A Time of War

 Ecc 3:8
A time to love, and a time to hate; a time of war, and a time of peace.

Today we remember those who fought for our country and our freedom. Soldiers of war who gave their lives so that we may live our lives in freedom. It is sad that there has to be a time of war. A time when we have to stand up and fight for what is right. And in many cases, standing for what is right means giving up life. The fight between good over evil is seen in every society throughout history. Destroying life to save life seems contradictory, but we are surrounded by evil, and evil does not desire compromise. It seeks to destroy and oppress. It desires dominion and instills fear in others and the masses. This, unfortunately, is reality. Solomon recognized as long as evil was present in this world, that war would exist. Jesus some day will return to earth, set up His Kingdom, and all war will cease and peace will reign. But until then, kingdoms will rise above the kingdoms, and those who desire to rule and conquer will continue to force their will and threaten the freedoms of others. 
In our spiritual life, we also fight a war. This war is not against flesh and blood, but we wrestle (fight) “against principalities, against powers, against the rulers of the darkness of this world, against spiritual wickedness in high places.”(Eph 6:12) We fight for our spiritual freedom in Christ. Satan desires to bring us back into bondage to sin. God has promised to fight our battles for us. In time of war, we can put our trust in the One who will lead us to victory. “Onward, Christian soldiers, marching as to war, with the cross of Jesus going on before! Christ, the royal Master, leads against the foe; Forward into battle, see His banner go!“ Fight the good fight of faith!

My Shepherd

 Psalm 23:1
The Lord is my shepherd; I shall not want.

The familiar Psalm is a favorite for many. It is a Psalm of comfort and reassurance. Jesus is the good Shepherd that will give us peace during troubled times. In this life there will be trials and tribulations. Trouble times will come, and storms are inevitable. Sorrow and suffering come to all who live, the just and unjust. But those who have put their trust in the Shepherd have been given the promise of peace. Jesus said, “Let not your heart be troubled, you believe in God, believe also in me.” When we find ourselves going through the valley of despair, He is there to lead us and walk beside us. We are prone to fear and fret about tomorrow because it is our human makeup to stress and worry about “What if.” But the Holy Spirit gives us the strength and power to lean on Jesus and let Him direct our paths. I find comfort in the song written by Bill Gaither, “Gentle Shepherd.” For there is no other we can turn to show us the way and give us peace and comfort. 

Gentle shepherd come and lead us.
 For we need you to help us find our way
Gentle shepherd come and feed us
For we need your strength from day to day
There's no other we can turn to
Who can help us face another day
Gentle shepherd come and lead us
For we need You to help us find our way

Live at Peace with Others

 Romans 12:18
If it be possible, as much as lieth in you, live peaceably with all men.

Conflict is a natural occurrence that takes place when there are differences of opinions. Some of these differences are strong enough to create strife and division. Paul and Barnabas had differences of opinion, causing them to go their separate ways. It is possible to live peaceably with all men, even in the midst of strong differences. It becomes more challenging to live at peace with all men when there has been a betrayal of trust or if personal hurt has occurred. We cannot allow bitterness and malice to control relationships, even when conflict involves personal matters.  Conflicts can cause a strain in a relationship that may not be overcome quickly, it may even scar a relationship that may never heal completely. But fellowship need not be broken. History has recorded centuries of division and discord. Wars have been fought and many have died for what they believed in. I don’t claim to understand the nature of wars, the just and unjust, but if it is possible, God desires that we live at peace with one another. Especially among those who are followers of Christ. We are exhorted to “Be kindly affectionate one to another with brotherly love; in honor, preferring one another.” (Roman 12:10). It is possible to love without compromising principles or condoning evil. Preferring others is not to agree with them, but it is to allow them to have their own opinions or ideas without dissimilation. We are never going to see eye to eye on every issue, but we can agree to disagree and live at peace with one another.

Peace on Earth

 Luke 2:14, Col 3:15
Glory to God in the highest, and on earth peace, good will toward men….And let the peace of God rule in your hearts.
The desire for most people is to have peace, freedom from disturbance, absence of conflict, war to be eliminated, and tranquility of mind and heart. Sin in the hearts of humanity is the root that makes lasting peace unattainable. The carnal nature born in man is at war with the nature of God, who is our Peace. Christ came to bring peace to mankind, peace that passes all understanding. But as long as sin remains, war will continue to be part of life. Jesus said that nations will war against nations, and His sword will bring division because sin is at enmity with God. The proclamation made by the angels on the day Christ was born, that this Christ would bring peace on earth. Peace is made available to every man, woman, boy and girl on earth. Through Christ, we can have peace in our heart. The war with sin is over, the blood of Jesus has made the heart clean, and He can rule in our hearts. We now have victory or sin and our way is now God’s way , we have surrendered everything over to God. Our plans, ambition, and desires are now His to rule. The Peace of God brings tranquility when everything else is chaotic. The world around us is looking for world peace, but real peace only comes when Christ is born in your heart, and He controls our destiny and journey in life. 

