Perfect Peace: includes note to parents of young-ish children

Peace of God.  

special note to parents of young children within

Listen to this podcast here:  https://www.pastorwoman.net/podcast/episode/22770e94/perfect-peace-...

Yesterday, I was chatting with my neighbor, Marsha, who was walking beautiful Toby, her white Husky/Golden mix.  In conversation about the neighborhood Bible study I want to start, she said, ‘how do we cope with what we see on the television, and stuff like that? Like I believe in God… but how do we handle this craziness, ‘know what I mean?’ Casual conversation of an underlying anxiety that is felt far and wide just now.  Marsha has a darling five-year-old daughter - I have noticed that parents of young children are asking these questions: 'how do we make sense of the world? How can I calm my anxious heart??' The fact is, we are looking for peace.

As Jesus promised peace to his disciples, so he offers it to us… we are talking about the peace of God.  You and I will not know the peace of God without first having peace with God.  Peace with God comes in our relationship with him through Jesus Christ because he is our intermediary--he went to the cross to pay for our sins, once and for all.  

segue: though I have known and believed that for many, many years -- as I yet typed the reality of Jesus dying a torturous death to provide salvation to me, forgiveness of my many sins and great shame, it strikes me yet again. What a gift! So undeserved and yet freely given. Thank you, God!

And then the Holy Spirit brings peace to our hearts and minds, but it is an informed peace anchored to a living God. 

Some of you are thinking ‘why is she talking about relationship with God, and how that happens?  Of course, I know what it means to be a Christian.’  Okay, but there are many who have mixed-up conceptions about faith.  It is not the Catholic Church or the Baptist Church, the Greek Orthodox Church or any established religion that is the source of peace; peace comes through God himself.

Allow me to back up to my last Morning Briefing [https://conta.cc/4a3r9dQ] where I quoted Paul telling the believers in Philippi ‘do not worry about anything, but instead pray about everything and thank God for what he is already doing.  And then, he says, “you will experience God’s peace, which exceeds anything we can understand. His peace will guard your hearts and minds as you live in Christ Jesus.”¹

Pray about everything...hmmm. Let's think about this--we pray because we have faith in God. We believe he is not just all-powerful, but also loving and kind--that he will hear and answer our prayers.  

We believe God.  Do we?  If so, why?

-->Because we have learned about God, his attributes, his ways, his promises, his mighty power, and lovingkindness through what he has revealed to us. As we come to know God in relationship, we reach out to experience him, and our faith in him grows—again not faith in religion, but an abiding trust in God.  

This is where our thinking comes into play, and we must think well. Where to learn truth about God? The Bible. Frankly, learning the Bible from a very young age taught me about an all-powerful, all-knowing God who loved me deeply and was trustworthy.  

As I have experienced more of life and spent a lot of time in intentional study, seen archaeology in Israel supporting the claims of Scripture, the more vital I have found it to be. I read, meditate on, memorize, and teach the truths of Scripture because they are trustworthy--Scripture tells us the story of God, ourselves, how to have peace with God, and that, for eternity.  Are you a parent of a young child? There is no greater gift you can give them than an understanding of the God who loves them. What reassurance!

God is trustworthy. You can put your faith in him because, as Scripture says:

God is light; in him there is no darkness at all.2 

As for God, his way is perfect: The Lord’s word is flawless; 

he shields all who take refuge in him.3 

The LORD is gracious and righteous; our God is full of compassion.4

Nothing can separate us from the love of God. 

For I am sure that neither death nor life, nor angels nor rulers, nor things present nor things to come, nor powers, nor height nor depth, nor anything else in all creation, will be able to separate us from the love of God in Christ Jesus our Lord.5

SO--because of these truths, (and so many, many more) we pray. And when we pray, God comes and answers, and the Holy Spirit of God conveys this peace to our hearts, minds and souls.

"Perfect Peace", a song by Laura Story: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6kj8pzDLcc8

Christine

Holy Spirit #9

 PastorWoman.net

1 - Philippians 4.6-7

2 -1 John 1.5

3 - Psalm 18.30

4 - Psalm 116.5

5 - Romans 8.38-39