Chaos, Storms, Tragedies, Loss

Ah… the “News”. We are bombarded by media and are therefore bombarded with a steady diet of news about political strife, violent weather, financial concerns and crime. Sensationalism sells! But, the truth of the matter is, our world has become increasingly out of control. What about in your own world? Are there violent storms raging outside, pounding against the doors of your life and heart? Is it difficult to remain peaceful when the news and images around the world are of chaos in the streets, tragedies and loss? So, where can we find a safe haven and continue to live and work without fears clouding our minds?
You’ve certainly heard of the biblical story of Noah and the ark. What many people sadly do not believe today is that the “story” was a real occurrence. It did happen just as the scriptures tell us it happened. How can we be certain of this, you say? Because Jesus Himself referenced its reality when He said: 
“For the coming of the Son of Man (the Messiah) will be just like the days of Noah. For as in those days before the flood they were eating and drinking, marrying and giving in marriage, until the [very] day when Noah entered the ark, and they did not know or understand until the flood came and swept them all away; so, will the coming of the Son of Man be [unexpected judgment]”.
(Matthew 24:37-39 AMP)

Now, just as sure as we know that Noah existed and that a real flood happened to judge and contain an evil and unbelieving world, we can also be sure that in this age of Grace, Jesus can keep us shielded in Him. We can come into the “ARK” of the Lord Jesus Christ; into His presence (Psalm 16:11) where our paths are filled with joy. Our safety and protection are in the “secret place of the Most High” (Father God), under the shadow and wings of the Holy Spirit (Psalm 91).
Even though darkness seems to be invading the atmosphere around the earth, the Lord’s LIGHT shines through upon us as we keep our eyes on Him.

Isaiah 60:1-2 (NKJV) Arise, shine; For your light has come! And the glory of the Lord is risen upon you. For behold, the darkness shall cover the earth, And, deep darkness the people; But the Lord will arise over you, And His glory will be seen upon you.

Even in this present world, Jesus Christ has given us His peace.  It is our inheritance that we can have now, today, and every day!

John 14:27 (AMPC) Peace I leave with you; My [own] peace I now give and bequeath to you. Not as the world gives do I give to you. Do not let your hearts be troubled, neither let them be afraid. [Stop allowing yourselves to be agitated and disturbed; and do not permit yourselves to be fearful and intimidated and cowardly and unsettled.]

We can persevere, and we can overcome! We have been given spiritual armor to protect us from the evil one (Ephesians 6:11-18).  And, we have the armor of light (Romans 13:11-14) to stave off the darkness. 
Our hope IS in the Lord Jesus!

John 16:33 (ESV) I have said these things to you, that in me you may have peace. In the world you will have tribulation. But take heart; I have overcome the world.”

Let’s get up and put on the word of God in our hearts and minds! Let’s speak the Word of LIFE and LIGHT into our current situations! When Satan tempted Jesus in the wilderness, Jesus always responded to Satan’s lies with “It is written”. He was reminding the Devil that all of God’s promises to our lives are already written in His Word. All we need to do is: speak and declare these words of life for ourselves. We should do this consistently!

Romans 13:11-14 (MSG) But make sure that you don’t get so absorbed and exhausted in taking care of all your day-by-day obligations that you lose track of the time and doze off, oblivious to God. The night is about over, dawn is about to break. Be up and awake to what God is doing! God is putting the finishing touches on the salvation work he began when we first believed. We can’t afford to waste a minute, must not squander these precious daylight hours in frivolity and indulgence, in sleeping around and dissipation, in bickering and grabbing everything in sight. Get out of bed and get dressed! Don’t loiter and linger, waiting until the very last minute. Dress yourselves in Christ and be up and about!

