“Glory to God in highest heaven, and peace on earth to those with whom God is pleased.” – Luke 2:14 NLT

IS IT REALLY POSSIBLE TO EXPERIENCE PEACE WHEN LIFE IS SO PAINFUL?

• The short answer: yes, but not in our own power.

WHERE IS THIS PEACE?

Since 3600 B.C. the world has only known 292 years of peace. During this period there have been 14,531 wars, large and small,
in which 3,640,000,000 people have been killed.

Nation will go to war against nation, and kingdom against kingdom. There will be famines and earthquakes in many parts of the world. Matthew 24:7 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.” John 16:33 NLT

• Peace isn’t found in the absence of problems.
• Peace is found in the presence of Jesus.

Hope in the Messiah
1  Nevertheless, that time of darkness and despair will not go on forever. The land of Zebulun and Naphtali will be humbled, but there will be a time in the future when Galilee of the Gentiles, which lies along the road that runs between the Jordan and the sea, will be filled with glory. 2  The people who walk in darkness will see a great light. For those who live in a land of deep darkness, a light will shine. 3  You will enlarge the nation of Israel, and its people will rejoice. They will rejoice before you as people rejoice at the harvest and like warriors dividing the plunder. 4  For you will break the yoke of their slavery and lift the heavy burden from their shoulders. You will break the oppressor’s rod, just as you did when you destroyed the army of Midian. 5  The boots of the warrior and the uniforms bloodstained by war will all be burned. They will be fuel for the fire. 6  For a child is born to us, a son is given to us. The government will rest on his shoulders. And he will be called: Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God, Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace. 7  His government and its peace will never end. He will rule with fairness and justice from the throne of his ancestor David for all eternity. The passionate commitment of the Lord of Heaven’s Armies will make this happen! Isaiah 9:1-7 NLT

• Jesus wasn’t promising to give us peace that was based on our circumstances.
• He was promising a peace in spite of our circumstances.
• A lot of people aren’t at peace – unless their circumstances are just what they want in life.

PEACE COMES FROM TRUSTING COMPELETLY IN JESUS.

3 You will keep in perfect peace all who trust in you, all whose thoughts are fixed on you! 4  Trust in the Lord always, for the Lord God is the eternal Rock. Isaiah 26:3-4 NLT

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. 8  And now, dear brothers and sisters, one final thing. Fix your thoughts on what is true, and honorable,
and right, and pure, and lovely, and admirable. Think about things that are excellent and worthy of praise.  9  Keep putting into practice all you learned and received from me—everything you heard from me and saw me doing. Then the God of peace will be with you. Philippians 4:6-9 NLT

Next steps for me today…

• To stop trusting in this world.
• To choose to focus on and trust Jesus and not my circumstances.
• To spend time daily in the presence of Jesus.