Peace of God at all Times - Study 3/31/11
Peace of God at all Times
You do not need to be in the middle of a war zone to lack peace. You can equally have peace even in a war zone. You can be in the most physically secure place and in the midst of plenty and still lack peace in your heart and mind. Do you have peace right now? And do you have peace always and at all times? Are you disturbed and agitated? The subject of peace is dear to me because I bear the name. By divine providence and by God’s grace, my parents named me “Udochukwu” which means God’s peace or the peace of God. Udo means peace and Chukwu means God in the Ibo language.
What is peace? It is “a condition of freedom from disturbance, whether outwardly, as of a nation from war or enemies, or inwardly, within the soul”. “Shalom” (in Hebrew) signifies soundness, health and well-being in general, all good in relation to both man and God”. Vines say, it is “the harmonized relationships between God and man, accomplished through the gospel”. The word peace has the following synonyms, calm, quiet, stillness, tranquility, silence, harmony and serenity. No wonder we are told, “Be still and know that I am God”. Are you “still”? That is peace.
As we conclude our study of the second Letter of Apostle Paul to the Thessalonians, we end with the most comforting prayer in the Letter. Apostle Paul prays for the Thessalonians as follows: 16 “Now may the Lord of peace himself give you peace at all times and in every way. The Lord be with all of you”. This is a very appropriate ending knowing where the Thessalonian Church was and the persecutions they were dealing with. Listen to Paul describe their situation. “Therefore, among God’s churches we boast about your perseverance and faith in all the persecutions and trials you are enduring” (2 Thes 2:4). Paul had already encouraged them as follows: 16 “Be joyful always; 17 pray continually; 18 give thanks in all circumstances, for this is God’s will for you in Christ Jesus”. 1 Thessalonians 5:16-17.
How can we have peace always and at all times? If it were not possible, why then did Apostle of Paul pray as such? What did Jesus himself promise those who follow him?
2 Thessalonians 3
1 Finally, brothers, pray for us that the message of the Lord may spread rapidly and be honored, just as it was with you. 2 And pray that we may be delivered from wicked and evil men, for not everyone has faith. 3 But the Lord is faithful, and he will strengthen and protect you from the evil one. 4 We have confidence in the Lord that you are doing and will continue to do the things we command. 5 May the Lord direct your hearts into God’s love and Christ’s perseverance.
6 In the name of the Lord Jesus Christ, we command you, brothers, to keep away from every brother who is idle and does not live according to the teaching[a] you received from us. 7 For you yourselves know how you ought to follow our example. We were not idle when we were with you, 8 nor did we eat anyone’s food without paying for it. On the contrary, we worked night and day, laboring and toiling so that we would not be a burden to any of you. 9 We did this, not because we do not have the right to such help, but in order to make ourselves a model for you to follow. 10 For even when we were with you, we gave you this rule: “If a man will not work, he shall not eat.”
11 We hear that some among you are idle. They are not busy; they are busybodies. 12 Such people we command and urge in the Lord Jesus Christ to settle down and earn the bread they eat. 13 And as for you, brothers, never tire of doing what is right.
14 If anyone does not obey our instruction in this letter, take special note of him. Do not associate with him, in order that he may feel ashamed. 15 Yet do not regard him as an enemy, but warn him as a brother. 16 Now may the Lord of peace himself give you peace at all times and in every way. The Lord be with all of you. 17 I, Paul, write this greeting in my own hand, which is the distinguishing mark in all my letters. This is how I write. 18 The grace of our Lord Jesus Christ be with you all.
Here are my observations in addition to the ones you may have:
1. Apostle Paul wanted his closing remarks to the Thessalonians to be words that can suit the pain and hurts and whatever they may be feeling. We know that he loved and cared so much for these people. “As apostles of Christ we could have been a burden to you, 7 but we were gentle among you, like a mother caring for her little children. 8 We loved you so much that we were delighted to share with you not only the gospel of God but our lives as well, because you had become so dear to us” (1 Thes 2:6-7). Paul with his companions fathered the Thessalonians to faith in God. He therefore longed for their peace. This is the kind of concern we would have for other believers when we take evangelism serious and allow God to birth people into His kingdom through our efforts and labor of love.
2. How do we experience this type of peace that Apostle Paul prayed for? “Now may the Lord of peace himself give you peace at all times and in every way. The Lord be with all of you”. We can only experience peace when we experience the Lord of peace. Peace is not an event and a happening. It is being and a state of mind and heart. The word used here, “Lord” means owner, possessor or initiator, so the peace Paul is praying for the Thessalonians is the one owned and given by God himself.
