Behold, he is coming with the clouds, and every eye will see him, even those who pierced him, and all tribes of the earth will wail on account of him. Even so. Amen.
Devotional Thoughts
By David Wilkerson
Right now, our nation has a heavy cloud hanging over it. To the carnal eye, it is a cloud of financial depression, unemployment, hard times, evil reports, things coming apart. To the world, it is a cloud of gloom, despair, wickedness, and restlessness. The governments of this world see it as an economic storm cloud. The whole nation is waiting for the thunder and lightning to strike.
Not so for the true believer! God's people see the same cloud suspended over this nation; but they see something quite different. They see God in that dark cloud! The cloud has always been, and always will be, viewed in two different ways: darkness to the carnal, brightness to the saved. How you view the cloud is most important. If you have entered into the rest and confidence of faith in God, you see nothing but Jesus in the cloud. Believers have nothing to fear! The cloud that causes the sinners' hearts to fail for fear must cause the hearts of Christians to look up and rejoice — because "our Lord cometh with clouds...."
So what if the Arabs shut down all the oil fields? So what if hard times fall upon this nation and the world? So what if our lifestyles are cut way back? God is still on the throne; He is still King of the flood; and as the cloud settles over the land, let us know that our Lord is about to show Himself strong on the behalf of all who trust Him. There is nothing at all to fear. These troubled days should be the brightest for God's people — the cloud is coming to take us home!
Why should we be surprised that a cloud has settled over our land? It is a pre-coming situation.
"And then shall appear the sign of the Son of man in heaven...and they shall see the Son of man coming in the clouds of heaven with power and great glory" (Matthew 24:30).
Yes, my Christian friend, we see in that cloud the power and glory of a Savior, leading us into the new Kingdom. Why be afraid of the gathering clouds? Why tremble as the storm nears? Saints, when it hits — know that it is our God who is thundering with His voice. He is answering our prayers for revival and renewal. Repentance is bringing forth a Lord riding swift upon a cloud. "Behold, the Lord rideth upon a swift cloud..." (Isaiah 19:1).