Trust God in These Times

On behalf of all of us, we thank very much Mr. Walker for that beautiful special music. Brother, what an age we are living in! In the lifetime of some of the older ones here, we have gone from the tail end of the horse and buggy days, to the space age, with men walking, having walked on the moon, instant communication, the internet, rapid transportation, anywhere on earth. You know, I remember the tail end of the horse and buggy days myself. Back in the 1940s, when I was a boy growing up in the eastern part of the state, my father did not own a tractor yet until I was about 10 years old. He plowed with the mule. How many of us remember the tail end of horse and buggy days? I still remember even people traveling around. A few of us still do.

But no longer do we see that, much in our country might possibly see it somewhere. What an unusual time it is, the space age. The age of nuclear weapons, mankind able to destroy human life. We all fear nuclear weapons, possibly ending up in the hands of the Taliban or terrorists, or maybe a rogue regime like in North Korea.

You know, we have up in the air, here's a picture that came out in the Charlotte paper just over a week ago of satellites around the earth. I've not realized that there are at least 18,000 satellites orbiting the earth right now. 18,000.

You say, well, it looks like they crash into each other. Well, that's what the article is about. A Russian satellite that was no longer operative and an American satellite smashed into each other. And they caused apparently all kinds of space debris, which is floating around, or maybe some of it has come down to the earth.

18,000. The U.S. military tracks 18,000 objects in orbit, monitoring only certain threats because it lacks the resources to do everything. They can't track or monitor every single one. Guess what an age we're living in.

And now we have the worldwide economic meltdown. Where is it leading? In the U.S.A., unemployment is rising. Hundreds of thousands of people are losing their jobs every month. There are many housing disclosures, and people are having to leave their homes. And there's a lot of uncertainty in our country and in the world. And I think to some extent in the Church of God, we wonder, will we lose our jobs? We live in this world, too. Will we lose our homes? Will we be able to pay our bills and buy food for the table?

We wonder, will the economic meltdown bottom out? Or will it continue to get worse? One report this week predicted that there may be 3 or 4 million more jobs to be lost in the next year or two. What if it's more than 3 or 4 million? What if you put a zero there? Maybe 30 or 40 million or more? We don't know. We wonder, how will we all be affected by the times in which we are living? How about young people here?

How will you be affected by what is happening in the world? And how will all of this affect your future? Today, let's look at the age and the times that we are living in, from God's perspective. And let's understand and see how we need to go on forward through these times. What approach should we take? I want to read a letter that came to me in personal correspondence from Linda. Not sure where Linda lives in the country, but she's very concerned about the world that we live in.

So Linda wrote this to our home office, and they forwarded that on to me by way of email for me to answer. I'll give you the question and also the answer that I sent or wrote for her. Linda said, does your church believe in the pre-Tribulation rapture? Noah had warning of the flood to save his family. Lot had warning to save his family. Am I to believe that God does not care to save us from the Tribulation and the wrath of God as a Christian?

Please help me to understand. Am I having unnecessary fear for the wrath of God is going to be a terrible time? So this lady very obviously has fear about the times in which we are living. She wonders, is there a pre-Tribulation rapture? Well, the rapture is the idea that Christ will come back, but not quite to the earth. Somewhere just up above the earth, he will stop on his way back. And then all the Christians who are living will rise up to meet him in the air, and they will go up to heaven for three and one-half years, for they will be protected during the time of the Antichrist and the time of the Tribulation.

Now, some groups put seven years for the time they will be up in heaven, the time of the Tribulation. Well, the Bible does not teach the rapture. You can look all the way through the Bible. You just don't find the word rapture in the Bible. And you don't find the teaching of the rapture either.

Well, let me give you the answer that I wrote for her. Dear Linda, the Bible does not teach that there will be a rapture of Christians. The word rapture does not appear in the Bible, and neither does the teaching of the rapture. Those who believe in the rapture cite only a few biblical passages which they misinterpret to teach and define the doctrine. We have a reprint article explaining more on the fallacy of the rapture.

This article will explain the origin of the rapture, and it will also explain the verses that are misunderstood. The title is, Have You Been Misled by the Rapture Theory? I have a copy of that. It's two pages long, but in very small print. You can go to www.ucg.org and find reprints in our literature section, and you can print your own copy.

