Read Revelation 20:11-15

Well, that wasn’t super encouraging…

However, when thinking of what is to come on judgement day, Revelation 20:11-15 is a very real part of it.

A scary, sad part, but the reality nonetheless. 

Being ready is what believers have been doing since Jesus walked the earth.

Recently, Jake and I finished watching The Chosen, Season two’s first episode. In it, Jesus and his disciples go to the house of a Samaritan, a man who has done much wrong in his life named Milek. Milek’s wife asked Jesus, “The Messiah is going to save us from all suffering and heartache…when will this be?” Jesus simply responded, “I’ve come to preach the gospel of the good news and teach about a kingdom that is far greater than this world. I make a way for people to access that kingdom. But in this world, bones will still break, hearts will still break, but in the end the light will overcome darkness.” 

Our number one goal as followers of Jesus is to spread the good news of the gospel while striving to live like Christ. As we strive to live like Christ, we look, act and speak differently, which will plant seeds to those who are not followers of Jesus to wonder, “Why are they so different?” The Lord works in those hearts. As we strive to live like Jesus, we are changed from the inside out and our life is lived in the light. 

Being ready doesn’t mean sit and wait for Jesus to return. It doesn’t mean condemning those around us to turn from their ways and it doesn’t mean to scare people with even the verses we have read above. We must be ready with our lives lived like Jesus because of the verses above. We want to win souls for Jesus – for the kingdom that is far greater than we can imagine because He is King. 

No matter where you are at in your walk with the Lord, whether baby believer who is trying to figure it out or a seasoned believer who can recite the word of God easily, Jesus asks us to be ready to spread the gospel, to be ready to take up our cross and follow Him, and to be ready for our true home that is to come. 

When you look at your life, are you ready? 

I know that I suffer from looking at the world around us and asking the Lord to return because there is so much hurt and suffering. I admit that I long to be home, our true home with Jesus because life here on earth is just hard. Then I remember that my calling in this world is far greater than just living. It’s living to make disciples who make disciples who will spread the good news of the gospel!

So, I challenge you to evaluate your life. When reading the verses of Revelation 20, are you scared? Are you determined? Are you encouraged to keep fighting the fight to bring people into the light? 

Are you ready?

Kelly Lawson