December 23 – Sovereign Promises

“For a child will be born to us, a son will be given to us; And the government will rest on His shoulders; And His name will be called Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God, Eternal Father, Prince of Peace.” – Isaiah 9:6 (NASB)

The book named after the prophet Isaiah is packed with promises from our sovereign God. Today we are familiar and know the true reason we celebrate December 25 as Christmas. No, it isn’t the loveable fat old man called Santa Claus – a name derived from Saint Nicholas. Nicholas was a real person between the years 220 A.D. and 343 A.D. He was a Christian bishop during the time of the Roman Empire. Many far-reaching, even dark legends developed around that name.  But there’s a name, Immanuel, connected to December 25, that is not legend. It’s the real story of a man who’s birth was prophesied centuries before His birth. In Isaiah 7:14 is a promise of the birth of a son named Immanuel to a young girl who was yet a virgin. Today’s verse elaborates on the name Immanuel.  Wonderful Counselor. This King will implement supernatural wisdom in discharging His office; Mighty God. As a powerful warrior, He will accomplish the military exploits mentioned in 9:3–5; Eternal Father. The Messiah will be a Father to His people eternally; Prince of Peace. The government of Immanuel will bring and perpetuate peace among the nations of the world.

 

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November 30 – Stay Close, Have Peace

“Now may the Lord of peace Himself give you peace at all times in every way. The Lord be with you all.”  2 Thessalonians 3:16 (ESV)

 We all experience times when peace is distant and not resident in our lives. Especially if we focus on conditions of our lives and world during moments of crisis. Who could possibly be more of a true source of peace than the Lord of peace?  Our verse is often used as a benediction in worship services. But we look at it today because it is good any time to remember the promise here.  We may think that we can experience peace by deciding not to worry anymore and we may think then, that we did all by our own  effort.  Our verse reminds us that true peace comes from God.  He is the God of peace and He gives His peace to those who believe and trust Him.  We can know God wants us to have His peace reign in our lives always, at all times, in every way.  In every circumstance of our lives – even today no matter what challenges we are facing or what we are struggling with, God can give us peace that comes directly from Him.  Why? Because He is with us.  Stay close, have peace. This is the promise.

 

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November 14 – Abundance of Positive Matters

“May grace and peace be multiplied to you in the knowledge of God and of Jesus our Lord.”  2 Peter 1:2 (ESV)

These words are a prayer of blessing written by the Apostle Peter in the second letter he wrote to believers.  What a great difference our lives become when we come to know God the Father and His Son Jesus Christ. “This is a strengthened form of “knowledge” implying a larger, more thorough, and intimate knowledge. The Christian’s precious faith is built on knowing the truth about God (cf. v. 3). Christianity is not a mystical religion, but is based in objective, historical, revealed, rational truth from God and intended to be understood and believed. The deeper and wider that knowledge of the Lord, the more “grace and peace” are multiplied¹." When we accept Jesus as our Savior, God brings us into His family and begins to reveal himself to us.  He wants us to know Him and to keep learning more and more about Him. Our verse today tells us what happens when we learn to know our Lord better. We read that we receive grace and peace in abundance through knowing Him. It will be true as we learn to know Him better. What a benefit is promised to us here.

 

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^[1] John F. MacArthur Jr., The MacArthur Study Bible: New American Standard Bible., (Nashville, TN: Thomas Nelson Publishers, 2006), 2 Pe 1:2.

 

September 10 – It’s An Objective Peace

“Therefore, having been justified by faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ,” -  Romans 5:1 (NASB)

Today’s verse, reveals an awesome promise for all who have by faith believed in Jesus Christ as Lord and Savior. It’s awesome because it gives us assurance of forgiveness. That’s important because it's the foundation to our security in Christ Jesus.  "Therefore having been justified by faith."  That’s the premise: If we have been justified by faith, if we have been declared righteous through faith, in other words, if we have been genuinely saved, then we have laid the necessary foundation and we are held in that relationship eternally. Since we have been justified by faith, we have peace with God.  Now that is a very important thing for us to understand.  We have as a present possession peace with God. This is not talking about psychological tranquility.  It is not feelings of confidence or well-being.  It is not subjective at all.  It is not the kind of peace we feel or the kind of peace we experience.  It is talking about an actual relationship that can be defined as a relationship of peace. Before justification we had been at war, we had been the enemy of God, we are now at peace.