The article, Have You Been Misled by the Rapture Theory? Many people have been. They believe that Christians are going to be raptured, and therefore they will be up in heaven, be with Christ. They won't be around during the time of the tribulation. But the Bible does not teach the rapture. I'll go on in the answer to say many verses in the Bible state that God has promised to watch over and care for His people during the great tribulation and the day of His wrath.

God's protection can be seen in the chapters describing this unprecedented time of trouble, the Olivet prophecies of Matthew 24, Mark 13, and Luke 21. Notice in Matthew 24, 15-21, and Mark 13, 14-19, Jesus said there will be some kind of fleeing of God's people just before the tribulation. And we'll read these verses later. Also in Luke 21, 36, Jesus said to watch therefore and pray always that you may be a county worthy to escape all these things that shall come to pass and stand before the Son of Man. God's protection is also indicated in Revelation 12, 13-17 for those who keep His commandments. So we see that God will watch over and care for His people during the tribulation and the day of His wrath.

That protection and care will be right here on the earth, not in the form of a rapture. We should not have unnecessary fears of becoming events at the end of this age. This continues the answer to Linda. We should not have unnecessary fears. Instead, we should go forward with faith and understanding. We have two booklets which will be helpful to read and study. Are we living in the time of the end and the book of Revelation unveiled? This precious knowledge that we have in these booklets, are we living in the time of the end? The book of Revelation unveiled this knowledge and understanding that all of us should have a good comprehension through a study of God's Word.

What lies just ahead? It gives us a lot of comfort to have understanding, to know what to expect just ahead.

These booklets explain biblical prophecies about the Tribulation and Day of God's wrath and show the flow of events leading up to the return of Christ. They also give you verses on how God will watch over and care for His people during this time of trouble. The good news is that God will cut short these days with the powerful Second Coming of Jesus Christ, and God's righteous Kingdom will be set up on the earth to reign over the nations for a thousand years. Be sure to read more about this good news in our booklet, The Gospel of the Kingdom, and an email address is given for that, or an offer to send a hard copy to her if she would like. I thought it would be good to end the answer by giving this individual hope for the future. God's Kingdom is going to be set up on the earth, and there will be peace and joy and happiness for one thousand years. That's the good news. Well, you know, I just sent that out. I believe it was the first of the week, and Linda wrote right back. I have another letter I need to compose or answer for Linda. She wrote right back and said, Thank you for your response about the rapture. I knew the rapture is not in the Bible. But just notice this lady who doesn't have the same understanding we have, doesn't have the same hope that we have. But, you know, we'd like to lead her into that understanding. We encourage people to read our literature. We try to lead them toward a deeper understanding of the Bible. Who knows? God might open a heart and mind. He might call someone to be in the church and be sitting here one day. We never know. That's God's call after all, not ours. But we'd like to lead a person toward a deeper understanding of the Bible. And so hopefully this lady will come to that deeper understanding. But look at the fears and the apprehensions that she has.

She says, Recently I read the book of Revelation and was so terrified about fire coming from the sky, 100 pound-plus pieces of hail hitting the earth, not being able to buy or sell unless you have the mark of the beast, which means I would starve, not have a home to stay in, because she doesn't plan to go that way. She says, She says, I then had to leave the Bible alone for a couple of weeks, and I refused to read Revelation because it was just too upsetting to me. I did not want to live through the end times and the tribulations. Who does? I am 54 years old, and I want to die an old woman in bed, in my sleep, natural causes, without feeling pain or shortness of breath. I take a contract on that too, wouldn't you? I know this all sounds crazy, but Revelation is a book that frightens the dickens out of me. I will read your article, and I will get copies of the books you recommended. Thank you for your response. I greatly appreciate it sincerely, Linda.

Does Linda express some of the fears and apprehensions that we have? She could very well.

But should we be frightened, as many people are frightened in the world?

You know, brethren, we haven't seen anything yet. I think we could sincerely, honestly say, this is just the beginning of sorrows, as Jesus said. Things will get much worse in the future. And already there's a lot of apprehension, a lot of fear.

Should we have fear, anxiety? Should we be frightened? The Scriptures would indicate, no, we should not be frightened. If we have the right mindset, then spiritually, we do not need to be afraid.

