Peace is Here

This past Sunday, December 18, 2022, Pastor Telos Fuller, of Grace Covenant Church, Chantilly, VA, delivered another life-changing message: “Peace is Here.” He spoke of “the peace of God” and “peace with God.” I recall this definition of the peace of God: “a state of untroubled, undisturbed well-being. It is an inner reality. . . the peace of God indicates being free from anxiety and care; it is not dependent upon outside conditions. The peace of God is only possible through the Prince of Peace, as Pastor Telos began with John 14:25-27 where Jesus is preparing his disciples for his ultimate departure from this life and offers words of comfort:

²⁵ “These things I have spoken to you, while I am still with you. ²⁶ But the Counselor, the Holy Spirit, whom the Father will send in my name, he will teach you all things, and bring to your remembrance all that I have said to you. 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 hearts be troubled, neither let them be afraid.

Pastor Telos went on to explain that as believers we have the peace of God, as Romans 5:1 declares:

Therefore, since we are justified by faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ.

If we have peace with God, then we have the peace of God. Colossians 3:15 reiterates this message:

And let the peace of God rule in your hearts, to which also you were called in one body; and be thankful.

I also thought of this passage from Philippians 4:6-7 in the New Living Translation:

⁶ Don’t worry about anything; instead, pray about everything. Tell God what you need and thank him for all he has done. ⁷ Then you will experience God’s peace, which exceeds anything we can understand. His peace will guard your hearts and minds as you live in Christ Jesus.

The teaching concluded with a reminder that God invites us into the peace that only Jesus Christ, the Prince of Peace can give. The peace of God is not the absence of problems, but it is the presence of Jesus in the midst of any situation we face.

Isaiah 26:3 encourages us with these words.

You will keep in perfect peace all who trust in you, all whose thoughts are fixed on you!

As I reviewed my notes and considered deeply the message: “Peace is Here,” I thought of this original poem to conclude this entry:

Hold Your Peace

So shall they fear
The name of the Lord from the west,
And His glory from the rising of the sun;
When the enemy comes in like a flood,
The Spirit of the Lord will lift up a standard against him.

Isaiah 59:19

The LORD will fight for you, and you shall hold your peace.

Exodus 14:14

These days when the enemy enters as a flood

With distress and intense pressure on every side,

Despite signs of defeat, the Lord God is still good.

In the thick of battle in peace we shall abide.

The Spirit of the Lord raises a bold standard:

The Lord of Hosts bears His arm; as Jehovah Nissi,

He covers us with His love, though foes may have slandered.

He displays His banner for all the world to see:

Faithful Adonai has never slept nor slumbered.

God is not slack but hastens to perform His Word.

Despite outward signs, we are never outnumbered,

For we know that the battle belongs to the Lord.

On the battlefield, fierce attacks seem only to increase,

But as God said to Moses, “Stand still and hold your peace!”  

Here is a music video from Brianne Danter, a musical reminder entitled “Peace:”

Perfect peace

The Verse of the Day for December 30, 2017, the last Saturday of the year, offers words from the Lord Jesus Christ found in John 16:33 (AMP):

I have told you these things, so that in Me you may have [perfect] peace. In the world you have tribulation and distress and suffering, but be courageous [be confident, be undaunted, be filled with joy]; I have overcome the world.” [My conquest is accomplished, My victory abiding.]

In John 14:27 (AMP) the Lord makes another reference to peace:

Peace I leave with you; My [perfect] peace I give to you; not as the world gives do I give to you. Do not let your heart be troubled, nor let it be afraid. [Let My perfect peace calm you in every circumstance and give you courage and strength for every challenge.]

The New Living Translation puts it this way:

“I am leaving you with a gift—peace of mind and heart. And the peace I give is a gift the world cannot give. So don’t be troubled or afraid.

These verses also bring to mind Isaiah 26:3 (AMP):

³ You will guard him and keep him in perfect and constant peace whose mind [both its inclination and its character] is stayed on You, because he commits himself to You, leans on You, and hopes confidently in You.

To emphasize the concept of peace, the phrase “perfect peace” is used, whereby the word for peace is repeated in the Hebrew text, literally meaning “peace, peace.” God provides a “double portion of peace” to those who trust in Him.

