Ok, so I’ve been thinking about this a lot. To post, or not to post…
I’m not much of an evangelist as such, though all Christians are called to give a reason for their hope when asked. I’m certainly not ashamed of the gospel and people who know me, even a bit, soon find out I’m a straightforward, “see things in black and white” kind of a person who loves the Lord and loves to talk about him.
The people I find it hardest to talk to though, are those who are really close, know exactly what I believe, but who never ask anything or want to talk about faith issues. Because I love and respect them, I don’t push it, however I now feel such a sense of urgency that I must say something to them and to anyone else reading this!
Since I was a young teenager, not saved, but nonetheless believing in the existence of God, I had the strongest sense that “the world as we know it would end in my lifetime”. The years passed and in my 30s I became aware of the purpose of the cross. I had never quite understood how Jesus came into the “God” equation because, up to that point, no one had explained it to me!
I remember the moment I surrendered to him and totally put my trust in him and it was as though a fountain of joy had turned on in my middle and was gushing out through my face! I couldn’t stop smiling for days! I was in love!
I was blessed to be taught and mentored by strong women of God and found myself moving into the areas of prophecy, prayer and worship, then latterly teaching, but I have always been drawn to eschatology – the end times. I see now that even as a teenager the Lord knew me (though I didn’t yet know him) and he knew the journey I would make through life and the person I would become!
I look at the state of the world now and I feel the end, as they say, is nigh. More than nigh, it is here, right at the door! Time is so short!
Christians talk about the rapture of the saints – the harpazo, the catching away of the church, just before the end…
1 Corinthians 15:51-53 ESV
Behold! I tell you a mystery. We shall not all sleep (i.e. die), but we shall all be changed, [52] in a moment, in the twinkling of an eye, at the last trumpet. For the trumpet will sound, and the dead will be raised imperishable, and we shall be changed. [53] For this perishable body must put on the imperishable, and this mortal body must put on immortality.
1 Thessalonians 4:15-17 ESV
For this we declare to you by a word from the Lord, that we who are alive, who are left until the coming of the Lord, will not precede those who have fallen asleep. [16] For the Lord himself will descend from heaven with a cry of command, with the voice of an archangel, and with the sound of the trumpet of God. And the dead in Christ will rise first. [17] Then we who are alive, who are left, will be caught up together with them in the clouds to meet the Lord in the air, and so we will always be with the Lord.
… and after that, there’s the tribulation! Trouble like you’ve never even imagined.
I know the rapture is steeped in controversy, however I’m not here to discuss the nitty gritty of it. My challenge to you is this… if it IS true and suddenly millions of professing Christians around the world simply disappear into thin air. Gone. And the world goes mad… destruction, fear, sorrow, anger. All the babies and young children are gone, there will be anarchy, looting, mob rule, natural distasters of epic proportions… and I knew it was coming, but I never told you, for fear of offending you. Would you not be MORE offended that I didn’t tell you?? Would you wish that I had told you how to be saved from the end of the world as we know it?
I’m telling you now, don’t wait, don’t stop to think about it… there’s no time.
A. Admit you’re a sinner in need of a saviour.
B. Believe that Jesus is Lord, was born of a virgin, the only begotten son of the Father, died on the cross to pay for all your sins and was raised to life again on the third day.
C. Call on the name of the Lord.
Romans 10:13 ESV
For “everyone who calls on the name of the Lord will be saved.”
I pray that if you read this, whoever you may be, and you have not put your faith in Jesus, the ONLY one who can save you, that you do so now. I’m not much of an evangelist, as I said, but I see the storm is coming and, with all my heart, I implore you to get on the ark and be saved, while you still can.
The Finished Work 