"PEACE AT LAST"

"And God shall wipe away all tears from their eyes; and there shall be no more death, neither sorrow, nor crying, neither shall there be any more pain: for the former things are passed away."(Revelation 21:4 KJV)

Although there is a chapter 20, it will be posted as it is written, due to the fact that it is only one page long...As I regard this as the final chapter; and after reading this chapter, I thought I'd share with you the introductory segment of the chapter....

"In this book, we have been looking at what it means to be at peace with God. We now know what it means to be a Christian. We know the price that was paid to get this illusive thing called peace and happiness. I know men who would write a check for a million dollars if they could find peace. Millions are searching for it. Every time they get close to finding the peace found on in Christ, Satan steers them away. He blinds them. He throws up a smoke screen. He bluffs them. And they miss it! But we Christians have found it! It is ours now forever. We have found the secret of life." (BGraham)

Before I continue with this review, I must state for myself, that I do not believe that Christians hold the prized position of peace with God. I do believe that there is but one God. One Divine Authority, who is the beginning and the end...The Alpha and the Omega... And that for thousands of years, man has tried to interpret how to praise Him in their own ways. Sometimes due to culture and folklore the differences have separated us, but the premise of faithful worship is basically the same. And that those who practice other denominations of faith, are also the children of God. I do not believe that only Christians can stake a claim to the peace and happiness that is present in ones' life when a person has found God.... There are many who would contradict and attempt to correct me. And I welcome any comments or messages sent my way.

I feel this way because I believe that Christ sought to share His Father with anyone He came across in His travels while on earth. Testimony in Scriptures tell us of how HE would preach to the 'multitudes' of people who gathered to hear HIS Word. They came from near and far to recieve HIS blessings and hear of HIS Fathers' house.

I believe that if a Buddist came to Him and spoke with Him; embraced Him, that he too, would be welcomed to the kingdom of God on the final day....I believe that no man or woman, no matter where they have come from or what they have done, or how they were taught to worship, is kept from the embrace of God. For HE alone knows the heart, mind and spirit of HIS children on earth. Only HE can be the final judge of whom shall find the peace and happiness of GOD's presence. Therefore, no man or woman can make claim to Christ and not love and embrace his brother/sister of another demonination. In fact, that would be by most standards and the teachings of Christ, what we now would call "unChristianlike".

I'm sure the debate on this issue will continue until Christ comes again. However, this is my opinion and my belief. Again, I welcome anyone to respond to it as such.

Now... Dr. Graham continues on to speak of just how scarce peace truly is among the people of this planet. And how we must be reminded that Scripture has already told us that it is not in peace that Christ will come. But that Christ will return when man is on the brink of a massive wars and destruction, unlike any we have known....

"And ye shall hear of wars and rumours of wars: see that ye be not troubled: for all these things must come to pass, but the end is not yet. For nation shall rise against nation, and kingdom against kingdom: and there shall be famines, and pestilences, and earthquakes, in divers places." (Matthew 24:6-7 KJV)

Sound Familiar? lol... southeast Asia; Haiti, Chile....how diverse can it get? The last two years have been filled with accounts of earthquakes and tidal waves...Time will tell...But we already know that the plates of the planet have shifted to the point that we've lost milli-seconds off of time as we now record it...lol...the axis of this planet has shifted... think about it!

"In the Bible Jesus told us there is going to be war until the end of the age. He knew that human nature is not going to change without a spiritual new birth. He knew that the vast majority of people of the world today are not "born again". So we always have the potential that violence will break out in a home, in a community, in the world. There are three kind of peace described in the Bible." (BGraham)

PEACE WITH GOD

"Therefore being justified by faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ" (Romans 5:1 KJV)

"And, having made peace through the blood of his cross, by him to reconcile all things unto himself; by him, I say, whether they be things in earth, or things in heaven." (Colossians 1:20 KJV)

"The greatest warfare going on in the world today is between mankind and God. People may not realize that they're at war with God. But if they don't know Jesus Christ as Savior and if they haven't surrendered to Him as Lord, God considers them to be at war with Him...It would be the greatest tragedy if I didn't tell you that unless you repent of your sins and receive Christ as your Savior, you are going to be lost." (BGraham)

As I sit here doing this review, I usually have my media player going. Music has always been a force in my life. Daily I use it to bring me to the rhythm I need in order to pray, shop, love, etc. It somewhat prepares me to a state of mind in which I can begin all that I need to do. As as I conduct my review of each chapter, I find that the music generally lets my mind relax a bit so that I can comprehend what I'm reading and how I want to share it with you.

