Articles
Is America on the Brink of Revolution?

It is not uncommon to hear farmers, hunters, radio and television talk show hosts and commentators today talk as if they could single-handedly defeat their real or imaginary foes with violence. In Randy Travis’s song “I’m Gonna Love You Forever,” he immortalizes old men for “talking ‘bout the weather,” but today most folks I randomly meet want to talk about politics and some of them will seriously get in your face and spit, “It just about time for a revolution!”

Jesus said “Blessed and happy are the Peace-makers for they shall be called the children of God.”

The scripture says we should pray for all people in places of power such as governors, kings and presidents. I have occasionally winced at that responsibility when I wished such and such a leader would be removed from office for their transgressions. God doesn’t tell us to pray for them to remain in office. He tells us to pray for them, “that we might live quiet and peaceable lives.” 1Timothy 2:2 Whenever people haven’t even waited for the other side to make their view clear and are ready for fisticuffs or worse, any expectation of living quiet and peaceable lives is greatly reduced. As each side yells and bullies and taunts, they completely ignore God’s instructions: “Let every person be swift to listen and try to understand the other and be slow to speak.”

The way things are currently unfolding, I would never assert with any confidence that this entire “hellabaloo” will suddenly just go away any more than cancer suddenly just disappears. When there is food in the dish the cats will stop being catty to one another and come and dine. Many people will return to get their portion and ignore the differences they have with their fellow diners, but there is no guarantee that the dish will be refilled any time soon. If this skirmishing does, inconceivably as that may seem, evolve in to some form of war, more likely than not terrorist groups will also take advantage of that situation. Christ offers the only solution available in such a situation and it is infallible if we lean on it with all our being.

Jesus Christ promised he will never leave us or forsake us. He also said, “My peace I give you, not as the world creates peace that does not last, but my peace I leave with you.” (This is the kind of peace Jesus demonstrated when He spoke peace to the hurricane and the peace He exhibited when the Roman soldiers sought to take Him and He boldly spake, “I am he whom you seek”.) Listen to this great promise found in 2nd Corinthians 13:11: “Live in peace and the God of love and peace shall be with you.” Scripture says, “Where there is contention and strife, there is every evil work.” That means murder! That means divorce! That means infidelity! That means cruelty, cursing, violence and every hateful and wicked work! That is in the heart and capability of those who fall into the devilish trap of contention and strife. Simply living in peace allows God to abide with you!

But James warns us, “If you have hot-headed malice and strife in your heart glory not and lie not against the reality. This sort of ‘path’ is not suggested to you by God’s Spirit, but is from a fallen natural mind influenced by the devil himself.” James points us to the fact that God’s wisdom comes to us from heaven itself and comes to us as a precious gift wrapped in peace. James 3:17 says, “But the wisdom that is from above is first pure, then peaceable, gentle and easy to be received, full of mercy and good fruits, without partiality and without hypocrisy.”

No matter what side of any issue you are on, if you hope to plant seeds in others to correct their vision, position or understanding, remember those seeds will have almost no chance of taking root unless they are sown peacefully and the sower is doing “all his things with love.” James says as much in 3:18, “And the fruit of righteousness is sown in peace by them who are peace makers.”

God wants us to forsake, give up and abandon the ways of war and violence. We are going through a time of wars and rumors of war to a Kingdom handed over to his “holy ones” which is what the word “saints” means. We are called to be those “holy ones.” Daniel 7:22

As Bono reminds us, “Become the change that you want to see.” God says the change He wants us to see is a time when we “will not learn war anymore.” Isaiah 2:4

As Christians, we, like Jesus, should be going about doing good and delivering all those who are influenced or oppressed of the devil. War, strife and hot headed malice are all hell’s ideas that we need to fast from permanently and replace them with bringing Heaven’s Kingdom to earth. Listen to Isaiah 58:6-8, in this short version. “God has chosen this fast: give up your wickedness. Fast to give your food to the hungry and bring the outcast into your home. Provide clothing to those who have none and don’t exclude the needs of your own family. Then shall your light break forth as dependably as the morning chases away the night and your wholeness and spiritual maturity shall spring forth speedily and your righteousness shall go before you and the presence of the Lord Himself shall be your protection.”

Therefore, beloved, do not fear any of these things coming upon the earth. Remember God’s promise, “Walk in peace and the God of peace and love shall dwell with you.” Amen.

Peace and love from Minister David Prather
Church in the Green

 

This site is hosted and maintained by:
The Mary T. and Frank L. Hoffman Family Foundation
Thank you for visiting all-creatures.org.
Since