When war becomes personal. (October 9, 2023)

Chaos aBouNds.

Listen to this podcast here:  https://www.pastorwoman.net/podcast/episode/1f6103d0/when-war-becom...

Has it occurred to you that we are a people who is getting used to swimming in a sea of chaos? Currently, I have a family crisis taking place - in which I am asking for God's merciful intervention and protection.

In addition, my heart, mind and attention are fixed on Israel after yesterday's attack by Hamas terrorists--murderous, ruinous devastation, and the next thought of 'where is this heading?' Israel has declared war. Oh, man. Our last pilgrimage to Jerusalem and the Galilee was just months ago - and now she is at war??! Will other nations bent on her destruction come against her too--Lebanon, Syria...Iran, Russia? And what about the good ol' US of A's money sent to the Iran machine--did it fund this? Questions. Questions swirling around me like a hawk swoops in on its prey.

But God. Question for you: when the 'war' becomes personal, how do you fight? How do you survive--better yet, can you thrive? 'Come on now,' you're thinking, 'that's a little absurd.' I submit to you that it. is. not.

By way of illustration, a timely one at that, my Mac laptop was infected by malware at the start of this week--thereby affecting my work. After several hours at the Apple Store, I was told there was one solution: factory reset. My work machine and half my brain it seems spent the night at the mall store. Its factory settings were restored to a framework upon which I could then rebuild.

What a great symbol for the mind when it needs a reboot, which prompts a question:

->In the middle of chaos, personal and global, what do you tell yourself?

This is vitally important. We need a default mode, especially as children of God—otherwise, we fall into anxiety and fear when circumstances of life threaten to overwhelm us. Listen to me--

->Christians must maintain a framework from which they will not be shaken. 

This is mine--this is what I believe and am reminding myself of this morning:

God loves me, and he is faithful. 

His heart toward me is always GOOD.

Truth from Scripture: “Because of the Lord’s great love, we are not consumed, for his compassions never fail. They are new every morning. Great is your faithfulness…The Lord is good to those whose hope is in him, to the one who seeks him; it is good to wait quietly for the salvation of the Lord.” Lamentations 3.22,23,25,26

read it again.

Whatever tragedy or trauma is occurring in your life has not caught God off guard.

How do I know that? Because God never slumbers nor sleeps!  Psalm 121.4

->To whom or what will you turn for direction and for comfort?  The choice is, of course, yours . . . you alone can choose your response. Such power.

Every time heartbreak enters your life,

it is an opportunity to turn to God and ask him to work

Truth: God’s heart toward you is good, he loves you, so you can maintain an attitude of praise toward him—as Job said,

“The LORD gave and the LORD has taken away. Blessed be the name of the LORD.” Job 1.21

As anxiety wells up, along with our beloved apostle Paul, we must claim this truth:

“I can do everything through Christ, who gives me strength." Philippians 4:13 

And, then what?

Turn to God for direction and wisdom

Action to take:

Trust in the Lord with all your heart; don’t just trust your own thinking. Proverbs 3.5

Ask God for wisdom, and he will give it to you. Period. Seek his will in all you do, and he will show you which path to take. Proverbs 3.6

Is that all? Of course not, but these compile a great framework for Christians to access. One more thing—

Take one day at a time.

“Do not worry about tomorrow for it has cares enough of its own.” Matthew 6.34 

“Give your entire attention to what God is doing right now, and don’t get worked up about what may or may not happen tomorrow. God will help you deal with whatever hard things come up when the time comes." Matthew 6.34, The Message

'You have no idea the anxiety and fear that is swirling around me!' Words I have heard on numerous occasions, including this week. Your attention? You cannot change your emotions until you change the thoughts you allow to permeate your mind. With your eyes on God, your trust in him, and the above truths apprehended and believed, you will defeat the fear and drive it right back where it belongs. With God's power, you can take every thought captive, walk in truth, and win the war. Amen.

And in obedience to God, join me in praying for the peace of Jerusalem, Palestinian Christians and the innocent~

"It is Well with My Soul," http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=E6Td6we_WUc

Christine