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God’s Words: Peace

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Life-Transforming Words

Written by Gary Fleetwood on 08/08/2017
Series: Weekly Devotional
Tags: God, Jesus, Peace
But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, self-control; against such things there is no law.

Galatians 5:22-23
When someone mentions the word “peace” to you, what comes to your mind? Unfortunately, the absence of peace in our world is what may stand out to you. There is so much hatred, unrest, and so many unbelievable acts of evil against innocent people, that we wonder if it will ever end. It seems that the whole world is always talking about how to achieve peace, but the sad reality is that they never have any real peace no matter how much they talk about it. What the world fails to understand is that true peace can come only from God. So if we leave God out of our “peace equation,” then we can never attain it. Only God has the power to give peace to our lives. In fact, one of the great titles of God is “God of peace.” (Hebrews 13:20)

What do you think the word “peace” actually means?
The word “peace” pictures joining two things together that had become separated from one another. I remember seeing a true story about a family who had become completely separated in a tsunami while on vacation. They were all swept away by the huge waves, and each of them was hurt very badly. They just knew that their other family members had died in the disaster; they each felt helpless and alone. However, God miraculously reunited them as a family, and they were overwhelmed with peace and joy.

So what does God’s peace actually do for me?
The peace that God gives also includes the idea of having a kind of inner restfulness. For the believer, that rest is given to them because they are actually at peace with God. The Bible says that before we came to Christ, we were actually His “enemies” (Ephesians 2:14). However, Romans 5:8 reveals why we no longer have to be enemies with God. It says, “but God shows his love for us in that while we were still sinners, Christ died for us.” (also see Romans 5:1)

When Jesus Christ died for our sins, His death enabled His enemies to actually become part of His family. That is so amazing! Now, we not only have peace with God, but God actually gives His peace to help when very difficult things happen to us. That is the peace that Paul is talking about in Galatians 5:22 — the actual “peace of God” that is working in our heart and mind — and especially when difficult things happen in our lives, over which we have no control.

Did Jesus ever talk to His disciples about God’s peace?
In John 14:27 Jesus was talking to His disciples because He knew that after He left that they would be facing some very strong trials in their life. He said this to them: “Peace I leave with you; my peace I give to you. Not as the world gives do I give to you. Let not your hearts be troubled, neither let them be afraid.” (John 14:27)

So, what happens when I go through something very difficult?
Some people think that they will have peace when they no longer have any problems. However, the peace that Paul talks about is a supernatural calmness that God places in our heart, no matter the difficulty of our circumstances. Jesus says in this verse that when we lose our peace, we often become afraid. We do not know how a difficult trial may actually work out for us, so we are fearful — and in the process we lose our peace. So, when Jesus talks about His peace, He is not saying that we will never have troubles in our life. Rather, He’s saying that when we do suffer difficult things, we can know that He will be right there with us (also see John 16:33).

What should I do when I am afraid?
One of the great passages in the Bible about anxiety is Philippians 4:6-7, which says, “Do not be anxious about anything, 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 your minds in Christ Jesus.”

What a great promise for when we become afraid, nervous, or restless about something. As we pray and seek God’s wisdom and will for our life, He gives a supernatural peace that goes beyond our understanding. It is actually powerful enough to guard and protect our mind and our heart from worrying, so that the trials and difficulties no longer disturb us or make us afraid. We know that God is “guarding” us. So, the more we yield our life to Christ, the more His peace will help protect us from fear, from worry, and from thoughts that upset us.

Can I really experience God’s peace?
Paul encouraged the Thessalonian believers in 2 Thessalonians 3:16 with these words: “Now may the Lord of peace Himself give you peace at all times in every way. The Lord be with you all.”

This passage tells us that God really wants to experience his peace! What an amazing prayer for both us and these believers — peace at all times and in every way possible! That is what the God and Lord of peace wants to give to each and every believer.

Pray this week:
Lord Jesus, would you please help me to yield my life to you so that I can enjoy your peace in my heart?

Do I truly believe that I can know the amazing peace of God when very difficult trials come into my life?

Alan Zibluk Markethive Founding Member

Markethive

Becoming a Disciple Who Makes Disciples

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Three ways you can share Jesus

Written by Curtis Sergeant on 07/05/2019

Series: Weekly Devotional

Tags: Disciple, Discipleship, Leadership, Great Commission

Go therefore and make disciples of all nations…

Matthew 28:19a

Final instructions are important. In the military, soldiers are supposed to act based on the last orders they receive.  People speaking from their deathbed speak of matters that are truly important. Jesus also emphasized some of His teachings by putting them last. After God raised him from the dead, He spent forty days with his disciples.  As that period drew to a close, He gave final instructions.

Who are these instructions for?

William Carey is considered by many to be the father of the modern missionary movement.  He said of this passage (Matthew 28:19-20) that “the promise is coextensive with the command.”  By that he meant that if we believe Jesus’ promise “I am with you always, to the end of the age” (Matthew 28:20b) is applicable to every follower of Christ, that Jesus’ command to “Go therefore and make disciples of all nations” (Matthew 28:19a) was also applicable to every follower of Christ.