Peace Not of this World

John 14:27
Peace I leave with you, my peace I give to you: not as the world gives to you, give I to you. Let not your heart be troubled, neither let it be afraid.

Peace that the world gives is not everlasting. People cry out for world peace, and the end of wars. Even this last week, Israel declared war on Hamas-Palestine after they were attacked. There is no peace in the Middle East. Nations war against nations, and people are oppressed across the world. A time of peace will someday come. The word of God declares that Jesus will return to earth and set up His reign and there will be peace for 1000 years. But until then, there will always be conflict and oppression. Jesus says that the peace of this world is not the peace that He wants to give the world. His peace is like a river that flows from deep within, from the presence of God. The war is over within the heart. We are at peace with God and our soul. His love is shed abroad in our hearts by the Holy Spirit who is the indwelling presence that brings peace. We can rest in the Almighty, our sins have been forgiven and our hearts are no longer troubled. We don’t have to fear the future and what man can do to us. The song writer wrote, “The world didn’t give it to me and the world can’t take it away .” (Gaithers). How true it is to have this wonderful peace given to us from the Father above.
“Peace, peace, wonderful peace Coming down from the Father above. Sweep over my spirit forever, I pray In fathomless billows of love”- Warren D. Cornell / William G. Cooper

Trust God for Peace of Mind

 Isaiah 26:3
You keep him in perfect peace whose mind stays on you because he trusts in you.

I often wake up in the middle of the night and my mind starts to think of things that are happening in life. I start to become anxious about things I really don’t have any control over. Or, maybe something I said or did that I now have second thoughts about. I tell myself that I can’t change what has happened and need to leave it in God's hands.  Easy to say, but not always easy to do. Having “peace of mind”does not always happen in a moment of time, at least for me it doesn’t. I know that God desires that I give it to Him, and trust Him to work things out. Like forgiveness, trust is a choice that I must make. Life is not perfect and accepting that not everything is going to go like I want it, life happens, but God also happens when I choose to put my trust in Him. I know that I am not alone, we all have our moments of apprehension and worries. For some, it may be the health of a loved one, or a conflict at work, or in the home. There is no end to what may be the problem, but peace is always possible when we focus our minds and hearts on God and trust Him to take control and let God do what is best. 

He is Our Help

 Psalm 121:1,2

 I will lift up mine eyes unto the hills, from whence cometh my help..My help cometh from the Lord, which made heaven and earth.

Needing help implies that a person cannot do it on their own. The psalmist looked around the world he lived in and could not find what he needed to bring him peace. All around people were fighting and seeking their own gain. Everywhere we look the world is in conflict, nations against nations, political parties in constant battle, and people seeking to gain wealth and prosperity at any cost. Help is not found in what man can do, but in the one who created all things. We need to lift our eyes higher, above the turmoil of the world, look upward, toward the hills and beyond and see God. He who is all almighty, all knowing, and all seeing. Deliverance from the chaos of this life comes when we see Jesus, and yield our heart and lives to Him. He will be our help in times of trouble, He is the answer to all the problems that fill this world.

Let Not Your Heart Be Troubles

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.

Becoming anxious about the future and events that may or may not happen has a way of troubling the heart. We fret and worry about many things. We are afraid that life will take us down a road that will cause pain and suffering. We look about us and we see friends and loved ones that are facing difficult situation and it is only a matter of time that we will come face to face with our own troubled heart. It will come, but Jesus say, don’t let it consume your life, don’t let it trouble your heart. I promise peace during times of trouble. I will send One who will comfort the heart when it is troubled.  When the rubber hits the road, and the reality of life’s troubles are at our door step, there but only one who can bring peace, it is peace that comes from the Father above. When your hearts becomes trouble, trust not in the peace of this world, but believe God that He will give you peace that will calm the storm that troubles your heart.

Ponder On Jesus

Luke 2:19 But Mary kept all these things, and pondered them in her heart.

Christmas activities are coming to an end. Potlucks, church dinners, recitals, parties, programs, caroling, and white elephant gift exchanges. All were done in the spirit of the Christmas season. Christmas Eve and Day will wrap up the festivities of this special occasion. But, have we taken the time to ponder the reason for the season. Yes, we know the real reason, but do we really ponder the wonderful love of God. God, who so loved the world, sent His Son to earth to live and die among us. To be the everlasting gift of salvation. The gift of forgiveness, the burden of sin is gone, our sins cast into the sea of forgetfulness. His Spirit given to us to abide in us, and lead us on this earthly journey. Ponder the gift of hope, love, joy and peace. Ponder and think on Jesus. Like Mary, let us take time to ponder these things in our heart.

