How to Find The Peace of God

[0:00] Again, welcome one and all. Let's go to Philippians 4. Philippians chapter 4 and we read it from verse 6.! It says in Philippians 4, from verse 6, Paul writes to the church at Philippi and he says, Be careful for nothing.

[0:23] That's got the sense of don't be full of care for nothing. Be careful for nothing. But in everything, by prayer and supplication, with thanksgiving, let your requests be made known unto God.

[0:41] Verse 7, and the peace of God, which passeth all understanding, shall keep your hearts and minds through Christ Jesus. Verse 8, finally, brethren, whatsoever things are true, whatsoever things are honest, whatsoever things are just, whatsoever things are pure, whatsoever things are lovely, whatsoever things are of good report.

[1:06] If there be any virtue, if there be any praise, think on these things. Those things which you have both learned and received and heard and seen in me do, and the God of peace shall be with you.

[1:24] So it starts there, verse 7, the peace of God, and then verse 9, the God of peace. Friends, we're living in a world that's torn. There's turmoil, there's stress, there's turbulent times.

[1:38] It's like we're poised on the brink of something, who knows what. I was reading in the news media lately how even Australia could be critically under threat from other world powers near us.

[1:52] Friends, our world is in constant conflict. And we're going through a terrific storm with this virus and all the flow-on effects and probably the beat-up of some of that.

[2:06] And our world's being constantly torn apart by lots of strife and circumstances around about. We have fighting going on within families, Christians threatening each other.

[2:21] We see this conflict at times over sometimes trivial things and upheaval, over things that should not be so. There's a lack of peace.

[2:32] So where can peace be found? Where can we find God's peace, the God of peace and the peace of God? Where is it found? Our reading tells us that. It gives us a number of things, if you like, three pointers for peace, if you like, tonight.

[2:48] The God of peace will be with us, it says, verse 9. The God of peace shall be with you. So let's look at these words that we've read together, this text from Philippians 4, verses 6-3-9.

[3:02] And we'll shortly come to that. And just firstly, in Romans it talks about peace. It says in Romans 14, verse 9. Peace is something we should follow after.

[3:20] We should pursue it. Chase after it. Run after it. Actively aim for it. It's the sense of it there. To follow after it. To run after that. To earnestly pursue that. In Romans 10, verse 15, Paul talks about the gospel as being the gospel of peace.

[3:35] It's the good news. Peace with God. It's the gospel, the good news, the greatest news, the glad news, the glad tidings of great joy. Peace for mankind is possible because of the blood of his cross.

[3:49] Praise God there is peace. There is peace. Peace is possible. We can know, personally know, individually know his peace. Peace in troubled times. Peace for troubled hearts.

[4:01] Rest for the sin-burdened soul. Peace for the troubled mind. We can know God's peace. He's promised it right here in black and white and red. It's his word. We can believe it.

[4:12] We can claim it. We can receive it. And there's absolute peace possible for the human soul. And it's through the Lord Jesus Christ. One of his titles, one of his names, is the Prince of Peace.

[4:26] Peace, isn't it? Isn't it? And people today, they want the peace without the Prince. That's the problem, isn't it? They seek the peace at the end of a pipe, but they don't know the one who wants to give them peace, who is their peace.

[4:39] He is our peace. We know he is the Prince of Peace. In Romans 5 verse 1, it says, Therefore, we, being justified by faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ.

[4:53] You cannot have the peace of God until you know the God of peace. They're hand in hand, aren't they? The peace of God, the God of peace come together in Christ.

[5:04] Until we truly know the Lord Jesus, we cannot know his peace. And to know him is what we're talking about. Not to know about him, as we can have a knowledge about God, but yet not know him.

[5:16] It's to know him. That's what matters. And what do you do when your world is in this chaos, in turmoil, when the world around us, you know, the worldlings that we were talking about before, have got no hope.

[5:28] No hope, no peace, no God, only face eternal damnation. There's chaos and loss for them. They don't know the God of peace.

[5:40] And friends, what do you do when situations come across your path and you have that storm hit your home, when difficulties come your way, there's one you can turn to, the God of peace.

[5:53] And when you feel concerned and worried, he's the one you can reach out to. Here's the one you can turn to. So the first key I put to you in the pointers for peace, the first key for peace is prayer.

