Isaiah 57:1-13 (NIV)
1 The righteous perish, and no one ponders it in his heart; devout men are taken away, and no one understands that the righteous are taken away to be spared from evil. 2 Those who walk uprightly enter into peace; they find rest as they lie in death.
3 “But you—come here, you sons of a sorceress, you offspring of adulterers and prostitutes! 4 Who are you mocking? At whom do you sneer and stick out your tongue? Are you not a brood of rebels, the offspring of liars? 5 You burn with lust among the oaks and under every spreading tree; you sacrifice your children in the ravines and under the overhanging crags. 6 The idols among the smooth stones of the ravines are your portion; they, they are your lot. Yes, to them you have poured out drink offerings and offered grain offerings. In the light of these things, should I relent? 7 You have made your bed on a high and lofty hill; there you went up to offer your sacrifices. 8 Behind your doors and your doorposts you have put your pagan symbols. Forsaking me, you uncovered your bed, you climbed into it and opened it wide; you made a pact with those whose beds you love, and you looked on their nakedness. 9 You went to Molek with olive oil and increased your perfumes. You sent your ambassadors far away; you descended to the grave itself! 10 You were wearied by all your ways, but you would not say, ‘It is hopeless.’ You found renewal of your strength, and so you did not faint.
11 “Whom have you so dreaded and feared that you have been false to me, and have neither remembered me nor pondered this in your hearts? Is it not because I have long been silent that you do not fear me? 12 I will expose your righteousness and your works, and they will not benefit you. 13 When you cry out for help, let your collection of idols save you! The wind will carry all of them off, a mere breath will blow them away. But the man who makes me his refuge will inherit the land and possess my holy mountain.”
Today’s topic is about peace. How the Holy Spirit changes the heart of a Christian and that change brings peace to the believer.
Philippians 4:4-12 (NIV)
4 Rejoice in the Lord always. I will say it again: Rejoice! 5 Let your gentleness be evident to all. The Lord is near. 6 Do not be anxious about anything, but in everything, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God. 7 And the peace of God, which transcends all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus.
8 Finally, brothers, whatever is true, whatever is noble, whatever is right, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is admirable—if anything is excellent or praiseworthy—think about such things.
9 Whatever you have learned or received or heard from me, or seen in me—put it into practice. And the God of peace will be with you.
10 I rejoice greatly in the Lord that at last you have renewed your concern for me. Indeed, you have been concerned, but you had no opportunity to show it. 11 I am not saying this because I am in need, for I have learned to be content whatever the circumstances. 12 I know what it is to be in need, and I know what it is to have plenty. I have learned the secret of being content in any and every situation, whether well fed or hungry, whether living in plenty or in want.
In Galatians 5, there is a list of the traits of a changed heart brings on by the Holy Spirit, love, joy, patience, peace.
Philippians 4:7 The peace of God, which transcends all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus.
I want to talk about the character of peace and then the three disciplines of getting peace and then the secret of peace.
Paul is facing the possibility of death. Paul says he has learned the secret to having no anxiety even when facing death, he has learned something, away to love, away to be he has learned how to calm in any and all circumstances.
2 Corinthians 11:25 Thrice was I beaten with rods, once was I stoned, thrice I suffered shipwreck, a night and a day I have been in the deep.
Peace is the presence of something. It is a sense of being protected. Verse 7 – the presence of God will ground your hearts and minds.
God’s peace is God’s presence. We are given a power that enables us to triumph over the issues of life. There is a sense of being protected.
Christians in the midst of tragedy have a sense of calm about them. They are upset but not destroyed. They believe they are a child of God.
Anyone can learn the characteristics of peace that God offers us. An inner calm and a sense of being grounded by God, a real peace that is beyond human comprehension.
We get peace through a learned process. (Thinking, thanking, and loving.)
The first step is to think about whatever is true and noble and right and pure, think about these things. And the glory of peace will be with you.
Paul says if you want peace, think about doctrine. Think about what we know about life before and with God.
Christian peace is going to come with thinking, not with ignorance. Thinking in a Christian way means that we know there is a God and He made us. He created a perfect world and human sin broke/messed up the world.
In order to set things right, God sent His son, Himself to save us. And when we accept Jesus’ sacrifice for us, we get to live forever with Him in eternity. We are valuable – Christ died for us. If you believe that, it should bring peace.
Matthew 10:29-33 29 Are not two sparrows sold for a penny? Yet not one of them will fall to the ground outside your Father’s care. 30 And even the very hairs of your head are all numbered. 31 So don’t be afraid; you are worth more than many sparrows.
32 “Whoever acknowledges me before others, I will also acknowledge before my Father in heaven. 33 But whoever disowns me before others, I will disown before my Father in heaven.
The second step is thanking. We need to make our request to know God with thanksgiving.
Why should we thank God before we know the answer? Paul says we’re never going to be content unless we make our request of God. Which means acknowledging that our lives are in His hands and thanking Him in advance for whatever comes because we know He loves us and has our best in mind always.
God has a plan to renew the world. (Romans 8:28) It is a plan of redemption. Because Christ was killed on the Cross, we get the best things ever, redemption, forgiveness, and a new relationship with God.
The third step is loving. Paul says to think about whatever is true, whatever is noble (really ponders) think deeply to get these in our minds. And whatever is lovely, whatever is admirable. This is love.
Paul asks the question how do we live a life of contentment, which means to be independent of circumstances?
Paul says we need to love the right things in life. Saint Augustine says we only love what never changes is what matters.
What is that thing which doesn’t change? God, of course. Saint Augustine says that God alone is the place of peace which cannot be disturbed and God will not withhold His love from us unless we withhold our love from Him.
1 John 5:4 For everyone born of God overcomes the world. This is the victory that has overcome the world, even our faith.
If we love God totally, we get God, and we find what we have been loving in all these other things was actually God. When we love family, we love the sense of belonging, we love being loved, but that God was coming through our family to us.
The secret Paul is talking about is to look at Jesus and find Him breathtakingly wonderful.
Life will never line up completely. There will always be problems. The problems will come; we will get frustrated that our good deeds haven’t paid off with the perfect life or we will go to God again because we love and trust Him.
Proverbs 3:5-6 Trust in the Lord with all your heart, and lean not on your own understanding; in all your ways acknowledge Him, and He shall direct your paths.
The Cross means God loves us and has our best in mind, despite what happens. This week, think about the peace in your life. Is your relationship with Christ growing that peace in your life? Think about the three disciplines of acquiring peace and the secret of peace.
God bless you in your journey to find peace in your life through Christ.