John 14:27 - Pursuing Peace.
John 14:27 (NLT) 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 dont
be troubled or afraid.
John 14:27 (NIV) Peace I leave with you; my
peace I give you. I do not give to you as the
world gives. Do not let your hearts be troubled
and do not be afraid.
INTRODUCTION
PEACE: a fruit of the Spirit that comes with
the born again experience and then living for
Christ.
COMMENTARY PEARL
Mourning doves come to our bird feeder.
They sit together in the branches of our oak,
watchful of the hawk that once snatched a quail at
the feeder. All we saw was a streak and then a
pouf of feathers floating down. it is a bird
feeder, after all. We don't discriminate. The doves
aren't picky about the feed, but they're careful
for their own safety. They're looking for food,
not for a fight.
The first time the Bible mentions a dove
is after the flood. Noah and his family were
safe on the ark, watching as the rain stopped and
the earth began to dry out. When Noah thought it
might be safe to leave the boat, he sent out a
raven, and it just kept flying. If it found a place
to land, it didn't return to let Noah know
where it was. Next, Noah sent out a dove. At first
it was unable to find a place to land, but then
it returned holding a sprig from an olive tree
- an image that later became a widespread
symbol for peace. After a time of judgment and
destruction, now God was promising a time of peace and
redemption.
Jesus told His disciples not to be
afraid, because He was leaving them with "peace of
mind and heart" (John 14:27). Anyone who has read
the book of Acts knows that even after they
received this gift, the disciples' lives did not go
smoothly or end well, at least from a human
perspective. All of them suffered for sharing the gospel,
and many were even martyred. Jesus clearly
didn't promise them peaceful circumstances. But He
did promise them - and us - peace of mind and
heart. We don't have to be troubled or afraid
because of the simple fact that God is with us, and
He is in control. In John 16:33 Jesus told His
disciples why they could have peace: "Here on earth
you will have many trials and sorrows. But take
heart, because I have overcome the world."
Tides of trouble may come and go,
floodwaters may rise, but no matter what the
circumstances, the peace of God is always available. He has
overcome!
Reflect
What comes to mind when you think of peace?
How might our culture's definition be different
from the biblical definition?
Apply
When do you most struggle to rest in God's
peace? This week, if you're anxious about your
circumstances, take a minute to read Jesus' words in John
14:27 and 16:33 and remember the true source of
peace.
Connect With God
Dear Lord, when I seek peace through things
or circumstances, help me to remember that You
are the true source. You can give peace because
You have overcome all the troubles I will face
in this world. Help me to trust in You and find
that genuine peace of mind and heart. [Earth
Psalms by Francine Rivers]
COMMENTARY
How Do You Get Gods Peace?
God has promised to give you peace of
mind. In fact, one of Gods names is Jehovah
Shalom, which means, I am the God of peace.
Finding peace is one of our deepest
needs. If God has promised peace of mind but you
dont have it, why? Here are three things that may
be robbing you of peace:
We lose our peace when circumstances are
uncontrollable. Much of life is beyond our control. We sit
in gridlocked traffic and miss an important
event. A couple keeps trying desperately - but
unsuccessfully - to have a baby. Someone loses their job
unexpectedly and wonders how they will provide for their
family. When these things - big or small - happen,
we get frustrated and lose our peace of mind.
We lose our peace when people are
unchangeable. The quickest way to lose your cool is to try
to change somebody else. Most people are just
not going to change the way you want them to.
Even when we know it wont work, we still try
to do it! And it keeps us from being peaceful.
We lose our peace when problems are
unexplainable. We know life isnt fair. Things dont
always turn out right. And when we dont know
why, we get anxious, nervous, and stressed.
Accepting Gods peace doesnt mean
your life will be problem-free. It means that
even when your world seems to be falling apart,
you will be able to think clearly and sleep
peacefully.
How do you get Gods peace in your
life? Gods peace is not something you work for
or beg for. Its a gift you receive by faith.
Turn to God in prayer. Tell him whats on your
mind. Focus on his goodness. And his peace that
passes understanding will fill your heart and mind.
[Daily Devotional by Rick Warren:
https://pastorrick.com/devotional/]
ILLUSTRATION
The forecast was grim and getting grimmer
by the minute. Hurricane Irma was an epic storm
of historical proportions, her exact path
completely unpredictable. All of Florida was in her
crosshairs.
Having recently moved to the state's
beautiful Suncoast, we'd never been through a
hurricane and didn't know what to expect. Even some
jaded native Floridians were packing up and
evacuating.
We were peaceful. Conspicuously peaceful.
