Series: Finding Joy in the Journey through Peace!
Scripture Text: Romans 15:13 “May the God of hope fill you with all joy and peace as you trust in him, so that you may overflow with hope by the power of the Holy Spirit.”
Mother’s Day 2019
We are seeking joy in the journey of life and we are going to be talking about finding joy through peace.
Peace seems fleeting for a lot of people today! We see a spirit of despair running wild in our society.
We desire peaceful neighborhoods, schools, politics, government, churches, malls, families and the list could go on.
The news does not even promote peace but conflict.
I see signs at entrances to bars which say “Happy Hour” but I see few people in there or coming and going from them who have any happiness or peace on their faces. It seems many are stressed out, weary, lonely, and eager for just about anyone to talk to them or listen to their stories of woe.
I see broken families, addicted people, and terrorism hitting everywhere.
Suicide is at an all time high, shootings have become common place on the news. I see very little peace – but without peace we will not find joy in the journey of life. We need to rediscover “Peace!”
Charles Stanley states in his book Finding Peace this: “Happiness and contentment in life are totally within a person’s own perceptions and emotions. Nobody (but God) and no thing can make another person happy or contended. Happiness and contentment are states of mind that arise out of our perception of people, circumstances, and how they interrelate with us” (Page 22).
Peace is a popular request or wish of many - in a recent survey people were asked the question “If you could ask for one thing in the world what would it be?” The most common answer was “Peace!”
Peace – everyone wants it – we look at the world and there seems to be little peace in it – many say they want it but it seems few people find peace in their journey or seek to cultivate it.
Mother Teresa said “If you want peace go home and love your family!”
Listen to some of Scripture versus about the promise of peace in this journey of life from the Bible!
Proverbs 16:7: “When a man’s ways please the LORD, He makes even his enemies to be at peace with him.”
Isaiah 26:3: “You will keep him in perfect peace, whose mind is stayed on You, because he trusts in You.”
John 14:27: “Peace I leave with you, My peace I give to you; not as the world gives do I give to you. Let not your heart be troubled, neither let it be afraid.”
John 16:33: “These things I have spoken to you, that in Me you may have peace. In the world you will have tribulation; but be of good cheer, I have overcome the world.”
Philippians 4:6-7: “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 understanding, will guard your hearts and minds through Christ Jesus.”
Leviticus 26:6: “I will give peace in the land, and you shall lie down, and none will make you afraid; I will rid the land of evil beasts, and the sword will not go through your land.”
Ronald Reagan stated, “Peace is not the absence of conflict, it is the ability to handle conflict by peaceful means.”
Which I believe is a a gift from God for those who can do this!
When I think of peace from God – I think of how God promised peace to all who embrace Him and follow Him – That peace is “God’s promise of a life free from regret, anxiety and fear” says (Charles Stanley).
I believe Moms are the ultimate peacemakers and gifted because of God!
Illustration:
A. What are mothers? Well, mothers are teachers. Mothers are disciplinarians. Mothers are cleaning ladies. Some mothers are gardeners & mowers of lawns. Mothers are nurses & doctors & psychologists & counselors & chauffeurs & coaches. Mothers are peacemakers.
Mothers are developers of personalities, molders of vocabularies, & shapers of attitudes. Mothers are soft voices saying, "I love you." And mothers are a link to God, a child's first impression of God's love. Mothers are all these things & much, much more.
Illustration:
One of my favorite columns by Erma Bombeck told of God in the act of creating mothers. She said that on the day God created mothers He had already worked long overtime. An angel said to Him, "Lord, you sure are spending a lot of time on this one."
The Lord turned & said, "Have you read the specs on this model? She is supposed to be completely washable, but not plastic. She is to have 180 moving parts, all of them replaceable. She is to have a kiss that will heal everything from a broken leg to a broken heart.
“She is to have a lap that will disappear whenever she stands up. She is to be able to function on black coffee & leftovers. And she is supposed to have six pairs of hands." "Six pairs of hands," said the angel, "that's impossible." "It's not the six pairs of hands that bother me," said the Lord, "It's the three pairs of eyes.
"She is supposed to have one pair that sees through closed doors so that whenever she says, 'What are you kids doing in there?' she already knows what they're doing in there."
"She has another pair in the back of her head to see all the things she is not supposed to see but must see. And she has one pair right in front that can look at a child who goofed & communicate love & understanding without saying a word."
"That's too much." said the angel, "You can't put that much in one model. Why don't you rest for a while & resume your creating tomorrow?"
"No, I can't," said the Lord. "I'm close to creating someone very much like myself. I've already come up with a model who can heal herself when she is sick ? who can feed a family of six with one pound of hamburger ? & who can persuade a nine year old to take a shower."
Then the angel looked at the model of motherhood a little more closely & said, "She's too soft." "Oh, but she is tough," said the Lord. "You'd be surprised at how much this mother can do."
"Can she think?" asked the angel. "Not only can she think," said the Lord, "but she can reason & compromise & persuade."
Then the angel reached over & touched her cheek. "This one has a leak," he said. "I told you that you couldn't put that much in one model." "That's not a leak," said the Lord. "That's a tear."
