Finding Peace Amidst Global Turmoil

Posted on by korgrocker

“For when we came into Macedonia, we had no rest, but we were harassed at every turn – conflicts on the outside, fears within. But God, who comforts the downcast, comforted us by the coming of Titus, and not only by his coming but also by the comfort you had given him. He told us about your longing for me, your deep sorrow, your ardent concern for me, so that my joy was greater than ever.”
2 Corinthians 7:5-7 NIVUK

Do Paul’s words sound familiar? He was “harassed at every turn”, something we ourselves feel at times. A young mum with demanding children, tired and near the end of her tether. An old person struggling with mobility issues but needing to get to the shops for food. A worker in the office, bombarded with demands from their boss, and unable to see how they were going to complete them all. The list of possible forms of harassment seems limitless. But being harassed seems part of everyday life for humans on Planet Earth. However, something that really strikes a chord within us concerns “conflicts on the outside, fears within”. As I am writing, the war between the US and Israel, and Iran rages on with missile exchanges and bombing continuing. But it doesn’t have to be this particular corner of the globe. Battles and wars keep cropping up all over, and the devil rubs his hands with glee, looking on at all the mayhem that he has caused, directly or indirectly. “Conflicts on the outside”? Definitely. But we shouldn’t be surprised, because Jesus warned us of these times. Jesus said in Matthew 24:6-7, “You will hear of wars and rumours of wars, but see to it that you are not alarmed. Such things must happen, but the end is still to come. Nation will rise against nation, and kingdom against kingdom. There will be famines and earthquakes in various places”. Doom-mongers make claims that this is World War 3, with claims that Armageddon is close, but Jesus was clear in Matthew 24:8, “All these are the beginning of birth-pains”. As we read more in Matthew 24, we can see that there are still events about to happen, and one significant thing that Jesus said is in verse 14, “And this gospel of the kingdom will be preached in the whole world as a testimony to all nations, and then the end will come”. Note that the Gospel has to be preached, and not just the translation of the Bible into all the world’s languages. The End of the Age clock is ticking but it still has a while to go, I believe. We don’t know the hour and the day, but we can be assured that God will not bring about the end of the world until the time is right.

At the time of writing, and regarding the current war in the Middle East, a few church leaders have posted on social media, citing a passage in Jeremiah 49 about Elam, an ancient kingdom located in what is now a corner of Iran, and speculating whether it is the fulfilment of Jeremiah’s prophecy. Of course, Elam no longer exists, having been subsumed into Persia, which became Iran, a long time ago. So, although there are similarities with current events, enough doubt remains to question some of the conclusions being drawn. Another YouTube video has emerged from an American pastor who claims the Doomsday clock has already reached midnight, but as I look out of the window, the sun is still shining. Whenever someone crops up and makes such claims, we pilgrims proceed with caution, waiting for God to confirm if necessary. 

But the point is that the “conflicts outside” bring “fears within”. The headlines in newspapers and other news media platforms scream about the cataclysmic events unfolding. There are even reports that AI-generated videos are circulating, stoking further fears and providing misinformation to mislead people even further. People everywhere are becoming anxious and worried. Even so, many miles away, the effects of the wars will bring inflation and increase the stress of living for those, most people in fact, on limited budgets. It is at times like these that we pilgrims reach for our Bibles to see what advice and encouragement God has for His children. Scriptures provide profound encouragement during times of war by shifting focus from temporary, chaotic circumstances to the eternal sovereignty, protection, and peace of God. They emphasise that while conflict is a reality of a broken world, God remains a refuge and ultimate victor. Psalm 46:1-3 is a great scripture in times such as this. “God is our refuge and strength, an ever-present help in trouble. Therefore, we will not fear, though the earth give way and the mountains fall into the heart of the sea, though its waters roar and foam and the mountains quake with their surging”. These verses reaffirm God’s sovereign rule over His creation and set a baseline from which we can draw comfort and hope. Regarding all the horrors of the “what if’s” Psalm 91:7 provides more assurance about God’s protection, “A thousand may fall at your side, ten thousand at your right hand, but it will not come near you”. This verse was a particular comfort to me many years ago, when the company I worked for began consulting on redundancies, and a few weeks later I learned that my job was secure. God looks after His children.

