With Peace Series

Series: Finding Joy in the Journey through Peace!

Scripture Text: Romans 15:13 “May the God of hope fill you with all joy and peace as you trust in him, so that you may overflow with hope by the power of the Holy Spirit.”

Mother’s Day 2019

We are seeking joy in the journey of life and we are going to be talking about finding joy through peace.

Peace seems fleeting for a lot of people today! We see a spirit of despair running wild in our society.

We desire peaceful neighborhoods, schools, politics, government, churches, malls, families and the list could go on.

The news does not even promote peace but conflict.

I see signs at entrances to bars which say “Happy Hour” but I see few people in there or coming and going from them who have any happiness or peace on their faces. It seems many are stressed out, weary, lonely, and eager for just about anyone to talk to them or listen to their stories of woe.

I see broken families, addicted people, and terrorism hitting everywhere.

Suicide is at an all time high, shootings have become common place on the news. I see very little peace – but without peace we will not find joy in the journey of life. We need to rediscover “Peace!”

Charles Stanley states in his book Finding Peace this: “Happiness and contentment in life are totally within a person’s own perceptions and emotions. Nobody (but God) and no thing can make another person happy or contended. Happiness and contentment are states of mind that arise out of our perception of people, circumstances, and how they interrelate with us” (Page 22).

Peace is a popular request or wish of many - in a recent survey people were asked the question “If you could ask for one thing in the world what would it be?” The most common answer was “Peace!”

Peace – everyone wants it – we look at the world and there seems to be little peace in it – many say they want it but it seems few people find peace in their journey or seek to cultivate it.

Mother Teresa said “If you want peace go home and love your family!”

Listen to some of Scripture versus about the promise of peace in this journey of life from the Bible!

Proverbs 16:7: “When a man’s ways please the LORD, He makes even his enemies to be at peace with him.”

Isaiah 26:3: “You will keep him in perfect peace, whose mind is stayed on You, because he trusts in You.”

John 14:27: “Peace I leave with you, My peace I give to you; not as the world gives do I give to you. Let not your heart be troubled, neither let it be afraid.”

John 16:33: “These things I have spoken to you, that in Me you may have peace. In the world you will have tribulation; but be of good cheer, I have overcome the world.”

Philippians 4:6-7: “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.”

Leviticus 26:6: “I will give peace in the land, and you shall lie down, and none will make you afraid; I will rid the land of evil beasts, and the sword will not go through your land.”

Ronald Reagan stated, “Peace is not the absence of conflict, it is the ability to handle conflict by peaceful means.”

Which I believe is a a gift from God for those who can do this!

When I think of peace from God – I think of how God promised peace to all who embrace Him and follow Him – That peace is “God’s promise of a life free from regret, anxiety and fear” says (Charles Stanley).

I believe Moms are the ultimate peacemakers and gifted because of God!

Illustration:

A. What are mothers? Well, mothers are teachers. Mothers are disciplinarians. Mothers are cleaning ladies. Some mothers are gardeners & mowers of lawns. Mothers are nurses & doctors & psychologists & counselors & chauffeurs & coaches. Mothers are peacemakers.

Mothers are developers of personalities, molders of vocabularies, & shapers of attitudes. Mothers are soft voices saying, "I love you." And mothers are a link to God, a child's first impression of God's love. Mothers are all these things & much, much more.

Illustration:

One of my favorite columns by Erma Bombeck told of God in the act of creating mothers. She said that on the day God created mothers He had already worked long overtime. An angel said to Him, "Lord, you sure are spending a lot of time on this one."

The Lord turned & said, "Have you read the specs on this model? She is supposed to be completely washable, but not plastic. She is to have 180 moving parts, all of them replaceable. She is to have a kiss that will heal everything from a broken leg to a broken heart.