Peace – Page 3 – See you in Heaven

How can we have more peace during this Christmas season?

“Finally, brethren, whatever things are true, whatever things are noble, whatever things are just, whatever things are pure, whatever things are lovely, whatever things are of good report, if there is any virtue and if there is anything praiseworthy – meditate on these things.” Philippians 4:8

Christmas time can be a less than peaceful experience for many people. Even though we celebrate the birth of the Prince of Peace who came to bring peace on earth, our experience is anything but peaceful. How can we have more peace during this Christmas season?

It begins with what we think about. The Bible tells us, “For as he thinks in his heart, so is he” (Proverbs 23:7). Our thoughts determine our feelings. If we think about confusing things, we will feel confused. If we focus on peaceful things, we will experience more peace. For example, if my focus is on nothing but a growing list of gifts and a shrinking bank account, I am going to have more anxiety. If I am preoccupied with a busy schedule trying to find a way to go to all the Christmas parties and programs, I am going to be more distressed. If I give more attention to painful childhood memories during the Christmas season, I am going to have more discouragement at this time. I am not suggesting we ignore our financial difficulties, busy schedules, or painful memories, but that we limit how much time we concentrate on these things.

If we want to have more peace during this time of year, it would behoove us to listen to God’s advice through the apostle Paul to the Christians at Philippi. After talking about overcoming anxiety through prayer (4:6-7), Paul gives a final instruction about what to think about as we pray (4:8). He writes, “Finally, brethren, whatever things are true, whatever things are noble, whatever things are just, whatever things are pure, whatever things are lovely, whatever things are of good report, if there is any virtue and if there is anything praiseworthy – meditate on these things” (Philippians 4:8).

God is advising us to “meditate” or concentrate on “these things” addressed in this one verse as we pray. Let’s take a look at each individual quality. He says to focus on “whatever things are…”

“true” (alēthēs) refers to that which is authentic, valid, or undeniable reality. In an age of “fake news,” this object of our focus is so important to finding peace. Instead of focusing on lies which are probably the primary source of our anxiety and fear, we are to focus on what is true.

“noble” (semnos) means that which is honorable, dignified, deeply respected, or majestic. If we are focusing on dishonorable or disrespectful things, we will feel worse about ourselves. This is easy to do when we are bombarded by the media with that which is dishonoring to God.

“just” (dikaios) denotes what is correct, righteous, upright, or thinking, feeling, and acting wholly conformed to God’s standards or will. So much of what we hear or see on TV this time of year promotes the opposite of what is “just.” The world exalts that which is wrong as being right. And that which is right as being wrong. If our primary focus is on the world’s values, we will have a guilty conscience which robs us of peace.

“pure ” (hagnos) refers to that which is clean, holy, sacred, uncontaminated, undefiled, or sinless to the core. If we are giving attention to that which is impure, we will be plagued with guilt and shame.

“lovely” (prosphilēs) denotes what is agreeable, dearly prized, pleasing to God. Literally this compound Greek word means “friendly (philēo) towards (pros).” When we are pondering that which is pleasing to God, our hearts will be filled with His peace.

“of good report” (euphēmos) conveys the idea of something admirable, reputable,or things spoken in a kindly spirit with good-will toward others. With there being so much bad news reported daily today, is it any wonder that people lack peace!?!

“virtue” (aretē) refers to the perfections of God, moral goodness or excellence which is displayed to enrich one’s life. Need we see any more?

“praiseworthy” (epainos) means commendable, deserving of commendation and exaltation.

As you read through this list of virtues, what comes to your mind? Is there anything or anyone who fits all these descriptions? As I read this verse over and over again this morning, I could not stop thinking about the Lord Jesus. Only Jesus fits these descriptions perfectly!

