Prediction 1: As long as this sinful world exists, there will be personal, social, political, and financial crises; sickness and death; mass murders; wars; and man-made and natural disasters. In Jesus' words: "And you will hear of wars and rumors of wars. See that you are not alarmed, for this must take place, but the end is not yet. For nation will rise against nation, and kingdom against kingdom, and there will be famines and earthquakes in various places." Matthew 24:6-7 (ESV)
Prediction 2: Some people will predict that the world will end at a certain date and time, and others will believe those predictions. But if the world does end, it will happen when it isn't expected. Using Jesus' words again: "But concerning that day and hour no one knows, not even the angels of heaven, nor the Son, but the Father only." Matthew 24:36 (ESV)
Prediction 3: We will make plans. Unless ours are consistent with God's, however, ours will ultimately fail. "Many are the plans in the mind of a man, but it is the purpose of the Lord that will stand." Proverbs 19:21 (ESV)
Prediction 4: God will be with his children. Although he allows sin to corrupt this world and those in it, often resulting in hardships and suffering for Christians and non-Christians alike, Jesus Christ has overcome it for us. We will still know pain and sorrow, but we have a compassionate traveling companion who stays by our side and sees us through the hard times as well as the easy ones. As the Apostle Paul put it, "Who shall separate us from the love of Christ? Shall tribulation, or distress, or persecution, or famine, or nakedness, or danger, or sword? . . . No, in all these things we are more than conquerors through him who loved us." Romans 8:35 & 37 (ESV)
And that will make it a great year.
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