A Reminder Of Who Is In Control

It is so easy to get caught up in our daily watch, which frankly, is often depressing. Let's face it - the vast majority of prophecy watching involves immersion in some pretty depressing news. Of course we are focused on the good news of what awaits us, presumably in the near-term future, but prior to that we have to continue to live in the shadow of the Tribulation and that is a dark place. 

The so-called "leaders" of the nations are almost a parody of true leadership as we watch them continue to build towards globalism, totalitarianism, oppression, enslavement, poverty, and all of the wonderful things that go along with "progressive socialism". 

But we have to always remember who is really in control and how everything we see happening in the world today is part of a highly orchestrated plan - a plan that has a very very good ending for anyone who has accepted the gift of salvation. 

A few scriptures make the point:

Psalm 33:

"Let all the earth fear the Lord; let all the people of the world revere Him. 

For He spoke and it came to be; He commanded and it stood firm.

The Lord foils the plans of the nations;

He thwarts the purposes of the peoples.

But the plans of the Lord stand firm, forever,

the purposes of His heart for generations.

From heaven the Lord looks down and sees all of mankind;

from His dwelling place He watches all who live on earth -- 

He who forms the hearts of all, who considers everything they do.

But the eyes of the Lord are on those who fear Him, 

on those whose hope is in His unfailing love,

to deliver them from death and keep them alive in famine,

We wait in hope for the Lord, He is our help and our shield.

In Him our hearts rejoice for we trust in His holy name.

May your unfailing love rest upon us, O Lord, 

even as we put our hope in you. "

Isaiah 43

"Fear not, for I have redeemed you; I have summoned you by name; 

you are mine. 

When you pass through the waters, I will be with you;

And when you pass through the rivers, they will not sweep over you

When you walk through the fire, you will not be burned; the flames will not set you ablaze. 

For I am the Lord, your God, the Holy One of Israel, your savior. "

1 Thessalonians 5

"For God did not appoint us to suffer wrath but to receive salvation through our Lord Jesus Christ, He died for us so that whether we are awake or asleep, we may live together with Him. 

Therefore encourage one another and build each other up, just as in fact you are doing"

2 Peter 2-3

"...if He did not spare the ancient world when He brought the flood on its ungodly people, but protected Noah, a preacher of righteousness, and seven others;

if He condemned the cities of Sodom and Gomorrah by burning them to ashes, and made them an example of what is going to happen to the ungodly;

and if He rescued Lot, a righteousness man...

-- if this is so, then the Lord knows how to rescue godly men from trials and to hold the unrighteous for the day of judgment, while continuing their punishment. 

First of all, you must understand that in the last days scoffers will come, scoffing and following their own evil desires. They will say, 

'Where is this coming He promised? Ever since our fathers died, everything goes on as it has since the creation.' 

But they deliberately forget that long ago by God's word, the heavens existed and the earth was formed out of water and by water.

By these waters also the world of that time was deluged and destroyed. 

2 Peter 1

"And we have the word of the prophets made more certain, and you will do well to pay attention to it, as a light shining in a dark place...

Above all, you must understand that no prophecy of scripture came about by the prophet's own interpretation. For prophecy never had its origin in the will of man, but men spoke from God as they were carried along by the Holy Spirit."