Take a Step Beyond Your Trials

Taughannock Falls State Park, Ithaca NY

Our journey in life is like a path in the woods.  One day, the sun shines through the trees allowing the small flowers on a low growing vine to be noticeable, and a smile forms on our faces. The woodsy path may be full of life and tantalizes our senses. Little chipmunks scurry and wildflowers fill the air with dainty fragrance. 
Other times, the sun no longer seems to shine through the trees. All we see are rocks, tangled roots and decaying debris that seem impassable. Menacing clouds threaten us and sounds of stalking predators chill us to the bone.  What has caused our pleasant woods to change? Has it been the loss of a loved one, an illness that is lingering, a problem with a relationship, or loss of income and recurring debts to pay?  How long has this family member been suffering?  Why did this sickness drag on for all these months?  We may all seek the answers to these questions, but how do we manage our day-to-day living while in the midst of these trials that seem to have no solution?  Is there any hope of getting around these obstructions?

Even Jesus told us that there would be hard times (tribulations). He also told us we can be at peace.
 John 16:33 (NKJV) These things I have spoken to you, that in Me you may have peace. In the world you will have tribulation; but be of good cheer, I have overcome the world.”

As believers in the Lord Jesus Christ (John 3:16), we can have hope through the Holy Spirit that dwells in us.  We can be strengthened within our weak bodies and minds so that we can endure with patience the hardships that have come across our paths.  We can be filled with JOY and PEACE as we recognize what our Lord and Savior has done for us.
Romans 15:13 (MEV)
Now may the God of hope fill you with all joy and peace in believing, so that you may abound in hope, through the power of the Holy Spirit.

Colossians 1:11, 13 (NKJV)
strengthened with all might, according to His glorious power, for all patience and longsuffering with joy;
He has delivered us from the power of darkness and conveyed us into the kingdom of the Son of His love [Jesus Christ]

Our heavenly Father is the God of HOPE.  He has delivered us from the power of darkness, the evil one, the thief, who “comes only in order to steal and kill and destroy” (John 10:10a).  God has “conveyed” or transported us to the kingdom of His Son, Jesus, whose resurrection power is ours each day here on this earth.
How can we take a step beyond our trial and start that new creation, or continue with something even while dealing with these obstacles, so that we can finish? Sometimes the “pressures” of “time” to accomplish necessary chores, job deadlines, project due dates, and even ministry functions keep us so “busy in our minds” that we don’t know how we can “stop” and REST.  Our hearts are screaming “I NEED TO REST” but our minds are pushing us, shouting “DON’T STOP” until we finish the worldly business of living!  The battle is fierce, but we have already won the victory through Jesus Christ.

Can we “sit still” and “know that He is God” throughout the day? (Psalm 46:10)
Can we “pray without ceasing” and be ‘refreshed’? (1 Thess. 5:17; Isaiah 28:12)
Can we connect with another believer and ‘agree together’ for the conclusion of the situation? (Matthew 18:19 “Again, I say to you that if two of you agree on earth concerning anything that they ask, it will be done for them by My Father in heaven.”)

Yes, we can do all these things through Jesus. So, remember as you continue on your path (life) through the woods. There will be bright days and sadly, there will be dark days but determine to focus on the light. Don’t get so caught up in the trials of life that you can’t see the forest through the trees. Jesus is the truth and the life and the WAY (John 14:6).  Choosing the path that leads to Him will always take you to hope and victory.

Cloaked From the Enemy

 If terrorism is rampant in the world, and most of the terrorists are hidden (and attack while we are unaware), how can we be safe and hidden from an enemy of this sort?  In the Star Trek television series, the cunning Romulans evasively flew their “Bird of Prey” space ships into Federation territory to disrupt the Federation’s alleged peace. The Bird of Prey ships had a cloaking device so they could attack their enemies without being detected. Many times the Enterprise and other Federation vessels were caught completely off guard by the sudden appearance of the Romulans. How can we make sure we are not caught off guard from our cloaked enemies?  

There is a battle going on in the natural and spiritual realm. So, how can we be prepared?   The Bible speaks about putting on the “whole armor of God” (Ephesians 6:11-18), but also tells us that the battle is the Lord’s. (1 Samuel 17:47)

We believe that in the last days of this Church age, we should STAND on all the promises of God that are ours now through what Jesus accomplished on the cross. 2 Corinthians 1:20 (NKJV) “For all the promises of God in Him are Yes, and in Him Amen, to the glory of God through us.”

