With all the turmoil happening in the world today, have you found yourself at times feeling overwhelmed by all the bad news? Unfortunately, the amount of tragedy only seems to be growing weekly. Wickedness seems to be more pervasive than it’s ever been. But, if you are feeling overwhelmed, I have good news for you: God is still on the throne, and Jesus is coming back very soon!
Did you know that your view of when Jesus will return and what will happen before His second coming greatly influences how you view much of this current turbulence? Trust me, I am speaking from experience.
I used to side with an end-times view that left me feeling very hopeless. While Jesus coming back was something to look forward to, everything up until His return was going to be one defeat after another. For whatever reason, I had not fully absorbed the teachings on walking in resurrection power and being more than a conqueror through Christ (Romans 8:37). I also had not immersed myself in the good things God had promised to do in these last days.
Don’t get me wrong, Jesus warned us that we would experience tribulation in this life (John 16:33). Feeling unsettled about current events is natural and, in many ways, appropriate. We are called to “Rejoice with those who rejoice, and weep with those who weep” (Romans 12:15). But there is a big difference between feeling unsettled and allowing hopelessness. Again, I am speaking from experience.
Years ago, I had a dream about the book of Revelation. In this dream, I was teaching a Bible study from the standpoint that Jesus would return and rescue us before we become deceived. The last days were only going to get worse and worse, and He would get us out just in time. An elderly man stood and began to rebuke me, saying, “No, the book of Revelation is about hope!” As I looked at this man, his face turned into the face of Jesus. He continued, “You can’t talk about Revelation and the end times without making it about hope.”
I was shaken in a good way. This was a transformative experience in my life. It totally changed my perspective of all that is happening in the world. After all, the book of Revelation reveals who Jesus is and His dominion over the nations. He is the essence of Hope. Psalm 2:1-6 tells us:
Why do the nations rage, and the people plot a vain thing? The kings of the earth set themselves, and the rulers take counsel together, against the Lord and against His Anointed, saying, “Let us break Their bonds in pieces and cast away Their cords from us.”He who sits in the heavens shall laugh; the Lord shall hold them in derision. Then He shall speak to them in His wrath, and distress them in His deep displeasure: “Yet I have set My King on My holy hill of Zion.”
As mentioned in Psalm 2:4, our Father is amused at any attempt to throw off His Lordship. He invites us to join Him in this party of hopeful laughter. He has promised His joy will be our strength (Nehemiah 8:10). May you be filled with fresh hope today amid every tragic report. He is moving in the nations, and His return is very soon!
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