peace – Page 17 – Cross Culture Church

Meditation: March 13, 2013

“Now to Him who is able to keep you from stumbling, And to present you faultless before the presence of His glory with exceeding joy,” Jude 24

God has the ability to stabilize our walk and keep us from staggering. It is the staggering walk or the unsettled and unsure steps that eventually lead to a fall. We don’t have to waver in unbelief, but can maintain a steady confidence that God is all that He says in His Word. The world has a dizzying affect upon all who focus their attention in its direction. The contrary winds of error spoken by the majority blow in such ways as to cause the fainthearted to sway under its control. But God has a path that is straight and the power to keep us straight on the path. It leads to the Presence of His glory as one who has victoriously endured the pressures that otherwise would have caused us to drift away. Even if we stumble or stagger or even drift for a moment in time, He gets us back on course and teaches us what we need to know in order that we may stand erect in the center of the storm. There His peace abides and we learn to trust in Jesus as Lord over the storm.

01 Mar 0Comments 0Likes

March 2013 Article: “Safe and Secure From All Alarm”

Posted by Categories: Articles

God’s objective is to make us both safe and secure. Uncertainties leave the majority in a state of flux and wonder fearful of the future. “What if” questions often plague the mind with the unending possibilities of disastrous occurrences.They restrict the activity of those who would otherwise move in a proactive direction facing the needs of today and resolving them. Many who were chosen for such a time as this, are too busy worrying rather than engaging in a process of clear and productive thinking. Productive thinking requires one to process information leading to a conclusion. Without it, one is caught up into circular thinking which leads to the same place where the journey first began. Too many are going around in circles rather than progressing towards an end that could produce a permanent resolve to what most people worry about.

The first thing to consider is that none of the occurrences in life are merely random. God is a God of order who arranges circumstances and conditions for the ultimate good of those who love Him, and oversees and intercepts the decisions made by those who despise Him. He is not an absentee God, but is aware of the smallest of detailsregarding everything that moves. The question then is why aren’t things moving in a course that would contribute to our peace of mind? He has predetermined that no individual would ever find true peace until they find it in Him. Therefore the inner disturbances of the soul are the result of man’s decisions and not God’s ultimate purpose for humanity. Things are not going as planned, but the plans of God are not thwarted by the misbehavior of man. Therefore the peace that is sought after is not being found. The complexity of the matter appears to be overwhelming, thus many people feel hopeless.

There are so many things pulling us in different directions. There are so many choices to be made in life with unknown consequences. Yet it is too easy to do what one think is right without the right information. Even though much information is available to us today, yet most are clueless as to how to apply the information in the right order to provide safety and security for the future. Information alone is not sufficient in making right decisions. Wisdom is also needed if we are ever to discern the difference between things that appear to be fused together.

Security, safety, and hope are contained within the simple message of Jesus Christ and Him crucified. The gospel message puts into words the sentiments of the heart of humanity so that his dilemma is made clear in words. At the same time the Word of God has been given in order to communicate to us the sentiments of the heart of God in order for us to understand and know Him. It appears to be too deep and difficult to understand because sin has dulled the heart and ears of men leaving them to their own second-handed intellect passed down from one generation to another, yet void of godly wisdom. What one thinks that he knows causes a strain for him and prohibits him from listening to God’s voice.Then His Word is dismissed as being too abstract or obsolete. If the truth was to be told, it was the preoccupation of the heart and soul in pursuit of what is thought to be the resolve rather than embracing what has already been given as the permanent resolve to each challenge.To acknowledge God in all your ways is an admission that there are more things unknown by you than what is known. Since it is impossible to know what is needed apart from Him, the posture that must be taken is to first listen to Him, then to wait on Him to reveal to us as to how His Word is to be applied to our lives. He will then guide you and guide others through you towards those things that really matter.