We remember the time when the Israelites stood on the shores of the Red Sea, unable to go forward, but behind them, the Egyptian army was getting closer and closer. We read in Exodus 14:13-14, “Moses answered the people, ‘Do not be afraid. Stand firm and you will see the deliverance the Lord will bring you today. The Egyptians you see today you will never see again. The Lord will fight for you; you need only to be still’”. God will fight for us when there seems to be no way out. He has our backs, and if we look back over our lives, I’m sure we will remember times when He came through for us when problems seemed insurmountable. 

There are also verses that bolster our mental strength and help us remain calm amid stress caused by fear and societal instability. For example, John 16:33, “I have told you these things, so that in me you may have peace. In this world you will have trouble. But take heart! I have overcome the world”. John 14:27, “Peace I leave with you; my peace I give you. I do not give to you as the world gives. Do not let your hearts be troubled and do not be afraid”. For Christians everywhere, we look at world events with concern, but we remember what Jesus said – “Do not let your hearts be troubled and do not be afraid”.

We are not citizens of the kingdom of the world. Our passport says we are citizens of God’s Kingdom, the Kingdom of Heaven. In Philippians 3:20, Paul wrote, “But our citizenship is in heaven. And we eagerly await a Saviour from there, the Lord Jesus Christ”. So we pray about world events. For the preaching of the Gospel. And for the peace of Jerusalem (Psalm 122:6). And when world events tempt us to look at them and be worried, we instead lift them up in our spiritual hands to the King of kings and the Lord of lords. He knows what’s best and He will lead and guide us, giving us the security of His love and grace.

Dear Heavenly Father. As world events descend into chaos once again, we pray for Your peace and love to smother us. We pray that wars and rumours of wars will cease, and ask that You protect Your people. We thank You for all that You have done for us, and will continue to do in the days, months, and years ahead. Amen.

God of Peace

Posted on by korgrocker

“But if someone is prophesying and another person receives a revelation from the Lord, the one who is speaking must stop. In this way, all who prophesy will have a turn to speak, one after the other, so that everyone will learn and be encouraged. Remember that people who prophesy are in control of their spirit and can take turns. For God is not a God of disorder but of peace, as in all the meetings of God’s holy people.”
1 Corinthians 14:30-33 NLT

Paul continues with his theme about orderly worship in church meetings. These verses from 1 Corinthians 14 refer to the gift of prophecy and how it should be used in a public setting. Such thoughts seem a bit unrealistic in today’s meetings because it is unusual, at least in Western churches, to have so many words of prophecy that there would be a need to queue up to bring them. Some years ago, I remember a Charismatic conference where the leaders invited people to share words of prophecy they felt God had given them. They came, one after another, in good order, and the leadership tested each for relevance and whether they were from God. But I have never experienced such a time since. Today, church leaders would have mixed feelings, should a prophetic message be given in a church service. Some would be dismayed that the order of events was being disrupted. Others would stop the proceedings to hear what was being said, and, if necessary, change course to accommodate the message. The problem today is what it has always been: is the prophetic message a genuine word from God, or is it something someone has made up because it seems to fit the occasion?

But back to Paul’s order of service. He encouraged people to bring prophetic messages in an orderly way, “so that everyone will learn and be encouraged”. He went on to explain that “ … the spirits of the prophets are subject to the prophets” (1 Corinthians 14:32 KJV). In other words, if someone was speaking, then the prophet should hold onto their word until it was a suitable time to bring it. And Paul then reminded the believers in Corinth that no disorder originates from God, because He is a God of peace. 

Thinking of people today, chaos and disorder dictate many a life. Stories of a chaotic lifestyle emerge all the time in the news and elsewhere, and people who work in communities that lack social cohesion have many tales to tell about the predicaments people get into. Such tales often arise because people lack a moral compass to guide their lives, or because bad parenting propagates the same problems in the next generation. For others, they find themselves in a situation through no fault of their own. But in church life, there will be no disorder, and God’s peace will be found. Jesus said to His disciples, “Peace I leave with you; my peace I give you. I do not give to you as the world gives. Do not let your hearts be troubled and do not be afraid” (John 14:27). Paul said to the Colossians, “Let the peace of Christ rule in your hearts, since as members of one body you were called to peace. And be thankful” (Colossians 3:15). So immediately, we can draw a conclusion. If there is chaos and disorder in a church meeting, then perhaps Jesus and His peace are absent.