While it is important to maintain the peace of God, we also want the peace of God to increase in our lives, as the Bible uses the expression “peace be multiplied unto you.”

The peace that Jesus speaks of goes beyond the usual definition which refers to “the normal non-warring condition of a nation, a group of nations or the world. . . a state of harmony among people or groups; cessation or freedom from strife or dissension.”

In contrast, the Biblical definition encompasses a state of untroubled, undisturbed well-being, expressed in the Hebrew expression shalom. According to Strong’s Concordance, shalom means “completeness, wholeness, health, peace, welfare, safety, soundness, tranquility, prosperity, perfectness, fullness, rest, harmony, the absence of agitation or discord.” It is an inner reality, for the peace of God indicates being free from anxiety and care, as we experience the grace of God and know intimately His mercy, while being kept in perfect peace:

Grace, Mercy, and Peace: A Three-fold Cord

Blest be the tie that binds

Our hearts in Christian love;

The fellowship of kindred minds

Is like to that above.

 Dr. John Fawcett

  

 To Timothy, my dearly beloved son:

Grace, mercy, and peace, from God the Father

and Christ Jesus our Lord

 2 Timothy 1:2

 

Grace, mercy, and peace bind our hearts as a three-fold cord.

These three traits never diminish but only increase.

Our lives are enriched as we learn to walk with the Lord.

 

Grace: a priceless gift that no one on earth can afford.

God’s great grace abounds toward us and shall never decrease.

Grace, mercy, and peace bind our hearts as three-fold cord.

 

That God is truly merciful cannot be ignored.

Streams of the sure mercies of the Lord shall never cease.

Our lives are enriched as we learn to walk with the Lord.

 

Peace cancels all strife, but we must live in one accord.

All those who are bound the Word of the Lord will release.

Grace, mercy, and peace bind our hearts as a three-fold cord.

 

All who seemed forsaken, God, our Father, has restored.

As we seek God, we find that in His will is our peace.

Our lives are enriched as we learn to walk with the Lord.

 

Boundless love and favor are waiting to be explored,

For we are so designed to shine as God’s masterpiece.

Grace, mercy, and peace bind our hearts as a three-fold cord.

Our lives are enriched as we learn to walk with the Lord.    

The Verse of the Day along with other scriptures related to the peace of God reinforce the comforting and reassuring message expressed by Jesus Christ in whom we can have peace in an even greater measure as we trust him. John Waller sings “Perfect Peace,” a musical composition blending words of the Gospel of John and Isaiah 26:3:

Peace of God

The Verse of the Day for December 30, 2015, the last Wednesday of the year, brings to our attention words from Jesus Christ found in John 16:33 (NLT):

I have told you all this so that you may have peace in me. Here on earth you will have many trials and sorrows. But take heart, because I have overcome the world.”

In John 14:27 (NLT) the Lord makes another reference to peace:

“I am leaving you with a gift—peace of mind and heart. And the peace I give is a gift the world cannot give. So don’t be troubled or afraid.

These words of peace come from the Prince of Peace, the source of everlasting peace. Aside from the peace that Christ gives, there is no real peace. I recall the words printed on a bumper sticker that reinforce this reality:

Know Christ, know Peace
No Christ, no Peace

The scriptures from John also bring to mind Isaiah 26:3 (NLT):

You will keep in perfect peace all who trust in you, all whose thoughts are fixed on you!

The verse is rendered this way in the Amplified Bible:

You will guard him and keep him in perfect and constant peace whose mind [both its inclination and its character] is stayed on You, because he commits himself to You, leans on You, and hopes confidently in You.

Bible scholar, E.W. Bullinger, notes that the figure of speech “epizeuxis” is used in Isaiah 26:3. To emphasize the concept of peace, the phrase “perfect peace” indicates this figure of repetition where the word for peace is repeated in the Hebrew text, literally “peace, peace.” God provides a “double portion of peace” to those who trust in Him. A similar expression is used elsewhere in Isaiah

Isaiah 27: 5 (NLT):

unless they turn to me for help.
Let them make peace with me;
yes, let them make peace with me.”

Isaiah 57:19 (NKJV)

“I create the fruit of the lips:
Peace, peace to him who is far off and to him who is near,”
Says the LORD,
“And I will heal him.”

