We have just stepped into 2024, and, like every other year, we wonder what kind of year it will be. It is always encouraging to hear men of God sharing comforting insights about the new year, such as “the year of fulfilled expectations,” “2024 — the year of more,” and so on. It is a tradition of long standing to wish each other a happy new year as we step away from the old with its ups and downs.
An important fact to consider though, is that God lives outside of time, and that He doesn’t follow our Gregorian calendar. It is also true that several other calendars exist that put the switch to the new year at different times. Then we have Peter who said that a day is as a thousand years to God, and a thousand years as one day, (2 Peter 3:8) clearly showing that God’s concept of time is very different from ours.
The good news is that God has all things under control, and nothing happens in the world outside of His will. He knows the end from the beginning, how our present age will end, just as all previous ages ended according to His will and plan. And the plans of the Lord are not hidden from us so that we are caught by surprise when things begin to change in the world. He always makes them known, and in great detail because He cares, and gives us time to prepare:
Surely the Lord God does nothing, unless He reveals His secret to His servants the prophets. Amos 3:7
The prophets have spoken, Jesus spoke, and the apostles spoke about the very time we now live in. As a matter of fact, the Bible has more to say about the end of this era than any other time in human history. We also know of the ambitions of our rebellious world and their goal of total control over humanity. Without them realizing it, they work very hard to fulfill Bible prophecy while trying to sell their ideas to the world as noble and in everyone’s best interests.
The Bible tells what will happen, and the news tells us when it happens. All the buzzwords, catchphrases, announcements and the speeches of world leaders — most of whom are unelected and without accountability to anyone — point to one thing only: global control over everything.
Pay attention to the new concepts that are being introduced, and what the final outcome will be once implemented:
- Carbon taxes that keep on rising, making life unaffordable, ostensibly to curb greenhouse gases
- A personal carbon allowance, connected to digital ID, under the guise of tackling the imaginary climate crisis
- “Ecocide” — a new word that was coined at the recent World Economic Forum meetings, blaming farming for climate change, and asking for it to be labelled as a serious crime
- Digital passports and a digital (programmable) currency
- Vaccines that take many years to develop, can now be done immediately by Artificial Intelligence
- UBI – Universal Basic Income for everyone, even to those who earn good salaries
- There is talk of disease X — yet unknown, but supposedly many times deadlier than Covid-19
- The World Economic Forum continues to mention a possible global cyber attack that will paralyze the entire world
Old words and concepts are being redefined to facilitate control over free speech:
- Misinformation: incorrect or misleading information
- Disinformation: deliberately deceptive and propagated information
- Malinformation: truth that puts the State in a bad light
The cry of the so-called elite is to control social media where the evils mentioned above are freely discussed. Social media is a painful thorn in the side of the Globalists, and one they plan to get rid of as soon as possible. This includes blog posting platforms such as X (previously Twitter) and podcasts where people freely share information they have personally encountered. Legacy media, all owned by a small group of people who are loyal to the idea of a One World Government, lament the so-called citizen journalism over which they have no control.
Then the wars — many of them with the potential to escalate:
- Iran has all the material to put together a nuclear weapon
- China threatens to invade Taiwan — an old goal that might be realized as soon as this year
- Russia plans to intensify its war on Ukraine during the summer of this year
- North Korea acts more hostile toward its southern neighbour, resulting in South Korea moving heavy armament to its border with the North
- Military bases of the United States in Iraq and Syria have been under fire from Iran in recent times
- The USA and Britain are involved in military action in Yemen
- There were skirmishes between Iran and Pakistan the last few weeks
- Israel is fighting a war on several fronts against Hamas, Hezbollah, Syria and the Houthis in Yemen — all of them proxies of Iran
And you will hear of wars and rumors of wars. See that you are not troubled; for all these things must come to pass, but the end is not yet. For nation will rise against nation, and kingdom against kingdom. And there will be famines, pestilences, and earthquakes in various places. Matthew 24:6,7
There have, of course, always been wars and pestilences and tyrants who tried to rule the world, yet not on the scale and convergence we now see.
May it be so that 2024 becomes a year of more for all, and that none of the points mentioned above will get in the way. We all prefer to be bearers of good news, but it looks like the world at large is moving in a very different direction. Considering the various points above, all taken from current news, we see plans are being made that will have an impact on our freedoms and affordability of life. It may therefore be more appropriate to put the facts on the table together with some suggestions on how to navigate through it all.
How do you prepare to make it through such an environment?
No one benefits by being lulled to sleep while there are threats looming on the horizon. The best preparation begins with understanding the realities we might have to deal with.
First of all, determine not to be moved by fear; stay in peace, knowing God promised to be with you at all times. He will not abandon you despite the fear mongering that has become a staple of news outlets these days. The prophet gives good advice that works in all adverse kinds of circumstances:
You will keep him in perfect peace, whose mind is stayed on You, because he trusts in You. Trust in the Lord forever, for in Yah, the Lord, is everlasting strength. Isaiah 26:3,4
A strong mind and a cool head will be valuable assets in the time to come. Don’t believe everything that you hear or see; take enough time to consider things before responding. Only follow where peace leads you.
Be anxious for nothing, but in everything by prayer and supplication, with thanksgiving, let your requests be made known to God; and the peace of God, which surpasses all under-standing, will guard your hearts and minds through Christ Jesus. Philippians 4:6,7
The building of your faith always delivers great results. Time spending in the Word is never wasted:
So then faith comes by hearing, and hearing by the word of God. Romans 10:17
The Holy Spirit will never cause you to fear; He always leads with peace, no matter what happens. Find that place of peace before making any decisions.
However, when He, the Spirit of truth, has come, He will guide you into all truth; for He will not speak on His own authority, but whatever He hears He will speak; and He will tell you things to come. John 16:13
As our world falls apart, a bright new day is dawning for God’s people. The curtain may be falling on this era, but we have a living hope for a better day:
Let not your heart be troubled; you believe in God, believe also in Me. In My Father’s house are many [a]mansions; if it were not so, I would have told you. I go to prepare a place for you. And if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come again and receive you to Myself; that where I am, there you may be also. John 14:1-3
Soon Jesus will reign on earth for a thousand years of peace. This is your future:
Now I saw heaven opened, and behold, a white horse. And He who sat on him was called Faithful and True, and in righteousness He judges and makes war. His eyes were like a flame of fire, and on His head were many crowns. He had a name written that no one knew except Himself. He was clothed with a robe dipped in blood, and His name is called The Word of God. And the armies in heaven, clothed in fine linen, white and clean, followed Him on white horses. Now out of His mouth goes a sharp sword, that with it He should strike the nations. And He Himself will rule them with a rod of iron. He Himself treads the winepress of the fierceness and wrath of Almighty God. And He has on His robe and on His thigh a name written: KING OF KINGS AND LORD OF LORDS. Revelation 19:11-16
Choose to make 2024 the year of preparing to have a personal meeting with the Lord!
