There are
words of comfort in this awful world. Yes, I said it, awful world. Does this
make me a naysayer, a pessimist, one of those people who can't see the good in
everything? Maybe, probably, you know what, who cares…it is the truth.
This world
is awful in so many ways. Even Jesus did not like this world.
Mar_4:19
And the cares of this world, and the deceitfulness of riches, and the lusts of
other things entering in, choke the word, and it becometh unfruitful.
Joh_8:23
And he said unto them, Ye are from beneath; I am from above: ye are of this
world; I am not of this world.
Joh_12:31
Now is the judgment of this world: now shall the prince of this world be cast
out.
Joh_14:30
Hereafter I will not talk much with you: for the prince of this world cometh,
and hath nothing in me.
Joh_18:36
Jesus answered, My kingdom is not of this world: if my kingdom were of this
world, then would my servants fight, that I should not be delivered to the
Jews: but now is my kingdom not from hence.
Rom_12:2
And be not conformed to this world: but be ye transformed by the renewing of
your mind, that ye may prove what is that good, and acceptable, and perfect,
will of God.
1Co_3:19
For the wisdom of this world is foolishness with God. For it is written, He
taketh the wise in their own craftiness.
2Co_4:4
In whom the god of this world hath blinded the minds of them which believe not,
lest the light of the glorious gospel of Christ, who is the image of God,
should shine unto them.
Mat
4:8 Again, the devil taketh him up into an exceeding high mountain, and
sheweth him all the kingdoms of the world, and the glory of them;
Mat
4:9 And saith unto him, All these things will I give thee, if thou wilt
fall down and worship me.
Mat
4:10 Then saith Jesus unto him, Get thee hence, Satan: for it is written,
Thou shalt worship the Lord thy God, and him only shalt thou serve.
Eph_2:2
Wherein in time past ye walked according to the course of this world, according
to the prince of the power of the air, the spirit that now worketh in the
children of disobedience
Eph_6:12
For we wrestle not against flesh and blood, but against principalities, against
powers, against the rulers of the darkness of this world, against spiritual
wickedness in high places.
This world
has rulers of darkness, a prince of power, a spirit working in disobedience, a
god who blinds minds, a devil who owns all the kingdoms of this world, worries,
deceit, lusts. This world gives us pain in all forms without regard to
anything- not even the innocence of unaccountable youth, or the feeble minded
innocence of the aged. You can learn of the world's injustice easily. Caught up
in a protective bubble where you don't even allow the world's noise- it's news,
it's actions in your life- refusing to seek others knowing the risk of pain
from them is high, even then tragedy can strike in a moment for you- there is
no escape from the horrors of this world we live in. We simply adjust to the
horrors as being commonplace, expectable, lamenting them briefly and moving on
to preserve what sanity we have. We strive to find the joy among all the
heartache and pain running rampant through our lives. We cling to moments of
joy given, we soak up the laughter, we long for the elusive true moments of peace
amid the chaos knowing none of these things lasts for long.
A world of
chaos surrounds us all, and we all long for peace in a place where everyone
TRULY has everyone else's best interests at heart and it shows. We live in a
broken world, a society of deceit where people are placed in positions of power
only to get caught up in the abuse of that power where wickedness is a way of
life. We have governments wanting to rule over even the thoughts of people they
consider beneath them. We have governments corrupted so completely, twisted so
tightly that they no longer work for the people under their control. The
highest bidder gets their way, and the god of this world, the ruler of the
darkness of this world, the prince of the power of this world controls them
all, giving them sheep's clothing to wear that becomes such a form fitting suit
they can't remove it, but allows the wolf beneath to reign unchecked.
So WHERE
do we find comfort for each other? WHAT can I say to comfort all who recognize
the horrors of their existence in this awful world?
Three
words sum things up and hold the weight of so much hope-
Kingdom of
Heaven.
'For the
Lord himself shall descend from heaven with a shout, with the voice of the
archangel, and with the trump of God: and the dead in Christ shall rise
first:
Then we
which are alive and remain shall be caught up together with them in the clouds,
to meet the Lord in the air: and so shall we ever be with the
Lord. Wherefore comfort one another with these words.' 1Th 4:16-18
The
Kingdom of Heaven Christ preached to us is real, in fact it is a reality like
no other. Is it any wonder that the prince of this world has blinded the eyes
of the majority to the reality of what is to come? They call it fantasy,
fables, lies, deceit, delusion, demented, falsehoods, fiction… so many names
associated with the Kingdom of Heaven's reality, so many cover ups and
counterfeits.
We are to
comfort one another in this awful world with the words of hope being the return
of the Lord to take us to the kingdom of heaven with Him, because of Him,
through Him, by His grace and mercy, His love.
