What's Happening? Our Country Is A Mess!!

What should we do? Counter protest the counter protesters? Buy a gun and get ready to fight? Read the news and tell everyone we know how idiotic the other side is? Or just get angry because THEY don't understand and THEY are destroying our country!!!

Jesus has the answer. He always does.

Set your minds on the things that are above, not on the things that are on earth. - Colossians 3:2

Do not worry then, saying, "What are we to eat?" or "What are we to drink?" or "What are we to wear for clothing?" For the Gentiles eagerly seek all these things; for your heavenly Father knows that you need all these things. But seek first His kingdom and His righteousness, and all these things will be provided to you. - Matthew 6:31-33

Everything seems to be falling apart and the future looks bleak. What should we do? The answer is: focus our attention on Jesus and things above.

What's Happening?

What's wrong with our world? Even those who hate God have noticed that we seem to have run off the rails. Has Jesus deserted us? What explanations might there be for what we see happening today?

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Possibility 1: God has lost control, Satan has taken over, and things are spiraling out of control:

This is not going to happen.

God is not the source of evil, but God does use all things so that they work together to accomplish His will. Nothing happens on its own... absolutely nothing, unless God allows it to happen.

We know that God causes all things to work together for good to those who love God, to those who are called according to His purpose. - Romans 8:28

Many are the plans in the mind of a man, but it is the purpose of the Lord that will stand. - Proverbs 19:21

Fear not, for I am with you; be not dismayed, for I am your God; I will strengthen you, I will help you, I will uphold you with my righteous right hand. - Isaiah 41:10

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Possibility 2: We are in a Romans 1 condition, and God is turning us over (as a nation) to our naturally depraved minds:

This situation is described in Romans 1:18-32. When people as a nation turn away from God, He then turns away from them by withdrawing His restraint on sin. It happens in three stages. Verses 28 through 32 describe the third stage:

And just as they did not see fit to acknowledge God, God gave them up to a depraved mind, to do those things that are not proper, people having been filled with all unrighteousness, wickedness, greed, and evil; full of envy, murder, strife, deceit, and malice; they are gossips, slanderers,haters of God, insolent, arrogant, boastful, inventors of evil, disobedient to parents, without understanding, untrustworthy, unfeeling, and unmerciful; and although they know the ordinance of God, that those who practice such things are worthy of death, they not only do the same, but also approve of those who practice them. - Romans 1:28-32

When people, as a nation, reject God, He shows them what life is like without Him. As He removes His restraint on sin, life becomes crazier and more difficult... exactly what we see happening today. In the past eventually life would get so crazy and hard, that people turn back to God, crying out to Him to save them from the death, disease, war, and the total insanity in which they are trying to survive. God then increases His restraint of sin, things return to "normal," and people praise God and promise to never turn away from Him again. We see this cycle, for example, in the book of Judges (and throughout history).

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Possibility 3: We are in the preamble to the seven year tribulation:

This is a real possibility, and the belief that this may be happening is common among Christians.

What is the seven year tribulation?

"The tribulation is a future seven-year period of time when God will finish His discipline of Israel and finalize His judgment of the unbelieving world. The church, made up of all who have trusted in the person and work of the Lord Jesus to save them from being punished for sin, will not be present during the tribulation. The church [All Christians] will be removed from the earth in an event known as the rapture." - quoted from www.GotQuestions.org

During the Seven Year Tribulation things will get worse and worse. There will be wars, famine, natural disasters, diseases, and an oppressive world-wide government. The book of Revelation, chapters 5 through 19 describe this time. Many Christians believe that what we are seeing today is the lead-in to this seven year period. For the first time in all of history, all of the prophetic conditions, described in scripture as existing when the Tribulation time starts, now exist.

What is the solution? What Should We Do?

Whatever is happening, whether it is #2 or #3 above, or something else, THE ANSWER IS THE SAME. The answer is ALWAYS JESUS. Our minds need to be on the things that are above. Our actions need to be that of proclaiming the gospel to all the world. That is the reason you are still here... that you still live. The number of people who will be saved has not reached completeness. God has more people that He will save and with whom we need to share the good news about Jesus Christ.

And always keep in mind that our desired solution is usually not God's solution. We tend toward answers that bring us comfort. God's answers have to do with salvation from sin, defeating death, and His glory, not ours. Scripture says, don't worry. God will provide, and His purposes will be accomplished. That is what is important.

Set your minds on the things that are above, not on the things that are on earth. - Colossians 3:2

What are we to do? What is the answer to a world plunging into insanity? The answer is ALWAYS JESUS!