Perfect Peace
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3 You will keep him in perfect peace, Whose mind is stayed on You, Because he trusts in You.
Perfect Peace!
It seems like we see the exact opposite of that in the world today
Nearly everywhere we look, and every kind of peace, seems lacking
there are so many wars, and threats of war
there are strivings and struggles for control in political battles around the world
Here in our country, it seems that there are so many stugglesd
political battles
violent crime
In our own city, there is such a lack of peace
And beyond what we can observe outwardly in the world, so many people lack inner peace in their lives
Personal Peace
Personal Peace
So many people, even when all our needs are met, lack personal peace
We are plagued by worry, and anxiety
people worry about the future,
about finances
about their jobs
about relationships
about what other people think
about possessions and property
about health
about life and death
this lack of personal peace leads to all kinds of problems
lack of sleep
irritation
anger and depression
suicide
restlessness
panic
unhealthy relationships, fighting and strife
bad decisions
drug and alcohol abuse
so many people turn to drugs because they lack peace in their minds
they have to be occupied with a distraction
Even among Christians, it seems like there are so many people who desire peace and feel they don’t have it
Yet, Jesus promised a peace:
27 Peace I leave with you, My peace I give to you; not as the world gives do I give to you. Let not your heart be troubled, neither let it be afraid.
Jesus has left “His peace” with us. That is the perfect peace. not like the world -
Based on His peace, and our faith, He tells us not to let our hearts be troubled, or afraid -
We can try to accomplish this in our own strength, by trying not to feel anxious, or thinking about other things (and we should)
And we may even feel a sense of peace for a time
but ultimately, this kind of peace seems fleeting, quickly disappearing when our circumstances change
But God promises a perfect peace -
Not as The World Gives
Not as The World Gives
Jesus has told us that “in the world you will have tribulation”
The world’s peace is based on happenstance - not faith
It comes and goes with the wind
like an earthquake we can go from 0 to 8.0 on the Richter scale in just an instant
This peace that comes from the world can be instantly taken from the world
the peace that comes from God does not depend on the world
There is an imperfect peace
There is an imperfect peace
There is an imperfect peace of ignorance - when we think that all is going well, yet if our eyes knew the truth we would see it is not
Like people who are in a plane crash -
many people are subject to this kind of false peace in the way they live - without Christ
There is an imperfect peace of stagnation: like when a pool of water looks calm and peaceful but underneath is full of muck and slime -
so many people are living like this, at peace in their stagnant faithlessness, and one day the shock of God’s judgement will stir their pool and they will find they had no real peace at all
And there is the imperfect peace of dependence: This is a peace that depends on someone or some thing to maintain it.
So many people are like that, trusting in money, or people for their peace, yet that thing can fail, or the person may die! Then where is their peace?
God’s Peace is a Perfect Peace
God’s Peace is a Perfect Peace
It is perfect in power, so that it is sufficient for any trial
Consider the ordeal the disciples encountered on the lake with Jesus sleeping in the boat
Why did they doubt?
Why do we doubt in our storms?
His peace is perfect in its constancy: It is available now, and will not be exhausted
God’s Peace is a satisfying peace. When we are in His peace, we can rest, just as Jesus was at rest in the boat
He did not promise that He would keep our environment in perfect peace
He said with perfect peace he would satisfy “you” - those of you who meet the condition
Whose mind is stayed on God
Whose mind is stayed on God
We cannot enjoy true peace as long as sin remains upon the conscience (C.H. Spurgeon)
We cannot enjoy true peace as long as sin remains upon the conscience (C.H. Spurgeon)
We may think that it is our circumstances that keep us from peace, but circumstances are merely a distraction
Sin keeps us from peace -
As long as our minds are stayed on sin, they are not stayed on Him -
Sinners who have not repented of sin cannot know the perfect peace of God
Yet this is often a problem for Christians also
the more we know of God, the more we become aware of sin and it’s awefulness
The more the conscience is enlightened, the more surely will it forbid peace so long as sin remains; for its honest verdict is, that sin deserves God’s wrath, and must be punished (C.H. Spurgeon)
The more the conscience is enlightened, the more surely will it forbid peace so long as sin remains; for its honest verdict is, that sin deserves God’s wrath, and must be punished (C.H. Spurgeon)
So this sin must not only be repented of, it must be removed!
