A TRUSTY THERMOMETER

We've just concluded a five-part series on God's Amazing Grace. Did you realize there is a strong relationship between God's Grace and God's Peace? It is to God's Incredible Peace we now turn our attention. "May Grace and Peace be multiplied to you in the knowledge of God and of Jesus our Lord." (II Peter 1:2) This Scripture says explicitly that grace and peace only come "in the knowledge of God and of Jesus Christ." In fact, the knowledge of God multiplies both grace and peace within us. The knowledge of God is far more than knowing facts about God or that He exists. Mere fact acquisition will never multiply grace and peace. Instead, we must internalize God - submit to Him as Savior and Lord - to truly know Him in a personal relationship with Him! The Apostle Paul adds, "Grace to you and peace from God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ." (II Corinthians 1:2)

We live in a very troubled time. Our culture is running uncontrollably wild. Evil is manifested on every hand, sin abounds, lies are told and believed, disregard and disrespect for God, His truth, His Word, His holiness, and His commandments are flagrantly expressed. Life for the most of us is hard, family finances are drained, expenses are up, resources are down and we seriousy wonder about making financial "ends meet." Family relationships tend to be in shambles, pressures regarding choices, decisions and honest communication are crowding healthy relationships into non-existence. "Religion" seems to be a thing of the past, the church is generally anemic and many people, even Christians, are avoiding it. In such an atmosphere turmoil and anxiety fill hearts and minds. We even worry ourself into poor physical and mental health. We cry out for inner peace in the midst of our turmoil and anxiety. If there is one thing our entire world is crying out for right now it is PEACE!

Wars in Ukraine and in Israel, international tensions are very present, the threats of Communist China, not only indicate the signs of Jesus coming back to earth as He promised He would, but also the desperate need for peace both outwardly and inwardly! Let me digress a moment. Our primary and most important job in this life and world is to prepare for the second coming of Jesus and our eternal residence. However, for many, this is the farthest thing from their mind and life's purpose! I want to exhort all of us to take seriously this preparation for Jesus' return and make absolutely sure we are personally ready! There appears to be unrest everywhere we look and what we have previously held as foundations seem to be shaking. However, in spite of that, we are told that Peace From God ought to be ruling in our hearts. "Let the peace of Christ rule in your hearts, since as members of one body (the church) you were called to peace." (Colossians 3:15)

What does it mean to have the Peace of God and how can we find it in the middle of chaos? We often make the assumption that His Peace is the absence of chaos and that is not accurate. God's Peace is the presence of calm and serenity in the middle of chaos! This is the essence of the peace that God is offering. So, let's look closer at what it means to experience first-hand the Incredible Peace of God. There are many places in the Bible that describe this peace that only God can give. Let's look at three characteristics of His peace highlighted from Scripture.

First, God's Peace is Different. "Peace I leave with you, MY peace I give you. I do not give it to you as the world gives. Do not let your heart be troubled and do not be afraid." (John 14:27) Many times in the world, peace is circumstantial. When circumstances align, when there is great agreement, then and only then can peace be had. Peace is often negotiated for the purpose of bringing an end to conflict. Because of this to have peace in the world everything must line up in perfect order. BUT, this is not how God's peace works! The peace of God does not come through negotiation, or because there is no chaos, right circumstances or agreement. Many times all seems to be so at odds that it would make any kind of peace seem impossible. This is what makes God's Peace different. It exists in the midst of chaos and that is truly by design and purpose. If we see the second part of John 14:27, Jesus said, "don't let your heart be troubled and don't be afraid." How is this possible if things are falling apart around us and everything appears to be fully desperate? The reason we don't have to be worried or fearful is that we have God's unshakable Peace. Again, it may not match our circumstances but that is what makes God's peace so entirely different. When we can walk through the chaotic storms unafraid of them overtaking us, then we are experiencing what it means to have the wonderful Peace of God! His peace is so much different than any that could conceivably be found in the world.

It may be time for a spiritual check-up! How real is the presence, quality and constancy of God's peace in our hearts? HIS PEACE is a great spiritual thermometer for spiritual health!

Second, God's Peace is a Defense. "And the peace of God, which transcends all understanding, will GUARD your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus." (Philippians 4:7) It almost seems like a contradiction to put peace and defense in the same sentence, but this is exactly what the Peace of God is. It stands watch over our heart in the same way a military guard stands watch. This is what the word means in the Greek (the original language of the New Testament). So the Peace of God watches over our hearts and minds. It will come against any foreign invaders such as anxiety, worry, fear, chaos, evil, sin, temptation and satanic attack! God gives us His peace to keep out those intruders so we can remain calm with a quiet spirit and focused on Christ Jesus in the very midst of our situation, regardless of what it is going on around or within us.

