Jonathan Brentner
My heart ached this past Monday morning as I read about the chaos and lawlessness near the White House. I felt both anger and fear as I saw pictures of violence and deadly attacks on law enforcement in cities throughout the United States.
It was not until I read several Psalms (especially Psalm 27) and about Jesus’ promises return that my heart began to settle down and my focus changed from the rioters to my hope in Jesus and His coming reign in this world.
During the past week the Lord has reassured me through a variety of passages from Scripture and I needed all of them this week. Besides Psalm 46:10, I found encouragement in these verses.We have the prophetic words of the ancient prophets, of Jesus, and of the apostles that speak to the time in which we live.
The anarchy in the United States, wars in the Middle East, and famines that rage across Africa represent a mere prelude to the coming tribulation when things will be exponentially worse. Jesus said this in Luke 21:28, “Now when these things begin to take place, straighten up and raise your heads, because your redemption is drawing near.”
If there ever was a time to look up, it is now!!
One would not think that Acts 27:25 has anything to do with prophecy, but I would beg to differ.
The setting of this verse is the shipwreck the Apostle Paul endured on his way to Rome. The storm the ship encountered was so fierce that Acts 27:20 says that “all hope of our being saved was at last lost.” However, in answer to the pleas of Paul, the Lord assured him that no one on the ship would lose their life.
As the apostle relayed this message of hope to those on board the doomed ship, he ended with these words, “So take heart, men, for I have faith in God that it will be exactly as I have been told.”
As we look at the world today, we see no visible evidence that the Lord is about take His church home, judge the entire world, and bring Israel to faith in her true Messiah. Yes, we see conditions exactly as Scripture predicts for the last days, but we do not yet see His direct intervention.
This is where the words of Acts 27:25 spoke to me. I know rapture, tribulation, and Second Coming will happen “exactly as I have been told” in the words of Scripture. We hope for things we do not see, but because of our confidence in God’s Word, we wait “with patience” (Rom. 8:23-25).
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