Peace

Dear friends

I’ve been pondering about peace so much lately… not because it is Easter time, but because I came across it so much – or rather came across the lack of peace and the pursuit of it a lot.

I think I will conclude from my observations that peace is the most prevalent and dominant and pressing desire we all have.

I mean, when we look at our own urges and goals and longings and desires and at those of others, even at those in the world – in a global and in an individual sense – peace doesn’t seem to be in the forefront much, at least not at first sight, but then, when we analyze things further, it seems to be behind almost everything…?

Let’s take love for example.

When we are longing for a spouse.
Is it mainly because we don’t want to be alone?
I don’t think so.
Because I don’t believe any of us will long for an abusive husband or wife -right?
We want a happy relationship, not just someone who will be there.
And is it really love we are looking for?
Not in my understanding.
Because people can love us and we don’t love them back or don’t feel satisfied with their love or don’t even notice much how and when they love us.
But when we have peace with our spouse, when our spouse is our rock, our source of calm and encouragement and support, when they are our home, that’s when we are happy in our marriage – isn’t it?

Or take money for instance.
When we don’t have it, we are longing for more money.
And yet, so many people have a lot more money than we do and it is still not enough for them, they always want more.
Who says when they have enough money?
What do you think?
I think it is when they will be at peace with the amount of money they have, with the reserve they have in their account, with the kind and amount of material things they own and with the material standard of life they live.
No?

Then the spiritual side, the pursuits of what we believe is attractive – in our faith, the Christian faith, we believe it is to please GOD and to serve HIM and to glorify HIM with our lives… in other faiths, it is other things – before I got saved and when I was involved with the occult, the New Age Movement, I thought it was important to become more enlightened…
There are many false doctrines out there and people – especially those deceived by New Age false teachings, the ones I fell for before THE HOLY SPIRIT revealed the truth to me – are running after gurus, are doing all kinds of classes and reading thousands of books – like I have – to chase what these false teachers are selling, and the names can be different. They can call it enlightenment, self-empowering, manifesting, higher consciousness, awakening, these are just a few names and it is all the same principle – people are supposed to learn something, a method, or receive some sort of higher power by initiation, in order to become more “enlightened”, empowered, happy, healthy, wealthy, attractive, slim, rich – whatever it is that we all desire (in our flesh or even in the spirit), the New Age promises it when you buy the book or do the course.
Ridiculous, I know, but it is working so well and when you are in it, you have no idea you are doing the wrong thing and you are being deceived!
And why is it working so well?
Because they have understood how to sell their demons.
They are appealing to the desires we ALL have – except they never mention one, the one I am talking about today:
PEACE.
And they don’t mention it for a very good reason:
They don’t have it.
They can’t even try to sell anything which would come close to it.
And they don’t even want us to know that this is what we are truly searching for, the desire that lies behind every desire we seem to have in the forefront:
PEACE

When I got saved, THE HOLY SPIRIT showed me THE PEACE OF CHRIST, the PEACE which surpasses all understanding.

Philippians 4:7
And the peace of God, which passeth all understanding,
shall keep your hearts and minds through Christ Jesus.

John 14:27
Peace I leave with you, my peace I give unto you:
not as the world giveth, give I unto you.
Let not your heart be troubled, neither let it be afraid.”

When I first encountered this PEACE, the peace only GOD has, I knew that it was over.

That all my running around like a headless chicken had ended.

That I had arrived.

That I had found my home.

This is something we must all learn and yet we need to remember it and learn it over and over again:

NOBODY and NOTHING else can give us peace – only GOD and only OUR GOD can.

Do you know some Christians whom you consider to be at peace?
I do.
And the ones I know are not rich, are not 100% healthy all the time, are not living a life without problems, are sometimes going through stuff, are sometimes having to go through difficult and even very rough patches in their lives, and yet, they have this “glow” to them, this calmness and confidence, this trust in GOD and in a good result.

THE PEACE OF CHRIST

And on the other hand, have you also seen people who are running around looking for peace and never finding it (and causing so much damage instead)?

