General Articles

Peace Amid Turmoil :: By Nathele Graham

Published on: by RR10

Life can be filled with turmoil. It’s been said that you’re either just entering a crisis, in the middle of a crisis, or just coming out of a crisis. That sounds a little pessimistic, but we do see much trouble all around us. Jesus said that there would be tribulation in life, but Christians have hope.

“These things I have spoken unto you, that in me ye might have peace. In the world ye shall have tribulation: but be of good cheer; I have overcome the world” (John 16:33).

If you are a person with no turmoil, you are most likely a hermit living far away from modern society. Still, you have troubles. Does the roof leak when it rains? Do you have enough food stored for the winter? Do the wild animals see you as a food source? There is always something to cause us turmoil. The way we handle the turmoil depends upon our relationship with God.

My mother was a very gentle lady who tried to live in a way that reflected Christ. I called her a “people magnet” because people were drawn to her, whether she knew them or not. She was a good listener and always had the right words to say to encourage others. It would seem that such a gentle person would have an easy life. Not so. The troubles she faced were major, but her faith in God was unshakable.

I wish I could tell you that I, her daughter, made her life easier, but too often, I was the cause of her troubles. As I watched Mama deal with her problems, I saw she had a peace about her that was not from a human source but from the Holy Spirit living in her. She had many favorite hymns, and one of them was titled “‘Mid all the Traffic of the Ways” by John Oxenham. My mother hummed this song, and it helped to get her through some very difficult times. I find myself humming it quite often in these troubled times.

‘Mid all the traffic of the ways,
Turmoils without, within,
Make in my heart a quiet place,
And come and dwell within;

I’m not a person who deals well with city life. The traffic and noise are things that cause me distress. I prefer the peace and quiet of life in the country. Watching a deer graze in my front yard or seeing raccoons visiting my front porch looking to steal my cat’s food brings peace into my life. I enjoy listening to the frogs singing in the pond in my neighbor’s field and hearing the cattle calling to each other at night. I know this isn’t everyone’s cup of tea, but even here, among the beauty of nature, there are troubles. My house needs some repairs, my dog really needs to learn obedience, I have too many cats, and the chickens don’t always lay eggs like I want them to. Those troubles may be pretty minimal compared to the horrors happening in Israel or the gang wars in cities. No matter what the trial and turmoil, peace is to be found in Jesus.

We have many examples in Scripture of people facing troublesome situations, but God always gives peace and confidence amid the turmoil if we turn to Him.

Paul is a good example of finding peace in every situation. Paul was persecuted for sharing his faith and often went hungry, but he wasn’t bitter. He lived for Christ, not for himself. Quite often, he was thrown in jail because of his faith, but he used every opportunity to share his faith with others. One account that stands out in my mind is the time he was in Philippi and did what he thought was a good thing. There was a woman who was possessed by a demon, and Paul cast that evil entity out of her. That act of God’s love was met with anger from her handlers. The men who used the woman to make money from the demon that possessed her had Paul and Silas arrested. In those days, there was a different kind of justice than most of us understand today. The magistrates immediately inflicted judgment.

“And when they had laid many stripes upon them, they cast them into prison, charging the jailor to keep them safely: who having received such a charge, thrust them into the inner prison, and made their feet fast in the stocks” (Acts 16:23-24).

The pain must have been awful, and not knowing what tomorrow would bring could have caused Paul and Silas to be angry with God, caused depression, and turned them away from their faith. Instead, they found a quiet place of peace, even in that prison.

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

They shared their faith by praising God in a time of turmoil. Then, there was an earthquake, and the prison was opened, and the chains came off the prisoners. They could have escaped, but they all chose to stay. The jailor would have been forced to fulfill the sentences of all who escaped, and he decided on suicide, which is never a good choice. Because Paul and Silas found a place of peace among the trouble, no prisoner escaped, and the jailer was spared. The jailer understood that Paul and Silas had peace, which came from their faith, and asked them what he must do to be saved.

“And they said, Believe on the Lord Jesus Christ, and thou shalt be saved, and thy house” (Acts 16:31).

Have you found God’s peace in troublesome situations? Have you been able to share your faith and help others find the peace that only comes from God? Be an instrument of God’s love rather than the hate that Satan brings to the world.

