One does not need to look further than the headlines of our day and know that the world seems rather chaotic. From the newest rage in crime called “knockout” to the crimes that never seem to leave the headlines – drive by shootings, stabbings, extortion and many other crimes against people and society. Many may wonder where is God in all of this. Many may ask if God is really in control why does all this happen? Or since all this is happening God must not be real or if He is not very powerful.
Does this sound familiar? “For people will be lovers of self, lovers of money, proud, arrogant, abusive, disobedient to their parents, ungrateful, unholy, heartless, unappeasable, slanderous, without self-control, brutal, not loving good, treacherous, reckless, swollen with conceit, lovers of pleasure rather than lovers of God, having the appearance of godliness, but denying its power.” This list may sound like today’s headlines, but these descriptive words come from the Bible passage 2 Timothy 3:2-5.
This is not a description about a particular society, though some may point to theirs and say it is; it is a description of a human heart that does not know God through the person of Jesus Christ. We are all capable of negative traits either by action or thought. But many of us know that what is first thought in the heart and mind often times comes out through actions.
The prophet Jeremiah reminds us: “The heart is deceitful above all things, and desperately sick; who can understand it?” And when we read the headlines from Washington D. C. to your own hometown we must admit that it is unfortunately true.
And as people observe our world today and are concerned about the future of it they might wonder if God is real then is He concerned about the condition of the world or is He powerful enough to do anything about it?
Peter the apostle gives us great insight into these questions. “Knowing this first of all, that scoffers will come in the last days with scoffing, following their own sinful desires. They will say, ‘Where is the promise of His coming? For ever since the fathers fell asleep, all things are continuing as they were from the beginning of creation.’ For they deliberately overlook this fact, that the heavens existed long ago, and the earth was formed out of water and through water by the word of God, and that by means of these the world that then existed was deluged with water and perished. But by the same word the heavens and earth that now exist are stored up for fire, being kept until the day of judgment and destruction of the ungodly” (2 Peter 3:3-7). The reason that God has not ended it all as of yet is His compassionate heart; He desires that all would come to Him through His Son Jesus Christ and none to perish. For God loved the world so much that He sent Jesus to offer us Himself as our salvation that we would not have to spend eternity apart from Him in hell but with Him in eternal paradise.
And there is only one name by which a person must be saved and that is the person of Jesus Christ. Jesus said that He was the only way to His Father, which really cuts people’s choices. And He died for the sins of the whole world or anyone from any background can come to Him and have their sins forgiven. He is not a respecter of persons but He does require faith in what He accomplished upon the cruel cross.
Jesus is definitely the answer to all the chaos in the world and the hurting human heart and condition. There are no other religions that offer what Jesus Christ does – eternal life through faith in Him. All other religions require some type of work to gain access and approval of their so-called god, but Jesus has one requirement: “This is the work of God, that you believe in Him who He has sent” (John 6:29). And no other religion has a Savior that was crucified and then resurrected save that of Christianity.
Most likely there will not be peace in our lifetime here in this world in which we live and breathe, but a person can have peace in their own life and be freed from the pressures of the “Biblical” chaos that is all around us by believing and receiving Jesus Christ as their Savior, Lord and Treasure. What is going on around us is Biblical, but God has provided the Answer to all our societal and personal woes and issues and that is the person of Jesus Christ. Call on Him today to receive your Biblical peace and freedom.
Thanks to our Guest Contributor:
Pastor Ray Peters
Harvest Alliance Church
