Things to Do Before the End of the World: Preparing for His Arrival

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Go to harvest.org forward slash virtue. We're not afraid of it. We're looking forward to the coming of the Lord.

It is a realistic hope, a blessed hope, and it's something to be very excited about, particularly, Greg, when we're seeing all these signs right now. This is the day, the day when life begins We know Jesus is coming back. We don't know when. The Bible even tells us that none of us knows the day or the hour. But it also advises us to be ready.

It'll come suddenly and could happen when we least expect it. Today on The New Beginning, Pastor Greg Laurie welcomes Bible scholar Don Stewart for a revealing discussion of what the Bible says about God's end times plan. Although we don't know the day or the hour of the rapture, there's so much we do know.

And we'll talk about that today. This is the day, the day when life begins Jesus is coming. The Bible talks about this, people being caught up into the presence of the Lord. But we don't hear this as much as we used to.

And I want to talk to Don Stewart about this a little bit tonight. But you hear it like as young people, like Jesus could come at any time. And Bible prophecies are being fulfilled. Do you hear this much?

No, not really. I feel like whenever anyone brings up any kind of religion, especially the return of Jesus Christ, people kind of just shun that away. Probably more because they're nervous or scared about it and they don't want to face that. Yes. I think also sometimes the people that will sometimes give this message are kind of crazy people.

The guy standing there with the end is near sign. So all these people are nuts. Or maybe they set dates. Oh Jesus is coming back at this particular time. And nobody knows the day or the hour of course. But I think for our generation, we'll talk about it a little bit later, but it was a big deal to us. And I kind of feel like I'm going to bring this back to your generation and to people today. Like Jesus is coming.

And guess what? His coming has never been closer than it is right now. Anybody else have a thought?

You guys? I feel like non-believers are just not ready to accept the fact that Jesus could come back at any time because they don't want to be responsible for their sin yet. If they're running out of time, that's not good because I want to keep sinning and I don't want to own up until the very last second. Yeah.

I think that's right. One of the reasons we're uncomfortable with this subject is because it kind of freaks you out a little bit. Like oh wow Jesus is coming back because you need to be ready. But that's the whole point. That's one of the reasons why we should teach it because number one it's biblical. Of course it's true which is a part of that.

But it does impact you in the way that you live or at least should. So let's all welcome Don Stewart right now. Thank you. So Don when you know I just found out talking with Don in the back room that we both came to Christ and we both came to Calvary Chapel I think in the same year. Yeah pretty much.

1970. But you still have your hair and I don't. What happens? It looks good.

No it doesn't. So you know here we both came to the Lord in the middle of this full blown Jesus revolution. This thing that I didn't know it was a revival. Did you?

No. Because that's brand new to the faith. Me too. I had no idea what was going on. All I knew is Greg I needed to be there every night. Something was happening that you could not explain. We would actually wait at the door. We would line up a half hour before the doors of the church opened to get in because the place would be filled right away because God was doing something.

Something wonderful. What are some of the things you remember of that time Don? Like you know maybe in the worship.

Maybe in the messages. Maybe in just the overall atmosphere. What kind of do you remember? You know the thing that got me the most Greg was the excitement that was there. That the people actually believe what was being taught and their lives were being changed every night. We see people come to Christ.

That's right. And we saw lives you know that were hopeless now became with hope. And just watching the Lord work and just being part of that and realizing it was something supernatural and that's something that you know really hit me.

Something's going on that I've never seen before. Yeah and only God can do that. We pray it will happen again. But you know so I've said before if you want to see a revival do revival like things. Exactly. You know if you want a strong marriage I think you be romantic. You don't wait to feel romantic.

Just do those things. And I think in the same way well let's so we sought to kind of recreate a little of the sense of it but I know a big deal and this is what I want to talk to you about. A big deal at that time was a teaching that Christ could come back any moment.

The number one book of the entire decade of the 70s was the Great Planet Earth by Hal Lindsey which was a book about the end times. Why did we believe that back then? Why was that such a big thing and what impact do you think it had? Well we believed it because it struck a chord in our hearts Greg. Things were happening in the world. This is the 60s. We had all the revolution.

Sex, drugs, rock and roll, the Beatles, that transcendental meditation. It didn't work. We tried everything.

