Tag: Hope

Peace

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“Now may the Lord of peace Himself give you His peace at all times and in every situation.” – 2 Thessalonians 3:16, NLT

This world, it feels like it’s closing in on me at every second. The dreams-dashed there, the heartbreak from losses and grief. The scheming rulers of the world, and everything to do with social media.

It distracts, and it does it’s very best to destroy any and all peace we may have. We get so bombarded with things at every corner. We get told what to do by influencers, then by those around us. Those wanting to give helpful advice, but only ruining the plans and dreams we used to have. We go to those we think we can trust, only to wonder if they’re saying things and giving advice for their own desires, or if it really is genuine.

But peace, what of it? If we watch the news for even a second, it’s disrupted and destroyed. If we give breadth to our worries and entertain our list of tasks and all the things we’ve failed to accomplish, there is no peace to be found.

But what if it’s more than that? What if peace transcends all the circumstances of this world? What if peace, like joy, is supposed to be right there with us, engrained in us, stamped on our hearts, throughout every circumstance in this life?

That we can watch the news, we can hear advice from those we don’t agree with, we can see devastation and disruption and go down the black hole of doom scrolling, we can see the hurricanes develop and the spaghetti models plot and swerve toward us. But what if, in the midst of all of that, we still have peace?

Because… we’re supposed to.

As Christians, it’s our spiritual birthright. When we repent of our sins and accept Jesus into our hearts, we have the Holy Spirit in us. Living inside of us, speaking through us, writing through us, loving through us. And giving us His peace that surpasses all understanding.

Peace, because Jesus has forgiven us for all of our sins. Peace because the Savior of the world knows the plans that He has for us. Peace because “by His wounds we are healed” (Isaiah 53:5). Peace because we know that we are just strangers passing through. Peace because the one who lives in us is far greater than anything or anyone in this world. Peace because we know that this isn’t the end. Peace because Heaven is far better and eternity, for those in Christ, is more wonderful than we could ever possibly imagine.

Jesus in us, the Prince of Peace.

This world will always bring storms. The enemy is alive (though he’s been defeated by the resurrection of Christ, and we know how eternity goes for Satan – it does not). But with the little time he has left, he’s doing all he can to steal, kill and destroy. To rob us of peace. He loves nothing more to steal it from Christians and test their faith.

I think that nothing terrifies the enemy more (aside from Jesus), than true followers of Jesus with unwavering faith and unshakable peace. The ones who have God’s Word so embedded in and written on their hearts, that no matter how vile and horrific this world grows, they can’t be shaken or concerned because the circumstance of eternity far outweighs the temporary anger of the world.

It’s the stormy sea surrounded by wind and rain. But when the sun shows and the clouds go away, and the wind stills, it’s calm and clear.

As Christians, we have the Son in us, living in us. Though there are lots of clouds, wind and rain – we need not be affected. Because the one who is Peace dwells in us, forget the outside circumstances of this world. Focus on the Son. Rejoice in the peace that He alone gives.

But what is peace?

Where do you find it?

As Christians, we’re told it’s our spiritual birthright. Something we’re supposed to lay claim to, to hold on to. To have it in the middle of the worst circumstances. To seek it, because we know our Creator.

To be confident in our knowledge of it, so we can rebuke the outside noises of the world.

Peace.

This world seems desperate for it.

Every day we’re hearing about world leaders and how fallen they are. We’re hearing of wars and threats of wars. Of pestilences and plagues. Of people, celebrities, making mistakes. Of wrecks and shootings and other unimaginable tragedies.

Then we turn around and wonder where God is. We’ve removed Him out of schools, banned Him from sporting events, mocked Him as we try to find answers for and explain everything, because it must’ve happened without some grand Designer.

Then we argue for peace. We want wars to stop, but He’s no longer welcomed in our countries. We want violence to stop, but the music and games and movies encourage it and even glorify it.

We’re so consumed with our gains and our desires that we forget to humble ourselves to the one who is over all, living through all and above all.

