F.O.M.O.*
There is an event on the horizon
that has been planned since before time began. To some reading this it will sound like science fiction, but I promise you every word is true. This event will happen. Can we schedule our lives around it? No, but we can and must be prepared. Nobody knows exactly the day or hour. All we know is…IT WILL come and it’s the one event in your life, you don’t want to miss. How can I be so sure? Because the God who created the universe said it, and He cannot lie (Tit. 1:2). I’m talking about the event known as The Rapture, a moment in time when Jesus calls His family from this earth to begin eternity with Him, to join Him in “the marriage supper of the Lamb” (Rev. 19:9).
There are actually two events involving the end of time, and many are confused by the two. The second event is called “the Day of the Lord” and it comes in two parts. The first part is the time when Jesus physically returns to earth to judge all who haven’t given their lives to Him in faith. As a “pretribulation Rapture believer” I believe this happens after seven years, a period called the tribulation (first three and a half years) and the great tribulation (second three and a half years). Judgment usually implies punishment. And in this case, it’s severe and eternal. The second part of “The Day of The Lord” comes 1,000 years later, after the Millennial Kingdom of Christ on earth. This is also known as the “Great White Throne Judgment” (Rev. 20:7,11).
“When you hear of wars and rumors of wars,
do not be frightened; those things must take place; but that is not yet the end. For nation will rise up against nation, and kingdom against kingdom, there will be earthquakes in various places; there will also be famines. These things are merely the beginning of birth pangs” (Mark 13:7,8). Mankind has always had wars. Our nature of greed, self-centeredness, and lust for power has always spawned conflict between men and nations. And we’ve had famine and earthquakes throughout the earth.
Despite all this,
God still loves His people and has always given warnings and wake-up calls before He acts. The Bible is our only survival guide to this devastating event. We’ve actually had over two millennia of warnings. Sadly, most people ignore these warnings. That’s why Jesus said, “Enter through the narrow gate; for the gate is wide and the way is broad that leads to destruction, and there are many who enter through it. For the gate is small and the way is narrow that leads to life, and there are few who find it” (Matt. 7:13,14). Broad vs. narrow; wide vs. small; many vs. few. Not an encouraging picture of the end…unless you know Jesus as your Savior.
There’s a reason “many” are on the wrong road. They’ve heard the warnings, they may even belong to a church, and God put it into their hearts to know Him, but they suppress the truth (Rom. 1:18,19). The “narrow” way is demanding, sacrificial, requires obedience to a holy God. The Bible says, “This is the judgment, that the Light has come into the world, and men loved the darkness rather than the Light, for their deeds were evil” (John 3:19). When your deeds are evil, you don’t want accountability or anything that sheds light in your dark place.
You may have FOMO
when it comes to social events with your friends and missing these may cause anxiety, jealousy, thoughts of revenge. But these are all temporary symptoms of a deeper need, the need to be loved and accepted as you are without behavior modifications to please a fickle crowd. There’s only one place to find that unconditional love and acceptance, in a relationship with Jesus Christ. Jesus said, “…the one who comes to Me I will certainly not cast out” (John 6:37b). Have you come to Jesus and experienced His love and forgiveness? If so, thank Him that your future is secure. If not, FOMO associated with The Rapture should drive you to “…seek Me [Jesus] with all your heart” (Jer. 29:13) and “Seek the Lord while He may be found” (Isa. 55:6).
On our “Steps to Salvation” page, you’ll find a detailed description of what God thinks of your condition apart from Him as well as Scripture that clearly states your predicament and how to deal with it. Most importantly, you’ll erase FOMO linked to The Rapture and you’ll know that you won’t miss it, because you’re a new creature in Christ (2 Cor. 5:17).
*(Fear Of Missing Out)