Our puppy, Snickers, sticks to me like velcro. Somehow bred into his Havanese DNA, he goes where I go, sits where I sit, and sleeps next to me as closely as possible. When visitors arrive at our house, or we visit our grandchildren, he begs me to hold him. I’m his place of peace and security. My husband and I often remark how we need to press into the Lord in the same way Snickers presses into us.

When I think of the perilous times in which we live, Romans 15:13 comes to mind, “Now may the God of hope fill you with all joy and peace as you trust in him.” My joy and security come when I press into my Refuge and Strength in pure and simple trust. However, unlike my pup, I need constant reminding. Each Breaking News headline threatens our peace and security. The Holy Scriptures warn us: “But know this, that in the last days perilous times will come!” (1Ti 3:1).

Covid-19 ushered in unimagined global changes seized upon by a heinous puppet-master to control humanity by fear, hate, and division. Fear keeps us in our homes and at odds with our friends. We feel hopeless, fearful, and torn apart. Forced lock-downs, no work, and no social interaction lead not only to economic disaster, but to fears of personal tracking, reporting, and prosecutions. This whole scenario no longer speaks about a virus, but division. Evil forces take away our freedoms one at a time with invisible mental and emotional enslavement controlled by fear!

Jesus said wars and rumors of wars, would characterize the last days of our world. Nation rising against nation, kingdom against kingdom, famines, earthquakes in various places, and persecutions of Christians. Today we see Satan’s rage as his followers burn buildings, properties, churches, flags, Bibles, and crosses in the mystery of lawlessness. People betray one another and hate one another, false prophets arise and deceive many. Love grows cold as parents sacrifice their unborn children on the altars of pleasure, irresponsibility, and convenience.  

Despite all the evil, Jesus gave His followers the responsibility through the power of the Holy Spirit to share the good news of the kingdom (Acts 1:3). The good news is about God, who “so loved the world that He gave His only begotten Son, that whosoever believes in Him shall not perish, but have everlasting life. God did not send His Son into the world to condemn the world, but that the world through Him might be saved” (Jn 3:16-17). When this good news is preached in all the world as a testimony to all nations, Jesus said, “then the end will come” (Mat 24:14).

We face a fearful and uncertain election this November, yet the God of hope fills us with all joy and peace as we trust in Him. Our hope remains in God’s love, power, and promises, for “as many as received Him, to them gave He power to become the sons of God, even to them that believe on His name: Which were born, not of blood, nor of the will of the flesh, nor of the will of man, but of God” (Jhn 1:12-13). 

To these blood-bought children, “the Lord himself will come down from heaven, with a loud command, with the voice of the archangel and with the trumpet call of God, and the dead in Christ will rise first. After that, we who are still alive and are left will be caught up together with them in the clouds to meet the Lord in the air. And so we will be with the Lord forever. Therefore encourage one another with these words” (1Th 4:16-18).

Paul, continuing under divine inspiration, writes, “…the day of the Lord will come like a thief in the night… destruction will come on them suddenly, as labor pains on a pregnant woman, and they will not escape. But you, brothers and sisters, are not in darkness so that this day should surprise you like a thief. You are all children of the light and children of the day… since we belong to the day, let us be sober, putting on faith and love as a breastplate, and the hope of salvation as a helmet. For God did not appoint us to suffer wrath but to receive salvation through our Lord Jesus Christ. He died for us so that, whether we are awake or asleep, we may live together with him. Therefore encourage one another and build each other up” (ITh 5:1-11).

Beloved, we know the Bible says the day of the Lord comes suddenly and unexpectedly to the world. I find that even some people of faith live in denial and think life will go back to normal once everyone has vaccinated against this pandemic. Do we believe the hired terrorists and globalists in this country will sit back if our president wins another four years? If he does not win, do we think Christians can live in a socialistic, globalist society without borders and abortion on demand?

Now is the time to press into Jesus, my dear friends, as never before. He alone provides a protective place of peace and safety. Only as we place our trust in Him will His joy and peace give us the hope we need to run with endurance the race He set before us until He comes to rapture us to glory!

And now, “may the God of hope fill you with all joy and peace as you trust in Him, so that you may overflow with hope by the power of the Holy Spirit” (Rom 15:13 NIV).