Tag: Peace

A Christian Perspective

Peace in the midst of evil

Loring Schultz

Read: Psalm 84 NLT – Psalm 84 – For the choir director: A – Bible Gateway

“O God, look with favor upon the king, our shield! Show favor to the one you have anointed. For the LORD God is our sun and our shield. He gives us grace and glory” Psalm 84:9, 11 NLT

Charles Spurgeon noted the 84th Psalm ‘was entitled to be called The Pearl of Psalms. This is one of the most sweet of the Psalms of Peace.’  

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As I write this ‘Christian Perspective’ on a clear cold December morning, we have just come out of another horrific weekend of evil around the world. Two U.S. soldiers, members of the Iowa National Guard, were killed in an ambushed attack by an ISIS gunman in Syria. Two students were shot and killed and nine others injured in a mass shooting at Brown University in Providence, Rhode Island as an assailant entered a classroom shouting and began shooting. A Hanukkah celebration turned deadly in Sydney, Australia as the Jewish community gathered at the world-famous Bondi Beach. A father and son duo staged a planned attack on the celebrating Jews killing 15, including a 10-year girl and wounding 40 others. And just this morning, (Monday) the news headlines include the double homicide of actor Rob Reiner and his wife. Their son has been arrested in connection with the killings.  

Yes, we are living in a violent and evil world. We may ask will there ever be peace in this world. How is it possible to be encourage about the future? Is it even possible to live in peace in the midst of  all this evil. Psalm 84, in which Spurgeon calls ‘the most sweet of the Psalms of Peace,’ has several references we can cling to in answering these questions.

This psalm is one of several ‘songs of ascent’ pilgrims sang as travelled to Jerusalem for one of the feast days. Their attention was focused on the presence of God as they would worship Him in the Temple. They had a deep longing and passion for the house of God. God was there. It was His house; it is where He chose to place His Holy name. It brought peace in the midst of evil.

Later in the psalm, the psalmist writes of a king preferably David or perhaps Solomon who is God’s anointed. (v.9) This anointed one was a shield to his people during his reign. Ultimately this is a reference to the future king, the Lord Jesus, who will come and be a shield to those who believe in Him. In verse 11, the psalmist refers to God as a sun and shield. Charles Spurgeon comments, ‘A sun for happy days and a shield for dangerous ones. A sun above, a shield around. A light to show the way and a shield to ward off its perils.’

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In a few days Christians around the world will celebrate this anointed king coming to earth as our sun and shield who will grant us peace in the midst of evil. Jesus does that by setting those free from the slavery of sin whose accept Him as their savior. The evil of sin in our hearts is done away with, and we can live in peace with God for we have been reconciled to Him. We can then live in this world in peace in the midst of evil for our future is bright.

A Christian Perspective

Temporary Peace  

Loring Schultz

“I will give peace and quietness unto Israel.” 1 Chronicles 22:9 KJV

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Let me first say I thank the Lord God and praise Him for the ceasefire that has been achieved as part of the ‘20-point Israel-Gaza Peace Plan.’ This war has been in effect since Hamas attacked and murdered innocent Israeli civilians on October 7, 2023, along with taking 251 people hostage. The remaining hostages are to be released in a few short days, another praise to almighty God. Once the hostages are released negotiations on the next phase will begin. So, while we rejoice in the ceasefire and the soon release of the hostages, the world is very cautious not to get too overjoyed as things can turn around quickly.  

Case in point, the plan will be implemented in phases with on-going negotiations. Phase 1 is the ceasefire and the release of hostages along with Israel releasing several hundred Palestinian prisoners. Other phases include Hamas disarmament, Gaza’s governance, Israeli withdrawal, and long-term security among other items as humanitarian aid. The problem is, although a good plan that was accepted by all the neighboring countries, it does contain 20 points which are all valid, but somewhere down this long road the unexpected could pop up and stop everything.

