Peace In the Midst of Chaos :: By Nathele Graham

As I write this, I’m trying to process the events of the last few hours. There was an attempt to assassinate Mr. Trump. Thank God he survived! The bullet hit Mr. Trump’s ear, very close to his head. I’m very thankful the bullet didn’t kill him but saddened that others were killed and wounded.

I’ve listened to many news reports, and my spirit is grieved by what many headlines say. The liberal media downplayed it as nothing more than Mr. Trump overreacting to a noise. Other headlines lament the fact that the shooter missed.

There is so much evil in America. This evil has been getting stronger and is snowballing out of control. I remember a time when news reports stated facts. When President Kennedy was assassinated, the news reported what was happening. When there was an attempt to assassinate President Reagan, the facts were reported, but now it seems news reports are more designed to sway public opinion rather than report truth. It even seems that the liberal news sources would have us believe that everything that is Godly, good, and virtuous is evil and that all sinful things that are opposed to God are good.

“Woe unto them that call evil good, and good evil; that put darkness for light and light for darkness; that put bitter for sweet, and sweet for bitter!” (Isaiah 5:20).

I will not call evil good or darkness light. God is still God, and He is not the God of chaos. Satan seeks to destroy, and he was the evil power behind the assassination attempt.

All of this has caused me to take a hard look at my own thoughts and feelings. I would like to tell you that I have a very loving and generous spirit, but in all truth, my first reaction to this horrid news was not very kind. God forgive me. After I got my thinking straight, I realized that other people were killed and wounded, including the young man who did the shooting. I’m sure he isn’t in a very happy place right now and will spend eternity in the lake of fire. Only God can judge, but seeing his actions tells me he didn’t know Jesus. That’s sad.

Brothers and sisters, there is a very evil and demonic presence over America. The battle cannot be won with weapons of the natural world. Good, strong, spiritual weapons are needed, and those can only come from God.

“For though we walk in the flesh, we do not war after the flesh; (for the weapons of our warfare are not carnal, but mighty through God to the pulling down of strong holds;) Casting down imaginations and every high thing that exalteth itself against the knowledge of God, and bringing into captivity every thought to the obedience of Christ” (2 Corinthians 10:3-5).

The evil that is oppressing this nation is not new. It is an old evil that has harassed humanity since the beginning of creation. In our anger and shock, we must remember that we are Christians, and our first defense is prayer. We cannot force anybody to turn from the evil they embrace, but we can be sure that our own words and actions are in agreement with God. Christians must live according to God’s truth, letting Scripture be our guide. When a thought that is contrary to Scripture enters our mind, we need to pray.

“I exhort therefore, that, first of all, supplications, prayers, intercessions, and giving of thanks, be made for all men; For kings, and for all that are in authority; that we may lead a quiet and peaceable life in all godliness and honesty. For this is good and acceptable in the sight of God our Saviour; Who will have all men to be saved, and to come unto the knowledge of the truth, For there is one God, and one mediator between God and men, the man Christ Jesus; Who gave himself a ransom for all, to be testified in due time” (1 Timothy 2:1-6).

Prayer is our way to talk with God. Then we need to listen to His reply.

Could it be that this is how we can find peace in the midst of chaos? Prayer? It’s not easy to pray for someone you don’t like, but Scripture doesn’t say you have to like a person, just pray. What if we earnestly prayed for God’s hand upon the president and Congress? Do you think our prayers could make a difference? I know that there are God-fearing leaders in this nation, but there are some who don’t honor Him.

Brothers and sisters, we must pray. God hears prayer and will answer. When He destroyed Sodom and Gomorrah because of the evil found there, it was in answer to prayer. These cities were evil beyond repair and had to be destroyed. There was an outcry against the evil in Sodom and Gomorrah, and God heard.

“And the LORD said, Because the cry of Sodom and Gomorrah is great, and because their sin is very grievous; I will go down now, and see whether they have done altogether according to the cry of it, which is come unto me; and if not, I will know” (Genesis 18:20-21).

The evil there was great, but the sin in America is much like the sin in Sodom and Gomorrah. Do we cry out to the Lord against the evil found in America? Maybe God will drain the swamp, but Christians must earnestly cry out to Him. We must pray that our leaders all come to serve Jesus. We must pray against sin and that people will come to repent and turn away from sin.

The Apostle Paul was a man who prayed. He prayed for people, and he prayed for situations. When he and Silas were in Philippi, they got in trouble for casting a demon out of a woman. Paul and Silas were beaten and put in prison. Did they spend their time having a pity party and lamenting the evil there? No, Paul and Silas sang and prayed.

“And at midnight Paul and Silas prayed, and sang praises unto God; and the prisoners heard them” (Acts 16:25).

Now, that was a witness! Suddenly there was an earthquake, and all of the prisoners could have escaped but didn’t. Because of the witness of Paul and Silas, they all stayed. The jailer would have been put to death if they had escaped. Because Paul and Silas prayed and praised God in song, the jailer came to faith.

Paul established a congregation in Philippi and later wrote a letter to them. In that letter, he encouraged them to stand fast in the Lord and not have divisions. He wrote words that are sometimes hard to remember in times of chaos. When times get tough, we forget to pray and praise God.

“Rejoice in the Lord alway: and again I say, Rejoice” (Philippians 4:4-5).

Rejoice! Whether things are going your way or not, rejoice. Even if a mentally disturbed person takes a shot at a political candidate, rejoice in the Lord. God can see tomorrow, so why should we worry about it.

“Be careful for nothing; but in every thing by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known unto God” (Philippians 4:6).

Here’s one of those words that we would understand if we lived when the King James translation was created. The word “careful” means “anxious.” We aren’t to be anxious about anything but are to pray about everything. Anxiety doesn’t solve any problem, but it does cause turmoil in our hearts. What if we rejoiced and prayed over things instead of fretting ourselves into a depression?

“And the peace of God, which passeth all understanding, shall keep your hearts and minds through Christ Jesus“ (Philippians 4:7).

Is that how we are able to find peace in the midst of chaos? I would say yes. Remember, Paul admonished the Christians in the wicked city of Corinth “…bringing into captivity every thought to the obedience of Christ.” We need to heed that advice.

“Finally, brethren, whatsoever things are true, whatsoever things are honest, whatsoever things are just, whatsoever things are pure, whatsoever things are lovely, whatsoever things are of good report; if there be any virtue, and if there be any praise, think on these things” (Philippians 4:8).

Take your thoughts captive unto the Lord, and think on things that are pure, lovely, good, and virtuous… things of God. That’s how to find peace in the midst of chaos.

God bless you all,

Nathele Graham
twotug@embarqmail.com

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