Hi, this is Eric.  I want to thank you for getting on today to read the blog post.  I trust it will minister to you.  I continue to deal with health issues, so understand that we are in this battle and struggle together.  My heart's desire is that His Words that I share with you will be an encouragement and help you to stand against whatever comes your way.

We live in a time where there is great turmoil, upheaval, and fear.  People do not know who they can trust, who or what to believe, and whether or not what they are hearing is true.  People all over the world are perplexed.  Prices have soared at grocery stores, department stores, restaurants, and gas stations.  Who can explain why people do not want to or refuse to work?  Businesses are either cutting their hours, or being forced into closing because they do not have the workers needed to cover shifts.  Nations are being attacked or having the supply of needed natural resources cut off in a power grab. Hundreds of thousands have been forced to leave their homes, to save their lives.

Weather related disasters are becoming more frequent.  Sexual sin and perversion are being touted as normal and are being taught in schools.  False prophets are everywhere.

According to John 8:44, people in the world who have no relationship with God, have the devil as their father and desire to do his will.  This verse further states that the devil is a murderer, has no truth in him, and is the father of all lies.  Also, we know that John 10:10 states that our enemy (the devil) comes only to steal, kill, and destroy.  Knowing these truths helps us realize that, his followers, in doing his will, causes his people to commit atrocities against humankind that can bring fear into their lives.

We know by the Spirit of God that we are living in the last days, before the Day of the Lord.  Luke 21:26 (NKJV) reads, "men's hearts failing them from fear and the expectation of those things which are coming on the earth, for the powers of the heavens will be shaken."  Phobos, the Greek word for fear means: fear, dread, terror.  'Hearts failing' in the Greek is apopsycho: to breathe out life, expire, faint or swoon.

Praise God though, as believers in Christ, we have the promises of Jesus, which enables us to overcome or even in the direst of circumstances be victorious!  John 16:33 (NKJV), "These things I have spoken to you, that in Me you may have peace. In the world you will have tribulation; but be of good cheer, I have overcome the world." I want us to gain a better understanding of what Jesus spoke to us in this verse.  The phrase 'in Me' is emoi and means: that which I have, what I possess. 

'May have' ( might have, in the King James) is the Greek word echo, meaning to own or possess. Then, the word eirene (peace) is the tranquil state of a soul assured of its salvation through Christ and so fearing nothing from God and content with its earthly lot, of whatever sort that is.  Because of what Jesus has and possesses, we can own or possess a peace where we have no fear from Him and can be content with our earthly lot.

We see a reinforcement or confirmation of what we just saw, in reading this declaration, from Jesus, in John 14:27 (NKJV), "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."   The phrase 'let not and troubled' means to trouble, to strike one's spirit with fear of dread. Afraid in the Greek means to be timid or fearful.  He was telling us that He promises us the gift of His peace and that our spirit need not be full of fear or dread. 

We are also encouraged by reading what Paul expressed, under the unction of the Holy Spirit, in Romans 8:31-39 (NKJV), "What then shall we say to these things? If God is for us, who can be against us? 32 He who did not spare His own Son, but delivered Him up for us all, how shall He not with Him also freely give us all things? 33 Who shall bring a charge against God's elect? It is God who justifies. 34 Who is he who condemns? It is Christ who died, and furthermore is also risen, who is even at the right hand of God, who also makes intercession for us. 35 Who shall separate us from the love of Christ? Shall tribulation, or distress, or persecution, or famine, or nakedness, or peril, or sword? 36 As it is written: "For Your sake we are killed all day long; We are accounted as sheep for the slaughter." 37 Yet in all these things we are more than conquerors through Him who loved us. 38 For I am persuaded that neither death nor life, nor angels nor principalities nor powers, nor things present nor things to come, 39 nor height nor depth, nor any other created thing, shall be able to separate us from the love of God which is in Christ Jesus our Lord."  Praise God, He is for us and nothing can separate us from His love!

Hebrews 13:5 (NKJV), "Let your conduct be without covetousness; be content with such things as you have. For He Himself has said, "I will never leave you nor forsake you." Are you able to grasp what this verse of scripture reveals to us?  The God of the Universe will never leave you nor forsake you.  The Greek word for 'forsake' is egkataleipo, meaning: to abandon, desert, to leave in straits, leave helpless, or leave in a lurch.  We will never be alone - Jesus is always with us!

