Here is a sermon I delivered at God's Bible School at the
annual Sunday morning service that is held on campus
during the weekend of the Christmas Program. It was
nerve-racking, but God was faithful. Here is a
modified version of the manuscript I used to
preach that sermon. Please note that I have made some
slight revisions since that time. The sermon is a little
over 22 min. long. I hope you will find it helpful.
- Ryan
P.S. You should already be hearing the speech. If not, you can download it off of the File Sharing page on the right of this screen.
Title: Bringing Peace into Conflict
Scripture Reading: Reading from the NASB
Prayer:
Let’s pray. Father, we are so grateful for the blessings that you have given each and every one of us this morning! We acknowledge that we are unworthy of even one of them, but we thank for your kindness, and goodness, and that you see fit to bless us, and to keep us in Your way. Thank you for the peace that you have promised us, and I ask that you please be with us during the service; and open our hearts to hear what you would have to say. In Jesus’ name we pray. Amen.
Attention Getter:
Shopping illustration
Where’s the peace in all of this? This isn’t peace, it’s chaos!
Maybe you’re dealing with conflict or tension right now. It may not be in the form of a chaotic shopping experience, but maybe it’s financial problems, family problems, problems at work, whatever, you fill in the blank.
This passage tells us how to handle situations like this that come into our lives. In fact, when you look at the church in Philippi, you see that they were going through a rather difficult time themselves. They stuck out like a sore thumb in society because of their Christian faith. They were facing conflict because of this. But on top of that, they were having internal problems as well. Two apparent leaders of the church Euodia and Syntyche were having a serious conflict, over what we don’t know, but it was serious enough for Paul to hear about many, many miles away. So the church at Philippi was really going through it. Conflict from without, and conflict from within were tearing the church apart. And it is for this reason that Paul wrote this letter to the Philippians in an effort encourage them, but also to instruct them on how to gain peace during this difficult time.
We all face conflicts in our lives. Maybe even, like the Philippians, with other Christians. We all have difficulties, trials, and pain that try their best to drag us down. But I have encouraging new this morning! God has promised us something amazing, something so amazing that the passage says we can’t even comprehend it! The peace of God. But just how do we obtain this peace? The passage gives us three steps to take in order to obtain the peace of God in our lives.
Lead-in/Transition Sentence:
The first step is to make a change of attitude
Point 1: Change Your Attitude
Vs. 4-5 ~ Rejoice in the Lord always; again I will say, rejoice! Let your gentle spirit be known to all men. The Lord is near.
If you remember, it was at Philippi that Paul & and Silas were harshly beaten and thrown into prison. But do you remember what their response was? They began singing praises to God. How could Paul, in the middle of this horrible situation, possibly have been able to sing praises to God?! It’s because Paul was a man who had truly gained a right concept of where to rejoice in. Look back at vs. 4 “Rejoice in the Lord” We not to rejoice in something so small as our own abilities, but we are to rejoice in Whom God is, and when we gain a realistic understanding of just how great God is, it will drastically affect our attitude.
A. W. Tozer said, “What comes to our minds when we think about God is the most important thing about us.” He went on to say, “We tend by a secret law of the soul to move toward our mental image of God. This is true not only of the individual Christian, but of the company of Christians that composes the Church. Always the most revealing thing about the church is her idea of God,”
But not only must we have a correct mental image of God, Paul also commands us to let our gentle spirit be known to all men. The word translated “gentle” here can have a wide range of meanings, and from it we get a sense that a person should be merciful, kind, loving, and friendly. But perhaps the best way to translate it is “gracious.” Let your gracious spirit be known to all men.
There should be something different about a true follower of Christ. Their very attitude sets them apart from the world. Now let me ask you, does your attitude set you apart from the world? Do people know you to be a gracious, compassionate person? Or are you just like every other person they meet? Your Christian walk should set you apart, and if it’s not, then maybe a check-up is in order.
Let me ask you this, if you were to begin following the principles in these verses, how do you think it would effect your life? If you gained a right concept of God, that inspired you to praise Him no matter what? If you had a gracious spirit that was gentle and kind to those around you, what would that bring into your life? I believe peace! So the next time you’re having trouble with someone, try implementing this verse. First, praise God, even if it’s a Psalm 34:1 moment. Psalm 34:1 says, “I will bless the Lord…”
I’m not sure how many of you are familiar with Dr. Allan Brown, but he’s the Ministerial Division Chair at God’s Bible School, and I work for him as his secretary. One day…
Illustration about Dr. Brown dropping his notebook in the mud puddle.
