Having now looked at love and joy, and what it means to outlive them in our lives, we now come to the third attribute that is required of us living in the fruit of the spirit. It is an issue with which many of us have struggled with, and DO struggle with. Peace! Peace in every part of our lives, in every circumstance of our lives…the difficult times as well as the easy times.
Let us start with a definition of peace. What does peace make you think of? For me, it would be children asleep in bed! So, in that regard it would be a quietness. Being restful would also often be thought of as a “peaceful” attitude to be in. Have a think about what peace would mean to you.
Dictionary definitions include…
“state of harmony, absence of hostility”
and,
“absence of mental stress or anxiety”
So, what are the Biblical terms that we find?
In the Old Testament, the main root is the word ‘shalam’ – this means literally ‘to be safe (in mind, body or estate)’. A feeling of safety is then what we experience when we are at peace. It also includes a feeling of safety and all being well.
In the New Testament the word most seen is ‘eirene’ - from a primary verb ‘εἴρω eirō (to join)’. So, when we are joined to Christ, we are at peace. The definition here also includes quietness and rest.
So then, having discovered the meaning of “peace” in the scriptures, we must then examine what this means to us in practical terms, remembering that the fruit of the spirit is an OUTWORKING in us.
There are 3 areas in which we must experience peace – all of which are vital, and you cannot have one without the other. We will study peace around these three aspects.
I. PEACE WITH GOD
The starting point of experiencing peace in our lives is first of all having peace WITH God. If we are not saved and walking right with the Lord, we can never experience true peace in our lives, or towards others. It may seem obvious, but it is something that we must constantly remember, and be thankful for, in order for other relationships to be right.
Consider then,
Romans 5:1 “Therefore being justified by faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ:”
There is no other way to have peace with God. We must come by faith, trusting only in the merit of Christ, by His suffering and death for us. People today think that their works or their good deeds, giving to charity or being a “nice person” will bring them peace with God. But, it is ONLY through Jesus Christ that we can know peace with God. Through the finished work of the Lord Jesus, we are justified and therefore at peace with God. Our sins caused us to be at enmity with God, we were separated from God by our sins.
Eph 2:14 - 16 “For he is our peace, who hath made both one, and hath broken down the middle wall of partition between us; having abolished in his flesh the enmity, even the law of commandments contained in ordinances; for to make in himself of twain one new man, so making peace; and that he might reconcile both unto God in one body by the cross, having slain the enmity thereby:”
Col 1:20 “And having made peace through the blood of his cross…”
So, through the death and suffering of Christ, that partition has been torn down, and that enmity
has been abolished, being replaced by ‘peace with God’. What a privileged position to be in! No
more fear of hell and death, because we are at peace with God. No more fear of His wrath and His
punishment, because we have been justified and have peace with God. Praise God!
Col 1:21 & 22 “And you, that were sometime alienated and enemies in your mind by wicked works, yet now hath he reconciled in the body of his flesh through death, to present you holy and unblameable and unreproveable in his sight:”
This is how far we were removed from God – we were “enemies”, “ wicked”…but now, because
Christ has made peace with God we are “unblameable and unreproveable” – isn’t that amazing?
Having peace with God is then our starting point, if we are to experience any peace in our daily
lives.
II. THE PEACE OF GOD
Once we are at peace WITH God, we can then experience the peace OF God, or FROM God in our
lives. Our lives, in a sinful fallen world, have the potential to be full of turmoil, distress and unrest.
But, peace is possible! We are promised peace, time and time again, in God’s Word. There are so
many precious references and thoughts about peace, which are worth of our memorization, to draw
strength from in time of trial and difficulty.
So, what do we read about the peace of God?
I think that a sensible place to begin is to realistically view our expectations of life. Are we going to
naturally have a peaceful existence as a believer? No! Far from it! We have been told to expect
trials and difficulties, which would seem to be a recipe for “non-peace”!
John 16:33 tells us “In the world ye shall have tribulation:”.
It cannot be put any plainer than that, can it?
1Pe 4:12 tells us …“Beloved, think it not strange concerning the fiery trial which is to try you, as though some strange thing happened unto you:”
It is not a strange thing to go through trials – we are to look out for them – to EXPECT them.
