{"id":7286,"date":"2021-01-15T19:00:57","date_gmt":"2021-01-16T00:00:57","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/christskingdom.org\/staging\/8402\/?p=7286"},"modified":"2026-06-06T15:27:44","modified_gmt":"2026-06-06T19:27:44","slug":"processing-the-present-tough-times","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/christskingdom.org\/staging\/8402\/processing-the-present-tough-times\/","title":{"rendered":"Processing the Present Tough Times (204)"},"content":{"rendered":"\t\t
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Processing the Present Tough Times<\/h1>\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t
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By Steven J. Hogan<\/p>\n

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~ A Saturday Morning Post #204 ~

<\/em>These are extremely tough times, very difficult days for those living in the United States. There\u2019s the Covid virus, children still not in school, the election controversy, the Capitol riot, the impeachment, freedoms being taken away, and the greatest political division since the Civil War. These things can lead to worry, anger, and being overwhelmed, unless you look to the Lord and are trusting Him. But how does God want you to process what\u2019s presently happening in our country? What does He want you to do?

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* Fix your eyes on Jesus.<\/strong> Look to Jesus and cast your cares on Him instead of trying to figure everything out. Love Him and stay close to Him. And ask God to give you the peace He wants you to have. \u201cBe still and know that I am God, I will be exalted among the nations.\u201d<\/em> Ps. 46:10, Phil. 4:4-6, 1 Pet. 5:7

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* Know that God is sovereign. <\/strong>When troubles abound, know that God is still in control, that He reigns, that His will is being carried out, that all things are going according to His plan. \u201cHe does according to His will in the host of heaven and among the inhabitants of earth; and no one can ward off His hand or say to Him, \u2018What have you done?\u2019\u201d <\/em>Dan. 4:35, Is. 46:9-11

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* See the big picture. <\/strong>\u201cGod changes the times and the epochs; He removes kings and establishes kings; He gives wisdom to wise men and knowledge to men of understanding\u201d (<\/em>Dan. 2:21). What\u2019s been going on in our country these past 50-60 years has been ordained by God. A humanistic educational system, a rapid decline in morality, a growing socialistic government, increasing globalism, technological advancements, and super-quick communication – God is sovereign over it all. All the leaders we have had, and now the new President – God is sovereign over this as well. And God wants to give you wisdom, which means He wants you to know where all this is headed, that His Son, Jesus Christ, is coming back and will establish His kingdom on this earth. \u201cThe God of heaven will set up a kingdom which will never be destroyed\u201d<\/em> (Dan. 2:44). \u201cHis kingdom will be an everlasting kingdom, and all rulers will worship and obey Him.\u201d<\/em> Dan. 7:27, Rev. 11:15

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* Know where it all leads. <\/strong>Everything that\u2019s been taking place, whether it has to do with the past 50-60 years, 2020, or what\u2019s been happening in the past few weeks, relates to God\u2019s plans for the future. It may be puzzling to you, but not to God, for all things, all people, all events, all problems, all countries, all the puzzle pieces, are fitting together in just the way He has planned, and are all leading to that time when Christ returns, raptures the church, judges the world, and sets up His kingdom on this earth. \u201c\u2026 with a view to an administration suitable to the fulness of times, that is, the summing up of all things in Christ, things in the heavens and things on the earth. In Him also we have obtained an inheritance, having been predestined according to His purpose who works all things after the counsel of His will.\u201d<\/em> Eph. 1:9-11

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* Don\u2019t worry about evil people. <\/strong>Don\u2019t fret, for God will deal with those who are wicked, and if they don\u2019t repent, will judge them. \u201cEvildoers will be cut off, but those who wait for the Lord, they will inherit the land\u201d<\/em> (Ps. 37:9-15, 11:5-7). While rulers may think they have all this power and can do whatever they want, God knows they are but fools. He is laughing at them, scoffing at them, and warning them to repent or else. God wants them, and us, to know that He has already installed His Son as the true and future King over this entire world. Psalm 2