So, when the next trying situation comes your way, implement Psalm 34:1, and then, as God enables you to do so, show a gracious, and gentle spirit throughout the encounter, and see what a difference it will make.
But another interesting facet is found at the end of vs. 5 “The Lord is near.” MacArthur states that, “There is no greater source of spiritual stability than the confidence that the Lord is near.” He further states, “The Lord who is near is the almighty, true, and living God revealed in Scripture. Those who delight themselves in His holy power, love, and wisdom and cultivate a deep knowledge of Him by studying and meditating on His Word will live by the foundation of that truth and be spiritually stable.”
We are again brought back to the importance of having a right concept of God. Of truly understanding Who He is. But not only that, but also having the assurance that He is with us, helping us, guiding us, and encouraging us along the way, because He is near!
Transition Sentence:
But not only must there be a
change of attitude, there must also be a change of focus.
Point 2: Change Your Focus
Vs. 6-7 ~ “Be anxious for nothing, but in everything by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known to God. And the peace of God, which surpasses all comprehension, will guard your hearts and minds in Christ Jesus.”
Golf legend Arnold Palmer recalls a lesson about overconfidence. He says, “It was the final hole of the 1961 Masters tournament, and I had a one-stroke lead and had just hit a very satisfying tee shot. He says, I felt I was in pretty good shape. As I approached my ball, I saw an old friend standing at the edge of the gallery. He motioned me over, stuck out his hand and said, "Congratulations." I took his hand and shook it, but as soon as I did, I knew I had lost my focus.
On my next two shots, I hit the ball into a sand trap, then put it over the edge of the green. I missed a putt and lost the Masters. You don't forget a mistake like that; you just learn from it and become determined that you will never do that again.
It’s hard for all of us from time to time to keep our focus on the goal. We tend to be ADD Christians and get sidetracked by every troublesome circumstance that flutters past our vision. But instead we should adopt the concept from vs. 6 into our own lives.
V. 6 can be paraphrased like this, “Worry about nothing, pray about everything.” That’s it. That’s the solution. It seems rather simplistic I know, but believe it or not, we were not made to worry, we were made to trust!
Matthew 6:25 says, “For this reason I say to you, do not be worried about your life, as to what you will eat or what you will drink; nor for the body, as to what you will put on. Is not life more than food, and the body more than clothing? Look at the birds of the air, that they do not sow, nor reap nor gather into barns, and yet your heavenly Father feeds them. Are you not worth much more than they?” Jesus later states, “…for your heavenly Father knows that you need all these things. But seek first His kingdom and His righteousness, and all these things will be added to you.”
One commentator stated, “The real challenge of the Christian life is not to eliminate every unpleasant circumstance; it is to trust in the good purpose of our infinite, holy, sovereign, and powerful God in every difficulty. Those who honor Him by trusting Him will experience the blessings of His perfect peace.” Another commentator went on to define a few of the attributes of this peace saying, “The answer to anxiety is the peace of God.” This peace is first, divine. Second, it transcends all understanding. And third, it will guard our hearts and minds. “Guard” here is “a military term, implying that peace stands on [sentry] duty to keep out anything that brings care and anxiety. For these reasons, prayerful people are peaceful people.”
Transition Sentence:
So first there must be a change of attitude, second, there must be a change of focus, and third there must be a change in thinking
Point 3: Change Your Thinking
Vs. 8-9 ~ Finally, brethren, whatever is true, whatever is honorable, whatever is right, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is of good repute, if there is any excellence and if anything worthy of praise, dwell on these things. The things you have learned and received and heard and seen in me, practice these things, and the God of peace will be with you.
I’m sure many of you are aware of just how important your thought life is. Many a great person has risen and fallen simply because of the thought patterns they adopted into their lives. But without delving into this field, I will simply state that the cliché, “You are what you think” may not be too over-simplified. In fact, Proverbs 23:7 states, “For as he thinks within himself, so he is.” It matters what you think about!
A very appropriate illustration of this is the computer acronym GIGO, which stands for Garbage In, Garbage Out. Your mind is no different. If you put garbage into your mind, you will only get garbage out of it. But the opposite of this is also true. If you put good things into your mind you can expect to get good things out. Paul gives us a list of these “good things” in vs. 8. Look at it again. “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.”
What does it mean to “think” on or “dwell” on? One commentator put it this way, “Dwell on” means to evaluate, consider, calculate. Believers are to consider the qualities Paul lists in this verse and meditate on their implications. The verb form calls for the habitual discipline of the mind to set all thoughts on these spiritual virtues.”