3. Who is therefore the Lord of peace? “For to us a child is born, to us a son is given, and the government will be on his shoulders. And he will be called Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God, Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace” Isaiah.9:6) The Prince of Peace grants peace to all who come to him. Jesus is the Prince of Peace. He said to his disciples just before his death and resurrection and accession, “Peace I leave with you, my peace I give unto you: not as the world giveth, give I unto you. Let not your heart be troubled, neither let it be afraid” (John 14:27). The context is in relation to him announcing to the disciple the release of the Holy Spirit that will be in them and us. So the Holy Spirit is the Spirit of peace and if we have the Holy Spirit, we have God’s peace.
4. Note also that God’s peace must be experienced by us as we relate to Him in prayer. 4 “Rejoice in the Lord always. I will say it again: Rejoice! 5 Let your gentleness be evident to all. The Lord is near. 6 Do not be anxious about anything, but in everything, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God. 7 And the peace of God, which transcends all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus” (Philippians 4:4-7). Thanksgiving will always activate the peace of God in us. Count your blessings and name them one by one and you will be surprised to see what the Lord has already done for you. Most of our agitation and disturbances will flee from us by doing this simple exercise.
5. Are you looking for peace in a piece meal? You cannot have peace because that is the way the world offers its peace. The world is looking for peace in things and activities and that is “piece meal”. Jesus offers wholesome peace which means accepting him as Lord and savior. The Gospel is the good news that brings us peace. If Jesus is not your Lord and savior from sin and its penalties, you really do not have peace. What is troubling you right now? If you are a believer and you are always troubled and lacking peace, maybe you are not living in obedience of the following scripture. “Thou wilt keep [him] in perfect peace, [whose] mind [is] stayed [on thee]: because he trusteth in thee” (Isaiah 26:3). We must study and hide God’s word and meditate on it always because that is where faith to trust God comes from and once we can trust God we are at peace. One of my mottos is “let the chips fall and God will pick them up and put them where they belong”. It is not for you and me to worry and fret. It is for you and me to pray and trust God. Are you praying to God for what troubles you at this time?
6. We are also to seek and pursue peace. Yes, there is peace with God and but there is also peace with our fellow humans. “Depart from evil, and do good; seek peace, and pursue it” (Psalm 34:14). Also “Turn away from evil and do good. Work hard at living in peace with others” (1 Peter 3:10 NTL). From these scriptures, it is evident that peace will elude us if we do not run after it (more so run to peace and that is God). We are also to work hard to living at peace with others remembering Jesus’ words, 9 “Blessed are the peacemakers, for they shall be called sons of God” (Matthew 5:9). Are you pursuing and making peace with people? This is a mark that we belong to God.
7. Paul ends the Letter to the Thessalonians with his famous prayer and blessing “The grace of our Lord Jesus Christ be with you all” You and I need God’s grace at all things otherwise we cannot make it. God’s grace is always available as we run to him. 14 “Seeing then that we have a great High Priest who has passed through the heavens, Jesus the Son of God, let us hold fast our confession. 15 For we do not have a High Priest who cannot sympathize with our weaknesses, but was in all points tempted as we are, yet without sin. 16 Let us therefore come boldly to the throne of grace, that we may obtain mercy and find grace to help in time of need” (Hebrews 4:14-16). There are so many things most of us are going through at this time that can cause us to lack peace. Jesus understand so let us run to God today for grace and more grace.
Peace does not mean absence of trouble but presence of God in trouble and out of trouble. Our peace is in the person of Jesus Christ and until we have him, we have no peace. Do you have Jesus? If you do why are you not at peace? Maybe you are looking in the wrong place and to the wrong person for your peace. Let us look unto Jesus, the giver of peace and the Prince of Peace. Are you praying and counting your blessings in Thanksgiving to God?
As we pray and hand over to God our anxieties, we receive our peace instantly. God's peace is not dependent on whether what I have prayed for has been answered but my peace comes regardless because I have given my concerns to God who has everything under His control. With this peace of heart and mind, I can relax knowing that God will take care of me in His own way and His own time.
Here again Paul invokes the God of peace. 23”And the very God of peace sanctify you wholly; and I pray God your whole spirit and soul and body be preserved blameless unto the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ. 24Faithful is he that calleth you, who also will do it” (1Thessalonians 5:23-24). I pray the same for you and let not your heart be troubled but trust God. Amen.
May you have “udochukwu” (God’s peace) always. Lord, help me to live up to your name and my name. Amen.
