We live in a dangerous and challenging world filled with violence and corruption. If we are to remain calm and not lose it, we should constantly stay in prayer and ask God to purify our hearts and to keep us from the dangerous perils of these days, so that we will be ready for His coming whenever that may be. To achieve this, we must pray without ceasing.
The Bible is clear that these world conditions will exist until Jesus Christ returns. Jesus warns us to be on our guard when we begin to see these things happening.
Watch out that no one deceives you.
- Many false prophets and false messiahs will come in the name of Jesus and perform great signs and wonders and deceive many people.
- You will hear of wars and rumours of wars, but see to it that you are not alarmed. Such things must happen, but the end is still to come.
- Nation will rise against nation, and kingdom against kingdom.
- There will be famines and earthquakes in various places. All these are the beginning of birth pains.
- At that time many will turn away from the faith and will betray and hate each other.
- Because of the increase of wickedness, the love of most will grow cold.
- For then there will be great distress, unequalled from the beginning of the world until now—and never to be equalled again.
- But the one who stands firm to the end will be saved.
- And this gospel of the kingdom will be preached in the whole world as a testimony to all nations, and then the end will come.
- See, I have told you ahead of time. “So if anyone tells you, ‘There he is, out in the wilderness,’ do not go out; or, ‘Here he is, in the inner rooms,’ do not believe it. For as lightning that comes from the east is visible even in the west, so will be the coming of the Son of Man.
- Immediately after the distress of those days the sun will be darkened, and the moon will not give its light; the stars will fall from the sky, and the heavenly bodies will be shaken.
- Then will appear the sign of the Son of Man in heaven. And then all the peoples of the earth will mourn when they see the Son of Man coming on the clouds of heaven, with power and great glory.
- And he will send his angels with a loud trumpet call, and they will gather his elect from the four winds, from one end of the heavens to the other.
- Even so, when you see all these things, you know that it is near, right at the door.
- Heaven and earth will pass away, but my words will never pass away.
- But about that day or hour no one knows, not even the angels in heaven, nor the Son, but only the Father.
- Therefore, keep watch, because you do not know on what day your Lord will come.
- So you also must be ready, because the Son of Man will come at an hour when you do not expect him.
Are these events that are happening in the world presently the signs that these are end times? I am not one of those given to speculations about this, though there is no denying that all the signs Jesus alluded to are all happening on a regular basis today – wars and rumours of war, earthquakes, false prophets, etc., but He also said that no one really knows when the Son of Man is coming – “But about that day or hour no one knows, not even the angels in heaven, nor the Son, but only the Father”. – Matthew 24:36
The important thing is that each and every one of us must live by the Boys Scout moto when it comes to our personal salvation – “Be Prepared”. We should pray always for God to give us the grace and imbue us with the courage we need and the forbearance to endure whatever comes our way as we journey through life so that we might be shining examples to emulate.
Once we are in the state of grace to welcome the Lord whenever he comes, we do not need to fear and worry. Jesus will keep us safe and guide us if we stay close to Him and be committed and obedient to do His will.
Avoid belief in all signs and wonders. Pray that God will be our guide through the outpouring of His Holy Spirit in us that we may have the spirit of discernment to be able to “examine all things; and hold fast that which is true.” – 1 Thessalonians 5:21
We should pray without ceasing: we must stay in prayers always so that we don’t copy the behaviours and customs of this world, but let God transform us into new persons by changing the way we think. Then we will learn to know God’s will for us, which is good and pleasing and perfect.