Peace in Conflict

Roman 5: 1 Since we have been justified through faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ.

A world without conflict will always evade us. Peace is an illusion that we continue reach out to grasp, but always out of our reach. War and conflict go back to the beginning of time, before the foundations of the earth were created. Satan, the arch angel is heaven stood in opposition to God, exerting his will over the will of God. The root of all conflict begins when man is unwilling to submit to its Creator. Peace is never found when man refuses to believe God and trust that He is Lord of all. Christ came to bring peace. Peace in the midst of conflict. The war and battle may rage all around us, but the God’s peace can abide in the heart of man. Coming to terms with our sin and turning to the one who is able to forgive us of our sin, we are made right in the sight of God, and God who reconciles us to Him gives us peace that passes the conflict of this world. Wars and rumors of war will continue till the end of time, but real peace need not evade us. Reach out to the prince of peace, Jesus Christ, the God of peace. 

Passing All Understanding

Philippians 4:7 And the peace of God, which passeth all understanding, shall keep your hearts and minds through Christ Jesus.

We go through life not understanding many things. We ask ourselves, “I just don’t understand why, If I only understood the reason?”. Life and the unexpected happens and life throws a curve ball. We are tempted to think that God does not care. Some lash out at God for allowing unwanted things to cross their path. Then Jesus comes, and peace like a river attend our way. The peace of God over shadows the things in life we don’t understand. It exceeds our understanding or the need to understand. His peace keeps us from despair and defeat. Our hearts and mind reach out in faith, believing that God has all things in His control. God sends us the assurance that all is well. We become anxious for nothing, giving thanks in everything. We give thanks for the peace that floods our soul even when we don’t understand. 

Thy Sins Forgiven

Luke: 7:48,50 And He said unto her, Thy sins are forgiven…Thy faith hath saved thee; go in peace.

“By faith are you saved, not of works lest anyone should boast” Paul, the Apostle would later pen as he wrote his letter to the Romans. Our sins whether they be few or many, small or big all separate us from having a right relationship with God. Everyone born into this world is in need of forgiveness. The Pharisee who works diligently to live righteous by following all the rules given by God and conjured by man is still a sinner in need of forgiveness. The good moral person who seeks to please others by doing deeds and works worthy of praise needs forgiveness. For all have sinned, and have come short of God’s approval. “There is none righteous, no not one” (Roman.3:10) We all owe a debt we cannot pay by any works we can do. Christ came to pay the debt, He did not owe, we needed someone to take our sins away. Jesus, the Son of God has the power to say, “Thy sins are forgiven” for He is God and He paid the price that we may have the peace of God.

Trouble Times

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.

We all go through trouble times. We face things in life that bring uncertainty. We become anxious, and our hearts become fearful of the “What if’s” of life. Our minds are filled with “If only” we would had done it differently. Then there is the trouble of the soul when God seems to be afar off and it appears we are all alone facing life’s unwanted circumstances. Where is peace? Will trouble never cease? In times like this we need Jesus, we need a comforter that will calm life’s trouble waters. In the eye of the storm, the Holy Spirit is there, sent by the Father to bring peace and assurance that He will never leave us or forsake us. His promise is for those who love Him and keep His commandments. He knows our heart and knows our desire to live for Him. He said, He will not leave us comfortless. He will come, and where Jesus is, there is peace.

Who is This?

Mark 4:39,41  And he arose, and rebuked the wind, and said unto the sea, Peace, be still. And the wind ceased, and there was a great calm…What manner of man is this, that even the wind and the sea obey him?

They knew Him as a teacher and friend, but there was something very special about this Jesus. Being in His presences, they would sense that this was not any ordinary man. The words He spoke would slice deep into the heart’s of man, they would bring comfort to the suffering, healing to the hurting, and peace to the trouble heart. What manner of man was this that He also controls the elements of the world. Who among men can speak the words and all of nature listens and obeys. It is Jesus! He is the One! He calms the raging sea within our hearts, He brings peace when we are tossed and driven in life’s stormy sea. It is Jesus, who came to this world not only to teach and guide us into all truth, but to give His life that we may experience the peace of God that passes all understanding. Who is this man? He is God, He is my Savior, lover of my soul.

