A Sense Of Peace – Peace with God:
There is
a great desire for peace amongst many people I have encountered. But peace is hard to achieve when those same people are broken and struggling with sin, when some of them are living in survival mode, and when some hate those that are not like them. An even greater reason for not being at peace is the fact that many people are not friends with God. There is a great tension that exists because people who naturally want to be master of their own universe while at the same time there is a God calling them to be set apart to Himself and to submit their desires for His. God created us all with a God sized hole yet many people try to fill that hole with everything but God Himself. This tension that exists between God and man is due to the fact that God created man for the purpose of being in relationship with Him. Because God is rejected by man, and there still exists a great need in the human soul for God, a great restlessness and struggle builds up eventually leading to hindrances and walls separating man from God. True peace can never be achieved without a real relationship with God. Humanity tends to think man's existence and desires outweigh those of the desires of God. This is a real tension that has existed from the time of the fall of man. You see, many people do believe there is a "God" or higher being, but many don't believe in the one true God, the God of the Bible. They know of Him but don't know Him. They don't call Him by His real name. In fact, many create their own God, one that they can put in their personal box where principles and rules only apply when deemed necessary or fit with in someones personal belief system or social mores. The greatest issue to conflict with God is sin and another is submission to His authority. Many folks struggle with this idea of authority and from the time we are youngsters to adulthood the word no is probably used more regularly than any other word in our vocabulary.
Here is the greatest truth we can know:
Only through Jesus can we have true peace and
become a friend of God. Jesus
said:
John 14:6 NIV
Jesus answered, "I am the way and the truth and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me.
Jesus answered, "I am the way and the truth and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me.
John 10:9 NIV
I am the gate; whoever enters through me will be saved. He will come in and go out, and find pasture.
I am the gate; whoever enters through me will be saved. He will come in and go out, and find pasture.
Jesus is the
only way to salvation and He was born to be our Savior, our Prince of Peace.
His work has
reconciled us back to God.
Acts 4:12 NIV
Salvation is found in no one else, for there is no other name under heaven given to men by which we must be saved."
Salvation is found in no one else, for there is no other name under heaven given to men by which we must be saved."
Isaiah 9:6 TNIV
For to us a child is born, to us a son is given, and the government will be on his shoulders. And he will be called Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God, Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace.
For to us a child is born, to us a son is given, and the government will be on his shoulders. And he will be called Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God, Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace.
Ephesians 2:13-17 NIV
But now in Christ Jesus you who
once were far away have been brought near through the blood of Christ. For he himself is our peace, who has made the two one and has destroyed the barrier, the dividing
wall of hostility, by abolishing in his flesh the
law with its commandments and regulations. His
purpose was to create in himself one new man out
of the two, thus making peace, and in this one body to reconcile both of them to God through the cross, by which he put to death their
hostility. He came and preached peace to
you who were far away and peace to
those who were near.
Mark 16:16 NIV
Whoever believes and is baptized will be saved, but whoever does not believe will be condemned.
Whoever believes and is baptized will be saved, but whoever does not believe will be condemned.
Acts 2:21 NIV
And everyone who calls on the name of the Lord will be saved.
And everyone who calls on the name of the Lord will be saved.
Romans 10:9 NIV
That if you confess with your mouth, "Jesus is Lord," and believe in your heart that God raised him from the dead, you will be saved.
That if you confess with your mouth, "Jesus is Lord," and believe in your heart that God raised him from the dead, you will be saved.
Romans 10:10 NIV
For it is with your heart that you believe and are justified, and it is with your mouth that you confess and are saved.
For it is with your heart that you believe and are justified, and it is with your mouth that you confess and are saved.
Even though
many people consider themselves religious/Christian because they affiliate
themselves
with some denomination or some church they happen to attend every once in a
while, they may not
reconciled to God due to the fact that they have not come to terms with what it means to
become a true follower of Christ. People can say they believe in God but so do
the demons.
James 2:19 NIV
You
believe that there is one God. Good! Even
the demons believe that—and shudder.
A major
component of true faith is that faith needs to be accompanied by action based
on ones believe in
God and His Word. The issue becomes that faith and action must work together. Faith
without works is dead.
James 2:26 NIV
As the
body without the spirit is dead, so
faith without deeds is dead.
With the
components of faith and action working together real devoted followers of Jesus also
live a life set apart to
Him. They live a life of worship. There identity is in Christ. They are a new
creation.
1 Peter 3:15 NIV
But in your
hearts set apart Christ as Lord. Always be prepared to give an answer to
everyone who asks you to give the reason
for the hope that you have. But do this with gentleness and respect,
John 4:23 NIV
Yet a time is coming and has now come when the true worshipers will worship the Father in spirit and truth, for they are the kind of worshipers the Father seeks.
Yet a time is coming and has now come when the true worshipers will worship the Father in spirit and truth, for they are the kind of worshipers the Father seeks.
