Peace In the Chaos - Part 1 - Jesus, Our True Peace

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I have thought lately, if I could manufacture peace in some sort of solid form, and sell it, I would be a billionaire. Peace seems as elusive as a night time mist that disappears in the morning sunlight. We are in the midst of a chaotic time in a chaotic world, and there are moments when peace seems to have withdrawn never to be found again.

Jesus knew there would be difficulty in life. The following verse comes at the end of a speech Jesus gives to His disciples where He shares words of warning, words of promise, words of prophecy and words on prayer. Read John 16 for the full context.

“33 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 1995)

There are six things we can take away from this one verse that might help us in our search for peace.

Image by floyd99 from Pixabay

1 - Jesus spoke these words for a purpose. These would be the words that came before. Jesus didn’t want His followers to be blindsided. He wanted them to know what to expect. If we read the whole of the Scriptures, we can see that it was written so that we have this benefit as well. We are given God’s words so that we know what to expect when we sin, when we repent, when we are thankful, when we are sad, when we are disobedient or when we are lost. God’s Words are the Good News of Jesus Christ and the judgment to those who prefer to walk in darkness. The Bible isn’t some laced together ramblings of approximately 40 men over a period of 1500 years just to deceive mankind into following a cult. The Bible has a purpose, and that purpose is our reconciliation to God through Jesus’ death and resurrection brought about by His deep and amazing love for us, His Creation.

“16 All Scripture is inspired by God and profitable for teaching, for reproof, for correction, for training in righteousness;
17 so that the man of God may be adequate, equipped for every good work.”
— 2 Timothy 3:16-17 (NASB 1995)

Image by Annette Meyer from Pixabay

2 - Jesus wants us to have peace. If you are like me you may have struggled with the idea that God is truly loving. I used to think He was just waiting around for me to do something bad, and then BANG, He’d drop the hammer on me. Thankfully, as I have grown and matured as a Christ follower, I have come to realize this is absolutely not true. God’s love for us is so perfect that He cannot have bad, or ulterior motives, such as seeing us suffer just for suffering’s sake.

“1 See how great a love the Father has bestowed on us, that we would be called children of God; and such we are. For this reason the world does not know us, because it did not know Him. ”
— 1 John 3:1 (NASB 1995)

We are called His children. If you are a parent, especially one that really loves your kids, then you know why this is so mind blowing. The God of the universe loved us enough that He gives us the opportunity to become His children. Wow! Here’s a few more verses to drive this point home.

“15 For you have not received a spirit of slavery leading to fear again, but you have received a spirit of adoption as sons by which we cry out, “Abba! Father!”
16 The Spirit Himself testifies with our spirit that we are children of God,
17 and if children, heirs also, heirs of God and fellow heirs with Christ, if indeed we suffer with Him so that we may also be glorified with Him.”
— Romans 8:15-17 (NASB 1995)

Jesus and His Father want us to have peace, as any loving parent would want for their children. As a parent I can testify how heart wrenching it is when your children do not have peace. This brings me to the next point Jesus makes connected directly to this idea of peace.

Image by Germán R from Pixabay

3 - Our peace is directly connected to Christ. Read carefully what Jesus says about peace, “These things I have spoken to you, so that in Me you may have peace.” The Christ follower’s peace goes hand in hand with Jesus. We will never have true, abiding peace without Him. Look what Isaiah prophesied:

“6 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 1995)

Jesus is called the Prince of Peace. He owns it. He is peace personified, and if we know Him, we too can have that peace.

I want to point out a little detail. Jesus says, “…so that in Me you MAY have peace.” We can know Jesus and still not have His peace. I will explore this idea in a future post, but for now rest in the fact that He is our peace, and without Him chaos will easily reign.

