The Peace of God
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Rejoice in the Lord always. I will say it again: Rejoice!
Do not be anxious about anything, but in everything, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present
your requests to God. And the peace of God, which transcends all understanding, will guard your hearts
and your minds in Christ Jesus.
Finally, brothers, whatever is true, whatever is noble, whatever is right, whatever is pure, whatever is
lovely, whatever is admirable—if anything is excellent or praiseworthy—think about such things.”
Rejoice.
Php 4.4 Rejoice in the Lord always. I will say it again: Rejoice!
1Th 5:16 Rejoice evermore.
1Th 5:18 In every thing give thanks: for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus concerning you.
Even in trials – no matter what is going on
1Pe 1:6 In this you greatly rejoice, though now for a little while you may have had to suffer grief in all
kinds of trials.
1Pe 1:7 These have come so that your faith—of greater worth than gold, which perishes even though
refined by fire—may be proved genuine and may result in praise, glory and honour when Jesus Christ is
revealed.
Jas 1:2 Consider it pure joy, my brothers, whenever you face trials of many kinds,
Jas 1:3 because you know that the testing of your faith develops perseverance (determination).
The way you view your trials will determine the way you come through them.
One day a farmer's donkey fell down into a well. The animal cried piteously for hours as the farmer tried
to
figure out what to do. Finally he decided the animal was old and the well needed to be covered up
anyway, it just wasn't worth it to retrieve the donkey. He invited all his neighbors to come over and help
him. They all grabbed a shovel and began to shovel dirt into the well. At first, the donkey realized what
was happening and cried horribly.
Then, to everyone's amazement, he quieted down. A few shovel loads later, the farmer finally looked
down the
well and was astonished at what he saw. With every shovel of dirt that hit his back, the donkey was
doing something amazing.
He would shake it off and take a step up. As the farmer's neighbors continued to shovel dirt on top of
the animal, he would shake it off and take a step up. Pretty soon, everyone was amazed as the donkey
stepped up over the edge of the well and trotted off!
Life is going to shovel dirt on you, all kinds of dirt. The trick to getting out of the well is to shake it off and
take a step up. Each of our troubles is a stepping stone. We can get out of the deepest wells just by not
stopping, never giving up! Shake it off and take a step up!
And remember the wise words of Nehemiah:
Ne 8:10 Nehemiah said… for the joy of the LORD is your strength."
Don’t worry
Do not be anxious about anything, but in everything, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present
your requests to God. And the peace of God, which transcends all understanding, will guard your hearts
and your minds in Christ Jesus.
A man met a friend -- a banker who had always had problems with ulcers and high blood pressure.
"How's your health?" the man asked his banker friend. "Great, My ulcers are gone and I don't have a
worry in the world!" The man asked "How did that happen?" The banker said, "It's easy, I hired a
professional worrier. Whenever something comes along that I need to worry about, I tell him about it and
he does all of my worrying for me." The man couldn't believe it. "That's incredible. I'd be interested in
something like that. How much does it cost.?" The banker said, "He charges $100,000 a year." The man
said "How in the world can you afford to pay him $100,000 year?" The banker said, "I don't know, let him
worry about it." In the same way the banker gave his worries to the "professional worrier," we should give
our worries and cares to God.
1Pe 5:7 Cast all your anxiety on him because he cares for you.
Worry is the opposite of faith.
The Bible tells us that whatever is not in faith is sin.
Ro 14:23 … and everything that does not come from faith is sin.
Worry is a sign that we do not trust God. God is in control. When we believe that, there is no need to
worry.
(Mt 6:25-34 niv) “"Therefore I tell you, do not worry about your life, what you will eat or drink; or about
your body, what you will wear. Is not life more important than food, and the body more important than
clothes? Look at the birds of the air; they do not sow or reap or store away in barns, and yet your
heavenly Father feeds them. Are you not much more valuable than they? Who of you by worrying can
add a single hour to his life?” And why do you worry about clothes? See how the lilies of the field grow.
