Responding to the Events of Our Day Rightly

The wisest thing a person could do right now is ask God what to expect next.

Things are not about to calm down. That is a wrong expectation.

What is happening is a massive transition in the government of creation. Jesus is coming. His coming was always promised to be with tribulation.

John 16:19-22 NKJV — Now Jesus knew that they desired to ask Him, and He said to them, “Are you inquiring among yourselves about what I said, ‘A little while, and you will not see Me; and again a little while, and you will see Me’? “Most assuredly, I say to you that you will weep and lament, but the world will rejoice; and you will be sorrowful, but your sorrow will be turned into joy. “A woman, when she is in labor, has sorrow because her hour has come; but as soon as she has given birth to the child, she no longer remembers the anguish, for joy that a human being has been born into the world. “Therefore you now have sorrow; but I will see you again and your heart will rejoice, and your joy no one will take from you.

Yeshua then goes on to talk about prayer... Coming directly to the Father as He modeled for us. The trouble was always intended to mature those willing to believe in the goodness of God in the midst of tribulation to learn how to live fully in faith and not eyesight.

We are in the generation of both conflict and maturity. 2026 is a year of conflict and maturity. Much more will happen, and much more growth in the confidence and embracing of God's goodness is available.

John 16:33 NKJV — “These things I have spoken to you, that in Me you may have peace. In the world you will have tribulation; but be of good cheer, I have overcome the world.”

If I just look at the world and react to what is happening, offense will settle in my thinking. Offense brings discouragement, doubt, hopelessness, betrayal and anger.

If I look at what God has promised, believe it, and accept this is how it comes, joy settles in. Joy brings peace, patience, hope, love... I get to pick.

I'm going to a prayer meeting in a little while. Samantha and I are going to walk across town and pray like we do almost every day. It's a simple way to agree with God about the time we are in.

It's only a couple of hours, but I am going to plant the seeds of my faith today, so next week, or tomorrow, or in a few months, I have the faith I need for whatever comes. The point isn't that God needs my prayers... I do! It isn't works... It's the place I make space today for what I will definitely need tomorrow. If I plant nothing today. I'll have nothing in the future.

Getting out of my own experience and intentionally getting into God's presence, even just walking a few miles , praying, and walking home... That completely changes the way I see the world sometime in the future. When we are in the States, I drive 15 mins, pray for an hour or two. And drive home 15 mins. It's simple, but highly effective. I don't really believe in the "prayer movement." Prayer isn't a calling... Conversation is the most basic essential of any relationship.

I choose my own "movement"... Movement out of my own self-focused reality and into God's vision, values, and power. I've come to the conclusion most movements become a way to manipulate people into something other than just talking to God. I want to move my being toward God, not into humanistic momentum. Simple geometry dictates that if I personally move from my own life into God's, I'll get closer to everyone else doing the same. That's the movement I'm looking for.

Today, I'm living in a harvest of hope I planted in prayer meetings last week, or last month, or a few years ago.

The more seeds I plant, the more I will enjoy what I need at the right time.

I don't go to prayer meetings to tell God what He should do in the world. I go to them to see what I need and ask Him to give those things to me as I believe in what He is GOING to do in the world. He's already decided what He's going to do. He gives me a chance to ask for what I lack when I believe in what He promises to do.

There is GOING to be more conflict... What will I need to endure that courageously, joyfully, faithfully... maturely? I'm going to go find out!