It’s so important to practice peace in our lives. Remember the “peace recipe” we talked about yesterday? It includes rejoicing, not worrying, praying, and giving thanks. Dear friends, lean into prayer and give your problems to God. His presence in your life will bring peace, and help change attitudes. Jesus is the key that unlocks peace.
Show Notes:
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Transcription:
Have you been practicing peace? I didn’t write down the recipe, so I’m going to see if I remember it by heart. Okay, rejoice, pray. No, don’t worry, pray and give thanks. Okay, I think that’s it, right? Welcome to the Bible for Busy People. I’m Erica, your host, and it’s just a joy pursuing peace with you, like a lioness after a gazelle. So, I’m thinking before we dive into Joy Bombs in the Psalms, because it is Friday and we are totally going to do that, what if we just went through this peace recipe together step-by-step for a hot second? So let’s start. Okay.
Rejoice.
You can just say, “God, thank you for making this day.” My friend Tom says it’s already good because He made it. Okay. Even if it’s six o’clock at night and you’re listening, God still made this day good. The night’s going to be good. He’s in it. He’s with you. So, we can rejoice over that. We can rejoice that you and I woke up this morning, we were on the wake up list. We can rejoice because we’ve had a meal today or a cup of coffee, or maybe you’ve had a good belly laugh, and if none of those things apply except for the wake up list, because if you’re listening, hey, you’re still here… If you’ve got a pulse, you’ve got a purpose… You and I can just rejoice that Jesus came to this earth to save us, and if we have accepted Hs love in our hearts, that means we’re going to heaven. So ,we can rejoice over that. Okay? Step two in the recipe,
Don’t worry
Lord, we’re just saying it out loud right now. We choose not to worry. We choose to push the problems aside to make room for positive thoughts, for your promises to take root in the trees of our brains. Lord, right now, Lord, you tell us that your plans for us are good and we lean into that right now. Okay, I know it is so hard to displace worry at the center of your heart, isn’t it? I wrestle with this all the time. I’m Italian. Okay, third step in the peace recipe. What do we have? I think it’s
Pray
Father, in Jesus’ name, we come to you right now, my friend who’s listening, and I, we carry our burdens over to you and we set them at your feet. Lord, we’re going through this picture in our minds, that problem that’s like a thorn in our hearts, we’re pulling it out and we’re setting it at your feet and saying, Lord, we know you. See, we don’t have to tell our side of the story. You see what’s going on? We give this to you. My problem does nothing for me in my heart, but it does everything when I place it at your feet. Thank you, Lord. Oh, just leaning into prayer feels so good, doesn’t it? Such a relief. And finally, we
Give thanks
Thank you, Lord that you invite us to cast our caress on you because you care for us. That’s what the apostle Peter wrote in one of his letters in the Bible. Thank you Lord for being good, for just wanting our friendship. I just want to thank you for that today. Lord, you bring everything to the table sometimes, Lord, I don’t know what I bring to the table. I have days like that. But God, I’m so thankful for your friendship. Isn’t that amazing that God wants to be friends with us? And Lord, my friend and I, right now, we’re together and we’re saying we know that there is no panic in heaven. There are no problems, no panic, only plans with you. And so, Lord Jesus, we are standing on your promises today. We’re excited about the plans that you have for us and our loved ones, and we’re kicking our problems to the curb. We’re choosing to be thankful instead of full of worry. Oh, I never thought about that. You can be full of worry or thankful. Praise God. Alright? Yes, it is time to continue praising him and thanking him. Let’s dive in to Psalm 73 today.
Surely God is good to Israel, to those who are pure in heart. 2 But as for me, my feet had almost slipped; I had nearly lost my foothold. 3 For I envied the arrogant when I saw the prosperity of the wicked. 4 They have no struggles; their bodies are healthy and strong. 5 They are free from common human burdens; they are not plagued by human ills.
I just want to point out here, it’s so easy to get, to fall into the comparison trap. I do this as well and that can really steal your peace. So, let’s try with a concerted effort to not walk into that trap. Right? This psalmist, his name is Asaph, is just like us. He walked into the trap too, but we’re going to see how God turns his heart around. Verse six.
Therefore pride is their necklace; they clothe themselves with violence. 7 From their callous hearts comes iniquity; their evil imaginations have no limits. 8 They scoff, and speak with malice; with arrogance they threaten oppression. 9 Their mouths lay claim to heaven, and their tongues take possession of the earth. 10 Therefore their people turn to them and drink up waters in abundance. 11 They say, “How would God know? Does the Most High know anything?” 12 This is what the wicked are like— always free of care, they go on amassing wealth. 13 Surely in vain I have kept my heart pure and have washed my hands in innocence. 14 All day long I have been afflicted, and every morning brings new punishments. 15 If I had spoken out like that, I would have betrayed your children. 16 When I tried to understand all this, it troubled me deeply 17 till I entered the sanctuary of God; then I understood their final destiny. 18 Surely you place them on slippery ground; you cast them down to ruin. 19 How suddenly are they destroyed, completely swept away by terrors! 20 They are like a dream when one awakes; when you arise, Lord, you will despise them as fantasies. 21 When my heart was grieved and my spirit embittered, 22 I was senseless and ignorant; I was a brute beast before you. 23 Yet I am always with you; you hold me by my right hand. 24 You guide me with your counsel, and afterward you will take me into glory. 25 Whom have I in heaven but you? And earth has nothing I desire besides you. 26 My flesh and my heart may fail, but God is the strength of my heart and my portion forever.
Do you see how an Asaph got into the presence of God? His attitude changed. He was complaining. He had no peace. He had only problems that he was marinating on. But then God’s presence changed everything when he entered the sanctuary. The peace came flooding in When he entered God’s presence. You know, the Lord. Jesus is living in us. He’s always with us, and that means we always have access to the key to peace. He’s the one. He holds the key. He is the door. The Bible also calls him the door of hope and the Prince of Peace. He’s everything we need. Don’t let problems steal your peace. Let Jesus fill you with His peace. He is our portion. I love that. He is all we need forever. Until next time, you are really loved.
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