The term “end times” causes different reactions among people. Some approach the subject with excitement, while others broach it reluctantly or even fearfully. After all, with so many issues in the present, why should we spend our time speculating about the future?
Forgetting what is behind and straining toward what is ahead, I press on toward the goal to win the prize for which God has called me heavenward in Christ Jesus.
– Philippians 3:13-14
The apostle Paul penned these words and they provide encouragement that facing the future helps us face the present. The best of life is yet to be. Got challenges in the here-and-now? Then ponder what is to come. Yes, the Bible has much to say about the future of our world, the end of history, and the glorious span of eternity that lies beyond. But God didn’t give us those glimpses just so that we could better understand the future. He helps us see the plan to invite us to spend eternity with Him. Paul goes on in Colossians 3 to encourage believers to focus on heavenly things.
Since, then, you have been raised with Christ, set your hearts on things above, where Christ is, seated at the right hand of God. Set your minds on things above, not on earthly things.
— Colossians 3:1–2
Your soul needs hourly gazes into the life to come. You need to know what your departed loved ones are doing. You need to envision the rapture and the millennium. You need to picture your eternal home and the face of God. Why? Because Heaven is the green vegetable in the spiritual diet. It makes us whole. It keeps us healthy.
Frequently Asked Questions
Is the anti-christ alive today?
Using the example of Judas in the Bible, Max Lucado explains how the enemy has candidates for the anti-christ in each generation. Watch the full answer now.
Are we living in the end times?
According to Max Lucado, we are living in the end times. He believes that many of the signs in Matthew 25 have been fulfilled. Watch the full answer now.
Is Jesus returning soon?
No one knows when Jesus will return, however, we need to pay attention to the signs of His second coming. Jesus calls us to be prepared. Max shares how to posture our hearts during the waiting. Watch the full answer here.
Where do people go when they die?
Pastor Max Lucado shares about where believers go when they die. He examines scriptures about paradise. There is hope in knowing that there is a place of restoration in healing where believers will wait until the return of Christ. Watch his full answer here.