The Peace of God

[0:00] 1 Corinthians 4 verse 4 And the peace of God which passeth all understanding shall keep your hearts and minds through Christ Jesus.

[0:39] 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, if there be any virtue, if there be any praise, think on these things, those things which ye have both learnt and received and heard and seen in thee do, and the God of peace shall be with you.

[1:15] Let us pray. Heavenly Father we thank you for our time, for this word, for our ears to hear, for my mouth to speak, that which is pleasing unto you Lord and edifying to your people we pray in Jesus name, Amen.

[1:30] Talking about the subject of peace. Peace. Just to help, we'll write it on here. Peace.

[1:42] Peace. Not just any old kind of peace, but peace, the peace of God. The peace of God.

[1:55] And we know in the word we're told in Romans 5 verse 1, therefore being justified by faith we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ.

[2:08] So not just the peace of God, but the peace with God. A lot of people are looking for peace today and not finding it. A futile search it seems for some. Here are some keys, some steps for all of us from God's word on how to find this peace.

[2:28] How to find this peace. There's a little statement that goes like this. No God. No peace.

[2:41] No peace. And that's based on a scripture that tells us that the wicked are like a restless sea. It stirs up Mark and Meyer and it says, There is no peace, saith my God to the wicked.

[3:00] From which we get the saying, there's no rest for the wicked. Kind of a popular saying, isn't it? That is true, isn't it? No God. Without God, there is no peace.

[3:11] But the good news is, if you know God, then you know peace. Amen.

[3:22] Amen. Amen. Do you know God? And who is God? The Lord Jesus. He is the Prince of Peace. He's the author of it.

[3:32] He's the giver of it. But man, in his natural state, is at war with God. He is hateful towards God. He is hostile towards God. He's at war with God.

[3:46] In his natural state, in a state of hostility, fighting against God. But thank God, he has made peace through the blood of his cross. The Lord Jesus has made peace possible for us.

[3:59] So, finding the peace of God starts with finding peace with God. Therefore, being justified by faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ.

[4:13] What a wonder it is. Salvation is where it starts. If you're searching for peace. I know we all are really, aren't we? For peace. It starts with making peace with your maker.

[4:24] With Christ. Making peace possible for you. And it says, in Joel 2, we read, the Lord says, Turn ye, even to me, with all your heart.

[4:37] This is Joel 2.12. It goes on and rend your heart. Rend your heart. Tear your heart. It says, rend your heart. Rip your heart. Open, as it were, and not your garments.

[4:51] And turn unto the Lord your God, for he is gracious and merciful. The heart rending has to happen before the heart mending can happen.

[5:02] God wants to mend your heart. But first you have to rend it and tear it open. Expose it. Expose it to his Holy Spirit. And ask God to do a work within. As he offers to make us a new heart.

[5:16] Give us a new spirit within. Thankfully, the God of the Bible is the God who helps those who cannot help themselves. There's that popular saying, some even think it's in the Bible.

[5:29] God helps those who help themselves. But this word says that our God is the helper of those who cannot help themselves. We can't save ourselves. We can't help ourselves.

[5:41] And we can't make our own peace. It's got to come from him, who is the author of life eternal. Who is the one who offers us hope eternal and peace eternal.

[5:52] The only one to turn to. Instead of living our lives so earthbound and caught up with this earthly way of living. We need to look beyond to the one who offers hope.

[6:03] Who offers eternal life. Who offers everlasting peace. The hopeless can find hope. The peaceless can find peace. And the sinful can find salvation.

[6:16] That's the glory of Calvary, isn't it? His presence in the heart. A heart sinful, unworthy yet. One that he can visit and change from the inside out.

[6:27] And he heals those hearts today. If your heart is broken, he comes to the broken in heart. He comes to those who are wounded in spirit. To find the peace of God.

[6:40] There's three things we read about in Philippians here. From these passages we just read. We see three things that help us to find peace. If you're searching for peace. And I know we all look for that peace.

[6:53] That ultimate peace. It's not found at the end of a peace pipe or a marijuana joint. It's found in the prince of peace. It's found in that person. The Lord Jesus.

[7:04] And we see in these passages we've read. Some keys. The first one is what to worry about. What to worry about. Now we all have our crosses to carry and necessary things to consider and prepare for and make wise decisions about.

[7:23] But what are we to worry about? We're told that in verse 6. It says, be careful. Or in other words, full of care. Full of anxiety and anxious thoughts and worry.

