How To Stand with Courage, Peace, Love, And Hope in A Broken World ⋆ Effie Darlene Barba %

Constantly bombarded by horrific news—senseless violence, murder, and rape. We were sold a lie. The idea that humanity could and would evolve into a near utopia society, if only we would become “tolerant”. Tolerant of crime, irrational ideology, drugs, and just quietly do as the global elitist and humanistic philosophers tell us to. Yet, the farther we as a world society moved toward these philosophies, the more horrific the acts of violence became. Chaos ensued. The truth that we were created by God with a longing for eternity, goodness, and love was lost. There is no such thing as evil or good if we evolved from cells. Truth is shoved aside for “my truth” which is no truth at all. Therefore, as truth is shoved aside, a broken world results. So how are we, who cling to the truth of Jesus stand with courage, peace, love, and hope. How, n this broken world?

Jesus said, “Do not let your heart be troubled; believe in God, believe also in Me. In My Father’s house are many rooms; if that were not so, I would have told you, because I am going there to prepare a place for you. And if I go and prepare a place for you, I am coming again and will take you to Myself, so that where I am, there you also will be. And you know the way where I am going.” Thomas *said to Him, “Lord, we do not know where You are going; how do we know the way?”Jesus *said to him, “I am the way, and the truth, and the life; no one comes to the Father except through Me. John 14:1-6 NASB

He also said,

“But be on your guard; for they will hand you over to the courts, and you will be flogged in the synagogues, and you will stand before governors and kings for My sake, as a testimony to them. And the gospel must first be preached to all the nations. And when they arrest you and hand you over, do not worry beforehand about what you are to say, but say whatever is given you at that time; for you are not the ones speaking, but it is the Holy Spirit. And brother will betray brother to death, and a father his child; and children will rise up against parents and have them put to death. And you will be hated by everyone because of My name, but it is the one who has endured to the end who will be saved. Mark 13: 9-13 NASB

Amid the distress of realizing that horrific evil acts are increasing throughout our nation and the world. We must recognize the birth pangs are getting closer. We will be delivered soon, just as promised by Jesus. The rapture is coming. We will be forever more in His presence. Although His presence surrounds us always, even now. Then, that day, we will be freed from this sinful flesh and sin filled world.

Stand with Courage, Peace, Love, And Hope in A Broken World—Isaiah

God’s prophet Isaiah was primarily called to speak to a nation who had turned their backs on God. In doing so, Isaiah also foretold of Jesus in detail. However, at the point he was called, he felt the world around him filled with such evil. Everything was daunting. Let us look now at when he was called.

In the year of King Uzziah’s death I saw the Lord sitting on a throne, lofty and exalted, with the train of His robe filling the temple. Seraphim were standing above Him, each having six wings: with two each covered his face, and with two each covered his feet, and with two each flew. And one called out to another and said,

“Holy, Holy, Holy, is the Lord of armies.

The whole earth is full of His glory.” Isaiah 6:1-3 NASB

“King Uzziah died. After 52 years of reigning, leprosy caused the death of Uzziah in 739 B.C. (cf. 2 Chr. 26:16–23). Isaiah began his prophetic ministry that year. He received the prophecies of the first 5 chapters after his call, but at 6:1 he returns to authenticate what he has already written by describing how he was called. I saw. The prophet became unconscious of the outside world and with his inner eye saw what God revealed to him. This experience recalls the experience of John’s prophetic vision in Rev. 4:1–11. high and lifted up. The throne was greatly elevated, emphasizing the Most High God. train. This refers to the hem or fringe of the Lord’s glorious robe that filled the temple. temple. Though Isaiah may have been at the earthly temple, this describes a vision which transcends the earthly. The throne of God is in the heavenly temple (Rev. 4:1–6; 5:1–7; 11:19; 15:5–8).” John McArthur Study Bible_{MacArthur, John; The MacArthur Study Bible NASB edition (Lockman foundation copyright 1960); Thomas Nelson, copyright 2006, page 1333-34}

At a time when it appeared evil had taken reign in Israel. It all appeared as lost. It was then God gave Isaiah a vision. A reminder that even in the worst of times, God is on His throne. His Sovereign rule remains, even when we do not understand all that is happening. Then God also opened the eyes of Isaiah to see the magnificent Glory of God, beyond any imagination. That vision forced Isaiah to realize his own sinful nature.

Stand with Courage Because of True Faith and Humility

And the foundations of the thresholds trembled at the voice of him who called out, while the temple was filling with smoke. Then I said,

“Woe to me, for I am ruined!

Because I am a man of unclean lips,

And I live among a people of unclean lips;

For my eyes have seen the King, the Lord of armies.”