 

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September 1 – Peace In A Peaceless World

“Finally, brothers, rejoice. Aim for restoration, comfort one another, agree with one another, live in peace; and the God of love and peace will be with you.” – 2 Corinthians 13:11 (ESV)

We are living in a contentious world and it is no surprise or anything new. Yes, we like to think there have been time that the people of this world were more at peace but not truly. An honest realistic look at history from the time of Genesis 3 our world has been a place with more danger and more conflict than peace. The peace we experience worldwide is temporary, existing in small parts of the world. We may have peace between ourselves for a season but sin destroys that too. As believers in our Lord Jesus Christ we can have peace with God and can have sustainable peace and harmony between each other. It is our calling and it honors God bringing Glory to Him. The apostle Paul in this verse exhorts faith believers in Corinth to aim for restoration of peace. We start by having an attitude of thankfulness and rejoicing. We will accomplish our aim as we comfort one another and agree with one another, we will live in peace – that means giving up the selfishness and striving for our own way within Christ’s fellowship of believers. This promise is for such harmony with God’s love.

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July 28 – Listen. Hear. Receive.

“I will hear what God the LORD will say; For He will speak peace to His people, to His godly ones; But let them not turn back to folly. Surely His salvation is near to those who fear Him, That glory may dwell in our land.” -  Psalm 85:8-9 (NASB)

God has many things to tell us each day and He has several ways of speaking to us. We are so glad for the way He speaks to us when we read the Bible or hear someone teach us from it. Sometimes He speaks to us by reminding us of something we have read earlier in the Bible, maybe years ago.  We know that He can also speak through our consciences through the Holy Spirit who lives within us. Our verse reminds us of what happens in our hearts when we become conscious that God is speaking to us. When we recognize God's voice speaking to us and we receive what He tells us in an obedient manner we sense His peace within. How wonderful to know it is the voice of God speaking to us. The peace ultimately comes in fullness in the Messiah’s kingdom. In Ezekiel 10-11 we can read about the time that the glory of God departed from Israel because of their apostasy and refusal to believe and obey God’s word.  His promises were delayed until the end of time when the glory will return. Listen today for God’s voice from His Word. Listen and learn.

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July 5 –Joy, Cheer, Courage, and Peace

“Peace I leave with you; My peace I give to you; not as the world gives do I give to you. Do not let your heart be troubled, nor let it be fearful.” – John 14:27 (NASB)

“These things I have spoken to you, so that in Me you may have peace. In the world you have tribulation, but take courage; I have overcome the world.” John 16:33 (NASB)

Joy, Cheer, and Courage have their origin in one ultimate victory and that is Christ’s victory over hell and the grave. Old Testament saints looked forward to this promise being fulfilled and the New Testament church (post Christ’s crucifixion, burial and resurrection) looks back on the beginning of the fulfillment. The essential ground for endurance in trials and persecution is the Jesus’ victory over the world system and its prince of darkness. Through Christ’s impending death, and he is looking for it to happen momentarily, in just a few hours. He rendered the world’s opposition null and void. While the world continues to attack His people, such attacks fall harmlessly, for Christ’s victory has already accomplished a smashing defeat of the whole evil rebellious system. This means that all the promises of God, all the promises Jesus gave to us through His disciples are imminently pending and are guaranteed by His Word.  In the middle of our topsy-turvy world where all that was stable is being uprooted and discarded, we have the assurance that the peace Christ gave to us is the real thing. Let’s trust the peace.

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June 24 – With Truth Comes Acid

“Agree with God, and be at peace; thereby good will come to you. Receive instruction from his mouth, and lay up his words in your heart.”  Job 22:21-22 (ESV)

The story of Job in the Bible is not one many really know very well. We might know of Job’s trials, losses and why. We might even have a clue about three friends who fail to understand and so  missed the mark when trying to offer help. Instead of comfort counselors they were accusers.  But in all that is said to Job, there are many interesting and valuable bits of advice. Eliphaz, the third and at first silent friend, is at first courteous, but in chapter 22 his frustration rises. Again, the fate of the wicked is expressed in the simplistic idea that all suffering comes from sin. Eliphaz did not believe Job was innocent and so painted a picture of the life of blessing in store for Job if only he would return to God and repent of his sin (v. 23). Out of this bit of acidic advice from his “friend” there is a truth. In order to properly “agree with God, and be at peace,” we must know Him as He has revealed Himself. In order to know God, God must know us as His own. That is how we truly know peace from Him.

