Peace! Be Still!
A thunderstorm hit our area a few days ago. Watching from our front door, I saw tree branches scattered over yards and the street. The strength and noise of the wind plus the loud thunder frightened me but my husband, lounging in his chair remained relaxed and unaffected.
This reminded me of the hymn, "Master, The Tempest Is Raging." The song describes the night Jesus fell asleep while boating with his disciples. A raging storm and high waves frightened the disciples but Jesus continued sleeping. Fearing they’d drown, the disciples awakened Him. The last line of the song comes from Mark 4:39 (KJV) and is what Jesus spoke to the wind and waves. He said, "Peace! Be still!" Immediately the wind and waves calmed down.
Our Small Group just finished studying 1 Peter and recently started 2 Peter. We discussed at length the question of why the word peace appears so often in Scripture in reference to living a godly life. In both books of Peter the word peace appears five times, three in I Peter (1:2; 3:11; 5:14) and twice in 2 Peter (1:2; 3:14).
Our answer to the question was that we serve a God of peace. Isaiah 9:6 describes Jesus as the "Prince of peace." Ephesians 2:14 says, "For he himself is our peace." I Thessalonians 5:23 calls him "the God of peace." And 2 Thessalonians 3:16 repeats this by calling him "the Lord of peace."
One man said that peace was the greatest result of his salvation experience and is also what makes his spiritual growth so rewarding. He said he lived a life of turmoil before Christ. We read several more Scriptures concerning peace and some commented about praying for peace when facing conflicts and trials.
I studied the subject of peace and found that five subjects usually accompany it in the Scripures. They are: 1) Salvation/Righteousness; 2) The Spirit-filled Life; 3) Seeking/Pursuing; 4) Joy; and 5) Abundance.
1. Salvation/Righteousness
Salvation or righteousness and peace are mentioned together many times. Romans 5:1 says this best, "Therefore, since we have been justified through faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ." Colossians 1:20 describes this even further, "...reconcile...by making peace through his blood, shed on the cross." Job 22:21 uses the word submit in reference to salvation and righteousness. It says, "Submit to God, be at peace with him." And Psalm 85:10 expresses the union of the two in a unique way, "...righteousness and peace kiss each other."
2. The Spirit-filled Life
The Spirit-filled person lives a life of peace. Romans 8:6 says, "...the mind controlled by the Spirit is life and peace." Spiritual fruit consists of peace in Galatians 5:22, "The fruit of the Spirit is...peace..." 2 Peter 3:14 says, "...make every effort to be found spotless, blameless and at peace with him." Living a holy, spotless, blameless, Spirit-filled life produces peace.
3. Seeking/Pursuing
Psalm 34:14 says, "...seek peace and pursue it." This is repeated in I Peter 3:11, "...he must seek peace and pursue it." Seeking and pursuing peace means to run after it. It means asking God for His peace in all circumstance and situations.
4. Joy
Peace follows joy as part of the fruit of the Spirit. "The fruit of the Spirit is... joy, peace…" (Gal. 5:22). Romans 14:17 says, "For the kingdom of God is...peace and joy in the Holy Spirit." These two qualities compliment each other and together describe the Spirit-filled life.
5. Abundance
1 Peter 1:2 and 2 Peter 1:2 both say, "...peace be yours in abundance." 2 Peter adds "through the knowledge of God and of Jesus our Lord." Psalm 119:165 says, "Great peace have they who love your law..." The word, great in Hebrew often translates as much or a large amount. The knowledge of the Lord and loving his word bring an abundance of peace.
In this stressful, confusing, storm-filled world we live in, ask Jesus for peace. Say to your storm, "Peace! Be Still!"
"Now, may the God of peace himself give you peace at all times and in every way. The Lord be with you at all times" (2 Thess. 3:16).
This reminded me of the hymn, "Master, The Tempest Is Raging." The song describes the night Jesus fell asleep while boating with his disciples. A raging storm and high waves frightened the disciples but Jesus continued sleeping. Fearing they’d drown, the disciples awakened Him. The last line of the song comes from Mark 4:39 (KJV) and is what Jesus spoke to the wind and waves. He said, "Peace! Be still!" Immediately the wind and waves calmed down.
Our Small Group just finished studying 1 Peter and recently started 2 Peter. We discussed at length the question of why the word peace appears so often in Scripture in reference to living a godly life. In both books of Peter the word peace appears five times, three in I Peter (1:2; 3:11; 5:14) and twice in 2 Peter (1:2; 3:14).
Our answer to the question was that we serve a God of peace. Isaiah 9:6 describes Jesus as the "Prince of peace." Ephesians 2:14 says, "For he himself is our peace." I Thessalonians 5:23 calls him "the God of peace." And 2 Thessalonians 3:16 repeats this by calling him "the Lord of peace."
One man said that peace was the greatest result of his salvation experience and is also what makes his spiritual growth so rewarding. He said he lived a life of turmoil before Christ. We read several more Scriptures concerning peace and some commented about praying for peace when facing conflicts and trials.
I studied the subject of peace and found that five subjects usually accompany it in the Scripures. They are: 1) Salvation/Righteousness; 2) The Spirit-filled Life; 3) Seeking/Pursuing; 4) Joy; and 5) Abundance.
1. Salvation/Righteousness
Salvation or righteousness and peace are mentioned together many times. Romans 5:1 says this best, "Therefore, since we have been justified through faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ." Colossians 1:20 describes this even further, "...reconcile...by making peace through his blood, shed on the cross." Job 22:21 uses the word submit in reference to salvation and righteousness. It says, "Submit to God, be at peace with him." And Psalm 85:10 expresses the union of the two in a unique way, "...righteousness and peace kiss each other."
2. The Spirit-filled Life
The Spirit-filled person lives a life of peace. Romans 8:6 says, "...the mind controlled by the Spirit is life and peace." Spiritual fruit consists of peace in Galatians 5:22, "The fruit of the Spirit is...peace..." 2 Peter 3:14 says, "...make every effort to be found spotless, blameless and at peace with him." Living a holy, spotless, blameless, Spirit-filled life produces peace.
3. Seeking/Pursuing
Psalm 34:14 says, "...seek peace and pursue it." This is repeated in I Peter 3:11, "...he must seek peace and pursue it." Seeking and pursuing peace means to run after it. It means asking God for His peace in all circumstance and situations.
4. Joy
Peace follows joy as part of the fruit of the Spirit. "The fruit of the Spirit is... joy, peace…" (Gal. 5:22). Romans 14:17 says, "For the kingdom of God is...peace and joy in the Holy Spirit." These two qualities compliment each other and together describe the Spirit-filled life.
5. Abundance
1 Peter 1:2 and 2 Peter 1:2 both say, "...peace be yours in abundance." 2 Peter adds "through the knowledge of God and of Jesus our Lord." Psalm 119:165 says, "Great peace have they who love your law..." The word, great in Hebrew often translates as much or a large amount. The knowledge of the Lord and loving his word bring an abundance of peace.
In this stressful, confusing, storm-filled world we live in, ask Jesus for peace. Say to your storm, "Peace! Be Still!"
"Now, may the God of peace himself give you peace at all times and in every way. The Lord be with you at all times" (2 Thess. 3:16).
posted by Cindy Kingsbury @ 10:04 PM
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