Luke 9:23 NIV
Then he said to them all: "If anyone would come after me, he must deny himself and take up his cross daily and follow me.
Then he said to them all: "If anyone would come after me, he must deny himself and take up his cross daily and follow me.
Luke 14:27 NIV
And anyone who does not carry his cross and follow me cannot be my disciple.
And anyone who does not carry his cross and follow me cannot be my disciple.
2 Corinthians 5:17 NIV
Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation; the old has gone, the new has come!
Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation; the old has gone, the new has come!
Devoted
followers of Christ continue to grow spiritually. The Church along with the power of God's Word and the Holy Spirit play an important role in helping those who become believers mature in their faith.
2 Peter 3:18 NIV
But grow in the grace and
knowledge of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ.
To him
be glory both now and forever! Amen.
1 Peter 2:2 NIV
Like
newborn babies, crave pure spiritual
milk, so that by it you may grow up in your salvation,
James 1:22 NIV
Do not merely listen to the word,
and so deceive yourselves. Do what it says.
Acts 17:11 New International Version
2 Timothy 3:16-17 New International Version
Ephesians 4:11-13 New International Version
So Christ himself gave the apostles, the prophets, the evangelists, the pastors and teachers, to equip his people for works of service, so that the body of Christ may be built up until we all reach unity in the faith and in the knowledge of the Son of God and become mature, attaining to the whole measure of the fullness of Christ.
Those who
become devoted followers of Jesus will live by faith not by sight.
2 Corinthians 4:18 NIV
So we fix our eyes not on what is seen, but on what is unseen. For what is seen is temporary, but what is unseen is eternal.
So we fix our eyes not on what is seen, but on what is unseen. For what is seen is temporary, but what is unseen is eternal.
Romans 1:17 NIV
For in the gospel a righteousness from God is revealed, a righteousness that is by faith from first to last, just as it is written: "The righteous will live by faith."
For in the gospel a righteousness from God is revealed, a righteousness that is by faith from first to last, just as it is written: "The righteous will live by faith."
2 Corinthians 5:7 NIV
We live by faith, not by sight.
We live by faith, not by sight.
Galatians 3:26 NIV
You are all sons of God through
faith in Christ Jesus,
Attributes
of a true devoted follower of Jesus = F-a-i-t-h
- Follow His example
- Accept His grace
- Invest their lives in Him for His Kingdom purpose
- Trust in God's wisdom and strength
- Hold on to His promises
So how
does being a fully devoted follower of Jesus and living by faith give us peace? :
John 8:12 NIV
When
Jesus spoke again to the people, he said, "I am the light of the world. Whoever follows me will never walk in darkness, but will have the light
of life."
Praise be to the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of compassion and the God of all comfort,
Romans 15:13 TNIV
May the God of hope fill you with all joy and peace as you trust in him, so that you may overflow with hope by the power of the Holy Spirit.
May the God of hope fill you with all joy and peace as you trust in him, so that you may overflow with hope by the power of the Holy Spirit.
1 Thessalonians 1:6 TNIV
You became imitators of us and of the Lord, for you welcomed the message in the midst of severe suffering with the joy given by the Holy Spirit.
You became imitators of us and of the Lord, for you welcomed the message in the midst of severe suffering with the joy given by the Holy Spirit.
Matthew 11:28-30 TNIV
"Come
to me, all you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest. Take my yoke upon you and learn from me, for I am gentle and humble in
heart, and you will find rest for your souls. For my yoke is easy and my burden
is light."
Philippians 4:6-7 NIV
Do not
be anxious about anything, but in everything, 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.
John 14:27 NIV
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.
Romans 5:1 NIV
Therefore,
since we have been justified through
faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ, through whom we have gained access by faith into this grace in which we now stand. And
we rejoice in the hope of the glory of God
So peace with God comes through our relationship with Jesus
who paid the price for our sin with His life and blood. Because we have come to receive what Jesus has done, we are no longer under God’s wrath but have become friends with God. We have
also been adopted into God's family and have been promised a hope and a future in
heaven for all eternity. along with that we have been given the Holy Spirit who is our Guide and Teacher reminding us of
everything Jesus has said. With Jesus’ words of hope and His work on the cross comes a sense
of peace to those who have become His disciples.
John 14:26 TNIV
But the Advocate, the Holy Spirit, whom the Father will send in my name, will teach you all things and will remind you of everything I have said to you.
But the Advocate, the Holy Spirit, whom the Father will send in my name, will teach you all things and will remind you of everything I have said to you.
John 14:1-4 TNIV
"Do not let
your hearts be troubled. Trust in God; trust also in me.
My Father's house has plenty of room; if that were not so, would I
have told you that I am going there to prepare a place for you? And if I go and prepare a place for you, I
will come back and take you to be with
me that you also may be where I am.
You know the way to the place where I am
going."