[6:08] Pray right. Pray right. We see that in Philippians 4 verse 6. The first key is prayer. You pray. When you want peace, you pray. Pray right.

[6:19] Philippians 4 verse 6. Be careful for nothing, but in everything, by prayer and supplication, with thanksgiving, let your requests be made known unto God.

[6:33] Literally, it's saying stop worrying about even one thing. It's really a blanket thing. Nothing you should be worried about. Nothing. It's a blanket.

[6:43] Don't worry even about one thing. Don't worry about anything. Pray about everything. It's how you could paraphrase it. The word here about this carefulness, it's got the sense of being pulled in different directions.

[6:57] And lots of people are like that. They're pushed and pulled in all kinds of different directions with their fears or hopes. Many Christians even can worry. You know, sadly, some have said many Christians worry about everything and pray about nothing.

[7:14] They get it the wrong way around. Worry about everything, pray about nothing. They're saying the opposite. So worry is wrong thinking. It impacts the mind. Worry is wrong feeling.

[7:24] It impacts the heart. Think about it. Worry. And often what you worry about, it never happens anyway. And we can all face worries, worries about people, worries about the future, about circumstances, about things yet to come.

[7:38] We get worried. We fret and fuss and it generally just eats us up and gets us nowhere. But instead of worrying, pray. Prayer is getting God's help.

[7:50] Supernatural. Don't you need some divine intervention? Amen. We could do with some of that, couldn't we? All the time. And we should pray. Prayer is asking for God's help and we have to do it with thanksgiving.

[8:01] Do it thankfully, with that thankful heart. And it says pray in everything. In everything by prayer. So it's all-encompassing, isn't it? Sometimes we compartmentalise our lives and we don't think about, well, actually, everything.

[8:15] We should pray about everything. We should ask God for everything about our life. We should bring everything to Him. In every difficulty, in every need, in everything, it says by prayer.

[8:26] So does God seem far from you? The Lord, really, He's only as close as a prayer away. That's how close God is. He's as close as a prayer away.

[8:37] Some people, sadly, they don't know how to pray. Their prayers are vague or unbelieving, stale, stodgy, or maybe just vain babblings, just kind of repetitive things that are just the mantra they've kind of come accustomed to.

[8:55] And that prayer can be somewhat lacking. Where is the prayer that will take God's promises to heart and seek His face? Where is that prayer the Bible speaks about?

[9:08] We boldly approach the throne of grace. Prayer that will confidently come into the Father's presence and take our needs to Him. Prayer that will pray in faith, trusting Him, believing Him, knowing He'll answer.

[9:21] Prayer that will earnestly plead. Prayer that will persistently seek after God in faith. And it's prayer, it says, in everything, by prayer and supplication.

[9:32] Supplication, supplication, it speaks of that intense pleading, that intense earnest sharing of our needs, of our problems. Take it to the throne, brother, sister.

[9:43] Take it to the Lord in prayer. And not a half-hearted, insincere prayer. It says here we're meant to make our request known unto God.

[9:55] Hand over to Him your worries, whatever it is that's besetting you, that's plaguing your mind. Whatever it is, your worries, your fears, your concerns, your blessings, in everything it says.

[10:08] Let your request be made known unto God. Bring in the burdens of your heart. Have you a trial, a test, a struggle, other worries or concerns or heavy loads? Let your request be made known unto God.

[10:21] He wants to hear your voice. He causes to shelter under His wings, to find comfort by His side. It says to us, let your request be made known unto God.

[10:32] Friends, prayer is an untapped resource that is a reservoir, really, for many a believer. It's our privilege and it's God's earnestness for us to pray.

[10:46] He asks us to pray. He wants us to pray. So do we pray right? Pray right. Pray in faith. Pray believing. Pray according to His will. In verse 7 it says, if we pray, it says, and the peace of God, which passeth all understanding, shall keep your hearts and minds through Christ Jesus.

[11:05] It passes understanding. It's mind-boggling. It's surpassing in its power to come. It's beyond our comprehension. This power of prayer.

[11:15] The power of God through prayer. There was a pastor that was illustrating the offer of Christ's rest in Matthew 11, 28, when we know he says, come unto me, all you that labour and are heavy laden, and I shall give you rest.

