1 00:00:01,600 --> 00:00:04,700 It certainly is wonderful to be here with each and every one of 2 00:00:04,700 --> 00:00:06,800 you, we appreciate your presence. 3 00:00:06,800 --> 00:00:08,700 So very much. We have a wonderful crowd here 4 00:00:08,700 --> 00:00:12,000 and as has already been mentioned, if you are a visitor 5 00:00:12,000 --> 00:00:14,400 among us, we hope that you would feel as you are. 6 00:00:14,800 --> 00:00:17,700 And that is as our honored guest and we welcome you. 7 00:00:17,700 --> 00:00:21,700 Every time that we have an opportunity to meet for an 8 00:00:21,700 --> 00:00:24,000 introductory text, I invite your attention to Second 9 00:00:24,000 --> 00:00:28,100 Thessalonians. Chapter 3 and verse 16. 10 00:00:29,000 --> 00:00:31,900 The Bible says now may the Lord of Peace himself, give you 11 00:00:31,900 --> 00:00:35,800 peace. Always in every way the Lord be 12 00:00:35,800 --> 00:00:40,000 with you all the new American Standard renders, this verse, as 13 00:00:40,000 --> 00:00:42,400 follows. Now may the Lord of Peace 14 00:00:42,400 --> 00:00:46,900 himself, continually Grant, you peace in every circumstance. 15 00:00:47,600 --> 00:00:50,400 You know, when we think back historically on the Thessalonian 16 00:00:50,400 --> 00:00:53,800 Church, they were strong in so many ways. 17 00:00:54,300 --> 00:00:58,100 But they were being tormented by persecution, they were tossed to 18 00:00:58,100 --> 00:01:01,900 and fro Oh, and there was false teachers among them, they were 19 00:01:01,900 --> 00:01:07,100 troubled by fear and even troubled by sin, and the Apostle 20 00:01:07,100 --> 00:01:10,900 Paul had endeavored to deal with all of these troubling things, 21 00:01:11,200 --> 00:01:14,600 all of the turmoil by giving them instruction. 22 00:01:15,100 --> 00:01:18,000 But at the end of this brief letter, he expresses in his 23 00:01:18,000 --> 00:01:22,000 benediction, if you will his heartfelt, desire, that God 24 00:01:22,000 --> 00:01:27,900 would grant them peace in every circumstance of life, or as the 25 00:01:27,908 --> 00:01:32,400 new King James, Says, in every way the question before us today 26 00:01:32,400 --> 00:01:36,000 though, is this what was the piece that Paul was talking 27 00:01:36,000 --> 00:01:38,100 about? What was he talking about when 28 00:01:38,107 --> 00:01:40,700 he talked about a piece that stands up against the 29 00:01:40,700 --> 00:01:44,400 circumstances of life? Well, for an introductory 30 00:01:44,400 --> 00:01:48,300 remark, let me just mention some things that were said by written 31 00:01:48,300 --> 00:01:52,800 by Paul before we get into the benediction in verse 16 and I 32 00:01:52,808 --> 00:01:54,100 think there's just kind of sets it up. 33 00:01:54,100 --> 00:01:57,200 I'm not going to spend a lot of time on this but this sets up 34 00:01:57,200 --> 00:02:01,000 what he's about to say. Here is in a thumbnail sketch, 35 00:02:01,000 --> 00:02:03,500 Chapter 3 of second Thessalonians. 36 00:02:04,100 --> 00:02:07,400 Paul begins at the very beginning and he says, finally 37 00:02:07,400 --> 00:02:10,600 Brethren pray for us. Now, you know what's interesting 38 00:02:10,600 --> 00:02:13,800 about those phrases that he uses and bursts one? 39 00:02:14,100 --> 00:02:17,100 I think that there are I think you can know a lot about a 40 00:02:17,100 --> 00:02:22,500 person by the things in which he prays for You know, I think 41 00:02:22,500 --> 00:02:26,900 sometimes people get so engrossed in all of the things 42 00:02:26,900 --> 00:02:30,800 that they have going on in their life, that they fail to remember 43 00:02:30,800 --> 00:02:34,500 the things that are really important, and sometimes in our 44 00:02:34,500 --> 00:02:38,800 prayers, our prayer life becomes all about us and all about the 45 00:02:38,800 --> 00:02:42,500 things going on in our life, what Paul was being greatly 46 00:02:42,500 --> 00:02:44,200 persecuted, you know what he said. 47 00:02:44,200 --> 00:02:50,000 He said Brethren pray for us. Now he wasn't asking for an 48 00:02:50,000 --> 00:02:54,300 easier life, he wasn't asking to be free from persecution, he 49 00:02:54,300 --> 00:02:57,100 even says it. He said, pray for us that why 50 00:02:57,300 --> 00:03:00,300 that the word would have free course. 51 00:03:00,300 --> 00:03:03,400 That's what the King James says, it literally means to run 52 00:03:03,400 --> 00:03:06,900 without obstacle. The only thing that Paul Matter 53 00:03:07,400 --> 00:03:11,900 What mattered to Paul was that no one stood in the way of 54 00:03:11,900 --> 00:03:15,500 preaching the gospel. You know, he says something else 55 00:03:15,500 --> 00:03:16,600 too. I love this. 56 00:03:17,200 --> 00:03:20,100 He said that it would run swiftly the new King James and 57 00:03:20,100 --> 00:03:22,700 be glorified just as it is with you. 58 00:03:22,700 --> 00:03:26,400 And really, that's the mission of every Christian to take the 59 00:03:26,400 --> 00:03:29,400 seed of the Gospel to the world. That's the mission of the 60 00:03:29,400 --> 00:03:31,500 church. Take the seed of the Gospel to 61 00:03:31,500 --> 00:03:35,800 the world, and it would run without fruit with free course 62 00:03:35,800 --> 00:03:38,500 without obstacle. And thirdly, it would be 63 00:03:38,500 --> 00:03:40,700 glorified in the heart of the recipient. 64 00:03:41,500 --> 00:03:46,600 He begins right there. And then he says this He said 65 00:03:46,600 --> 00:03:49,800 that we may be delivered from unreasonable and wicked men for 66 00:03:49,800 --> 00:03:52,400 not have all the faith, but the Lord is faithful. 67 00:03:52,400 --> 00:03:55,800 Who will establish you and guard you from the evil one. 68 00:03:55,800 --> 00:03:58,500 I really had to make that point. I really had to read that verse. 69 00:03:59,000 --> 00:04:01,000 You know the word stablish means strengthened. 70 00:04:02,900 --> 00:04:04,800 Have you ever felt that you just too weak? 71 00:04:06,400 --> 00:04:08,500 Have you ever felt that? I'm just really struggling in my 72 00:04:08,500 --> 00:04:09,600 life. I'm just wait. 73 00:04:10,900 --> 00:04:14,800 Have you what? Written off your behavior and 74 00:04:14,800 --> 00:04:18,399 choices because you're just weak and you can't help it? 75 00:04:19,500 --> 00:04:21,700 These are thoughts that sometimes we have, I just can't 76 00:04:21,700 --> 00:04:25,100 help but I'm weak but this passage is a promise. 77 00:04:25,100 --> 00:04:29,700 He said God is faithful that what that God will establish you 78 00:04:29,800 --> 00:04:33,500 that means strengthen you That is a promise from God. 79 00:04:33,500 --> 00:04:35,600 Have you ever stopped to consider that had all the things 80 00:04:35,600 --> 00:04:38,300 you go through in your life? You don't have to be weak. 81 00:04:39,200 --> 00:04:42,400 You can make a choice not to be weak and if you submit yourself 82 00:04:42,400 --> 00:04:46,700 to God, it says if you do that and God promises, I will 83 00:04:46,700 --> 00:04:48,600 strengthen you and you'll get through it. 84 00:04:50,000 --> 00:04:53,500 So he begins by saying, pray for us at the gospel would have free 85 00:04:53,500 --> 00:04:55,200 course of a run without obstacle. 