Tag: princeofpeace

Stress, Uncategorized

Prince of Peace

The Kedge Anchor

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It’s Christmas in July and so let’s celebrate our freedom and Jesus is the Prince of Peace, Isaiah 9:6. We all long for peace in this chaotic world. We don’t have to go far or look far to see the chaos in society today. There’s enough external chaos to distract us and keep us in an anxious state. Then let’s admit it, we can create our own chaos. A slip of the tongue, posting something we shouldn’t, not doing something we should or shouldn’t can all be the beginning of chaos. For myself, I don’t have try. Words slip out or I may misuse a word with unintended negative meaning, I’m horrible at math so I can send our checkbook in a downward spiral, not having my priorities straight, that’s just what I can do make my life a little chaotic.

Perhaps you have kids all with different activities, maybe you have over committed yourself at work or at church leaving you no time for family, for yourself or more importantly for God. Housework piles up, work piles up, maybe you’ve been so busy you forgot to pay the water bill. Life in itself happens. Turn on the news or open a social media app and the chaos surrounding us can be overwhelming, discouraging, leaving us to wonder is there any hope? We don’t need to look for chaos sometimes we create or it finds us.

But what we all are searching for is peace. We want order in the chaos. We may not be able to control the chaos in the world, but we can have peace in the chaos in our lives. Jesus is the Prince of Peace, Isaiah 9:6 -“For a child is born to us, a son is given to us. The government will rest on his shoulders. And he will be called: Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God, Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace.” I heard something the other day that I thought was interesting. I was watching the Bible (Season 3, Episode 8) Rountable on The Chosen app, Rabbi Jason Sobel refers to Genesis 1:2, he references the Spirit of God hovering over the deep when the waters were in chaos in the beginning and Matthew 14:26-33 where Jesus walks on water. He says in a “sense the storm represents the chaos in the beginning.” I highly recommend watching this Roundtable episode, at approximately 24:42 Rabbi Jason speaks of this. I believe that the Trinity was there creating the world. Jesus the Prince of Peace was there bringing order, peace to the chaos.

We are all looking for peace in our lives. I know many people are dealing with and struggle with anxiety, that alone creates chaos. They don’t need to look outside of their own hearts to see chaos and experience. Peace sometimes can be something we see as unattainable, almost impossible. But we can have peace. Jesus is the Prince of Peace, Wonderful Counselor, Everlasting Father. We can pray for peace and God will give us peace. It’s been said that we shouldn’t pray for patience because God will send us situations to test us in patience. Does God test our peace if we ask for it? We may still struggle but that’s on us because we are sometimes reluctant to surrender. I don’t believe God will create disorder and chaos in our lives to teach how to have peace or to test us. We create the chaos. Adam and Eve created chaos in the Garden. God will use the chaos and disorder we create or whatever is around us to grow us or call us closer to Him. If we ask for peace, God will lead us to it.

The Bible tells us “Turn away from evil and do good; seek peace and pursue it.” Psalm 34:14. We are to seek and pursue peace. If Jesus is the Prince of Peace, then we should be seeking Jesus and pursuing Him.

Blessed are the peacemakers, for they shall be called sons of God

Matthew 5:9

Here are some verses:

John 14:27 – “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.” (ESV)

John 16:33 – “I have said these things to you, that in me you may have peace. In the world you will have tribulation. But take heart; I have overcome the world.” (ESV)

Isaiah 26:3 – You keep him in perfect peace whose mind is stayed on you, because he trusts in you.” (ESV) (this is where I believe we need to surrender and fix our hearts and minds on Jesus).

