By John Thiel

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.

Our shepherd who wants to cosset us, comfort us in his fold of rest, in his security. One of the results of last day conditions is revealed in the Scriptures.

Luke 21:25 And there shall be signs in the sun, and in the moon, and in the stars; and upon the earth distress of nations, with perplexity; the sea and the waves roaring; 26 Men’s hearts failing them for fear and for looking after those things which are coming on the earth: for the powers of heaven shall be shaken.

Is it not true that there are so many things transpiring in our lifetime and those before us, in the last three or four generations that has brought fear, stress, and anxiety to every heart for the believer as well as the unbeliever? As we are living in the lead to the time of Jacobs trouble and its arrival is very close, Jesus speaks of the believers going through anxious times.

John 16:20 Verily, verily, I say unto you, That ye shall weep and lament, but the world shall rejoice: and ye shall be sorrowful, but your sorrow shall be turned into joy.

Their will be hearts full of fear of sorrow of perplexity in this time and including those who are Gods children. Here are the perils we are surrounded by in these times.

2 Timothy 3:1 This know also, that in the last days perilous times shall come.

3:2 For men shall be lovers of their own selves, covetous, boasters, proud, blasphemers, disobedient to parents, unthankful, unholy,

3:3 Without natural affection, trucebreakers, false accusers, incontinent, fierce, despisers of those that are good,

3:4 Traitors, heady, highminded, lovers of pleasures more than lovers of God;

3:5 Having a form of godliness, but denying the power thereof: from such turn away.

If you look carefully the peril is in reference to relationships which every one of us is craving for. In the peril we are to turn away from human beings that are described as having a form of Godliness but deny the power thereof. If you and I are closely bonded whether through marriage or birth of family bonding to these kinds of people, disobedient to parents, as these perils are part of our experience, these come close to the natural heart.

Matthew 10:34 Think not that I am come to send peace on earth: I came not to send peace, but a sword.

35 For I am come to set a man at variance against his father, and the daughter against her mother, and the daughter in law against her mother in law. And a man’s foes shall be they of his own household.

We read these words so glibly. When we come to the reality of them in our experience, we fall apart.

Matthew 21:22 And the brother shall deliver up the brother to death, and the father the child: and the children shall rise up against their parents, and cause them to be put to death.

It’s so easy to read these words and to say in your mind, I’m not going to succumb to this, I love Jesus. Yes it’s easy to say it when you’re sitting comfortably in a church pew and everything is reasonably intact. But when the reality strikes every human being including believers is described.

I was shown the people of God, and saw them mightily shaken. Some, with strong faith and agonizing cries, were pleading with God. Their countenances were pale, and marked with deep anxiety, expressive of their internal struggle. Firmness and great earnestness were expressed in their countenances, while large drops of perspiration fell from their foreheads. Now and then their faces would light up with the marks of God’s approbation, and again the same solemn, earnest, anxious look would settle upon them. {1T 179.3}

This is the description of when the reality strikes. Have you ever had an anxiety attack? A pale and anxious look on your face? The description given above refers to Gods children during the shaking time. Why are they so anxious in this shaking time? They were sitting comfortably in their church pews and they weren’t learning the lesson. When it comes, they are filled with anxiety.

The assaults of Satan are strong, his delusions are terrible; but the Lord’s eye is upon His people. Their affliction is great, the flames of the furnace seem about to consume them; but Jesus will bring them forth as gold tried in the fire. Their earthliness must be removed that the image of Christ may be perfectly reflected; unbelief must be overcome; faith, hope, and patience are to be developed. {5T 474.3}

What is it? The reason why they are going through this is because Christ’s image is not perfectly reflected yet. That is why they are anxious and pale. Unbelief must be overcome. What? I thought I believed. It’s easy to believe when you’re sitting in the pew but when you have to meet the crass circumstances of 2 Timothy, the human interactivity frustrates you and all the horror of the attack that comes from parents and children, when that strikes home then it will reveal how much belief I really have. My unbelief must be overcome. Faith, patience and hope are to be developed. To go through these pale anxiety attacks comes from a lack of perfection. If I were perfect, would I have anxiety attacks? It’s there because of unbelief. I need faith and hope so I don’t fall under the anxiety. I need patience, it must still be developed. In other words, when anxiety and paleness come up and people are distressed beyond expression, it’s because there is still something wrong in their life. That’s what Martin Luther was so distressed about in Melanchthon’s life.