A little shrine of quietness,
All sacred to thyself,
Where thou shalt all my soul possess,
And I may find myself;

Too often, we forget that when we first believe in the death, burial, and resurrection of Jesus, the Holy Spirit is sealed within us. The Holy Spirit is the third member of the Holy Trinity and is God. He will guide you through the troublesome times if you allow it. Remember that He knows your thoughts and hears every word you say. Do the words of your mouth honor God? Do the actions of your hands show God’s love to others, even those who offend you? Find that place of quietness where God lives in you and find His peace.

“Know ye not that ye are the temple of God, and that the Spirit of God dwelleth in you? (1 Corinthians 3:16).

The Holy Spirit will guide you in God’s ways. The closer we draw to God, the greater peace we will find. When Paul left Philippi, he had established a congregation of believers and had many friends there. He kept in touch with every congregation he established, and in his letter to the Philippians, he closed by encouraging them to find peace.

“Rejoice in the Lord alway: and again I say, Rejoice. Let your moderation be known unto all men. The Lord is at hand. Be careful for nothing; but in every thing by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known unto God. And the peace of God, which passeth all understanding, shall keep your hearts and minds through Christ Jesus” (Philippians 4:4-7).

True peace is only found in Christ.
A little shelter from life’s stress,
Where I may lay me prone,
And bare my soul in loneliness,
And know as I am known;

Do you have stress? Bills to pay, kids to shuttle from one activity to another? Appointments to keep? All of that between holding a job and finding some “me” time. It’s not always easy. One thing that most people shuffle to the “last resort” or forget altogether is prayer. Not only talking with God about your needs but praising Him in everything. A time set aside when you can lay everything out to Him and listen for His answer. A time when it’s just you and God, with no distractions, no interruptions, and just honestly talking with Him.

I don’t know anyone who doesn’t have a need for time alone with God. Health issues are a common worry as well as a financial strain. God cares about these things, but He also wants to hear your praise for that promotion you were hoping for or the good grade on an important exam at school. He knows you, and you matter to Him. Even if you feel as if nobody around you cares about you or your problems, God is there to lead and encourage you every day.

King David had his share of troubles; some were caused by David himself, but most were everyday problems of a king who loved the Lord and who loved the nation he led. Whatever David faced, he faced it with God.

“[[To the chief Musician upon Neginah, A Psalm of David]] Hear my cry, O God; attend unto my prayer. From the end of the earth will I cry unto thee, when my heart is overwhelmed: lead me to the rock that is higher than I. For thou hast been a shelter for me, and a strong tower from the enemy. I will abide in thy tabernacle for ever: I will trust in the covert of thy wings. Selah” (Psalm 61:1-4).

David found peace amid turmoil because he loved the Lord and found God’s peace no matter what situation he faced.

A little place of mystic grace,
Of self and sin swept bare,
Where I may look upon thy face,
And talk with thee in prayer.

Grace is a gift from God, and oftentimes, we think we deserve His grace and mercy. God’s grace is a gift that we can’t earn but only comes by faith.

“For by grace are ye saved through faith; and that not of yourselves: it is the gift of God:” (Ephesians 2:8).

When we forget our own selfishness, we can be better able to approach God humbly and with thanksgiving. When we move past our own self-centered feelings, God can speak clearer to us. It’s easy to see life and troubles from our own point of view, but by sweeping our selfish desires and sin out of the way, we can then have an honest talk with God and hear His words. Admit your sin and ask to be forgiven, even if you feel justified in committing the sin. Find the peace God wants for you in spite of the hustle and bustle of daily life.

When you let Jesus come into every part of your life, you will find peace amid the turmoil.

God bless you all,

Nathele Graham

twotug@embarqmail.com

Recommended prophecy sites:

www.raptureready.com
www.prophecyupdate.com
www.raptureforums.com

All original scripture is “theopneustos,” God-breathed.

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“Pray for the peace of Jerusalem: they shall prosper that love thee” (Psalm 122:6).

Church History: Bad Theology Begets Anti-Semitism :: By Jonathan Brentner

Published on: by RR10

There’s never been a more urgent need for pastors to proclaim Israel’s right to the Land. The war in the Middle East has exposed the cancer of anti-Semitism, and we must not keep silent.

The massive influx of people from Muslim nations explains the anti-Semitic demonstrations in major cities across Europe and the U.S., but why the intense hatred, such as at Cornel University in New York, where Jewish students are forced to hide from danger?

As I explain in Prophetic Observations of the Massacre in Israel, Satan is most certainly the culprit behind the murderous anger directed at Israel and, by proxy, all the Jews living in other nations.

