Nicole,

That was a great admonition! You asked some very probing & thought provoking questions.

Even though Jesus said the following line to the Pharisees, it could easily speak to us who are constantly "observing" the media,

  as if the blessed hope could be hastened by our careful observations and number crunching:

Luke 17:20 And when he was demanded of the Pharisees, when the kingdom of God should come, he answered them and said, The kingdom of God cometh not with observation:

Paul reminded Timothy of the kind of attitude that we should have about this, that we would love the appearing of him, our LORD, Jesus,

  in the clouds for us, in the I Thessalonians 4:13-18 blessed hope:

II Timothy 4:8 Henceforth there is laid up for me a crown of righteousness, which the Lord, the righteous judge, shall give me at that day: and not to me only, but unto all them also that love his appearing.

However, for most of us, we do not really "love his appearing", but we really only "love our disappearing"!

Sadly, far too often, we only seem interested in "getting out of here", rather than interested in getting to be with Jesus.

What kind of effect should the longing to meet him, at his appearing for us in the clouds, the blessed hope, be?

I John 3:3 And every man that hath this hope in him purifieth himself, even as he is pure.

If that is not the effect that it is having upon us, than we are probably loving our disappearing, instead.

Thank you,

Gino