For all intents and purposes, even if this plan is implemented in every detail of every phase, this is only a temporary peace. The evil in the world will continue to prevail as controlled by Satan. The Jewish race is hated by Satan because they were the vehicle in which Jesus, the Messiah, came to redeem mankind and destroy Satan. Satan’s influence on those who hate the Jews will only increase prompting them to once again engage in violence. I pray this peace will hold for an extended period of time until the Lord returns. When Jesus returns He will save the Jews who put their faith in Him during the tribulation for they will be attacked once again during that period. So, even if this peace lasts until then, it is only a temporary peace.

Christians today have a responsibly to keep praying for peace in the Middle East.

We are to pray for the peace of Jerusalem, pray for humanitarian needs, pray that the gospel of Jesus Christ will be preach, for Jesus is the only source and hope of peace we have on earth until He comes back to rule the world. So, we pray to that end, because this is a temporary peace.

Devotionals

Jesus Came in Peace       

Loring Schultz

“Rejoice greatly, O daughter of Zion! Shout aloud, O daughter of Jerusalem! Behold, your king is coming to you; righteous and having salvation is he, humble and mounted on a donkey, on a colt, the foal of a donkey.” Zechariah 9:9 ESV

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Are you at peace? Whatever your situation in life might be at this moment, are you at peace? It is hard to be at peace in certain situations such as in the loss of a loved one or caring for a loved one with a terminal disease or going through a severe illness yourself. Perhaps you are going though marital problems, family instability, or a financial crisis. Name your own crisis at this time of your life. It doesn’t matter what it is. It is in these times that our faith in the Lord is tested if we’re trusting Him that His peace, which surpasses all understanding, is still there. It is. I know at times it may not feel like it is not there, but it is.

Every Easter season on Palm Sunday we celebrate Jesus’ Triumphant entry into Jerusalem, at the beginning of Passion week. Jesus’ entrance into Jerusalem was prophesied by Zechariah in his Old Testament prophetic book. “Rejoice greatly, O daughter of Zion! Shout aloud, O daughter of Jerusalem! Behold, your king is coming to you; righteous and having salvation is he, humble and mounted on a donkey, on a colt, the foal of a donkey.” (Zech.9:9 esv) There is a very important point we do not want to miss here. Jesus rode into Jerusalem ‘mounted on a donkey.’ A donkey is a lowly animal of peace. Jesus came in peace, to provide peace, peace which surpasses all understanding.

Since Jesus came in peace to give us everlasting peace by saving us from our sins and guaranteeing eternal life, there are no gaps in His peace towards us once we have been saved and are born again to new life. Jesus’ peace is always with us. He is always with us. Trust Him in your time of crisis to show you His peace. “And the peace of God, which surpasses all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus.” (Phil.4:7 esv)

Devotionals

Pray for Your Country

Loring Schultz
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There are some countries around the world that are relatively orderly, peaceful, and prosperous. You may be saying to yourself, name some because I would like to move there. It is true that many nations don’t resemble a place of tranquility. We do live in a fallen world, so we might expect it, but that does not mean there can’t peace and prosperity in the days we live, even if it is only for a period of time.

Christians should be working towards the peace and prosperity of the country where we live. Christians are the biggest influence in their surrounding communities to make things happen because we have the biggest influencer supporting us, the Lord God. The first step in being an influencer to bring about change through prayer. The Lord told the captives of Judah as they were carried off to Babylon to do just that. They certainly did not want to be exiled in a heathen land, but the Lord God told them to “work for the peace and prosperity of the city where I sent you into exile. Pray to the LORD for it, for its welfare will determine your welfare.” (Jer.29:7 nlt) Simply put, God commanded them to pray for their city, a pagan city. As their city prospered, so would they and there would be peace.

You may be living in a pagan country today, but the Lord’s command is the same as the captive people of Judah to pray for the nation and its leaders. The second step is to start working towards peace and prosperity. You and a few others may be the only hope you and your neighbors have of living a peaceful life due to your prayers and working as the Lord leads you. It will not only bring glory and honor to God through the welfare of all, but it will open the door to share the gospel of Christ, the only true source of peace in the world. Pray for the peace and prosperity of your country wherever you reside.