“The peace of God,
which transcends all understanding“

But for us pilgrims, living in a world that is never far from chaos, we have words of comfort left to us by Paul in another epistle. “Do not be anxious about anything, but in every situation, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God. And the peace of God, which transcends all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus” (Philippians 4:6-7). We are citizens of God’s Kingdom, where there is no disorder. In fact, it is the most ordered environment we are ever likely to find. These two verses must be engraved in our hearts and minds, and they will help us navigate any situation we are likely to encounter. The world around us may be falling apart, with people generally paralysed with fear and anxiety, but we stand strong, guarded in every way as we remain in Jesus.

Dear Father God. Thank You for Your peace in our hearts, always there by Your grace and all that Jesus has done for us. Thank You. Amen.

Known and Chosen

Posted on by korgrocker

“ … I am writing to God’s chosen people who are living as foreigners in the provinces of Pontus, Galatia, Cappadocia, Asia, and Bithynia. God the Father knew you and chose you long ago, and his Spirit has made you holy. As a result, you have obeyed him and have been cleansed by the blood of Jesus Christ. May God give you more and more grace and peace.”
1 Peter 1:1b-2 NLT

The believers living in Turkey were to be the readers of Peter’s first epistle. And Peter highlighted several things about them. Firstly, they were a people “chosen”  by God, and the choice was made “long ago”. The Apostle Paul wrote to the Ephesians, “Even before he made the world, God loved us and chose us in Christ to be holy and without fault in his eyes” (Ephesians 1:4). It is an amazing thought that when God created the world He could see all of time rolled out before Him and He could see who would be His chosen people in every time slot. But Peter wasn’t promoting a strange idea – the Holy Spirit had revealed it to him and the other Apostles. Of course, some people will say that it is pointless wanting to be a Christian because God has selected, has “chosen”, who He wants as His followers. If you are not one of the “chosen” ones then hard luck! Others will say that God’s choice was based on His knowledge of what the believer would choose. But either way, Peter encouraged the believers in Turkey with the thought that God knew them and chose them.

Secondly, Peter informed the Turkish believers that they were “holy” through His Spirit. They had been “cleansed by the blood of Jesus Christ”. The amazing fact about Jesus’ death at Calvary was that Jesus took on board all our sins and in return gave us His righteousness, so that all believers everywhere can stand before God in holiness. The believers in the five provinces had come to Jesus in repentance, leaving the burden of their sin at the foot of His cross. As Peter pointed out, this act of repentance was through their obedience to God.

Thirdly, Peter pointed out that “God’s chosen people” were foreigners. Strange, because these people lived there in the region of the five provinces. They had most likely been born there and brought up in that society. So how could they have been “foreigners”? This is something that we believers need to realise and accept. Jesus said in John 15:18-19, “If the world hates you, remember that it hated me first. The world would love you as one of its own if you belonged to it, but you are no longer part of the world. I chose you to come out of the world, so it hates you”. When were chosen to be His followers, we moved citizenship from the kingdom of the world to the Kingdom of Heaven. We have a new passport. Paul wrote in Philippians 3:20, “But we are citizens of heaven, where the Lord Jesus Christ lives. And we are eagerly waiting for him to return as our Saviour”. The problem for us pilgrims is that we are keen to cling onto “dual nationality”. We like to have a foot in each camp, in each kingdom. 

Peter now moved on to give a blessing to his readers. “More and more grace and peace” he wrote. With what we know of the challenges facing the early adopters of faith in Jesus, they would need all the grace in God’s treasure chest to be able to live in peace in an antagonistic society.

Jesus commanded us to “come out of the world” because we are no longer a part of it. Of course, we have to live in our societies, work in our offices and factories, go to secular schools and colleges. But in it all we remember what is written on our passports. We have been born again into a new Kingdom, and one day we will join Jesus there. And we too will need all the “grace and peace” available to be able to survive unscathed and uncorrupted in a foreign land.

Father God. Thank You for choosing us to be Your children. Amen.

Peace With God

Posted on by korgrocker

“Therefore, since we have been made right in God’s sight by faith, we have peace with God because of what Jesus Christ our Lord has done for us.”
Romans 5:1 NLT

Paul seems to now draw a line under his previous references to the Law, Abraham, and legalism. He, almost as though in passing, makes a statement of certainty, that through our faith in God we are now righteous in His sight. And he reminds us that our new-found status is all because of Jesus, and what He did for us. Because of all of this, he declares that we now have peace with God.