Galatians 5:22 NIV
But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness,
faithfulness
Having that sense
of peace is directly related to the condition of our relationship with God.
There are two aspects to this:
- Our eternal position: Salvation
- Our daily relationship: Sin vs. Holiness – new self vs. the old self -separation vs. being connected – self-centered vs. Christ centered
Sometimes I feel like I am two different people. There
seems to be a battle between the old self vs. the new self. I humbly admit the old self rears its ugly head
sometimes. The difference now is the Holy Spirit has a way of convicting me of the sinfulness of my thoughts and
actions. This is a good thing that gets me back on track so I don’t hurt others or cause them to stumble in their faith.
One of the goals I have is to be more like Jesus. This means I must take deliberate action on my part to stay connected to God through prayer and the ingestion
of His Word. This means I need to be reminded and encouraged that I am a new creation in
Christ. Being Christ-like means that I am filled with the Holy Spirit who now rules the desires in my heart and the thoughts in my mind. One thing I need to remind myself of is that I have an enemy who wants to distract me from the things of God and get me focused on my self- centered desires. What better way to make me ineffective as an ambassador for Christ than for me to forget about the importance
of putting God first in my life. So even though I have assurance of my salvation, my sin can get in the way of my
relationship with God.
Followers of
Jesus have peace due to the assurance of their salvation. Here is the Biblical view:
2 Corinthians 1:21-22 NIV
Now it
is God who makes both us and you stand firm in Christ. He anointed us, set his seal of ownership on us, and put his Spirit in our hearts
as a deposit, guaranteeing what is to come.
Ephesians 1:13 NIV
And you also were included in Christ when you heard the word of truth, the gospel of your salvation. Having believed, you were marked in him with a seal, the promised Holy Spirit,
And you also were included in Christ when you heard the word of truth, the gospel of your salvation. Having believed, you were marked in him with a seal, the promised Holy Spirit,
Unconfessed sin builds a wall between us and God.
Isaiah 59:1-2 NIV
Surely
the arm of the LORD is not too short to save, nor his ear too dull to hear.
But your iniquities have
separated you from your God; your sins have hidden his face from you, so that he will not hear.
Proverbs 28:13 NIV
He who conceals his sins does not
prosper, but
whoever confesses and renounces them finds mercy.
John 8:34 NIV
Jesus
replied, "I tell you the truth, everyone who sins is a slave to sin.
Matthew 6:24 NIV
No one can serve two masters.
Either he will hate the one and love the other, or he will be devoted to the
one and despise the other. You cannot serve both God and
Money.
When we do
confess our sin the dynamic in the relationship changes because we are now
open to the
Holy Spirit who has the power to direct us back on the path to living a life
pleasing to God. Confession and repentance lead to peace with God.
1 John 1:9 NIV
If we confess our sins, he is
faithful and just and will forgive us our sins and purify us from all
unrighteousness.
2 Chronicles 7:14
NIV
If my people, who are called by my name, will humble themselves and pray and seek my face
and turn from their wicked ways, then will I hear
from heaven and will forgive their sin and will heal their land.
Psalm 32:1-5
NIV
Blessed is he whose
transgressions are forgiven, whose sins are covered.
Blessed
is the man whose sin the LORD does not count against him and in whose spirit is
no deceit.
When I
kept silent, my bones wasted away through my groaning all day long.
For day
and night your hand was heavy upon me; my strength was sapped as in the heat of
summer.
Then I
acknowledged my sin to you and did not cover up my iniquity. I said, "I will confess
my transgressions to the LORD "— and you forgave the guilt of my sin.
my transgressions to the LORD "— and you forgave the guilt of my sin.
Followers of Jesus can experience a peace that transcends
all understanding even during the most difficult of times. We have the Holy Spirit indwelled in us so we
never have to face difficult circumstances alone. The one huge difference in the way I used to feel before I
was a Christian and the way I feel now being part of God’s family is that I never feel alone anymore. I can also
be at peace even when I am struggling with the circumstances of living life in a fallen world.
During my days of living a Godless self-centered life I
used to feel empty and uneasy within myself in and amongst any of my circumstances. For many years daily life was a
struggle and very unsettling to me. I resorted to substitute avenues of comfort to get me through each day.
As a devoted follower of Jesus I now know that that I am loved by God and have the wisdom, direction and
discernment I need to navigate through the pitfalls that living this fallen world can bring
about. With the knowledge and relationship I have with the Holy Spirit working in my life, peace is at hand and
I am able to get back on the right path to living this life for God and for the sake of His kingdom.
My favorite Bible verse is from proverbs and sets the
stage for living in peace and being at peace with God:
Proverbs 3:5-6 TNIV
Trust in the LORD
with all your heart and lean not on your own understanding;
in all your ways submit to him
(In all your
ways acknowledge Him - NIV), and he will
make your paths straight.
Just Sayin………………..Dave
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