You should know this, Timothy, that in the last days there will be very difficult times. 

—2 Timothy 3:1

Scripture:

2 Timothy 3:1 

C.S. Lewis said, “I believe in Christianity as I believe that the Sun has risen, not only because I see it, but because by it I see everything else.”[1]

A Christian worldview will affect the way that we see everything. And why is this important? Because we are living in the last days. Jesus Christ is coming back again. And if ever there was a time when we need to know our Bibles and have a close walk with Christ, the time is now.

Describing the end times, the apostle Paul said, “In the last days there will be very difficult times. For people will love only themselves and their money. They will be boastful and proud, scoffing at God, disobedient to their parents, and ungrateful. They will consider nothing sacred. They will be unloving and unforgiving; they will slander others and have no self-control” (2 Timothy 3:1–3 NLT).

Paul went on to say, “They will be cruel and hate what is good. They will betray their friends, be reckless, be puffed up with pride, and love pleasure rather than God. They will act religious, but they will reject the power that could make them godly” (verses 3–5 NLT).

Is that not an accurate assessment of the times in which we are living? The United States has never been more spiritual yet more immoral. We throw the word spiritual around a lot. But do we know what it means?

We live in an age when we can write our own apps and customize our home screens. We can keep the stuff we like and throw out the things we don’t. And we carry that thinking into other aspects of our lives. The result is something called moral relativism.

Moral relativism is the belief that there are no absolutes. There is no right or wrong. Moral relativism teaches that we are all products of the evolutionary process and not made by a Creator God. There is no devil. There is no good or evil. And there is no plan or purpose for our lives.

Moral relativism also teaches that we are all basically good, and if we happen to go bad, then it’s because we’re simply products of our environment. It teaches that we make our own truth.

For instance, if you believe in a God of love, forgiveness, and mercy, you can keep that. But if you’re offended by the biblical teaching of a God of holiness, righteousness, and judgment, you can delete that. It works out perfectly. Or so it seems.

Moral relativism may sound fine in theory. But what if we were to put it into practice? Will a god of our own making be able to save us in the final day? Of course not.

A biblical worldview says there is a God as revealed in the Bible, and the Bible alone is the authority and source of that belief. It is not what we feel or what is popular, acceptable, or perceived as cool. It is what the Bible says.

Harvest.org | Greg Laurie

For everyone has sinned; we all fall short of God’s glorious standard. 

—Romans 3:23

Scripture:

Romans 3:23 

How we can find eternal life? Where do we look? And who has it?

We find the answer in the Gospel of Luke, in a conversation that Jesus had with a man whom Luke simply identified as “a religious leader” (18:18 NLT).

And the answer Jesus gave to this man’s question is relevant to each of us today.

He approached Jesus and said, “Good Teacher, what should I do to inherit eternal life?” (verse 18 NLT).

Jesus replied, “Why do you call me good? . . . Only God is truly good. But to answer your question, you know the commandments: ‘You must not commit adultery. You must not murder. You must not steal. You must not testify falsely. Honor your father and mother’ ” (verses 19–20 NLT).

Jesus took him back to the law. That’s because God did not give us the commandments to make us righteous. Rather, He gave us the commandments to function like a moral mirror in our lives and show us what we’re really like. When we look at God’s law, we realize that we fall short.

Amazingly, this man said that he had obeyed all those commandments since he was young.

So, Jesus told him, “There is still one thing you haven’t done. Sell all your possessions and give the money to the poor, and you will have treasure in heaven. Then come, follow me” (verse 22 NLT).

This leader had so much going for him. He was moral, religious, and powerful. He was sincere and could have easily qualified for membership in most of our churches today. Yet something was still lacking in his life.

He may have been the only person who ever came to Jesus and then left in worse condition than before. It wasn’t because of what Jesus said. It was because of his own reaction. He didn’t like what Jesus said to him, so he walked away, filled with sorrow.

Even though he came to Jesus with the right question and received the right answer, he made the wrong decision. Why? Because he was not honest with God or himself.

As George Bernard Shaw pointed out, “There are two sources of unhappiness in life. One is not getting what you want. The other is getting it.”

So many people believe that one of these days if they win the lottery, if they strike it big, then they will be happy. And if they do actually realize their dreams, they often discover that it didn’t bring them happiness.

The same Jesus who offered eternal life to that religious leader so long ago is also offering it to us. First, we must realize that we’ve sinned. We all have broken God’s commandments time and time again.

Second, we must recognize that Jesus Christ, the Son of God, died on the cross for us. He shed His blood for every sin we have ever committed.

And third, we must be willing to repent of our sins.

That is what we need to do to inherit eternal life. That is God’s trade-in deal.

Harvest.org | Greg Laurie

Then, together with them, we who are still alive and remain on the earth will be caught up in the clouds to meet the Lord in the air. Then we will be with the Lord forever. 

—1 Thessalonians 4:17

Scripture:

1 Thessalonians 4:17 

It’s a question that often arises: Are we the generation that will experience the Rapture?

We could be. But no one can say with complete certainty whether the Lord will return in our lifetime.

Of course, some people like to point out that the word rapture isn’t in the Bible. That all depends. If you have a Latin translation, then it is. The term “caught up” in 1 Thessalonians 4:17 is the Latin word rapturus, from which the English word rapture originates.

You can call it something else if you’re uncomfortable with the term. But it speaks of the event when believers, who are alive, suddenly will enter the presence of God Almighty.

The apostle Paul described it for us: “We who are still living when the Lord returns will not meet him ahead of those who have died. For the Lord himself will come down from heaven with a commanding shout, with the voice of the archangel, and with the trumpet call of God. First, the believers who have died will rise from their graves” (1 Thessalonians 4:15–16 NLT).

Paul continued, “Then, together with them, we who are still alive and remain on the earth will be caught up in the clouds to meet the Lord in the air. Then we will be with the Lord forever” (verse 17 NLT).

The Greek word Paul used for “meet” carries the idea of meeting royalty or someone of great importance. And when Christ calls us to Himself, we will meet the ultimate royal: the King of kings and the Lord of lords.