Judges 6:24 – “And Gideon built an altar to the LORD there and named it Yahweh-Shalom (which means “the LORD is peace”). The altar remains in Ophrah in the land of the clan of Abiezer to this day.” (NLT)

Philippians 4:17 – “And the peace of God, which surpasses all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus.” (ESV)

2 Thessalonians 3:16 – “Now may the Lord of peace himself give you peace at all times in every way. The Lord be with you all.” (ESV)

Psalm 29:11 – “The LORD will give strength unto his people; the LORD will bless his people with peace.” (KJV)

Psalm 23 – “The Lord is my shepherd; I have all that I need.2 He lets me rest in green meadows; he leads me beside peaceful streams… “

This is what I have learned about prayer. Sometimes praying can be dangerous. Be careful what you pray for. While I don’t think God would lead us to chaos, I do think He will use the chaos that is already around us or the chaos we have already created for ourselves. He may open our eyes to it or make our hearts more sensitive to it so that He can work peace through and in us.

God is sovereign and will use anything to get our attention. He also doesn’t answer prayer as we expect Him to. Read the book of Habakkuk. God didn’t create the evil, He used the existing evil to defeat the evil surrounding Habakkuk. Not what Habakkuk expected. But I believe we can ask for peace and God will use the chaotic situation around us or in to draw us to Him or draw us even closer to Him. I don’t believe He will lead us to chaos and disorder. I could be wrong, but will He test us in trying to have peace? Like salvation, peace is there, we need to ask, we need to surrender. He leads, we need to follow. We may need to surrender and that may be something He is trying to teach us, there may be other things He could be trying to teach us. He could be leading us to “peaceful streams” and “green pastures” and we are the ones not following the right path.

We are free to celebrate Christmas anytime of year! So let’s celebrate the Prince of Peace, seek peace and pursue it!

Stress

Got Stress?

The Kedge Anchor
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Recently I have been reading in 2 Corinthians from The Modern Life Study Bible. In 2 Corinthians 6:3-10 Paul talks about dealing with stress. There is a little commentary in the margin that I had to reread a few times. Let me just preface this by saying I am not disagreeing with the following, there were just some things that made me go hmmmm.

“Tension, conflict, weariness and suffering are common place in our world but some hold out that God will bring life struggles to an end. They assume that a relationship of Christ ushers us into peace, even prosperity… as long as we live on this earth we will experience the unbreakable connection between trouble and hope. It may not be pleasant but it brings lasting benefits… James challenges us to find joy in our various trials because they produce patients which in the end makes us mature (James 1:2-4).  As long as we attempted to obey Christ we can count on having to deal with stress but whatever strain we feel today reaps riches to enjoy for eternity.”

The Modern Life Study Bible, Thomas Nelson 2014

I agree with some of this, “Tension, conflict, weariness and suffering are common place in our world but some hold out that God will bring life struggles to an end.” Hmmm, well shouldn’t we hope that God will one day end all the strife in the world? Perhaps I am not reading that correctly. Maybe not this side of heaven but God will end all suffering when Jesus returns. I am looking forward to that day. Shouldn’t we hope that God will end our whatever current crisis we are enduring? Shouldn’t we hope that God will put an end to the chaos and craziness in our world? 

I also agree with, “They assume that a relationship of Christ ushers us into peace, even prosperity…” Regardless if we walk with or without God, if we are in a relationship with Him the rain, the stress falls on the just and the unjust. Being a believer, Christ follower, Child of God, a Christian doesn’t mean a life prosperity. So I’d rather have the stress with God then without Him which I believe there is a peace maybe not so much ease and prosperity but with God there is a peace, He is the Prince of Peace. John 14:27 – “Peace I leave with you; my peace I give to you. Not as the world gives do I give to you. Let not your hearts be troubled, neither let them be afraid.” Just because we have a relationship with God doesn’t mean we won’t encounter hardships here on earth. John 16:33 – “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.” Even Jesus encountered some rough times. I can think of one very rough day. 

“…the unbreakable connection between trouble and hope.”

The Modern Life Study Bible, Thomas Nelson 2014

Hmmm, not sure what is meant by that. The now and the not yet? That is a difficult place to be. But I believe there is always hope in any situation.

There are some benefits to following Christ.

Matthew 16:24,25 – If we lose our lives for His sake we will find them.

Hebrews 12:8-11 – We are God’s children and when He disciplines us that is evidence we belong to Him as His chlidren.