Devotionals

Perfect Peace

Loring Schultz

Read: Isaiah 26:1-8 NLT – A Song of Praise to the LORD – In that – Bible Gateway

“You will keep in perfect peace all who trust in you, all whose thoughts are fixed on you!” Isaiah 26:3 NLT

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Peace is hard to come by. Total peace is unthinkable in our day and is reserved for Utopia. But every Christian can have their utopia in the here and now. Utopia is described as ‘any idealized place of perfection.’ The prophet Isaiah writes, “You will keep in perfect peace all who trust in you.” (Is.26:3a nlt) The word ‘perfect’ in Scripture has the meaning of ‘completeness.’ So, it is possible to have ‘total’, ‘complete’ perfect peace in this life.

Perfect peace has been evaded from many Christians by the cares of this world. Granted, there are many things we should care about, but not to the extreme. Besides, our cares and worries should be handed over to God. There is no need for us to put excess stress on ourselves for those things God is in control. He will guide us and give us wisdom in handling our daily concerns.

A more important aspect of achieving perfect peace is to keep our thoughts fixed on God. The old King James says, ‘whose mind is stayed on thee.’ ‘Stayed’ meaning, ‘to lean, lay, rest, support, uphold.’ When our minds are totally fixed of God, leaning on Him, thinking and resting in His presence we won’t have time to think about what has the potential to take away our peace. We still have many concerns that need dealing with, but when our focus is God, He will give us the peace and strength to see them through in perfect peace.

A Christian Perspective

Embrace the Gift of Peace for 2025

Loring Schultz

“I am leaving you with a gift—peace of mind and heart. And the peace I give is a gift the world cannot give. So don’t be troubled or afraid.” John 14:27 NLT

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As 2024 is rapidly coming to a close, the hope for peace and prosperity is wished for all people and nations in the New Year. As the world looks forward to the horizon of 2025, it can’t help but to be reminded of the sunset we are seeing in the present year. So many conflicts among nations continue to rise. Social issues are still demanding their presence on the world stage, and the attack on the nuclear family is ever increasing. World Peace may seem to be hard to come by in 2025. It is not only hard to come by but will not happen despite the best efforts of world leaders. But there is peace available to every man, woman, and child in the New Year, and it is a gift we only need to receive.

 This gift of peace was first given to us as a promise from God the Father bridging the gap between us and God created by Adam and Eve. A gift of peace, a savior, would come into the world. (Gen.3:15) The gift of peace was born to us over 2,000 years ago in a stable in the town of Bethlehem. “The Savior—yes, the Messiah, the Lord—has been born today in Bethlehem, the city of David! Glory to God in highest heaven, and peace on earth to those with whom God is pleased.” (Lk.2:11, 14 nlt) This gift of peace, Jesus Christ, came into an unpeaceful, sinful world and has provided peace for all who believe in His name, accepting Him as savior.

On the night before His crucifixion, Jesus gave His disciples a deeper meaning to the salutation ‘Shalom’ meaning peace. “I am leaving you with a gift—peace of mind and heart. And the peace I give is a gift the world cannot give. So don’t be troubled or afraid.” (Jn.14:27 nlt) This peace reflects our reconciliation with God the Father through Jesus’ sacrifice on the cross for our sins. This is true peace and nothing the world can provide. The world can only crave lasting peace which they cannot provide. Jesus’ peace is real and is the answer for all the fears in the world.

Devotionals

The Gift of Peace

Loring Schultz

“I am leaving you with a gift—peace of mind and heart. And the peace I give is a gift the world cannot give. So don’t be troubled or afraid.” John 14:27 NLT

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I came to age in the influential years of peace and love in the late 1960’s and early 1970’s in the United States. The height of the Vietnam war, racial injustice, assassinations and attempted assassinations on political leaders fueled protests around the country in the streets and college campuses. From these events and others like it, the ‘peace and love’ movement came into existence. It was for the most part peaceful and did bring about some good things. However, one thing they couldn’t bring about was ‘lasting peace,’ their reason for being.

