Let the PEACE of GOD RULE your HEARTS.

That was the title of yesterday's message at church. I love this. It can mean so much... peace in the time of trials and tragedy... or just plain old peace and contentment with your current status in life. I think the message will help several families that I know are going through some real challenges right now. I love our pastor and his presentation of scripture. It's just that, scripture. No storytelling with a little Bible thrown in for good measure. I felt I needed to share yesterday's message with all of you. It's something I struggle with all the time... letting go and letting God. So, this is also more of a brain purge for me so I have all these great verses in one spot that I can go reference for myself. Of course, my notes are all over the place and won't flow nearly as cohesively as Steve presented them, but I will do my best to relay the PEACE.

It was based on Colossians 3:15-17
15 And let the peace of God rule in your hearts, to which also you were called in one body; and be thankful. 16 Let the word of Christ dwell in you richly in all wisdom, teaching and admonishing one another in psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, singing with grace in your hearts to the Lord. 17 And whatever you do in word or deed, do all in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks to God the Father through Him.

Basically, let the peace of God rule your hearts... not self-pity, depression, anger, selfishness, etc. When talking about your hearts, it also is referencing your thoughts, feelings, your mind.

John 10:10
"The thief does not come except to steal, and to kill, and to destroy. I have come that they may have life, and that they may have it more abundantly."

The thief is Satan, worry, anxiety, fear, selfishness, the pursuit of power over the pursuit of God. Any and all of those things will interfere with the peace God wants us to have - with our ability to trust in HIM and NOT in ourselves and man. A life of contentment will not be found if we let the "thieves" in.

Ecclesiastes 2:10-12
10 Whatever my eyes desired I did not keep from them.
I did not withhold my heart from any pleasure,
For my heart rejoiced in all my labor;
And this was my reward from all my labor.
11 Then I looked on all the works that my hands had done
And on the labor in which I had toiled;
And indeed all was vanity and grasping for the wind.
There was no profit under the sun.

Solomon wrote this - my non-Bible scholar description of Solomon is that he was comprable to a modern day "player"/"baller". He had lots of wives, concumbines, anything he desired he got. He still was not satisfied. "...all was in vanity and grasping for the wind." No matter what amount of materialistic/worldly STUFF he acquired/experienced, he was not content. Peace with God brings contentment.

Solomon also wrote in Ecclesiastes 1:9 "That which has been is what will be, That which is done is what will be done, And there is nothing new under the sun." The latest and greatest will not satisfy, no matter how you think it might.

Luke 9:23 "Then he said to them all, "If anyone desires to come after Me, let him DENY HIMSELF, and take up his cross and FOLLLOW ME."

The moment we drop US and pick up our cross and follow God is the moment we can find true peace and contentment. Each time I have tried to do things myself without God I have failed miserably... and will continue to fail everytime I go it alone.

John 14:27 "Peace I leave with you, My peace I give to you; not as the world gives do I give to you. Let not your heart be troubled, neither let it be afraid."

I love this because it reaches to so many areas of life... not having a job, having a sick child,a loss in the family, anything at all. When the world says, "Here's some anti-deppresants," God says, "Stick with me, I've got it. Here's some peace, now relax and let me do my job. Do not be afraid."

Isaiah 26:4 "Trust in the Lord forever, For in YAH, the Lord, is everlasting strength."

All that is not to say it is going to be easy... we need strength to relax in God's arms and get the peace He wants to give us, so He says Trust in the Lord and you will have everlasting strength. PRAY for it people!

Phil 4:6-7
6 Be anxious for nothing, but in everything by prayer and supplication, with thanksgiving, let your requests be made known to God; 7 and the peace of God, which surpasses all understanding, will guard your hearts and minds through Christ Jesus.

DO NOT BE ANXIOUS! Are you sensing a theme here? Pray for peace, Trust God, and you will be blown away by how amazing you feel. People around you will be baffled by your newfound peace... for us it was, "Wow, they told you your son wasn't going to be born, and if he was he'd have a million issues. How are you happy? How are you not crying all the time." Simple. Well, not simple, we prayed A LOT. But had FAITH that God was in control. Everytime we started to get super anxious, we knew we were trying to do it on our own and we needed to let go and let God. And when we did, it would bring us back down from our crazy anxious place.

I Timothy 6:6-7
"Now godliness with contentment is great gain. For we brought NOTHING INTO this world, and it is certain we can carry NOTHING OUT."

We need to be content. He who dies with the most toys still dies... without the toys.

2 Cor 10:5 "...bringing every thought into captivity to the obedience of Christ."

Are your thoughts of God? Aligned with the above verses, trusting and relying on Him? Or are the full of worry and anxiousness???

John 16:33
33 These things I have spoken to you, that in Me you may have peace. In the world you will have tribulation; but be of good cheer, I have overcome the world.”

Trials are not to destroy us but to REFINE us. Life is a vapor, our time here is short, surely we can overcome our trials here... Jesus overcame the whole stinkin' world... I think we can handle this. With lots of prayer and lots of faith of course!

1 Cor 10:13
"No temptation has overtaken you except such as is common to man; but God is faithful, who will not allow you to be tempted beyond what you are able, but with the temptation will also make the way of escape, that you may be able to bear it."

When we are tempted to go to the dark place, God will give us a way out... a way to get through it. Of course, you have to be willing as well. Willing to give up yourself and allow God to work. That's the hard part for me. Sometimes I just forget and try to do it alone. That's when it gets hard, I fail and then try again with God backing me up.

Steve said life is full of forks in the road. One goes to the "My Way" side. We think it is easier and quicker, but it doesn't give us the peace of God. The other fork goes the "God Way". Sometimes it's harder, but the payoff is great... PEACE.

One more on the worry/God provides/be content topic:

Matt 6:25-27
“Therefore I say to you, do not worry about your life, what you will eat or what you will drink; nor about your body, what you will put on. Is not life more than food and the body more than clothing? 26 Look at the birds of the air, for they neither sow nor reap nor gather into barns; yet your heavenly Father feeds them. Are you not of more value than they? 27 Which of you by worrying can add one cubit to his stature?"

All the worry in the world isn't going to bring you more money. More stuff. More anything. Espcially not peace. Like Steve said, you don't see the birds plowing their fields, or loading there storerooms with grain. God just provides for them, as He will for us.


Finally, BE THANKFUL! God is such an amazing and loving father. Good, bad, and ugly, he loves us dearly. He is sitting there waiting for us to ask for help. From start to finish. Steve said, "Don't just pray ABOUT IT, pray THROUGH it!" And thank God at every step for holding you up and getting you through.

Heavenly Father I am so thankful for your unfailing love. For your promise of peace. Nothing is too great to get through knowing I can fall into your arms and let you be in control. It is so much easier knowing you are the "driver of this bus" not me. Thank you for all you have blessed my family with. I pray we can use those blessings to glorify you and further your kingdom. Amen.