PEACE THAT PASSES ALL OF MY UNDERSTANDING!

What is peace?  It is defined as a state of mutual harmony between people....it is the normal freedom from civil unrest and violence in a community ...  it's also cessation of ... or freedom from ... any strife or dissension.

Of course, the opposite of peace is unrest and strife.  You know, the kind we are seeing in our nation and around the world today ... and, too often, it's happening inside our own spirit.  

Jesus spent His last night on earth showing concern about our peace... Some of His words are written in John 14:27: 

"Peace I leave with you; my peace I give to you.  Not as the world gives do I give to you..."  Jesus has always been concerned about us.  He has always wanted us to live in peace and experience the peace that passes all understanding.   This is the same peace that Jesus has with His Father!  

Unfortunately, we are lacking peace in our nation.  Unity between our political parties has flown out the window.  The war between who is in control in our government is ongoing and it's as though 'we the people' just don't exist!  Where's the peace we once had?  I can remember the good ole days in America!

Seems as though there's war and strife on every hand.  And violence fills our land.  

Martin Luther King wrote the following seven points about violence:

1.  Violence is impractical because it is a descending spiral ending in destruction for all. 

2.  It is immoral because it seeks to humiliate the opponent rather than win his understanding: it seeks to annihilate rather than convert. 

3.  Violence is immoral because it thrives on hatred rather than love. 

4.  It destroys community and makes brotherhood impossible.

5.  It leaves society in monologue rather than dialogue. 

6.  Violence ends up defeating itself. 

7.  It creates bitterness in the survivors and brutality in the destroyers.” 

I can't control the world ... but I can control what goes on between my two ears!  Jesus sent the Holy Spirit to be my comforter, my guide, my friend...and He brings sweet peace to my soul.  

While violence rocks our world, the Peace of God can rule our hearts through Jesus Christ. I love the words written by Max Lucado  - taken from A Love Worth Giving:

"I wonder how many burdens is Jesus carrying for us that we know nothing about?  Has He lifted fears before we felt them?  Has He carried our confusions so we wouldn't have to?  Those times when we have been surprised by our own peace?  Could it be that Jesus has lifted our anxiety onto His shoulders and placed a yoke of kindness on ours?"

Bill Gaither wrote Redemption Draweth Nigh.  Verse two is fitting for today:

Wars and strife on every hand, and violence fills our land.

Still some people doubt He'll come again.  

But the Word of God is true!

He'll redeem His chosen few.  

Don't lose hope, soon Christ Jesus will descend.

There you go!  Don't lose hope, because:

My hope is built on nothing less

Than Jesus' blood and righteousness;

I dare not trust the sweetest frame,

But wholly lean on Jesus' name.

On Christ, the solid Rock, I stand;

All other ground is sinking sand...

Well, it wouldn't be complete without singing the fourth verse of this hymn:

When He shall come with trumpet sound,
Oh, may I then in Him be found,
Clothed in His righteousness alone,
Faultless to stand before the throne!
On Christ, the solid Rock, I stand;
All other ground is sinking sand!

And....

Until then, my heart will go on singing...

Until then, with joy I'll carry on!! 

Until the day my eyes behold the city,

Until the day God calls me home.

Amen!  I'm writing myself into a Happy State!   Praise the Name of the Lord Jesus Christ who sits at the right Hand of God, the Father!  Thank the Lord for sending His Precious Holy Spirit to bring us into this place of rest and peace!

So....

Until then, let the peace of God which passes all understanding, rule and reign in your hearts!!  Life should be good.  It can be good... with Jesus Christ.

ONE OF THE GREATEST BOOKS IN THE BIBLE

“There are no CROWN-WEARERS in Heaven who were not CROSS-BEARERS here below."

                                                             ~ Quote from Charles Spurgeon

If you have read the Word at all, or sat under a pastor's ministry for any length of time, you will be  somewhat familiar with the book of Revelation....the last book of the Bible.  

Some people avoid reading the book because they don't understand it or the book seems scary to them.  

I have a long way to go to totally grab everything !!  but...Revelation is one of the most exciting books!  Each chapter portrays a vivid picture with astounding events which are greater than any imagination of man.  

It's a book of vital information written expressly to bless and encourage humanity and inform of things to come.

Revelation 1:1 The Revelation of Jesus Christ, which God gave unto him, to shew unto his servants things which must shortly come to pass; and he sent and signified it by his angel unto his servant John:

verse 3:  Blessed is he that breadth, and they that hear the words of this prophecy, and keep those things which are written therein: for the time is at hand.