There is a cloaking device from the Lord. It is called the “armor of light.” It is a cloaking device more incredible than any that has ever been conceived in the minds of science fiction writers because it is real…. and it can be real for you if you choose to activate it.

Romans 13:11-12 (AMP)

11 Do this, knowing that this is a critical time. It is already the hour for you to awaken from your sleep [of spiritual complacency]; for our salvation is nearer to us now than when we first believed [in Christ].12 The night [this present evil age] is almost gone and the day [of Christ’s return] is almost here. So let us fling away the works of darkness and put on the [full] armor of light.

The word armor in this verse means: an implement, tool, instrument, or weapon (an offensive weapon for war) (Greek: hoplon). Light is the Greek word, phos, which means fire, light; manifested by rays; luminousness.

   

1 John 1:5 says that “God is light and in Him is no darkness at all” and John 14:20 says that Jesus is in the Father and that we are in Jesus, and that Jesus is in us.  Therefore, we are IN the Father, Who is Light!  So, how do we “put on the armor of light”?  We can only do this by speaking it over ourselves, the same way we “put on the whole armor of God” in Ephesians 6.  (We will write more about this in another post.)

Psalm 140:7 says that the Lord “covers our head in the day of battle.”   He goes before us and is our “rear guard” (Isaiah 52:12; 58:8).  This means that whatever we are facing each day, when we declare the Word of God out loud, the Lord is our protector.  We can have the promises of God in our lives.  Speak and believe the words of truth from scripture over yourselves, your families, and everything that pertains to you.

Finally, we need to STAND, and heed the clear message in Romans 13:11-12:

“This is a critical time… awaken from your sleep [of spiritual complacency]… and put on the [full] armor of light.” 

This is a critical time indeed. If you have already been speaking the full armor of God, then great…. Continue to do so! The enemy of our souls is hidden in many ways BUT, be of good cheer because the Lord has shown us how to live victoriously. 

~ Joanne and Sarah

Truth Out of Chaos

Greetings! If you are a follower of our blog, Herald of Hope, then you probably have noticed that we’ve been a little more quiet than usual over the last couple of months. Our purpose here is to bring up the Hope that can only be found in our Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ. However, we remain dedicated to doing so through Spirit led revelation. In other words, we wait on the Lord to show what He would have us share. It’s not that He has been quiet lately, but rather, there has been so much going on in the world around us that the task of dismantling information in truth and love and reconstructing it for you, our readers, has felt rather daunting. Of course, God is good and always faithful!

We want to highlight some current events that are occurring at breakneck speed and look at them through the lens of biblical truth.  Our world is in a position, in which for most of its existence, has not been in before. Humanity now possesses the means to completely annihilate multitudes of other humans as well as to destroy vast areas of the planet through the power of nuclear weapons. Violence on a smaller scale, (but no less deadly) abounds in the form of domestic and terroristic attacks. In the midst of these very real threats, lies a global elite whose ultimate agenda remains largely unknown. Unfortunately, the unknown can easily lead us into being deceived by those who wish to manipulate us. The bible gives us many warnings regarding deception.  It is our responsibility as believers to understand the truth, so we can live victorious lives in this world. In 2 Timothy 3:13, we are told, “evildoers and impostors will go from bad to worse, deceiving and being deceived.” No one willingly wants to be deceived. We desire the truth.

What is truth? It is a question asked throughout the ages. There seems to be two kinds of truth in this world: The first depends upon the values, agendas, cultural and political views of the individual. The second is based upon the Word of God Almighty. Even within the truth found in scripture, humans have a way of interjecting confusion. We are often left wondering, “Can truth be found?” We believe it can. 

Jesus explained to his disciples that He was the Truth, and that His Father would give them another Helper, the Spirit of Truth to be with them always.

