Dear Friends of Blue Thread Ministries International, we are excited to present to all of you, our first Guest Author, Pastor William Shuffler!  Pastor Shuffler is a great man of G-d, with over 50 years as a minister of the Gospel.

He has planted many Churches, traveled throughout the country and around the world, and has served as a presbyter for the North Carolina Assemblies of G-d for over twenty years.  His ministry has raised up many ministers of the Gospel.  He has a heart for G-d, people and a passion to reach the world for Yeshua.

He has served the body of Christ as Apostle, Prophet, Evangelist, Pastor and Teacher. He is a spiritual father to me and many others. Without his love, encouragement, kindness and life example, I would not be a minister of the Gospel today.  He is a friend and  blessing to Blue Thread Ministries International, we are honored to host his article on our website.

Baruch Hashem!

Rabbi Cliff A. Maynard

For a PDF Download of this article CLICK HERE

NO PEACE?

BY REV. WILLIAM SHUFFLER

THE SOURCE OF OUR DILEMMA

To get an understanding of the reasons we have no peace I feel we must go back to the very beginning.

The Bible tells us in the beginning G-d created the heavens and the earth.  After He created the Heavens and the earth, He made a beautiful garden and called it Eden.  In this garden He created Man and Woman and placed them in charge of all his creation.

After having ended all His work, G-d looked upon it, “And G-d saw everything that He had made, and behold, it was VERY GOOD, And the evening and the morning were the sixth day.”  (Gen. 1:31)

Nowhere in the Bible can I find a place here G-d did not literally mean just that; that everything that He made was “VERY GOOD”.  I cannot find anywhere that Adam was created with any physical defect, nor suffered from any sicknesses as a resident of the garden.  I cannot read that Eve had a sick day in her life in the garden.

What I am coming to is this; there were no wars going on in the garden, there were no sickness, no disease until Sin entered the garden. There was peace, freedom from strife and complete harmony.  All was Quiet, Calm, and Secure.

So the source of our dilemma did come from G-d!  For we are reminded in James 1:17, “Every good and every perfect gift is from above and cometh down from the Father of lights, with whom is no variableness, neither shadow of turning.”

G-d then, created man and woman in His own image and placed them in the beautiful garden to live in peace and happiness, and in fellowship with Him.   There was one thing, however that G-d required of them if they were to maintain this status in PARADISE.  He had a law and if they sinned by transgressing this law they would have to pay a penalty for their sin.  “The soul that sinneth, it shall die.” Ezekiel 18:4b)  “For the wages of sin is death.” (Romans 6:23a)

The enemy of G-d and Man, Satan that was cast out of heaven is very angry and the Bible says this of him: “Woe to the inhabiters of the earth and of the sea!  For the devil is come down unto you, having great wrath, because he knoweth he hath but a short time.”  Revelations 12:12b) So G-d’s law to man was that he should be obedient to his Creator and walk in fellowship with Him always.  But this enemy of G-d and man’s soul knew the law of G-d and prevailed upon his creation to disobey G-d’s law and by doing so incurred the penalty of that la of sin.  “The soul that sinneth shall surly die.”

As we well know Adam and Eve did not die physically immediately as a result of this sin, but at that moment their fellowship with G-d and their pure innocence with Him was broken and in the end they would face physical death.

The entrance then of sin in the garden brought the penalty of sin upon the occupants there and they were punished by removal from the paradise garden and condemned to die. Along with this expulsion from the garden came all the problems we face today:  war, strife, murder, sickness and disease of all kinds, disobedience to G-d’s laws, rejection of law and order and of respect of man. This then are some of the many causes of the dilemma that we are faced with today.

Where do we turn to find solutions to these problems?  In G-d’s Word!  Keep reading!

The Bible tells us that “as by one man sin entered into the world, and death by sin; so death passed upon all men for that all have sinned.”  (Romans 5:12)

From the preceding chapter you see where sin, fear and disease come from and why they are in the world today.  But “G-d is love,” the Bible  in First John 4:8.  He is “not willing that any should perish, but that all should come to repentance.” (2 Peter 3:9)  His Word says, “I have no pleasure in the death of him that dieth.”  (Ezek. 18:32).  No of course not.

Has He not created man in  “His own image?”  (Gen. 1:26).  Did not G-d come down in the cool of the day and walk with man in the garden in fellowship?  Did He not create man for this purpose?  (Gen. 3:8)  Had He not made everything on the face of the earth and saw that it was ,”VERY GOOD” AND THAT MAN WAS ONE OF HIS CREATURES?

