The Lord of Peace

"Now may the Lord of peace Himself continually grant you peace in every circumstance. 

The Lord be with you all!"

2 Thessalonians 3:16

What a beautiful description of Jesus: The Lord of Peace. He is the Author of Peace. The Peacemaker and the Peacekeeper. He is the reason we can make peace with God. For He is the One who gave His very life for peace. If we want to know the peace that passes all understanding, we need only to give ourselves to the Lord of Peace Himself. He will keep in perfect peace the one whose mind is fixed on Him and who continues to trust in Him (Isaiah 26:3).

Living for Jesus, oh, what peace!

Rivers of pleasure never cease;

Trials may come, yet I'll not fear,

Living for Jesus, He is near.

(From the hymn Living for Jesus, Oh What Peace by Charles Frederick Weigle)

Peace is Possible

"Let the peace of Christ rule in your hearts, 

to which indeed you were called in one body; and be thankful."

Colossians 3:15

"We tend to think of peace as the absence of turmoil. We have peace, we say, when countries are not at war. But sometimes, that peace is only the two sides reloading." -- Rev. Bruce Goettsche

Paul is not speaking of peace being the absence of trouble. He is referring to the peace we can have in the very midst of trouble. That peace is supernatural and comes first when we have peace with God through Christ. He reconciles us to God through His sacrifice on the cross. Paying our sin debt; a debt we can never pay ourselves. When we know that God is no longer angry with us because we have claimed Jesus as our righteousness, then we have "peace with God". Now that we have peace with God we also have the Holy Spirit living within us, sending out constant messages to our hearts and minds. Messages that say, "Trust Christ". "Rely on Him". "Give your troubles over to Him."  "Let go." If we are listening and obeying, we will give control over to the Spirit; we will let Christ's peace take over. It really is a matter of yielding to Him. This same yielding needs to take place in our relationships. We too often forfeit peace with others because we are so intent upon having things our own way. The Holy Spirit calls us to reconciliation with God and with others. Christ said the greatest commandment is to love God with all our heart, soul, mind and spirit, and the second greatest commandment is to love others as we love ourselves. When we obey these commandments, peace rules in our hearts. All this leads to thankfulness. Thankfulness to Christ for making peace possible. Hallelujah!

A Peaceful Home

"It is better to live in a corner of the roof 

Than in a house shared with a contentious woman."

Proverbs 25:24

Solomon must have had a tough time with his wives. But maybe part of his trouble was the fact that he had multiple wives in the first place. And as one Bible commentator noted, we haven't heard anything from Solomon's wives about how he was to live with on a bad day. Chances are they'd have plenty to say. Nevertheless, this is a good reminder to both husbands and wives to live in harmony. Nothing is worse than living with a spouse who is constantly looking for a fight. The Apostle Paul wrote: "If possible, so far as it depends on you, be at peace with all men." (Romans 12:18) This isn't just for men, it's for women too. Let's all make sure we're building a peaceful home.

Peace on Earth

And suddenly there appeared with the angel a multitude of the heavenly host praising God and saying,“Glory to God in the highest, And on earth peace among men with whom He is pleased.” 

Luke 2:13-14

Our world often speaks of peace. The Bible speaks of peace, too:

Peace with God - that's the peace between man and God. "Therefore, having been justified by faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ," (Romans 5:1)

Peace of God - the peace that we can have internally. "Peace I leave with you; My peace I give to you; not as the world gives do I give to you. Do not let your heart be troubled, nor let it be fearful." (John 14:27)

Peace with others - this is peace we can experience when we have the first two: peace with God and the peace of God. "So then we pursue the things which make for peace and the building up of one another." (Romans 14:19)

Aren't these three forms of peace the kind we really desire? It begins with a relationship with Jesus Christ. When we confess our sins and give ourselves to Him, we are reconciled with God; no longer under condemnation (Romans 8:1). He then gives us the Holy Spirit to indwell us and give us the internal peace that we need to face life's trials and disappointments. Finally, He teaches us how to have peace with others -- even when they are anything but peacemakers themselves. There can be peace on earth. Not as the world gives, but as Christ gives.

Our Refuge

“I love You, O LORD, my strength.” The LORD is my rock and my fortress and my deliverer, My God, my rock, in whom I take refuge; My shield and the horn of my salvation, my stronghold. I call upon the LORD, who is worthy to be praised, And I am saved from my enemies."