But it doesn’t just stop there. Look at vs. 9, “The things you have learned and received and heard and seen in me, practice these things, and the God of peace will be with you.”
One way to view these verses is that v. 8 deals with the thinking side of the coin, and v. 9 deals with the practical action or behavior side of the coin. So, in order to obtain peace, you must have thinking that is in line with the Word of God (v. 8). But proper thinking without proper behavior, is useless. You must also discipline yourself to act in accordance with God’s Word, to do what the Bible says (v. 9).
But how did the Philippians know what to follow? Because they had learned from Paul’s teaching, and they had also seen him at his lowest, even that day when he was captured by the mob. They had seen this man for exactly who he was. And they knew that Paul was a trustworthy example to follow.
Let me pause for a moment to ask you, are you a trustworthy example for others to follow? Can you open your life up to others without being shamed by having sin in your life? Maybe there are some areas you’re struggling with right now.
Let me assure you of two things:
One, until you take care of sin in your life, God will not grant you His peace. He will not let you continue in your sin, and give you His blessing of peace.
Two, according to 1 Cor. 10:13 “No temptation has overtaken you but such as is common to man; and God is faithful, who will not allow you to be tempted beyond what you are able, but with the temptation will provide the way of escape also, so that you will be able to endure it.” Notice that it didn’t say you would be instantly delivered from it, but rather God will enable you to endure it. Don’t forget, Philippians 4:13 says you can do all things through Christ who strengthens you.
Right in line with this we find a most amazing, and powerful verse in Hebrews 4:14-16, Hebrews 4:14-16. And as you’re turning there, let me give you a little background. I’m sure many of you are aware that many things in the Old Testament were designed to be something like object lessons for the Israelites to teach them about God, and what Jesus would eventually do for us when He brought us salvation. And we find that in the temple as described in the book of Leviticus. Kind of the inner sanctum of the temple was designed in two parts. You had had the holy place, where certain priest would go every day to carry out certain duties, and then, separated by a great veil that was nearly a foot thick, you had the holy of holies, where only the single high priest could go once a year to offer a sacrifice for the entire nation of Israel. This was by far the most sacred, and terrifying function that a priest could perform. But all of this had a fatal flaw, it could never be completely perfect, because no sacrifice that the people brought, no priest that performed the ceremony, was every completely perfect, and thus, it fell short of paying the debt. This needed the perfect sacrifice. And finally, it was given. That perfect sacrifice came in the form of Jesus Christ, dying on the cross in our place. Do you know what happened the moment Christ died on the cross? That great, thick, temple vale that separated the holy place from the holy of holies was literally, rent in two from top to bottom, which means that we now have access to God Himself through Jesus Christ because He did for us what we could never do on our own.
And so that makes Hebrews 4:14-16 all the more powerful when we read, “Therefore, since we have a great high priest [Jesus Christ] who has passed through the heavens, Jesus the Son of God, let us hold fast our confession. For we do not have a high priest who cannot sympathize with our weaknesses, but One who has been tempted in all things as we are, yet without sin. Therefore let us draw near with confidence to the throne of grace, so that we may receive mercy and find grace to help in time of need.”
I don’t know what you’re facing this morning, but I know this, Christ came to this earth, lived a human life, just like you, so He knows what hurt, pain, and conflict feel like, and He is right now at the right hand of God the Father almighty waiting, and longing to intercede on your behalf, and to strengthen you, and carry you through any situation you may be facing.
Transition Sentence:
So we have seen that in order to obtain God’s peace in a conflict you must first change your attitude by gaining a right concept of who God is, and then praising Him. Second, you must change your focus from being anxious to “worrying about nothing, praying about everything.” And finally, you must change your thinking. Remember, Garbage In, Garbage Out.
Conclusion:
In conclusion, I would like to point out one final thing. Notice that in vs. 7 we are promised the peace of God. Now look at vs. 9. We are not only promised the peace of God, we are also promised the giver of Peace, God Himself. I really don’t know what you may be struggling with this morning, or what conflicts you are facing in your life, but with God at your side you can overcome it. Not only overcome it, but abundantly overcome! All the while maintaining the joy and peace that you are in a right relationship with Him, and that as Hebrews 13:5 states, He will never leave you nor forsake you, but will be with you through every situation, walking right by your side.