Me, I have.
And I can give you a very personal example for this:
the man I committed adultery with more than a year ago without knowing it, the man who had lied to me and said he wasn’t married – it was a while ago, but this man keeps trying to come back – of course I will not let him.
But even his efforts to come back are painful, as they re-open my wounds, as the remind me of my love for him and of my desires and intentions to build a life with him…
And this shows that he does not understand what he is really looking for and that I am not what he truly wants, but that he is truly looking for GOD…
It also shows that people who are not at peace and desperately crave it and look for it everywhere, in all the wrong places and in all the wrong ways, they only reap the opposite:
pain and turmoil, for themselves and for others, and this man is the best example.
Instead of looking for peace, the peace which is obviously currently lacking in his marriage, by running into the arms of another woman, he is not only not going to find peace there, but he is also going to destroy the peace of this other woman, of his wife, of his children and of himself instead.
And he has.
If he had turned to GOD, to the only person who can truly give him what he is looking for, all this pain and hurt for so many people, including himself, would not have been caused, would not have been necessary, and GOD would have shown him how to heal his marriage and to overcome the problems he is currently having with his wife.
He wouldn’t have had to hurt another woman by lying to her and then breaking her heart and also breaking that of his wife – regardless if she knows about it or not.

People who are not at peace hurt others.

This is true for relationships like in my own, extremely painful example, but also in a more global sense.

I am speaking of the more military meaning of peace or the contrary of it, war.
How does a war come about?
Isn’t it mainly because one ruler wants something another has?
Their territory, their power, their riches.
And what is happening on the inside of this ruler?
I believe these principles do not ever change and are still as valid as they were in the times of the Old Testament.
One king either feels threatened by another or is threatening them and then they fight over something, a city, a country – and one wins and one loses.
OR they form an alliance, make a peace treaty – before, instead of or after a war.
So that they can feel safe?
Aka, be at peace.

Same with crime, murder or even theft – if the offender was at total peace with himself and with the world, they wouldn’t harm anyone.
True or not?

If everyone on earth had THE PEACE of GOD, there would truly be no wars, no crime or other offenses, and no hurt and no pain.

Do you agree my friend?

And what is your conclusion?

Do you believe with me that PEACE or the lack thereof is the motive and the driver of almost everything?

Have you encountered THE PEACE OF CHRIST?

If you haven’t or if you know anyone who needs to be introduced to GOD and HIS PEACE, you can encourage them to give their life to JESUS or you can do it if you haven’t done so, don’t wait any longer, my friend!

This Easter time is a good opportunity to talk about what JESUS has done for us and how HE saved us from sin.

JESUS CHRIST came to earth as the SON OF GOD to save us all from the devil. And HIS works are still relevant today, HE is as alive today as he was more than 2000 years ago. And if you are not saved, HE wants to save you today, right here and right now: please don’t stay under the power of the king of darkness, please join us and give your life to THE LORD.

Here is an example of what you can pray in your heart right now, if you want to make JESUS LORD over your life:

“Dear Heavenly Father, I acknowledge and confess that I have not lived my life for YOU to this day, but have been living for myself and in sin and that is wrong. Please forgive me of all of my sins just as I forgive others. I need YOU in my life; I want YOU in my life.
I recognize the completed work of YOUR only begotten Son JESUS CHRIST in giving HIS life for me on the cross, I believe in my heart JESUS is LORD and that HE was raised from the dead and ask for YOUR forgiveness, which YOU have made freely available to me through this sacrifice.
Come into my life now, LORD!
Take up residence in my heart and be my KING, my LORD, and my SAVIOUR!
From this day forward, I will no longer be controlled by sin, or the desire to please myself, but I will follow YOU all the days of my life. Those days are in YOUR hands.
I ask this Jesus name.
Amen.”

If you have just prayed this prayer, you are now part of GOD’s kingdom and family and I heartily welcome you, my dear brother or sister!

The next thing to do is get a bible and find a church where you can receive further instructions, so that your new life in THE LORD may prosper and that you will become who HE made you to be.

GOD bless you and if you have any questions or need any assistance, please get in touch.

I hope and pray that this article will bless, heal, encourage and inspire you.
And that THE LORD will bless you abundantly in all areas of your life. That HE will keep you and shine HIS face upon you and bring you peace. In JESUS’ name I pray. AMEN.