Revelation 1:4
John to the seven churches which are in Asia: Grace be unto you, and peace, from him which is, and which was, and which is to come; and from the seven Spirits which are before his throne; Peace. We want it at any price. Some people will die to have peace. Some people will picket to have peace. Some people will kill to have peace.
They want freedom, they don’t want war. They want liberty, they don’t want disagreement. They want unity but they don’t want feel bound as one. They just want ‘peace’; and disguise the request in a wide range of parallel ideas.
The 60’s had a movement that went into the early 70s’; looking for peace. The governments of this world keep trying to write treaties in order to have lasting peace. The poor worker in the shops just wants to have peace.
Peace. Everybody wants it. It is an intrinsic need within the human heart; a need which was created by the Creator Himself. It is the hearts cry for heaven, the souls desire to go back to the garden of Eden, the flesh’s cry for the absence of pain, the mind’s cry for the quiet of solitude. It is the cry of a society absent of God.
Peace. We all need it. We all want it. Yet, for all our desire… WE WILL NOT TAKE IT!
That’s right, you did not read wrong. I said, ‘We will not TAKE it’. We will try to manufacture it. We will try to fake it. We will try to negotiate it. We will even try to steal it! But the NATURAL MAN will not TAKE IT!
The HOLE of peace can only be filled by taking THE PEG created by God Himself designed to fit it. “Grace and peace be UNTO YOU.” Before God ever goes to the step of discussing our goods, and our bads, our weaknesses and our sins, our failures and our successes, HE SAYS, “UNTO YOU PEACE!”
When God makes an offer, don’t you think we should take it? Do you know how many times in the Bible the gospel writers offered peace to their followers; and grace too? We study out so many things, yet miss the simple and obvious.
The Prince of Peace. What does that phrase suggest to you? The God of Peace. What feelings does that conjure up in you. The Gospel of Peace. What mental images does that bring up in you?
Prayer: Lord, I want to ACCEPT your peace. I ask you to help me to RECEIVE your peace — which passes understanding. I need you to cause me to be FILLED with that peace.
The world is not entitled to have peace. Did you know that? There is no peace to the wicked; check your Old Testament. But there is peace OFFERED to all who would follow God and His Son; check your New Testament.
Here is a verse to hang on to for dear life: “NOW THE GOD OF PEACE BE WITH YOU ALL. AMEN.” (Rom 15:23). Never let go of HIM who IS, WAS, and WILL BE peace unto the saints. Never trade inner peace for outer turmoil. Never let another man take away your crown; a crown that came from the VICTORY of Christ on the cross; a victory which USHERED IN THE AGE OF PEACE for all mankind who would receive HIM.
God Bless you all! And may PEACE rule in your hearts. Amen.
Original Copyright: © Anthony J. Massotti Th.M., Th.M. 4/25/2004