Prayer:
Let’s pray. Father, thank you for the many promises you have give us in your word. Thank for the peace that can be ours for the asking. May you drive this message home to the hearts of the hearers, and guide us into all truth. In Jesus’ name we ask it. Amen
- Ryan
P.S. You should already be hearing the speech. If not, you can download it off of the File Sharing page on the right of this screen.
Title: Bringing Peace into Conflict
Scripture Reading: Reading from the NASB
Prayer:
Let’s pray. Father, we are so grateful for the blessings that you have given each and every one of us this morning! We acknowledge that we are unworthy of even one of them, but we thank for your kindness, and goodness, and that you see fit to bless us, and to keep us in Your way. Thank you for the peace that you have promised us, and I ask that you please be with us during the service; and open our hearts to hear what you would have to say. In Jesus’ name we pray. Amen.
Attention Getter:
Shopping illustration
Where’s the peace in all of this? This isn’t peace, it’s chaos!
Maybe you’re dealing with conflict or tension right now. It may not be in the form of a chaotic shopping experience, but maybe it’s financial problems, family problems, problems at work, whatever, you fill in the blank.
This passage tells us how to handle situations like this that come into our lives. In fact, when you look at the church in Philippi, you see that they were going through a rather difficult time themselves. They stuck out like a sore thumb in society because of their Christian faith. They were facing conflict because of this. But on top of that, they were having internal problems as well. Two apparent leaders of the church Euodia and Syntyche were having a serious conflict, over what we don’t know, but it was serious enough for Paul to hear about many, many miles away. So the church at Philippi was really going through it. Conflict from without, and conflict from within were tearing the church apart. And it is for this reason that Paul wrote this letter to the Philippians in an effort encourage them, but also to instruct them on how to gain peace during this difficult time.
We all face conflicts in our lives. Maybe even, like the Philippians, with other Christians. We all have difficulties, trials, and pain that try their best to drag us down. But I have encouraging new this morning! God has promised us something amazing, something so amazing that the passage says we can’t even comprehend it! The peace of God. But just how do we obtain this peace? The passage gives us three steps to take in order to obtain the peace of God in our lives.
Lead-in/Transition Sentence:
The first step is to make a change of attitude
Point 1: Change Your Attitude
Vs. 4-5 ~ Rejoice in the Lord always; again I will say, rejoice! Let your gentle spirit be known to all men. The Lord is near.
If you remember, it was at Philippi that Paul & and Silas were harshly beaten and thrown into prison. But do you remember what their response was? They began singing praises to God. How could Paul, in the middle of this horrible situation, possibly have been able to sing praises to God?! It’s because Paul was a man who had truly gained a right concept of where to rejoice in. Look back at vs. 4 “Rejoice in the Lord” We not to rejoice in something so small as our own abilities, but we are to rejoice in Whom God is, and when we gain a realistic understanding of just how great God is, it will drastically affect our attitude.
A. W. Tozer said, “What comes to our minds when we think about God is the most important thing about us.” He went on to say, “We tend by a secret law of the soul to move toward our mental image of God. This is true not only of the individual Christian, but of the company of Christians that composes the Church. Always the most revealing thing about the church is her idea of God,”
But not only must we have a correct mental image of God, Paul also commands us to let our gentle spirit be known to all men. The word translated “gentle” here can have a wide range of meanings, and from it we get a sense that a person should be merciful, kind, loving, and friendly. But perhaps the best way to translate it is “gracious.” Let your gracious spirit be known to all men.
There should be something different about a true follower of Christ. Their very attitude sets them apart from the world. Now let me ask you, does your attitude set you apart from the world? Do people know you to be a gracious, compassionate person? Or are you just like every other person they meet? Your Christian walk should set you apart, and if it’s not, then maybe a check-up is in order.
Let me ask you this, if you were to begin following the principles in these verses, how do you think it would effect your life? If you gained a right concept of God, that inspired you to praise Him no matter what? If you had a gracious spirit that was gentle and kind to those around you, what would that bring into your life? I believe peace! So the next time you’re having trouble with someone, try implementing this verse. First, praise God, even if it’s a Psalm 34:1 moment. Psalm 34:1 says, “I will bless the Lord…”
I’m not sure how many of you are familiar with Dr. Allan Brown, but he’s the Ministerial Division Chair at God’s Bible School, and I work for him as his secretary. One day…
Illustration about Dr. Brown dropping his notebook in the mud puddle.
So, when the next trying situation comes your way, implement Psalm 34:1, and then, as God enables you to do so, show a gracious, and gentle spirit throughout the encounter, and see what a difference it will make.
