| Topic: |
Religions > Bible |
| User: |
"Peter G. Chase" |
| Date: |
01 Jan 2007 11:00:51 PM |
| Object: |
DN Experiencing God's Peace 1/2/2007 |
DRAWING NEAR
January 2
Experiencing God's Peace
"Grace to you and peace from God our Father and the Lord Jesus
Christ" (Eph. 1:2)
True peace is God's gift to those who love and obey Him.
Throughout history mankind has sought peace through military
alliances, balances of power, and leagues of nations. Yet lasting
peace still remains an elusive dream. Even during times of relative
peace, nations struggle with internal strife and crime.
The Bible says that man on his own cannot know peace because he is
alienated from its source. But we need not despair. True peace is
immediately available from God our Father (the God of peace--Rom.
15:33), and the Lord Jesus Christ (the Prince of Peace--Isa. 9:6).
It's a gift of God's grace to those who love and obey Jesus Christ.
The New Testament so clearly teaches the inextricable link between
God's grace and peace that "Grace to you and peace" became a common
greeting in the early church. Grace is God's great kindness toward
those who are undeserving of His favor but who have placed their
faith in Jesus Christ. It is the fountain and peace is the stream. As
recipients of His grace, we have peace with God (Rom. 5:1)--we are
reconciled to Him through faith in His Son and we will never
experience His wrath. We also have the peace of God (Phil. 4:7)--the
Spirit's way of assuring us that God is in control even in the midst
of difficult circumstances. That's why Paul calls it the peace that
surpasses all comprehension [understanding] (Phil. 4:7).
The world's peace is relative and fleeting because it is grounded in
circumstances. God's peace is absolute and eternal because it is
grounded in His grace. Does God's peace reign in your heart, or have
you allowed sin or difficult circumstances to diminish your devotion
to Christ?
Suggestions for Prayer:
Thank God that you have peace with Him through faith in Jesus Christ.
Ask the Spirit to reveal any sin that might be hindering God's peace
from ruling in your heart. Be prepared to respond in confession and
repentance. Ask for opportunities to demonstrate God's peace to
others today.
For Further Study: Read Philippians 4:6-7
What is God's antidote for anxiety? How does God's peace affect a
believer's heart and mind?
Drawing Near, Copyright 1993 John F. MacArthur, Jr.
All rights reserved. Used by permission.
http://www.gty.org
~~~
Romans 15:33
Now the God of peace be with you all. Amen.
Isaiah 9:6
For unto us a Child is born, Unto us a Son is given; And the
government will be upon His shoulder. And His name will be called
Wonderful, Counselor, Mighty God, Everlasting Father, Prince of
Peace.
Romans 5:1
Therefore, having been justified by faith, we have peace with God
through our Lord Jesus Christ.
Philippians 4:6-7
6 Be anxious for nothing, but in everything by prayer and
supplication, with thanksgiving, let your requests be made known to
God;
7 and the peace of God, which surpasses all understanding, will
guard your hearts and minds through Christ Jesus.
These devotions are posted with permission from John MacArthur's
first (1993) devotional work, _Drawing Near_, and they are also sent
out daily for free to several folks via e-mail.
In addition, John's second (1997) devotional, _Strength for Today_,
is also available free via e-mail only. _Strength for Today_ follows
the same format as what you have seen here from _Drawing Near_, but
with different monthly themes.
If you would like to receive daily devotions via e-mail from either
of these series, just let me know (via e-mail), and I will gladly add
you to the list(s) of your choice.
You can hear John MacArthur daily via the Internet by visiting:
http://www2.oneplace.com/Ministries/Grace_to_You/
and
http://www.gty.org.uk/
You may email John MacArthur in care of Grace to You at:
letters@gty.org
NOTE for those of you reading via newsgroups: If you wish to reach
me, please contact me via e-mail for quickest results.
In Christ,
Peter
Peter G. Chase :: Columbus, Ohio, USA
pchase1@wideopenwest.com
STOP! Who do you think Jesus is?
http://www.gty.org/Gospel
http://www.gty.org/
http://www.nwbible.org/
To forgive is to set a prisoner free, and to discover that the prisoner was you. -Alistair Begg
.
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| User: "Bill M" |
|
| Title: Re: DN Experiencing God's Peace 1/2/2007 |
02 Jan 2007 06:45:48 PM |
|
|
"Peter G. Chase" <pchase1@wideopenwest.com> wrote in message
news:0npjp2pk2itjspdmr9fsfq22hhjaeio3lt@4ax.com...
DRAWING NEAR
January 2
Experiencing God's Peace
"Grace to you and peace from God our Father and the Lord Jesus
Christ" (Eph. 1:2)
True peace is God's gift to those who love and obey Him.
Throughout history mankind has sought peace through military
alliances, balances of power, and leagues of nations. Yet lasting
peace still remains an elusive dream. Even during times of relative
peace, nations struggle with internal strife and crime.
The Bible says that man on his own cannot know peace because he is
alienated from its source. But we need not despair. True peace is
immediately available from God our Father (the God of peace--Rom.