It didn't work. Then someone told a simple message about Jesus and Christ coming back and that he is alive. I'd never heard that before my entire life. I never heard anybody say praise the Lord my entire life.

I never went to a church where people believe what was being taught my entire life. And I got there and I found this is it. You know the night I came to Christ Greg I came in, I sat in the audience and about halfway through I just looked up and said God whatever these guys want I want to have and I knew I was going to be doing that. That was March of 1970 doing that the rest of my life and I have been what's almost 49 years now. That's fantastic.

Well Don the rapture. It was taught a lot back then and you know a lot of it was things we still talk about today but everything is moved forward dramatically. Of course you know May 14, 1948 and as we've talked about before Israel the regathering of the Jewish people is not just a sign of the times.

It's a super sign. And we were relatively close to it back then and then there was various wars that Israel had. The War of Independence. The 1967 war when they were attacked. The 1973 war also called the Yom Kippur War with the backing of Russia. And why did we care about a war fought on Yom Kippur the holiest day on the Jewish calendar that the Egyptians and others came against Israel with the backing of Russia.

So what? Because the Bible talks about a war that's going to happen Ezekiel 38 and 39 that's with those participants in it. And so when that happened in 73 that was huge because we had been taught 1967 Jerusalem's United. The next big war may be the war that Ezekiel talked about and we had a lot of the players in that so we were very very thrilled. It was almost like a dress rehearsal.

It showed you how quickly things could fall into place. And my understanding of last days events are sort of like dominoes that are closely stacked together when the first one falls they're going to start falling in rapid succession. And so we're waiting for the big domino and it seems in the prophetic calendar the next event that could happen we talk about the emergence of anti-Christ or the attack against Israel who's regathered in their land or the rapture. What do you think would be the next event potentially? The next one the dead in Christ rise first. Then the rapture of the church that happened almost simultaneously in the scripture. But there's other things that could happen. They don't have to happen Greg. Christ could come back tonight.

We don't know. So here now you mentioned how many years it's been. So here we are today. There have been so many things that have happened not only in the decade since but in this decade and the last even five years. So tell us some things that are happening right now for someone that maybe is listening saying well I don't know I've heard this whole thing about Jesus is coming forever and I think my mom believed it my grandmother believed it her mother believed it. But tell them why this is a more relevant teaching than ever. Well it's more relevant in a number of ways.

Number one the stage is set so precise so well it is literally mind boggling. For example in the 38th and 39th chapter of Ezekiel it talks about a last days battle. When you read through the chapters there are 10 specific things that are said the world would be like in the last days. Now this is 2500 years ago that's written so you go and read those chapters Israel will come back to its ancient homeland they'll come back to a land that's been made desolate that they will make into great wealth which will cause this invasion to come. There's 10 specific things in those chapters the Bible says will happen before this invasion. Every single one of them has already happened right now. In other words miraculously fulfilled. So you've got that number one.

The player is number two. In 1973 when we were there Greg with the Yom Kippur war Iran was Israel's best friend. But as our pastor Chuck taught us they're going to become Israel's worst enemy someday.

How can that be? You know they're the best friend of America. Well we had the Iranian revolution in 79 the shah was deposed and now they're the biggest state sponsor of terrorism in the entire world. Let's shift gears over to the explosion of technology with the emergence of the smartphone. I mean let's just take one particular prophecy in particular. In the book of Revelation after Antichrist is revealed the Bible talks about how the Lord raises up two prophets.

And we don't know who they are Moses and Elijah maybe we don't know. And the prophets are killed by the Antichrist and they're laying dead in the street of Jerusalem and the Bible says all the world will see them. Now back in the day we had satellite technology but now literally all the world could see them because we reach in our pocket and pull out that little smartphone. And we can all watch something stream simultaneously.

This is a fairly recent development. Yeah and it assumes that's the case because all the world will not only see them there'll be a three days when the whole world will rejoice over their death. Now how in the world could the word get out all over the world in three days you know 2,000 years ago or even a hundred years ago. Now we see it in real time right. So that assumes a worldwide technology where in real time people can be seen.

And how it happens well we know now because of the technology. Interesting I was reading these Bible commentators a hundred years ago. It was fascinating they said one guy said I don't know how it's going to happen I can't imagine but I don't want to twist God's word. Someday somehow this will come to pass.