86 00:04:55,200 --> 00:04:59,100 It would be glorified in the heart of the recipient and pray 87 00:04:59,100 --> 00:05:02,600 for us that we are removed from the evil one because they're 88 00:05:02,600 --> 00:05:05,600 standing in the way the gospel that's all he cared about, 89 00:05:06,000 --> 00:05:09,200 alright? Then he moves on and in the next 90 00:05:09,200 --> 00:05:14,300 group of scriptures in verses 6 to 15 he deals with idleness and 91 00:05:14,300 --> 00:05:17,100 from a historical standpoint. You remember that? 92 00:05:17,100 --> 00:05:20,900 They after the first letter was written, Misunderstood when the 93 00:05:20,900 --> 00:05:24,200 Lord was going to come back so they gave up doing the things 94 00:05:24,200 --> 00:05:27,000 that they should do and their responsibilities and they became 95 00:05:27,000 --> 00:05:31,700 busy bodies and they became engrossed in other men's matters 96 00:05:31,700 --> 00:05:34,200 and all of that and they stop taking care of their daily 97 00:05:34,200 --> 00:05:36,500 responsibilities Paul Cricket that too. 98 00:05:37,100 --> 00:05:38,500 And then he gets down to the end. 99 00:05:39,100 --> 00:05:43,500 He gets down to verse 16 and he says, this, in the benediction, 100 00:05:43,500 --> 00:05:47,900 if you will now may the Lord of Peace himself, give you peace. 101 00:05:47,900 --> 00:05:51,500 Always in every way. Way the Lord be with you. 102 00:05:51,500 --> 00:05:55,600 All, you know, the first two words there now may Mark a 103 00:05:55,600 --> 00:05:58,800 transition. In other words, Paul is going 104 00:05:58,800 --> 00:06:04,100 from command in excitation to petition and prayer. 105 00:06:04,700 --> 00:06:07,800 He's expressing not only is prayer itself but the wish that 106 00:06:07,800 --> 00:06:12,100 was in his heart and in doing so his wish for them is to 107 00:06:12,100 --> 00:06:14,100 experience. Peace. 108 00:06:14,600 --> 00:06:18,600 He's asking for what God has already promised, not what God 109 00:06:18,600 --> 00:06:21,500 reluctantly does. Was, you know, really that's 110 00:06:21,500 --> 00:06:24,800 what prayer is all about. It's about requesting things 111 00:06:24,800 --> 00:06:29,400 that God has already promised things that are available that 112 00:06:29,400 --> 00:06:33,200 God has already promised, but their conditional Upon Our 113 00:06:33,200 --> 00:06:35,600 request in prayer. One man. 114 00:06:35,600 --> 00:06:38,900 Said, one time, that prayer is lining up with what? 115 00:06:38,900 --> 00:06:43,100 God has already promised to do or already promised to give. 116 00:06:43,100 --> 00:06:46,600 And in this case it's piece, all right? 117 00:06:47,800 --> 00:06:50,000 What is it? What's piece? 118 00:06:50,700 --> 00:06:53,500 Here are some definitions of Peace. 119 00:06:53,500 --> 00:06:55,400 There were some men that were asked Give a definition to 120 00:06:55,400 --> 00:06:56,700 piece. This is what they said. 121 00:06:57,200 --> 00:07:01,800 One guy said this. One guy said, Peace is the sense 122 00:07:01,800 --> 00:07:08,500 of calm and tranquility. Another said it is quietness and 123 00:07:08,500 --> 00:07:11,800 Bliss. A third one said, it's the 124 00:07:11,800 --> 00:07:16,600 feeling you get when you believe everything is well What else? 125 00:07:17,100 --> 00:07:21,000 It's the attitude of Tranquility, when everything is 126 00:07:21,000 --> 00:07:24,000 the way that you would like it to be. 127 00:07:24,800 --> 00:07:27,200 And you know what's interesting about this of all the things 128 00:07:27,200 --> 00:07:30,900 that I just put on the screen. Do you know, you can get every 129 00:07:30,900 --> 00:07:34,600 one of those little pill? You can get every one of these 130 00:07:34,600 --> 00:07:38,700 feelings with the pill with a prescription with a good night's 131 00:07:38,700 --> 00:07:42,700 sleep, sometimes because we are we listen to people. 132 00:07:42,700 --> 00:07:47,400 We might by deception feel a certain way, but all of these 133 00:07:47,400 --> 00:07:52,700 things really are superficial, these are circumstantial piece. 134 00:07:53,100 --> 00:07:55,800 So what is he talking about, though? 135 00:07:56,300 --> 00:07:59,700 He's talking about things that have nothing to do with the 136 00:07:59,700 --> 00:08:04,400 circumstances in your life. Not Produced on a human or 137 00:08:04,400 --> 00:08:08,200 circumstantial level and I got to tell you, do you know why 138 00:08:08,200 --> 00:08:12,400 people are looking for this? You know why? 139 00:08:13,400 --> 00:08:15,800 And by the way, nobody likes to feel bad, right? 140 00:08:16,400 --> 00:08:19,700 But wants to feel bad, you know why most people are looking for 141 00:08:19,700 --> 00:08:23,900 this kind of piece, because this kind of piece is the kind of 142 00:08:23,900 --> 00:08:25,300 piece that makes you feel better. 143 00:08:26,500 --> 00:08:28,900 You got stress in your life, you got things in your life, things 144 00:08:28,900 --> 00:08:30,200 aren't going the way you would like it to do. 145 00:08:30,200 --> 00:08:34,100 You know what we want that we want circumstantial peace. 146 00:08:34,799 --> 00:08:37,600 We want the circumstances in our life to be different so we can 147 00:08:37,600 --> 00:08:40,600 feel better. Most people are looking for 148 00:08:40,600 --> 00:08:45,400 these things in their life, granted every one of us, but 149 00:08:45,400 --> 00:08:50,500 every one of those things can be destroyed by, failure, can be 150 00:08:50,500 --> 00:08:55,100 destroyed by doubt, fear difficulty, anxiety. 151 00:08:55,600 --> 00:09:00,100 It can be Be torn apart by violated relationships. 152 00:09:00,300 --> 00:09:03,900 How about guilt and shame, and regret and sorrow. 153 00:09:05,300 --> 00:09:08,500 It can be destroyed by being mistreated or victimized by 154 00:09:08,500 --> 00:09:12,100 someone destroyed relationships now. 155 00:09:12,100 --> 00:09:14,200 Did you know that everything that I just said? 156 00:09:14,200 --> 00:09:17,500 I said a lot of negative stuff. I gave you a list of negative 157 00:09:17,500 --> 00:09:22,000 stuff. Everything I said is life. 158 00:09:23,700 --> 00:09:26,900 It's life. Remember that country song years 159 00:09:26,900 --> 00:09:29,400 ago? Sounds like life to me it was 160 00:09:29,400 --> 00:09:31,900 the description of a guy that had all these things going on. 161 00:09:31,900 --> 00:09:35,500 This went went South on me. This happened over here and 162 00:09:35,500 --> 00:09:39,300 really all it was was life. So in other words, 163 00:09:39,500 --> 00:09:44,000 circumstantial, peace is peace. That is based on the 164 00:09:44,000 --> 00:09:49,100 circumstances of life, but it can be destroyed by things in 165 00:09:49,100 --> 00:09:53,200 life. But it's the one that we want, 166 00:09:54,000 --> 00:09:56,600 because it's the one that makes us feel better. 167 00:09:56,800 --> 00:09:59,600 So, what is the piece that he's talking about? 168 00:09:59,600 --> 00:10:03,300 What's Paul referring to? He is talking about spiritual 169 00:10:03,500 --> 00:10:05,300 peace. What is that? 170 00:10:05,800 --> 00:10:09,800 What is spiritual peace? It's confidence that everything 171 00:10:09,800 --> 00:10:14,100 is right between myself and God. Did you get that? 172 00:10:15,400 --> 00:10:19,300 That's it. Spiritual peace is knowing 173 00:10:19,600 --> 00:10:23,800 regardless of the circumstances in my life that what first of 174 00:10:23,800 --> 00:10:26,900 all it's confidence that everything is right between 175 00:10:26,900 --> 00:10:29,600 myself and God. Remember not long ago, I made 176 00:10:29,600 --> 00:10:32,800 the point in a sermon very recent and I talked about 177 00:10:32,800 --> 00:10:36,900 there's a difference between confidence and conceit, okay? 178 00:10:37,100 --> 00:10:39,600 There's a big difference between that and there's a difference 179 00:10:39,600 --> 00:10:44,400 between arrogance and Assurance. Spiritual peace is knowing and 180 00:10:44,400 --> 00:10:46,200 we're going to get to You know, that. 181 00:10:46,200 --> 00:10:50,400 But spiritual peace is when you have confidence that everything 182 00:10:50,400 --> 00:10:54,200 is right between myself and God and it doesn't matter what 183 00:10:54,200 --> 00:10:58,100 happens to me in my life. Number two, that God is in 184 00:10:58,100 --> 00:11:00,700 control of my life In Time and Eternity. 