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We know
that in the Last Days, difficult times with come.
For the last couple of weeks, we considered the
signs that the Lord gave us that precede His return.
Last week I speculated how some crises might rapidly
propel us into a one-world government. I speculated
that we could be in for difficult times. Today,
I want to remind all of us that in the midst of
difficult times, we can have peace that passes
all human understanding.
Let me
begin by reading a passage from the end of the
last chapter of the prophet Habakkuk: Though
the fig tree should not blossom and there be no
fruit on the vines, though the yield of the olive
should fail and the fields produce no food, though
the flock should be cut off from the fold and
there be no cattle in the stalls (we’re talking
about an agricultural disaster with the resulting
danger of famine and starvation on the way),
yet I will exult (be very happy). How can
a human being have peace, let alone rejoice greatly,
in the midst of circumstances like this? Habakkuk
tells us: I will exult in the Lord, I will
rejoice in the God of my salvation. The source
of Habakkuk’s peace, even joy, was the reality
of the Lord, and knowing the eternal and powerful
God, the One who is the God of our salvation,
the God who can and will help us, even in the
midst of very difficult circumstances (3:17-18).
We can
have this same kind of peace, genuine peace, profound
peace, only when we are right with God, when we
have been reconciled to Him, and He accepts us,
when we know that He won’t send us to Hell with
the rest of the world, when we understand that
He is our Father who loves us, our God who will
help us, our Provider who cares for us.
We are
promised that we will experience, not just shalom
- peace, but “shalom shalom” perfect peace, complete
peace, the fulness of peace, so that not the tiniest
little bit of peace is lacking or missing. That
peace that is supernatural, that peace that is
incomprehensible, that peace that passes the understanding
of human beings comes to those who are who are
steadfast in mind, who lean on the Lord in their
thoughts, who lay their mental weight on Him;
that complete peace comes to those who train their
minds to think about God and His ways, who depend
on the Almighty to hold them up, who continually
look to Him for help, guidance and support and
direction; who trust in the Lord, and not in themselves
and their own goodness and strength (which will
always be lacking), or in a religious system,
or in humanity, but in God alone.
We can
have peace because we know that God is good, and
has our best interests in His loving heart and
powerful mind.
We can
have peace knowing that He has pledged Himself
to take care of us. We can cast our cares on Him,
because He cares for us.
We can
have peace because God keeps His promises. We
can have peace because the eternal God is trustworthy,
reliable, and sure, and never changes.
We can
have peace only when we welcome the Lord Yeshua
the Messiah. Then the Holy Creator declares us
to be righteous, and acceptable in His holy eyes.
We become His beloved sons and daughters, heirs
of God, fellow heirs along with Messiah.
We can
have peace, real peace, genuine peace, when we
know that there is no condemnation for those who
are in Messiah Yeshua, who believe in Him, who
have put their trust in Him, who love Him, serve
Him, follow and obey Him.
We can
have peace because of the coming of the Prince
of Peace - the one who is full of peace, and able
to gave peace to others. Yeshua has so much peace
and power within Himself that He can restore wholeness,
completeness and peace to a broken and shattered
universe.
He is
able to establish peace between man and God, between
man and his fellow man, Jews and Gentiles, rich
and poor, blacks and whites and between man and
nature, and peace within ourselves. The wonderful
peace that He brings is not temporary, but will
last forever!
Because
we have been made right with God due to the efforts
of the dead and resurrected Messiah, and because
we are trusting in what Yeshua did for us, dying
for us on the cross, coming back to life, conquering
sin and overcoming death, we can have peace of
mind, wonderful and abiding peace of spirit, a
peace down deep in our innermost being, a peace
that transcends all the problems and trials and
tribulations and difficult circumstances in the
world.
In this
fallen world, that lies in the power of the evil
one, we can expect to have troubles, trials, difficulties
and tribulation. But right before He died, the
faithful Messiah, who can’t lie, promised us:
Peace I leave with you; My peace I give to
you; not as the world gives do I give to you.