Third, God's Peace Dwells. "Now may the Lord of peace Himself give you peace at all times and in every way. The Lord be with (or in) all of you." (II Thessalonians 3:16) If there is anything to grip our heart about the meaning of God's peace it is simply this: The Peace of God dwells within us all the time, regardless of our circumstances! The Apostle Paul affirms that the FRUIT OF THE SPIRIT includes peace! "But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, self-control; against such things there is no law." (Galatians 5:22-23) Notice what great company PEACE keeps in the Spirit's fruit borne out in the life of the Spirit-filled follower of Jesus! Since God's Holy Spirit lives within us, then His peace dwells within us as well. His peace is purposefully designed to linger within us and be a refuge when we are dealing with all the issues we face because that's life!

The beautiful thing about the Peace of God is that it flows from within our heart. Consider this comparison based on Luke 6:45. "A good man brings good things out of the good stored up in his heart, and an evil man brings evil things out of the evil stored up in his heart. For the mouth speaks what the heart is full of." What does this Scripture have to do with God's peace? Consider this Scripture to be a heart check-up! Jesus was saying that what comes out of our mouth is a true manifestation of that which our heart is filled up with. Thus, if anxiety, worry, fear, anger, jealousy, and other foreign invaders flow out of our mouth, then that is exactly what is ruling in our heart! Or, if peace comes out of our mouth, then the peace of God is ruling in our heart. When the Peace of God RULES IN OUR HEART it will be evident by what we say and what we do. God's peace affects how we perceive a situation and it impacts the way we act regarding it.

It is time for a spiritual check-up! Is the peace of God ruling in our heart, or is our heart being ruled by foreign invaders?

How then do we get to the place where God's peace reigns in our heart? PRAY! Prayer is the answer! So often when we don't have inner peace it is because we tend to focus on everything else going on and we forget WHO GOD IS! We forget His sovereignity, authority and who we serve and who is really in control of ALL things! When this occurs our peace will certainly disappear. This is one reason why PRAYER is so vital! Before His peace sets up to guard our heart and mind, God gives us a responsibility! "Do not be anxious about anything, but in every situation, by Prayer and Petition with Thanksgiving, present your requests to God." (Philippians 4:6) This is how we get to the place of inner peace. When the foreign invaders intrude, since we "know God" we turn to Prayer, placing ALL we face into that God's love, care and keeping. We will TRUST Him to bring us through strong and victorious, with His abiding peace. We must learn and implement the exchange of the foreign invaders that crowd our heart and mess with our mind, for prayerfully submitting them to God, which then makes room for His peace to fill that space. I am reminded of a great old hymn, composed by Warren D. Cornell and William Cooper in 1889, Titled: "WONDERFUL PEACE."

"Far away in the depths of my spirit tonight, Rolls a melody sweeter than psalm; in celestial-like strains, it unceasingly falls, O'er my soul like an infinite calm.

What a treasure I have in this wonderful peace, Buried deep in the heart of my soul; So secure that no power can mine it away, while the years of eternity roll.

I am resting today in this wonderful peace, Resting sweetly in Jesus' control; For I'm kept from all danger by night and by day, And His glory is flooding my soul.

And I think when I rise to that city of peace, Where the Author of peace I shall see, That one strain of the song which the ransomed will sing in that heavenly kingdom will be:

Chous: Peace, peace, wonderful peace, Coming down from the Father above! Sweep over my spirit forever I pray, in fathomless billows of love!

Ah, soul, are you here without comfort and rest, Marching down the rough pathway of time? Make Jesus your friend ere the shadows grow dark; Oh, accept this sweet peace so sublime!"

So then, the PEACE OF GOD is another of His wonderful gifts to us! His peace is truly capable of transcending everything that comes our way to rob us of calmness and serenity. I don't know what we may be faced with today, but I do know for sure that if we make the exchange of foreign invaders that make our life miserable and unfruitful, for PRAYER, our God will most certainly give us His remarkable and definitive PEACE. It is His promise and joy to give His Peace!

As Scripture and the hymn above say so clearly, if you would have God's Peace, you first have to personally know the Author (God) of peace! I encourage you right now, to open your heart to the grace, love, mercy and presence of Jesus. You can pray this: Lord Jesus, I want to receive you as Savior and Lord. Thank you for dying in my place, for your willingness to forgive me of my sins. I turn away from my sins and I turn to you; I intend to live for you all the days of my life and live in eternity with you, and I thank you for saving me!

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