Trouble Ahead

It is an interesting time that we are living in now. I have noticed more and more that people are having a hard time. When I talk to my neighbours or my friends or listen to the radio talk shows, people are saying that they are having many troubles. Many have health problems; many are having financial difficulties, and many have family or addiction problems. These problems appear to be getting worse and the worldly systems have no answers for these problems. We can temporarily fix some of them, but more problems rear their ugly heads along the way. I believe we will have even more serious troubles ahead. The world is in upheaval and people don’t know what to do. Many are just hoping someone else will fix the problem, so they go on living life in their prideful ways without any thought to what is really going on with the world. We as Christians can see how far we have gone away from our moral values and it is hard to see how this falling away is affecting our families. Many young people who have been brought up in Christian homes and gone to church are abandoning the church and their faith. Hopefully as time goes on and things continue to get worse, they will come back to their faith in God. The stress in people’s lives is also having a great affect on their health and mental state. This is causing much anger and frustration in their lives which affects families and co-workers, etc. There has also been an increase in suicides, especially among young people, and this is devastating families. Many are also feeling the effects of an inadequate justice system which many times gives no justice to the victim. Families and friends are left feeling that their loved one or friend has not had proper justice. Our societies are breaking down and we are struggling to survive in a world of chaos, not knowing what is next. We also don’t know what the effects of the new technology such as 5G will have on us. There is some controversy about how safe it really is and the security surrounding it’s implementation.

There have been major earth events that are becoming too numerous to mention. Lately there has been extreme flooding in Venice, terrible fires in Australia which have killed many of their Koala’s, who are already struggling to survive, terrible fires in California that came so fast that people struggled to get their families, horses, etc. out in time. Currently, at the time of writing this article, there is terrible flooding in Europe and the UK with more to come. Terrible winter weather warnings are also being reported for the central and mid-west, as well as east coast of the USA. “The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) had already, by September declared 2019 the wettest year on record in the U.S. and along with record flooding in Russia this August and October, leaves one to wonder, just where is all this rain coming from? ”(thebigwobble.org Nov. 27, 2019). “As storm Ezekiel moved in, a record low pressure was recorded in Crescent City. The weather service said it appears to be the lowest ever recorded in California, based on unofficial records. The storm met the criteria for a bomb cyclone as it moved toward the coasts of Northern California and southern Oregon, meaning its pressure dropped rapidly. The Weather Channel has named the system Winter Storm Ezekiel. Hundreds of drivers were stranded on interstates in California and Oregon as blizzard-like conditions caused white-outs and piled-up snow. “(thebigwobble.org Nov. 28, 2019)

There have been many magnitudes 6.0 and over earthquakes this year all over the planet. Volcanoes are also coming alive after many years of no activity. It does appear we are in for a rocky ride in 2020. So much uncertainty with the nations arguing with each other and it feels like war could break out at any time.

I like what Micah 7:1-7 says. It feels like it could be today. “Woe is me! for I am as when they have gathered the summer fruits, as the grapegleanings of the vintage: there is no cluster to eat: my soul desired the firstripe fruit. The good man is perished out of the earth: and there is none upright among men: they all lie in wait for blood; they hunt every man his brother with a net. That they may do evil with both hands earnestly, the prince asketh, and the judge asketh for a reward; and the great man, he uttereth his mischievous desire: so they wrap it up. The best of them is as a brier: the most upright is sharper than a thorn hedge: the day of thy watchmen and thy visitation cometh; now shall be their perplexity. Trust ye not in a friend, put ye not confidence in a guide: keep the doors of thy mouth from her that lieth in thy bosom. For the son dishonoureth the father, the daughter riseth up against her mother, the daughter in law against her mother in law; a man’s enemies are the men of his own house. Therefore I will look unto the LORD; I will wait for the God of my salvation: my God will hear me.”

We, as watchmen, must be ready to warn people of what is happening today. The Lord will guide us during these times of great trouble, and we must listen for His voice to do His will and not our own. It is a time like no other and only He can help us. Joel 2:30-32 gives us this warning, “And I will shew wonders in the heavens and in the earth, blood, and fire, and pillars of smoke. The sun shall be turned into darkness, and the moon into blood, before the great and terrible day of the LORD come. And it shall come to pass, that whosoever shall call on the name of the LORD shall be delivered: for in mount Zion and in Jerusalem shall be deliverance, as the LORD hath said, and in the remnant whom the LORD shall call.”