This World Will Always Have Troubles, But Take Heart, Christians – We Have Peace!
Word-Of-The-Day: ‘<Jesus said,>“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 16:33)
This week we are seeing much turmoil in our nation and in the world. The riots sparked from efforts by immigration enforcement to arrest criminal illegal aliens in Los Angeles are spreading to other large cities across the United States, and now are lining up with the ‘No Kings’ protests planned nationwide on Saturday.
In addition, the waning anti-Israel/antisemitic protests seen on many of our nation’s universities, especially in Ivy League schools, are likely to flare up with a vengeance this weekend, following the air strikes by Israel against Iran’s nuclear facilities and military command structure.
It is likely going to be ‘lit’ in many major cities, and even here in southwest Florida, with several locations identified as ‘No Kings’ rally points, the possible actions by outside influencers could cause major disruptions if not leading to a degree of destruction we are not accustomed as occurring here.
We should not be surprised this may happen, though it likely will not. There are perhaps a majority of people who don’t know the rallies are taking place, or who may not realize the possibility of the convergence of angry factions could consolidate into such a powerful powder keg of potential destruction. People in general want peace, but the world is, unfortunately, always in some turmoil. Man is always battling between itself.
Since the fall of man to sin in Genesis 3, there has always been and will be until Revelation 22 the battles fought between Good and Evil, or Righteousness and Sin. The context of John 6:13 comes as Jesus is talking to His Disciples/Apostles about His departure from them, through the Crucifixion, Resurrection, and Ascension.
Jesus’ message to them is that they will have problems, trials and tribulations through this historic battle, even though, and perhaps because of, their relationship with Jesus.
We are living in a world vastly differently than the one most of us grew up in decades ago. Though things have turned around a bit since a dark period just a couple of years ago, there are still threats to Christians in terms of our freedoms to speak and to freely worship.
In Seattle, a Christian evangelism rally in a park was shut down after being surrounded and attacked by LGBTQ activists. Though it may have been ill-advised to hold such a rally in a predominantly LGBTQ neighborhood, the intolerance mirrored what occurs on many college campuses to Christian or conservative speakers.
You do have a right to free speech – as long as it is speech that is agreeable to the politically correct, in the eyes of these activists. The motive by these activists is they cannot simply agree to disagree, it’s now ‘agree with me or out with thee’; out now meaning socially outcast in the secular sense, but when will it mean out as in ‘go out to the re-education camp’?
We also see lawlessness become the new normal; rioting and looting is celebrated as a freedom of expression and those trying to defend their stores and homes are belittled as being ‘racist’ (even as the looting and rioting was ‘equal opportunity’ with all ethnicity groups participating). Our police are no longer welcome in many areas and now we see the effects of lawlessness and feckless enforcement after the efforts of defunding and disbanding police forces.
Groups associated with anarchism and socialism/communism take over blocks in our largest cities to ‘free’ the community and the people there via a socialistic totalitarian governance. Our moral standards crumble in sports as biological men are winning in women sporting events.
Accepting the world’s offerings doesn’t guarantee safe passage, either. Many shop owners who told rioters ‘I’m with you, and I support your cause” in past flare-ups got looted and beat up. In quoting a meme I read, “it’s not getting worse, it’s just getting obvious.” We are seeing the dismemberment of our nation right before us, and our turn, as Christians, is coming in the cross-hairs, especially those of us who refuse to stand down to others and kneel at the false god of political correctness.
Instead we continue to kneel to Jesus who sits upon His throne. It is a very dismal picture, but Jesus made a promise to us in John 16:33; “I have overcome the world.” Through this promise, so will we!
Jesus has and will always be with us, and with Him we will have peace and joy. We may not have happiness, but we can be content to know, like Paul in prison, that being persecuted in Jesus’s name is infinitely better capitulating and accepting the world’s offerings. We have a Home that is indestructible, a Wellspring that is overflowing, and Love that is never-ending.
What we are seeing should strengthen our Faith as we are seeing Revelation prophecy being fulfilled before our very eyes, and confirmation of the Truth that is in Christ. Is it the End Times? I don’t know, only God knows. But if not, it is a trial run of a taste of what is to come; use this to strengthen your resolve and now is the time – to repent, to be speaking the Gospel, to be getting closer to our Lord.
Stay strong, be prepared and be ready, and never capitulate! ‘They’ in the world have nothing to back them, we have at our backs the infinite power of God! Stay firm in the Faith and stay in the fight for Righteousness!
