Peace

“Peace I leave with you, My peace I give to you; not as the world gives do I give to you. Let not your heart be troubled, neither let it be afraid” John 14:27

Jesus knew trials and sorrows lay ahead of us, but Jesus left us the assurance: “I have told you these things, so that in me you may have peace. In this world you will have trouble. But take heart! I have overcome the world” (John 16:33).

-This peace is so much more than the mere absence of war and strife, nor is it a peace that the world can give- “it is the peace of God, which surpasses all understanding, which will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus” (Philippians 4:7)

The more we draw near to God, and we grow in understanding of the depths and riches of God’s love toward us (Ephesians 3:18–19; Romans 8:38–39)
our minds and spirits begin to rest in His power and wisdom.
-We begin to understand that He really will make all things work together for our good (Romans 8:28)
-We learn that His purposes will be accomplished (Psalm 33:11 Proverbs 19:21 Isaiah 45:9 46:9–11).
-We refuse to allow ever-changing circumstances to determine our level of contentment,
relying instead upon the character of God that never changes (James 1:17 Malachi 3:6).
-we develop a lifestyle of making the Lord our refuge. (“He that dwells in the secret place of the most High shall abide under the shadow of the Almighty. I will say of the LORD, He is my refuge and my fortress: my God; in him will I trust.” Ps.91)
We will find that His peace truly does surpass all human understanding – and I pray each and everyone one of us will know this peace.

We can have peace- not because the world is peaceful but because we know God is sovereign

“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. Since we have now been justified by his blood, how much more shall we be saved from God’s wrath through him! For if, while we were God’s enemies, we were reconciled to him through the death of his Son, how much more, having been reconciled, shall we be saved through his life!” (Romans 5:1–3, 8–10)