Christ alone is… “true” (John 14:6; 15:1; Rev. 19:11), “noble” or honorable (John 5:23; Phil. 2:9-11), “just” (Matt. 27:19, 24; Luke 23:47; I Pet. 3:18; Rev. 15:3; 19:11), “pure” (John 8:12; 18:38; 2 Cor. 5:21; Heb. 4:15; I John 1:5; Rev. 15:4), “lovely” (Matt. 3:17; Mark 1:11; I Tim. 6:14-15a), “of good report” (Matt. 4:24; 9:31; Mark 1:28; Luke 4:37; 5:15; Rev. 4:11-5:14; 7:9-12), a Person of “virtue” or moral excellence (John 1:1, 14-17; Phil. 2:6; Isaiah 9:6), and “praiseworthy” (Rev 4:11-5:14; 7:9-12). If we want to experience God’s peace that surpasses human understanding, we are to “meditate” on the Lord Jesus Christ as we pray. This word “meditate” (logizomai) is where we get our English word “logic” or “logical” from. God wants us to give our left brain (prefrontal cortex) some ammunition to deal with the lies Satan inserts into our right brain (limbic system).

The more we think about the Person of Jesus Christ, the more He will set you free from the lies that rob you of peace this Christmas season. May I suggest you take one of these qualities each day for the next eight days and pray them back to the Lord? Praying these attributes back to the Lord will help to download them into your right brain. The more you focus on these attributes of Jesus, the more your brain will create neurological pathways containing these promoters of God’s peace.

For example, pray to Jesus who is “true.” You might pray, “Dear Lord Jesus, because You are true, I can trust what You say. You are faithful to keep Your promises. When Satan came against You tempting You by perverting the Word of God just a little (Matthew 4:1-11), You responded, “It is written in God’s Word. Here’s the truth.” You always countered falsehood with truth and I now ask You to help me do the same. When Satan tempts me to believe his lies, I pray Your truth Lord Jesus will dismiss his lies and renew my mind to what is true. Every word that You spoke on earth was true. Every action and every thought were true. This is why You could die for the sins of the world because You were the perfect Sacrifice. Thank You for paying the penalty for all of my sins. Please help me focus on what is true about You, myself, and the world in which I live. In Your name. Amen.”

God’s remedy for worry

“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.” Philippians 4:6-7

When we are “anxious” or worried about something, God instructs us to talk to Him about it through “prayer.” He wants us to worry about “nothing” and pray about “everything.” The word “supplication” means to tell Him what you need. Few people ever identify what they need because they are so busy worrying. The word “request” refers to asking God for what you want or desire (Psalm 37:4).

For example, if I am worried about what people think of me, I can talk to the Lord about this and as I do, He may show me that my underlying need is for acceptance. I can then ask the Lord to meet this need for acceptance. He accepts me in Christ no matter what others think of me (Ephesians 1:6). As I meditate on this truth, I can express my desire (“request”) for God’s peace to rule over my heart and mind when I feel alone and insecure.

As I talk to God about my anxiety, needs, and desires, He promises to guard my heart and mind with His peace that surpasses human understanding. The “peace of God” is like a deep calmness in the midst of life’s storms. For example, the water underneath the surface of the ocean remains calm during a storm. The phrase “will guard” pictures an armed soldier walking back and forth in front of the city gate, protecting the occupants inside the city from intruders. God’s peace constantly protects those who choose to talk to Him about their worries, and ask Him for what they need and want.

How can I prepare to get a good night’s sleep?

“^21b Keep sound wisdom and discretion… ²³ then you will walk safely in your way, and your foot will not stumble. ²⁴ When you lie down you will not be afraid; yes, you will lie down and your sleep will be sweet.” Proverbs 3:21b, 23-24

In 2017, Americans spent $69.5 billion in sleep aides (i.e. medicines, gadgets, etc.) and it is estimated that they will spend $101.9 billion in sleep aides by 2023. People want to have peace of mind at night when they go to bed, but it often seems to allude them.

God’s prescription for a good night’s sleep involves keeping “sound wisdom and discretion.” “Wisdom” is doing God’s will and “discretion” is knowing what is God’s will. Basically this refers to thinking and living God’s way. When you do, you will experience safety (“you will walk safely in your way”), stability (“your foot will not stumble”), and security (“when you lie down you will not be afraid”) in your life. When you think and live God’s way, He promises “you will lie down and your sleep will be sweet.”