Then one of the seraphim flew to me with a burning coal in his hand, which he had taken from the altar with tongs. He touched my mouth with it and said, “Behold, this has touched your lips; and your guilt is taken away and atonement is made for your sin.” Isaiah 6:4-7 NASB

So, recognizing his frailty and sin, Isaiah was humbled before God. At that moment by faith Isaiah’s sins were covered and atoned for by God Himself. This because of the promise of the atoning work of Jesus Christ, yet to come. For God is omnipresent. Time is nothing for Him. He sees the present, the past and the future always and at every moment. Once humbled and forgiven, God then called Isaiah to service with such gentleness and kindness. God knew the cost for Isaiah; so, gently He called Him.

Then I heard the voice of the Lord, saying, “Whom shall I send, and who will go for Us?” Then I said, “Here am I. Send me!” And He said, “Go, and tell this people:

‘Keep on listening, but do not understand;

And keep on looking, but do not gain knowledge.’

Make the hearts of this people insensitive,

Their ears dull,

And their eyes blind,

So that they will not see with their eyes,

Hear with their ears,

Understand with their hearts,

And return and be healed.” Isaiah 6:8-10

After accepting the call, Isaiah asked how long must he preach the truth.

Then I said, “Lord, how long?” And He answered,

“Until cities are devastated and without inhabitant,

Houses are without people

And the land is utterly desolate,

The Lord has completely removed people,

And there are many forsaken places in the midst of the land. Isaiah 6: 11-12 NASB

The same is true for us. We are to preach the truth of the gospel of Christ. How long? Until either we are taken home or there is no one left to tell of the good news. So, if we still have breath on this earth we tell others of Jesus. Even then, leave behind a legacy. A legacy to continue on after you. Where? With your children first. Then with those whom you have met. Everything you post on social media, and every action or word from your mouth. Let all you do glorify His name. Time is very short. The birth pangs are getting closer each day.

Stand with Courage, Peace, Love, And Hope in A Broken World—Jeremiah

Jeremiah was the major prophet during the decline and fall of Judah’s Southern Kingdom. He prophesied during the reigns of the last five kings of Judah. Jeremiah was born in the village of Anathoth, situated north of Jerusalem in the territory of Benjamin (vv 1,2) Called to the prophetic ministry in the 13^th year of godly Josiah’s reign, about 627 B.C. Jeremiah’s ministry lasted more than 40 years, extending beyond the fall of Jerusalem in 586 B.C. His call actually been planned before his birth. (v 5).The nature of his ministry was tearing down and rebuilding, sprouting and planning. (v.10). Jeremiah was a prophet of doom, who was even forbidden to marry so that he could fully devote himself to the preaching of God’s judgment )16:1-2. After the fall of Jerusalem, Jeremiah was taken by some Jewish zealots to Egypt where he continued to preach. ^{_{Falwell, Jerry; The Liberty Annotated Study Bible KJV, Liberty University, copyright 1975, page 1100}}

Beaten, imprisoned, filled with sorrow for his nation, Jeremiah continued as God’s spokesman and prophet. Never wavering although God told Him, none would listen.

“So you shall speak all these words to them, but they will not listen to you; and you shall call to them, but they will not answer you. And you shall say to them, ‘This is the nation that did not obey the voice of the Lord their God or accept discipline; trustworthiness has perished and has been eliminated from their mouth.

Cut off your hair and throw it away,

And take up a song of mourning on the bare heights;

For the Lord has rejected and forsaken

The generation of His wrath.’

For the sons of Judah have done that which is evil in My sight,” declares the Lord. “They have put their detestable things in the house which is called by My name, to defile it. They have built the high places of Topheth, which is in the Valley of Ben-hinnom, to burn their sons and their daughters in the fire, which I did not command, and it did not come into My mind.

“Therefore, behold, days are coming,” declares the Lord, “when it will no longer be called Topheth, or the Valley of Ben-hinnom, but the Valley of the Slaughter; for they will bury in Topheth [n]because there is no other place. The dead bodies of this people will be food for the birds of the sky and for the animals of the earth; and no one will frighten them away. Then I will eliminate from the cities of Judah and from the streets of Jerusalem the voice of joy and the voice of gladness, the voice of the groom and the voice of the bride; for the land will become a site of ruins. Jeremiah 7: 27-34

Yet there was a remnant that continued on. There was Daniel, Amos, Nehemiah, Amos, Ezekiel, Hosea, Joel, Obadiah, Mikah, Nahum, Zephaniah, Haggai, Zechariah, and Malachi. All suffered and died in the cause for God as pointed by Stephen in Acts chapter 7. All brought the message of the Messiah who would come. He is the hope we cling to. Jesus then came and paid the price for all our sins. Other prophets included Habakkuk and John the Baptist.

