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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!
Shalom
Rabbi Loren
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