Mark 13

"And Jesus, answering them, began to say: “Take heed that no one deceives you.  For many will come in My name, saying, ‘I am He,’ and will deceive many.  But when you hear of wars and rumors of wars, do not be troubled; for such things must happen, but the end is not yet.  For nation will rise against nation, and kingdom against kingdom. And there will be earthquakes in various places, and there will be famines and troubles. These arethe beginnings of sorrows. “But watch out for yourselves, for they will deliver you up to councils, and you will be beaten in the synagogues. You will be brought before rulers and kings for My sake, for a testimony to them."  vv.5-9

Read chapter 13.
Rumors of wars, earthquakes, famines and troubles are all just the BEGINNING of the tribulation time Jesus is speaking of here.  Sadly it's an every day headline of the wars going on all over the world, earthquakes happen regularly, famine in certain parts of the world seems like it's always been, and all these things have continued to happen even before Christ spoke these words.  So are we just in a really long beginning?  I think one key here that changes that this is NOT now is the word "rumor." This makes it seem to show that there will be a time when all these things cease for a time, so when they start up it'll be rumors to parts of the world when these begin to strike the world again.  I believe in a pre-tribulation Kingdom period, when the dead rise and Elijah restores all things (Mark 9:12).  This is a time of peace throughout the whole world, when everyone knows God, but this time will be brought to an end and the start of the tribulation by these signs of wars, earthquakes, famines, troubles.  What is your view on the tribulation time?  What scripture do you point to?  What makes understanding the tribulation hard?