Psalm 18:1-3

This is a psalm of deliverance, written by David after the Lord saved Him from all his enemies and the hand of Saul. David called God his rock and fortress. Rock is solid, a fortress is impenetrable. Then David described God as his shield, the horn of his salvation, and his stronghold. A man uses a shield to protect himself. In the horn of an animal is its strength and defense. A stronghold is a place that has been fortified to protect it against attack. So essentially, David is saying that God is his strength; a solid, impenetrable, place of protection that enemies can't overcome. This is David's song of praise, and it can be ours, as well. Our enemies may not be flesh and blood, as his were. They may come in the form of fear, worry, doubt or hopelessness. When they make their appearance, we must call upon the Lord and take refuge in Him. He has promised to give us His peace. "Peace I leave with you; My peace I give to you; not as the world gives do I give to you. Do not let your heart be troubled, nor let it be fearful." (John 14:27)

Set Your Seal

"He who has received His testimony has set his seal to this, that God is true." 

John 3:33

Those who have believed the testimony of Jesus Christ have sealed this upon their hearts: that God is truthful. He doesn't lie. When storms roll into our lives, we remember that everything He has told us in His word is trustworthy. Here are a few of His truths:


"For God so loved the world, that He gave His only begotten Son, that whoever believes in Him shall not perish, but have eternal life." John 3:16


"Peace I leave with you; My peace I give to you; not as the world gives do I give to you. Do not let your heart be troubled, nor let it be fearful.' John 14:27


"These things I have spoken to you, so that in Me you may have peace. In the world you have tribulation, but take courage; I have overcome the world." John 16:33


"I will ask the Father, and He will give you another Helper (Holy Spirit), that He may be with you forever;"
John 14:16


Believe that God is truthful. Set your seal to it.

Cherished Child

"O LORD, my heart is not proud, nor my eyes haughty;  Nor do I involve myself in great matters, Or in things too difficult for me. 

Surely I have composed and quieted my soul; 

Like a weaned child rests against his mother, My soul is like a weaned child within me." 

Psalm 131:1-2

Can you see the wisdom in the psalmist's words? When things happen we don't understand, the last thing we should do is harden our hearts toward God and snub Him, thinking we can figure things out on our own. Instead, we should remember that each of us is the Father's cherished child. He wants us to come to Him. To allow Him to take our burden and give us a composed and quieted soul. This phrase from the old hymn "What a Friend We Have In Jesus" says it so well:

Oh, what peace we often forfeit

Oh, what needless pain we bear

All because we do not carry

Everything to God in prayer.

Fixed on God

"My heart is steadfast, O God, my heart is steadfast; I will sing, yes, I will sing praises! "

Psalm 57:7

There is boundless joy that comes from a heart that is steadfast, fully fixed on God. To have the calm assurance that He is trustworthy. That He is good. All the time. The great hymn writers of the past knew it. Their songs ring out with praise. "It Is Well With My Soul", "What a Friend We Have in Jesus",  and,  "Like a River Glorious":

Like a river glorious is God’s perfect peace,

Over all victorious, in its bright increase;

Perfect, yet it floweth fuller every day,

Perfect, yet it groweth deeper all the way.

Refrain:

Stayed upon Jehovah, hearts are fully blest

Finding, as He promised, perfect peace and rest.

Hidden in the hollow of His blessed hand,

Never foe can follow, never traitor stand;

Not a surge of worry, not a shade of care,

Not a blast of hurry touch the spirit there.

Every joy or trial falleth from above,

Traced upon our dial by the Sun of Love;

We may trust Him fully all for us to do;

They who trust Him wholly find Him wholly true.

Frances R. Havergal, 1876

Public Domain

Let the phrases of that wonderful song fill your heart and mind today, and lift them up to God in praise.

Abounding Hope

"Now may the God of hope fill you with all joy and peace in believing, so that you will abound in hope by the power of the Holy Spirit."

Romans 15:13

Some people -- even Christians -- spend their time and money finding joy and peace in the things the world has to offer. Perhaps they shop until they drop. Or they hit the party circuit. But eventually the items purchased lose their luster, the party comes to an end, and joy and peace fade. To get that feeling of joy and peace again requires another shopping spree, another party. We don't have to settle for that kind of roller coaster existence. Going from lows to highs and back down to lows, over and over again. The God of hope offers us lasting joy and peace through belief in Him. It begins with a personal relationship with Him, and a conscious decision to make God enough. When we look to anything other than God to satisfy us, we are telling Him that He's just not cutting it. And as long as we do this, we quench the power of the Holy Spirit. God has promised us joy and peace in believing. Belief removes all the obstacles to God's gifts of joy and peace. Belief opens the door to our hearts and says to the Holy Spirit, "Come in and give me abounding hope." 

Lasting Peace

"Now the God of peace, who brought up from the dead the great Shepherd of the sheep through the blood of the eternal covenant, even Jesus our Lord, equip you in every good thing to do His will, working in us that which is pleasing in His sight, through Jesus Christ, to whom be the glory forever and ever. Amen."

