The Special of the Day… From the Orange Moon Cafe…
"The Prince of Peace"
"Peace is a Person, the person of the risen Lord Jesus and His abiding presence within our hearts."
"There is no fear in love, for perfect love casteth out fear" (I John 4:8).
God's love, known and trusted, leads born again believers in the Lord Jesus Christ to overcome the temptation to fear. His "perfect love" abides as completely present and available at all times. Conversely, our trust is not so presently and perfectly exercised. We must affirm our faith whenever fear tempts us to look away from God and His promise to be all we need in our "what time I am afraid." Our Heavenly Father calls us to a proactive response when uncertainty challenges our peace:
"Be careful (anxious) for nothing, but in everything by prayer and supplication, with thanksgiving, let your requests be made known unto God. And the peace of God, which passeth all understanding, shall keep your hearts and minds through Christ Jesus" (Philippians 4:6-7).
"What time I am afraid, I will trust in Thee" (Psalm 56:3).
Certainly, a place for proper concerns characterizes a godly, responsible life. However, "proper concerns" can quickly descend into paralyzing and nagging fears if we fail to "let your requests be made known unto God" with the thankful confession, "I will trust in Thee." Through the presence and power of Christ, we must do something when tempted to be controlled by fear rather than God's grace. He does not program peace, but rather grants us the privileged responsibility of exercising faith when challenges threaten the sanctity of our souls. Most importantly, His peace resides within our spirits always through the presence of the Prince of peace:
"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" (John 14:27).
In its most primary meaning, peace is not an emotion. It is not a sensibility. It is not even a conviction of faith. No, peace is a Person, the person of the risen Lord Jesus and His abiding presence within our hearts. He overcame far more challenge to fear than any of us will ever begin to know (Hebrews 4:15). The Prince, "the Prince of peace," now lives within every believer to "keep your hearts and minds through Christ Jesus." Do we believe this about Him? Is He that present, that involved, that active, and that powerful? Can He keep our hearts in peace no matter what? He can. "Thou wilt keep him in perfect peace, whose mind is stayed on Thee, because he trusteth in Thee" (Isaiah 26:3). We must determine to see our Lord in this blessed light of truth, and then affirm our conviction of faith as response to His commitment to perfect faithfulness. He will always be who He is as the Prince of peace. Yes, He will always be "that present, that involved, that active, and that powerful."
We must ever grow in in our "what time" response of chosen trust. We must determine to know the Lord Jesus better and better, and more and more because we trust someone to the degree we know them. "But grow in grace, and in the knowledge of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ" (II Corinthians 3:18). In our "what time," His eternal perfection of integrity meets us as the peace of our hearts. May our eyes be open to see our blessed Prince as our tranquility of spirit in all things, just as He promised… "My peace I give unto you."
"The LORD will bless His people with peace."
(Psalm 29:11)
Weekly Memory Verse
I am come that they might have life, and that they might have it more abundantly. (John 10:10)
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