Now, one reason is because we do understand what to expect in the future. God has revealed that knowledge to His church. We don't have to wonder, at least as far as the broad outline of the future, what is going to happen. Things are going to deteriorate. There is going to be an economic situation that does completely melt down. And out of the ashes of that will rise a system in Europe with an economic system to revive the world economy. And Mr. Roger Foster has an article in this issue of the good news on that. Be sure that you read and understand that it's very important that we do understand, yes, the ten nations are to unite in Europe. And they are to have a powerful leader, powerful political and military leader called the Beast, and a powerful religious leader called the False Prophet. It's going to rise up out of the ashes of perhaps a worldwide financial meltdown. This could even be where this is leading right now. We don't know. We may come out of this. It's like you as a family, could you continue borrowing money like our nation has done, the stimulus that we've had so far and now has been passed by Congress to have in the future? That may, if you were deeply in debt as a family and you went out and said, well, the solution to this is to borrow more money. It might buy you some more time before you have, but you better change your ways or there's a future day of reckoning yet ahead you cannot avoid the mistakes of the past. And so that's where our nation is. It is possible that we could buy some extra time by borrowing so much more money. That is possible. But unless we change our ways, the day of reckoning still will come into the future. We just delayed the day of reckoning. It'd be like a family that borrows money for its way out of financial indebtedness. They might buy more time, but they've got to change their ways drastically. I don't think our nation is really going to be willing to change drastically, though. Well, you know, God has given His church understanding. Let's get back to that. And that should give us a lot of comfort. We know what to expect. We're not going to be blindsided by the future. Let's turn over to Daniel 12. Now, we may not have all the details of exactly how everything is going to develop. We don't have that, but we have the outline of the puzzle. We have some of the main parts of the puzzle that show the features of what to look for. The other pieces will fall in place in their proper place in due time. And we'll understand them as they do. In Daniel 12, verse 4, Let you, Daniel, shut up the words and seal the book until the time of the end.

Oh, the book, the knowledge in this book of Daniel was shut up until our time, the time of the end. Many shall run to and fro, and knowledge shall increase. Well, Daniel wanted to know in verse 6, the latter part, How long shall the fulfillment of these wonders be? How's it going to work out and when's it going to happen? The last part of verse 7, it shall be for a time, times, and half a time, a three and one half year period of great tribulation. And when the power of the holy people has been completely shattered, all these things shall be finished. And we'll come to the end of this age and the second coming of Jesus Christ. Daniel still wanted to know in verse 8, Oh, my Lord, what shall be the end of these things? But he was denied understanding. He was told to go your way, Daniel. For the words are closed up and sealed till the time of the end. So Daniel never understood the things that we are given to understand today. It's been shut up and sealed until our time. These things began to be understood back in the 1930s, the 1940s and 50s. And our understanding has grown in this last 70 or 80 years in understanding these prophecies. They've been opened up to the church of God to understand. But Daniel had to go his way because it was not available for his understanding at that time. And it's not been available for the understanding of God's church down through the ages. You know, we are given to understand things that many of our brethren, the last 2,000 years in the church, have not understood. Because it wasn't the time of the end yet. But this is the time of the end, and God wants His people to have understanding. He does not want us to be in the dark, and we're not. In verse 10, Many shall be purified and made white and refined. It shows what is going on in the church of God, a purification and being made white spiritually and refined. Any flaws or blemishes are being removed. But the wicked shall do wickedly, and none of the wicked shall understand. This world doesn't understand. Religions of this world don't understand. They think there will be a rapture. They think Christ is going to come back ultimately. And after the rapture, He comes back, and there's some kind of final judgment, and then people go up to heaven.

And there's a destruction of the earth, but people don't understand the millennium. They don't understand the reign of Christ. They don't know. Of course, you know they don't keep God's Sabbath. They don't keep God's holy days. That reveals a lot of understanding to us when we keep God's commandments. But the wicked, who deny God's commandments, do not understand. But notice the last part of verse 10, the wise shall understand.

The wise are those who do keep God's laws and commandments. They're those who do obey God's Ten Commandments. The wise shall understand. So, should we be frightened? No. We have understanding of what to expect.

One thing that we expect is that the United States and Great Britain are going to come into a time of trouble. They're going to come into a time of even national captivity and punishment. It's understanding that God has granted to His church. Go to Jeremiah 30. This is a very important part of prophecy and the ability to understand the age that we're living in today.

We can't understand the greatness of the United States and Great Britain the last three or four hundred years, unless we understand the promises given to Abraham. It's one of the twenty fundamental beliefs of the United Church of God. Are you firm on it? The promises to Abraham, national promises, as well as spiritual promises through Christ. We need to understand both. And our book on the United States and Britain in Bible Prophecy show the national promises given to Abraham, which explains the greatness of the United States and Great Britain. In Jeremiah 30 and many other prophecies in the Bible, God foretells a time that these national promises are going to be taken away.

