|
No matter
how much upheaval there may be economically, politically,
socially or technologically, no matter how chaotic
the world may become, we can have "shalom shalom"
- "perfect peace" - in the midst of it all. We
shouldn't be afraid to face the future, no matter
what it holds, for five reasons.
First,
we shouldn't be afraid because we know who God
is.
He is King of the universe and Lord over all things.
He is in control. No one can thwart His purpose,
His counsel, or His will. All is well, and will
end well. He is also omniscient, wise, good, merciful
and loving, so joined to Him by faith, we have
all the knowledge, wisdom, protection, mercy and
love we will ever need to face the future. God
is infinite, so joined to Him, we have limitless
resources to meet our needs. Let us therefore
trust Him and look confidently to the future.
Who is
God? He is El Shaddai - the All-Sufficient God.
As a nursing mother cares for her little children,
so God completely nourishes and satisfies His
people. He has committed Himself to see to our
needs. He is all-sufficient, so our help is adequate
for every situation. Since He is all-powerful,
we are all-protected. Why should we be afraid?
He is
El Yeshuati - the God of My Salvation. God Himself
is the source of our personal, individual salvation.
He is a God who has time and again intervened
in history to save His people. Where He is, there
is victory, salvation, and deliverance.
He is
Adonai Nisi - the Lord My Miracle, or the Lord
My Banner. If we need a miracle, Adonai is the
One to whom we may turn. In the midst of life's
raging battles we see Him high and lifted up.
If we keep our eyes on Him, we will be miraculously
upheld, as Simon Peter learned on the waters of
the Kinneret.
He is
our Refuge and Fortress. I will say to the
Lord, "My refuge and my fortress, my God in whom
I trust!" Are we facing danger? God is our
refuge to whom we may flee, and in whom we are
safe. God is a far better refuge than our armies
and our technology. He is the place to which refugees
may flee from all the tumult of their lives. He
is a fortress from all attacks - from fire, flood
and storm, from war, famine, trials and difficulties.
As a result, when we are sheltered in Him, we
need not fear.
He is
our Shield. The Word of the Lord came to Abraham
saying, "Do not fear Avram, I am a shield to you;
your reward will be very great." As our shield,
God protects us from danger. The Lord took father
Abraham through many difficult circumstances,
shielding him from danger throughout his long
life, and He will do the same for you.
He is
our Rock. The Lord is my rock and my fortress
and my deliverer, my God, my rock, in
whom I take refuge; my shield and the horn
of my salvation, my stronghold. Dwelling among
the rocks and mountain hideouts of Judea, David
was able to escape from Saul. David compares God
to such a place of concealment and safety. God
is a rock in the sense of firmness, stability,
enduring strength and support.
He is
our Light and Salvation. The Lord is my light
and my salvation; whom shall I fear? The Lord
is the defense of my life, whom shall I dread?
God is a light to those who believe in Him, to
show them the way when they are in doubt, to comfort
them when they have sorrow. It is by the truth
and wisdom He gives that they now walk on their
way, and on an eternally well-lit path. If the
Lord is my light, I fear no darkness. If the Lord
is my salvation and the defense and protector
of my life, what circumstance will I fear?
God
is our refuge and strength, a very present
help in trouble. Therefore we will not fear,
though the earth should change, and though the
mountains slip into the heart of the sea; though
its waters roar and foam, though the mountains
quake at its swelling pride. Are we
weak? God is our strength, to bear us up under
our burdens, equipping us for our duties and responsibilities,
our sufferings if need be, and for every good
work. If God is my strength, then I need not fear
my weakness. Are we surrounded by troubles? God's
help is continually at hand for each difficulty
encountered. With God as a very present help,
fear is unnecessary and even irrational. Since
God is our refuge, strength and help, it is our
duty to be fearless.
We need
not fear, whatever may happen, even if it is as
severe as the earth changing before our eyes.
If everything familiar to us is suddenly changed,
even to the extent that the mighty mountains collapse
before us and fall into the sea, we have no reason
to fear. Should the oceans roar and rage, and
the world be in confusion, yet we will not fear,
knowing that God is with us, and His all-sufficient
help is there for us.
Second,
we shouldn't be afraid, if we will remember how
God has acted in the past.
God has shown Himself faithful to in history to
deliver so many from such difficult circumstances.