We kick God to the curb and then blame Him for a world without peace

How to we obtain it? Fight for it? Men search their whole lives for it and wage wars for it. People spend thousands and thousands of dollars on vacations thinking that they’ll finally have a “moment’s peace” there. They move and spend millions of dollars thinking that their new house will give them peace. But maybe it’s true that we’ll never be content running to different places if we can’t find contentment during present circumstances of life.

What is peace? Or who is peace? Can anyone actually have peace that surpasses understanding?

“Peace I leave with you, My peace I give to you; not as the world gives do I give to you. Let not your heart be troubled neither let it be afraid.” -John 14:27, NKJV

“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, NIV

“In peace I will lie down and sleep, for you alone, Lord, make me dwell in safety.” – Psalm 4:8, NIV

What if peace, much like joy, is something not based on circumstance, but fully anchored in Christ?

Jesus is the Lord of Peace. The Prince of Peace. The one who gives us peace that surpasses understanding.

He acknowledged that we would have trouble in this world. In fact, it’s a promise. Because this world is fallen. It’s filled with sin, wickedness, turmoil. For as long as Satan is Satan, sin is sin and human nature is prevalent, there will always be disruption and disorder of every kind.

But the good news? The good news is The Good News.

Christians do not have to fear the circumstances of this world. We don’t have to go down the rabbit hole of bad news on reels and other videos, proclaiming toxins in our food, alien abductions and space storms.

Yes, in this world we will have trouble. People in this world will always have trouble. But we serve the Messiah who has overcome the world. The one who promises peace.

The one who stepped into our world to bear our scars, our worries, our sickness an sins. So that we could have a relationship with Him and that we can know Him.

Then He went to the cross so that we might always know peace.

This world will throw everything at us. As Christians, we will continuously be attacked by a very real enemy who comes to steal, kill and destroy. But with Jesus, with knowing Him, with knowing the eternity He died and rose to give us, we can live forever with hope and peace. Because Jesus gives us wisdom. He guides us. He protects us from more things we can ever possibly comprehend. And He is with us always, He knows and He understands what we’re going through.

But Jesus.

This world might be in utter chaos. For those who know His word, this world will only get worse. But we have the secret. We have, and know, the answer. We can live forever in hope and peace because of Jesus. Because “the Coming One will come and not delay.” – Hebrews 10:37-38, NLT

This world is not our home. The circumstances do not define our lives. The verdict on earth does not compare to Christ’s “well done” in Heaven.

We are strangers passing through. But we have the secret: Christ in us, the Hope of Glory – who will see us through all things. He goes before us and stands behind us. Nothing can happen without going through Him.

And He will protect us and keep us safe, all the days of our lies. We just need to focus on Him and fix our eyes on the King of Glory.

Because this is temporary. The peace that we get to hold onto is the promise of Jesus, the Prince of Peace. The Prince of Peace is our Anchor, our Defender, our Protector. So how could we ever let our hearts be troubled or afraid?

“Dear brothers and sisters, I close my letter with these last words: Be joyful. Grow in maturity. Encourage each other. Live in harmony and peace. Then the God of love and peace will be with you.” – 2 Corinthians 13:11, NLT

I was the storm. Unwilling and unrelenting, I reacted to the skies, the wind above me. I reflected their status. I was luxury when the sun was out and calm when the sky was the perfect shade of blue. But certain clouds would come and I’d splash and grow to a deeper blue in certain spots. Wind would blow and the waves grew higher. Then the wind with the clouds, darker this time, and more blue, then so blue I was almost back – but the waves would lift and white foam would surround and overwhelm.

On the sunny, clear days I would be calm; on the surface and throughout. But with this, with my job to reflect, the outer turmoil failed to compare to what went on inside me. Fish and leviathans rolled about, being splashed from their homes. Corals and other rocks would break apart, my waves rolling them haphazardly onto shore. The boats that took my path with toss and turn, and sometimes wreck.

I reflected what went on around me. And that reflection affected everything in me, the shore surrounding me, and the living things near me.

