Peace of the Pie - Part One The Word
The word peace can be a noun, an interjection, or a verb. Our English version is derived from the Middle English word pes. The French had a variation pais, both descending from the Latin word pax. This is also where we get the word pact - as in an agreement or treaty between tribes, nations, or countries. A pact sounds a lot like a covenant, and when it comes to God's peace that is exactly what we have. It is a covenant or promise from the Creator granting us of a state of being that allows us to live life when life is upside down. Have you been there? Have you felt it? Both the upside down part and the peace?
God's peace gives you the ability to say every thing will be alright even though there is no evidence of anything "alright" in your life. His peace is felt most in experiencing our greatest tragedies - the loss of loved ones, serious health issues, life threatening accidents, natural disasters, violence, oppression, poverty, etc.
Today we have never had a greater need for God's peace. We have never been more medicated to handle our anxiety. After decades and decades of prosperity many are having to learn to do without, and frankly most aren't handling that very well. Suicide rates have never been higher, which may be the greatest indication of how needed peace is - when you consider death to be the best alternative. Jesus said plainly that we will find trouble in this world, but in the same verse he also tells us to take heart, for He has overcome this world. He explained that the telling of these facts has one purpose - "That in Me you might have peace." (Jn. 16:33) The Greek word is eirene (pronounced i - ra - na with all the vowels long).
The meaning in Greek is a state of tranquility whether between nations or individuals. Even deeper it means achieving a state of harmony where security, safety, and even prosperity exist (it takes peace and safety to make prosperity possible.) In a more personal sense, peace is a state of the soul given salvation. It is such a strong force that the Christian, so assured of eternal salvation, has no fear and is content with their earthly lot, no matter what that "lot" is. This promise is perhaps never more apparent than when it is uttered at death in the common phrase, "rest in peace." In other words, rest in the eternal life and salvation through Christ, all trouble has departed.
We will walk through six verses found toward the end of Paul's letter to the church in Philippi - Philippians 4:4-9. Paul knew peace because he also knew great suffering. Tomorrow we'll look at what happened in Philippi when Paul first visited. Certainly, the events of that time were on his mind when he wrote our six verses. Without the peace of God, Paul would have never taken the first step toward towns filled with souls not knowing Jesus. He had a pact. So do we.
A Big Peace
(Reference Acts Chp. 16)
Literally, Paul had reached the end of the road. When he arrived at Troas all that lay before him was the vast Aegean Sea. His second missionary journey had started off well enough, though a sharp disagreement with Barnabas had landed him a new travel partner in Silas. They even picked up a new convert, a young lad with a lot of promise named Timothy, as they traversed through Lystra (which incidentally had beaten Paul near death on the first trip).
Paul delivered the recent news of the Jerusalem council and the churches were greatly encouraged and growing in number. Everything was going great, but...
Isn't that how life can be? You're in a sweet spot where everything is going your way then out of nowhere - the tide turns, you have a "but" in your life. The "but" for Paul and his companions was that God started closing doors. He kept them quiet throughout the region of Phrygia and Galatia, the entire province of Asia. God then closed the door to Mysia leaving Paul and his companions in a quandary in Troas. I'm not sure if Paul's success had caused him not to rely on the Holy Spirit more or what, but it is clear that God will direct us in life with closed opportunities. As Paul goes to bed one night, he has no idea where to go the next day.
Then in a dream, Paul sees a vision of a man calling to him from Macedonia. In the vision the man begs Paul to come to his land and help them. Paul has his marching orders and quickly sails from Troas across the Aegean to Neapolis. He then works his way inland 10 miles to Philippi, a very prominent city and Roman Colony along the main road from Rome to the East (called the Via Egnatia). Philippi was a rich gold-producing town where many soldiers from the Roman legions had chosen to retire. At first, things go well - Paul converts a business woman named Lydia who merchandised purple cloth (the color of royalty). Then Paul, confronted daily by an incessant slave girl with a spirit of prediction, casts out the spirit. The owners of the girl had made a lot of money from her gift, and they have Paul and Silas arrested, and eventually flogged viciously.
After being flogged, Luke reports that Paul and Silas were put in stocks in the inner cell. Now, we think of inner as in the center, and this is true, but the Romans often built their dungeons and jails into the ground. So, it is very likely that inner means the bottom cell where all the excrement and waste wound up from the others. The Mamertine Keep in Rome where history records Peter's incarceration was designed in this manner.
At about midnight, Paul and Silas, battered, bruised, bleeding, and chained began to do the strangest thing. They started singing hymns and praying. The others listened. How could these two men being arrested, flogged, and jailed in the inner cell - be singing praises to God? They had a big peace of the pie. God miraculously delivers Paul, Silas, and a jailer who came to know the power behind the peace.
So, before we dive into the study of what Paul wrote to Philippi, we must first know what he experienced there. We must know that Paul wrote about peace from first hand experiences, and not just in Philippi. Therefore, we can trust his Spirit-guided words - for the power in the words were shaped by deep suffering, great redemption, and a total reliance upon God. The comfort we find then is that no matter what our situation, peace can be our companion. We too, can sing praises from the "inner cells" of our journey and the sufferings of the "floggings" of our life. How? Paul's words will tell us, stayed tuned.
