Preachers have been talking about the end of the world for a long time. I’ve even seen some street preachers wearing large sandwich board signs that read THE END IS NEAR. But are they correct? Is the Lord’s coming right around the corner?
In Matthew 24, Jesus gave us some very specific signs that clearly signal His return is near. These signs show us He “is standing right at the door” (James 5:9), meaning we desperately need to be ready for His return!
Like us, the disciples were interested in the end times and the reign of Messiah on the earth. They asked Jesus in Matthew 24:3, “Tell us … what will be the sign of Your coming, and of the end of the age?”
Jesus responded by explaining all that would happen in the days leading up to His return. He talked about wars and rumors of wars (v. 6), famines and earthquakes (v. 7), tribulation (v. 9), and false prophets (v. 11), to name a few. But what’s the final sign the Lord gave that would signal His second coming? Global evangelism.
Jesus said in Matthew 24:14, “This gospel of the kingdom shall be preached in the whole world as a testimony to all the nations, and then the end will come.” Now, because of this verse, some people argue that Jesus can’t come back until the gospel is preached to every single person living in every nook and cranny of the world.
But the Bible doesn’t teach that every single person has to hear the gospel before Jesus can return. It simply teaches that the whole world, the whole inhabited earth, will have access to the preaching of the gospel before Jesus returns.
As you read the words on this page today, the gospel is being preached through radio, television, and the Internet to places all over the world. Matthew 24:14 is being fulfilled right now!
Think about this. From His Heart Ministries is headquartered in Texarkana, Texas, a city of approximately 37,000 people. From this relatively small city, however, we are being used of God to broadcast into homes and communities all over America and around the world!
With the support of friends like you, God is allowing From His Heart to be included in the fulfillment of Matthew 24:14 ... and we praise the Lord for that great blessing!
I received this email a while back from a Christian doctor working in a remote village in India. Her letter indicates that the gospel is indeed being preached to the remotest parts of the earth…
Dear Pastor Jeff,
I live and work in a small rural area in a Christian mission hospital; and thanks to DTH TV, my husband and I, both doctors, listen to TBN whenever electricity is available in this small rural village. Today I was home while you spoke about the prodigal son, and the message touched me. We are sorry we cannot support you with money, but surely I pray that the Lord will enable you to go on preaching till His purpose for you is fulfilled. God bless you.
What did Jesus say would happen when we see the gospel being preached to all nations as a witness? He clearly said, “Then the end will come” (Matthew 24:14). And I believe that if you’ll take the time to survey the current landscape, you’ll conclude that we are seeing the signs of His soon return, and His coming is “right at the door” (James 5:9). The question is, are you ready?