185 00:11:02,300 --> 00:11:03,900 Do you think that way in your life? 186 00:11:03,900 --> 00:11:07,400 Do you think that way when you have all kinds of negative 187 00:11:07,400 --> 00:11:11,000 experiences and circumstances is your mind going to? 188 00:11:11,000 --> 00:11:13,400 What is really important? Is it spiritual? 189 00:11:13,400 --> 00:11:17,000 Peace is everything right between you and God that God is 190 00:11:17,000 --> 00:11:20,600 in control in Time and Eternity, but there's more. 191 00:11:21,400 --> 00:11:26,100 So what I'm saying is this spiritual peace is the presence 192 00:11:26,100 --> 00:11:31,700 of a calm assurance that everything is Well with My Soul. 193 00:11:32,100 --> 00:11:36,400 and, It has nothing to do with the circumstances of life. 194 00:11:36,500 --> 00:11:39,700 Nothing. It's everything to do with your 195 00:11:39,700 --> 00:11:43,400 relationship with God. How is that? 196 00:11:43,900 --> 00:11:46,100 Well, first of all, let's talk about the spiritual piece. 197 00:11:46,100 --> 00:11:47,800 Number one, some things about it. 198 00:11:47,800 --> 00:11:53,900 There's four things number one. Spiritual peace is divine. 199 00:11:54,700 --> 00:11:58,900 If we go to verse 16 of our text, Paul says, now may the 200 00:11:58,900 --> 00:12:03,400 Lord of Peace himself. Now, the word the pronoun is 201 00:12:03,400 --> 00:12:06,400 emphatic, in the sentence of himself, emphasizing his 202 00:12:06,400 --> 00:12:11,400 personal involvement Notice this, it's good. 203 00:12:11,400 --> 00:12:14,400 The god, or the Lord of peace. That gives the piece. 204 00:12:14,400 --> 00:12:17,100 Do you know why? It's the essence of his nature? 205 00:12:18,300 --> 00:12:23,000 God is many things. God is is Justice. 206 00:12:23,600 --> 00:12:26,300 God is perfection. How about that? 207 00:12:26,300 --> 00:12:28,700 How about God is love you. Remember that song? 208 00:12:28,700 --> 00:12:31,100 We used to sing come. Let us all unite to sing that 209 00:12:31,100 --> 00:12:34,700 God is love. These are all attributes of God. 210 00:12:34,800 --> 00:12:38,000 So in every aspect, when we take, look at God, he is all of 211 00:12:38,000 --> 00:12:40,400 those things. Have you ever stopped to 212 00:12:40,400 --> 00:12:43,200 consider though? That in addition to all of that, 213 00:12:44,100 --> 00:12:49,500 He himself is also peace. Now, I don't know about you, but 214 00:12:49,500 --> 00:12:52,800 I want to have the kind of peace, that is not subjected to 215 00:12:52,800 --> 00:12:56,700 the circumstances in my life. I want to have the kind of peace 216 00:12:56,900 --> 00:13:00,400 that God gives as the author of piece itself. 217 00:13:00,800 --> 00:13:03,700 That's the kind of that. I'd like to have why God is 218 00:13:03,700 --> 00:13:06,600 perfect. He has perfect peace. 219 00:13:07,000 --> 00:13:09,800 There's no stress. There's no anxiety. 220 00:13:09,900 --> 00:13:12,800 He never worries. He never doubts, he's never 221 00:13:12,800 --> 00:13:15,500 unclear. He's never unsure. 222 00:13:15,500 --> 00:13:19,300 He is always as one man said at perfect calm. 223 00:13:19,400 --> 00:13:23,000 He enjoys perfect and eternal Harmony within himself. 224 00:13:23,100 --> 00:13:27,100 Wouldn't that be great? Wouldn't it be great? 225 00:13:28,300 --> 00:13:32,200 To be in Perfect Harmony. With yourself. 226 00:13:34,400 --> 00:13:37,000 That's amazing. Now, I got to tell you 227 00:13:37,000 --> 00:13:40,700 something, I understand sometimes when people have 228 00:13:41,200 --> 00:13:44,700 really bad stresses and depressions as steps real 229 00:13:45,700 --> 00:13:47,700 sometimes people even need medication. 230 00:13:49,000 --> 00:13:52,000 What I'm talking about though, I'm talking about a piece that 231 00:13:52,000 --> 00:13:56,100 doesn't need medication. I'm talking about the kind of 232 00:13:56,100 --> 00:13:59,800 peace, that only comes from God and it's on a different level. 233 00:14:00,700 --> 00:14:03,000 It has nothing to do with the things of life. 234 00:14:03,000 --> 00:14:05,400 It has nothing to do with feelings, it has everything to 235 00:14:05,408 --> 00:14:09,300 do with confidence assurance and knowing and what is that? 236 00:14:09,300 --> 00:14:11,500 It's about spiritual peace. And you know what? 237 00:14:11,500 --> 00:14:15,900 Paul says he said now may the Lord of Peace himself, give you 238 00:14:15,900 --> 00:14:18,100 peace. Why? 239 00:14:18,100 --> 00:14:21,900 It's the essence of his nature, wouldn't it be great to have 240 00:14:22,100 --> 00:14:27,300 that kind of peace? 1st Corinthians chapter 14 and 241 00:14:27,300 --> 00:14:30,700 verse 33. It says for God is not the 242 00:14:30,700 --> 00:14:32,800 author of confusion, but of peace. 243 00:14:33,500 --> 00:14:38,800 Now, folks, I know that people often times in the religious 244 00:14:38,800 --> 00:14:44,500 world and in the world itself, they're confused religiously And 245 00:14:44,500 --> 00:14:46,800 you know, I heard somebody say one time that he was against 246 00:14:46,800 --> 00:14:48,800 organized religion, this is what he said. 247 00:14:49,800 --> 00:14:52,200 He said because there's so many different things and there's so 248 00:14:52,200 --> 00:14:54,600 much confusion out there. It's impossible to know what's 249 00:14:54,600 --> 00:14:58,100 really right? And what's really true but 250 00:14:58,100 --> 00:15:01,600 notice what the Bible says. The Bible says this for God is 251 00:15:01,600 --> 00:15:04,400 not the author of confusion, but of Peace. 252 00:15:04,500 --> 00:15:08,100 Do you know what that means? That means if I'm confused, it's 253 00:15:08,100 --> 00:15:11,700 not God's fault. If I'm confused, it's my fault. 254 00:15:13,000 --> 00:15:16,500 And when I deviate from what God said to do and I'm confused in 255 00:15:16,500 --> 00:15:19,900 what I believe. It's my fault. 256 00:15:20,200 --> 00:15:22,700 God is not the author of confusion but of Peace. 257 00:15:23,100 --> 00:15:26,000 God is perfect. God is perfect in every way. 258 00:15:26,100 --> 00:15:29,200 He's the author of Peace. It's part of his attributes and 259 00:15:29,200 --> 00:15:31,300 nature, and he's The Giver of it, too. 260 00:15:31,300 --> 00:15:33,300 We'll get to that part in just a minute. 261 00:15:33,600 --> 00:15:36,500 But what about Jesus Christ, and what about the holy spirit 262 00:15:37,000 --> 00:15:40,000 because in heaven, there's three that bear record. 263 00:15:40,000 --> 00:15:43,100 The Bible says, there are three that bear record In Heaven. 264 00:15:43,100 --> 00:15:47,300 There Is God, there is Jesus Christ, and there is the Holy 265 00:15:47,300 --> 00:15:52,700 Spirit and the Bible says and these three are one and people 266 00:15:52,700 --> 00:15:56,000 get that all messed up and they say you see, there's only one 267 00:15:56,000 --> 00:16:00,200 personage in the godhead know. There's three specific 268 00:16:00,200 --> 00:16:05,300 percentages in the godhead. Three persons, God, Jesus and 269 00:16:05,300 --> 00:16:09,200 the Holy Spirit, and when it says they are one, it means they 270 00:16:09,200 --> 00:16:12,500 are one in purpose. They agree in one. 271 00:16:12,500 --> 00:16:16,400 They work together. You've heard me say this but 272 00:16:16,400 --> 00:16:18,500 it's so simple. This is the easiest way to say 273 00:16:18,500 --> 00:16:21,000 it. Let's just say me and Chris we 274 00:16:21,000 --> 00:16:25,900 talked about something and we're going to go to talk and Jack and 275 00:16:26,000 --> 00:16:29,300 Chris and I agreed on that and we might go to Jack and say, you 276 00:16:29,308 --> 00:16:31,800 know what? Kristen, Chris and I were were 277 00:16:31,800 --> 00:16:34,600 one on that. Meaning we agree? 