God’s Perfect Peace
By
Bishop Melvin L. Maughmer, Jr.
OPENING: - When we look at the condition of the world today and we see Mass shootings, road rage, Covid, Monkey Pox, people killing people because someone got their order wrong at the drive thru window it is hard to envision peace. Maybe you are facing a situation in your personal life right now like the results of a medical report, a nasty divorce, grief due to the loss of a family member, instability in the workforce or any adversity and you find yourself struggling to muster up any amount of strength. Sure, we understand that we are children of God but when trials and tribulations, hard times and disappointments come how are we able to stand strong like the Shunammite woman and say, “It is well”. 2 Kings 4:26.
Those 3 words “it is well” during trials, tribulations, disappointments, hard-times, sadness, grief, and confusion can only be said when you understand God’s Perfect Peace.
On this week a friend of mine and my wife lost her battle with cancer and of course I was sad because of the loss of my friend. I assisted is marrying her and her husband and both her and I loved foreign missions. We never went on mission trips together, but we talked about our experiences a lot. My trips were to the Ukraine and her trips were to Russia imagine that. When I learned of her passing, I was able to say, “It is well” because of the perfect peace of God and like the song says I knew she was “Safe in His arms”. Rest in Him Gloria.
PRAYER:
SCRIPTURES: - Isaiah 26:3 “Thou wilt keep him in perfect peace, whose mind is stayed on thee: because he trusteth in thee”.
DEFINITION: - Peace is something everyone wants, yet few people really seem to find. It can be defined as “tranquility, harmony, security, prosperity or well-being”. Perfect peace is the condition of freedom from disturbance within the soul; it is perfect harmony reigning within regardless of what is going on around us.
Various forms of the word peace are found 429 times in the King James Version of the Bible. The Hebrew word “shalom” portrays the idea of soundness of health. The word Shalom is often used in terms of making restitution. In Exodus 22:4, for example, it talks about if a man stole an ox or a sheep from his neighbor, he was to restore or shalom what he had taken under the law. So, understanding that to be filled with perfect peace is to be spiritually healthy and free from all discord within the soul to have restitution. There can be no room for any disturbing factors in the heart that is filled with the perfect peace of God. Mark 4:39 says, “And he arose, and rebuked the wind, and said unto the sea, Peace, be still. And the wind ceased, and there was a great calm”.
The peace which God offers, and we by His grace are privileged to experience is none other than a great calm which He commands down in the depths of our souls. In Romans 7 Paul talks about the desire to do good but evil is ever present he states that in verse 23 “the law in my members is warring against the law of my mind, and bringing me into captivity to the law of sin which is in my members” however, the perfect peace of God settles that warring.
John 14:27 says, “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”.
The World’s Idea of Peace.
The peace that the world gives is dependent on uncertain and shakable things. Things may appear peaceful on the surface but when circumstances change, when people get hungry, when prices keep rising, when inflation is at an all-time high, when death saddens us, when pandemic runs rampant, when people disagree the world’s peace disappears.
That is imperfect or false peace, if things seem good and calm then there is a sense of peace. This is known as the peace of Stagnation; the water may seem calm and peaceful, but underneath it is deadly, destructive, unsettled, the undercurrent will pull you to your death. Many people of the world only know this type of false peace. This peace is based upon or depended upon something or someone. When that thing or person fails then peace disappears. Let a storm rise, let circumstances change, let grief strike, peace is nowhere to be found.
The problem is the world’s peace ignores the root of the problem - SIN.
If you ask someone, “What’s wrong with the world today?” most people will answer something like the inflation is unreal, gas prices are too high, the current administration has everything messed up, stocks are crazy, school shootings, mass shootings, road rage, drugs, violence, etc. So, then what the world attempts to do is it tries to fix these problems by passing certain laws, trying to do good, installing all kinds of programs, raising interest rates, creating vaccines, and other bandages trying to achieve peace. They try to fix the symptoms of sin but fail to see how the root of the problem is the sin itself, something that can only be healed by Jesus Christ, there is no amount of money, no judicial regulation, or political reform can offer perfect peace. No amount of man-made laws and regulations, no amount of money poured into a system, no politician or political party will be able to bring peace until the problem of sin is dealt with.
Jeremiah 6:14 says, “They have healed also the hurt of the daughter of my people slightly, saying, Peace, peace; when there is no peace”.
The world’s peace is built on the weak foundation of compromise and changes with circumstances.
God warned the Israelites that if they inter-married with the Pagan Gentile nations they would face the temptation to compromise their love for the one true God and end up serving false gods. Although they felt that peace would be achieved through this compromise, they soon realized it would ultimately lead to destruction. Exodus 34:12 says, “Take heed to thyself, lest thou make a covenant with the inhabitants of the land whither thou goest, lest it be for a snare in the midst of thee”.
