Foreboding and Hope

And there shall be signs in the sun, and in the moon,
and in the stars; and upon the earth distress of nations,
with perplexity; the sea and the waves roaring. 
Luke 21:25 

As another year gets ready to end, I want to confess and declare that God has been faithful to me... 

He has kept me from harm, but not from problems. Likewise, He has kept Satan from destroying me, but not from his attacks. Because it is by enduring our difficult situations and circumstances that the Christian will develop patience and a strong faith. And it is during times of intense spiritual warfare that the believer learns how to properly wear the full armor of God, and to correctly use his God given weapons of prayer and the Scriptures.

So, while my heart is filled with hope and anticipation at the coming of the Lord, which day no man could ever know, I also have a deep sense of foreboding about the things that may be coming upon the earth.

The year ahead, I believe, will consist of many storms, persecutions and temptations, along with an array of challenging situations. It will be a year for the Christian's faith to be tested through much hardship. Yet there will be seasons for rest and rejuvenation. In addition, it will also be a time for the church to be purged from sin, but to grow in holiness, as well.

Therefore, with these things in mind, I pray for safe passage for my family and friends, and for the church, and for my nation. I pray as well for many Jews and Gentiles to embrace the Lord Jesus Christ in the days to come, especially as so many things seem to be falling apart all around us.

D.B.