How to have the God of peace
Phil 4:5-9
The Lord is near. Be anxious for nothing, but in everything by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known to God. And the peace of God, which surpasses all comprehension, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus.
Finally, brethren, whatever is true, whatever is honorable, whatever is right, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is of good repute, if there is any excellence and if anything worthy of praise, dwell on these things. The things you have learned and received and heard and seen in me, practice these things, and the God of peace will be with you.
“…the Lord is near”
1. DON’T BE ANXIOUS
A. Putting things in perspective:
A college girl wrote home: Dear Mom & Dad,
I guess you heard by now that the dorm burned. We were all in the basement smoking pot, and I guess somehow we set the dorm on fire. But no one was hurt, and we got most of our belongings out in time. Oh, and I’m getting married soon. You see, I have to, because I’m going to have a baby... you’ll meet Bob soon, he’s got a really swell Harley...
Actually... I’m not pregnant, and I don’t even know anyone named Bob... and I’m not going to get married. There was no fire and I wouldn’t know what to do with pot... but I did flunk chemistry, and I just wanted you to be able to put it into Perspective!
Swedish proverb, worry gives a small thing a big shadow.
Be anxious for nothing
· Matt 6:25-7:1 "Therefore I tell you, do not worry about your life, what you will eat or drink; or about your body, what you will wear. Is not life more important than food, and the body more important than clothes? Look at the birds of the air; they do not sow or reap or store away in barns, and yet your heavenly Father feeds them. Are you not much more valuable than they? Who of you by worrying can add a single hour to his life? "And why do you worry about clothes? See how the lilies of the field grow. They do not labor or spin. Yet I tell you that not even Solomon in all his splendor was dressed like one of these. If that is how God clothes the grass of the field, which is here today and tomorrow is thrown into the fire, will he not much more clothe you, O you of little faith? So do not worry, saying, ’What shall we eat?’ or ’What shall we drink?’ or ’What shall we wear?’ For the pagans run after all these things, and your heavenly Father knows that you need them. But seek first his kingdom and his righteousness, and all these things will be given to you as well. Therefore do not worry about tomorrow, for tomorrow will worry about itself. Each day has enough trouble of its own.”
2. DO PRAY
“…but in everything by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known to God.”
A minister asked a little boy whether he prayed every day.
"No, not every day," said the boy, "there are some days I don’t WANT anything!"
A little boy was climbing a tree, when he lost his balance, and began to fall. "Jesus, HELP me!" he cried. Miraculously, his jeans got caught on a branch. "Sorry, Jesus," he said, "I didn’t need your help after all. My jeans got caught on a branch!"
A man was walking along a narrow path, not paying much attention to where he was going. Suddenly he slipped over the edge of a cliff. As he fell, he grabbed a branch growing from the side of the cliff. Realizing that he couldn’t hang on for long, he called for help.
Is anybody up there?” he said
Yes, I’m here! Came a voice
Who’s that? Said the man
The Lord.” The voice replied
the man than cried, “Lord, help me!
Do you trust me? Said the lord
I trust you completely, Lord. Said the man
The lord replied.” Good. Let go of the branch.
What???” said the man!
I said, "Let go of the branch."
After a long pause the man shouted, “is anybody else up there?
· Pray without ceasing – tell God everything
· Trust in the Lord
· Don’t forget to acknowledge the lord
3. RESULT: Peace of God
“And the peace of God, which surpasses all comprehension, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus.”
· Guard your heart – actions
· Guard your mind – thoughts
This means your decisions won’t be based upon fear and worry
4. DON’T THINK BAD
“Finally, brethren, whatever is true, whatever is honorable, whatever is right, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is of good repute, if there is any excellence and if anything worthy of praise, dwell on these things.”
QQ. “You can’t keep a bird from flying by and pooping on you, but you can sure keep it from building a nest in your hair.” Same with thoughts…they come and go throughout the day but you don’t have to dwell on the negative ones.
5. DO PRACTICE GOOD
The things you have learned and received and heard and seen in me, practice these things
· pray and read your bible
· do what God says is good
6. RESULT: God of Peace
“…and the God of peace will be with you”
· a relationship with God
· he directs, he leads, he gives peace
