Peace in Turmoil

Good Morning My Beloved Ones,

    I pray that love, peace, joy, and every fruit of the Spirit is at work and evident in your life today and every day.

     Today I want to talk to you about "Peace in Turmoil".  I can't think of a better word to describe the world we live in than turmoil.  Crime is rampant, right has become wrong and wrong has become right, the economy gets worse by the day and serious illnesses afflict many.  I don't have to expound the woes of the world to you - you live in them every day.  What I do want to expound to you is how to hav peace in the midst of turmoil.

     Fear, anxiety and worry (all the opposite of peace) come from anticipation of the unknown (what might happen; what if?).  But it's not given to us to know all things, so how do we keep fear, anxiety and worry from ruling our lives?  By having an unwavering knowledge of and trust in Jesus Christ.

     The same Jesus who stood in the storm and commanded the wind and waves to be still can stand in your storm and command the winds of fear and waves of anxiety that crash around your heart to be still.  I'm not talking about Him changing your circumstances.  I'm talking about Him giving you peace in the midst of them.

     Colossians 3:15 says that the peace of God is to rule in our hearts.  Fears and anxieties may live there too (we are only human), but it's the peace that is to rule.  Peace can rule in our hearts when we get to the place where we believe and cannot be convinced otherwise that God is in control of all things and has a greater purpose for everything He allows in our lives.

     Many years ago, the son of one of the pastors in Benson died at age 16 while attending a Christian youth camp.  It was a tragic loss that affected a whole community.  It didn't seem fair.  He was so young and part of a family dedicated to serving the Lord.  What kind of a God allows that?...

     ...A loving and compassionate One who knows all and has our greater good in mind.  What not everyone knew was that Jason had a serious addiction to drugs and had overdosed on both of the weekends just prior to attending the youth camp.  God got a hold of his heart there and he re-dedicated his life to the Lord.  It was during an unselfish act of trying to save a friend caught in the undertow in the lake that Jason drowned.  The friend made it to safety.  I believe, my friends, that God knew Jason didn't have the strength outside the church camp setting to resist the pull of friends and drugs and in His mercy took Jason while his heart was right, sparing him a life of hell on earth and in eternity.

     We only see and know in part.  We have to trust that the all-seeing, all-knowing God has everything under control and wants the best for us.  My favorite scripture in the Bible is "Be still and know that I am God".  If we can still our hearts and minds, He will show Himself mighty.

     Oh my friends, let the peace of God rule in your hearts today.  I think a bumper sticker I once saw sums it up best:  Know Jesus, know peace.  No Jesus, no peace.

Peace be with you - Raelynn