Finally Colossians 3:15 provides this reminder:

15 And let the peace that comes from Christ rule in your hearts. For as members of one body you are called to live in peace. And always be thankful.

The Verse of the Day along with other scriptures related to the peace of God reinforce the comforting and reassuring message expressed in Isaiah 26:3 which promises that God will keep us in a state of perfect peace as we trust him. Hillsong express our deepest yearning to “Let the Peace of God Reign”:

Instruments of peace on earth

In the continuing account of the birth of Jesus Christ from Luke 2:11-14 (AMP), we find the Verse of the Day for December 23, 2015:

For this day in the city of David there has been born for you a Savior, who is Christ the Lord (the Messiah). And this will be a sign for you [by which you will recognize Him]: you will find a Baby wrapped in [swaddling] cloths and lying in a manger.” Then suddenly there appeared with the angel a multitude of the heavenly host (angelic army) praising God and saying, “Glory to God in the highest [heaven], And on earth peace among men with whom He is well-pleased.”

In the closing declaration of the passage the heavenly host offer this resounding benediction:

“Glory to God in the highest [heaven], And on earth peace among men with whom He is well-pleased.”

This expression brings to mind a recent blog entry entitled “Let the peace of God rule: Hold your peace,” which spoke of the peace of God. The following excerpt comments on this concept of ever-increasing importance:

Beyond the generally accepted definition of peace as “the normal non-warring condition of a nation, a group of nations or the world . . . a state of harmony among people or groups; cessation or freedom from strife or dissension,” the Bible speaks of peace as a state of untroubled, undisturbed well-being. It is an inner reality . . . the peace of God indicates being free from anxiety and care; it is not dependent upon outside conditions.

In the midst of a world ravaged in war and rumors of war, there is a notable absence of peace. The entire world is still seeking to find “peace in our times.” Despite the desperate cry for peace, peace, there is no peace. Events subsequent to September 11, 2001 have catapulted the world into a state of anxiety and fearfulness. As Americans, we are aware of the absence of peace, as the United States and other nations are engaged in the war on terrorism which continues to consume the thoughts of citizens across the globe.

Our war-torn times bring to mind the words of the Psalmist, who encourages us:

Psalm 34:14

Turn away from evil and do good; Seek peace and pursue it.

Once more we are reminded that the God of peace desires that the world may experience the peace of God that He has given through His son, the Prince of Peace The passage from Luke 2 brings to mind the following poem inspired in part by a line from Dante Alighieri, noted Italian poet: E’n la sua volontade e nostra pace, which is translated: “In his will is our peace.”:

Peace

E’n la sua volontade e nostra pace.
Dante

Lord, make us instruments of your peace, this we pray:
That from our lives may stream heavenly melodies.
As consummate virtuoso compose and play
Upon our souls, inspire glorious harmonies.
In such measured moments of sweetest quietude
Arrange serenades of praise. Let grace notes resound,
As our lives crescendo in songs of gratitude,
From heart to heart, where your grace and mercy abound.
Orchestrate aubades, nocturnes, songs at eventide;
Complete cantatas of peace within us, align
Our desires and your pleasure. Here we abide,
Saxophone and soloist, communing by design.
Knowing our purpose, we remain quiet and still,
Composed in perfect peace, the center of His will.

“Lord, Make Us Instruments of Your Peace” expresses this deepest yearning of our hearts for peace.

We close our entry on peace with another song from South Africa, as Lionel Peterson offers “Peace”:

Let the peace of God rule: Hold your peace

Colossians 3:15 in the King James Version, the Verse of the Day for November 22, 2015, speaks of the peace of God and connects it to being thankful:

And let the peace of God rule in your hearts, to the which also ye are called in one body; and be ye thankful.

For a more detailed rendering, take a look at the Amplified Bible:

And let the peace (soul harmony which comes) from Christ rule (act as umpire continually) in your hearts [deciding and settling with finality 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].

In the midst of our war-torn world, engulfed in confusion and aflame with strife, believers and non-believers alike are seeking to experience some sense of peace–a concept of vital importance today.

