2012-The Year of Fear came!

Things aren’t the way they appear. People are scared. Real scared. You can see it in their eyes. You can see it in their actions. You can hear it in many of their voices.

The media tells us one story, but the reality of what is going on the world today is quite another matter. As the world tears itself apart at the seams the media keeps trying to give us the “It’s all going to be alright…somehow” story. They are trying to give people hope, the onlym way they know how.

Here’s an example of an AP story published on New Years Eve, 2011.

Hope reigns as Americans prepare to ring in 2012 By DAVID B. CARUSO
Associated Press December 31, 2011
AP Photo/John Minchillo

NEW YORK (AP) — Times Square was awash in hopeful sentiments as it began to welcome hordes of New Year’s Eve revelers looking to cast off a rough year and cheer their way to something better in 2012.

Some revelers, wearing party hats and “2012” glasses, began camping out Saturday morning, even as workers readied bags stuffed with hundreds of balloons and technicians put colored filters on klieg lights.

“Everybody’s suffering. That’s why it’s so beautiful to be here celebrating something with everybody,” said Lisa Nicol, 47, of Melbourne, Australia, after securing a prime spot next to the main stage.

Many Americans will usher in the new year thinking that 2011 is a year they would rather forget. But as the country prepared for the celebration, glum wasn’t on the agenda for many, even those that had a sour year.

“We’re hoping the next year will be better,” said Becky Martin, a former elementary school teacher who drove from Rockford, Ill., with her family to attend the Times Square celebration after spending a fruitless year trying to find a job. “We’re starting off optimistic and hoping it lasts.”

Reminders of a trying 2011 around the globe could be seen in the multi-national faces of visitors to the so-called “Crossroads of the World” this week.

Asked how his 2011 went, a Japanese tourist who gave his name as Nari didn’t know enough English to put it into words as he visited the square Friday, so he whipped open his phone and displayed pictures he had taken of damage wrought by the earthquake and tsunami that ravaged the island nation and his home city of Sendai.

“Not a good year,” he said. Then he smiled and added that things are now much better……….

“I married a farmer. `Wait until next year. Next year will be better.’ That’s what I’ve been hearing for 30 years,” said Hart, an Auburn fan wearing a bright orange jacket and tiger-print scarf. “I have faith.”……..

Several people preparing to celebrate the holiday told the AP that they would usher in the New Year hoping the U.S. Congress would become a more cooperative place. Some talked about their hopes for the presidential election. Others said they hoped to hold on to their job, or find a new one to replace one they’d lost.

An Associated Press-GfK poll conducted Dec. 8-12 found that 62 percent of Americans are optimistic that the nation’s fortunes would improve in 2012, and 78 percent hopeful that their own family would have a better year. Most wrote off 2011 as a dud.

Shahid Ahmad, 53, a sporting goods vendor who has set up in downtown Atlanta during big events for the last 13 years, said his last two New Year’s Eves have been slow in sales compared with years prior. He said he’s hopeful that the job market will improve in 2012.

But,reality is a different matter, as I stated! 2012 will be “the Year of Fear”, both here in the US and around the world and the world is going to change.

We can choose to live in Hope. With An enduring Faith we do have hope. The greatest  hope there is. We’ve read the last chapter.

The Sorrows of Matthew 24 will continue and increase in intensity.

People from all walks of life and in every nation of the world will be facing increased hardship and personal calamity.

We know by the word of God that the sorrows of Matthew 24 will continue and even increase. The old saying that “if didn’t like the way it was yesterday, just wait until tomorrow” will become very profound. But not in a positive way for all those who are lost. And it won’t be easy for any of us.

The lost will be experiencing the Year of Fear.

Because we are in The Sorrows of Matt 24.

Wars and Rumors of War will increase. Look for the Psalm 83 war to break out any day now.

Nation against Nation-Civil strife and national conflicts will continue. The powers that be are not done changing the world into their planned map of the club of Rome.

Famines and Pestilence: Watch for new diseases and the re-emergence of some older ones.  I expect drought and famine to become much worse in 2012.

Earthquakes and the quaking of the human soul. The number and intensity of earthquakes were off the chart in 2011. Don’t even bother to look at the US Geological Survey data. It’s been manipulated dramatically! The quaking includes the financial calamity facing the world today. Trillions of dollars are being lost by investment companies and 2012 should be the demise of many retirement accounts along with the collapse of the American dollar. I believe during this coming year things will turn real ugly. People from all over the world will lose their personal security and confidence to the point of desperation. Crying “Help me, give me safety!” They will be scared. They will be loosing hope.

For the lost and all those depending on the world to sustain and save them, 2012 will most likely be……….. the Year of Fear!

For it is written!

Mat 24:3  And as He sat on the Mount of Olives, the disciples came to Him privately, saying, Tell us, when shall these things be? And what shall be the sign of Your coming, and of the end of the world?

Mat 24:4  And Jesus answered and said to them, Take heed that no man deceive you.

