What Will You Choose? - Part 2

Part 1 - It's Time to Choose

[Darris McNeely] Are you one who looks for the second coming of Jesus Christ soon? Do you watch the events of the world with an eye to understand how close the world might be to the age-ending events described in the Bible? Many of us do. How should we watch? And how should we live our lives? Let's answer that question.

In part one, we looked at where we are in the march of history, how prophecy, the rise and fall of nations, the present events in America, Europe, and the Middle East reveal that we are indeed living in the end time, though not yet at the final crisis just before Christ's return. But with that backdrop, we now turn to the most critical issue of all. How should you respond? What will you choose to do with the time that remains?

While the end is not yet upon us, we must not become complacent. Prophesied events will occur. Armies will one day converge on Jerusalem. World leaders will negotiate agreements and settlements involving Israel and surrounding countries.

The end of hostilities in Gaza produced a dramatic scene. A New York Times photo showed tens of thousands of Gazan refugees streaming back from exile to their ruined properties. 80% of Gaza was destroyed during that horrendous war. Tens of thousands lost their lives.

Looking at that picture when I saw that, it brought up scenes from the Bible of future refugees from a greater world tribulation coming back into the land of Israel at God's call to rebuild the cities under the rule of Christ the Messiah. One day that rule will be announced to the world, and it is not yet here. Until then, what should our focus? What should our action be?

In Part 1, we discussed how the sons of Issachar understood the time and knew not only what Israel should do, but what they should do. How about us? Do you know what you should do?

Looking at today's world, just what should be your reaction? Are you becoming such a discerning person yourself?

We're not at the point of events that will trigger the final events before the second coming of Jesus Christ, but the world could change quickly. A few major natural disasters could change the standing of nations drastically. War, famine, or plague could quickly upend world order.

The Bible does say the day of the Lord will, not might, come like a thief in the night when least expected (2 Peter 3:10). And more importantly for each of us, our time could be shortened. None of us know how much time we have.

So, we should not imagine that we have plenty of time. Rather, we need to make good use of the time we do have. As Jesus Himself said about the work that He came to do, He said, "I must work the works of Him who sent me while it is day, the night is coming, when no one can work" (John 9:4).

This also applies to the church's need to proclaim Christ's gospel while there is time. But it further applies to all of us responding to the gospel, each carrying out our individual responsibility of seeking first the Kingdom of God and His righteousness. In the Gospel of Mark, Jesus is presented as coming into Galilee with a direct, urgent message to the people of His day. It says, "Now after John was put in prison, Jesus came to Galilee, preaching the gospel of the Kingdom of God and saying, the time is fulfilled and the Kingdom of God is at hand. Repent and believe in the gospel" (Mark 1:14-15).

This announcement of the Kingdom coming from the future king of that Kingdom, Jesus of Nazareth, it electrified the people. People wanted to hear more about the Kingdom of God.

That generation was looking for the Kingdom of heaven in their lifetime. But Christ showed His first coming was not when it would appear. The Kingdom announced by Jesus is coming to earth. Christ will reign on the earth for 1,000 years with those who respond to this message of repentance and embrace a new mind and a new spirit of that coming Kingdom.

Christ's message for us today is the same. It's to repent. Believe the gospel. Essentially, get a new mind and a new heart. The gospel of God changes lives and it can change yours.

The question is, will you hear that message today as it comes to you? You are hearing the same message preached by Jesus Christ of Nazareth. And now is the time to prepare your life for God's Kingdom coming to this earth, submitting now to the rule of Jesus Christ today.

Now is the time to live righteously, repenting of sin and living by God's commandments with a mind alert to the true meaning of world events around us.

Continuing where we left off earlier in 1 Thessalonians 5 (Part 1), let the words of the apostle Paul be your guide. It says, "For those who sleep, sleep at night, and those who get drunk are drunk at night, but let us who are of the day be sober, putting on the breastplate of faith and love, and as a helmet the hope of salvation. For God did not appoint us to wrath, but to obtain salvation through our Lord Jesus Christ, who died for us, that whether we wake or sleep, we should live together with Him. Therefore comfort each other and edify one another just as you also are doing" (1 Thessalonians 5:7-11).

God guides history, but messages stay alert. Follow Him. He will guide your understanding to the light and to receiving Him as ways into eternity.

Even though there is still time before the final calamities that will usher in the return of Jesus Christ, that does not mean His return is far away. There are many indications that we are living in the last days.

To help you better understand this, I encourage you to request or download our helpful study aid, Seven Prophetic Signs Before Jesus Returns, at ucg.org/bt509.

It will walk you through the major biblical prophecies that describe the conditions of the last days, helping you make sense of the headlines you see every day. And on our page at ucg.org/bt509, you can also access more resources to help you understand these important days in which we live. This booklet will deepen your understanding of the world's scene, the rise and fall of nations, and assure promises God made to Abraham that still shape global affairs today. But more important, this will help you frame your personal calling and responsibility in the light of God's plan.

You may have been watching and reading Beyond Today for some time. You know we have chronicled these issues for more than a quarter century. Our worldview comes from the Bible, which gives us the good news of the Kingdom of God.

We proclaim the truth that Christ's Kingdom is not of this world's religion or politics. And we teach adherence to the Word of God in faith and practice.

We're not part of mainstream Christianity. We look to Jesus Christ as King. We seek a personal relationship with Him. We look to His return to earth as King of Kings over all nations. Our ultimate allegiance is to Him and the Kingdom that He will bring to the earth.

We believe the Bible is God's revealed Word. We believe it contains truth about God and His purpose to bring all things in heaven and earth together in Jesus Christ.

We worship Christ as the Lord of the Sabbath on the seventh day.

We observe the biblical festivals with a focus on Christ as Savior of mankind. And that makes us radical disciples.

Can you resist the dominant culture today? Can you become a disciple of Jesus Christ?

It is time to examine your life, to examine your beliefs in light of the Bible, in the gospel of Jesus Christ and the Kingdom of God. We urge you to take seriously this moment. Repentance and acceptance of the words of life can set your life on a course for God's Kingdom and the reign of Christ on earth.

We live in a sobering yet incredibly hopeful moment.

The world scene tells us prophecies in motion. America still stands, powerful and influential. Even as the Bible reveals there is an end-time power rising elsewhere that will dominate the world before Christ returns. Wars, peace agreements, shifting alliances, cultural upheaval all form the backdrop of a far more personal question.

I go back to the sons of Issachar (1 Chronicles 12:32). They had an understanding of the times to know what Israel ought to do. Do you have that understanding? Do you know what you should do?

Are you becoming a discerning person yourself? This is a time for choosing.

You cannot control the rise and fall of nations. You cannot dictate what leaders of nations will do. But you can choose whom you will serve. You can choose whether you will stay spiritually awake or fall into the deadly sleep of indifference.

So to help you better understand this entire very important spiritual discussion, I encourage you to request or to download our helpful study guide, Seven Prophetic Signs Before Jesus Returns. You can find it at ucg.org/bt509. This booklet, the information you will find there, will walk you through the major biblical prophecies that do describe the conditions of the last days, helping you to make sense of the headlines that you see every day. And on our page at ucg.org/bt509, you can access more resources to help you understand these important days in which we live.

God is guiding history. He is also calling individuals, perhaps you, to wake up, to repent, to seek first His Kingdom and His righteousness. The nations one day will bow before Christ when He returns in power and in glory.

The question today is, will you bow to Him now?