I reflected the world. The wind, the weather, the rains. Men got sick and worried as they sailed on me, but their thoughts and cries were useless as they could never tame me.

Only the howling wind, only the sun and the clouds.

I was merciless. Lured people in by the clarity, but the outside forces could turn that clarity into a destructive war.

The most powerful, mysterious force. Tales were told about me. I was revered and feared, though people dared to brave my mighty roars.  No man could possibly understand my depths, my darkness and the creatures that lurked within me. No man could possibly understand how to tame the wind and the waves.

Ships would throw anchors, and no matter how strong they thought they were, how secure, the right storm could blow it all away. One harsh wave could wipe them out. Enough jostling and war on the surface would wreak havoc all the way down to their precious anchor and it would be uprooted.

No one could possibly tame this force. No one could. Except the One who spoke me into being. No one except the Creator. My Creator.

I was there in the formless void. I was there in the flood. I was there as He swept up and parted the Red Sea.

And then, years and years and timeless times later there was more rain, wind, and the darkest of clouds. A boat was tossed about, the men on it fearing for their lives. The storm raged, whipping me and therefore their boat all about. My mighty waves crashed and broke over their boat, nearly drowning them.

But then one of them appeared, a new one, in a calmness I had never witnessed before.

“Peace! Be still!”

The wind ceased and the clouds evaporated, and my waves stilled immediately at His words.

There was a great calm, a calm unlike anything I had ever known. Peace. Be still.

I was at peace, I was still. All the way to my very depths.

All the outside forces that had forever affected me; all of the hounding winds, pounding rain which caused the mightiest roar were still.  Were at peace. Finally. All because of Him. Surely, He had to be the Prince of Peace!

“Now may the Lord of peace Himself give you peace at all times in every way. The Lord be with you all.” (VERSE) – 2 Thessalonians 3:16, ESV

Sin

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“Then Jesus stood up again and said to the woman, ‘Where are your accusers? Didn’t even one of them condemn you?’

‘No Lord,’ She said.

And Jesus said, ‘Neither do I. Go and sin no more.’” – John 8:10-11, NLT

I had been there without purpose, lost in the darkness. I was there as a space, waiting for something, for some type of meaning.

Finally, that came. Words were spoken. It happened so quickly. One day went by, then two, then seven.

I was seeing these things brought to life, names being given. Lights and then a light for the darkness. Living creatures, then living man. A perfect plan taking shape, light taking over. Finally, my once formless, void-less self, was brought to form, was made a house. I was chosen, out of everything else. I was the space that was spoken to, and I abounded with thrilling creation. I was a place that would hold something so incredibly dear and near to the ones made in His Image.

There was wisdom, light. It was beautiful.

There was an enemy lurking, buried in the depths. The reason I’d been enveloped in darkness. Surely, he couldn’t win. How could anything created by the Creator go against Him? How could some slivering creature deceive those made in the Creator’s very Image? Imago Dei.

He desired a relationship. He desired true love. So, He provided free will. The choice.

I shuttered as she took the fruit, making the wrong choice.

Though I still had a purpose and housed such beauty, a darkness I had never known before entered. It felt as though it were strangling me. I had seen such life before, but now there would be death. I wondered how this story would turn out. Would there be wrath? Would I go back to what I had been before He spoke light over me? Would my story ever have redemption? I was a void, a dark shell; but He spoke purpose and life over me.

Yet sin entered in, and the darkness I thought I knew before abounded.

I waited, for thousands and thousands of years. Prophecy after prophecy of one who would redeem.

Then there was 400 years of silence and burdens unimaginable. The weight kept pressing on, the darkness of that within me grew heavier with each passing day, with each passing sin. It felt hopeless.

But then, just when it felt like the void had settled in forever and the new darkness was here to stay, a star rose in the east and with the breath of a newborn, the greatest Light had entered. 

A Light to forever shine in the darkness, to never be extinguished.