[7:35] He says, be careful for nothing. Careful for nothing. We read in Luke 10. The Lord Jesus met Mary and Martha. And from verse 41.

[7:47] We see how Mary sat at the Lord Jesus' feet. While Martha was hustling and bustling. Running heather and thither. Fussing and bustling about all the necessary arrangements to be made.

[8:00] Yet missing the real point of Christ being there. And Luke 10. In verse 41. Jesus answered and said unto her. Because she was worried that Mary wasn't doing her fair share.

[8:10] He says to her. Martha, Martha. Thou art careful or full of care. And troubled about many things. But one thing is needful. And Mary hath chosen that good part.

[8:24] Which shall not be taken away from her. So what to worry about? Nothing. The Lord Jesus says. You're careful and troubled about many things. He says.

[8:34] Mary has chosen the good part. And in the context of Matthew 6. The Lord speaks of where your treasure is. There your heart will be also. And he says to the folk.

[8:45] From verse 25. Take no thought for your life. Take no thought. What you're going to eat or drink or wear. All of these things. From verse 25. It says.

[8:56] Take therefore no thought for the morrow. The morrow shall take thought for the things of itself. Sufficient unto the day is the evil thereof.

[9:07] So he says. Don't worry about tomorrow. Don't take any thought for tomorrow. Because tomorrow will take care of itself. Cast all your care upon him.

[9:18] For he careeth for you. Cast your burden on the Lord. There's many promises in God's word that we can take. Searching for peace. Searching for peace. We all are.

[9:29] He says. Have faith in God. In Mark 11. 22. Sounds. Try it. Maybe. Sounds simplistic. And it is. It is simple. Have faith in God.

[9:41] Have faith in God for your life. Have faith in God for your needs. Have faith in God for the future. Whatever it awaits you. Whatever the future holds for you.

[9:54] Have faith in God. What to worry about. Nothing. Why? Because our contentment is found in him. Paul says. I've learned. In whatsoever state I am. There we're to be content.

[10:05] I've learned to be content. I've learned to be satisfied. I've learned to be at peace. With wherever I'm at. And whatever situation I'm in.

[10:16] Because our contentment is not found in the things about us. Or having everything going our own way. Our contentment is in him. It's in Christ. It's in Christ. Godliness with contentment is great gain.

[10:29] It says in 1 Timothy 6. That's what matters isn't it? That satisfaction. That contentment that he gives to the heart. That he's searching for real hope in life.

[10:41] And if we find at times that our lives are filled and occupied with turmoil and stress. There's no place to turn. There's a quietness.

[10:52] There's a rest for your soul. There's a rest for your soul. He says come unto me. I'll give you rest unto your soul. And where is that rest found? It's found in Christ. It's found in his presence.

[11:04] It's found while being refreshed in him. He says come you yourselves apart into a desert place and rest a while. Mark 6.31 So what to worry about?

[11:18] What to worry about? Nothing. Worry about nothing. Secondly, what to pray about?

[11:36] What to pray about? We read that in verse 6. He says be careful for nothing but in everything. By prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known unto God.

[11:50] To worry less, pray more. It's simple isn't it? In a way it's so simple. And yet it's so true. That's what it tells us here.

[12:01] To worry less, pray more. And what? Should we pray about? Everything. Everything. In everything by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known unto God.

[12:16] Be still my soul. That should be our prayer. When we're feeling restless, when we're feeling burdened, when we're feeling loaded down, choose that good part that Mary chose, that good part.

[12:29] That communion with Christ. What to pray about? Everything. Everything. Maybe all those things that you worry about should be the things you should be praying about. Amen.

[12:40] Instead of worrying, pray. Pray about everything. In everything. Prayer can bring that peace of God to your situation. The answers that you're looking for. The answers that you're looking for.

[12:51] The needs that you're seeking to be met. That troubled situation or concern. That future uncertainty.

[13:03] Commit it to Him. Commit it in prayer to Him. Prayer can bring God's peace and His restoring power beyond everything we can imagine. As you read in Ephesians 3.

[13:15] Now unto Him that He's able to do exceeding abundantly above all that we can ask or think according to the power that worketh in us.

[13:25] Unto Him be glory. Unto Him be glory in the church by Christ Jesus throughout all ages, world without end. He's able.

