End Times Faith

 "Be on guard, so that your hearts will not be weighted down with dissipation and drunkenness and the worries of life, and that day will not come upon you suddenly like a trap; for it will come upon all those who dwell on the face of all the earth. But keep on the alert at all times, praying that you may have strength to escape all these things that are about to take place, and to stand before the Son of Man." (Luke 21:34-36 NASB)

The bible foretells of terrible days ahead of us, the final days of this age. We are warned throughout scripture of coming apostacy (2 Thess 2:3, 1Tim 4:1, Matt 24:10-12). Deception will increase (Matt 24:24, 2 Thess 2:8-12). Persecution such as the world has never seen will come upon us (Matt 24:9-10). Will we be ready? Will we be able to stand?

Right now, we have things fairly easy here in America. We do not face any real persecution, we have liberty to worship, bibles are readily available to anyone who wants one. Now is the time to build up our faith (Jude 20) because once we are in the storm our feeble faith will not sustain us. 

Now more than ever we must immerse ourselves in the word of God. We need to know what we believe and why. We must be actively living out our faith, as a living faith is a working faith (James 2:17, Heb 5:13-14, 6:11-12). And how about our prayer lives?

Jesus tells a parable of a persistent widow, and an unjust judge (Luke 18:1-8). His intent is to teach us to pray at all times without giving up. This widow appeared again and again, seeking justice from a judge who was unwilling to give her what she asked for. finally, because he was tired of her, he grants her request. How much more is God, who is just and caring, willing to bring about justice for us, who cry out to Him day and night? Jesus tells us that He is more than willing to bring it about. However, He leaves us with a sobering statement, "However, when the Son of Man comes, will He find faith on the earth?" (Luke 18:8)

If you are prayerless now, will you be prayerless under intense persecution? If you're a spiritual infant now, can you expect to mature under fire? What will your faith look like when Jesus comes back? Will He find you standing firm through to the end (Matt 24:13)? Will you be watchful and prayerful, because that is going to be what we will need in that hour. We need to ruthlessly trust in the one who is able to keep us from falling, and to make us stand in the presence of His glory blameless with great joy (Jude 24). We are protected by God through faith for a salvation that will be revealed at Christ's second coming. This is when the proof of our faith will be revealed, the faith that endures fiery trial, and comes out firm (1 Peter 1:4-7).