James 1:2-4 – James encourages us to find joy in our trials, for trials produce patience. We don’t need to ask for patience when we have enough trials in front of us to help us cultivate patience.

1 Peter 4:12,13 – Facing these trials can cause us to waiver in Christ. Trials in this life are pretty common but they can produce some great results. We can experience the suffering of Christ so that we can also experience His glory.

God never said it would be easy to follow Him, He never promised that. But He did promise that He would never leave us or forsake us. Deuteronomy 31:8 – “
It is the Lord who goes before you. He will be with you; he will not leave you or forsake you. Do not fear or be dismayed.” He said in Philippians 4:19 – “And my God will supply every need of yours according to his riches in glory in Christ Jesus.

The conflicts, tension, and weariness won’t come to a complete end until Jesus returns. There is always hope, Jesus is our only hope, He is  the only hope this world has. So if there is going to be conflict and stress in this world, I’d don’t want to take another step with out God by my side. After all He has overcome the world.  

Uncategorized

December 20, 2021-Isaiah 9:6

The Kedge Anchor

Merry Christmas! I hope this blog post finds you and yours well. It’s been a wild ride the past few years but we know God is sovereign and will reign forevermore. Take time out to relax, unwind and reflect on the birth of Jesus as you color today’s free downloadable coloring page. Grab a cup of hot cocoa or tea put on some Christmas music as you reflect on how God orchestrated everything, down to last detail. God is in the details. He loves you!

Dec 20Download
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December 6, 2021 – Luke 2:10

The Kedge Anchor

Happy Memorize Monday! Here is today’s free coloring page to help you memorize scripture. Luke 2:10 – “ But the angel said to them, “Do not be afraid. I bring you good news that will cause great joy for all the people.”

Please remember to like and share. Merry Christmas!

Dec 6Download

Uncategorized

“Healing in His Wings”

The Kedge Anchor
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Malachi 4:2 – “The Sun of Righteousness will rise with healing in his wings.” Where have we heard that phrase before; “healing in his wings?” Here’s something really interesting. The Hebrew word for “wings” is “kanafim” which also means corners. Hold on to that thought.

Malachi prophesied that ” … the Sun of righteousness will rise with healing in his wings.” Jewish believers gave the name Sun of Righteousness to the coming Messiah. Malachi was referencing Jesus’ ability to heal with the corners of his robe. Kanafim also means “corners.” Are you seeing a parallel? In the book of Mark 5:25-34, is the story about the woman who had been bleeding for over 12 years knew the scriptures. She knew all she had to do was touch the corners of Jesus’ garment and she would be healed.

25 … And a woman was there who had been subject to bleeding for twelve years. 26 She had suffered a great deal under the care of many doctors and had spent all she had, yet instead of getting better she grew worse. 27 When she heard about Jesus, she came up behind him in the crowd and touched his cloak, 28 because she thought, “If I just touch his clothes, I will be healed.” 29 Immediately her bleeding stopped and she felt in her body that she was freed from her suffering.

30 At once Jesus realized that power had gone out from him. He turned around in the crowd and asked, “Who touched my clothes?”

31 “You see the people crowding against you,” his disciples answered, “and yet you can ask, ‘Who touched me?’ ”

32 But Jesus kept looking around to see who had done it. 33 Then the woman, knowing what had happened to her, came and fell at his feet and, trembling with fear, told him the whole truth. 34 He said to her, “Daughter, your faith has healed you. Go in peace and be freed from your suffering.”

And so we see this phrase used in a beloved Christmas song, “Hark the Herald Angels Sing.”

Hail the heav’nly Prince of Peace!
Hail the Sun of Righteousness!
Light and life to all He brings,
Ris’n with healing in His wings.
Mild He lays His glory by,
Born that man no more may die;
Born to raise the sons of earth,
Born to give them second birth.

Wow! Kinda adds new meaning to the old Christmas carol. I bet you will be thinking corners the next time you sing Hark the Herald Angels Sing. I know I will.

Merry Christmas!