Why? Because …
1Peter 5:8 “ Be sober, be vigilant; because your adversary the devil, as a roaring lion, walketh about, seeking whom he may devour:”
What a picture! The devil, like an angry and fierce beast, is out looking to cause us problems and
send us difficulties. All his legions seek to harm us and bring us trials – so we are to look out and
be ready for him to strike at any time.
So, when we have established that life WILL have difficulties, how do we deal with that in a way
that is God honouring? We look to Him of course!
Romans 8:6 “For to be carnally minded is death; but to be spiritually minded is life and peace.”
So, when we set our mind on the things of the world, we have a life that is dead – but, to have our
mind and life filled with spiritual things, which must come from the Holy Spirit, THEN we have
peace? Why? Because if we dwell upon the things of Christ, we find encouragement and strength –
how can we fear when we claim the promises of God’s Word – when our mind is filled with these
things. We have LIFE, and PEACE!
So, where else do we find scriptures that promise us true peace?
Isaiah 26:3 “Thou wilt keep him in perfect peace, whose mind is stayed on thee: because he trusteth in thee.”
We are reminded once again about the MIND – we will consider that in the study questions later.
But here, in the Hebrew, “perfect peace” is literally “peace, peace”. Repetition in the scriptures is
for emphasis. It reminds us that peace from God is the only true peace that we can experience.
The phrase “stayed on thee” means to be supported. When our minds are resting upon Christ, and
supported by His ways and thoughts, then we have that perfect peace. And, once again, at the end
of the verse we are reminded of the importance in placing our soul’s trust for salvation, upon
Christ.
Philippians chapter 4 has much to teach us.
Verses 6 & 7 say “Be careful for nothing; but in every thing by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known unto God. And the peace of God, which passeth all understanding, shall keep your hearts and minds through Christ Jesus.”
We see here of the importance of 2 things.
1. - We are COMMANDED to “be careful for nothing”. Now, this does not mean “careful” in the way that we would use it. When your child is about to walk smack into the door you would shout out “be careful!” However, here it means literally “care-ful” – “full of care”. To be worried and concerned all the time! We have not to be living like this! It robs us of that peace which we must show in our lives. Why? Because when we worry, we are not trusting in God to be in control of all parts of our lives – worry stems from looking to our circumstances, and also looking to ourselves for strength. We are told in I Peter 5 :7
“casting all your care upon Him, for HE CARETH FOR YOU!”
God is caring for us, so we must not have cares and worries. How can we?! We could not have anyone better caring for us than an almighty and unchangeable God! We have many things that we may be tempted to worry about, but we need to continually turn our eyes to Christ for our peace.
2. - we are reminded of the important channel, which will bring us peace. “In every thing by PRAYER AND SUPPLICATION WITH THANKSGIVING”. Pray, pray and pray! We are told that the part that we must play is bringing these things to God in prayer. Are we tempted to worry about something – pray about it! Are we anxious about something? – pray about it! But note, it is not just simply “prayer”, but “supplication”. This means asking and requesting – we must ask for God’s help, and we know we will receive it.
John 14:14 “ If ye shall ask any thing in my name, I will do it.”
It also mentions “thanksgiving” – we must remember to thank God for His answers to prayer. We are so quick to make requests, but often so slow to thank.
And so, after all this instruction, what are we promised?
Philippians 4:7 “And the peace of God, which passeth all understanding, shall keep your hearts and minds through Christ Jesus.”
We have a peace, which our puny, carnal minds cannot understand! We cannot understand it, but we have it! And, this peace will then “keep our hearts and minds” – keep it where? “Through Christ Jesus” – so UPON Christ, our wonderful Saviour. Not only that, but it is beyond the circumstances of an unbeliever – they would and COULD not have peace in troubles, and yet we do! The trouble may be very great – the worst we have ever experienced – and yet mysteriously, we have peace!
How often we have read this wonderful verse, yet it brings such joy to break it down and dwell upon every truth in it.
Another verse, dealing with an important aspect of peace, is…
Col 3:15 “And let the peace of God rule in your hearts…”
This reminds us that we have a responsibility to “let” or “allow” God’s peace to rule. We have to make that decision to cast aside our cares, and to rest upon the Lord. If we choose to let our problems and concerns rule us, then God’s peace cannot be ruling. Dwelling on things unnecessarily, or thinking too much about possible problems, will not bring us peace. SO, we must make that conscious decision to let God rule in His peace.
