PEACE!--IN THE MIDST OF STORM!

Have you ever been in a big storm, a powerful hurricane, earthquake or typhoon? Were you afraid or scared or worried? Well, most people ARE when caught in such storms because they never know if they're going to get blown away or if the lightning is going to strike them or the wind will rip the roof off their house or somehow hurt or even kill them!

But this little family is peaceful and unafraid, even though all around them a terrible storm is raging!--The wind is howling, big trees are being uprooted and blown down, lightning is flashing and thunder is crashing! But they don't look worried at all! They're perfectly at peace and at rest!

Do you know what a mother hen does with her little chicks whenever danger is near? She gathers them under her wings and covers and protects them there. Well, the Bible says that the Lord does the same thing with HIS children.--"He shall cover you, and under His wings you can trust. There you need not fear the terror by night, nor the destruction by day, for the LORD is your refuge and place of protection." (Psalm 91)

If we belong to the Lord and stay close to Him, He will take care of us.--ALWAYS! So that even if we're in the middle of a terrible storm like we see in this picture, His strong and loving Heavenly hands will be there to keep, protect and take care of us. Even when all is dark and stormy OUTSIDE, we can have the sunshine of His love and rainbow of His blessings and peace INSIDE!

Did you ever hear the Bible story of Rahab?--A long time ago, there was a city called Jericho which was so wicked that God was going to punish and destroy it. But within the city was a dear little woman named Rahab who was kind and helpful to God's children. And because she was good to God's people, God was good to her!

The huge protective walls that ran around Jericho were very high and very thick--so thick that many people actually had their houses ON the walls, as did Rahab. When the day of God's judgements came, He shook the city and caused the ENTIRE WALL to COLLAPSE to the ground!--Except for ONE tiny little part of it that remained standing all alone--and that was the house of Rahab! Because she had faith and because she had received and been good to God's children, when He destroyed the entire city and everybody else in it, her little house didn't fall and she and her family were spared and protected! (Joshua 2 and 6)

So why worry?--If you're the LORD'S child, HE will take care of you! His children who stay close to Him live in a CHARMED CIRCLE of His protection! It's like a special FORCE-FIELD that nothing can get through without His permission! Of course this doesn't mean that the Lord will NEVER allow us to be harmed or tested, but He'll never allow us to have any INSUFFERABLE harm or any UNBEARABLE damage, and He promises to always save us out of our troubles. "Many are the afflictions of the righteous, but the Lord DELIVERS him out of them ALL!" (Psalm 34:19)

If He doesn't deliver us any other way, He delivers us by DEATH!--Because for the CHRISTIAN, the one who loves the Lord, death is no problem!--It's our HOMEGOING to HEAVEN, and you couldn't go to a better place than Heaven! Then all your worries will be over and you will have graduated from this life! He will either take CARE of you or He will TAKE you, so you've got it made one way or the other!

So the most important thing is to make sure that you belong to HIM.--Then you'll KNOW that everything will be all right and that WHATEVER happens to you will be for your GOOD. He says that "ALL things work together for GOOD to them that love the Lord." (Romans 8:28) If you are His child, you'll know that everything that happens in your life comes from Him and is somehow for your good!

Then even if there's a terrible storm and great destruction all around you, you won't need to fear! The Lord says, "Fear thou not, for I am with thee, be not dismayed, I am thy God!--You shall be SAFE in the midst of storm, in the hollow of My hand, for underneath you are MY Everlasting Arms." (Isaiah 41:10; Deuteronomy 33:27)--He is ALWAYS there, He'll NEVER EVER leave you, for He promises, "I am with you ALWAYS, even to the End of the World!" (Matthew 28:20)

If you would like to have such peace and assurance and heavenly protection, all you need to do is receive and love God's Son, JESUS! Then, no matter WHAT difficulties or hardships arise in your life, HE will help you to BRAVE the storms and FACE the winds and NOT be swept away! No matter HOW dark the clouds become that may sometimes overshadow you, the Light of His Love will ALWAYS come bursting through to encourage you and to give you hope and strength to pull through!

He and His Love are just that WONDERFUL! He will brighten your life and give you peace that the Bible says even "passes your own understanding--PERFECT peace, because you TRUST in Him!" (Philippians 4:7; Isaiah 26:3) No matter HOW dark or stormy or dif ficult the outward conditions may be, in your HEART the sun can always be shining, the birds can always be singing, the flowers can always be blossoming, and all can be well and happy in Him!

So may God bless you with His PEACE and His LOVE through the one and only "PRINCE of peace", JESUS CHRIST!--He LOVES you and will come into your life right NOW if you'll just ask Him into your heart! He says, "Behold, I stand at the door (of your heart) and knock. If any man hear My voice and open the door, I WILL come into him." (Revelation 3:20)

Simply pray: "Lord Jesus, I believe that You are the Son of God and that You died for me. Please forgive me for all my sins. I ask You, Jesus, to please come into my heart and give me Your free Gift of Eternal Life! Help me to love You and to love others by telling them about You and Your Love.--In Jesus' name I pray. Amen."