Peace

In fact, this is so critical that I get the impression that Paul wanted the entire church at Philippi to be involved in this endeavor of getting these ladies back together. To crowd them into the same pew, to find ways of helping them settle their differences.

Why? Because when we do this… God promises us His peace!

Another key to having God’s peace is to INCLUDE GOD in all that we do.

Philippians 4:5-7 (NIV)

5 Let your gentleness be evident to all. The Lord is near. 6 Do not be anxious about anything, but in every situation, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God. 7 And the peace of God, which transcends all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus.

The principal reason people don’t have peace in their lives is because they don’t include God in solving their problems. Perhaps they think God is too busy, maybe they don’t want to bother Him, or maybe they would prefer to handle it themselves

But as one person once observed… “If something is big enough to worry about… it’s big enough to pray about.” (repeat)

BUT the kind of prayer I need to pray is the one that turns all my problems over to God. Because if I don’t turn my problems over to God… if I end up being the only one struggling with my problems… then I will not have peace. The principal reason people don’t have peace in their lives is because they don’t include God in solving their problems.

Too often we view praying to God the same way a mountaineer once did. He fell off a cliff, and as he tumbled down into the huge canyon, he grabbed hold of a branch of a small tree. "Help!" he shouted. "Is there anyone up there?"

A deep, majestic voice from the sky echoed through the canyon. "I will help you, my son. But first you must have faith and trust me." "All right, all right, I trust you," answered the man. The voice replied, "Then, let go of the branch."

There was a long pause, and the man shouted again, "Is there anyone else up there?"

The problem is, when we approach God in that fashion, we’ll have neither peace nor answered prayer.

James tells us James 1:6-8 (NIV)

6 But when you ask, you must believe and not doubt, because the one who doubts is like a wave of the sea, blown and tossed by the wind. 7 That person should not expect to receive anything from the Lord. 8 Such a person is double-minded and unstable in all they do.

IF I WANT GOD’S PEACE IN MY LIFE

I need to do all that I do “in the Lord” – I must live by His priorities

In all that I do I must include God, especially in prayer and now…

In all that I do, I MUST REMEMBER what God has done before.

Remember that mountain climber who wanted someone else to answer his plea???

Why did he doubt? He didn’t trust the voice. The voice was asking him to do something that he wouldn’t ordinarily do. And most importantly, the voice had no track record that he could trust. The voice had no credibility with him.

Philippians 4:8-9 (NIV)

8 Finally, brothers and sisters, whatever is true, whatever is noble, whatever is right, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is admirable—if anything is excellent or praiseworthy—think about such things. 9 Whatever you have learned or received or heard from me or seen in me—put it into practice. And the God of peace will be with you.