What does it mean to make disciples?

The main command in this passage is to make disciples.  There are many ways to describe how this is to be done: 

First, we are to go do this under and by Jesus’ authority.  “And Jesus came and said to them, “All authority in heaven and on earth has been given to me.  Go therefore…”(Matthew 28:18-19a)  He also told them how to do it: “baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, teaching them to observe all that I have commanded you.” (Matthew 28:19b-20a)

The baptism can happen immediately, but note that “teaching them to observe” (or obey) all that Jesus commanded requires an ongoing process.  It does not merely require head knowledge, but heart-obedience to Jesus.  That means there needs to be an ongoing pattern of accountability for living out what we are learning and for passing it on to others.  If we do not establish such patterns for ourselves and those we are discipling then we are failing to follow this central instruction of Jesus.

Note too, that collectively, we are to make sure that this happens in every “nation” (or people group) in the world.  That means we have a responsibility not only among our own acquaintances where we live, but in every place and people group on earth.  In other words, Jesus is calling us to be engaged with His Kingdom around the world. 

How can I grow in my ability to make disciples?

When we think of this global enterprise, many people think of the Apostle Paul, considered by many to be the first Christian missionary. We can see his approach described in his first letter to Timothy, one of the disciples Paul made: “What you have heard from me in the presence of many witnesses entrust to faithful men, who will be able to teach others also.” (2 Timothy 2:2)  In other words, we need to be concerned with growth in knowing and living out God’s instructions for ourselves, for disciples we are making, for the disciples they are making, and even for the generations that will follow. 

This may seem to be a difficult challenge, which is why Jesus’ authority (Matthew 28:18) and presence with us (Matthew 28:20) are so important.  Besides having the Holy Spirit, it is also God’s design for us to be learning from others and instructing others.  We are all meant to be followers and leaders as we relate to one another in the body of Christ.  Two great ways to get input for growing in this area to connect with us via the button below or to go through the free online training at zumeproject.com.

Pray this week:

Lord, let me learn to follow You more closely day by day, and bring others with me on this spiritual journey.  I want to demonstrate my love and gratitude for the amazing gift of salvation which You have given me, and to help others know and love you in the same way.

Who can you learn from and who can be learning from you as you grow in living out your faith and passing it on to others?

Alan Zibluk Markethive Founding Member

Markethive

Revealed by Nature

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Have you ever experienced the love of an animal?

Written by GodLife on 19/01/2013
Series: Weekly Devotional
Tags: Creation, God, Love
"Ever since the world was created, people have seen the earth and sky. Through everything God made, they can clearly see His invisible qualities — His eternal power and divine nature."(Romans 1:20)

Have you ever experienced the love of an animal? I have pet cats, and like many pet owners or people who work with animals, I know that they can be very affectionate. When my cat loves me, I praise God for His wonderful Creation and for sharing His love with us through animals. Do you ever see God’s love because of interaction with nature? It is fun to praise Him when we can witness the amazing world He has made.

Loving Creator God
God made a marvelous universe, and He has a miraculous plan to redeem all Creation. The Apostle Paul preached to the wise people of Athens, “He is the God who made the world and everything in it” (Acts 17:24). Not only did He create everything, He loves it, too: “You care for people and animals alike, O Lord ”(Psalms 36:6). Jesus told us that “not a single sparrow can fall to the ground without your Father knowing it”(Matthew 10:29).

Our Reaction to His Creation
What are we to do with the beautiful and useful handiwork of His? God instructed His people to be in charge of the animals and to care for the earth. God said people should “Fill the earth and govern it. Reign over the fish in the sea, the birds in the sky, and all the animals that scurry along the ground” (Genesis 1:28). He told them, “You must not defile the land where you live”(Numbers 35:34) .St. Paul wrote, “Since God chose you to be the holy people He loves, you must clothe yourselves with tenderhearted mercy, kindness, humility, gentleness, and patience” (Colossians 3:12), which goes along with the Biblical wisdom that “The godly care for their animals” (Proverbs 12:10).

Reconciling All Creation
God has miracles in store for His people and His creation. We know it, and God lets His creation be aware, somehow, too – St. Paul wrote about how God’s “creation looks forward to the day when it will join God’s children in glorious freedom from death and decay”(Romans 8:21) . So we can rejoice that the Lord has chosen to let us live in and care for His wonderful world, and that through Jesus Christ, “God reconciled everything to Himself. He made peace with everything in heaven and on earth by means of Christ’s blood on the cross” (Colossians 1:20).

Pray this week:
To thank God for His amazing Creation and wonderful plan.

How can you be more aware of God's amazing creation throughout your day? Talk to someone about your favorite place in nature or your favorite animal.

Alan Zibluk Markethive Founding Member