[11:30] Rest for your souls. And he was saying how at times people don't trust God completely. He says, come unto me, I shall give you rest. But he illustrated it by talking about how there was a time where there was a driver of a wagon on the way to a marketplace, and there was an old man carrying a heavy load down the road, and the wagon driver invited him to come and take a seat on the wagon, and the old man accepted gratefully.

[12:02] And after a few minutes, the driver turned and looked at him, and the old man, to his surprise, he found the old man was still holding this burden, this great big haversack, this weight, this burden upon his shoulders.

[12:14] He hadn't shifted it off of his shoulders. And yet he could so easily have just set it down as he was riding in the wagon. Some people are like that when they pray.

[12:26] They keep on worrying. The Lord says not to worry, but to pray, to make your requests known to God. We pray, but we don't give it all to him.

[12:39] We don't lay that burden down. As that passenger didn't lay his burden down, he carried that weight. We pray, but we aren't simply trusting.

[12:50] We pray, but our minds are filled with doubt and despair. Friends, this is the question. Are we praying right? It's the first key to peace. Pray and leave it with God.

[13:02] Pray and leave it with God. So the first key is pray right. The second key to peace is think right. The second key involves our thinking. Think right.

[13:13] Our text talks about what we think on. In Isaiah 26 verse 3, it says, They will keep him in perfect peace. His mind is stayed on thee, because he trusteth in thee.

[13:25] Our thought life can really affect us. Some people have got a lack of peace because their mind is just crammed with so many things that they're dealing with without rendering it to God, without keeping their mind stayed upon God.

[13:43] They lack that peace of mind because they're thinking on the things of earth overly and missing out on that divine touch.

[13:56] It's so easy to be overwhelmed with worries or concerns. And many don't think right. They're thinking as carnal thinking, selfish thinking. And they're missing that inner peace that can come.

[14:08] As we put our mind, we rest our mind upon him. We put our mind on those things above. That inner peace can come as we let him have our thought life, put our thoughts on that which is of God.

[14:25] It says in Romans 8 verse 6, For to be carnally minded is death, but to be spiritually minded is life and peace. Now this is a real great scripture to kind of try to imprint that on your mind, if you like.

[14:41] To be carnally minded, to be minded about the flesh, about the self, the worldly ways, this death. But to be spiritually minded is life. It's life and it's peace.

[14:52] So if we want to have that peace in our mind, be spiritually minded. Put your mind on the spiritual things. Put your mind on scriptural things. Put the word of God in your mind.

[15:03] Hear the word of God. Read the word of God. Play the word of God. If you've got an MP3 player or such. Or a DVD player. Whatever it be. You can tune in.

[15:14] You can put the word of God into your ears and into your heart. A doctor asked his patients what wish they would want.

[15:25] Granted, if they could make a wish and see it come true. And 87% told the doctor, 87% said that peace of mind was what they wanted the most.

[15:36] Peace of mind was what they most wanted. And friends, you can have a peace of mind. You can have a mind that is at peace. Peace with God. You can have a mind that's not full of turmoil and confusion.

[15:49] But a mind that is resting and peaceful. And know God's peace in your mind. As we dwell on not carnal things but on spiritual things. On God's truth. As we put the word of God into our mind.

[16:02] And we'll recollect it. We'll recall it to mind. He could give us those promises that will give us peace. And reinforce his peace. As we think in alignment with our Lord. What he wants for us.

[16:13] In alignment with his word. Our thoughts can be refocused and blessed thoughts. They can be thoughts that are thoughts of peace. Not thoughts of confusion or care.

[16:27] So we see in 2 Corinthians 10 verse 5 it says. That we are to bring our thoughts into captivity. It talks about pulling down the strongholds.

[16:38] The weapons of our warfare are mighty through God. To the pulling down of strongholds. Strongholds. So it's got a sense of strongholds. These kind of walls that we can build in our lives.

[16:53] And God wants us to pull down such walls. That are against his will. And it says it goes on. Casting down imaginations. And every high thing that exalteth itself against the knowledge of God.

[17:05] And bringing into captivity it says. Every thought to the obedience of Christ. Now that's quite a big scripture there. That one isn't it? To think that every thought. Everything that we think about.

