Dear Saints,
I heard a great message last Sunday from a dear Pastor and friend, Marven Durling about the Peace of God. So I don't want to take the credit for this email message (and honestly, for any other previous messages), because anything we have received is by Gods Grace in the first place. However, I do want to add on the thoughts that the Lord brought to mind.
One of the greatest advertisements this world will try to sell you is so that you can have some "Peace of Mind". People will want these products or receive these services because the advertising agents know that all consumers want and need to have Peace of mind. So these agencies advertise as such. However, to be honest with you, everything that the world offers you outside of the will of God may only bring you peace for a very short time, but nothing that they offer will ever last or will ever compare to the real Peace that only God gives us through His Son Jesus. Jesus tells us that "My Peace I give you, not as the world gives" (John 14:27). The only Peace that we will ever receive that satisfies us totally and inwardly is receiving His Peace for us because He is the Only One who gives us real Peace that lasts for all eternity. Any other peace the world tries to offer you only satisfies "here and now".
Christians often pray for peace, but don't often seem to live in peace or live with peace when they should. Because we can have Peace with God (Rom 5:11) and should exhibit the Peace of God (Phil 4:7). We don't have to pray for peace because He tells us that He has already given us His Peace. So we shouldn't have to ask for something He already promised that He already had given to us. Therefore, what we need to pray is that we will learn to receive that wonderful peace He already has given to us by asking Him to help us live according to His desires and His will for our lives. Many times, I see Christians often do not seem to have this Peace Christ already offers us. So why is that? As an example, many Christians do not have peace within themselves when they refuse to forgive others their trespasses. Living in disobedience to His ways will never bring you true genuine peace which He alone offers. It is NEVER the fault of God for ever withholding His goodness from us, but it is because of disobedience and choosing to do things "our way" that is the real problem. When conflicts within our soul becomes apparent, this may be often due to the fact that we have not repented when we should, admit our faults before God when we should, may not have settled any issues between ourselves and God from past sins or knowingly live in disobedience or other related matters that war within our membranes because we fail to humble ourselves before the Loving counsel of God. I find it is imperative to understand fully (to have that solid knowing deep deep within) that Gods Ways are always "The Best" for our present and eternal well-being. Choosing to do things His Way always brings results of having Joy, Peace, gladness within. No other commodity, no other material possessions or worldly fame can ever compare with having real joy and peace that only God constantly offers us. We will never obtain that rich Peace within when we question other people by blaming them, question and blaming our circumstances or question God, when the real matter is that we NEED to be questioning our ambitions &/or motives.
What may cause many Christians to fail to receive His peace is that they have more concern about the cares and ambitions of this world. Just like Jesus mentions in one of many parables He often taught, about the seed being choked out by the cares of having the riches of this temporal world (Matt 13:22). When I see how Big, Great and Awesome eternity is, I don't end up putting so much emphasis on worldly ambitions when I focus on how much greater eternity is compared to this temporal life on earth. When I see a television program called "Hoarding", it is devastating to see how material possessions have an immense stronghold on many people that they often end up crying in despair to ever let go of "things" they believe truly satisfies them. Sometimes, it gets to the point where people will choose "things" over their own family members. When these people are about to die, it is the family members who are by your side, not material possessions. Material possessions and worldly ambitions could care less about you!! That's why it is extremely important to enjoy and have possessions we own, but not allow them to own us!! When you consider this present life on earth of 100 years is like a little drop of water and the entire worlds oceans (are like eternity), I don't have the same ambitions in this present life like I used to have, which I now see myself liberated from the bondages I once had. I would far rather be prepared for that eternal home where time has no limit. No wonder God encourages us to set our minds on things above instead (Col 3:2). I believe the greatest devastation of all is when people come to the end of their lives living with regret. Failing to do what God admonishes each of us to do in such a short lifespan here on earth and stepping out in to eternity. I don't belittle any real problems people have in this life. But I find the real problem is often the fact that our ambitions are often focused on the "Here and Now" rather than focusing on a most important perspective by asking God to help you be a blessing to others and seeing how He can do a wonderful work through you to advance His Kingdom purposes instead. Keeping focused on His Kingdom principles rather than on worldly ambitions is what gives us real Peace (His Peace) in the first place.
His blessings of Peace is unlimited. However, the portion of receiving His richness of Grace, Mercy, blessings and peace are in direct proportion of how much we love Him, obey Him, believe His love and care for us and choose to set your mind on things above and not be so focused on this life that you lose sight for eternity. His Peace will never benefit us when we do not accept this. I would far rather do away with so much of the cares and ambitions of this world and choose to do things His way in order to inherit this real peace than failing to have otherwise. Having everything this world could ever offer while having no Peace is simply not worth it. Just like eternity is far greater than this temporal world, and His ways and thoughts are far higher than our thoughts and ways (Isa 55:9), so His Peace is also that much greater than any peace this world could ever offer us.
If we want to have the greatest Peace of all, we need to keep our hope and passion on the One who loves us and died for us. Isa 26:3 reads "You will guard him and keep him in perfect and constant peace whose mind [both its inclination and its character] is stayed on You, because he commits himself to You, leans on You, and hopes confidently in You".
The proceeds from purchase of my books @ http://sites.google.com/site/greatestbuilderforourlife go towards supporting "Helping Cope Through Hope" mission work in Zambia.
The proceeds from purchase of my books @ http://sites.google.com/site/greatestbuilderforourlife go towards supporting "Helping Cope Through Hope" mission work in Zambia.
