THE PEACE OF CHRIST GIVEN TO YOU

"Peace I leave with you, My peace I give to you; not as the world gives do I give to you. Let not your heart be troubled, neither let it be afraid . . . These things I have spoken unto you, that in me ye might have peace . . . Grace to you and peace from God our Father, and the Lord Jesus Christ" (John 14:27,33; Rom 1:7)

Devotion 10 of 12

PEACE CAN COME IN ABUNDANT MEASURE

Our situation often requires an "abundance of peace" (Psalms 72:7, KJV). While there may be many things pertaining to life in the flesh that can be safely experienced in small measure, peace is not one of them.

The economy of the heavenly kingdom differs significantly from that of this world. In the temporal realm, things that are precious and valuable are generally proportionately rare. Economists speak of the allocation of scarce economic resources. That is, precious things cannot be enjoyed in superabundance. It is their scarcity that makes them valuable.

But it is not so in Christ Jesus, praise the Lord! Precious things may be had in abundance, according to our faith. Spiritual benefits may be experienced in relatively small measures at the first, but that is not meant to be a permanent condition. There is an abundance to be possessed in Christ Jesus, and we do well to set our hearts on procuring it.

Of particular interest is the abundance of peace available to us. You sense this in some Apostolic benedictions. "Elect according to the foreknowledge of God the Father, through sanctification of the Spirit, unto obedience and sprinkling of the blood of Jesus Christ: Grace unto you, and peace, BE MULTIPLIED" (1 Peter 1:2). "Grace and peace BE MULTIPLIED unto you through the knowledge of God, and of Jesus our Lord" (2 Peter 1:2). "Mercy unto you, and peace and love, BE MULTIPLIED" (Jude 1:2).

The fact of the multiplication of peace indicates the nature of the walk of faith. We are surrounded by spiritually hostile forces, against which we are engaged in battle (Eph. 6:12). We also have a corrupt lower nature, called an "old man" (Eph. 4:22), which causes great inner conflict. Our "adversary the devil" also "walks about as a roaring lion, seeking whom he may devour" (1 Pet. 5:8).

All of these forces combine to disrupt the calmness of our soul and provoke us to react in a carnal manner. It is imperative that we have great volumes of peace, and such ARE available to us!

PRAYER POINT: Father, I sense my need of a lot of peace in this troubled world. I thank and praise You through Jesus Christ that peace is copious, and not in small and fleeting measures!

-- TOMORROW: RESULT OF THE DOMINANCE OF SPIRITUAL MINDEDNESS --