[17:16] Could be such that it's held in his sway. That it's held in his domain. That we're under his control. That it's a thought control that's a good thing.

[17:29] That because God's controlling our thoughts. He's garrisoning our thoughts. He's putting walls up against the enemy. And he's bringing those things into his safekeeping.

[17:40] That every thought can be kept by him. In surrender to him. In obedience to Christ. There's a lot there. Just to try to capture what the meaning of that is.

[17:53] Our text tells us that the peace of God will keep our hearts and minds. It's going to pass all understanding. It's kind of beyond human intellect and understanding.

[18:04] An understanding. It's going to pass all understanding that shall keep our hearts and minds through Christ Jesus. And then we read back to our text of verse 8. That we are to specifically think on certain things.

[18:17] It says there in Philippians 4 verse 8. To think on these things. We've got a big long list there. Of the things to think about. So God specifically commands us what we are to think about.

[18:29] We should think right. Think right. And he tells us how to think right. What to think about. He says whatsoever things are true. Think about the truth. What's true. And what's false.

[18:41] What's lies. It's recognising. Discerning. What's false doctrine. What's true doctrine. What's true. Absolutely true. This is the word of truth. It can't get better than that.

[18:51] The word of God. What is true. Think about that. Think about the things that are true. It says then. It goes on. Secondly. What's the word of things are honest. Think about the things that are honest.

[19:01] That are honourable. That bring honour to God. They're honest and worthy things. Not things that are scandalous or mucky things.

[19:11] But things that are honourable and blessed things. Things that are honest. Thirdly. It says whatsoever things are just. Things that are holy and right and righteous.

[19:23] Not on wrongdoing. Things that are wrong. But things that are right. Whatsoever things are pure. It says. Things that are clean and chaste. There's virtue there.

[19:34] And the opposite of that would be that which is impure. That which is impure and immoral. It says think on whatsoever things are lovely. Whatsoever things are lovely.

[19:46] The opposite of that. Thinking about what's unpleasant. It's discerning that. Isn't it? Rather to focus on that which is lovely. That which is a good thing. Whatsoever things are of good report.

[19:58] It says. Of good report. In other words. They're deserving of God's praise. They're reputable things. The opposite of that would be to think about gossip. Or things that are of bad report.

[20:10] Things that are unworthy of God. If there be any virtue. It says. In other words. Something that is excellent. There's excellence.

[20:20] Something that's virtuous. Virtuous. It's just. It's got some special quality to it. Hasn't it? The things that are virtuous. Rather than that which is wrong. And then.

[20:31] It's not pictured on the slide. But. If there be any praise. There be any praise. Anything that's worthy of praise. What's worthy of praise? Think on those things. Think of that which is praise worthy.

[20:43] And so. It says. Think on these things. Finally. Interesting. When you look at this list. And you look at those things to think about. You try to picture. What's the opposite of all of that?

[20:54] You know. Truth. Lies. Honourable. Scandalous. Just. Wrongdoing. Pure. Impure. Lovely. Unpleasant. Good report.

[21:05] Gossip. Virtue. Wrongdoing. Praise. That which is. Shameful. Really is the opposite. Isn't it? And when you think about it.

[21:16] It's almost like Paul's telling us. To think on these things. The good things. Not on the other things. The other things might be. Let's face it. What you might see on TV. Or in the.

[21:27] In the world's kind of media. It's. It's quite a contrast. Isn't it? When you think about it. And. Maybe. A lack of peace is. When we've got the world's contamination.

[21:39] Pouring in. To our thinking. And perverting. And. And. Fouling our minds. Peace.

[21:51] Comes. As we think right. Think right. So peace isn't a place. It's a person. It's not a location. It's a state of mind. We can come to that place of peace. You don't have to go to some.

[22:02] Monastery. Go to some jungle. And find some guru. To sit at his feet. Or. Much of some mantras. That they give you to say. Or smell some holy smoke.

[22:14] Or. Or whatever it be. It's. The peace. It's not a place. It's not. It's not. Some guru. Some person. Of man. But it's the person of God. Isn't it? It's not some location. You can't.

[22:25] Go. There's nice places you can go and travel. When we're allowed to travel. But it's not traveling to some. Wonderful jungle. Place. Or some. Some vista. Some perfect.