Note it mentions God’s peace “ruling”. There can only ever be one ruler, in any circumstance, otherwise there is a conflict. If cares are ruling, then peace cannot rule. If we give peace the place pre-eminence, then all of our fears and cares will dissolve into insignificance.
A verse which further reminds us of our part, is…
Psalm 34:14 “Depart from evil, and do good; seek peace, and pursue it.”
The first part of the verse seems fairly obvious! – depart from evil, and do good. But, the latter part – we must “seek” peace. It is not always right there to be able to grasp a hold of. When difficult circumstances prevail, we need to look for God’s peace – seek it out. And also “pursue” it! We have to desire that spirit and attitude in order to experience it fully. Oh, how many times it feels like we are constantly chasing after that understanding of God’s peace! I have a new CD that really sums up how I often feel about my unpeaceful state of affairs! Here are the lyrics!
“You may identify with this song if you’ve ever had one of those days where chaos seems to be the order of the day. I have quite a few days like that, but I know the answer lies in pouring my cries out to the Lord and asking him for His peace.
In myself, I can be quite a worrisome and stressful person, but I know I can put on the mind of Christ and He is my Prince of Peace.
We wanted to call this album, Peace All Over Me because that is our fervent desire, that God will pervade our homes with His presence and that somehow His peace and assurance will be imparted through these songs.”
Pearl Barrett
PEACE ALL OVER ME
He’s two and she’s five
And they’re so full of life
But I’ve taken it out on them.
There’s a pattern here
That I seem to wear
When the walls start pushing me in.
Seems No’s the only word they’ve heard all day
And I’d like to begin again.
But here I am, it’s 3 pm, and I’m calling for your strength.
CHORUS:
Pour your peace all over me,
Bathe me in serenity,
Fill me; quench me, be my all,
The One on whom my burdens fall.
Pour your peace all over me,
Take all my anxiety,
Hold me, heal me, be the wind
That breathes the life in me again.
I know that you wait
And you’re willing to take
All of my burdens on you.
Though I sense that you’re there,
I clutch my despair
And continue to rush on through.
Oh Prince of Peace, help me to see
You’re the first one I need to run to.
But here I am, it’s 3 pm, and I’m calling on your strength.
CHORUS.
These moments with you are refreshing, Lord,
Why did I wait to so long?
Now you’ve changed my perspective, Lord,
Your comfort is now my song.
Another verse of scripture which gives us much encouragement, is..
Psalm 29:11 “The LORD will give strength unto his people; the LORD will bless his people with peace.”
We have here a two-fold promise. First, we have the promise of strength. And secondly, we have the promise of peace. But, see here…it is a BLESSING to have peace. But of course, how could it be anything else? To know and understand that Christ dwells within us, that He strengthens and protects us, that we will never come to harm, and that we are no longer at enmity from our sin? Yes, it surely is a blessing! It is something that is not bestowed upon those who do not cast themselves upon Christ – we are truly and wonderfully blessed, and we must never forget it!
So, then, we have thought about ‘Peace With God’, the ‘Peace Of God’, and now we must consider
III. PEACE WITH OTHERS
Uh oh! You mean, we need to have peace with OTHER people too?! How often, again and again, in everything that we have studied so far, the problem lies with directing those fruits towards others.
Several verses remind us of this responsibility.
One verse which particularly struck me on the way through, was…
Proverbs 16:7 “When a mans ways please the LORD, he maketh even his enemies to be at peace with him.”
Well, what a promise! Enemies are by definition, those who are not at peace with us, because they are against us. We are against sin – so we are not at peace with it, for example. But, those who oppose us, and seek to cause us harm – if we please God by the way we leave, by being obedient and seeking to honour Him – then, those people will be at peace with us. Are you in a difficult situation with others, where there is dispute and difficulty? Keep following God’s ways, and He will cause them to be at peace with you. It is, once again, a reminder of our responsibility to keep doing what is right, no matter what those around us are doing. Honouring God should be our motivation, not trying to sort out our problems in our own strength.
In many of the endings of the Epistles in the New Testament, peace is mentioned. It is especially mentioned in relation to the Church, and with one another as believers. One such verse is…
Ephesians 4:3 “Endeavouring to keep the unity of the spirit in the bond of peace.”