They do not labor or spin. Yet I tell you that not even Solomon in all his splendour was dressed like one
of these. If that is how God clothes the grass of the field, which is here today and tomorrow is thrown into
the fire, will he not much more clothe you, O you of little faith? So do not worry, saying, ‘What shall we
eat?’ or ‘What shall we drink?’ or ‘What shall we wear?’ For the pagans run after all these things, and
your heavenly Father knows that you need them. But seek first his kingdom and his righteousness, and
all these things will be given to you as well. Therefore do not worry about tomorrow, for tomorrow will
worry about itself. Each day has enough trouble of its own.”
A Christian was asked he ever worried. He said, "Of course not. Worry is sin. If I'm going to sin, I pick
something a lot more fun than worry."
Your mind is the battlefield
Finally, brothers, whatever is true, whatever is noble, whatever is right, whatever is pure, whatever is
lovely, whatever is admirable—if anything is excellent or praiseworthy—think about such things.” (Php 4:
4-8 niv)
God tells us here how to use our minds to glorify Him.
Your mind can be the devil’s playground. He will plant negative thoughts and try to get you to focus on
the wrong things.
Your mind is a battlefield. You determine the outcome of the battle by how you use your minds.
Paul gives us some direction in 2 Cor 10:
2Co 10:4 (For the weapons of our warfare [are] not carnal, but mighty through God to the pulling down
of strong holds;)
2Co 10:5 Casting down imaginations, and every high thing that exalteth itself against the knowledge of
God, and bringing into captivity every thought to the obedience of Christ;
So we need to throw out negative thoughts.
We need to abandon suspicions.
We need to overcome fear.
We must control anger.
Either you will control your thoughts or your thoughts will control you.
We need to make a determined effort – a determined decision – to use our minds and our mouths to
glorify God. We need to determine to praise God in all things.
Pr 23:7 For as he thinketh in his heart, so [is] he . . .
Your thoughts will eventually become your words and your actions.
You make a decision to set your mind upon certain things. You can think about victory or you can think
about defeat, but bear this in mind. Whatever you meditate on will eventually become reality.
Php 2:5 Let this mind be in you, which was also in Christ Jesus: (AV)
Col 3:2 Set your minds on things above, not on earthly things.
A lot of believers are overcome by the world because all they think about is the world. Watch what you
say! Watch what you think! Take control back from the devil and give it to the Lord.
Do not be anxious about anything, but in everything, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present
your requests to God. And the peace of God, which transcends all understanding, will guard your hearts
and your minds in Christ Jesus.
Finally, brothers, whatever is true, whatever is noble, whatever is right, whatever is pure, whatever is
lovely, whatever is admirable—if anything is excellent or praiseworthy—think about such things.”
Rejoice.
Php 4.4 Rejoice in the Lord always. I will say it again: Rejoice!
1Th 5:16 Rejoice evermore.
1Th 5:18 In every thing give thanks: for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus concerning you.
Even in trials – no matter what is going on
1Pe 1:6 In this you greatly rejoice, though now for a little while you may have had to suffer grief in all
kinds of trials.
1Pe 1:7 These have come so that your faith—of greater worth than gold, which perishes even though
refined by fire—may be proved genuine and may result in praise, glory and honour when Jesus Christ is
revealed.
Jas 1:2 Consider it pure joy, my brothers, whenever you face trials of many kinds,
Jas 1:3 because you know that the testing of your faith develops perseverance (determination).
The way you view your trials will determine the way you come through them.
One day a farmer's donkey fell down into a well. The animal cried piteously for hours as the farmer tried
to
figure out what to do. Finally he decided the animal was old and the well needed to be covered up
anyway, it just wasn't worth it to retrieve the donkey. He invited all his neighbors to come over and help
him. They all grabbed a shovel and began to shovel dirt into the well. At first, the donkey realized what
was happening and cried horribly.
Then, to everyone's amazement, he quieted down. A few shovel loads later, the farmer finally looked
down the
well and was astonished at what he saw. With every shovel of dirt that hit his back, the donkey was
doing something amazing.
He would shake it off and take a step up. As the farmer's neighbors continued to shovel dirt on top of
the animal, he would shake it off and take a step up. Pretty soon, everyone was amazed as the donkey
stepped up over the edge of the well and trotted off!
Life is going to shovel dirt on you, all kinds of dirt. The trick to getting out of the well is to shake it off and
take a step up. Each of our troubles is a stepping stone. We can get out of the deepest wells just by not
stopping, never giving up! Shake it off and take a step up!