“The light shines in the darkness, and the darkness can never extinguish it.” – John 1:5, NLT

Everyone has sinned, we all fall short of God’s glorious standard. For me, it feels like I’m good at falling short every day. The gossip. The judgement. I stub my toe and a word pops out that I shouldn’t say. Someone is just a little too good looking. There are books, movies, shows and music that have themes, scenes and words that just does not simply honor God in any form. Instead, it tears Him down and makes a mockery. I lie, I cheat, I fear. I want too many things. The greed, the frustration and anger, contempt, unforgiveness, bitterness. The selfishness, the judging, the criticizing.

I sin. I fall short.

We all have.

It’s engrained in us. I feel horrible when I fall. But sometimes, I either turn around and do it again, or I keep pleading forgiveness for something that, if I was truly sincere the first time I repented, He’s already forgiven me.

Then sometimes I repent, and when tempted to go back, God helps me be strong. But what happens when I sin and fall short, when I give in again? Why do I keep going back to something that doesn’t give me life? Something that only satisfies the temporary and leaves me second guessing if I could ever deserve the eternal?

Because the thing is, I don’t deserve it.

But Jesus bore the full brunt of what I deserve, of what my sin does, on the cross. Because of Christ’s perfect work, I can have eternity with Him.

Nothing is greater than Christ’s sacrifice on the cross. No sin I commit is too big for His redemption story. I believe it’s the repetitiveness, it’s the weak side, it’s the time and time again that I fall short, that hurts the most. I’ll ask Him a million times to forgive me. And because He is truly good, He is truly just, and His sacrifice was perfect, He does. He already has. Yet knowing Him, I want to please Him and honor Him with my life. I want to go and sin no more. But we have a very real enemy that is always waiting to trip us up, waiting for us to fall. And it’s in those moments that He will use and abuse to make us think that we are no longer loved or cared for. To make us think that we’re so dirty and buried in our sin that we have no right to ask for forgiveness and come boldly before the throne of our gracious God once again. Sin separates because Satan steals.

Jesus and His perfect work ensure that though we sin and fall short, when we come before Him and repent – there is nothing that Christ won’t forgive (except the unforgivable sin which is denying the Holy Spirit): “Whoever blasphemes against the Holy Spirit will never be forgiven; they are guilty of eternal sin.” – Mark 3:29, NIV

We are saved by grace through faith in Jesus (Ephesians 2:8-9). This world is going to give us a reason to sin every day. Sometimes we wake up on the wrong side of the bed and that can affect us. Or the stresses pile up so very high, and that can make us want to give in to temptation. We have all sinned and fallen short (Romans 3:23).

But. God.

God’s grace. There is nothing that we could ever do. We can sit and beg and fall to our knees and plead for forgiveness a million times. We can even resort to making some sort of sacrifice; but what sacrifice would matter when the only Perfect Sacrifice laid down His life to conquer death and the grave?

We have all sinned. But He tells us broken, fallible creatures to, “Go and sin no more.” When we fail? I believe that’s His same command. Repent. Genuinely, remorsefully, repent. Realize what you have done isn’t in God’s best interest for you. Realize the stain. Realize the bloody cross and the punishment that you deserved, that He bore. He bore our sins and sicknesses, and He conquered death and the grave so we can have eternal life through Him.

We can never fully comprehend the entire weight of what sin does until we look at the death Jesus had to die for us. We must closely examine how He took our place. The beatings, the lashings, the crown of thorns, the nails into His wrists and feet. The bloody cross. His blood for ours. His life for ours. Death had to die so we could live. Without Him, we would be bound to the Old Testament laws and the sacrificial system. Without Him, we would be hopeless, barely getting by, guilt eating at us until the next sacrifices were made. An animal’s life for what we had done. All eloquence and grandeur, but it would never be enough. It was never enough until love came down and took our place.

“The Lord observed the extent of human wickedness on earth He saw that everything they imagined was consistently and totally evil.” – Genesis 6:5, NLT

I’ve read Genesis so many times, but this time, it jumped out at me.  With every evil intentioned theme in movies, shows and other media, this feels like what’s going on in our world today. It feels like the United States has quickly, devastatingly, become Babylon, where everything people imagine – especially things highlighted in the media – has become consistently, and totally evil.

