For God was pleased to have all his fullness dwell in Him, and through Him to reconcile to Himself all things, whether things on earth or things in heaven, by making peace through His blood, shed on the cross. Colossians 1: 19-20 NIV
Reconciled to God by His Peace, this is our heritage, this is our living legacy. Yet, daily we are clashing with lawlessness, in an age of out of control human condition. Irreconcilable is a word tempting our reality with the hopelessness of incivility, in times such as these. Our world today, unfortunately, is defined by an unprecedented lawlessness. The attitude of our country is tainted by a disrespect of authority and a devaluing of humanity, like nothing we have ever seen in our lifetime. Oh, how we need God’s peace, to reconcile the enemy of our souls intended effect, of this cruel attack of his violently incited lawlessness.
Have you experienced a hindsight saddened with nostalgia for the peace of the past? You are not alone. We all miss the way things were. Peace is illusive, especially as our foresight frameworks a godless humanity, with a soul restlessness run amuck. Civility and compassion for others is blockaded by a “what about me” self-centeredness and a “I first” selfishness. If people continue to be in followship of worldly viewpoints founded upon false narratives, we will continue to experience the violence of the human condition, which is currently protesting and demonstrating an “it’s all about me” philosophy.
The order of our J.O.Y. has new priorities. We grew up with our human condition prearranged by Jesus first, others second, us third. Jesus, Other’s and You, this was our joy, this was the strength of our national compassion. Now, it is all about us first and what we want. We know no power higher than self and this an existence without peace, one we as a nation, must not settle with. We should change it up to God first. Our lives need to flip-flop from a worldly viewpoint to a kingdom perspective.
Peace is a powerful unifier and without it, unity erodes and divided we will fall. Our freedom is fragile without the stabilizing effect of God’s peace. As our culture pushes God out of our daily living, our human nature steps up and pride thrives in this godlessness. Unity will not survive on the underpinning of a national, selfish pride. Without humility and compassion, unity will implode. We must be meek in heart, willing to care about the interests of others first, before ourselves, this is the atmosphere where peace flourishes. If we know no care higher than self, we know no authority higher than self, and we know no peace.
Selfish motives will crumble a nation and drain its compassion, creating a people who are “compassioned fatigued”. Need peace? Need stability? Need hope? It is in our best interest to tap into the authority of God, connecting in personal relationship with Jesus’ resurrection power. God’s supremacy is higher than the human condition and has an uncanny ability to subdue our foolishness and thwart the devices of the enemy. When we personally take time to relationally connect to God, spirit to Spirit, we will not be among those who are compassion fatigued. Being a God empowered nation is the foundation of a strong, patient-enduring kindness, with an unlimited supply of humility, respect, compassion and honor for others. It is in this atmosphere that Godly wisdom flourishes and brings great success and civil peace to a nation.
When compassion is in play person to person, it yields peace and civility and “we the people” can grow through any challenge that is faced by our national democracy. Those connected heart to Heart in vital-vertical relationship with God, these will be peacemakers, unifiers and incivility reconcilers. God’s peace is a powerful reconciler of the human condition and can and will change it up, in that way only He can. Pray for selfishness to be thwarted, compassion to rise and God’s peace to establish the strength of our national unity. We look to God to protect our liberty; our continued freedom depends on God’s intervention of peace.
In our generation, the new reality we are experiencing shrinks our personal comfort zones every day. Peace is allusive and being able to find soul harmony in times such as these, is a great challenge. Yet, God is still with us, and always for us. God’s Holy Spirit is still speaking, encouraging, teaching and equipping us in these lawless times. We must listen up to God first. It is a good thing to cling to God, dig our life roots deeply in His Kingdom. As we adhere to Jesus, in holy alignment with Him, we will know without a doubt, our Father God is a Master Reconciler. Wholly-Holy aligned with God, we will experience God’s peace and it will reconcile our selfishness with a self-controlled civility, empowered by God’s Holy Spirit.