Do we find a mention of the Rapture any other place in Scripture? Yes. Jesus spoke of it in Matthew 24, where He said, “Two men will be working together in the field; one will be taken, the other left. Two women will be grinding flour at the mill; one will be taken, the other left. So you, too, must keep watch! For you don’t know what day your Lord is coming” (verses 40–42 NLT).

Practically speaking, the Rapture means no death. However, it doesn’t mean that some won’t die. But it does mean there is a generation that will not die, a generation that will experience the Rapture.

But if the Lord doesn’t return in our lifetime, we shouldn’t be disappointed. That’s because our hope is not in the coming of the Lord. Rather, our hope is in the Lord who is coming.

What should be exciting to us as believers is not how we get there as much as where we are going. We have that hope.

The Bible says of Jesus’ return, “The Lord isn’t really being slow about his promise, as some people think. No, he is being patient for your sake. He does not want anyone to be destroyed, but wants everyone to repent” (2 Peter 3:9 NLT).

We need to be ready to meet the Lord, because we don’t know what will happen next. But one way or another, we will stand before God one day.

Harvest.org | Greg Laurie

Dear brothers and sisters, be patient as you wait for the Lord’s return. Consider the farmers who patiently wait for the rains in the fall and in the spring. They eagerly look for the valuable harvest to ripen. 

—James 5:7

Scripture:

James 5:7 

James is an extremely practical book. It takes the great truths of the Christian faith and then attaches a “so what?” afterward. We discover what these truths mean to us and how they affect our lives.

And in chapter 5, James shares important principles regarding what we should be doing as believers who are waiting for the Lord’s return.

He writes, “Dear brothers and sisters, be patient as you wait for the Lord’s return. Consider the farmers who patiently wait for the rains in the fall and in the spring. They eagerly look for the valuable harvest to ripen. You, too, must be patient. Take courage, for the coming of the Lord is near” (verses 7–8 NLT).

James tells us that the farmers wait for the early and latter rains. They also look eagerly, or expectantly, for the harvest to ripen.

Farmers today use sophisticated technology. Not only do they have advanced irrigation systems, but they can take satellite photos of their property so they know which parts of their fields need more water and which parts have enough or maybe too much. They can harness this technology to harvest their crops.

However, ancient farmers didn’t have modern irrigation systems. They depended completely on the rain to sustain their crops.

They had to wait for the rain, and the early rains in Israel usually arrived in late October or early November. They softened the hard, baked soil for plowing. Then the latter rains came in late April and May. These were essential for the crops to mature.

But if a farmer grew impatient and tried to harvest the seed before it was ready, he could uproot the entire process. He had to wait.

No crop appears overnight, except a crop of weeds, of course. Isn’t it amazing how quickly weeds can grow? We will carefully nurture a little plant that we’re growing, and it might gain an inch or two over time. Meanwhile, the weeds have grown three feet high. They need no help whatsoever.

If we want a good spiritual harvest in our lives, it takes time. We must be patient. And if we’re waiting for the return of Christ, we must be patient as well. Yet that is difficult to do in our on-demand culture of today.

We don’t have to wait and save money to purchase something we want. We want it now. We feel that we deserve it, so we just charge it.

But as we wait for the Lord’s return, we need to remember that God is not bound by our schedules. He has His own. The Bible tells us, “But when the right time came, God sent his Son, born of a woman, subject to the law. God sent him to buy freedom for us who were slaves to the law, so that he could adopt us as his very own children” (Galatians 4:4–5 NLT).

Jesus will come at the appointed time. And just as He came the first time at the appointed hour, He will come the second time in the same way.

Harvest.org | Greg Laurie

And this world is fading away, along with everything that people crave. But anyone who does what pleases God will live forever. 

—1 John 2:17

Scripture:

1 John 2:17 

A pastor who was speaking at a funeral service was trying to explain what happens after we die. Then he suddenly thought of an illustration. Motioning toward the casket, he said, “Here in this casket lies just a shell. The nut is gone.”

It didn’t go the way he expected it to.

When we die, our bodies will go into the ground, but our souls will enter the afterlife. Those who have put their faith in Jesus Christ will immediately go into the presence of God.

Years ago, one of my granddaughters looked at me with a sad expression and said, “Papa, why do we have to die? Why can’t we just float up to Heaven?”

That’s a great question. The answer is that in the Garden of Eden, it never was God’s intention for people to die. There was no death, no pain, and no tears. But because our first parents, Adam and Eve, sinned, sin then entered the human race.

They rebelled against God because they had a will of their own, and that rebellion is called sin. And because of that sin, we now have death. If Adam and Eve had not sinned, we never would die, get sick, or even age.

But they did sin. And sin, like a disease, entered the human race. We were all born with it. We are not sinners because we sin; we sin because we are sinners. It comes naturally to us. The Bible says, “For everyone has sinned; we all fall short of God’s glorious standard” (Romans 3:23 NLT).

If we want to go to Heaven, then we must be forgiven of our sins. We can’t come up with our own idea of how to get to Heaven. In fact, we wouldn’t know anything about Heaven if we didn’t read about it in the Bible.

There is only one way to get to Heaven, and that is through God’s Son, Jesus Christ, who died on the cross for us.

For Christians, death is not the end. The Bible says, “And this world is fading away, along with everything that people crave. But anyone who does what pleases God will live forever” (1 John 2:17 NLT).

Jesus said, “I am the resurrection and the life. Anyone who believes in me will live, even after dying. Everyone who lives in me and believes in me will never ever die” (John 11:25–26 NLT).

Awhile back we were walking on the beach, and my wife, Cathe, said, “Be careful, there are bees on the beach.” Just then, I stepped on one. The stinger went into my foot, which swelled a little.

Jesus took the sting of death when He died on the cross. That is why Bible tells us, “Death is swallowed up in victory. O death, where is your victory? O death, where is your sting?” (1 Corinthians 15:54–55 NLT).

Death died when Christ rose. And as Christians, we will live forever. That is the hope the Bible gives us.

Harvest.org | Greg Laurie

For his Spirit joins with our spirit to affirm that we are God’s children. 

