The promise of Peace
Matt. 7:11 NKJ
If ye then, being evil, know how to give good gifts unto your children, how much more shall your Father which is in heaven give good things to them that ask him?
This is what Clarke’s Commentary has to say,
If ye, then, being evil - who are radically and diabolically depraved, yet feel yourselves led, by natural affection, to give those things to your children which are necessary to support their lives, how much more will your Father who is in heaven, whose nature is infinite goodness, mercy, and grace, give good things -through his grace and Spirit, the Holy Ghost
Ephesians 2:10 ISV
For we are God’s masterpiece, created in the Messiah Jesus to perform good actions that God prepared long ago to be our way of life.
There are a lot of fathers all over the world this morning, who need to realize who they were created to be like. Far to many feel the Inadequacy of the responsibilities they carry with the job of being a father.
This scripture can literally be applied to every person and situation. But today being Father’s Day, I want to apply this word, this gift of peace the spirit gives and the peace that is associated with it.
Fathers are Gods masterpiece, they are created in Christ Jesus and the love He represents. Fathers are created to do good things in their children’s lives, things God has lined up and prepared for them to do from the beginning.
There should be a peaceful feeling associated with being a father, sure there will always be test, but with all tests Gods love and Peace is always available to help us through each and everyone of life’s test!
Philippians 4:6,7 NASB
Be anxious for nothing, but in everything by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known to God. 7 And the peace of God, which surpasses all comprehension, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus.
The accuser may try to tell you and convince you that you don’t matter to God, and that your not worthy of the blessings that He has for you, but that’s not what the word says is it?
Not to sound redundant, but we need to be redundant when it comes to Gods word, and the word says “faith comes by hearing and hearing by the word of God” and no matter how many times we hear this, no matter how much truth is in that spoken word from God, the devil still tries to steal the word from us, each and every time its spoken!
That’s why TBS to him who has ears, let him hear!
Well, I just don’t feel worthy this morning! Listen, it’s when you don’t feel worthy you need to realize in that feeling of unworthiness is when the accuser is stealing, killing and destroying your peace and blessing, knocking them right out from underneath of you and you don’t even know it!
TBS and we read earlier, but let’s revisit our text and attempt to move Gods promise from head knowledge to heart knowledge!
You are God’s masterpiece, created in the Messiah Jesus to perform good actions that God prepared long ago to be our way of life.
It’s time to start acting like and taking the authority over the accuser in our lives that we have been given!
You are somebody in Christ Jesus, because God has made you worthy to be somebody worthy of reward! Because the gift of Jesus presence in your life has made you worthy, to receive His Fathers peace and continually partake of His Blessings, not your feelings!
Do you remember the story of when Jesus was baptized and God said these words about His Son, even before Jesus had performed one miracle, He said "This is my beloved Son, in whom I Am we’ll pleased"
This is how God feels about us the moment we accept His Son Jesus as our Lord and Savior. At that moment it’s no longer about us and our condition, at that moment it becomes about the righteousness of Jesus that He covers us with!
1 John 4:17 NKJ
Love has been perfected among us in this: that we may have boldness in the day of judgment; because as He is, so are we in this world!
TBS
It’s the same with us, our works don’t make us worthy, or qualify us to have the righteousness of God! Our relationship with God through Jesus does and that’s the only thing that does!
Genesis 22:1-14 NKJ
Now it came to pass after these things that God tested Abraham, and said to him, “Abraham!”
And he said, “Here I am.”
2 Then He said, “Take now your son, your only son Isaac, whom you love, and go to the land of Moriah, and offer him there as a burnt offering on one of the mountains of which I shall tell you.”
I don’t suppose Abraham felt peace at that moment, probably anything but peace. Abraham had waited 25 yrs for his son Issac and now this? While Abraham May have not felt peace in that moment or situation, Abraham still felt the peace from his relationship with God and that’s what he was holding onto!
The same peace of God available to everyone, that passes all understanding and comprehension the accuser never wants anyone to experience, but is so real and gives both the comfort and assurance everything will turn out all right!
He may not have known exactly how everything was going to go down, but Abraham knew in his heart, the promise of the covenant God had made with him and was willing to trust God whatever and however things would happen!
Some might refer to this as blind faith. I would rather call it “focused faith!” Abraham decided to focus on what he knew in his heart knowledge, rather than what his head knowledge was telling him at the moment in real time!
3 So Abraham rose early in the morning and saddled his donkey, and took two of his young men with him, and Isaac his son; and he split the wood for the burnt offering, and arose and went to the place of which God had told him. 4 Then on the third day Abraham lifted his eyes and saw the place afar off. 5 And Abraham said to his young men, “Stay here with the donkey; the [a]lad and I will go yonder and worship, and we will come back to you.”