He never saw it. We did. We live in that age right now. Okay so this is all very exciting but like I was talking with some of these young kids up here. But sometimes it's scary. Oh Jesus is coming. Antichrist is coming. So I mean if I'm a Christian do I have to be afraid of these things.

No it's called our blessed hope in Titus 2 13. We're not afraid of it. We're looking forward to the coming of the Lord.

Now let's face it the world which we live in it's getting worse and worse all the time. I think we can all acknowledge that. Won't it be great when there's no more sin no more death no more tears no more dying. That's what it's all about. And that's something to look forward to.

It's a wonderful time. And so as believers we have a fabulous hope whether we see it in our lifetime or whether we go to meet the Lord. We're going to be there in his presence.

It is a realistic hope a blessed hope. And it's something to be very excited about particularly Greg when we're seeing all these signs right now. Pastor Greg Laurie and his guest Don Stewart will have more of this presentation in just a moment. So many listeners have commented on the encouragement they receive from these daily messages.

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Email him at Greg at harvest dot org. Again that's Greg at harvest dot o-r-g. Well today Pastor Greg is joined by author and Bible scholar Don Stewart. They're talking about the questions many have about the end times.

Let's continue. The rapture. Yeah. You know I mentioned this last week you know critics of the rapture say well you can't find the word rapture in the Bible.

Actually you can't. First Thessalonians 4 17 it's there. Yeah.

But it's. It's in Latin. Yes it's in Latin rapturis is that how you.

Rapare is the verb and yeah rapaio is the you know first thing. It's harpazo. Harpazo is Greek. Harpazo. Yeah harpazo is Greek. Rapaio is Latin.

He reads Greek so I always ask him is that am I pronouncing it right? You get it right. Tell us about the harpazo. Tell us about the rapture. What is it?

How long does it take? Could it happen at any moment? What will it be like when it happens? Yeah there are three passages that teach this. John 14 1 to 3 Jesus alluded to it on the night of his betrayal. He says I'm going to prepare a place for you and if I prepare a place I will come again and receive you unto myself. Now I didn't develop that. It's developed by the apostle Paul in First Corinthians 15 51 to 58 and First Thessalonians 4 13 to 18.

And basically what he says is this. There will come a time when the dead in Christ will rise first. Alright those who have died in Christ will rise. They will receive their glorified body at that time. Right now they're in the presence of the Lord but in non bodily form. They will rise and as they rise from the dead we who are alive will be caught up. This is the word harpazo, rapaio. That's the rapture.

We made a noun out of it. The rapture will be caught up. As we're caught up we're transformed from mortal to immortal from corruptible to incorruptible. First Corinthians 15 tells that. And so not everyone will sleep in death. There will be people a generation that will see the coming of the Lord face to face. So as quick as you can blink or snap your fingers you're gone. Just like the song I wish we'd all been ready you know.

One one second you're there the next second you're not. That is what the Lord promises and it's going to happen sometime. You guys do you have any questions you get in this? Is this making sense to you guys?

Yeah so it's very simple very straightforward teaching. Why is it important to believe that the rapture could come in our lifetime? Because you know it's fallen out of fashion with some.

And some don't teach it at all anymore. Why does it matter? Well it's really important because it gives us something to look forward to to hope. Because you know we can live with a lot of things. But I tell you what we can't live without and that's hope. You've got to have hope to keep you going. And this is a realistic hope. Like again it's called a blessed hope. And so we need that. But it's true it's you know you know sometimes Greg you read something you hear this is too good to be true.

No this is true. It is actually true someday we will be caught up to meet the Lord in the air. Those of us who are alive those who have passed will go to be with the Lord. Where the bodies and spirits will join and there'll be one great reunion.

And what first Thessalonians 4 18 says comfort one another with these words. Because someday there'll be that great reunion in heaven. Where those have gone before us we'll see them again. Well there's never the word goodbye is not in the Christian vocabulary for believers in Christ.

Let's just see you later. Because we're going to see each other. We're going to see our loved ones someday again face to face with the Lord. That's very true.

Thank you so much Don. How does a person know that they're ready for the rapture. And for that matter just ready if life were to end if they were to die. How can you know I'm ready to meet God no matter what happens today or tonight.