We'd assembled our preparedness kit, but
from the sounds of it, there was no preparing for
the potential devastation ahead. Yet, we trusted
God would care for us one way or another. As a
family, we prayerfully made the decision to stay
close to home and be available to help in the
aftermath. At someone's suggestion, I used my cell
phone to film the contents of our house for an
eventual insurance claim and found that I wasn't as
attached to my belongings as I'd once been.
I calmly purchased life jackets for all
of us, eerily marking names and phone numbers
on them.
Still, being reasonably prepared -
emotionally, spiritually, and practically - couldn't
account for the deep peace we all felt. I know this
peace was not of me. Only Jesus.
We took shelter in a neighboring church,
praying, praising, and worshipping the One Who
promises and delivers peace that surpasses
understanding (Philippians 4:7).
We weathered Irma, virtually untouched
except for a few days without power or internet.
Jesus promises enduring peace, and I am grateful.
by Isabella Yosuico [Mornings With Jesus 2019
Devotional by Guideposts and Zondervan]
PRACTICAL APPLICATIONS
Receive My peace. It is My continual gift
to you. The best way to receive this gift is to
sit quietly in My Presence, trusting Me in every
area of your life. Quietness and trust accomplish
far more than you can imagine: not only in you,
but also on earth and in heaven. When you trust
Me in a given area, you release that problem or
person into My care.
Spending time alone with Me can be a
difficult discipline because it goes against the
activity addiction of this age. You may appear to be
doing nothing, but actually you are participating
in battles going on within spiritual realms.
You are waging war - not with the weapons of the
world, but with heavenly weapons, which have divine
power to demolish strongholds. Living close to Me
is a sure defense against evil. (John 14:27;
Isaiah 30:15; 2 Corinthians 10:4) [Jesus Calling by
Sarah Young]
As soon as your mind gets snagged on a
difficulty, bring it to Me with thanksgiving. Then ask
Me to show you My way to handle the situation.
The very act of thanking Me releases your mind
from its negative focus. As you turn your
attention to Me, the problem fades in significance and
loses its power to trip you up. Together we can
deal with the situation, either facing it head-on
or putting it aside for later consideration.
Most of the situations that entangle your
mind are not today's concerns; you have borrowed
them from tomorrow. In this case, I lift the
problem out of today and deposit it in the future,
where it is veiled from your eyes. In its place I
give you My Peace, which flows freely from My
Presence. (Phi. 4:6; John 14:27) [Jesus Calling by
Sarah Young]
Trust Me in the midst of a messy day.
Your inner calm - your Peace in My Presence -
need not be shaken by what is going on around
you. Though you live in this temporal world, your
innermost being is rooted and grounded in eternity.
When you start to feel stressed, detach yourself
from the disturbances around you. Instead of
desperately striving to maintain order and control in
your little world, relax and remember that
circumstances cannot touch My Peace.
Seek My Face, and I will share My mind
with you, opening your eyes to see things from My
perspective. Do not let your heart be troubled, and do
not be afraid. The Peace I give is sufficient
for you. (John 16:33; Psa. 105:4; John 14:27)
[Jesus Calling by Sarah Young]
LINK FOR FURTHER STUDY ON THIS PASSAGE
John 14:27: Jesus: A Peace Like No Other!
http://www.abible.com/devotions/2014/20140213-2059.html
YOUR COMMENTS
If anyone has a paraphrase, commentary or
testimony on this passage of Scripture, either
personal or otherwise, I would be interested in
hearing from you. Thanks in advance and let's keep
uplifting Jesus that all might be drawn to Him. Fred
Gibbs
LINKS WORTH CHECKING OUT
Most Important Decision in Life:
http://www.youtube.com/embed/WGnEuGwvXqU?rel=0
A Man without Equal by Bill Bright:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NiVa7UoruIo
Seeking God Made Real:
http://vimeo.com/31489782
Prayer Made Real:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tc8VdMV26VE
Importance of Choice:
http://creationhealth.com/CREATION-Health/Choice [click on video]
Medical Seminar on Healthful Living by David
DeRose, MD, MPH:
https://www.smartlifestyletv.com/lifestart
LINKS FOR BIBLE STUDIES
Lifting Up Jesus Bible Studies:
http://www.liftingupjesus.net/
Amazing Facts Bible Studies:
http://www.amazingfacts.org/bible-study/bible-study-guides.aspx
Glow Tract Video Bible Studies:
http://www.bibleresearch.info/
LINKS FOR BIBLE PROPHECY SEMINARS
The Last Day of Prophecy by Pastor Doug
Batchelor:
https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLmGvdtMCf1aJTiC59-lPtuUMEq_uEn0BK
Prophecies Decoded by Pastor Ron Clouzet:
https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PL1A435C5373550657