You do not need to be in the middle of a war zone to lack peace. You can equally have peace even in a war zone. You can be in the most physically secure place and in the midst of plenty and still lack peace in your heart and mind. Do you have peace right now? And do you have peace always and at all times? Are you disturbed and agitated? The subject of peace is dear to me because I bear the name. By divine providence and by God’s grace, my parents named me “Udochukwu” which means God’s peace or the peace of God. Udo means peace and Chukwu means God in the Ibo language.
What is peace? It is “a condition of freedom from disturbance, whether outwardly, as of a nation from war or enemies, or inwardly, within the soul”. “Shalom” (in Hebrew) signifies soundness, health and well-being in general, all good in relation to both man and God”. Vines say, it is “the harmonized relationships between God and man, accomplished through the gospel”. The word peace has the following synonyms, calm, quiet, stillness, tranquility, silence, harmony and serenity. No wonder we are told, “Be still and know that I am God”. Are you “still”? That is peace.
As we conclude our study of the second Letter of Apostle Paul to the Thessalonians, we end with the most comforting prayer in the Letter. Apostle Paul prays for the Thessalonians as follows: 16 “Now may the Lord of peace himself give you peace at all times and in every way. The Lord be with all of you”. This is a very appropriate ending knowing where the Thessalonian Church was and the persecutions they were dealing with. Listen to Paul describe their situation. “Therefore, among God’s churches we boast about your perseverance and faith in all the persecutions and trials you are enduring” (2 Thes 2:4). Paul had already encouraged them as follows: 16 “Be joyful always; 17 pray continually; 18 give thanks in all circumstances, for this is God’s will for you in Christ Jesus”. 1 Thessalonians 5:16-17.
How can we have peace always and at all times? If it were not possible, why then did Apostle of Paul pray as such? What did Jesus himself promise those who follow him?
2 Thessalonians 3
1 Finally, brothers, pray for us that the message of the Lord may spread rapidly and be honored, just as it was with you. 2 And pray that we may be delivered from wicked and evil men, for not everyone has faith. 3 But the Lord is faithful, and he will strengthen and protect you from the evil one. 4 We have confidence in the Lord that you are doing and will continue to do the things we command. 5 May the Lord direct your hearts into God’s love and Christ’s perseverance.
6 In the name of the Lord Jesus Christ, we command you, brothers, to keep away from every brother who is idle and does not live according to the teaching[a] you received from us. 7 For you yourselves know how you ought to follow our example. We were not idle when we were with you, 8 nor did we eat anyone’s food without paying for it. On the contrary, we worked night and day, laboring and toiling so that we would not be a burden to any of you. 9 We did this, not because we do not have the right to such help, but in order to make ourselves a model for you to follow. 10 For even when we were with you, we gave you this rule: “If a man will not work, he shall not eat.”
11 We hear that some among you are idle. They are not busy; they are busybodies. 12 Such people we command and urge in the Lord Jesus Christ to settle down and earn the bread they eat. 13 And as for you, brothers, never tire of doing what is right.
14 If anyone does not obey our instruction in this letter, take special note of him. Do not associate with him, in order that he may feel ashamed. 15 Yet do not regard him as an enemy, but warn him as a brother. 16 Now may the Lord of peace himself give you peace at all times and in every way. The Lord be with all of you. 17 I, Paul, write this greeting in my own hand, which is the distinguishing mark in all my letters. This is how I write. 18 The grace of our Lord Jesus Christ be with you all.
Here are my observations in addition to the ones you may have:
1. Apostle Paul wanted his closing remarks to the Thessalonians to be words that can suit the pain and hurts and whatever they may be feeling. We know that he loved and cared so much for these people. “As apostles of Christ we could have been a burden to you, 7 but we were gentle among you, like a mother caring for her little children. 8 We loved you so much that we were delighted to share with you not only the gospel of God but our lives as well, because you had become so dear to us” (1 Thes 2:6-7). Paul with his companions fathered the Thessalonians to faith in God. He therefore longed for their peace. This is the kind of concern we would have for other believers when we take evangelism serious and allow God to birth people into His kingdom through our efforts and labor of love.
2. How do we experience this type of peace that Apostle Paul prayed for? “Now may the Lord of peace himself give you peace at all times and in every way. The Lord be with all of you”. We can only experience peace when we experience the Lord of peace. Peace is not an event and a happening. It is being and a state of mind and heart. The word used here, “Lord” means owner, possessor or initiator, so the peace Paul is praying for the Thessalonians is the one owned and given by God himself.
