When you hear that the end of the world is nigh…and God’s judgement is coming upon the world, what is the primary emotion you feel?  I suspect it is FEAR!  But fear is what unbelievers should feel, people who do not know God or those who do, but are disobedient.  But many ‘Christians’ propagate fear amongst themselves, and instill fear in unbelievers.

It is right for unbelievers, those with only the expectation of judgement to feel fear, but our message – the GOSPEL – is not one of fear, but of HOPE and of LOVE!  Even when we talk about the coming of our Lord!  Why can’t we talk about it with joy…like the joyful expectation it is?  It will be the dawning of a new day, when the wicked shall be brought to justice, and the righteous shall be delivered from tribulation!

The message of the foreseen end of the world is really not news!!!  It really ought to stop SHOCKING us, when people say that “the end is nigh”…  Why?  Because they have been saying it for centuries!  That is exactly the same thing Jesus said when He walked with His disciples…  That was His message: “Behold, the Kingdom of Heaven is at hand…” (Mark 1:15).

It wasn’t a message to instill fear, but a message of hope…a message to bring jubilation…to remind the people that God will not sit idly forever and let the wicked prosper.  He has a plan for their deliverance, and the plan is in place…  They can be a part of it.  There’s hope for them, because of Jesus.  No matter what they have done, God is inviting them to join His royal feast, and not to suffer His wrath by continuing to walk in sin.

It is God’s will for every generation to live in expectation of His pending return.  We are not to become complacent nor slack.  Neither are we to live panicked lives…or to do His works, only when stirred up with a sermon on the impending judgement.

I watched a video today, by a lady who said she received a dream from God and a message from Him, saying that His wrath is at hand.  I can’t vouch for the lady’s faith nor confirm nor deny the message.  I am sure God gives messages to His saints to stir them up from complacency, and to make sure that they reach as many of the lost as possible with His message of salvation.

But after watching the video, I thought “now what?”  What is new about this revelation?  Is it the fact that she mentioned an uncountable number of tornadoes?  And the fact that we will ALL have to feel the impact of this coming tribulation?  The main message seemed to be “we do not have time to wallow in filth anymore”.  Well, that’s not a new message for the Church, if it is even a message for the Church.  Once you receive Christ, you should not find yourself wallowing in filth, even if you know you have 100 years until His return!

And if the message is for the world, those who do not yet believe, I am not sure that’s the way to bring them into the Kingdom, with another prophecy about God’s coming wrath, that isn’t really saying anything at all…except for them to be afraid and run to God because they are afraid…  What ever happened to “..come unto me, all ye that labour and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest.  Take my yoke upon you, and learn of me; for I am meek and lowly in heart: and ye shall find rest unto your souls” (Matt 11:28-29)?

When Jesus spoke of the last days, He spoke to His disciples (Matthew 24)…and He told them, not that they should be afraid, but that they should be EXPECTANT and PREPARED, knowing that He had forewarned them.  There is no new vision that anyone will receive that will surpass this timeless message from our Lord and Saviour.  If His words as written in the Bible, do not keep us expectant and diligent in His work, no new revelation will…

So my Brethren, do not be anxious about any end-time message.  Know that the Lord has revealed His will to us all already and preserved it in the Bible.  Any word from the Lord shouldn’t stir you to fear or to panic, or hasten you to act under such emotion.  If you are His, His warning shall bring you JOY and HOPE, and will stir your heart with LOVE for the lost, so that you will be even more fervent in your ministry to them.

Keep walking in love and expectation.  Keep doing good.  Keep preaching the Gospel.  Keep your eyes on Jesus, and you will not be caught out when the Day of the Lord falls upon the Earth.  And for any that have fallen away…a word is sufficient for the wise.  God is gracious, so return to Him, and He will restore you!

God has not given us a Spirit of fear (2 Tim 1:7), nor does He choose to save the world through fear.  Fear will not cause anyone to respond with conviction!  Do you know what convicts?  Love!  Righteousness!  Wisdom!  If you want the world to be convicted of sin, start showing them what righteousness looks like…  That’s what Jesus did.

Jesus said that it is by our love for one another that men will KNOW that we are His disciples (John 13:34-35).  It is because love convicts that Jesus came in LOVE… (John 3:16)  That is the only message that will make a sinner fall on his face, repent of his evil ways and look to Jesus for salvation.

My prayer is that the true Believers will become obvious as the end draws nearer, and the world will look to us, our united loving witness, and see Jesus, and many will repent and join the Body of Christ…not because they were afraid to perish, but because they were convicted by our love for one another.  Because they saw and they believed in God!

“Ye are the light of the world. A city that is set on an hill cannot be hid.  Neither do men light a candle, and put it under a bushel, but on a candlestick; and it giveth light unto all that are in the house.  Let your light so shine before men, that they may see your good works, and glorify your Father which is in heaven” (Matt 5:14-16).

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