And remember the wise words of Nehemiah:
Ne 8:10 Nehemiah said… for the joy of the LORD is your strength."
Don’t worry
Do not be anxious about anything, but in everything, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present
your requests to God. And the peace of God, which transcends all understanding, will guard your hearts
and your minds in Christ Jesus.
A man met a friend -- a banker who had always had problems with ulcers and high blood pressure.
"How's your health?" the man asked his banker friend. "Great, My ulcers are gone and I don't have a
worry in the world!" The man asked "How did that happen?" The banker said, "It's easy, I hired a
professional worrier. Whenever something comes along that I need to worry about, I tell him about it and
he does all of my worrying for me." The man couldn't believe it. "That's incredible. I'd be interested in
something like that. How much does it cost.?" The banker said, "He charges $100,000 a year." The man
said "How in the world can you afford to pay him $100,000 year?" The banker said, "I don't know, let him
worry about it." In the same way the banker gave his worries to the "professional worrier," we should give
our worries and cares to God.
1Pe 5:7 Cast all your anxiety on him because he cares for you.
Worry is the opposite of faith.
The Bible tells us that whatever is not in faith is sin.
Ro 14:23 … and everything that does not come from faith is sin.
Worry is a sign that we do not trust God. God is in control. When we believe that, there is no need to
worry.
(Mt 6:25-34 niv) “"Therefore I tell you, do not worry about your life, what you will eat or drink; or about
your body, what you will wear. Is not life more important than food, and the body more important than
clothes? Look at the birds of the air; they do not sow or reap or store away in barns, and yet your
heavenly Father feeds them. Are you not much more valuable than they? Who of you by worrying can
add a single hour to his life?” And why do you worry about clothes? See how the lilies of the field grow.
They do not labor or spin. Yet I tell you that not even Solomon in all his splendour was dressed like one
of these. If that is how God clothes the grass of the field, which is here today and tomorrow is thrown into
the fire, will he not much more clothe you, O you of little faith? So do not worry, saying, ‘What shall we
eat?’ or ‘What shall we drink?’ or ‘What shall we wear?’ For the pagans run after all these things, and
your heavenly Father knows that you need them. But seek first his kingdom and his righteousness, and
all these things will be given to you as well. Therefore do not worry about tomorrow, for tomorrow will
worry about itself. Each day has enough trouble of its own.”
A Christian was asked he ever worried. He said, "Of course not. Worry is sin. If I'm going to sin, I pick
something a lot more fun than worry."
Your mind is the battlefield
Finally, brothers, whatever is true, whatever is noble, whatever is right, whatever is pure, whatever is
lovely, whatever is admirable—if anything is excellent or praiseworthy—think about such things.” (Php 4:
4-8 niv)
God tells us here how to use our minds to glorify Him.
Your mind can be the devil’s playground. He will plant negative thoughts and try to get you to focus on
the wrong things.
Your mind is a battlefield. You determine the outcome of the battle by how you use your minds.
Paul gives us some direction in 2 Cor 10:
2Co 10:4 (For the weapons of our warfare [are] not carnal, but mighty through God to the pulling down
of strong holds;)
2Co 10:5 Casting down imaginations, and every high thing that exalteth itself against the knowledge of
God, and bringing into captivity every thought to the obedience of Christ;
So we need to throw out negative thoughts.
We need to abandon suspicions.
We need to overcome fear.
We must control anger.
Either you will control your thoughts or your thoughts will control you.
We need to make a determined effort – a determined decision – to use our minds and our mouths to
glorify God. We need to determine to praise God in all things.
Pr 23:7 For as he thinketh in his heart, so [is] he . . .
Your thoughts will eventually become your words and your actions.
You make a decision to set your mind upon certain things. You can think about victory or you can think
about defeat, but bear this in mind. Whatever you meditate on will eventually become reality.
Php 2:5 Let this mind be in you, which was also in Christ Jesus: (AV)
Col 3:2 Set your minds on things above, not on earthly things.
A lot of believers are overcome by the world because all they think about is the world. Watch what you
say! Watch what you think! Take control back from the devil and give it to the Lord.