Image by Selver Učanbarlić from Pixabay

4 - We will have trouble in this world. Why are we shocked by the things happening in our country? We live in a fallen, darkened world. Trouble comes in all forms with a capital T. Whether we are dealing with our own difficulties: illness, financial burdens, relationship issues; or we are anxious due to the choices of others, our lives are constantly exposed to trouble. Our exposure is even more pronounced because we have phones, pads, and other tech to keep us up on what is happening all over the world almost at the exact moment it is happening.

A friend recently sent me a short video of a trauma therapist talking about how we are not meant to see some of the things we are seeing on the internet in this day and age. For example the killings of both Renee Good and Alex Pretti, whatever your point of view is on those, are not events we should be watching at all, let alone over and over from multiple angles. It desensitizes us and also raises our anxiety level. It makes me think, let’s not add trouble to the troubles we already have. Not that we shouldn’t be informed, but reading an article is a lot different than viewing images and video.

Remember who is on the prowl. That same one will use these troubles to create what? Peace? No! Chaos.

“Be of sober spirit, be on the alert. Your adversary, the devil, prowls around like a roaring lion, seeking someone to devour.”
— I Peter 5:8 (NASB 1995)

Image from Pixabay

5 - We can take courage. It is very easy to let anxiety and fear run rampant in our minds and hearts when we see these discouraging events taking place; even more so, if we are already burdened with other difficulties. I know what is is like to be spread thin, as I am sure so many of you do too. With my health being a constant struggle and a constant mystery I already have days where I get easily discouraged. Add to that the loss of my mom on Christmas morning and then getting the flu right after we got through the funeral and the travel involved and you can bet I was feeling less than courageous.

I don’t have all the answers for difficult times except this one thing: lean in. Lean in to the grief, the sadness, the anger, the discouragement, and most importantly lean in to Christ and the truth of the Word.

“9 Have I not commanded you? Be strong and courageous! Do not tremble or be dismayed, for the Lord your God is with you wherever you go.”
— Joshua 1:9 (NASB 1995)

God made clear to Joshua that he did not need to be afraid, and that he could be strong and courageous. He didn’t need to be anxious or confused. Why? Because God was with him, and that same God is with us.

Image by Alexa from Pixabay

6 - Jesus has overcome the world. Nothing gives my heart more peace than those last words Jesus told his disciples. “I have overcome the world.” He didn’t say, “I might”, or “maybe some day I will”, but “I have.” Jesus has already overcome the anger, the conflict, the disunity, the fear, the selfishness, the pride, the lust for more power, and the darkness. The gospel of John confirms this idea.

“1 In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God.
2 He was in the beginning with God.
3 All things were made through him, and without him was not any thing made that was made.
4 In him was life, and the life was the light of men.
5 The light shines in the darkness, and the darkness has not overcome it.”
— John 1:1-5 (ESV)

There is no difficulty, or person, or event that can overcome Jesus, the light of the world.

A Further Look at Peace

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Last week we took a look at the last name of Jesus mentioned in Isaiah 9:6. Next month I plan on getting back to my monthly columns, but I thought this idea of the Prince of Peace something we need to sit on for a spell. Peace is a commodity that is hard to come by. Even as Christ followers we struggle with anxiety and worry, just like many people. If Jesus is the Prince of Peace, then why do we, who call Him our Savior, have such a hard time finding peace?

Image by Gerd Altmann from Pixabay

Finding peace is directly related to knowing the Prince of Peace; Jesus. It isn’t just a head nod to whether Jesus was a real, historical figure, but an understanding and acceptance of why He came to earth and what He did while He was here. Even that understanding can be on an intellectual level rather than a heart level. Truth faith is committing ourselves to what God says in His word, the Bible, about who Christ is, who the Holy Spirit is, and our part in the faith process.

“Therefore, having been justified by faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ,
2 through whom also we have obtained our introduction by faith into this grace in which we stand; and we exult in hope of the glory of God.”
— Romans 5:1-2 (NASB 1995)

Once we have that relationship with our Prince of Peace we begin to grow in our walk with Him. As we read His word our understanding of His movement in our lives and our responsibilities to Him become more clear. However, we are still walking in this world, daily affected by our flesh and all of its struggles and appetites. Peace comes more easily as we walk by the Spirit rather than the flesh.