And because of our sins and our iniquities, I've been reading a book lately called The Marketing of Evil. You may have heard of it, The Marketing of Evil. And it shows how in our country there has been a very clever effort to sell our people on things such as sexual immorality to children, such as divorce in families, such as gay rights and gay marriages. There has been a concerted effort, a clever behind-the-scenes effort to market these evils and make them appear like they're the right thing to do.

And people have bought into these in our country, but look at all the evil and bad results that are coming in. The Marketing of Evil. It's almost when you read this book, you're going to think this is almost like there's a clever, sinister master mind behind all of this. There is Satan the Devil. I'd recommend that book to all of us here if you get a chance to buy a copy of it.

The Marketing of Evil. Our country has gone this way in the last few decades. All the evil and bad results are coming in. The economic mess we are in is a result of that type of social lifestyle and the greed and the corruption, sexual immorality. Oh, yeah, abortion is another item that has been skillfully marketed in America. The marketing of abortion to make it seem like the right thing to do. So, yes, we are going to see a time of reckoning, a day of reckoning, for going this way.

And we read about it here in Jeremiah 30. We understand where Israel is today. We understand that the United States and Great Britain gives us a lot of comprehension as far as what to expect in the world in the immediate future. Jeremiah 30, verse 3, The days are coming, says the Lord, that I will bring back from captivity my people Israel and Judah, says the Lord.

And I will cause them to return to the land that I gave to their fathers, and they shall possess it. Well, that's a restoration from captivity, that captivity that lies just ahead, which is described in the next few verses. In verse 5, Thus says the Lord, we have heard a voice of trembling, of fear, not of peace.

Ask and see whether a man is ever in labor with child. You know, men that are bowed over with pain like they're in childbirth. So why do I see every man with his hands on his loins like a woman in labor, and all faces turn pale? Alas, for that day is great, so that none is like it. It is the time of Jacob's trouble, but he shall be saved out of it. So God is going to punish Israel and Judah, but deliver them out of this captivity. In verse 8, it shall come to pass in that day, and this is that day that Jesus Christ returns to this earth to set up God's kingdom.

It will come to pass in that day, says the Lord, that I will break his yoke from your neck, and will burst your bonds. Foreigners shall no more enslave them, but they shall serve the Lord their God, and David their king, whom I will raise up for them in the first resurrection. So God is going to punish the United States and Great Britain and the other Israelites people, but he's going to restore them to the land that he gave to their fathers.

Here, that shows, ultimately, Americans, British, Northwestern Europeans, Jews are all going to be brought back to the land that God gave to Abraham. In verse 3, that's what it says, I will cause them to return to the land that I gave to their fathers, and they shall possess it. So the Israelites will be gathered back, and they will be God's people in the millennium.

So, brethren, you know, we understand that. We know what to expect. We expect a time of trouble, and then we expect repentance and restoration at the coming of Christ. So, no, we're not in the dark, and that understanding should give us a lot of comfort to know what lies ahead. We can be prepared. Let's go to 1 Thessalonians 5. This chapter says, in effect, we're not in the dark.

We're not in the dark as to what lies just ahead. Understanding has been given to us, and we can act with that understanding. We can take certain actions in our lives, certain things we can do, a certain spiritual mindset that we can take on. 1 Thessalonians 5 and verse 1.

