Mar 21, 20204 min read

The Simplicity of Christ: Moving from Chaos into Calm

For God hath not given us the spirit of fear; but of power, and of love, and of a sound [calm] mind. - 2 Timothy 1:7, KJV

Jesus said, "Truly I say to you, unless you repent (change, turn about) and become like little children [trusting, lowly, loving, forgiving], you can never enter the kingdom of heaven [at all]. Whoever will humble himself therefore and become like this little child [trusting, lowly, loving, forgiving] is greatest in the kingdom of heaven" (Matt 18:3-4, AMPC). The Bible, and all of life, requires faith, trust, and belief.

Faith is the opposite of fear.

Faith is very aware, yet extremely calm.

Calmness, in the midst of crisis, is only arrived at through trust in God. The simplicity of Christ is that He calms a chaotic world from within. He works. His followers rest. Those who believe God is more powerful than earthly trouble have divine permission to enjoy life regardless of circumstance. We are not ignorant to the situations of the natural environment, but we pray about them in faith, trusting in and relying on God Who is our Protector and in Providential control of all things. He guides our course, and we are consciously aware of this, and grateful.

Behold, there arose a great storm on the sea, so that the boat was being swamped by the waves; but [Jesus] was asleep. And they went and woke him, saying, “Save us, Lord; we are perishing.” And he said to them, “Why are you afraid, O you of little faith?” - Matt 8:24-26a, ESV

Without faith it is impossible to please God; therefore, it greatly benefits the one drawing near to God to believe He is, and that He is a rewarder of those who earnestly seek Him out (Heb 11:6, paraphrased, based on Nestle 1904).

A soul with faith knows God exists, knows God delivers, and knows

God rewards those who are diligent to seek Him.

Ekzeteo (the process of seeking God intensely) reveals heart motive. If one does not fully believe God exists, doubts He is good, or questions that He is willing to save and recompense fairly, that person's own heart limits how near they can draw to God. And God is safety. Relief tarries until the heart is pure because God wants a heart that is true, decided and uncomplicated, not a heart full of deception, chaos and confusion. The world mimics what is in the soul. Like the eye of a hurricane, life's greatest battles require we draw to God's own heart to find quiet. God has feelings. In His tenderness of heart, He covers, remedies and provides a means of escape. But when we deny Him, natural events of discord become a method of purification and a spiritual litmus test that will prove our quality of faith.

Jesus said, "Truly I say to you, unless you repent..." This means to "go through pain again" until one comes to an evangelical repentance, not merely a legal repentance. Legal repentance (Old Testament) changes behavior due to the fact of being externally punished with inconvenient consequences for a past choice. The behavior change does not last and is based in natural circumstance. Evangelical repentance (New Testament) is a complete change of heart due to a personal empathy for how one has directly wounded God, self and others. It involves a process of enduring grief, eventually coming to joy in the understanding of what Jesus has done. Evangelical repentance lasts, because it turns a heart from fear to reconciliation, and it is based on an angelic or heaven-bound viewpoint. This soul can draw near to their Father and be kept safe and sound in every way, inside and out.

Humbling ourselves, becoming like a young child, and trusting God

ensures we are partaking in the kingdom of Heaven -

righteousness, peace and joy in the Holy Spirit.

(Matt 18:3-4; Rom 14:17)

Christ is Peace. Being in His calming presence, wrapped in His robe of righteousness, being sheltered beneath His wings, safely protected and moved from chaos, brings us blessed soul health and stability. True health is Divine Salvation, and it rejuvenates our thoughts, realigns our will, and restores our emotions. It cures all our diseases and recovers our lives on every level. Christ silences the storms and brings out the rainbow arches so we can see everything in our existence from an ecclesiastical vantage point. Winds of change do not alarm Christ. It is the work of the Holy Spirit to be a massive angel stirring up the healing waters of life. Through faith in God, the reconciliation of Jesus Christ, and the sanctifying work of the Holy Spirit, we have been given a spirit of power, love and a sound mind.

And he awoke and rebuked the wind and said to the sea, “Peace! Be still!” And the wind ceased, and there was a great calm. - Mark 4:39, ESV

Christ moves you from chaos into calm. He invites you into the kingdom of Heaven where you can experience rightness, peace and joy. He simply asks that you have the straightforward faith of a child. Simply believe your Father is good, and it shall be done for you.

Did you know there are an estimated five billion souls on the planet today

who do not know of Jesus Christ, or do not follow Him?

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English Standard Version (ESV)

Amplified Bible, Classic Edition (AMPC)

Nestle 1904 courtesy of Biblehub.com: Nestle 1904 Eberhard Nestle, Η ΚΑΙΝΗ ΔΙΑΘΗΚΗ. Text with Critical Apparatus. (British and Foreign Bible Society, 1904). https://sites.google.com/ site/nestle1904.

Hackett, Conrad and David McClendon of Pew Research Center, "Christians remain world’s largest religious group, but they are declining in Europe," Preresearch.org, accessed March 21, 2020, https://www.pewresearch.org/fact-tank/2017/04/05/christians-remain-worlds-largest-religious-group-but-they-are-declining-in-europe/.

DAWN DYSON