Notice here, the declaration of Faith Abraham makes “we will come back to you” did you know you don’t have to be completely sure of the outcome to make a declaration of faith?
That’s what faith is! The evidence of things hoped for, while not seen! Faith, not fear is where you find Gods peace in the struggle!
6 So Abraham took the wood of the burnt offering and laid it on Isaac his son; and he took the fire in his hand, and a knife, and the two of them went together. 7 But Isaac spoke to Abraham his father and said, “My father!”
And he said, “Here I am, my son.”
Then he said, “Look, the fire and the wood, but where is the [b]lamb for a burnt offering?”
I’m sure if you or I would have been Issac we would have wondered the same thing! And how does Abraham respond to his son? He responds with another declaration of faith, he tells him to not worry God will take care of clearly, what was both of their concerns.
8 And Abraham said, “My son, God will provide for Himself the lamb for a burnt offering.” So the two of them went together.
9 Then they came to the place of which God had told him. And Abraham built an altar there and placed the wood in order; and he bound Isaac his son and laid him on the altar, upon the wood.
The Bible doesn’t say whether Issac resisted, but one can only imagine the natural tendency to resist, once the boy realized what his father had been asked to do.
Each effort Abraham exerted to restrain the boy was again a declaration of faith in the peace Abraham had through his relationship with God, rather than the incredible fear and sorrow, the moment surely must have been capable of producing!
10 And Abraham stretched out his hand and took the knife to slay his son.
This was Abraham’s final declaration of faith, this is where he trusted the peace that passes all understanding that came from his relationship with God, more than what he felt and saw in the natural!
This is what the Bible talks about in Hebrews 11:6 NKJ
But without faith it is impossible to please Him, for he who comes to God must believe that He is, and that He is a rewarder of those who diligently seek Him.
The Bible is very accurate in the description of what God does when He sees the faith of someone diligently seeking Him! He Rewards it!
11 But the Angel of the Lord called to him from heaven and said, “Abraham, Abraham!”
So he said, “Here I am.”
12 And He said, “Do not lay your hand on the lad, or do anything to him; for now I know that you fear God, since you have not withheld your son, your only son, from Me.”
The complete relief both Abraham and Issac must have felt in that moment!
13 Then Abraham lifted his eyes and looked, and there behind him was a ram caught in a thicket by its horns. So Abraham went and took the ram, and offered it up for a burnt offering instead of his son. 14 And Abraham called the name of the place, [c]The-Lord-Will-Provide; as it is said to this day, “In the Mount of the Lord it shall be provided.”
Abraham immediately responded to God with an offering of gratitude!
Abraham witnessed and experienced the reward of that moment when his son Issac was spared. The ram in the thicket, represented the provision of sacrifice that day. It also represented the form of sacrifice God would provide later on with Grace for the entire worlds sin, with His own Son Jesus.
God is the rewarder of all rewards and TBS says God promised Abraham his descendants would be greater than the grains of the sands of the seas, and the stars of the skies!
And history reminds us of the fact God kept His promise to Abraham! Christians all over the world are living proof as part of that history! God is always faithful to His promises and with His faithfulness He provides His peace and assurance that He will always keep His promises ever step of the way!
Illus. by Gerald Penix
There was a young couple who had waited 15 years for a child that never came by the natural way. However we were approached one day with a lead of a newborn not yet born.
I remember standing in front of the judge on our day of adoption. He pointed his finger and asked of me, “Is anyone coercing you to adopt this little boy?” After we had assured him that we were doing so out of love for our son, he made this statement.
“From today on, he is your son. He may disappoint you, even grieve you but he is your son. Everything you own one day will be his and he will bear your name.” Then he looked to the clerk and gave this command. “So order a change in this child’s birth certificate and may it reflect that he is now and no matter what, will always be their son!
So with those terms of commitment, the young couple gladly and willingly accepted them and became the child’s parents!
God stands ready to do the exact same thing without any coercing for whosoever is willing to become His son or daughter!
John 3:16 NKJ
For God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten Son, that whoever believes in Him should not perish but have everlasting life!
God is willing to be the father you always wanted and also willing, to help you be the father you’ve always long to be!
Ephesians 2:10 ISV
For we are God’s masterpiece, created in the Messiah Jesus to perform good actions that God prepared long ago to be our way of life.
Take this word and walk into the life and the destiny God has waiting for you! knowing His peace and provision will be there every step of the way!
