Worried About the State of the World? Here Are 5 Bible Verses You Should Know!

Let’s be honest…there are some frightening things going on in the world. Every day we are bombarded with news about terrorism, natural disasters, war and many other threats. While it’s not necessarily a bad thing, advanced technology now makes it possible for weather forecasters to alert us to the possibility of tornadoes and hurricanes weeks in advance. In the same way, the popularity of the Internet makes it difficult to escape from “bad news”. It often seems like there is no place to hide. As soon as we wake up in the morning, we are deluged with troublesome news. When we couple that with our family, job and personal concerns it’s easy to see why worrying has become an epidemic.

As someone who has always tended to be anxious and the author of several books on anxiety, I get it…I really do. It’s understandable that so many people worry. Fortunately, I’ve discovered that with the Lord’s help and a little effort on our part, we can experience peace even as the world around us seems to be falling apart. The good news is that God is still in charge and that nothing that happens surprises Him. If you’re worried about the state of the world, here are 5 Bible verses that you need to know. While the messages contained in these verses may seem simple, remember that they aren’t being expressed by “just another person”. These are God’s words and they are addressed to you. Take them seriously!

1. “I have said this to you, that in me you may have peace. In the world you have tribulation; but be of good cheer, I have overcome the world.” (John 16:33) – Jesus never said that we wouldn’t have problems, but He did tell us that He is bigger than any catastrophe or threat that could occur in the world. He also assures us that we can experience peace if we stay close to Him. That’s a very nice promise.

2. God is our refuge and strength, a very present help in trouble. Therefore we will not fear though the earth should change, though the mountains shake in the heart of the sea; though it’s waters roar and foam, though the mountains tremble with its tumult. (Psalm 46:1-3) – This is a great prayer for those times when you feel overwhelmed. It might not feel like it, but the Lord is always in control.

3. “Save us, Lord; we are perishing!” (Matthew 8:25) – Even though Jesus was in the boat with the disciples during the storm at sea, they panicked because He was asleep. With these words, they woke the Lord up and He calmed the seas. Instead of worrying, try using these words the next time you feel like the world is falling apart. Jesus loves it when we turn to Him when we’re afraid!

4. Have no anxiety about anything, but in everything by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known to God. And the peace of God, which passes all understanding, will keep your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus. (Philippians 4:6-7) – What makes this passage so amazing is that it was written by St. Paul while he was in prison. Have no anxiety? Pray with thanksgiving? You’ll receive peace? Pretty convincing advice coming from someone who is sitting in a jail cell! Although Paul wrote these words, he was inspired by the Holy Spirit. This is God’s message to you. It’s one that should be read often.

5. “I am with you always, to the close of the age.” (Matthew 28:20) – The final verse of Matthew’s gospel assures us that Jesus will never leave us. Unfortunately, we sometimes forget to turn to Him when we are anxious and troubled. Even though the world seems crazy, Jesus is right next to you. That makes me feel good. How about you?

So what do you think? After reading these Bible passages, do you feel a little better? I’m guessing that you do. While there are many similar messages contained in the pages of Sacred Scripture, these passages give us a good starting point. Pull out your Bible, highlight them and make it a point to read them the next time you begin to panic about what’s going on in the world. The more you get used to hearing God speak to you through the Bible, the less you’re going to be overcome with fear about terrorism, floods and the threat of war. Instead you’ll be hearing another message, one which we should never forget…

“Do not be afraid!” (Matthew 28:10)

As a Sunday school teacher, what I've found over the years is all versions need to be read with a Strong's book because whatever word was chosen to interpret the Hebrew and Greek, we need to know the Hebrew and Greek. Some of the choices made were sometimes Antisemitic, some just chosen very poorly. The Septuagint is sometimes more informative than others for the OT. We should be familiar with several versions and find out the true meaning of the words and phrases. We also are required to learn about Jewish culture, laws, and customs. Just like when Jesus said "No one knows the day or the hour, only my Father knows", tells us things that Christians don't understand. First, if Jesus didn't know something, He can't be God. God is Omniscient. What Jesus was saying was in a Jewish wedding, The Father arranges the Sons marriage and knows when the wedding will be. If Jesus didn't know the date, He can't be fully God. The date was set before the universe was even made. In Gen 1:14, God set the lights in Heaven as the signs and seasons He would do all things from Him. Lev 23, "These are my days,...."they are dress rehearsals at my appointed times." "Feasts", "Seasons" and "appointed times", are all "moed" in Hebrew. Anytime we read these words in English, it's the same word in Hebrew. Jesus died on Passover, buried on Unleavened Bread, and rose on First Fruits, because these were appointed times since the creation of the world. The Jews celebrated these days for thousands of years before Jesus came.

Ask yourself what made the wise men "wise"? They were looking for the sign in Heaven spoken of in Numbers 24:17. They could have been described as "kings", or "powerful rich men", but God chose "wise". Watching for the sign in Heaven makes you "wise". Jesus told of "wise virgins", "wise servants", and watching for the "thief in the night". A Jew knows the thief is the High Priest checking for "sleeping watchmen" on the temple wall. He would set their garment on fire and they would run through town shucking their clothes until naked. Now read 1 Thess 5:1-11. Paul is saying they already know the times and seasons so be watching so the thief won't come upon you. Could the declaration of the UN on Trumpets of International Peace and Safety Day be what's spoken of in verse 3? I don't know, but it is on Trumpets. Is the fact that this is a Jubilee year, important? I don't know, but a Jubilee year is when Jesus started His ministry when He quoted Isa 61 in Nazareth. It's weird that He stopped reading the scroll at a comma and put it down and the next thing written is "And the day of vengeance of our God;". The day captives can be set free and returning land to original owners is on a Jubilee year, believers should perk up their spiritual ears.

If the apostle John, the disciple Jesus loved, came to speak at your church, would your pastor allow him? Read 3 John vs 9. John was still alive and he was forbidden to speak at a church he probably planted. They were throwing Jewish believers out. The first church met in the synagogues, but in a few years Jews were being tossed out of churches. BTW, look up the strong's for synagogues and then look up churches. Synagogue means "assembly" and "ekklesia" means "assembly". They are the same word, but we tend to shy away from our brothers in the Messianic church. Many of the choices that were made for a translated word were made with Antisemitism in mind. Many times the translations were being made with the Crusades fresh in mind. The Jews were thrown out of Spain in 1492, and the KJV was written in 1611. Many Christians today don't even realize Jesus was a Jew and He will come back in the Last Day to rescue Israel. The KJV is as good as any, but certainly we have learned much since the 1600's. The only "definitive" version is the Hebrew and Greek versions written by the writers of that time. All else must run through an interpreter and much is lost.

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