Mat 24:5  For many will come in My name, saying, I am Christ, and will deceive many.

Mat 24:6  And you will hear of wars and rumors of wars. See that you are not troubled, for all these things must occur; but the end is not yet.

Mat 24:7  For nation will rise against nation, and kingdom against kingdom. And there will be famines and pestilences and earthquakes in different places.

Mat 24:8  All these are the beginning of sorrows.

Mat 24:9  Then they will deliver you up to be afflicted and will kill you. And you will be hated of all nations for My name’s sake.

Mat 24:10  And then many will be offended, and will betray one another, and will hate one another.

Mat 24:11  And many false prophets will rise and deceive many.

Mat 24:12  And because iniquity shall abound, the love of many will become cold.

Mat 24:13  But he who endures to the end, the same shall be kept safe.

Mat 24:14  And this gospel of the kingdom shall be proclaimed in all the world as a witness to all nations. And then the end shall come.

Mat 24:15  Therefore when you see the abomination of desolation, spoken of by Daniel the prophet, stand in the holy place (whoever reads, let him understand).

All these things will begin or continue to happen.

But he who endures to the end, the same shall be kept safe!

Having an Enduring Faith should be everyone’s’ goal. With the Lord’s help we can overcome all adversity. Whether it be physical problems or spiritual battles He has provided us with the proper tools.

Do you believe God will sustain you through these trying times? Do you believe God will provide what you need? Do you believe God will protect you? These are important questions and I pray we can discover the answers together. God knew from the beginning that we, the human race, would fail and fall into our sinful ways. He knows we have a hard time totally trusting.

Or do you have some doubt? Do you find it hard to trust God in ALL things? We are going to  have to learn together.

Take a look at this passage in Luke. Read it and pray about it.

Luke 12: 16-31

Luke 12:16  And He spoke a parable to them, saying, The ground of a certain rich man brought forth plentifully.

Luke 12:17  And he thought within himself, saying, What shall I do, because I have no room in which to store my fruits?

Luk 12:18  And he said, I will do this. I will pull down my barns and build bigger ones, and I will store all my fruits and my goods there.

Luke 12:19  And I will say to my soul, Soul, you have many goods laid up for many years. Take your ease, eat drink and be merry.

Luke 12:20  But God said to him, Fool! This night your soul shall be required of you, then whose shall be those things which you have prepared?

Luke 12:21  So is he who lays up treasure for himself and is not rich toward God.

Luke 12:22  And He said to His disciples, Therefore I say to you, Be not anxious as to your life, what you shall eat; nor for the body, what you shall put on.

Luke 12:23  Life is more than food, and the body is more than clothing.

Luke 12:24  Consider the ravens: for they neither sow nor reap, having neither storehouse nor barn, and God feeds them. How much more are you better than the birds?

Luke 12:25  And which of you by being anxious can add one cubit to his stature?

Luke 12:26  If then you are not able to do even the least, why are you anxious about the rest?

Luke 12:27  Consider the lilies, how they grow; they do not toil, they do not spin. And yet I say to you that Solomon in all his glory was not arrayed like one of these.

Luke 12:28  If then God so clothes the grass (which today is in the field, and tomorrow is cast into the oven) how much more will He clothe you, O little-faiths?

Luke 12:29  And do not seek what you shall eat, nor what you shall drink, and stop being in anxiety.

Luke 12:30  For all these things the nations of the world seek after, and your Father knows that you have need of these things.

Luke 12:31  But rather seek the kingdom of God, and all these things shall be added to you.

This is a big order. The Lord is asking us to trust Him…….trust in Him entirely.

Not just trusting in God with everything except what is really important to us. But trusting in God with a Faith that Endures.

If He loves us, like we know He does. Then who are we to doubt Him. One day at a time, we can all learn how to trust and depend on Jesus for the important parts of life.  Trusting God. Trusting God enough to put ALL our Faith in Him is at the core of living with an Enduring Faith.

My friend, Are you confident where you are going to spend eternity when this all ends? There is an end for all of us some day. Some of us today.

There is only one way to know and be assured– Ask our Father in heaven, in Jesus Christs’ name, in prayer today!

Are You Saved from the eternal fate of so many? Are you sure? Ask Him. Find out and be assured.

Rom 8:16  The Spirit Himself bears witness with our spirit that  we are the children of God.

When we ask the Lord, in Jesus Christ’s name, He assures us with His peace and understanding. If for any reason you question your salvation, go to a quiet place, alone, and talk to Jesus. Repent of your sins and commit your life to Him. Then go to a bible believing church and get baptized.

He is faithful! He always listens and always responds!

The Salvation Prayer (click here) is in the Blog in the right column of this page. You can walk without fear. Start nurturing An Enduring Faith, today.

Visit the Joseph Plan Blog and be blessed. There are scores of articles for you to enjoy.

May God Bless You and keep you safe from the evil one!

Pastor Thomas Holm

The ministry of The Joseph Plan