When we don’t know and do God’s will, we often lack a good night’s sleep because we are nagged by fear and doubt. This can quickly be reversed when we turn to the Lord for His wisdom since He “gives to all liberally and without reproach” (James 1:5).

Many of us may spend a lot of time on our cell phones or other electronic devices before going to sleep. This can also inhibit your ability to get a good night’s sleep. The blue light emitted by cell phones (or laptops, tablets, etc.) can actually reduce the production of melatonin, the hormone that controls your sleep/wake cycle. Viewing your electronic device can actually stimulate your brain rather than calm it down, especially as you interact with others on social media or read some bad news that stresses you out.

May I make a suggestion? About thirty minutes before going to sleep, lay your cell phone aside and take some deep breaths. Then take about fifteen to twenty minutes to read your Bible, listening to God’s voice of truth to impart His wisdom to you. As you meditate upon His wisdom, He promises that “your sleep will be sweet.”

How do I calm my soul when I am overwhelmed with anxiety?

“¹⁷Unless the Lord had been my help, my soul would soon have settled in silence. ¹⁸If I say, ‘My foot slips,’ Your mercy, O Lord, will hold me up. ¹⁹In the multitude of my anxieties within me, Your comforts delight my soul.” Psalm 94:17-19

The Psalmist seeks the Lord to avenge the righteous on the earth who are being unjustly oppressed by the wicked (94:1-7). Then he scolds the wicked for assuming that God is not aware or capable of judging them for their unjust treatment of the righteous (94:8-11). Even though God does discipline His wayward people, the Psalmist believed the Lord would eventually judge those who oppress the godly (94:12-15).

After looking every where for “help” to overcome opposition from the wicked, the Pslamist found it only in “the Lord” (94:17a). Had God not intervened for him, he would “have settled in silence” without any hope and died (94:17b). Without the Lord’s “mercy” to “hold” him up, he would have given up (94:18). “In the multitude of” his “anxieties within” him, God’s “comforts” brought “delight” to his soul (94:19).

Where can we turn when anxiety and hopelessness keep us awake at night? Like the Psalmist, we can turn to the Lord Who has the supernatural power to “help” us overcome our anxiety (94:17). Even when we “slip” morally, financially, or socially, the “mercy”of the God of the universe “will hold” us up so we do not give up (94:18). When we are overwhelmed with “anxieties,” the “comforts” of the Lord “delight” or satisfy our souls (94:19).

What are God’s comforts? Three different sources of comfort come to my mind:

1. The power and presence of the Holy Spirit soothes our soul when we are anxious (94:17; cf. John 14:16-17). His presence and power assures us that God can deliver us from whatever is causing us to worry.

2. The promises of God’s Word give us encouragement and hope (94:18; cf. Romans 15:4). The more we abide in God’s Word, the more we will know the truth of God which can set us free from the lies which produce feelings of hoplessness and anxiety (cf. John 8:31-32).

3. The protection of God in our past also calms our anxious hearts in the present (94:19; cf. Joshua 4:1-7). Remembering how God has protected us in the past can assure us of His continuing protection in the present.

Some people sit in silence when they are overwhelmed with anxiety and hopelessness. But God wants us to turn to Him so His comforts can satisfy our souls.

A pastor once said, “Whoever controls your thoughts determines your feelings.” When we give God control of our thoughts, He will determine our feelings. So if God is controlling our thoughts, we will feel the way God wants us to feel. The Bible explains why in Proverbs 23:7, “For as a he thinks in his heart, so is he.” Spend time with God in prayer and listen to His voice of truth as you read the Bible, and your thoughts will begin to line up with His. And as they do, you will begin to feel the way He wants you to feel.

Peace through Grace

“To all who are in Rome, beloved of God called to be saints: Grace to you and peace from God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ.” Romans 1:7

In his greetings to the Christians (“saints”) in Rome, Paul extended God’s “grace” and “peace” to them as he did in all of his New Testament letters (1:7; cf. I Corinthians 1:3; 2 Corinthians 1:2; Galatians 1:3; Ephesians 1:2; Philippians 1:2; Colossians 1:2; I Thessalonians 1:1; 2 Thessalonians 1:2; I Timothy 1:2; 2 Timothy 1:2; Titus 1:4; Philemon 1:3). This reference to grace and peace summarizes the “gospel” or good news of Jesus Christ in all of Paul’s epistles.

