Many people are looking for peace in their circumstances. There is a peace that is much deeper that is the true essence and foundation of peace. Take a few moments with the following thoughts in order to find the calm assurance and inner peace you are truly looking for!

Do you struggle with uncertainty? Are you filled with anxiety, restlessness or heartache?

When Christ was going to leave this earth, He said some remarkable words that we can hang onto today!

His exact words are recorded in the scripture:

“My 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

 

We can experience a living peace!

There are three primary sources that accost and steal our peace.

- Feeling guilt and shame

- Fear of death

- Failure through circumstances

There have been many attempts but there is only one answer to these life debilitating dilemmas.

Guilt, shame and condemnation are symptoms of a bigger problem that distracts us from genuine peace. Second we must examine why we are nervous about the thought of dying and come to peace with it. Last we must know there is peace and hope when our heart is broken.

Four phases found in John 14:27 exemplify the living peace we can experience.

“MY PEACE I LEAVE WITH YOU…”.
The only way we will reach true peace is to understand the problem of sin.

Many People Misunderstand Sin
There are three aspects that will give you a clearer understanding of sin.

 

-We fall short of understanding God’s love for us

In the parable of the two lost sons, neither the younger or older brother understood how much the father loved them. The younger went his own way and physically left home. The older went his own way in his heart even though he stayed home. Jesus said that the younger son acknowledged that he had sinned and returned home to the love of his father. His father came running to meet him. God’s arms are open wide to each of us if we will come home to him. (Luke 15:10-32)

 

- We fall short of measuring up to God’s standards

God is perfect. He can only allow that which is perfect to come into his presence. We are imperfect in our heart from the time we are born. If we are honest with ourselves we will admit that we would cry when we didn’t get our way even as a child. This is called sin. We cannot remedy it ourselves so Jesus died on the cross for our sin so we could have our sin removed so that we can be made perfect in his sight and thus enter his presence.

 

-We fall short by yielding to our wrong desires

We want to satisfy our flesh and we want our own way. These fleshly practices hurt the heart of God because they are not good for us or our families. Galatians 5:19-21 list many of these types of practices. God just doesn’t say no to everything we like to do. In the next couple of verses (Galatians 5:22-24) he gives us practices that are conducive to peaceful lives.

 

These three aspects comprise falling short of the glory of God in which the Bible calls sin.(Romans 3:23)

Our sin then is the root cause of all of our guilt, shame and condemnation.

How then did Christ leave you His peace?

Christ took all of your guilt, shame, sin, condemnation to the cross and died on your behalf. His blood was shed for you!

So you can now have a living peace!!

Romans 8:1 There, is NOW, no condemnation to those who are in Christ Jesus.

Romans 5:1 Therefore, having been justified by faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ!

Jesus Christ said, “My Peace I leave with you”. Jesus Christ is the only answer to giving you true peace from guilt, shame and condemnation.

MY PEACE I GIVE IT TO YOU…

Many People Don’t Know What to Do With Their Fear of Death

How many times in a week or a month do we really think about death? Maybe in more subtle ways than we care to admit! How about, locking your doors at night, putting on your seat belt, getting sleepy at the wheel, the lack of a phone call from a son, daughter, grandson or grand daughter etc….

God’s Answer to the Fear of Death is Eternal Life in Heaven. “For God so loved the world that He gave his only son that whoever believes in him should never perish but have eternal life.” (John 3:16)

How then does Christ give you this peace? He gives you heaven in the face of death. He gives you eternal life in the face of Hell. That is a living peace!

All you have to do is believe that Jesus Christ is the only one who gives true peace in the face of death.
Therefore He says, “My Peace I give to you”

Not as the world gives, do I give it to you.

Simply said, no one else can do what He did for you. There is nothing material, there is no technology, no amount of money and no human that can take away your condemnation, remove the fear of death and heal your broken heart. He doesn’t give it as the world gives it!

Let not your heart be troubled, do not let it be afraid!

Many people today are filled with fear. They don’t even know why. This may describe you. It comes under many disguises, like worry, anxiety, or insecurity.

The Psalmist said in Psalm 27:1

“The Lord is my light and my salvation;
Whom shall I fear?
The Lord is the strength of my life;
Of whom shall I be afraid?”

Many people today have a broken heart because circumstances haven’t worked out the way they hoped. Perhaps you have a broken career, broken family, broken finances, or broken dreams.

Jesus said the Spirit of the Lord is on me to “heal the broken heart”. He can heal your broken heart and give you peace today! (Luke 4:18)

Maybe you are suffering from guilt, shame, sin or condemnation.

There was a man hanging on the cross next to Jesus. He was a criminal. His heart was troubled enough to simply say to Jesus hanging next to him, “Remember me”. Jesus said to him. Today you will be with me in paradise”.

Friends, I want you to know that Christ is with you right now speaking to you through these words and he says, HERE, I GIVE MY PEACE TO YOU! GO AHEAD AND TAKE IT!

Open up your hands right now as a symbolic act of faith and say to God. “JESUS CHRIST, I RECEIVE YOUR PEACE”

In the midst of whatever you are facing. Pray this prayer and it will change your life.

“Father in heaven, I need you to be my peace. I am filled with guilt, shame, condemnation because of sin. I recognize that Jesus Christ is the only answer that can give me peace to the fear of death. I believe today that you sent your son Jesus Christ to die on the cross and shed His blood for my sin. I want to spend eternity in heaven with you. Father, today forgive me of going my own way and running from your love. I receive your peace!”

 

If you prayed that prayer, Please e-mail us to share your story of what God has done in your heart.

John 14:27
“My Peace I leave with you,
My Peace I give to you,
Not as the world gives, do I give it to you.
Let not your heart be troubled, neither let it be afraid!”

Christ Loves you, and we love you!