To Melanchthon, who was crushed under the burden of anxiety and fear, he wrote: “Grace and peace in Christ–in Christ, I say, and not in the world. Amen. I hate with exceeding hatred those extreme cares which consume you. If the cause is unjust, abandon it; if the cause is just, why should we belie the promises of Him who commands us to sleep without fear? . . . Christ will not be wanting to the work of justice and truth. He lives, He reigns; what fear, then, can we have?”–Ibid., b. 14, ch. 6. {GC 210.2}

If you were crushed with anxiety and fear and someone came to you and said, I hate with extreme hatred those fears, which consume you, what would you feel? Why does he hate them? It is not fitting for a Christian to have those attacks. Let us take to heart Martin Luther’s suggestion.

Some are always anticipating evil or magnifying the difficulties that really exist, so that their eyes are blinded to the many blessings which demand their gratitude. The obstacles they encounter, instead of leading them to seek help from God, the only Source of strength, separate them from Him, because they awaken unrest and repining. {PP 293.2}

…they awaken unrest and repining. {PP 293.2}

Do we well to be thus unbelieving? Why should we be ungrateful and distrustful? Jesus is our friend; all heaven is interested in our welfare; and our anxiety and fear grieve the Holy Spirit of God. We should not indulge in a solicitude that only frets and wears us, but does not help us to bear trials. No place should be given to that distrust of God which leads us to make a preparation against future want the chief pursuit of life, as though our happiness consisted in these earthly things. {PP 294.1}

Anxiety, distrust of God. As we meet these anxiety experiences, we are told that there is still something not quite right within me. That sounds discouraging doesn’t it? If you read carefully the thoughts, it was happening to Gods people who he was preparing for heaven. Our quest is to know how to enter the region of peace. This is what we need to understand, how to enter the region of peace. Unless we learn to have absolute trust in God, we cannot enter that region of peace. How much do we pray to enter in the region of peace? You want it don’t you? You want it badly.

In the heart of Christ, where reigned perfect harmony with God, there was perfect peace. He was never elated by applause, nor dejected by censure or disappointment. Amid the greatest opposition and the most cruel treatment, He was still of good courage. But many who profess to be His followers have an anxious, troubled heart, because they are afraid to trust themselves with God. They do not make a complete surrender to Him; for they shrink from the consequences that such a surrender may involve. Unless they do make this surrender, they cannot find peace. {DA 330.3}

Do you want to enter the region of peace? Without making a complete surrender, I cannot find the region of peace. To have an anxious troubled heart, is to be afraid to trust myself with God. In other words, I want to still hold the reign’s thank you very much. I want to control my circumstances the way I want them to go. As I try to do that, I’ll be in constant stress. I’ll be trying to hold the reigns. Let go of the reigns and there is perfect peace and trust. We must do this with God.

When temptations assail you, when care, perplexity, and darkness seem to surround your soul, look to the place where you last saw the light. Rest in Christ’s love and under His protecting care. When sin struggles for the mastery in the heart, when guilt oppresses the soul and burdens the conscience, when unbelief clouds the mind, remember that Christ’s grace is sufficient to subdue sin and banish the darkness. Entering into communion with the Saviour, we enter the region of peace.{MH 250}

