It’s funny how naïve I can be, even at my age! Yet I am always surprised when I see how gullible we can be and how easily we can fall into the traps of the enemy. For myself, I am learning how to look for truth in the midst of all of the hyped-up messages being fed to the masses via news networks on television, radio and the internet. There is a lot of ‘junk’ to wade through and some of it that is so loudly denounced often turns out to be so very true.

A lot of what is out there has the primary purpose of keeping the masses distracted away from what is really going on. Most of it is intended to either outrage or terrify, and sometimes both. Like sheep being led to the slaughter people will believe what they are told to believe and will react, predictably, just as the purveyors of terror want them to react. It is sometimes so very sad to see that even Christians, who are supposed to know who holds the future and even have it written out for them, can become so gripped by fear that it paralyzes them.

Jeremiah 29:11   For I know the plans I have for you, says the Lord, plans for peace, and not evil, to give you a hope and a future.

Peace. Hope. Future. That is the Lord’s plan for us.

Within the Christian community these days the cry of ‘Rapture’ and ‘Tribulation’ and ‘End of Days’ is so loud it is deafening. Everywhere I turn – whether to television or radio or internet – Christian leaders and laymen are pleading, crying, and shouting about the last days. The end is near (or here, depending upon who you listen to). I heard one person shouting his message from a pulpit, giving scripture and citing specific current day events that absolutely confirmed (at least, to him) that the rapture was imminent and Christ’s return just a matter of days! “Get Ready!” he shouted. And shouted. And shouted.

Jeremiah 29:11   For I know the plans I have for you, says the Lord, plans for peace, and not evil, to give you a hope and a future.

Fear mongers. As any Christian knows the work of Christ is a work of grace. There is nothing to ‘get ready’ for – a true believer is already saved and is resting in that assurance, and no amount of getting ready is going to change their position in the Kingdom of God. We are either saved or we’re not – it is not possible to work our way into the Kingdom or to perform some acts of penance for the way we have lived. Either we are living for Christ or we aren’t – there is no middle ground. So, if you are a true believer, you are already ‘ready’.

Beloved, Christ is coming again and yes, He is going to call His true church out of the world before that happens. BUT – no one knows when that will be and even though it appears the world is spiraling out of control that is no reason to fear if you know Jesus, because He has a plan for you, to give you peace and hope and a future.

If you DON’T know Jesus or have chosen not to accept Him, or if you made a profession of faith but have never truly gotten to know Him or lived for Him, I encourage you to reconsider. We don’t want to be unprofitable servants. There is a peace available to those who know Him that goes beyond all understanding, and in the midst of these storms you can walk in His peace and joy, in the assurance that your future is secure in His hands.

If you DO know Jesus, I encourage you to get out among the masses and spread His peace. They are in desperate need of voices of reason and sanity amidst all the insanity.