[13:35] He is able today. He's still able. Isn't He? He's still the same. He is still able to do exceeding abundantly above. Sadly we miss out because we don't ask.

[13:50] As we read in James. You don't have because you don't ask. Stir yourself up today. Stir yourself up. Brother. Sister. Stir yourself. We read that in Isaiah 64 7.

[14:03] That the prophet speaks of some. That there is none that stirs themselves up to take hold of God. There's none that stirreth up himself to take hold of thee.

[14:14] None that calleth upon thy name. Isaiah 64 7. What a shame that God's people weren't stirred up to call on His name to seek His face. It's still the case today.

[14:26] We should pray. We should seek His face. And He promises in Isaiah 44 3. The Lord promises to us. He says. I will pour water upon him that is thirsty.

[14:39] We need to have that thirst again. For the things of God. To hunger. To thirst. To seek the one who comparts that thirst. And meet that need. That soul thirst.

[14:51] And wait upon the Lord in Isaiah 40 verse 31. You know this book is telling us much about prayer. Isaiah 40 31 it says. But they that wait upon the Lord shall renew their strength.

[15:05] They shall mount up with wings as eagles. They shall run and not be weary. They shall walk and not faint. God is the source of your strength.

[15:15] When you're feeling weary and weak. Wait upon the Lord. He will renew your strength. Here's your defence. Here's your fortress. Here's your refuge. Wait upon the Lord.

[15:26] The psalmist cried in Psalm 62 from verse 5. My soul wait thou upon God. Wait thou only upon God.

[15:38] He speaks of He only. Here's my rock and my salvation. I shall not be moved. It was interesting. When I was preparing this message. Julie had a song playing in the background. I shall not be moved.

[15:49] So I've sort of confirmed this was one to include. It says. My soul wait thou only upon God. For my expectation is from Him. He only is my rock and my salvation.

[16:03] He is my defence. I shall not be moved. In God is my salvation and my glory. The rock of my stream. And my refuge is in God.

[16:15] What a scripture. Be good to write that one down. And put it on your heart. Psalm 62. 5 to 7. Another one in Psalms 55. 22. Cast thy burden upon the Lord.

[16:28] And He shall sustain thee. He shall never suffer the righteous to be moved. And Psalm 16.8. I have set the Lord always before me.

[16:38] Because He is at my right hand. I shall not be moved. Now the situations of life. Sometimes we get moved by them. Don't we? We get moved.

[16:48] We get troubled. We get shaken. We get unsettled. By the things about us in our lives. Or what we're anticipating ahead. But we need to cry like the psalmist did.

[17:02] I shall not be moved. God is my rock. He is my security. He is my sure foundation. He is my defence. He is my refuge. Don't let worrying circumstances deter you and distract you from serving God.

[17:18] Draw your strength from Him. Find the strength that He supplies. Psalm 91. He that dwelleth in the secret place of the Most High shall abide under the shadow of the Almighty.

[17:32] I will say of the Lord. He is my refuge. And my fortress. My God. In Him will I trust. We need those showers of blessing.

[17:44] To be as that one that has a thirsty soul. But we need as Elijah did. To repair the altar. Before the showers of blessing come. Repair the altar.

[17:56] Maybe it's an altar in your home. In your family. In your personal devotional life. Repair the altar. Elijah. Elijah in 1 Kings 18. 13. He repaired the altar of the Lord.

[18:07] That was broken down. Sometimes the whack of peace is because the altar has broken down. The altar is not there. Now we look for help elsewhere.

[18:18] We look for peace in other places. But the altar is where we find the peace. The peace of God is found in prayer. In seeking His face. In waiting upon Him. So we see what to worry about.

[18:30] Nothing. What to pray about. Everything. Thirdly. What to think about. What to think about. There's a big long list there in Philippians 4. Of the things to let your thoughts be dwelling upon.

[18:46] The things to think of. In verse 8 of Philippians 4. What's over things? Are true. Honest. Just.

[18:56] Pure. Lovely. Of good report. Virtue. Praise. Think on these things. Do you think on those things? You wonder why you don't have peace.

[19:09] If you're thinking on that which is the opposite to such things. The opposite to what is true. The opposite to what is pure. The opposite to what is honest. The opposite to what is lovely.

[19:20] The opposite to what is of good report. The opposite to what is of virtue. The opposite to what is of praise. Sometimes our thoughts can be filled with such things. That are contrary.