278 00:16:35,500 --> 00:16:37,800 That's all that means. Not one person. 279 00:16:37,800 --> 00:16:38,800 Aged. They all agree. 280 00:16:38,800 --> 00:16:42,900 So what am I saying? I'm saying that the essence of 281 00:16:42,900 --> 00:16:47,400 peace is an attribute of God but not only God, Jesus Christ two 282 00:16:48,300 --> 00:16:52,700 seasons 2 beginning in verse 13 but now in Christ Jesus you who 283 00:16:52,700 --> 00:16:56,600 were once a far off have been brought near by the blood of 284 00:16:56,600 --> 00:17:01,100 Christ for he himself is our peace. 285 00:17:02,700 --> 00:17:05,900 Jesus is also called The Prince of Peace. 286 00:17:06,500 --> 00:17:10,200 He is the bringer of Peace. He came and established a 287 00:17:10,200 --> 00:17:14,700 kingdom of peace. What about the Holy Spirit? 288 00:17:14,900 --> 00:17:18,800 Holy spirit's in there to Romans, 14 and 17. 289 00:17:19,300 --> 00:17:22,000 For the kingdom of God is not eating and drinking, but 290 00:17:22,000 --> 00:17:27,599 righteousness and peace and joy. In the holy spirit. 291 00:17:27,900 --> 00:17:29,500 Let me talk about how they work together. 292 00:17:29,500 --> 00:17:32,200 Give you an example of that. Let's talk about prayer, for 293 00:17:32,200 --> 00:17:34,900 example. Okay, talk about prayer. 294 00:17:35,600 --> 00:17:39,200 And let's talk about how we talk to God and how God talks to us, 295 00:17:39,500 --> 00:17:43,400 very simply, you know, Jesus said in John 14 and 6 that no 296 00:17:43,400 --> 00:17:46,000 man, comes unto the father except by, or through me and 297 00:17:46,000 --> 00:17:48,200 that's in every way and it includes prayer. 298 00:17:48,600 --> 00:17:52,600 So when we pray to God, the Father hears God, the Father, 299 00:17:52,800 --> 00:17:55,900 when we pray to God, we pray through Jesus Christ. 300 00:17:56,000 --> 00:17:59,600 Or simply put as our brother pray, just a moment ago. 301 00:17:59,700 --> 00:18:02,800 In Jesus name, we pray through Jesus Christ. 302 00:18:02,900 --> 00:18:08,300 So we talked to God, on our time, we pray for his 303 00:18:08,300 --> 00:18:11,600 providential care. We pray through Jesus Christ. 304 00:18:11,600 --> 00:18:13,900 They work together. And what else? 305 00:18:14,200 --> 00:18:17,500 When God speaks back to us, he doesn't do it directly. 306 00:18:17,600 --> 00:18:20,700 He does. So through the word of God, 307 00:18:20,700 --> 00:18:22,800 which is the revelation of the spirit. 308 00:18:23,900 --> 00:18:29,300 So, we pray to God on our time. He answers us on his time. 309 00:18:29,500 --> 00:18:33,000 That's the his providential care, but he speaks to us 310 00:18:33,100 --> 00:18:35,700 through his word and that's the Holy Spirit. 311 00:18:36,700 --> 00:18:38,900 That's the revelation of the Holy Spirit, they all work 312 00:18:38,900 --> 00:18:42,800 together. So saying once more, the source 313 00:18:42,800 --> 00:18:47,900 of peace is divine, it is God, it is Jesus Christ and it's the 314 00:18:47,900 --> 00:18:51,900 Holy Spirit and they are all working together as the source 315 00:18:51,900 --> 00:18:54,300 of peace. But number two, what else? 316 00:18:54,800 --> 00:18:57,600 What else? It's a gift. 317 00:18:59,400 --> 00:19:03,100 It's a gift. In fact, the verse says, this 318 00:19:03,100 --> 00:19:08,300 now may, the Lord of Peace himself give you peace. 319 00:19:10,500 --> 00:19:14,300 Give you peace in Psalm 85 and 88. 320 00:19:15,000 --> 00:19:18,200 Listen to this. I will hear what the god, the 321 00:19:18,200 --> 00:19:21,400 Lord will speak, what? God the Lord will speak for. 322 00:19:21,400 --> 00:19:24,800 He will speak. Peace to his people and to his 323 00:19:25,100 --> 00:19:28,200 Saints. So God, grants are gives peace 324 00:19:28,200 --> 00:19:31,700 to those that belong to him. Now, this is very much part of 325 00:19:31,700 --> 00:19:33,900 the New Testament. We can read about it in Romans, 326 00:19:34,200 --> 00:19:37,000 first, and second Corinthians we can read about it. 327 00:19:37,000 --> 00:19:39,600 In Galatians, we can read it about in Ephesians and 328 00:19:39,600 --> 00:19:41,800 Colossians. And we can read it right here in 329 00:19:41,800 --> 00:19:44,700 second Thessalonians. We can fight it again and Titus 330 00:19:44,900 --> 00:19:51,400 and Philemon and so forth that God is The Giver of peace and 331 00:19:51,400 --> 00:19:54,600 you will find in these Epistles that piece is given by God to 332 00:19:54,600 --> 00:19:56,800 God's people me give you another example. 333 00:19:56,800 --> 00:20:00,800 In John chapter 20 Remember when the Lord walked into the upper 334 00:20:00,800 --> 00:20:04,600 room, with his disciples know what he said, and what he say, 335 00:20:05,500 --> 00:20:09,800 he says, peace unto you. He wasn't saying, I hope you're 336 00:20:09,800 --> 00:20:14,900 having a nice day. It wasn't saying that he wasn't 337 00:20:14,900 --> 00:20:21,200 saying, oh, I wish you well no it is divine and he was giving 338 00:20:21,200 --> 00:20:26,100 them peace. So when the Lord said peace to 339 00:20:26,100 --> 00:20:29,500 you and several verses say the same thing. 340 00:20:29,500 --> 00:20:34,100 In John chapter 20, several verses they say, peace to you 341 00:20:34,100 --> 00:20:38,000 peace unto you. It's found in verse 19, verse 21 342 00:20:38,000 --> 00:20:42,500 and verse 26. He was giving them peace, peace 343 00:20:42,500 --> 00:20:47,300 to you. Now here's a really important 344 00:20:47,300 --> 00:20:50,500 question, okay? We got to, we have to look at 345 00:20:50,500 --> 00:20:56,100 this do unsaved people. Have the piece that we're 346 00:20:56,100 --> 00:21:00,000 talking about. And this is why we have to look 347 00:21:00,000 --> 00:21:02,900 into that. You know the Bible says this, 348 00:21:03,000 --> 00:21:07,400 the Bible says that when you talk about God's blessings on 349 00:21:07,400 --> 00:21:11,600 people that there's Sun Shines on the just and the unjust on 350 00:21:11,600 --> 00:21:14,600 The Godly and the ungodly. And all that means is this, 351 00:21:14,900 --> 00:21:17,100 there's good things that sometimes happen to people that 352 00:21:17,100 --> 00:21:21,900 are not Christians and sometimes people have prosperity in their 353 00:21:21,900 --> 00:21:24,600 life and they're not Christians. That's what that means. 354 00:21:24,600 --> 00:21:27,500 The Sun Shines on the just and the unjust. 355 00:21:27,600 --> 00:21:32,000 So my Question is this with that being the case and with peace 356 00:21:32,000 --> 00:21:35,500 being a gift that comes from God, I got to ask you. 357 00:21:35,700 --> 00:21:39,600 What about this? If the Sun Shines on the ungodly 358 00:21:39,600 --> 00:21:44,500 and The Godly alike, do unsaved, people have the piece that we 359 00:21:44,500 --> 00:21:50,800 are talking about Well, let's look, Isaiah 57 verse one. 360 00:21:52,200 --> 00:21:55,700 I create the fruit of the lips, peace, peace to him, who was a 361 00:21:55,700 --> 00:21:59,600 far-off and who is near says the Lord. 362 00:22:00,000 --> 00:22:03,300 And I will heal him, but the wicked are like, the troubled 363 00:22:03,300 --> 00:22:08,200 sea, when it cannot, rest, whose Waters cast up mire and dirt. 364 00:22:08,300 --> 00:22:13,400 So, first of all, the words, far and near here could very well be 365 00:22:13,400 --> 00:22:15,600 talking about Jew and Gentile, but that's not the point that 366 00:22:15,600 --> 00:22:18,300 I'm making the point that I'm making is this, what about the 367 00:22:18,300 --> 00:22:22,800 peace that God gives does God give peace to Save people. 