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May 23 – Peace to Overcome

“These things I have spoken to you, so that in Me you may have peace. In the world you have tribulation, but take courage; I have overcome the world.” John 16:33 (NASB)

Yesterday's promise included the appropriation of the Gospel of Peace in order to stand firm against the ruler of this world system set on our failure as Christians.  The attack is on all around us.   Christian and Christianity is a target and quickly criticized by ungodly forces. Today's verse gives us the promise of peace.  Jesus, as he spoke to His disciples that last night at Passover Supper did so in order that they would have peace.  He knew what was ahead was going to be very difficult and include tribulations and persecutions.  But, as Jesus said, with His peace we can overcome whatever the world dishes out to us.  Why can we trust this promise?  How do we take on the courage we need and know it will be there for us?  Because, Jesus declared the He had already overcome the world.  As difficult as it was going to be, Jesus promised that what He had done for them and for us was to give us what we need to overcome the world – and that included His peace.  Not a worldly idea of peace but a Godly kind of peace that lasts forever.  

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May 17 – Equipped With Everything

“Now the God of peace, who brought up from the dead the great Shepherd of the sheep through the blood of the eternal covenant, even Jesus our Lord, equip you in every good thing to do His will, working in us that which is pleasing in His sight, through Jesus Christ, to whom be the glory forever and ever. Amen.” Hebrews 13:20-21 (NASB)

The selected verses for today’s promises are so often used as a benediction they may be familiar to some. They are packed with so much we will highlight just a few. Does it sometimes seem difficult to live the Christian Life in such a way that we will please God? The very long sentence begins with six words of the statement and then at the ending promise. We learn that it is the God of peace who raised Christ – our great Shepherd – from the dead. The power to do that is the power we have to live a life pleasing to God.  We cannot and  shouldn't try to live such a life by our own effort. We will never make it on our own. We do not have the ability. God knows that we do not possess what we need within ourselves. God doesn't expect it of us so He equips us with what we need. Our God makes us complete and He wants us to recognize that He will bring the changes in our lives to live godly lives. This is a promise and the result brings glory to God – it’s our reason for our existence. 

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April 29 – Accomplished All We’ve Done

“O Lord, you will ordain peace for us, for you have indeed done for us all our works.” - Isaiah 26:12 (ESV)

The Book of Psalm is often called the song book of the Bible. Other Books also contain songs and today's verse comes from one in the book written by the prophet Isaiah. This prophet spoke the Words of God to the people and leaders of Israel; words given to him by God which contained many promises and warnings. This is a reminder of the involvement of our God in our lives. God has been involved in the lives of His people since before Israel’s time. In the kingdom believers are promised that they will enjoy the peace God gives and will know God’s work on their behalf. In our verse God’s people recognize that anything accomplished through their lives is really the work of God. So we do need to remember that we can’t do anything of real value on our own. And, we must never forget that our God is really involved in the things we do each day. To recognize His involvement does give us peace in our hearts because we know that what He does in us is worthwhile and has eternal value and effectiveness. 

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April 11 – Holy Monday - He Knows Our Weaknesses

“When He approached Jerusalem, He saw the city and wept over it, saying, “If you had known in this day, even you, the things which make for peace! But now they have been hidden from your eyes.”  Luke 19: 41-42 (NASB)

We are thinking this week about the events during the last week that Jesus spends before His death on the cross. We remember that the crowds sang praises to him as He approached and entered the City of Jerusalem. Even though people were eager to see Jesus come and were singing to Him, Jesus knew that the leaders of the city had rejected Him and were planning to kill Him. So when He looked at the city the next day it made him weep. The timing of this crying may seem incongruous with the triumphal entry, but it reveals that Jesus knew the true superficiality of the peoples’ hearts, and His mood was anything but giddy as He rode into the city. The same crowd would soon cry for his death (Luke 23:21). The very thought of Jesus weeping over a city like this reminds us that He is aware of our weaknesses and He is touched by our spiritual needs. That's what encourages us to bring our needs to Him because we know He is praying for us in heaven even these days. Let us not neglect to bring our needs to God in Jesus' name.