Hebrews 13:20-21

Our God is a God of peace. He doesn't want enmity between Himself and man. That's why He gave His Son, Jesus Christ, as an atonement for our sin. On the cross Jesus shed His blood, accomplishing what was necessary to reconcile God to man. And God the Father showed His approval of His Son's work by resurrecting Him from the dead. If we have accepted Christ's sacrifice for our sins, then we are no longer "sheep that have gone astray" (Isaiah 53:6). We have a Great Shepherd who cares for us and will give us all we need to do His will. Doing His will is not a burden. It is a wonderful privilege. To Jesus Christ belongs the glory. For in Him we have lasting peace with God. 

The Fear Exchange

"Peace I leave with you; My peace I give to you; not as the world gives do I give to you Do not let your heart be troubled, nor let it be fearful."

John 14:27

There is much in our world that can cause us to be fearful. Natural disasters, economic uncertainty, and political unrest around the globe. How do we settle our minds in these times? We can use the tools the world has to offer, but they are temporary and we can't count on them for lasting peace. Jesus understands this and offers us a different kind of peace; a peace that never leaves. When we enter into a relationship with Him, we begin to look at life differently. We study His words and they transform us. Yes, there is trouble in the world; Jesus said there would be. But He also said He had overcome the world (John 16:33). The same Jesus who has power over death, has power over everything going on in our crazy world.  And He has the power to quiet our hearts. When we go to Him and admit our fear, a great exchange takes place. He takes our fear and exchanges it for His peace. Something the world can never do.

Winning The Battle For Your Mind

"You will keep in perfect peace all who trust in you, whose thoughts are fixed on you!"  

Isaiah 26:3 (NLT)

Is is possible to have peace of mind, no matter what our circumstances?  Absolutely. If our thoughts are fixed on God. Paul wrote, "We demolish arguments and every pretension that sets itself up against the knowledge of God, and we take captive every thought to make it obedient to Christ." (2 Corinthians 10:5) The mind is a spiritual battlefield. It is where Satan wages warfare, and we must be forearmed to stand against his attacks. In his message "The Battle For Your Mind", given at the Desiring God 2010 National Conference, Rick Warren lists five principles for renewing your mind to win the battle:

1. Don't Believe Everything You Think

2. Guard Your Minds From Garbage

3. Never Let Up On Learning

4. Feed Yourself Daily With God's Word

5. Let God Stretch Your Imagination

To hear Pastor Warren's entire message at no cost, click on this link: http://www.desiringgod.org/resource-library/conference-messages/the-battle-for-your-mind#/listen/full

Forever Peace

"These things I have spoken to you, so that in Me you may have peace. In the world you have tribulation, but take courage; I have overcome the world."

John 16:33

The buck peacefully stood there as I photographed him. Although he was alert and aware of what was going on around him, he was not afraid.  In Rocky Mountain National Park he was safe. This is how those who have received the Lord Jesus as Savior should behave in the midst of worldly struggles; alert and aware of what is going on around them, yet filled with courage. In Christ we have spiritual peace. Any peace the world offers is temporal, but what He offers us is eternal. Through His death, burial and resurrection Jesus overcame Satan and Hell. He has promised us His peace here on earth, and forever peace in Heaven with Him when we die.Tribulation can never touch us there.

Soulful Rest

"Return to your rest, O my soul,

         For the LORD has dealt bountifully with you." 

Psalm 116:7

In the distance a bull elk rests in a golden meadow. He appears to be at peace. Not a care in the world. Oh that we would recognize the Lord's bountiful blessings in our lives and peacefully rest in Him.

Peaceful Sleep

"I will lie down and sleep in peace, for you alone, O LORD, make me dwell in safety." Psalm 4:8


How do we sleep in peace when our world is turned upside down? By remembering that the Lord is with us, no matter if we feel His presence or not. We must not rely on our feelings, but take Him at His word. He has promised never to leave us or forsake us.

The Return of the King

"And it will come about in the last days

         That the mountain of the house of the LORD

         Will be established as the chief of the mountains 

         It will be raised above the hills,

         And the peoples will stream to it." Micah 4:1

A day is coming when the Lord will reign on the earth and peace will be established at last. For those of us who long for the second coming of Jesus Christ this is an exciting thought and we wait in great anticipation for His appearance. How glorious the return of the King will be.

Shout It From the Mountaintops

"Behold, on the mountains the feet of him who brings good news,

         Who announces peace!" Nahum 1:15a

When I look to the mountains around me this scripture comes to mind. Jesus Christ brought the good news of the gospel to the world. The gospel of salvation. Through Christ we have peace with God the Father. How lovely are the feet of the one who brings this good news to those who haven't heard.

No More Walls

"For He Himself is our peace, who made both groups into one and broke down the barrier of the dividing wall," Ephesians 2:14

Once a wall existed between God and mankind. A wall also existed between Jew and Gentile. Christ came to fulfill the letter of the law -- the dividing wall -- and abolish it forever through His work on the cross. Through Christ's sacrifice God reconciled Himself to both Jew and Gentile. Christ broke down the barrier and the Church was born. Jesus Christ, the Prince of Peace.