This is also the first place in the Bible where God’s heart breaks. Because of humanity’s sin and wickedness. The floods came along with Noah’s story, where the few righteous (Noah’s family) were saved. Everyone else was swept away.

But all have sinned, all have fallen short. Nothing could ever truly fix it. No one sacrifice would cover a person’s sin throughout their lifetime, nothing could ever truly be enough. People would always have to repent, to plead. To find the right lamb.

But God so loved the world.

God, and only God, could know the one, perfect sacrifice. The only Lamb that could cover every sin throughout all of eternity. Only God, through taking our place, could bear the weight of the world, bear our punishment, and give us freedom. The full extent of our wickedness, the full extent of our sins and sicknesses and sorrows. Of death.

Only God. He gave His one and only Son, Jesus. “For God made Christ, who never sinned, to be the offering for our sin, so that we could be made right with God through Christ.” – 2 Corinthians 5:21, NLT

It was there, on the cross, full circle, where His heart broke. Before the flood, before the rainbow, His grand redemption plan was set into place. He broke there before Noah, and it broke for all humanity forever on the cross (deduced by the blood and the water. Jesus died of a broken heart.) By His grace, through faith, we are saved. It was nothing that we could ever do but everything He’s done. Because of Jesus, we have hope, we have eternity, and we can rejoice because, though we don’t deserve it, we get to have His peace and His joy. We get to rest in our Savior. We are redeemed. We are given new life. And it’s all because of Jesus!

Jesus. It’s all because of Him. It was nothing I could ever do, or you could ever do. We are so imperfect. But the perfect one bore our sins and sicknesses and conquered death so we can know eternal life.

Paul once said about His sinful nature:

“So the trouble is not with the law, for it is spiritual and good. The trouble is with me, for I am all too human, a slave to sin. I don’t really understand myself, for I want to do what is right, but I don’t do it. Instead, I do what I hate. But if I know that what I am doing is wrong, this shows that I agree that the law is good. So I am not the one doing wrong; it is the sin living in me that does it. And I know that nothing good lives in me, that is, in my sinful nature. I want to do what is right, but I can’t. I want to do what is good, but I don’t. I don’t want to do what is wrong, but I do it anyway. But if I do what I don’t want to do, I am not really the one doing wrong; it is the sin living in me that does it… I love God’s law with all my heart. But there is another power within me that is at war with my mind. This power makes me a slave to the sin that is still within me. Oh, what a miserable person I am! Who will free me from this life that is dominated by sin and death? Thank God! The answer is in Jesus Christ our Lord.” – Romans 7:14- 25, NLT

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He believed his cause was of righteousness, and he was doing the right thing. He was all in for persecution and condemning His followers. He hated them with a passion he believed was from Yahweh. He lashed out. He agreed with the killing of the young man they called Stephen. Surely Yahweh would be pleased. After all, how dare this man who came from Nazareth be called the Son of God? After all, he was condemned to die on the cross. Found guilty. He was buried in a sinner’s grave. Surely, no Messiah prophesied would come as He did. So poorly, hanging out with despised tax collectors and other sinners. Fishermen. The diseased outcasts. Manipulating people by the thousands and using bizarre methods to work His supposed miracles.

Yet… he saw Him when he shouldn’t have. He was acting in self-righteousness, following the regulations of the religious leaders instead of actually seeing what the prophets had written. What He had fulfilled. He had fulfilled everything.

He saw Him, real as ever, risen.  He was blinded yet seeing more than he had ever seen.

He had been malicious to His followers, promoting their punishment and murders. Despising His Way.

Only when he was blind did he truly see that He was The Christ.

When he saw, when he accepted, He guided him to his actual purpose.

If the Risen Messiah could choose him after all I had done, after the depths of his sin, then He must truly love everyone. He must desire every heart, every soul. The Jews first…and also, the Gentiles (Romans 1:6).

