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How to Have Peace in Difficult TimesStaying calm no matter what’s going on around youDavid L. Johnston

Nothing But The Truth, Jacksonville, FL, NothingButTheTruth.orgHow to Have Peace in Difcult TimesCopyright © 2020 David L. JohnsonAll rights reserved. This book may be reproduced without written permission from the publisher or copyright holder in any form or by any means electronic, mechanical, photocopying, recording, or other, without prior written permission from the publisher or copyright holder as long as it is kept in its entirety and not sold for a prot.Unless otherwise noted, Scriptures taken from the HOLY BIBLE: King James Version, part of the Public Domain.Scripture quotations marked NASB are taken from the NEW AMERICAN STANDARD BIBLE®, Copyright © 1960, 1962, 1963, 1968, 1971, 1972, 1973, 1975, 1977, 1995 by The Lockman Foundation. Used by permission. www.lockman.org.Scripture quotations marked AMPC are taken from The Classic Edition, Amplied Bible, Copyright © 1987 by the Lockman Foundation. Used by permission. All rights reserved.Scripture quotations marked MSG are from The Message by Eugene H. Peterson, copyright © 1993, 1994, 1995, 1996, 2000, 2001, 2002. Used by permission of NavPress Publishing Group. All rights reserved.ISBN: 978-1-965799-08-6 (Paperback) ISBN: 978-1-965799-09-3 (Ebook) Also available in Audio format

Table of Contents Introduction .................................................................. viiThe Greatest Symbol of Peace ...................................... 1The Way to Genuine Peace...........................................29Footsteps to Genuine Peace ..........................................59The Power of Genuine Peace ........................................83The Joy of Peaceful Speaking ....................................107

IntroductionThe cross is God’s great plus sign. Through its power, God continually adds good things to our hearts and minds. He is the best friend we will ever have. In the pages that follow, you will discover how the cross of Christ is the greatest source of peace for your heart. It has been said that if peace is not inside you, there is no use looking for it anywhere else. Peace must become part of our heart’s operating system. The heart runs the operating system and the mind runs the software, and it is vital that they work together. As a muscle, the heart keeps blood owing throughout our bodies, while the brain is the central control system for the heart and other bodily functions. When our physical heart or brain lacks peace, our entire body can be negatively affected. Peace is a realm that exists in your heart and your mind, one in which chaos is not allowed to enter. Chaos shows itself in a variety of forms: anger, depression, panic, worry, or mistrust. Peace, on the other hand, is the absence of these and any other negative feelings and emotions. So what’s the big deal?When a person’s mind and heart are led by real peace, they can make wise decisions; but anger, anxiety, bitterness, or strife disrupts that peace. When that happens, that person’s thinking ability, powers of observation,

viHow to Have Peace in Difcult Timesand decision-making skills can all be corrupted. Since a person’s wisdom can be rendered null and void without real peace guiding the way, it is vital that God’s peace be the core condition of your soul. That’s how desperately we need it in its proper place.In the chapters that follow, we will discover what genuine peace is, how it transforms our lives, and how we can maintain that peace—with God, ourselves, and others. Each chapter details important aspects of peace and supports its points with the Word of God. In chapter one, we will discover God’s perspective on peace. God actually weeps over the absence of peace. The good news is that peace was accomplished for us by the work of Christ on the cross and in the empty tomb. That peace is maintained in us by the good works God enables us to do after we have been reconciled to Him, so that His peace affects every aspects of our lives—now and in the future. In fact, we are God’s ambassadors of peace to the world. Peace should encompass our entire lives. It is the hallmark of our relationship with God.In chapters two and three, we will examine God’s path for living in genuine peace. God does not leave us in the dark about achieving peace in our lives. His Word perfectly explains how we can have peace with Him, peace with others, and internal peace within ourselves. We will also look at the differences between God’s genuine peace and the false peace the world offers, and understand why we must not be casual about peace in our lives, but actively pursue it because peace begets peace and leads us to triumph. We will also take a brief look at the important role that prayer and the Holy Spirit play in maintaining our peace.In chapter four, we will focus on the power of God’s peace. One important way that God’s peace is different

viiIntroductionfrom the world’s peace is that it comes with real power. We will look at seven ways that peace gives us power when we are controlled by God’s Word and Spirit.In the last chapter, we will discover how peaceful speech will bring joy into our hearts. All people seek true joy, but often are not sure how to nd it. The secret lies in a peaceful heart that governs a peaceful tongue.It is my hope that this book will help you know true peace. Since peace is central to our well-being and all our relationships, we can be thankful that God has shown us His path to peace. God has not left us wandering in the dark. We can know true peace through our Lord Jesus Christ.

Chapter 1The Greatest Symbol of Peace“And the peace of God, which passeth all understanding, shall keep your hearts and minds through Christ Jesus.” (Philippians 4:7)Philippians 4:7 is a key verse to which we will return often. According to the Bible, the source of all peace is Christ’s work on the cross and His resurrection from the grave. This core of the gospel provides us with what Paul calls “the peace that passeth understanding.” The word understanding in this context refers to comprehending the relationship between cause and effect: A causes B which causes C. According to Paul, this exchange between us and Jesus gives us a peace that is beyond our comprehension. We may not be able to grasp the cause-and-effect relationship between the cross and peace, but it is still true. Just because this peace is beyond our human understanding does not make it any less of a reality; instead, it fundamentally changes our hearts and minds.

2How to Have Peace in Difcult Times1. God Weeps over the Lack of PeaceBefore we discover how God achieved this peace for us, we must understand how important peace is to God. God is not a cold and impersonal Being. He cares deeply for His creation, especially people. In the Bible, God yearns for His people. He hurts when they hurt. He grieves over their fallen condition. He pours Himself out to rescue them. As every event in our history plays out, God is never a disinterested bystander. He’s in the thick of things all the time, and the absence of peace greatly troubles Him. He weeps over the lack of peace. Whenever people needed Him and cried out to Him, He met them in their trouble. That’s who He is. When the Israelites were weeping over the destruction of their temple, this was God’s direction to them:“Then he said unto them, Go your way, eat the fat, and drink the sweet, and send portions unto them for whom nothing is prepared: for this day is holy unto our Lord: neither be ye sorry; for the joy of the Lord is your strength.” (Nehemiah 8:10)He pointed His people to Himself as the Source of their joy. This remains the same today: The joy of the Lord gives us strength. The joy that the Lord has over our life strengthens us to follow His commands and stay in His peace—no matter what. He promises to strengthen us and bring sweet joy into each of our lives. In times of sorrow, we have access to God’s joy and can nd our strength and peace in Him. Additionally, sometimes God Himself weeps over the state of the world. Luke provides a moving example of this

3The Greatest Symbol of Peacefrom the life of Jesus. When Jesus rst came to Jerusalem, He mourned over the city’s rejection of His message of peace for mankind.“And when he was come near, he beheld the city, and wept over it, Saying, if thou hadst known, even thou, at least in this thy day, the things which belong unto thy peace! but now they are hid from thine eyes.” (Luke 19:41-42)Jesus wept over them because they were rejecting their Messiah and the peace He could bring them. Because of this rejection, peace would ee from the city of Jerusalem. Jesus knew what was in store for them because of their poor choices and was pierced to the point of weeping. He knew they did not know how to have peace. God has those same feelings for you. He desires your peace and well-being. When you live without peace, He is deeply grieved. Since Jesus is the Prince of Peace, He is especially aware of how important it is for His people to share His peace, and what a terrible thing it is for any of them to live without it.2. Peace Is the Message of the Cross“And suddenly there was with the angel a multitude of the heavenly host praising God, and saying, Glory to God in the highest, and on earth peace, good will toward men.” (Luke 2:13-14)

4How to Have Peace in Difcult TimesPeace was provided by Jesus on the cross of Calvary, but long before Calvary, peace was fundamental to Christ’s mission. The angels’ praises at Christ’s birth was focused on peace for all mankind. God became man and came to earth to bring peace—personal peace to each and every soul. The angels foretold this mission and praised God for it. “For he hath made him to be sin for us, who knew no sin; that we might be made the righteousness of God in him.” (2 Corinthians 5:21)Peace is still central to Christ’s mission today. It didn’t stop at the manger. Jesus Christ was made sin for us. Can you imagine that? God was made into the very thing which He hated most. When Jesus went to the cross, He took upon Himself the sin of all time, so that we might have God’s forgiveness. God has not only forgiven us, He has also given us peace through the blood of His cross.“And, having made peace through the blood of his cross, by him to reconcile all things unto himself; by him, I say, whether they be things in earth, or things in heaven.” (Colossians 1:20)Think about it. Peace came through the blood of His cross. He came so you could have peace, and He died so you could have peace. We’ll explore some of the reasons why this is so, but rst, let’s go back to Golgotha. Jesus was beaten by His own people, and then turned over to Roman soldiers, who scourged Him with whips, drove a crown of thorns onto His head, mocked Him, and abused Him even more. Then, they led Him up to the hill called

5The Greatest Symbol of PeaceGolgotha, and crucied God the Son. Something amazing happened on that cross that changed everything. On the cross (just as Jesus foretold in John 3:14-17), Christ was made sin on our behalf.Through His sacrice on the cross, Christ was able to reconcile all things unto Himself—break down all the barriers. The cross reconciles all things unto Christ—in heaven, on the earth, and under the earth. All things. That is what He did. That was the work of the cross. Jesus’ sacrice brought peace to mankind and the entire created order. This is the good news.Why Jesus Went to the CrossIn one passage, the prophet Isaiah tells us that Christ went to the cross for four important reasons. “Surely he hath borne our griefs, and carried our sorrows: yet we did esteem him stricken, smitten of God, and aficted. But he was wounded for our transgressions, he was bruised for our iniquities: the chastisement of our peace was upon him; and with his stripes we are healed.” (Isaiah 53:4-5)These verses outline those reasons. Through His work on the cross, Jesus took care of the following:1. Our transgressions“He was wounded for our transgressions,” that is, our sins.

6How to Have Peace in Difcult Times2. Our iniquities“He was bruised for our iniquities.”3. Our peaceAnd then, “the chastisement of our peace was upon Him.”4. Our healing“And with His stripes we are healed.”Verse 5 says: “The chastisement of our peace was upon Him.” There, on the cross, Jesus, God the Son, made peace for us through the shedding of His blood, satisfying the Law of Moses, and destroying the barriers between us and God for all time.“And almost all things are by the law purged with blood; and without shedding of blood is no remission.” (Hebrews 9:22)Jesus took our punishment and gave us peace with God. Without this peace, there could be no hope of salvation, and no hope of peace in this world. He still does this today. We give Him our anxiety and trouble and He gives us His peace in exchange.3. Peace Is the Message of the Empty Tomb“He is not here: for he is risen, as he said. Come, see the place where the Lord lay.” (Matthew 28:6)Christ’s message of peace does not stop at the cross. It culminates in the resurrection. We know the story: After Jesus was crucied on Golgotha, the soldiers pierced His side with a spear. Blood and water poured out. They killed

7The Greatest Symbol of PeaceJesus. They killed God, God the Son. Can you imagine that? It is recorded that even the soldiers were aware that Jesus was no ordinary criminal.Then, they buried Him in a tomb, and rolled a big stone across it to seal him inside. A few days later, one of Jesus’ followers went to see the tomb; when she arrived, she got the biggest shock of her life! An angel greeted her with the words: “He is not here. He is risen.” The tomb was empty. Jesus was not there. His grave clothes were still over in a corner, but He was gone. Jesus had been raised from the dead just as He’d predicted. His faithful follower ran back and told everybody, “He’s not there! He is risen!” So what does this have to do with peace?“Then the same day at evening, being the rst day of the week, when the doors were shut where the disciples were assembled for fear of the Jews, came Jesus and stood in the midst, and saith unto them, Peace be unto you.” (John 20:19)Mary Magdalene told the disciples that she had seen the Lord and that He had spoken to her. That very evening, the disciples locked themselves up in a room because of their great fear. Suddenly Jesus appeared and stood in their midst, and said to them, “Peace be unto you.” This was His rst message after the resurrection, a message of complete peace. John continues his account by saying:“And when he had so said, he shewed unto them his hands and his side. Then were the disciples glad, when they saw the Lord.

8How to Have Peace in Difcult TimesThen said Jesus to them again, Peace be unto you: as my Father hath sent me, even so send I you.” (John 20:20-21)Jesus conrmed to His disciples that He was indeed the risen Lord by showing them His hands and side. The disciples were relieved and encouraged (gladdened). Jesus repeated His message of peace and commanded them to bring that message to the world, but He did not stop there. Just a few verses later, we read:“And after eight days again his disciples were within, and Thomas with them: then came Jesus, the doors being shut, and stood in the midst, and said, Peace be unto you.” (John 20:26)After eight days again, the disciples were together in the upper room, and Thomas who had been absent the rst time was now present. The risen Christ, who has such molecular control of the universe that He is able to walk through closed doors, stood with the disciples again. Christ declared the same message: “Peace be unto you.” This message of peace was repeated three times after His resurrection. Like being born-again, peace is Christ’s focal point to humanity. His peace is part and parcel to our salvation experience, the rst fruit of our relationship with Him. And so He repeated it: “Peace be unto you.”4. His Peace Is Imparted and Conveyed to Us“The LORD will give strength unto his people; the LORD will bless his people with peace.” (Psalm 29:11)

9The Greatest Symbol of PeaceLook carefully at this delightful psalm. The peace which Christ bought at the cross is for you today. The Lord continually gives strength to His people, and blesses His people with peace. This perfect peace is promised to you by the Lord.“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)Jesus does not give as the world does. The peace of Christ is a gift from Him—freely given. It cancels out anxiety and fear. Jesus imparts His peace to us supernaturally. As mentioned before, His peace passes our understanding. It is a result of knowing Christ, and has nothing to do with our works. Many believers have struggled with this concept. This story illustrates the point:A young man was eager to grow in His Christian life. He got a piece of paper and made a list of all the things he would do for God. He wrote down the things he would give up, the places he would go to minister, and the areas of ministry he would enter. He was excited. He took that list to the church and put it on the altar. He thought he would feel joy, but instead he felt empty. So he went home and started adding to his list. He wrote down more things he would do and wouldn’t do. He took the longer list and put it on the altar, but still he felt nothing. Finally, he went to a wise, old pastor, told him the situation, and asked for help. The pastor said,

10How to Have Peace in Difcult Times“Take a blank sheet of paper. Sign your name at the bottom. Put that on the altar.” The young man did, and then peace came to his heart.1Jesus actually just wants us—as we are. He does have plans for each of us, but more than anything, He simply wants us. He will transform us as we walk with Him. He will make changes in us too—wonderful changes, but His love is xed upon us in such a way that He enjoys dwelling with us. It’s hard to imagine that the Master of the Universe would actually feel that way about us, but He does. His gift of peace cannot be separated from knowing Him. It comes with the territory.Once we know Jesus, our job is to abide in Him, allowing Him to work through us.5. Peace Is Maintained by Allowing God to Work in Us“The wicked, through the pride of his countenance, will not seek after God: God is not in all his thoughts.His ways are always grievous; thy judgments are far above out of his sight: as for all his enemies, he puffeth at them.” (Psalm 10:4-5)In these verses, the psalmist provides a contrast for us, comparing the wicked to those who keep their minds on the Lord. There will always be those who do not accept God’s 1 R. B. Ouellette, e Pulling down of Strongholds: Learning to Live in Freedom from Wrong inking (Murfreesboro, TN: Sword of the Lord Publishers, 2009).

11The Greatest Symbol of Peacegift of peace. The wicked do not seek after God. Instead they are led by their own pride and have no regard for God at all. Here’s the same verse from the New American Standard Bible:“The wicked, in his haughtiness, does not seek Him. There is no God in all his schemes.” (Psalm 10:4 nasb)God is not in all their thoughts. As a result, they live as laws unto themselves. Since God is not on the throne of their hearts, they’re brazen in their lifestyle choices. However, when things go badly they have nothing to stand on. However this is not the way of life God wants for anyone. His alternative is so much better.“Thou wilt keep him in perfect peace, whose mind is stayed on thee: because he trusteth in thee.” (Isaiah 26:3)In contrast, God maintains His perfect peace in those who trust in Him. Peace is promised to us, but it is maintained by keeping our thoughts on the Lord, a process God helps us with as we grow. Isaiah continues a few verses later:“LORD, thou wilt ordain peace for us: for thou also hast wrought all our works in us.” (Isaiah 26:12)God is doing something in us. He has ordained peace for us and maintains peace in us through the works He does through us. We must allow God to work in our heart and mind. We must allow Him to supplant our natural thinking

12How to Have Peace in Difcult Timeswith His supernatural thought patterns. He plans to grant us His perspective and bring us into a deeper life as we walk in His power and peace. This principle is conrmed by Paul:“And to know the love of Christ, which passeth knowledge, that ye might be lled with all the fulness of God. Now unto him that is able to do exceeding abundantly above all that we ask or think, according to the power that worketh in us.” (Ephesians 3:19-20)God wants to indwell you because He is the great Maintainer of peace. His presence in our hearts maintains peace in our souls. As God works through us, He maintains His peace within us. We must allow Him to bring this peace into our hearts and maintain it within us throughout our lives. The effect this process has on the world around us is powerful. God’s peace is part of His witness to the world.“For it is God which worketh in you both to will and to do of his good pleasure.” (Philippians 2:13)Every good work we do is actually the work of God in our lives. God forgives our sins and reconciles us to Himself, then He enables us to do the work which keeps us in His path of peace. This involves walking forgiveness with others and reecting His character in our everyday lives. It’s a wonderful cycle of redemption that touches everyone we know for Jesus. In the next sections, we’ll explore that idea further, but rst let’s learn more about maintaining our peace.

