We Need Not Fear

I was reading online about how the leader of Al-Qaida has been mocking Bush because of the recent turnaround in the elections this past week. Here's the link to it if you want to read what this individual had to say:

Link to Al-Qaida story


Of course, the "speech" has the usual rhetoric about how the group intends to destroy Israel. Now, they've added the White House to their list of targets. As we all know, their intentions as terrorists are to continually keep the American public in constant fear and dread about what sorts of evil practices they're going to unleash on us. While it's true that the vast majority of us don't worry about this every breathing moment of the day, I'm sure there are those out there who are really fearful and worried about it from time to time. All of the hatred for Israel isn't just "coincidence". There's a reason for it. Satan hates the Jewish people because they are God's "chosen people", so obviously he is going to come against them with a vengeance.


Jesus also tells us these types of events are going to precede His return. The world will be in turmoil from wars and catastrophic events. He also tells us that the time preceding His return will be an era marked with people who are selfish and who will hate one another, noting that the love of most will grow cold:



As Jesus was sitting on the Mount of Olives, the disciples came to him privately. "Tell us," they said, "when will this happen, and what will be the sign of your coming and of the end of the age?"

Jesus answered: "Watch out that no one deceives you. For many will come in my name, claiming, 'I am the Christ,' and will deceive many. You will hear of wars and rumors of wars, but see to it that you are not alarmed. Such things must happen, but the end is still to come. Nation will rise against nation, and kingdom against kingdom. There will be famines and earthquakes in various places. All these are the beginning of birth pains.

"Then you will be handed over to be persecuted and put to death, and you will be hated by all nations because of me. At that time many will turn away from the faith and will betray and hate each other, and many false prophets will appear and deceive many people. Because of the increase of wickedness, the love of most will grow cold, but he who stands firm to the end will be saved. And this gospel of the kingdom will be preached in the whole world as a testimony to all nations, and then the end will come.

"So when you see standing in the holy place 'the abomination that causes desolation,' spoken of through the prophet Daniel—let the reader understand— then let those who are in Judea flee to the mountains. Let no one on the roof of his house go down to take anything out of the house. Let no one in the field go back to get his cloak. How dreadful it will be in those days for pregnant women and nursing mothers! Pray that your flight will not take place in winter or on the Sabbath. For then there will be great distress, unequaled from the beginning of the world until now—and never to be equaled again. If those days had not been cut short, no one would survive, but for the sake of the elect those days will be shortened. At that time if anyone says to you, 'Look, here is the Christ!' or, 'There he is!' do not believe it. For false Christs and false prophets will appear and perform great signs and miracles to deceive even the elect—if that were possible. See, I have told you ahead of time.

"So if anyone tells you, 'There he is, out in the desert,' do not go out; or, 'Here he is, in the inner rooms,' do not believe it. For as lightning that comes from the east is visible even in the west, so will be the coming of the Son of Man. Wherever there is a carcass, there the vultures will gather.

"Immediately after the distress of those days
" 'the sun will be darkened,
and the moon will not give its light;
the stars will fall from the sky,
and the heavenly bodies will be shaken.'


At that time the sign of the Son of Man will appear in the sky, and all the nations of the earth will mourn. They will see the Son of Man coming on the clouds of the sky, with power and great glory. And he will send his angels with a loud trumpet call, and they will gather his elect from the four winds, from one end of the heavens to the other.

"Now learn this lesson from the fig tree: As soon as its twigs get tender and its leaves come out, you know that summer is near. Even so, when you see all these things, you know that it is near, right at the door. I tell you the truth, this generation will certainly not pass away until all these things have happened. Heaven and earth will pass away, but my words will never pass away.(Matthew 24)



It's coming, people. We're already in those days today, so the Lord's return could be at any moment. Are you ready? The good news is that although we live in perilous times, we can rely on the fact that God is still in control, and nothing is going to happen without His knowledge and consent. The latter part of the scripture above says that heaven and earth will pass away, but my words will never pass away. God is always going to be, no matter what happens, and even Al-Qaida can't do anything without the hand of God allowing it to happen. Since God is in complete control, we don't have to fear. Just take a look at Psalms 42 below:



God is our refuge and strength,
an ever-present help in trouble.
Therefore we will not fear, though the earth give way
and the mountains fall into the heart of the sea,

though its waters roar and foam
and the mountains quake with their surging.
Selah

There is a river whose streams make glad the city of God,
the holy place where the Most High dwells.

God is within her, she will not fall;
God will help her at break of day.

Nations are in uproar, kingdoms fall;
he lifts his voice, the earth melts.

The LORD Almighty is with us;
the God of Jacob is our fortress.
Selah

Come and see the works of the LORD,
the desolations he has brought on the earth.

He makes wars cease to the ends of the earth;
he breaks the bow and shatters the spear,
he burns the shields with fire.

"Be still, and know that I am God;
I will be exalted among the nations,
I will be exalted in the earth."

The LORD Almighty is with us;
the God of Jacob is our fortress.
Selah



If you want to know how to have peace of mind in perilous times like we're living in, look to Jesus because He is the prince of "peace". He's not the prince of peace, as in worldy peace. There are going to be wars until the Lord's return. We can have inner peace, though, knowing we have a place in heaven one day when we die, or should the Lord come back first. We can also have peace because we know no matter what happens, it's all in God's hands.



Peace I leave with you; my peace I give you. I do not give to you as the world gives. Do not let your hearts be troubled and do not be afraid. (John 14:27)



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