—Romans 8:16

Scripture:

Romans 8:16 

C.S. Lewis said in The Problem of Pain, “There have been times when I think we do not desire heaven; but more often I find myself wondering whether, in our heart of hearts, we have ever desired anything else. . . . It is the secret signature of each soul, the incommunicable and unappeasable want.”[1]

Deep down inside, we all feel the tug of Heaven. We know there is more to life than what we’re experiencing right now.

Jesus said, “Don’t let your hearts be troubled. Trust in God, and trust also in me. There is more than enough room in my Father’s home. If this were not so, would I have told you that I am going to prepare a place for you?” (John 14:1–2 NLT).

Heaven is a real place for real people to do real things. It is not a watered-down, diluted version of earth. Many of us have a strange concept of Heaven that movies and songs have reinforced. We assume that we’ll sit around in Heaven on big, fluffy clouds and take long naps.

But that is not the real Heaven. That is not the biblical Heaven. The real Heaven is a place.

When Jesus hung on the cross, two criminals hung on each side of Him. One of these men realized that he was in trouble as he faced eternity. So he said, “Jesus, remember me when you come into your Kingdom” (Luke 23:42 NLT).

Jesus told him, “I assure you, today you will be with me in paradise” (verse 43 NLT). Heaven is a paradise.

On one occasion an angry mob stoned the apostle Paul and left him for dead. Scholars believe this was the moment Paul died, went to Heaven, and came back again.

Paul later described it this way: “I was caught up to the third heaven fourteen years ago. Whether I was in my body or out of my body, I don’t know—only God knows. Yes, only God knows whether I was in my body or outside my body. But I do know that I was caught up to paradise and heard things so astounding that they cannot be expressed in words, things no human is allowed to tell” (2 Corinthians 12:2–4 NLT).

Think of the most beautiful place you have seen. Heaven is far greater than that. It is Paradise.

Yes, Heaven is real, and we can know with certainty that we’ll go to Heaven when we die. The Bible tells us, “For his Spirit joins with our spirit to affirm that we are God’s children” (Romans 8:16 NLT).

We call this hope, and we need hope today. In fact, experts have described Generation Z as the hopeless generation.

If you put your faith in Jesus Christ, you can have hope. Don’t put your hope in technology or in material things. Don’t put your hope in politicians. And don’t even put your hope in religion. Hope has a name, and it’s Jesus Christ. He is ready to change the course of your life.

Harvest.org | Greg Laurie

 The servants who are ready and waiting for his return will be rewarded. 

—Luke 12:37

Scripture:

Luke 12:37 

All around us we can see fulfilled Bible prophecies, signs indicating that the return of Jesus Christ is drawing near.

As followers of Christ, we should be watching for Him. We need to be ready to go.

Jesus, speaking about His return, said, “Be dressed for service and keep your lamps burning, as though you were waiting for your master to return from the wedding feast. . . . The servants who are ready and waiting for his return will be rewarded” (Luke 12:35–37 NLT).

Are you ready for His return? To be ready means to be engaged in activities that you wouldn’t be ashamed to be doing if Jesus were to return. It’s a good idea to periodically ask ourselves this question: This place that I am about to go, this thing that I am about to do, would I be embarrassed if I were doing it when Jesus came back?”

Think about your plans. Is there anything you will be doing today, tonight, or tomorrow that you would be ashamed to do if Christ were to return? If so, then change your plans. You want to be ready for His return.

Not only should we be ready, but we should anxiously await the return of Christ.

We used to have a German Shepherd who slept outside the bedroom, leaning against our door. We didn’t let him sleep in our room because he often had nightmares and would wake us up. Every morning when we opened the door, he rolled into the room. Then he’d jump up and start running in circles. He was genuinely happy to see us.

That is how we should be waiting for Christ’s return. And anything that might prevent us from saying “Come quickly, Lord Jesus” is out of place in our lives.

In addition to waiting, we should be working. Every now and then, someone predicts that Jesus will return on a specific date. People believe these predictions and start quitting their jobs or divorcing their spouses.

But that is not what we should be doing as we wait for the return of Christ. Instead, we should be working for Him.

The Bible says, “Just as the body is dead without breath, so also faith is dead without good works” (James 2:26 NLT).

If watching is the evidence of faith, then working is the evidence of faith in action. Watching for the Lord’s return will help us prepare our own lives. But working will ensure that we bring others with us to Heaven.

The great British preacher C. H. Spurgeon said, “It is a very blessed thing to be on the watch for Christ. . . . You can be poor without murmuring; you can be rich without worldliness; you can be sick without sorrowing; you can be healthy without presumption. If you are always waiting for Christ’s Coming, untold blessings are wrapped up in that glorious hope.”

When you live in the anticipation of Christ’s return, it’s a happy way to live.

Harvest.org | Greg Laurie

 And so, dear friends, while you are waiting for these things to happen, make every effort to be found living peaceful lives that are pure and blameless in his sight. 

—2 Peter 3:14

Scripture:

2 Peter 3:14 

I became a Christian in 1970. There was a lot of excitement back then, because a revival called the Jesus Movement had broken out. Historians agree that it was a genuine spiritual awakening.

There also was a lot of teaching about the last days. We thought Jesus was coming back at any moment. Back then, I was a graphic artist, so I designed a “Jesus is coming!” bumper sticker. But now some Christians are wondering why He hasn’t come back yet. Did He forget His promise to us?

The Bible tells us why Jesus hasn’t returned: “The Lord isn’t really being slow about his promise, as some people think. No, he is being patient for your sake. He does not want anyone to be destroyed, but wants everyone to repent” (2 Peter 3:9 NLT).

The Lord is waiting for the last person to believe. And when that day comes, when that person believes, we will meet Him in the air in the Rapture.

The passage continues, “Since everything around us is going to be destroyed like this, what holy and godly lives you should live, looking forward to the day of God and hurrying it along. . . . And so, dear friends, while you are waiting for these things to happen, make every effort to be found living peaceful lives that are pure and blameless in his sight” (verses 11–12, 14 NLT).

