Photo by Molnár Bálint on Unsplash
“Come to me, all who labor and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest. Take my yoke upon you, and learn from me, for I am gentle and lowly in heart, and you will find rest for your souls. For my yoke is easy, and my burden is light.” (Matthew 11:28-30)
Photo by Chang Duong on Unsplash
"If then you have been raised with Christ, seek the things that are above, where Christ is, seated at the right hand of God. Set your minds on things that are above, not on things that are on earth. For you have died, and your life is hidden with Christ in God. When Christ who is your[a] life appears, then you also will appear with him in glory." (Colossians 3:1-4)
He who was and is to come has always been.
For I know the plans I have for you, declares the Lord, plans for welfare and not for evil, to give you a future and a hope. (Jeremiah 29:11)
This post is the first in a series of three blog posts focusing on Isaiah, Chapter 9. The three are, in order: God’s grace through His peace, God’s justice through His peace, and God’s completion of His ultimate peace.
Today we examine God grace through His peace, focusing on Isaiah 9:6.
For to us a child is born,
to us a son is given;
and the government shall be upon[d] his shoulder,
and his name shall be called[e]
Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God,
Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace.
Isaiah 9:6
During Advent, the four weeks leading up to Christmas, we are anticipating Christ’s first coming as that babe born in a manger, preparing for His arrival with Scripture readings, quiet reflection, and plaintive songs. Christ’s arrival at Christmas marks a time of joy and peace, both within and without the body of Christ, as we human beings have been seeking inner peace since our...
Since February 2020, the Coronavirus (COVID-19), and now its many variants, have been infecting more than our bodies with disease; they have been infecting our psyches with fear. And this fear has spread much faster and its reach far greater than the biological virus itself, infecting young and old, trade and transportation, all of daily life.
In his article in the Epoch Times entitled "Fear: A Disease of Our Time", Dr. Peter Weiss recounts seeing a patient who came to him wearing a hat, two face masks, and over-sized plastic gloves. When he asked her why she was equipped in such a way, she said that she has a 7-year-old to protect.
Weiss lamented that, unfortunately, he had seen far too many patients like her. He goes on to say:
Fear has become a disease of our time. Fear is commonly defined as the belief that someone or something is dangerous and likely to cause pain or act as a threat, such as a shark swimming next to you.
. . . Fear is a healthy emotion to own when...
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. . . toward building resilience.