The time is now here when Christians must know and abide in the peace of God. If we have true faith, we must also have the peace of God which remains calm in the midst of any storm. We have been given a Kingdom that cannot be shaken. If we have built our lives on it, everything that can be shaken is shaken. We are told this in Hebrews 12, and through even the greatest shaking, we will remain steadfast and a sanctuary in the storm. Do not let anything steal your peace.

If you feel like the situations that are now coming upon the world are beyond control, you are right. They are beyond human control. This is the primary reason for the great time of trouble or tribulation that is coming upon the world. It is the result of mankind trying to run the world without God. We need God. We need Him for our personal lives, and we need Him in all human affairs.

Resolve every time that you feel fear and panic rising in you to read Psalm 91, and other Scriptures that promise God’s protection. He will protect His people who have made Him their refuge. If the Word, God Himself has taken His stand against the devil with “It is written,” how much more should we? There is only one answer to the problems that are coming upon the world, and we know Him. Determine every time when you begin to feel fear that you are going to trust God and grow in the peace of God. Fight the fear with “It is written.” What He has promised us is absolute truth. It is a rock, and it will not shake, even when the entire world is shaking.

One of the most important Christian teachings and disciplines, is the call that we have to take up our crosses and “die daily.” If we have died to this world as we have been called to do, it is impossible for us to fear. What does a dead man fear? One who is already dead to this world does not fear anything on the earth. This must be our resolve.

The number one strategy of the devil in these times is to control the world through fear. The Lord leads His people through faith. The times are going to increasingly reveal those who have true faith and those who do not. Psalm 32 is an important word for us, especially verses 6-11.
The Kingdom is coming, and our King is going to restore the earth to the paradise He created it to be. He is going to remove all disease, pain, cruelty and suffering, and wipe every tear away from every eye.

The Kingdom is at hand, even at the door.

However, we must understand this door. As Paul said in Acts 14:22, “Through many tribulations we must enter the Kingdom of God.” The Lord does not allow troubles to come upon His people without purpose, and the basic purposes are:

1) to help conform us to the image of Christ, and

2) to help us find the entry into the Kingdom in that area of our life.

The “great tribulation” (see Matthew 24:21), or the “great time of trouble,” are also doors for the whole world to enter into the Kingdom–and that will be the result.

The Lord said that “…the harvest is the end of the age….”(Matthew 13:39),   As all of the Lord Jesus’ own prophecies concerning these times make very clear, we are coming to the greatest times of trouble the world has ever known. However, the good news is, if we have built our lives on the Kingdom which cannot be shaken, we will not only survive what is coming, but we will prevail and prosper.

The prophecies of these times are fearful for those who are not abiding in the Prince of Peace.

If we have built our lives on the Kingdom, we have nothing to fear from anything, or anyone. Those who have not built their lives on the Kingdom will have many things to fear, and it will increase. Therefore, we want to see these things for what they are, and be prepared, not to just survive, but to save many others.

Let Him fix all of your problems, and determine that you are going to grow in trust in Him every day. Then decide that you are going to help others do the same.

It’s true isn’t it?  In our age of iPhones, Blackberries, and smart phone technology, there really is an application for almost everything you can think of at the tip of your fingers.  If you want to know what the weather is gonna be like, need directions to your destination, or just want to find the nearest Starbucks (FAST!!!)……there’s an App for that.  Maybe you’re vacationing in a new spot and want to find the best “hole-in-the-wall-joint” to grab a burger, or a nice course to chase a few golf balls around (Pastor)…there’s an App for that. There are even apps to help you find MORE apps!! No matter what you need, there’s an App for that.

Many think we have Steve Jobs (CEO, Apple Inc.) to thank for this amazing concept, but it actually dates back much farther.  In fact, we can trace it all the way back to a shepherd on the backside of Mt. Horeb in the wilderness named Moses.  Here Moses was just chillin’ with Jethro’s sheep and out of nowhere he sees a burning bush…and it’s calling to him, “Moses”! He doesn’t run, he doesn’t freak out.  In true man-form, he simply replies, “Yes, I am here” and proceeds to have a conversation with God Almighty that changed his life forever.

