We Know How the Story Ends
by Rick Warren — December 19, 2024
From Leaving a Lasting Legacy
“The Good News about God’s kingdom will be preached in all the world, to every nation. Then the end will come.”
Matthew 24:14 (NCV)
History’s conclusion is inevitable.
I believe this with all my heart. It’s done. It’s finished. There’s no doubt. I’ve read the final chapter.
God’s Word tells us how it’s going to end. One day God’s going to wrap it all up here on earth, and he’s going to take his children home to heaven to be with him forever. The Bible says, “The Good News about God’s kingdom will be preached in all the world, to every nation. Then the end will come” (Matthew 24:14 NCV).
I’m going to tell you something extremely important. We are not trying to set up a kingdom here on earth. We are trying to populate the Kingdom of heaven. We want our friends and our family and our neighbors and our coworkers—the whole world!—to be with us in heaven.
Our goal is to bring people into God’s Kingdom so they can be with him for eternity.
How do we bring glory to God? He gets glory when we love him with all our hearts. God gets glory when we love other people in the family of God. God gets glory when we love people who are unlovable. God gets glory when we share the Good News with everybody, everywhere. God gets glory when we trust him with problems in our lives that cannot be solved except through a miracle. And God gets glory when we know and trust that the end is inevitable and that he wins.
Does that sound like the way you want to live your life? If so, pray this simple prayer today:
“Dear Jesus Christ, I want to be a part of what you’re doing in the world. I believe you want to use me. I want to return to my first love: you. I want to be your hands and feet in the 21st century. Help me to believe and live by your convictions. In Jesus’ name I pray. Amen.”
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