He would tell them about Him. All of them. He would tell of this redemption story set in place from the beginning of time. He would boast, from now on, only in Christ Jesus and Him crucified (Galatians 6:14).

The resurrected King had redeemed Saul, and turned him into Paul. He brought Paul out of death into life. Out of the darkness, into His light. He was so incredibly blind, held by the weight of what he had been taught to be right. Bound by the pride of religion and laws, while missing that He came for relationship. He came humbly. And Paul could finally, finally see.

“For the wages of sin is death, but the free gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord.” – Romans 6:23, ESV

Anger

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“Don’t sin by letting anger control you. Don’t let the sun go down while you are still angry.” – Ephesians 5:26, NLT

I’m a root that grows. I sink deeper through an outburst. Words not meant to be heard.

If they’re not careful, I will fester like an infected wound. My roots will grow down and down, wrapping around and strangling the gut, the heart. I breed bitterness. I lead to vengeance. Sometimes even murder. If they hold on to me, if they listen and aren’t slow to me, I will ultimately destroy them.

But if they’re still, if they choose a different path – they might even change the world for the better.

“Understand this, my dear brothers and sisters: You must all be quick to listen, slow to speak, and slow to get angry.  Human anger does not produce the righteousness God desires.” – James 1:19-20

My anger usually comes in short bursts (road rage, football team losing upset). I get hurt sometimes, I get upset when someone does something unkind, or something I think is wrong. But have I ever yelled at a person in an argument (not road rage, where I *have* indeed yelled as someone cut me off)? No. I don’t do anger well. I don’t do arguing well.I don’t see how petty arguments are necessary. I hate conflict. I get angry with myself. Upset with my procrastination, my sin, what I haven’t done – but I think that tends to be more stress.

I was overwhelmingly hurt and frustrated by people with ill intentions after my family had passed away.

I’ve dealt with a lot. After the loss of a loved one, I felt like, for years after, it was a battlefield. People came and seemed to rage a battle all because of greed. They manipulated and cheated and plotted. God protected me every time, but it was eye-opening. It was the greatest lesson in my life. Somewhere along the way… my heart got hardened. There are the people that I trust completely, the ones who have been the hands and feet of Jesus. But there are others that my guards go up.  I wait for them to stumble. I wait for them to show a side so I can turn away. To prove my distrust was wrong, that my suspicions were correct.

I became someone I didn’t like. Frustrated and saying things I shouldn’t say in traffic and with bad drivers. Judgey over people. Irritated when things don’t go my way. More suspicious over every encounter because I don’t know them, so what could they possibly want with me. A neighbor would do something that would irk me, so I would let them know in my own way; instead of being still and waiting. I would put others down to others, because how dare they.

Sometimes, there’s something in my gut that says not to trust. To be on guard. To be wary. And is it my bitterness, or is it the Holy Spirit? Is the anger of a past hurt still poisoning me, or is it just anger? Is it my foolishness, or is it Christ warning me about a certain situation?

According to Healthline, “The physical signs and symptoms of anger include: Increased blood pressure, increased heart rate, tingling sensation, muscle tension.” Not only this, but anger leads way to, “Irritability, frustration, anxiety, rage, stress, feeling overwhelmed, guilt.”

Healthline.com/Why Am I So Angry, medically reviewed by Timothy J. Legg, PhD, PsyD. By Erica Cirino, 2019

The Bible warns us about a lot of things, and bitterness and anger are a couple of things we’re warned about.

Every time in the Bible when it refers to an unyielding heart, it shows “God hardened their hearts”…against Him.

Anger is the short-tempered outbursts and frustrations, unleashing of a grudge. Bitterness is the poisonous root that grows, the silent killer that destroys (Hebrews 12:15).

It can feel easier to be angry. It’s one of the passionate emotions, it overrules the docile, humble ones. We’re good about holding grudges, speaking before we think, going with our emotions and wanting to get the weight pressing on us off our chest. So we swerve and make rude gestures, we don’t pick up the phone, we write reviews or go to attorneys for lawsuits.

