Vineyard Church

30 for 30

Day Twentyfive

Stop

Today we’re going to do a breathing prayer together. Breathing is good. We need it to be alive. Begin by taking some slow deep breaths. As you inhale, whisper these words: God is here. As you exhale whisper: And I am with you. Fix your gaze upon Him afresh this morning.

Look

Read Matthew 24. Ask the Holy Spirit to speak to you. You may want to make notes, underline in your bible or journal all that God is saying.

Thought of the day

Matthew 24:36 “But concerning that day and hour no one knows, not even the angels of heaven, nor the Son, but the Father only.’

When will Jesus return? This question has been the focus of much speculation and a significant number of high-profile failed predictions.

There is much we are unsure about regarding the end times – but about this Jesus is clear: He is going to return. And only the Father knows the moment for this.

Rick Warren said: ‘I’m on the welcoming committee, not the timing committee.’

In other words our concern should not be guessing the time-scale, but being ready for Jesus when He returns.

In Matthew 24 Jesus is beginning to describe His second coming. There will be many signs, prophetic pictures and spiritual rumblings as Jesus’ return approaches.

It can be easy to be distracted by these, and spend our lives searching for the signs. But here is where we come in. In verse 14 Jesus says – And this gospel of the kingdom will be proclaimed throughout the whole world as a testimony to all nations, and then the end will come.

This is the role of the Church – to faithfully steward the Gospel of the Kingdom and share it with everyone we know.

In the Vineyard Song ‘Servant Wide Awake’ Ryan Delmore beautiful portrays a heart hungering for the return of Jesus, yet acknowledging we must live ready and active:

‘Oh my King, how my soul awaits
For the day of Your coming
Let me be a servant wide awake
And my lamp ever burning’.

Pray

Come, Lord Jesus, Come. Maranatha. Spend time this morning hungering after Jesus and worship Him as the coming King.

Live

Find a way to demonstrate generosity this week. Maybe pay for someone’s shopping, buy lunch for someone, send a card or an encouraging message. Maybe bring some food to our food bank this week. Live out the call to be light in a practical way.