“And then many will be offended, will betray one another, and will hate one another.
Then many false prophets will rise up and deceive many.
And because lawlessness will abound, the love of many will grow cold.
But he who endures to the end shall be saved. And this gospel of the kingdom will be preached in all the world as a witness to all the nations, and then the end will come.” Matthew 24:10-14
“But of that day and hour no one knows, not even the angels of heaven, nor the Son, but only the Father.” Mark 13:32
Many are saying that we are nearing the end of times, that Jesus will return soon, that the rapture is near and tribulation is upon us. Jesus said that only the Father knows the time so it is impossible for anyone to know when the end will come. Yet, with so many preachers teaching this and so many eyes open to the happenings in the Middle East and so much attention being drawn to prophecy and supposition, why are people not taking their faith more seriously? Why is there not more people repenting and coming to the foot of the cross?
When prophets were sent to Israel and Judah, they were not always heard. The sad truth is the majority of the people clung to their ways, their sin and their attachment to this world. Too many perished because of their stubbornness and refusal to submit to God. Every day that God holds back the judgment of this world is a day of mercy to us all. Each of those days is an opportunity to shout from the rooftops that salvation is available to the lost. Each day is filled with the hope that we will come to our senses and get right with God.
We need to take our faith and salvation seriously. We need to stop procrastinating and stop putting off changing our lives and our ways. We need to get this right for ourselves and each other. We cannot be half committed, somewhat devoted or undecided when it comes to being a follower of Christ. We need to give all, believe whole-heartedly and commit completely to living a life that is in obedience to Jesus and in submission to God. That is what ensures our eternal salvation with the reward of entry through heaven’s gates.
We all can do better, be better and become more Christ-like. Each of us needs to be willing to alter our lives and purify our hearts. It is not enough to say, “I am a work in progress.” We all need to take the steps to rid our lives of sinful influence and to resist our temptations. We need to get honest with ourselves about what we hide from the world, about what we don’t admit and about what needs to change. Jesus is your strength and He wants you to belong to Him. Do not deny yourself forever in heaven because you were unsure or lazy in your faith. Even if you have doubts, call on Jesus in truth and I know that those doubts will fade and the truth along with the hope of salvation will bloom in your heart.
“Behold, I stand at the door and knock. If anyone hears My voice and opens the door, I will come in to him and dine with him, and he with Me. To him who overcomes I will grant to sit with Me on My throne, as I have overcome and sat down with My Father on His throne.” Revelation 3:20-21 LOVE THAT CROSS, PASTOR JOHN
copied by permission from Facebook, John Collins (Pastor John Collins )
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