Noah was brought safely through the Flood. God
delivered the Jewish people from the strongest
nation on earth, sending plague after plague which
destroyed the land of Egypt; yet the Jewish people,
living in its midst, were protected. We safely
passed through the Red Sea, while the Egyptian
army which pursued us was destroyed. He was able
to sustain several million Jewish people for forty
years in a harsh, desert wilderness. He was able
to bring water out of a rock, and manna from heaven
to feed them. He then enabled Joshua to conquer
the Canaanites, and bring our people into the
land of promise.
Gideon
courageously followed God in the face of vastly
superior forces. Deborah and Barak laid hold of
God, and the impossible became possible. Was there
ever a person who endured so many trials and difficulties
as King David? Young David, alone out of all Israel,
was willing to face the giant Goliath in single
combat. David, a young shepherd, without armor,
carrying only a sling and a few stones, but filled
with faith in God, prevailed over the nine-foot
giant. God was able to sustain the prophet Eliyahu,
hiding by the brook Cherith, by supplying him
bread and meat morning and evening, by means of
ravens who brought his food to him. God was able
to feed the widow of Zarephath, who had just a
little flour in a bowl, and a little oil in a
jar, and was on the verge of starving to death.
She befriended Eliyahu and, because of her faithfulness,
was provided by God with an inexhaustible supply
of flour and oil. Can't He do the same for us?
The lessons
to be learned from the lives of these men and
women are that joined by faith to the living God,
marvelous deliverances can be accomplished. Incredible
victories can be won against superior forces.
The impossible becomes possible. Life can be meaningful
even under the most difficult circumstances.
The
third reason we need not fear is because of God's
precious promises.
God has promised to give us all the wisdom we
need. He is our "Pele Yoetz," our Miraculous Counselor.
He gives wonderful, miraculous counsel, unfailing
in the depths of its wisdom for all who come to
Him. His counsel is miraculous, because it transcends
human understanding. In every situation He can
discern what is best for us and give us wonderful
guidance. When you find yourself in a difficult
situation, and lack the wisdom to handle it, you
are invited to ask the Miraculous Counselor for
wisdom, and He promises to generously provide
it.
God has
promised to remove a shy, cowardly attitude and
replace it with a healthy dose of courage, strength
and boldness. God has not given us a spirit
of timidity (an attitude of fear or cowardice)
but of power and love and discipline. That's
why Messianic Jews and Christians have been able
to face all kinds of opposition throughout the
ages, all manner of trials, dangers and tribulations,
with dignity, faith, and hope intact.
God has
promised to give us all the security we need.
Blessed is the man who trusts in the Lord and
whose trust (security) is from the Lord. He will
be like a tree planted by the water that extends
its roots by a stream and will not fear when the
heat comes; but its leaves will be green, and
it will not be anxious in a year of drought nor
cease to yield fruit. It is easy to be confident
when showers of blessing are falling, when the
economy is booming, and your 401K plan is climbing.
But not everyone can be happy when circumstances
change - when they are feeling the heat and the
drought - only those who place their confidence
in God can remain free of fear or anxiety. The
one who trusts in God is blessed at all times,
whether times are good and the rains are coming,
or when circumstances are difficult, and he is
feeling the heat. He will be like a beautiful
fruit tree planted near a stream which constantly
supplies it with water, even in a time of drought,
even when other fruit trees are drying up, their
leaves withering and little fruit being produced.
God has
promised to provide for our needs, according to
His riches in glory, the source of which is Messiah
Yeshua. At one point in Yeshua's ministry, He
and His disciples had been through a very busy
time, and needed a break. Yeshua took these disciples
to a lonely place to get some rest, but not without
some difficulty. Many people saw them leave by
boat and, recognizing them, ran ahead on foot
from all the towns and got there first. When Yeshua
came ashore, a huge crowd already awaited Him.
He began teaching them many things. When they
became hungry, He also miraculously fed them in
order to demonstrate that He was the Messiah sent
by God to meet all the needs of the Jewish people.
Yeshua can provide rest for His disciples, truth
for the multitudes and miraculous food for all,
even in a wilderness. Doesn't it make sense that
if Yeshua was able to feed five thousand from
a few loaves of bread and a few fish while on
earth, He is all the more able to meet the needs
of His people now that He is resurrected, victorious,
exalted, glorified, all-powerful, and seated at
the right hand of God?
