Would you consider the days we are living in right now to be tumultuous? I would. And Jesus’ disciples most certainly would have considered their days to be chaotic! I think they all would have been most grateful to be able to return to Jesus’ final words as recorded in Matthew, chapter 28:
“And never forget that I am with you every day, even to the completion of this age.”
(not a shabby reminder for us, either!) And Paul will pen this heartwarming message to the beleaguered church at Rome:
“If God has determined to stand with us, tell me, who then could ever stand against us?
Who could ever separate us from the endless love of God’s Anointed One? Absolutely no one! For nothing in the universe has the power to diminish his love toward us.
God has made us to be more than conquerors,
And his demonstrated love is our glorious victory over everything!”
Romans 8:31, 35a, 37b, TPT
Jesus was anything but timid about explaining how the birthing of the new age of Kingdom rule would occur. As a matter fact, his description was, by any measure, graphic. And yet, probably when he saw the fear-widened eyes of his closest friends, he assured them that while all manner of terrible events had to happen, he would always be by their side, comforting them and reminding them of his near presence and protection. Since we are (obviously) not yet at the end of this age, his promise holds true for us as well in 2024 (a friend would pause here to shout about 17 Hallelujahs!).
2,000 years have passed since that Pentecost and the upheaval continues unabated. It is the proverbial line in the sand. There is no middle ground. There is no new, creative, never-thought-of-before way to come to the Father. Maybe ‘all roads lead to Rome,’ but that doesn’t hold true with finding the Father and knowing His love. There is but one way – Jesus – and it’s this truth that clashes mightily with every pseudo way man has fabricated.
We live, as we often repeat, in the Now and the Not Yet, meaning the Kingdom has broken in to our world in power, but is not yet revealed in all its glory and majesty. In the meantime, our assignment is to stand firm in the power of the Holy Spirit, not wavering from the truth we’ve received, and to refuse to panic or allow our hearts to be troubled.
“Perfect, absolute peace surrounds those whose imaginations are consumed with you;
they confidently trust in you.” Isaiah 26:3, TPT
Dear friends, may it be said of us! Looking forward to sharing this peace with y’all tomorrow at 10 AM, 3 PM, 4 PM. PD