368 00:22:23,100 --> 00:22:29,400 The answer is no. Stay with me on this. 369 00:22:29,500 --> 00:22:32,500 I'll prove it to you. But I want to read something 370 00:22:32,500 --> 00:22:37,100 from a man that wrote an eight. 1686 he wrote this, he wrote 371 00:22:37,100 --> 00:22:40,400 this paragraph. He says peace and we're talking 372 00:22:40,400 --> 00:22:44,100 about the peace of God. Peace flows from sanctification. 373 00:22:45,100 --> 00:22:48,000 But the unsaved have nothing to do with peace. 374 00:22:48,900 --> 00:22:51,300 They may have a truce but no peace. 375 00:22:51,900 --> 00:22:55,100 God made for Bear the wicked a while and stop the Roaring of 376 00:22:55,100 --> 00:22:58,400 his Cannon. But though there be a truce yet, 377 00:22:58,400 --> 00:23:02,200 there is no peace. The unsaved may have something 378 00:23:02,200 --> 00:23:04,900 that they look like piece but it's not. 379 00:23:05,700 --> 00:23:08,000 This is the devil's piece that rocks, Man. 380 00:23:08,000 --> 00:23:11,600 In The Cradle of security. He cries peace, peace. 381 00:23:11,600 --> 00:23:14,800 Peace. When men are on the precipice of 382 00:23:14,900 --> 00:23:17,900 Hell, and then he said, listen to this statement. 383 00:23:18,100 --> 00:23:22,400 The seeming piece that a sinner has is not from the knowledge of 384 00:23:22,400 --> 00:23:29,000 his happiness, but the ignorance of his Danger. 2012, and give 385 00:23:29,000 --> 00:23:33,800 you an example. 2012 are good friends, Ivan and Jeanne, Acosta 386 00:23:33,800 --> 00:23:36,700 and Cameron. They came to Bakersfield and 387 00:23:36,700 --> 00:23:41,700 they spent all night with us on Friday night and the next day in 388 00:23:41,700 --> 00:23:44,600 the van. So yeah, the adults driving yet 389 00:23:44,600 --> 00:23:46,800 Ivan and Gina they were the adults, they were driving their 390 00:23:46,800 --> 00:23:49,400 car and then you had the kids the rest of us in the other car 391 00:23:49,600 --> 00:23:53,200 driving and I had the boys with me and we're cruising right 392 00:23:53,200 --> 00:23:55,200 along and as we're doing, we're going down the freeway. 393 00:23:55,600 --> 00:23:57,600 And you were talking about man, we're going to ride Goliath. 394 00:23:57,900 --> 00:23:59,800 We're going to ride Superman. We're going to management. 395 00:23:59,800 --> 00:24:03,200 We have a great time and I'm cruising along 75, maybe a 396 00:24:03,208 --> 00:24:06,300 little quicker and I'm just cruising right along with not a 397 00:24:06,300 --> 00:24:09,400 care in the world, not a care in the world. 398 00:24:09,700 --> 00:24:12,100 I'm with the bond with the kids were having a good time. 399 00:24:12,400 --> 00:24:14,200 We're talking about all we're going to do right? 400 00:24:14,800 --> 00:24:17,700 Well, all of a sudden, I got a call from Ivan, he said look we 401 00:24:17,700 --> 00:24:19,200 gotta pull off. I'm out of gas. 402 00:24:19,400 --> 00:24:22,300 So we do and we're down around the base of the Grapevine. 403 00:24:22,300 --> 00:24:26,600 We pull off the side of the road and I happen to just walk in the 404 00:24:26,600 --> 00:24:29,100 front of the van. I just walked around to the 405 00:24:29,100 --> 00:24:33,400 front and I look down and the tire was coming apart. 406 00:24:34,500 --> 00:24:39,800 And it was the passenger side front tire and it was coming 407 00:24:39,800 --> 00:24:43,000 apart. And instead of, that's my fault, 408 00:24:43,000 --> 00:24:44,800 is Tina's van. But I'm supposed to take care of 409 00:24:44,800 --> 00:24:47,100 that and watch for that stuff. I missed it. 410 00:24:47,600 --> 00:24:49,900 Okay. So you know we had to do with 411 00:24:49,900 --> 00:24:52,000 there's no way we're going to drive to Magic Mountain. 412 00:24:52,000 --> 00:24:55,200 Now we have to look and we got our phones out. 413 00:24:55,200 --> 00:24:57,700 You know you do anything with phones found out the nearest 414 00:24:57,700 --> 00:25:00,700 place was only two miles away, that's old tires. 415 00:25:01,300 --> 00:25:05,300 Now I'm not driving 75. Five miles an hour or a little 416 00:25:05,300 --> 00:25:07,500 quicker. Now I'm in the slow lane. 417 00:25:07,500 --> 00:25:10,500 I'm Driving, Miss Daisy. And I got to tell you, I'm 418 00:25:10,500 --> 00:25:14,200 praying the whole time. I'm just thinking that any 419 00:25:14,200 --> 00:25:16,000 minute this tire is going to come apart. 420 00:25:17,300 --> 00:25:21,500 Fortunately, we made it bought a new tire, put the new tire on 421 00:25:21,500 --> 00:25:23,000 the van. No problem, right? 422 00:25:23,400 --> 00:25:26,400 Here's my point. When I was driving down the road 423 00:25:26,400 --> 00:25:31,400 at 75 miles an hour, without a care in the world, I was doing 424 00:25:31,400 --> 00:25:36,900 so not because I had knowledge of my security, but I was doing 425 00:25:36,900 --> 00:25:42,100 so because I was ignorant of the danger, And folks, that's what 426 00:25:42,100 --> 00:25:46,500 happens when an unsaved person, feels a feeling of Peace, in 427 00:25:46,500 --> 00:25:49,900 their mind, ignorant of the danger. 428 00:25:50,400 --> 00:25:54,700 So I was in perfect peace in my mind but it was a delusion. 429 00:25:54,700 --> 00:25:58,000 There's another kind of peace to, it's called false peace. 430 00:25:59,000 --> 00:26:03,300 Let us never be this person ever please there's false peace and 431 00:26:03,300 --> 00:26:07,100 I'll just be brief on this. But false peace is confidence 432 00:26:07,100 --> 00:26:12,000 based on conceit. It's confidence based on conceit 433 00:26:12,000 --> 00:26:16,000 and not fact it's based on pride and not truth. 434 00:26:17,600 --> 00:26:20,300 It's a peace that comes from an understanding of their true 435 00:26:20,300 --> 00:26:24,600 condition, but it's a piece that comes from their own conceited, 436 00:26:24,600 --> 00:26:27,400 assessment of themselves as being worthy. 437 00:26:27,500 --> 00:26:31,200 It's kind of like this. I know I'm not doing what's 438 00:26:31,200 --> 00:26:35,300 right? I know I'm not serving God as I 439 00:26:35,300 --> 00:26:39,100 should. But I think it'll be all right. 440 00:26:40,300 --> 00:26:43,800 That's false peace. I'm not a Christian. 441 00:26:43,800 --> 00:26:46,100 I haven't obeyed the gospel. I've been baptized emission my 442 00:26:46,100 --> 00:26:47,600 sins. I'm not a member of the Lord's 443 00:26:47,600 --> 00:26:52,000 Church. But it's all right, I'm a good 444 00:26:52,000 --> 00:26:54,900 person. And I think if God is keeping 445 00:26:54,900 --> 00:26:58,700 score somewhere on one side, perhaps on some Ledger that he 446 00:26:58,700 --> 00:27:01,200 would write down would be all the good things that I do on the 447 00:27:01,200 --> 00:27:03,400 other side. We all the bad things, I'm not 448 00:27:03,400 --> 00:27:04,700 perfect. So there are bad things but I 449 00:27:04,700 --> 00:27:08,400 think it'll all work out. I know I'm not living, right? 450 00:27:08,400 --> 00:27:10,700 I'm not doing right but I think you'll be all right. 451 00:27:12,600 --> 00:27:16,500 That's false peace. It's coming from an 452 00:27:16,500 --> 00:27:19,300 understanding of what your true condition is, but thinking it's 453 00:27:19,300 --> 00:27:22,000 still going to be. Alright, let's never be that 454 00:27:22,000 --> 00:27:24,900 guy. That's never be guilty of false 455 00:27:25,100 --> 00:27:30,300 peace, listen to this. This is a piece by the way, that 456 00:27:30,300 --> 00:27:33,700 separates what God has joined. This is really interesting in 457 00:27:33,700 --> 00:27:35,900 Psalm 85 and 10. Look at this, please look at 458 00:27:35,900 --> 00:27:39,900 this. Mercy and Truth have met 459 00:27:39,900 --> 00:27:44,600 together. And righteousness and peace have 460 00:27:44,600 --> 00:27:47,700 kissed. The word literally means fused. 