How are we to live as we await the return of Christ? We should live holy and godly lives, making every effort to be spotless and blameless and at peace with Him. That is what we should be doing. And if we don’t understand this, then we’re missing the point.

People have an endless appetite for last days events. They want to hear about the Rapture, the Antichrist, the Tribulation, Armageddon, and all the rest. That is great. But as we study all these things, what we learn should have an impact on the way we live.

As we look forward to the return of Christ, we should be shining lights in a dark place. Jesus said, “Be dressed for service and keep your lamps burning” (Luke 12:35 NLT). In this statement, Jesus was referring to a first-century Jewish wedding.

These weddings were unique in that no one knew when the bridegroom would arrive. It might be at 3:00 in the morning or at 3:00 in the afternoon. But suddenly the announcement would go out that the bridegroom was on his way. Everyone would quickly take their places, and then the wedding would begin.

Jesus was saying this is what it will be like as we wait for His return. So, let’s be ready to go. Let’s be shining our light. As our culture gets darker, we need to shine brighter as Christians.

Let’s be known for what we are for rather than what we are against. Let’s look for opportunities to show the love of Jesus Christ in a tangible way, earning the right to share the gospel.

Harvest.org | Greg Laurie

Before he left, he called together ten of his servants and divided among them ten pounds of silver, saying, “Invest this for me while I am gone.” 

—Luke 19:13

Scripture:

Luke 19:13 

What are we supposed to do as Christians until Jesus returns? How are we to live our lives? The Bible tells us there are specific things that we should be doing.

One thing that God has given to every follower of Jesus, without exception, is the message of the gospel. While not everyone is called to be an evangelist, everyone is called to evangelize.

The apostle Paul mentioned in his letter to Timothy how God entrusted “the glorious Good News” to him (1 Timothy 1:11). And God has entrusted the glorious Good News to us as well.

Jesus told a parable about a man of great wealth who was preparing to leave on a long trip. He called his servants together and gave each of them a sum of money. Everyone received the same amount. Then he told them, “Invest this for me while I am gone” (Luke 19:13 NLT).

In the same way, Jesus is saying to us, “I’m coming back soon, so take this message that I’ve entrusted to you and share it with others. Do God’s business until I return.”

There is nothing wrong with having a career or getting married and having a family. There is nothing wrong with enjoying the things God has given to us.

But here’s the question we must ask ourselves: “What am I personally doing to get the gospel out?”

Maybe you believe that is the job of pastors and evangelists. Yes, it is. But it is also the job of every Christian. It is more than giving money for the work of evangelism, although that is a very good thing to do. It is also looking for opportunities that God puts in our paths.

Jesus made this clear in another parable He told about someone who had mismanaged his employer’s finances. Knowing he was about to be fired, the manager reached out to several of the people who owed money to his employer.

For example, one man owed 800 gallons of oil, so the employee had him settle the debt for 400 gallons. The manager did the same thing with a number of people who were in debt to his employer. And ultimately, instead of reproving this manager, the employer commended him for his shrewdness.

Jesus concluded by saying, “Here’s the lesson: Use your worldly resources to benefit others and make friends. Then, when your possessions are gone, they will welcome you to an eternal home” (Luke 16:9 NLT).

In the same way, we need to take our resources and use them for the work of the gospel. God has given each of us three things to use for His glory: time, talent, and treasure. We all have these in varying degrees.

God doesn’t hold us responsible for success; He holds us responsible for faithfulness. In that final day, Jesus isn’t going to say, “Well done, good and successful servant.” Instead, He will say, “Well done, good and faithful servant.” Take what God has given you and do the best that you can do.

Harvest.org | Greg Laurie

I am the living one. I died, but look—I am alive forever and ever! And I hold the keys of death and the grave. 

—Revelation 1:18

Scripture:

Revelation 1:18 

When Christ was born in Bethlehem, the angels appeared to some shepherds nearby and said, “Glory to God in highest heaven, and peace on earth to those with whom God is pleased” (Luke 2:14 NLT). Jesus came to bring peace on earth.

The Antichrist, however, will come to take peace from the earth. And here’s what we need to know: Satan is behind all the wars and struggles on this planet.

We’re understandably perplexed when we hear about barbaric acts of war and terrorism. The network pundits try to explain it. But the reason people do these horrible things is because there is a devil. And the devil loves violence and war. He loves carnage and death.

We’ve had some massive wars in our world’s history. There was World War I, which was called the war to end all wars. But it took only twenty years for another conflict to develop, and World War II was far worse, with even more casualties. And the worst wars are yet to come.

Concerning the end of the age, Jesus said, “And you will hear of wars and threats of wars, but don’t panic. Yes, these things must take place, but the end won’t follow immediately. Nation will go to war against nation, and kingdom against kingdom. There will be famines and earthquakes in many parts of the world. But all this is only the first of the birth pains, with more to come” (Matthew 24:6–8 NLT).

Here’s the bottom line: God always has the last word. Sometimes things look bleak, and we have setback after setback. We say, “I thought God’s Word would prevail.” It will in time. God will have the last word.

God is faithful and true. He will keep every promise He has made to you. Sometimes we’re in despair. Sometimes we’re frightened. And maybe you’re afraid right now.

Here are the words of Jesus to you: “And be sure of this: I am with you always, even to the end of the age” (Matthew 28:20 NLT). He also said, “I will never fail you. I will never abandon you” (Hebrews 13:5 NLT).

Maybe you’re afraid of death. Jesus said, “Don’t be afraid! I am the First and the Last. I am the living one. I died, but look—I am alive forever and ever! And I hold the keys of death and the grave” (Revelation 1:17–18 NLT).

He was saying, “Don’t be afraid. I’ve been there. I have come back. It is covered.”

Jesus said to the disciples, “Don’t let your hearts be troubled. Trust in God, and trust also in me. There is more than enough room in my Father’s home. If this were not so, would I have told you that I am going to prepare a place for you? When everything is ready, I will come and get you, so that you will always be with me where I am” (John 14:1–3 NLT).

Our God is faithful.

