“And the peace of God, which surpasses all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus” (Philippians 4:7).

How?

How can one have the peace of God which surpasses all understanding? How is this possible?

I would love some of this peace right now. The protests continue. There is trouble and turmoil in the Middle East. Covid-19 shows no sign of slowing down. In fact, cases are spiking again all over the country. Many, including myself, are already tired of not seeing our friends and family.

Ugh!!!

I really could use this peace. How can we experience this peace? How can we make this peace a reality in our lives?

The first word of the verse of the day is important because the “and” that starts our sentence tells us that our sentence is dependent on what preceded our verse. It is the previous verse that gives us the key to having the peace of God which surpasses all understanding.

Want to know what it says?

“Do not worry about anything, but in everything by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made know to God” (Philippians 4:6).

Several interesting aspects:

• Do not worry about anything…How? How does one do this? Paul tells us.
• Pray. Instead of worrying everything, pray about everything.
• Don’t just pray. Pray with thanksgiving.
  • Isn’t that interesting? Paul tells us to pray with thanksgiving even before God answers.
  • The reason why we can pray with thanksgiving even before God answers prayers is because no matter how God answers our prayers, God will do only what is loving, kind, and best for us.
  • Isn’t that great?!?! No matter what the answer to our prayer is, it will always be the most loving, most kind, and absolutely the best thing for us!!!

It is because of the kind of God we have that we can have the peace that surpasses all understanding, and it is this knowledge that will guard our hearts and minds in Christ Jesus. Christ Jesus is the ultimate manifestation of God’s love and will for us.

Man! I already feel better having studied this verse. Thank you God!!!

“For he is our peace; in his flesh he has made both groups into one and has broken down the dividing wall, that is, the hostility between us” (Ephesians 2:14).

Peace, dude!

Peace out.

Peace. What is it?

For many peace is an ideal, a concept.

Merriam-Webster defines peace in this way:

• State of tranquility or quiet
  • freedom from civil disturbance
  • a state of security or order within a community
• Freedom from disquieting or oppressive thoughts or emotions
• Harmony in personal relations
• A state or period of mutual concord between governments; a pact or agreement to end hostilities between those who have been at war

The peace that our world knows is an ideal, a concept.

The peace that God offers us is not like that at all. In fact the right question to ask regarding peace is not “What is peace?” but “Who is peace?” As far as God is concerned, peace is a person. The person has a name. His name is Jesus, the Christ, the Savior, the Messiah, the Lord.

The peace that God offers us is Jesus. It is Jesus who makes all things right. It is Jesus who makes all people right with God. It is Jesus who is able to unite all people. It is Jesus who is able to give us the peace that we so long for.

At the announcement of the birth of Jesus to the shepherds, the angel choir sang, “Glory to God in the highest heaven, and on earth peace among those whom he favors” (Luke 2:14).

Peace comes through Jesus. Jesus is our peace.

“For he is our peace…” (Ephesians 2:14).

Do you know him? Are you spending time with him? There is peace in no one else. Jesus is the source of peace.