Looking for Peace on 911

Today political pundits will tell us we have become more suspicious and fearful since Al Qaeda’s attack on the twin towers 12 years ago: TSA inspects shoes and underwear, while NSA monitors private emails and phone calls. And on the global front, London Times diplomatic editor Roger Boyes captures the mood: “The direction in Egypt, Syria, Iraq and Iran should keep us awake at night.”

So, then, while the earthlings are trying hard today not to be engulfed in dread and anxiety, let us take solace in the fact that a day is coming when the Prince of Peace will establish His government, put an end to war, and bring about everlasting peace (Is. 9:6-7).

And while the peace of God is not yet cosmically realized, it is certainly personally available. “My peace I give to you” (John 14:27). “Let the peace of God rule in your hearts” (Col. 3:15). The peace Jesus promised and Paul commanded is a settled state of inner rest that nothing can disturb. “You will keep him in perfect peace whose mind is stayed on You” (Is. 26:3). “Let not your heart be troubled” today (Jn. 14:1).

George or Trayvon: who do you trust?

I can’t let the George Zimmerman trial go without some comment. The tragedy of 17-year-old Trayvon Martin’s death has resonated with Americans no matter how they view this event. Though I won't offer an opinion, I do think we should reflect on what is happening in 21^st century America: Fear and Distrust.

Though fear in America is not new (growing up in the Cold War era, I remember when everyone was afraid of the Russians), one has to ask if current circumstances—terrorism infiltrating our country, and an increasing crime rate in our cities—are causing Americans to be more fearful (as was the case, allegedly, with George Zimmerman).

In a recent poll, a majority of Americans said the world is more dangerous than ever before; and they are increasingly distrustful. Though this is not a specific sign of the end times, fear and distrust have become a sign of the times. How incongruent, then, that at this most fearful time in history, there is a movement underway to eliminate “In God we Trust” from the national conscience—to remove it from our currency, when the opposite should be happening! “Do not fear, for I am with you; do not anxiously look about you, for I am your God. I will strengthen you, surely I will help you; surely I will uphold you with My righteous right hand” (Is. 44:10). Who do you trust?

“Failure is not an Option”

By now everyone knows that cyclist Lance Armstrong, 7-time winner of the Tour de France, has been stripped of his titles and banned from the sport for using steroids. He is the world’s most famous cheater. The adage “It’s not whether you win or lose, but how you play the game that matters” has been replaced by Vince Lombardi’s “Winning is the only thing that matters.”

Recent research shows that over 75% of college students admit cheating in high school, up from 20% in 1950. Why the increase? Is it possible we have taught them that “failure is not an option.” Several years ago, I had a surge of high school seniors coming in to my counseling office—the presenting problem was anxiety, and the common theme was fear of failure.

Do you know that failure is built into God’s plan of redemption? The Bible is replete with leaders who failed and recovered—Abraham, Jacob, Moses, David, Peter. Cheating may be as old as Adam, but in 2012, it seems epidemic. People don't cheat just to win; they cheat to avoid failure. And without knowing God's grace, failure is not an option. But for those of us who have failed and recovered (many times!), we know the secret of success is found in God's unconditional love and acceptance.

Out-of-Control is the New Normal

Last month, U.S. employers added only one-third the number of jobs needed, leaving the unemployment rate unchanged at 8.2%. A normal unemployment rate is about 5 or 6%. It's beginning to look like 8.2% is the "new normal."

A downturn in prosperity is a change that is beyond our control. And nobody likes ‘out-of-control’ changes—they unhinge our plans and upset our ordered lives!  But let’s be honest.  Were it not for these divine challenges to our well-constructed lives, we would grow entirely independent of God. 

David said, “Because they have no changes, they fear not God” (Ps. 55:19): an apt description for our nation, so confident of success that fear of God is ridiculed. So to keep us from that, God shakes things up (Heb. 13:26). And our first reaction is usually frustration!  Thus, Isaiah says, "What sorrow awaits those who argue with their Creator. Does a clay pot argue with its maker? Does the clay dispute with the one who shapes it, saying, 'Stop, you're doing it wrong'” (45:9).  Since we are living in a time of greater change than any time in human history, I think we will have to get used to these shake-ups. It looks like ‘out-of-our-control’ is the “new normal.”

Uncle Sam is on Life Support

Yesterday San Bernardino became the 3rd California city in a month to file bankruptcy. Last fall, Jefferson County, Alabama, filed the biggest municipal bankruptcy in American history. This week, to avoid bankruptcy, Scranton, Pennsylvania reduced every one of its salaried employees to minimum wage. Government employees who depend on Uncle Sam for their livelihood have reason to worry.

Many of you know that Uncle Sam paid my salary for 25 years, and now gives me a pension and Social Security benefits. Though I'm grateful, I wonder how long he’ll be able to keep it up. After all, he’s only human—eventually, he will die. In fact, he’s already on life support. But I’m not worried—a statement that has yet to be tested—because I know my Father, not my Uncle, is my Provider.

Anyone who thinks Uncle Sam is going to live forever is wrong! And if they (we) haven’t done it yet, it is due time to exchange faith in our Uncle for faith in our Father. “Therefore I tell you, do not worry about your life, what you will eat or drink; or what you will wear...your heavenly Father knows that you need them. And if you will seek first his kingdom all these things will be given to you as well” (Matt. 6:25-33). When Uncle Sam passes, a lot of his heirs will be very grieved, and worried that he was broke!  But surely not the children of God.  Right?