When they say, peace and safety, then sudden destruction comes upon them. Makes you think about what we just read in Jeremiah. Sudden destruction comes upon them as labor pains upon a pregnant woman, and they shall not escape. It's talking about the time of Jacob's trouble here in verse 3. Sudden destruction, like labor pains upon a pregnant woman. They will not escape. They will go into captivity. The Israelites. You, brethren, are not in darkness, so that this day should overtake you as a thief. You are all sons of light and sons of the day. We are not of the night, nor of darkness. Therefore, let us not sleep as others do, but let us watch and be sober. Here's what we can do with this understanding. We can watch and be sober. Those who sleep, sleep at night, and those who get drunk are drunk at night. But let us who are of the day be sober, putting on the breastplate of faith and love, and as a helmet, the hope of salvation. So, we're not in the dark as far as the times that we're living in. We know what to expect. We don't have every detail how that will be filled in, but we have the broad skeletal outline of this prophetic puzzle. And pieces will continue to fall in place as we come on toward the end of this age. That gives us a lot of comfort to know what to expect in the immediate future. What Jesus foretold the times that we're living in, and He gave us advice on what we should do. And He also gave us prophecies that many of God's people are going to go to a place where they will be nourished and protected during this time. They're not going to be raptured up to heaven, but somewhere right here on this earth, they will be taken and be nourished and provided for. Let's go back to the book of Mark, and then we'll get to some verses in Revelation also. Mark 13. This is Mark's version of the Olivet prophecy. The same thing as you read in Matthew 24 and Luke 21. Matthew 13 and verse 14. Mark 13 and verse 14. When you see the abomination of desolation spoken up by Daniel the prophet, standing where it ought not. It's going to be in Jerusalem. Let the reader understand. And Matthew's account says, when you see the abomination spoken up by Daniel the prophet, standing in the holy place. Then let those in Judea flee to the mountains. Let him who is on the housetop not go down into the house, nor enter to take anything out of his house. Let's write down that this is at the time of the Great Tribulation, just moments before. Let him that is in the field not go back to get his garment. Woe to those that are pregnant and those nursing babies in those days. And pray that your flight may not be in the winter. And Matthew's account says, on the Sabbath day. There's a flight of some type here. A flight of God's people described. Verse 19 goes on to say, In those days there will be tribulation, such as has not been since the beginning of creation, which God created until this time, nor ever shall be. And unless the Lord has shortened those days, no flesh would be saved. But for the elect's sake, whom he chose, he shortened the days. Already God has planned to cut short this time before man would destroy himself.

So what does Jesus advise us to do? He does indicate that many of God's people then are going to flee. They're going to know when they see the abomination of desolation stand where it should not in the Holy Place. Who is that abomination of desolation? Go back to Daniel. It's that system that is going to rise up in Europe. It's going to become dominant at the end of this age.

It's the final revival of the Babylonian Empire, you might say, or the Roman Empire at the end of this age. And there's going to be a beast and a false prophet leading that system. When we see that system invading the Middle East and standing where it should not, then we will know we're right at the Great Tribulation.

And there's some kind of fleeing that is going to go on at that time. Now what should we do then? What advice did Jesus give? Let's read verse 32. Of that day and hour no one knows, neither the angels in heaven nor the Son, but only the Father. Take heed, watch, and pray, for you do not know when the time is.

God just doesn't let us know. We could bottom on out of this economic situation. We could buy more time by all the additional indebtedness our country is getting into. We could buy more time. I wouldn't be surprised to see us buy a bit more time, but we don't know for sure. Only the Father knows the time. It is like a man going to a far country who left his house and gave authority to his servants, and to each his work, and commanded the doorkeeper to watch.

Watch therefore. You have to be on the alert then. For you do not know when the master of the house is coming in the evening, at midnight, at the crowing of the rooster, or in the morning. Lest coming suddenly, he finds us sleeping. We don't want to be asleep at the switch. Not aware of what's going on.

We want to be well-versed in things like, are we living in the time of the end? The book of Revelation unveiled. The United States and Britain in Bible prophecy, and other writings of prophecy in the Bible. We want to be very alert and knowledgeable of Bible prophecy. Not be asleep. Not be watching. What I say to you, I say to all, watch. Of course, as we have often added to that, we should watch what is going on and be knowledgeable.

But the biggest thing to watch of all is that we continue growing, that we continue walking with God, our daily prayers and Bible study, and growing spiritually. Jesus told us to watch and pray. Be close to God. Walk with God, like Noah did. Noah lived in times like we lived in. Evil times, corrupt times. But you know, it says about Noah, just kind of summed up his lifestyle. Noah walked with God. In evil, corrupt times, let it be said of you and me, we are walking with God in evil and corrupt times, that parallel the times Noah was living in.

Jesus indicated there would be some type of a fleeing of God's people. Let's read also in Revelation 12 about that. Let me just say, as we are turning over to this, that there's a lot that we don't know about it, much more that we don't know about it than we do. At one time we knew more than we know now. But we didn't really know.

We just don't really know. But these verses are in the Bible. And there is a type of God watching out for His people during this time of trouble. It's not a rapture, but it certainly is watching out and caring for His people.

In Revelation 12 it talks about Satan, at the end of this age, being cast down to the earth. And verse 12 says, Rejoice, O heavens, and you who dwell in them, woe to the inhabitants of the earth and the sea. For the devil has come down to you having great wrath, because he knows that he has a short time. I don't think that we feel that this has happened yet.