How do I do it? Do I pray and wait for some magic wand? What must I do? And how do I do it? It’s easy to say enter the region of peace but how. Many people can’t. How do I do it? I know what I must do but how must I do it. The statements we have read said we must surrender, trust and believe. I must do all those things. But let us explore in application. In living detail. When sin struggles for the mastery in the heart, when guilt oppresses the soul and burdens the conscious, when unbelief cloudens the mind. How do you fare? Do you get anxiety attacks? What do you do? How do you conquer them? There is something I must do besides pray. The thing that I must do, is something I must do in here with my inward self-being. If I don’t know what I must do, and I don’t know how to do it, I will keep hearing these lovely messages which we hear each Sabbath, and we go over time and time again. We are still missing out on something so that there is no more anxiety. If we learn it now, how much easier will we go thorough the time of Jacobs trouble. Follow the doing action inside of my heart. What is the first work? Come.

Matthew 11:28 Come unto me, all [ye] that labour and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest.

11:29 Take my yoke upon you, and learn of me; for I am meek and lowly in heart: and ye shall find rest unto your souls.

Those beautiful words are so poetic and lovely. I hear people recounting them. We talk of the bliss of them but then comes the trouble and its not there. When we go through trial, it’s not there. We are not basking in that beautiful rest. The words of our Scripture reading, peace I leave with you, my peace I give unto you. We think I’ve go t it. He gives it to you but what must I do? Let not your heart be troubled, neither let it be afraid. Here are the doing actions for us to consider. What was the first one? Come unto me. Then, learn of me. And finally, let not your heart be troubled. Those are the three points of action that is required so you never succumb to an anxiety attack again. If you do, do not despair, you’re an apprentice don’t forget. First of all, come unto me. Who is speaking? It is Jesus Christ who is God with us. What is written in Psalm 27? Who is saying come unto me? It is he in Psalm 27.

Psalm 27:1 the Lord is my light and my salvation of whom shall I fear? The Lord is the strength of my life, of whom shall I be afraid?

Who is it that says come? The Lord is my light. He is my strength. I will never leave thee nor forsake thee. No man shall sand before thee. To the children of Israel he said, I will never leave or forsake the. This is what it means to come to such a person. Come to him.

Abiding peace, true rest of spirit, has but one Source. It was of this that Christ spoke when He said, “Come unto Me, all ye that labor and are heavy-laden, and I will give you rest.” Matthew 11:28. “Peace I leave with you, My peace I give unto you: not as the world giveth, give I unto you.” John 14:27. This peace is not something that He gives apart from Himself. It is in Christ, and we can receive it only by receiving Him. {MH 247.1}

Jesus is our friend; all heaven is interested in our welfare; and our anxiety and fear grieve the Holy Spirit of God. We should not indulge in a solicitude that only frets and wears us, but does not help us to bear trials. No place should be given to that distrust of God which leads us to make a preparation against future want the chief pursuit of life, as though our happiness consisted in these earthly things. It is not the will of God that His people should be weighed down with care. But our Lord does not tell us that there are no dangers in our path. He does not propose to take His people out of the world of sin and evil, but He points us to a never-failing refuge. He invites the weary and care-laden, “Come unto Me, all ye that labor and are heavy-laden, and I will give you rest.” {PP 294.1}

Lay off the yoke of anxiety and worldly care that you have placed on your own neck, and “take My yoke upon you, and learn of Me; for I am meek and lowly in heart: and ye shall find rest unto your souls.” Matthew 11:28, 29. {PP 294.1}

What is the condition of meekness and lowliness? You no longer think you can take control of your own life.

We may find rest and peace in God, casting all our care upon Him; for He careth for us. See 1 Peter 5:7. {PP 294.1}

It is unbelief of this. We believe God is there but we don’t believe enough that I make a total surrender and we let go of the reigns. That tries to work it out with all the detail. Trying to work out my problems. What are we to do with them? What are we to do with our situation? You who are labouring and working. Come to me.