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April 10 – Palm Sunday

“As he was drawing near—already on the way down the Mount of Olives—the whole multitude of his disciples began to rejoice and praise God with a loud voice for all the mighty works that they had seen, saying, “Blessed is the King who comes in the name of the Lord! Peace in heaven and glory in the highest!”  Luke 19:38 (ESV)

Today is another special day for us who know Jesus Christ as our Savior. We call it Passion Sunday or Palm Sunday because as the people welcomed Jesus they laid down their robes and palm branches in the road in front of Jesus It is the day the people outside of Jerusalem followed him and sang praises to the Lord as he approached the city. Notice the words “the whole multitude of his disciples.” Many people were following Jesus hoping He would establish His kingdom and free them from Roman tyranny. But Jesus had a different plan. The verse we have for today is the message that God wanted people to proclaim on that day. When the Pharisees suggested that Jesus rebuke those who were singing, He replied that if these people did not tell the message, the stones would cry out. What the people sang was the truth which needed to be heard. It's is a message which we all need to proclaim. This Jesus who was to die on the cross that very week is our King. We need to recognize Him as the King of our lives and we need to honor Him every day. 

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April 2 –A Safe Place to Dwell

“Many are saying, “Who will show us any good?” Lift up the light of Your countenance upon us, O Lord! You have put gladness in my heart, More than when their grain and new wine abound. In peace I will both lie down and sleep, For You alone, O Lord, make me to dwell in safety.” – Psalm 4:6-8 (NASB)

There are many today who are skeptical of those who believe in Jesus as Savior and Lord. Some make comments about how our faith is in someone who does not exist. They are saying, “You’re believing is something that can’t do you any good.” David had many of these critics, the taunting skeptics, but he cut them off with his testimony. He called on God shine on him with the light of His countenance. That is, he asked for God’s face to be reflected in his own face. As a result, David acknowledged that God was the true source of his heartfelt gladness. Only God can give us such authentic gladness so that is shines forth from our face. This is gladness that springs from our heart when we are at peace with God. It is not gladness that comes from abundance of food and “new-wine,” the evidence of provisions provided. It is the knowledge that God is the source of peace. When problems, conflict, and skeptics face us, and no matter how threatening our world is, we can lie down and sleep because we dwell in the safety God gives to us.

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March 23 – Perfect Peace

“You keep him in perfect peace whose mind is stayed on you, because he trusts in you.” Isaiah 26:3 (ESV)

“Perfect peace.” Now isn’t that something we would truly enjoy? So much chaos in our lives and. Whether we turn this way or that, we things exist that rob us of even imperfect peace. We find a marvelous promise in our verse today. It’s a promise that proves itself over and over.  Our God is the only one who never changes. He keeps His promises and we can depend on Him to meet our needs every day, in every situation.  Although our situations change from pleasant to challenging God never changes. The secret of true peace in our hearts and minds is to fix our thoughts and our aspirations on our unchanging God – not on our own understanding. Trusting in God is like building on an unshakable foundation and keeping our mind anchored in the truth we learn from God and His Word. So, let's base our thoughts on God's faithfulness. Our verse says that this will give us perfect peace. Who can improve on that?  Of course, nobody can. Trust in God – He will keep you in perfect peace no matter what you might face today, or tomorrow or ever in your future.  

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February 21 – Overcome For Us Through Christ

“These things I have spoken to you, so that in Me you may have peace. In the world you have tribulation, but take courage; I have overcome the world.” – John 16:33 (NASB)

Today again our verse has the word “take courage.’ Because we live in a world that is hostile toward God and does not believe in Jesus as Savior and Lord we do need to bolster our spirit and strengthen our hearts with faith believing. But we do so not on our own or in our own might. We don’t have the capacity to be courageous in the face of tribulations from the world. In the New Testament, sometimes the word translated ‘take courage’ can be rendered ‘Be of good cheer.’ Another version translates it as ‘take heart.’ How can we do this? By trusting Jesus’ last phrase in this verse, “I have overcome the world.” He is the same ‘I’ that calmed their fears when he came toward his disciples walking on the surface of a stormy lake. The essential ground for our endurance in persecution is the victory of Jesus over the world. It is by His death, that He, rendered the world’s opposition null and void. While the world continues to attack believers, they are harmless to us, for Christ’s victory has already accomplished a marvelous defeat of the whole evil rebellious system.