Real simple. The Bible gives us the answers to the three basic questions. Who am I? Why am I here? What's going to happen to me after I die? We can know that we have eternal life. First John chapter 5 verse 12 says the one that has the Son of God has life. The one that does not have the Son of God does not have life.

But then verse 13 of chapter 5 says this. I've written these things that you might know that you have eternal life. If you believed on the name of the only begotten son. So all of us tonight can know by faith we have eternal life.

If we have believed in Jesus. And you know Greg it's a real simple thing to do. You know that night for me at Calvary Chapel Costa Mesa in March 1970.

I just said I want it you know and that was it. You know God it's like the thief on the cross says remember me. So it's not so much the words it's just God reads our heart right. We say that's why when I give the sinners prayer I tell people to repeat these words. Lord I want to believe in you and trust you the best way that I know how. You know just the best way I can do it and God honors that. That's right.

That's right. Let's pray. Father thank you for this hope we have. This blessed hope that one day everyone will be there that has put their faith in you.

We're so thankful for that. The family of God over generations will all be united. We ask you to speak to us as we open your word now. Speak to us we pray in Jesus' name. Amen.

Why don't you grab your Bibles and turn with me over to the gospel of Luke the 12th chapter. You know many years ago over legal documents and especially financial documents I used to write these words. Momento mori. And momento mori means think of death.

It was not there in a morbid way but there as a reminder like hey you may have a lot of money in the bank but momento mori. Think of death. And I think in the same way we should just remind ourselves yeah it's great whatever you have going on in life but make sure you're living pure before him. The Bible says he that has this hope that is the hope of the Lord's return purifies himself even as he is pure. So I think a lot of times we will study these events like the rapture and the tribulation period and talk about Armageddon and the anti-Christ but it won't affect us.

And if it doesn't affect you in the way that you live man you have missed the point. I heard a story about an old man that was walking along and suddenly he heard a voice say to him pick me up and kiss me and I will become a beautiful princess. He is looking around.

Who said that? He thought I am imagining things. He walks a little bit further. He hears it again.

Pick me up and kiss me I will become a beautiful princess. He looks again. He sees a frog. And for the third time.

This is a true story. For the third time the frog says pick me up and kiss me and I will become a beautiful princess. And he reached down and he picked up the frog. Looked at it for a moment and tucked it in his pocket and kept walking. The frog said didn't you hear what I said. I said kiss me and I will become a beautiful princess.

He said at my age I would rather have a talking frog. Talking about missing the point. Right? And so that is how it can be. So we don't want to miss the point. It is interesting to talk about these things like Donna and I just did.

But how does this affect you? Jesus gives us the answer in Luke 12. This is our Lord telling us how we are to live in light of His imminent return. Be dressed for service and keep your lamps burning as though you were waiting for your master to return from the wedding feast. Then you will be ready to open the door and let Him in the moment He arrives and knocks. The servants who are ready and waiting for His return will be rewarded.

I tell you the truth. He Himself will seat them and put on an apron and serve them as they sit and eat. He may come in the middle of the night or just before dawn. But whenever He comes He will reward the servants who are ready.

Understand this. Jesus is coming. So we need to be ready to go. Are you ready for the Lord's return? A salient question from Pastor Greg Laurie.

That's the point of studying Bible prophecy to help us be ready for the soon return of the Lord. And there's more to come from Pastor Greg's presentation called Things to Do Before the End of the World with Don Stewart. If you missed any of today's discussion here on A New Beginning, you can hear the study again by going to harvest.org or request a CD by calling 1-800-821-3300.

We can take your call anytime 24 hours a day again at 1-800-821-3300. And again, the title is Things to Do Before the End of the World with Don Stewart. And then we're excited to make available Pastor Greg's book on the Jesus movement, the spiritual awakening of the 60s and 70s. The book is called Jesus Revolution. And you know, Pastor Greg, recently I've been more interested in the Great Awakening of the early 18th century.

I recently learned that my relatives came to America about that time, so it's really piqued my interest. That revival was one of four that have swept this country. Isn't that right?

Yeah, that's right. Most historians agree there have been four great spiritual awakenings in the history of the United States. The first preceded our formation as a nation.

