Rev. 1:9-19; Matt. 24:4-8, 23-31; Rev. 14:6-12; Heb. 11:13-16; Phil. 4:4-6.

 “But as it is written: ‘Eye has not seen, nor ear heard, nor have entered into the heart of man the things which God has prepared for those who love Him’” (1 Cor. 2:9, NKJV).

 Have you ever felt that you were in the midst of a great battle, a kind of struggle between good and evil? Many, even secular people, have sensed this reality. And we feel that way because, well, it’s true. We are in a great battle between good and evil, between Christ (the good) and Satan (the bad).

 Life, then, is really being played out on two levels. The great controversy between Christ and Satan is taking place on a global scale — in fact, even a cosmic level, for in heaven is where it first began (Rev. 12:7). Yet, in the confusion of events, we can easily lose the big picture of God’s escape plan for this world. Wars, political unrest, and natural disasters can hold us in helpless terror. But God’s prophetic guidance can help us keep in mind the big picture of where we are going and how we will get there.

 The great controversy also is being played out on a much more personal level. All of us individually face faith challenges in our everyday life, and if we should not live to the second coming of Jesus, we will face death, too. This week, we look at how we can rest in Jesus in the face of global unrest and our own personal unknown future, at least in the short term. In the long term, things look very promising, indeed!

 Study this week’s lesson to prepare for Sabbath, September 25.