Is the Tribulation at our gate?

Jesus said, "Let not your heart be troubled." 

OK, Lord... I'll try.

Though some may disagree with me, I have grown convinced we are living at the doorway of what many refer to as "The Great Tribulation." Wars, rumors of wars, insect plagues, incurable diseases, weather anomalies, bigger and badder storms... Jesus said there'd be days like this. I'm sorry to tell you, I'm convinced things are going to get worse before they get better. That does NOT diminish the fact we STILL have the authority and power given to us by Jesus by the Holy Spirit dwelling within us. You can ALWAYS claim the title of "Overcomer" because the Overcoming One lives in YOU!

Remember that! God hasn't given us a Spirit of Fear but of Power, Love and a Sound Mind (2 Timothy 1:7). The time is drawing near when, perhaps for the first time,  many of us will have to appropriate the power we've already been given. To those I say, "You're in the army now. Like it or not, you're being deployed; bivouac is over."

I'm NOT a Doom 'n Gloom kinda guy. I've read the Bible and it turns out great! You might call me a Doom 'n BLOOMer, however, one who believes we should grow where we've been planted (I guess that would make Armageddon into ArmaGARDEN... li'l joke there). If we are given the opportunity to grow through the coming trials, how will that growth be achieved? For starters, we will learn to depend on God. In addition, we will pray and seek His face, not merely His hand of blessing. Also, we will have the opportunity to shine as never before, bringing healing, courage and comfort to those who don't know Him, truly becoming His hands extended; Jesus with skin on, as they say. And we will discover the power of unity and agreement as we will be much stronger TOGETHER than we ever could have been flying solo, casting aside that which only serves to divide.

These really are going to be the times that try men's souls. This is a test! Even Jesus had His mettle tested in the wilderness. He HAD to be tested to see what He was made of. Since He said "I came as an example," I'm convinced that WE, too, must be tested in our most holy faith. Thankfully, we have been given everything we will need in order to pass these tests. As a result, we will see miracles such as we've only read about. We will see angels. Demons, too.

I like to encourage myself with verses such as these. I hope they bless you, too:

Psalm 66:12 says: "Then you put a leader over us. We went through fire and flood, but you brought us to a place of great abundance." 

The "leader" being referred to in this verse is not, in my opinion, President Obama - though he is the leader for such a time as this. In 1 Samuel 8, we read of how the Israelites decided they wanted a king like all the other nations. Apparently, hearing directly from God through His prophet Samuel wasn't good enough. So, God told Samuel to let them have their king, but with a word of warning. Samuel told them (verses 11-22): "These will be the ways of the king who shall reign over you: he will take your sons and appoint them to his chariots and to be his horsemen and to run before his chariots. He will appoint them for himself to be commanders over thousands and over fifties, and some to plow his ground and to reap his harvest and to make his implements of war and equipment for his chariots. He will take your daughters to be perfumers, cooks, and bakers. He will take your fields, your vineyards, and your olive orchards, even the best of them, and give them to his servants. He will take a tenth of your grain and of your vineyards and give it to his officers and to his servants. He will take your men and women servants and the best of your cattle and your donkeys and put them to his work. He will take a tenth of your flocks, and you yourselves shall be his slaves. In that day you will cry out because of your king you have chosen for yourselves, but the Lord will not hear you then. Nevertheless, the people refused to listen to the voice of Samuel, and they said, No! We will have a king over us, that we also may be like all the nations, and that our king may govern us and go out before us and fight our battles. Samuel heard all the people’s words and repeated them in the Lord’s ears."

In essence, their new king would take their sons off to war and many sons and daughters would serve him alone in building HIS empire. Sound familiar? In addition, the new king would tax them silly and take what they produced for his own, to do with as he saw fit. We would be made, essentially, his slaves. The once godly nation of America has long turned its back on its one true King Jesus. 

I believe we can EXPECT God to keep His promises, regardless of how unblessable we are as a nation; the blood of Christ ensures that possibility. Individually, we WILL reap as we have sown - if to our flesh, then we will reap corruption. 

If I am correct and trouble finds its way to your house, though fires and floods might come and change our worlds, I find encouragement in these words from Scripture:

In Psalm 18:19: "He led me to a place of safety; He rescued me because He delights in me."

Psalm 66:8-12: "Give honor and thanks to God, O people, and let all hear how great He is! He keeps us alive, and does not let our feet go out from under us. For You have tested us, O God. You have made us pure like silver is made pure. You brought us into the net and You laid a heavy load on our back. You made men travel over our heads. We went through fire and through water. But You brought us out into a place where we have much more than we need."

That sounds like a great ending to a tragic story!

Trust in the Lord. Seek the peace only Jesus can provide, not attainable through Religious activity. Expect the unspeakable joy we can get only from our King, not from the stuff moth and rust destroys. 

Like Noah, I recommend you start preparing. Do what you can and God will take care of the rest. Like Joseph, get ready for the famine. Read the writing on the wall and be pro-active, bearing in mind the needs of so many others who cannot, or will not, get themselves ready. 

God, Gold, Guns, Groceries and Good water are a very good formula for success. 

Prepare yourself Spiritually, Financially, Emotionally and Physically.

Jesus really IS the answer to all our problems. He didn't die FOR our sins; He died BECAUSE of them.

Every blessing,

Michael Tummillo

Founder, The Church @ Work