LEARNING DAILY

 

John 14:27, “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

 

How are you doing this morning?  Me?  I’m feeling a little anxious and am sure tired of all the political stuff.  I’m a little concerned about where this country is headed and what tomorrow will bring.  Just trying to be honest.  I need peace.  Webster tells us that peace is a state of tranquility or quiet. Huh?!  Not much of that around right now.  I guess that turning off the news, talk radio, finding a cabin in the mountains (where there is no fire) might aid my search for tranquility and peace.  Jesus talked about peace.  What did He offer?

 

Jesus is teaching His disciples, encouraging them because His time has come to go to the cross.  He was leaving them.  But He was not going to leave them to flounder around, wondering what to do next.  He was going to do several things.  First, He was going to send them a Helper, the Holy Spirit, to teach them all things and to help them remember that which He had taught them.  Second. He was going to give them His peace.  It was a peace that the world does not give; it was a peace that would ease their heart from being troubled and calm their fears.  What did He mean and can I have it as well?

 

What was the peace that Jesus offers?  Since He is the same today as He was yesterday and will be tomorrow, it makes sense to look at His life while on earth.  That should be a Christian’s example as we strive to be like Him.  Right?!  Jesus had peace in the face of temptations with Satan, peace when in a boat and storms were raging around Him, when He was rejected and mocked by the religious leaders of the day.  There was a time the crowds were so incited by His words that they wanted to throw Him over a cliff and, yet, He remained calm.  Or what about the crazy trial(s) He faced before religious and Roman authorities where lies were told about Him?  Even while enduring the cross, having been beaten without mercy, spit upon and insulted, He never fought back.  Instead He asked the Father to forgive those doing these things.

 

The peace that Jesus gives His disciples is not a peace that is some sort of escape from the world; it is not a get out of jail free card.  It is not even a source that gives some sort of pleasure by being in this world.  That is a worldly peace.  Worldly peace causes us to believe that it can be attained by things, wealth, position, the things the devil offered Jesus when he tempted Him.

 

The peace that Jesus gives comes from obedience.  The first step includes saying no to sin.  The devil will work hard with those things that tempt you; he wants to make you to believe you have done too many terrible things to be accepted into God’s kingdom.   Obedience might also mean accepting the challenges that He brings into your life.  Peace comes by knowing that “all things work for good to those who love God and are called according to His purpose.” (Romans 8:28). 

 

The peace I want is the peace that Jesus gives.  It comes from His nature and there is no lack given.  I want calmness in the storm because my trust is in Him.  I know that He is never surprised by any event that happens.  I know that nothing happens without His permission being given first.  He is omniscient!  That is a fancy word for all-knowing and all-seeing.  Because that is so, I can trust His peace as a gift you and to me. The world does not understand it but need to see it in the way we live.  When they do, perhaps those in the world will ask what is different about you.  Will you be bold enough to tell them about the peace that Jesus gives?  

 

The words of the songs below do remind me that Jesus loves and cares for me.  That is my peace.  That is why I have them at the end of the blog -to give you hope, encouragement and a sense of the peace only Jesus can give.

 

“For this man who needs amazing kind of grace

For forgiveness and a price I couldn’t pay

I’m not perfect so I thank God every day

There was Jesus

There was Jesus!”   Zack Williams

 

Even when I can’t feel it You’re working

You never stop working!    Michael W. Smith

 

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