29 The next day John saw Jesus coming toward him, and said, “Behold! The Lamb of God who takes away the sin of the world!
29 The next day John saw Jesus coming toward him, and said, “Behold! The Lamb of God who takes away the sin of the world!
30 This is He of whom I said, ‘After me comes a Man who is preferred before me, for He was before me.’
31 I did not know Him; but that He should be revealed to Israel, therefore I came baptizing with water.”
32 And John bore witness, saying, “I saw the Spirit descending from heaven like a dove, and He remained upon Him.
15 John bore witness of Him and cried out, saying, “This was He of whom I said, ‘He who comes after me is preferred before me, for He was before me.’ ”
16 And of His fullness we have all received, and grace for grace.
17 For the law was given through Moses, but grace and truth came through Jesus Christ.
18 No one has seen God at any time. The only begotten Son, who is in the bosom of the Father, He has declared Him.
19 Now this is the testimony of John, when the Jews sent priests and Levites from Jerusalem to ask him, “Who are you?”
20 He confessed, and did not deny, but confessed, “I am not the Christ.”
21 And they asked him, “What then? Are you Elijah?” He said, “I am not.” “Are you the Prophet?” And he answered, “No.”
22 Then they said to him, “Who are you, that we may give an answer to those who sent us? What do you say about yourself?”
23 He said: “I am ‘The voice of one crying in the wilderness: “Make straight the way of the Lord,” ’ as the prophet Isaiah said.”
24 Now those who were sent were from the Pharisees.
25 And they asked him, saying, “Why then do you baptize if you are not the Christ, nor Elijah, nor the Prophet?”
26 John answered them, saying, “I baptize with water, but there stands One among you whom you do not know.
27 It is He who, coming after me, is preferred before me, whose sandal strap I am not worthy to loose.”
28 These things were done in Bethabara beyond the Jordan, where John was baptizing.
29 The next day John saw Jesus coming toward him, and said, “Behold! The Lamb of God who takes away the sin of the world!
30 This is He of whom I said, ‘After me comes a Man who is preferred before me, for He was before me.’
When Jesus died for our sins, He took those sins away (from us), nailing them to His cross
we no longer bear them. We now have redemption through His blood, even the forgiveness of sins
this “taking away” of sin, is another way of saying they are forgiven
9 If we confess our sins, He is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness.
1
Yet, we must receive this forgiveness through faith
So many people do exactly that in becoming saved, and then live with a sin consciousness in trying to stay saved
We are not saved by not sinning! You are not saved by not sinning
You “were” saved by trusting in Jesus Christ as Lord (if indeed you have)
Of course we don’t want to sin - that’s because we trust Him as Lord
But if we keep our minds on Him, we are not looking at sin
As we keep our minds on Him, it is easier not to sin (have to take mind off Him first)
1 My little children, these things I write to you, so that you may not sin. And if anyone sins, we have an Advocate with the Father, Jesus Christ the righteous.
2 And He Himself is the propitiation for our sins, and not for ours only but also for the whole world.
How do we obtain this perfect peace?
By Jesus Christ: There is no peace for anyone who does not have Jesus Christ
22 “There is no peace,” says the Lord, “for the wicked.”
By the Holy Spirit: The comforter, the Holy Ghost shall live with you and be in you, Jesus has said. If the Holy Spirit is in us, He brings peace.
By His Word: We must continually strengthen ourselves with His word. In His word we are reminded of the peace that is in us
His Word is filled with promises for any situation that the world may present to threaten your peace
31 Then Jesus said to those Jews who believed Him, “If you abide in My word, you are My disciples indeed.
By Praise and prayer: If you are feeling a lack of peace be reminded of these things:
His grace and your redemption
being freed from sin by His Cross
His Spirit in You
His Word and it’s promises
And then begin to Pray Praise Him for it
6 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 understanding, will guard your hearts and minds through Christ Jesus.