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“So you must live as God’s obedient children. Don’t slip back into your old ways of living to satisfy your own desires. You didn’t know any better then. But now you must be holy in everything you do, just as God who chose you is holy.”

- 1 Peter 1:14-15

 

Perfect Peace

Perfect Peace

Redeemed
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In 2018, financial services company Charles Schwab conducted a survey asking participants to give a personal definition of wealth. The top answer was “living stress-free/peace of mind” indicating that the majority of people tie their peace of mind to their finances. The worldview being: if you want peace of mind, you better be financially secure. Is that how you find your peace? Does your peace of mind come from your bank account or retirement fund? Where do you place your peace? 

“But the Holy Spirit produces this kind of fruit in our lives: love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, and self-control. There is no law against these things!” (Galatians 5:22-23)

Peace is a fruit of the Spirit; it is something that cannot come from Earthly things. During His last teaching to the disciples, Jesus told them that He would be leaving but He would not leave them as orphans. He told them God would send the Holy Spirit to teach them and remind them of everything Jesus had said.  

“‘I am leaving you with a gift—peace of mind and heart. And the peace I give is a gift the world cannot give. So don’t be troubled or afraid.’” (John‬ ‭14:27‬ )

Once again, peace is a gift given to us from above. It is not something that this world can offer us—Jesus explicitly said that. Whatever peace you may feel from financial security, investments, retirement accounts, or security cameras outside of your house—whatever it may be, if it comes from the world, it is not perfect peace. Perfect peace only comes from God.

“You will keep in perfect peace all who trust in you, all whose thoughts are fixed on you!” (‭‭Isaiah‬ ‭26:3‬)

You want perfect peace? Trust God and fix your thoughts on Him. Think about times when you lose your peace of mind; are you fixing your thoughts on God or are you focusing on the object of your worry? When your thoughts are fixed on the thing that concerns you, it steals your peace. God will keep us in perfect peace when we trust Him and fix our thoughts on Him. Focus not on your worry but on the Giver of peace. 

“Jesus replied, ‘You must love the Lord your God with all your heart, all your soul, and all your mind.’ This is the first and greatest commandment.’” (Matthew 22:37-38)

Jesus declared the first and greatest commandment to be loving the Lord your God with all your heart, all your soul, and all your mind. Fixing our thoughts on God is part of loving Him with all of our mind. When our thoughts are fixed on our fears we lose the peace God wants us to have. Love God with all your mind by fixing your thoughts on Him, especially when fears and worries try to steal your peace. Perfect peace is not something the world can give us; it comes from Above. When fears, worries, or concerns steal your peace, fix your thoughts on God, the Giver of Perfect Peace. 

May the grace of the Lord Jesus Christ, the love of God, and the fellowship of the Holy Spirit be with you all.

—Redeemed

Here Comes The Son

Here Comes The Son
Words From The Heart

Words From The Heart