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Previous Challenge Entry
Topic: Peace (03/15/04)
TITLE: Peace; what is it and how do I find it?
By shirley shields
03/21/04
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Often when I think of peace it is generally in the earthly terms of finding a relaxing or peaceful period after a hectic day. I use to have a house with a yard that had a beautiful park like setting, a sloping lawn with numerous trees and flowers. Various birds made their homes in the trees and created a peaceful atmosphere one could observe as they scurried around and started their daily search for food. It always felt peaceful to sit by the window and read and meditate in the word of God each morning while listening to nature awaken for the new day . I still enjoy watching nature scurry about gathering their food for the day, observing their various personalities and habits.

However, the Peace that passes all our earthly understanding the Bible talks about can only be found through faith in Christ Jesus and His sacrifice for us.
Philippians 4:4-7Rejoice in the Lord always, and again I say rejoice, let your moderation be known unto all men, The Lord is at hand. Be careful for nothing; but in everything by prayers and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known unto God. And the peace that passes all understanding, shall keep your hearts and minds through Jesus Christ.

In the Gospel of John; Jesus was instructing His disciples about the things that were soon to come about, His death and His return to the Father; He declared that He had overcome the world and through Him we could as well. But He also told them that they would all abandon Him and be scattered to their own places during this occurrence, but He stated that He wasn’t alone, the Father was always with Him.

He also promised that when He departed this world, He would send back a helper; the Holy Spirit to be our guide (teacher) and comforter while we are still in this world. He knew that we would need this helper in our life to overcome the enemy in this sin filled world. Jesus kept the believers while He was in the world, being their teacher and guide; He promised not to leave them helpless when He left.

John 14:27 Peace I leave with you, my peace I give unto you, not as the world gives, gives I unto you. Let not your heart be troubled, neither let it be afraid.

In John 16: 33 Jesus states; These things I have spoken to you, that in me you shall have peace, in the world you shall have tribulation, but be of good cheer, I have overcome the world.

This is the true peace that only the Lord can give in this hectic, sin filled world we live in today. One may be able to find peaceful moments that we take pleasure in for short periods, but to experience the peace the Lord gives us in our times of trials or struggles certainly passes all of our earthly understanding. That’s where our faith comes in, knowing that we know, He is there with us in any and all our trials of life. Truly trusting in the Lord produces this form of peace that passes all understanding. So how does one find this peace? Hebrews 11; speaks about faith and those who overcame in this world through their own faith. We are told in the word also, that Faith comes by hearing and hearing by the word of God. Faith believes without seeing the end results at the moment, but by standing on the promises given.

We have been called to walk by faith in this life, trusting the Lord for all our needs. The faith warriors of old spoken of in the Bible, only had the promise of a Savior to come, they were sill waiting and looking for Him. However, the apostles and followers in Jesus’ day saw the promise fulfilled in their day by Jesus’ death on the cross. When Jesus cried out “It is finished” on the cross; He had fulfilled His promise to be the sin covering for mankind that accepts His free gift to us.

John 3:16 That God so loved the world that He sent His only begotten Son, that whomsoever believes in Him shall not perish, but has everlasting life.
Through Him alone can we overcome in this life, and this faith in Him, produces the peace that passes all our human understanding.


©Sue Shields 2004
www.sueshields.com