Is There Hope for Peace in Our Troubled World?

But mark this: There will be terrible times in the last days. People will be lovers of themselves, lovers of money, boastful, proud, abusive, disobedient to their parents, ungrateful, unholy, without love, unforgiving, slanderous, without self-control, brutal, not lovers of the good, treacherous, rash, conceited, lovers of pleasure rather than lovers of God— having a form of godliness but denying its power. Have nothing to do with such people.

Timothy 3:1-5

You will hear of wars and rumors of wars, but see to it that you are not alarmed. Such things must happen, but the end is still to come. Nation will rise against nation, and kingdom against kingdom. There will be famines and earthquakes in various places. All these are the beginning of birth pains. “Then you will be handed over to be persecuted and put to death, and you will be hated by all nations because of me. Matthew 24:6-9

These verses could have been ripped from the pages of our newspaper. We read every day of despots who kill their own people in order to get power; protestors who wreck their surroundings to get their point across; warlords  who kidnap children and turn them into their personal slaves and soldiers; exploiters who kidnap children and sell them into sexual slavery; drug gangs that kill and terrify to further their drug sales; gangs of teenagers who are disaffected and feel detached in our society, who rampage, kill and steal; corrupt politicians who promise anything to get elected and give their voters largesse to keep their votes; businessmen who do anything to make a buck; sexual promiscuity, alcoholism, and drug addiction; schools that  don't teach; absentee parents who do not discipline their children; children who have no respect for their parents or anyone else; abortion clinics in every city of any size; gay "marriage"; and the list goes on and on.

In our country we are fearfully watching the news as it unfolds in the Middle East. We have been the target of Islamic extremists over and over again. We wonder why they hate us. Jesus said, “Do not suppose that I have come to bring peace to the earth. I did not come to bring peace, but a sword." (Matthew 10:34). He divided the world into two parts: Those who accepted Him, and those who did not accept him. There will never be world peace until Jesus returns. He did make provision for His followers to have peace of mind in this world, however. Do you want that peace? Then follow Him. Make Him your Lord and Savior.

You will keep in perfect peace those whose minds are steadfast, because they trust in you (Isaiah 26:3). 

Do not be anxious about anything, but in every situation, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God. And the peace of God, which transcends all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus (Philippians 4:6-7).

Pat Eppler