[22:37] Shangri-la. There is no place. It's a person. It's a person. And you can find his peace. Even in the midst of. Of situations that are difficult. You can know his peace.

[22:48] But what matters is that we get our thinking right. Our thinking must be right. It's a thinking that's based on the word. It's trusting in his word. It's a thinking that's based on the bible. It's trusting in his promises.

[23:00] It's believing God. Believing his truth. It says great peace. Have they which love. Thy law. Great peace. It's that meditation. Yeah.

[23:10] There's great peace here. If you want some peace. Get a load of this. That's the peace of God. Isn't it? Brings peace to our mind. The word of God. Think on these things. When you look at the list.

[23:21] That we saw before. The features are all found. In the word of God. That which is of virtue. That which is of good report. That which is honorable. That which is true. That which is just.

[23:32] That which is lovely. That which is of good report. If there be any praise. It's all in the word. Isn't it? Praise be to God. And so the word of God gives us something to hang on to. As we memorize the word.

[23:43] Plant it in our hearts. Some have false peace. You know. They sit on mats. They cross their legs. And they go. Om. And they kind of. Try to manufacture a peace.

[23:55] By some kind of. False kind of sense of peace. And the Bible speaks about that. It says of them. Jeremiah 6.14. It says. They're saying. Peace. Peace. But there is no peace.

[24:05] There is no peace. It's not found there. And there's religions who claim peace. Without Christ. But it's false. It's fake. There's no peace without the cross.

[24:16] There's no peace. Without salvation. True peace. Blasting. Soul peace. Without Jesus. Without Christ as saviour. And that is false peace.

[24:27] They're saying peace, peace. But there is no peace for them. It does not satisfy. There's a story told about. A couple that were alarmed about. The threat of nuclear war. And they did a lot of research.

[24:38] They checked all the travel agents. And all of the countries of the world. To try to find the most safe place. To live. And retire. And enjoy. A peaceful lifestyle.

[24:51] And so their goal was to determine. Where in the world. Is the place. Most. Least likely to be affected by any kind of war. And so they studied and travelled. And they travelled and studied.

[25:02] And finally they found the place. And on Christmas day. They sent their pastor a card. From their new home. In the Falkland Islands. However their paradise was seen turn.

[25:14] Into a war zone. Between Great Britain and Argentina. So friends. It's not about a place. It's about a person. Amen. It's about Jesus. Isn't it? It's about the Prince of Peace.

[25:25] Now the Lord Jesus says. Peace I leave with you. He says. My peace I give unto you. Not as the world gives. Peace do I give to you. Let not your hearts be troubled. Neither let them be afraid.

[25:36] Friends. You can have peace in God. Peace in Christ. Now peace isn't based on. The circumstances of life. It isn't based on finding. Some perfect destination. Some perfect lifestyle choice.

[25:48] Some wonderful guru. It's about finding God. As your saviour. Finding the saviour. Peace. And it said. A preacher. Oswald Sanders said.

[25:59] Peace is not the absence of trouble. But the presence of God. That's what it is. You can have peace. Even though your life. Is a tangled mess. And there's a lot of upheaval.

[26:09] Even though you're going through. Great trauma. You can know the peace of God. You can know that today. When translators. Were looking for the word peace.

[26:20] In the language of some. Mexican Indians. The translators. Settled on the words. The phrase. To capture the word peace. In their language. A quiet heart.

[26:32] A quiet heart. That's peace isn't it. A quiet heart. It's finding your heart. Settled with God. The heart. That's filled with Jesus. Let your mind dwell on him.

[26:43] And be guided by him. There is peace. Even in the most. Troubled of times. As we know. This world. It's almost like. There's a loss of peace. There's a lack of peace. There's. It seems.

[26:53] There's. There's mounting. Sense of a loss. A loss of peace. Of a lack of peace. But even in such troubled times. We can know the peace of God.

[27:04] And he'll keep guard. Over our hearts. So we see. Friends today. The wonderful truth. That we can know the peace of God. It comes as we pray right.

[27:15] As we think right. And a third key now. Is here in verse nine. As we do right. As we do right. It says there. Verse nine. Those things which you have seen.

