.........................................
Escape to
Safety
How
to Avoid What is Coming Upon the World
The world is rushing toward a day of judgment like nothing we
have ever before experienced.
Jesus called it a time of “great tribulation, such as hath not been
from the beginning of the world until now, no, nor ever shall be” (Matthew 24:21).
The Apostle Peter predicted that all the things man has created
will be destroyed with a consuming fire, wherein even the very elements themselves
will burn (2
Peter 3:7-10).
The Bible vividly and repeatedly describes a nuclear holocaust
that will occur as a result of the battles of the last days, which ultimately
will lead to the final battle of Armageddon.
It also describes an even worse period where God’s wrath will
descend upon those who have destroyed the Earth as well as upon every person
that has followed the Antichrist and received his Mark.
Despite
these dark days of doom and gloom that will consume everything we have ever
known, there still is an even greater hope for an escape to safety.
The
Bible doesn’t just predict the coming horrible events with no purpose — it
tells us what is to come to get us to realize that we need an escape route
which can save us from these judgments.
The
path to safety isn’t a map to some secret hideout or special strategy to
prepare you to survive the last days.
Real
safety comes only from God in an amazing and unexpected way.
The
Lord provides a simple route to getting through the horrible events of the end
and avoiding the judgment to come.
In
fact, it is so simple that some people want to make it more difficult.
The
path to forgiveness and safety is illustrated by a brief account in the Gospel
of Luke about an event that happened when Jesus was crucified.
Hanging
with him that day were two other men sentenced to death. In another place
we are told that they were thieves.
This
is what Luke records in chapter 23:
“32 Two other men, both
criminals, were also led out with him to be executed.
33
When they came to the place called the Skull, they crucified him there, along
with the criminals—one on his right, the other on his left.
34
Jesus said, ‘Father, forgive them, for they do not know what they are
doing.’ And they divided up his clothes by casting lots.
35
The people stood watching, and the rulers even sneered at him. They said, ‘He
saved others; let him save himself if he is God’s Messiah, the Chosen One.’
36
The soldiers also came up and mocked him. They offered him wine vinegar
37
and said, ‘If you are the king of the Jews, save yourself.’
38
There was a written notice above him, which read: THIS IS THE KING OF THE JEWS.
39
One of the criminals who hung there hurled insults at him: ‘Aren’t you the
Messiah? Save yourself and us!’
40
But the other criminal rebuked him. ‘Don’t you fear God,’ he said, ‘since you
are under the same sentence?
41
We are punished justly, for we are getting what our deeds deserve. But this man
has done nothing wrong.’
42
Then he said, ‘Jesus, remember me when you come into your kingdom.’
43
Jesus answered him, ‘Truly I tell you, today you will be with me in paradise.’”
Luke 23:32-43 (NIV)
As Jesus was dying for our
sins, two other men were suffering death for their crimes.
One of them mocked Jesus,
while the other one acknowledged his sins and asked the Lord to simply remember
him when he came into his kingdom.
Jesus not only answered him,
but promised that he would be with Him in paradise that very same day!
This passage illustrates how simple it is to obtain forgiveness from God.
This is why the Bible calls
it “Good News”, which is translated in our Bibles as “The Gospel”.
The truth is that Christ
saved us from judgment by sacrificing himself and that all we need to do is
acknowledge our sins and ask Him for forgiveness.
The thief on the cross
obtained safety from judgment during the very last moments of his life. We
too can avoid God’s judgment by following this very same act of faith.
The amazing thing is that it
requires no payment or work on our part — Jesus paid for it all upon the
cross.
That’s why the Lord didn’t
require anything more of the thief; Christ was paying for it, not us.
If you can see the truth of
God’s Word through the fulfillment of prophecy, then also realize that the
Christ of the Bible is true, too.
You can obtain safety from
the coming judgment just by asking the Lord to remember you when he comes into His
kingdom.
If you ask Him in truth and
faith, He will answer you in the same manner as he did with the man on the
cross.
God the Father chose to send
Jesus to the cross to show His love and the seriousness of our sin.
Jesus accepted to take our punishment, to
save all who would believe.
Why not receive God's gift of
salvation and become His child?
Open your heart
and say this prayer:
“Father
God, I confess I am a sinner and my sins have separated me from You.
I am truly sorry. I now want
to turn away from my past sinful life and live a new life pleasing to You.
Please forgive me, and help
me avoid sinning again.
I believe that Your Son,
Jesus Christ died for my sins, was resurrected from the dead, is alive, and
hears my prayer.
I want to receive all that Jesus Christ has provided for me as my
Savior. Your Word says, ‘Whosoever shall
call on the name of the Lord shall be saved’ (Romans 10:13).
I believe
and confess that Jesus Christ is the Way, the Truth, and the Life, and no man
comes unto the Father, but by Him.
Lord
Jesus, I pray and ask You, to come into my heart and be Lord of my life. I
thank You that you have given me eternal life, and according to Your Word, I am
born again and I am now a child of God.
Heavenly
Father, thank You for the gift of the Holy Spirit Who is in me now to help me
do Your will for the rest of my life. I surrender my life to You. I promise to study
Your Word – the Bible.
Use me for
Your glory.
In Jesus’
Name. Amen.”
If you have just put your trust in Jesus
Christ, you have been born into God’s family.
As a
spiritual baby, you need to grow by feeding on God’s Word – the Bible (1 Peter 2:2).
You must have a good modern translation Bible
and begin prayerfully reading it. Start in the New Testament, such as the
Gospel of John or Paul’s letters to the Ephesians.
As you read, ask two questions: “What are You, Lord?” “What do You want me
to do?”
Also, you need to join a Christian fellowship
where the Bible is taught and where God is truly worshiped.
God bless you as you begin your new life with
Him!
No comments:
Post a Comment