The chapter continues with a bold description of Jesus Christ.  Talk about exciting!! You cannot find a book in any library equal to the Book of Revelation!

The quote by Donald Gray Barnhouse (Pastor, Preacher, Radio Pioneer, Theologian, and Christian Author) sums it up for us.

Let us live, then, in the light of eternity.  If we do not, we are weighting the scales against our eternal welfare.  We must understand that "what-soever a man soweth" must be taken in its widest meaning, and that every thought and intent of the heart will come under the scrutiny of the Lord and His coming.  

We can be sure that at the Judgment Seat of Christ there will be a marked difference between the Christian who has lived his life before the Lord, clearly discerning what was for the glory of God, and another Christian who was saved in a rescue mission at the tag end of a depraved and vicious life, or a nominal Christian saved on his deathbed after a life of self-pride, self-righteousness, self-love, and self-sufficiency.  

All will be in heaven, but the differences will be eternal.  We may be sure that the consequences of our character will survive the grave and that we shall face those consequences at the Judgment Seat of Christ."

Revelation 22:12  "And, behold, I come quickly; and my reward is with me, to give every man according as his work shall be."

The book of Revelation is the capstone of Divine Revelation.

It gives assurance of the final victory of the Church.

Jesus has been the guard and protector of those who are loyal within His church throughout the ages.

He will be with us to the very end.  

He still walks among the candlesticks! 

He still holds the stars in His right hand!  

He is still the Lion of the tribe of Judah!  

He is still the slain and conquering Lamb!  

He is still the Risen Christ!  

He is still the Soon Coming King!

He is still the Savior of the World!

Amen and Amen!  Yes, it is one of the greatest books of the Bible.  A book to be read by all.

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A GREAT LESSON FROM THE TITANIC!!

Yesterday, for some reason, I clicked on the link leading to interesting facts about the great ship, The Titanic.  Stats abound on those who were saved from the collision with the iceberg, or lost ... their ages were given, the number of those who were buried at sea, and the list goes on.  

Next, I went to the page of Titanic Quotes.

"SOS Titanic calling. We have struck ice and require immediate assistance."

"Deeply regret advise you Titanic sank this morning after collision with iceberg, resulting in serious loss of life. Full particulars later." 
- Bruce Ismay (in a telegram to the White Star Line)

Eva Hart was a survivor.  She said this:
The sounds of people drowning are something that I can not describe to you, and neither can anyone else. Its the most dreadful sound and there is a terrible silence that follows it.

The one quote that sticks with me is from Arthur Rostron, Captain of the rescue vessel Carpathia (one of the four rescue ships).  
"It hardly bears thinking about that if there had been sufficient boats that night...every soul aboard could have been saved, since it was two-and-a-half hours after she struck that she tilted her massive stern into the heavens and sank by the head, taking with her all that were unprovided for"

Every soul could have been saved....IF.  If what?  IF there had been sufficient boats to hold them.  IF is a very important word.  

Jesus died for humanity.  That we might come to the knowledge of Him and accept Him as Savior.  His blood was shed on the cross for our sins ... He was our sacrifice ... that we might be redeemed and spend eternity in Heaven with Him.  

Every soul can be saved ... IF.  If what?  If there are sufficient workers, witnesses, preachers, etc.   

If I go.  If you go.  If we all become focused on soul winning, they can all be saved.  

"I reckon him a Christian indeed that is neither ashamed of the gospel nor a shame to it."    – Matthew Henry

If sinners will be damned, at least let them leap to Hell over our bodies.  And if they will perish, let them perish with our arms about their knees imploring them to stay.  If Hell must be filled, at least let it be filled in the teeth of our exertions. – Charles Spurgeon

The partly filled lifeboat standing by about 100 yards away never came back. Why on Earth they never came back is a mystery. How could any human being fail to heed those cries.

- Jack B Thayer, Titanic Survivor

How can we fail to heed the cries of the perishing around us? While we are praying for God to send sinners to us - God is begging us to go to sinners.  Our churches are not yachting clubs, but fishing boats.  

We used to sing this hymn in church:  "Win the Lost At Any Cost"

Souls are crying, men are dying,
Won't you lead them to the cross.
Go and find them, help to win them
Win the lost at any cost

Go out and win, rescue from sin,

Day's almost done, and the battle's almost won.  

Souls are crying, men are dying, 

Win the lost at any cost.

Perhaps we should pick up some of these old hymns and sing them again in our services.

IF your boat is partly full -  then turn around, they are waiting to be rescued!

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