“Grace” refers to God’s unmerited favor whereby He gives us what we do not deserve. We do not deserve to be “justified” or declared totally righteous before God the moment we believe in Christ (Romans 3:21-4:25), but God’s grace makes this possible through “God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ” who died in our place and rose from the dead (Romans 1:7b; cf. 1:3-5).

God’s “peace” is the condition that results from God’s “grace” to us. Paul writes, “Therefore, having been justified by faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ” (5:1). We can have peace with God because “when we were enemies we were reconciled to God through the death of His Son” (5:10). Jesus’ death provides the basis of our peace with God. Christ satisfied God’s holy demand to punish sin by taking our punishment when He died in our place on the cross and rose from the dead. All God asks is that we “believe in Him who justifies the ungodly” (Romans 4:5).

Many people today are trying to find peace with God through their own religious efforts. An example of this in the New Testament is a Roman centurion named Cornelius (cf. Acts 10). He is described as “a devout man and one who feared God with all his household, who gave alms generously to the people and prayed to God always…a just man, one who…has a good reputation among all the nation of the Jews” (Acts 10:2, 22). Cornelius’ piety did not save him. His fear of God and righteous works did not give him “peace” with God (10:35-36). All of his prayers, fasting, and alms giving were expressions of his restlessness to be right with God. The apostle Peter correctly perceives this, so he speaks of Christ “preaching peace” (10:36). After declaring Jesus’ death and resurrection to Cornelius, Peter invites this religious man to “believe” in Christ for the forgiveness of his sins (Acts 10:43). What Cornelius could not find in fearing God, prayers, fasting, and alms giving, he found in the name of Jesus Christ!

Only the name of Jesus Christ has the power to save and forgive all of our sins. The reason for this is because God the Father was completely and forever satisfied with Jesus’ full payment for our sin (John 19:30; I John 2:2). Those who are trusting in their good works or in Christ plus their good works to get them to heaven, are telling God the Father that Jesus’ death on the cross failed to pay their sin debt in full. However, since God was forever satisfied with His perfect Son’s payment for the sin of the world (Isaiah 53:11; John 19:30; I John 2:2), we must also be satisfied with what satisfies God. God cannot accept anything we do as payment for our sins because He has already accepted His Son’s payment for all of our sins when He died in our place on the cross.

The moment you believe this God forgives all your sins so you can have peace with Him. The Bible says, “Now to him who does not work, but believes on Him who justifies the ungodly, his faith is accounted for righteousness” (Romans 4:5). No amount of your good words or works can make you right with God. Only Jesus can do this for you through His grace the moment you believe in Him alone (Romans 3:24-26). The result is “peace with God” (Romans 5:1). Peace through grace is only possible through a relationship with Jesus Christ, not through a religion.

The voice of God in a Thunderstorm

“The voice of the Lord is over the waters; the God of glory thunders… The Lord will give strength to His people; the Lord will bless His people with peace.” Psalm 29:3, 11

As Pat and I flew from Los Angeles to Omaha this last Monday night, the Lord put on quite a display of His power as we flew by several thunderstorms over the state of Utah. These pictures do not adequately display the majesty of these storms, but they do remind me of what King David wrote in Psalm 29.

David describes God’s power as he watches a thunderstorm begin out at sea and move inland over Lebanon toward the north of Israel (29:3-9). Seven times the phrase “the voice of the Lord” (29:3, 4, 5, 7, 8, 9) is used in this Psalm to refer to the sound of thunder during the storm’s movement inland which set forests on fire through its lightning and shook the earth causing the deer to give birth.

The same power manifested in a thunderstorm is available to God’s people today to give them His peace (29:11). His voice can calm the storms in our lives as we look to Him in faith (cf. Mark 14:35-39).