“16 But I say, walk by the Spirit, and you will not carry out the desire of the flesh.
17 For the flesh sets its desire against the Spirit, and the Spirit against the flesh; for these are in opposition to one another, so that you may not do the things that you please. ”
— Galatians 5:16-17 (NASB 1995)

What is it, then, that destroys our peace? What keeps us from having that peace from Prince of Peace? Why do we so often strive when we are facing difficulty, rather than just having the peace that passes all understanding. Let’s look at a few thoughts.

1 - Anxiety

Image by Pete Linforth from Pixabay

“No amount of regretting can change the past, and no amount of worrying can change the future.”
— Roy T. Bennett - The Light in the Heart
“Worrying is carrying tomorrow’s load with today’s strength- carrying two days at once. It is moving into tomorrow ahead of time. Worrying doesn’t empty tomorrow of its sorrow, it empties today of its strength.”
— Corrie Ten Boom

Here is an interesting article from Psychology Today on the difference between worry and anxiety. For this post today we are going to look at the two as one. Certainly worry can lead to anxiety, and it would be rare to have anxiety without some sort of worry.

Obviously anxiety/worry can take away our peace. If we live life in the realm of the “what if’s” we will never know the beauty of a life of peace or contentment. God’s word is very specific about worry and anxiety. Our great Creator knew we would struggle with this, so He gave us tools to use when we are in the anxious state. We’ll look at those next week, but for now, this is what the Bible says about worry and anxiety.

““For this reason I say to you, do not be worried about your life, as to what you will eat or what you will drink; nor for your body, as to what you will put on. Is not life more than food, and the body more than clothing?
26 Look at the birds of the air, that they do not sow, nor reap nor gather into barns, and yet your heavenly Father feeds them. Are you not worth much more than they? 27 And who of you by being worried can add a single hour to his life?
28 And why are you worried about clothing? Observe how the lilies of the field grow; they do not toil nor do they spin,
29 yet I say to you that not even Solomon in all his glory clothed himself like one of these.”
— Matthew 6:25-29 (NASB 1995)
“Be anxious for nothing, but in everything by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known to God.”
— Philippians 4:6 (NASB 1995)

2 - Unresolved Emotions

Image by Grae Dickason from Pixabay

You might wonder what I mean by unresolved emotions. I am referring to emotions that have come about due to difficult circumstances or relationships. Anger, sadness, or fear when left to fester will consume us and take away our peace.

Emotions are God’s gift to us. They give us the ability to live a full and productive life. Fear enables us to keep ourselves secure and away from harm. Sadness allows us to see that which is really important to us. Desire motivates us to do things. Anger itself can be a useful emotion if it moves us to take good action like lobbying for change or protecting someone who is being harmed. However, these emotions can also be the pathway for anxiety, bitterness, addiction, and wrath. What does the Bible say about our emotions?

“The Lord is my light and my salvation; Whom shall I fear? The Lord is the defense of my life; Whom shall I dread?”
— Psalm 27:1 (NASB 1995)
“Why are you in despair, O my soul? And why have you become disturbed within me? Hope in God, for I shall again praise Him For the help of His presence.”
— Psalm 42:5 (NASB 1995)
“You open Your hand And satisfy the desire of every living thing.”
— Psalm 145:16 (NASB 1995)
“Be angry, and yet do not sin; do not let the sun go down on your anger,”
— Ephesians 4:26 (NASB 1995)

God knows our emotions better than we know them ourselves and we were created with them to use them as a way to worship and draw closer to Him. Allowing those emotions to take over will take away our peace and cause further problems. Counseling offices are full with people who are trying to figure out how to manage their run away emotions.

3 - Pride

Image by Daniel Borker from Pixabay

How does pride get in the way of having God’s perfect peace? What does the Bible say?