[27:26] Learned and received. And heard and seen in me. Do. And the God of peace shall be with you. So there's a two letter word right here. Do. Do right. Put your faith into action.

[27:38] Do. What. God says to do. That's the sense of it isn't it. Put your faith into action. And our faith should affect our life.

[27:49] Paul says to the Philippians. Do. What you've learned. Received. Heard. And seen in him. Those things do. Paul gives the Philippians something to. Pray about.

[28:00] Some things to think about. And now some things to do. Things to do. Paul was a model for us. He's an example for us. Let's be like him. You know Paul set the example.

[28:11] He set the model for the Philippians. And it's for us too. We see Paul. What a life Paul lived. He had just. One. It was one disaster after another.

[28:22] That. That. That. That. The sense of suffering. And. And. The. The upheaval that he had to go through. As he was tested. And he went through much suffering. As he followed the saviour.

[28:34] And as he ministered. He went through great trial. And test. And so we can see Paul put it into action. And he's saying. What you've seen and heard. And received. And learnt.

[28:45] And what you've seen in me. Do. Now Paul. Paul shows us that believers can put. Their Christianity into practice. And so we call not only to think. To think how we should.

[28:57] Pray. How we should think. But also to do. And so. We see. Faith is about. Putting it into action. And the Bible talks about. Believers. We call it to be peacemakers.

[29:07] So there's a sense where. God's given us the. Message of reconciliation. He's given us the. The gospel of peace. We've got the. The ultimate. Message for peace.

[29:19] For planet earth. You know. We should. Get out there. And tell the world. We've got the answer. To global peace. Well. Mind you. I don't think we're going to see it. Till. He comes. But.

[29:30] We can see. That. That message of peace. Is the message. Our world needs. Isn't it? Peace on earth. It's by Christ. Peace with God. It's through Christ. We're called to be that living testimony.

[29:44] Of God's peace. And it says it passes all understanding. You can't really. Put it in comprehensive. English language. Can you? It's. It's beyond our comprehension. Let alone.

[29:56] Putting it into. Some. Words. It's. It's beyond. Comprehension. Beyond our understanding. It passes all understanding. There was a submarine one day.

[30:07] That. Was on patrol. And was submerged all night. And it resurfaced. And a friend from another ship. Said. How did you fare in that terrible storm last night? And the officer on board the submarine.

[30:18] Said. What storm? We didn't know there was a storm. Because the submarine. Had been so. Deep down. In the ocean. It wasn't wet by the huge waves. And the high winds.

[30:29] Because down there. The waters were calm. And tranquil. And it's the same for the believer. When this world's all stormy. And wild. And windy. We can be like that submarine.

[30:40] We've got that deep calm. That Jesus gives. Our Lord. Paul had that kind of peace. He had peace. Even in the time. Of great suffering. As we read in Acts 16.

[30:50] That familiar passage. As Paul and Silas were there. In that awful situation. In Acts 16. From verse 22. And it says that. The crowd came. And the multitude rose up together.

[31:03] Against them. They were out there. Declaring the word of truth. And it says. The magistrates tore off their clothes. And commanded to beat them. Verse 23. When they had laid many stripes upon them.

[31:14] They whipped them. They flogged their backs. Their backs would have been bruised. And bleeding. Cut. It says. They cast them into prison. Charging the jailer to keep them safely. Verse 24.

[31:25] Acts 16. Who having received such a charge. Thrust them into the inner prison. And made their feet fast in the stocks. So here they were. In this kind of wooden contraption. I guess with holes in it.

[31:36] With the. You know. Chains around. And the locks. Holding their feet. In this state. And then it says. Verse 25. It says. And at midnight. Paul and Silas prayed.

[31:47] And sang praises unto God. And the prisoners heard them. And then it says. There was a great earthquake. Suddenly there was a great earthquake. So that the foundations of the prison were shaken.

[31:58] And immediately all the doors were opened. And everyone's bands were loosed. So. Here's Paul and Silas. You know. They had maybe reason to. To complain. You know. No one would have probably thought it.

[32:09] Un. Un. Inappropriate. That they might have had a bit of a. A feeling sorry for themselves. Having been beaten. And. Chained.

