The Signs of the Times are all around us. If ever there was a time to pray and offer God’s hope to all people around the world is now. When the COVID-19 pandemic outbreak worldwide began in 2020 our world saw more suicides, death, natural disasters, political confusion, wars and rumors of wars, high inflation and lack of church attendance. The world around us is changing so drastically and the freedoms that we have enjoyed for so long are slowly diminishing. Proverbs 3:5-6 says, “Trust in the LORD with all your heart, and lean not on your own understanding; in all your ways acknowledge Him, and He shall direct your paths.” There is hope for tomorrow and death is not final. God is our Hope through faith in our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ the Son of God and Hope of the ages.
Yes, heaven and hell are real eternal dwelling places. However, there is hope. Jesus Christ will return to receive (rapture) His own, so that where He is, those born of the water and the Spirit will be with Him forever to share in His reign as King of kings and Lord of lords. Whatever your current circumstances, take a few moments to read the Scripture verses selected in this message to assess where your hope lies. Where are you placing your hope? Is it in your career? Your family? Your material possessions?
The Bible says a lot about hope. Humanity lives in a challenging world where people do evil things every day. In this sin cursed world, a loving heavenly Father prepared a rescue plan for humankind. The Bible says in John 3:16, “For God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten Son, that whoever believes in Him should not perish but have everlasting life.” No one offers what our Lord Jesus Christ offers. By coming to live among us He knows what it is like to face life and death and win.
Power
Christ Jesus offers us His power when we live in His power, we can have His hope. “Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation; old things have passed away; behold, all things have become new.” (2 Corinthians 5:17)
Future
Jesus Christ our Lord and Savior offers us a future filled with His power, peace, rest and forgiveness. Jeremiah 29:11-13 says, “For I know the thoughts that I think toward you, says the LORD, thoughts of peace and not of evil, to give you a future and a hope. Then you will call upon Me and go and pray to Me, and I will listen to you. And you will seek Me and find Me, when you search for Me with all your heart.”
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Peace
“Peace, I leave with you, My peace I give to you; not as the world gives do I give to you. Let not your heart be troubled, neither let it be afraid.” (John 14:27)
Rest
“Come to me, all you who labor and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest. Take My yoke upon you and learn from Me, for I am gentle and lowly in heart, and you will find rest for your souls.” (Matthew 11:28-29)
Forgiveness
“In Him we have redemption through His blood, the forgiveness of sins, according to the riches of His grace.” (Ephesians 1:7)
“This is a faithful saying, and worthy, of all acceptations, that Christ Jesus came into the world to save sinners, of whom I am chief.” (1 Timonthy 1:15)
The Lord God knows your name and may call you today. Seek Him with your heart and don’t turn away. Read the Gospel of John and learn more about the love of God which says in John 1:1 and 14, “In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. And the Word became flesh and dwelt among us, and we beheld His glory, the glory as of the only begotten of the Father, full of grace and truth.”
