His Peace...

Grace to you and peace from God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ.--Ephesians 1:2

God gives peace...His true peace to those who love and obey Him.  The Bible says that man on his own cannot know this peace because he is alienated from God.  True peace is only available through our Father in Heaven who is the God of all Peace and from the Lord Jesus, the Prince of Peace.  

Beloved, may both His grace and peace be with you today and every day.  His peace is a gift of His grace!  Take hold of what you have been given!  Grace is God's unmerited favor or kindness to us in His Son...to us who are so undeserving but by faith believe!  

Therefore, having been justified by faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ, through whom also we have access by faith into this grace in which we stand, and rejoice in hope of the glory of God.--Romans 5:1-2

How beautiful is that...our access into this grace is by our faith. (which is also a gift from Him)  Apart from Christ we are aliens in this world without hope, but now in Christ Jesus we have been brought near. 

The Spirit of God who makes His home with us when we believe and bears witness with our Spirit that we are His children...it is He who leads us and speaks His peace to our hearts even in the midst of very difficult circumstances.  He also convicts us of sin and wrong focus that weaken us and lessen our devotion to God.   His Spirit assures us that our God is sovereign and that whatever comes our way must first go through His hand of love.  We are thus comforted that despite how things look or feel our God has it all in hand and is working it all together for His glory and our good.  This is the peace that is talked of in the book of Philippians...the one that is surpasses all understanding.  God does not give peace as the world gives peace...the world's peace is fleeting and dependent on circumstances...our God's peace is total and eternal in the heavens.

Praying today that His Spirit would show me those things that discourage His peace from ruling in my heart.  Try me Father...search me...show me my sin and know my anxieties.  Help me to step out of the way and allow your peace and comforts to be the delight of my soul.  The work you want to do in my heart is good!!  Oh, that the following command from the Book of Philippians would be the antidote today for all of my anxious, foolish and prideful thoughts.  May I receive Your word with meekness (no argument) and allow them to root, ground and grow in my heart.

Be anxious for nothing, but in everything by prayer and supplication, with thanksgiving, let your requests be made known to God; and the peace of God, which surpasses all understanding, will guard your hearts and minds through Christ Jesus.

Finally, brethren, whatever things are true, whatever things are noble, whatever things are just, whatever things are pure, whatever things are lovely, whatever things are of good report, if there is any virtue and if there is anything praiseworthy—meditate on these things.  The things which you learned and received and heard and saw in me, these do, and the God of peace will be with you.--Philippians 4:6-9