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We live in uncertain and troublesome times. Fear is on the rise, and no one knows what tomorrow will bring. The news seems only bad, and each day, something new stokes the fire, replacing what we thought was the worst with something worse.

The ingenious Homer Simpson, when his son Bart said, "This is the worst day of my life," replied, "This is the worst day of your life so far..."

Yet, there is One who knows the end from the beginning and the end of times from the ancient days. The Lord can see the harvest before the seed is planted. He could see your life while He spoke to Adam in the Garden of Eden. He knows how many hairs remain on your head (Matthew 10:30).

(Isaiah 46:8-10 NKJV) "... Remember the former things of old, For I am God, and there is no other; I am God, and there is none like Me, Declaring the end from the beginning, And from ancient times things that are not yet done...

Remember: Nothing catches God Almighty by surprise, and Heaven never has a recession or depression. God invented gold, and the streets of Heaven are paved with it (Revelation 21:21). The piddly little squabbles on Earth continue as they have for centuries. The Earth continues to spin as petty little men try to exalt themselves as the greatest (Luke 9:46). As Solomon said, there is nothing new under the sun (Ecclesiastes 1:9).

Jesus had a refreshing way of not getting pulled into the mire of the day. He kept the main thing, the main thing: Love God. Love others. When a scribe asked Jesus what was the greatest commandment, He told him this:

(Matthew 22:36-40 NKJV) "Teacher, which is the great commandment in the law?" Jesus said to him, " 'You shall love the LORD your God with all your heart, with all your soul, and with all your mind.' This is the first and great commandment. And the second is like it: 'You shall love your neighbor as yourself.' On these two commandments hang all the Law and the Prophets."

Remember that during Jesus' ministry, Israel had been conquered by the Roman Empire and was still occupied by them. The Israelites lived a life marked by fear, oppression, and the constant reminder that they were overshadowed by the empire's brutality. Roman soldiers patrolled the streets, ready to put down uprisings with an iron fist.

Roman soldiers could grab random people off the street and make them carry their load like a packhorse for up to one mile, one thousand paces. Most Jews had been subjected to this, and they hated the Romans for it. They found it degrading and a constant reminder. This is how the Roman soldiers made Simon carry the cross of Christ. They just jerked him off the street and "compelled" him to drag this heavy cross:

(Matthew 27:32 NKJV) Now as they came out, they found a man of Cyrene, Simon by name. Him they compelled to bear His cross.

Jews hated that. Yet, Jesus said that if you were compelled to carry a burden, go with them double:

(Matthew 5:41 NKJV) And whoever compels you to go one mile, go with him two.

The answer is not to get angry but to get happy: The joy of the Lord is our strength (Nehemiah 8:10).

There are usually two ways to do anything: You can cut the grass, grumbling like you are trudging through the Sahara Desert on your third day without water. Or you can enjoy the birds in the sky, the shape of the clouds, sunshine, a day without rain, and the smell of fresh-cut grass. Being able to cut the grass is a gift that many realize too late.

(Colossians 3:23-24 NKJV) And whatever you do, do it heartily, as to the Lord and not to men, knowing that from the Lord you will receive the reward of the inheritance; for you serve the Lord Christ.

Sylvia and I showed up for a church workday once, and the only job people hadn't signed up for was cleaning the bathrooms. We were new at the church, and after years of crawling with the Lord, I immediately recognized I had been divinely set up. People were moving computers who hardly knew what they were doing, though I had been a computer tech for over twenty years. People who were not musicians were rearranging the stage. So I could leave fuming that they didn't know how lucky they were to have me come help them, or I could humble myself and take the place of the missing servant.

There were several bathrooms, both upstairs and downstairs, each with multiple toilets. So I put on my audio Bible and my headphones, rolled up my sleeves, and scrubbed all the bathroom floors, walls, sinks, toilets, and mirrors until they sparkled while I whistled and sang worship songs.

I pretended that I was working directly for the King of Kings and took pride in my work. When I was done, those toilets shined like new.

The church secretary wrote us a letter thanking us for our humility and hard work, but I wasn't doing it for them. I was working for the King. A month later, He made me a Pastor.

The Lord opens doors that no man can shut, and He can shut doors that no man can open (Revelation 3:7). Humble yourselves under the mighty hand of God so that He can exalt you in due time (1 Peter 5:6). For whoever exalts himself will be humbled, and he who humbles himself will be exalted (Luke 14:11).

Our kingdom is not of this world. So though things may seem so vastly important today, try and remember that from dust you were taken and to dust you will return (Ecclesiastes 3:19). Your glory and reward come at the end of this life. The treasures you have stored up in Heaven over the years cannot be stolen, taxed, and will never be taken away. While earthly assets depreciate, those stored in Heaven appreciate and will be waiting for you when you arrive.

(Luke 6:20-23 NKJV) Then He lifted up His eyes toward His disciples, and said: "Blessed are you poor, For yours is the kingdom of God. Blessed are you who hunger now, For you shall be filled. Blessed are you who weep now, For you shall laugh. Blessed are you when men hate you, And when they exclude you, And revile you, and cast out your name as evil, For the Son of Man's sake. Rejoice in that day and leap for joy! For indeed your reward is great in heaven, For in like manner their fathers did to the prophets.

The rich and powerful today will not be in the days to come unless they turn to God here and now. It is not impossible, but it is not easy. The dead fish floats downstream, and the default retirement plan for the spiritually dead is hades. Wide is the gate, and broad is the way that leads to destruction, and many go into it (Matthew 7:13–14). Some of the upper echelons of society are going to slam into the gates of hell so hard it will sound like thunder.

(Luke 6:24-26 NKJV) "But woe to you who are rich, For you have received your consolation. Woe to you who are full, For you shall hunger. Woe to you who laugh now, For you shall mourn and weep. Woe to you when all men speak well of you, For so did their fathers to the false prophets.

(Matthew 19:23-26 NKJV) Then Jesus said to His disciples, "Assuredly, I say to you that it is hard for a rich man to enter the kingdom of heaven. And again, I say to you, it is easier for a camel to go through the eye of a needle than for a rich man to enter the kingdom of God." When His disciples heard it, they were greatly astonished, saying, "Who then can be saved?" But Jesus looked at them and said to them, "With men this is impossible, but with God all things are possible."

When the Lord shuts the door to Heaven, it will be too late to change your course, and many will have waited too long (Luke 13:24-25). On the very same day that Noah entered the ark, the Lord sealed the door, and the flood began (Genesis 7:13–17). As in the days of Noah, so shall the coming of Jesus Christ be.

(Luke 17:26-27 NKJV) And as it was in the days of Noah, so it will be also in the days of the Son of Man: They ate, they drank, they married wives, they were given in marriage, until the day that Noah entered the ark, and the flood came and destroyed them all.

So there is plenty of time to change the road you are on, until there isn't...

You can pray this with me if you like:

Prayer: Heavenly Father, please help me focus on You and not on all that is wrong in the world. Help me maintain a positive attitude and not be so worried about the things I cannot change. Lord, You know the end from the beginning, and You have prepared me for this day. Help me face it with a smile and enjoy life another day. In the name of Jesus Christ, I pray. Amen!