Go in Peace

Luke 7:48,50b “ And He said unto her, “Thy sins are forgiven… Thy faith hath saved thee. Go in peace”

The wonder of having sins forgiven. Who is this that can forgive sins. He is not a mere man, but the High Priest for all who will come to Him and bow at His feet. It matters not our station in life, our social economic state, or our physical condition, Jesus, He who forgives sins desires to speak the words, “Go in peace”. When the burden of sin is lifted from the heart and guilt and condemnation are gone, peace comes and fills the heart with contentment. Knowing that God now sees us as new creatures, washed by His love, we can go and face life with peace that the world cannot give. Real peace, the gift of God comes only through knowing Jesus, knowing that God’s love reaches any heart that is willing to humble themselves and be a servant of the Master. He is the God of peace in a world of turmoil. 

The Comfort of God

2 Corinth 1:4 “who comforteth us in all our tribulation, that we may be able to comfort those who are in any trouble by the comfort wherewith we ourselves are comforted by God.”

God gives that we may pass on the blessings He gives us. In times of difficulties and hard places, God Comforts us extending His love and care. His love reaches us and give us peace in times of trails and sadness. Life is filled with things that go wrong and we find ourselves alone with our problems. But God, who sees our despair and our heart ache comes to us in ways that are beyond comprehension. His desire is that we would extent this comfort to others in their pain and suffering. As part of the body of Christ, we reach out to each other and also reach out to those who need the Lord. Those who are going trough trouble waters and difficult times. Showing comfort to others is just often a kind word, financial aid, being there to led a ear, and of coarse, praying for them. God cares when we hurt and He care when other hurt. We live in a hurting world that needs the comfort of God.

Fear Not

Luke 2:10 “And the angel said unto them, “Fear not...”

We naturally fear situations that take us unaware. Our natural response is to pull back and flee any possible danger or threat to our well being. Often when God appeared to man, fear gripped the heart of those that encountered the super natural. But when Jesus appeared on earth, He came as a newborn baby. As He grew and became a man, people did not fear Him, they marveled at His teaching and were amaze to see how He healed the sick and made the blind to see. Jesus came to save and seek those who were lost and afraid. Christ comes to us with open arms and entreats us to come unto Him. We need not be afraid or fear, He comes to bring joy to the heart and and peace to the mind. Encountering Jesus is fearless and blissful. 

Storms of Life

Mark 4:37 “And there arose a great storm of wind, and the waves beat into the boat, so that it was now full.”-

When life happens a storm is surely to come. It matters not if you are a Christian or a non believer in God, the storms of life will rock our boat and fill it with problems and unwanted circumstances. We often wonder why things are happening in our life, especially when we are doing our best to please God. We do our best to live right and to follow His Word. We give of our self to help others or to see God’s kingdom go forward. Then all of a sudden, BAM! a wave hits us. We are shaken up and begin to fret in fear that God has forsaken us or no longer cares for us. Life happens! We are in the storm of confusion and uncertainty. In times like these, we need to remember that Christ is in the hind part of the boat. He will not let anything happen that is not His perfect will. We must learn to trust and have faith that He will calm the trouble waters, He will give us the calming peace we need to ride the storm. In times like this we have an Anchor, we can trust Him to do what is best. Life happens! But, Jesus also happens!

Peace and Rest

Col 1:20 “and having made peace through the blood of His cross, by Him to reconcile all things unto Himself ...” The world is filled with unrest. Acts of terror are happening everyday in the world. There seems to be no end and having world peace is no where in sight. Peace on earth eludes us as nations and the end of war will not happen until Christ comes to rule. There is also a war that takes place within each one of us. We struggle with sin and the appetites that bond us. We would do good, but evil is ever present wanting us to fulfill the lust of the flesh. Self and it’s wants and desires war against what is right and holy. It is enmity against God and not subject to the law of God. Paul elegantly write about this condition in the book of Romans. Thank God, Christ came and gave His life that we might be able to have peace. The war within our heart to serve Satan and self can be eliminated. Peace can fill the heart and there can be a rest that passes all understanding. 

In Jesus Name

Matt 1:21 “And she shall bring forth a Son, and thou shalt call His name Jesus, for He shall save His people from their sins.”- 

That wonderful Name, that beautiful Name, the Name of Jesus! The meaning of His name brings joy and peace within the heart. To know that Jesus is able to save us from our sins and wipe away the pain and sorrow that sin brings. In the Name of Jesus, demons are made to vanish, in His Name we are able to call out and command that the mountain be removed. We approach the throne of God in Jesus Name and heaven is open wide. We have access to the Father in the Name of Jesus. Our petitions to the Father are made possible because we come in His Name. We need no other, when we have Jesus as our Savior. History has recorded names of people who have done great things, but there is no other Name that has done more for man than Jesus. He is the one that makes eternity possible. In the Name of Jesus we have eternal life and power over death and hell. I never grow weary of hearing that Name. For it is through His Name that life is made perfect.