Beyond the generally accepted definition of peace as “the normal non-warring condition of a nation, a group of nations or the world. . . a state of harmony among people or groups; cessation or freedom from strife or dissension,” the Bible speaks of peace as a state of untroubled, undisturbed well-being. It is an inner reality . . . the peace of God indicates being free from anxiety and care; it is not dependent upon outside conditions.

The peace of God is only possible through Jehovah Shalom, the God of peace, who sent His son, the Prince of Peace, who offered these comforting words:

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.

In Psalm 34:14 the Psalmist encourages us to

Depart from evil, and do good; seek peace, and pursue it.

Once we experience the peace of God and savor the priceless essence of peace of mind, we desire to maintain that inner state of well-being. Particularly in the midst of the tumultuous times in which we live, we must recognize both the figurative and literal definition of the idiomatic expression “Hold your peace.”

Before you can hold something, you must have it. Literally, we are seeking to retain, to keep, and maintain the peace that God gives, despite the circumstances surrounding us. An illustration of this expression is found in Exodus when Moses leads the Children of Israel out of Egypt, and immediately they encounter circumstances that could easily overwhelm them, as the Egyptians are in hot pursuit behind them and the Red Sea confronts them as they move forward. As they begin to murmur and complain and panic, Moses offers these words of encouragement:

Exodus 14:13-14(NKJ)

¹³ And Moses said to the people, “Do not be afraid. Stand still, and see the salvation of the Lord, which He will accomplish for you today. For the Egyptians whom you see today, you shall see again no more forever. ¹⁴ The Lord will fight for you, and you shall hold your peace.”

This passage, in part, is the inspiration for the following poem with a similar exhortation:

Hold Your Peace

So shall they fear the name of the LORD

from the west, and his glory from the rising of the sun.

When the enemy shall come in like a flood,

the Spirit of the LORD shall lift up a standard against him.

Isaiah 59:19

 

The LORD will fight for you,                                       

and you shall hold your peace.”

Exodus 14:14

These days when the enemy enters as a flood

With distress and intense pressure on every side,

Despite signs of defeat, the Lord God is still good.

In the thick of battle in peace we will abide.

The Spirit of the Lord raises a bold standard:

Lord of Hosts bears His arm, as Jehovah Nissi

Covers us with His love; though foes may have slandered,

His royal banner is displayed for us to see:

Faithful Adonai has never slept nor slumbered.

He is not slack but hastens to perform His Word.

Despite outward signs, we are never outnumbered,

For we know that the battle belongs to the Lord.

On the battlefield, fierce attacks seem only to increase,

But as God told Moses, “Stand still and hold your peace!”

Katherine Abbot offers a musical rendering of Colossians 3:15 “Let the peace of heart”:

 

 

 

Lord, make us instruments of your peace

Modified and re-posted below is the blog entry of a year ago:

The Verse of the Day for December 30, 2014 comes from John 16:33 (NLT):

I have told you all this so that you may have peace in me. Here on earth you will have many trials and sorrows. But take heart, because I have overcome the world.”

Most appropriately, the reference to the peace that comes from the Prince of Peace occurs on the day before the Universal Hour of Peace Day which takes place on December 31.

In addition, every year we celebrate International Peace Day on the first of January. In 1981 the United Nations General Assembly declared this day as an International Peace Day. Despite that declaration, we live in the midst of war-torn times, where there is a notable absence of peace.

The events of September 11, 2001 catapulted the world into a state of anxiety and fearfulness, as the world has been engulfed in wars and rumors of wars. Though we seek “Peace in our times” and cry out for “Peace, peace, but there is no peace.” In the midst these turbulent times of seemingly endless turmoil and strife, the world is ever seeking some semblance of lasting peace. The words of Sara Teasdale certainly ring true:

One white shining hour of peace

Count many a year of strife well lost.

The peace that Jesus speaks of goes beyond the usual definition which refers to “the normal non-warring condition of a nation, a group of nations or the world. . . a state of harmony among people or groups; cessation or freedom from strife or dissension.”

In contrast, the Biblical definition encompasses a state of untroubled, undisturbed well-being, expressed in the Hebrew expression shalom. According to Strong’s Concordance, shalom means “completeness, wholeness, health, peace, welfare, safety soundness, tranquility, prosperity, perfectness, fullness, rest, harmony, the absence of agitation or discord.” It is an inner reality, for the peace of God indicates being free from anxiety and care; it is not dependent upon outside conditions.