13The Greatest Symbol of Peace6. Peace Is Contingent on Doing What Is Right“But the meek shall inherit the earth; and shall delight themselves in the abundance of peace.” (Psalm 37:11)This promise is for the meek, who have no anger, and do what is right in the eyes of the Lord. Those who are not ruled by their temper and emotions maintain their peace and delight themselves in it. God is telling us that His peace is such a wonderful thing that we will actually be delighted by it. That means that His peace, like His presence, is a source of joy.That verse also said that we will inherit the earth. What does that mean? It means that everything that needs to happen and come to pass in your favor is going to happen according to the will of God. “In his days shall the righteous ourish; and abundance of peace so long as the moon endureth.” (Psalm 72:7)God wants the righteous to ourish and live in an everlasting and perfect peace. This promise is only for the righteous—those who choose God and have peace with God. Peace is part of the righteous man’s inheritance in Christ and can never be taken away from him.Our inheritance has a myriad of benets. Let’s look at a few together.

14How to Have Peace in Difcult Times“Great peace have they which love thy law: and nothing shall offend them.” (Psalm 119:165)This is a big deal—for all of us! Never to be offended? Jesus gave us clear direction on how to handle offenses. First, Jesus told us to, “Love your enemies…bless those that curse you” (Matt. 5:44). This prevents us from returning evil for evil, ugliness for ugliness. Evil can never conquer evil. That has never worked. If we practice loving our enemies and blessing those who treat us badly, we “overcome evil with good” (Rom. 12:21). God brings us to a place where we can learn to love through Him. This love overcomes offenses. God’s love defuses any bomb that threatens to blow up and destroy relationships.The crux of the matter is God’s command to forgive. Since we have been forgiven, we have the capacity to forgive in the same way. Forgiveness prevents the bitterness that comes from what others may do or say. Do we choose to forgive? Do we love to forgive? Jesus loved to forgive. Through Him, we can too.“For if ye forgive men their trespasses, your heavenly Father will also forgive you:But if ye forgive not men their trespasses, neither will your Father forgive your trespasses.” (Matthew 6:14-15)Imagine that! Walking in forgiveness is the natural outgrowth of loving our Father because forgiveness is the heart of God’s love. Conversely, the consequences of not loving the law of God to forgive is that we will not be forgiven. Ouch!

15The Greatest Symbol of PeaceLoving the laws of God pleases God to the point that it even affects your enemies:“When a man’s ways please the Lord, he maketh even his enemies to be at peace with him.” (Proverbs 16:7)This is the work of righteousness.God has given His law to direct us in what we should do. When we follow this law, we abide in His great peace. This does not mean that we will never face adversity or never feel afraid, but it does mean that God will support and deliver us in every trial.“And the work of righteousness shall be peace; and the effect of righteousness quietness and assurance for ever. And my people shall dwell in a peaceable habitation, and in sure dwellings, and in quiet resting places.” (Isaiah 32:17-18)This passage in Isaiah afrms the psalmist’s words which we just considered: The work of righteousness shall bring peace. The effect of doing what is right is quietness and assurance—forever. Peace is contingent upon doing what is right.“O that thou hadst hearkened to my commandments! then had thy peace been as a river, and thy righteousness as the waves of the sea.” (Isaiah 48:18)Note the pathos in the voice of God in this verse. If we keep the commands of God, we will have peace like a

16How to Have Peace in Difcult Timesriver. God has revealed what we are to do in His Word, and maintains the peace in our hearts that He gives us when we obey Him. God passionately longs for us to have peace.“But the wicked are like the troubled sea, when it cannot rest, whose waters cast up mire and dirt. There is no peace, saith my God, to the wicked.” (Isaiah 57:20-21)Make no mistake about it. The wicked are like the troubled seas that toss and turn and have no rest, while the righteous are not driven, but gently led by a Shepherd who loves them and cares for them. Once we know Him, He enables us to follow Him wholly, making choices that honor Him and build our relationship with Him.Peace can only come when we do what is right. When we do wrong, we lose our peace. Christ has given us peace and promises to maintain that peace; that peace is only withdrawn when we sin.7. Personal Peace Affects All Our RelationshipsYour personal peace is not just for your own benet. It affects all your relationships and interactions. Peace is inward for our hearts and outward towards others. Jesus plainly states:“Salt is good: but if the salt have lost his saltness, wherewith will ye season it? Have salt in yourselves, and have peace one with another.” (Mark 9:50)

17The Greatest Symbol of PeaceWe must have peace with one another. In fact, it must characterize all of our relationships. Remember our denition of peace? Peace is the realm where chaos is not allowed to enter. In this realm, God protects us in our relationships, making them secure and free in Him. We do not want chaos to reign in any of our relationships. God wants us to be at peace with our spouse, our children, our parents, our friends, our business associates—everybody. “Follow peace with all men, and holiness, without which no man shall see the Lord: Looking diligently lest any man fail of the grace of God; lest any root of bitterness springing up trouble you, and thereby many be deled.” (Hebrews 12:14-15)Following peace with all men requires speaking peacefully to them. If you speak spitefully to others to get a reaction from them, you will harm that relationship, and they will probably respond in kind. Nasty breeds nasty. Our attitudes toward others should be fueled by a heart of compassion, not judgment. We need to communicate with intelligence and kindness to maintain peace. Since God wants us to live in peace with all men, we should speak and act peacefully towards all people. The author of Hebrews began with an admonition to seek peace with all men; and then moved on to explain that if we failed in this task, we would stir up bitterness instead. This bitterness would trouble us and all those connected with us. The obvious and better choice is God’s path. The peace God offers as we walk with Him changes everything. The peace we have as an individual should affect all of our relationships for good.

18How to Have Peace in Difcult Times8. Peace Is the Basis of Future Well-beingThe peace that Christ gives us and maintains in us is the basis of our well-being, not just now, but for the future as well.“O that ye would altogether hold your peace! and it should be your wisdom.” (Job 13:5)Holding your peace brings wisdom. Old timers know what it means to hold your peace. It means to “stay silent and keep quiet” even though you’d really like to share a piece of your mind. This verse urges us to do this, saying it is wisdom. Elsewhere, the Bible even commands us to, “Study to be quiet” (1 Thess. 4:11). Sometimes not sharing our every thought is the very best thing we can do. However, wisdom is not the end of the benets. Look at this promise:“Acquaint now thyself with him, and be at peace: thereby good shall come unto thee.” (Job 22:21)If we know and obey God now, we will have peace now. But that’s not just for the present. His peace brings “good” which will come to us in the future. Peace ushers in a future of well-being in which we ourish in Him.9. Abide in PeaceIt is one thing to have peace for a moment in life, but it is much more important to remain in a peaceful state throughout your life. God wants us to abide in peace.

19The Greatest Symbol of PeacePeace that is eeting is no peace at all. His will is that we literally dwell in His peace all the time.“I will hear what God the LORD will speak: for he will speak peace unto his people, and to his saints: but let them not turn again to folly.” (Psalm 85:8)We do not have to be in doubt about our peace either. God has spoken to us. He gives us all we need to know to maintain peace in our lives. He has promised peace for His people as part of our inheritance, so if we listen to God’s Word and heed His call, He will give us His peace. However, if we return to folly, which means going back to our earthly practices of foolish and irrational behavior, and choosing to not love and follow the laws of God, we will lose that peace. His peace is maintained through our connection with Him, which must remain in good operating condition every day.Jesus painted a vivid picture of this relationship in John 15 when He spoke of Himself as the vine and His people as branches that were obviously connected to Him because they were bearing fruit that reected that abiding relationship. No matter what happened to them, they drew their life’s blood from the vine. In the same manner, we draw our peace from our abiding relationship with God and are able to meet every day nestled in that peace. Most people think that peace comes from having all their ducks in a row or having tranquility all around them or the absence of trouble. This is why so many do not understand the peace of God because it’s a peace that does not depend on our circumstances. This inner tranquility doesn’t make sense to them. The peace of God maintains heart and mind. It controls our emotions. Here’s an illustration:

20How to Have Peace in Difcult TimesDuring the French war, a train carrying dispatches to the headquarters was compelled to go over sixty miles of very rough track, and reach its destination within an hour. The engineer was the bearer of the dispatches, and his wife and child were in the coach. Every moment threatened to pitch the train over the embankment or over a bridge, and, as it rolled from side to side, leaping at times almost in the air, rushing past stations, the few people inside held their breath and often cried out with terror as they sped along. There was one on that train who knew nothing of their fears and that was the child of the engineer. Happy as a bird, she laughed aloud when asked if she were not afraid, and looked up and answered, “Why, my father is at the engine.” A little later, the engineer came into the car to cheer up his wife and, as he wiped the great drops of sweat from his face, the child leaped into his arms and laid her head upon his bosom, as happy and peaceful as when at home. What a lesson for the children of the heavenly Father!2That little girl was completely unafraid, even though she was actually in a perilous situation. She trusted her father to get her safely to her destination. We can do the same.The Bible even gives us specic instruction about maintaining our peace. Take note of the descriptors of peace in the following Scripture. “And the peace of God, which passeth all understanding, shall keep your hearts 2 W. M. Tidwell, Eective Illustrations (Nicholasville, KY: Schmul Pub. Co., 2010).

21The Greatest Symbol of Peaceand minds through Christ Jesus. Finally, brethren, whatsoever things are true, whatsoever things are honest, whatsoever things are just, whatsoever things are pure, whatsoever things are lovely, whatsoever things are of good report; if there be any virtue, and if there be any praise, think on these things.” (Philippians 4:7-8)Again, Philippians 4:7-8 is central to our understanding of peace. As we consider the Lord’s exhortation to abide in peace, we need to understand that abiding in peace is key to having good mental health. If our mind (our operating system) is not at peace, our entire lives will be in chaos all the time. We will be prone to crying out in fear like the people on that train. However, if our minds are stayed on God and trusting in Him (Isa. 26:3)—if we abide in His peace—our hearts and minds will be kept in a state of well-being instead. Jesus will do this.In this section of Philippians, Paul says we must think about certain things to have peace. It is worth our time to examine this list of eight thoughts which should rule our minds. First, we should think about things that are true. The world tells us that there is no truth, that all things are relative. However, the Bible has a different message altogether. God has revealed absolute truth, and when we think upon His truth, we have peace. Second, we should think on things that are honest. We should not be among those who manipulate or engage in treachery and trickery. We should be forthright and consistent, honest in all our dealings. Further, we should not expose our hearts and minds to lies. Since we grow up surrounded by lies, this is an area in which we need to

22How to Have Peace in Difcult Timescontinually submit our thoughts to God, so He can sift the lies from His truth, and help us grow.Third, we should think upon things that are just. Justice refers to conformity with God’s revealed will. Things that are just are righteous—those practices God says will please Him. Our thoughts should dwell upon justice. Fourth, we should think upon things that are pure. Impure thoughts bring chaos and darkness into our lives. Purity, however, brings peace. Purity also protects our minds and hearts from the lth of the world we live in. When we think pure thoughts, we’re just not on the same page anymore, and we do not engage in anything that does not measure up to God’s standard. Instead our minds are tranquil and clean.Fifth, we should think upon things that are lovely. God has given us a good creation in which we live, and it is worthwhile to dwell upon those things in it which are lovely. However, since the fall of mankind, the created world has been corrupted by sin, so that there are now things in it that are unlovely around us too. To maintain peace, we must dwell upon the lovely and shun the unlovely. The good news here is that there is a whole lot of lovely left for us to meditate on. This intentional choosing of the beautiful and the good helps transform our perspective. We begin to see what God sees better when our focus takes into account all He has made.Sixth, we must think upon things that are of good report. Conjecture, gossip, suspicion, and exaggeration are all enemies of peace. Instead of engaging in that kind of talk, we should focus our communication on good reports that are edifying and pleasing to God. We must honestly vet reports that come to us, determining if they are good or bad. Then we shall abide in peace. This habit goes a long way to building one another up and blessing others.

23The Greatest Symbol of PeaceSeventh, our thoughts should dwell upon biblical virtues. Charity, diligence, kindness, humility, and patience are all virtues that deserve our time and attention, and benet us and those around us too.Finally, Paul tells us to think upon things that are worthy of praise. Can we praise God for the thoughts that we are having? If not, we should replace those thoughts with ones that honor Him so we can abide in His peace.All in all, we are supposed to reect Jesus to a dying world. Therefore, we should be clearly exhibiting a higher and better way, the path of peace.If our minds dwell upon the eight ideas outlined in Philippians above: things that are true, honest, just, pure, lovely, of good report, virtuous, and praiseworthy, then we shall dwell in God’s peace, and that will be evident to everyone we meet. However, if our thoughts turn to things that lack these virtues, our minds will lack peace and we will open the door to chaos in our lives. It’s easy to see how the mental choices we make have a profound effect on our mental health, our witness, and our ability to reach our potential as Christians.“And let the peace of God rule in your hearts, to the which also ye are called in one body; and be ye thankful.” (Colossians 3:15)In this verse, Paul exhorts us to let the peace of God rule in our hearts. Our hearts and minds should be so infused with peace that every decision, every response, every reaction to anybody and everything, is characterized by peace. Instead of panic and anxiety, we can walk in peace and tranquility. The Scriptures tell us to let peace rule our hearts. We must choose to act out of peace, not anger, anxiety, or panic.

24How to Have Peace in Difcult TimesActions ruled by peace will be intelligent, moral, sensible, and wise. If we stay in peace, God will be pleased with our lives and we will be thankful to Him. The Amplied Version of this verse gets the point across well. It reads:“And let the peace (soul harmony which comes) from Christ rule (act as umpire continually) in your hearts [deciding and settling with nality all questions that arise in your minds, in that peaceful state] to which as [members of Christ’s] one body you were also called [to live]. And be thankful (appreciative), [giving praise to God always].” (Colossians 3:15 AMPC)10. In Peace, We Must Carry the Message of PeaceTrue peace is not something reserved for the individual. Those who dwell in God’s peace carry this peace into the world around them. We want to carry the message of peace to those who have no peace. Before turning to Scriptures which explain how this is done, we should rst look at a familiar passage which illustrates the danger when we do not carry the message of peace.“And when his brethren saw that their father loved him more than all his brethren, they hated him, and could not speak peaceably unto him.” (Genesis 37:4)Joseph’s brothers were lled with jealousy because their father Jacob loved Joseph more than his other sons. They let this jealousy eat away at their hearts and

25The Greatest Symbol of Peaceit turned to hatred. They were unable to speak words of peace and even wanted to kill Joseph. Finally, they sold their own brother into slavery. What drama followed! If you don’t know the story, it’s really worth reading. It’s found in Genesis 39-45.By now you can see that the stakes are high if we fail to carry the message of peace to others. If we do not, we will miss opportunities and cause unnecessary heartache. It’s actually vital that we choose to live in peace. Too often believers go another route, humorously illustrated by Charles Schultz in his beloved Peanuts cartoon strip.Lucy says to Charlie Brown, “I hate everything. I hate everybody. I hate the whole wide world!” Charlie says, “But I thought you had inner peace.” Lucy replies, “I do have inner peace. But I still have outer obnoxiousness.”3If we do not intentionally practice God’s commands in Philippians 4:7-8 and Colossians 3:15 (which we just read on the previous page), we will end up allowing our own version of “outer obnoxiousness” that does not honor our Father or draw others to Him. Instead, we can do real damage to others. This would be a shame in light of what God offers us. Our inner peace is meant to show forth Christ. Our peace has a purpose beyond our own sense of well-being. Peace is a powerful force for good.3 Ray Parascando, “Lent: Day 16 Having the Peace of God: February 24, 2016,” Crossroads Church, February 26, 2016, https://crossroadsny.org/mydailyinspiration/lent-day-16-peace-god-february-24-2016/.

26How to Have Peace in Difcult Times“For my brethren and companions’ sakes, I will now say, Peace be within thee.” (Psalm 122:8)Note that we are to speak peace to others for their sake, not our own. We should be a continual blessing to others once we have received the peace of God. We must experience God’s peace in community.“The prophet which prophesieth of peace, when the word of the prophet shall come to pass, then shall the prophet be known, that the LORD hath truly sent him.” (Jeremiah 28:9)God clearly shows us the importance of peace by using it as a litmus test for true prophecy. Those who follow the Lord will be persons of peace and righteousness. They will share God’s peace with others instead of bringing chaos and confusion to those around them. The Lord sends those who are lled with His peace to share His peace. How do we know if somebody comes in the name of God? We examine their message. If the message is one of peace, we know that they come from God.“And when ye come into an house, salute it. And if the house be worthy, let your peace come upon it: but if it be not worthy, let your peace return to you.” (Matthew 10:12-13)In these verses Jesus gave instructions to His disciples about how they are to spread the message of peace. He told

27The Greatest Symbol of Peacethem to “salute” the houses they enter. But what does this mean?In Jewish culture, when you entered somebody’s house, you would say, “Shalom!” which means “Peace be upon you!” They literally spoke peace into their households. This would not only state your peaceful intentions, but also pronounce a blessing on the household that had invited you. Christ commanded His disciples to do the same, but He did not stop with that. He continued His instruction by telling His disciples to withdraw that blessing from households that were unworthy. Those who reject the blessing of peace in the gospel cannot experience peace in their lives. The disciples could not force God’s peace upon those who were unwilling to receive it, and Jesus was telling them that they should not be troubled when this happens because their peace rested in Him instead of those who rejected His message. They would abide in peace even when people rejected and reviled them. The same is true for us today.“And into whatsoever house ye enter, rst say, Peace be to this house. And if the son of peace be there, your peace shall rest upon it: if not, it shall turn to you again.” (Luke 10:5-6)The parallel passage in Luke tells us the same principle. Summing UpThe gospel of Jesus Christ should give us peace. The incarnation, crucixion, and resurrection of our Lord is the core of that gospel. If we embrace this gospel, we will have

28How to Have Peace in Difcult Timespeace with God, with ourselves, and with others. This promise of peace brings us hope even in our darkest moments. If we accept this gospel, we will become messengers of peace to a world that is plagued with chaos. The peace that indwells us will carry into every aspect of our lives forever as long as we abide in it and characterize each of our relationships. It will affect all our activities. Without this gospel, the opposite will be true: We will be bereft of peace in our hearts and minds, and plagued with anxiety and chaos instead. It is my prayer that you will know God’s peace, abide in it, and share it with others. Because others will recognize God’s peace in you, they will want to know how you got that way, and you will be able to share the good news of this precious gift of peace with them. If you know Jesus and His peace, you can change the world.

