Peace with God, the greatest gift of all
Peace with God, the greatest gift of all “Do not be anxious about anything, but in every situation, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God. And the peace of God, which transcends all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus,” Philippians 4:6-7.
INTRODUCTION
The most elusive and sought-after thing in the world is peace. The world cries out for peace; nevertheless, there have been 268 wars in the past century, with an estimated 60 million dying in the 2nd World War alone. Each year, 45% of marriages can find no peace, so they end in divorce. Over a million people take their own life in any given year, because they can find no peace in living. The bottom line: “If you can’t find peace in the Lord, you can’t find peace.”
Man is born separated from the peace of God, which creates a vacuum that cannot be filled by any other means other than God through His Son Jesus Christ. There are two kinds of peace: Peace with God and peace of God. According to Scripture, God’s peace is not like the peace that the world seeks: “Peace I leave with you; my peace I give you. I do not give to you as the world gives. Do not let your hearts be troubled and do not be afraid,” John 14:27.
God’s peace is an internal, personal calmness that comes only as a result of God’s presence in one’s life. In the world, there is much fear today and many hearts are troubled and stressed. Little patches are available that you can put on your skin to show how high your stress level is. There is also a Biblical way to show your amount of stress: In Isaiah 26:3 the Bible says, “Thou wilt keep him in perfect peace, whose mind is stayed on thee: because he trusteth in thee.” The more your mind is focused on your troubles the higher your stress; and according to the verse above, the more your mind is stayed on God, the less your stress. If we are honest with ourselves, it is not difficult to determine which it is, in relation to our level of stress.
Marvelous things happen when Christ comes into our heart and fills the vacuum that nothing else can: The glory of God and His love enters via the Holy Spirit. The Bible says, “Let your light so shine before men, that they may see your good works, and glorify your Father which is in heaven,” Matthew 5:16. Through your life, if you are committed to Christ, the light of the glory of God is being revealed to the world, which glorifies God. Also, when you abide in the Spirit, the fruit of the Spirit, which is Love, joy, peace, patience, goodness, gentleness, faithfulness, meekness and temperance, Galatians 5:22, characterizes your life.
Notice it is the fruit, singular, not fruits. So, what one word signifies the fruit of the Spirit? It is the first mentioned, “love.” Those eight words that follow are the attributes of love which, if you notice, includes peace.
Paul said earlier in Galatians 5:16, “This I say then, Walk in the Spirit, and ye shall not fulfil the lust of the flesh.” What does it mean to walk in the Spirit? It means that we yield to His control and follow His direction for our life. It is the opposite of resisting Him and going our way, doing our thing, and grieving Him (Ephesians 4:30). Peace then is the work of the Holy Spirit in the believer. We have peace when we yield to His control and follow His direction in our life. In Colossians 3:15a we read, “Let the peace of Christ rule in your hearts…” It our choice; We can dam up the peace of God or we can let His peace rule in our heart and therefore live in the peace He intended.
God’s Peace is only through Jesus
“There is therefore now no condemnation to them which are in Christ Jesus, who walk not after the flesh, but after the Spirit,” Romans 8:11. A peaceful relationship with God is the prerequisite to the peace with and of God. However, it is elusive to most because the way is narrow. Matthew 7:13-14 says, “Enter ye in at the strait gate: for wide is the gate, and broad is the way, that leadeth to destruction, and many there be which go in thereat.” The easy, do nothing way is the broad way that attracts most of those on the face of the earth. Billions of people across the world are lost and hopeless and without the peace of God, headed for an eternity separated from God.
Matthew 7:14 says, “Because strait is the gate, and narrow is the way, which leadeth unto life, and few there be that find it.” Concerning that, what I’m about to say is strictly hypothetical for the purpose of illustration only. Say there are a 1000 people at a particular church service on any given Sunday. According to the “Pareto principle” (also known as the 80/20 rule that seems to work in nearly every situation) only about 20% or around 200 of those attending would be true believers. I understand that this is an average and would vary from church to church. Of that 200, once again according to the Pareto principle, only 20%, or 40 people, would be truly experiencing the peace of God consistently. Therefore, we can conclude that as is the way to the peace with God, the way to the peace of God is also very narrow, and only a few will find it. Now here is a question for you: Are you among the few who have found God’s peace that passes all understanding? Are you experiencing it consistently in your life?
God’s peace is our most valuable possession
The subject of peace is mentioned some 332 times throughout the Bible, headlining its importance and value. Here is something about you: Your soul is of an infinite value. The eternal soul is more valuable than the whole world. For the Scripture says, “What would it profit a man if he gained the whole world and loses his own soul? What will a man give in exchange for his soul?” Matthew 16:26. We could paraphrase that verse like this: “What would it profit a man if he gains the whole world and loses the peace of God through Christ? Or what would a man give in exchange for the peace of God?
Here are some of the things people give in exchange for the peace of God: Sinful Pleasure, Stress, Worry, Bitterness, Hatred, Envy, Jealousy, Anger, Resentment, Helplessness, Disgust, etc. What are you giving in exchange for the peace you have in Christ?
