Today, there is so much chaos in our world: People’s feelings hurt so they retaliate, Evil inching into every corner and squeezing out the good morals, Churches having to have security hired for the people that want to worship, racism playing it’s ugly head, children and youngsters being trafficked and killed, a government who cares more for themselves than the people who they should be working for, other countries being allowed to swarm into other countries without being held responsible and doing things illegal to get there, and so much more. Is this world changed forever or is it possible to get back to where we used to be in a peaceful world? Peaceful world – when has that been?
There has always been war in this world from even in the old testament days. When God chose the Israelites to go into the promised land flowing with milk and honey, He was preparing them to get rid of all of the evil in the land so that they can possess it. Most of those people in that land were worshiping false gods such a stone statues, wooden images, and things of that sort. They were doing bad things in the sight of the Lord and He wanted all of that corruption to be done away with so that when Israel’s took the land over, they would not be influenced by the evil.
There were battles in favor of Israel and against Israel when they did wrong in the sight of the Lord. He held them to high standards, and He expected them to follow His commandments and his statutes. In Deuteronomy 28 He says to them that if they followed His commandments that all the blessings would come upon them. He promised that they would be fruitful and multiply, that their herds and their beasts and their produce would multiply, and they would have plenty, He would cause their enemies who rose up against them to be destroyed before them. And the most important was that the Lord would establish the people as a holy people to Himself if they kept His commandments. He simply promised that if they would just obey, things would go really well for them.
Of course, this is the Old Testament, but why not today? The whole Bible is important for our growth and faith toward Him. We live by the New Testament now according to Hebrews and in Luke 11:28 it says, “ But He said, “ On the contrary, blessed are those who fear the word of God, and observe it.” 1 Timothy 6:14 says to keep His commandment without stain or reproach until the appearing of our Lord Jesus Christ. James 1:22 says to prove ourselves doers of the word, and not merely hearers who delude themselves.
There is no reason why we can’t turn this world around! The first thing that should be done is for everyone to read His word! Understand what He expects from us and do it! Second is to simply talk to Him from your heart! This is part of praying! He says to go to your room and pray! He wants that one on one relationship. Thirdly, do not be afraid to speak up and let others know what God expects! Take what you have read and understood and apply it! God sees what is happening and if our hearts are pure, He will see it!
He will see it, but only He knows what His will for us is. It is up to us individually to be responsible and act like Christ. If we only read, see His word, and believe, then we will change our own hearts and be able to guide tender and seeking hearts to Jesus! In doing this, we will understand what He meant in John and in Acts that when they heard the Word they did something and was told to be baptized for the forgiveness of sin. And this included a change in heart to live righteously and put away the old! Change for the better begins with each of us!
If we can start with just us individually, then as a whole we can accomplish much! We need each other to build each other up and change this world! We need to follow His word and resist the evils of this world. In Joshua, the people of Israel went up to Ai and were chased back and some killed. Joshua did not understand and it was revealed by God to Joshua that one of the tribe members kept items of a mantel, silver, and such from the previous battle that they were instructed to destroy everything!
God did not like that he did not follow His commands and He was angry so He showed the Israelites He meant business and until that situation was dealt with, they would not succeed. Joshua dealt severely with Achan because he took those things and also dealt with Achan’s family because they knew he took and buried the items in their tent. They, along with those items were stoned to death and burnt!
God does not deal today as He did when He was present with those in the Old Testament, but He will deal with us when He comes again to judge! We will still be held accountable for what we say and do! If we follow along with the bad happening today and follow evil instead of His ways, we will be dealt with harshly and eternally! Heaven and hell is eternal. We must turn from this path by being the great example He demands! We can make a difference! That peace we yearn for can only be given by our Lord.