But another interesting facet is found at the end of vs. 5 “The Lord is near.” MacArthur states that, “There is no greater source of spiritual stability than the confidence that the Lord is near.” He further states, “The Lord who is near is the almighty, true, and living God revealed in Scripture. Those who delight themselves in His holy power, love, and wisdom and cultivate a deep knowledge of Him by studying and meditating on His Word will live by the foundation of that truth and be spiritually stable.”
We are again brought back to the importance of having a right concept of God. Of truly understanding Who He is. But not only that, but also having the assurance that He is with us, helping us, guiding us, and encouraging us along the way, because He is near!
Transition Sentence:
But not only must there be a
change of attitude, there must also be a change of focus.
Point 2: Change Your Focus
Vs. 6-7 ~ “Be anxious for nothing, but in everything by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known to God. And the peace of God, which surpasses all comprehension, will guard your hearts and minds in Christ Jesus.”
Golf legend Arnold Palmer recalls a lesson about overconfidence. He says, “It was the final hole of the 1961 Masters tournament, and I had a one-stroke lead and had just hit a very satisfying tee shot. He says, I felt I was in pretty good shape. As I approached my ball, I saw an old friend standing at the edge of the gallery. He motioned me over, stuck out his hand and said, "Congratulations." I took his hand and shook it, but as soon as I did, I knew I had lost my focus.
On my next two shots, I hit the ball into a sand trap, then put it over the edge of the green. I missed a putt and lost the Masters. You don't forget a mistake like that; you just learn from it and become determined that you will never do that again.
It’s hard for all of us from time to time to keep our focus on the goal. We tend to be ADD Christians and get sidetracked by every troublesome circumstance that flutters past our vision. But instead we should adopt the concept from vs. 6 into our own lives.
V. 6 can be paraphrased like this, “Worry about nothing, pray about everything.” That’s it. That’s the solution. It seems rather simplistic I know, but believe it or not, we were not made to worry, we were made to trust!
Matthew 6:25 says, “For this reason I say to you, do not be worried about your life, as to what you will eat or what you will drink; nor for the body, as to what you will put on. Is not life more than food, and the body more than clothing? Look at the birds of the air, that they do not sow, nor reap nor gather into barns, and yet your heavenly Father feeds them. Are you not worth much more than they?” Jesus later states, “…for your heavenly Father knows that you need all these things. But seek first His kingdom and His righteousness, and all these things will be added to you.”
One commentator stated, “The real challenge of the Christian life is not to eliminate every unpleasant circumstance; it is to trust in the good purpose of our infinite, holy, sovereign, and powerful God in every difficulty. Those who honor Him by trusting Him will experience the blessings of His perfect peace.” Another commentator went on to define a few of the attributes of this peace saying, “The answer to anxiety is the peace of God.” This peace is first, divine. Second, it transcends all understanding. And third, it will guard our hearts and minds. “Guard” here is “a military term, implying that peace stands on [sentry] duty to keep out anything that brings care and anxiety. For these reasons, prayerful people are peaceful people.”
Transition Sentence:
So first there must be a change of attitude, second, there must be a change of focus, and third there must be a change in thinking
Point 3: Change Your Thinking
Vs. 8-9 ~ Finally, brethren, whatever is true, whatever is honorable, whatever is right, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is of good repute, if there is any excellence and if anything worthy of praise, dwell on these things. The things you have learned and received and heard and seen in me, practice these things, and the God of peace will be with you.
I’m sure many of you are aware of just how important your thought life is. Many a great person has risen and fallen simply because of the thought patterns they adopted into their lives. But without delving into this field, I will simply state that the cliché, “You are what you think” may not be too over-simplified. In fact, Proverbs 23:7 states, “For as he thinks within himself, so he is.” It matters what you think about!
A very appropriate illustration of this is the computer acronym GIGO, which stands for Garbage In, Garbage Out. Your mind is no different. If you put garbage into your mind, you will only get garbage out of it. But the opposite of this is also true. If you put good things into your mind you can expect to get good things out. Paul gives us a list of these “good things” in vs. 8. Look at it again. “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.”
What does it mean to “think” on or “dwell” on? One commentator put it this way, “Dwell on” means to evaluate, consider, calculate. Believers are to consider the qualities Paul lists in this verse and meditate on their implications. The verb form calls for the habitual discipline of the mind to set all thoughts on these spiritual virtues.”