As we lay hold of the Truth of the Word of God, we are still in a battle, and sometimes we really struggle with not allowing stress, fear, and anxiety to come into our hearts.  The key is that we do not let those things 'rule' our heart.  That means, those things should not have a permanent residence in our hearts.  Christ in us allows us to have the Shalom peace of God ruling in our hearts and minds. 

By faith, we must choose to allow the peace of God to rule in our hearts.  Colossians 3:15 (NKJV), "And let the peace of God rule in your hearts, to which also you were called in one body; and be thankful."  The understood subject of the beginning of the verse is "You".  You let the peace of God rule.  'Let' means: to decide or determine.  Brabeuo,  the Greek word for 'rule' means: direct, control, and rule.  'Peace' in this verse is the Greek word eiro, which means: peace, quietness, rest, peace of mind.  Webster defines peace as a state of tranquility or quiet,  freedom from disquieting or oppressive thoughts or emotions.  yourdictionary.com defines 'peace' as an undisturbed state of mind, absence of mental conflict, and serenity.  Synonyms for 'peace' are:  calm, quiet, serenity, and tranquility.  The Greek for 'heart' is kardia - the affective center of our being and the capacity of moral preference, inner self, mind, where choices are made. 

Putting these meanings into Colossians 3:15, it could read:  You decide or determine to allow the quietness, rest, and peace of God; that place that is free from disquieting or oppressive thoughts or emotions; that place of serenity, to direct, control, or rule in your inner self, or in your mind, where choices are made.

Even though, considering the difficult circumstances we sometimes face - we choose whether we will allow turmoil or the peace of God to direct, to control, or to rule our hearts.  As we stand on God's Word concerning His gift of peace, we also are aided by the presence of the Holy Spirit, our Helper.

Romans 8:6 (NLT), "So letting your sinful nature control your mind leads to death. But letting the Spirit control your mind leads to life and peace."  We choose to allow either our sinful nature or the Spirit of God to control our mind.  We can see by this scripture that making the correct decision is a serious and vital choice.  With the help of the Holy Spirit, we can and must control what we think about.

Psalm 119:2,3 and 11 (NKJV), " Blessed are those who keep His testimonies, Who seek Him with the whole heart! 3 They also do no iniquity; They walk in His ways. ... 11 Your word I have hidden in my heart, That I might not sin against You."

This exhortation is given in Philippians 4:4-9 (NLT), "Always be full of joy in the Lord. I say it again--rejoice! 5 Let everyone see that you are considerate in all you do. Remember, the Lord is coming soon. 6 Don't worry about anything; instead, pray about everything. Tell God what you need, and thank him for all he has done. 7 Then you will experience God's peace, which exceeds anything we can understand. His peace will guard your hearts and minds as you live in Christ Jesus. 8 And now, dear brothers and sisters, one final thing. Fix your thoughts on what is true, and honorable, and right, and pure, and lovely, and admirable. Think about things that are excellent and worthy of praise. 9 Keep putting into practice all you learned and received from me--everything you heard from me and saw me doing. Then the God of peace will be with you."  Paul expresses in a clear fashion how we control our thoughts. We can choose to have our thoughts dwell on what is happening which causes us stress or we can think about all that is good and accomplished by God.

A key verse regarding peace, which has been very helpful for my wife and I, is Isaiah 26:3 (NKJV), "You will keep him in perfect peace, Whose mind is stayed on You, Because he trusts in You."

To close today, I am sharing Romans 15:13 (NKJV), "Now may the God of hope fill you with all joy and peace in believing, that you may abound in hope by the power of the Holy Spirit." and 2 Thessalonians 3:16 (NKJV), "Now may the Lord of peace Himself give you peace always in every way. The Lord be with you all."

My prayer for us, brethren is that we will indeed be able to walk in His perfect peace in whatever worldly trials, tribulations, and hardships we face as we near the end of the Age.

NKJV New King James Version

NLT New Living Translation