I have a gold band on my finger. It is valuable gift. What if I went out and pawned it and wasted the money on something trivial that would not last? In the first place, I don’t think it would please the one who gave it to me. In the second place, if I wasted the money, it would be gone, whereas, this gold ring will last me as long as I live and stands as a symbol of my relationship with someone I love. So as, the peace I have with and of God is a symbol of my eternal relationship with Him and not to be wasted on trivial things of this world.
Here is the comparison: If I waste the peace I have of God on any of those things mentioned earlier, or anything else, it will certainly not please the one who gifted me with peace, and it certainly will not help me in any way, only hurt me. It is time to put a “stop Loss” on some things in your life that are costing you the peace of God. That idea of “stop loss” came from an example of a man who invested in the stock market. He thought he knew how to invest, until he lost all he had, $20,000. He then decided to go to a well-known, successful investor and find out what he was doing wrong that cost him $20,000. The investor told him that he placed a stop loss on each investment. When the stock lost 5%, he sold it to avoid losing more.
Ask yourself these questions:
• How much is this thing I’m stressed about or worrying about really matter to me, or what good is it doing me or anyone else? And what is it costing me in terms of my peace?
• At what time will I put a stop Loss on this stress or worry, or any of those negative things which are occupying my thoughts, and forget it?
• Haven’t I lost enough peace over it already? Why must I continue to throw good money after bad?
• How much should I continue to pay for something that I have already paid more for than it is worth?
• Is what I have got in return worth the precious peace it has cost me?
Nothing is more valuable than your peace, which is of God, so don’t let anything or anyone steal it away from you.
God’s peace is present in the midst of your storm
Even though we experience the peace of God in our life, it does not mean we will never experience the storms of life. Experiencing the storms of life are part and parcel of living on this earth. Jesus said that we would face tribulations on earth: “In this world you will have trouble. But take heart! I have overcome the world,”John16:33b. Just as Jesus overcome the world, so can you and I if we trust Him and receive the strength that He offers.
Like the poem below, we cannot expect to live on this earth without sorrow, but through it all, God’s strength and love are always present.
“God hasn’t promised skies ever blue Flower-strewn pathways always for you God hasn’t promised sun without rain Joy without sorrow Peace without pain. But God has promised Strength from above Unfailing sympathy Undying love.” – Annie Johnson
In Matthew 14:22-33, the Bible tells us a time when the disciples of Jesus were in a great storm at sea: “Immediately Jesus made His disciples get into the boat and go before Him to the other side, while He sent the multitudes away. And when He had sent the multitudes away, He went up on the mountain by Himself to pray. Now when evening came, He was alone there. But the boat was now in the middle of the sea, tossed by the waves, for the wind was contrary. Now in the fourth watch of the night Jesus went to them, walking on the sea. And when the disciples saw Him walking on the sea, they were troubled, saying, “It is a ghost!” And they cried out for fear. But immediately Jesus spoke to them, saying, “Be of good cheer! It is I; do not be afraid.” And Peter answered Him and said, “Lord, if it is You, command me to come to You on the water.” So He said, “Come.” And when Peter had come down out of the boat, he walked on the water to go to Jesus. But when he saw that the wind was boisterous, he was afraid; and beginning to sink he cried out, saying, “Lord, save me!” And immediately Jesus stretcheout His hand and caught him, and said to him, “O you of little faith, why did you doubt?” And when they got into the boat, the wind ceased. Then those who were in the boat came and worshiped Him, saying, “Truly You are the Son of God.”
Jesus knew when He sent His disciples forth that they were going to encounter a great storm. Why do you suppose He sent them out into the storm? Many of the storms we encounter in life are providential and have a reason. Some storms we bring on ourselves, others are sent to us for the purpose of discipline, to turn us around and head us in the right direction, still others are for the purpose of perfecting our faith. The disciples’ faith was perfected by the storm and they proclaimed to Jesus, “Truly you are the Son of God.”
There is an interesting acrostic that helps us to understand peace:
Providence: (His purpose) Jesus had a purpose for sending His disciples out into a storm. He wanted to perfect their faith in Him. So, it is with the storms we face in life. God allows them or sends us into them with hope that our faith in Him will be perfected. Our responsibility is, instead of being occupied with the storm, to discern what the storm is there for, and learn what it is that God is teaching us. When we do this, we can identify with James: “My brethren, count it all joy when ye fall into divers temptations [testings]; Knowing this, that the trying of your faith worketh patience. But let patience have her perfect work, that ye may be perfect and entire, wanting nothing,” James 1:2-4.
