Are We in the Last Days?

God willing, this is the first of many blogs I plan to post to help answer biblical questions and provide the “whole counsel of God” to our readers. Moreover, God commands His children in 1Thessalonians 4:18 to “encourage each other with these words”. Because of my love for God and the people of God, it seems more than apropos to start with the most important subject: Where we will spend eternity?

As a trained chaplain for the Billy Graham Prayer Line, I have the privilege of providing support and prayer to people who are calling in response to Franklin Graham's 60-second TV spots.

One of the questions often asked is, “Is this the end?” or “Are we in the last days?”. As God’s ambassador, I depend solely on the truth of God’s living word as my only source of reference. In scripture, the apostle Paul wrote his final letter to his young protégé, Timothy, admonishing him with these words:

“There will be terrible times in the last days. People will be lovers of themselves, lovers of money, boastful, proud, abusive, disobedient to their parents, ungrateful, unholy, without love, unforgiving, slanderous, without self-control, brutal, not lovers of the good, treacherous, rash, conceited, lovers of pleasure rather than lovers of God— having a form of godliness but denying its power.” (2 Tim3:1-5)

It certainly sounds like Paul is describing the “terrible” times in which we now live when we honestly consider: the shameful greed and pride which has divided our country, immorality increase in intensity and frequency, revision of God’s word to say what “itching ears want to hear”, racial injustice, abortion travesty, global COVID-19 disease, threat of socialism and loss of religious freedom, unemployment at the highest rate since World War II, increase in suicides, drug use, abuse and mental health issues and the growing despair and hopelessness soaring in the hearts of the “walking wounded”.

The question of the timing of the rapture is compelling, but God doesn’t even allow His son, Jesus Christ, to know. “But of that day and hour no one knows, not even the angels in heaven, nor the Son, but only the Father.” (Mark12:32). So, the question of when is not nearly as relevant as the personal question of if we are ready? Undoubtedly, it is the next event on the providential timeline -- the rapture of the saints when Jesus Christ returns for His church “in the twinkling of an eye”.

You will not find the word ‘rapture’ in the Bible, but you will find the teaching in 1 Thessalonians 4:13-18 and 1 Corinthians 15:50-54. All Believers in the Son of God will be removed from this earth and saved from God’s wrath as the world left behind enters seven years of Tribulation. Since God’s spirit now lives in the souls of Believers, His spirit will be removed from this earth during Tribulation as the Believers (the church) will be “caught up” with Him in heaven.

So how can you be sure you are ready?

These four steps make the gospel so simple, even a child can understand. We were never meant to live our lives on our own. We were bought with a price: the precious blood of Christ Jesus! Jesus promised we would have trouble in this world, but to take heart because He has overcome the world (John 16:13)!

I can personally attest as I consider my BC-life (life before Christ) and my AD-life (life after Christ). He has given me “more than all I could ask or imagine, according to his power that is at work” (Ephesians 3:20).

Friends, God is for you, He is not against you. He loves you as though there was only one to love. He is a relationship God and desires nothing more than to guide you, listen to you, encourage you, strengthen you and lift you high above your circumstances. My prayer is God will use this blog to prompt someone to admit their need for a Savior, repent and turn from any known sin, believe that Jesus died for all of their sins past, present and future and confess with their mouth that He is Lord. Once we invite God to take up residence in our hearts, we will finally be at rest. And, we will realize that His perfect love casts out any fear we have about the “last days”, as we can be confident that He is holding us and we just need to hang on!

“So do not fear, for I am with you; do not be dismayed for I am your God. I will strengthen you and help you. I will uphold you with my righteous hand." (Isaiah 4:10)