The world is a hateful place. We keep looking for counterfeit peace so we continually protest, host marches and coordinate rallies. Truth of the matter is there will never be peace among nations or among races for that matter. Never….How can I know that? You ask. I know because the bible speaks of times like these. The bible reminds us that war, poverty and pestilence will be with us until Christ returns. We tend to create a false sense of security when we’re not daily affected by suffering. Tribulation knocks on everyone’s door in time. A quick look in second Timothy (3:13) blatantly states evil men and seducers will become worse and worse. They will deceive nations, while they themselves are deceived. As horrific shootings, wars and economic decline occurs, people are constantly wanting this question answered “Where is God in all of this?” or “Why doesn’t He stop this madness we call a civilized society?” The answer to this question is simple. God is right where He’s been since before the ages. God sends us messages through His messengers every day to run into the loving arms of His son. We can not save our world. We will never have all the answers our dying world desperately needs. We’ll never have complete safety from nuclear weapons, vaccines for all maladies, viable answers to end world hunger, or safety in our workplaces. Why?
Matthew (24:6) is why. Jesus said “And ye shall hear of wars and rumors of wars: see that ye be not troubled: for all these things must come to pass, but the end is not yet.” He said these things MUST happen! It has to occur but for those that KNOW HIM to not dismay. While the end of these times is not yet, there is something we can do to instill peace within while shutting out the ugliness of this world. We can choose to enter into His rest as Hebrews 4:3 reminds us. We can’t fix our world and to be honest we’re not even called to do so. We are however called to impact the world by living Christ among the people we see every day. We’re called to live our faith out loud to draw those who would not otherwise seek Him. We change lives by illustrating our faith in God and as we lift up Christ, people will seek us out. They will desire the tranquility that God gives to find their intimate place in Him. I believe our role is to prepare our loved ones, for the “perilous times” the bible speaks of. Our world is changing more swiftly than ever and reverence for God is gone.
In facing the reality that our world will continue to deteriorate we have to remain encouraged. God is our constant hope. Our optimism is built on nothing less than Christ. Paul asks the question who shall separate us from Christ’s love? The answer is NOTHING in this world can! We are perpetual conquerors through Christ who loved us! Love is the missing ingredient in this society, in this nation, in this world. It is devoid of true love. As long as the world remains in a state of rejection toward anything Godly, our society is essentially doomed.
For those who are brave enough to be a soldier for God and resolve to live holy in a world that hates holiness nothing can crush our spirit. Paul wrote if God is for us who can be against us? There is nothing too hard for God to do in our lives. Stay encouraged dear heart. The world may be going to hell in a hand basket, but God is holding up the faithful through His supernatural power to provide us with peace, strength and love for such a tumultuous time as this!
