3 Ways to be Ready for the End Times

 by Barbara Latta

Do we even need to guess that we are living in the end times the Bible tells us about?

But know this, that in the last days perilous times will come: For men will be lovers of themselves, lovers of money, boasters, proud, blasphemers, disobedient to parents, unthankful, unholy, unloving, unforgiving, slanderers, without self-control, brutal, despisers of good, traitors, headstrong, haughty, lovers of pleasure more than lovers of God (2 Timothy 3:1-4).

These verses portray the headlines in our news media today. Never before have we seen the violence and attitudes displayed by people in the world as we have recently.

And to try to warn people about the second coming of Christ, some will just blow it off and say that they have heard that all their lives. While scoffers will always exist, the truth unfolds in the scriptures.

Knowing this first: that scoffers will come in the last days, walking according to their own lusts, and saying, “Where is the promise of His coming? For since the fathers fell asleep, all things continue as they were from the beginning of creation” (2 Peter 3:3-4 NKJV).

There are many theories about the rapture of the church. Some believe Christians will join the Lord in the clouds before the Great Tribulation, others think it will happen at the middle of this terrible time, and another group says the rapture will be at the end. No matter which way you lean, the important thing is this: if you know the Lord you will be going to meet Him no matter when the trumpet sounds.

The last days the Bible speaks of are upon us. Here are 3 ways to be ready and stand strong:

1. Prepare for eternity by submitting to God. No matter when Jesus returns, we will all stand before God someday. Every knee will bow, and every tongue will confess that Jesus is Lord (Philippians 2:10). The difference in a person’s eternal destiny lies in when that is done. Confessing Him as Lord before death ensures that person will kneel before the Lord as a redeemed saint. The other option—not good.
2. Prevent deception by being grounded in the Word. The devil can use signs and wonders as an imitation of God’s power to trick people into following him. The only way to recognize false teaching is to be familiar with scripture.  If anything doesn’t glorify Christ and uphold Him as the Son of God, the doctrine isn’t the truth. Many false prophets will arise and deceive many (Matthew 24:11).
3. Put on spiritual weapons because the battle is not flesh and blood (2 Corinthians 10:3-5). We are not to be in fear but look forward to our redemption (Luke 21:28).

Our spiritual preparedness is not only for eternity but for this life as well. In Luke 19, Jesus tells a parable about ten minas as an illustration for His church to be occupied with His work until He comes back to the earth. We are not supposed to hide in the hills, sitting around doing nothing. Spreading the gospel is necessary until the church leaves the earth.

If we are prepared, we will not be destroyed because we lack knowledge (Hosea 4:6), but we can prevail in the middle of chaos.

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