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!

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

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. 

Peace Through Christ

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

I don’t understand how there can be peace in the midst of conflict and unrest. The mind is constantly thinking and wrestling with life’s problems. The heart, the seed of our emotions and affections daily dealing with interpersonal relationships that often are made difficult by miscommunication and mistrust. How can one be at peace is such a state of mind and soul? The peace of God is a divine intervention that comes from heaven above. It does not come from any human source or formula. In the midst of war and confusion, the God of creation send His Son to earth to dwell among us and to give us peace. He is the Prince of peace, the everlasting God. Knowing Christ and His forgiveness and love fills the mind and heart with peace that the world can never give. The world does not understand how a person can be at rest when all seems to be going wrong. His peace is our stabilizer, He keeps us in perfect accord and provides peace that only a true Christian can understand. 

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.