No.  There was no  pleasure in His creation falling prey to our arch enemy, Satan,  G-d’s heart was pierced.  But G-d was not  taken by surprise, for He had a plan from the beginning.   He let us know that back in Genesis 3:15, “And I will put enmity between thee and the woman, and between thy seed and her seed;  it shall bruise thy head, and thou shalt bruise his  heel.”  His plan was to send the only sin free individual; that being His only Son, Jesus Christ, who in Ephesians one verse five, the Living Bible, ” His unchanging plan has always been to adopt us into His own family by sending Jesus Christ to die for us. AND HE DID THIS BECAUSE HE WANTED TO.” How great is our G-d!

Long  before the L-rd Jesus Christ lived on the earth,  He was set apart as the Lamb of G-d.   In John 1:36 we read, “and looking upon Jesus as He walked, he (John) said,  “Behold the Lamb of G-d.”   Jesus was predestined to be the Lamb, slain for our sins before the creation of the heavens and the earth.  (See I Peter 1: 19-20)   Gd decided on the regeneration of man before He made man.  G-d laid the foundation for our Spiritual Birth before you were Naturally born.  This is the facts of the Bible.  The Apostle Peter wrote, “REDEEMED ….WITH THE PRECIOUS BLOOD OF CHRIST, AS OF A LAMB WITHOUT BLEMISH AND WITHOUT SPOT:  WHO VERILY WAS FORORDAINED BEFORE THE FOUNDATIONS OF THE WORLD.”

That the L-rd  Jesus should be the Lamb of G-d was NO AFTER THOUGHT with G-d,  our Father.  He was and is the Lamb by predestination.  The Apostle Paul wrote in Ephesians 1: 4 & 5, “According as he hath chosen us in him before the foundations of the world, that we should be holy and without blame before him in love:  Having predestinated us unto the adoption of children by Jesus Christ to himself, according to the pleasure of HIS will.

The Living Bible records it this way,  “Long ago, before He made the world,  G-d chose us to be his very own, through what Christ would do for us;  He decided then to make us holy in His eyes, without a single fault-we who stand before Him covered with His love.”

Isn’t it wonderful to know that our salvation was not just and emergency act by G-d, Our Father;  but that He  had already  made a plan to redeem us from our enemy, the devil, even before He made the heavens and the earth; even before He made man!  I’ll tell you, I am so very thankful to our Heavenly Father, who thought enough of us, you and me……to provide for us before an crises came.  AMEN!

There was  an event in my life, as a backslider, out on the Sea of Japan, about to make and amphibious landing on the shore of Korea. A storm had been raging, moving tables and chair around the deck. In spite of the physical storm raging, there was something going on in my spirit.  LOOK AT THIS, I am on the other side of the world from my home,  but G-d knew where I was, not only physically but spiritually as well. He was reaching out to this old country boy, maybe for the last time.  We were expecting to fight our way on to the beach. No one could tell me what the next few hours , days or months would bring into my life.  War was out there!  Death lurked behind every ditch, every building, around every bend of the road, or beneath every bridge.  I had an urgent need that day in July 1950. And G-d had an answer.  He spoke to my heart and let me know that without Him. I might not have a future.  But, thanks be to G-d, He let me know who held my future.  My future was in His hands. PRAISE BE TO HIM! MY FUTURE WAS NOT IN THE HANDS OF THE COMMANDERS OF THE ARMY I WAS A MEMBER OF.  In fact, it was not in the hands of the enemy I would face. But again it was in His (G-d’s ) hands.  And my friends, let me remind you, When Jesus went to the cross for man’s sins, He had you on His mind.  That July day in 1950 could have been my last act on this earth, but instead He was calling me to return to Him.  That day I took advantage of his Saving Grace and returned to His loving arms to stay, and there I stand to this day and don’t intend to ever change.

It is a tremendous statement, but it is BIBLE TRUTH, that the L-rd Jesus Christ was the Lamb of G-d from all eternity; that G-d foresaw the need of atonement and that He planned the whole scheme of human redemption  before He even created man. and again, my friend, before you were born, He had you on His mind.

No! G-d did not plan a life of sin, sickness or disease for you.  His law was broken when our Forefather and Mother, Adam and Eve disobeyed G-d’s command to them and brought sin upon each of us at our birth. BUT G-D had a plan, a plan to redeem you and I from “THE CURSE OF THE LAW.”  “ Christ hath redeemed us from the curse of the law, being made a curse for us. ” (Galatians 3:13)

Now that we know the source of our dilemma and the sin that doth so easily besets us, and G-d’s provision for our dilemma, where shall we go from here?  We turn to the one and only true source of Peace, Jesus!

Jesus Christ is the only true source of lasting Peace!  He says in John 14:27,  “Peace I leave with you, my peace I give unto you:  not as the world giveth, give I unto you.  Let not your heart be troubled, neither let it be afraid.”