Replacement Theology also contributes to what’s happening on college campuses, particularly in America. Proponents of this doctrine assert that after the people of ancient Israel rejected their Messiah, God turned His back on them and, as a result, replaced the nation with the church. They claim that the church is now God’s kingdom on earth, having inherited the promises that He made to Israel, albeit in a spiritual sense.

How does this doctrine lead to anti-Semitism? During the long history of the church, Replacement Theology has been a breeding ground for it. Today, we see that churches in denominations long immersed in this teaching support the Palestinians’ cause in spite of its desire to destroy the nation of Israel and celebration of terrorism.

The silence of churches concerning Israel’s right to the Land leaves a vacuum that the devil fills with murderous hatred.

The Origin of Replacement Theology

Before the time of Augustine in the early fifth century, the majority of church leaders believed in the literal fulfillment of the entire book of Revelation. Even though writers such as Justin Martyr believed that God was finished with the Jewish people, he asserted that Jesus would reign for a thousand years in Jerusalem and denounced others who did not agree with him on this matter. [1]

Because of his skill as a theologian and writer, Augustine changed everything. Motivated by anti-Semitism along with his fondness for the teachings of Plato, who taught that all matter was evil, he altered the literal meaning of prophecies concerning Israel so that they conformed to his amillennialism, the belief that there is no literal fulfillment of Revelation 20:1-10 nor the restoration of a kingdom to Israel.

His teaching that the church was God’s kingdom on earth appealed to a great many in his day because, earlier, under Emperor Constantine, Christianity had become the official religion of Rome. The church now possessed political power, which made its leaders all the more susceptible to the idea that they now ruled the kingdom once promised to God’s people. The temptation, fueled by Replacement Theology, proved irresistible.

The Reformers

In the centuries leading up to the Reformation, Augustine’s spiritualizing of the texts pertaining to Bible prophecy became the basis for diluting other passages in God’s Word. Soon, the purity of the Gospel and, in particular, the doctrine of justification by faith fell victim to symbolical interpretations rather than the meaning of the words on the pages of Scripture.

Based upon this spiritualization of the biblical text, the Roman Catholic Church made works the basis of one’s salvation and kept its people closely tied to it through sacraments. Its bishops and priests dominated the people, ruling as kings over them rather than as shepherds caring for the needs of God’s people. They maintained their power by not allowing the people to have the Bible in their own language.

The Reformers rejected Augustine’s allegorical approach to Scripture that had led to so much doctrinal error concerning the Gospel. Their principles of sola scriptura and “Scripture interprets Scripture” brought the church back to what the New Testament taught regarding justification and the forgiveness of sins by grace through faith (Ephesians 2:8-9).

Unfortunately, the anti-Semitism of Luther and Calvin kept them from applying their principles of Bible interpretation to future things, especially passages related to the restoration of a kingdom for Israel. They condemned the spiritualization of biblical texts but just couldn’t get to the place of accepting what the words of Scripture revealed about Jesus’ future thousand-year reign and the restoration of a glorious kingdom to Israel.

After the Reformation

The generation following the Reformation, however, began to apply the Reformers’ principles of interpretation to biblical prophecies relating to the Millennium. Dr. William Watson documents this change in an article called “The Rise of Philo-Semitism and Premillennialism During the Seventeenth and Eighteenth Centuries.” [2]

Dr. Watson lists forty-five writers and Bible scholars who, from 1585 to 1800, expressed beliefs related to Jesus’ future thousand-year reign over the nations of the earth.[3] He provided quotes from the majority of these biblical scholars who paved the way for the revival of Premillennialism (the belief in a literal thousand-year reign of Jesus based in Jerusalem).

The most well-known of these biblical scholars was Isaac Newton. In 1706, based upon his study of Daniel and Revelation, Newton stated Israel would once again become a nation.[4] Thanks to the literal view of God’s Word championed by the Reformers, Premillennialism became well-established in many Bible-believing churches two hundred years after the Reformation began.

How Did Premillennialism Change the Church’s View of the Jewish People?

Did the revival of Premillennialism affect the church’s attitude toward the Jewish people? Yes, it did.

In his book Dispensationalism Before Darby, Dr. William Watson has a most remarkable quote:

It was not until the Reformation and the publication of the Geneva Bible (1557) and, subsequently, the King James Bible (1611) in England that Christians began to read those Jewish Scriptures for themselves. In doing so, they began to believe once again the promises God had made to the Jews. [5]

Dr. William Watson, who has done an incredible amount of research digging through the writings of Bible scholars in the centuries before and following the Reformation, lists twenty-one authors on page 45 of his book who, from 1584 to 1675, either stated that God’s covenant with the Jews was eternal, encouraged fellow Christians to love the Jews, or believed that Jerusalem would be prominent in the future because of a restored Israel. [6]

The resurgence of Bible teachers adopting Premillennialism, coupled with believers reading the Word of God for themselves, not only changed beliefs regarding the restoration of Israel but also replaced the church’s longstanding anti-Semitism with one of love for the Jewish people. The return to a literal understanding of future biblical prophecy changed the hearts of many church theologians in the decades following the Reformation.

