50 Days of Wisdom

The millennial kingdom of Jesus Christ is coming. But before that, there will be the rapture of the church, followed by the Day of the Lord in judgment. And only God knows when. It's not given to us to know. But I'll tell you this: This morning is a monumental moment because right now you are nearer to it than you have ever been in your entire life. It's next in God's redemptive plan. People ask me, "What has to happen prophetically before the rapture?" The answer is: nothing. When the trumpet blows, we're out of here. It's the next event on God's calendar. That's why Paul said, "Knowing the terror of the Lord, we persuade men." He also said, "We must all appear before the judgment seat of Christ to receive the reward for whatever we've done in our body, whether it's good or worthless." In other words, it's a time for Christians to be evaluated and rewarded and a time for unbelievers to be judged and damned. And the urgency of that moment should compel us to wake up and get out of the night of this era of man's day into the sobriety, the sober-minded establishment of the priorities that matter eternally. How far gone is the night? Only God knows. But the next event is the return of Jesus Christ and the taking away of His church, and then our work is done and the judgment begins to fall. This verse is intended here to have a two-fold effect on us, to make us urgent in our service to Christ and urgent in our evangelism of the lost. I truly believe it's the key to holy living. People who don't live in the light of the return of Christ don't have the most compelling motivation. Therefore, we must live in the light that Jesus Christ could come at any moment. Listen, I don't know how much time God's going to give this world, and I live in the light of the fact that it could be over any day. I mean, if you knew Jesus was coming to take you away and to start judgment next Sunday, would it alter your week? I think it would alter your week significantly. It would have a dramatic effect on how you live your life. And that's really the only way to live. Oh, there are things in life we must do by way of necessity, but our lives need to be filled with the comprehension of the priorities. This is not a time to get caught up and engulfed in the night of the world. This is a time to realize the night is almost gone and the day is on the brink. Night, by the way, represents the present era. It represents man's day. And it's also the symbol of sin, evil, and ungodliness. I would add to that: night is also a time of illusion. Ugliness and beauty are indistinguishable in the night. Gold and rocks are indistinguishable in the night. Friend and foe are indistinguishable in the night. All of those blend together when night drops the curtain. Are not most people mistaking ugliness for beauty, rocks for gold, and foes for friends? It's clear that the world can't discern real value, real beauty, and who really is a friend. They have accepted the counterfeit for the real and the false for the true. Dark is danger. Look, we live in very serious times, closer to the return of Christ than we have ever been. Therefore, this is not a time for being engulfed in the darkness. This is a time for understanding the urgency of the hour in which we live. It's a time for spiritual alertness, vigilance, and readiness, and a time to get your priorities in place. It's a time to wake up. Repent and believe! GTY.org (80-124) – Time to Wake Up

Today's Wisdom

Day: 1020

September 5, 2026

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Grace and peace,

My name is Mark Paul from Wauchula, Florida, and like the Apostle Peter said in 2 Peter 1:14, "I know that the laying aside of my earthly dwelling is imminent." Consequently, my goal is to leave a legacy that will continue to advance the kingdom of God long after I have departed. In other words, bear fruit for eternity. And by simply reading and sharing my free eBooks, you too become contributors to the advancement of His kingdom. Thank you for partaking in this endeavor, and I look forward to greeting you on heaven's shore.

The Truth in Love,

Mark Paul - Servant of God

Now grant, O Lord, that when the souls who read these books cast their eyes upon these lines, their minds may be illuminated and their consciences convinced and awakened, that they may see with their eyes, hear with their ears, and be converted so that You may heal them. Amen!