461 00:27:48,400 --> 00:27:52,600 Now, we get this, right? We get this mercy and Truth. 462 00:27:52,600 --> 00:27:54,700 Go together. In other words, if I want the 463 00:27:54,900 --> 00:27:58,100 mercy of God, I have to obey truth. 464 00:27:58,300 --> 00:28:01,800 We get that they go together. If I want, Mercy aktobe truth. 465 00:28:02,200 --> 00:28:04,600 What about this? What about peace? 466 00:28:04,900 --> 00:28:07,900 Righteousness is right. And doing or the outward 467 00:28:07,900 --> 00:28:11,300 manifestation of a Godly heart in my behavior. 468 00:28:11,700 --> 00:28:15,600 Righteousness, goes along side of Peace there together. 469 00:28:16,900 --> 00:28:20,700 They're fused together. If you want the peace, that God 470 00:28:20,700 --> 00:28:25,000 has and God has promised. It has to go alongside a 471 00:28:25,000 --> 00:28:28,300 righteous life in order to have the gift of God's peace. 472 00:28:28,300 --> 00:28:32,500 Let me give you another passage. How about this Deuteronomy 29 473 00:28:32,500 --> 00:28:38,200 and 19 I have peace even though I walk in the stubbornness of my 474 00:28:38,200 --> 00:28:40,600 heart. Another translation says or 475 00:28:40,600 --> 00:28:43,900 follow the dictates of my heart as though, the drunkard could be 476 00:28:43,900 --> 00:28:48,400 included with the sober. You know, that's really an 477 00:28:48,400 --> 00:28:51,400 amazing phrase right there, that the drunkard can be included in 478 00:28:51,400 --> 00:28:55,400 the sober. I remember, I remember in 479 00:28:55,400 --> 00:28:59,100 college, I remember a lot of times, a young person would get 480 00:28:59,500 --> 00:29:03,600 inebriated and they would think that they could act sober in it 481 00:29:03,600 --> 00:29:07,400 and nobody would know. Here at you ever seen that? 482 00:29:08,700 --> 00:29:12,500 Somebody's really intoxicated but in their mind, they're 483 00:29:12,500 --> 00:29:15,600 absolutely convinced that they could fool everybody. 484 00:29:15,600 --> 00:29:19,500 I'm not, I'm not drunk. How many times people use 485 00:29:19,900 --> 00:29:23,600 alcohol or some other substance and get behind the wheel and in 486 00:29:23,600 --> 00:29:26,000 their mind? They're thinking I'm good, I'm 487 00:29:26,000 --> 00:29:28,400 good. Don't you see what? 488 00:29:28,400 --> 00:29:30,000 He's saying? The false peace that we're 489 00:29:30,000 --> 00:29:33,000 talking about. It's described in the book of 490 00:29:33,000 --> 00:29:38,800 Deuteronomy 29 as the guy that gets intoxicated and thinks he 491 00:29:38,800 --> 00:29:41,100 can fake everybody out. It's the same thing. 492 00:29:42,300 --> 00:29:45,400 As if he could be included with the drunker. 493 00:29:46,800 --> 00:29:52,000 That's false peace. He's living under the illusion 494 00:29:52,000 --> 00:29:54,700 that you can separate from God, what your true condition is, but 495 00:29:54,700 --> 00:29:58,100 you can't, and I'll tell you something else to this kind of 496 00:29:58,100 --> 00:30:00,000 Peace, cannot pass the trials of life. 497 00:30:01,200 --> 00:30:03,000 I'm going to tell you right now, please get this. 498 00:30:03,000 --> 00:30:06,100 I don't care what your circumstances are, the trials of 499 00:30:06,100 --> 00:30:10,500 your life are going to continue on and it doesn't matter how 500 00:30:10,500 --> 00:30:13,400 good you decide to be. You're still going to have the 501 00:30:13,400 --> 00:30:15,100 trials in your life. You're going to have them. 502 00:30:16,400 --> 00:30:18,800 If we have the wrong kind of peace. 503 00:30:19,700 --> 00:30:23,300 That is circumstantial piece and that's what we're hanging our 504 00:30:23,300 --> 00:30:25,400 hat on. That's not the kind of piece is 505 00:30:25,400 --> 00:30:26,600 going to get us through the trial. 506 00:30:26,700 --> 00:30:29,300 It's not it's not going to get us through. 507 00:30:30,300 --> 00:30:32,100 So what kind of we talking about? 508 00:30:32,200 --> 00:30:34,600 We're talking about the kind. That would welcome a trial. 509 00:30:34,900 --> 00:30:39,300 We're talking about spiritual, peace, and spiritual Peace, by 510 00:30:39,300 --> 00:30:43,800 the way, this is our third point is available, it's available. 511 00:30:44,000 --> 00:30:49,300 It's always available. The verse says, this Now may the 512 00:30:49,300 --> 00:30:51,200 Lord of Peace himself, give you peace. 513 00:30:51,200 --> 00:30:57,500 Always or continually. Now I know this sometimes peace 514 00:30:57,500 --> 00:31:02,700 can be interrupted. It can be interrupted, you know 515 00:31:02,700 --> 00:31:05,800 how? Two ways. 516 00:31:07,300 --> 00:31:11,700 Two ways and both of them are succumbing to the flesh. 517 00:31:13,100 --> 00:31:17,900 So the piece that we're talking about that is divine that is a 518 00:31:17,900 --> 00:31:20,300 gift and that is always available. 519 00:31:21,300 --> 00:31:24,900 It can be interrupted by succumbing to the Flesh and that 520 00:31:24,900 --> 00:31:26,500 can happen in two different ways. 521 00:31:26,500 --> 00:31:30,000 What do you do though? The first way, by the way is 522 00:31:30,000 --> 00:31:32,800 when your victimized by doubt and fear, okay? 523 00:31:34,000 --> 00:31:39,200 If you doubt and you let the fears in your life, beat you and 524 00:31:39,200 --> 00:31:43,800 win over faith, you're going to be shaken, and you're going to 525 00:31:43,808 --> 00:31:46,000 lose your peace. It's going to be interrupted. 526 00:31:47,000 --> 00:31:48,200 Now I got to tell you something, folks. 527 00:31:48,200 --> 00:31:50,300 I'm not standing before you saying that we're not going to 528 00:31:50,308 --> 00:31:53,500 have things were afraid of. You've heard me say this many 529 00:31:53,500 --> 00:31:56,100 times over the years, there would be no such thing as 530 00:31:56,100 --> 00:31:58,400 courage. If there were no fear. 531 00:31:59,700 --> 00:32:03,300 Fear is not the problem, fear is the problem. 532 00:32:03,300 --> 00:32:08,200 Only when it wins over your faith and when your fear is 533 00:32:08,200 --> 00:32:11,300 pulling you in One Direction and your faith is pulling you in the 534 00:32:11,300 --> 00:32:13,500 opposite direction. You know what that's called? 535 00:32:13,500 --> 00:32:16,400 That's called anxiety, that's called stress. 536 00:32:16,500 --> 00:32:20,500 It's strangling us on the inside if we allow the fear to win. 537 00:32:20,600 --> 00:32:21,800 You know, what's going to happen? 538 00:32:21,900 --> 00:32:24,900 The peace. That God said I will give you is 539 00:32:24,900 --> 00:32:29,000 interrupted So what do you do? What do we do? 540 00:32:29,400 --> 00:32:33,000 If that happens, here it is. Trust in God. 541 00:32:34,700 --> 00:32:38,800 Now, I'm not saying this in a general sense. 542 00:32:39,500 --> 00:32:42,700 I'm not saying this in a general sense and I'm glad that I'm glad 543 00:32:42,700 --> 00:32:45,900 that the word of God says this, so it doesn't look like. 544 00:32:45,900 --> 00:32:48,200 I'm just saying, you know, whatever your problem is, just 545 00:32:48,200 --> 00:32:51,100 you just gotta trust in God. Notice, I'm going to get very 546 00:32:51,100 --> 00:32:55,200 specific with regards to peace and we find this in Psalm 42 and 547 00:32:55,200 --> 00:33:00,000 11. Why are you cast down O my soul? 548 00:33:00,000 --> 00:33:03,300 And why are you disquieted or disturbed within me? 549 00:33:03,500 --> 00:33:04,900 Hope in God. God. 550 00:33:06,300 --> 00:33:11,300 You got to trust in God. Recently, I preached on faith. 