Chapter 2The Way to Genuine PeaceGenuine peace must be our core condition. Without it, we will be unable to make wise decisions, enjoy positive relationships, or maintain our mental health. Many people have a false peace or a eeting one. That’s not good enough. Each of us needs genuine, long-lasting peace.Perhaps you have heard the old joke, “I’m so used to being anxious that when I start to get calm, I get nervous.” I hope this is not true of you, but if it is, these next chapters will help you nd genuine lasting peace.1. Anything Fake Is DangerousThe rst thing we must understand is that anything fake is dangerous—to ourselves and others. Our world is brimming with the deceitful, the underhanded, the supercial, the false. Let’s look at some Scriptures that clarify the dangers involved in these choices.“Thou shalt not bear false witness against thy neighbour.” (Exodus 20:16)

30How to Have Peace in Difcult TimesTruth is so fundamental to morality that God addressed it in the Ten Commandments. He very plainly stated that we must not lie; we must not bear false witness against anybody. Without truth, there can be no morality. Just a few chapters later, Moses repeated God’s command:“Thou shalt not raise a false report: put not thine hand with the wicked to be an unrighteous witness. Thou shalt not follow a multitude to do evil; neither shalt thou speak in a cause to decline after many to wrest judgment.” (Exodus 23:1-2)Just a few chapters later, Moses repeated this again. He maintained that giving a false report aligned a person with the wicked. A deceitful witness is actually choosing to side against the Lord! Moses warned that even if it seemed as though everyone around us was deceitful, that was no excuse to join them in that practice. Just because we are surrounded by liars and a culture of lies built on a throne of lies does not make it acceptable to lie. We must embrace truth and not be caught in the same practices as the wicked.“Deliver my soul, O LORD, from lying lips, and from a deceitful tongue. What shall be given unto thee? or what shall be done unto thee, thou false tongue?” (Psalm 120:2-3)In this verse, the psalmist asked the Lord to deliver him from deceit. Knowing God is a God of truth, he chose to trust God to deliver him from the dangers of falsehood. We too can turn to the Lord when we are confronted by those

31The Way to Genuine Peacewho would hurt us with their lies. We can nd shelter in Him, and trust Him for deliverance. Liars seek to hurt and destroy. They try to build themselves up by bringing others down. They are a dangerous threat, but the God of truth is stronger.“A false balance is abomination to the LORD: but a just weight is his delight.” (Proverbs 11:1)A false balance refers to inaccurate scales used to cheat people. For instance, a gas station pump registers how much gas you receive from it. A “false balance” in this context would claim to have put a full gallon in your car when it only delivered a three-quarters of a gallon, thereby cheating you of a quarter gallon for every gallon you pumped from it. This proverb warns against false dealings in our economic relationships. We should not cheat others, and should be on guard against those who would cheat us.“Most men will proclaim every one his own goodness: but a faithful man who can nd?” (Proverbs 20:6)This proverb urges us to be wise in the face of one who loudly proclaims his or her righteousness. If a person is truly good, they will be humble about their obedience. They will recognize that their goodness is a gift from God, and that they have no reason to boast about it. People who boast that they are good, usually are not.

32How to Have Peace in Difcult Times“Whoso boasteth himself of a false gift is like clouds and wind without rain.” (Proverbs 25:14)Boasters surround us. People puffed up in their own pride are everywhere. Their goal is to trick people into thinking highly of them with their bragging, but they are like a false gift. They believe they are special and that you are blessed to know them, but they are no better than a cloud that can’t deliver any rain. They are, in fact, useless, and spend their time in pointless pursuits. Even Aesop had something to say about the proud and the boastful:A certain man who visited foreign lands could talk of little when he returned to his home except the wonderful adventures he had met with and the great deeds he had done abroad. One of the feats he told about was a leap he had made in a city called Rhodes. That leap was so great, he said, that no other man could leap anywhere near the distance. A great many persons in Rhodes had seen him do it and would prove that what he told was true. “No need of witnesses,” said one of the hearers. “Suppose this city is Rhodes. Now show us how far you can jump.” Deeds count, not boasting words.4Unfortunately, not all are so obvious as the one de-scribed above. Too often others are taken in by the seem-ing condence of a braggart, but they’re not fooling God, and thankfully, God protects those who seek after Him.4 Aesop, “e Boasting Traveler,” Fables of Aesop, November 23, 2020, https://fablesofaesop.com/the-boasting-traveler.html.

33The Way to Genuine Peace“There is a generation that are pure in their own eyes, and yet is not washed from their lthiness. There is a generation, O how lofty are their eyes! and their eyelids are lifted up.” (Proverbs 30:12-13)Those who knowingly embrace that which is not genuine are themselves frauds. They are cheaters, deceivers, counterfeiters, hoaxers, shams, and pretenders. They are haughty, looking as though they are lifting their eyes to heaven, while their hearts are full of articial piety and insincerity. They are proud of their imagined purity, but are lthy in reality. God warns us not to trust in such people. A good example of this would be the two men in the temple in Luke 18:9-14. The humble man would not even look up to heaven as he prayed, but begged for help while the boastful man proudly told God all he had done for Him, as if God was lucky to have him as His child. Jesus said the rst man was heard by God, not the second. God knows the truth about every person, so it is a futility to try to put one over on Him. And He is the One in the end that matters. The boastful really care nothing for God. Their agenda is set on what they can gain in the here and now through trickery and deceit. But that’s not the path God calls us to follow.He encourages us to pursue genuine peace in Him instead and let Him extend that peace into our relationships with others. God in His wisdom has lovingly given us this warning and encouragement to keep us from danger. “Folly is set in great dignity, and the rich sit in low place.” (Ecclesiastes 10:6)

34How to Have Peace in Difcult TimesFolly in this passage refers to shameful things, silly things—things that are not genuine. Our culture applauds such, but we know they are not valued in the sight of God. “Behold, I am against them that prophesy false dreams, saith the LORD, and do tell them, and cause my people to err by their lies, and by their lightness; yet I sent them not, nor commanded them: therefore they shall not prot this people at all, saith the LORD.” (Jeremiah 23:32)The prophet Jeremiah condemned those who spoke falsely in the name of the Lord. It is particularly loathsome when deceivers claim to speak the truth in God’s name, but are really spreading lies. Not only does this dishonor God, but it also can lead others astray and cause them grief. False prophets may use words of attery to try to deceive their listeners, but these words can only lead to harm.“Woe unto you, when all men shall speak well of you! for so did their fathers to the false prophets.” (Luke 6:26)Jeremiah was not the only one to warn us against false prophets. Jesus cautioned us to be wary of atterers. False prophets tell you what they think you want to hear instead of the truth. They do not tell you what you need to hear, but tickle your ears with attering words instead. The motivation of their hearts is crooked. False prophets are surely dangerous because they can lead you astray, but false friends are just as bad. False friends will betray us in the end, which can cause disillusionment

35The Way to Genuine Peacein our inner core. This is why it is so important that we be strongly connected to the Lord. Jesus experienced the pain and loss that comes with investing in a relationship that did not turn out well. In Him, we can nd comfort and direction when this happens to us.The apostle Paul knew that false friends fueled by their own ulterior motives represented a great danger too. “In journeyings often, in perils of waters, in perils of robbers, in perils by mine own countrymen, in perils by the heathen, in perils in the city, in perils in the wilderness, in perils in the sea, in perils among false brethren.” (2 Corinthians 11:26)David also experienced the pain of false friends:“For it was not an enemy that reproached me; then I could have borne it: neither was it he that hated me that did magnify himself against me; then I would have hid myself from him: But it was thou, a man mine equal, my guide, and mine acquaintance. We took sweet counsel together, and walked unto the house of God in company.” (Psalm 55:12-14)David wrote that it was not an enemy who reproached him, mocked him, made fun of him, and told everybody he was stupid. If it had been an enemy, David would have expected that kind of treatment, and been able to bear it better. That’s what enemies do. But it was not an enemy who treated David cruelly. It was someone he considered a

36How to Have Peace in Difcult Timestrue friend. It was someone with whom he worshiped and whose counsel he had trusted. There may be no greater pain than knowing that somebody you loved and trusted has betrayed you, but it happens very often. Spouses betray each other, families split apart, and friends treat each other unkindly. David’s intimate friend claimed to be a fellow believer. Counterfeit believers ll our churches today. They are people who claim to follow Christ, but do not. This can be depressing, but we must remember that counterfeits are also proof that the genuine exist. You will never come across a counterfeit three-dollar bill because a three-dollar bill has never been printed. On the other hand, you might encounter a counterfeit twenty as we actually have those in circulation. We would never throw away all our twenty-dollar bills because someone is printing phony ones. Anyone who throws away real twenties because someone is printing phony ones is beyond foolish. In the same way, we should not reject being a Christian just because there are phony ones; most certainly, we should never cease being genuine friends because others are not. Even though Jesus knew what Judas would do, He never rejected him. Even though we are aware of how dangerous and painful it is to be betrayed, we must still choose to love others and look for genuine friends in the body of Christ.“Even so ye also outwardly appear righteous unto men, but within ye are full of hypocrisy and iniquity.” (Matthew 23:28)Outward appearances can be deceiving. A person might look like a believer, but be corrupt on the inside. The Bible warns us to be on guard against such hypocrites. They are narcissists, only interested in advancing themselves at the

37The Way to Genuine Peaceexpense of others. They are playing god because they do not have a sincere love for Him in the rst place. They consider themselves superior to others and are hurtful to those around them in their arrogant disregard.Nothing can disturb the peace in your life faster than false friends and hypocrites. They bring chaos, anxiety, and heartache in their wake. God wants you to live in peace, so once you identify these purveyors of deceit, it is best to stay away from them. They will only attempt to destroy your peace.2. Fake Peace Debilitates Us“Draw me not away with the wicked, and with the workers of iniquity, which speak peace to their neighbours, but mischief is in their hearts.” (Psalm 28:3)False peace hurts us and those with whom we have relationships. David pleads with God to keep wicked people away from him. The wicked pretend to speak peace, but their hearts are full of evil intent. They speak false peace. In Scripture, God tenderly cares for His people just as a good father loves his daughter. In Jeremiah, the people of Israel had come under God’s judgment for their disobedience. False teachers and prophets were giving Israel false hope and telling them that God was going to give them peace when God was actually saying something completely different. People who say there is peace when there is no true peace deceive others as well as themselves. They bring a false sense of security to the vulnerable and take advantage of them. False peace leaves people confused and anxious.

38How to Have Peace in Difcult TimesIt also damages our minds, so that we cannot make wise decisions. 3. Authentic Peace Is Priceless“Mark the perfect man, and behold, the upright: for the end of that man is peace.” (Psalm 37:37)The reward of a good life is peace. The Bible does not tell us that our reward is great riches or good health. Our reward is not something the world regards as valuable like gold or silver. God knows that peace is more valuable than any amount of money, so that is His gift to us.“For the mountains shall depart, and the hills be removed; but my kindness shall not depart from thee, neither shall the covenant of my peace be removed, saith the Lord that hath mercy on thee.” (Isaiah 54:10)Very few things in life are solid and certain. We can lose our job, our health, our money, even our lives or the lives of our loved ones. However, in all that, we know that if we have Christ, we can never lose God’s peace. Isaiah reminds us that God will never remove His covenant of peace from His people. Things that last are more valuable than things that fall apart. If you had a choice between a car that you could rely on for ve years and one that would last fteen years, you would choose the one that ran fteen years. God’s gift of

39The Way to Genuine Peacepeace is much better than that. Authentic peace is priceless because it lasts forever.“For the kingdom of God is not meat and drink; but righteousness, and peace, and joy in the Holy Ghost. For he that in these things serveth Christ is acceptable to God, and approved of men. Let us therefore follow after the things which make for peace, and things wherewith one may edify another.” (Romans 14:17-19)Paul reminds us that God’s kingdom is not about carnal pleasures like eating and drinking. God’s kingdom is about spiritual realities such as righteousness, joy, and peace. Our salvation grants us what we really need. We really need peace. God’s peace is far more valuable than anything the world has to offer.As a young person, I would probably not have placed peace high on my list of needs, but as I grew older I recognized the profound value of having peace within my soul. Today I treasure that peace more than any possession or position, because I have learned that I can rely on the peace of God in any trying circumstance that will come my way. More on that later.4. There Are Only Two Kinds of Peace: True Peace and False Peace“Peace I leave with you, my peace I give unto you: not as the world giveth, give I

40How to Have Peace in Difcult Timesunto you. Let not your heart be troubled, neither let it be afraid.” (John 14:27)Jesus promised His followers that He would leave them with His peace. He explained that the peace He would give them is different from the kind of peace the world offers. These two concepts of peace are diametrically opposed to one another. Those who abide in the peace of Jesus need not be afraid or troubled; their hearts can rest in His hope and peace. Those that rely on the world for peace may lose what they think they possess at any given moment because it is not a real or lasting peace.“Beware lest any man spoil you through philosophy and vain deceit, after the tradition of men, after the rudiments of the world, and not after Christ.” (Colossians 2:8)Since God loves us and wants us to live in His peace, He cautions us about anything that can rob our peace. This is one of the ways He shows His love for us. He wants to keep us safe and protected. The verse you just read is just one of these warnings. Paul warns us that the philosophies of the world are vain and deceitful. The world cannot give us peace. The traditions of men present worldviews that are opposed to Christ and the true path to peace. These competing worldviews will confuse you if you let them. Worldviews are the basis for the way we think and view the world around us. Since our ideas have consequences, if our worldview is marred or impaired, our decisions will be negatively affected. A faulty worldview will bring your heart and mind into chaos instead of restful peace in the end. Many believe

41The Way to Genuine Peacethat the wisdom of this world has the capacity to solve all of humanity’s problems, but Paul says that these hopes can only be disappointed. There are only two options: God’s way and the world’s. God’s path leads to true peace and well-being, while the world’s winding trails lead to false peace and despair, even though they loudly claim the reverse. Once again, we can think back to the boastful fools that arrogantly follow their own perverse ways and think they will not ounder, but will end well. This is not the case. “The way of a fool is right in his own eyes: but he that hearkeneth unto counsel is wise.” (Proverbs 12:15)Fools do not perceive their own foolishness. They believe that they are right. Wicked people believe that their wicked deeds are justied. In the stubbornness of their own hearts, they follow the path that seems best to them. Nevertheless, their works will not lead them to lasting peace. Only those who are wise and follow God’s path to peace will nd what their hearts need. “Every way of a man is right in his own eyes: but the LORD pondereth the hearts.” (Proverbs 21:2)This proverb teaches us something very similar to the previous one. Sinful man is not even aware of his own folly. He is right in his own eyes. He thinks he has peace, but his peace is not genuine. God’s way to peace is not man’s way to peace. These two worldviews are incompatible.

42How to Have Peace in Difcult Times“The way of peace they know not; and there is no judgment in their goings: they have made them crooked paths: whosoever goeth therein shall not know peace.” (Isaiah 59:8)The world does not know peace. In fact, the Personnel Journal, a periodical devoted to understanding resource management, reported this incredible statistic: Since the beginning of recorded history, the entire world has been at peace less than eight percent of the time! In its study, the periodical discovered that of 3,530 years of recorded history, only 286 years saw peace. Moreover, in excess of 8,000 peace treaties were made—and broken.5 That’s pretty pitiful. The world has no grasp on the concept of peace, and never has.Many people who follow the world’s version of peace cannot exercise good judgment, so they make poor life decisions as a result. Their cacophony of ideologies and philosophies are altogether crooked. As they follow the world’s ways, they make poor decisions and nd themselves walking on a treacherous and difcult path. As they stumble along, the last thing they will nd on that crooked way is peace. Instead they will struggle to make reasonable decisions. In the end, only disaster awaits them. And it doesn’t matter how “successful” they may look at any juncture. They are only investing in a worldly existence while their eternal life is in peril—a problem of which they are unaware. That’s how well their human wisdom serves them in the end.Human wisdom cannot attain real peace. That can only come from God and requires following the path He has 5 Moody Bible Institute’s Today in the Word, June, 1988, p. 33.