The Roman Road to Salvation
“For all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God, being justified freely by His grace through the redemption that is in Christ Jesus.” (Romans 3:23-24)
“For the wages of sin is death, but the gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord.” (Romans 6:23)
“But God demonstrates His own love toward us, in that while we were still sinners, Christ died for us.” (Romans 5:8)
“If you confess with your mouth the Lord Jesus and believe in your heart that God has raised Him from the dead, you will be saved.” (Romans 10:9)
“I beseech you therefore, brethren, by the mercies of God that you present your bodies a living sacrifice, holy, acceptable to God, which is your reasonable service. And do not be confirmed to this world, be transformed by the renewing of your mind, that you may prove what is that good and acceptable and perfect will of God.” (Romans 12:1-2)
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What God Wants You to Know
“For all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God.” (Romans 3:23)
“… Not by works of righteousness which we have done, but according to His mercy He saved us, through the washing of regeneration and renewing of the Holy Spirit.” (Titus 3:5)
“For God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten Son, that whoever believes in Him should not parish but have everlasting life.” (John 3:16)
“For Christ also suffered once for sins, the just for the unjust, that He might bring us to God, being put to death in the flesh but made alive by the Spirit.” (1 Peter 3:18)
“If we confess our sins, He is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness.” (1 John 1:9)
“He who covers his sins will not prosper, but whoever confesses and forsakes them will have mercy.” (Proverbs 28:13)
“He who believes in the Son has everlasting life; and he who does not believe the Son shall not see life, but the wrath of God abides on him.” (John 3:36)
“How shall we escape if we neglect so great a salvation, which at the first began to be spoken by the Lord and was confirmed to us by those who heard Him.” (Hebrews 2:3)
Heaven or Hell
The Bible shows how you can avoid hell. “If you confess with your mouth, ‘Jesus is Lord,’ and believe in your heart that God raised Him from the dead, you will be saved.” (Romans 10:9) The Bible says, “For what shall it profit a man, if he shall gain the whole world, and lose his own soul?” (Mark 8:36)
All things are planned by our heavenly Father, including this message. Do not harden your heart when you hear His call. Pray that the Holy Spirit will open your heart to let the Lord Jesus in. You will be going from death to life eternal. “He who hears My word and believes in Him who sent Me has everlasting life, and shall not come into judgement, but has passed from death into life. Most assuredly, I say to you, the hour is coming, and now is, when the dead will hear the voice of the Son of God; and those who hear will live.” (John 5:24-25)
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Are You Ready for the Second Coming of Christ Jesus?
The Lord Jesus Christ promises about His return Scripture verses.
“Then the sing of the Son of Man will appear in heaven, and then all the tribes of the earth will mourn, and they will see the Son of Man coming on the clouds of heaven with power and great glory.” (Matthew 24:30)
Be Born Again
God created all things seen and unseen. And even though humankind have rejected Him, eight with words or actions, God give us a new opportunity to believe and accept Him.
“Jesus answered and said to him, ‘Most assuredly, I say to you, unless one is born again, he cannot see the kingdom of God.’” (John 2:2)
Repent and Believe
“The time is fulfilled, and the kingdom of God is at hand. Repent, and believe in the gospel.” (Mark 1:15)
“… Without faith it is impossible to please God, because anyone who comes to Him must believe that He exists that He rewards those who earnestly seek Him.” (Hebrews 11:6)
Open Your Heart to Lord Jesus Christ
“Behold, I stand at the door and knock. If anyone hears My voice and opens the door, I will come into him and dine with him, and he with Me.” (Revelation 3:20)
Believe He Is God
“… that if you confess with your mouth the Lord Jesus Christ and believe in your heart that God has raised Him from the dead, you will be saved.” (Romans 10:9)
Receive Eternal Life
“For the wages of sin is death, but the gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord.” (Romans 6:23)
The Lord Jesus Christ said in Matthew 24:36, “No one knows the day or hour” of His second coming. If you want to be ready for Jesus’ return, start by saying this prayer:
Lord Jesus Christ, I need Your salvation. I open my heart to You. I confess that You are God’s own Son, and that You died on the cross for my sanctification, justification, and glorification and all my sins. Help me to turn from my sinful ways and take up my cross and follow You daily. Make me ready for Your soon return and show me how to live the reminder of my days on earth in Your will for me. In Jesus’ name, I pray. Amen.
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Scripture Verses for Meditation: Heaven or Hell
“God call the firmament Heaven. So, the evening and the morning were the second day.”
