I’ve Seen Enough “End-Times” News. I’m STRESSED OUT. I Need a Plan to Get Through It. Well, here it is!

For those of you who have the desire to study end-times scripture and news, I think its fair to say that all of you are fully awake. You know that we are entering the final 7 years here upon the earth, as Christ is preparing for His return.

However, because of all of this study, and time spent, you find yourself a bit stressed out, and asking yourself, “Do I have the strength to endure these last few years?” Can you relate to this? It’s really that you DON’T need more proof that we are in the end times, rather, you need a navigation map to see you through.

I’m here today to offer you just that “Navigation Map.” My words are not intended to be just a “rah-rah” speech, but rather, to give you the tools that you need in following this map. I feel that this is one of my most important blog postings that I have written, and I seek God’s assistance in explaining what is on my heart right now.

First of all, you are very aware of your own strengths and weaknesses. With this knowledge, you are also very aware of your own limitations. Agreed?!? Most of us are seeing all that is required for us to keep going, and it is exhausting.

Perhaps since COVID, your life has been getting increasingly more difficult. Things have changed, and like the “increase of birthing pains”, that we have learned from the scriptures, we are feeling those challenges becoming more extreme, and difficult.

So, this is where we are today. Awake, very well informed, and quite frankly, EXHAUSTED!

I think back to the many people who have had such a tremendous experience with God, as detailed in the scriptures…even though they faced a tremendous challenge.

In Daniel 3, King Nebuchadnezzar commands all his subjects to bow down and worship a golden image he has set up. The punishment for disobedience is severe—anyone who refuses to bow will be cast into a fiery furnace. Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego, three Jewish men who were among the exiles in Babylon, refuse to bow to the idol, standing firm in their faith in the one true God.

Despite the overwhelming pressure to conform to the king’s decree, these three men remain resolute. They are brought before Nebuchadnezzar, who gives them one final chance to bow down. His words are filled with threats: “If ye worship not, ye shall be cast the same hour into the midst of a burning fiery furnace; and who is that God that shall deliver you out of my hands?” (Daniel 3:15).

But their response is both bold and filled with unshakable faith in God:

“If it be so, our God whom we serve is able to deliver us from the burning fiery furnace, and he will deliver us out of thine hand, O king. But if not, be it known unto thee, O king, that we will not serve thy gods, nor worship the golden image which thou hast set up.” (Daniel 3:17-18)

The Faith That Endured

What makes this moment so powerful is not just that they trusted God to deliver them, but that they were willing to stand firm in their faith even if God chose not to deliver them. They were ready to face the fiery furnace, knowing that God was sovereign and that their allegiance to Him was more important than their earthly lives. They understood that the outcome of their faith would either be a miraculous deliverance or, if not, a faithful martyrdom. Either way, their faith would stand.

As the story unfolds, the king orders the furnace to be heated seven times hotter than usual, and the three men are bound and thrown into the fire. The heat is so intense that it kills the soldiers who throw them in. But when the king looks into the furnace, he is astonished to see not three men, but four, walking freely in the flames, and the fourth figure looks like the Son of God (Daniel 3:25).

God miraculously delivers them from the furnace, and when they emerge from the fire, they are unharmed—not even their clothes are singed. The king is so amazed that he praises their God and decrees that anyone who speaks against the God of Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego will be destroyed.

How’s your faith right now? I know that you believe in God. Just reading this post is proof that you have a desire to follow Him, regardless of how difficult your life has become. But, honestly, do you have the faith that these three men had in facing diversity and challenge?

If not, let our first step in this “Navigation Map” be to Have the desire and commitment to increase our faith in Jesus Christ.

Here is the key in doing so… Stop relying on your own abilities to do things. Get down upon your knees and ask God to help you increase your faith. This is key in two categories:

*God Will help your faith grow.

*You will learn the importance of seeking Gods assistance, rather than

relying upon your own abilities.

“And the apostles said unto the Lord, Increase our faith.”
— Luke 17:5 (KJV)

“But ye, beloved, building up yourselves on your most holy faith, praying in the Holy Ghost.”
— Jude 1:20 (KJV)

Faith is often built in the secret place of prayer. The more we pour our hearts out to God, the more we learn to trust Him and experience His faithfulness in our lives. Don’t be afraid to pray for more faith, just as the disciples did.

Recognize the events that have happened to you in your own life where God has seen you through. Gather these experiences in your mind to firm up the faith that you have in God. As you relive these events in your mind, your faith will become refreshed and establish the firm base of faith that you already have.

I’m reminded of a personal story that I would like to share.

