“The things which you learned and received and heard and saw in me...These things you should do...(put into practice) and the God of peace will be with you.” – Paul (Phil. 4:9)

You might scroll back a few verses and just read a few...of those ‘things’, beginning at vs. 4, where we are admonished to ‘rejoice in the Lord...always’...and to “let your gentleness be known to all men since the Lord is at hand”...(4-5). And make note of that promise in vs. 7...if we do what is encouraged there in vs. 6: how ‘the peace of God which surpasses all understanding...will guard/keep your hearts and minds through Christ Jesus”.

From what I read, hear, and even see these days...there seems to be a genuine shortage of ‘peace of mind’ that eludes so many people; and yes...that would include many who grace our church pews weekly.

I know I quote Hosea 4:6 here often, that statement where God said ‘His people are destroyed for a lack of knowledge...”, but have you ever read His assessment of the people in Romans 3:17-18, where Paul quotes from the OT saying “And the way of peace they have not known. There is no fear of God before their eyes.”

Did you know that Jesus came...to lead us in the ‘path of peace’? (Luke 1:79). And that He promised His followers...if they would do as He instructed them to do, that despite all the turmoil and darkness and ‘tribulation’ that would be in this world...He promised to give us ‘His peace’...to comfort and guide us ?(John 16:33; 14:27; 20:21)

That is how you know you are truly ‘abiding’ in Jesus: you walk in peace. And when you truly begin to walk in, and experience His peace... then Psalm 23:1-3 takes on a whole new meaning; this I can promise you. Now I don’t want to get sidetracked here with this ‘footnote’, but there definitely is a ‘false peace’ that many find themselves walking in today, and scripture warns us of this which you can look into on your own (1 Thess. 5:3; Jer. 23:16-17; Ezek. 13).

But if I can help by offering up something akin to a ‘spiritual barometer’, it would be this: You cannot continue to ‘walk according to the flesh nature’...and also walk in the peace of God. It’s impossible. You might review Romans 8:5-8. You see...if you are truly being ‘led by the Spirit of God’, which is what the ‘children of God’ do (Rom. 8:14)...then you are dealing with that carnal flesh nature as you ‘put it to death’ (Rom. 8:13) or ‘lay it down’, as we talked about yesterday.

For anyone who is just starting out and learning what this ‘walk with Jesus’ is all about, and how it ‘works’...it is the ‘peace of God’ that serves as a ‘guide’ for us, and you will begin to catch on and recognize it, hopefully sooner than later. This is how God ‘chastens’ or ‘disciplines’ us when we ‘drift out of His lane’, which is how I refer to what it means to ‘abide’ in Him. (Heb. 2:1; 12:5-14). I regret not ‘mastering’ this sooner...and then continuing to walk in it. I nominate myself to be God’s ‘poster child’ when it comes to demonstrating His love, patience, mercy...and grace towards someone.

These past five years have truly been the most humbling and yet rewarding and fulfilling 5 years of my life...and I’ll be 66 in two months.

Not only have I been blessed to continue writing and sharing with you here, so much of what I have learned in God’s word during this time, but I have freely offered up sharing personal experiences and ‘life application lessons’ He has taught me as well. As I always point out, they are ‘personal experiences’ at that, and should never take the place of God’s word in our lives; but they can serve as encouraging reminders in how God ‘confirms’ His word to us. I don’t know about you, but I so love and appreciate when He does that, since I so need it...regularly.

For example...a story I have shared here in the past as I was learning what this walk of abiding in Him and His peace...was all about...

Several years ago, I was shooting (taking pics of) a high school basketball game back in Paris (TX). It was shortly after the ‘pandemic panic’ was subsiding, and the wearing those masks restrictions were being lifted everywhere. During a timeout, I eased over to a male administrator at the game who I knew well and was sharing with him a silly story I had experienced regarding the wearing of those ‘protective’ masks. The incident in which I shared with him is not one I would have shared in ‘mixed’ company (with females), but I still got a chuckle out of it, as did this male friend of mine who I told.

Right afterwards, the ref’s whistle blew and the game resumed and back to taking pictures...I went. But something ‘happened’ and I was immediately aware of a lack of...or an ‘absence’ of something I had grown accustomed to basking in; and it was that peace and joy that I had grown quite familiar with. It was almost a feeling of being ‘naked’ out in public, and immediately...I found myself praying...”God...what just happened? Did I do or saying something wrong?” And immediately, I heard the whisper of the Holy Spirit speak in a firm, yet loving rebuke: “Don’t share that story anymore with anyone. It’s not fitting to be named among the saints” (Eph. 5:3-4).

No further clarification was needed: Message received and understood, loud and clear. What I shared with that man was ‘carnal’ and did not glorify, honor, or please the Lord at all. I also remember my immediate response to God's loving rebuke (Heb. 12:5-11). I found myself humbled, and after confessing in agreement with God, then apologizing to Him for that ‘lapse’, I vowed to be done with that story and would share it no more. (I think I had actually shared it on more than one occasion with others previously). I then found myself thanking the Lord for loving me enough to point that area out and to ‘correct me’. And do you know what followed immediately? That peace and joy were restored... instantly. It truly was an amazing and incredible ‘teaching/learning moment’ for me in what it means to follow the leading of His Spirit, what it means to ‘walk in the Spirit’ (Gal. 5:16), not to mention what it means to be ‘chastened’ by my Father as well.

Friends...He is speaking....but are we listening?