“Pride goes before destruction, And a haughty spirit before stumbling.”
— Proverbs 16:8 (NASB 1995)

That one verse sums up God’s opinion on pride. The Bible is actually full of examples of men whose very kingdom’s fell due to their pride. Let’s not forget Satan, our enemy whose pride led to his being banished from heaven. See Ezekiel 28:13-19. Pride is the exact opposite of humility and humility is essential in our relationship with God.

Peace in our lives requires dependence on the Prince of Peace. Dependence requires a humble heart.

Next week I will share with you ways to combat these three thieves of peace. I hope you will come back again.

Have a great weekend!

A Look at Isaiah 9:6 - Part 3

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I know Christmas is over, but I wanted to finish my little study of Isaiah 9:6. I thought it would be especially appropriate with all the unrest and war going on in the Middle East, and the Ukraine to pause on the last name named, the Prince of Peace.

“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 1995)

Looking at the word prince we get these definitions from Webster’s Online Dictionary: the ruler of a principality or state; male member of a royal family, especially the son of a sovereign. We can see by a few different scriptures that God is the King of Kings. God the Father and Jesus His son, while different are one in the same. What the Father owns, the Son has. The King and the Prince are head, rule and authority over all.

Image by Victoria from Pixabay

“16 On his robe and on his thigh he has a name written, King of kings and Lord of lords.”
— Revelation 19:16 (ESV)
“9 And the Lord will be king over all the earth. On that day the Lord will be one and his name one.”
— Zachariah 14:9 (ESV)
“13 I charge you in the presence of God, who gives life to all things, and of Christ Jesus, who in his testimony before Pontius Pilate made the good confession,
14 to keep the commandment unstained and free from reproach until the appearing of our Lord Jesus Christ,
15 which he will display at the proper time—he who is the blessed and only Sovereign, the King of kings and Lord of lords,
16 who alone has immortality, who dwells in unapproachable light, whom no one has ever seen or can see. To him be honor and eternal dominion. Amen.”
— 1 Timothy 6:13-16 (NASB 1995)

When we refer to Jesus as the Prince of Peace we are speaking about His authority over all things peaceful. This not only includes written treaties between nations that can’t see eye to eye, but peace within each of us in our chaotic, and fluctuating circumstances. But what does the word peace mean?

Webster’s defines peace in these ways: a state of tranquility or quiet such as: freedom from civil disturbance, or a state of security and order within a community provided for by law or custom; freedom from disquieting or oppressive thoughts or emotions; harmony in personal relations; a state or period of mutual concord between governments; a pact or agreement to end hostilities between those who have been at war or in a state of enmity; used as a greeting or farewell.

Image by Gordon Johnson from Pixabay

The 1960’s and 70’s often used this symbol as a greeting or farewell. It was a way of wishing one another a life of peace and serenity. During those decades, there was unrest in the world and in our country. People did not believe we should be fighting in other people’s wars and protests were plentiful especially on university campuses. The problem that arose is those protests, meant to be peaceful and serene, often became violent, the exact opposite of what the protesters wanted.

We live in a world of unrest. As long as there is sin and darkness in our world there will be war, violence and tragedy. People can work for peace, preach for peace, make laws for peace, fly banners for peace, and have calm, dignified protests for peace, but there will be no peace without Jesus.

In John 16, Jesus is talking to His disciples. He is telling them that He is going to be going away. He explains, if He doesn’t go away, the Helper will not come. The Helper Jesus is referring to is the Holy Spirit. He goes on to say this Holy Spirit will convict the world concerning sin, righteousness and judgment. Without the guiding of the Holy Spirit, we will continue to live in our sin and selfishness and we will not know peace.

“33 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 1995)

The wonderful words that Jesus shares with us are these, “I have overcome the world.” Jesus, our Prince of Peace has overcome this dark, and violent world. He has given us all that we need to have peace.

I want to share more on this truth of our Prince of Peace, so I am going to extend this to next week when I will share with you some of my favorite verses on peace.

Thanks so much for stopping by the blog. Have a great weekend!