3. Who is therefore the Lord of peace? “For to us a child is born, to us a son is given, and the government will be on his shoulders. And he will be called Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God, Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace” Isaiah.9:6) The Prince of Peace grants peace to all who come to him. Jesus is the Prince of Peace. He said to his disciples just before his death and resurrection and accession, “Peace I leave with you, my peace I give unto you: not as the world giveth, give I unto you. Let not your heart be troubled, neither let it be afraid” (John 14:27). The context is in relation to him announcing to the disciple the release of the Holy Spirit that will be in them and us. So the Holy Spirit is the Spirit of peace and if we have the Holy Spirit, we have God’s peace.
4. Note also that God’s peace must be experienced by us as we relate to Him in prayer. 4 “Rejoice in the Lord always. I will say it again: Rejoice! 5 Let your gentleness be evident to all. The Lord is near. 6 Do not be anxious about anything, but in everything, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God. 7 And the peace of God, which transcends all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus” (Philippians 4:4-7). Thanksgiving will always activate the peace of God in us. Count your blessings and name them one by one and you will be surprised to see what the Lord has already done for you. Most of our agitation and disturbances will flee from us by doing this simple exercise.
5. Are you looking for peace in a piece meal? You cannot have peace because that is the way the world offers its peace. The world is looking for peace in things and activities and that is “piece meal”. Jesus offers wholesome peace which means accepting him as Lord and savior. The Gospel is the good news that brings us peace. If Jesus is not your Lord and savior from sin and its penalties, you really do not have peace. What is troubling you right now? If you are a believer and you are always troubled and lacking peace, maybe you are not living in obedience of the following scripture. “Thou wilt keep [him] in perfect peace, [whose] mind [is] stayed [on thee]: because he trusteth in thee” (Isaiah 26:3). We must study and hide God’s word and meditate on it always because that is where faith to trust God comes from and once we can trust God we are at peace. One of my mottos is “let the chips fall and God will pick them up and put them where they belong”. It is not for you and me to worry and fret. It is for you and me to pray and trust God. Are you praying to God for what troubles you at this time?
6. We are also to seek and pursue peace. Yes, there is peace with God and but there is also peace with our fellow humans. “Depart from evil, and do good; seek peace, and pursue it” (Psalm 34:14). Also “Turn away from evil and do good. Work hard at living in peace with others” (1 Peter 3:10 NTL). From these scriptures, it is evident that peace will elude us if we do not run after it (more so run to peace and that is God). We are also to work hard to living at peace with others remembering Jesus’ words, 9 “Blessed are the peacemakers, for they shall be called sons of God” (Matthew 5:9). Are you pursuing and making peace with people? This is a mark that we belong to God.
7. Paul ends the Letter to the Thessalonians with his famous prayer and blessing “The grace of our Lord Jesus Christ be with you all” You and I need God’s grace at all things otherwise we cannot make it. God’s grace is always available as we run to him. 14 “Seeing then that we have a great High Priest who has passed through the heavens, Jesus the Son of God, let us hold fast our confession. 15 For we do not have a High Priest who cannot sympathize with our weaknesses, but was in all points tempted as we are, yet without sin. 16 Let us therefore come boldly to the throne of grace, that we may obtain mercy and find grace to help in time of need” (Hebrews 4:14-16). There are so many things most of us are going through at this time that can cause us to lack peace. Jesus understand so let us run to God today for grace and more grace.
Peace does not mean absence of trouble but presence of God in trouble and out of trouble. Our peace is in the person of Jesus Christ and until we have him, we have no peace. Do you have Jesus? If you do why are you not at peace? Maybe you are looking in the wrong place and to the wrong person for your peace. Let us look unto Jesus, the giver of peace and the Prince of Peace. Are you praying and counting your blessings in Thanksgiving to God?
As we pray and hand over to God our anxieties, we receive our peace instantly. God's peace is not dependent on whether what I have prayed for has been answered but my peace comes regardless because I have given my concerns to God who has everything under His control. With this peace of heart and mind, I can relax knowing that God will take care of me in His own way and His own time.
Here again Paul invokes the God of peace. 23”And the very God of peace sanctify you wholly; and I pray God your whole spirit and soul and body be preserved blameless unto the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ. 24Faithful is he that calleth you, who also will do it” (1Thessalonians 5:23-24). I pray the same for you and let not your heart be troubled but trust God. Amen.
May you have “udochukwu” (God’s peace) always. Lord, help me to live up to your name and my name. Amen.
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