PEACE

Hey wise women,

I pray you’ve done some seeking this week and will continue on your journey to discover all that God has to offer you. One thing He desires for you is peace. It’s a focal point this time of year; yet it’s something we should seek all year long. For families dealing with tough situations, peace seems a remote concept. But God offers peace. Let’s go seeking for it. 

As Psalm 34:14 says:
Depart from evil and do good; Seek peace and pursue it. (NKJV)

Walking through the Bible, you can uncover God’s words about peace. Take time to sit with your Heavenly Father, His law, and become filled with His peace. 

Psalm 119:165 says:
Great peace have those who love Your law, And nothing causes them to stumble. (NKJV)

And Isaiah 26:3 says:
You will keep him in perfect peace, Whose mind is stayed on You,
 Because he trusts in You. (NKJV)

There’s that word TRUST. If you’re doubting that you are able to trust in the Lord, have faith, or believe in His promises, read the following Scriptures and remember you are not alone.

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. Proverbs 3:5-6 (NKJV)

So Jesus said to them, “Because of your unbelief; for assuredly, I say to you, if you have faith as a mustard seed, you will say to this mountain, ‘Move from here to there,’ and it will move; and nothing will be impossible for you." Matthew 17:20 (NKJV)

Immediately the father of the child cried out and said with tears, “Lord, I believe; help my unbelief!” Mark 9:24 (NKJV)

At times we all wrestle with our faith. The Israelites are a perfect example for us because they struggled as we do. And oh, how they messed up. Prophet after prophet reminded them to live as God instructed. Many times they refused to listen. The four hundred years before Christ was born were full of tumultuous activity, and it seemed as though God was silent. The minor prophets had promised peace, but the oppressed Israelites experienced little of it. Did they trust God? Were they seeking Him first? Only God knows, but we can certainly learn from their mistakes.

Is dissension all around you? Do you feel oppressed? Where is your focus; is it your family first or are you seeking God first? Here’s a hard Scripture to read, but it tells us where our priorities need to be in order to gain peace. 

The verses below are from Matthew 10:34-39:

“Do not think that I came to bring peace on earth. I did not come to bring peace but a sword. For I have come to ‘set a man against his father, a daughter against her mother, and a daughter-in-law against her mother-in-law’; and ‘a man’s enemies will be those of his own household.’ He who loves father or mother more than Me is not worthy of Me. And he who loves son or daughter more than Me is not worthy of Me. And he who does not take his cross and follow after Me is not worthy of Me. He who finds his life will lose it, and he who loses his life for My sake will find it. (NKJV)

We are told in Matthew 6:25-34 not to worry and to seek first the kingdom of God:

“Therefore I say to you, do not worry about your life, what you will eat or what you will drink; nor about your body, what you will put on. Is not life more than food and the body more than clothing? Look at the birds of the air, for they neither sow nor reap nor gather into barns; yet your heavenly Father feeds them. Are you not of more value than they? Which of you by worrying can add one cubit to his stature?

“So why do you worry about clothing? Consider the lilies of the field, how they grow: they neither toil nor spin; and yet I say to you that even Solomon in all his glory was not arrayed like one of these. Now if God so clothes the grass of the field, which today is, and tomorrow is thrown into the oven, will He not much more clothe you, O you of little faith?

“Therefore do not worry, saying, ‘What shall we eat?’ or ‘What shall we drink?’ or ‘What shall we wear?’ For after all these things the Gentiles seek. For your heavenly Father knows that you need all these things. But seek first the kingdom of God and His righteousness, and all these things shall be added to you. Therefore do not worry about tomorrow, for tomorrow will worry about its own things. Sufficient for the day is its own trouble. (NKJV)

Read what the minor prophets prophesied to the Israelites. Be thankful that you have proof of a Savior who fulfilled prophecy. Celebrate His birth. Worship His majesty. Seek His presence. Believe in His promises. Trust Him. Peace will follow. God says so!

‘The glory of this latter temple shall be greater than the former,’ says the LORD of hosts. ‘And in this place I will give peace,’ says the LORD of hosts.” Haggai 2:9 (NKJV)

The Promise:
“ But you, Bethlehem Ephrathah,
Though you are little among the thousands of Judah,
Yet out of you shall come forth to Me
The One to be Ruler in Israel,
Whose goings forth are from of old,
From everlasting.”

Therefore He shall give them up,
Until the time that she who is in labor has given birth;
Then the remnant of His brethren
Shall return to the children of Israel.
And He shall stand and feed His flock
In the strength of the LORD,
In the majesty of the name of the LORD His God;
And they shall abide,
For now He shall be great
To the ends of the earth;
And this One shall be peace. Micah 5:2-5 (NKJV)

The Fulfillment:
For there is born to you this day in the city of David a Savior, who is Christ the Lord. And this will be the sign to you: You will find a Babe wrapped in swaddling cloths, lying in a manger.” And suddenly there was with the angel a multitude of the heavenly host praising God and saying: “ Glory to God in the highest, And on earth peace, goodwill toward men!”
Luke 2:11-14 (NKJV), also read Luke 2:1-14

Jesus’ own words as He ministered to people:
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. John 14:27 (NKJV)

These things I have spoken to you, that in Me you may have peace. In the world you will have tribulation; but be of good cheer, I have overcome the world.” John 16:33 (NKJV)

While in prison, Paul wrote these words because of his total trust in Jesus:

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 understanding, will guard your hearts and minds through Christ Jesus. Philippians 4:6-7 (NKJV)

We are told to seek peace in Hebrews 12:14:
Pursue peace with all people, and holiness, without which no one will see the Lord. (NKJV)

Hebrews 13:5-6 tells us how to behave:
Let your conduct be without covetousness; be content with such things as you have. For He Himself has said, “I will never leave you nor forsake you.”So we may boldly say: “ The LORD is my helper;
 I will not fear.
 What can man do to me?” (NKJV)

Have a joyous Christmas and I leave you with God’s words:
Peace be within your walls,
 Prosperity within your palaces.” Psalm 122:7 (NKJV)

“The LORD bless you and keep you;
The LORD make His face shine upon you,
 And be gracious to you;
The LORD lift up His countenance upon you,
 And give you peace.” Numbers 6:24-26 (NKJV)

P-patiently
E-expecting
A-all
C-Christ's
E-ease