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Topic: Peace on Earth?
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Carol Swenson
Admin
Member # 6929
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posted
Hi Hashe,
This is an interesting topic, thanks for posting it. ![[hug]](graemlins/hug.gif)
Luke 22:41-44 (NASB)
41 And He withdrew from them about a stone's throw, and He knelt down and began to pray, 42 saying, "Father, if You are willing, remove this cup from Me; yet not My will, but Yours be done." 43 Now an angel from heaven appeared to Him, strengthening Him. 44 And being in agony He was praying very fervently; and His sweat became like drops of blood, falling down upon the ground.
Circumstances? Our Lord still went to the cross, but He was given strength. Throughout the New Testament we are told of the circumstances the apostles suffered, especially Paul who wrote:
Romans 8:18 (NASB)
For I consider that the sufferings of this present time are not worthy to be compared with the glory that is to be revealed to us.
2 Corinthians 6:10 (NASB)
as sorrowful yet always rejoicing, as poor yet making many rich, as having nothing yet possessing all things.
When our Lord Jesus Christ returns, He will establish the Millennial Kingdom and rule it. Only then will there be true world peace. For a thousand years anyway.
For now, government, law enforcement, and science can try to keep war and crime, poverty and disease, at a minimum, but they are "unable to give peace from passion, grief, and envy. [They] cannot give peace of heart for which man yearns more than even for outward peace." (Stoic philosopher Epictetus)
BY THE GRACE OF GOD, CHRISTIANS ARE NOT A PART OF THIS WORLD.
John 17:13-16 (NASB)
13 "But now I come to You; and these things I speak in the world so that they may have My joy made full in themselves. 14 "I have given them Your word; and the world has hated them, because they are not of the world, even as I am not of the world. 15 "I do not ask You to take them out of the world, but to keep them from the evil one. 16 "They are not of the world, even as I am not of the world.
John 15:18-19 (NASB)
18 "If the world hates you, you know that it has hated Me before it hated you. 19 "If you were of the world, the world would love its own; but because you are not of the world, but I chose you out of the world, because of this the world hates you.
Philippians 3:20 (NASB)
For our citizenship is in heaven, from which also we eagerly wait for a Savior, the Lord Jesus Christ;
We are here to witness to His truth, to glorify Christ, and to bring lost sheep into His fold. We are led by His Holy Spirit, not worldly matters.
Galatians 5:13-24 (NASB)
13 For you were called to freedom, brethren; only do not turn your freedom into an opportunity for the flesh, but through love serve one another. 14 For the whole Law is fulfilled in one word, in the statement, "YOU SHALL LOVE YOUR NEIGHBOR AS YOURSELF." 15 But if you bite and devour one another, take care that you are not consumed by one another.
16 But I say, walk by the Spirit, and you will not carry out the desire of the flesh. 17 For the flesh sets its desire against the Spirit, and the Spirit against the flesh; for these are in opposition to one another, so that you may not do the things that you please. 18 But if you are led by the Spirit, you are not under the Law.
19 Now the deeds of the flesh are evident, which are: immorality, impurity, sensuality, 20 idolatry, sorcery, enmities, strife, jealousy, outbursts of anger, disputes, dissensions, factions, 21 envying, drunkenness, carousing, and things like these, of which I forewarn you, just as I have forewarned you, that those who practice such things will not inherit the kingdom of God.
22 But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, 23 gentleness, self-control; against such things there is no law.
24 Now those who belong to Christ Jesus have crucified the flesh with its passions and desires.
There will be no peace in the world until Christ returns, but we have His peace within us when we abide in Him, and we're led by His Spirit. And we have peace with one another.
The phrase "peace on earth" is from Luke 2:14, the heavenly host praising God at the birth of Christ.
There could be world peace if everyone on Earth would give themselves to Christ and abide in Him. But Bible prophecy tells us things will get much worse before the return of Christ.
quote:
What does it mean that Jesus saves us from our sins? One simple way of understanding it is that it means that we can have that encounter with God and settle our hearts.