It has been the week of prayer this week in our Church, and amazingly, both nights the one to bring our thoughts to scripture has mentioned, or used, a verse related to peace. Robert (my husband, in case you don’t know!) spoke on some verses in Ephesians 4, but made special mention of the above verse. It is so important amongst a group of believers to maintain a unity together. United in their desires to honour and serve the Lord. This verse then teaches an element of how to keep such a unity – in the bond of peace. That means that we don’t dwell on the imperfections of others; we honour and esteem others more highly than ourselves; we respect the different parts we all have to play in the running of the Church; our love “covers a multitude of sins” – in other words, we don’t dwell on the imperfections, but seek to build each other up in our faith. All these things will keep that bond of peace. We must “endeavour” – that means to work hard at it – humanly speaking it can be a tough task, but endeavour we must. And, we will reap the benefits of it in our Churches if we do so.
I Thessaloninas 5 verse 12 & 13 say
“And we beseech you, brethren, to know them which labour among you, and are over you in the
Lord, and admonish you; and to esteem them very highly in love for their work's sake. And be at
peace among yourselves.”
This firstly talks about the attitude we are to have towards those in authority over us in the Church.
It concludes its instruction with the reminder to “be at peace amongst yourselves”. It is a reminder
that division can so easily spring up – often due to showing disrespect for the minister of God, and
towards others around us. If we “esteem each other highly” then we will be at peace. It is the old
adage “think of others more highly than yourself” – you cannot go wrong with that!
There are then verses which point to a peace we must generally have with others.
Romans 12:18 “If it be possible, as much as lieth in you, live peaceably with all men.”
In other words – do everything YOU possibly can, no matter what anybody else is doing, to live peaceably with those around you. No matter how tormented and riled we are by other, live peaceably. Even if we feel it is a just response to retaliate, live peaceably. By living peaceably we are showing others that Christ is living in us, and giving us this peace. What a testimony if we show peace when someone expects us to retaliate!
Hebrews 12:14 “Follow peace with all men.”
No exceptions here – ALL men! Seek it, and put it into practice!
2Corinthians 13:11 “Finally, brethren, farewell. Be perfect, be of good comfort, be of one mind, live in peace; and the God of love and peace shall be with you.”
Following a very practical epistle to the Church in Corinith, the Apostle Paul concludes with these
thoughts. We again see reference to unity and mutual encouragement, followed by the instruction
to “live in peace”. Following straight on is the reminder of the source of this peace, as well as our
other actions – “the God of peace and love SHALL be with you”. We are comforted by the
knowledge of the presence of the very God of peace, the spring of all our comfort. What an
encouraging thought for us
SO! Having considered these different elements of peace, we need to then study some
examples in scripture of how we see this peace put into practice.
STUDY QUESTIONS
1. Study these verses, which mention being “troubled” or fearful.
I Peter 3:14 – 15; 2 Corinthians 7: 5 – 6; Luke 10 : 39 – 42; Philippians 4 : 6; Mark 10 : 37 – 40; Matthew 24:6; John 14 : 1 – 3; John 14: 26 – 27.
Answer these questions about each of them – What situation is being described? What negative responses were given? What can we learn about God? What example do we have of how to experience peace in such a situation?
2. Read Psalm 119:165. Under what condition are we promised peace? How can we, in practical terms, show this love in our Christian walk? What methods could we use to show this?
3. Read Numbers 25 : 6 – 13. Consider the situation here. Why was he promised peace? How can we, in our circumstances, apply this principle?!
4. Read Philippians 4:7, Isaiah 26:3; Colossians 3:15. Which internal elements are considered in relation to peace? Can you think of what things are hindrances to peace in your life in relation to this? What can you do to experience peace instead?
5. Read Job 22: 21 – 27. What are we to do experience peace? What promise is then given? What examples of “good” are given? How could this be applied to our own life? In what ways can we implement to “acquaint with Him”?
6. Read Psalm4. What encouragement does David receive from the Lord? Can you think of incidents in the life of David that would have caused him to feel in danger? How, then, can we be like David?
7. Read Proverbs 3. Look at verses 1 and 2. What have we to place importance upon? What are we promised in return? Read verse 13 – 17. What are we considering here? What positive thoughts are attached to the seeking of it?
8. Read II Kings 4 : 17 – 26. Remembering that the translation of the words “it is well” is ‘shalom’, as we looked at in the study – what situation had arisen for this woman? What response did she have to her circumstances? What does this show us?
Now read on to verse 37. How were her faith, trust and peace rewarded? How could this encourage us in our situations?