He who took humanity upon Himself knows how to sympathize with the sufferings of humanity. Not only does Christ know every soul, and the peculiar needs and trials of that soul, but He knows all the circumstances that chafe and perplex the spirit. His hand is outstretched in pitying tenderness to every suffering child. Those who suffer most have most of His sympathy and pity. He is touched with the feeling of our infirmities, and He desires us to lay our perplexities and troubles at His feet and leave them there.–MH 249 (1905). {1MCP 84.2}

What does that mean? I don’t have to think about them any more. If I don’t think about them any more, then you’re like a baby who has no worries. Resting comfortably on its parents. This parent won’t let you down. Come unto me, do it. If you don’t do it, if you don’t realise who he is, if you don’t’ believe it, you’re not doing it and you will be anxious.

Learn of Me

We go back to the beautiful appreciation of Jesus. When he took humanity he was one in every aspect as us. Learn of me. There is another dimension of sourcing total rest. It’s an example we are to follow. It’s when Jesus was in the boat and the disciples were ready to give up. Because we’re going to drown with anxiety with the storms around us. We look at the storms and water and we think it’s finished and Jesus is awaked to meet the storm. He was in perfect peace. The boat was rocking around and he was probably wet.

He was in perfect peace. There was no trace of fear in word or look, for no fear was in His heart. But He rested not in the possession of almighty power. It was not as the “Master of earth and sea and sky” that He reposed in quiet. That power He had laid down, and He says, “I can of Mine own self do nothing.” John 5:30. He trusted in the Father’s might. It was in faith–faith in God’s love and care–that Jesus rested, and the power of that word which stilled the storm was the power of God. {DA 336.1}

The power of that Word that stilled the storm was the power of God in which he rested.  That is why he had no fear because he trusted in his father with a total surrender. He knew from the word of God that the father in heaven would not let him die. If the heavens fall, if everything falls down around me, everything goes wrong, perfect rest. As Jesus rested by faith in the Father’s care, so we are to rest in the care of our Saviour. If the disciples had trusted in Him, they would have been kept in peace. Their fear in the time of danger revealed their unbelief. In their efforts to save themselves, they forgot Jesus; and it was only when, in despair of self-dependence, they turned to Him that He could give them help. {DA 336.2}

Why be in despair of self-dependence before you come to the problem? You know you’re going to find future problems that you’re not going to manage. Do it now in the learning of Jesus.

“Learn of Me,” says Jesus; “for I am meek and lowly in heart: and ye shall find rest.” We are to enter the school of Christ, to learn from Him meekness and lowliness. Redemption is that process by which the soul is trained for heaven. This training means a knowledge of Christ. It means emancipation from ideas, habits, and practices that have been gained in the school of the prince of darkness. The soul must be delivered from all that is opposed to loyalty to God. {DA 330.2}

To admit that this is our problem is the part that stops us from surrendering. I don’t want to think that I’m disbelieving God. It prevents me from surrendering. It’s a mental trick that is played in your mind. Something needs to happen inside of each one of our minds. The true understanding of the problems we’re having. We are holding onto internal safety measures of our own. This is our problem. I have relied heavily on my own rational. When things fell apart, it didn’t and my mind as in such chaos that I couldn’t rationalise anything anemone. Ever so quiet, I could hardly hear the voice. As I as so wrapped up in my own thoughts. To learn of Jesus and of these things.  Now comes the real crucial action. After you have come to him. After you have the knowledge of the love of God. You have embraced the closeness of God. He says I’ll never leave or forsake thee. When you have the example of Jesus inscribed into your memory, God says let not your heart be troubled. Why does it say let it not? Why does he say it? Don’t let it be afraid. Don’t let it be overwhelmed by trouble. Because suddenly circumstances will come upon us like a flood of thoughts and feelings no matter how close you are to God, Jesus was the epitome of close trust in God. What happened to him in gethsemane? The enemy came in like a flood.

Isaiah 59:19 So shall they fear the name of the Lord from the west, and his glory from the rising of the sun. When the enemy shall come in like a flood, the Spirit of the Lord shall lift up a standard against him.