[32:20] And. And held prisoner. Unfairly. Unjustly. And it says. What did they do? At midnight. Paul and Silas. They prayed. They sang praises.

[32:31] Unto God. Friends. We're not to feel like it. To praise God. We're not to feel like it. To. To want to fellowship. And. Worship. How we can.

[32:43] Find. The peace of God. As many stories we could tell. Friends. There's. The situations. Even in. In battleground situations. I've got a story here.

[32:54] The battle of the bulge. There was a man. He was badly wounded. Lying in the. In the battlefield. Waiting just for death to come. And. He sang over and over. Some words.

[33:05] There was a song that his mother. Had learnt. He'd learnt from his mother. It says. There is a name to me. Most dear. Like sweetest music to my ear. For when my heart. Is troubled.

[33:16] Filled with fear. Jesus. Whispers. Peace. Here he was lying in this. No man's land. I guess. And he heard this sound nearby. And then a German soldier.

[33:28] Came over to him. And he was with a gun. And he thought. Okay. This is it. It's just waited for the shot. And as. And the. The fellow Bert. Began to sing the song again. He felt the German lift him in his strong arms.

[33:39] And place him. On the ledge of a rock. And his own medic. Spotted him. A few minutes later. And took him to safety. Jesus had whispered peace. In the midst of war. Now even in the midst of trial.

[33:50] In the midst of turmoil. In the. In the most desperate of situations. When it seems like all hope is lost. Jesus whispers peace. He whispers peace. If we would just listen.

[34:01] And hear his voice. His peace shall keep your hearts and minds. Through Christ Jesus. It doesn't matter the circumstances. Whatever your situation. And I know there's desperate situations. You know.

[34:11] I get to hear. More than many. Situations. Trying situations. Situations that are desperate. But even in the most desperate circumstances.

[34:25] Jesus whispers peace. He whispers peace. Just listen for his voice. Another record of such peace. Is of a man called Nicholas Ridley. It was 1555.

[34:36] Nicholas Ridley. He was about to be burnt at the stake. For his witness for Christ. You know. It was. I guess illegal at the time. To declare Christ.

[34:47] As he did. As a non-conformist. And so they were. Getting ready. To tie him to a pole. And burn him to death. And on the night before his execution.

[34:59] His brother. Offered to come. And spend the time with him. And his prison cell. To be of comfort. And assistance. But Nicholas Ridley. Did climb the offer. And he said. He meant to go to bed.

[35:09] And sleep. Just as quietly. As he ever did. In his life. Because he knew the peace of God. He could rest in the Lord. Friends. What a testimony that is. Even as he faced.

[35:20] The next morning. As daybreak came. He was about to be. Burnt at the stake. Which he was. That he knew the peace of God. He knew the peace of God. You can know that peace tonight. You can know that peace believer.

[35:32] Even in the situations that you're facing. You can know that you can rest in the Lord. No matter what. No matter what's going on for you. It says in Isaiah 57. Verse 21.

[35:43] That the wicked are like a troubled sea. Which cannot rest. His waters cast up mire and dirt. It says verse 21. There is no peace. Saith my God. To the wicked. The Bible says there's no peace.

[35:54] Zilch. Nada. Nothing. Zero peace. To the wicked. There might be false peace. An artificial peace.

[36:05] A peace that really doesn't. It doesn't stand the test. But we can have a peace that is beyond all comprehension. It's a peace that will keep our hearts and minds.

[36:18] Through Christ Jesus. That's the peace we're talking about today. Many who have made it in the world's terms. Have no peace. You hear of movie stars. Film stars. Sports stars.

[36:29] You know. People that have maybe reached the top of their career. Of their profession. And yet they're empty.

[36:40] There's an emptiness there. It's a false peace that they might have. They can't get peace at the end of a bottle. At the needle. Through the drugs.

[36:51] There's no peace there. There's no peace. Saith my God. To the wicked. They're kidding themselves. There's no peace there. It's not there. That's not where peace is found. It's found at the foot of the cross.

[37:01] It's found in Christ. It's found in his saving grace. And friends. That's where we can find peace. True peace. Bear with me. I'll just give you another.

[37:12] I know sometimes there's illustrations can be overdone. But to illustrate peace. How do you paint peace? How do you paint a picture of peace? There were some artists that were wanting to paint peace.