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* Understand Biblical prophecy. <\/strong>God has already told you everything you need to know about the future. \u201cTake heed; behold, I have told you everything ahead of time\u201d<\/em> (Mark 13:23). All that God wants you to know about what will be happening before Christ\u2019s coming is found in His word, in Matt. 24, Luke 21, 1-2 Thess., Daniel, and Revelation. In these years leading up to Christ\u2019s return, there will be birth pains, false teachers, increasing lawlessness, the signing of a treaty, the building of a Jewish temple, that devilish Antichrist, great tribulation, and finally, signs in the heavens signaling the end of this age. And all that is now taking place and will take place in our world must be seen in the context of these end-times\u2019 Bible prophecies. Don\u2019t worry, be at peace, for God is working all things together for your good, and for His purposes and glory. Rom. 8:28-29

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* Don\u2019t get caught up in conspiracy thinking. <\/strong>Isaiah 8:12-13 warns us, \u201cYou are not to say, \u2018It is a conspiracy!\u2019 in regard to all that this people call a conspiracy, and you are not to fear or be in dread of it. It is the Lord of hosts whom you should regard as holy, and He shall be your fear.\u201d<\/em> Many people are speculating, saying things that may or may not be true, but you don\u2019t know for sure. Be very careful to what you listen to, things political or spiritual, things that may sound interesting, but oftentimes are far-fetched, and seem un-believable. In these days, do not waste your time on fantastical theories, do not be led astray by worldly ideas. May God\u2019s prophetic word give you the right perspective, a proper framework by which you can know what is right and wrong, can discern what is true and false. Trust the Lord, and not men. Focus on God\u2019s word, and not human words. 2 Tim. 2:14-18, 1 John 4:6

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* Christ is building the church. <\/strong>\u201cI will build My church, and the gates of Hades will not overcome it\u201d <\/em>(Matt. 16:18). When you think about this country and the world we live in, you may get discouraged and wonder if God is winning, if His work is really being carried out. This verse is to remind and encourage you that God, through Jesus Christ, is doing exactly what He wants to do. His plans for the church are precisely and perfectly being carried out, and will never be thwarted by the devil or anyone else. Prov. 21:30, Is. 46:9-11

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* Do the work God gives you to do. <\/strong>\u201cDo business with this until I come back\u201d<\/em> (Luke 19:13). It\u2019s easy to be distracted and think too much about what\u2019s going on in the world. But be thinking about what God wants you to do, and keep building your part of the wall. This means loving Christ, living for Christ, being in a good church, using your spiritual gift, and being united with others in making disciples. Neh. 4; Matt. 28:19-20; Eph. 2:10 \u00a0

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* God\u2019s word is not chained. <\/strong>\u201cI suffer hardship even to imprisonment as a criminal; but the word of God is not chained\u201d<\/em> (2 Tim. 2:9). There is no doubt that the devil is at work, and wants to prevent you and all Christians from preaching the word. When you see and hear of his evil activity, don\u2019t fret or fear, but remember that God is the Lord God Almighty and the Chief Communicator, and that His word, His gospel message, will be preached and will bear fruit. But be wise, keep praying, and persevere in getting God\u2019s word out to the lost, to the unsaved. Mark 13:9-11, Phil. 1:12-18

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What a time to be alive! The church age will soon come to an end, but lots needs to happen and much work still needs to be done. Stay close to God and to Christians, keep the big picture in mind, be led by the Spirit, and keep doing the work God has assigned you to do. And it may be that Christ\u2019s return and the rapture of the church is much closer than you think. \u201cDo this, understanding the present time. The hour has come for you to wake up from your slumber, because our salvation is nearer now than when we first believed. The night is nearly over, the day is almost here. Therefore, let us lay aside the deeds of darkness and put on the armor of light.\u201d<\/em> Romans 13:11-12

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P.S. I hope and pray that you are excited to be living in the end-times, and that you are learning what God wants you to know, and are doing what He wants you to do. “What the Bible Says About the Future”<\/a> <\/em>is a great summary of God’s plans for these years leading up to Christ’s return, and what comes after that.<\/p>\n\n

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