I think when this does happen, we're going to really know. Because notice in verse 13, When the dragon saw that he had been cast to the earth, he persecuted the woman who gave birth to the male child. And then the woman was given two wings of a great eagle. Well, that's not happened yet. A woman that she might fly into the wilderness to her place, where she is nourished for time and times and half a time from the presence of the serpent. So God is going to watch out for his people. He's going to care for them. He's going to nourish them as it brings out here during that three and one-half year period. Not in a secret rapture, but in the wilderness somewhere right here on this earth.

You know, since God is going to watch over us then, do we need to have unnecessary fears and anxieties? Since we do have the knowledge and understanding of what to expect, we do not need to be afraid or frightened like Linda. Jesus said, fear not, little flock. He didn't promise it would be easy, though. There will be persecution. There will be difficulty, but fear not, little flock. He said, let not your heart be troubled. So we don't need to have fear or have a troubled heart.

Pardon the time that we are living into. You know, what we see now is just the beginning of sorrows. And already there are some people that have lost big investments. Some have committed suicide. I saw one man that had lost $700,000. Everything. He's working in a supermarket now. They actually interviewed him on CBS News, and he had a very positive attitude about what had happened to him. He had lost everything.

They had nothing. $700,000 in one of these schemes with either Madoff or Stanford. I can't remember which. And yet, he was working at a grocery store, handing out advertisements for, I guess, products in the store. And he had a big smile and was very positive about it. So I'd admire him for that. But all this is just the beginning of sorrows. Let's turn over to Luke 21. And it may not be at this time necessarily, but it could lead on.

And it does indicate here in Luke 21 that it's going to become a very difficult time before this all plays out. A very difficult time. In Luke 21 and verse 20, this is Luke's account of the Olivet prophecy. Luke 21 and verse 20, When you see Jerusalem surrounded by armies, then know that its desolation is near. Well, that's when the abomination of desolation will be set up and be where it should not be.

Stand in the holy place. Spoken up by Daniel the prophet. And you know the desolation is near. Let those in Judea flee to the mountains. Those who are in the midst of her depart. And let not those who are in the country enter her. For these are the days of vengeance, that all things which are written may be fulfilled. But woe to those who are pregnant and those who are nursing babies in those days. For there will be great distress in the land and wrath upon this people. And they shall fall by the edge of the sword.

We're talking about the captivity of Israel here. Same thing as in 1 Thessalonians 5 and in Jeremiah 30. They shall fall by the edge of the sword and be led away captive into all nations. And Jerusalem shall be trampled by Gentiles until the times of the Gentiles are fulfilled. So it's going to be a time of vengeance. It's going to be a time of captivity. In verse 25, as we come on toward the end of the great tribulation, it's going to get even more frightening. And during the day of the Lord, there will be signs in the sun, and in the moon, and in the stars, and on the earth distress of nations with perplexity.

Even nations are fighting it out, ready to destroy each other. The sea and the waves roaring. Tsunami-like waves roaring. Brethren, you know, at the end of this age, man, when he plays out sin to his ultimate, is ready to bring death upon the human race. Jesus said that no flesh would be saved alive. The way that seems right, as seems right, still seems right, for 6,000 years would end in the death of all of mankind. And this is right before that would happen. Signs in the sun, distress among nations with perplexity. Very serious situations of warfare between nations. The sea and the waves roaring. And notice how it's affecting people. Verse 26, men's hearts failing them from fear.

And the expectation of those things that are coming on the earth. For the powers of heaven shall be shaken. Man would be ready to deliver the final result of the choices he has made during these 6,000 years. The death penalty upon himself. The destruction of human life. But then God steps in, verse 27, they shall see the Son of Man coming in a cloud with power and great glory. What about us? What should be our reaction then? Well, verse 28 tells us what we should do. When these things begin to happen, maybe in one way of looking at it, they're beginning even now.

When these things begin to happen, then look up. And lift up your heads, because your redemption draws near. It takes a time for all of us to draw closer to God, the times that we're living in. Understanding where these things are leading in general. Again, there could be some kind of upturn, momentary. But knowing in general the direction these things are going to go, then as they develop, we should look up more than ever.