When the enemy comes in like a flood into your mind, the spirit of the Lord comes in as a standard. Let him in; let not your heart be troubled. Your heart will be troubled, don’t let it. This is an action you must exercise. Let him deal with the thoughts and feelings and the storm.

1 John 3:20 For if our heart condemn us, God is greater than our heart, and knoweth all things.

Let him take the problem. Your heart condemns you, the enemy comes in like a flood and it really stirs up anxiety triggers. Let it not. Don’t let it. The enemy comes in, the Lord will raise up a standard against him. As reformers, the greatest flood of perplexity is over my troubled mind because I’m a sinner. Satan comes and says your case is hopeless, I’m a sinner, and everyone around me is a sinner, I give up, I give up entirely. Satan comes with the thoughts that I’m never going to be saved and never have any hope, I’m a hopeless case.

Consciousness of My Sin

Sin struggles for the mastery in the heart when you know you’re not meant to be doing something and I think I’m lost. I’m supposed to have holy feelings but guilt oppresses the soul. When unbelief clouds the mind, this is too bad, this is too sinful. I’m in a hopeless state, I can’t redeem myself out of my circumstances. Let not your heart be troubled. You believe in God, believe also in me. If I haven’t repented of something, repent, and leave it with the sin bearer. Leave it with him.

If in our ignorance we make missteps, the Saviour does not forsake us. We need never feel that we are alone. Angels are our companions. The Comforter that Christ promised to send in His name abides with us. In the way that leads to the City of God there are no difficulties which those who trust in Him may not overcome. There are no dangers which they may not escape. There is not a sorrow, not a grievance, not a human weakness, for which He has not provided a remedy. {MH 249.1}

None need abandon themselves to discouragement and despair. MH 249

Have you made missteps? King David committed terrible sin? Did he do that ignorance? He knew what he was doing. He had accepted the ideas of the kings of his time. How many of us have accepted certain maxims of the world and in our ignorance we deem something as being ok. If we make missteps, eh savour does not forsake that. We never need feel we are

Abandonment means what? Surrender. This is what I must do, these three points, come to him, know him, learn of him, let not your heart be tousled. Do it. How? What do I do? How do I do it? What am I supposed to do? This is the last segment of internal impasse. I know what I’m supposed to do but I’m not doing it. Many years ago he gave me how. What is the operative element within your to deal with anxiety with fear and stress in the way we have just learnt. What is the operative element within you, which we must distinguish and use in action?

The tempted one needs to understand the true force of the will. This is the governing power in the nature of man–the power of decision, of choice. Everything depends on the right action of the will. Desires for goodness and purity are right, so far as they go; but if we stop here, they avail nothing. Many will go down to ruin while hoping and desiring to overcome their evil propensities. They do not yield the will to God. They do not choose to serve Him. {MH 176.1}

Have you got a strong will, are you a wilful child? Good. Use it the right way. You know what its like when someone says do this, you don’t like that. That’s good. God says rest in me, use that internal element.

This is the governing power in the nature of man–the power of decision, of choice. Everything depends on the right action of the will. Desires for goodness and purity are right, so far as they go; but if we stop here, they avail nothing. Many will go down to ruin while hoping and desiring to overcome their evil propensities. They do not yield the will to God. They do not choose to serve Him. {MH 176.1}

God has given us the power of choice; it is ours to exercise. You can pray as long as you like, nothing will happen. People have grown up with the doctrine as a magical element. No. It’s whether I exercise my will. We cannot change our heart, impulses or affections. We cannot make ourselves pure for Gods service.

But we can choose to serve God, we can give Him our will; then He will work in us to will and to do according to His good pleasure. Thus our whole nature will be brought under the control of Christ. {MH 176.2}

What do you do when you give him your will? He says, my child rest in me. If you will, you will say yes God. This must be your deliberate conscious action. If you don’t do it, you will be anxious. When we can choose to serve God, we can give him our will, he will work in us to work good pleasure. Everything I have learnt of him will come into action. That is the working of the brain machinery. If you fill your mind with the things we have read before. The brain behaviour is such.