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January 29 – Was, Is, Will Be Always

“Grace to you and peace from him who is and who was and who is to come, and from the seven spirits who are before his throne, and from Jesus Christ the faithful witness, the firstborn of the dead, and the ruler of kings on earth.” Revelation 1:4-5 (ESV)

The Apostle John was given the Revelation of Jesus Christ which he wrote under the inspiration of God’s Spirit. In the book God includes letters addressed to seven churches in what is called Asia Minor. Our verses today are the greeting from the common beginning of these letters. The seven letters were sent together and given to each church as the messenger brought them. In that part of the world, the custom was and is to greet people with the word “peace.” We read this greeting now because of the way it expresses the deep meaning of the source of our peace with God. It come from God and the reason He can give peace is because of who He is. To know that God has always been, that He is now, and that he will always be⸺produces a restful peace in our hearts. So when something disturbing happens let's remember that the promises of our eternal God are sure and absolute. The seven Spirits are likely a reference to the lampstand with 7 lamps—also a description of the Holy Spirit. And 7 is the number of completeness, so John is identifying the fullness of the Holy Spirit.

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November 30 – Hope. Peace. Joy.

“May the God of hope fill you with all joy and peace in believing, so that by the power of the Holy Spirit you may abound in hope.” - Romans 15:13 (ESV)

Three words which we use often in our thoughts and conversations. But does our use reflect the power and fullness of these words for us? The first is Joy and this verse should fill our hearts with rejoicing. We fully believe that these blessings are for us today just as they were available to the Christians in Rome to whom these words were written long ago. God desires to fill us with joy. God also offers to us Peace. But the peace God gives is not the peace found in this world. Peace treaties and conferences and summits all mean just one thing – lack of conflict between warring parties. The peace from God is the removal of the hostility that separates us from Him and binds us to His love. If our hearts and minds are disturbed by some crisis or difficulty, God wants to fill us with His peace. If you are wondering about your eternal future God wants to remove the uncertainty and doubt and fill us with His Hope. His joy, peace and hope are our promise today and so we give thanks God for His love.

 

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November 14 – Abundance From Knowledge

“May grace and peace be multiplied to you in the knowledge of God and of Jesus our Lord.” 2 Peter 1:2 (ESV)

These words which are a blessing or prayer written by the Apostle Peter in the second letter he wrote to Christian believers in the first century.  This “knowledge” is a strengthened form implying a larger, more thorough, and intimate knowledge. Our precious faith is built on knowing the truth about God. Christianity is not a mystical religion, but is based in objective, historical, revealed, rational truth from God and intended to be understood and believed. The deeper and wider that knowledge of the Lord, the more abundant is the “grace and peace”. What a great difference it makes in our lives when we come to know God and His Son Jesus Christ. When we accept Jesus as our Savior, God brings us into His family and begins to reveal himself to us.  He wants us to know Him and to keep learning more and more about Him. Our verse today promises us what happens when we learn to know our Lord better. We receive grace and peace that multiplies through knowing Him. It will be true as we learn to know Him better. What a benefit is promised to us here.

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October 8 – What? We Worry?

“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.” – Philippians 4:6-7 (NASB)

Don’t worry! We hear and we say this so many times in our lives. “I can’t help but worry!” we say. Why do we? One word. CONTROL. We wish to control our world and we do not like somethings that come into our world. We want to be in control and that means everything and everyone around us. Spend a little time on social media and you’ll see how full it is of people spouting off their fix-it solutions. Here is what happens: We worry, no matter what it’s about, and we chase our peace of mind and heart out the door. “Scat!” is what we say to our peace. A better way is to follow verse 6 so we can enjoy the promise in verse 7. Simple and easy (when we rely on God) is the way. Next time refuse to think for even a moment that our worries have any effect on any outcome. Acknowledge that anxiety (worry) is powerless in the realm of fixing anything. If we do, we receive a promised peace that we will not understand and it will guard our hearts and minds against renewed anxious thoughts.

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