43The Way to Genuine Peacelaid out for us. His peace is so important that it frames the entire passage just quoted from Isaiah. Note that it begins with the phrase: “The way of peace they know not,” and ends with “whosever goeth therein shall not know peace.” Isaiah is saying that the way of God’s peace is of paramount importance. Anyone whose path does not follow this way is in serious trouble, whether they realize it or not.“Destruction and misery are in their ways: And the way of peace have they not known: There is no fear of God before their eyes.” (Romans 3:16-18)Paul picks up this same theme in Romans: Those who do not fear God shall not know peace. Their fate is destruction and misery. They do not know how to escape that fate because they are relying on their own wisdom and sense of false peace. They are incapable of making wise, moral decisions. Peace is not in their hearts. They think they know the way of peace, but their wisdom is foolishness in the eyes of God. Man naturally thinks that he is wiser than God; in reality, this is foolishness. How can a nite man be wiser than the innite God? How can the creature be wiser than the Creator? God is all-wise and the Source of all wisdom. Without God, man has no wisdom and cannot nd peace.5. God’s Way Surpasses Natural Understanding“And the peace of God, which passeth all understanding, shall keep your hearts and minds through Christ Jesus.” (Philippians 4:7)

44How to Have Peace in Difcult TimesLet’s revisit our key passage again. How can we grasp something which is beyond our ability to understand? As mentioned earlier, to “understand” is to be able to explain the logic of why things happen and make sense of the world around us. Simply put, understanding is the ability to see cause and effect. If I pay my electric bill, the power company will give me electricity. If I hit my thumb with a hammer, I will get a bruise. We can easily grasp the cause and effect in these actions. Our understanding of this process is ne in these simple illustrations, but breaks down when it comes to larger, more global and abstract ideas, like true peace. The world views peace as a feeling or an emotion, and applies cause and effect to this idea. The world tells us that if we take a particular action or travel in a certain way, we will have peace in our lives. Their version of peace is contingent on something we do, and dependent on our life’s circumstances. This is not how God’s peace works. God’s peace is a gift to us and is not dependent on our circumstances or our feelings. It is not built upon how things are going. God’s peace does not follow the world’s pattern of cause and effect. Instead it is beyond our understanding; and since it is His gift, nobody can take it away from us.God’s peace will guard our hearts and minds in Christ Jesus. If God’s peace is the core condition of our hearts, then we do not need to worry about our mental health. No matter what our circumstances are, we will be able to rest in Him. We will not have to worry about the decisions we make either because we are resting in His peace and directed by Him.Because it is the underpinning of our hearts, we will not be ruled by anger or prone to making rash decisions. God’s

45The Way to Genuine Peacepeace enables us to be meek, and it is the meek who will inherit the earth. We are not slaves to our circumstances. Instead, we can abide in hopeful peace, knowing that God loves us and will take care of us—whether things are going well or not. We cannot control our circumstances or what goes on in the world around us, and this lack of control sometimes feels frightening, but we are tethered to God’s peace, so we do not need to be afraid. As I write this, the world is facing a terrible virus that is out of our control. I cannot stop the virus, but I can still know God’s peace which will keep me stable, healthy, mentally alert, and uncontaminated by the avalanche of negative news around me. This is true for any problem—no matter how large or small. The peace of God will keep your heart and understanding.6. Jesus Is the Only Way to Genuine PeaceThis point is the crux of the issue. Believers know what true peace is, and that God is the only Source of that peace. The question is: How do we get true everlasting peace from God? The answer lies in the life and work of Jesus Christ. He is the only way to genuine peace.“To give knowledge of salvation unto his people by the remission of their sins, Through the tender mercy of our God; whereby the dayspring from on high hath visited us. To give light to them that sit in darkness and in the shadow of death, to guide our feet into the way of peace.” (Luke 1:77-79)

46How to Have Peace in Difcult TimesWe have already mentioned the reasons why Christ came to earth. Here Luke repeats that reason: Christ came to give knowledge of salvation to His people by the remission of their sins. Remission refers to complete and total forgiveness. It may seem impossible that God could completely erase our sin, but that is what He has done.Never doubt that the God who can create something out of nothing, can also create nothing out of something. God is all-powerful. As the Master of the Universe, He created the entire universe out of nothing. This same God who created all things out of nothing can completely erase your sins. He can render every portion of your sin into nothing at all. In fact, He does more than that.He takes our sin—all of it—upon Himself, and then, He counts us as righteous in His sight. God does not look at us as sinners. He only sees the perfect righteousness of His Son who knew no sin. Our sin no longer rules us. It no longer denes us. It cannot trouble us. Our past does not dene our future. This is why Christ came. This great exchange saves us. Our sins are forgiven and left behind. We are righteous in God’s sight. This should encourage and give us peace. God gives us the knowledge of salvation and forgiveness of our sins, establishing us in His perfect peace. Luke refers to Jesus as the Dayspring from on high. Jesus’ coming to earth represented a new dawning, a new day which brought new light and hope to a fallen world. God did not send forth His Son in wrath to visit judgment and destruction upon us for our sin. Instead, God, in His tender mercy, sent the “dayspring from on high” to visit us and live with us, fully God and fully man. Jesus came to show us the way of true peace and forgiveness.Most people in the world do not understand the meaning of life. They stumble about in darkness because

47The Way to Genuine Peacethey do not follow Christ. Christ is the only One who can give us light, so He can guide us into this peace. While the world is stumbling towards death, Jesus lives to saves us from that end. “Thomas saith unto him, Lord, we know not whither thou goest; and how can we know the way? Jesus saith unto him, I am the way, the truth, and the life: no man cometh unto the Father, but by me.” (John 14:5-6)This passage is part of Jesus’ “farewell discourse.” The gospel of John gives us the most detailed account of all that Jesus told His disciples before He went to the cross. Jesus knew what was coming. He knew Judas would betray Him, Peter would deny Him, and Thomas would doubt Him. He knew His disciples would ee in fear, stricken with doubt and despair. Instead of chastising them for their lack of faith, He provided them with words of comfort and encouragement—words that still bring us comfort and encouragement today.Doubting Thomas still did not understand the gospel at this point and questioned Jesus about the way to follow Him. Jesus explained that He is the way. He is the way to God, to heaven, to peace. There is no other way. He is the way, so we shall never be lost. He is the truth, so we shall never be paralyzed with confusion. He is the life, so when faced with hopeless depression and despair, we will not be overcome by it.

48How to Have Peace in Difcult Times7. God’s Thoughts about You Are PeacefulImagine if you could somehow look inside the mind of God. Believe it or not, you would see you! God thinks about you. He is a God of loving-kindness who cares for His creatures. Most people do not realize that God thinks about them. What kinds of thoughts does God have about us? Thoughts of peace! Wow!“How precious also are thy thoughts unto me, O God! how great is the sum of them! If I should count them, they are more in number than the sand: when I awake, I am still with thee.” (Psalm 139:17-18)Imagine you have a handful of sand. How many grains would you be holding? Hundreds? Thousands? Probably around 10,000 grains of sand just in your hand! David says that the sum of God’s thoughts is greater than not just the grains of sand you could hold in your hand, but greater than all the sand that exists worldwide. Think about that! All the hundreds of thousands of miles of seashore, all the sand at the bottom of the ocean, all the great sand dunes of the deserts and coastlands. God’s thoughts are innitely greater than the total number of all those grains of sand! “As for me, since I am poor and needy, let the Lord keep me in his thoughts. You are my helper and my savior. O my God, do not delay.” (Psalm 40:17) Amazingly, even with all those thoughts, God has a special place in His mind for you and me. He keeps us in His thoughts. That means that right now, He is thinking

49The Way to Genuine Peaceabout you. His divine thoughts are thoughts of peace—peace with Him forever. He never leaves us alone, even for a moment, but is a continual source of encouragement and hope, a well that never runs dry. No one else is more worthy of all of our love and affection. “For I know the thoughts that I think toward you, saith the LORD, thoughts of peace, and not of evil, to give you an expected end.” (Jeremiah 29:11)Jeremiah corroborates the fact that God’s thoughts about us are peaceful. God is not cruel, waiting for the next opportunity to punish us in some way. He is a loving Father who wants us to experience and walk in His peace throughout our lives. How often does the Lord have these thoughts about us? Are we just a eeting thought in the mind of God or does He deeply care for us? Psalm 40 has this to say: “I am poor and needy; yet the Lord thinketh upon me: thou art my help and my deliverer; make no tarrying, O my God.” (Psalm 40:17)8. God Is a PeacemakerGod does not seek to bring trouble to His created order. He wants people to know peace, and He wants His creation to be at peace. Some people believe that God brings trouble to the world or that religious belief is a source of violence, but the Bible says this is not true. It tells us that our God is a peaceful God. Here’s an example:

50How to Have Peace in Difcult TimesIn the late 1800s, Amy Carmichael, a young Irish girl, began serving as a missionary in India. She remained there without leave for over 55 years. At some point in her service, she began rescuing young girls who had been sold to the temple priests, where they lived lives of “moral and spiritual danger.” Little girls were not valued in Indian society; and if a family was very poor, they often sold girls into lives of servitude, or dedicated them to the temples in an effort to get a blessing from one of the many Indian gods and goddesses. These girls lived hard lives and were often exploited. They were drawn to Amy because she loved them, and Amy braved great persecution to champion their cause and keep them from the temple authorities. It was a situation in which she had to hold to the direction and wisdom of God in spite of the turbulence and threats around her. Amy Carmichael wrote many books and tracts, and in her writings is this simple statement: Blessed are the single-hearted, for they shall enjoy much peace. If you refuse to be hurried and pressed, if you stay your soul on God, nothing can keep you from that clearness of spirit which is life and peace. In that stillness you will know what His will is.6Amy Carmichael knew God’s peace. She knew that God wanted to bring peace and joy to these little girls who 6 “A Biography of Amy Carmichael, Missionary to India,” RSS, accessed February 14, 2021, http://missionaryportal.webow.io/biography/amy-carmichael#:~:text=Amy%20Carmichael%20Quotes,which%20is%20life%20and%20peace.

51The Way to Genuine Peacehad no hope, and she lived in clarity about God’s will. We can do the same. This is hugely important if we are to accomplish the works Jesus has planned for us in our lives. He actually leads us through peaceful pathways.“Now the God of peace be with you all. Amen.” (Romans 15:33)Paul is saying that God’s presence brings peace. Sin is the cause of strife, not God. Wherever God is present, there is peace. When people try to escape from God, they experience turmoil. In their pride, they blame their troubled state on God when it is actually the result of their own choice to reject Him.“Those things, which ye have both learned, and received, and heard, and seen in me, do: and the God of peace shall be with you.” (Philippians 4:9)God promises to be with us and bring us peace. In the above verse, Paul admonished the church in Philippi to heed his words. Paul had taught them how they should act in the world by word and example. He knew that if they followed the Lord, God would bring them into perfect peace. God’s peace is a manifestation of His presence. 9. Genuine Peace Requires the Knowledge of GodIt is not enough to academically understand everything we have just said in this chapter. Genuine peace requires that you know God. We must know Him personally and

52How to Have Peace in Difcult Timesbe known by Him personally. We must have a saving relationship with Him that can only come through Christ. “To give light to them that sit in darkness and in the shadow of death, to guide our feet into the way of peace.” (Luke 1:79)The Bible often uses the metaphor of light to describe knowledge. This indicates that it is not mere head knowledge, but knowledge that transforms the heart and illuminates it. According to Luke, Christ came to earth to give us light, and His light transforms our lives and leads us into the path of peace.“For he is our peace, who hath made both one, and hath broken down the middle wall of partition between us.” (Ephesians 2:14)Jesus is our peace. It is not enough to have a supercial, surface knowledge of Christ. We must have a deep personal relationship with Him to have His peace. This point cannot be overemphasized. One writer put it this way: For some Christians, a relationship with Jesus consists of praying to Him and going to church on Sunday. They allow Jesus to be a sacrice for their sins, but the relationship with Him stops there. For others, Jesus is an example to follow, and they try their best to live as He did. But since Jesus is in heaven and they are here, they don’t really expect to have much of a relationship with Him, and therefore, in fact, do not. Such relationships with Jesus can, at best, be described as “distant.” The Bible, however, speaks about an intimate and

53The Way to Genuine Peacedynamic relationship with Jesus. He is, after all, a person, not a “theological concept”; not someone who once lived on the earth and now is far away, but a person who is alive and can be very near.7Jesus wants to be our constant companion, one we interact with on a daily basis. When our relationship with Him is deep and intimate, He is able to closely work in our lives, bringing us to a deep level of peace and stability in Him. When Jesus is our peace, He will break down any divisions that exist between His people. He gives us peace with God and peace with one another.“Grace and peace be multiplied unto you through the knowledge of God, and of Jesus our Lord.” (2 Peter 1:2)The apostle Peter said that God will multiply our grace and peace. How? He does it by giving us knowledge of Himself and Jesus. This is not just knowledge about God. It is knowledge that also comes from God. This knowledge is a requirement for grace and peace. I could read about George Washington and say that I know him, but I will never know George Washington in the same way that I know a family member. I have a personal relationship with my family member that I could never have with Washington. The same is true about God. I could read a book about God and say that I know Him, but if I do not have a personal relationship with Him, I will never truly know Him, and I will not be able to abide in His peace.7 Vern Nicolette, “How Can I Have a Deeper Relationship with Jesus? John 14:21-23,” ActiveChristianity, December 13, 2016, https://activechristianity.org/how-can-i-have-a-deeper-relationship-with-jesus.

54How to Have Peace in Difcult Times10. Genuine Peace Requires Jesus’ GovernanceGenuine peace begins with making Jesus the Governor of our life. He must be our Lord. He must be in charge for us to have true peace. If we insist upon our own autonomy, we will not have peace. If we follow the philosophies of this world, we will not have peace. If we do what other people tell us to do, we will not have peace. If we put ourselves in charge instead of God, we will not have peace. Instead, we must yield control of our lives to the Prince of Peace, and He will keep us in His peace. His management and governance is perfect. He has our best interests at heart. When we give Him control, He guides us into everlasting peace. This submission is the rst and most important step towards peace.“For unto us a child is born, unto us a son is given: and the government shall be upon his shoulder: and his name shall be called Wonderful, Counsellor, the mighty God, the everlasting Father, the Prince of Peace.” (Isaiah 9:6)This is a popular passage to read around Christmas, but it is vital to our study. Isaiah foretold the coming of Jesus, the Messiah. When Isaiah wrote that the government shall be upon His shoulder, he did not mean that Jesus would come and be a head of state. Chrisitanity is a change of government... from self government to Christ’s government. Instead of narcissism (selshness and dominating egos) we bring in a trustworthy management system. Life Management requires a Manager who loves us supremely

55The Way to Genuine Peaceand is smart enough to guide us in right paths. His “kingdom” is not a political organization but a new grouping of persons under the the nest of life management systems. Thus, ‘the government shall be upon His shoulders.’ Additionally, it shows that Jesus must govern our lives.However, Isaiah goes further by sharing some of Jesus’ titles: Wonderful, Counselor, the Mighty God, and the Prince of Peace. Let’s focus on this last title: the Prince of Peace. A prince is the top-ranking ofcial. He is in charge. Peace must come through Him. Who is in charge of your life? Does the world govern you? Do other people govern you through their opinions? Do you try to govern yourself? The Bible tells us that Jesus must govern us. Most often, the problem is yourself. We put “I” in charge. This little letter causes a great deal of trouble. It is in the middle of the word pride and shows up three times in the word iniquity. If we put ourselves in charge, we will not have peace.“Of the increase of his government and peace there shall be no end, upon the throne of David, and upon his kingdom, to order it, and to establish it with judgment and with justice from henceforth even for ever. The zeal of the LORD of hosts will perform this.” (Isaiah 9:7)Isaiah continues by saying that Christ’s government will not end. His peace will not end. When we turn our lives over to Christ, we shall know no end to peace. We have joined His kingdom. He reigns upon the throne of David and has established His kingdom with justice forever. His judgment is perfect. He does not have the capacity to make a mistake. His perfect justice and judgment will bring peace. Isaiah reminds us of the certainty of this promise,

56How to Have Peace in Difcult Timessaying that the zeal of the Lord will accomplish it. He never fails or breaks His promises.“All we like sheep have gone astray; we have turned every one to his own way; and the LORD hath laid on him the iniquity of us all.” (Isaiah 53:6)All of us need to be governed by Christ. We are lost sheep without Him. We are full of iniquity. Sheep without a shepherd have no peace. They are isolated. We cannot have peace apart from Christ. God placed all our iniquity on this Good Shepherd. When we follow Him, we have peace. Instead of foolish sheep that are easy prey, we come under the governance of a mighty Shepherd-King and are ushered into His kingdom as sons and daughters. He grants us access to Himself and all He has to offer. Jesus’ kingdom is unlike any earthly one, but is unusual in that we never have to fend for ourselves within it. “But he answered and said, It is written, Man shall not live by bread alone, but by every word that proceedeth out of the mouth of God.” (Matthew 4:4)Most of us are concerned with our physical needs. We worry about our nances, food, our home, and our health, but Matthew reminds us that we do not live on bread alone. Our physical needs are important, but they are not as important as the wisdom, encouragement, guidance, and correction we get from God. We can trust Him. He will never lead us astray or leave us alone. He loves us, and

57The Way to Genuine Peaceknows what is best for us in every situation. He is the only One with enough wisdom to lead us in peace.Summing UpWe have examined the way to genuine peace, and understood the danger inherent in false peace, so by now you can appreciate the importance of authenticity. Since God alone is the Source of true peace, we must truly know God and give Him complete control over our lives to walk in His peace. Take the time to look at your relationship with Jesus today. Do you connect with Him daily or is He distant in your life? Do you live with a continual sense of His presence with you? If you do not, do two things: First and foremost, pray and ask Him for help in this area. Next, nd a Christian, someone you know who has a strong and intimate relationship with Jesus and talk with them. You will know them, not by their speech but by the spiritual fruit in their lives. If you are around a real Christian, you should sense the love of Christ through them. You should feel accepted by them. They will not be perfect, but God’s grace should be evident in their lives. We will continue to look at God’s path to genuine peace according to His Word, and see how this peace transforms all our relationships across the board.

58How to Have Peace in Difcult Times

Chapter 3Footsteps to Genuine PeacePeace is one of the most important aspects of life and the foundation of mental health. It enables us to make wise decisions without the interference of outside emotions or circumstances. We have already learned that the difference between the world’s way to peace and God’s is that the world’s way depends upon external circumstances, while God’s depends strictly on the condition of the inside of a person. In this chapter, we will examine the paths that bring us genuine peace. We know that God has provided us peace through Christ and that we must maintain that peace. In this chapter, we will see how God’s peace causes us to triumph and leads us to an even deeper peace. We will see the role that the Bible, prayer, God’s wisdom, and the Holy Spirit play in maintaining it. Finally, we will look at how we are to stay at peace with everyone and how peace should remain the focus of our lives.