As always, this is CERTAINLY not an exhaustive (indeed, nowhere near it!) study on the subject. I pray that you will gain strength and help from the Lord as you seek to learn more of Him in the scriptures we study.
Let us start with a definition of peace. What does peace make you think of? For me, it would be children asleep in bed! So, in that regard it would be a quietness. Being restful would also often be thought of as a “peaceful” attitude to be in. Have a think about what peace would mean to you.
Dictionary definitions include…
“state of harmony, absence of hostility”
and,
“absence of mental stress or anxiety”
So, what are the Biblical terms that we find?
In the Old Testament, the main root is the word ‘shalam’ – this means literally ‘to be safe (in mind, body or estate)’. A feeling of safety is then what we experience when we are at peace. It also includes a feeling of safety and all being well.
In the New Testament the word most seen is ‘eirene’ - from a primary verb ‘εἴρω eirō (to join)’. So, when we are joined to Christ, we are at peace. The definition here also includes quietness and rest.
So then, having discovered the meaning of “peace” in the scriptures, we must then examine what this means to us in practical terms, remembering that the fruit of the spirit is an OUTWORKING in us.
There are 3 areas in which we must experience peace – all of which are vital, and you cannot have one without the other. We will study peace around these three aspects.
I. PEACE WITH GOD
The starting point of experiencing peace in our lives is first of all having peace WITH God. If we are not saved and walking right with the Lord, we can never experience true peace in our lives, or towards others. It may seem obvious, but it is something that we must constantly remember, and be thankful for, in order for other relationships to be right.
Consider then,
Romans 5:1 “Therefore being justified by faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ:”
There is no other way to have peace with God. We must come by faith, trusting only in the merit of Christ, by His suffering and death for us. People today think that their works or their good deeds, giving to charity or being a “nice person” will bring them peace with God. But, it is ONLY through Jesus Christ that we can know peace with God. Through the finished work of the Lord Jesus, we are justified and therefore at peace with God. Our sins caused us to be at enmity with God, we were separated from God by our sins.
Eph 2:14 - 16 “For he is our peace, who hath made both one, and hath broken down the middle wall of partition between us; having abolished in his flesh the enmity, even the law of commandments contained in ordinances; for to make in himself of twain one new man, so making peace; and that he might reconcile both unto God in one body by the cross, having slain the enmity thereby:”
Col 1:20 “And having made peace through the blood of his cross…”
So, through the death and suffering of Christ, that partition has been torn down, and that enmity
has been abolished, being replaced by ‘peace with God’. What a privileged position to be in! No
more fear of hell and death, because we are at peace with God. No more fear of His wrath and His
punishment, because we have been justified and have peace with God. Praise God!
Col 1:21 & 22 “And you, that were sometime alienated and enemies in your mind by wicked works, yet now hath he reconciled in the body of his flesh through death, to present you holy and unblameable and unreproveable in his sight:”
This is how far we were removed from God – we were “enemies”, “ wicked”…but now, because
Christ has made peace with God we are “unblameable and unreproveable” – isn’t that amazing?
Having peace with God is then our starting point, if we are to experience any peace in our daily
lives.
II. THE PEACE OF GOD
Once we are at peace WITH God, we can then experience the peace OF God, or FROM God in our
lives. Our lives, in a sinful fallen world, have the potential to be full of turmoil, distress and unrest.
But, peace is possible! We are promised peace, time and time again, in God’s Word. There are so
many precious references and thoughts about peace, which are worth of our memorization, to draw
strength from in time of trial and difficulty.
So, what do we read about the peace of God?
I think that a sensible place to begin is to realistically view our expectations of life. Are we going to
naturally have a peaceful existence as a believer? No! Far from it! We have been told to expect
trials and difficulties, which would seem to be a recipe for “non-peace”!
John 16:33 tells us “In the world ye shall have tribulation:”.
It cannot be put any plainer than that, can it?
1Pe 4:12 tells us …“Beloved, think it not strange concerning the fiery trial which is to try you, as though some strange thing happened unto you:”
It is not a strange thing to go through trials – we are to look out for them – to EXPECT them.
Why? Because …
1Peter 5:8 “ Be sober, be vigilant; because your adversary the devil, as a roaring lion, walketh about, seeking whom he may devour:”
What a picture! The devil, like an angry and fierce beast, is out looking to cause us problems and
send us difficulties. All his legions seek to harm us and bring us trials – so we are to look out and
be ready for him to strike at any time.