In that conversation, God revealed himself to Moses as “I AM THAT I AM”!  Wow, what a powerful statement!  God was asking Moses, a fugitive from Egypt , to step up to the plate and lead the children of Israel out of Egyptian slavery.  To Moses, this seemed impossible at the very least.  I believe God was telling Moses, “Listen, what you are about to do will be hard.  You will face great opposition, you will get discouraged, the people will complain, it may seem easier to give up somedays, but  I will be with you.  I am on your side. I will lead you THROUGH this! I AM THAT I AM!”.  God was saying to Moses, ” Everything you will ever need is found in Me…in My name”.

Those words still ring true thousands of  years later as we face the every day battles of our lives!! Your days may seem FULL of troubles, but “I AM THAT I AM” is with you.  As believers, we have the assurance that no matter what comes our way, He is with us and will never leave us.  Proverbs 18:10 (NLT) says, ” The name of the Lord is a strong fortress; the godly run to Him and are safe“.  What name do you need to apply today?

If you need:

  • Peace – He is Jehovah Shalom
  • Provision – He’s Jehovah Jireh – Our Provider
  • Healing – He’s Jehovah Rapha – The Lord who heals
  • Guidance – He’s Jehovah Rohi – Our Shepherd
  • When you feel that you’re not good enough – He’s Jehovah Tsidkenu – Our Righteousness
  • When you’re all alone – He’s Jehovah Shammah – The God Who’s There

Be encouraged today! Your situation ISN’T completely hopeless, your kids are NOT too far gone, your finances CAN recover because “I AM THAT I AM” is with you!

So if you need peace, healing, strength or joy…There’s an App for that!

“Maybe Later” How many times have we thought those words? Or even said those words? Funny how life seems to just take over and slap us in the face! We get so consumed with everyday tasks – the kids, dinner, work, ect….and we really mean well.  I know that because I am the number one person guilty of “Maybe Later.” I feel like I wake up everyday ready to talk to God. Most days I start off my day with a quick conversation with him before I even get out of bed. However, I then plan to make quality time alone with Him and somehow have the hardest time making that happen. Let’s face it good intentions just aren’t enough. God wants us to put Him first, not “Maybe Later.” If you’re like me, you want to give Him the time He deserves, but other things creep up along the way and jump in front of all those good intentions. This is seriously the simplest of lessons to learn, yet seems to be the hardest to overcome.  When Matthew 6:33 says “Seek ye first the Kingdom of God and His righteousness; and all these things shall be added unto you”, clearly we see we are to seek Him first! It doesn’t get any plainer than that. When I was a teenager and my mom would ask me to do something for her and I would say, “Ok I’ll do it later” that was her biggest pet peeve.  How much more do you think it feels to our God and Creator when we keep putting Him on the back burner.  All the good intentions in the world don’t mean anything compared to 20 min in prayer or reading His Word. He simply wants us to show Him that we care enough to put him before anything else. Thomas Jefferson has a famous quote that everyone knows – “Never put off till tomorrow what you can do today.” I think that he had a full understanding of how dangerous “Maybe Later” can be. Again, I am preaching to myself here, but I think that we all need to be encouraged and reminded that He should be first.

Have you ever spoken to somebody with a much higher IQ than yours? Did they use words that you weren’t fully convinced were actual words? People with huge vocabularies seem to have the upper hand in conversation…. unless the goal is to actually deliver an idea or instruction, then the prize goes to Average Joe. He speaks like everyone else, so everyone else understands him. Amazing! And for those of you reading this who have much larger IQ’s than me, which may or may not be saying much, I’m not against educating yourself or anything like that. I merely want to illustrate something about God.

God doesn’t speak to us in a way that we could never understand. That would defeat the purpose of Him speaking in the first place. When God speaks to us, He fully intends for us to understand Him. God wants to meet you where you’re at. He won’t talk over your head because He loves you, and His whole intention in speaking in the first place is not just to be heard, but to be understood by you. So resist the pressure to “sound spiritual” when you’re praying. God isn’t fooled. He can hear you the rest of the day as well. You didn’t use big religious sounding words and phrases at the local super market or with your family, so don’t pretend to be something you’re not.

“the Lord would speak to Moses face to face, as one speaks to a friend.”

Exodus 33:11 NLT

Talk to God with respect and love. Be yourself. Try it right now. I dare you.