60How to Have Peace in Difcult Times1. Jesus Came to Give Us the Footsteps to Peace“To give light to them that sit in darkness and in the shadow of death, to guide our feet into the way of peace.” (Luke 1:79)Jesus came to give light to those that live in darkness. Without Christ, we live in the shadow of death. Jesus came to guide us out of that darkness and into His light. He knew that we were doomed to die separated from the Father, so He stepped into time and rescued all of humanity. He guides our feet into peace. He is a sure Guide who will never lead us astray.“Now the God of hope ll you with all joy and peace in believing, that ye may abound in hope, through the power of the Holy Ghost.” (Romans 15:13)Paul conrmed this idea here in Romans. He wrote that God is a God of joy and peace; and when we believe in Him, He brings us into joy and peace. We must believe to have this hope, and it is the Holy Ghost who empowers us to believe. Our hope will not fail because it is based in God. This hope is guaranteed to bring us peace.2. We Have Peace with God by RedemptionIf we want peace in our lives, we must rst have peace with God. As mentioned before, we cannot have peace with ourselves, others, or the world around us without peace with God. The problem is sin. We cannot have peace with

61Footsteps to Genuine PeaceGod while we are still in bondage to sin. Thankfully, God solved this problem by reconciling us to Himself through the redemption of Christ.“Therefore being justied by faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ: By whom also we have access by faith into this grace wherein we stand, and rejoice in hope of the glory of God. And not only so, but we glory in tribulations also: knowing that tribulation worketh patience.” (Romans 5:1-3)These verses are foundational to our understanding of redemption and peace with God. This verse is the starting point and core of the gospel. It explains the very beginning of the path to peace that God has provided in Christ. Peace comes from being justied by faith. When you put your faith in Jesus Christ, you begin walking the path to peace. Our faith is in the person and work of Christ. He lived the perfect life that we cannot; He died as the atonement for our sins, taking our sin upon Himself. He also rose from the dead, and guarantees our resurrection. He shall return again to demonstrate His power and victory over sin and death. These glorious truths reconcile us to God. We are no longer His enemy but have peace with Him. He forgives all our sin and makes us white as snow. We are no longer ruled by sin, but can live lives of peace pleasing to God. That is the wonderful result of Jesus’ death and resurrection. We have passed from death to life.We have access to the grace of God through faith. We do not earn God’s grace through our good works. Faith alone can bring us into grace and peace. Paul says that we

62How to Have Peace in Difcult Times“stand rm” in this grace. This peace is so complete, and this grace is so powerful, that we glory even during times of trouble and persecution. How can we glory in tribulation? God promises to use tribulation to build patience in us, and patience is a virtue which we need greatly in our lives. Therefore, our peace is not dependent on our outward circumstances. Even when life is very difcult, we can abide in God’s peace. We can handle any difcult person or event that comes into our life. We do not need to panic or worry because God has promised us His perfect peace, and we can rely on Him, no matter what. 3. We Must Not Be Casual about Having PeacePeace is hugely important. If we do not appreciate that, we are in danger of neglecting it. We need peace both for our own well-being and for the well-being of all our relationships. We must pursue peace and value it. As I pointed out in chapter one, we must abide in God’s peace and never become casual about it. Several passages warn us about becoming complacent about our peace, and they contain a consistent and simple theme throughout: We must avoid evil and seek peace.“Keep thy tongue from evil, and thy lips from speaking guile. Depart from evil, and do good; seek peace, and pursue it.” (Psalm 34:13-14)Our tongues can get us into a lot of trouble. When we speak out of anger or bitterness, we hurt not only our own peace, but that of others too. This principle applies to more than the spoken word. The written word is just as powerful.

63Footsteps to Genuine PeaceBitter and angry posts on social media can also keep us from abiding in peace. We must ee from evil words and deeds, and not allow them a foothold in our lives. Instead, we must actively pursue peace, walking in the footsteps of peace God has provided.“Flee also youthful lusts: but follow righteousness, faith, charity, peace, with them that call on the Lord out of a pure heart. But foolish and unlearned questions avoid, knowing that they do gender strifes.” (2 Timothy 2:22-23)In these verses Paul provides a contrast. He warns us to ee from youthful lusts in a way very similar to the psalm we just read. He also cautions us against unlearned questions, referring to petty speculations that can bring division and strife into our relationships. Then he tells us what we should pursue: righteousness, faith, love, and peace. Those who follow this path call on the Lord from a pure heart, which means their internal motives are pure. It should be noted, however, that growing in purity of heart is a process. When we rst come to know the Lord, our motives are mixed. We are still dealing with our own agendas that are rmly embedded on our hard drive. As we practice following Jesus though, we discover our new creation and the gifts Jesus has placed within us. As time passes, our motives become more and more aligned with God’s and our peace with Him deepens.“And the servant of the Lord must not strive; but be gentle unto all men, apt to teach, patient.” (2 Timothy 2:24)

64How to Have Peace in Difcult TimesGentleness and peace are related. Those who walk in peace will exhibit gentle and patient behavior toward others. They will not strive impatiently. In this passage, Paul is describing the qualications for ofce in the church, but this admonition is also true for all followers of Christ. “For he that will love life, and see good days, let him refrain his tongue from evil, and his lips that they speak no guile. Let him eschew evil, and do good; let him seek peace, and ensue it.” (1 Peter 3:10-11)We all want to live a happy life and see good days. Here Peter gives us the simple formula for that: We must not use evil or dishonest speech. How we choose to employ our tongues has great potential for evil or good. We will not have peace if we choose to use our tongues for evil or engage in falsehood. Instead, we must ee from evil, and choose the good. We must seek peace and ensue it. Ensue is another word for pursue, and it indicates that we must take an active role as we abide in peace. We must seek it with all our hearts. We cannot be casual in our pursuit of peace. Jesus has shown us the pathway to peace, but we must pursue it. We must choose to walk in it.4. God’s Peace Causes Us to TriumphChrist has reconciled us to God through His work on the cross, therefore we have peace with God. That is our standing. The next step is to receive peace from God. When we abide in God’s peace, we are victorious.“These things I have spoken unto you, that in me ye might have peace. In the world

65Footsteps to Genuine Peaceye shall have tribulation: but be of good cheer; I have overcome the world.” (John 16:33)In Romans 8:37, Paul reminded us that we are more than conquerors through Him that loved us. In this passage, John has recorded the similar words of Jesus. Jesus taught His disciples well, so they would be able to have peace in the world. He knew what they needed better than they did. As His followers, we not only have peace with God, but we also have peace in spite of living in this fallen world too. Jesus told them to be of good cheer because He had overcome the world. It does not matter what we face in our lives if we have His peace. We will face tough times, but we can face them knowing that we have the bountiful grace and peace of God. Being able to stand in peace and receive God’s peace in any situation grants us the ability to stand rm in a way we could not before we knew Christ. We can rest in Him. Our strength is no longer our own, but His, and He is a Rock.“Now the Lord of peace himself give you peace always by all means. The Lord be with you all.” (2 Thessalonians 3:16)This verse is a very encouraging component of the gospel of Christ. Paul is speaking a blessing on the church in Thessalonica and this blessing is for us as well. He says the Lord of peace Himself will give us peace. God is all-powerful and completely in control of peace. He is the One who promises to give us peace. This promise cannot fail. An important element of this promise is almost hidden in one little adverb: “always.” God’s peace does not come or go based on our circumstances. His is an abiding peace.

66How to Have Peace in Difcult TimesNot only will He always give us peace, but He will do so by every possible means. Even though God’s peace may come in different ways, we know He can be relied upon for it at all times. Our hearts and minds can rest in His peace because He is the Lord of peace who will always be faithful to us. His peace will never be taken away from us. This is good news.5. More of God’s Word Leads to More PeaceLet’s turn our attention to the role that God’s Word plays in our peace. Simply put, the more time we spend in God’s Word, the more we will experience the peace of God. “For my thoughts are not your thoughts, neither are your ways my ways, saith the LORD. For as the heavens are higher than the earth, so are my ways higher than your ways, and my thoughts than your thoughts.” (Isaiah 55:8-9)God is different from man. (That should be obvious to everyone.) He is innite while we are nite. He is perfect while we are sinful. He is omnipotent while we are very weak. The differences extend to our thoughts too. God’s thoughts are perfect. He knows everything perfectly. Conversely, humanity’s knowledge and thoughts are limited. God’s ways are qualitatively different from man’s ways too. His ways are perfect while ours are not.Isaiah tells us that God’s thoughts are innitely greater than ours. To make his point clear, Isaiah uses an analogy: God’s thoughts are higher than our thoughts just as the

67Footsteps to Genuine Peaceheavens are higher than the earth. Isaiah is not making a comparison between the ground and the clouds up in the sky. He is using the vastness of the universe to illustrate how much greater God’s thoughts are than ours. So how vast is this universe? Light travels at 186,000 miles per second. In one second, light can travel around the world 7½ times. There are more than thirty-one million seconds in a year. If you multiple thirty-one million times 186,000, you have the distance light travels in one year (or one light year). One light year is about six trillion miles. The closest galaxy to ours is 25,000 light years away, and scientists estimate that there are over 100 billion galaxies in the universe. These distances are unfathomable to our minds. This is the comparison Isaiah is making. We cannot even conceive how much higher God’s thoughts are than our own. To put it another way, God is way smarter than we are. But here is the wonderful thing. God has chosen to reveal His thoughts to us in His Word, the Bible. We do not have to live in ignorance, but can think God’s thoughts as we read His Word and hide it in our hearts. This is another mysterious process in which we exchange the worthless for the precious, and our inner man is strengthened and built up just by reading and listening to the written Word of God. Amazing!“For as the rain cometh down, and the snow from heaven, and returneth not thither, but watereth the earth, and maketh it bring forth and bud, that it may give seed to the sower, and bread to the eater; So shall my word be that goeth forth out of my mouth: it shall not return unto me

68How to Have Peace in Difcult Timesvoid, but it shall accomplish that which I please, and it shall prosper in the thing whereto I sent it. For ye shall go out with joy, and be led forth with peace: the mountains and the hills shall break forth before you into singing, and all the trees of the eld shall clap their hands. Instead of the thorn shall come up the r tree, and instead of the brier shall come up the myrtle tree: and it shall be to the LORD for a name, for an everlasting sign that shall not be cut off.” (Isaiah 55:10-13)God’s Word is powerful. It accomplishes what it sets out to do. The rain and snow do not just fall without watering the earth. Similarly, God’s Word doesn’t just come out of His mouth and not accomplish what He wants it to do. God created the universe by His Word. He spoke and everything came into existence out of nothing. God has given us His Word in the Bible, and it too is powerful. God wants His Word to transform our lives, bringing us peace and making us prosper. When we appreciate and grow in God’s Word, we will not only have peace, we will also have great joy. Isaiah used natural metaphors to describe this great joy: The mountains and hills will sing, and the tress will clap their hands. Instead of thorns and briers, creation will produce beautiful r and myrtle trees. This imagery is one of delight so great that even the natural creation participates in it. This great joy is a sign to us that the peace God provides is everlasting and we shall never be cut off from it. This promise alone brings us great joy and happiness.

69Footsteps to Genuine Peace“But he answered and said, It is written, Man shall not live by bread alone, but by every word that proceedeth out of the mouth of God.” (Matthew 4:4)Jesus clearly stated His point in this section, explaining that man cannot live on food alone. Although our “bread” may sustain our physical bodies, it is not enough to maintain our spiritual health. We must have the Word of God for our very survival. It is essential for our peace and well-being. “Ye have heard that it hath been said, Thou shalt love thy neighbour, and hate thine enemy. But I say unto you, Love your enemies, bless them that curse you, do good to them that hate you, and pray for them which despitefully use you, and persecute you; That ye may be the children of your Father which is in heaven: for he maketh his sun to rise on the evil and on the good, and sendeth rain on the just and on the unjust.” (Matthew 5:43-45)In this excerpt from the Sermon on the Mount, Jesus provided us with a radical Christian ethic. He instructed us to do things that make no sense to the world. The world advises us to take revenge on those who hurt us, but this choice does not lead to peace. The path to peace is through love and kindness—even for those who wrong us. Jesus taught us to bless them, do good to them, and pray for them instead. This makes perfect sense if we take the time to think about it. How can we have peace if we are cursing

70How to Have Peace in Difcult Timesother people, or hating them, or plotting our revenge against them? The pathway to peace lies in gentleness and kindness towards those who are against us. If we follow these footsteps, we will abide in the peace of the Father as His children, and we will reect the peace of our Father toward others at the same time.“Then came Peter to him, and said, Lord, how oft shall my brother sin against me, and I forgive him? till seven times? Jesus saith unto him, I say not unto thee, until seven times: but, until seventy times seven.” (Matthew 18:21-22)Jesus taught that withholding our forgiveness saps our peace. Peter asked Him how often he should forgive somebody who sinned against him. Peter believed his suggestion of seven times was reasonable, even generous. Many of us have a difcult time forgiving somebody just once! Jesus, however, tells us to forgive our offenders 70 times 7. If you do the math, you will realize Jesus was telling Peter to forgive someone who wrongs him 490 times if he asked for forgiveness. God knows that holding a grudge prevents us from having peace, so Jesus taught that we should practice radical forgiveness. We must avoid bitterness and revenge and embrace forgiveness. We must cancel the debts of those who sin against us just as Jesus canceled the debt for our sin. This is the pathway to peace.“And that ye study to be quiet, and to do your own business, and to work with your own hands, as we commanded you.” (1 Thessalonians 4:11)

71Footsteps to Genuine PeacePaul gave us frank and practical advice, directing that we mind our own business. We naturally stick our noses where they do not belong, and try to control other people and their actions. We will have so much more peace in our lives if we worry about our own problems instead of worrying about the problems of others. We do not need to manage all the problems in the world. The path to peace lies in minding one’s own business. 6. Replace Worry with PrayerMany people struggle with anxiety, panic, and worry. We tend to sweat the small stuff—in addition to the urgent. We want to have control over our lives, but often feel like life is out of our control. God has a simple prescription for anxiety: prayer.“Be careful for nothing; but in every thing 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)This passage is so vital to understanding God’s peace that we will necessarily look at it over and over again. Paul wrote that we should be careful for nothing. This means we should not be anxious about our situation in life. We should not be worried about our circumstances. Instead of worrying, we should pray. When we make our requests known to God with thanksgiving, He will give us His peace. This does not mean that everything will

72How to Have Peace in Difcult Timesbe easy, but it does mean we can have genuine peace in every circumstances because we have placed our burdens on the Lord. God assures us that He loves us and cares for us; therefore, we can have peace and rest. Eugene H. Peterson’s paraphrase of this passage in The Message provides a helpful reection. He renders it thus, “Don’t fret or worry. Instead of worrying, pray. Let petitions and praises shape your worries into prayers, letting God know your concerns. Before you know it, a sense of God’s wholeness, everything coming together for good, will come and settle you down. It’s wonderful what happens when Christ displaces worry at the center of your life.” (Philippians 4:6-7 MSG)Prayer is absolutely necessary to our growth in the Lord. Consider it this way: When you get married, your life changes deeply. Now instead of being alone, you wake up next to your husband or wife. Instead of coming home from work to an empty home, there is another human being there too. That other person is now actively involved in every decision you will ever make—from which restaurant you will visit together to what house you will buy and where you will live. This companion shares your deepest fears and worst failures as well as your happiest experiences and most joyful and intimate moments. And what is one of the hallmarks of this successful relationship? Honest communication. Without it, that marriage will fail. Without prayer, our relationship with Jesus never can be what it should either, but through prayer, we share

73Footsteps to Genuine Peaceeverything with Christ and gain His help in it. E. M. Bounds wrote this: The ministry of prayer has been the peculiar distinction of all of God’s saints. This has been the secret of their power. The energy and the soul of their work has been the closet. The need of help outside of man being so great, man’s natural inability to always judge kindly, justly, and truly, and to act the Golden Rule, so prayer is enjoined by Christ to enable man to act in all these things according to the divine will. By prayer, the ability is secured to feel the law of love, to speak according to the law of love, and to do everything in harmony with the law of love.8We need God every day. To walk in His peace, we must pray.7. Following God’s Wisdom Always Brings Peace“I will hear what God the Lord will speak: for he will speak peace unto his people, and to his saints: but let them not turn again to folly.” (Psalm 85:8)Proverbs teaches us that folly is the opposite of wisdom, and this psalm warns against turning to folly. When we do not listen to the Word of God, we will fall into folly. The path of folly does not lead to peace. Folly brings trials and 8 E. M. Bounds, e Complete Works of E. M. Bounds on Prayer (Grand Rapids, Michigan: Baker Books, 1980), 151.

74How to Have Peace in Difcult Timestribulation. If we want the Lord’s peace, we must follow the path of wisdom found in His Word.“Those things, which ye have both learned, and received, and heard, and seen in me, do: and the God of peace shall be with you.” (Philippians 4:9)We often confuse wisdom with intelligence. We think that if someone has great intellectual abilities, they also have wisdom, but there is a huge difference between being smart and being wise. Proverbs 9:10 tells us that the fear of the Lord is the beginning of wisdom. The fear of the Lord implies a respect for God that leads to a life of obedience submitted to His Lordship and authority. Paul reminds us that when we learn from God’s Word and obey it, God will bring us peace.“But if ye have bitter envying and strife in your hearts, glory not, and lie not against the truth. This wisdom descendeth not from above, but is earthly, sensual, devilish. For where envying and strife is, there is confusion and every evil work. But the wisdom that is from above is rst pure, then peaceable, gentle, and easy to be intreated, full of mercy and good fruits, without partiality, and without hypocrisy. And the fruit of righteousness is sown in peace of them that make peace.” (James 3:14-18)

75Footsteps to Genuine PeaceJames provides excellent teaching on peace in this passage. I have kept these verses together because the argument ows together. First, James describes the absence of peace. Where peace is absent, there is envy, strife, confusion, bitterness, and evil. If there is a lack of God’s presence, there is no peace. Next, James turns to a description of wisdom. Wisdom is peaceable, pure, and gentle. Good works ow out of peace, while evil works ow out of chaos or the absence of peace. Wisdom and peace are not partial or lled with hypocrisy. If they come from God, they are genuine. Peace only ows from the presence of God.8. Keep in Step with the Holy SpiritRight before Jesus ascended to the right hand of the Father, He promised that He would send the Holy Spirit to be with His people. This promise was fullled in Acts 2 at Pentecost. The Holy Spirit has not left, but still comes alongside His people as a Comforter. He is called the paraclete which means Helper and Advocate. He helps us into the path of peace and keeps us in it.“But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, longsuffering, gentleness, goodness, faith, Meekness, temperance: against such there is no law.” (Galatians 5:22-23)Most of us remember the “fruit of the spirit” found in Galatians. We tend to rattle off that fruit list without reecting on what it means. However, it is important to remember that peace is part of the fruit listed by Paul. When the Holy Spirit indwells us, we have peace. The fruit

76How to Have Peace in Difcult Timesall hang together. When we have peace, we will have the other fruit too.“With all lowliness and meekness, with longsuffering, forbearing one another in love; endeavouring to keep the unity of the Spirit in the bond of peace.” (Ephesians 4:2-3)Scripture uses the imagery of a dove to describe the Holy Spirit. The dove also symbolizes peace. This is not an accident. If we keep in lockstep with the Spirit and are bound to Him, we will maintain the bond of peace. How do we do this? We must be lowly and meek. We must love one another and be patient with one another. We must be quick to forgive and never hold grudges. We must live at peace with one another. Just as we are united to Christ through the Holy Spirit, we are united to one another in Christ. We must keep the unity of these bonds in peace.9. Stay at Peace with EveryoneWe cannot be at peace with some people and enemies with others. Even though it is easier to live peaceably with some people than with others, we must remain at peace with all people inasmuch as it depends upon us. We are going to look at several verses in Romans that teach this principle.“Recompense to no man evil for evil. Provide things honest in the sight of all men. If it be possible, as much as lieth in you, live peaceably with all men.