High on the Unita mountains in Utah, I was with a group of friends hunting Elk. The conditions were extreme. The terrain steep with thick deep timber, and of course it was snowing, and extremely cold.

The area where we hunted was impossible to navigate, as the mountains would roll, and the dense timber made it a challenge to know where you were. It was for this reason that I packed a new GPS device that had just become available upon the market.

I set my “weigh point” for where the camp was, and in the morning, we all set out. I was confident in my own abilities to navigate with the addition of this new device.

In the late afternoon, I was frozen, and decided to head back to camp for dinner, and to warm up in the tent that we had which had a wood stove inside.

As I looked at the GPS, the navigation seemed to have a mind of its own. I would be prompted to head in one direction and minutes later, the indicator would change to an entirely different direction. After doing this for some time, I determined that the GPS was malfunctioning and was essentially useless.

I decided to try and hunker down, and look for a way to survive the cold. Time went by, and I realized that I was indeed in trouble. The snow had covered all of my tracks, making a rescue from my friends impossible, even with the continued gun fire into the air, using up all of my ammunition that I had with me.

I would surely die in these extreme temperatures. It was me, on my own, and only able to utilize the skills that I had, which in my mind were limiting and no match for surviving the conditions that I faced.

It was then that I looked one last time at my GPS, and saw things differently. G.P.S.… God-Please-Save!

I got up onto my knees and began to plead with my Heavenly Father to guide me to safety. It was pitch black, but I felt so prompted to simply get us and start walking. I walked in a straight line, no GPS assistance, I just walked. After about 45 minutes of walking, I saw a distant fire through a clearing…It was camp! A miracle!!

I had made it! Not by the skills of my own, or any mechanical device, but with the help of God, leading the way. My life was saved that night, and I chose to devote my life to Him.

Can you think of your own experiences that place you in partnership with God? This leads us to number 2 in our “Navigation Map,” Partnering up with the Savior.

In Matthew 11:28-30, Jesus offers us a profoundly comforting invitation: “Come unto me, all ye that labour and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest. Take my yoke upon you, and learn of me; for I am meek and lowly in heart: and ye shall find rest unto your souls. For my yoke is easy, and my burden is light.”

The image of a yoke, used in ancient times to bind two oxen together to work in tandem, carries deep significance in this passage. Jesus isn’t merely offering to relieve us of our burdens; He’s inviting us to walk alongside Him, to be joined to Him in such a way that His strength becomes our strength.

The yoke is not a symbol of oppression but of partnership. As we take His yoke upon us, we yoke our lives to His, allowing His wisdom, His peace, and His love to guide us. In this union, we find a divine exchange: our burdens for His rest, our weakness for His strength.

To “yoke up” with the Savior means to enter into a close, intentional relationship with Him where you actively partner with Him, allowing Him to guide, strengthen, and sustain you. It is a process of aligning your will with His and trusting that He will carry the load of life’s challenges with you. Here’s how we can “yoke up” with Christ:

1. Submit to His Leadership

A yoke is meant to unite two entities for a common purpose. When we yoke up with Christ, we are choosing to submit to His leadership. Just as oxen submit to the farmer’s guidance through the yoke, we must surrender our will to Jesus, trusting that He knows the best way forward.

“Not my will, but thine, be done.” — Luke 22:42 (KJV)

Submission means letting go of control and trusting Him to lead us, even when the path is uncertain. It is actively choosing to follow His example and obey His teachings.

2. Learn of Him

Jesus calls us to learn of Him, and the only way to do this is through immersion in His Word, prayer, and reflection. Christ is gentle and humble in heart, and when we focus on His character—His compassion, humility, and grace—we are transformed.

“Take my yoke upon you, and learn of me; for I am meek and lowly in heart.” — Matthew 11:29 (KJV)

When we study His life, His miracles, His teachings, and His sacrifice, we begin to see how to live as He did. Learning of Him also means actively seeking to apply His teachings in our own lives.

3. Trust Him with Your Burdens

Yoking up with Jesus means allowing Him to carry your burdens. Christ invites us to come to Him with all our worries, anxieties, and struggles. When we “yoke up” with Him, we are not meant to bear life’s difficulties alone. Jesus promises that His yoke is easy and His burden is light—not because life will be without trouble, but because He will bear the load with us, providing strength, peace, and guidance along the way.

“Cast thy burden upon the Lord, and he shall sustain thee.” — Psalm 55:22 (KJV)

Trusting Christ with our burdens involves releasing our anxieties and doubts, choosing to rely on His strength, and believing He will provide. It is a constant act of faith to bring our concerns to Him and allow Him to give us peace, no matter the external circumstances.