As Christians, our first instinct should be to pray. Our instincts should be that of mercy and grace. Of peace. Of forgiveness, because we’ve been forgiven. We’re to be peacemakers. But everything about this world tends to make us want to flee in the opposite direction. So many people do have cruel intentions. There are those who thrive off deliberately plotting evil. I think, since COVID, drivers have gotten a bit more reckless – at least in the USA. There’s crime everywhere. We have to be on guard. God gives us the gift of discernment for a reason.

If it’s from God, if it’s His just emotion in us, then how we’re feeling will never lead to bitterness, resentment and vengefulness. How we’re feeling will lead us to Jesus. To pray.

Yes, we get frustrated with our parents, impatient with our children, and into squabbles with our spouses. But if something we do leads to one or the other running and slamming the door, leads to separation and resentment, our response should be to humble ourselves and go to Jesus. Nothing should be that important that it destroys the ones you hold most dear. Nothing should be so important that it puts your life and the lives of others in jeopardy over the way you’re driving. Nothing is that important that it destroys relationships and ruins lives.

God’s just anger gives life, and fights for it. It hates what is wrong and holds true to what is right.

We are to embrace discernment, to be on guard. And people will inevitably wrong us. Some people can be so cruel. We should always listen to our gut instinct (the Holy Spirit), and the advice of those we trust. We can forgive, but if someone does something that is truly cruel, is truly meant to bring you harm, then still forgive, between you and Jesus. Because forgiveness is best for you. Because Jesus is so much better at handling things than we could ever be.  And if this person truly means harm, do not entertain the one that is deliberately set against you. Do not give a foothold to the enemy. Forgive and move on. Jesus rebuked Satan, and we need to follow His example.

There is righteous anger. God’s Word tells us to be, “You must be quick to listen, slow to speak, and slow to get angry.” – James 1:19, NLT

Do not be short tempered. Be slow. Pause. Think about it. Is your anger because of your emotions in overdrive, over a fleeting thing that doesn’t carry any weight? Be slow. Think. Or is it about true injustice which can lead to Godly anger? About things like human trafficking, kidnappings, terrorist attacks? About the true injustices of this world that break our hearts for they break the heart of God. So with this righteous anger, we fall on our knees and plead to the King of Kings who says that “Vengeance is mine.” (Romans 12:19)

Anger and bitterness are not what Jesus intends for us. He wants us to love our neighbors. He wants us to offer our enemies our other cheek (Matthew 5:39). He wants us to be humble and gentle, patient and kind. He wants us to not be bitter. He wants us to know that vengeance is His.

If I’m righteously angry it’s to do with injustice, and it’s a heartbreaking anger that motivates me to want to do something to stop injustice. Righteous anger makes me want to pray and petition God, not sharpen my knife.

There is so much injustice in the world. There really are bad drivers out there. There really are bad people out there with ill motives.

We are supposed to have discernment. We are supposed to guard our hearts above all else (Proverbs 4:23). We are to pray about everything (Philippians 4:6-7)

But we are not supposed to be completely cemented, distrustful, angry, and bitter about the world around us, when we have Christ in us the Hope of Glory living on the inside of us.

This world is going to fail us, time and time again. It’s going to frustrate us. But we need to trust that our Father in Heaven will take care of us, protect us and provide for us. We need to press in and seek Him first, so the outsiders with cruel intentions won’t get to us. We need to not be blinded by our rage and judgements but seek Him first.

We need to remember the verse, “And whatever you do or say, do it as a representative of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks through Him to God the Father.” – Colossians 3:17, NLT

That verse is so humbling. “Whatever you do or say.” Represent Him. Represent Jesus. In whatever we do, we’re His lights. In whatever we say, we’re His messengers. When we gesture inappropriately to the person who cut us off, when we blow back the dirt the other neighbor pushed in our yard, when we judge someone because they don’t measure up to our standards…That is failing that command. Because Jesus wouldn’t. He had so many people against Him. He had so many people making snide remarks and looking for ways to accuse Him and have Him killed. He understands human nature. He could’ve stopped them with a word. He could’ve wiped them out with a flood. He could’ve called angels to start a battle. But He chose the rainbow after the flood, He chose to take our place, He chose the cross.