Ezra 9:12 says, “Now therefore give not your daughters unto their sons, neither take their daughters unto your sons, nor seek their peace or their wealth for ever: that ye may be strong, and eat the good of the land, and leave it for an inheritance to your children for ever”.
We see this compromise all the time. If they don’t use the missile, if they only charge this, if they don’t do that then we have peace, but if circumstances change peace is lost.
God calls the peace which He gives, Perfect Peace.
Remember - Perfect peace is the condition of freedom from disturbance within the soul; it is perfect harmony reigning within.
It is perfect in QUALITY; that is to say, it is perfect in the kind of peace it is and that is excellence. Perfect peace is based in and on the Word of God John 14:27 says, “My peace I give to you”. Perfect Peace is what God gives to those who trust Him for it, Isaiah 26:3 says, “because he trusteth in Thee”. Perfect Peace looks unto Jesus Hebrews 12:2 says, “Looking unto Jesus the author and finisher of our faith” it doesn’t base itself on outside conditions and situations. The quality of Perfect Peace rests calmly and assuredly in the fact that our God does all things well Mark 7:37 says, “And were beyond measure astonished, saying, He hath done all things well: he maketh both the deaf to hear, and the dumb to speak”. Perfect Peace never wearies of waiting upon the LORD. Isaiah 40:31 says, “But they that wait upon the LORD shall renew their strength; they shall mount up with wings as eagles; they shall run, and not be weary; and they shall walk, and not faint”.
It is perfect in QUANTITY; the supply of it is sufficient and it supersedes our need. Philippians 4:7 says, “And the peace of God, which passeth all understanding, shall keep your hearts and minds through Christ Jesus” for that is the kind of peace we need, a peace which protects our mind and calms our heart. Ephesians 3:20 says, “Now unto him that is able to do exceeding abundantly above all that we may ask or think according to the power that worketh in us”.
It is perfect in its CONSISTANCY; Perfect peace doesn’t change with the circumstances; it is secure despite the circumstances. Isaiah 54:10 says, “For the mountains shall depart, and the hills be removed; but my kindness shall not depart from thee, neither shall the covenant of my peace be removed, saith the Lord that hath mercy on thee”.
CLOSING: We all rather young or old, male, or female, have experienced the pain of a broken promise, grief, disappointment, sadness, hurt, hard-times, confusion. Despite the best of intentions are likely to be a disappointment to someone else by saying one thing and doing another. God’s Word, however, can be trusted. He never contradicts himself or acts in a way that is out of character. He will never disappoint.
Every other religion on the planet tries to achieve peace with God by doing works and following rules. However, only in Christ, are we offered peace with God because we who, according to Ephesians 2:13 says, “once were far off” have been reconciled to God through Jesus’ death and resurrection.
Jesus’ sacrifice addresses the root of the problem that the world ignores. By his sacrifice, he bridged the gap that sin inserted between us and God. He took the punishment for our sin, and, in exchange, he gives us peace with God.
Isaiah 53:5 says, “But he was wounded for our transgressions, he was bruised for our iniquities: the chastisement of our peace was upon him; and with his stripes we are healed”. Romans 5:8 says, “But God commendeth his love toward us, in that, while we were yet sinners, Christ died for us”. Ephesians 2:14 says, “For he is our peace, who hath made both one, and hath broken down the middle wall of partition between us”.
Not only do we experience eternal peace through reconciliation with God in Christ, but we also receive the gift of the Holy Ghost. Because of the Holy Ghost we can experience peace in our daily lives even when we find ourselves dealing with chaotic times. We must remember and stand on the fact that Perfect Peace is not the absence of trouble, but the presence of God during trouble.
Just imagine God keeping you in perfect peace. Remember shalom has the meaning of to guard from dangers, to watch and protect, and to restore. When the world is going crazy, and times just keep getting worse and worse God will keep you in perfect peace. The perfect peace of God passeth all understanding which means we cannot fully comprehend or explain it but it’s ours.
This perfect peace of God is conditional. Notice two things Isaiah says about the recipient of God’s peace.
First, this peace is given to the one whose mind is stayed on Thee. When this was written the Israelites were trying to secure their peace by turning to idols and trusting in nations around them. The mind that is stayed on God is the heart that is loyal to God. Peace comes when we give ourselves entirely to God and His will. God is looking for hearts what will not waver from their loyalty to Him.
Second, this peace is given to the one who trusts in Thee. It is one thing to believe in God, but it is another thing to believe what God says to trust in His promises. We need the faith of our father Abraham, Romans 4:20-21 says, “He staggered not at the promise of God through unbelief; but was strong in faith, giving glory to God; And being fully persuaded that, what he had promised, he was able also to perform”. That’s having perfect peace. When we trust God to fulfill His promises, our hearts are freed from worry and doubt.
Is God keeping you in perfect peace?
Bishop Melvin L. Maughmer, Jr.