So, when we have established that life WILL have difficulties, how do we deal with that in a way
that is God honouring? We look to Him of course!
Romans 8:6 “For to be carnally minded is death; but to be spiritually minded is life and peace.”
So, when we set our mind on the things of the world, we have a life that is dead – but, to have our
mind and life filled with spiritual things, which must come from the Holy Spirit, THEN we have
peace? Why? Because if we dwell upon the things of Christ, we find encouragement and strength –
how can we fear when we claim the promises of God’s Word – when our mind is filled with these
things. We have LIFE, and PEACE!
So, where else do we find scriptures that promise us true peace?
Isaiah 26:3 “Thou wilt keep him in perfect peace, whose mind is stayed on thee: because he trusteth in thee.”
We are reminded once again about the MIND – we will consider that in the study questions later.
But here, in the Hebrew, “perfect peace” is literally “peace, peace”. Repetition in the scriptures is
for emphasis. It reminds us that peace from God is the only true peace that we can experience.
The phrase “stayed on thee” means to be supported. When our minds are resting upon Christ, and
supported by His ways and thoughts, then we have that perfect peace. And, once again, at the end
of the verse we are reminded of the importance in placing our soul’s trust for salvation, upon
Christ.
Philippians chapter 4 has much to teach us.
Verses 6 & 7 say “Be careful for nothing; but in every thing by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known unto God. And the peace of God, which passeth all understanding, shall keep your hearts and minds through Christ Jesus.”
We see here of the importance of 2 things.
1. - We are COMMANDED to “be careful for nothing”. Now, this does not mean “careful” in the way that we would use it. When your child is about to walk smack into the door you would shout out “be careful!” However, here it means literally “care-ful” – “full of care”. To be worried and concerned all the time! We have not to be living like this! It robs us of that peace which we must show in our lives. Why? Because when we worry, we are not trusting in God to be in control of all parts of our lives – worry stems from looking to our circumstances, and also looking to ourselves for strength. We are told in I Peter 5 :7
“casting all your care upon Him, for HE CARETH FOR YOU!”
God is caring for us, so we must not have cares and worries. How can we?! We could not have anyone better caring for us than an almighty and unchangeable God! We have many things that we may be tempted to worry about, but we need to continually turn our eyes to Christ for our peace.
2. - we are reminded of the important channel, which will bring us peace. “In every thing by PRAYER AND SUPPLICATION WITH THANKSGIVING”. Pray, pray and pray! We are told that the part that we must play is bringing these things to God in prayer. Are we tempted to worry about something – pray about it! Are we anxious about something? – pray about it! But note, it is not just simply “prayer”, but “supplication”. This means asking and requesting – we must ask for God’s help, and we know we will receive it.
John 14:14 “ If ye shall ask any thing in my name, I will do it.”
It also mentions “thanksgiving” – we must remember to thank God for His answers to prayer. We are so quick to make requests, but often so slow to thank.
And so, after all this instruction, what are we promised?
Philippians 4:7 “And the peace of God, which passeth all understanding, shall keep your hearts and minds through Christ Jesus.”
We have a peace, which our puny, carnal minds cannot understand! We cannot understand it, but we have it! And, this peace will then “keep our hearts and minds” – keep it where? “Through Christ Jesus” – so UPON Christ, our wonderful Saviour. Not only that, but it is beyond the circumstances of an unbeliever – they would and COULD not have peace in troubles, and yet we do! The trouble may be very great – the worst we have ever experienced – and yet mysteriously, we have peace!
How often we have read this wonderful verse, yet it brings such joy to break it down and dwell upon every truth in it.
Another verse, dealing with an important aspect of peace, is…
Col 3:15 “And let the peace of God rule in your hearts…”
This reminds us that we have a responsibility to “let” or “allow” God’s peace to rule. We have to make that decision to cast aside our cares, and to rest upon the Lord. If we choose to let our problems and concerns rule us, then God’s peace cannot be ruling. Dwelling on things unnecessarily, or thinking too much about possible problems, will not bring us peace. SO, we must make that conscious decision to let God rule in His peace.
Note it mentions God’s peace “ruling”. There can only ever be one ruler, in any circumstance, otherwise there is a conflict. If cares are ruling, then peace cannot rule. If we give peace the place pre-eminence, then all of our fears and cares will dissolve into insignificance.
