IS THERE ANY HOPE FOR THE FUTURE?
Is it unreasonable to ask such a question? No. Why should it be?
The world we’re living in is not a happy place. In the last three years particularly, the world has changed and become much more 
unstable than before. Delusional thinking has resulted in right being wrong and wrong right. Selfish attitudes and irrational decisions have caused misery for millions of people globally – a virtually global cost of living crisis, careers and livelihoods destroyed, health issues that are getting out of hand, not to mention climate issues (which are really not issues at all – but made to look like issues) leading to food and fuel shortages, just to mention a few.
Increased levels of suicide, especially amongst younger people is very disturbing to see. Based on what we have been seeing in the last year or so, particularly, increased animosity towards Bible-believing Christians (even from within the church!!!) and ever-increasing antisemitism. Laws being changed to accommodate non-Biblical values and anti-Christian stances.
The global economy is not even remotely stable anymore and there is an ever-increasing push towards a global digital currency – a one world economic system. And talking about one world – have you noticed there is not a single strong world leader – someone
that one can call a true “world leader” – a great void. Therefore, the world being in the confused and chaotic state it is, is crying out for a world leader who has answers to all these and many other issues AND the power to get some order back – a “Mr Fix-it” for want of a better word, the world in general will accept that person with open arms.
Am I being cynical? No, I am being a realist.
So, what hope is there then?
The sad, sad situation in our world today is that people are writing God out of the equation.
God has provided incredible guidelines in His Word which would solve a myriad of the problems we are facing today IF His Word, His Guidelines would be followed and adhered to. So many issues would be resolved if we would be obedient to His Word. Sadly, people have ignored the Book of Books, have decided for themselves what is relevant for today and ditched the rest, know little about the Bible or prefer to treat it as a great literary work rather than Life’s Handbook from the Author of Life Himself!
I believe (as do many true Christians) that the Lord’s return is very, very close. No, we cannot say the day or the hour, BUT the Lord Jesus Himself warned that we could tell the general period of His return. Never before have things been so ready for all the end-time scenarios to fall into place. In fact, the Bible in 2 Timothy 3 tells us that things will go from bad to worse! Someone recently compared events in the last days to a pack of dominoes. They are all closely stacked up together and once the first domino falls, the others will fall in rapid succession. I have no doubt that we have never been closer to the return of the Lord Jesus Christ than we are right now.
An overview of world events can be very briefly described as follows: the Church (true believers in the Lord Jesus Christ, those who have put their trust in Him as Saviour) will be caught up to meet the Lord in the air (commonly known as The Rapture). Once this has happened, the Antichrist will emerge (Global Leader). He will confirm a covenant with Israel which will set in motion the Tribulation Period of 7 years. Half way through the 7-year tribulation, the Antichrist breaks the covenant with Israel and he shows his true evil and diabolical colours. At the end of the 7 years, Christ returns to deal with the Christ-rejecting world (and the Antichrist, his False Prophet) and to set up His Millennial Kingdom (the thousand-year reign of Christ).
The Bible describes the times and attitudes of people in the world we are living in now so accurately.
I could say SO much more, but to get back to the question I asked at the start of this article: “Is there really hope for the future?”
Yes. There certainly is! But there is one way and only one way.
If we as individuals have accepted the Lord Jesus Christ as our personal Saviour, we have the hope of eternal life where we will be forever with the Lord. Whilst we are still here upon this earth, God’s Word does NOT teach us that all will go smoothly and nothing will go wrong in the life of a Christian – BUT, it DOES tell us that we do not have to go through things alone. He gives the strength we need. He provides for us in various ways when we go through hard times, He really does – He has done it for me countless times! But as truly born-again believers we DO have that blessed hope (and God keeps His promises). The Bible in Titus 2:12-14 instructs us exactly how we as His children should be living in the light of the Lord’s imminent return for His Church: “It instructs us to renounce ungodliness and worldly passions, and to live sensible, upright, and godly lives in the present age, as we await the blessed hope and glorious appearance of our great God and Saviour Jesus Christ. He gave Himself for us to redeem us from all lawlessness and to purify for Himself a people for His own possession, …”
For those Christians who have become “lukewarm” towards the things of the Lord, it is time to WAKE UP as time is running out. Churches that are failing to stick to the Truth of God’s Word; compromising His Word and making it say or not say what it clearly states; failing to preach the True Gospel of Repentance and point people to Jesus as the only way to the Father and to be saved; no longer regard the Bible as the infallible Word of God – are IN A VERY DANGEROUS POSITION!. Revelation teaches that God will spit them out of His mouth as they make Him sick! The invitation to those churches is this: “Behold, I stand at the door [of the church] and continually knock. If anyone hears My voice and opens the door, I will come in and eat with him (restore him), and he with Me.” (Rev 3:20 – Amplified)
For those who do not know the Lord Jesus Christ as Saviour, who reject Him, the future is very bleak and ominous – without hope. Faith in man and their achievements, good works, technology, Artificial Intelligence, man’s misguided and delusional belief that they can improve on what God created and outwit God as some prominent globalists believe, will prove to be disastrous – not just in this life but for eternity. BUT the GOOD NEWS is this, if you genuinely call out to JESUS, the ONLY HOPE, repent and be willing to surrender your life to Him, He will hear that prayer and give you life, life more abundant. As John 10:10 says: “I have come that they may have life, and that they may have it more abundantly (In all its fullness).” (NKJV) Or as the New Living Translation puts it: “… My purpose is to give them a rich and satisfying life.”
Is there really hope for the future?
In Jesus we have hope, without Him, no hope. I end with two verses from a very old hymn written by Edward Mote (1797-1874) based on 1 Timothy 1:1b and even more relevant than every before!
My hope is built on nothing less
Than Jesus’ blood and righteousness;
I dare not trust the sweetest frame,
But wholly lean on Jesus’ name.
On Christ, the solid Rock, I stand;
All other ground is sinking sand.
When He shall come with trumpet sound,
Oh, may I then in Him be found,
Clothed in His righteousness alone,
Faultless to stand before the throne!
On Christ, the solid Rock, I stand;
All other ground is sinking sand.
(If you have any questions or comments, please contact me without delay)
Day Ashton
dayashton.uk@gmail.com
YOU ALSO BE READY FOR IN AN HOUR WHEN YOU DON’T EXPECT, JESUS WILL COME!
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