15:33), and the Lord Jesus Christ (the Prince of Peace--Isa. 9:6).
It's a gift of God's grace to those who love and obey Jesus Christ.
The New Testament so clearly teaches the inextricable link between
God's grace and peace that "Grace to you and peace" became a common
greeting in the early church. Grace is God's great kindness toward
those who are undeserving of His favor but who have placed their
faith in Jesus Christ. It is the fountain and peace is the stream. As
recipients of His grace, we have peace with God (Rom. 5:1)--we are
reconciled to Him through faith in His Son and we will never
experience His wrath. We also have the peace of God (Phil. 4:7)--the
Spirit's way of assuring us that God is in control even in the midst
of difficult circumstances. That's why Paul calls it the peace that
surpasses all comprehension [understanding] (Phil. 4:7).
The world's peace is relative and fleeting because it is grounded in
circumstances. God's peace is absolute and eternal because it is
grounded in His grace. Does God's peace reign in your heart, or have
you allowed sin or difficult circumstances to diminish your devotion
to Christ?
This is gods peace???
A good benevolent god could have created man as a loving caring creature
with free will but without any desire or ability to commit evil.
He already created other limitations on man's 'free will'.
He created hunger pains to force man to eat and drink? He created
suffocation panic to force man to breathe? And a powerful sex drive to force
man to procreate? (Frequently in excess of mans ability to feed and care for
his creations!)
Why create greed and selfishness which encourages man to steel, lie,
subjugate and even kill other men?
This is supposedly to keep man in line and force him to follow god's wishes
and commands. This is characteristic of a dictator and slave master not the
characteristics of a loving god.
Why does this all powerful creator, all loving and caring intelligent
designer, create Plagues, Tsunamis, Tornadoes, Volcanic Eruptions, Floods,
Wars, Earth Quakes, Cancers and hundreds of debilitating diseases and
serious body malfunctions? There are 12,000 known diseases that affect and
punish mankind indiscriminately. Why does he permit millions of both young
and old to starve to death or die of miserable diseases? Why punish millions
of INNOCENT CHILDREN in this horrible way?
Why does this all powerful and caring god permit totally "innocent children"
to die at birth? Or worse, be born lacking eyesight, a fully developed
brain, deaf and dumb, missing limbs etc.? Why are some born idiots and
others with super intelligence? Why are some born into wealth and others
pauper poor? Why are his human creations designed to deteriorate into a
miserable and devastating old age regardless of their religious affiliation?
God supposedly created the world like it is to punish man for Adam and Eve's
'original sin'. Why does he also punish supposedly innocent animals with
thousands of diseases, birth defects, starvation and to be eaten alive by
other animals?
Why did this all powerful and loving creator create things like sharks,
jelly fish, octopus, lions, tigers, rhinoceros, Wolves, poisonous snakes,
stinging and poisonous insects, poisonous plants etc.? Why did this caring
benevolent god create animals (including man) that need to painfully kill
and eat other animals to survive?
World War I claimed 9,000,000 lives of people of many religious faiths.
World II indiscriminately claimed over 20,000,000 lives of people of all
ages and religious faiths, plus a vast destruction of property and more
millions maimed for life.
The recent Asian Tsunami has claimed the lives of 200,000 men, women and
children of all religious persuasions. Over 100,000 of these were totally
INNOCENT children!
There were three major epidemics of the Bubonic Plaque - in the 6th, 14th.
and 17th centuries. The death toll was over 137 million men, women and
totally innocent children.
The influenza of 1918-1919 killed at least 25 million men, women and
innocent children indiscriminately.
Diseases like malaria, AIDS, tuberculosis, etc. maim and kill millions
indiscriminately every year. More millions die of starvation and
malnutrition.
These indiscriminately afflicted the young and old, atheists and those of
all religious persuasions.
Meanwhile MAN, not god, has developed defenses and cures for hundreds of
serious diseases. Man has learned to create shelter, heat and cooling,
purify water, world wide electronic communications, power and transportation
systems including flying through the air.
Man has created a wonderful medical and drug system and improved housing and
food production. The result of MAN'S inventiveness has
DOUBLED the average life span. None this was created by any gods.
Perhaps your loving and caring god is actually a cruel, heartless, mean and
torturing tyrant. If he treats us so cruelly during life, why do you think
he will let us enjoy peace and eternal happiness in his Heaven? And why does
he keep all this a secret by preventing communication with our dead parents,
siblings and friends?
There are thousands of religious and god beliefs but NO OJECTIVE VERIFIABLE
EVIDENCE for the actual existence of ANY gods. ALL god beliefs are based on
the 'opinions' of errant men.
If there is a god that created the Universe, he is obviously not an
all-caring and benevolent god. Nor is he an "Intelligent Designer". The
objective evidence is if there is a god creator, he has NO concern about the
welfare of the creatures on Earth.
The objective evidence is that no gods created man but quite the opposite;
that man created gods!
.
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