77Footsteps to Genuine PeaceDearly beloved, avenge not yourselves, but rather give place unto wrath: for it is written, Vengeance is mine; I will repay, saith the Lord. Therefore, if thine enemy hunger, feed him; if he thirst, give him drink: for in so doing thou shalt heap coals of re on his head. Be not overcome of evil but overcome evil with good.” (Romans 12:17-21)If somebody wrongs us, we instinctively want to repay that wrong in kind. That’s how revenge works. This is our natural, sinful tendency. Paul urges just the opposite. He tells us never to return evil for evil, but provide honest things in the sight of all men instead. If men are evil toward us, we must not be evil toward them. If they are obnoxious or falsely accuse us or wrong us in any way, we must not return their evil with evil. Choosing to not do this helps us remain at peace with all men and keeps us in the pathway to God’s peace. We are able to do this because we know that we are God’s “dearly beloved”; we don’t have to worry about defending ourselves. God will watch after our interests. Vengeance and recompense are the business of our Lord, not us. He will look after ultimate justice against those who wrong us, and make equitable choices for us. We can rest in peace, knowing that God’s justice is perfect in both its scope and timing. However, sometimes it seems that God does not take justice on our enemies when they wrong us. Why is this? We must remember that if we take justice into our own hands, God will step back and not provide justice in His way. Also, we must remember that God provides ultimate justice in His own timing. Too often

78How to Have Peace in Difcult Timeswe are impatient with the justice of God and want to take things into our own hands.Instead of seeking revenge, what should we do? We should shower our enemy with undeserved kindness. If he is hungry, we should buy him a burger. If he is thirsty, we should get him a Coke…or better yet a Pellegrino. If we treat our enemy this way, Paul says we will heap burning coals on his head. At rst glance this might look like we are doing something cruel to our enemies. After all, nobody wants to have a burning hot coal on their bare scalp! However, Paul was referring to an act of kindness. In Roman times, if a person went on a long journey in cold weather, they carried hot coals in a blanket on their head. Then when it came time to rest on the side of the road, they had a toasty blanket to keep them warm. We are to be a blessing and comfort to our enemies by showering them with kindness, even when they are cruel. We leave vengeance to the Lord. In this way, we will not be overcome with evil, but overcome evil with good.10. Peace Is Our Mission in LifeIf we have peace with God, then we can have peace with others and peace in every circumstance. Genuine peace is fundamental to our well-being and a great blessing to those around us. We are going to examine several passages that teach this principle.“Blessed are the peacemakers: for they shall be called the children of God.” (Matthew 5:9)This simple passage from the Beatitudes is a great comfort. The greatest blessing in the world is to be called

79Footsteps to Genuine Peacea child of God. Jesus tells us that peacemaking is central to our lives because it brings this blessing. We must carry the message of peace to others. What a privilege being a peacemaker is!“How beautiful upon the mountains are the feet of him that bringeth good tidings, that publisheth peace; that bringeth good tidings of good, that publisheth salvation; that saith unto Zion, Thy God reigneth!” (Isaiah 52:7)This verse is repeated in the New Testament, but we want to look at it rst in the Old Testament. In ancient Israel, messages were conveyed by foot. They did not have Internet, radio, telegrams, or even the pony express. Messengers ran barefoot from place to place to spread important news. If the news they brought was good, news of peace and prosperity, the people rejoiced that the messenger came. Their feet would be considered “beautiful” even though their outward appearance might be rough. The feet of messengers were commonly broken, cut, and bruised because they traveled over mountain footpaths, but they were spreading the message of peace and salvation. This good news that God reigns is beautiful, so the feet of those who carry this news are beautiful too. God wants us to carry on this task of spreading peace and good news to the world.“And how shall they preach, except they be sent? as it is written, How beautiful are the feet of them that preach the gospel

80How to Have Peace in Difcult Timesof peace, and bring glad tidings of good things!” (Romans 10:15)Paul alludes to that same passage from Isaiah in Romans. Not everyone is called to enter full-time gospel ministry, but we are all called to participate in this ministry. We can send and support those who preach the good news of peace to the world. We should also be prepared to share the good news with others as opportunities present themselves. This is our mission as the body of believers.“Be not deceived; God is not mocked: for whatsoever a man soweth, that shall he also reap.” (Galatians 6:7)We reap what we sow. If you plant tomato seeds, you should not expect to pull carrots out of the ground. Similarly, if you sow hatred and dissent, you should not expect to reap peace. If our mission is not bringing peace to others as God intends, how can we expect to enjoy God’s blessing of genuine peace?“Give, and it shall be given unto you; good measure, pressed down, and shaken together, and running over, shall men give into your bosom. For with the same measure that ye mete withal it shall be measured to you again.” (Luke 6:38)Jesus makes this principle very clear in the gospel of Luke. When we are generous with peace and kindness, we will receive peace and kindness. We do not run out of peace when we share it with others. In fact, the opposite happens. The more peace we give to others, the more peace

81Footsteps to Genuine Peacewe will experience in our lives. When we are a blessing to others, we will nd that we receive more in return than we gave. If you give away your life, you will nd your life given back, but not merely given back—given back with bonus and blessing. Generosity begets generosity, and this is especially true of peace.“And let the peace of God rule in your hearts, to the which also ye are called in one body; and be ye thankful.” (Colossians 3:15)Summing UpWe have learned more about the pathway to peace. God not only provides His peace, but teaches us the steps we must take to attain it. First, we let the peace of God rule in our hearts. We give Jesus control of our lives, and He reconciles us to God, so that we have peace with Him. We abide in this peace by abiding in the Word of God, following His wisdom instead of our own. Then we can spread peace to others by becoming a blessing to them, even when they wrong us. These are the pathways to genuine peace. Let us be thankful for them. God’s powerful peace reaches into every relationship and circumstance. Truly in Him, we overcome the world.

Chapter 4The Power of Genuine PeaceIn the rst chapter, we learned that the world’s peace is dependent on feelings and circumstances, while God’s peace is completely independent of all that. What a difference! God’s peace helps us remain calm in the face of turmoil because it affects the inward condition of our heart and mind. Those trying to attain the world’s peace are doomed to a futile existence focused on trying to control the external happenings of their lives. Since we control virtually nothing, this is a fruitless and worthless task. We further dened genuine peace as a “realm where chaos is not permitted to enter.” In chapters two and three, we learned about God’s path to peace, and in this chapter, we will be examining another important difference between the world’s peace and God’s peace: its power. God’s peace cannot be destroyed or usurped, while the world’s peace is transitory and dying. It does not have the power of God’s peace. “Peace I leave with you, my peace I give unto you: not as the world giveth, give I

84How to Have Peace in Difcult Timesunto you. Let not your heart be troubled, neither let it be afraid.” (John 14:27)Jesus said that when we have His peace, our hearts will not be troubled, and we will not be afraid. He told His disciples this fact right before He went to the cross, a time when He knew their faith would be tested and they would be afraid. Jesus purposefully left them a peace that was not like the world’s peace. The peace of Jesus provides a chaos-free zone. Our outward circumstances—no matter how terrible—cannot remove Jesus’ peace from our hearts. Jesus’ peace grants us a quietness and serenity of heart, enabling us to “hold our peace” even in the most trying circumstances. We can refrain from criticism and complaining when people wrong us or when life does not go our way. We can be reconciled with others. Peace unies us with our fellow man and keeps us from strife. We can be calm and composed. We can have order in our life instead of disorder. We can have feelings of love, empathy, and kindness, instead of hostility and discord. Genuine peace brings with it the power of lasting reconciliation. Jesus’ peace has the power to change the world one relationship at a time.“But the wicked are like the troubled sea, when it cannot rest, whose waters cast up mire and dirt. There is no peace, saith my God, to the wicked.” (Isaiah 57:20-21)Isaiah provides a contrast with genuine peace in this verse. The imagery is powerful. Few things are as troubled and chaotic as a storm at sea. Waves can toss ships about as if they were twigs. When a powerful hurricane sweeps

85The Power of Genuine Peaceashore, it attens houses and uproots trees. This is the picture Isaiah used to describe the wicked man’s state of mind. He can have no peace. His life is continually driven by anxiety, fear, and worry.1. Peace Holds the Power of Freedom from Internal Bondage“If the Son therefore shall make you free, ye shall be free indeed.” (John 8:36)This freedom comes from God’s peace within us. Eugene Peterson wrote this: Shalom, “peace,” is one of the richest words in the Bible. You can no more dene it by looking in the dictionary than you can dene a person by his or her social security number. It gathers all aspects of wholeness that result from God’s will being completed in us. It is the work of God that, when complete, releases streams of living water in us and pulsates with eternal life. Every time Jesus healed, forgave or called someone, we have a demonstration of shalom.9 That’s the peace Jesus exhibited and the peace we can access through Him. It frees us like nothing else ever could.Jesus Christ freed us through the work of the cross. He gives us internal freedom from the bondage of anxiety, tension, panic, stress, confusion, and fear. True freedom is not the ability to do whatever we want to do. Doing 9 Eugene Peterson, A Long Obedience in the Same Direction: Discipleship in an Instant Society (Downers Grove, IL: InterVarsity Press, 1980).

86How to Have Peace in Difcult Timeswhatever we want is license, not freedom. Freedom is the ability to rest in the peace and assurance of God. It is the freedom to do what is right. We are no longer slaves to sinful bondage when we turn control of our life over to Christ. Freedom in Christ brings emotional well-being. License brings heartache and disturbance. God’s peace can pour through us just as it did Jesus.“For God hath not given us the spirit of fear; but of power, and of love, and of a sound mind.” (2 Timothy 1:7)Fear comes from the world, not God. God has given us power, love, and a sound mind. These three things are all components of genuine peace. Peace is the foundation of good mental health, while fear produces bondage.Our emotions should not be our masters. Instead, they should serve us. We need them, but they should not be in the driver’s seat. If they are, they will lead us astray from the path of peace. Our emotions have a purpose. They should provide the energy we need to make wise choices. Without them, we would be paralyzed by apathy. Even though our emotions spark our actions, they should not be our guidance system. The wisdom of God should be our guidance system while our emotions provide the energy to move us in the right direction. Our emotions must never interfere with our wisdom, but be submitted to God.10 10 For more helpful information about controlling our emotions, see the videos, “How to Control Your Emotions,” “How to Properly Control Your Emotions,” “Truth, Life, and Emotions,” and “How to Control Your Imaginations” at our website https://nothingbutthetruth.org.

87The Power of Genuine Peace2. Peace Provides the Power of Freedom from Outside Disturbances“Behold, I give unto you power to tread on serpents and scorpions, and over all the power of the enemy: and nothing shall by any means hurt you.” (Luke 10:19)Peace is not limited to protecting us from inner bondage. Christ’s peace protects us from external attacks from the Enemy as well. The Devil’s forces want to take away our peace, but they are helpless against the power of the Lord. Nothing shall be able by any means to damage the peace that we have with the Lord. Even when we feel weak, He will ght for us and restore our peace.“Who art thou that judgest another man’s servant? to his own master he standeth or falleth. Yea, he shall be holden up: for God is able to make him stand.” (Romans 14:4)We belong to God. He holds us up and makes us stand. We need not fear any outside source because no outside force can take away our peace. We do not need to be intimidated by anyone or anything either. We do not need to worry about the opinions of the world or become prisoners of another’s expectations. We are not ruled by anger, vengeance, strife, chaos, or faulty judgment. We are not controlled by the forces of this world. Instead, we can live in peace, resting on the promises of God. This state is a powerful part of our inheritance in Christ.

88How to Have Peace in Difcult Times3. Peace Gives Us the Power of Emotional Stability and Self-controlGod’s peace produces emotional stability and self-control.11 When we have inner peace in our hearts and minds, we are not governed by wildly swinging emotions. Instead, we can control them and let them be guided by the wisdom of God. They are held in check and we are protected, but this depends on our choice to trust God instead of allowing our emotions to rule us.“That we henceforth be no more children, tossed to and fro, and carried about with every wind of doctrine, by the sleight of men, and cunning craftiness, whereby they lie in wait to deceive.” (Ephesians 4:14)When we lack self-control, we are susceptible to the lies of wicked and deceitful men. They can lead us astray with false doctrine. Paul warns us against a lack of self-control and being carried away by cunning men. When we stay in the path of peace, we will not be easily manipulated by others. “And now, behold, I go bound in the spirit unto Jerusalem, not knowing the things that shall befall me there: Save that the Holy Ghost witnesseth in every city, saying that bonds and afictions abide me. 11 For further teaching on self-control, visit our website https://nothingbutthetruth.org, and view the video, “How to Develop Emotional Intelligence.”

89The Power of Genuine PeaceBut none of these things move me, neither count I my life dear unto myself, so that I might nish my course with joy, and the ministry, which I have received of the Lord Jesus, to testify the gospel of the grace of God.” (Acts 20:22-24)We do not need to know what the future holds to have peace. Paul knew that the gospel of Christ would spread and triumph. This was enough to give him peace as he went in chains to Rome. He knew that he would have peace and joy in jail and in death. His hope did not depend on his outward circumstances, but on the gospel of grace. This was the same Paul who had once persecuted Christians and sought the destruction of the church as a zealous Jew. This former persecutor was so transformed by the gospel of peace that he was able to face his own persecution for the cause of Christ with serenity and joy. He had the peace that passes understanding, and God wants us to experience the blessings of that same peace. Let’s look at the practical outworking of this process.4. Peace Gives Us the Power to Control Our Speech“Death and life are in the power of the tongue: and they that love it shall eat the fruit thereof.” (Proverbs 18:21)Our words can be a blessing to ourselves and others—or they can be a curse. Our speech, like every aspect of our lives, needs to be submitted to the power of God’s peace. We are going to look at several more passages which

90How to Have Peace in Difcult Timesexplain the importance of speech for our peace and our relationships with God and others.“How forcible are right words! but what doth your arguing reprove?” (Job 6:25)In this verse, Job is answering one of his “comforters.” Job was put to the test when the Lord allowed Satan to bring calamities into his life. Instead of speaking words of comfort to a righteous man who was suffering, Job’s friends condemned him, saying that the horrible things that had happened to him were caused by his sin. Job pointed out that while his friends might be using forceful words, their arguments were worthless. Arguments and accusations do not accomplish anything. They disturb our peace and the peace of those around us. When we focus on winning an argument, we are defending our own egos instead of serving our brothers and sisters. When our speech is controlled by peace, we will speak words of peace and comfort to those who are suffering.“A soft answer turneth away wrath: but grievous words stir up anger. The tongue of the wise useth knowledge aright: but the mouth of fools poureth out foolishness.” (Proverbs 15:1-2) Proverbs conrms what we learned in Job. In this passage we learn that a soft answer turns away anger. We might win the argument, but we really accomplish nothing with harsh words. Gentle words are wise words. Combative words are foolish ones. Most of the time when words cause conict, the cause of the disagreement does not lie with the words or opinions themselves, but in the way that they

91The Power of Genuine Peaceare presented. Harsh words lead to an escalation of feeling instead of rational discourse. This passage teaches that our words should not just be gentle and peaceful, but also wholesome and good. Foul language does not bring peace.“Righteous lips are the delight of kings; and they love him that speaketh right.” (Proverbs 16:13)Our words should not only be kind and gentle, they must also be wholesome and righteous. Coarse language does not bring peace, nor do evil words and lies. Righteousness and truth, however, bring delight.“She openeth her mouth with wisdom; and in her tongue is the law of kindness.” (Proverbs 31:26)Proverbs 31 famously describes the virtuous woman. The woman of virtue is valued and sought after. One of her most important features is her use of words. She speaks with wisdom and kindness. Her speech is controlled by the power of God’s peace so that she is a blessing to those around her.“The Lord GOD hath given me the tongue of the learned, that I should know how to speak a word in season to him that is weary: he wakeneth morning by morning, he wakeneth mine ear to hear as the learned.” (Isaiah 50:4)In this passage, the prophet Isaiah reminds us of the importance of thinking before we speak. Too often our

92How to Have Peace in Difcult Timestendency is to say whatever rash thought pops into our heads. Isaiah urges us to use learned speech: speech infused with the wisdom of peace. This means we should think before we speak. We should respond and not react. If we do not heed this advice, we will live to regret it. Learned words bring help, healing, comfort, and peace to others. “O generation of vipers, how can ye, being evil, speak good things? for out of the abundance of the heart the mouth speaketh.” (Matthew 12:34)Jesus described what happens when people fail to follow the instruction of Isaiah. Since words come from the heart, they indicate the condition of our hearts. When the heart is evil, the words that come pouring out of the mouth are evil too. The tongue reects what is going on within us. If our heart is controlled by peace, our words will convey this peace.“But speaking the truth in love, may grow up into him in all things, which is the head, even Christ.” (Ephesians 4:15)Peace does not gloss over the truth. It speaks the truth in love. People may not like the message of the gospel, but we are called to proclaim it in love. We can do this because of the power of peace over our speech. We should boldly proclaim the truth of the gospel in a gentle and calm way. “And the tongue is a re, a world of iniquity: so is the tongue among our members, that it deleth the whole body,

93The Power of Genuine Peaceand setteth on re the course of nature; and it is set on re of hell. For every kind of beasts, and of birds, and of serpents, and of things in the sea, is tamed, and hath been tamed of mankind: But the tongue can no man tame; it is an unruly evil, full of deadly poison.” (James 3:6-8)James warns of the power of the tongue to do evil. When our tongues lack the controlling power of God’s speech, they dele our whole bodies. Our tongues can harm us and others too. They are as powerful as a raging re; and when controlled and directed by our own egos, they are full of danger.“Speak not evil one of another, brethren. He that speaketh evil of his brother, and judgeth his brother, speaketh evil of the law, and judgeth the law: but if thou judge the law, thou art not a doer of the law, but a judge.” (James 4:11)God commands us not to speak evil of our brothers. This is a violation of His law. When we do this, we set ourselves above God’s law as if we could judge it. Instead our words should be controlled by the power of peace. When our words are controlled by peace, they will be a blessing to everyone, including ourselves. When they are controlled by our own whims, they are a danger and curse instead.

