The God of Peace
Isaiah 26:3 “Thou wilt keep him in perfect peace, whose mind is stayed on Thee: because he trusteth in Thee.”
At least six times in the New Testament, God is called the God of Peace.
(Romans 15:33, Romans 16:20, Philippians 4:9, 1 Thessalonians 5:23, 2 Thessalonians 3:16 [here it is said “Lord of peace”], Hebrews 13:20)
Christ Jesus, Himself is the source of our peace.
We are not given peace by self effort….but it is given by the Holy Spirit as we “stay” ourselves on Him.
Perfect peace of mind……and freedom from the gripping hand of “cares”;….can only be known only as we learn to commit all our ways to Him.
(“Cares” grab ahold of us, and say: “You need to do something about this!”
“Mind” here is the imagination; which can think of all kinds of thoughts about the things that…will happen….could happen……the “what ifs” of the situation.
1 Peter 5:7 “Casting all your care upon Him; for He careth for you.”
Casting,….it is a energetic action….we are not to think of them awhile, then think about giving them to the Lord…
…no, we are to cast them upon Him….He is able….He has seen to these cares and worries already….and will see to them in us, through us, and by us…
…..for He cares for us. (this is a term for “taking care of us”)
Jesus is the Prince of Peace (Isaiah 9:6), and He demonstrated this so marvelously on the cross.
1 Peter 2:23 “ Who, when He was reviled, reviled not again; when He suffered, He threatened not; but committed Himself to Him that judgeth righteously:”
The first part of the verse, is what He did before the Sanhedrin, Pilate, the soldiers, and on the cross….here was His obedience…
..He reviled not…He threatened not.
And it was because…He “committed Himself to Him that judgeth righteously.”
He did this at Gethsemane, when the thoughts of the shame and defilement of the cross came fast and furious…each, an attack against Him.
Matthew 26:38-39 “Then saith He (Jesus) unto them, My soul is exceeding sorrowful, even unto death: tarry ye here, and watch with Me.
And He went a little further, and fell on His face, and prayed, saying, O My Father, if it be possible, let this cup pass from Me: nevertheless, not as I will, but as Thou wilt.”
But His answered these attacks on His peace, with: “Not as I will, but as Thou wilt.”
This should be our stand, as well….when the attacks of concern, worry, doubt, and panic come against us.
We, too, should commit ourselves to God, for all that will come to us…and let the peace of God guard us….keeping our hearts and minds.
1 Peter 4:19 “Wherefore, let them that suffer according to the will of God commit the keeping of their souls to Him in well doing, as unto a faithful Creator.”
He created us for a purpose, we need to submit to that purpose, for today…..not my will, but thine be done…and be obedient…for this is the “way of peace”…
Isaiah 48:17-18 “Thus saith the Lord, Thy redeemer, the Holy One of Israel; I am the Lord thy God which teacheth thee to profit (by My teaching), which leadeth thee by the way that thou shouldest go.
O that thou hadst hearkened to My commandments! Then had thy peace been as a river, and thy righteousness as the waves of the sea:”
Obeying His Word we will be lead into His peace.
The listening and obedient ear knows true peace….for it knows the Voice of the God of Peace….and follows Him.
Preaching, Teaching, and Notes 