“He will swallow up death [and abolish it] for all time. And the Lord God will wipe away tears from all faces, And He will take away the disgrace of His people from all the earth; For the Lord has spoken.” (Isaiah 25:8 AMP)
“Of the past 3,400 years of recorded history, humans have been war-free for only 268 years, or 8% of them.
“Cain was violent first. We are violent still. Yet in the last few decades, the world has seen violence escalate to new levels. The phrase “nation against nation, kingdom against kingdom” is a Hebrew idiom for a world war. A global conflict is a signal of the coming end of this age. Have we seen this? Yes. Twice in the last century the conflict was so universal it earned the phrase World War. More people died from war in the 20th Century than in all other centuries combined.
“We live in ever-present fear of worldwide destruction. Let one person press one button and nuclear disaster could happen. Russia has invaded Ukraine. China is threatening Taiwan. Israel feels pinched by Hamas to the south and Hezbollah to the North…[I Googled:] “How Many Nations Have Nuclear Weapons?” The answer: nine! According to one report, “The warheads on just one U.S. nuclear-armed submarine have seven times the destructive power of all the bombs dropped during World War II, including the two atomic bombs dropped on Japan.” I’m just full of good news, aren’t I?
“I actually have good news, great news.
“Here it is: Jesus, the one who warned of these days will deliver us from these days. The birth pains will continue. The frequency of deception and division will increase, but Jesus will protect us until he comes, and He will deliver us once he comes. For that reason, Jesus spoke this next phrase, “See to it that you are not troubled” (Mt.24:6). How can we do this?
“First make sure that you are saved. Jesus Christ died on the cross for sinners like you and me. “He does not want anyone to be lost, but he wants all people to change their hearts and lives.” (2 Pet. 3:9). Have you surrendered your heart to him? If not, do so. He loves you. You were not made to experience the coming chaos. We are nearing the end. You do not want to face the final hours with no Savior. Tell him that you are a sinner, and He is a Savior. “…everyone who calls upon the Lord shall be saved…” (Rom. 10:13).
“Next, “Pray for peace in Jerusalem“ (Ps. 122:6.) Israel is special to God by covenant. Jesus was born there. He died there. He rose from and will return there. It’s no wonder that the tiny nation of Israel has been the most disputed land in history. It is the staging ground of God’s story of salvation. Pray urgently for the nation of Israel.
“And, lastly, don’t panic. Don’t let the chaos weigh you down. Hold on. Hang tight. Hold fast to Scriptures like this one from Psalm 37 [NCV].
8 Don’t get angry.
Don’t be upset; it only leads to trouble.
9 Evil people will be sent away,
but those who trust the Lord will inherit the land.
10 In a little while the wicked will be no more.
You may look for them, but they will be gone.
11 People who are not proud will inherit the land
and will enjoy complete peace.
12 The wicked make evil plans against good people.
They grind their teeth at them in anger.
13 But the Lord laughs at the wicked,
because he sees that their day is coming.
“See to it that you are not troubled” Jesus told us. Let’s do just that. Get right with God. Pray for Israel. And don’t panic. God is still on His throne.” – Max Lucado*
God,
In this day and hour it is easy to move into a place of panic and fear. The world seems so dark and chaotic, so filled with violence and injustice, sorrow, pain, and death. Yet, you call us to lift up our eyes to the heavens, to You, the Creator of all things. There is no one to compare to you; you have no equal or rival. Because of your great power and mighty strength you call forth the stars of the heavens by name. If you can do that, you can hear our prayers for this crazy world. So, we lift up our eyes to you, Maker of heaven and earth, the One from whom our help comes. You will not let our feet slip on the turmoil of the earth. You watch over us and shield us from harm. Today we claim your promises that you will remove the wicked, sending them away, as you laugh at them. We thank you that in a little while they will be no more, and those who trust in the Lord will inherit the earth. We thank you that all who call upon your name, those who believe in their hearts and confess with their mouths that Jesus is Lord, are saved from sin. We thank you that Holy Spirit grows within believers the love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, gentleness, faithfulness and self control we need, healing us and crowding out all fear. Today we, again, pray for the peace of Jerusalem, Israel, the Gaza Strip, and all of the Middle East. Tamp down passionate fires of destruction. Eliminate sources of weapons or funding for terror. Protect civilians from further death, disruption, or destruction. Give rulers and decision-makers your godly wisdom and counsel. Protect your people in all places from fear, evil, war, and strife, we ask in Jesus’s name, AMEN.
“To whom will you compare me?
Or who is my equal?” says the Holy One.
Lift up your eyes and look to the heavens:
Who created all these?
He who brings out the starry host one by one
and calls forth each of them by name.
Because of his great power and mighty strength,
not one of them is missing.” (Isaiah 40:25-26 NIV)
“I lift up my eyes to the mountains—
where does my help come from?
My help comes from the Lord,
the Maker of heaven and earth.
He will not let your foot slip—
he who watches over you will not slumber;
indeed, he who watches over Israel
will neither slumber nor sleep.
The Lord watches over you—
the Lord is your shade at your right hand;
the sun will not harm you by day,
nor the moon by night.
The Lord will keep you from all harm—
he will watch over your life;
the Lord will watch over your coming and going
both now and forevermore. (Psalm 121 NIV)
“If you declare with your mouth, “Jesus is Lord,” and believe in your heart that God raised him from the dead, you will be saved. For it is with your heart that you believe and are justified, and it is with your mouth that you profess your faith and are saved.” (Romans 10:9-10 NIV)
“But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, forbearance, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness and self-control.” (Galatians 5:22-23 NIV)
“This is how love is made complete among us so that we will have confidence on the day of judgment: In this world we are like Jesus. There is no fear in love. But perfect love drives out fear, because fear has to do with punishment. The one who fears is not made perfect in love.” (1 John 4:17-18 NIV)
*https://www.foxnews.com/opinion/pastor-world-wounded-worried-weary-respond