(Genesis 1:8)
“And he blessed him and said: Blessed be Abram of God Most High, possessor of heaven and earth.” (Genesis 14:19)
“Then God said, ‘Let there be lights in the firmament of the heavens to divide the day from the night; and let them be for signs and seasons, and for days and years.’” (Genesis 1:14)
“And he was afraid and said, ‘How awesome is this place! This is none other than the house of God, and this is the gate of heaven!’” (Genesis 28:17)
“He who overcomes shall inherit all things and will be his God and he shall be My son. But the cowardly, unbelieving, abominable, murderers, sexually immoral, sorcerers, idolaters, and all liars shall have their part in the lake which burns with fire and brimstones which is the second death.” (Revelation 21:7–8)
“From that time Jesus began to preach and to say, ‘Repent for the kingdom of heaven is at hand.’” (Matthew 4:17)
“And saying, ‘the time is fulfilled, and the kingdom of God is at hand. Repent, and believe in the gospel.’” (Mark 1:15)
“For behold, I create new heavens and a new earth; and the former shall not be remembered or come to mind.” (Isaiah 65:17)
“For as the new heavens and the new earth which I will make shall remain before Me, says the LORD, so shall your descendants and your name remain.” (Isaiah 66:22)
“Now I saw a new heaven and a new earth, for the first heaven and the first earth had passed away. Also, there was no more sea.” (Revelation 21:1)
“But I say to you that whoever is angry with his brother without a cause shall be in danger of the judgment. And whoever says to this brother, ‘Raca!’ shall be in danger from the council. But whoever says, ‘You fool!’ shall be in danger of hell fire.” (Matthew 5:22)
“If your right eye causes you to sin, pluck it out and cast it from you; for it is more profitable for you that one of your members perish, than for your whole body to be cast into hell.” (Matthew 5:29)
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“And if your right hand causes you to sin, cut it off and cast it from you; for it is more profitable for you that one of your members perish, than for your whole body to be cast into hell.” (Matthew 5:30)
“And do not fear those who kill the body but cannot kill the soul. But fear Him who can destroy both soul and body in hell.” (Matthew 10:28)
“Woe to you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! For you travel land and sea to wine one proselyte, and when he is won, you make him twice as much as son of hell as yourselves.” “Serpents, brood of vipers! How can you escape the condemnation of hell?” (Matthew 23:15, 33)
“And again, he sent another, and him they killed; and many others, beating some and killing some.” (Luke 12:5, The Parable of the Wicked Vinedresser)
“Then the beast was captured, and with him the false prophet who worked signs in his presence, by which he deceived those who received the mark of the beast and those who worshiped his image. These two were cast alive into the lake of fire burning with brimstone.” (Revelation 10:20)
“The devil, who deceived them, was cast into the lake of fire and brimstone where the beast and the false prophet are. And they will be tormented day and night forever and ever.” (Revelation 20:10)
“Then Death and Hades were cast into the lake of fire. This is the second death. And anyone not found written in the Book of Life was cast into the lake of fire.” (Revelation 20:14–15)
“Then he said to me, ‘These words are faithful and true.’ And the Lord God of the holy prophets sent His angel to show His servants the things which must shortly take place. Behold, I am coming quickly! Blessed is he who keeps the words of the prophecy of this book.” (Revelation 22:6–7) The Time is Near.
“He who testifies to these things says, ‘Surely I am coming quickly.’ Amen. Even so, come, Lord Jesus! The grace of our Lord Jesus Christ be with you all. Amen.” (Revelation 22:20–21)
Prayer
Heavenly Father, help me to watch and pray and to also fast and pray for we do not know the day or hour of Your return to receive those who love your appearance. Father, I take my stand upon Your Word which is forever settled in heaven, and in so doing, I feel completely secure.
You are my security and my strong rock. Thank you, Lord God, that through faith in Christ I have boldness and access to You with confidence, and this makes me secure in your gift of salvation and eternal life forever with You in the new heaven and earth. Lord God, my heart is fixed,
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trusting in You, and I will not be afraid of any evil tidings. Thanks for Your promise that anyone who trusts in You will be like a tree planted by the waters, which spreads out its roots by the river. Thank You for Your promise of the new heaven and new earth where all those who are born of the water and of the Spirit shall live in Your presence forevermore. In Jesus’ name, I pray. Amen.
All Scripture verses are taken from the New King James Version of the Holy Bible.
By Constance A. Burns, NAAV Volunteer Contributor for Moments of Meditation and Scripture Readings; email: cburns@naavets.org.