A verse which further reminds us of our part, is…
Psalm 34:14 “Depart from evil, and do good; seek peace, and pursue it.”
The first part of the verse seems fairly obvious! – depart from evil, and do good. But, the latter part – we must “seek” peace. It is not always right there to be able to grasp a hold of. When difficult circumstances prevail, we need to look for God’s peace – seek it out. And also “pursue” it! We have to desire that spirit and attitude in order to experience it fully. Oh, how many times it feels like we are constantly chasing after that understanding of God’s peace! I have a new CD that really sums up how I often feel about my unpeaceful state of affairs! Here are the lyrics!
“You may identify with this song if you’ve ever had one of those days where chaos seems to be the order of the day. I have quite a few days like that, but I know the answer lies in pouring my cries out to the Lord and asking him for His peace.
In myself, I can be quite a worrisome and stressful person, but I know I can put on the mind of Christ and He is my Prince of Peace.
We wanted to call this album, Peace All Over Me because that is our fervent desire, that God will pervade our homes with His presence and that somehow His peace and assurance will be imparted through these songs.”
Pearl Barrett
PEACE ALL OVER ME
He’s two and she’s five
And they’re so full of life
But I’ve taken it out on them.
There’s a pattern here
That I seem to wear
When the walls start pushing me in.
Seems No’s the only word they’ve heard all day
And I’d like to begin again.
But here I am, it’s 3 pm, and I’m calling for your strength.
CHORUS:
Pour your peace all over me,
Bathe me in serenity,
Fill me; quench me, be my all,
The One on whom my burdens fall.
Pour your peace all over me,
Take all my anxiety,
Hold me, heal me, be the wind
That breathes the life in me again.
I know that you wait
And you’re willing to take
All of my burdens on you.
Though I sense that you’re there,
I clutch my despair
And continue to rush on through.
Oh Prince of Peace, help me to see
You’re the first one I need to run to.
But here I am, it’s 3 pm, and I’m calling on your strength.
CHORUS.
These moments with you are refreshing, Lord,
Why did I wait to so long?
Now you’ve changed my perspective, Lord,
Your comfort is now my song.
Another verse of scripture which gives us much encouragement, is..
Psalm 29:11 “The LORD will give strength unto his people; the LORD will bless his people with peace.”
We have here a two-fold promise. First, we have the promise of strength. And secondly, we have the promise of peace. But, see here…it is a BLESSING to have peace. But of course, how could it be anything else? To know and understand that Christ dwells within us, that He strengthens and protects us, that we will never come to harm, and that we are no longer at enmity from our sin? Yes, it surely is a blessing! It is something that is not bestowed upon those who do not cast themselves upon Christ – we are truly and wonderfully blessed, and we must never forget it!
So, then, we have thought about ‘Peace With God’, the ‘Peace Of God’, and now we must consider
III. PEACE WITH OTHERS
Uh oh! You mean, we need to have peace with OTHER people too?! How often, again and again, in everything that we have studied so far, the problem lies with directing those fruits towards others.
Several verses remind us of this responsibility.
One verse which particularly struck me on the way through, was…
Proverbs 16:7 “When a mans ways please the LORD, he maketh even his enemies to be at peace with him.”
Well, what a promise! Enemies are by definition, those who are not at peace with us, because they are against us. We are against sin – so we are not at peace with it, for example. But, those who oppose us, and seek to cause us harm – if we please God by the way we leave, by being obedient and seeking to honour Him – then, those people will be at peace with us. Are you in a difficult situation with others, where there is dispute and difficulty? Keep following God’s ways, and He will cause them to be at peace with you. It is, once again, a reminder of our responsibility to keep doing what is right, no matter what those around us are doing. Honouring God should be our motivation, not trying to sort out our problems in our own strength.
In many of the endings of the Epistles in the New Testament, peace is mentioned. It is especially mentioned in relation to the Church, and with one another as believers. One such verse is…
Ephesians 4:3 “Endeavouring to keep the unity of the spirit in the bond of peace.”