The reason the efforts of the ‘peace and love’ movement failed was they were looking for peace within themselves and the world. Jesus told His disciples on the night before His crucifixion, “I am leaving you with a gift—peace of mind and heart. And the peace I give is a gift the world cannot give.” (Jn.14:27 nlt) As much as those wanting to spread peace and love if it wasn’t Jesus’ gift of love it would not last. To be fair, there were those who branched off from that movement becoming followers of Jesus and created their own movement realizing the world or themselves would not bring about the peace they were seeking. This Jesus’ movement knew that true and lasting peace was only through Jesus Christ.

Today you may be seeking peace and love but wherever you turn it evades you. There are many endeavors that will bring temporary peace and enjoyment in life. There are several organizations and clubs that can fill an empty space in your heart, but if Jesus isn’t part of them, it will fail you every time. Jesus says to you, true and lasting peace is available through Him which He gives you as a gift. ‘So don’t be troubled or afraid,’ but accept His gift of peace and have peace of mind and heart the world cannot offer.  

Devotionals

Work for the Peace and Prosperity of Your City

Loring Schultz

“And work for the peace and prosperity of the city where I sent you into exile. Pray to the LORD for it, for its welfare will determine your welfare.” Jeremiah 29:7 NLT

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There are cities across the United States and around the world that have a relatively orderly, peaceful, and prosperous land for its residents. You may be saying to yourself, name some because I would like to move there. It is true that many of our cities don’t resemble a place of tranquility. We do live in a fallen world, so we might expect it, but that does not mean there can be no peace and prosperity in the days we live, even if it is only for a period of time.

You and I should be working towards the peace and prosperity of the cities where we live. Christians are the biggest influence in their surrounding communities to make things happen, because we have the biggest influencer supporting us, the Lord God. The first step in being an influencer to bring about change in your city is prayer. The Lord told the captive Israelites as they were carried off to Babylon to do just that. They certainly did not want to be exiled in the heathen city, but the Lord God told them to “work for the peace and prosperity of the city where I sent you into exile. Pray to the LORD for it, for its welfare will determine your welfare.” (Jer.29:7 nlt) Very simply, God commanded them to pray for their city, a pagan city. As their city prospered, so would they and there would be peace.

You may be living in a pagan city, but the Lord’s command is the same to pray for your city. The second step is to start working towards peace and prosperity. You and a few others may be the only hope your friends and neighbors have of living a peaceful life due to your prayers and working as the Lord leads you. It will not only bring glory and honor to God as He answers your prayers through the welfare of all, but it will open the door to share the gospel of Christ, the only true source of peace in the world.

Devotionals

Submit, Accept, and Lay Up

Loring Schultz

“Submit to God and be at peace with him; in this way prosperity will come to you. Accept instruction from his mouth and lay up his words in your heart.” Job 22:21-22 NIV

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Occasionally encouraging and direct words are spoken from an unlikely source whose intent was not to encourage but rebuke. Such an occasion occurred in the Old Testament book of Job. The man Job had gone through the lost of his family and all his possessions almost instantaneously by the hand of Satan by God’s permission. (Job 1:1-2:13) He was visited by his three friends to mourn with him and provide comfort. Their heart was in the right place for they did so for seven days without saying a word. They should have remained silent because what followed was their interpretation of Job’s circumstances, saying that he had sinned.

Sadly, some Christians today in their effort to comfort those in times of trouble will point the accusing figure to some sin in others lives leading to the distress they are in. Surely it could have been sin that brought on the tragic events, and it may not have been, but was God’s plan for His purposes. The Bible states Job did not sin, but it was for God’s purpose He allowed Job to suffer. Job’s friends were convinced he must have sinned towards God and this dialogue with him makes up the content of the book of Job. Eliphaz, one of Job’s three friends, while accusing Job spouts out godly wisdom for all who have sinned and need to reconcile with God. Although it was good advice, Job didn’t need it for he did not sin. Nevertheless, the words spoken, even in an accusing state, are truthful and can be applied to fallen believers.

For all of us this passage from Job is right on in reconciling ourselves back to God when we do sin. Submitting to God will back the peace we lost with Him. Accepting the instructions He gives us in His Word will draw us closer to Him by keeping us on the straight and narrow, and laying up His words in our hearts will seal them helping us in our daily walk with Him.

Read: Job 22:21-30 NIV – “Submit to God and be at peace with – Bible Gateway