letsloveothers

Chaos is not my friend! It…

Hijacks my peace. 

Muddies my life. 

Barges into my routines.

All of which isn’t good for my physical or emotional well-being. 

I know I’m losing the battle when I go into hyper-organizational mode. Although an anemic attempt to control my life and environment, it momentarily brings relief. It’s not effective long term because it creates something even more insidious— perfectionism.

Over the past few days the battle was raging, and nothing I did was working.

No relief from organizing. 

No relief from fall decorating.

No relief from praying.

No relief from reading and studying Papa’s word.

NO! RELIEF! PERIOD!

So what did I do?

Increased my time praying and studying Papa’s word.

The result?

A paradigm shift was birthed.

Chaos— confusion is the new normal. Learn to anticipate so you can adapt. Keep your eyes focused on the reward— Christ’s return and eternal reign.

We are living in times when unpredictability is the word of the day. What was once considered earthquake proof is being shaken into pieces so small that putting them back together is impossible. 

Problem solving has entered unchartered waters. Adrift in a sea of chaos, we can no longer rely upon past strategies to solve the current tsunami of economic, political and social problems washing over our lives. 

In the search for answers, many have blindly wandered into quicksand. Slowly sinking in a quagmire of knowledge that’s no longer applicable. 

This chaos— confusion I believe is a sign of the birth pains that Jesus said would precede His return. Jesus warns us in Matthew 24 and Mark 13 that devastation will envelope the earth before His return. War, famine, economic upheaval, plagues, natural disasters, and animal attacks will increase in frequency and intensity. Although there will be times of peace— rest, the time between catastrophic events will diminish over time.

Isaiah 19—a messianic chapter of Egypt’s birth pains prior to Christ’s return, outlines both Papa’s judgment and salvation of Egypt. Although a prophecy for the country of Egypt, it has prophetic implications for the entire world.

For almost 30 centuries ancient Egypt was the primadonna of the Mediterranean world. Her art, architecture and religious traditions were unequaled. Conquests by Persia, Greece and Rome initiated the demise of Egypt’s grandeur and reign. Cumulating in the seventh century when she was conquered by the Arabs, and Islam was introduced.

Isaiah 19

IDOLS

Look! The Lord is advancing against Egypt, riding on a swift cloud. The idols of Egypt tremble. The hearts of the Egyptians melt with fear. (Verse 1)

What’s an idol? Anything or anyone that you…

Love more than Papa. 

Want more than Papa. 

Desire more than Papa.

Treasure more than Papa.

Enjoy more than Papa. 

Who do you trust to supply all your needs— the idols of this world or Papa? 

So put to death and deprive of power the evil longings of your earthly body with its sensual, self-centered instincts, immorality, impurity, sinful passion, evil desire and greed. Which is a kind of idolatry because it replaces your devotion to God.

Because of these sinful things the divine wrath of God is coming on the sons of disobedience. Those who fail to listen and who routinely and obstinately disregard God’s precepts.

These sinful things you also once walked when you were habitually living in them without the knowledge of Christ. But now rid yourselves completely of all these things: anger, rage, malice, slander and obscene (abusive, filthy, vulgar) language from your mouth. Do not lie to one another. For you have stripped off the old self with its evil practices and have put on the new spiritual self who is being continually renewed in true knowledge in the image of Him who created the new self. Colossians 3:5-10

TO BE CONTINUED…