Are you ready for the return?

Just last week someone from church asked me if I believed as a Christian young adult if we were living in the end times? I immediately answered with yes, it's evident all over. All you have to do anymore is turn on the TV or open social media to see it. Jesus tells the disciples the signs of the end times in Matthew 24. He tells the disciples that there will be false prophets rising up stating that they are Lord and we should worship them. He tells them there will be nations rising up against other nations and fighting against one another. There will be wars and rumors of wars. There will be famines. There will be earthquakes. There will be fatal diseases that will spread throughout communities. Does any of these things start to sound familiar? Here is the thing, we know that Jesus tells us no one will know the time of his returning and he will return like a thief in the night (Revelation 16:15). The real question isn't are we living in the end times, the real question is if Jesus were to come back today, tomorrow, or in the weeks to come, are you ready? If you were to die tomorrow after getting into a car accident, are you ready? You see we can talk all day long about what the signs of the end times are, but the signs aren't important if you don't know if you're ready for Him to return. I want to tell you that if you're reading my blog right now and you are saying to yourself, "I don't know if I were to die tomorrow or if Jesus were to come back tomorrow if I would go to Heaven or Hell," that is no way to live. You see with God there are no gray areas, it's either you're saved or you're not. Your name is either in the Lamb's Book of Life or it's not. I have been reading through the whole book of Revelation the last week and I'm almost through it, and the amount of suffering and heartbreak the people who don't claim Jesus as Lord and Savior are going to endure is something that breaks my heart. It breaks my heart because there are people I know that will be there to experience it. It breaks my heart because the world we live in is already such a heartbreaking place, yet it's nothing when compared to what is to come. It breaks my heart, but as a Christian, it also fuels me to continue to spread the Word of God to ALL those around me. You see, the end times will consist of seas turning to blood, the men and women who follow Satan over God will experience pain and suffering, there will be darkness, there will be unbearable heat, there will be death, all living creatures will die, there will be a plague of hail that will be "exceedingly great" (Revelation 16:21), there will be a shortage of food and water and the prices of these items will be so high that some will have to go without, there will be war and chaos, only those who take the symbol of Satan will be able to participate in the economy, there will be destruction, and I could continue to go on and on about the things to come, but there is something we can address now and that is whether you're prepared. I'm not telling you these things to scare you into believing in God. I'm telling you these things because I care about you and do not want to see you go through that. I'm telling you these things because God gave us a way out of the pain and suffering that is to come. I'm telling you that because I don't want you to see you get left behind. I'm telling you that because I don't want you to experience an eternity of pain, suffering, and destruction. I'm telling you that because when we leave this world one day, I want to see you again in Heaven. I'm telling you that because you need to be aware of what's to come. I'm telling you that because God commands me as a Christian to understand the prophecy and to teach it to those around me (Revelation 1:3). I'm telling you that because I have the answer. The answer is a man named Jesus. The answer is a man who loved YOU so much that he went to the cross willingly and was beaten and crucified out of LOVE FOR YOU to forgive you of your sins. He made the choice to sacrifice Himself so that way we don't have to endure the pain and suffering that is to come. He made that choice because he wants us to spend an eternity in Heaven pain-free, sickness free, and happy rejoicing and praising His name because HE IS GOOD, ALL THE TIME. He gave us the ultimate FREE gift of Salvation and all you have to do is accept it. Accept His gift. Accept His mercy. Accept His grace. Accept Salvation. If you're reading this and that is something you want to do, but you're not sure, I can help you. Romans 10:9 states, "If you confess with your mouth that "Jesus is Lord," and believe it in your heart that God raised Him from the dead, you will be saved." You see choosing the free gift of salvation was the best decision I have ever made in my life. Prioritizing God as number one in my life was the best decision I've ever made. Before God, I was broken. I was lost. I had no purpose in life and there were times where I debated ending my life because of it. I looked at myself in disgust. I was a mess. I was drinking away my pain. I was looking for happiness in the world. I was looking for happiness everywhere except the one place I should have been looking, in Jesus Christ. God took someone like me, someone who was undeserving, and felt worthless, and made me whole again. He tells me I'm worthy. He tells me I can trust Him because He wants to prosper me and has plans for my life. He helped me to overcome my depression and make me feel happy again. He took a life that I debated on ending and gave it purpose again. He helped me overcome my addiction to drinking away my pain and sorrows. He took my broken heart and he healed the wounds (Psalms 147:3). He made me feel beautiful again because he calls me His masterpiece (Ephesians 2:10) and He tells me I am fearfully and wonderfully made (Psalms 139:14). He calls me His child (John 1:12). He saved my life by giving His. So, I want to ask you again, if you were to die tomorrow or God were to come back tomorrow, do you know where you would go? I pray that if you don't know, you allow God into your life to make you whole again and to give you the FREE ETERNAL GIFT of Salvation. I pray you allow God to make you feel worthy again. I pray you allow God to help you overcome any addiction you may be facing. I pray you allow God to help you overcome anxiety and depression. I pray you allow God to prosper you because He has plans for your life and plans that are good. I pray you allow God to come into your life and face your battles with you because there is no battle too big for God and there is nothing that will come in His way that he will fail at. We need to stop having the mindset that "yes, we are living in the end times and it is evident all over", and change that mindset to "yes, we are living in the end times and it's evident all over, so am I ready?" I am praying for you all. I am praying if you don't know God you come to know Him because it'll be the best decision you make. I am praying that if you know God, but you still don't know if you were to die or He was to come back that you'd go to Heaven, you search your heart and rededicate it 100% to Jesus. This blog was the longest one yet but it is also the most important one you'll read. If you decided to accept Jesus Christ into your Heart, I am so happy for you. I am so proud of you. I am so grateful to call you my brother or sister in Christ. If you don't know where to go from here, I recommend finding a church home and getting plugged in. If you're from Columbus, Ohio Fellowship Baptist is an amazing church with amazing leaders that want to help you grow! It's so vital to surround yourself with like-minded people who can help you grow in your Faith. Find yourself a church family to love you and support you. Next, get into your Bible. If you're new to reading the Bible I recommend starting in the beginning and reading how God formed creation, then following that up with the Gospels and the Story of Jesus. There is no right or wrong way to read the Bible. Find Bible studies online to help you understand the material. Find Bible plans online to help guide your reading. Watch youtube videos. I also have two Bible studies out on Youtube (Haley Stinson) discussing Proverbs 4 and the first part of Revelations, if you want to check those out. Last but not least, talk to God. There is no right or wrong way to talk to God. Talk to Him like you would your best friend. Talk to Him in your car driving to work. Talk to Him in the morning or before bed, or whenever you feel called to. Talk to Him while listening to Christian worship music and jamming out. If you ever need anything, please reach out to me, I'd love to help you grow. I'd love to help you get started. My email can be found under "contact" at the top of the screen or if you're on your phone, under "contact" on the menu on the side of your phone. You can also reach out to me on any of my social media accounts. I encourage you to let go and let God. Accept the free eternal gift that never stops giving. Love you guys, see you next week on Monday <3