My early life was hard. By the time I was eight years old, I was working beside adults in the field on the farm my sharecropper dad was taking care of. If we were picking strawberries in the spring or hoeing cotton in the summer or picking cotton in the fall, I was expected to keep up with the adults. It wasn’t easy, but every source of income was needed.

In school, I soon learned that I was living in the greatest country on earth. I had freedom of speech, freedom of religion, the right to bear arms, the right to assemble, the right to vote, the right to own property, the right to hold a job and more. In most other countries the people didn’t have these freedoms and rights, but I had them in the land of the free and the home of the brave.

About that time, our young nation was beginning to prosper. Our powerful military had helped win WW II. Labor unions were working for the benefit of the people so wages and benefits were getting better. Electricity and telephones had come to the country so houses and living conditions were getting better. Roads were getting better.

People were honest and we didn’t have to lock our doors. Many of us were beginning to get our first, hand store-bought clothes and we were very optimistic about the future.

I was proud to bow my head in the school chapel and thank God for all of our blessings; proud to stand and hold my hand over my heart and say the Pledge of Allegiance to our flag; proud to salute when our flag was raised or some of our brave troops marched by in the fourth of July parade; proud to see so many flags displayed in cemeteries and on houses and businesses; proud to clap when the preacher asked our veterans to stand in church.

Almost everyone respected our troops; people worked for the good of our community and nation; people treated our flag and troops with respect; and there was no greater song than our National Anthem.

But that free God-fearing, patriotic America no longer exists. Progressives are taking those freedoms away from us.  They are out to destroy the church, family and our flag. They have managed to kick God, prayer and the Ten Commandments out of our schools. They have put forth a corrupt, lying environmentalist whacko to rule over us.

Abortion, gay-marriage, murder, lying, deceit and rioting are common place. Our nation is in moral decline. Our military is in freefall. Some stomp on our flag; tear it to shreds; set it on fire; and spit, boo and urinate on our troops. Our police are dying in the streets. Our national debt is unsustainable.

Our president has hired radical czars. He has Muslims in the White House. He wants to take over the local police. He has our military practicing the elimination of local militants”(“Potential Domestic Terrorists”) which would include veterans, evangelical Christians, gun owners, people who oppose abortion, gay marriage, world government, etc.

Republicans were sent to the White House to change this and they talk like they are trying but they always find a way to do what the president wants (demands).

Living in the United States has become more difficult for many people. Many are discouraged and are no longer optimistic about their future. Many are concerned and disgusted about the ever-spreading wickedness and darkness.

I get a lot of e-mails from people who say they are praying for the Rapture to take place soon.  One lady told me Christians are supposed to occupy, but she is concerned that we will have to occupy under duress if Jesus doesn’t come back soon.

While I was thinking about the disastrous fundamental change that has been foisted on the United States it occurred to me that I am in this world, but not of this world. My citizenship is in heaven not in the United States (Eph. 2:19). My King is the King of kings and Lord of lords, not Pres. Obama or the father of lies (John 8:44).

I am a stranger and a pilgrim on this earth (Heb. 11:13). Jesus has prepared a place for me (Heb. 11:16). It is not in this world. It is in a heavenly country (Heb. 11:14). This wicked world is passing away, but I have an eternal citizenship in a place that won’t pass away (I John 2:15; 17).

Jesus made promises to me. I have embraced them and the progressives can’t take them away. I love the America I grew up in but my heavenly home is better than the America I grew up in, and I will love it more than I ever loved that America. I won’t have to work hard in my eternal home. There won’t be any violence or economic problems. Our troops won’t be spit on, our police won’t be killed and all of our neighbors will love God.

This verse addresses that truth: “For our light affliction, which is but for a moment, worketh for us a far more exceeding and eternal weight of glory; while we look not at the things which are seen, but at the things which are not seen: for the things which are seen aretemporal; but the things which are not seen are eternal” (II Cor. 4:17-18).

