“Rest, in contrast with strife, and denoting the absence or end of strife… a state of untroubled, undisturbed well being.” (E.W. Bullinger definition of the word “peace” in his concordance).
Perhaps no other quality of life outside of love and joy would a person desire to obtain than peace.
While the world desperately and fruitlessly seeks world peace, the born again Christian treasures the peace they have in Jesus Christ. Prior to His death Jesus Christ shares about the comforter, which was the gift of holy spirit, that a person receives at the new birth. The attribute connected to the comforter was it contained the peace of Jesus Christ.
John 14:26 &27: But the Comforter, which is the Holy Ghost, whom the Father will send in my name, he shall teach you all things, and bring all things to your remembrance, whatsoever I have said unto you.
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.
Now and forever more we believers have inherited His peace. Regardless of the troubles and challenges we face, we can live a life absent of strife because we have His peace. We can experience an undisturbed well-being knowing with the peace of Christ we have the assurance our Heavenly Father will be in every situation to overcome the challenge.
Isaiah 26:3: Thou wilt keep him in perfect peace, whose mind is stayed on thee: because he trusteth in thee.
When trouble arises we focus on the Lord not the problem. Too many times we get all wrapped up in the details of our strife, when all we need to do is give it to our Heavenly Father. Staying our mind on the peace we have through Jesus Christ and soon we will experience a state of rest and well-being because we have His peace.
Colossians 3:15: And let the peace of God rule in your hearts, to the which also ye are called in one body; and be ye thankful.
Agape,
Bob
PS: Vikki Barnhart’s recent teaching, “My Peace,” is an excellent resource on understanding peace. Check our web site: www.actsnowfellowship.net for audio version and Facebook for video version.
There are two very special declarations of liberty that are dear to me. One that man wrote, and the other God wrote.
The one that man wrote is the Declaration of Independence. It is the basis for the foundation of freedoms our country appreciates today. It also reflects truths from what God wrote and that is why I feel it is effective and has stood the test of time.
It started because men sought liberty from a government that oppressed them. But enjoying the fruits of liberty from government intervention does not guarantee happiness nor fulfillment in life. Yes, it may allow the pursuit of happiness, but not ensure it.
In our free and glorious country we still have people living in bondage to fear, worry and doubt. Only the second declaration that I love most dearly can secure these life’s challenges. It is the Word of God which teaches how to have the highest form of freedom. God’s liberty brings man to a true and vital relationship with God their Father, providing the greatest freedom to love and be loved. It also imparts the great spiritual realities of life that far outweigh the things of this world.
Celebrate today for the liberties you have as sons of the Heavenly Father and as American citizens.
Galatians 5:1: Stand fast therefore in the liberty wherewith Christ hath made us free, and be not entangled again with the yoke of bondage.
2 Corinthians 3:17: Now the Lord is that Spirit: and where the Spirit of the Lord is, there is liberty.
John 8:31b & 32: …If ye continue in my word, then are ye my disciples indeed;
And ye shall know the truth, and the truth shall make you free.
Galatians 5:13: For, brethren, ye have been called unto liberty; only use not liberty for an occasion to the flesh, but by love serve one another.
Agape,
Bob
My fantastic wife in a recent Sunday teaching challenged her audience to change how they addressed God Almighty. She said God is our Father and that is how He wants to be recognized. We are His children, so we call God, Father.
It was an inspired moment that flowed with her sharing. Its magnitude became more evident after attending a Christian concert featuring several prestigious music groups. I appreciated her challenge even more. The performers called our Heavenly Father, God, virtually the whole evening.
God in His Word addresses Himself over 80 times as Father in Acts through Revelations. What titled is most approachable, God or Father?
The whole eternal purpose and passion of the Heavenly Father was to have children that called Him Father. This intimacy makes believing Him much easier.
My Father’s promises ring much clearer and more personal than saying, God’s promises.
I encourage you to listen to the audio teaching at: www.actsnowfellowship.net or watch the video on our Acts Now Fellowship Facebook page, and take the one week challenge of not calling God, God, but Father!
1 John 3:1 (NLT):
See how very much our Father loves us, He calls us His children, and that we are! But the people who belong to this world don’t recognize that we are God’s children because they don’t know him. (Jesus Christ)
Agape,
Bob Lindfelt
There is a conundrum with God’s people that needs to be addressed!
First, what is a conundrum? Ms. Siri says, “A confusing and difficult problem.”
As believers we strive to walk with and for our Heavenly Father. Most important, we fellowship with Him: We pray, study His Word and apply it to our lives.
There is one area in the lives of many saints I see we fall short on (me included): Being good stewards of the temple of God (our physical bodies). “What? Know ye not that your body is the temple of the Holy Ghost which is in you, which ye have of God, and ye are not your own?” (I Corinthians 6:19).
We seem to take good care of our phones, cars, computers, homes, pets and other personal things more than we keep ourselves healthy for the Lord.
Too many of my brothers and sisters are having physical problems. “Beloved, I wish above all things that thou mayest prosper and be in health, even as thy soul prospereth” (III John 2). Our Father wants us and needs us to be in the best of health so we can live for Him. Do not let the evil one continue to deceive us in the area of nutrition and exercise.
The older I get, the more conscientious I am about my health and living a long purposeful life for my Heavenly Father.
I challenge you (and myself) to really survey what is a good diet for you and what exercises are best for your body. Then do what is necessary to take care of the physical vessel that the Father has given you to house the gift of holy spirit.
Being our best for the Father includes stewarding our physical body – It is never too late!
Agape,
Bob
Our Heavenly Father has given us so, so much in so many aspects of our lives. It would take reams of paper to list everything we have been given by God. First, we have life! We are conscious living beings of body and soul. Along with this, if we so choose, we have eternal spirit life as a result of making Jesus Lord in our life and believing that God raised Him from the dead. Really, everything we have in our lives is a result of the Heavenly Father.
What is our response to this? We have a responsibility to steward what we have been given. I believe God expects us to use and take care of the resources He has given us. That includes our physical possessions, relationships, finances, health, etc.
Our natural inclination is to say, “It is mine. I earned it, so it belongs to me.” The truth of the matter is you are here and all that you have is a result of God’s love and grace. By the way we do not belong to ourselves anymore. God bought us with the price of His Son, our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ (I Corinthians 6:19 & 20).
How we take care of the resources from God is up to us. This is called stewardship. God has given us clear directions on how to steward all that we have. One method of stewardship is giving.
A Stewardship Principle - Giving
The law and principle of giving is perhaps the most misunderstood of God’s stewarding methods. A worldly person cannot imagine how you can give something and then be blessed back much more because of giving out of love.
God’s Word strongly encourages believers to be cheerful givers.
2Corinthians 9:6-8: But this I say, He which soweth sparingly shall reap also sparingly; and he which soweth bountifully shall reap also bountifully.
Every man according as he purposeth in his heart, so let him give; not grudgingly, or of necessity: for God loveth a cheerful giver.
And God is able to make all grace abound toward you; that ye, always having all sufficiency in all things, may abound to every good work:
As we live our life for the Heavenly Farther may we take advantage of His guidance and do His Word so that we can be fully blessed and abound in the riches of His resources.
Agape,
Bob