Thus our whole nature will be brought under the control of Christ. {MH 176.2}

Through the right exercise of the will, an entire change may be made in the life. By yielding up the will to Christ, we ally ourselves with divine power. We receive strength from above to hold us steadfast. A pure and noble life, a life of victory over appetite and lust, is possible to everyone who will unite his weak, wavering human will to the omnipotent, unwavering will of God. {MH 176.3}

There is a very powerful reality when you have pain, sicknesses, and all sorts of other problems

The power of the will is not valued as it should be. Let the will be kept awake and rightly directed, and it will impart energy to the whole being and will be a wonderful aid in the maintenance of health. MH 246

Exercised in the right direction, it would control the imagination and be a potent means of resisting and overcoming disease of both mind and body. By the exercise of the will power in placing themselves in right relation to life, patients can do much to co-operate with the physician’s efforts for their recovery. There are thousands who can recover health if they will. MH 246

That’s why there are people in my experience who have had mind disease and conquered because of this. If you have a troubled mind, exercise the will under the instruction God has given. The Lord has said he will heal all our diseases if we will exercise the will. By exercising the will power.

The Lord does not want them to be sick. He desires them to be well and happy, and they should make up their minds to be well. Often invalids can resist disease simply by refusing to yield to ailments and settle down in a state of inactivity. Rising above their aches and pains, let them engage in useful employment suited to their strength. By such employment and the free use of air and sunlight, many an emaciated invalid might recover health and strength. {MH 246.1}

Isaiah 32:17 And the work of righteousness shall be peace; and the effect of righteousness quietness and assurance for ever.

If your will is on the side of the righteous God, the work of righteousness shall be peace.

Trust yourself in the hands of God. Do cease complaining, even though you suppose that there is something to complain of. Satan says, “I will harass him until he shall make shipwreck of faith”; but you need not be overcome by his devices. God will uphold you if you will only let Him. At times you are inclined to make a complete surrender of yourself to God, and then you feel at rest; but you take yourself back again, you do not let Jesus carry your burdens. {UL 314.2}

You want the will of God to be done in you, but at the same time you shrink from the pain and self-sacrifice involved in having it done. In order that the will of God may be done in you, you must trust your heavenly Father as a child trusts its parent. But you have an anxious, troubled heart; you are actually afraid to trust yourself with God, afraid of the consequences that such a surrender may involve. Do not, I beseech you, mar your own Christian experience. {UL 314.3}

The Spirit speaks to you, “Be ye not unwise, but understanding what the will of the Lord is” (Eph. 5:17). In words and attitude you reveal a weakness of character when you are under the impression that you are not treated well and with the confidence and deference you should have. . . . {UL 314.4}

You are to know that God has you under His special care; you are to trust in Him because you love Him, and He loves you. He will uphold all who put their trust in Him. God will make everything work for your sanctification if you will stop fretting and trust in Him. The words spoken to you by One who cannot make a mistake were: “Do not fall into the temptation to harass your own life and make yourself miserable by your own reflections, which are frequently the direct insinuations of Satan.” You keep fresh in your mind your own grievances, and go over and over the same things, cutting and bruising your own soul. . . . {UL 314.5}

Do not bring the disagreeable things of the past into your present life. Testify that life with Christ is no failure. . . . Dismiss Satan, walk with Jesus, and be complete in Him. Never, never give Satan the satisfaction of taunting you or others that our faith is a deception, a delusion. {UL 314.6}

There is a work to be done by the Holy Spirit in the heart; when this is accomplished, bitter tears will no longer flow forth, but the promise will be fulfilled, “The water that I shall give him shall be in him a well of water springing up into everlasting life” (John 4:14). You can stand only in God. When the heart is reconciled to God, the fact will be made manifest in your association with your brethren. It will be seen that Christ is abiding in the soul temple.–Letter 10, Oct. 27, 1894, to an evangelist working in Australia. {UL 314.7}

Amen.