"Paul placed the charge of living at peace on his hearers. He did not mention the obligations of the other party or parties in the conflict. His focus is on his hearers’ efforts to be peacemakers." - Tim McKnight
"In my third sonnet on the Fruit of the Spirit, I reflect a little bit on how God brings peace to our relationships. Only by yielding to His work within us can our world ever have peace." - Jake Bier
"How, then, do we make peace? By taking up the weapons made for the war we’re in. Against them our true enemy cannot stand. When tempted to outrage, armored Christians move toward one another in shoes of peace." - TGC
"Working in a fast-moving world can cause great anxiety if our sense of security is found in the wrong places. Markets change, governments rise and fall, and this instability can bring discouragement if our highest hope is placed in these institutions." - TIFWE
D. Martyn Lloyd-Jones: “Nowhere in this chapter is there an exhortation or an appeal to produce a unity. Our Lord is saying that the unity is already there, already in existence.” - Ref21
By Micah Colbert
What should we do when the wicked prosper?
Like most of you, I’m deeply concerned with a lot that’s taking place in our country. Godless ideologies are rapidly becoming mainstream as wicked people in powerful positions of influence relentlessly advance their agendas. Those who try to resist are marginalized or “cancelled.” The alarming success of the wicked cannot be ignored. It’s reshaping our culture, worldview, relationships, and freedoms. One can only imagine what might be on the horizon if the wicked continue to prosper in their endeavors.
So how should we as God’s people respond to all of this? Thankfully, we don’t have to figure out how to navigate through these challenging times on our own. God’s Word gives us answers. Below are a few thoughts from the Scriptures that I trust will be an encouragement to you:
I can’t think of a greater book to turn to in troubling times than 1 Peter. This epistle was written to encourage believers who are being persecuted for their faith. In this book, Peter exhorts suffering saints to passionately pursue a life of holiness in light of the hope that we have in Christ (1 Peter 1:13-21).
"The year was 1863. The victim was Charles Longfellow, the famous poet’s son. However, the injury report from the Union army proved to be inaccurate. ...Yet, Longfellow’s mind still lingered on his family’s tragedies." - Rooted Thinking
"We’ve been surrounded by chaos, much of it intentionally designed; we’ve been told by people we trust that we need to be angry, agitated, active, desperate; that Those People are evil incarnate, and irremediably dangerous, and if we don’t stop them, It’s All Over." - Olinger
