I am called to write and speak about Jesus, about the Biblical Gospel, and to give testimony of His work in my life. There's so much in my heart to share, but I find it difficult to get it out. I currently feel so deeply unsettled and frustrated about the state of our nation, and the state of our leadership as well as issues around the world. We are in a storm. Now more than ever, we need peace; but it seems no where to be found. These feelings are just that, feelings. I am feeling frustrated and I am feeling angry at what is currently taking place. I feel sadness and fear. I think what makes me feel the most angry is the lies. We are surrounded by lies, misinformation, too much information at times, and confusion. I know so much of it is lies simply because it makes no sense. Logic seems to have gone away and is no longer of any value. One side says the other side is guilty of the very things they do. This is stealing my peace. I find myself sometimes panicking, and at a loss for joy. At the same time, I can be very focused on needing to know what is happening. The headlines can be very overwhelming, when trying to find some truth. However, it has become clear to me that I am looking in the wrong place for truth.. My self critic says "you should know better by now Lisa." We live in the age of information. Get informed be informed. Run here, read this, did you hear? I am guilty of this. Joshua and Caleb on the other hand, did not have this issue or this attitude. They said "we are well able to go in and conquer them!" In Numbers 14:8-9 they said, "if the Lord delights in us, then He will bring us into this land...just don't rebel. They are unprotected, but the Lord is with us. It seems they would have been remembering all the things GOD did in Egypt".
Lately, I have found myself asking God, why have you caused me and my family to live in times like this? I watch and listen to the news sources I hope I can trust and they report more chaos and about how our government is being transformed in front of our eyes, and our country as well. When I look around and I see the situations of people and families, around the nation, I feel hopeless. I know as a Christian I should not be hopeless, but I am sometimes. The Lord is revealing to me that I am listening to the wrong report! There were 2, Joshua and Caleb, who trusted God that they were gonna be able to do what He brought them there to do. There were 10, spies, who doubted and spread their doubt to the whole community. I know that people in all generations have lived through horrific times of war and famine and devastation. But when it's here on our doorstep, how will we respond? We must steady ourselves and believe God and His word. I must personally do this. We must also become grounded in His word; knowing His report, and beholding in the awesome stories how He comes through for those who fear Him, worship Him and look to Him for help.
God was not pleased with their disbelief, especially after the miracles they witnessed in Egypt, and at the Red Sea. My question there is; how could they see all that, those miracles, and then turn around into such disbelief? In our day, we don't really see big time miracles, signs and wonders. What we do see however, is Bible prophecy unfolding. That's enough for me to get afraid real fast, but I realize that I have not been looking at and trusting God. I have been looking at the storm, and listening to many different reports about the storm, and in the back of my mind I am asking myself if any of these sources are trustworthy. Are they telling me the truth? Well they may be, but it is still earthly; worldly, man tainted reports about the state of a fallen world. The Bible is the Lords report. It's a report of rescue, redemption, restoration, and salvation. The Bible says God cannot lie, and if you really study and understand the structure of the Bible and how it came to be, no man could have done it. On a quick side note, man has done some very incorrect translating and for that we have to watch out. People are involved in false faith or deception about God because of men translating the bible by themselves. That's another topic for another day. For now go with KJV, AMP, NKJV, NIV, NLT and you're in the clear. In this day and age that has to be said.
Now, back to the topic at hand. The Bible is the report of God. It's Him telling us who He is, what He's done and what He is planning to do. Ultimately his plan is to make all things new. So whose report should we believe? We shall believe the report of the Lord. I shall, remember to do this and not allow myself to get swept up in a frenzy by listening to everything that comes at me. I have chosen to distance myself away from some social media lately. I don't think we realize what it steals from us, because many of us struggle to balance it and find we spend way too much time on it. Especially when we are seeking to know what's happening around us. If it begins to steal our peace and cause us to be consistently angry, frustrated or not in control. We need to make a change. Gods people are supposed to be at peace. We are supposed to be a light, lighting the way to His kingdom. In the past few days God has shown me that because I am consuming all this information, from the world, my eyes have been taken off Him. The Bible is filled with amazing stories of deliverance by the hand of GOD. Take a look and learn or be reminded of His power and might, His love and mercy, when people humble themselves and turn to Him. This is where peace is.
-Father I ask you to touch and bless the reader of this post. Show them your glory and love for them. Help them to filter out some of the stuff that is unnecessary so they can focus more on you in your word, your report. Thank you for your faithfulness and thank you for your Word, given so we can KNOW. In Jesus Name. -Amen-
Blessings,
Lisa