INTERNAL
AFFAIRS
PEACE
is definitely something that emanates from within. Unfortunately, THE EXTERNAL is frequently out
of alignment with THE ETERNAL. Nevertheless, you and I have attitudinal
choices. We must not allow ourselves to
be irrationally influenced or controlled by outside circumstances. How can this possibly be? How can we shape and secure positive attitudes
during close encounters with trouble or tragedy? Indeed, it is possible because you and I are
infinitely more capable and more competent than we might appear!
In
the context of time, we merely LOOK LIKE human bodies, subject to an endless
array of sensory stimuli: auditory, olfactory, gustatory, tactile and visual. Admittedly, we are impacted by all these human
factors, many of which supersede the span of our control. Nevertheless, WE ARE MUCH MORE than our frail
human bodies suggest. Far beyond our
physical anatomies, THE CREATOR has endowed us with exceptional minds and
eternal spirits. This means we can live
in total transcendence; and, despite anything, WE CAN RISE. Fact is, we are nothing less than
WINNER-BELIEVERS, endowed with the MIND OF GOD and encompassed with the PEACE
OF GOD. Through Him, we embrace
inexplicable peace…even in the midst of our storms.
Consider
the tale of the ancient king who offered a prize to the artist who would paint
the most accurate portrayal of peace. Many
artists submitted their work and the king carefully examined all the pictures. There were only two he really liked, so he had
to choose between them.
One
picture was of a calm lake, perfectly mirroring the peaceful, towering
mountains all around it. Overhead was a
bright blue sky with fluffy white clouds. It was the favorite of all who saw it. Truly, they concluded, it was a perfect
portrait of peace.
The
other picture had mountains also, but they were rugged and bare. Above was an angry sky from which rain poured
down and lightning danced about menacingly. Down the side of the mountain roared a foaming
and powerful waterfall. It would be
difficult to imagine a less peaceful place! But when the king looked more closely, he saw
beside the waterfall a tiny bush growing out of a crack in the rock. Inside the bush, a mother bird had built her
family nest. There, in the midst of that
angry rush of water, sat a contented mother bird, warming and protecting her
young – in perfect peace.
Which
picture would you have selected? The
king chose the second picture. When
asked “Why?” the king replied, “Because peace does not mean to be in a place
where there is no noise, no trouble, or no issues. Peace means to be in the midst of all these
things and still remain calm in your heart. That is the true meaning of peace.”
Jesus
Christ bequeaths peace as a legacy to every believer: “Peace I leave with you,”
he declares, “my peace I give unto you: not as the world giveth, give I unto
you. Let not your heart be troubled,
neither let it be afraid.” (John 14:27) Yet,
many Christians experience perpetual anxiety, shrouded in chronic and
tormenting fear. This need not be.
Please
prayerfully consider the following scriptural solutions:
1. God is love. (I John 4:8)
2. There is no fear in love; but perfect love casts out fear: because fear hath torment. He that fears is not made perfect in love. (I John 4:18)
3. Thou wilt keep him in perfect peace, whose mind is stayed on thee: because he trusts in thee. (Isaiah 26:3)
4. Faith comes by hearing, and hearing by the word of God.
5. Trust in the Lord with all thine heart; and lean not unto thine own understanding. In all thy ways acknowledge him, and he shall direct thy paths. (Proverbs 3:4-6)
6. Men ought always to pray, and not to faint. (Luke 18:1)
1. God is love. (I John 4:8)
2. There is no fear in love; but perfect love casts out fear: because fear hath torment. He that fears is not made perfect in love. (I John 4:18)
3. Thou wilt keep him in perfect peace, whose mind is stayed on thee: because he trusts in thee. (Isaiah 26:3)
4. Faith comes by hearing, and hearing by the word of God.
5. Trust in the Lord with all thine heart; and lean not unto thine own understanding. In all thy ways acknowledge him, and he shall direct thy paths. (Proverbs 3:4-6)
6. Men ought always to pray, and not to faint. (Luke 18:1)
The
logic of THE WORD is profoundly clear and simple. The first requirement for personal peace is to
fully embrace GOD (who is LOVE), which positions and empowers us to expel fear.
However, this is not automatic; there is
a process involved. The second
requirement is to constantly meditate on the essence and character of God, via
the Word of God. The third requirement
is to seek specific direction from God for every potentially troubling
situation. This is accomplished through
the vehicle of prayer. The fourth
requirement is that we must PRAY FROM THE WORD (The Covenant Contract) as we confidently
enlist the support of “the mediator” of the covenant. (Hebrews 8:6)
Sisters
and brothers, have your INTERNAL AFFAIRS been set in order, or are you still struggling
to maintain composure and sanity whenever you encounter storms? It is God’s perfect will that we experience
the provision and prosperity that resides within His peace. (III John 1:2) So always “let the peace of God rule in your
hearts, to which also you were called in one body; and be thankful.”
(Colossians 3:15)
Sisters and
brothers, be continually blessed, and please (above all else) MAKE SURE YOU ARE
READY TO MEET OUR SOON COMING KING.
Maranatha!
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