1-26-18 Peace
Peace :: By Alice Childs
This wicked world is reeling and stumbling like a drunken man. There is such violence, wickedness, and outright demonic activity that there is no safety or peace to be found anywhere on earth – yet. The inhabitants of this world are rapidly approaching (if we are not already there) the depth of depravity that characterized the days of Noah.
Our babies and children are being tortured, brutalized, and slaughtered in horrific ways that we cannot even fathom; and our children in school are having their faith and belief systems systematically dismantled and replaced with a rabid, demonically inspired, humanistic form of globalism that hates, despises and blasphemes our Creator. The Remnant Church worldwide is being persecuted as never before in her history.
No; in no way, shape or form is there anything even remotely approaching peace on earth – yet.
But still, over 170 times throughout the entire Bible from Genesis to Revelation, our Lord tells those of us who belong to Him to “Fear not.”
Why does He say that? How can we have peace in a world that is hurtling at warp speed straight into the yawning jaws of Hell? How can there be peace in this cesspool of depravity? I will tell you. Peace – like Truth, is not some nebulous ideal. No, Peace is a person.
ALL of our superlative ideals (Truth, Justice, Mercy, Love, Peace, Honor etc.) – ALL of these ideals to which humanity aspires, but of which we always fall so woefully short, have their fountainhead in God who “became flesh” and “dwelt among us.” Each one of these virtues is fulfilled completely in Jesus Christ – our Immanuel (our God with us).
Only in Christ Jesus can anyone find the “Peace that passes understanding.” Only in Christ Jesus can the “crooked paths be made straight.” Only in Him can we find that “joy everlasting.” Only in Him will we find that grace that is sufficient for any need – any travail – any adversity. And only in Him will we find “rest unto our souls.”
That is where true peace lies – under the blood of the Lamb of God who was incarnated into human flesh. He died with the sins of the entire world being poured out upon Him, who knew no sin, in order to – by His death, cancel the debt of sin for ANYONE who is willing to call upon His name in faith, believing that Jesus Christ alone can redeem fallen man, believing that this same Jesus was raised bodily from the tomb three days later and is alive forevermore.
ALL who are willing can call upon Him and have complete forgiveness of ALL their sin (past present, and future) and gain ETERNAL life.
Therein lies the peace of the redeemed.
However, God’s Word is specific that there will be “Peace on EARTH, goodwill towards men.” The angels themselves, as emissaries of the Most High God, announced this coming peace to the world on the very night that the Son of God was born into this world inhabiting a human body. That was over 2,000 years ago, and still there is no peace on earth – yet.
You see, there is no peace here yet, because the story isn’t over!
The great plan of God for the ages is not yet finished: The promise of a Redeemer that God promised a destitute and fallen Adam and Eve in the Garden of Eden, that “scarlet thread” of a “sacrificial lamb” whose coming would “take away” the sins of the world.
That coming eternal sacrifice was foreshadowed throughout millennia as the bleeding bodies of lambs, bullocks, goats, and doves lay quivering on Hebrew alters, giving to the world a visual object lesson that there can be NO forgiveness of sin without the shedding of blood.
These sacrifices of innocent animals foretold of the coming time when God the Son would wrap Himself in human skin in order to bleed and die to redeem His own fallen creation from an eternal Hell, which Adam’s (and through him all mankind’s) rebellion demanded.
God’s great Plan of the Ages was revealed in the Garden of Eden. This “scarlet thread” of redemption and salvation led first to Bethlehem where, in the “fullness of time,” Jesus (God the Son) was incarnated and born in the flesh to become our Redeemer.
This “scarlet thread” led on from the manger to the cross, where our sin debt was paid in full by Jesus who offered Himself as the spotless Lamb of God, to be sacrificed for the sins of the world.
It led to the empty tomb where Christ – victorious – arose having conquered, sin, death and the grave forevermore.
It lead to the mount where the resurrected Christ in His immortal body ascended back to the Father, where He waits seated at the right hand of the Father, awaiting His “bride” – HIS Church, to be completed. When His Church is fully complete, He will arise, step into our atmosphere and shout the command for the “dead in Christ” to arise from the grave first, and for the living ones – His beloved Church – to “Come up here” and meet Him in the air where we will be with Him forever!
You see, we are in the waiting period, just before a “new Heavens and earth” will be born. We are living in the closing stages of this wicked, rebellious, narcissistic, and utterly sinful world system. We are on the very cusp of the coming time when “the kingdom of this world (will) become the Kingdom of our Lord and of His Christ.” And HE shall reign forever and ever.
Oh my beloved, THAT is when the proclamation of “Peace on earth, goodwill towards men” will become a reality – a reality that will last forever; for “of HIS Kingdom there will be NO END.”
There IS ALREADY “peace that passes understanding” and “joy unspeakable” in the hearts of those within whom the Holy Spirit dwells. The Prince of Peace reigns within those whom He has saved from the “wages of sin.”
And one day VERY SOON that same Jesus, who was born in a manger, is coming back to Earth – NOT as a helpless baby “born for to die,” but as the mighty, roaring, conquering Lion of the Tribe of Judah – the eternal sovereign Lord of Glory, crowned with many crowns and wearing a venture stained with blood. He is coming to end wickedness upon this earth – to show Himself to Israel, His people, as their Messiah to the remnant of the House of Israel, and to rescue His people, the Jews, from annihilation.
Finally, He is soon returning to set up His Kingdom here, on a renovated and sin-cleansed world – finally to establish PEACE.
Beloved, that time is almost here. The Prince of Peace IS coming. Rejoice and make yourselves ready; for the King of Glory is coming. And with Him, He is bringing PEACE! Joy to the World!
MARANATHA – Lord COME!
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