It has been the week of prayer this week in our Church, and amazingly, both nights the one to bring our thoughts to scripture has mentioned, or used, a verse related to peace. Robert (my husband, in case you don’t know!) spoke on some verses in Ephesians 4, but made special mention of the above verse. It is so important amongst a group of believers to maintain a unity together. United in their desires to honour and serve the Lord. This verse then teaches an element of how to keep such a unity – in the bond of peace. That means that we don’t dwell on the imperfections of others; we honour and esteem others more highly than ourselves; we respect the different parts we all have to play in the running of the Church; our love “covers a multitude of sins” – in other words, we don’t dwell on the imperfections, but seek to build each other up in our faith. All these things will keep that bond of peace. We must “endeavour” – that means to work hard at it – humanly speaking it can be a tough task, but endeavour we must. And, we will reap the benefits of it in our Churches if we do so.
I Thessaloninas 5 verse 12 & 13 say
“And we beseech you, brethren, to know them which labour among you, and are over you in the
Lord, and admonish you; and to esteem them very highly in love for their work's sake. And be at
peace among yourselves.”
This firstly talks about the attitude we are to have towards those in authority over us in the Church.
It concludes its instruction with the reminder to “be at peace amongst yourselves”. It is a reminder
that division can so easily spring up – often due to showing disrespect for the minister of God, and
towards others around us. If we “esteem each other highly” then we will be at peace. It is the old
adage “think of others more highly than yourself” – you cannot go wrong with that!
There are then verses which point to a peace we must generally have with others.
Romans 12:18 “If it be possible, as much as lieth in you, live peaceably with all men.”
In other words – do everything YOU possibly can, no matter what anybody else is doing, to live peaceably with those around you. No matter how tormented and riled we are by other, live peaceably. Even if we feel it is a just response to retaliate, live peaceably. By living peaceably we are showing others that Christ is living in us, and giving us this peace. What a testimony if we show peace when someone expects us to retaliate!
Hebrews 12:14 “Follow peace with all men.”
No exceptions here – ALL men! Seek it, and put it into practice!
2Corinthians 13:11 “Finally, brethren, farewell. Be perfect, be of good comfort, be of one mind, live in peace; and the God of love and peace shall be with you.”
Following a very practical epistle to the Church in Corinith, the Apostle Paul concludes with these
thoughts. We again see reference to unity and mutual encouragement, followed by the instruction
to “live in peace”. Following straight on is the reminder of the source of this peace, as well as our
other actions – “the God of peace and love SHALL be with you”. We are comforted by the
knowledge of the presence of the very God of peace, the spring of all our comfort. What an
encouraging thought for us
SO! Having considered these different elements of peace, we need to then study some
examples in scripture of how we see this peace put into practice.
STUDY QUESTIONS
1. Study these verses, which mention being “troubled” or fearful.
I Peter 3:14 – 15; 2 Corinthians 7: 5 – 6; Luke 10 : 39 – 42; Philippians 4 : 6; Mark 10 : 37 – 40; Matthew 24:6; John 14 : 1 – 3; John 14: 26 – 27.
Answer these questions about each of them – What situation is being described? What negative responses were given? What can we learn about God? What example do we have of how to experience peace in such a situation?
2. Read Psalm 119:165. Under what condition are we promised peace? How can we, in practical terms, show this love in our Christian walk? What methods could we use to show this?
3. Read Numbers 25 : 6 – 13. Consider the situation here. Why was he promised peace? How can we, in our circumstances, apply this principle?!
4. Read Philippians 4:7, Isaiah 26:3; Colossians 3:15. Which internal elements are considered in relation to peace? Can you think of what things are hindrances to peace in your life in relation to this? What can you do to experience peace instead?
5. Read Job 22: 21 – 27. What are we to do experience peace? What promise is then given? What examples of “good” are given? How could this be applied to our own life? In what ways can we implement to “acquaint with Him”?
6. Read Psalm4. What encouragement does David receive from the Lord? Can you think of incidents in the life of David that would have caused him to feel in danger? How, then, can we be like David?
7. Read Proverbs 3. Look at verses 1 and 2. What have we to place importance upon? What are we promised in return? Read verse 13 – 17. What are we considering here? What positive thoughts are attached to the seeking of it?
8. Read II Kings 4 : 17 – 26. Remembering that the translation of the words “it is well” is ‘shalom’, as we looked at in the study – what situation had arisen for this woman? What response did she have to her circumstances? What does this show us?
Now read on to verse 37. How were her faith, trust and peace rewarded? How could this encourage us in our situations?
As always, this is CERTAINLY not an exhaustive (indeed, nowhere near it!) study on the subject. I pray that you will gain strength and help from the Lord as you seek to learn more of Him in the scriptures we study.