The peace of God comes from the God of peace, and it is only possible to obtain it through the Prince of Peace. John 14:27 declares this truth:

Peace I leave with you, my peace I give unto you: not as the world gives, give I unto you. Let not your heart be troubled, neither let it be afraid.

As my thoughts turned toward the peace that the Lord gives, I recall having composed this poem:

Peace

In His will is our peace.

Dante

                            

O, Lord, make us instruments of your peace, we pray.

From our lives may there stream heavenly melodies.

As consummate virtuoso compose and play

Upon our soul, inspire glorious harmonies.

In such measured moments of sweetest quietude

Arrange serenades of praise. Let grace notes resound,

As our lives crescendo in songs of gratitude,

From heart to heart, where your grace and mercy abound.

Orchestrate aubades, nocturnes, songs at eventide;

Complete cantatas of peace within us, align

Our desires and your pleasure. Here we abide,

Saxophone and soloist, communing by design.

Knowing our purpose, we remain quiet and still,

Composed in perfect peace, the center of Your will.

The essence of the intent of the poem is also expressed in the song “Instruments of Peace” recorded in Johannesburg, South Africa.

The Verse of the Day reminds us that the peace that Jesus Christ gives is a priceless commodity in our times.

John 16:33: Peace in our times

The Verse of the Day for December 30, 2013 comes from John 16:33:

These things I have spoken unto you, that in me ye might have peace. In the world ye shall have tribulation: but be of good cheer; I have overcome the world.

Most appropriately, the reference to the peace that comes from the Prince of Peace occurs on the day before the Universal Hour of Peace Day which takes place on December 31. In addition, every year since 1967 the Roman Catholic Church celebrates World Peace Day on the first of January.  In 1981 the United Nations General Assembly declared September 21 as International Peace Day. Despite these occasions, we live in the midst of war-torn times, where there is a notable absence of peace.

The events of September 11, 2001 catapulted the world into a state of anxiety and fearfulness, as the world has been engulfed in wars and rumors of wars. Though we seek “peace in our times” and cry out for “Peace, peace, but there is no peace.” In the midst these turbulent times of seemingly endless turmoil and strife, the world is ever seeking some semblance of lasting peace. The words of Sara Teasdale certainly ring true:

One white shining hour of peace

Count many a year of strife well lost.

The peace that Jesus speaks of goes beyond the usual definition which refers to “the normal non-warring condition of a nation, a group of nations or the world. . . a state of harmony among people or groups; cessation or freedom from strife or dissension.”

In contrast, the Biblical definition encompasses a state of untroubled, undisturbed well-being, expressed in the Hebrew expression shalom. According to Strong’s Concordance, shalom means “completeness, wholeness, health, peace, welfare, safety soundness, tranquility, prosperity, perfectness, fullness, rest, harmony, the absence of agitation or discord.” It is an inner reality, for the peace of God indicates being free from anxiety and care; it is not dependent upon outside conditions.

The peace of God comes from the God of peace, and it is only possible to obtain it through the Prince of Peace. John 14:27 declares this truth:

Peace I leave with you, my peace I give unto you: not as the world gives, give I unto you. Let not your heart be troubled, neither let it be afraid.

As my thoughts turned toward the peace that the Lord gives, I recall having composed this poem:

Peace

In His will is our peace.

Dante Alighieri        

Lord, make me an instrument of your peace, I pray.

From my life may there stream heavenly melodies.

As consummate virtuoso compose and play

Upon my soul, inspire glorious harmonies.

In such measured moments of sweetest quietude

Arrange serenades of praise. Let grace notes resound,

As my life crescendos in songs of gratitude,

From heart to heart, where your grace and mercy abound.

Orchestrate aubades, nocturnes, songs at eventide;

Complete cantatas of peace within me, align

My desires and your pleasure. Here we abide,

Saxophone and soloist, communing by design.

Knowing my purpose, I remain quiet and still,

Composed in perfect peace, the center of His will.

The essence of the intent of the poem is also expressed in the song “Instruments of Peace” recorded in Johannesburg, South Africa.

The Verse of the Day reminds us that the peace that Jesus Christ gives is a priceless commodity in our times.