[19:30] To what God instructs us to think about. What should govern our thinking. Is that which is godly. And right. And edifying. And true. Says in Proverbs 23.

[19:42] 7. For as he thinketh in his heart. So is he. That which your heart is thinking of. Will govern. How you live. Your life that you live. In 1 Corinthians 2.

[19:53] 16. We read. That we have the mind of Christ. The mind of Christ. It's having our thoughts dwelling on. Things above. To think of. The things that would honour him.

[20:05] That key for peace. Do we have it? If we miss that thought life. That dwells on that which is good. Then. Other things will fill.

[20:17] That grey matter up there. Won't it? Other things will fill. That brain space up there. And it's likely things that are contrary to peace. Contrary to God. Contrary to that which is wholesome.

[20:29] And edifying. And helpful to us as believers. Think on these things. And for that to happen. We need to be renewed. In the spirit of our mind. As the word says. To replace that troubled mind.

[20:40] With a mind that is calm. A mind that is thinking those thoughts that are godly. Those thoughts of calm. Of peace. Of rest. And as it says in 2 Corinthians 10.

[20:51] Verse 5. That there's got to be a deliberate tearing down. Of those contrary things. Casting down. Imaginations. And every high thing. That exalted itself against.

[21:02] The knowledge of God. And bringing into captivity. Every thought. To the obedience of Christ. Friends. Today I urge you. To search out.

[21:13] Your own thoughts. Search out your own heart today. Think of. What is it that I'm worrying about. When God says not to worry about. Anything. What is it that I'm praying about.

[21:25] Maybe it's scarcely anything at all. When really it should be. Pretty much everything. About your life. Should be something. That you're prayerfully. Thinking of.

[21:37] Not that you need to ask. God what colour socks to wear. Or such trivia. As such. But. It's the fact that. Our lives are in his hands. And we want our lives to be honouring to him.

[21:49] And so we want to be prayerful about. The decisions that we make. That they're wise decisions. The choices that we make. That they're not sinful. But they are pleasing to him. And.

[21:59] Think of these things. That our thought life will be. A life that. Is. Not thinking of things that are ungodly. Not filling our thought life.

[22:10] With things that are not. Wholesome and helpful for us as Christians. And. You could consider. Well. How much of those things in Philippians 4. Can you. Can you. Find a TV station.

[22:21] That. That. That. Produces such things. That would be good wouldn't it. But. Thankfully. We've got a source for that. A source of good stuff. And fill out our minds with. That which is good.

[22:33] And. Be encouraged today. He is the source. Of your peace. He is. The God. Of peace. The God. Of peace. The God.

[22:48] Of peace. Isn't that a wonderful thought. To think of that. But he is the God. Of peace. He's the author of it. He's the one who's created peace. He creates peace in our lives.

[22:59] And. It says. The God of peace. Shall bruise Satan. Underneath. Your feet. Shortly. In Romans 16. 20. The Prince of Peace. He's crushed Satan.

[23:10] At the cross. He's crushed Satan. And he's just going to have. His last gasp. He said. The one. Who can give you the peace. The path of all understanding.

[23:22] If we know him. We can know peace. And he will fight for us. He says to us. Peace. Be still. As he did to those. On that stormy sea. He says. Peace. Be still.

[23:33] And the winds and waters obey him. Trust in the Lord. Be obedient. To his will. You can find peace. Even though at times. There might be turmoil. And confusion.

[23:44] And. In reality. Your life might be. Quite. Shaken. At times. Yet. He is the one. He's in the boat. He's in the boat. And he says. Peace.

[23:55] Be still. To your. Waves. And to your winds. He says. Peace. Be still. You can know that today. You can know the God of peace. Personally. He promises us peace.

[24:06] It says in Philippians 4. The God of peace. Shall be with you. The God of peace. Shall. Be with you. It's a promise there. He's promised it for you. And to close.

[24:18] The peace of God. Which passeth. All understanding. Shall keep. Your hearts and minds. Through Christ Jesus. What a promise. We can take to heart.

[24:28] And friends. I urge you. To trust him. If you're not a Christian today. Peace. From God. Starts. As you make peace with God. As you realize.

[24:40] The wrath of God. The punishment for your sin. Was fully paid for. At the cross for you. So you can know. Everlasting. Eternal peace. For us that believe.

[24:51] Let's be reminded of that. And live in the victory of that. I love to tell your story. The glory of haunting things above.

[25:04] Of Jesus and his glory.