A few recent events caused renewed speculation and reflection by people all over the world regarding the end times. "And there will be famines, pestilences, and earthquakes in various places." (Matt. 24:7). This sounds like the news at 7. "For many will come in My name, saying, 'I am the Christ', and will deceive many."(Matt. 24:5) Nobody could miss the billboards all over the place, announcing that the Second Coming would be on 21 May 2011!

There were groups who lived as if Harold Camping's prediction was a fact, and who spent everything they had during these 'last days'. Others were typical fence-sitters who kept all options open and who were ready for whatever might happen. Then there were those who were cynical, indifferent or unbelieving, living their lives unperturbed as if the second coming were a myth.

Personally, I was confronted again with the knowledge that the second coming of Christ is a reality. The day will dawn when Christ is coming back on the clouds.

Will I be able to recognise the signs of the times?
Will I stand strong enough against deception?
Will I keep my faith in Jesus Christ as my Redeemer and as the Righteous Judge?
Will I recognise Him, or is my image of Him so distorted that He will be unrecognisable to me?
Will the expectations that I have of Him at his second coming, correspond with who He really is?

Therefore I have purposed to search the Scriptures once again, to take my personal relationship with my Lord seriously and to pray that by His grace I will be able "to persevere to the end." God has the course of history in His hands. Through Christ He will conquer all his enemies and Satan in the end. Those who remain faithful to Him will inherit the new heaven and the new earth. Jesus exhorted his disciples to "watch therefore, for you do not know what hour your Lord is coming", to "be ready, for the Son of Man is coming at an hour you do not expect" and "Blessed is that servant whom his master, when he comes, will find so doing." (Matt.24)

Martin Luther said: "If I knew that Jesus would be coming tonight, I would still plant an apple tree today." FCE has received the mandate to make disciples. FCE's prayer supporters are our co-workers in accomplishing this task, so that when Jesus comes again, He will find us busy with the commission He has entrusted to us. Let us "continue in the faith" while we "go out to meet the Bridegroom with our lamps filled with oil!" (Matt. 25)

Neels