[37:25] To put a picture together that illustrated peace. And one of these painters painted this lake that was unruffled and trees surrounding it. And the distant cattle lowing. And a lovely little cottage.

[37:37] And the setting sun as a picture of peace. And then this other painter hid through a wild stormy scene. With these black clouds over the horizon. And this immense waterfall crashing down.

[37:49] Huge volumes of water covered with foam. And you could hear this. Almost hear the incessant roar of this thunderous waterfall crashing down. And yet if you look closely you could see a small bird.

[38:02] Perched in the cleft of a huge rock. Absolutely sheltered from all danger. Pouring forth its sweet notes of joy. Now there's a picture of peace there isn't it? That's where the peace is found.

[38:13] Even in the storm. It's no matter what's going on. It's swirling all around us. That the peace is found in Christ. It's found in him. It's found in him. Even in the midst.

[38:23] Even while you're going through a time of trial. While you're going through a loss of a loved one. While you're going through overwhelming grief. Or hardship. Or conflict. Or suffering. That you can have peace.

[38:36] There is peace in the valley. Peace by the blood of the cross. Peace for the troubled conscience. Peace for the sin sick soul. There's peace for the straying backslider. There's peace for the guilty.

[38:48] There's peace for the burdened one. The sin burdened one. It's found in Christ. But have you sought him? Have you sought him? Have you brought it to the Lord in prayer?

[38:59] How is your heart and mind? Is your heart not content? Is your mind filled with doubts and confusion? Have you no rest for the soul? Perhaps there's some sin not fully dealt with.

[39:11] So friends tonight. Those three keys. Just to recount them. Pray right. It tells us here. That we should.

[39:23] Pray. Pray. To be careful for nothing. But in everything. By prayer and supplication. Let your requests be made known unto God.

[39:33] Pray. Pray right. Pray. Pray. Entering in. To the throne room of God.

[39:43] Pray right. Think right. Think on these things. The world would barrage your mind. Fill your time. Your thoughts. Your emotions. With that which is contrary.

[39:57] Fill your mind with the things that are true. Honest. Just. Pure. Lovely. Of good report. Virtue. Praise. Think on these things. Think right.

[40:07] And thirdly. Do right. Paul says what you've seen. What you've learned. What you've received. What you've heard. What you've seen in me. Paul's been through the ringer. And he says I've got peace. He says what you've seen in me.

[40:19] That do. Put it into practice. Put it into action. Do the right. And the God of peace shall be with you. He'll sustain you. So friends. We talked about the peace of God.

[40:29] It passes all understanding. It keeps your hearts and minds. Through Christ Jesus. And we talked about the God of peace. He says he shall be with you. He shall be with you. Do you know him?

[40:43] It's a question you all individually have to answer. And one day we will answer to the one. Who is the Prince of Peace. He wants you to know his peace this side. Of eternity.

[40:55] To know peace with God. This side. Of eternity. Let's pray. Lord. Lord we thank you that. You've made peace possible. Through the blood. Of your cross. And Lord.

[41:05] You are the ultimate peacemaker. Between God and man. The mediator. Lord. You are the one who reconciles the world. Unto yourself. Lord.

[41:16] We thank you that. You are the one. Who. Grants peace. To. The sin sick soul. Lord. As we come and bow our heart.

[41:27] Our will. We surrender. We give. Over to you. And we trust your. Will. For our life.

[41:37] Lord we pray. We think scripturally. We do scripturally. We pray scripturally. Lord we be a people that know the peace of God. And the God of peace. We pray if there's anyone.

[41:48] Present or listening later. Lord that. Each one might know that. Truth. That. Peace is. Provided. For those who will receive. That. Free gift.

[41:59] Of your salvation. As you draw us to yourself. And you. You turn our lives around. From the inside out. Lord our hearts can be. Truly converted. And we can know.

[42:10] Your mighty peace. In each new day. As we walk with you. Even when. It's almost like the. The thunderous waterfalls.

[42:21] Crashing down. And there's much. Stormy. Winds. We can be like that little bird. Singing your praise. Because we're sheltered. And safe in your keeping. And know that peace.

[42:33] That passes all understanding. That shall keep our hearts and minds. Through Christ Jesus. Amen. God.