For the kingdom of God is not a matter of eating and drinking, but of righteousness, peace and joy in the Holy Spirit. Romans 14:17.

The LORD restored Job’s losses when he prayed for his friends. Job 42:10.

Let the peace of Christ rule in your hearts, to which indeed you were called in one body; and be thankful. Let the word of Christ richly dwell within you, with all wisdom teaching and admonishing one another with psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, singing with thankfulness in your hearts to God. Colossians 3:15-16.

And continuing our 351 Old Testament prophecies, promises of God, fulfilled in Jesus Christ, we come to number 65: Rule the nations with a rod of iron. Psalm 2:8-9: Ask of Me, and I will surely give the nations as Your inheritance, and the very ends of the earth as Your possession. You shall break them with a rod of iron, You shall shatter them like earthenware. And, Revelation 2:27; 12:5; 19:15: And He shall rule them with a rod of iron, as the vessels of the potter are broken to pieces, as I also have received authority from My Father. And she gave birth to a son, a male child, who is to rule all the nations with a rod of iron, and her child was caught up to God and to His throne. From His mouth comes a sharp sword, so that with it He may strike down the nations, and He will rule them with a rod of iron; and He treads the winepress of the fierce wrath of God, the Almighty.

Last night as I was praying, I was trying to pray for all of us, all nations of people today; and it felt like my thoughts were being smothered out even as I tried to pray. All I could think of were all the sins and the problems in our world, that when we think of the billions of people alive today, become overwhelming in impossibility because all that is wrong is so vast. And He reminded me this morning that the very same problems then when Jesus walked the earth with us, are here today – and they began in the fall in the garden. Judging and condemning. Blaming. A wall of hardness. But look at the difference He made in the hearts of those who were open to Him! That same difference He makes today and will make for all of His children because He is able! I loved in Jesus Calling by Sarah Young: “I speak to you continually. My nature is to communicate, though not always in words. I fling glorious sunsets across the sky, day after day after day. I speak in the faces and voices of loved ones. I caress you with a gentle breeze that refreshes and delights you. I speak softly in the depths of your spirit, where I have taken up residence. You can find Me in each moment, when you have eyes that see and ears that hear. Ask My Spirit to sharpen your spiritual eyesight and hearing. I rejoice each time you discover My Presence. Practice looking and listening for Me during quiet intervals. Gradually you will find Me in more and more of your moments. You will seek Me and find Me, when you seek Me above all else.” We can read about the rod of iron for the nations in Revelation and shrink back. Remember the rods of iron the nations themselves are using to subdue people into submission then and now, or that people are using to subdue one another to control that brings so much pain. God doesn’t use His power to subdue and overpower. He uses His Love to break the bonds of judgment, condemnation, and blaming that live in all our hearts. The rods the nations use to turn against Him when Jesus returns, will not stand when exposed to the light of the Truth of God’s Love for us. Imagine that day when our healing can finally begin with Him with us. For that we can be so thankful!

***AS I RISE As I rise from sleep, I thank You, O Holy Trinity, for through Your great goodness and patience, You were not angered with me, an idler and sinner, nor have You destroyed me in my sins but have shown Your usual love for men. And when I was prostrate in despair, You have raised me to keep the morning watch and glorify Your power. And now enlighten my mind’s eye and open my mouth to study Your words and understand Your commandments and do Your will and sing to You in heartfelt adoration and praise Your most holy name of Father, Son, and Holy spirit, now and ever and to the ages of ages. Amen. Martin Luther (1483-1546).***