By the early twentieth century, Premillennialism had become the predominant belief in Bible-believing churches across the world and remained so for much of the century. In the early 1900s, Bible scholars such as C. I. Scofield and Lewis S. Chafer predicted that Israel would become a nation again, just as Isaac Newton had done 200 years earlier, and in 1948, it happened. Israel miraculously became a nation in one day, just as the prophet Isaiah said would happen (66:8).

Of course, those in mainline denominations ridiculed their predictions and still held firmly to Replacement Theology even after they witnessed God’s amazing fulfillment of prophecy.

The Resurgence of Replacement Theology

Since the start of the twenty-first century, Replacement Theology has made a comeback, even in churches that once espoused Premillennialism. Although this is not the total explanation for the murderous hatred toward Jews that we see on U.S. college campuses, it contributes to its acceptance, as does the silence of so many in the church who should be openly condemning it.

I see two disturbing trends contributing to the popularity of Replacement Theology:

First, many believers don’t read and study the Bible for themselves. Instead, they depend solely on what they hear from their pastors on Sunday mornings. Many blindly accept Replacement Theology because they haven’t studied Scripture for themselves. As a result, they believe today’s lie that Israel has no inherent right to the Land.

Second, there’s been an influx of amillennial teachers into seminaries that train our pastors. When I attended Talbot Theological Seminary during the 1970s, my professors held firmly to beliefs in Jesus’ thousand-year reign and the pre-Tribulation Rapture. Since then, Talbot has welcomed instructors who claim to be premillennial but don’t believe in a literal Tribulation, Jesus’ thousand-year reign, or the restoration of Israel. I know this to be true.

The resurgence of Replacement Theology has come about from believers not studying or reading the Bible for themselves, along with pastors who accept what they have learned in seminary. This is precisely the opposite of what caused the resurgence of Premillennialism after the Reformation.

To Sum Up

Andy Stanley, one of today’s most popular preachers, encourages the church to “unhitch” itself from the Old Testament. Such advice not only opens the door wide for Wokeism to enter but also promotes Reformation Theology and, with it, a false worldview pertaining to the current war in the Middle East.

Because Replacement Theology, along with its unbiblical offshoots, preterism, and dominion theology, has become dominant in the church, there’s considerable sympathy and even blind support for the Palestinian cause even in churches and seminaries that claim to be Bible-believing. In other places of worship, there’s deafening silence. These things ought not to be!

The attacks against the nation of Israel, as well as the murderous anti-Semitism erupting throughout the world, necessitates that:

  1. pastors boldly proclaim Israel’s right to the Land, which the Bible clearly reveals. To remain silent at such a time as this is to repeat the error of churches in Germany during the last century.
  2. we remember the witness of church history: bad theology begets anti-Semitism, even within the walls of local churches.
  3. believers pray for Israel during this time of suffering and war and, if so led, financially support the people.

Maranatha!!

***

I provide a detailed defense of the Pretribulation viewpoint in: The Triumph of the Redeemed-An Eternal Perspective that Calms Our Fears in Perilous Times. I demonstrate, using an abundance of quotes, that the belief in a thousand-year reign of Jesus dominated the church during its first three hundred years. The historic view of the millennium is a literal view of Revelation 20:1-10 that places it between the Tribulation and the eternal state.

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[1] Justin Martyr, “Dialogue with Trypho,” The Ante-Nicene Fathers, 10 vols., Vol. 1 (Grand Rapids, MI: Eerdmans, 1979), pp. 239–40

[2] William Watson, “The Rise of Philo-Semitism and Premillennialism During the Seventeenth and Eighteenth Centuries,” Pre-Tribulation Research Center website, https://www.pre-trib.org/articles/all-articles.

[3] Ibid.

[4] I document Isaac Newton’s belief in the future restoration of Israel in my book, The Triumph of the Redeemed.

[5] William C. Watson, Dispensationalism Before Darby (Navasota, TX, Lampion House Publishing, 2023), p. 13.

[6] Ibid. p. 45.