94How to Have Peace in Difcult Times5. Peace Gives Us the Power to Speak Like GodConversely, we can speak God’s words after Him. As we receive it, we can speak God’s truth with power, love, and conviction. Before we look at some verses which explain what this means, we will look at some verses that give us a contrast to it.“Talk no more so exceeding proudly; let not arrogancy come out of your mouth: for the LORD is a God of knowledge, and by him actions are weighed.” (1 Samuel 2:3)God tells us not to speak arrogantly. God, who has all knowledge, must rule our speech. He weighs all our actions—including our speech. He does not tolerate proud speech which seeks to usurp Him. He will bring down the proud, but lift and bless those who are humble.“Will ye speak wickedly for God? and talk deceitfully for him?” (Job 13:7)Once again, Job is responding to his false friends. These presumptuous friends had the gall to speak false words as if they were speaking for God. They accused Job of sin that he had not committed. Whenever we slander another person, we are not speaking like God with the power of peace. Job called them out by asking them this rhetorical question: “Will ye speak wickedly for God?” Job knew God’s peace internally, so he could recognize the evil behind their charges. Job knew God loved and cared for him.

95The Power of Genuine Peace“That thou turnest thy spirit against God, and lettest such words go out of thy mouth?” (Job 15:13)These words came from the mouth of Eliphaz, one of Job’s accusers. After Job’s speech, he continued slandering Job. You can see how his harsh words did not bring peace. Eliphaz abandoned the power of God’s peaceful speech in his words.“And thou shalt speak unto him, and put words in his mouth: and I will be with thy mouth, and with his mouth, and will teach you what ye shall do.” (Exodus 4:15)This verse describes how speech should operate in our lives. Moses did not want to speak on God’s behalf, but God reassured him by telling him that he could speak through Aaron. God gave Moses the words to give to Aaron, so that God’s words could be spoken to Pharaoh and the Israelites. There are many instances of this kind of promise to the prophets. God was assuring them that He would speak faithful and true words that were from Him. “The preparations of the heart in man, and the answer of the tongue, is from the LORD.” (Proverbs 16:1)God has prepared our hearts to speak His words after Him too. This process is amply explained throughout the Bible. God desires that we live in peace with others in our lives. The fruit of the joy and love He gives us in our hearts is the gift of peaceful speech. This is only found in the Lord.

96How to Have Peace in Difcult Times“Let your speech be always with grace, seasoned with salt, that ye may know how ye ought to answer every man.” (Colossians 4:6)God’s grace should season our speech, just as salt seasons our food. When our speech is seasoned with grace (salt), we will know how to answer every person as God desires. Since God has shown us grace, we can reect that same grace to others in our speech. When we do this, we are speaking like God. It is peace that gives us the power to do this, and it is an incredible blessing to us as well as them.“If any man speak, let him speak as the oracles of God; if any man minister, let him do it as of the ability which God giveth: that God in all things may be gloried through Jesus Christ, to whom be praise and dominion for ever and ever. Amen.” (1 Peter 4:11)Since peaceful speech has the power to allow us to speak God’s words, we should speak to others the same way that God has spoken. We should speak the truth in love as God has done in His Word. We should speak as though God were speaking through us all the time. One easy way of doing this is to speak Scripture to one another. We do not have to guess what God would say about many things because He has spoken to us clearly in His Word. It is difcult to be angry with another person when you speak truthful words in a loving way. It is even more difcult to be angry with somebody when speaking Scripture. When

97The Power of Genuine Peacewe speak in this way, we glorify God through Jesus Christ, and live in harmony with others.6. Peace Gives Us the Power of Quiet“In the multitude of words there wanteth not sin: but he that refraineth his lips is wise.” (Proverbs 10:19)Have you ever noticed that people who are anxious tend to talk a lot? The opposite is also true. People who are peaceful tend to use fewer words. They are not trying to ll empty moments, but are content to listen. When we speak out of anxiety, we also tend to say the wrong thing. Our insecurity leads us into trouble. Unchecked, too many words can produce wrong attitudes and behaviors down the road.“He that hath knowledge spareth his words: and a man of understanding is of an excellent spirit. Even a fool, when he holdeth his peace, is counted wise: and he that shutteth his lips is esteemed a man of understanding.” (Proverbs 17:27-28)You may have heard the saying, “Better to remain silent and appear to be a fool than to open your mouth and remove all doubt.” This proverb was probably the source for that quote. It teaches us that foolishness is revealed only when that person starts talking. A fool’s outward appearance may be impressive; but when he speaks, his foolish heart is made known. A person with true knowledge and peace will remain quiet until the proper time.

98How to Have Peace in Difcult Times“Speak not in the ears of a fool: for he will despise the wisdom of thy words.” (Proverbs 23:9)If you have ever argued with a person who refuses to listen to reasonable arguments, you know the truth of this proverb. We should not waste wise words on foolish people whose hearts are hardened and refuse to listen to the wisdom of God’s peace. Speaking wise words to foolish people is a waste of time. As Jesus said in Matthew:“Give not that which is holy unto the dogs, neither cast ye your pearls before swine, lest they trample them under their feet, and turn again and rend you.” (Matthew 7:6)“Seest thou a man that is hasty in his words? there is more hope of a fool than of him.” (Proverbs 29:20)If we do not have the peace of God, we are likely to speak before we think. Those who talk without thinking often regret their words, and end up putting themselves in difcult situations. They needlessly offend others. When we have peace, we realize that we can calm ourselves before we respond in a conversation. We can think about our words and stay on the path to peace. It’s impossible to take back our words or control their consequences once we say them—or even worse, print them. This story illustrates the problem well: In the washroom of a place of business in London, British newspaper publisher William Beaverbrook happened to meet Edward Heath, a young member

99The Power of Genuine Peaceof Parliament, about whom Beaverbrook had printed an insulting article a few days earlier. “My dear chap,” said the publisher, embarrassed by the meeting, “I’ve been thinking it over, and I was wrong. Here and now, I wish to apologize.” “Very well,” grunted Heath, “but the next time, I wish you’d insult me in the washroom and apologize in your newspaper.”12“The words of wise men are heard in quiet more than the cry of him that ruleth among fools.” (Ecclesiastes 9:17)People believe that they need to say outrageous things to get attention. Social media rewards hyperbole, sarcasm, and outrage, but Ecclesiastes reminds us that this is an unwise choice. A quick word might seem appropriate, even witty, in the eyes of the world, but our words have more force and inuence when they are spoken quietly and with wisdom. “The beginning of the words of his mouth is foolishness: and the end of his talk is mischievous madness.” (Ecclesiastes 10:13)The words of a fool are not governed by the wisdom of God so they do not produce peace. They are mischievous and do not accomplish anything good. Instead, they bring trouble. Fools multiply their words to no purpose. We should not utter foolish words or listen to them.12 Clion Fadiman, “You Can’t Take It Back,” from the e Little Brown Book of Anecdotes, Ministry127, accessed June 3, 2021, https://ministry127.com/resources/illustration/you-can-t-take-it-back.

100How to Have Peace in Difcult Times“Of these things put them in remembrance, charging them before the Lord that they strive not about words to no prot, but to the subverting of the hearers. Study to shew thyself approved unto God, a workman that needeth not to be ashamed, rightly dividing the word of truth. But shun profane and vain babblings: for they will increase unto more ungodliness.” (2 Timothy 2:14-16)Paul warns Timothy against pointless speech in this passage. Have you ever met someone who seems to talk just to hear their own voice? Their words have no value, but in fact, cause harm to others. Instead, we should listen to God’s Word. Profane words and useless words do not lead us into God’s path of peace, but subvert it instead.“But foolish and unlearned questions avoid, knowing that they do gender strifes. And the servant of the Lord must not strive; but be gentle unto all men, apt to teach, patient, In meekness instructing those that oppose themselves; if God peradventure will give them repentance to the acknowledging of the truth.” (2 Timothy 2:23-25)Foolish words and speculation lead to strife and division, causing people to waste time arguing over things that are unimportant. We destroy our own peace and the peace of others when we engage in this kind of behavior. Instead we should work to maintain true peace. There are great benets when we do. Jon Huckins and Jer Swigart

101The Power of Genuine Peacecommented on their experience in helping a group of leaders with this in their book, Mending the Divides: Creative Love in a Conicted World. They wrote:Recently we found ourselves around a table with a team of…leaders from an inuential Midwestern church. Their restlessness was palpable. “Peace has been one of our core values for years,” they said, “but our community is saturated with conict. It’s pervasive! Will you help us?” When we asked them to describe the implications of their dilemma, they spoke of a conict-saturated staff culture, the inability to experience healthy disagreement among leaders and volunteers, the uptick of marriages and families within the church dissolving, and an inability to collaborate with other local churches to address local issues. The leaders went on to express their sense of helplessness as they watched issues of racism and injustice surge in their neighborhoods and armed conicts accelerate around the world…At last, they disclosed just how far their church was from the reality of peace: “We’re experts at identifying, discussing, and gossiping about conict, but ultimately, we choose to either ignore it, run away from it, or engage it violently.” As we dug in with this team, we asked them to consider how they were contributing to the conicts in the church. It was a risky question to ask a bunch of leaders who had spent more time diagnosing the problem then examining their own motives, intentions, and behavior…By meal’s end, they had begun the hard work of acknowledging how their pride and pursuit of power had created a culture of conict in the

102How to Have Peace in Difcult Timescongregation. They realized that if they wanted to become an embodiment of peace in their city, they rst needed to confront their own pride, repent of it, and begin moving through rather than around the conicts that existed within the family.13If we are to be peacemakers, we must deal with our own hearts in the process rst. We need to see how we contribute to conict around us, repent, and choose the path of God’s peace. When we have real peace in our own hearts, then we can minister His peace to those around us.The way of peace lies in gentle, meek, and patient words. We must speak the truth to people with kindness and love, not wrangle with them about inconsequential issues. Gracious speech, full of truth and mercy, will lead unbelievers into repentance and true faith. We should quietly admonish those who need correction with as few words as possible, and be authentic models ourselves.7. Peace Gives Us the Power to Speak Acceptably to GodWhen we have God’s peace, we can speak in a way that is pleasing and acceptable to God. We can speak acceptable words about Him—and to Him. When we have peace with Him, we can offer Him acceptable offerings of praise. When we do this, our peace grows even stronger.“Let the words of my mouth, and the meditation of my heart, be acceptable in thy sight, O LORD, my strength, and my redeemer.” (Psalm 19:14)13 Jon Huckins & Jer Swigart, Mending the Divides: Creative Love in a Conicted World (Downers Grove, Illinois: IVP Books, 2017).

103The Power of Genuine PeaceOur external and internal words should be acceptable to God; that’s the goal. They go hand-in-hand because our speech reects the condition of our heart. When our heart is governed by God’s peace, our thoughts and words are acceptable before God too. Before we say anything, we should always take a moment to reect on what we are about to say and be sure our words are owing from a peaceful heart. We must allow the Holy Spirit to correct and adjust our speech if we are to please the Lord.However, it should be understood that there will be times in our lives when our hearts are not full of peace and we are in great need. No matter what the state of our hearts, we should always feel free to approach God and pour out our hearts to Him. He already knows our trouble, and He alone can restore us to His peace. No one understands our frailties like Jesus does. Going to Him rst is the best thing we can do when our peace is shaken. Further, submitting ourselves to God ensures that we deal with our problems in a healthy manner so we continue to glorify God even in our distress. Truly our time with God produces within us the ability to live in peace with all men as He desires. Because we know Him and He knows us, we can live differently than the world does.“Put on therefore, as the elect of God, holy and beloved, bowels of mercies, kindness, humbleness of mind, meekness, longsuffering; Forbearing one another, and forgiving one another, if any man have a quarrel against any: even as Christ forgave you, so also do ye.

104How to Have Peace in Difcult TimesAnd above all these things put on charity, which is the bond of perfectness. And let the peace of God rule in your hearts, to the which also ye are called in one body; and be ye thankful.” (Colossians 3:12-15)Paul outlines exactly how our speech can be acceptable to God in this passage. Our words should be merciful, kind, humble, and patient. These adjectives can be summed up in one word: peaceful. We should bathe our words in love and be quick to forgive. Before we take up a ght against another person, we should remember that Christ has forgiven us and reconciled us to God. Being willing to forgive those who sin against us is critical for our own well-being. It’s something that Christ commanded when He taught us the Lord’s Prayer. When we practice this, we have internal peace and unity, and our bond with God and the body of Christ will be perfect.This will also outt us to reect Jesus in being peacemakers and ministers of reconciliation which is at the heart of our Christian walk. General McArthur has been credited as saying, “A truce just says you don’t shoot for awhile. Peace comes when the truth is known, the issue is settled, and the parties embrace each other.” It takes being a peacemaker to achieve that. Since authentic peace can only be attained through God, we Christians are the only people on the planet that can do this.Summing UpGod’s peace is powerful. It sets us free from the bondage of internal strife. It sets us free from the bondage of outside disturbances too. It gives us emotional stability

105The Power of Genuine Peaceand self-control. God’s peace helps us govern our speech by allowing us to speak like God: quietly and with self-control. As we speak forth the peace of God, we release the power of His peace in our lives and are a witness of His love and grace to those around us. Peace within grants us peace without, so we can engage the troubled world around us as peacemakers just like Jesus did.

Chapter 5The Joy of Peaceful SpeakingPeaceful speech is refreshing. It brings joy to our hearts, and ministers joy to those around us too. We all want joy in our hearts, and peaceful speech brings us the joy we crave. Many passages in the Bible show us how and why this is true. Speaking peacefully not only involves the content of our speech, but also its tone. Most conicts erupt from using the wrong tone of voice instead of the wrong words, and are the result of speech that is not infused with peace. We must speak the truth, but we must do so with love and kindness.1. Personal Joy Is Related to Wise Speech“A man hath joy by the answer of his mouth: and a word spoken in due season, how good is it!” (Proverbs 15:23)

108How to Have Peace in Difcult TimesThere is a direct link between our speech and the joy we experience. Peaceful speech brings joy, while troubled speech brings heartache. Peaceful speech grants us both internal joy and joy in the company of others, so we can rejoice in the Lord. The right word at the right time brings peace and happiness.2. Speaking Peacefully Is a Serious Consideration“But I say unto you, that every idle word that men shall speak, they shall give account thereof in the day of judgment. For by thy words thou shalt be justied, and by thy words thou shalt be condemned.” (Matthew 12:36-37)On judgment day, we will have to give an account to the Lord for our idle words. There will be serious consequences if we spoke in a way that was inconsistent with the path of peace. Since the tongue has power over life and death, we need to reckon its power seriously. We may not kill somebody with our hands, but we can hurt each other badly with our words. This is a serious sin. Outward behavior is important, but the words we use are just as important. Our words will either justify or condemn us. Speaking peacefully is not optional but necessary. “And as it is appointed unto men once to die, but after this the judgment.” (Hebrews 9:27)

109The Joy of Peaceful SpeakingThe author of Hebrews conrms this: We will die, and then we will be judged. God will pass judgment on our behavior and our speech. Our actions are important, but so is our speech. If we did not speak peacefully, we will have to give an account before the Lord, so we must take our speech seriously.3. Speaking Peacefully Begins in the Heart“Keep thy heart with all diligence; for out of it are the issues of life. Put away from thee a froward mouth, and perverse lips put far from thee.” (Proverbs 4:23-24)To speak words of peace, we must have a heart of peace. This proverb shows us the close connection between our words and our hearts and our lives. Diligent work keeps our hearts from perverse words. A person with a forward mouth is contrary and obnoxious. It is hard to get along with someone like this. This kind of behavior should not characterize us. People should nd it a joy to speak to us. Our hearts and our mouths should be kept in God’s peace and reect His character.“Either make the tree good, and his fruit good; or else make the tree corrupt, and his fruit corrupt: for the tree is known by his fruit. O generation of vipers, how can ye, being evil, speak good things? for out of the abundance of the heart the mouth speaketh.

