Preparation

In the light of the fact that the Lord might come even today, what should I do as a Christian?

First, let me tell you what you shouldn't do. Don't quit your job, sell your house, or see how much money you can borrow figuring you won't have to pay it back. Jesus said, "Occupy until I come" (Luke 19:13). He intends for us to go right on in our work. With both Noah and Lot it was business as usual right up to the day God delivered them.

Jesus said, "Watch" (Matt. 24:42). You should be watching. The Scripture says, "And unto them that look for Him shall He appear the second time" (Heb. 9:28). You should be ready. Jesus said, "Therefore be ye also ready; for in such an hour as you think not the Son of man cometh" (Matt. 24:44). Amos cried out, "Prepare to meet thy God" (Amos 4:12). You need to prepare. That preparation is in giving your heart and life to Jesus Christ, receiving His forgiveness and the blotting out of your sins and transgressions. And then wait. James said, "Be patient therefore, brethren, to the coming of the Lord. Behold, the husbandman waiteth for the precious fruit of the earth, and hath long patience for it ... be ye also patient ... for the coming of the Lord draweth nigh" (James 5:7-8). II Peter 3:3-4 tells us that in the last days there would be scoffers who would come and say, "Where's the promise of His coming?" But "God is not slack concerning His promises, as some men count slackness; but He is faithful to us, not willing that any should perish" (v. 9).

At times there may be a hesitancy in our hearts concerning the coming of Jesus Christ because of what will happen to our unsaved family members when He returns.

Once we've been caught up, many of our loved ones who have been hassled by our witness and upset with our testimony will realize that they've actually missed the opportunity of being raptured with the Church. As a result, they'll become dead serious with God and will choose to be martyred during the Great Tribulation period by refusing to take the mark of the beast. They'll choose death in preference to the mark and, thus, they'll be saved (Rev. 20:4). Because of the teaching of Paul in II Thessalonians some doubt that anyone who has rejected the truth now will be able to believe the truth then. It definately is a question and when my eternal destiny is at stake I do not want any questions, only certainty.

In Revelation 7:9-14 John saw in heaven "a great multitude which no man could number, of all nations and kindreds ... clothed with white robes," singing of salvation. The elder said to John, "These are they which came up out of the great tribulation, and washed their robes and made them white in the blood of the Lamb. " In Revelation 6:9-11, under the fifth seal, these souls martyred during the Tribulation period are waiting for their opportunity to enter the heavenly scene. They're told to wait a little longer until the total number be slain as they were slain.

Being a Tribulation saint is a hard way to come. As Jesus said, "For then will be great tribulation" such as the world never has seen before or ever will see again (Matt. 24:21). Why wait? Why slough off your chances of knowing the glorious excitement of being with the Lord when He catches up the Church?

The question at this point is, "Are you ready?" Consider the Lord proclaiming today, "This is the end for the Church! You have finished your witness. Come home!" Would you be gathered with the Church to meet the Lord in the air, or would you be down here scratching your head wondering what's going on?

How much better to go with the Church than to be left behind to face the Tribulation and all the horror coming upon the earth. Why make it tough for yourself when the Lord wants to make it easy on you? Why not just open your heart and life to Jesus Christ now? Why not just receive Him as your Lord and Saviour and, as He said, be ready? What do you need to be ready? Jesus Christ dwelling in your heart and in your life. For if you will confess with your mouth that Jesus Christ is Lord, and believe in your heart that God has raised Him from the dead, you shall be saved.