Real peace only comes after you have taken Christ into your heart as personal savior.  The Bible teaches us that man or woman in sin cannot ever have real peace.  The Word tells us,  “There is no peace, saith G-d, to the wicked.” (Isaiah 57:21)   But Jesus said,  “I have spoken unto you that in ME ye might have peace.” (John 16:33)

You were created in G-d’s likeness, to be in fellowship with Him.  But disobedience, which brought sin into the world, separated us from that relationship.  The thought of facing Him with sin in our life is a frightening thing.  This guilt or lack of understanding of the Grace of G-d brings fear, frustration, defeat and condemnation.

I repeat; you were made in the likeness of G-d; created to be a companion to him.  In the heart of man, be he a aristocrat or savage, is a desire to worship.   Man will worship something.   Not knowing the true and living G-d he turns to many efforts; such as sacrificing to wooden, golden statutes, or anything he thinks will appease his many gods. As you know, in our modern world there are numerous gods in the lives of modern man i.e., Jobs, houses, habits, money, to name a few.

Only Jesus Christ can deliver you from the sin that separates’ man from G-d our Father. The offering up of Himself (Christ)  has blotted out the sin of those who come to Him in faith accepting  His atonement   for their sin.  Sins record has not only been erased, but has been BLOTTED OUT COMPLETELY, TO BE REMEMBERED NO MORE!  (Acts 3:19) It’s as if you had never sinned.  Romans 8:1 puts it this way,  “There is therefore NOW no condemnation to them WHICH ARE IN CHRIST JESUS.” Then you can say with John,  “Truly our fellowship is with the father, and with His Son Jesus Christ.” (I John 1:3)

Today we are plagued with the questions:  Will our economy continue to crumble, where are our jobs coming from, what is my future regarding retirement, will inflation eat up what salary I am making?   Will the youth of our generation bring complete chaos to our homes, schools and cities?  Will some death dealing sickness or disease strike me this year?  Will smog, pollution, of air and water destroy us in the next few years?

Surly we are faced with many perplexing questions and naturally they give us much concern.  However, as a child of G-d these things need not be of dire concern for us.  A song says, “I don’t know what the future holds, but I KNOW WHO HOLDS THE FUTURE.” This is the source of our hope in the future.  It is not is what the president of The United States or the rulers around the world can do to bring peace into the world.  Many years they have tried  but they haven’t yet been able to stop “wars and rumors of war.”

Luke writes in Luke 21:10,  “Nation shall rise against nations, and kingdom against kingdom.” Also in verse 17, “And ye shall be hated of all men for my name’s sake.” And in verse 18, “But there shall not be an hair of your head perish.” Jesus tells us in Matthew 10:28,  “And fear not them which kill the body, but are not able to kill the soul:  but rather fear him (G-d) which is able to destroy both soul and body in hell.”

These are outstanding truths from G-d’s Word. G-d is letting us know that He has provided salvation for our souls as well as health for our bodies.  THINK ABOUT IT,  “not a hair” shall perish.  The redeemed of G-d are a privileged people.  We have the promises in the Word that G-d “will never leave us, nor forsake us.”

PRAISE BE TO HIS NAME!  We need only to hear G-d, ACCEPT CHRIST AS SAVOR to live for Him and have a victorious Christian life.

Do you think G-d will let Satan destroy us after we have been redeemed by the precious blood of His Son, Jesus Christ, the L-rd of our souls?  Do you think we have to fear and cringe every time the devil says, “boo?” NO, a thousand times NO!  Jesus Christ has paid the ransom for us, and He will see that His prize, you and I (In His sight we are His prize possession) whom He will not allow to fall again into the hands of His defeated enemy.  Why?  We are His and he is ours.  We are hid with Christ in G-d.  “Surly He hath borne our grief’s, and carried our sorrows :  yet we did esteem  Him stricken, smitten of G-d and afflicted.  But He was wounded for our transgressions, He was bruised for iniquities:  the chastisement of our PEACE was upon Him; and with His stripes we are healed.” (Isaiah 53: 4 & 5) Peace, a reality?  Yes, dear friend.  “Not as the world.”  No, there will be no peace as far as the world is concerned until Jesus comes to rule and reign upon the earth.  But for these “born from above,” we have “His peace.”

Peace… Happiness …Love … Satisfaction ……… YES, these are ours as the children of G-d, having been born from above and living for Him through His love and Grace bestowed upon the children of his redemption.

Be of good cheer! There is more — there is also healing for our bodies.  “Bless the L-rd, O my soul, and FORGET NOT ALL HIS BENEFITS:  Who forgiveth all thy iniquities: who healeth all thy diseases.” (Palm 103: 1 & 2)

Check back soon for more by Pastor Shuffler or you can email him  directly with any questions or prayer requests you might have at: b.shuffler@live.com