Entreaty: (His prayers) No doubt his prayer, when he when up on the mountain, before sending his disciples out into the storm, included His disciples. Even now, Jesus is making intercession for us to the Heavenly Father. “Who is he that condemneth? It is Christ that died, yea rather, that is risen again, who is even at the right hand of God, who also maketh intercession for us,” Romans 8:34. Others, Satan and our thoughts may condemn us, but Christ in heaven is upholding us by His intercession with the Heavenly Father. Jesus made a petition or prayer in behalf of His disciples:
In John 17:6-12; 20-23. “I have revealed you to those whom you gave me out of the world. They were yours; you gave them to me and they have obeyed your word. Now they know that everything you have given me comes from you. For I gave them the words you gave me and they accepted them. They knew with certainty that I came from you, and they believed that you sent me. I pray for them. I am not praying for the world, but for those you have given me, for they are yours. All I have is yours, and all you have is mine. And glory has come to me through them. I will remain in the world no longer, but they are still in the world, and I am coming to you. Holy Father, protect them by the power of your name, the name you gave me, so that they may be one as we are one. While I was with them, I protected them and kept them safe by that name you gave me. “My prayer is not for them alone. I pray also for those who will believe in me through their message, 21 that all of them may be one, Father, just as you are in me and I am in you. May they also be in us so that the world may believe that you have sent me. I have given them the glory that you gave me, that they may be one as we are one—I in them and you in me—so that they may be brought to complete unity. Then the world will know that you sent me and have loved them even as you have loved me.”
How does it make you feel to know that Jesus is in the other room praying for you as you make your way through life? It should assure us of His love and concern for us as well, as strengthening our faith and our peace. Assurance: (His presence) “Lo I am with you always even until the end of the earth,” Matthew 28:20. No matter where we go or where we are, Jesus is with us to support us, strengthen us, protect us and to help us in every way. Andrew Murray, a great man of God, Once said, “God is willing to take full responsibility for those who are fully committed to Him.”
Doesn’t that change everything? Doesn’t that relieve the anxiety, stress, worry, nervousness, etc., when we totally rely on Jesus for our everything, knowing He is taking the responsibility for us. Had you rather to take full responsibility for yourself or had you rather leave it up to God?
I met a woman recently who said she had rather take responsibility for herself and her sins. She thought it unfair to place her sins on Jesus. She failed to realize that her sins had already been placed on Jesus at the cross, long before her birth. Her only decision was whether to except His pardon for her sins or not. Likewise, Jesus wants us to trust in Him for every need.
Comfort: (His Power) The meaning of the word comfort comes from two words: “with Strength.” “The Lord will give strength to His people; The Lord will bless His people with peace,” Psalm 29:11. God does expect a lot from us, but He does not expect it to be done in our own strength. He offers His strength. Expectation: (His promise) “Thou will keep him in perfect peace whose mind is stayed on Thee” (Is 26:3).
What happens when your mind is not on the Lord? Corrie Ten Boom had a saying: “When your mind is on the world, you are distressed; when your mind is on you, you are depressed; when your mind is on the Lord, you are at rest.” God promises His peace through His son Jesus. Will you accept it through whatever His providence brings into your life, whether it be in times of calmness or in the midst of storms?
Expectation: (His promise) “Thou will keep him in perfect peace whose mind is stayed on Thee” (Is 26:3). What happens when your mind is not on the Lord? Corrie Ten Boom had a saying: “When your mind is on the world, you are distressed; when your mind is on you, you are depressed; when your mind is on the Lord, you are at rest.” God promises His peace through His son Jesus. Will you accept it through whatever His providence brings into your life, whether it be in times of calmness or in the midst of storms?
You know the old hymn we used to sing: “It Is Well with My Soul?” There is quiet a story behind it: Horatio Spafford, was the author. He was born in 1828 and died in 1888. He was a very successful senior partner in a Chicago law firm. He was a committed Christian, who supported the ministry of Dwight L. Moody. However, his life was marked by tragedies that would have overcome a man of lesser faith. He was heavily invested in real estate in Chicago. The Great Chicago Fire in October 1871 completely broke him financially.
In 1873, he sent his wife and four daughters by ship on a trip to Europe. Because of business concerns he was delayed and intended to join them later. Mid-ocean their ship, the ocean liner Ville Du Havre, was struck by the Lochearn, an English ship. The Ville Du Havre quickly sank, which resulted in the deaths of 226 people, including Spafford’s four daughters. Spafford’s wife was among the few survivors. She sent a telegram which only said, “Saved alone.”
Spafford soon boarded a ship to England, where the rescue ship had taken his wife, to join her there. He had asked the captain of the ship that when they reached the exact location of the wreck, to point out that he may know where the lives of his daughters had been taken. When they reached that place, Spafford stood on deck, looking down into the deep, contemplating the terrible thing that had happened to his daughters. But then, it occurred to him by faith that his daughters were not at the bottom of the sea but instead in Heaven with the Heavenly Father. Encouraged by faith, he retired to his cabin and wrote:
When peace, like a river, attendeth my way, When sorrows like sea billows roll; Whatever my lot, Thou hast taught me to say, It is well, it is well with my soul. It is well (it is well), with my soul (with my soul), It is well, it is well with my soul.
The Spafford’s where people like many of us, who experienced great tragedies in their life, but who triumphed over them through their faith in God. We will face storms in this life. Some are our own making, while others are sent from God for discipline, and for perfecting our faith. But through it all, His peace is ours to claim. The avenue of peace begins with receiving Jesus as your Lord and savior. If you have not done that, CLICK HERE for a Biblical step by step guide on how to do it. May God bless you with the peace that passeth all understanding.
Written by Jimmie Burroughs