Harvest.org | Greg Laurie

After all, what gives us hope and joy, and what will be our proud reward and crown as we stand before our Lord Jesus when he returns? It is you! 

—1 Thessalonians 2:19

Scripture:

1 Thessalonians 2:19 

According to Scripture, rewards will be given out in Heaven for our faithfulness.

What kind of rewards will they be? The Bible specifically mentions crowns. For example, there is a crown of rejoicing, which we could also call the soul winner’s crown. The apostle Paul wrote, “After all, what gives us hope and joy, and what will be our proud reward and crown as we stand before our Lord Jesus when he returns? It is you!” (1 Thessalonians 2:19 NLT).

Paul was effectively saying that the people he reached with the gospel will be his crown of rejoicing. This seems to indicate that if we have led others to Christ, then we will receive a special crown.

The Bible also mentions a crown of life. James 1:12 tells us, “God blesses those who patiently endure testing and temptation. Afterward they will receive the crown of life that God has promised to those who love him” (NLT). This crown is for those who have resisted temptation and persevered under trial.

Some people have tougher lives than others. Certain people seem to skate through life relatively unscathed. On the other hand, maybe you’ve had a difficult life, but you’ve been faithful during those times of testing. Despite setbacks, hardships, disabilities, or illnesses, you have honored the Lord. As a result, you will receive the crown of life.

Then there is the crown of righteousness. Paul mentioned this crown in 2 Timothy: “And now the prize awaits me—the crown of righteousness, which the Lord, the righteous Judge, will give me on the day of his return. And the prize is not just for me but for all who eagerly look forward to his appearing” (4:8 NLT).

This is a crown for faithful living. It’s a crown for those who long for the return of Christ, for those who live in the light of Heaven.

Here’s what we need to remember: It isn’t about how famous you are. Rather, it’s about being faithful with what God has called you to do. It is not about what God has called your friend or your pastor or someone else to do. It’s all about what God has given you to do. Have you been faithful?

As you think about your life, you might say, “I don’t know that I’ve reached thousands or hundreds or even tens.” But if you follow Jesus Christ and have told others about Him, then you’ve sown seeds of the gospel.

That seed might not break ground until later. Maybe one person you’ve led to the Lord will lead twenty people to the Lord twenty years from now. Or maybe the person you impacted with the gospel will have children who raise their children in the way of the Lord. And maybe one of their children will become the next Billy Graham.

All the spiritual fruit that goes from generation to generation will come back to you. You will share in it. And you will be rewarded for your faithfulness to God.

Harvest.org | Greg Laurie

Yes, we are fully confident, and we would rather be away from these earthly bodies, for then we will be at home with the Lord. 

—2 Corinthians 5:8

Scripture:

2 Corinthians 5:8 

What happens when Christians die?

The simple answer is that if you’ve put your faith in Jesus Christ, you immediately will go to Heaven. There are no stopovers or suspended states of animation. There is no purgatory or soul sleep. When Christians die, they go directly into God’s presence.

The Bible says, “Yes, we are fully confident, and we would rather be away from these earthly bodies, for then we will be at home with the Lord” (2 Corinthians 5:8 NLT).

As Christians, we will go to Heaven one day, and we’ll get there in one of two ways: death or the Rapture. There is a generation that will not see death but will instead go to Heaven in the Rapture. We don’t know whether we will be that generation. But we could be.

Paul wrote to the Thessalonian believers, “We who are still living when the Lord returns will not meet him ahead of those who have died. For the Lord himself will come down from heaven with a commanding shout, with the voice of the archangel, and with the trumpet call of God. First, the believers who have died will rise from their graves” (1 Thessalonians 4:15–16 NLT).

He continued, “Then, together with them, we who are still alive and remain on the earth will be caught up in the clouds to meet the Lord in the air. Then we will be with the Lord forever” (verse 17 NLT).

That means we could be going about our business one day, and without warning—in a nanosecond, in a flash—we will meet Jesus Christ in the air. Not only that, but we will immediately reunite with our Christian loved ones and friends who have gone to Heaven before us.

The Bible calls this the first resurrection. Revelation 20:6 says, “Blessed and holy are those who share in the first resurrection. For them the second death holds no power” (NLT). The second death is the final Great White Throne Judgment, while the first resurrection is the Rapture.

In 1 Corinthians 15, Paul referred to the Rapture, saying, “But let me reveal to you a wonderful secret. We will not all die, but we will all be transformed! It will happen in a moment, in the blink of an eye, when the last trumpet is blown. For when the trumpet sounds, those who have died will be raised to live forever” (verses 51–52 NLT).

This means that Christians do not have to fear death.

Yes, Christians will die physically. But our mortal bodies will put on immortality. The soul lives on. That will never die. It is why Paul said, “Living means living for Christ, and dying is even better” (Philippians 1:21 NLT).

Of course, Christians grieve like everyone else when we lose loved ones. But the Bible says that we don’t grieve as those who do not have hope (see 1 Thessalonians 4:13). For the Christian, death is not the end. It’s a transition from earth to Heaven.

Harvest.org | Greg Laurie

This is all the more urgent, for you know how late it is; time is running out. Wake up, for our salvation is nearer now than when we first believed. 

—Romans 13:11

Scripture:

Romans 13:11 

With self-driving cars now on the market, we’re seeing more and more stories in the news about drivers falling asleep at the wheel. One driver, for instance, was fast asleep in his moving car when a police officer noticed him. After they unsuccessfully tried to wake the man, the police had to force his car off the road.

In the same way, some Christians today are asleep at the wheel. They have a spiritual lethargy, a passivity about them.

The apostle Paul wrote to the believers in Rome, “This is all the more urgent, for you know how late it is; time is running out. Wake up, for our salvation is nearer now than when we first believed” (Romans 13:11 NLT).

The J. B. Phillips New Testament puts it this way: “Why all this stress on behaviour? Because, as I think you have realised, the present time is of the highest importance—it is time to wake up to reality. Every day brings God’s salvation nearer.”