But it doesn’t just stop there. Look at vs. 9, “The things you have learned and received and heard and seen in me, practice these things, and the God of peace will be with you.”
One way to view these verses is that v. 8 deals with the thinking side of the coin, and v. 9 deals with the practical action or behavior side of the coin. So, in order to obtain peace, you must have thinking that is in line with the Word of God (v. 8). But proper thinking without proper behavior, is useless. You must also discipline yourself to act in accordance with God’s Word, to do what the Bible says (v. 9).
But how did the Philippians know what to follow? Because they had learned from Paul’s teaching, and they had also seen him at his lowest, even that day when he was captured by the mob. They had seen this man for exactly who he was. And they knew that Paul was a trustworthy example to follow.
Let me pause for a moment to ask you, are you a trustworthy example for others to follow? Can you open your life up to others without being shamed by having sin in your life? Maybe there are some areas you’re struggling with right now.
Let me assure you of two things:
One, until you take care of sin in your life, God will not grant you His peace. He will not let you continue in your sin, and give you His blessing of peace.
Two, according to 1 Cor. 10:13 “No temptation has overtaken you but such as is common to man; and God is faithful, who will not allow you to be tempted beyond what you are able, but with the temptation will provide the way of escape also, so that you will be able to endure it.” Notice that it didn’t say you would be instantly delivered from it, but rather God will enable you to endure it. Don’t forget, Philippians 4:13 says you can do all things through Christ who strengthens you.
Right in line with this we find a most amazing, and powerful verse in Hebrews 4:14-16, Hebrews 4:14-16. And as you’re turning there, let me give you a little background. I’m sure many of you are aware that many things in the Old Testament were designed to be something like object lessons for the Israelites to teach them about God, and what Jesus would eventually do for us when He brought us salvation. And we find that in the temple as described in the book of Leviticus. Kind of the inner sanctum of the temple was designed in two parts. You had had the holy place, where certain priest would go every day to carry out certain duties, and then, separated by a great veil that was nearly a foot thick, you had the holy of holies, where only the single high priest could go once a year to offer a sacrifice for the entire nation of Israel. This was by far the most sacred, and terrifying function that a priest could perform. But all of this had a fatal flaw, it could never be completely perfect, because no sacrifice that the people brought, no priest that performed the ceremony, was every completely perfect, and thus, it fell short of paying the debt. This needed the perfect sacrifice. And finally, it was given. That perfect sacrifice came in the form of Jesus Christ, dying on the cross in our place. Do you know what happened the moment Christ died on the cross? That great, thick, temple vale that separated the holy place from the holy of holies was literally, rent in two from top to bottom, which means that we now have access to God Himself through Jesus Christ because He did for us what we could never do on our own.
And so that makes Hebrews 4:14-16 all the more powerful when we read, “Therefore, since we have a great high priest [Jesus Christ] who has passed through the heavens, Jesus the Son of God, let us hold fast our confession. For we do not have a high priest who cannot sympathize with our weaknesses, but One who has been tempted in all things as we are, yet without sin. Therefore let us draw near with confidence to the throne of grace, so that we may receive mercy and find grace to help in time of need.”
I don’t know what you’re facing this morning, but I know this, Christ came to this earth, lived a human life, just like you, so He knows what hurt, pain, and conflict feel like, and He is right now at the right hand of God the Father almighty waiting, and longing to intercede on your behalf, and to strengthen you, and carry you through any situation you may be facing.
Transition Sentence:
So we have seen that in order to obtain God’s peace in a conflict you must first change your attitude by gaining a right concept of who God is, and then praising Him. Second, you must change your focus from being anxious to “worrying about nothing, praying about everything.” And finally, you must change your thinking. Remember, Garbage In, Garbage Out.
Conclusion:
In conclusion, I would like to point out one final thing. Notice that in vs. 7 we are promised the peace of God. Now look at vs. 9. We are not only promised the peace of God, we are also promised the giver of Peace, God Himself. I really don’t know what you may be struggling with this morning, or what conflicts you are facing in your life, but with God at your side you can overcome it. Not only overcome it, but abundantly overcome! All the while maintaining the joy and peace that you are in a right relationship with Him, and that as Hebrews 13:5 states, He will never leave you nor forsake you, but will be with you through every situation, walking right by your side.
Prayer:
Let’s pray. Father, thank you for the many promises you have give us in your word. Thank for the peace that can be ours for the asking. May you drive this message home to the hearts of the hearers, and guide us into all truth. In Jesus’ name we ask it. Amen