I have told you these things, so that in Me you may have peace. In this world you will have trouble. But take heart! I have overcome the world. — John 16:33
As of this writing, there continues to be an ongoing war between Israel and Hamas, with Hamas refusing to release the last 59 hostages. The war between Russia and Ukraine has been a killing field with no clear victory in sight for either side, although both sides say they want peace. China has increased defense spending over 7%, saying they are prepared for war. And now Europe is discussing a European Union army that would require conscripting soldiers as early as this year. All of it combined can make us feel unsettled and rob us of our peace.
What is peace? I’ve been told that in the Greek language peace is not just serenity, but a forced removal of anything that rattles or disturbs us. It’s not just a state of mind, but the removal of chaos, confusion and anxiety. When Jesus greeted His disciples, saying, Peace be with you,1 it was more of a command than a promise. He was commanding the removal of anything that would cause them to give into fear and thus hinder them from serving and obeying Him with a focused and settled heart.
Where is peace found in our world that seems to be saturated in chaos and confusion? It’s found in the One who is the Prince of Peace…the One who alone has the authority to rebuke the chaos and confusion that threaten to rob us of our serenity, focus and faithfulness in obedient service.
I believe this year we may need the authority of the Prince of Peace more than ever before. Interestingly, the extremely rare alignment of the seven planets in our solar system took place on February 28, the very same day President Trump and President Zelenskyy had the fateful meeting in the Oval Office. Once again, the heavens seem to be signaling us as blood moons will appear in 2024, 2025, and 2026. But they don’t seem to be appearing randomly. For three years in a row, they will fall on the Jewish festival of Purim which was established to commemorate the victory of the Jews over the threat of annihilation by the Persians/Iranians. Is God trying to get our attention? If so, what is He saying? Could He be revealing that we are entering into a time of war?
In Luke 21, Jesus warns us, When you hear of wars and revolutions, do not be frightened…Nation will rise against nation and kingdom against kingdom…There will be signs in the sun, moon and stars. Then He exhorts us: When these things begin to take place, stand up and lift up your heads, because your redemption is drawing near.2
Lift up your head in prayer! Pray that the Prince of Peace will rebuke the enemy of our souls who is stirring up anger, conflict and fear. Pray that His peace will rule in our hearts. Pray that you and I will not lose our focus…that we will lift up our heads above our enemies…that we will keep our eyes fixed on Jesus. Pray we will remain alert to what time it is in human history while we wait for the blessed hope—the glorious appearing of our great God and Savior, Jesus Christ.3
Lift up the Sword of the Spirit which is God’s Word!4 Read it. Study it. Obey it. Live by it. Love it. Let’s be ready to share the reason for the Hope we have as we continue to be faithful to proclaim the Gospel during this time of war, chaos, confusion, and uncertainty. I want to be an ambassador of His peace to those around me.
Prince of Peace,
Please. Use us to rebuke the chaos and impart Your peace to the hearts of those around us. Keep us faithful, focused, and fired up until we see You face to face!
Even so, come Lord Jesus!5 Amen.
1Luke 24:36
2 Luke 21:10-11, 25, 28
3 Titus 2:13
4 Ephesians 6:17
5 Revelation 22:20
Bible Study: Our Refuge from the Storm
Years ago, I sat in a little mountain cabin when I became aware that it was growing dark outside. The wind picked up bending the trees double as it roared along the ridge like a jet plane terribly off course. Tree branches snapped under the strain, sounding as though some phantom hunter with a shotgun was recklessly opening fire. When I looked out the window, I saw a grey curtain sweeping across the little valley, and I knew the rain was coming. It did! Within moments, the cabin was under a deluge that could be likened to perpendicular white-water rapids.
As the storm unleashed in all its fury outside the cabin, inside I was snuggled under a blanket, curled up in an easy chair beside a crackling fire, with a cup of hot coffee in my hand and an open Bible on my lap. And I thanked God for a safe, dry, comfortable refuge from the storm.
Then I thought of the storms that raged in my life. And I quietly bowed my head, and thanked God again for His refuge from the storms…
- Name the storms that are raging in your life, your family, your church, your community, our nation and our world.
- In each of the following passages, give the word or phrase that describes our refuge from the storm of danger: Psalm 27:1-3, 5; 46:1-11; Romans 8:31-39. How does each phrase encourage you, and how could you use it to encourage someone else?
- Describe the danger to God’s people in 2 Kings 6:8-23. What phrase in this passage encourages you when you feel surrounded by the enemy? Relate it to Psalm 34:7; 1 John 4:4.
Click here for the Bible Study especially developed for this newsletter.
My husband, Danny, was born and raised in New York. On what would have been his 88th birthday, I had the privilege of speaking at both services of the Times Square Church in the city that he loved. It was a personal blessing for me to describe where he is now…Heaven…and to tell those gathered how they could know for sure Heaven is their Home, too.
At the beginning of this year I was invited to speak at the Jerusalem Prayer Breakfast that was held at Mar-A-Lago, President Trump’s resort and the place of his Florida residence. Reflecting on October 7, I shared that sometimes God’s blessings are disguised. Could it be that one blessing of October 7 has been the intensified prayer for the peace of Jerusalem, and the renewed focus Israelis have in calling on the God of Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob?
Due to snowy weather conditions and then plane delays, my daughter, Rachel-Ruth, my granddaughter, Riggin, and myself were not able to participate in person at the Legacy Grandparenting Summit held in Birmingham, AL. We were thankful for the livestream that enabled us to enter remotely into the conference. Rachel-Ruth and I each took a general session (the picture above to the left shows me in studio speaking live to those gathered in AL), then she and I, plus Riggin, held a conversation about passing the baton of the Gospel to the next generation.
Jim Sanders (pictured above with his wife Diane) is the VP of Ambassador Advertising Agency that distributes my radio broadcasts to over 1,000 outlets, as well as the chairman of the National Religious Broadcasters. At the annual convention held at the Gaylord Hotel in Dallas, the NRB presented me with the Chairman’s Award for faithfulness in service. It was a high honor which I likened to the servants at the wedding of Cana who saw the water go into the pitchers and the wine come out. They knew it was a miracle, as do I, as I give God all the glory for the great things He has done in and through AnGeL Ministries.
Storming the Gates of Heaven
In this abridgment of her bestselling book, The Daniel Prayer, Anne unlocks a powerful pattern of prayer for claiming the promises of God.
What is the secret to praying prayers that really “work”? In Storming the Gates of Heaven, a plan for praying effective prayers that God answers is presented through unpacking the ancient prayer of the prophet Daniel, a prayer that moved heaven and changed a nation and one that even today can deliver on God ‘s promises. It’s a prayer birthed under pressure. Heartache. Grief. Desperation. It can be triggered by a sudden revelation of hope. Here is the secret to answered prayer, a promise freshly received, a miracle that lies just over the horizon.
We are delighted to offer free resources on our website page that compliment this book. Please visit here to download your choice of lock screens for your phone and a designed PDF download – PRAYER FOR THE BATTLE.
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