551 00:33:13,100 --> 00:33:14,600 I preached on the power of faith. 552 00:33:16,100 --> 00:33:21,000 And one of the things that we learn about faith, Is we learned 553 00:33:21,000 --> 00:33:26,800 that Faith produces something? And it produces hope, one 554 00:33:26,800 --> 00:33:31,700 produces the other. So if you don't have hope that 555 00:33:31,700 --> 00:33:35,200 you should have and you don't have the peace of God that you 556 00:33:35,200 --> 00:33:39,800 should have regarding hope. Maybe it's because your faith is 557 00:33:39,800 --> 00:33:43,800 little and weak. Maybe you're like the disciples 558 00:33:43,800 --> 00:33:46,800 who so many times. Jesus said, oh, you of little 559 00:33:46,800 --> 00:33:49,800 faith. And what did we learn? 560 00:33:49,900 --> 00:33:53,700 We learned that the antidote for little weak Faith was persistent 561 00:33:53,700 --> 00:33:56,100 prayer. If you're struggling in your 562 00:33:56,100 --> 00:33:59,600 faith, start praying more. Where your knees out praying to 563 00:33:59,600 --> 00:34:02,900 God? That is the antidote for little 564 00:34:03,000 --> 00:34:06,500 weak faith. Persistent prayer. 565 00:34:07,800 --> 00:34:11,300 The psalmist, David said, hope and God, that's one way. 566 00:34:11,300 --> 00:34:15,800 By the way, that you can have our piece interrupted. 567 00:34:15,800 --> 00:34:20,500 Here's another way, it's when we turn back to sin, two ways, turn 568 00:34:20,500 --> 00:34:26,300 back to sin or because we doubt in Psalm 85 and 88, I will hear 569 00:34:26,300 --> 00:34:28,600 what the Lord was speak for. He will speak peace to his 570 00:34:28,600 --> 00:34:32,900 people and to his Saints, but let them not turn back to 571 00:34:32,900 --> 00:34:36,300 falling. So, two ways that fact that this 572 00:34:36,300 --> 00:34:39,500 piece can be interrupted, When were victimized by doubt and 573 00:34:39,500 --> 00:34:43,500 fear or when we turn back or turn away from God. 574 00:34:43,600 --> 00:34:46,100 So what do we do? What do we do? 575 00:34:47,000 --> 00:34:50,199 If we have sin in our life and we lost our peace, all you got 576 00:34:50,199 --> 00:34:53,900 to do is make it right? All you have to do is repent 577 00:34:54,100 --> 00:34:57,100 confess that sin to God and change your life. 578 00:34:57,100 --> 00:35:00,700 One of the greatest things about being a Christian is it doesn't 579 00:35:00,700 --> 00:35:03,400 matter how many times you've messed up, you can change your 580 00:35:03,400 --> 00:35:07,000 life immediately, and come back. That's a greatest thing in the 581 00:35:07,000 --> 00:35:09,400 world. Oh, and by the way, if you mean 582 00:35:09,400 --> 00:35:11,700 it, if you really mean it, you're forgiven like the sin 583 00:35:11,700 --> 00:35:15,300 never happened as some of the greatest things ever, you know? 584 00:35:15,300 --> 00:35:18,500 A man does if you keep messing up, people write you off, not 585 00:35:18,500 --> 00:35:23,900 God, God didn't write you off. If you mean it they can't just 586 00:35:23,900 --> 00:35:27,300 say stuff and not mean it. If you mean it you're forgiven 587 00:35:27,300 --> 00:35:31,100 like it never happened and you can have the peace restored back 588 00:35:31,100 --> 00:35:37,500 to you in your life. Finally though. 589 00:35:39,900 --> 00:35:41,700 There's something else about this piece. 590 00:35:41,700 --> 00:35:45,300 The spiritual peace, it is not subject to the circumstances of 591 00:35:45,300 --> 00:35:47,500 life. And I'm finished. 592 00:35:47,500 --> 00:35:51,000 This is our final point. Let me just say this. 593 00:35:54,400 --> 00:35:56,400 Now, the Lord of Peace himself, give you peace. 594 00:35:56,400 --> 00:36:01,700 Always in every way or based on any circumstance in your life 595 00:36:02,500 --> 00:36:04,400 piece. This piece is not affected by 596 00:36:04,400 --> 00:36:07,800 anything in the worldly realm. It's a piece that is built upon 597 00:36:07,800 --> 00:36:10,100 confidence. That all things are well in the 598 00:36:10,100 --> 00:36:13,700 eyes of the Lord with my soul and nothing in this world can 599 00:36:13,700 --> 00:36:16,200 take that from us. Have you ever stopped to 600 00:36:16,200 --> 00:36:19,000 consider that nobody in the world can take that away? 601 00:36:19,300 --> 00:36:23,200 They can't. But if your mind is set on the 602 00:36:23,200 --> 00:36:26,600 things of the world, as the most important things in the world 603 00:36:27,000 --> 00:36:30,000 and you don't have your mind fixed on other things, and 604 00:36:30,000 --> 00:36:33,800 spiritual things, then you'll be tossed to and fro with things 605 00:36:33,800 --> 00:36:36,800 that you would lose or gain in life. 606 00:36:38,900 --> 00:36:42,900 But if Heaven is your goal. And nothing is more important 607 00:36:42,900 --> 00:36:46,900 than serving God that God is in control of your life and Time 608 00:36:46,900 --> 00:36:49,200 and Eternity. It doesn't matter. 609 00:36:49,200 --> 00:36:51,500 This world can take it all at doesn't matter. 610 00:36:52,000 --> 00:36:57,600 It doesn't matter Romans 8:28. Get this passage is a very 611 00:36:57,600 --> 00:37:02,500 misunderstood Passage And we know that all things work 612 00:37:02,500 --> 00:37:06,300 together for good to those that love God and those who are 613 00:37:06,300 --> 00:37:09,300 called according to promise people misunderstand. 614 00:37:09,300 --> 00:37:12,700 This passage. This passage folks does not mean 615 00:37:13,000 --> 00:37:16,600 that if I love God, everything is going to work out. 616 00:37:16,600 --> 00:37:20,300 That's not what that means. I've heard people say well you 617 00:37:20,308 --> 00:37:23,000 got to do is love God and then God will make it all work. 618 00:37:23,900 --> 00:37:26,900 It'll all work out. Nope sometimes it didn't work 619 00:37:26,900 --> 00:37:30,900 out. Sometimes it doesn't work out 620 00:37:32,200 --> 00:37:35,200 sometimes, God allows things and it doesn't work out. 621 00:37:35,200 --> 00:37:39,200 It's - its hurtful painful we endure the and we endure that 622 00:37:40,400 --> 00:37:45,100 So, Paul was not talking about every single circumstance in my 623 00:37:45,100 --> 00:37:51,100 life is going to work out. What it means is in God's plan, 624 00:37:51,700 --> 00:37:57,000 everything in God's plan is going to work out for those who 625 00:37:57,000 --> 00:38:01,300 love God and the Bible talks about, if you love him, you got 626 00:38:01,300 --> 00:38:04,600 to keep his commandments. So I'm talking about a faithful 627 00:38:04,600 --> 00:38:08,300 child of God, that loves God. Don't worry about the 628 00:38:08,300 --> 00:38:11,200 circumstances in your life. Don't worry about whatever's 629 00:38:11,200 --> 00:38:15,800 thrown your way because everything in God's plan is 630 00:38:15,800 --> 00:38:20,700 going to work out. His plan for salvation his plan 631 00:38:20,700 --> 00:38:24,400 that he never leaves our side, his plan that he gives us the 632 00:38:24,400 --> 00:38:26,300 strength to endure and persevere. 633 00:38:26,600 --> 00:38:29,300 He's planned for all the things that we have and all the 634 00:38:29,300 --> 00:38:33,300 spiritual blessings that we have in Christ and most importantly, 635 00:38:33,400 --> 00:38:37,300 eternal life waiting us. And it doesn't matter what 636 00:38:37,300 --> 00:38:39,100 happens to us while we live here. 637 00:38:39,100 --> 00:38:42,000 We got that. Give you another example, 638 00:38:42,000 --> 00:38:44,400 though. This go down 10 verses from from 639 00:38:44,400 --> 00:38:46,200 chapter 8, and verse 28 of Romans. 