I would imagine many of us have experienced it …at times. We know it exists. We read about it, we hear about it and we probably have witnessed ‘seeing it’ on others we have known in times past who might have been going through a very difficult season in life. You could tell they were ‘walking’ in it.
In fact, I’d be willing to bet you have at times seen that ‘on others’ and wished in your own heart you could experience that kind of peace.
I have some good news for you today…You can. Just keep reading. ;-)
May I tell you again…that there is more to this ‘peace thing’ than maybe we have thought since it was God’s plan and design for us to ‘live in it’ all the time.
That was how He wanted to lead and guide us in this life.
For real.
There are so many bible verses that speak to this.
“He will guide our feet into the way or path of peace.” (Luke 1:79)
A verse I shared yesterday was God’s declaration that as a people, we simply did ‘not know the way of peace.” (Isa 59:8; Rom 3:17)
I like the distinction given here that this ‘way of peace’ was not a path that we actually ‘knew’. Sort of like how we can ‘meet someone’ or have ‘visited with someone on several occasions’…but ‘knowing’ someone is entirely different. You have to spend time with that person to become familiar with them enough to get to actually know them.
God says we simply have Not Known this path of peace.
Which is why He sent Jesus to us come lead us in this path.
People often ask that question of ‘how can I know’ …if I am being led by His Spirit.
It’s a legitimate question. And the answer is not all that mysterious. Why would God insist we follow Him if He was not going to teach us HOW we can actually do that?
It’s with His peace.
Paul wrote “the peace of God, which surpasses all understanding, will guard your hearts and minds through Christ Jesus” (Phil 4:7)
He would also write to the Colossians encouraging them to “let the peace of God rule in their hearts” …I like the way the amplified version presents it: “ Let the peace of Christ [the inner calm of one who walks daily with Him] be the controlling factor in your hearts [deciding and settling questions that arise].”
And listen to this promise found in Isaiah 26:3: “You will keep him in perfect peace, Whose mind is stayed on You, Because he trusts in You.
Maybe that is why Paul admonishes us to “set your mind on things above, not on things on the earth.” (Col 3:2).
I know…that sounds so ‘super spiritual’. Great in theory but who can actually live that way…given all the distractions and obligations and ‘other interest’ we have that occupies our mind.
[smile] Yeah…we’ll address that as well. ;-)
Oh, here’s one more and it just does not get any more clear than this: “For you shall go out with joy, And be led out with peace; (Isa 55:12)
Let’s call this our ‘bonus blessing’ where you get ‘joy’ thrown in to the mix with all the ‘peace’ we are discussing.
Do you know where all this ‘joy comes from’? In His presence there is fullness of joy! (Psalm 16:11).
In fact, see if you catch this: “You will show me the path of life; In Your presence is fullness of joy;”
In His presence…kind of sounds like that ‘abiding in Him’, yes?
So …there actually is this ‘path of life’?
Hmmm…you think it might be that ‘narrow one’ Jesus spoke of that few find? (Matt 7:14)
So let me leave you with this for your prayerful meditations today regarding walking on this narrow path of peace that God laid out for us.
Chances are you have been on it but oh for brief periods of time perhaps? Yet you noticed it had somehow ‘slipped away’ and you were not really walking in it or experiencing it as much as you would like or had in times past. So you ‘carved out some time’ to ‘draw near to God’ knowing He promises to ‘draw near to us’ when we do that.
Maybe you turned on some worship music in your car or home and sang a bit…quoted a few verses…prayed silently or even aloud…you might have even rebuked a few demon spirits to high tail it out of your home and then you actually felt pretty good…for awhile.
Honestly, I think we ‘Christians’ are often guilty of treating God like He is some genie in a bottle that when we need Him, we run and rub that bottle with some religious exercise until we feel better and then we resume walking on our Own path until we ‘lose that peace’ again.
Did I hit a nerve with that one?
Let me share a few verses for you to read over and see if you cannot identify with any of them that might explain why you …have sensed that ‘lack’ of peace…or joy…or even love in your own life and walk. Because it has always been an all too common problem for God’s people.
Our hearts can be hardened through the deceitfulness of sin that prompts a ‘departing from the living God’ (Heb 3:12-13). Go read that passage.
Other times, if we are not careful or mindful, we can just ‘drift away’. (Heb 2:1)
Jesus warned in Matt 24:12 that ‘because lawlessness (sin) will abound or increase, the love of many will grow cold. One version says ‘wax hard’. Think of a candle that has been burning brightly and the wax around the flame is so soft and pliable but when the flame gets blown out…we all know what happens.
We know that in the parable of the ten virgins found in Matt 25 that they all just became ‘drowsy’ …and fell asleep. Happens at times, it seems, to the best of them.
Scripture also addresses that the cares of this life, the desire for other things and riches can actually ‘choke out’ that life within us that comes from abiding in Jesus…if we are not careful. (Matt 13:22; 1 Tim 6:8-10; 2 Tim 2:4)
Of course, there are those who start out but come to the realization that they have ‘better things to do’ and this ‘following Jesus’ just does not jive with their lifestyle so they turn and go another way. You might want to read these passages as well: ( John 6:66; John 3:19; Matt 22:4-5)
And then of course, there is that passage in Revelation often preached on where Jesus was addressing various churches and specifically called out the church of Ephesus saying “I have this against you, that you have left your first love…look how far you have fallen…and repent…” (Rev 2:4)
One more ‘word to the wise’. Won’t have time to get in to this now, but there is also a ‘false peace’ that many walk in today.
That too…is a real ‘thing’. Jeremiah 23:17 addresses that as do other passages.
And if you don’t think it can happen, then take a final look at Revelation 3:1-6.
This time it was the church at Sardis that Jesus addresses. He even tells them outright that they have a reputation or a ‘name’ that they are ‘alive’ but are in fact, dead.
Yeah…you might ask yourself what was going on there…that their own assessment of themselves differed greatly from how God was looking at them.
See you tomorrow?
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