Whether you are Christian or not religious any at all, I am sure that a common thread right now is concern or uncertainty regarding what is happening around us. There has been a plethora of end time prophets with prophecies, conspiracy theories and news headlines and stories. We wonder are these prophecies true? We wonder what is real and what is conspiracy? Is it a pandemic or a plandemic? Is there something sinister happening under the guise of vaccinations and green passports? Is Hegelian dialect in play here? Did the heads of the world’s Governments come together and create a series of problems to which they have already manufactured solutions? What next? One world order?
Regardless of what you believe or don’t believe, for those of us in Christendom, we know that the Bible tells us that when we see certain signs it is not yet the end. It is the beginning of the end (Matthew 24:6 & 8). If we are to listen to every single video, theory, word of prophecy, true or false, we might become overwhelmed with fear. The anxiety will become so deafeningly real that we will not be able to hear anything else. We will shut ourselves down and off from the persons around us who truly care for us. Now, we ought to carefully consider these things that are being shared on the various social media platforms. However in our consideration, we must not forget our standard – The Bible. We need to weigh out for ourselves against the word of God the prophecies that are being spouted. If even one jot or one tittle doesn’t align with the Word of God, then we know what to do. The problem is that most of us would rather intake the word of God like we do our vitamins: none at all or the gummy variety that is easy to chew and swallow. When we do read, we read the parts that are only uplifting and easy to digest spiritually. Yes there is a season for all of the various types of writings found in the Bible. Notwithstanding, and to our own detriment, we leave out the parts that are particularly relevant to these times. As such when someone comes with a word that sounds biblical, we run with it without verifying the veracity of what is being said. We are easily deceived and blown about by every wind of doctrine because we do not know the standard.
I know this might be my most “religious” sounding blogs…and sounds can also be deceiving, but it would be remiss of me to not write. Like many of you, sometimes I am unsure what to believe. It gets pretty overwhelming and anxiety can sometimes creep in quickly. Should I marry? And if I do, does it make sense to have children? Dating is so scary because the nicest guy could really just be a sociopath with a fatal attraction dressed as a CEO in a nice Armani suit smelling like Creed! Who wants to bring another life into this world where the vitriolic acrimony (I am being redundant and hyperbolic on purpose) is so tangible that violence seems to be the most important basic human right! I could go on ad infinitum (and ad nauseum) with examples of anxiety causing matters across all genres of the things that affect us as humans: weather changes, political atmospheres, and wars. What about the things we do not know happening in meetings between those who really hold the money, power and influence across the globe? What are they planning or plotting?
Let us not get distracted! It is time to refocus on God and prepare. It is time to get back to basics and read the Word for ourselves. Read ye all of it! The Old Testament and the New. Read approved commentaries on the Scripture. Research what has been said and how it correlates to the current times…there is nothing new under the sun. Whatever is happening now, has happened before just in a different manner. Give yourself to much prayer and fasting. Ask God all the questions because He has all the answers. So maybe sound is not deceiving and this is indeed my most Christian or “religious” sounding piece. Why now? Because it is time! God is still very much in control. Regardless of how crazy it gets, regardless of the anxiety that threatens to beat down the door of our mind. God is in control. The same Jehovah Jireh that sent manna from heaven, Who provided a brook and a raven to feed His prophet, Who hid hundreds of His prophets in a cave, and provided for the imprisoned apostles, He is still the same today. And whatever our wildernesses will look like, whenever our famine will come, whichever hard time will come, He is still the same. He has already made a way of escape and He has already provided. It doesn’t mean we should not prepare and that we should cease to live earthly lives. It means that we must refocus. We should listen keenly to whatever it is that He is saying and act accordingly. Whatever happens we must not lose sight of the truth: God is in control and His will must prevail. We also must recognize that some of us will have to suffer even to the point of death. But even in death, He is still in control. Be encouraged today that although we will take note of the things happening around us, we do so with the correct perspective. We do so through the mirror of God’s truth which gives us peace.
How will you refocus today? How are you preparing? Will you stop being anxious long enough to hear God’s voice?
GMW