Should We Fear Living in a Nuclear World?

If Iran develops a nuclear warhead, it will only be a matter of time before other countries in the region follow suit, fueling a nuclear arms race in the fiery Middle East. And since unstable Pakistan is part of the nuclear community, no one wants to think what might happen if its unpopular U.S. backed government is toppled and replaced by one sympathetic to Al Qaeda; while across the world, a new young leader of North Korea has his untested hand on a nuclear trigger, and its neighbor to the north, China, already in possession of 400 nuclear warheads, is ready to rumble.

Some biblical scholars believe that a a nuclear holocaust could be the meaning of Jesus’ prophetic words “And except those days should be shortened, there should no flesh be saved: but for the elect's sake those days shall be shortened” (Matt. 24:22). The fact that the world's nations now have the arms capability to destroy the earth is too apocalyptic to be ignored.

The possibility strikes fear in the heart of mortal men.  But however you interpret Jesus’ words, one thing is clear: the protection of the elect.  Imagine a nuclear holocaust as you read these words: "Do not dread the destruction that lays waste at noon; a thousand may fall at your side, ten thousand at your right hand, but it will not come near you… He is your refuge and fortress in Whom you can trust” (Ps. 6-7, 2 ed).

Be Afraid! Be Very Afraid!

This morning’s USA Today Financial Section had two lead articles on “fear”: first, a fear of a second recession due to lower-than-expected July “employment” and “housing” reports, and second, fears of the negative impact of Europe’s spreading debt crisis. Everyone is afraid that the economic recovery is falling short of expectations.

Although we all know that God’s children are coaxed and commanded from the first to the last pages of the Bible “not to fear,” there is at least one strong, notable exception to that rule—a commandment to be afraid. And, no, it’s not the end of the world, or impending judgment on mankind. The Bible says we should be afraid, very afraid, of “falling short” of entering God’s rest—that contentment, composure and calm that belongs only to those who are ‘resting’ in Jesus’ finished work on the Cross (Hebrews 4:1). Falling short of God’s rest (and best) for us is a terrible thing. The NLT states it even more emphatically: “God's promise of entering his rest still stands, so we ought to tremble with fear that some of you might fail to experience it.”

No one but you knows whether you are really resting in God—free from anxiety—during these troubling times. But if there is anything we ought to be worried and fearful about, it is falling short of or failing to obtain God’s promise to every believer—finding our rest in Jesus. “Then Jesus said, ‘Come to me, all of you who are weary and carry heavy burdens, and I will give you rest’.” (Matthew 11:28)

Faith or Fear

While I sit safely this morning in the comfort of my warm house in Sunnyvale, I am keenly aware of people around the world in terribly painful situations—natural disasters, yes, but also social and political. In today’s paper, 10,000 are presumed dead in Japan and 2 million displaced. Buried on page 7 of the SJ Mercury, a short headline simply states that 31,000 Brazilians were forced to leave their flooded homes yesterday.

One has to wonder if the “hour of temptation” Jesus spoke about is coming upon us. “Because you have kept the word of my patience, I also will keep you from the hour of temptation which shall come upon the entire world, to try them that dwell upon the earth” (Rev. 3:10). Do you see Jesus' promise for us who continue in the faith? But many believers will fall away from the faith, consumed by worry and fear.

And so we must all be anchored in Jesus’ words: “Do not worry about tomorrow; for tomorrow will care for itself. Each day has enough trouble of its own” (Mat. 6:34). That doesn’t mean to live as if there's no tomorrow. It means to trust that God is in control of tomorrow, just as he is in control of today. For us who are presently safe from these trials, let us use the time wisely—examining ourselves to make sure we are in the faith. (2 Cor. 13:5)

Fear Not! And Keep Your Pants On!

Since the 2002 shoe bombing, we have to remove our shoes to go through airport security. Now with the “underwear bomber”… well, I’m just relieved to know someone has invented “Body Scanners!” Indeed, some rather unusual precautions have been (and will be) taken as a result of the fear of terrorism. It has added a new dimension to the term: “fear of flying,” (or is it fear of dying?).

After Adam sinned, his first words were ‘I was afraid’, a precursor of mankind’s future fear driven choices and behaviors. Not surprisingly, the admonition to “fear not” is used over 150 times in the Bible. When the angel approached Mary announcing the birth of Jesus, he said “fear not” (Luke 1:30) Then the same words were spoken to the shepherds in the field (Luke 2:10). It’s as though God was saying ‘now that My son is here, you need no longer fear.’ And of course, there were many times in the course of His earthly ministry when Jesus said “fear not.” It seems pretty clear that Jesus came to put an end to fear.

The writer of Hebrews explains that “…by dying, Jesus broke the power of the Devil, who had the power of death, to deliver those who lived all their lives as slaves to the fear of dying” (Heb. 2:14-15 paraphrased). Think about it. When you are no longer afraid to die, there is nothing left to fear.

As I reflected on this, I thought of the Muslim extremists. One of the reasons the Al Qaeda will be difficult to defeat is that they are not afraid to die. What if we Christians were like that? The devil can only defeat us to the degree that we are afraid to die. But the death we fear most is not physical death (end of life) as much as we are afraid to die to the things we love (end of self). If every Christian was not afraid of the latter, how different would the world be today?