4. Walk in His Steps

When we yoke up with Jesus, we are walking in His footsteps. This is not a passive act but an active choice to follow His lead, even in difficult circumstances. Jesus showed us how to endure suffering, love our enemies, serve others, and live a life of holiness. Yoking up with Him means committing to follow His example, allowing His ways to shape our own.

“And he said unto them, Follow me…” — Matthew 4:19 (KJV)

Every day presents an opportunity to make choices that align with the values and principles Christ taught. This means seeking humility, love, patience, and forgiveness in our daily interactions and decisions.

5. Rest in His Grace

The essence of yoking up with Jesus is not about striving harder or doing more in our own strength. It’s about resting in His grace—acknowledging that He is the one who empowers us to live for Him, and that His grace is sufficient for every challenge we face.

“Come unto me… and I will give you rest.” — Matthew 11:28 (KJV)

When we yoke up with the Savior, we stop trying to prove ourselves or fight the battles alone. Instead, we find peace in knowing that He has already won the victory for us. His grace is what strengthens us to face the day, and His presence is what provides rest for our weary souls.

6. Live in His Peace

A critical aspect of yoking up with Jesus is experiencing His peace. When we align ourselves with Him, surrendering our burdens and our will, He offers us peace—peace that surpasses all understanding.

“Peace I leave with you, my peace I give unto you: not as the world giveth, give I unto you.” — John 14:27 (KJV)

Living in His peace means trusting that He is in control and that we do not have to worry or be anxious. It is the peace that comes from knowing that He is walking beside us, that His plans are good, and that He is ultimately sovereign over all things.

7. Be Transformed by His Presence

When we yoke up with Jesus, we are not only walking with Him—we are being transformed by Him. The closer we walk with Christ, the more His character begins to shape ours. We are slowly conformed to His image, becoming more like Him in our thoughts, actions, and hearts.

“But we all, with open face beholding as in a glass the glory of the Lord, are changed into the same image from glory to glory, even as by the Spirit of the Lord.” — 2 Corinthians 3:18 (KJV)

The act of yoking up with Jesus is a continual journey of sanctification. As we walk alongside Him, we become more like Him, reflecting His love and His character to the world around us.

One last story from the scriptures that I think about almost every day…The Parting of the Red Sea.

I would like to share this story with you from a different perspective, and placing you there at the time that this unfolded. Perhaps these would be your thoughts.

“I stood there, frozen, my heart pounding in my chest. The cold air hung heavy with the salt of the sea, and all around me, my fellow Israelites murmured in fear. Behind us, the mighty Egyptian army was closing in, their chariots thundering over the desert, their horses’ hooves kicking up dust as they drew near.

I could hear the cries of my people—mothers clutching their children, fathers urging their families forward, but there was nowhere to go. The sea stretched out before us, endless, impossible to cross. How could we escape? How could we survive?

I looked around. There were no hills, no mountains to climb. No path to escape. Only the water. And the Egyptians coming swiftly upon us. My thoughts raced, my mind screamed for a solution, but there was none. We were trapped.

I could feel the fear rising in my chest, tightening like a vice. “Why did Moses lead us here? Surely, we are doomed!” I thought. “Did we come out of Egypt to die in this place? Was this all some cruel mistake? Surely, the Egyptians will slaughter us here by the water’s edge.”

My eyes turned back to the army—dust clouds rising as they closed in, the sounds of their horns echoing through the air. Was this how it would end? The promises of God seemed so far away now. My faith felt small, insignificant, crushed beneath the weight of what seemed like certain death.

I tried to look at Moses—surely, he had some plan, some word from the Lord. But what was he doing? He was praying, raising his hands to the heavens, his face focused and intense. Was this enough? Would God come through for us again? Could He still deliver us?

“Moses, what are you doing?” I whispered, my voice shaking. The panic was almost too much to bear. The Red Sea glistened before me, a massive wall of water, seemingly impossible to cross. What was God thinking? Why bring us out of Egypt just to perish in the wilderness?

But then, as if on cue, Moses turned to the people, his voice calm yet filled with power.

“Fear ye not, stand still, and see the salvation of the Lord, which he will shew to you to day: for the Egyptians whom ye have seen to day, ye shall see them again no more for ever.”
— Exodus 14:13 (KJV)

It didn’t make sense. How could we be saved? The waters were too high, the army too strong. Was Moses mad? But there was something in his words—something that struck a chord deep in my heart. Could God really deliver us? Could He part the sea, as He had once parted the waters of Egypt for the Israelites before?