13 Mar 0Comments 0Likes

March 2012 Article: “The Prevailing Purpose of God”

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“We humans keep brainstorming options and plans, but God’s purpose prevails.” Proverbs 19:21 (The Message Paraphrase)

God brings an end to the grandiose ideas and plans put into action that do not generate from Him. Many may even have the semblance of permanency, but their success is short lived. The seed of destruction and ruin is deeply embedded in its core because it did not originate from the Originator. Even though He will not allow a mere human to elevate his purpose above His own, many continue their pursuits because of their God-given abilities to reason. Instead of using it to seek deeper levels of knowledge regarding Him, they foolishly explore the contradictions of faulty reasoning to strengthen their resolve that they do not need Him.

We live between the tensions of self-determination and perpetual dependency. Many are telling us that we can make it if we only believe in ourselves, while Jesus reminds us in His Word, “without Me, you can do nothing.” Who are we to believe, when the popularized opinion is most palatable and God seems to be archaic and out of touch with our personal life’s experiences? Often the conclusion is to give Him an honorable mention as a fleeting thought confined to an hour or two on Sunday mornings after which, “His time is up, back to the real world.” How sad that so many will compete with God unknowingly yet taking deliberate action against Him by pushing our agendas without any consideration given to His will. Good intentions are not enough. We would be blinded to the larger picture and remain a prisoner to the smallness of ideas and efforts of vanity with severe consequences. They appear important because one’s position will determine one’s opinion. From heaven, God’s perspective of reality takes into consideration the past, the present, and the future. His purpose is defined from eternity, so how can we argue over what we do not understand? It would be much better to pray, asking Him to show us what we do not see.

Our destinies will not be determined by political decisions. We are to exercise our right to vote because we are in the world, but not of the world. Our plight is not so fatalistic as to hinge on the outcome of the consensus opinion of a fallen people, but rather, His eyes are upon His Church to judge her first before the judgments fall upon the nation. He will raise up prophetic voices to proclaim His purposes even among those who may be shortsighted and dismissive of the things that really matter. His voice will unstop deaf ears deafened by the soothing sounds of error lulling them into a state of stupor. The election will only reflect the ideals of our generation. We are allowed to measure the climate of our day by whoever the majority are willing to elect into office. But theKingdomofGodtranscends the limits of man’s decisions. His purposes shall prevail! “Unless the Lord builds the house, they labor in vain who build it; unless the Lord guards the city, the watchman stays awake in vain.” Ps 127:1

Finally, God’s purposes will prevail over all opposition. As in the construction of theTowerofBabel, from all appearances, nothing was able to impede their progress and end their efforts but they did not consider the gift of communication as originating from God. Even though numerous avenues exist today where telecommunications can spread propaganda, if it were to be confounded, the people would be stilled enough to listen. God’s Word communicates truth to a confused world and He will have the final word and His purpose will prevail.

03 Jul 0Comments 0Likes

Civil Liberties Overtaking True Freedom!

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When will the last shoe drop? How far down do we have to go with unquestioned allegiance to a deteriorating system before we ask the thought provoking questions of those who maintained an awakened conscience? The music and the song of the world have lulled the masses to sleep and, while they are anesthetized, an unassuming lobotomy removes the sense of reasoning from the minds of the people. The course has navigated them to a new place of tolerance where anything goes. After reading the newspaper or listening to the news report, one can see how current events are leading us down the primrose path of disaster, destruction, and ruin. All of these things are working together for the worse possible scenario and not for the good of those who wish to maintain the standard of righteousness. The message from the pulpit has shifted to a soothing voice reflecting the consensus opinions of those who want nothing more than the possessions of others.

