How will you survive the frightful times to come?

How will you survive the frightful times to come? When the storms hit, destroying all roots of recovery, what will you do about no job, no housing, no food, and no clothing? Are you concerned about the future, “How will young children make it through the times to come?” It is a legitimate concern for any follower of Jesus.

Peter had already experienced poverty, and through it all he had experienced God’s faithfulness. Peter lived with no money. In order to eat, the disciples had to pick corn from the farmers’ fields. At one point, when they needed money, Jesus instructed Peter to look inside the mouth of a fish, where he found a coin.

Peter knew what it meant to sleep under the stars, with no bed or pillow. He followed Jesus without a job or any means of support. He owned a single change of clothes and one pair of sandals. Peter had to rely on God’s provision every day for his needs. And day after day, Peter saw those needs met faithfully.

In Peters end time message he focuses not on having needs met but on the importance of preparing your heart. Scripture is asking, “What is in your heart in these last days? Who are you becoming as the end times approach? You already know God will take care of your physical needs. But are you preparing yourself spiritually?”

Jesus warned of chaotic times to come: wars, rumors of wars, ethnic and tribal conflicts, famines, earthquakes, persecution, floods of iniquity that would cause the love of many to grow cold.

In the face of this terrible upheaval, Jesus says little about how to survive the times. He doesn’t speak about how to prepare for the loss of a home or job or the crashing of the economy. Rather, He instructs you, “Take no thought, saying, What shall you eat? Or, what shall you drink? for your heavenly Father knows that you have need of all these things” (Matthew 6:31–32).

Peter echoes Jesus’ words when he says, “The end of all things is at hand: be therefore sober, and watch unto prayer” (1 Peter 4:7). He’s saying, “Here is basic instruction for preparing for the end times: Be sober-minded. And stay calm, no matter what happens. There is no need to panic. Instead, take it all to prayer.”

Don’t be in the panic mode. God is your keeper so don’t scrambling in fear as the storm clouds gather. Scripture is saying: “Bring all your natural feelings under the control of faith.”