Peace

Some time back the Gallup organization polled Americans about their most important criteria for judging personal success. They apparently gave them a list of 20 or 30 different options, and these were the top 5 results:

1- Good health

2- an enjoyable job

3- a happy family

4- A good education

5- Peace of mind

A peace of mind was something God has promised to us.

When Jesus was born the angels declared

Luke 2:14(KJV)-14 Glory to God in the highest, and on earth peace, good will toward men.

We’re told that part of the fruit of the spirit is… peace. So, not only do most men and women highly prize peace… so does God.

Many people believe they will experience peace of mind when they get revenge.

Many think they will experience peace only when their political party is in power.

Many will experience peace only when things go the way THEY want them to go.

Everybody wants peace – they just want that peace to be on THEIR terms.

And that is why there is so much conflict in this world

But God’s peace is different than the kind of peace the world pursues. Jesus said:

John 14:27 (KJV)

27 Peace I leave with you, my peace I give unto you: not as the world giveth, give I unto you. Let not your heart be troubled, neither let it be afraid.

God wants to give us a peace that we can have no matter what happens to us in our lives. As one man once put it “Peace is not the absence of trouble. Peace is the presence of God”

Philippians 4:1-4-NIV

4 Therefore, my brothers and sisters, you whom I love and long for, my joy and crown, stand firm in the Lord in this way, dear friends!

2 I plead with Euodia and I plead with Syntyche to be of the same mind in the Lord. 3 Yes, and I ask you, my true companion, help these women since they have contended at my side in the cause of the gospel, along with Clement and the rest of my co-workers, whose names are in the book of life. 4 Rejoice in the Lord always. I will say it again: Rejoice!

This is one of the most powerful passages in Scripture because it tells us HOW we can have God’s peace. (pause…)

I almost passed over verses 1-4. I had always regarded verses 5-7 as Paul’s discussion about peace. But then I realize that what he said in verses 1-4 probably initiated his entire discussion of the topic.

Look with me at Philippians 4:2 NIV

2 I plead with Euodia and I plead with Syntyche to be of the same mind in the Lord.

These ladies (Euodia and Syntyche) are not at peace… there’s a conflict between them that’s upsetting the church. It has become so obvious that news of their conflict has made its way back to Paul. And so he’s writing to them and telling them… “knock it off”

He’s telling them that the way to resolve their conflict is “To agree with each other… (HOW?) “ in the Lord.”

This brings us to the first KEY of having God’s peace in our lives - to do everything we do “in the Lord”

Remember what I said earlier about what causes conflicts in people’s lives? They want peace… but they want it on their terms.

That’s why these ladies were in conflict they wanted what they wanted - on their terms.

Now, what Paul is telling these ladies that they’ve got to change their perspective. He’s telling them that – because they were Christians - none of their conflicts were “about them” anymore. They belonged to Christ.

1 Corinthians 6:19-20 (NIV)

19 Do you not know that your bodies are temples of the Holy Spirit, who is in you, whom you have received from God? You are not your own; 20 you were bought at a price. Therefore honor God with your bodies.

Therefore, since these ladies belonged to God - their objective was no longer allowed to be based upon whether they WIN. That’s the way many people conduct themselves in such conflicts. They want to win. They want conflicts resolved in their favor. And, if you were a pagan, you could do things that way. But if you belong to Jesus, you can’t do things that way anymore. If you belong to Jesus, you have to start asking yourselves the question: ‘What does God want? Not - what do I want?”

Remember Jesus in the Garden of Gethsemane when He prayed “Not my will, but thine?” He’s our role model. He has set the pattern of our priorities. When conflicts arise, we need to ask “What does God want?”

Well, the Bible tells us. A repeated command throughout the Bible is “Love One another”. You have a conflict with someone in the church… settle it! Resolve it! DO NOT rest until you have sought or until you have given or received forgiveness.