Do not let your heart be troubled, nor let it
be fearful. The Living and Resurrected Messiah
Himself can give us peace, genuine peace, true
peace, lasting peace - not like the world gives
peace. The world can only offer us a temporary
absence of conflict, a false peace that all is
well with us when thing are not at all well, a
narcotized kind of false peace, not the positive
state of wholeness and completeness that the Messiah
can give us; the kind of peace that goes to the
very depths of the soul, giving one a sense of
well-being, even in the most difficult circumstances.
Therefore, do not let your heart be troubled,
nor let it be fearful. Control your heart! Concentrate
your innermost being on Messiah and His promise
of peace.
Yeshua,
who is the Amen, and faithful and true, also promised
us: in Me you may have peace. In the world
you have tribulation, but take courage; I have
overcome the world. We too can have peace
and overcome the world when we are “in Him” joined
to Him because of our faith in Him, enjoying His
presence, experiencing the help of the Savior,
blessed with His on-going and eternal intercession,
prayers and mediation for us. When we fill our
hearts with this truth, then we won’t be troubled
or fearful. We can be bold and confident and strong
no matter the situation.
We may
be afflicted in every way, but not crushed; we
can be perplexed, but not despairing; we may be
persecuted, but we will never be forsaken; we
may be struck down, but we will not destroyed.
We can
have peace if the Holy Spirit is living in us
in that new fresh way, producing love, joy, and
peace. It is the Spirit of God dwelling in us,
teaching us, transforming us, helping us, inspiring
us, that enables us to have peace.
We have
peace when we are born again by the Holy Spirit,
and filled with the Holy Spirit, and living and
walking and empowered by the blessed Holy Spirit.
We can
have peace when the Spirit Himself testifies with
our spirit that we are children of God, and if
children, heirs also, heirs of God and fellow
heirs with Messiah - provided that we indeed suffer
with Him, and show that we are different, and
not of this world - so that we may also be glorified
with Him.
We will
have peace when our minds are set on the Spirit
of God - concentrating our mind, our thoughts
on the Spirit of God, and the things that please
the Holy Spirit, and finding out what the Spirit
wants us to do, and how He wants us to live, and
then doing those things. The mind set on the flesh
- mere human interests, results in is death, but
the mind set on the Spirit is life and peace.
We can
have peace knowing that God causes all things
to work together for good to those who love God,
to those who are called according to His purpose.
The Lord will take all the things that happen
to us, the good and the bad, the difficult circumstances
and the pleasant ones, the dark threads of trials
and the tragedies, along with bright threads of
success, and weave them together until they make
the glorious tapestry of our earthly lives.
We can
have peace if we know that we are eternally safe,
secure protected, that we will make it to the
goal of Heaven, that we will arrive safely into
the presence of our wonderful God and Savior -
that no force in the universe can separate us
from God and Messiah. We can have peace knowing
that if God is for us, who is against us?... Who
will separate us from the love of Messiah? Will
tribulation, or distress, or persecution, or famine,
or nakedness, or peril, sword? We can have peace
if we are convinced that neither death, nor life,
nor angels, nor principalities, nor things present,
nor things to come, nor powers, nor height, nor
depth, nor any other created thing, will be able
to separate us from the love of God.
We can
have peace because we know the future. We can
have peace knowing that Yeshua is returning for
us, that our reward awaits us, that great glory
and honor are in store for us.
We have
can peace knowing that life is temporary, this
world is not our home, and those who suffer well
in this world, will be greatly and eternally rewarded
in the world to come! My trust is in God, my hope
is sure, my treasure is in Heaven, my riches are
not of this world, my time is eternal, my life
is everlasting.
We can
have peace when we know that His grace is sufficient
for us - grace at all times; grace to go through
difficult times, grace to suffer according to
the will of God, if need be, grace that will provide,
grace to survive, grace to live, and grace to
die - when necessary.
We can
have peace when we, in every situation, by prayer
and supplication with thanksgiving let our requests
be made known to God. When we do that, the peace
of God, which surpasses all comprehension, will
guard our hearts and minds, keeping us free from
anxiety, sane in an insane world, balanced in
a world that is unbalanced.
We can
have peace, knowing that we are part of a world-wide
community, who strive to be selfless, not selfish,
who are commanded to love one another, to take
care of each other as does a good family, to bear
one another’s burdens.
May the
Lord of peace Himself continually grant you peace
in every circumstance!
The Lord
will give strength to His people; the Lord will
bless His people with peace!
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