God has
promised us all the contentment we need. He can
teach us to live contentedly in all circumstances,
as did Rabbi Paul, who wrote: I have learned
to be content in whatever circumstances I am
(in good times and bad, in times of abundance
and times of lack). I know how to get along
with humble means, and I also know how to live
in prosperity; in any and every circumstance I
have learned the secret of being filled and going
hungry, both of having abundance and suffering
need. What is the secret of this contentedness?
The answer: I can do all things through Him
who strengthens me. If you are on intimate
terms with the Almighty, close to Him, He will
strengthen you in all circumstances so that you
may be content. Let your attitude be that recommended
by Rabbi Paul to Timothy: Godliness is a means
of great gain, when accompanied by contentment.
For we have brought nothing into the world, so
we can not take anything out of it. And if we
have food and covering, with these we will be
content. We have had fifty years of unparalleled
prosperity, but that is no guarantee that good
times will last. If our society suffers, we may
suffer, but we can be at peace, knowing that our
life, our well-being, our happiness does not consist
in the abundance of our possessions.
God has
promised to remove anxiety and fill our hearts
and minds with peace. Simon Peter tells us that
we are to cast all our anxiety upon God, because
He cares for us. With all the situations we are
concerned about, it is wise to make prudent preparations,
but then we must entrust ourselves into the hands
of the God who cares for us. Rabbi Paul adds that
we must be anxious for nothing, but
in everything (in every situation, especially
difficult ones) by prayer and supplication,
with thanksgiving, let your requests be made known
to God. If we pray and thank God, the
peace of God, which surpasses all comprehension,
shall guard your hearts and your minds joined
to Messiah Yeshua. Anxiety is a normal
response to a threat, but Messianic Jews and Christians
must decide to entrust their concerns to God,
knowing He cares for them. As we give thanks for
the blessings we have already received, and make
requests for what we lack, we rise above the situation
which threatens us. We then gain peace, despite
our circumstances; a genuine peace from God, who
cares for His us and works everything out for
our ultimate good.
Fourth,
don't be afraid because no matter what happens,
nothing truly evil can happen to us.
Even if things get so bad that some of us die,
we need to know that there are things to be feared
more than death. I love the attitude of Daniel's
three friends, Hananiah, Mishael and Azariah.
They preferred to be thrown alive into a fiery
furnace than to deny God by bowing down before
the image of the king. I love their answer to
Nebuchadnezzar: Our God whom we serve is able
to deliver us from the furnace of blazing fire;
and he will deliver us out of your hand, O king.
But even if He does not, let it be known to you,
O king, that we are not going to serve your gods.
Hananiah, Mishael and Azariah knew that death
for the child of God is not an evil to be feared,
but denying God is.
As a nation,
we have been blessed with peace and prosperity
for the past fifty years. We might be tempted
to think that this is normal, since this is all
that most of us have known, but when compared
to the last 6000 years of human history, we should
realize that it is very unusual. We need to
understand that a measure of suffering, trials
and tribulation are normal in a fallen, sinful
world. That's why Simon Peter tells us not
to be surprised at any fiery ordeal that comes
our way, as though some strange thing were happening.
According
to the book of Acts, after Rabbi Paul preached
the Good News that will save us, he went around
strengthening the souls of the disciples, encouraging
them to continue in the faith, telling them that
through many tribulations (one wonders
just how many) we must enter the kingdom of
God. How does that message strengthen the
soul? When we know that many troubles are to be
expected, we will have realistic expectations,
and not be so easily discouraged.
Even though
various trials and difficulties may surround us,
the good news is that nothing truly harmful can
hurt us. For you have made the Lord, my refuge,
even the Most High, your dwelling place. No
evil will befall you. Troubles and trials
will do us no real harm when the Lord is our dwelling
place. Instead, those difficulties will actually
bring us benefit, much like a metal brush cleans
away rust, but does not destroy metal, and leaves
the tool clean. God will allow difficult circumstances
to come into our life as a way of purifying and
improving us. That's why Ya'akov (James) says
that we should consider it all joy when we encounter
various trials, knowing that the final result
of these trials is endurance, that we may be perfect
and complete, lacking nothing.
Even if
others try to harm us, God can turn this around
for our ultimate good. Joseph told his brothers
that their attempt to destroy him, by selling
him as a slave, was turned around for good by
God. The Lord's purpose in this was to get Joseph
into Egypt, in order to save him, his family,
the land of Egypt and many other people during
what would be a seven year long famine. We
know that God causes all things (not just
some things) to work together for good
to those who love God (who are faithful
to Him and obey Him - which shows our genuine
love), to those who are called according to
His purpose.
