Book Review 2012: "Until Christ Returns"

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I've decided for this year I'm going to try something different for my reading challenge book reviews. I like to talk a lot about books, and sometimes these book posts can become rather lengthy - even too lengthy! So I'm going to post the books from now on as I read them, with a post at the end of the month as a consolidation of all the reviews (links to my book reviews on that final post) so you can see all that I read for the month, and to make it easier for any who haven't had a chance to read all the reviews as of yet. ;) I just decided this so I'm getting a late start, next month the book reviews should be a little more spread out.



Another thing is that I've started an account on GoodReads.com where I've been posting my reviews/ratings. You can also follow along with me as I am able to mark what I am currently reading and how my progress is on each of the books I am reading! :D It's not only fun but it makes my life so much easier to have it all organized (and user friendly)! :)

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Until Christ Returns:
Living Faithfully Today While We Wait for Our Glorious Tomorrow

by David Jeremiah

This was a book I'd had sitting on my shelf for a bit (I think it was a book from my grandmother's collection?) but never got around to reading last year. It made the perfect book to start my year off with - light reading while still very convicting with lot's of idea's to ponder over.

This book covers discussions on Christ's return, some prophecy, and mostly on godly living while we await His returning. It begins with talk of those Y2K predictions, the turn of the new Millennium, and man's constant predictions of setting the date for when Christ will come back. We need to be "discerning" in this age.

"[Christ] will come again. But we must look to Scripture, not human thought, for our guide to preparing." (p.6)

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"Make [God's] Word your sourcebook..." (p.41)

The author encourages instead of following the predictions of man, to instead look to God's Word. And in so doing we will see that no man can say when Christ will return for His people. But, He IS coming, and we must live lives pleasing to Him, strive to witness to others, build up God's people, all while living with great hope for the future.

Instead of looking to predictions of Christ's coming, or even of studying all He has to say about the future in His Word, we are encouraged to spread the message of God's Word to others around us so they will come to a saving knowledge of Him! :) Why waste our time with the future when we can be serving Him now!

~ "Knowing the precise time of His coming is not important. But what is important is declaring His name and His salvation, near and far. Within your family and within your city. To your neighborhood. To the whole world. Jesus says, "Don't be asking me about times and seasons. Get busy and do the work." (p. 114) ~

We must guard against laziness and use the gifts and abilities the He has given us for His glory and the furtherance of His kingdom. We also need to be encouraging and build one another up in faith. We need to be lifting each other up in prayer, offering our friendship, and making "a genuine effort to meet one another's needs".

In knowing that Christ will return for us, it brings security and hope for today. There is no need to fear tomorrow for Christ is our Victory in the now and our hope for the future. We can trust Him because He's the only One who has never broken His promises, as we have evidence of in the Bible. It is our hope of the future that helps us with the challenges we face today. Though all around us gives way, Christ is our rock and His promises are sure!

"It is only as we fix our anchor in eternity that we find stability for life in these stress-filled days before our Lord's return." (182)

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"We ought to live every day of our lives with eternity in view." (p.161)

This is the first book I've read by this author and I thoroughly enjoyed it. :) I give this book 4 stars ****

{I changed my ratings a bit to match with the GoodRead's ratings...so I rated this book as 4 stars "I liked it"; instead of 5 stars which would be "it was amazing". ;) It's a really great book, just not one of my all-time top picks.}

You can see my other review of this book on GoodReads.com here.

Have a most blessed day and a wonderful weekend!
~Rachel~