There is No better Hope than In Christ!

Have you ever wondered why there is so much turmoil in this world? Have I ever wondered why I have to go through so many trials and tribulations including what seemingly a very winding road in my career?

There is a very simple reason for it.

Just to recap, the Word He has given me since 2004

For I know the thoughts that I think toward you, saith Jehovah, thoughts of peace, and not of evil, to give you hope in your latter end.
(Jer 29:11)

Peace in this verse is not the 'peace' that the world understands. The word Peace, I capitalised it because such a peace is of Jesus and not of this world.

Consider this verse:

Peace I leave with you; my peace I give unto you: not as the world giveth, give I unto you. Let not your heart be troubled, neither let it be fearful.
(Joh 14:27)

This is spoken just before Jesus left earth to be with His Father in Heaven, to be at His right side, to be our spokesperson, our advocate, our lawyer when the devil accuses us in the courts of heaven. And He is there to be our defender, our lover and our High Priest where our prayers are answered in the way that only benefits us.

So what kind of peace did Jesus leave us? Consider His Peace when He still can sleep in the middle of the storm. Consider His Peace when he can walk on water in the midst of the storm. This Peace is not of this world where the world says. "To be stress free, wear an OSIM head massager, go for yoga and stretch yourself silly. Earns lots of money so that you may be free from worry."

We all know what this world has come to where the mightiest and the strongest and the richest fell like a deck of cards. God is systematically and slowly telling the people of the world, "Your hope in such things do not last but actually makes you hope-less".

What is this Peace? In hebrew, since He has spoken to his Jewish disciples therefore it should be Hebrew, the word is Shalom

What does Shalom really means?

Strong's Concordance 7965 - Hebrew Shalom ..... A word study in the New King James version for SHALOM says: Completeness, wholeness, health, peace, welfare, safety soundness, tranquility, prosperity, perfectness, fullness, rest, harmony, the absence of agitation or discord.

In a world full of discord, full of poverty, full of diseases, full of crime. Jesus' Peace sounds really good isn't it!!

And guess what? It for us Christians for the taking. I don't care what the detractors of Prosperity Gospels says. Jesus has left His Shalom with us on this earth. He has planned for ME, a life full of SHALOM PEACE! His Peace will not leave me in trouble or troubled in this world!

And God gave this verse to me in a very very real sense because it came to me at a time I feel that I am not doing well. You see the key point is that I FEEL not well but the fact is God is telling me again and again, feelings has nothing to do with truth! So what is the truth?

Then answered I them, and said unto them, The God of heaven, he will prosper us; therefore we his servants will arise and build: but ye have no portion, nor right, nor memorial, in Jerusalem.
(Neh 2:19-20)

Neh 2:19-20

(19) But when Sanballat the Horonite, and Tobiah the servant, the Ammonite, and Geshem the Arabian, heard it, they laughed us to scorn, and despised us, and said, What is this thing that ye do? will ye rebel against the king?

(20) Then answered I them, and said unto them, The God of heaven, he will prosper us; therefore we his servants will arise and build: but ye have no portion, nor right, nor memorial, in Jerusalem.

The God of Heaven, He HAS prospered us. He HAS shalom'ed us. With what? With Christ!

That's why Christ has left His SHALOM with us!! Health, Wholeness, Peace and Prosperity is for us NOW. He is in us therefore His SHALOM is in and with us NOW and Forevermore! Amen!

But why is there so much turmoil in this world that kept us from realising this? Why is it that our understanding and belief is so fragile? Why do we 'feel' inadequate?

Thanks to Pastor Lian of New Creation Church. This verse has been there all along in my 19 years of being a Christian and I am none the wiser. Good reminder.

`And that sown on the rocky places, this is he who is hearing the word, and immediately with joy is receiving it, (Mat 13:20)

and he hath not root in himself, but is temporary, and persecution or tribulation having happened because of the word, immediately he is stumbled. (Mat 13:21)

`And that sown toward the thorns, this is he who is hearing the word, and the anxiety of this age, and the deceitfulness of the riches, do choke the word, and it becometh unfruitful. (Mat 13:22)

As we all can see and I must confess, that my root is shallow and I am struggling to take root as most Christians do. I have so much trials and tribulations now is because of one thing and one thing only. The Word!

The Word is Christ. The Word is HIS Promise to me. The Word are Jeremiah 29:11 and now Nehemiah 2:20!

The trials and tribulation comes because the devil wants to dislodge us from God, Jesus and Holy Spirit so that HIS promises would not come to pass.

The presence of trials and tribulations is a confirmation that HIS word is happening and happening now and has arrived. We are now on VICTORY GROUND! My salvation is ALREADY here.

My SHALOM is now with me! Not because of my strength and works. But because Christ has already GIVEN it to me!

Amen amen!