640 00:38:46,500 --> 00:38:49,400 And I'm going to get specific and Tell you, Paul also dealt 641 00:38:49,400 --> 00:38:51,000 with this. Here are some specifics. 642 00:38:51,000 --> 00:38:53,500 By the way, these things are going to work together for good. 643 00:38:55,100 --> 00:38:58,800 For, I am persuaded that neither death, nor life, nor angels, nor 644 00:38:58,800 --> 00:39:02,500 principalities nor powers nor things present, nor things to 645 00:39:02,500 --> 00:39:06,400 come nor height nor depth, nor any other created thing, shall 646 00:39:06,400 --> 00:39:10,700 be able to separate us from the love of God, which is in Christ 647 00:39:10,700 --> 00:39:15,600 Jesus, our lord that's tough. That's tough. 648 00:39:17,800 --> 00:39:20,600 That will work together for good little side. 649 00:39:20,600 --> 00:39:22,400 Note, here. I'll be very brief little side 650 00:39:22,400 --> 00:39:26,700 note. But can God use something that's 651 00:39:26,700 --> 00:39:32,000 negative in your life? And have a positive outcome by 652 00:39:32,000 --> 00:39:35,900 way of its influence on others and serve his purpose. 653 00:39:36,600 --> 00:39:39,300 Yes. Yes. 654 00:39:40,700 --> 00:39:46,700 And he does that what I'm saying is it may not work out the 655 00:39:46,700 --> 00:39:50,200 physical circumstances in life, sometimes we just have to endure 656 00:39:50,200 --> 00:39:52,300 it. Sometimes we just have to make 657 00:39:52,300 --> 00:39:55,400 it through. So in conclusion, I'm done. 658 00:39:55,900 --> 00:39:59,700 We talked about the kind of peace that Paul wanted them to 659 00:39:59,700 --> 00:40:03,000 have. This is spiritual peace. 660 00:40:03,300 --> 00:40:05,900 It's divine. It's a gift. 661 00:40:06,200 --> 00:40:10,600 It's available and it's there. Regardless of the circumstances 662 00:40:10,700 --> 00:40:14,100 in your life, we learned. We learned also, it's given to 663 00:40:14,100 --> 00:40:18,100 those who obey God, it then brings a feeling of contentment 664 00:40:18,100 --> 00:40:21,400 in a settled attitude and that guards, our hearts like a 665 00:40:21,400 --> 00:40:23,700 fortress. And by the way, to let me inform 666 00:40:23,700 --> 00:40:26,700 7 says I love this in the peace of God. 667 00:40:26,700 --> 00:40:29,600 Which surpasses all understanding will guard your 668 00:40:29,600 --> 00:40:31,000 hearts and Minds through Christ Jesus. 669 00:40:31,100 --> 00:40:33,600 Jesus our lord. Another translation means that 670 00:40:33,900 --> 00:40:38,200 says Garrison, in other words, all of this, the peace of God 671 00:40:38,200 --> 00:40:39,500 that Paul has been talking about you. 672 00:40:39,500 --> 00:40:41,900 It's going to do, it's going to guard your heart. 673 00:40:42,200 --> 00:40:45,100 It's gonna guard your heart. I don't know about you, but I 674 00:40:45,107 --> 00:40:47,100 think we all need our heart Garden. 675 00:40:48,300 --> 00:40:50,800 It's all about the heart. Can you imagine a promise that 676 00:40:50,800 --> 00:40:54,500 so great or a piece? That is so great. 677 00:40:55,900 --> 00:40:58,000 And the world can't even explain it. 678 00:40:59,100 --> 00:41:03,700 It surpasses all understanding in your mind, but it's the peace 679 00:41:03,700 --> 00:41:07,200 that comes from God, is divine. It's a gift, it's available and 680 00:41:07,200 --> 00:41:09,000 circumstances will never take it away. 681 00:41:10,600 --> 00:41:12,900 And it's going to guard or Garrison, your heart. 682 00:41:13,900 --> 00:41:18,500 Everyday, you live. The peace that surpasses all 683 00:41:18,500 --> 00:41:22,100 understanding that is peace. Regardless of circumstances, I'm 684 00:41:22,100 --> 00:41:24,400 through this morning. Thank you so much for your kind 685 00:41:24,400 --> 00:41:27,400 listening. We never know the hearts and 686 00:41:27,400 --> 00:41:31,200 minds of those that are present. Are you hearing the sound of my 687 00:41:31,200 --> 00:41:32,600 voice to? You're not a child of God the 688 00:41:32,600 --> 00:41:34,900 steps to become a child of God are very simple. 689 00:41:35,900 --> 00:41:39,600 Romans 10:17, Paul says. So then faith comes by hearing 690 00:41:40,000 --> 00:41:44,200 and hearing by the word of God. So hearing the word of God 691 00:41:44,200 --> 00:41:49,000 produces Faith. Jesus said in Mark 16:16, he 692 00:41:49,000 --> 00:41:53,000 that believeth and is baptized shall be saved. 693 00:41:53,000 --> 00:41:54,900 He that believeth not shall be damned. 694 00:41:55,900 --> 00:41:58,500 And we understand the word belief there in that passage 695 00:41:58,500 --> 00:42:02,000 means having the force to obey. In other words, I find out what 696 00:42:02,000 --> 00:42:03,900 the Lord wants me to do in my life. 697 00:42:04,000 --> 00:42:07,100 I believe it so much. I'm going to Obeyed today, when 698 00:42:07,100 --> 00:42:09,600 he got to do, be baptized for the remission of your sins. 699 00:42:10,800 --> 00:42:14,000 Jesus also said in Luke 13 and 3, I tell you nay. 700 00:42:14,300 --> 00:42:17,700 But except you repent, you will all likewise perish. 701 00:42:18,000 --> 00:42:19,500 In other words, I got to change my mind. 702 00:42:19,500 --> 00:42:22,900 I have to change my life. I've been going in this 703 00:42:22,900 --> 00:42:24,300 direction. I don't want to do that anymore. 704 00:42:24,300 --> 00:42:26,700 I want to live for Jesus. I want to go in the opposite 705 00:42:26,700 --> 00:42:28,500 direction. That's repentance. 706 00:42:29,700 --> 00:42:33,700 Bible also says, if you confess me before men, Jesus said, I 707 00:42:33,700 --> 00:42:36,700 will confess you before my Father, which is in heaven and 708 00:42:36,700 --> 00:42:39,500 Acts chapter 8, we find out exactly what that confession is. 709 00:42:39,500 --> 00:42:44,400 That convention is, I believe that Jesus Christ is the Son of 710 00:42:44,400 --> 00:42:49,000 God and upon taking all of those steps, they lead us to the point 711 00:42:49,000 --> 00:42:51,500 of Salvation. They lead us to the point of the 712 00:42:51,500 --> 00:42:54,700 watery grave of baptism, they lead us to that point of 713 00:42:54,700 --> 00:42:57,900 Salvation. In First Peter, 3:21 Peter said 714 00:42:57,900 --> 00:42:59,700 the like figure whereunto even baptism. 715 00:42:59,700 --> 00:43:03,800 Even baptism doth also. Now, save us, not the putting 716 00:43:03,800 --> 00:43:06,600 away the filth of the flesh, but the answer of a good conscience 717 00:43:06,600 --> 00:43:09,600 toward God, by the resurrection of Jesus Christ. 718 00:43:09,600 --> 00:43:12,900 If you have never done that, we would, we would love to assist 719 00:43:12,900 --> 00:43:15,700 you in doing that today, if you would, maybe you have taken 720 00:43:15,700 --> 00:43:18,100 those steps, but you haven't been living as you should, it's 721 00:43:18,100 --> 00:43:21,600 time to come back. We thank you for listening to 722 00:43:21,600 --> 00:43:26,400 our podcast, put on by the Church of Christ at 22:15 plans. 723 00:43:26,400 --> 00:43:30,000 Road in Bakersfield, if you would like any additional 724 00:43:30,000 --> 00:43:33,300 information or you would like to receive a free Bible 725 00:43:33,300 --> 00:43:38,700 correspondence, course by mail. Please email us at info at True 726 00:43:38,700 --> 00:43:41,200 Church of Christ Bakersfield.com. 727 00:43:41,800 --> 00:43:47,000 Our service times are on Sundays at 10:30 a.m. and 5 p.m. and 728 00:43:47,000 --> 00:43:51,500 Wednesdays at 7:30 p.m. Please make plans to join us. 729 00:43:52,000 --> 00:43:54,200 We would love for you to be our honored guest.