It happened in the colonies. Pre-American Revolution, George Whitefield, an evangelist from Great Britain came and preached on our shores and brought the gospel of thousands of people and many, many people believed, and it was a spiritual awakening. And then America was formed in the aftermath of it, so you could say that America was born from a revival. If we did not have that spiritual awakening, I seriously question if there could have been an America. Okay, so now you've mentioned the second revival, and I've heard that President Lincoln, when he was a younger man, made a commitment to follow Christ during that Great Awakening.

Then, of course, you fast forward to the Fulton Street revival, the New York City revival, where a man named Jeremiah Lamphere decided to start a prayer meeting. It wasn't very well attended. Then the stock market crashed, and then it was very well attended.

And theaters and Broadway were packed to the gills. Churches were packed. People were gathering every lunchtime in New York City and praying, and thousands of people came to Christ. And then the last Great Awakening was the one that I've written a book about. It was called The Jesus Revolution, The Jesus Movement.

You know, it's a funny thing, Dave. In the day, we called it The Jesus Movement, but Time magazine dubbed it Jesus Revolution. I think that's interesting because, you know, you hear a lot of talk these days about revolution.

Our nation was born from a revolution. But this was a spiritual revolution, and I actually like the fact that it was called a Jesus Revolution because that's what it was, not even a Christianity revolution or a religious revolution. It was a Jesus revolution. It was about Jesus. People were talking about Jesus. People were coming to Jesus, and that is where our focus needs to be. We need another spiritual awakening. We need another Jesus revolution. So in my book on this topic, I tell my story.

There's a lot of historical backdrop given, so you can understand what the culture was like, and I think as you read it, you're gonna say, wow, that parallels the times that we're living in right now. Riots in the street, social upheaval, racial division, and more, yes, it was all happening. But God stepped in. Thousands and thousands of young people came to Christ. I might also add, the Jesus revolution, and this is not common to every revival, but the Jesus revolution was a youth awakening.

It specifically started with younger people. Other folks were impacted as well of all ages, but it was primarily young people coming to Christ, and we look at our youth today, oh, how they need a relationship with Jesus Christ, how they need a touch of the Holy Spirit, how they need their own Jesus revolution. So I'm hoping that you'll order a copy of this book that I'll send to you at no charge. All I ask in return is that you send your gift of any size that will help us to continue to teach the word of God as we do, and preach the gospel, and call more people to Christ. By the way, last year was our most spiritually fruitful year in the history of Harvest Ministries. Let's pray that 2021 is our greatest year ever, and that's gonna happen if we all work together and pray together, and it will happen if you will help us financially as well, I'm sure. So in advance, let me say thank you, and I'll look forward to sending you your own copy of the Jesus revolution.

Yeah, that's right. We have a copy waiting for you here at A New Beginning, so we hope you'll contact us today. We'll be glad to drop it in the mail right away.

Hey, Dave, let me just interrupt for one moment. Don't forget to tell them that there's a study guide that we've prepared to go along with Jesus revolution. Yeah, it'll be automatically sent with the book.

You know, it can really help you and your spouse, or you and your small group, dive more deeply into the insights and principles Pastor Greg shares in the book. So take advantage of this extra help. And again, we'll send both of these resources to thank you for your generous donation to help us continue this important work. Write us today at A New Beginning, Box 4000, Riverside, California, 92514. Or you can call our 24 hour phone number, 1-800-821-3300.

That's 1-800-821-3300. Or go online to harvest.org. Hey everybody, Greg Laurie here, personally inviting you to join us for what we call Harvest at Home. It's a Bible study. It's a worship service. It's church in your home. Maybe you're not able to get out to your church right now. If so, join us for Harvest at Home. People are listening in from around the world.

Listen to this. We have seen thousands of people make a commitment to follow Christ. So join us this weekend for Harvest at Home at harvest.org. Well, next time, Pastor Greg brings us more insight on being ready for the Lord's return. We'll see a biblical picture of those who are ready and those who aren't. Good Council coming next time on A New Beginning with Pastor Greg Laurie. This is the day, the day when life begins. The preceding message from Greg Laurie was made possible by Harvest Partners. Helping people everywhere know God. Sign up for Pastor Greg's free daily email devotions at harvest.org.