“You May Have Peace” Part Two

Your Bible says that God is a “God of peace” (Hebrews 13:20). Nothing ever disturbs Him. No earthborn storms invade the holy calm of His presence. He is always at peace. With perfect vision He sees the end from the beginning. In the working out of His plans and purposes there is neither haste nor delay.

Can you imagine God being anxious? Impossible! There is no problem to which He does not know the solution. Nor is there any difficulty so great but He knows the way out. “There is nothing too hard” for the Lord (Jeremiah 32:17).

The Son of God is called “The Prince Of Peace,” and it is said of Him that “of the increase of His government and peace there shall be no end” (Isaiah 9:7). That is because He understands the secret of peace. Having dwelt with His Father from “the days of eternity” (Micah 5:2, margin), He knows, as no other being can ever know, what perfect peace is and how it is maintained.

When He came to this earth and lived as a man among men, one feature of His life that deeply impressed both His friends and enemies was His perfect poise. Harsh criticism left Him unmoved. Unkind words never made Him angry. Rejection left Him sad but not revengeful. Even on the cross He prayed for those who drove the nails through His hands and feet.

Again and again He invited the weary, worried people who followed Him to share His placidity of spirit. “Come unto Me,” He said to them with loving sympathy and understanding. “Come and learn My secret.” “Come unto Me, all ye that labour and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest. Take My yoke upon you, and learn of Me; for I am meek and lowly in heart: and ye shall find rest unto your souls. For My yoke is easy, and my burden is light” (Matthew 11:28-30).

The farmers who heard Him say these words understood them perfectly. They knew that a “yoke” joins the animals who pull the plow. So to them this was an invitation to share their troubles and care with Him. It was an offer to carry the heaviest part of their load.

Many accepted this “yoke” and felt their burdens vanish. Tired mothers, anxious fathers, found peace in Jesus. They learned to rest in the Lord and wait patiently for Him. See Psalm 37:7. They began to understood what the psalmist meant when he said, “Cast thy burden upon the Lord, and He shall sustain thee” (Psalm 55:22).

Especially concerned that His disciples discover the secret of peace, Jesus said to them again and again, in various ways, “Let not your heart be troubled, neither let it be afraid” (John 14:27). He was not afraid of the future Himself, even though He knew it would lead Him to Calvary, and He wanted them to share the peace that filled His soul. “Peace I leave with you,” He said to them, “My peace I give unto you” (John 14:27).

A little later they were disturbed again, this time by His statement that He was soon going back to His Father in heaven. So He added: “These things I have spoken unto you that in Me ye might have peace. In the world ye shall have tribulation: but be of good cheer: I have overcome the world” (John 16:33).

They had no need to worry. His overcoming of the world, the flesh, and the devil, made certain the ultimate triumph of righteousness. His victory was theirs. They would share its glorious results with Him through all eternity.

So no tribulation or disappointment should ruffle our peace of mind or weaken our reliance upon the promises of God.

From “Your Bible and You”, by Arthur S. Maxwell, pgs. 138-141.

End Of Part Two

“You May Have Peace” Part One

The more you study your Bible the more clearly you will see how much it has to say about your life. It is full of good counsel as to how you can make the most of it. Obviously its Arthur is deeply concerned for your welfare and is anxious that you shall be happy, contented, cheerful, and a source of spiritual strength to your family and community.

Take, for instance, the subject of peace o mind, which has become so very important to multitudes in these trying times. While millions of nervously upset people visit psychiatrists and spend fortunes on tranquilizers, your Bible offers a most reasonable and inexpensive remedy.

All too many nowadays chain smoke “to sooth their nerves,” then drink stimulants to spur themselves on to do their work. But the peace they seek eludes them. They are never really at rest, never truly happy. Such living is a poor substitute for the good way of life revealed in that wonderful Book of yours.

True, your Bible states that “there is no peace… to the wicked” (Isaiah 26:3).

There is a reason for this, and it is given in the same beautiful passage:

“Thou wilt keep him in perfect peace, whose mind is stayed on Thee: because he trusteth in Thee. Trust ye in the Lord for ever: for in the Lord Jehovah is the rock of ages” (verses 3, 4, margin).

Peace is to be found in God because He is more durable than the mountains. With Him there is stability and permanence that invite the fullest confidence. He is ever the same, unaffected by forces that work changes in others. The passing of time brings no alteration to His person or His character. He endures “from everlasting to everlasting” (Psalm 90:1, 2). Forever and ever all power in heaven and earth belongs to Him (Matthew 28:18).

How restful it is to trust in a God such as this–to have a Friend who never changes, whose love will never die! The very thought suffuses the soul with delicious tranquility. As the old hymn says:

“Unlike our friends by nature,

Who change with changing years,

This Friend is always worthy

The precious name He bears.”

There will never come a time when God’s love for His children will lessen. There will never be an occasion when he will cease to hear their petitions and supply their needs. Always He will be to them a tower of strength, a sure refuge. His wisdom will be to them a tower of strength, a sure refuge. His wisdom and power will ever be available to assist them in every emergency.

That is why peace of mind is to be found through trusting Him. With such a wonderful Friend ever thinking of us, ever caring for us, there can never be any need to worry.

From “Your Bible and You”, by Arthur S. Maxwell, pgs. 135-138.

End Of Part One

 

“Minds Filled With God’s Promises”

With the heart man believeth unto righteousness; and with the mouth confession is made unto salvation. Romans 10:10.

According to this, there is something to believe, also something to confess. The heart must first accept the truth as it is in Jesus. This is the foundation of true religion. Conviction of sin then begins to be felt; the sin-sick soul, feeling his need of a physician, comes to Jesus of Nazareth for pardon. Taking up the warfare against the enemy, he looks to Jesus for strength to resist temptation. He watches unto prayer, and searches the Scriptures. The truths of the Bible are seen in a new and intensely interesting light, and the Spirit of God opens to him their solemn importance. He studies the life of Christ, and the more clearly he discerns the spotless purity of the Saviour’s character, the less confidence he has in his own goodness; the more steadily and closely he views Jesus, the less he discovers of perfection in himself. His self-righteousness disappears, and he falls, all helpless and broken, upon the Rock, Christ Jesus. He will be sorely pressed by the tempter, and at times may have feelings of discouragement, and be tempted to think that God will not accept him; but, taking God at His word, and pleading His sure promises, he presses through the darkness into the clear sunlight of Christ’s love.

“And with the mouth confession is made unto salvation.” If the heart is indeed the treasure house of grace and the love of Christ, these will be expressed in the words and deportment. There will be a constant attraction to Christ. All will be tested; hence the need of divine grace, and of sound religious faith and principles. The lips should be sanctified, that the words spoken may be few and well chosen.

Oftentimes professed Christians bring upon themselves great spiritual weakness by dwelling upon their trials and grievances. Not only does the matter become magnified by every repetition, but they as surely separate from Jesus as they allow themselves to transgress in this particular. Satan seeks to draw their attention to themselves, and to fasten upon them the idea that they are not appreciated. They begin to pity and sympathize with themselves, and to lose faith and confidence in Jesus; and as the result they walk apart from Him who asks them to cast their burdens upon Him.

To such we would say, Recount what God has done for you. Tell Satan that you do not trust in your own righteousness, but in the righteousness of Christ. Keep the mind filled with the precious promises found in the Bible, and when Satan comes in like a flood to overwhelm you, meet him with the weapon which the Word of God has provided, “It is written.” This will break his power and give you the victory (Historical Sketches, 129, 130).

From “Lift Him Up”, by Ellen White, pg. 273

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