Paul addressed these words to Christians, to genuine believers whose spiritual lethargy and laziness made them appear and act as though they had no spiritual life. Effectively, they were asleep at the wheel.

We can be in a state of spiritual slumber and not even realize it. In fact, we might even deny it. Yet the Bible warns us to wake up from our spiritual sleep.

Thus, Paul was saying, “It’s time for you to wake up.” He probably was alluding to the soon return of Christ. If you believe that Jesus could come back today, then you’re very astute theologically. As believers, we should realize that Jesus could come back at any time.

But we must also recognize that we don’t know how long we will live. When we’re young, we think we have all the time in the world. But then one day we look at ourselves in the mirror and it’s obvious that we’re getting older.

Titus 2 reminds us, “For the grace of God has been revealed, bringing salvation to all people. And we are instructed to turn from godless living and sinful pleasures. We should live in this evil world with wisdom, righteousness, and devotion to God, while we look forward with hope to that wonderful day when the glory of our great God and Savior, Jesus Christ, will be revealed” (verses 11–13 NLT).

Long ago, it was common to write this phrase over financial documents: memento mori. The literal translation, “Remember you must die,” obviously had a grounding effect on readers.

Regardless of how much money we have saved or invested, we will leave it all behind one day. That’s why we need to keep perspective and make every day count.

The psalmist David said, “Lord, remind me how brief my time on earth will be. Remind me that my days are numbered—how fleeting my life is” (Psalm 39:4 NLT).

We must live every day as though it could be our last. Because one day it will be.

Harvest.org | Greg Laurie

And everyone will hate you because you are my followers 

—Luke 21:17

Scripture:

John 8:24 

We know from church history that the church has undergone relentless persecution.

All the apostles, except for one, died the death of a martyr. John was banished to the island of Patmos, where he wrote the Book of Revelation. Church tradition suggests that John’s persecutors tried to boil him in oil, but they didn’t succeed. So they banished him instead.

The church went through horrible times of persecution. From the first century to 314, the martyr period of church history, thousands of courageous Christians laid down their lives for the sake of the gospel.

Ten great waves of persecution took place under the various Caesars, who sought to eradicate the Christian faith from the earth. But instead of destroying Christianity, they only strengthened it in many ways. The gospel is alive and well, and Jesus Christ is still working powerfully.

God allowed this persecution, and He will allow persecution. In fact, one of the signs of the last days will be increased persecution. And it will intensify during the tribulation period.

Today there are courageous people around the world standing up for their faith. Yet in the United States, we will complain if someone makes fun of us for reading the Bible. Let’s thank God for the freedom that we have to do this. And let’s thank Him for the freedom that we have to preach the gospel.

As Christians, we will face persecution. If you are a godly person, then you will be persecuted. The Bible says, “Everyone who wants to live a godly life in Christ Jesus will suffer persecution” (2 Timothy 3:12 NLT).

Maybe God has allowed persecution in your life. It might be someone at work who always has hard questions for you or a neighbor who gives you a hard time for your faith in Jesus. Or maybe it’s a family member who doesn’t believe. It could be that you are doing something right.

God will allow persecution in the life of the believer. Not only is persecution confirmation that we are children of God, but it also causes us to cling tighter to Jesus and remember this world is not our home.

Jesus told His disciples, “If the world hates you, remember that it hated me first. The world would love you as one of its own if you belonged to it, but you are no longer part of the world. I chose you to come out of the world, so it hates you” (John 15:18–19 NLT).

As signs of the imminent return of Jesus continue to unfold, it should keep us on our toes spiritually. Jesus said, “So when all these things begin to happen, stand and look up, for your salvation is near!” (Luke 21:28 NLT).

We are stewards over our lives, our time, and our resources. And one day we will be held accountable for it. Let’s not waste our time. Let’s not go on with business as usual. Instead, let’s allow this teaching of the Lord’s return to motivate us to live godly lives.

Harvest.org | Greg Laurie

That is why I said that you will die in your sins; for unless you believe that I AM who I claim to be, you will die in your sins. 

—John 8:24

Scripture:

John 8:24 

According to the Bible, there will be a belief system during the tribulation period that everyone in the world will embrace.

This, of course, will exclude those who come to faith in Christ during the Great Tribulation. Though the church will have been raptured, God will continue to be at work. People will become Christians during this time, but it will be a bleak scenario.

God will raise up His representatives, two powerful witnesses. He also will send angels through the heavens who will proclaim the everlasting gospel. And He will raise up 144,000 messianic Jews to take the gospel around the globe.

People will come to faith, but it will be a very hard time to be a Christian, and many believers will be martyred. And the one-world religious system that most people will buy into perhaps will be a version of the spirituality movement that we’re seeing today.

For instance, in the days following 9/11, a lot of prayer services took place, including a televised interfaith service at Yankee Stadium. Bette Midler sang, and Oprah Winfrey, among others, spoke. To some degree, it’s great when we can get together and find what we agree on. And everyone should have the liberty to worship as they please.

But we also must be aware that interfaith prayer services aren’t necessarily a good thing. It’s one thing to have interdenominational services in which Christians set aside minor differences as denominations to come together and worship. Harvest evangelistic events, for example, are interdenominational. We get together to proclaim the gospel and worship Jesus Christ.

But interfaith services are a different matter altogether. We misrepresent and even insult God when we claim that all religions teach the same thing and that we’re all praying to the same God.

Jesus said, “Unless you believe that I am who I claim to be, you will die in your sins” (John 8:24 NLT). He was referring to the statement God made when He spoke to Moses from the burning bush (see Exodus 3:14).

Here’s what Jesus was saying: “I am equal with God. Unless you believe that I am God incarnate, that I am the Lord God, and that I am the only way to God, then you will die in your sins.”

The Bible teaches that Jesus was God in human form who died for the sins of the world. It teaches that Jesus is the only way to God, that God is personal, and that He can be known in a personal way.

If we’re going to proclaim the true gospel, then we must tell people this. It’s a divisive point with some. But it is one thing that we cannot compromise on as Christians.

Yet if we believe that all religions teach the same thing, then we obviously haven’t considered what they actually teach.

