Key Passage
“You will see ‘the terrible thing that causes destruction.’ You will see this thing standing in the place where it should not be.” (You that read this should understand what it means.) “At that time, the people in Judea should run away to the mountains. People should run away without wasting time to stop for anything. If a person is on the roof of his house, he must not go down to take things out of his house. If a person is in the field, he must not go back to get his coat. At that time, it will be bad for women that are pregnant or have small babies. Pray that these things will not happen in winter. Why? Because those days will be full of much trouble. There will be more trouble than has ever happened since the beginning, when God made the world. And nothing as bad as that will ever happen again. But God has decided to make that terrible time short. If that time were not made short, then no person could continue living. But God will make that time short to help his special people that he has chosen.”
— Mark 13:14-20 ERV (Read Full Text)
Key Thought
The troubles and tumult of the end time will be great. Yet despite all outward appearances, God will remain in control and will protect and bring deliverance for his people during these distressing times. As God’s children, those whose allegiance is to the Lord Jesus and whose lives are focused on his Kingdom, our triumph is secure. It cannot be taken from us—not by Satan’s power, not by evil times, and not by death itself. Our God is in control and our Lord is on the horizon to usher us into his eternal presence. Our task is to remain faithful and be ready for his deliverance.
Prayer
O Father, empower me to remain faithful to you no matter the times or my current circumstance. In Jesus’ name I pray. Amen.
Related Scriptures
You were raised from death with Christ. So try to get the things in heaven. I mean the things where Christ is, sitting at the right hand of God. Think only about the things in heaven, not the things on earth. Your old sinful self has died, and your new life is kept with Christ in God. Christ is your life. When he comes again, you will share in his glory.
— Colossians 3:1-4
So, brothers and sisters, be careful that none of you is sinful, and refuses to believe, and stops following the living God. But encourage each other every day. Do this while it is “today. ” Help each other so that none of you will become hardened because of sin and the way sin fools people.
— Hebrews 3:12-13
Now, brothers and sisters, we don’t need to write to you about times and dates. You know very well that the day the Lord comes again will be {a surprise} like a thief who comes at night. People will say, “We have peace and we are safe.” At that time destruction will come to them quickly. Destruction will come like the pains of a woman who is having a baby. And those people will not escape. But you, brothers and sisters, are not living in darkness (sin). And so that day will not surprise you like a thief. You are all people who belong to the light (goodness). You belong to the day. We don’t belong to the night or to darkness (evil). So we should not be like other people. We should not be sleeping. We should be awake and have self-control. People who sleep, sleep at night. People who get drunk, get drunk at night. But we belong to the day (goodness), so we should control ourselves. We should wear faith and love to protect us. And the hope of salvation should be our helmet. God did not choose us to suffer his anger. God chose us to have salvation through our Lord Jesus Christ. Jesus died for us so that we can live together with him. It is not important if we are alive or dead {when Jesus comes}. So encourage each other and make each other stronger {in faith}. And you are doing that now.
— 1 Thessalonians 5:1-11
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