Our eternal things were purchased with the blood of our Saviour and we are to trust in Him (I Pet. 1:18-19; Psa. 40:4). Everything will be okay.

He will come back from heaven soon, change our vile bodies and give us each a glorious body like His (Phil. 3:20-21). He will take us home and we won’t be concerned about America’s debt, Muslims in the White House, ISIS in the United States, Republicans that sound like Republicans, but vote like progressives and things like that.

So let us occupy in this temporary godless society until Jesus takes us to the place of our real citizenship and we can live the way He meant for us to live all along.

Prophecy Plus Ministries
Daymond & Rachel Duck

She is the epitome of a good Christian lady. She and her mission-minded husband have gone on many mission trips. She came to hear me update her church on recent events relating to prophecy and the Middle East. She brought a list of questions. I didn’t write them down, but one question went something like this: “It seems like the Rapture is so close, what should we do?”

The Old Testament prophet Habakkuk was praying about the rampaging sin and violence in Judah. He wanted God to stop the violence and save his nation, but he thought God was ignoring Judah’s sin and his prayers. Habakkuk accused God of letting His Word slide, not listening, and exercising poor judgment (Hab. 1:1-5).

In essence, God told Habakkuk that He wasn’t guilty of any of those things. He was aware of Judah’s sin, He had heard Habakkuk’s prayers, He wasn’t letting His Word slide and there was nothing wrong with His judgment.

God told Habakkuk to pay attention and be amazed. He said, “I will work a work in your days, which ye will not believe, though it be told you.” In response to Judah’s sins and Habakkuk’s prayers, God said He intended to use Babylon to destroy Judah.

The destruction of Judah was not what Habakkuk wanted to hear. He couldn’t believe that God would use a nation (Babylon) that is more wicked than Judah to destroy Judah. He asked God several questions and resolved to wait until God answered them and to think about how he would respond to God (Hab. 2:1).

God told Habakkuk to clearly or plainly write (engrave) his words on tablets so that those who read them could run and tell others. The destruction of Judah would come at God’s appointed time. His judgment wouldn’t fall one day before or one day after He wanted it to fall. What God says will happen will take place right on schedule because God does not lie (Hab. 2:2-3).

God told Habakkuk it may take longer than you think so you should be patient and wait for His Word to be fulfilled. His Word can be trusted. Current events will conform to what is written (Hab. 2:3). But these things happen when God says they will happen.

What should people do as they face God’s coming judgment? The proud (lost) will trust in themselves, but the just (saved or justified ones) will live by faith (Hab. 2:4). Those who don’t care about the things of God (salvation through the Messiah, that Holy City not made with human hands, etc.) will continue on the broad road to destruction. But those who do care about the things of God will put their trust in Him, try to do His will and continue on the narrow road to victory. Perilous times will come but God’s people will rely on God’s power to faithfully live for Him.

This teaching that the just shall live by faith appears in three other places in the Bible (Rom.1:16-17; Gal.3:11 and Heb.10:38). And one of many interesting things about it is the fact that it has application for the Second Coming of Jesus in the passage to the Hebrews.

The writer to the Hebrews advises us “not to forsake the assembling of ourselves together, as the manner of some is; but exhorting one another: and so much the more, as ye see the day approaching” (Heb. 10:25). He reminds us that “It is a fearful thing to fall into the hands of the living God” (Heb. 10:31).

He talked about how the early Christians were persecuted (Heb. 10:32-34). He urged them to remain faithful (Heb. 10:35). Then, he said, “For yet a little while, and he that shall come will come, and will not tarry. Now the just shall live by faith” (Heb. 10:37-38a).

Jesus won’t tarry. He will come at the set time. He was dead, but He is alive and He can raise the dead. So if perilous times come, don’t back off. Put the pedal to the metal (accelerate) and go forward harder than ever by faith based on the Word of God.

Prophecy Plus Ministries
Daymond & Rachel Duck