Peace

His Eye is On the Sparrow

/ pastorpete51 / 6 Comments 
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 NIV

Did you know that Jesus not only commands us to give thanks, but that He also gave thanks Himself? He thanked God for bread, before He fed the five thousand and even more amazingly, when He gave it to the disciples at the Last Supper. Jesus, knowing that everyone would run away, and that Judas would betray Him, still gave thanks. It strikes me that the anxious thoughts, problems and struggles that frustrate and keep me awake at night are nowhere near what Jesus faced. And yet in the middle of it all He was thankful. I am learning that when I let go of circumstances that are way beyond my control and trust them into the hands of God a miracle happens. The peace of God that is way beyond my understanding comes to keep and guard my mind in Christ Jesus. I may not see the answer to my prayers today or in the way I hoped, but God will be honored, I will be guided in the way He wants and in the end His blessing will be more than worth it all!

Peace on Earth?

/ pastorpete51 / 1 Comment

And the peace of God which surpasses all understanding, will guard your hearts and minds in Christ Jesus. Philippians 4:7 NKJV

Here in Florida, from late Fall to late Spring we have month after month of sunny, generally warm and tranquil weather. But on the first of June, hurricane season begins. For those of us who have lived here awhile that means stocking up on batteries, water and keeping the car filled with gas. We do this, not because we live in terror, but because we know that preparedness is our best friend when a storm heads our way. In that same way God offers peace, beginning at the manger in Bethlehem

We need this peace, like the deer who the Psalmist says, is thirsting for water. What a wonderful thing here to find Paul describing God’s peace as the gift that guards our hearts and minds. Just as we prepare for hurricane conditions, so this peace does not spare us from storms but rather it prepares us for them. It is not fragile or delicate. Instead God’s peace is powerful, fearless, and able to guard anyone who dares to seek for God, like the deer seeking water, the wise men following the star and the shepherds running from their fields to see the Savior in the manger. Because of the cross this peace can be yours. It is God’s gift to everyone who believes, who receives His Son as Lord and Savior and who seeks Him with all their heart!

Are We There Yet Dad?

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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 ESV

“Are we there yet dad?” our two sons asked in unison from the back seat. In spite of the fact that before we left. we had told them that our trip would take three days, they wanted to know exactly when we would get to our destination. Most of us can chuckle, at memories like that, yet we as adults we are often asking the same questions, only in more adult sounding ways. Now we clamor to know about new laws, our preferred candidate or a more business friendly economic policy. In the midst of this hyper-combative election year, we hear the candidates from both parties calling for peace in the Middle East, climatological peace, and peace in Ukraine, just to name a few issues. But Jesus tells us that real peace is not attainable in this world. Amazingly in today’s verse, just as Jesus is about to be arrested, beaten and crucified, He promises us a peace that looks nothing like the world’s variety. His kind of peace is not a goal: it is a gift. So, this morning, whether we are facing a natural disaster, political upheaval, or war, God offers us a peace to rule in our hearts, no matter who wins the election, what happens in Israel or even in our own families. But the peace that Jesus offers means letting go of this world’s counterfeit peace, letting Him do the driving and trusting that He knows when we will get there!