Burdened Heart for Others?

"And you will hear of wars and threats of wars, but don't panic. Yes, these things must take place, but the end won't follow immediately. Nation will go to war against nation, and kingdom against kingdom. There will be famines and earthquakes in many parts of the world. But all this is only the first of the birth pains, with more to come." Matthew 24 6-8 New Living Translation

There is so much talk recently of "the end of the earth". Especially now with the frequent earthquakes and deadly tsunamis. We hear about them in other parts of the world but when it starts to threaten our country, we suddenly let the impact of it all into our hearts and minds. Am I afraid of the rapture? Absolutely not! Just in Matthew 10 26-31 the Lord says, "Do not be afraid" 3 times. Why then, should I fear? I trust him, completely. But as I read the scripture above, two things come to my mind.

First, will I know when the time comes? Will I know what to expect and not be mislead by the "false prophets"? There are things in Matthew 24 that tell us what to expect when the Son of Man returns but will my weak, human mind comprehend it? Will my heart understand it and lead me in the right direction?


The second thing that comes to my mind is: Are the ones that I love ready? It brings me back to what Dr. Jerry White recently preached about in our revival this week. When was the last time that I was so burdened by lost hearts that I wept for them? And have I done everything that I can to help them know Christ? I have close friends that I see on an everyday basis that I do not know if they are saved. What does that say about me as a Christian? Doesn't confessing myself as a person of the Lord also make me his missionary? So why haven't I been doing my part? I know it is my job to tell others about Christ. Why not start with the ones that I love the most? If I can't talk to them about the One that not only created me but saved me from condemnation, who can I tell?


I do not want those closest to me to live an eternity in Hell so it is up to me to do something about it. Anyone want to join me?