Friday, April 19, 2013

Are you ready?

 
It's lining up...  "What?"  The return of our Savior...the end of time.
 
That might seem a little "far-fetched."  I mean, come on...that's not really going to happen.  Right??? 
 
"And Jesus answered and said unto them,
Take heed that no man deceive you. 
For many shall come in my name, saying, I am Christ;
and shall deceive many.  And ye shall hear of wars and
rumours of wars: see that ye be not troubled:
or all these things must come to pass, but the end is
not yet.  For nation shall rise against nation,
and kingdom against kingdom: and there shall be famines,
and pestilences, and earthquakes, in divers places. 
All these are the beginning of sorrows. 
Then shall they deliver you up to be afflicted,
and shall kill you: and ye shall be hated of all nations
 for my name's sake.  And then shall many be offended,
and shall betray one another, and shall hate one another. 
And many false prophets shall rise, and shall deceive many. 
And because iniquity shall abound, the love of many
shall wax cold.  But he that shall endure unto the end,
the same shall be saved.  And this gospel of the kingdom
shall be preached in all the world for a witness
unto all nations; and then shall the end come."
{Matthew 24:4-14}
 
After reading that passage, we can start to see the beginnings of the end, even in our own lives.  Looking around, I see so much devastation, in the world and I am afraid it is only going to get worse.  In reference of the tragedy of this week, I believe we are given "glimpses" of the things to come.  Why?  So we can prepare.  It is going to get hard...maybe not tomorrow or next week, but in the near future.  We need to prepare ourselves to be able to stand for Christ.  It has been relatively easy, thus far...we live in a free country where being a follower of Christ is not life-threatening.  What if all that changes?  It is a convicting and challenging thought.  It makes me think...
 
One world government, one global currency, technology that allows everyone to know everything about everybody...it's coming.  It's hard stuff, but it's true. 
 
"Watch therefore: for ye know not what hour your Lord doth come."
{Matthew 24:42}
 
How do we prepare?  I believe Ephesians 6:10-18 applies to this question.  Here is verse 18...
 
"Praying always with all prayer and supplication in the Spirit, and watching thereunto with all perseverance and supplication for all saints."
 
So, I ask, "Are you ready?"  Therefore, I must ask myself the same question.  It helps put my focus in the right perspective.  It is something in which we (myself, included) need to be reminded.
 
All of this must take place, before He comes...but, let me remind you, that we are victorious!  We have the blessed hope that Jesus is coming, soon! 
 
 "He which testifieth these things saith, Surely I come quickly. Amen. Even so, come, Lord Jesus."
{Revelation 22:20}
 
Amen!  Are you ready?  May we continue to serve Him, until He comes!

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