Mankind is either for God or against Him. There is no middle ground. No grey areas. All those people who deny His existence, or choose to ignore Him, are at war with God. And that is a very serious place to be found. It is only by God’s grace that His enemies aren’t zapped by a lightning bolt or something similar from Heaven. God’s patience is such that he gives people time to make the right decision and make the transition into His kingdom. In 1 Timothy 2:3-6 we read, “This is good and pleases God our Saviour, who wants everyone to be saved and to understand the truth. For, There is one God and one Mediator who can reconcile God and humanity—the man Christ Jesus. He gave his life to purchase freedom for everyone. This is the message God gave to the world at just the right time”. The “right time” is now. Today. Because we don’t know when God’s patience and grace will expire. 

Are we pilgrims in a place of peace with God today? Or are our spirits agitated and all confused? If that is the case, then we must enter our places of prayer, wherever or whatever they are, and touch base with our Heavenly Father. He is not against us, because we are His children. What loving and gracious Father goes to war against His children? Instead, He reaches out His arms in an attitude described by Jesus in Matthew 11:28, “Then Jesus said, “Come to me, all of you who are weary and carry heavy burdens, and I will give you rest””. That’s the place for troubled souls. And as we rest in His presence, all our troubles somehow become less of a problem. After all, our Heavenly Father knows what is best for us. 

We finish today with the well-worn, but profound, verses from Philippians 4:6-7, “Don’t worry about anything; instead, pray about everything. Tell God what you need, and thank him for all he has done. Then you will experience God’s peace, which exceeds anything we can understand. His peace will guard your hearts and minds as you live in Christ Jesus”. 

Dear Father God. Thank You for taking on board all our chaos and confusion. And in return providing us with Your peace, that is totally beyond our understanding. Amen.

War and Peace

Posted on by korgrocker

“For Christ Himself has brought peace to us. He united Jews and Gentiles into one people when, in His own body on the cross, He broke down the wall of hostility that separated us. He did this by ending the system of law with its commandments and regulations. He made peace between Jews and Gentiles by creating in Himself one new people from the two groups. Together as one body, Christ reconciled both groups to God by means of His death on the cross, and our hostility toward each other was put to death.”
‭Ephesians‬ ‭2:14-16‬ ‭NLT‬‬

Peace. A lovely concept but beyond human capability to achieve? All my life I have never known a total absence of strife. There seems to be something within human beings that desires war in preference to peace. As individuals, we battle anything that we feel encroaches on our space, disturbing our peace. The aggressive driver who annoys us on the roads. The person who cuts in front of us in the shopping queue. The spouse who disagrees with something we say. As nations we rattle sabres at the borders with the adjacent country, stressed over a few yards of barren soil. Religious groups fight and kill to eliminate other religions in their country, in some cases committing genocide in the process. The Psalmist wrote in Psalm 120:7, “I search for peace; but when I speak of peace, they want war!“. 

So in this personal and national mayhem, a counter-cultural whisper calls out. “Christ himself has brought peace to us”. Jesus Christ is the Prince of Peace (Isaiah 9:6). And right at the start of the early church an age old conflict between Jews and Gentiles was resolved. At a stroke. Over a period of about six hours one dark and dismal day. Jesus’ death at Calvary brought to an end the Old Covenant and replaced it with the New. A New Covenant of grace and love. The Old was discarded. The New was welcomed in. And there is no difference between the Jews and Gentiles any more. Regardless of our origins we are all one in Christ. 

So we pilgrims, making our way through a complex and strife-infused world, shake our heads in disbelief. We long for the whisper of Christ’s peace to amplify into an audible shout, so clear that it penetrates people, principalities, palaces and parliaments, even pieties and principles. So clear that the world becomes a peaceful place. But our enemy the devil will have none of that. He thrives on wars and strife, doing what he can to stoke up anger and dissent. But peace will come one day – there is no war or strife in Heaven. In the meantime, our pilgrimage through life brings us into contact with all sorts of opportunities to be counter-cultural. Situations where we can bring a kind word to angry hearts, dispensing God’s love and grace to troubled souls. We pray today for our governments, our politicians, our civic leaders. But also our friends, families and communities. That “the peace of God, which transcends all understanding,” (Philippians 4:7) will be with them all. And us too.