Repentance
Faith
Regeneration
Justification
Adoption
Sanctification
Prayer
Heaven
![[Bible]](graemlins/bible.gif)
John 14:2-3
In my Father's house are many mansions: if it were not so, I would have told you. I go to prepare a place for you. And if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come again, and receive you unto myself; that where I am, there ye may be also.
Posts: 6787 | From: Colorado | Registered: Dec 2007
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WildB
Moderator
Member # 2917
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posted
quote:
Originally posted by Hashe:
As I was reading and thinking about the Christmas stories, I thought about the phrase, ‘peace on earth’. It makes me think of an old U2 song by that name. The song is a reflection on a bombing in Northern Ireland and how that relates to the idea of ‘Peace on earth’. The song asks, ‘So what’s it worth, this peace on earth?’
Eternity.
Matthew 10:34 Think not that I am come to send peace on earth: I came not to send peace, but a sword.
35 For I am come to set a man at variance against his father, and the daughter against her mother, and the daughter in law against her mother in law.
36 And a man's foes shall be they of his own household.
37 He that loveth father or mother more than me is not worthy of me: and he that loveth son or daughter more than me is not worthy of me.
38 And he that taketh not his cross, and followeth after me, is not worthy of me.
39 He that findeth his life shall lose it: and he that loseth his life for my sake shall find it.
40 He that receiveth you receiveth me, and he that receiveth me receiveth him that sent me.
41 He that receiveth a prophet in the name of a prophet shall receive a prophet's reward; and he that receiveth a righteous man in the name of a righteous man shall receive a righteous man's reward.
42 And whosoever shall give to drink unto one of these little ones a cup of cold water only in the name of a disciple, verily I say unto you, he shall in no wise lose his reward.
Luke 12:51 Suppose ye that I am come to give peace on earth? I tell you, Nay; but rather division:
52 For from henceforth there shall be five in one house divided, three against two, and two against three.
53 The father shall be divided against the son, and the son against the father; the mother against the daughter, and the daughter against the mother; the mother in law against her daughter in law, and the daughter in law against her mother in law.
54 And he said also to the people, When ye see a cloud rise out of the west, straightway ye say, There cometh a shower; and so it is.
55 And when ye see the south wind blow, ye say, There will be heat; and it cometh to pass.
56 Ye hypocrites, ye can discern the face of the sky and of the earth; but how is it that ye do not discern this time?
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That is all.....
Posts: 8775 | From: USA, MICHIGAN | Registered: Mar 2004
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Hashe
Advanced Member
Member # 11273
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posted
As I was reading and thinking about the Christmas stories, I thought about the phrase, ‘peace on earth’. It makes me think of an old U2 song by that name. The song is a reflection on a bombing in Northern Ireland and how that relates to the idea of ‘Peace on earth’. The song asks, ‘So what’s it worth, this peace on earth?’
The last blog looked at the difference between saving from circumstances and saving from sin. The problem with the song’s premise is that it falls into the save from circumstances idea. The peace that was coming was not an absence of war. In fact, about 70 years after Jesus’ birth Jerusalem was flattened by the Romans in a terrible war against the Jews.
So what is meant by peace? In John’s gospel, in Jesus’ last talks before he goes to the Christ, he discusses peace a couple of time. In John 14:27, he says he leaves his peace, which is not what the world calls peace, but a peaceful heart. Later in John 16:33 Jesus contrasts between his peace and the troubles people will have in the world. Their circumstances won’t be peaceful but their hearts will.
Perhaps the best example of this is Job. In the book of Job, Job losses everything – his wealth, his family and then finally his health.
Understandable he gets angry with God. He wants to have it out with God and much of the book is Job and his friends discussing whether or not Job deserved what happened to him.
Then God shows up. God doesn’t answer any of Job’s questions. Rather he speaks of his own character. The encounter with God settles Job’s heart. He now has peace. At first his circumstances don’t change, but his heart has.
What does it mean that Jesus saves us from our sins? One simple way of understanding it is that it means that we can have that encounter with God and settle our hearts.
Posts: 23 | From: South Africa | Registered: Feb 2014
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