We were talking about the ‘way of peace’, yesterday, and how the Bible states few of us know about it (Rom. 3:17). It is the ‘way of peace’ that Jesus came to lead and guide us in’ (Luke 1:79).

This should not come as a surprise to anyone who is familiar with that beloved 23rd Psalm. Surely you are familiar with it: “The Lord is my shepherd; I shall not want. He makes me to lie down in green pastures; He leads me beside the still waters. He restores my soul, He leads me in the paths of righteousness for His name’s sake.” (1-3). That sure sounds like a place of ‘peace’ to me, does it not to you?

You might underline that word ‘lead’ which is used twice there, because that is a very important key to maintaining this ‘walk of peace’. If you are going to claim Him as your ‘shepherd’... be sure to acquaint yourself with John 10:27 because that is where Jesus makes it known that ‘His sheep hear His voice, and He knows them…and they follow Him.” You might also jot down Romans 8:14 because that is another significant ‘clue’ or hint as to how to identify who the true ‘children of God’ are- they are ‘led by His Spirit’.

As I’ve been reading and studying and writing these past few days, I really sensed the Lord ‘drop something into my spirit’ pertaining to this talk about ‘walking in love’ which is the true mark, or ‘fruit’… of those who follow Jesus (John 13:34; 1 Cor. 13:1-8). What was impressed upon me was this:

We will never be able to ‘walk as He walked (1 John 2:6) and ‘love others as He loved us’ (John 15:12)…until we first learn how to ‘walk in peace’. And this is no small thing, either. You have probably discovered by now, from your own experiences and failures…that no matter how sincere your ‘come to Jesus moment’ was…we just don’t get up from a tear stained altar and begin loving folks like Jesus did.

Now that’s not to say you might have made a good run at it early on, riding on some high ‘spiritual octane’ as a result of having an intimate encounter with the Holy Spirit; (if you even indeed had that) but most of us realize that initial ‘high’ never seems to last; am I right? And would you like to know why that is? Because after we first ‘come to Jesus’…and experience that ‘time of refreshing’ Acts 3:19 speaks of…it is then that the Holy Spirit begins to ‘lead us’ where we can start dealing with all those areas in our hearts that prevent us from ‘loving others’ like Jesus did. You know…things like pride and anger and resentment and envy and strife and impatience, etc. The Bible refers to those areas as the ‘evident deeds of the flesh’ (Gal. 5:19-21), and Jesus makes it known those are the ‘evil things that defile our hearts’ (Mark 7:21-23).

We simply don’t have it in us to live like Jesus; but…but…but…if we continue to follow Him, He begins this work of transformation as He leads us …not to glory…but to the cross; our cross…where we learn to ‘die to self’. And can I just tell you this is not an option? (Luke 9:23; 14:27,33; John 12:24)

I should also point out this can quickly become a ‘sticking point’ that can bring your walk of faith and salvation to a screeching halt. It sure did for that rich, young ruler when he was told by Jesus that a ‘cross and forsaking all’ would be involved (Mark 10:21-22). I really don’t think that story is shared often enough in many churches today, because while we in our feeble and misguided motives try to ‘pave the way to heaven’ and make it easy on any and all who may sit in our pews…the key lesson in this story is how clear Jesus made it, up front… to this young man - if you are not ready to surrender your whole heart to God…up front, then you are not ready to begin this walk. And trust me…God will call your hand and test your heart (Deut. 8:2; 1 Thess. 2:4).

Here’s some more good news: God does not expect you to accomplish this all on your own. In fact, Jesus taught that apart from Him, we can do nothing, which is why ‘abiding in Him’ is imperative’ (John 15:1-8). Can I also say that this ‘abiding in Jesus’ was never intended nor designed to be a ‘part-time’ gig where you only abide in Him when it’s convenient, or when you ‘feel like it’? Both young and ‘seasoned’ Christians alike can be awfully quick to say that ‘nobody can live like Jesus’, or “you are aways gonna be a sinner”…and there ‘ain’t no way you can go and sin no more’ …like the Bible teaches. And yet, it’s those same ‘Christians’ who will be the first to quote Philippians 4:13 that says ‘Through Christ I can do ALL things!”; Go figure.

But going back to this ‘way of peace’ that we’ve been looking at; please keep in mind that this peace is not something you need to conjure up and make happen on your own. Do you remember the promise Jesus made to His followers? “My peace…I give you.” (John 14:27). Did you catch that? It is ‘His peace’ that God provides for us…to equip us and to comfort us and even more importantly…to lead and guide us.

Something else about this peace you might have heard about…but it ‘surpasses all human understanding’. In other words, it defies human logic because it shows up and will carry you through things that will confound and amaze others who lack it when they see us walking in it. (Phil. 4:7; Col 3:15)

Anyone want to know where you can ‘find this peace’? It’s back at ‘square one’ when you first come to Jesus with ‘all’ your heart, in that place of repentance we talked about yesterday. And do you remember what was promised to come in Acts 3:19…that ‘time of refreshing’? Yeah…that’s when God surrounds you with His peace, almost like a built in ‘hedge’ that He intends for you to stay in, or abide and walk in.

We are told that ‘In His presence, there is fullness of joy’ (Isa. 16:11). So when you draw near to God, in humbleness of spirit…and He then in turn…’draws near to you’…your heart ought to be experiencing and basking in His presence. And I’m not talking about some ‘emotional high’…although it can be hard at times to distinguish the difference. :- )

But then comes another delightful promise: Isaiah tells us that after this encounter…”You will go out in joy and be led forth in peace.” (Isa. 55:12). Oh…and to make it easy for you when it comes to learning how to ‘hear His voice’ and be ‘led by His Spirit’….when you stumble and ‘mess up’…you’ll know about it quickly; because you’ll lose that peace.

You can write this down: We cannot walk in sin and apart from Him…and maintain His peace; no matter how hard you try, or want to think you can. And if are convinced that God’s peace will continue to rest upon you as you live your life as a ‘wretched sinner saved by grace’…it might be a ‘false peace’ that you are walking in. And that too…’is a thing’. Meet me back here tomorrow?