CONFIDENCE in the TOUGH SPOTS

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JULY 12, 2023

 

John 14:27

Peace I leave with you; my peace I give you. I do not give to you as the world gives. Do not let your hearts be troubled and do not be afraid.


I Will Give You Peace


Most of us think of peace as the absence of conflict, just take a brief look at the synonyms we use for peace, cease-fire, freedom from strife, end of war, even such synonyms as harmony, calm, and serenity acknowledge the absence of struggle, or skirmish as a generally accepted definition of peace. However, our Bible tells us that Jesus promises us something better. He gives us peace in the face of conflict.

Jesus gives us his peace. You see when we open our lives to Jesus, when we say Jesus be active in my life as my leader, and when we trust Him with that, we can march into any situation with confident assurance knowing Jesus will be a strong and active presence in our time of need. He speaks to us today, just as he spoke to disciples, and says “Do not let your hearts be troubled and do not be afraid,” why? Here is the answer: “my peace I give you.”

When we know Jesus is with us, working through the Holy Spirit to guide us and comfort us, we don’t have to fear the future or be paralyzed by “What ifs...” We can experience deep and lasting peace. Now that’s a good news promise, isn’t it?

REFLECT 

  • What does it look like for someone to be at peace?
  • Have you ever been in a difficult situation where you’ve experienced unexplainable peace? What happened?
  • Philippians 4:6-7 reminds us that peace and prayer go hand in hand.

 “… 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.”

  • Is there anything you’re stressed about today? Take some time to pray about it and let the peace of God, which transcends all understanding, guard your heart and your mind.

 


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