Peace

I am filled with the joy of the Lord to welcome you to the year 2019, a year of peace on all fronts. Our theme for this month in RCCG Mount Zion parish is PEACE. Our anchor scripture for the month is John 14:27 “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”. These are the direct words of Jesus Christ, which are reassuring as we begin a new year.

Meanwhile, what is peace? The word is being defined in different forms to suit who is giving the definition. For instance, the world defines peace as the absence of war, conflict or dispute but the word is derived from Hebrew language shalom which literally means “to be safe in mind and body” while interpretively means “may things be with you as things ought to be” hence the origin of the greetings of shalom whenever Hebrews see themselves. The question now is what type of peace does Jesus Christ give and leave with us as stated in John 14:27? This is the peace that does not depend on the ability of man but on the integrity, character, power and compassion of God. It is a total peace that you experience in all areas of your life. It is a perfect peace that is not mixed with calamity or sorrow. It is a complete peace that you will have in all the seasons of your life. It is a guaranteed peace which Jesus Christ is the guarantor and it is a unique peace that will always locate and be with you wherever you are located even when circumstances do not support peace. This type of peace is different from the one the world gives which relies heavily on material acquisition and wealth.

The irony of the situation is that people invest their time and resources to seek peace in mostly material things. For examples, people do different types of insurance policies as a way of having peace from any form of loss but do they really have this peace? No. People relocate from one conflict and war-torn cities or countries to another country only to experience war of racism, discrimination, and undervalue of their worth, which also take away their peace of mind. No wonder Jesus Christ admonishes “let not your heart be troubled” because whatever wants to take away your peace attacks your heart. Then, what are the things that can trouble your heart? First, when your heart is filled with a sense of loss as a result of investment you have made on either material or non-material things without commensurate reward or reciprocity. Do not take this to heart as you can get much more than what you consider as a loss. This is confirmed by 2 Chronicles 25:9. Second, closely related to this is doing good to others, helping them but repaying you with bad. This could be hurtful and at times cause you sleepless night. Do not worry about this. You should take time to ponder on those people you do little or virtually nothing for and they shower on you unexpected gratitude and love. You also need to remember that you could have people sowing bad seed into your life not because you have not sowed good seed or do right thing but because it is their nature and it is also meant to take away your good nature and peace. Third, when you do not prepare your mind for disappointment especially from unexpected quarters. People will definitely disappoint you but don’t allow it to affect you. Fourth, when you allow anger, resentment, murmuring, complaints and all sorts of vices to fill your heart. These cannot co-habit with peace of God in your heart. Please empty all these vices from your mind. Fifth, do not allow worry or fear to take over you as this does not solve any problem. Remember that you may not know what the future holds for you but you should care about the person who holds the future.

So, to achieve peace, you must allow Jesus to be in total control of your life. According to John 16:33, Jesus is the only genuine source of peace. You must also grow your knowledge of God through his word. 2 Thessalonians 3:16 confirms this. Finally, you must use this year to engage in deliberate and intentional pursuit of peace as advised by the Bible in Hebrews 12:14 bearing in mind a life dedicated to holy living and obedience to God’s words at all times. The totality of your life will be filled with peace of God this year and beyond in Jesus name. Once more Happy New Year.