Proverbs 1:33 ‘But whoso hearkeneth unto me shall dwell safely, and shall be quiet from fear of evil.

DAILY READING – • Luke 18:1-17; Genesis 29:31-30:43; Psalm 23

The annual Global Terrorism Index provides a comprehensive resource on global terrorism trends. According to their 2022 report, Sub-Saharan Africa has emerged as the epicentre of global terrorist attacks.
Terrorism on the continent of Africa has been rising sharply over the decade. From Somalia to Mali and Nigeria to Mozambique, the continent has repeatedly witnessed grisly acts of violence targeting its civilian populations..
Following military defeats in Syria and Iraq, the Islamic State or ISIS, shifted its attention to Africa. With the rapid demise of their Caliphate in Syria, their fighters shifted many of their operations from the Middle East to Africa.
Now the marketplace of violence on the continent is saturated with a variety of armed groups which are jockeying for influence, power, and access to resources in Africa. This has led to increased death from terrorism rising ten times in affected regions. Indeed the violence has been unprecedented and the humanitarian consequences are alarming .
Today, Sub-Saharan Africa account for 48% of total global deaths from terrorism. The threat of terrorism has grown so much on the continent that by 2020 seven of the top 10 countries in the world in terms of terrorism risk were in Africa.
Outside of Africa, there has also been growing security concerns in other nations. With Russia’s recent invasion of Ukraine, fears of a possible Third World War has led many Western nations to beef up their own security. Reportedly, fifty percent of all research scientists are now involved in arms development and global military expenditures has risen to trillions of U.S. dollars.

There is no doubt that we are living at the end of the Church Age where the world would experience many upheavals and turmoils. Jesus Himself prophesied about the state of the world in the last days. In Matthew 24:7 and 8, He said, “For nation shall rise against nation, and kingdom against kingdom: and there shall be famines, and pestilences, and earthquakes, in divers places. All these are the beginning of sorrows.”
Jesus called this period in time the “beginning of sorrows” The word “sorrows” is the Greek word oodin, and it specifically describes the labor pains a pregnant woman experiences before she gives birth.
By using this word, Jesus was teaching that as we approach the end of the Church Age, the world will begin to feel stress and pressure like a woman in labour.
A woman’s birth pains start slowly then gradually grow stronger and stronger. Likewise, as the world comes closer and closer to the end of the age, the pains in the world will become greater. .
However, we must not let the noises or clamors throw us into a state of panic.
Jesus admonished us in Matthew 24:6, “See that ye are not troubled: for all these things must come to pass, but the end is not yet.”
So don’t let negative news reports get you troubled or think there is no hope. With the worsening conditions in the world, the devil would be actively trying to make believers fearful about the future. We must resist the urge to live in worry and apprehension which would hinder the fulfilling of our God-given callings and destinies.
We are a people of faith, and we know the end of the story before it even begins! We must therefore keep our eyes on the Lord and our minds on the Word because we have a faith that overcomes the world (1 John 5:4)!
Our focus at this time is to live ready and do everything possible to enable others hear the Gospel and also be prepared.
1 Thessalonians 5:9 says ‘For God hath not appointed us to wrath, but to obtain salvation by our Lord Jesus Christ,’

Noah obtained salvation at a time when the world was filled with the same violence and wickedness that we see today. Jesus said that the last days on earth will be like the days of Noah, therefore just as Noah escaped, let us begin to seek our own ark of safety which is going deeper in our relationship with God.
Certainly, as we walk in obedience to God’s Word, and follow the guidance of the Holy Spirit we will live in divine security and be exempted from the evils of these perilous end-times.

PRAYER: Lord, please help me to take heed to the instructions of Scriptures. Please help me to keep focused on knowing You more and more, and continually seek You with all of my heart so as to live in victory and safety in these last days in Jesus Name.
QUOTE;
God protects us and shields us when we are being led by Him. WORDBITE 222