"What's a tear for?" asked the angel. "Well it's for joy, for sadness, for sorrow, for disappointment, for pride." "You're a genius," said the angel. And the Lord said, "Oh, but I didn't put it there."
God’s Peace comes through a Mother’s Love – I believe He designed moms this way.
Someone wrote, "Mother's Day is traditionally the day when children give something back to their mothers for all the spit they produce to wash dirty faces, all the old gum they held in their hands, all the noses they wiped, & all the bloody knees they 'made well' with their kisses.
"This is the day mothers are rewarded for washing sheets in the middle of the night, driving kids to school when they missed the bus, & enduring all those football & soccer games in the rain.
"It's a day of appreciation for making your children finish something they said they couldn't do, not believing them when they said, 'I hate you,' & sharing their good times & their bad."
It’s a day to honor moms for keeping the peace in the family!
Illustrations from Melvin Newland sermoncentral.com
I know God is the one who gives us peace or the ability to be a peace maker! It’s a gift from Him to us who embrace it and want it.
The world claims to offer peace but it is an illusion – their peace is not real.
Charles Stanley states, “Remember, what the world offers as “peace” is ultimately an illusion, even though it may appear very concrete. It is like a mirage in the desert. A mirage looks like a body of water. But in fact, it does not exist and therefore is never attainable. A mirage has absolutely no ability to quench thirst. The world regards peace as being the by-product of doing the right deeds, saying the right words , working in the right job, or having the right intentions. These aren’t at all the criteria for peace described in God’s Word. Peace is an inner quality that flows out of a right relationship with God (page 22).
Charles Stanley from his book Finding Peace notes the biblical definition of peace:
“The foundation for peace comes from God – God is called Jehovah Shalom – “The God of Peace” in Scripture!”
“The Bible has more than 300 verses which speak of peace and its connection to God and to others.”
What are the benefits of this kind of peace? Stanley notes the following from pages 23-28
1. God’s peace will transcend your circumstances!
a. God’s peace does not deny reality or help us escape reality instead God’s peace has the sustaining power to help us in the midst of reality.
i. This is both the good and the bad of life.
ii. Jesus told us in John 16:33 we would go through storms in our journey’s but it’s in the journey the going through the storm or crisis that God’s presence is most clearly manifested.
iii. The truth is peace becomes more alive and felt in the midst trials and tribulations. But we need to ask for it!
2. God’s peace will supersede your own understanding and logic!
a. Phil 4:6-7: Do not be anxious about anything, but in everything, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God. And the peace of God, which transcends all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus.
b. The next truth is God’s peace is not something you can figure out or understand how it operates in your life. But it does come, and I think it is not meant to be understood but just experienced.
c. The apostle Paul in his writing of Philippians should not have had peace being under arrest and headed for execution but he had peace.
d. Charles Stanley states, “God’s peace is functional in us-it is operative in us and available to us-far beyond our ability to understand it. God’s promise of peace is a gift beyond compare” (Page 25).
3. God’s peace is offered to everyone who wants it!
a. If you believe in Jesus and have accepted him as Lord and Savior you have access to His peace.
b. Peace is a Promise of God and God keeps His promises.
i. Peace is right before you so take a hold of it!
ii. Quote: “Peace is the result of retraining (renewing) your mind to process life as it is, rather than as you think it should be.” Wayne W. Dyer
1. Romans 12:2: “Do not conform any longer to the pattern of this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind. Then you will be able to test and approve what God’s will is—his good, pleasing and perfect will.”
iii. Share how God gave me peace throughout Convention and also share Jim and Dee’s story!
c. Charles Stanley states, “The Bible has more than three hundred verses about peace. From cover to cover, God’s Word presents the resounding truth: God wants you to be at peace with Him, and through your peace with Him, to have peace within your heart, and as much as it depends upon your actions, to be at peace with your neighbors” (Page 26).
4. God’s peace is designed to be a state of being!
a. Peace is not elusive it’s within our grasp in the Lord.
b. We may face moments of panic, anxiety or fear. But a person connected with the Holy Spirit will quickly feel power and peace rising from within and that power helps them regain control of life. This power is the Holy Spirit within us who speaks peace to our heats and minds.
c. Stanley states “God’s desire is that you feel an abiding peace all the time, a peace that includes joy and a feeling of purpose in every area of your life- with times of anxiety and frustration being the “spurts” that occasionally hit us in crisis” (page 28).
d. Most people lose their peace when they surrender it to the crisis. Nobody can take away your peace you choose to surrender it.
i. Other causes of loss of peace:
1. Fear
2. Satan
3. Sin
4. Losing focus and this is connected with losing faith in God.
ii. Quote: “Nobody can take your peace from you. If you have lost your peace, you have lost it for one main reason – your surrendered it” (Stanley)
iii. How do we regain peace – see PowerPoint slide.
1. Sometimes we need to get away with the Lord!
Conclusion:
What do we need to know and do from this message?
Answer: We need to know God has provided peace to all who ask for it and seek it – He is the ultimate peace giver so ask for it and seek it.
What should I do since I have heard this message?
Answer: Choose to be a peace maker and by all means thank your moms today and honor them for being the ultimate peace-keepers.
Video Illustration: Honoring our moms today!
Happy Mother’s Day – gift of flowers for moms!
