"You will keep in perfect peace him whose mind is
steadfast, because he trusts in You." (Isaiah 26:3)
We are living in a world that is full of trouble. We see
so much unrest, hatred, and uncertainty all around us. What we are seeing is the
true condition of the heart. With so
many natural and man made disasters in the world, one wonders if it could
get any worse. How am I going to survive?
How can I find true peace in this world? What many people do not realize is that they
cannot experience true peace until they have an encounter with the Prince of
Peace who died on the cross so that all our sins can be forgiven, and only then
can we understand His way of life that leads us to His peace.
The closer we draw to Him, the more of His peace we can
enjoy. (See James 4:8) God gives us clear
instructions about how to draw near to Him. Psalm 24:3–4 says, “Who may ascend the
mountain of the Lord? Who may stand in
his holy place? The one who has clean
hands and a pure heart, who does not trust in an idol or swear by a false god.”
But
Scripture is also clear that we cannot make ourselves clean enough or pure
enough to earn the presence of the Lord. (See Romans 3:10, 23)
So how do we draw near enough to experience
His peace? Jesus said, “Peace I leave
with you; my peace I give to you. Not as the world gives do I give to you. Let
not your hearts be troubled, neither let them be afraid.” (John 14:27)
Dr. Billy Graham once wrote in his book called "Peace
with God" that unless you have peace with God, you can’t have peace
in your heart. God loves you and wants you to have peace and joy in your life
through a relationship with Jesus Christ.
Living in peace can be compared to the petals of a flower unfolding in the morning sunlight. The petals of peace in our lives unfold as we learn more about God. We discover that His character is always faithful. We experience His continual goodness. We read more of His promises. (See Psalm 100:5; 115:11; Isaiah 26:4)
Living in peace can be compared to the petals of a flower unfolding in the morning sunlight. The petals of peace in our lives unfold as we learn more about God. We discover that His character is always faithful. We experience His continual goodness. We read more of His promises. (See Psalm 100:5; 115:11; Isaiah 26:4)
If things are going well, then we feel peaceful; when
things go cockeyed, the peace quickly dissipates. Jesus made a distinction between His peace and
the world’s wavering peace, “Peace I leave with you; my peace I give you. I do
not give to you as the world gives.” (John 14:27)
Since I started my ministry in 1996, the theme of my
personal life has been to "Be simple, clean, and fruitful." This
formula has greatly enriched my physical and spiritual life. I am aware that
what has worked for me may not work for you, but allow me to suggest that when
you combine a clear mind and a clean heart with creative hands the results can
be amazing.
Someone once said, "There may be those on earth who
dress better or eat better, but those who enjoy the peace of God sleep
better." That is so true. King Solomon wrote, "...for he grants sleep
to those he loves." (Psalm 127:2)
True joy and peace is not the result of the world's
economic GDP factor, but the outcome of a Spirit filled and Spirit lead life. And the only way you can experience the peace
of God that passes all human understanding is through the blood of the cross,
the blood that Jesus shed.
You cannot have the peace of God until you first have
peace with God.
So, my prayer for you is that
you will find the Lord’s peace filling your hearts and minds “…at all times and in every way.” (2
Thessalonians 3:16a) Let His
peace rule in your hearts, and you will find life’s troubles much easier to
manage under the influence of the wonderful peace of God.
Can God change
your life?
God has made it
possible for you to know Him and
experience an
amazing change in your own life.
Discover how you
can find peace with God.
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