Today many people say they don’t really believe in any one religion, and they’ve found their own faith. But this, along with the seismic shifts that are happening in our culture, is a sign of the last days.

Harvest.org | Greg Laurie

He replied, “Don’t let anyone mislead you, for many will come in my name, claiming, ‘I am the Messiah,’ and saying, ‘The time has come!’ But don’t believe them.” 

—Luke 21:8

Scripture:

Luke 21:8 

In the times in which we’re living, we should be aware of religious deception. Jesus said that in the last days, there would be an explosion of it, culminating in the appearance of the ultimate deceiver, the Antichrist.

We should look out for cults and groups who say they’re the way to God and that their leader, guru, or teacher is the Messiah. Today, in addition to relatively established cults, newer groups have sprung up. There has been a literal explosion of mysticism and spirituality in recent years.

But for the most part, it has not been a return to biblical Christianity. Rather, it has been a New Age mixture of everything under the umbrella of so-called spirituality.

People basically have a do-it-yourself divinity. They say things like, “I don’t believe in organized religion, but I am a very spiritual person. I draw a little from this belief and a little from that belief. It all will get us to Heaven or closer to God.”

However, the Bible tells us that in the last days, Satan will use every kind of wicked deception to fool those who are on their way to destruction because they refuse to believe the truth that would save them. They will be condemned for not believing the truth.

We need to realize that whenever there is the genuine, there always will be the counterfeit. The devil is the great deceiver and the great counterfeiter. Jesus said of him, “He has always hated the truth, because there is no truth in him. When he lies, it is consistent with his character; for he is a liar and the father of lies” (John 8:44 NLT).

The devil is an expert at offering substitutes for the real thing, with enough truth to make it believable and enough error to destroy us.

That is why we must be students of Scripture. The Bible tells us to test the spirits to see if they’re really of God (see 1 John 4:1). We must stop believing the false teachings that come our way. Far too often, we in the church are gullible because we allow our feelings and emotions to direct us instead of looking at things through a biblical lens. We must learn to think biblically and compare everything to what the Bible teaches.

We also need to understand that all religions do not teach the same thing. To believe otherwise is to ignore what the Bible teaches. Jesus said, “I am the way, the truth, and the life. No one can come to the Father except through me” (John 14:6 NLT).

If you are a true Christian, then you must believe that Jesus Christ is the only way to God.

Harvest.org | Greg Laurie

 And all who have this eager expectation will keep themselves pure, just as he is pure. 

—1 John 3:3

Scripture:

1 John 3:3 

Without question there’s a blessing in having a proper and balanced understanding of what the Bible teaches about the last days. It is not to drive us into a state of panic or needless alarm, but it should have a purifying effect on our lives spiritually.

John wrote, “And all who have this eager expectation will keep themselves pure, just as he is pure” (1 John 3:3 NLT). Scripture does teach that the Lord is coming back, and we need to be ready.

Jesus said of His return, “No one knows the day or hour when these things will happen, not even the angels in heaven or the Son himself. Only the Father knows” (Matthew 24:36 NLT). However, when we see certain things happening, these should alert us that His coming is near.

The Bible says that we are moving quickly toward the Lord’s return, so we need to pay attention to the signs of the times.

Sometimes we get so bogged down in details that we don’t get the big picture. We can get confused as we study Bible prophecy because we don’t understand how the prophetic books unfold. That should not discourage us.

Luke 21 is commonly known as the Olivet Discourse. A direct parallel of Matthew 24, it gives us a bird’s-eye view of end times events. It begins with the emergence of the Antichrist and ends with the return of Jesus Christ. In addition, it describes the tribulation period that is yet to come upon the earth.

The occasion for this message was the disciples’ admiration of the temple. There also was a sense among the followers of Jesus that He would establish His kingdom then and there.

Against that backdrop, Jesus took the opportunity to bring things into focus and help the disciples understand that He hadn’t come to establish an earthly kingdom at that time. Rather, He came to die on the cross for the sins of the world.

At the same time, Jesus described for them how His kingdom ultimately would be established. He also predicted something that would happen within their lifetimes as well as things that are yet in our future—things that very well could happen in our lifetimes.

Then Jesus closed with a personal exhortation: “Watch out! Don’t let your hearts be dulled by carousing and drunkenness, and by the worries of this life. Don’t let that day catch you unaware, like a trap. For that day will come upon everyone living on the earth” (Luke 21:34–35 NLT).

Not only does Jesus warn us against living in an ungodly way, but He also warns us about living in such a way that we don’t walk with God as we ought to. It’s so easy, even for Christians, to go through life without a concern about God, His Word, and what He has to say to us.

But that is not how we should be living. We need to be living in such a way that we’re ready for the Lord’s return. We need to make every moment count.

Harvest.org | Greg Laurie

Then death and the grave were thrown into the lake of fire. This lake of fire is the second death. 

—Revelation 20:14

Scripture:

Revelation 20:14 

People are selective when it comes to the subject of God and the afterlife. They like the idea of a God who is loving, completely accepting, and tolerant. People can go along with a deity like that.

But they don’t like the notion of a God who is also just. And they reject the idea that God would send some people to Hell, or at least a lot of people they know. They would like to think that certain people will be in Hell for the horrible crimes they’ve committed. But they don’t expect themselves or family and friends to end up there.

Yet Hell is a real place for real people. And according to the Bible, Hell is a miserable place of torment and separation from God that lasts for eternity.

As Timothy Keller pointed out in The Reason for God, “In our culture, divine judgment is one of Christianity’s most offensive doctrines.”[1]

When you bring up this topic, people get upset. Maybe one reason is widespread misinformation about Hell. It certainly is not a party place. And it is absolutely not a joke. If it were, Jesus would never have talked about it in the way that He did.

Most of the biblical teaching on Hell comes from Jesus Himself. He spoke about it more than anyone else in the Bible. And He spoke about it in a very specific way. More than half of the parables Jesus told relate to God’s eternal judgment of sinners.

We cannot pick and choose things in the Bible that personally appeal to us and then throw the others aside. We can imagine, as John Lennon famously sang, that Heaven and Hell don’t exist. But that won’t change the fact that they are real.

