by Mike Nichols, Publisher | January 21, 2021 | 11:01 a.m.
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(Photo Illustration: ACV Reports)
While there are a great many things to ponder at this great crossroads, we find ourselves, there are two things to remember regardless of your politics.
1. First and foremost, God is in control.
2. When all else seems hopeless and lost, remember #1.
Speculation abounds today among those who truly embrace both concepts as to what the events that are unfolding before us mean in the context of “future history.” Many are posting on the various social media platforms that “the end is near,” that we are “in the end times.” That is, when you can find them among the posts calling for a “new revolution” or those that call for “reeducation camps” for Trump followers.
That talk of the end being near frightens many who are not so convinced of biblical prophecy or even that there is a God. They hide their fear under derision and outright hate of those who do believe in the crucified and resurrected Jesus Christ and the words written about Him. Nonetheless, they are no less frightened by such talk.
As a Christian myself, let me say that we have been in the End Times since Christ’s Ascension. His return could easily have happened at anytime during the last 2,000 years — learned men’s interpretation of “what must happen first” aside — and so far, He hasn’t. The only thing we can know with absolute certainty is that we are much closer now to His return than the disciples were when He left them.
And all that doesn’t really address our current questions, does it?
What we can discern from our world being on yet another brink is that such events are to be expected. Christ told us as much, in Matthew 24:6-8 — following by only a few verses His accurate prophecy of the destruction of the Temple, exactly as He said, “no stone left atop another.” That happened in 70 A.D, 35-40 years after He spoke those words.
In the Matthew passage, Jesus said to His disciples, “You are going to hear of wars and rumors of wars. See that you are not alarmed, because these things must take place, but the end is not yet. For nation will rise up against nation, and kingdom against kingdom. There will be famines and earthquakes in various places. All these events are the beginning of birth pains.”
Disasters of natural and unnatural causes have plagued our world from the beginning. It is not a peaceful world, but is in chaos constantly. (Photo montage: ACV Reports)
Sure enough our world has been filled since Jesus’ departure with “wars and rumors of wars.” famine, earthquakes, hurricanes, tornadoes, killer wildfires, deadly blizzards. pestilence and pandemics, too. He remains seated at the right hand of the Father, awaiting the command to stand and return. He left us with the message “Do not be afraid,” spoken in one form or another 366 times throughout the Bible. That is no coincidence. We have cause to fear every day of our lives, but Jesus left us that instruction, one for each day of the year, even Leap Year.
How do we not be afraid? Look at what is happening! Our country, 245 years from the Declaration of Independence, is on the edge of collapsing as two diametrically opposed factions seethe in hatred and fear of one another and debate the direction they will take this nation. A tyrannical nation across the Pacific flexes its muscles and speaks of world domination. The latest pandemic continues to kill nearly 10,000 people a day worldwide. Terrorist nations boast of their power and their intent to destroy Israel and any other entity that stands in their way, People starve under repressive regimes and try to flee to a U.S. which appears committed to open borders that will allow more people — including human traffickers, drug cartels and more people infected with the dread virus — to come here.
Jesus told us how to deal with that fear, other than just saying “Don’t.” How? Trust in Him. First, we must believe in our hearts that He is the Son of God come to pay a price for our sins we cannot pay and live. We must confess Him with our mouths that He is exactly who He says He is and that He has done exactly what He says He has done. Then we place our complete trust and confidence in Him as the Ruler over our lives, knowing that “My yoke is easy and My burden, light” (Matthew 11:30). His is not the yoke of slavery, but of freedom.
Every earthly governments, even those who espouse “freedom and liberty,” enslave their people, if not with ropes and chains then with excessive taxation, burdensome regulations and restrictions on the very liberty they claim to “provide.”
Freedom and liberty are God-given, not government-granted. Our U.S. Constitution and the Declaration of Independence declare as much, stating the government has no power nor authority over either. Christ’s freedom and liberty is freedom and liberty from sin and the weight of life. His grace not only forgives our sins but sees us through those times where we often feel we cannot endure. Grace gives us the power to do things we have no strength nor will to do on our own.
Yes, it can even see us through difficult times that appear ready to crush us, our hopes, dreams and desires. He is our hope, He fulfills our dreams in ways we cannot imagine, and He gives us the desires of our heart when we align ours with His.
Our media overly hypes today's events and tells us lies to sell cars and soap. Our political parties claim to be there “for the people” but time and time again prove they are only their for themselves. Why else do they spend millions every two-, four- or six-year cycle to keep a job that pays no more than $193,500, or $400,000 if they are the president? They are guilty of the same sins with which Jesus was tested by Satan in the wilderness: Power, privilege and prestige. As are we.
This world will end. I can’t say when. No one can. Each time we face dire times such as these, that thought returns to us, “Is this the end?” Some day it will be. Prepare for that day. Love Christ as He has loved us, and know peace, freedom, liberty and security. No government can truly claim to deliver those commodities and they are too precious not to acquire at so cheap a price as mere faith.
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