You Can Have The Peace of God!

In Philippians the fourth chapter we are taught how to have the peace of God in our lives.

Philippians 4:4-7  4Rejoice in the Lord always: and again I say, Rejoice.

5Let your fairness be known unto all men. The Lord is at hand.

6Be anxious for nothing; but in everything by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known unto God.

7And the peace of God, which passes all understanding, shall keep your hearts and minds through Christ Jesus.

Paul is teaching in these Scriptures how to release the peace of God into your life as well as explaining some of the barriers that keep us from receiving his peace.   Note that peace is from God.  Peace is not the absence of upsetting things, peace is a gift from God.   How do we as Christians receive his peace in the midst of troubling and trying times?  Philippians 4 gives us an insight into these things. 

First in verse four we are told to REJOICE in the Lord always!   Now this was so important that he said it twice!  and AGAIN I say rejoice!   Until you learn to rejoice in all things you will always struggle with the peace of God in your life.  When you rejoice no matter what your circumstances  you are protecting your heart, and you are teaching your heart that the set backs and disappointments of this world cannot touch you, that your joy is in the LORD.  Hey, this joy that I have the world didn't give it to me, and the world can't take it away.   

Now this doesn't say rejoice if you feel like it.  Or rejoice for a while and then pout later.  How long should I rejoice.  ALWAYS!  Think of this.  What if your spouse said, "Do you love me?"  And you replied "ALWAYS!"  Wow!  What a statement.  You are telling them that no matter what happens, through the good and the bad, the ups and the downs you will always love them.  That is an awesome love!   Well, if you want God's peace, when are we going to rejoice?  ALWAYS!

Hey, most of us don't understand the importance of rejoicing in the LORD.  This will guard  your heart and mind, it will put the garment of praise on you, and this keeps the spirit of heaviness off of you.  Do you understand that a big key to living this life is to REJOICE ALWAYS! 

verse 5 says let your fairness be known to all men.   That means if  you want the peace of God you can't be doing shady deals, shady things and shady character!  The more you break the law the less peace you are going to have.  The more you cheat and hurt and live in selfishness the more you will lose your peace.   Is it too much for God to ask us to be FAIR!  Have you ever seen two kids playing and one of them didn't want to be fair?  What was it?  Nothing but STRIFE!  If you want the peace of God REJOICE ALWAYS, and be FAIR, do what is right in the eyes of all men. 

verse 6 says be anxious for nothing but by prayer and supplication let your request be made known to God...what leads to an anxious spirit?  THINKING!  You are going to have to stop thinking all the time and start praying all the time.  If you want the peace of God REJOICE ALWAYS,  BE FAIR, and replace your thinking with PRAYER!   

verse 7 and the peace of God which surpasses all understanding, shall keep your hearts and minds through Christ Jesus!

Wow! Isn't that simple?  REJOICE Always!  Be fair, and do what is right!  And stop thinking and start praying!    

Now most people I know will GRUMBLE, PLOT REVENGE, AND think about their problems all day!  no  wonder we have no peace! 

It is time to rejoice!  To do what is right and fair!  And to trade our  thinking cap for our prayer hat!