We are commanded to be “Salt and light” in the world. Yet this world makes it easy for us to distort the salt command and be salty. And distort the light command into thinking we’re showing how that person is wrong.

We’re to be like Jesus. The essence of love, peace, and kindness. Yes, He is the Truth and He brings justice. But we need to bring everything to Him. Our joys, our upsets, our anger.

Whatever we do, whatever we say – people know we’re Christians and we are failing Him when we act like the world.

It was never our petty selves. His purpose, His justice, is far greater. The enemy of our souls, Satan, has been overcome “by the blood of the Lamb and by the Word of their testimony.” -Revelations 12:11, KJV

“But now you must put them all away: anger, wrath, malice, slander, and obscene talk from your mouth.” – Colossians 3:8

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He had every opportunity to do what was right, but he refused. How could his offering not be acceptable, but his brother’s was? It ate at him, tormenting him, plaguing him. He was so angry.

Maybe he plotted, wondering the ways he could have justice for himself. Maybe it was a spur of the moment outburst. He invited his brother into the fields and attacked him, killing him. All because of anger, and maybe a whole lot of jealousy and pride as well.

Descendants from the very first humans God spoke life to, to mess up so quickly, so drastically. Cain let his anger, his sin win, and is forever known as the first murderer.

“’Why are you so angry?’ the Lord asked Cain. ‘Why do you look so dejected? You will be accepted if you do what is right. But if you refuse to do what is right, then watch out! Sin is crouching at the door, eager to control you. But you must subdue it and be its master.’” – Genesis 4:6-7, NLT

Anchored Identity – Introduction

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Anchored Identity

-Introduction-

“In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. He was with God in the beginning. Through Him all things were made; without Him nothing was made that has been made. In Him was life, and that life was the light of all mankind.” – John 1:1-4, NIV

In the beginning.

In the beginning was the word.

In our beginning, in your beginning, it probably started with a cry. With a whisper of a name.

Then the whir of hospital monitors and medical tools, and the voice of a million strangers bombarded you. You were whisked off; taken from the comfort of the warm home you’d grown to love the last nine months.

Yet through the whir, maybe your little ears heard voices in the background. They were familiar. You’d come to love them as you’d developed in your home. As you were being poked and prodded and cleaned, you heard the comforting voices and clung to them, until you were finally placed to rest on the familiar heartbeat of your home.

Then the familiar voice, this heartbeat’s voice, said a name over you again. Your identity.

The one thing that would stick with you.

You weren’t prepared for the others though. The identities given through the noise. More of a blur.

More confusion.

More judgement.

More of a cruel world.

What would it be like to be brand new again? What would it be like to have a fresh start? To have a name spoken over you that would be your identity, without judgement. With love, and joy.

It couldn’t be possible, could it?

The labels the world pressed on you had become your identity, along with your name.

Lost. Confused. Unloved. Unwanted. Orphan. Homeless. Sick. Anxious. Mourner. Broken. Fearful. Unknown. Condemned. Criminal. Liar. Greedy. Sinner.

The noise. The identities.

The identities come like one wave after the next, crashing against you and pushing you down to the depths. You feel like you are drowning.

But then, something solid comes within your grasp. Your saltwater-blurred eyes open to find the barnacle encrusted steel piece stuck in the floor of the sea. You grab hold of the line attached to it and follow it with your eyes through the muck and mire. There’s a light at the end. So you hold onto your anchor, and follow it to the light.

Because the identities the world pressed on you were suffocating, but this anchor – there’s a light at the end. There are the promises of newness. Of new identities. Of promises of hope and a future and a glorious eternity if only you cling to this Anchor.

“So from now on we regard no one from a worldly point of view. Though we once regarded Christ in this way, we do so no longer. Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, the new creation has come: The old has gone, the new is here!” – 2 Corinthians 5:16-17, NIV