John 14:6 (NKJV)

Jesus said to him, “I am the way, the truth, and the life. No one comes to the Father except through Me.”

John 14:16-17 (NIV)

And I will ask the Father, and he will give you another advocate to help you and be with you forever— the Spirit of truth. The world cannot accept him, because it neither sees him nor knows him. But you know him, for he lives with you and will be in you.

John 16:13-14 (AMP)

But when He, the Spirit of Truth, comes, He will guide you into all the truth [full and complete truth]. For He will not speak on His own initiative, but He will speak whatever He hears [from the Father—the message regarding the Son], and He will disclose to you what is to come [in the future]. He will glorify and honor Me, because He (the Holy Spirit) will take from what is Mine and will disclose it to you.

There is a way to discern truth from error.  Even in scripture, if some sections may seem to contradict each other, there are often simple explanations.  Most scripture explains itself within the context.  Then, the understanding of the first usage of a word or phrase from the Old Testament or New Testament can further clarify the meaning.  These biblical principles can be easily researched. 

In the world, however, confusion abounds.  This confusion is not from God. The agendas of man have overtaken the ‘airwaves’ and have permeated our lives. Many in the modern, mainstream media have evolved from casual spin doctors to deliberate purveyors of deception. Deception is a danger to humanity. As we have stated, our first authority for truth in God’s holy word. Fortunately, spending time in the bible daily also helps us to gravitate towards others who can help us to discern the truth in this dark world. While we recommend reading your bible and staying focused on the Lord over all worldly influences, we also recommend a few alternative news sources to help sift through the confusing world news that we all hear about. We have found the following sources to be sincere in their attempts to bring you the truth:

BPEarthwatch- Climate change (What’s really happening)
Praying Medic- The Deep State and Living in the Spirit

April Lajune- The Deep State

L.A. Marzulli- WHO are we really dealing with?

These sources can all be found on YouTube. There are more, of course, but these are a good place to start.

We must remember the source of confusion in the world:

1 Corinthians 14:33 (KJV)

For God is not the author of confusion, but of peace, as in all churches of the saints.

James 3:16 (AMPC)

For wherever there is jealousy (envy) and contention (rivalry and selfish ambition), there will also be confusion (unrest, disharmony, rebellion) and all sorts of evil and vile practices.

In the United States, we are seeing this happen all around us through headline issues such as political scandals (deep state), sexual harassment, the “Resist” movement, hyper-feminism and many other ungodly agendas.   

As believers in Jesus Christ, we have a firm foundation of truth in the scriptures.  They are our stronghold against confusion and every evil work.  The God-breathed Word is for our everyday use and will absolutely keep us in these last days of trials and struggles. 

2 Timothy 3:16-17 (AMPC)

Every Scripture is God-breathed (given by His inspiration) and profitable for instruction, for reproof and conviction of sin, for correction of error and discipline in obedience, [and] for training in righteousness (in holy living, in conformity to God’s will in thought, purpose, and action), So that the man of God may be complete and proficient, well fitted and thoroughly equipped for every good work.

We have nothing to fear if we truly believe in Christ’s words to us:

John 14:27 (NKJV)

Peace I leave with you, My peace I give to you; not as the world gives do I give to you. Let not your heart be troubled, neither let it be afraid.

John 16:33 (NKJV)

These things I have spoken to you, that in Me you may have peace. In the world you will have tribulation; but be of good cheer, I have overcome the world.”

We have a sure hope of the truth living in us!  The Holy Spirit of Truth will give us answers to help others who are struggling in this world. As we keep our eyes on the Lord Jesus Christ, Who is our HOPE, we can walk daily in the spiritual darkness surrounding us and shine as beacons of truth in the midst of chaos.

1 Peter 3:15 (AMP)

But in your hearts set Christ apart [as holy—acknowledging Him, giving Him first place in your lives] as Lord. Always be ready to give a [logical] defense to anyone who asks you to account for the hope and confident assurance [elicited by faith] that is within you, yet [do it] with gentleness and respect.

~ Sarah and Joanne