That means we should pray more often. We should lift up our heads to pray for God's Kingdom, which is our redemption and also the redemption of the world. God's people then are going to look to God. I tell you, our faith is going to be tested. Our trust will have to be firm and completely in God's deliverance. Our lives will need to be completely committed and yielded to Him. Jesus spoke about the fig tree the next few verses and how that when the buds start coming out, we know that summer is near. When you see these things happening, verse 31, you then know that the Kingdom of God is near.

Brethren, that's what all this means. We're closer to God's Kingdom than we've ever been before. Thank God for that. This generation won't pass. Verse 34 is a warning. Take heed to yourselves lest your hearts be weighed down with carousing, drunkenness and cares of this life and that day come on you unexpectedly. So it's a warning then that we don't let the physical cares and the frolicking of this world, the pleasure-seeking of this world, weigh down our hearts.

Our hope is not in this world. Our hope is not in this physical life. Our hope is in God's Kingdom and that which is to come. Going on down to verse 35, it will come as a snare upon those who dwell on the face of the whole earth. In verse 36, Jesus gives this advice, Watch therefore and pray always that you may be counted worthy to escape all these things that shall come to pass and to stand before the Son of Man.

We've always felt then that for those who are zealous in God's work, those who have their hearts in God's church and are growing spiritually, that there's going to be a way of escape. Now, does that mean that you and I then can just rest assured that we are going to be in a place where God will watch over and care for us during the Tribulation?

It does not. There's no individual guarantee that I or you will not suffer persecution and even death in the days ahead. No absolute guarantee on that at all. In Luke here, chapter 21 and verse 16, Jesus said, You will be betrayed even by parents and brothers, relatives and friends, and they will send some of you to your death. And in Revelation 12, we read of those who did not love their lives unto death.

So now there is no personal guarantee for you and me. Down through history, many of God's people have been put to death. In the faith chapter, it says that some of them were offered deliverance but turned it down. What about us? Is our faith that strong? They were offered deliverance. Hey, you don't have to suffer this death. You can be delivered from it. Just turn from God, deny God in His law and His way.

They were offered deliverance, it says, but they turned it down. We committed our life at baptism, and we're not in the church today to save our physical life. It may be that if we do God's will that He will hide us.

When verse in Zephaniah says, you never know, God may hide us in the day of His wrath, in the day of trouble ahead. Do you know, our life is in God's hands. We're God's servant. We surrendered our life to Him at baptism. We have entrusted everything to Him. Whether He keeps us alive until the second coming of Christ, or lets us suffer death before, is completely in His hands.

He's the boss. We're His servant. So how do we go ahead, or go forward, from these evil days that we're living in? Not with the fear and the fright that Linda has. The simple answer is with understanding what lies ahead, and with faith, total faith toward God. Go forward with understanding God's plan and purpose.

I was working it out 6,000 years of human history. And then they ended this age, and Christ will set up God's kingdom. And Christ and the saints will reign on the earth for 1,000 years, a time of great joy and peace. That understanding gives us something with great comfort and hope for the future. And this comfort and hope helps us to go forward with faith. Faith that God is with us, and He will continue to be with us in the evil days ahead.

So we truly do not need to fear. We do not need to be frightened. But you know, when you come right down to it, we're bound to have some apprehensions. Are we going to be able to pay the bills, be able to keep our house, be able to have food to eat, take care of all of our physical needs? We're bound to have some apprehensions. After all, we're just physical. If we come to a time of persecution and maybe facing death, even Jesus sweated great perspiration, like drops of blood, before His death, because He knew it was going to be painful, what He would go through, the scourging and the beating and the crucifixion.

I don't know that we were having the indication that Jesus was frightened or fearful, but He certainly realized what He had to face. So if we ever had to face that, I think we should keep this example in mind. He went through it with courage. He went through it bravely. I don't think He had the wrong kind of fear or fright. What about young people?

What kind of future do you have? Well, in this world, I don't think there is any future. This world is going down, down, down, and out. There's no future in this world. Young people, it's just like with all of us. The future is in God's church here and in God's Kingdom. You should set your mind as a young person on the Kingdom of God. You should come out of this evil world. Maybe some evil has been marketed to you. Satan the devil tries to get his values across.

If we're not warding off the devil, then he may succeed in marketing some of his evil to us. Young people, we should resist that. You should come out of the world and be separate and different. You should repent and believe the gospel. Be baptized once you reach adulthood. Receive God's Spirit and then grow and overcome. Prepare to reign with Christ in the Millennium. I think it's good, brethren, that we have looked at the age that we're living in today. What an age indeed it is!