Stand with Courage, Peace, Love, And Hope in A Broken World—Habakkuk

Historical and Theological Themes of Habakkuk

The opening verses reveal a historical situation similar to the days of Amos and Micah. Justice had essentially disappeared from the Land; violence and wickedness were pervasive, existing unchecked. In the midst of these dark days, the prophet cried out for divine intervention (1:2–4). God’s response, that He was sending the Chaldeans to judge Judah (1:5–11), creates an even greater theological dilemma for Habakkuk: Why didn’t God purge His people and restore their righteousness? How could God use the Chaldeans to judge a people more righteous than they (1:12–2:1)? God’s answer that He would also judge the Chaldeans also (2:2–20) did not fully satisfy the prophet’s theological quandary; in fact, it only intensified it. In Habakkuk’s mind, the issue crying for resolution is no longer God’s righteous response toward evil (or lack thereof), but the vindication of God’s character and covenant with His people (1:13). Like Job, the prophet argued with God, and through that experience he achieved a deeper understanding of God’s sovereign character and a firmer faith in Him (cf. Job 42:5, 6; Is. 55:8, 9). Ultimately, Habakkuk realized that God was not to be worshiped merely because of the temporal blessings He bestowed, but for His own sake (3:17–19). John MacArthur ³_{MacArthur, John; The MacArthur Study Bible NASB edition (Lockman foundation copyright 1960); Thomas Nelson, copyright 2006, page 1833}

Habakkuk then ended his book with these words which all of us need. Yes, he trembled at all the evil surrounding him. But amid that trembling he trusted God.

I heard, and my inner parts trembled;

At the sound, my lips quivered.

Decay enters my bones,

And in my place I tremble;

Because I must wait quietly for the day of distress,

For the people to arise who will attack us.

Even if the fig tree does not blossom,

And there is no fruit on the vines,

If the yield of the olive fails,

And the fields produce no food,

Even if the flock disappears from the fold,

And there are no cattle in the stalls,

Yet I will triumph in the Lord,

I will rejoice in the God of my salvation.

The Lord God is my strength,

And He has made my feet like deer’s feet,

And has me walk on my high places. Habakkuk 3: 16-19 NASB

So, How do we Stand with Courage, Peace, Love, And Hope in A Broken World

Never forget

Jesus is the way, the truth and the life. Our hope is anchored firm in His finished work upon the Cross, if we know Him as our Savior and Lord through faith in Him

God is on His throne, Sovereign, all powerful, full of justice and grace

ALL Things work together for the good of those who are His

Go to sleep and awaken each morning asking God for what He wants you to do today

Read His Word everyday morning and night—holding tight to all His promises

Ask God what is His mission for you

Tell everyone you meet who Jesus is to you

Stand with Courage, Peace, Love, and Hope in a Broken World

O Lord God, to whom vengeance belongs—

O God, to whom vengeance belongs, shine forth!

Rise up, O Judge of the earth;

Render punishment to the proud.

Lord, how long will the wicked,

How long will the wicked triumph?

They utter speech, and speak insolent things;

All the workers of iniquity boast in themselves.

They break in pieces Your people, O Lord,

And afflict Your heritage.

They slay the widow and the stranger,

And murder the fatherless.

Yet they say, “The Lord does not see,

Nor does the God of Jacob understand.”

Understand, you senseless among the people;

And you fools, when will you be wise?

He who planted the ear, shall He not hear?

He who formed the eye, shall He not see?

He who instructs the nations, shall He not correct,

He who teaches man knowledge?

The Lord knows the thoughts of man,

That they are futile.

Blessed is the man whom You instruct, O Lord,

And teach out of Your law,

That You may give him rest from the days of adversity,

Until the pit is dug for the wicked.

For the Lord will not cast off His people,

Nor will He forsake His inheritance.

But judgment will return to righteousness,

And all the upright in heart will follow it.

Who will rise up for me against the evildoers?

Who will stand up for me against the workers of iniquity?

Unless the Lord had been my help,

My soul would soon have settled in silence.

If I say, “My foot slips,”

Your mercy, O Lord, will hold me up.

In the multitude of my anxieties within me,

Your comforts delight my soul.

Shall the throne of iniquity, which devises evil by law,

Have fellowship with You?

They gather together against the life of the righteous,

And condemn innocent blood.

But the Lord has been my defense,

And my God the rock of my refuge.

He has brought on them their own iniquity,

And shall cut them off in their own wickedness;

The Lord our God shall cut them off. Psalm 94 (NKJV)

So, who will stand up against the evil with courage, faith, hope, and peace. We win with using the greatest weapon of all—The Word Of God.

Note: We will return to Romans next week. This is a special post in honor of Charlie Kirk and all martyrs for their faith. Let us take up the fight in this spiritual battle. WE battle with the Word God as our only weapon and the power of God within and surrounding us.

DO YOU KNOW CHRIST AS YOUR SAVIOR AND LORD? He is our only Hope in Life and Death! Our Joy is found in Him.

Therefore if you don’t know Jesus Christ as your Savior and Lord: I urge you today. Go to my page titled How to Be Saved by clicking on this link. There is nothing more important than this; because He is the way, the truth and the life. Therefore, I urge you to seek Him today.

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Life is Really Only About Jesus and His Glory- Nothing Else Matters

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Please note: This Post only has quotes from the KJV Bible except where otherwise indicated

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