Peace of Christ
March 14, 2017 - Isaiah speaks of the perfect peace of those whose minds are focused on the Lord.
"You keep him in perfect peace whose mind is stayed on you, because he trusts in you." (Isaiah 26:3)
Jesus gave us this promise of peace before He ascended back to the Holy Father. "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 afraid." (John 14:27)
The peace of Jesus came without restriction, without conditions other than faith. Unlike the world which always asks for more than it gives, the peace of Jesus asks only for our trust and belief in him. He tells us to not be troubled, not to worry, for with him, we have all we will ever need, eternal life in heaven.
Nothing of this world can match the riches of eternal life with the Lord.
He assures us of this fact with these words. "I have said these things to you, that in me you may have peace. In the world you will have tribulation. But take heart; I have overcome the world." (John 16:33) He even gives us fair warning that we will suffer tribulation which our dictionary describes as; "grievous trouble, severe trial or suffering", but so that we will not worry, he tells us that he has overcome the world. If we are born-again then we too have overcome the world, for the world cannot prevent our eternity with the Lord. As he says here, no one can take his sheep (believers) from his hand. "I give them eternal life, and they will never perish, and no one will snatch them out of my hand. My Father, who has given them to me, is greater than all, and no one is able to snatch them out of the Father's hand." (John 10:28-29)
If you have accepted the free gift of salvation from the Lord Jesus then you truly have peace in your heart for you rest assured of your future with him. Yes, you will experience troubles as long as you live in this earth for it is a wicked and vile place, filled with wicked people who do not believe in the Lord. These people will be your enemies just as they were the enemies of Jesus and the prophets of old. Jesus explains this for us here. "If the world hates you, know that it hated me before it hated you. If you were of the world, the world would love you as its own; but because you are not of the world, but I chose you out of the world, therefore the world hates you." (John 15:18-19) So, you see the thing which makes any Christian special is what makes every Christian hated by the world. Jesus has chosen us, set us apart from the world so it hates us as it hated Him.
Have peace in your heart, knowing that you are set apart from this cruel world, knowing that no matter what the world does to you, even to the point of killing your earthly body, there is nothing more it can do; for your soul, your spirit is secure in Christ Jesus. Remember Paul's words as he sat, chained to the floor of a Roman prison. "For I consider the the sufferings of this present time are not worthy comparing with the glory that is to be revealed to us." (Romans 8:18) Yes, peace Jesus gives to us, a peace unlike any reward of this world. The peace of knowing that eternity is set. That the future of all who are born-again is secure in Christ. The peace of Jesus Christ our Lord...
May the Lord bless you and keep you, the Lord make his face to shine upon you...