It's very clear that it's an evil time. It's also clear that it is the time referred to in the Bible as the time of the end. It's also clear what we must be doing. The sermon, of course, is pointed toward the spiritual preparation exclusively. That's where the emphasis has to always be. I would like to read from Darius MacNeely's column in the current issue of World News and Prophecy, the February issue.

He talks about preparing like Joseph did. It says, the character of Joseph gives us insight into how we deal with the economic situation. It says, the best that you and I can do is to make sure we are discerning and wise in how we handle our money, jobs, and lives. Live within your means. When you understand what is at the heart of our current crisis, you see it's because so many people chose not to live within their income. They were persuaded to live on cheap and easy consumer credit and to take outlandish mortgages on property they could not really afford to buy and maintain.

It was greed, pure and simple. Circumstances are now dictating that we live within our income. The party is over. Just as Joseph put Egypt on a pay-as-you-go economy and saved for the lean years, so you and I put back some cash. Pay raises are not forthcoming, and if our jobs are downsized, we're going to need cash to see us through. Reduce expenses and save something out of each paycheck while you can. Each of us must learn from the character of Joseph and examine the policies he put in place to administer the economy of Egypt and guide it through a massive downturn.

God will bless your efforts to manage your money and your life when you obey His laws and principles of financial management. They were the basis for sound economic policies for Joseph, and they're the sound household policies for you and me today. God's financial principles can be understood and applied today. They will be the basis for economic prosperity when He sets His hand to restore all things in the coming Kingdom of God. Get a head start today and build your life on the sound financial foundation of the world to come. So, you know, I think there are some things we can do as far as money, jobs, career, saving, some of those good old solid biblical principles of managing wisely and properly and letting up for the future.

Not just spend, spend, spend lust for more and more and more, which has brought us to the point where we are now. So in the spiritual preparation that we emphasize, it's not to say that we should not try to do whatever physical preparation is wise, but not having that is our salvation at all. Just something that is right and proper to do, properly managing our physical affairs. In conclusion, let's turn over to Matthew 6. We get some good advice here on our overall mindset we need as we go on forward in these times that we are living in.

This is just an excellent mindset to always keep in mind. And it certainly does not involve fear as we see. We don't need to fear the future. We don't need to be frightened by it. We don't need to have anxieties and fears like this world has. In Matthew 6, verse 25, Therefore I say to you, do not worry about your life. Brother, we should not worry about our life.

We should do all we can do, of course. Stay close to God. Manage wisely. Leave it in His hands. Do not worry about your life, what you will eat or what you will drink, about your body, what you will put on. It's not life more than food and the body more than clothing. Look at the birds of the air. They don't sow or reap or gather into barns.

Sure, Heavenly Father feeds them. Are you not of more value than they? God takes care of the wild wife. Which of you by worry can add one cubit to His stature? Why do you worry about clothing? Consider the lilies, how they grow and neither toil or spin. I say that Solomon, in all his glory, was not a raid like one of these. If God so closed the grass of the field, which today is and tomorrow is thrown into the oven, will He not much more clothe you, O you of little faith? But, brethren, let us not be of little faith as we go on forward at the end of this age.

Let's go forward with understanding, let's say with a lot of understanding, Bible knowledge understanding. And let's go forward with a strong faith that God is watching over us and caring for us, even if He were to allow us to be persecuted and put to death. He will be with us every step of the way. So we don't need to worry. Let us be not those of little faith.

Therefore, do not worry. We're just not supposed to worry, are we? Do not worry, saying, what shall we eat, or what shall we drink, or what shall we wear? For after all these things the Gentiles seek, for your heavenly Father knows that you need all these things. And He certainly will take care of us every step of the way. Whatever happens. But just our mindset is in verse 33. It's a spiritual one. Seek first the kingdom of God and His righteousness, and all these things shall be added to you. God will take care of the physical part. Therefore, do not worry about tomorrow, for tomorrow will worry about its own things. Sufficient for the day is its own trouble.

So, let us go forward then with a good understanding of God's Word and what lies ahead. Let's go forward with a strong faith that God is going to watch out and care for us if we are His children striving to do His will.

Praying daily, walking with God with a childlike obedience and trust. Children don't worry, do they? We're God's children. We don't need to worry. So, let us have that childlike obedience and trust. Yes, trust. We committed and entrusted our lives to the living God when we were baptized. And let us continue to commit and entrust our lives to Him in the evil days ahead.