Charles Stanley tells of asking his waitress, “If you could ask God for anything, what would that be?” Instantly she answered, “I want to feel at peace.” Through tears, she spoke of painful losses that had turned her life into intense emotional turmoil. Many people, like this young woman, want inner peace without a relationship with Jesus, the Prince of Peace. They seek it in ways that don’t work—physical fitness, improving their appearance, financial security, fame, social status, or human relationships. Some seek it in alcohol and drugs. But none of these things can provide peace of heart and mind; only a relationship with Jesus can do that. Before we meet Jesus, we are slaves to sin, living in opposition to God (Romans 6:16 NIV). And our sins separate us from God, so we live with guilt, stress, and shame. But He has provided a remedy. “God demonstrates his own love for us in this: While we were still sinners, Christ died for us” (Romans 5:8 NIV), removing our sin, guilt, and shame, and ending our separation from God. When we trust in Christ as our Saviour, He promises, “Since we have been justified through faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ” (Romans 5:1 NIV). If you have placed your trust in Christ, read this: “Don’t worry about anything; instead, pray about everything; tell God your needs and don’t forget to thank him for his answers. If you do this you will experience God’s peace, which is far more wonderful than the human mind can understand” (Philippians 4:6-7 TLB).
Peace Comes by Trusting in Christ
“Being justified by faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ.” Romans 5:1
May 31, 2017 • Bob Gass
Shalom
May 30, 2017 • Bob Gass
The Hebrew word for peace is shalom. And apart from God, it will always remain a pipe dream, a philosophical fantasy, or a tantalizing fish that is just beyond your bait and hook. Marriages go awry and fall apart because we look to an imperfect mate to give us the perfect peace we’re searching for and we discover they can’t. The story is told of a woman at a cocktail party who was trying her best to look happy. Noticing the gargantuan sparkling rock on her finger, a guest exclaimed, “Wow! What a beautiful stone!” She replied, “Thank you. It’s the Callahan diamond.” The onlooker said, “I wish I had one!” The woman replied, “No, you don’t.” “Why not?” he asked. “Because it comes with the Callahan curse,” she replied. “The Callahan curse—what’s that?” asked the questioner. She sighed and said, “Mr. Callahan!” Perfect peace can only come from a perfect peace-giver, and the only one who meets that qualification is God. Peace isn’t the absence of problems; it’s the presence of God in the midst of your problems. What’s more, nobody ever finds peace by looking for it. Peace isn’t something you find; it finds you when you surrender your life to the One who said, “My Presence will go with you, and I will give you rest.” Note the words “My Presence.” Only God’s presence can bring peace. The assurance of God’s love, God’s help, and God’s presence is what takes the stress out of living. Are you longing for peace today? When you surrender your life to Christ, you’ll “experience…peace…far more wonderful than the human mind can understand” (Philippians 4:7 TLB).
Have You Prayed About It?
May 29, 2017 • Bob Gass
Can you imagine walking into a restaurant and asking if your order is ready? “When did you call it in?” the server asks. “Oh, I didn’t,” you reply. “I just thought perhaps you might have something with my name on it.” That’s as ridiculous as expecting God to answer prayer requests you haven’t made—or haven’t made in faith. The Bible says, “The reason you don’t have what you want is…you don’t ask God” (James 4:2 TLB). Will God give you everything you ask for? No. “Even when you do ask you don’t get it because…you want only what will give you pleasure” (v. 3 TLB). Your request must be in harmony with God’s will. “If we ask anything…according to His will…He…hears” (1 John 5:14 AMPC). Jeremiah said, “The Lord is good to those who wait…expectantly for Him” (Lamentations 3:25 AMPC). Expectant prayer demonstrates confidence in God’s goodness. So instead of fretting or talking about it to everybody but God or taking matters into your own hands, say, “Lord, I’m going to trust You with this regardless of the outcome,” and He will honour your faith. Paul writes, “Pray and ask God for everything you need, always giving thanks.” Do you need a job? Help overcoming a problem? The salvation of a loved one? A deeper spiritual walk? Physical or emotional healing? Guidance? Jesus said, “It gives your Father great happiness to give you the [benefits of His] Kingdom” (Luke 12:32 NLT). God wants to be good to you, so tell Him the “desires of your heart” (Psalm 37:4 NKJV). Then thank Him and believe the answer will come—in His time!
You Can Change
May 28, 2017 • Bob Gass
Mindsets are patterns whereby your mind automatically operates a certain way. That means you can set yourself up for misery by reacting to the same people and circumstances in the same way and expecting different results. Maybe you are saying, “After all these years I thought he’d change…No matter how hard I try, my family doesn’t appreciate me…How come I’m the only one who makes an effort to stay in touch?” It’s easy to blame your problems on others—“Look what he’s doing. Look how long I’ve waited. Why doesn’t she call?” We think the answer lies in getting the other person to do what we want, but that kind of thinking is self-defeating; it gives control to others. Your happiness isn’t determined by other people, even though you’ve convinced yourself it is. An experienced counsellor writes, “If you don’t like the same results…try pushing a different button. Look at your relationships. Is there a situation that’s going downhill despite your best efforts? Are you waiting for something to change instead of doing something different? Stop pushing the same button and ask God for clarity to see the situation honestly and to act with wisdom and responsibility.” You’re not a victim of circumstances; you don’t have to stay stuck or keep going round in circles. Paul says, “Put off…your former conduct…and be renewed in the spirit of your mind.” The word for you today is: “You can change!”