You Are Not the Only One

#HeIsTheWaymaker #PeaceIsAGiftFromGod

Have you ever gone to bed at night and just could not fall asleep? Your mind is just racing over the last 24 hours. Or even past hurts! When I have a restless night, which could happen every night because I have fibromyalgia, but bless God he gets me settled and I fall asleep. We also live in a time period that is fraught with violence and fear. Many cities around the world go to sleep at night wondering when the next “attack” will be. We all want peace in our lives. As I think about peace tonight, I do have to remember the words of the Apostle John who stated

Additional Scriptures about peace: Old Testament.

1. Isaiah 52:7: How beautiful upon the mountains are the feet of him that bringeth good tidings, that publisheth peace; that bringeth good tidings of good, that publisheth salvation; that saith unto Zion, Thy God reigneth!
2. Psalms 46:10: Be still, and know that I am God: I will be exalted among the heathen, I will be exalted in the earth.
3. Psalms 4:8 I will both lay me down in peace, and sleep: for thou, Lord, only makest me dwell in safety. [This is what we all want when we go to sleep at night! No more counting sheep because our mind is filled with things that God can resolve!]
4. Isaiah 9:6 or unto us a child is born, unto us a son, is given: and the government shall be upon his shoulder: and his name shall be called Wonderful, Counsellor, The mighty God, The everlasting Father, The Prince of Peace. [It is for this purpose that Christ came into the world!]

New Testament scriptures about peace.

1. 1 Peter 3:10-11: For he that will love life, and see good days, let him refrain his tongue from evil, and his lips that they speak no guile: Let him eschew evil, and do good; let him seek peace, and ensue it.[Again, when one is pursuing peace they to nod “speak guile.” Their tongues do not speak evil -“gossip” is one of the deadly sins that God hates. This Scripture in particular, or rather the violation of it, causes drama in social media!]
2. Romans 5:1: “Therefore being justified by faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ…” [This is why prayer is so important to the acquisition of peace. When one prays they do so, with faith, believing their prayer will be answered.]
3. Matthew 11:28-30: “Come unto me, all ye that labor 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.”[What an amazing promise from our Lord! When we are intertwined with Him and are carrying His yolk.
   1. Definition of the word yolk:In a literal sense, the word ‘Yoke’ means a bar of wood, so constructed as to unite two animals (usually oxen), enabling them to work in the fields, drawing loads, pulling instruments used for farming.[What a great picture of who and what we are in Christ! When we take “Christ’s yolk’ we are working together with Him in a peaceful manner to carry out kingdom work!]
   2. In Bible, it is figuratively used as a symbol of
      • Slavery (1 Tim 6:1)
      • Servanthood (Lev 26:13:”I broke the bars of your yoke and enabled you to walk with heads held high.” Also Jer 27:8-12)
      • Submission, Forced Subjection [Willinglysubmitting to the ways of the Lord gives us internal peace!]
      • Burden, Load
      • Oppression (Is 9:4)
      • Bondage to Sin (Lam 1:14: “My sins have been bound into a yoke, by his hands, they were woven together…”)
   3. The Plowman (farmer) binds the yoke upon the neck of the oxen so that it would not fall off or be shaken off.
4. James 3:18: “And the fruit of righteousness is sown in peace of them that make peace.” [A righteous man will never do anything relationally that will cause discourse between two people.]
5. Colossians 3:15: “And let the peace of God rule in your hearts, to the which also ye are called in one body; and be ye thankful.”
6. Ephesians 4:3 “ Endeavouring to keep the unity of the Spirit in the bond of peace.” [When one is a playground bully or a person who sows confusion or creates drama among friends they cannot sleep well at night. They are not keeping the “unity of the Spirit.” They cannot sleep peaceably because they are not living a peaceful life.”
7. 2 Corinthians 13:11: “Finally, brethren, farewell. Be perfect, be of good comfort, be of one mind, live in peace; and the God of love and peace shall be with you.”
8. Romans 8:6: “For to be carnally minded is death; but to be spiritually minded is life and peace.”