The Bible tells us there are two deaths: one is physical and the other is spiritual. In Revelation 20:14 we read, “Then death and the grave were thrown into the lake of fire. This lake of fire is the second death” (NLT).

The next chapter also mentions the second death: “But cowards, unbelievers, the corrupt, murderers, the immoral, those who practice witchcraft, idol worshipers, and all liars—their fate is in the fiery lake of burning sulfur. This is the second death” (21:8 NLT). The second death this is speaking of is Hell.

If you are born once, you will die twice. You are born physically, and you will die physically. And then you will face the second death and eternal separation from God.

But if you are born twice, you will die once. You are born physically, and you are born again spiritually when you put your faith in Christ. You will face only the first death (unless, of course, the Rapture happens in your lifetime).

Scripture tells us that the second death is what we should fear.

God has given us a free will, so where we spend eternity is really our choice. Not everyone will be saved in the end—only those who have put their faith in Jesus Christ.

[1] Timothy Keller, The Reason for God: Belief in an Age of Skepticism (New York: Penguin Publishing Group, 2008),71.

Harvest.org | Greg Laurie

 For he has set a day for judging the world with justice by the man he has appointed, and he proved to everyone who this is by raising him from the dead 

—Acts 17:31

Scripture:

Acts 17:31 

Jesus, the very personification of love, talked a lot about Hell. In fact, He spent more time than anyone else in the Bible talking about Hell. Therefore, we don’t want to steer clear of this subject. To avoid this topic is a big mistake, even if it makes us uncomfortable.

We do, however, want a biblical understanding of what the Bible says. Ironically, the word hell is one of the most frequently used words in the English language, yet it is one of the subjects we talk about the least.

When the apostle Paul spoke on Mars Hill, he concluded his message by saying, “God overlooked people’s ignorance about these things in earlier times, but now he commands everyone everywhere to repent of their sins and turn to him. For he has set a day for judging the world with justice by the man he has appointed, and he proved to everyone who this is by raising him from the dead” (Acts 17:30–31 NLT).

Jesus talked about judgment. Paul talked about judgment. The apostles talked about judgment. The Bible talks about judgment. And we need to talk about it and have a proper understanding of what it’s about.

Some would say that it isn’t loving to talk about these things. Actually, it’s the most loving thing we can do. Let’s say, for instance, that you’re walking down the street and see a house that is on fire. You see people inside, but they don’t realize what is happening. Would it be a loving thing to just keep walking? Of course not. The loving thing would be to do everything you can to warn the people inside.

In the same way, if we believe what the Bible says about Hell and judgment, then we’ll recognize that people are facing judgment. And because we love them, we’ll want to talk to them about it and explain it.

The Bible is very clear in pointing out that at some point, our lives on earth will end. Scripture tells us in Ecclesiastes, “For everything there is a season, a time for every activity under heaven. A time to be born and a time to die” (3:1–2 NLT).

That time to die may come much later than we expected. Or, it may occur much sooner. That is why the Bible reminds us to number our days and recognize how few they are (see Psalm 90:12).

Death is the great equalizer. It comes to everyone. And after death, according to the Bible, there are two destinations: Heaven or Hell. We decide now, not later, where we will go. After death there won’t be any chances to decide. Yet there are thousands of chances before. And you decide where you will go.

As Christians, we should talk about life after death and Heaven and Hell because the Bible does. And if we really believe there is an afterlife and a final judgment, if we really believe that we will be held accountable for things that we say and do, then it will affect the way we live.

Harvest.org | Greg Laurie

For a time is coming when people will no longer listen to sound and wholesome teaching. They will follow their own desires and will look for teachers who will tell them whatever their itching ears want to hear. 

—2 Timothy 4:3

Scripture:

2 Timothy 4:3 

There was a time when we were bombarded by a one-sided view of God as an angry deity, ready to throw people into the open fires of Hell. People complained about too much hellfire-and-brimstone preaching.

But when was the last time anyone has heard a hellfire-and-brimstone message? Sadly, the sermon “Sinners in the Hands of an Angry God” that Jonathan Edwards preached in 1741 would not be allowed in many churches today.

Many people have gone too far in the other direction, teaching that God is an all-loving, benign, supreme being that doesn’t seem to have any opinions about the way we live. The assumption is that as long as we’re true to ourselves, then it’s okay with Him. He accepts us the way we are.

We like the qualities of God such as love, forgiveness, and compassion and the incredible fringe benefit of eternal life in Heaven. On the other hand, we’re appalled by a God of holiness who desperately loves us yet requires repentance as well as trust, a God who promises to judge those who refuse to come to Him on His terms.

Others look at God as some kind of pagan deity who simply needs to be appeased. They think that if they go through religious rituals, they’ve done their part and they can build up credit for sinning that week. People can follow that god as much as they want. But that is not the God of the Bible.

When we start picking and choosing the things about God that appeal or do not appeal to us, we are not only diminishing our view of who God is but also believing and teaching a false gospel.

Some preachers today offer weak, watered-down proclamations in the name of the gospel. They tell you to believe, but they don’t tell you to repent. They tell you there’s a Heaven, but they don’t tell you there’s a Hell. And they tell you there’s forgiveness, but they don’t tell you there’s repentance.

If we don’t include those things, then it isn’t the gospel. We cannot edit the gospel according to what we like or don’t like. It’s for us to share it as God gave it. Otherwise, we strip the gospel of its power and effectiveness.

We cannot control what happens in the world. But at the same time, we cannot allow the belief system of a secular society to influence the way we believe. The idea is not to conform ourselves to the world’s way of thinking. It is not to bend the Bible to the culture.

When we desperately want to please everyone and not offend anyone, we will fail to make an impact on our culture.

When we start tampering with the essentials of our faith such as the Bible, the gospel, and the nature of God Himself, we are making God into a different image.

The God of the Bible does love us and accept us as we are. But the God of the Bible also wants to change us. He wants to conform us into the image of Jesus Christ.

Harvest.org | Greg Laurie