But as I sit here and Beethovans'Symphony 3 in E-Flat major, Op. 55 is playing...(a springy like frolic of notes), I'm overjoyed that this is almost the final chapter (lol), but I'm amused because throughout all of this book, I've struggled to share with you the importance of repentence. I've tried my best to share with you that unless you are living what you are preaching, then all is lost. And part of that is clarified in a delightful way, in my eyes and my ears (thanks to the music), that the burden that you and I share has already been committed to redemption, through the blood of Jesus. Amen! And here Dr. Graham is putting it to us just like it is... no if's, and's or but's... repent and receive Christ or be lost!

MEET ME IN HEAVEN

Here Dr. Graham shares a delightful story of the account of a woman, who was poor and lived in the slums of London. One day Queen Victoria came to her home, which was not uncommon, since the Queen often went about her domain, visiting the people whom she governed.  And after a delightful tea with this woman, the Queen got up to leave and asked the woman if there was anything she could do for her. The woman looked at this beautiful regal queen and said "Yes, ma'am, Your Majesty, you can meet me in heaven." To which the queen replied "Yes. I'll be there, but only because of the blood that was shed on the cross for you and for me."

We all have lost someone we loved dearly in our lives. Someone who was the epitamy of goodness, grace and love. A virtuous soul who touched our lives with reverence and structure, and all that which makes us able to make those sensible and righteous choices.... And when they left us here on this planet to carry on with our living, we knew that they were somewhere good with God. We knew that they lived the life that God wanted them to live. And that surely if anyone was in heaven, it was them. But can you say that  you'll see them there? Oh my friends... the questions we have to ask ourselves are many more, than in a moments' thought, we can imagine. But if we've repented the sins of those actions we took, we stand a better chance to see those that we know will surely be there in heaven.

I remember during a study, that it was pointed out to me that because we are promised a new life that there is question on whether we remember those that have gone before them by many. I tend to believe that we do remember those who have gone before us, and they remember us. It is a subject that is not brought up often, however, it is one that needs more attention. Although I know the Scritures tell us of  being reunited; there are many people who question whether or not, when this happens, if people remember one another.... What's your thoughts about the conversation.... we already know Scriptures, so I'm talking about how you would respond to those who question on this subject. I believe that we must all be prepared when there is question to our faith and what we believe. It is important that we study the Word and be able to submit to a total conviction of our faith. Because the devil is always busy and he wants us to be confused and unprepared for those who will question and even test our faith!

But undeniably, there is truth in the Word that when we repent our sins and seek Christ as our Lord and Savior, that God has promised you an everlasting life with Him. Through the blood of Jesus, you are given the promise of everlasting life, but is up to you to build your lifes' foundation with this promise. Each day making it your primary purpose to please God by what you do, and not by what you say...

THE PEACE OF GOD

"The second peace spoken of in the Bible is the peace of God. Everyone who knows the Lord Jesus Christ can go through any problem, and face death, and still have the peace of God in his heart. When your spouse dies, or your children get sick, of your lose your job, you can have a peace that you don't understand.  You may have tears at the graveside, but you can have the abiding peace, a quietness." (BGraham)

Now some of you will ask what this 'quietness' thing is all about. And the only and the best way I can explain it to you is that it is the feeling you get that comes over you that silences all of the chaos... lol.

Many years ago, as I lay in a hospital bed, after being told that they had called my family to come and see me for the last time, my mind went into a furious pace of thoughts and 'what ifs'. And then before morning broke the next day, I had an experience, that took away all of that chaos. I opened my life to Christ and who HE was in my life. I accepted HIM and all that HE represented to my life... forever. It wasn't hard to do, because HE had been preparing me all along! Just months before, it was a simple TV commercial at Easter that said "return to the church"... It had praying hands and a candle that flickered in the darkness. So it was months before finding my cancer, that God had put things and people in my path so I could find HIM. And just a week before I was to be baptized again, I was diagnosed with colon cancer. There was a calm that came over me unlike anything I can ever express. I literally felt warm... not fever warm lol.... but I felt the warmth of HIS embrace. And then there was a quiet that surrounded me, almost like I was in some sort of vacuum of time and space.... I heard nothing. I thought nothing. I was purged of everything that was noisey and chaotic in that one moment. And that I believe was my conversion. And since then, everything that followed for me in life, hasn't taken a hold on me. I know when that noise is approaching. I know when to shut it down! I know when to seek the quiet of HIS embrace. It is my hope that you too find that Gods' control of your situations are the only way to walk in this life.

Too many times, we look at God instead of 'to' God. We questions HIS purpose when things dont go right around us. And we ask 'why' things happen that bring us grief and sorrow. But again, as I have discussed with you in previous chapters, it is not God that makes these things happen. It is the world that we live in that has not embraced God. For the most part we have relied on our own laws and not Gods' laws. We settled in a funk of thinking we know it all. But we don't...lol. Until we begin to look to God for strengthen, encouragement, substance, we are not praising Him in the manner in which God is due praise. Once we begin to seek God first in all manners of living, we can begin live in peace with God. Finally, in peace with God, HE can now be of peace and radiate His blessings in abundance upon you. You see what pleases God is you... that is of course if you're at peace with God.

