Don't Be Left Behind

Billy Graham

Jesus will return! The Bible promises us that Jesus will return to take His faithful followers with Him to live with Him in His glorious presence forever. Everyone else will be left behind to face God's wrath and judgment. If Jesus were to return today, do you know if He would take you with Him to heaven? This is the most important question you will ever answer--do whatever it takes to make your future secure. Don't be left behind!

Jesus made certain predictions about the time before His coming again. He said that there would be earthquakes, wars, violence, moral permissiveness, tribulations, antichrists, people betraying one another--all leading up to Armageddon.

The newspapers are filled with reports of murders, robberies, and rapes--there is a worldwide convulsion of violence and terrorism. All the signs seem to indicate that something will happen soon.

Jesus said, "There shall be signs in the sun, and in the moon, and in the stars; and upon the earth distress of nations.... The powers of heaven shall be shaken" (Luke 21:25-26). The Bible says God is going to shake the earth once more.

But there will be some things that will remain, that will always be the same. What are they?

The nature of God never changes. He is unchanging in His holiness and His righteousness. God said, "I am the Lord [God], I change not" (Malachi 3:6).

God is a God of judgment. The Bible says that the Lord shall judge the ends of the earth. Every secret thing will be brought to light. There is a day of judgment coming. That has not changed.

God is unchanging in His love. He loves you. He has a plan for your life. Don't let the newspaper headlines frighten you. God is still sovereign; He's still on the throne.

Something else that hasn't changed is the Word of God. "The grass withereth, the flower fadeth, but the Word of our God shall stand forever" (Isaiah 40:8). The Word of God is unchanging. Read it every day; study it.

And human nature doesn't change. Jeremiah said, "The heart is deceitful above all things, and desperately wicked" (Jeremiah 17:9). We're all sinners--sinners by birth, sinners by choice, sinners by practice. We cannot be reconciled to God; we cannot go to heaven, unless our sins are forgiven. And that's why Christ came. That's why He went to the cross. That's why He conquered death at His resurrection.

And the promise of His coming again has not changed. Christ said before He left, "When the Son of Man shall come in His glory, and all the holy angels with Him, then shall He sit upon the throne of His glory. And before Him shall be gathered all the nations" (Matthew 25:31-32).

What will happen when Christ comes? Sin, suffering, and death will be eliminated. Peace will be established on the earth. When Christ comes, the Kingdom of God will triumph!

But it has been 2,000 years since that promise was made. The Apostle Peter said people are going to ask, "Where is the promise of His coming?" (cf. 2 Peter 3:4).

What's wrong? Has something happened? No, everything is going right along according to God's time-table. That's the way He meant it to be, so that we will come to Him by simple faith and accept Him into our hearts as Lord and Savior (cf. 2 Peter 3:8-9).

What do you have to do to be ready when Jesus comes again? Maybe at this moment God's peace and His joy and His love are not yours. The assurance of salvation is not yours, and you'd like to make sure.

Repent of your sins. Say, "Lord, I'm sorry. I'm willing to change my way of thinking and living, and I'm ready to bring my whole life under the Lordship of Jesus Christ." By faith receive Christ as your Lord and Savior, and you will have a personal relationship with Him. You can do that right now, today.

From Decision Magazine Š1979 Billy Graham Association. Used by permission.

Š 2003 Good News Publishers. Used by permission.
Translated by permission of Good News Publishers
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