God has
a larger purpose for our life that we seldom see.
Our life may be compared to a tapestry. God, the
Master Artist, is weaving brightly colored threads
together with dark, richly colored threads to
make up the tapestry of our life. Right now we
can't see the front of the tapestry. We can only
see what appears to be a jumble of threads underneath.
Only when we look back from eternity, through
the mists of time, will we be able to see how
all the various threads - the bright ones and
the dark ones, the good times and the hard times
in our lives, came together to form the finished
product, a beautiful tapestry fit to be displayed
on the walls of the Master Weaver's home. In the
meantime, we need to trust Him, and patiently
endure.
Even death
can't really harm us, and need not be feared.
Even though I walk through the valley of the
shadow of death, I will fear no evil; for You
are with me. King David did not fear walking
through the valley of death, because he knew that
death would one day be swallowed up in victory.
O death, were is your victory? O death, where
is your sting? If we who know the Lord die
faithful to Him, death is our gain. Therefore,
being always of good courage, and knowing that
while we are at home in the body we are absent
from the Lord... I prefer rather to be absent
from the body, and to be at home with the Lord.
Rabbi Paul knew that for us, death is an advancement.
We are drawn even closer to our Lord, and we enter
a far better place, where there is everlasting
light, no suffering or pain, and where God Himself
will welcome us, comfort us, wipe away all of
our tears, and the former sufferings will fade
away.
Fifth,
don't be afraid, because a good shaking will bring
great opportunities. The Torah declares: Man
shall not live by bread alone, but by every word
that proceeds from the mouth of God. Unfortunately,
over the last four decades we have lived less
and less by the word of God. In Biblical times,
whenever Israel abandoned the Lord, He allowed
disaster to overtake us which was designed to
bring correction, and drive us back to Him. If
God allows a major shaking to take place, it will
bring some very good results. In fact, the book
written to the Messianic Jews (Hebrews) warns
us: "Yet once more I will shake not only the
earth, but also the heavens. This denotes the
removing of those things which can be shaken,
as of created things, in order that those things
which cannot be shaken may remain."
This passage
expresses the truth that, in general, people are
more receptive to the Kingdom of God in times
of upheaval and crisis. A major shaking may be
just the thing this sinful generation needs to
get us rethinking our priorities. If there is
a major shaking, there will also be new opportunities
to preach the Good News to both Jews and Gentiles,
who may suddenly find themselves with ears to
hear. If God allows things to be shaken up, many
of those who have been trusting in the wrong things
may find their attention turned to those things
that can't be shaken. Many people who are comfortable
with their place in the world and satisfied with
themselves, who once would not have given us the
time of day, may suddenly be eager to hear that
Yeshua is the way to have genuine peace with God,
and true joy. True peace and joy don't come from
alcohol, from drugs, or from the size of our 401K,
but from a dynamic relationship with the God of
Israel that only comes through Messiah. He alone
can be our Rock in the midst of a world that suddenly
becomes less stable in the days to come.
It may
be God's will to allow the Messiah's Holy Community
of Jews and Gentiles to receive a good shaking
so that we return to our first love. Parts of
the Church have become apostate, spiritually fat
and lazy. This corruption is epitomized by the
so called "prosperity-preachers," who have taught
a message of worldly greed instead of the non-materialistic
truths of the Carpenter from Nazareth. The message
to the congregation at Laodicea runs through my
mind: You say, "I am rich, and have become
wealthy, and have need of nothing," and you do
not know that you are wretched and miserable and
poor and blind and naked. God's beloved sons
and daughters are to be concerned with greater
things than earthly wealth, things like taking
up our cross and following Messiah, dying daily,
building ourselves up in our most holy faith,
serving the saints, preaching the Good News to
those who don't believe, and taking care of the
poor and needy. These are to be our chief concerns.
In spite
of potential difficulties, I'm excited by the
future, knowing who God is, remerbering how He
has brought about marvelous deliverances in the
past, standing on His precious promises, believing
that God will not allow anything truly evil to
harm us, and looking forward to the unprecedented
opportunities that a good shaking may bring. If
we will keep an eternal perspective, living each
day in the knowledge of our Redeemer's love for
us and the glorious future awaiting us, we will
experience His perfect peace and His victory,
even in the midst of trials and tribulation.
Shalom!
Rabbi Loren
|