Dr. Graham touches on something that I often wondered about, seeing that I have a member of my family who suffers from mental illness....

"There are physical benefits that accrue from Christian living. Sin and the sense of inner unworthiness impair physical and mental well-being. The sense of physical impurity and physical immorality, the sense of hatred directed toward our fellow men, the awareness of our own inadequacy and frustration and our inability to achieve the goals to which we aspire --- these are the real reasons for physical and mental illness. The sense of guilt and sin that natural man carries within himself renders him sick in both mind and body. It was no accident that Jesus combined healing with His preaching and teaching when He was on earth. There is a very real relationship between the life of the spirit and the health of the body and mind." (BGraham)

How true is this! Although I believe he is talking about people in a large majority, when he speaks of physcial illness, that have done things to their bodies that are unnaturally harmful. It does not speak of the nature of the human body and our not being perfect as Jesus was...Remember Genesis 3:15 .."And I will put enmity between thee and the woman, and between thy seed and her seed; it shall bruise thy head, and thou shalt bruise his heel."...ok?

But Dr. Grahams' assessment of those who suffer from mental illness makes a lot of sense to me! And in many cases that I have researched, as I was perplexed with my family memebers' mental illness and wanted to know more; it seems believable that those who suffer from feelings of inadequacy  would surely have a tendency for some sort of depression. Recently, our country is in a financial crisis of sorts. So wouldn't it be a possibility that many who are having trouble dealing with such sorts of deprevation, would be subject to depression? Sure it would! And because we are not perfect, and in many cases, not living in peace with God, that confusion and anxiety, which are the devils' means by which we commit sin, be the catalyst for many to experience bouts of mental illness.

"Peace with God and the peace of God in a man's heart and the joy of fellowship with Christ have in themselves a beneficial effect upon the body and mind and will lead to the development and preservation of physical and mental power. Thus, Christ promotes the best interest of the body and mind as well as of the spirit, in addition to inward peace, the development of spiritual life, the joy and fellowship with Christ, and the new strength that comes with being born again." (BGraham)

I can only speak with definite assuredness that it works for me! Most have no clue as to what I endure each day. And the real reason why most people don't know that I suffer daily, is because of Jesus. It is my faith and my praise that sustains me and fills me with a joy unlike anything a medication or a doctor can prescribe. If it weren't for my faith, I very well might have been in a mental state of mind that would have been self destructive.  I can honestly say that there were times when I thought I was close to loosing my mind, dealing with physical and mental issues involving family, home, job, etc. But each time I felt that the craziness of life around me was closing in, I dropped to my knees in prayer and asked for guidance..... HE hasn't failed me yet!

What I believe is hard for people to understand is faith. We've come to a place in the world where we want to see what we want to see and that's it. We want it like we want it and that's it. We of little faith.... We've (as humankind), have lost the belief that there is a God who exists, and even more so, a God that is in control. It is God who will steer you through life's events and disappointments. It is God who will embrace your spirit and bring you out of any kind of heartache or hardship. No man can do what God can do. So why are men making choices without the guide of the Word of God?

FUTURE PEACE

"For unto us a child is born, unto us a son is given: and the government shall be upon his shoulder: and his name shall be called Wonderful, Counsellor, The mighty God, The everlasting Father, The Prince of Peace. Of the increase of his government and peace there shall be no end, upon the throne of David, and upon his kingdom, to order it, and to establish it with judgment and with justice from henceforth even for ever. The zeal of the LORD of hosts will perform this." (Isaiah 9:6-7 KJV)

The prophet Isaiah made claim to this as he was given this vision by God. He was shown the greatness of Christ, and how HE alone would bring this world to a final peace. There is no mistaking that this will occur, but will you be ready?

TO BE WITH CHRIST

This final segment is best said by the author himself...

"Do you know Christ? Are you sure He's in your heart? Perhaps you have been thinking, "I want to be sure I have peace with God. I want to be sure that I'm ready for death. I want my sins forgiven. I want my guilt removed. I want to be with Christ when HE comes and sets up His Kingdom."... It's all yours, and it's free. You don't have to work for it. "For by grace are ye saved through faith; and that not of yourselves: it is the gift of God: Not of works, lest any man should boast."(Ephesians 2:8-9 KJV)...Give your heart and life to Christ now. Do not put it off." (BGraham)

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CHAPTER TWENTY SUMMARY/REVIEW

"THE DAY AFTER" (The final chapter)

"And as it is appointed unto men once to die, but after this the judgment." (Hebrews 9:27 KJV)