Daily Journal: 29 December

Remain in Peace

“Does worry add anything to your life? Can it add one more year, or even one day? So if worrying adds nothing, but actually subtracts from your life, why would you worry about God's care of you? (Luke 12:25-26; TPT)

Philippians 4:6-7 (AMPC)

Do not fret or have any anxiety about anything, but in every circumstance and in everything, by prayer and petition (definite requests), with thanksgiving, continue to make your wants known to God. And God’s peace [shall be yours, that tranquil state of a soul assured of its salvation through Christ, and so fearing nothing from God and being content with its earthly lot of whatever sort that is, that peace] which transcends all understanding shall garrison and mount guard over your hearts and minds in Christ Jesus.

The Lord’s Presence is our peace. If we learn to live in His presence, no matter what our experiences are, we will experience a peace that we can’t even comprehend. His peace comes with His Presence alone. It doesn’t even come from anything He does or doesn’t do.

His peace comes from His Presence.

Isaiah 54:10 (NCV)

The mountains may disappear, and the hills may come to an end, but my love will never disappear; my promise of peace will not come to an end,” says the Lord who shows mercy to you.

John 14:27 (NCV)

“I leave you peace; my peace I give you. I do not give it to you as the world does. So don’t let your hearts be troubled or afraid.

He leaves His peace, His Presence, with us. So if we are not experiencing His peace it isn’t that He’s taken it, it’s that we’ve turned from it. Or we could say, we've turned from Him.

According to Philippians 4:6-7, with prayer and pleading (NASB), or prayer and petition (NIV), entrust our worries and cares to Him for He cares for us (1 Peter 5:7).

The 1599 Geneva Bible has very old English and may be harder to understand with a quick read, but we don’t study the bible by reading quickly. We sit and consider the words and the meaning. In reading one of the first translations into English in the Middle Ages, which came at great cost to life, Philippians 4:6-7 says not to hold anything in life too carefully, too tightly. It says crave from God whatever it is that we need and be assured in Him no matter what happens. With quiet confidence and thankfulness, submit wholly to His will, rather than continue pressing for our own will to be done. When we do this, God’s peace will preserve our minds, that is our understanding and reasoning, and our hearts, that is our will and affections, when we trust in the person of Christ Jesus as our Saviour.

Romans 8:27-28 (NLV)

God knows the hearts of men. He knows what the Holy Spirit is thinking. The Holy Spirit prays for those who belong to Christ the way God wants Him to pray. We know that God makes all things work together for the good of those who love Him and are chosen to be a part of His plan.