There is nothing on this side of heaven which can’t be reconciled by our Prince of Peace. He is our hope that withstands the craziness of this world. Many say we live in a fallen world. I say God is in this world, it is still good. The cross of Jesus cancels the rule of irreconcilable incivility. The only power lawlessness has over us, is the power of fear, which we unnecessarily yield ourselves to.
We compartmentalize our lives into two parts: things we think we can handle alone and things we allow Jesus to be involved in. We will react to our life challenges with willful independence or respond with willess dependence. Which do you have? Do you have a steady peace in your life, or are you wavering between peace and anxiety? The normal processing of reaction first, shows our human condition functioning in the supreme position. We don’t know it all, we are not God. We must step out of control, yielding our lives wholly-holy to God’s Sovereignty. Simply-Significantly surrendering to God opens the floodgates of His peace to our soul, transforming and strengthening our spirit in that faithful way God is famous for.
God’s peace is ours, it is a gift given and He has not retracted it. We have been visionless of the way to peace, by our obsessive attention of false viewpoints. Our focus needs to change up to a Kingdom Perspective. As we trust in Jesus more and most with our challenges that evoke worry, His resurrection power reconciles anxiety and pays forward peace into our irreconciled dread. The only thing worry is good for is to pray it up.
Every life challenge we face has God purposes in play which are greater than the challenge itself. In each of our life challenges, we experience God’s reconciling purposes contained within, accompanied by His peace, which surpasses all our finite understanding. Feeling challenged? Choose willess dependence and allow God to work out His purposes in play, this ushers in His perfect peace. Our Father God’s providential care has a two-fold purpose. God works for our good and for the glory of His Kingdom. His purposes intertwine both these God intents, which are continually in play in our lives.
Challenges get worse when we intervene with pride, by bucking up our will against what God is doing. Why do we feel out of control? Because we have willfully barricaded the flow of God’s purposes and His peace. God will wait until we are done with our finite-futile foolishness and then He will finish what He purposefully started. Are you done yet? Every life challenge we encounter, God will deliver us by His miraculous way out. God’s endgame is always reconciliation of our human condition with a divine appointment of His peace.
God can heal you and deliver you from anxiety. God’s purposes are in play from the symptom of anxiety, all the way to the root of anxiety. God’s endgame is peace, reconciling inner peace. When you cry out for help, God’s “Mighty Right Hand” is immediately undergirding you and will strengthen you, holding you in His forever grip. Our God is amazing at bringing forth good into our situations, and glory for His Kingdom.
Do not fear the lawlessness of our time or dread the lack of human compassion. God is working in the unseen for our good and He will renew our soul in His strength and peace. God will be an anchor for us, firmly holding us through every storm of anxiety, until He completely calms the restless sea of our soul emotions. Jesus said: “Peace Be Still” and His Holy Spirit still speaks peace to us today. God will renew our peace, revive our courage and restore our national civility. There is no doubt about it. Peace, Be Still.
Lord, You will establish peace for us, since You have also performed for us all that we have done. Isaiah 26:12 Amplified Bible
Hello, I am the Author of The Bridegroom’s Café. It is my heart’s desire to listen up to God and create menus for this Café that creatively nourish our souls with God’s amazing Word. I have the gift of exhortation, it is such an incredibly sweet God-given gift, because God uses me to encourage others and I love that about Him. I wrote today from a place dear to my heart, about peace in times such as these. I hope you leave a comment letting me know how it touched you and encouraged you. I love it when God speaks and we talk it up! I also highly encourage you to take a journey with Jesus by purchasing the book: The Bridegroom’s Voice. What an incredible piece of God work, it will be a “Great God Adventure” for all who journey through it with Jesus, listening up to His Voice. I hope you purchase one and also gift one to someone else. “The Bridegroom’s Voice”. God bless you, MUCH, KimberlyMac