Know Jesus, Know Peace
“Peace I leave with you, My peace I give unto you: not as the world giveth, give I unto you. Let not your heart be troubled, neither let it be afraid.” John 14:27
People are rioting for peace. Their signs say, “No justice, no peace”. There will never be total justice nor total peace until Jesus returns to rule His kingdom. The turmoil between individuals, races, and nations began with the first people who populated the earth. Genesis 6:5 tells us the “God saw that the wickedness of man was great in the earth, and that every imagination of the thoughts of his heart was only evil continually.” No one can honestly argue with that. It’s evident. It’s been evident since created man first walked on the earth. The first man born on earth, Cain, murdered his younger brother, Abel, out of jealousy. And it’s been going downhill ever since. God was so fed up with the evil being perpetrated on His earth, He sent a flood to destroy almost 100 per cent of the earth’s population. But don’t worry about another flood. He promised never to send another one, but He didn’t promise to overlook the evil which began again after the flood. He will deal with it on His timetable in a drastic way that we can’t even begin to imagine. What is going on now is nothing compared to what God has on store for all who have ignored His warnings to repent.
In ancient Israel, there were a few kings who were righteous but because of the sins of prior kings and of the people God determined to bring judgment upon the nation. However, He promised two of the kings, Hezekiah and Josiah, that He would hold off His wrath until after their death so that they wouldn’t have to experience all the turmoil that would ensue. I am certainly not a prophet nor do I have any special knowledge of what might happen in the future other than what is outlined in scripture, but I had the thought three or four years ago that after the death of Billy Graham, all heck would break loose. Mr. Graham passed away over a year ago, and I can’t help but wonder if that thought that I had might have been some sort of real foreboding judging by what has happened in the last year. We have been dealing with corruption in our government at a level that exceeds any in the past. Then COVID-19 hit, causing many deaths and a major disruption of our economy, and now we are experiencing protests that have turned violent. The murder of a black man by a white police officer has instigated mass looting, burning of buildings, and a few people have been killed.
Violence will never bring justice or peace; it will only perpetuate it. The real problem is found within the hearts of men and women. Violence, looting, vulgarity, shouting, pushing and shoving are products of a heart that doesn’t know the Lord. The murder of the black man was perpetrated by a white man whose heart was filled with hate. Until the hearts of men and women are changed by the power of Christ through the work of the Holy Spirit, nothing will change. It will only get worse. While it is OK to peacefully protest when an injustice is carried out, the real justice and peace must begin within each individual’s heart. Many are urging people to voice their protest by voting, but the politicians, whether Democrat, Republican, Libertarian, or Independent, cannot legislate a change in the hearts of their constituents. This can only happen when folks get on their knees, confess their sins, and ask God to forgive them through Christ.
I hate to sound pessimistic, but I don’t see that happening on a large scale here in America. I think people have so hardened their hearts to the gospel message and the call to repentance that they would rather try to find another way to peace that won’t hold them to account for their sin. But that will not happen. Jesus said in Matthew 24:10 and 12 in describing how the world will be in the last days that many people would be offended, would betray one another, and hate one another. Because sin will abound, the love of many will grow cold. I don’t see things getting better anytime soon, but I hope that I am wrong.