Suddenly, the wind began to stir. It was faint at first, like a whisper on the air. But then it picked up speed, and I could feel it, the shift. The sea was moving, parting. The very waters of the Red Sea were being pushed back, as if some unseen hand had touched them. The waters seemed to hesitate, then began to form two towering walls on either side, while the dry ground between them appeared—solid and firm, a path through the heart of the sea.

I couldn’t believe it. My eyes widened; my breath caught in my throat. Was this really happening?

I glanced to the others around me. Some of them had already begun to move, stepping hesitantly onto the dry path, but I was still unsure, still trembling with doubt. Could I trust this? Was it really the Lord at work, or was this some illusion, some trick of the mind to make us think there was hope?

Could I trust in the Lord now? Should I have trusted the Lord prior to seeing this miracle?”

“And Moses stretched forth his hand over the sea, and the sea returned to his strength when the morning appeared; and the Egyptians fled against it; and the Lord overthrew the Egyptians in the midst of the sea.”
— Exodus 14:27 (KJV)

Brothers and Sisters, we need to have the kind of faith that we would expect a miracle to happen as we reached the banks of the Red Sea at that time.

Are you there yet? Do you have that kind of faith?

This is your “assignment” right now at this very moment. I feel strongly that all of us will benefit by having this type of faith in our Savior, and that by Yoking up to Him, he will guide us through the “Red Sea” of these end times. I so testify of the truthfulness of this statement.

I can also share my witness, that there is peace in today’s troubled times. This peace of which I speak will not be found using just your strengths of condolence, but rather through Jesus Christ.

1. John 14:27

“Peace I leave with you, my peace I give unto you: not as the world giveth, give I unto you. Let not your heart be troubled, neither let it be afraid.”

• Jesus offers His peace to His followers, a peace that is different from the world’s—one that can calm troubled hearts and remove fear.

2. John 16:33

“These things I have spoken unto you, that in me ye might have peace. In the world ye shall have tribulation: but be of good cheer; I have overcome the world.”

• Despite the challenges and tribulations of this world, Jesus promises peace because He has already overcome the world and all its trials.

3. Philippians 4:6-7

“Be careful for nothing; but in every thing by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known unto God. And the peace of God, which passeth all understanding, shall keep your hearts and minds through Christ Jesus.”

• When we bring our anxieties and concerns to God through prayer, the peace of God will guard our hearts and minds in Christ Jesus, transcending all understanding.

4. Colossians 3:15

“And let the peace of God rule in your hearts, to the which also ye are called in one body; and be ye thankful.”

• Let God’s peace guide your heart, uniting you as one body in Christ, and remember to always be thankful.

5. Romans 5:1

“Therefore being justified by faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ:”

• Through faith in Christ, we are justified, which leads to peace with God—a restored relationship with the Creator.

6. Isaiah 26:3

“Thou wilt keep him in perfect peace, whose mind is stayed on thee: because he trusteth in thee.”

• When we keep our minds focused on God and trust in Him, He will grant us perfect peace.

7. 2 Thessalonians 3:16

“Now the Lord of peace himself give you peace always by all means. The Lord be with you all.”

• Paul prays for the Lord of peace to give peace to believers at all times and in every situation.

8. Romans 8:6

“For to be carnally minded is death; but to be spiritually minded is life and peace.”

• A mind focused on the Spirit brings life and peace, showing how our thoughts and mindset affect our peace with God.

9. Hebrews 13:20-21

“Now the God of peace, that brought again from the dead our Lord Jesus, that great shepherd of the sheep, through the blood of the everlasting covenant, Make you perfect in every good work to do his will, working in you that which is well-pleasing in his sight, through Jesus Christ; to whom be glory for ever and ever. Amen.”

• God, the God of peace, has given us peace through the resurrection of Jesus, who now works in us to accomplish His will.

10. 2 Corinthians 13:11

“Finally, brethren, farewell. Be perfect, be of good comfort, be of one mind, live in peace; and the God of love and peace shall be with you.”

• Living in peace with one another brings the presence of the God of love and peace.

So, to you, I give the information regarding survival, and peace through the end times. By following just two navigational steps, Praying to have an increase in faith, and Yoking up to the Savior, is what you need to concentrate on right now.

Me knowing that God, “has my back” is quite comforting. I base this upon past experiences as well as prayerful conformation that I receive each day. I trust Him, and find incredible peace in doing so. I invite you to do the same.

With this newfound peace, I invite you to be excited as we watch scripture play out right before our very eyes, and witness the hand of God. Is there ever a more exciting time to be upon the earth? My prayers are with all of you, that you may find this peace and trust that I have written about today…AMEN!

If you would like to read more of River Wilde’s “End-Times writings”, subscribe to his blog at www.riverwilde.blog