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Millions of brave young men and women have joined the military since our great country began more than 235 years ago. They’ve left home and family for the sake of our country. They’ve trained their bodies and minds to defend our country and to help insure our safety and freedom. They deserve our gratitude and support. Sadly, many of them have made the ultimate sacrifice and have not returned. We owe them a debt we cannot pay.

Whether from real life or from history class, we remember General Douglas MacArthur for his famous phrase “I shall return.” As commander of the U.S. forces in the Pacific, he was stationed in the Philippines during World War II. When the Japanese invaded and defeated the General’s forces, President Roosevelt ordered him to go south to Australia. He commanded the Pacific operations from there and declared “I shall return.” Thankfully, several years later he did indeed return to the Philippines to defeat the enemy.

When Jesus lived on Earth during the first century, He made a similar statement as He was preparing Himself and His disciples for His upcoming suffering and death on the cross in place of the sinful human race. He told His disciples, “If I go and prepare a place for you, I will come again and receive you to Myself; that where I am, there you may be also” (John 14:3). The next day, Jesus died in our place. He made the ultimate sacrifice and paid the sin debt that we could never pay. He was buried; three days later He rose again. Forty days later, while giving His disciples some final instructions, He ascended back to heaven.

Has He returned? No, not yet. After nearly 2,000 years, we continue to wait for His return. But we’ve been told to watch and be ready because “The Lord Himself will descend from heaven with a shout, with the voice of an archangel, and with the trumpet of God. And the dead in Christ will rise first. Then we who are alive and remain shall be caught up together with them in the clouds to meet the Lord in the air. And thus we shall always be with the Lord” (1 Thessalonians 4:16-17).

Jesus is coming again. He keeps His word. However, there is a requirement for those who would be caught up into Heaven to be with Him. We must be in Christ. Those who are in Christ are the ones who have joined God’s family and are saved or born again. Jesus told Nicodemus “Unless one is born again, he cannot see the kingdom of God … You must be born again” (John 3:3, 7).

Just as a civilian cannot don a military uniform, go to battle, and receive military pay and benefits before joining the military, those who are not in Christ will not be among those who go to Heaven, receive their robes of righteousness, and enjoy the benefits of eternal life with God. God is looking for recruits. Join today!

Being born again is as easy as ABC:

• Admit your personal sinfulness. Because Adam and Eve disobeyed God, everyone in the human race is a sinner. “All have sinned and fall short of the glory of God” (Romans 3:23).

• Believe that Jesus is the Son of God Who died in your place for your sins. “For God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten Son, that whoever believes in Him should not perish but have everlasting life” (John 3:16). “While we were still sinners, Christ died for us” (Romans 5:8). “Believe on the Lord Jesus Christ, and you will be saved” (Acts 16:31).

• Call out to Jesus for salvation. “Whoever calls on the name of the Lord shall be saved” (Romans 10:13).

Jesus will come again. Are you ready?

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