Secrets of True Peace
John 14:27
One Guy says, “My therapist told me the way to achieve true inner peace is to finish what I start. So far today I have finished 2 bags of chips and a chocolate cake,. I feel better already.
If you ask any one a question of what they would like most in their life
Introduction
A Christian doctor carried out an interesting survey recently involving his patients. As they waited in the waiting-room, they were asked to fill out a little survey on themselves. One of the questions asked was “What is your number one wish?” On analyzing the answers the doctor found that the number one wish of 67% of his patients was to have peace of mind.
So the question to ask this morning is what does peace do? Or what does it look like and How do we get it.
1. What does peace do?
a. Secures composure in difficult time. Jn 16:33 These things I have spoken to you so that in Me you may have peace. In the world you have tribulations, but take courage: I have overcome the world.
Jesus knows that we all have difficult time in our lives. Can’t pay the bills, people talk about you, others are hateful against you, you health is failing, kids are giving you fits. Nothing seems to be going your way. The exteriors of life is can gives us fits, but the peace of God will give us composure. Jesus came to peach peace in our hearts between us and God. Not an external peace. For Jesus said
34 "Do R367 not think that I came to bring F227 peace on the earth; I did not come to bring peace, but a sword. 35 "For I came to SET R368 A MAN AGAINST HIS FATHER, AND A DAUGHTER AGAINST HER MOTHER, AND A DAUGHTER-IN-LAW AGAINST HER MOTHER-IN-LAW; 36 and A R369 MAN’S ENEMIES WILL BE THE MEMBERS OF HIS HOUSEHOLD. 37 "He R370 who loves father or mother more than Me is not worthy of Me; and he who loves son or daughter more than Me is not worthy of Me. 38 "And he R371 who does not take his cross and follow after Me is not worthy of Me. 39 "He R372 who has found his life F228 will lose it, and he who has lost his life F228 for My sake will find it. 40 "He R373 who receives you receives Me, and he R374 who receives Me receives Him who sent Me
b. dissolves fear- Peace and fear are opposites. Fear in not from the Lord. When we have peace it dissolves fear. Like an Alka-Seltzer.
Fear of what will happen tomorrow. Do not worry. You R215 of little faith! 31 "Do not worry R216 then, saying, `What will we eat?’ or `What will we drink?’ or `What will we wear for clothing?’ 32 "For the Gentiles eagerly seek all these things; for your R217 heavenly Father knows that you need all these things. 33 "But seek F116 first His F117 kingdom and His righteousness, and all R218 these things will be added F118 to you. 34 "So do not worry R219 about tomorrow; for tomorrow will care F119 for itself. Each F120 day has enough trouble of its own.
Do not let your hearts be troubles, nor let it be fearful. Yes you have a choice. Do not let.
We let ourselves get fearful.
c. maintains harmony- Peace gives us a feeling of balance. When we have peace it makes things work together so that things are balanced in our lives. It maintains a sense of thing will work out.
28 And we know that God F147 causes all R392 things to work together for good to those who love God, to those who are called R393 according to His purpose.
2. How do we get peace?
a. Prayer-In everything by prayer and supplication let your requests be made known to God.
Family, whate3ve is bothering us, we need to take it to the Lord in prayer. Whatever we are facing that gives us cause for mental or emotional turmoil or distress, we need to bring it to the Lord’s attention.
We do not need to be bashful about bringing any trouble matter to Him, however great or small. If it brings concern to us, it is a matter of concern to Him because he wants us to be at peace. We don’t have to be shy about pouring our hearts out to Him, Peter reminds us – He care for you (1 Peter 5:7) God is interested in the big things in our life and the small things in our life,. Nothing is too trivial to discuss when you approach the throne of grace.
Paul say let our request be know to God. How would you like your situation to be? What changes in your circumstances or in the circumstances of others? WE need to be specific. If it is not an unrighteous request we can be bold in asking. Sometimes that means that we may have to change our own situation we are living in so that sin is not in the way of God fulfilling the request. It maybe that he wants to change your heart first. Then peace will come.
Perhaps before we take our request to the Lord it may be good for us to consider the encouraging and faith building words of Paul in Eph 3:20 Where he says “ He is able to do exceeding abundantly beyond all that we ask or think, according to the power that works within us.
His answer will always be delivered by what is best for us. May answer different that we requested or envisioned. Our basis for peace of mind is that God hears and God answers and He answers us by giving us what is good.
We cast our worries and fears upon Him like we throw a ball to someone. It will be in His court- resting assured that at the proper time in the right way he will give us what is good.
b. thanksgiving- The second way we get peace is live in the attitude of thanksgiving.
Too many times when we arte full of worry and fear, we fail to count our blessings. We fail to acknowledge how good God has been to us already.
Amazing grace- through many dangers toils and snares i……grace will lead me home.
Think of of the dangers toils and snares that we may have had if God wasn’t looking out for us.
Driving…someone slow in front of me…God must be protecting me.
WE have more blessing than we can count. Food, shelter, clothing.
Give thanks to the Lord for He is good for His lovingkindness is everlasting.
c. dwell on the positive- We fear comes and peace is dissolved because of the fear. We need to dwell on the positive. Our peace is not dependant on outward things.
Paul says finally brethren whatever is true, whatever is honorable, whatever is right, whatever is pure whatever is lovely, whatever is of good repute, if anything is excellence and if anything worthy of praise let your mind dwell on these things.
Too often we allow our minds to dwell of the negative in our lives than on the positives. Half empty than half full.
We need to learn the Pollyanna’s game “glad game” If you are not familiar, is to find something to be glad about rather than finding something to be sad about.
With God, being for us and working in our lives we should be the most positive people on the planet.
People not going to church ….sad faces- hypocrites
d. Obedience to God’s word. Psalm 85:10 Lovingkindness and truth have met together; righteousness and peace have kissed each other. The reason there is a connection being righteousness-doing what is right- obeying God’s word- is that when you are doing what you should be doing, you don’t experience the negative consequences that naturally accompany sin. That makes sense don’t it. In reality its not terribly complicated and yet it’s a connection many people never seem to make. True peace comes when you know in your hear and mind that you are doing all that you can to please God. With obedience comes a clear conscience and a clear conscience promotes peace of mind. Where in your life may you need to correct to please God. Is there something?
Let me make another connection. We will never experience outer peace until we have inner peace. There will never be peace in the world until there is peace in our hearts,.
Peace on the inside comes from peace with God and from knowing that He’s in control. When we have that kind of peace we are much more likely to be able to relate peacefully with those around us.
To get that peace we must be obedient to God’s word. People don’t like that because to many that say I pray and I believe have to many thing in their life that they don’t want to change to meet to God’s standard.
Proverbs 3:1-2, “Do not forget my teaching, but let your heart keep my commandments- peace they will add to you.”
True peace will never be possible until we realize that God is in control.
Peace Secures composure in difficult times, dissolves fear, maintains harmony,
How do we get peace?
Prayer, an attitude of thanksgiving, dwell on the positive, Obedience to God’s word.
Perhaps some of you don’t have that peace that I’ve been talking about this morning. You can….You can….make the choose today to Ask Jesus to come in and reveal to you clearly in your life what you have to do to get rid of the things that are stopping you from true peace. Trust God that He will listen.