110How to Have Peace in Difcult TimesA good man out of the good treasure of the heart bringeth forth good things: and an evil man out of the evil treasure bringeth forth evil things.” (Matthew 12:33-35)Jesus plainly stated that our hearts reect our speech. A peaceful heart speaks peaceful words. Jesus illustrated this by comparing it with the fruit from a tree. A rotten tree produces rotten fruit and a good tree produces good fruit. A heart full of anger, bitterness, contempt, and deception speaks angry, bitter, contemptuous, lying words, reecting the condition of that heart. In contrast, a heart that is full of peace, love, and kindness will speak peaceful, loving, and kind words. This is always true. A person who speaks from an evil heart is like a venomous snake. His words are deadly to others and to himself. The only way to speak good words is to speak from a peaceful heart.4. Peaceful Speech Must Be Authentic“Draw me not away with the wicked, and with the workers of iniquity, which speak peace to their neighbours, but mischief is in their hearts.” (Psalm 28:3)The psalmist warned us against people who speak deceitfully. The wicked say nice things to their neighbors, but in their hearts they are plotting to harm these very people. This narcissistic behavior can create many problems. Peaceful speech must always be authentic and consistent.“Their tongue is as an arrow shot out; it speaketh deceit: one speaketh peaceably to

111The Joy of Peaceful Speakinghis neighbour with his mouth, but in heart he layeth his wait.” (Jeremiah 9:8)Jeremiah gave us a similar warning. False speech does not reect the speaker’s intentions. The wicked man says words of peace but has chaos in his heart. Just like an arrow, this kind of speech can harm those who hear it. This behavior is especially harmful when so-called Christians engage in it. The world is listening to us, and watching us. When people who claim Christ as their Lord are revealed as hypocrites, the reputation of the church is harmed. Many people use the hypocrisy of people who claim to be Christians as an excuse for dismissing the gospel. Our speech and lives must be authentic. “By this shall all men know that ye are my disciples, if ye have love one to another.” (John 13:35)The words of Christ in John’s gospel summarize this point succinctly. The world will know we are authentic Christians when we love one another. We must not only speak words of love and peace, but our outward behavior must match those words. Authentic speech and real love for others is a wonderful witness of Christ’s work in our hearts.5. Peaceful Speech Does Not Swear Flippant Oaths“But I say unto you, Swear not at all; neither by heaven; for it is God’s throne:

112How to Have Peace in Difcult TimesNor by the earth; for it is his footstool: neither by Jerusalem; for it is the city of the great King. Neither shalt thou swear by thy head, because thou canst not make one hair white or black. But let your communication be, Yea, yea; Nay, nay: for whatsoever is more than these cometh of evil.” (Matthew 5:34-37)These verses are part of the Sermon on the Mount. Jesus provided us with the ethics of peace in this sermon. He warned against swearing in our speech. A person who insists strongly that he is telling the truth every time he talks, shows that he or she is untrustworthy. Our word should be good without the need to swear a ippant oath. We should be able to say “yes” or “no” and know that people can trust us. For this to be the case, we must follow through on our word. We also should not make promises that we may not be able to keep. If your boss says you must put in a report by 5:00 p.m. and you swear that you will have it done when you know for a fact that you cannot nish it at the appointed time, you are not doing yourself a favor. Your boss will be angry and less likely to trust you in the future as a result. It’s far better to tell your boss that you’re sorry, and you cannot get the report in on time. “But above all things, my brethren, swear not, neither by heaven, neither by the earth, neither by any other oath: but let your yea be yea; and your nay, nay; lest ye fall into condemnation.” (James 5:12)

113The Joy of Peaceful SpeakingJames gave us the same warning in his letter. If we swear instead of saying a simple “yes” or “no,” we are at risk of falling into condemnation. Avoid casual oaths such as “I swear to God” or “I swear on my mother’s grave.” 6. Peaceful Speech Is Meek“But the meek shall inherit the earth; and shall delight themselves in the abundance of peace.” (Psalm 37:11)Meekness and humility characterize peaceful speech. Angry and selsh words are not meek. Those who use meek words will inherit the earth and experience the delight of genuine peace. Our words must remain under the control of the Holy Spirit. Such speech leads to an abundance of peace.7. Peaceful Speech Proves Our Righteousness“Mark the perfect man, and behold the upright: for the end of that man is peace.” (Psalm 37:37)We will only look at one passage to make this point, but this does not mean it is unimportant. How will people know that we are just? How will we prove that we are upright? Through our peaceful speech. Our words and actions demonstrate the state of our heart. The upright man uses peaceful words, and the wicked man use words of hostility.

114How to Have Peace in Difcult TimesTen Joys of Speaking PeacefullyThe seven points we examined in the rst part of this chapter lay the foundation for the second half. In this section, we will look at ten specic ways that peaceful speech brings us joy. This joy is a blessing in our lives and can also be a blessing in the lives of others. This list is not exhaustive, but includes several important ways that Scripture tells us we can have true joy and happiness. 1. The Joy of Preventing Hostility“A soft answer turneth away wrath: but grievous words stir up anger.” (Proverbs 15:1)As mentioned before, gentle words can bring an end to anger and hostility. When a person lashes out in anger, we tend to respond in kind. This proverb teaches us to do the opposite. This is not merely referring to the volume of our voice either because you can say angry words quietly. Instead, this verse is concerned with the quality of our response. We want to respond to harsh words with calming words that promote peace. On the other hand, if we counter with grievous or offensive language, we will only escalate the situation. Harsh words stir up anger. The tone and general quality of our speech is important when we interact with others.“The tongue of the wise useth knowledge aright: but the mouth of fools poureth out foolishness.” (Proverbs 15:2)

115The Joy of Peaceful SpeakingThe very next verse in this passage gives further instruction. Wise people use information correctly and honestly. They do not use their knowledge and speech for evil, but for good. However, fools open their mouths and pour out whatever happens to be in their minds without consideration of its effect. This is especially dangerous in tense situations. Often fools try to get a reaction out of others because they nd it entertaining. They want to stir up trouble. Peaceful people prevent hostility and promote calm instead. Preventing hostility brings us joy because it honors God and promotes our own well-being.“Wherefore, my beloved brethren, let every man be swift to hear, slow to speak, slow to wrath: For the wrath of man worketh not the righteousness of God.” (James 1:19-20)We should not be quick to speak. Instead we should become good listeners. Listening will help us to understand the perspective of the other person and create empathy. It is impossible to be hostile toward someone with whom you empathize. When we really take the time to listen to another person, anger and misunderstanding is defused all around. Instead of reacting immediately to unfair and angry words, we do better to pause, reect, and speak peacefully. Joy will follow. 2. The Joy of HelpingWhen we live in peace, we are going to be able to help others. When we help others, we will, in turn,

116How to Have Peace in Difcult Timesreceive joy from this activity. Contributing to the well-being of our neighbors contributes to our own well-being.“Let no corrupt communication proceed out of your mouth, but that which is good to the use of edifying, that it may minister grace unto the hearers.” (Ephesians 4:29)Paul commands us to let no corrupt communication proceed out of our mouths. Instead we should speak edifying words which bring grace to those who hear them. We are going to return to this verse at the end of this section, but before we do, let’s explore what the Bible means by “corrupt communication.” There are six characteristics of corrupt speech.1. AngerAnger characterizes corrupt communication. We cannot speak angry words peacefully in a way that edies those to whom we are speaking. Angry words are the corrupting opposite of peaceful speech. 2. MaliceCorrupt speech is also malicious. The intention behind malicious speech is to hurt our neighbor instead of blessing them. Sometimes we use malicious speech to get ahead; sometimes we use it out of pure hatred or without a motive of which we are aware. However, malice has no part in peaceful speech.

117The Joy of Peaceful Speaking3. BitternessCorrupt speech is bitter and jealous and proceeds from a spirit of covetousness. We resent the good things that happen to other people or the good things they have, and become bitter because our own lot in life seems poor by comparison. This bitterness corrupts our communication.4. JudgmentCorrupt speech is judgmental. It does not show mercy or grace to those who hear it. It is always ready to accuse and does not forgive. It points out the faults in people without recognizing their strengths. It cannot bring peace and joy.5. BiasCorrupt speech is biased. It fails to look at things from the side of the other person. The clearest example of bias occurs in political speech. Partisan division is so great that people will defend their party even in the face of rampant immorality and corruption. Bias overrules intelligence and logic. Bias twists the truth and turns it into whatever the speaker wants people to believe. Corrupt communication is no better than political propaganda.6. EgocentrismCorrupt speech puts the speaker’s needs and desires ahead of their hearers. Selshness and greed are corrupt. The egocentric person chooses words that make them feel good or puff up their own pride. This speech builds them up and tears down their neighbor.

118How to Have Peace in Difcult Times“Let no corrupt communication proceed out of your mouth, but that which is good to the use of edifying, that it may minister grace unto the hearers.” (Ephesians 4:29)Now that we have described corrupt speech, we can return to Paul’s teaching in Ephesians 4:29 and understand what this verse means. Paul wrote to let no corrupt speech come out of our mouths. Instead our speech should be good and edifying. Good and edifying speech does not have any of the six characteristics we listed above. Instead it is calm, loving, thankful, gracious, fair, and humble. These six characteristics are the exact opposites of those listed above. This speech will edify (or build up) our neighbor instead of tearing them down and promoting ourselves. Peaceful speech imparts grace and well-being. When we share grace with others, our own joy abounds. When we encourage others, we are encouraged. This brings us true joy.3. The Joy of Being Heard“And Adonijah the son of Haggith came to Bathsheba the mother of Solomon. And she said, Comest thou peaceably? And he said, Peaceably.

119The Joy of Peaceful SpeakingHe said moreover, I have somewhat to say unto thee. And she said, Say on.” (1 Kings 2:13-14)Adonijah was one of David’s sons. He was older than Solomon; but as we know, the Lord had chosen Solomon to be king after David. After David died, Adonijah came to Solomon’s mother, Bathsheba, with a request. Bathsheba asked if he came peaceably. When Adonijah conrmed that he came in peace, Bathsheba told him to go on with what he was saying. When we come to somebody with peaceable words, they are usually more willing to hear what we have to say. If Adonijah had burst into the room, yelling, “I have something to say to you, and you better listen,” Bathsheba would not have been willing to hear him out. But since he claimed to come in peace, Bathsheba was willing to hear his request. These peaceable words had better be genuine, however. If you read further in 1 Kings 2, you will soon discover that Adonijah wanted one of his father’s concubines to be his wife. Bathsheba asked Solomon, the new king, about Adonijah’s request. Solomon knew that Adonijah had already tried to set himself up as king instead of Solomon before this, and saw the motive behind his words. He believed that Adonijah was trying once again to usurp the throne, so he had Adonijah and those who conspired with him put to death. Speaking the truth in peace will bring joy, but speaking deceitfully will bring grief.

120How to Have Peace in Difcult Times4. The Joy of Good Relationships“And David went out to meet them, and answered and said unto them, If ye be come peaceably unto me to help me, mine heart shall be knit unto you: but if ye be come to betray me to mine enemies, seeing there is no wrong in mine hands, the God of our fathers look thereon, and rebuke it.” (1 Chronicles 12:17)Before David was made king of Israel, he had to ee from King Saul who was trying to kill him. Thirty brave warriors came out to meet David. David came to them and asked if they came to him peaceably or not. He promised them his eternal friendship if they came peaceably, but warned them of God’s rebuke if their intention was to betray him. He used the phrase, “mine heart shall be knit unto you.” This is a beautiful phrase that describes the intimate friendship that springs from peaceable relationships. The thirty warriors had come with good intentions, and David was overjoyed. There are few greater joys in life than close friendship with those we can trust and depend upon. Genuine friendships of peace bring great joy.5. The Joy of Turning Hostility to Peace“When a man’s ways please the LORD, he maketh even his enemies to be at peace with him.” (Proverbs 16:7)God wants us to abide in His peace. When we do this, it pleases Him. He increases our peace so that even

121The Joy of Peaceful Speakingour enemies make peace with us. Peace multiplies unto itself. When we act in peace, we get more peace. F. F. Bruce is quoted as saying this: “The best way to get rid of an enemy is to turn him into a friend.” This is a wise proverb. The world tells us to destroy our enemies, but God wants us to pray for them and be reconciled to them instead.6. The Joy of Peaceful Sleep“Thou hast put gladness in my heart, more than in the time that their corn and their wine increased. I will both lay me down in peace, and sleep: for thou, LORD, only makest me dwell in safety.” (Psalm 4:7-8)Sleep is essential to our physical and mental health. In turn, our mental and physical health are important for our sleep. Health and sleep are intrinsically linked. The psalmist tells us that when God puts gladness in our hearts, we have peaceful sleep. We can dwell in safety and enjoy personal well-being. Peace brings joy through pleasant sleep. On the other hand, if we live in hostility with others, we jeopardize our mental, emotional, and physical health. 7. The Joy of Peaceful Children“And all thy children shall be taught of the LORD; and great shall be the peace of thy children.” (Isaiah 54:13)

122How to Have Peace in Difcult TimesWe all want our children to grow up in the fear and knowledge of the Lord, but we also want them to know peace and joy in their lives. When we walk in the peace of the Lord, we will pass this peace to our children. The Lord Himself will teach them, and they will have great peace. The Lord teaches children through their parents, so it is the duty of parents to teach their children to abide in God’s peace. Children learn by example, so if we want them to have peace, we must live in God’s peace ourselves. If we lash out in anger at others, our children will learn to do the same. If we are harsh with our children, they will be harsh with others. However, if we treat everyone, including our children with kindness, respect, and love, our children will grow up in God’s peace too. Now, you’ll never nd the perfect parent who has never been frustrated or raised their voice in anger to their child. All parents have failed. However, it’s what we do in that failure that really matters. When we live authentically before God, our children see and understand the true process of maintaining peace and living as a Christian. As they watch us make mistakes and repent and draw from the Lord, they learn to do that too. In this way, we offer our children the chance to grow and develop in Jesus just as we do. 8. The Joy of Peaceful Counsel“Deceit is in the heart of them that imagine evil: but to the counsellors of peace is joy.” (Proverbs 12:20)God did not design us to be isolated or alone. We need the wise counsel of good people. This proverb

123The Joy of Peaceful Speakingteaches us that when we listen to counsellors of peace, we will have joy. On the other hand, deceitful and wicked speech cannot bring joy.“A man hath joy by the answer of his mouth: and a word spoken in due season, how good is it!” (Proverbs 15:23)We nd a similar idea in this proverb. The right word spoken at the right time is a blessing both to the speaker and to the listener. We need to surround ourselves with people who speak peaceful words to us, and we, in turn, need to speak words of peace to them. 9. The Joy of Reciprocity“Acquaint now thyself with him, and be at peace: thereby good shall come unto thee.” (Job 22:21)When we share our peace with others, we bless them and bless ourselves. When we are kind to others, they tend to be kind to us in turn. Peace will not return to us if we speak and act with hostility. Peaceful relationships are reciprocal. We reap what we sow. The way of peace is the way of wisdom.10. The Joy of Blessing God“Blessed are the peacemakers: for they shall be called the children of God.” (Matthew 5:9)

124How to Have Peace in Difcult TimesTo conclude this chapter, we will return to the Sermon on the Mount. Jesus tells us that peacemakers get a blessing from God. He blesses them because He is the Great Peacemaker. He is the God of Peace. Jesus is the Prince of Peace. What is the nature of that blessing? Peacemakers will be called the children of God. There can be no greater blessing in life than to be called God’s child. Children know their status. They are loved and protected. They are blessed. We can know joy and peace because we are the children of the One who is the Source of all joy and peace.Summing UpOnly God brings us true joy, and peaceful speech brings us joy because it makes us a blessing to God and others. In turn, we are blessed. When we speak words of peace, we can rest, knowing that we abide in God’s peace. This is a tting conclusion to our examination of God’s peace. After Christ restores us to peace by reconciling us to the Father, He shows us through His Word how we can abide in that peace. He teaches us how to have internal peace and peace in all our relationships. His Holy Spirit sustains us in the path of peace and brings us joy as we speak peaceably to, and live in peace with, our neighbors. What an indescribably wonderful gift! Even though the world is a stressful place, we can continually draw from the true peace of God that is not dependent upon the outward circumstances of our lives. It is not surprising that those who do not yet know Jesus are drawn by the peace they see so clearly in us. I pray that this book has helped you in your journey to maintain your peace with God. May you experience God’s blessings as you continue to grow.

125The Joy of Peaceful Speaking

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Con dence Knowing It Will Go Well With YouWe all want to know if things will turn out ok for us. We desire assurance that all will be well for us and our loved ones. “Can you know this for sure?”  at is the question!NothingButTheTruth.org/confidenceCrush the Hidden Power  at Defeats YouWe are hindered from being the best version of ourselves, the version God intended. We are prevented by this insidious thing called iniquity.NothingButTheTruth.org/crushpowerDiscover Your Spiritual G i   is brief ebook will ex-plain the diff erent spiritual gi s, how they  t in the big picture, the Body of Christ, and how you can discover yours.NothingButTheTruth.org/spiritualgiftThese books are free to you and for you to send without charge to any and all others as part of your ministry to them.

How to Handle Di cult PeopleI wrote this short e-book to give you some practical, helpful and biblically-based insights on how you can work with people who are, well, challenging.NothingButTheTruth.org/peopleKeys to a Meaningful LifeDo you desire a meaning-ful life? If so, the informa-tion in this ebook should encourage you and help you move toward the ful llment, peace, and joy that a meaningful life brings! NothingButTheTruth.org/keysWords Matter - Speaking Peace to Calm the Storms of LifeChaos shows itself as anger, depression, panic, worry, or mistrust. Peace is the absence of these. So how do we get it?NothingButTheTruth.org/wordsThese books are free to you and for you to send without charge to any and all others as part of your ministry to them.

Nothing But The Truth MinistriesDedicated to the single task of explaining the truth in its simplest and purest form to all peoples of the world.People matter. YOU matter! Truth is the substance of all wise decision-making. So it’s important to know the truth – about you, about why you were born, about every aspect of your life. Truth is wonderful, even when sometimes it may not seem comfortable.This site is dedicated to sharing God’s truth with you – truth that you can apply to your daily life, your relationships, your  nances, your choices, your future.Visit our website at www.NothingButTheTruth.orgAll our resources are available free of charge in digital form. Printed copies are available at our cost of printing plus shipping. WE DO NOT SOLICIT FUNDS, but we give opportunity if it is in a person’s heart to give. We are a 501(c)3 non-pro t organization. All contributions are tax deductible. Contributions to the mission can be made on our website.