It is not merely gays in the military with the U.N.’s unprecedented acceptance of the position of the Human Rights Commission as being the primary issue. We live in a social climate where none of these things disturb us and are now accepted as the norm. There has been a major shift in popular opinion and the sentiments of the masses where most of what occurs remains unquestioned. It was so gradual that it did not seem to be orchestrated as a plan to desensitize the populous so that a sinister evil could creep in among them. The preoccupation with issues defended by aggressive and hostile radicals did not stop long enough to consider what they were in fact defending. Even though there is a cause worthy of our attention and constant effort, we must be careful that we do not fight the wrong battle and engage in the war against the truth in favor of the adversary. He may have recruited turncoats who think that their Captain (the Captain of their souls) does not have their best interest at heart.

Therefore, the issues are skewed and morality becomes relative and subjective to personal opinion. Their environment has become propagandized by the sowing of tares among the wheat. Yes, there was a time when legitimate causes were on the table and many that are currently worthy of our attention. It is true that the seemingly “ever vigilant and aware” were blinded by their own prejudices, but others must be careful that they do not become reactionaries and so drunken by their drive for revenge that they can no longer see straight. Wholeness is not the product of compromise, but the product of truth. We can lovingly accept the humanity of all people but disagree with behavior. When the personhood of an individual is bonded to behavior, then none can receive correction. All behavior in their eyes is right. “In those days there was no king in Israel; everyone did what was right in his own eyes.” (Judges 21:25)

To draw the line between right and wrong is not left without controversy. Many question the authority for any to speak as if their position is absolute. This lingering attitude provides further evidence to the declining extent of how far society has fallen from the standard to which it once ascribed. Today, people are afraid to speak, for they know that in speaking the rebuttals are more than they are willing to face. However, Jesus was crucified by His own people. He was not just rejected by them, but they evidentially despised Him to the extent of desiring and having Him removed from the earth’s scene! How could we expect anything different today? If they did it to a green tree, what will they do to a dry one? God offers us true freedom and it stems from complete submission and alignment with His will. Only then will we experience peace.

21 Jan 0Comments 0Likes

Behold, The Kingdom of God

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As each year ends, I prayerfully seek the Lord for a theme for the New Year. The New Year provides new opportunities for us. Whatever happened previously has now been registered as history. The record of the past is now complete; yet the future awaits us as a blank page to be written upon. Next year, the reflections will involve the decisions that we are presently making. Our daily decisions will determine whether there will be victories to celebrate or defeats to lament. I believe that our focus will determine our outcome.

We can look around and see the devastation of a failed economy, the moral collapse of this generation, spiritual and political compromises that violate the Constitution and our creeds. It signals to those who are attempting to hold things together that the standard must come from a higher and a different Source. Jesus proclaimed as His inaugural address that the “Kingdom is near.”

Each message heard provides an opportunity. Think about the opportunities that have now translated into regrets. If we had the power to turn the clock backwards to that exact period when the chance for change was provided, I am certain that none would reject cashing in on it. The Kingdom of God is near. It can be seized by those who are aware of its value. All would benefit from what it provides. None would be rejected. It is close because the message of the Kingdom paves the way for those who desire to enter in. It does not come by observation. It is not a physical kingdom as many would believe. The Kingdom has come when Jesus rules and reigns in your heart. It is when an admission is made that whatever and whoever ruled beforehand was insufficient to complete your life. The fragmented existence left a void within that nothing else could fill. The Word of the Kingdom is God’s invitation to everyone.

The entire year of 2010 will be dedicated to helping people to understand what the Kingdom of God is and what it is not. I trust that many myths and ill-advised counsel will be exposed. There are too many people who have a false sense of security with a shallow understanding of God and His rule over the affairs of mankind, and with all of His creation. While the world is announcing, “Peace, Peace”, sudden destruction has come and is yet coming. It is the anticipation of the Kingdom and the desire to see His rule established that will constitute the quality of peace that can survive the temporal peace that ends in chaos. Jesus taught us in His model prayer to pray, “Your Kingdom come, Your will be done on earth as it is in heaven.” The Kingdom is close to you. It is high time to get an understanding of God’s agenda that each may be fully engaged in participating in what He is doing.