Peace of Joy
Phil. 4:4
Rejoice in the Lord always, I will say it again: Rejoice! (NIV)
Paul starts the "How to Find God's Peace" manual with a step that is most difficult. You know, you'd think maybe Paul would ease into this thing, maybe like the first few days of math class - it gets more difficult the deeper you get into the book. Paul doesn't use that strategy, he calls us to be joyful, to rejoice exceedingly in the Lord, which is the basic meaning of the Greek word he uses - chairo. The first step to knowing God's peace is knowing God is in control regardless of the circumstances which then allows us the possibility of joy and eventually peace. When Paul and Silas were deep in the inner cell at midnight they could have been crying, ticked-off, in despair, or perhaps they should have taken Job's wife's advice - "Curse God and die." (Job 2:9b) No one would have blamed Paul and Silas for doing any of those things. They had been dealt a poor hand, an extraordinarily difficult time, and lamenting appears to be what they should be doing. Perhaps the other prisoners were lamenting, but not Paul and Silas - they start singing praise songs. No wonder the rest became quiet and listened.
The response of joy is not a natural response. We don't naturally adopt a joyous attitude when relationships fail, we lose money in the stock market, we lose a loved one, we lose a job, or the like. In my life I have seen great examples of this, and I bet you could name a few names yourself. There are people that can walk around full of joy when there is no reason to do so. Buried deep in the Old Testament book of Habakkuk we find these stirring words from a lesser known prophet:
"Though the fig tree does not bud and there are no grapes on the vines, though the olive crop fails and the fields produce no food, though there are no sheep in the pen and no cattle in the stalls, yet I will rejoice in the LORD, I will be joyful in God my Savior. The Sovereign LORD is my strength, He makes my feet like the feet of a deer, He enables me to go on the heights." Hab. 3:16-18
If you look closely you discover that even though being joyful is a choice, the key part given by Paul and Habakkuk is that joy is found or our rejoicing should be in the LORD. This calls us to step out of the temporal nature of our moments of despair and consider the ramifications of eternity. That is what Paul and Silas did, they knew they could have died that night , but they would be singing the praises of God in heaven forever.
James, the half-brother of Christ, would say to find joy in your perseverance (James 1:2) and Peter said that if you suffer for being a Christian then praise God you bear that name (1 Peter 4:18). Jesus said, "Don't let your hearts be troubled..." (Jn. 16:33) peace then finds a route to the heart that can rejoice.
The first step puts us on the path of peace. It is not easy, it wasn't for Paul, Silas, or Habakkuk either, so draw strength from their example. They speak from experience. Next we'll evaluate the exhortation of Paul concerning consistency of rejoicing in the LORD. As usual, Paul doesn't leave a lot of wiggle room. However, for peace to do its work the heart must be in the right mode - receiving mode.
Consistent Rejoicing
Phil. 4:4
Rejoice in the Lord always. I will say it again: Rejoice!
Lets focus on two more aspects of this verse. They are: Consistency matters, and Consistency is difficult.
Paul doesn't offer an exhortation to rejoice only when we feel like it, when things are going great, when we're on that mountain top of life, or when we aren't experiencing pain and suffering. No - he uses the word always (Pantote in the Greek, meaning at all times, always, evermore...) The word is an absolute word, there is no wiggle room. Paul isn't attempting to be a tough school master here, instead he is merely telling us what is the best path to God's peace, and the truth is that the path to peace starts with a joyful heart in the face of difficult circumstances.
Next, Paul repeats himself. Why? Simple. He knew how difficult this first step is, so he affirms the importance of rejoicing always. This should make the reader stop and consider this step in deep and profound ways. By repeating himself, Paul adds tremendous emphasis on this exhortation, and adds even more drama by the exclamation point, which is implied through the translation as noted in the NIV, NKJV, NASB, and several others. This is a strong command being urged by a man who knew the difficulty of the path to peace.
Friends, take heart in the fact that not only is Paul aware of your pain, but so is Christ Jesus. In the three years of His ministry on earth, Jesus experienced pain and suffering on a level for which we have no reference. He lost loved ones. He was rejected. He was scoffed at. He was brutalized. He was judged unfairly. He was executed without just cause...on and on. A very good friend of mine sent me a series of verses from Micah the other day that culminate in a strong statement of peace. They foretell of Jesus as the ultimate agent of peace.
"But you, Bethlehem Ephrathah, though you are small among the clans of Judah, out of you will come for me one who will be ruler over Israel, whose origins are from of old, from ancient times. Therefore Israel will be abandoned until the time when she who is in labor gives birth and the rest of his brothers return to join the Israelites. He will stand and shepherd his flock in the strength of the LORD, in the majesty of the name of the LORD his God. And they will live securely, for then his greatness will reach to the ends of the earth. And he will be their peace." Micah 5:2-5a
Did you see it, the simple majesty and truth of that last sentence. We can't have the peace of God by our power. He - Jesus will be our peace. What you can't do - ALL things are possible through Christ who strengthens us (Phil. 4:13).
Matt Redman sings it beautifully in the refrain of his song, "Blessed Be Your Name."
You give and take away.
You give and take away.
My heart will choose to say.
Lord, blessed be Your name.
Easy to sing, tough to do, but remember you have an advocate in Jesus that can help you remove your focus from the temporal here and now, and consider the grandeur of forever in eternity. No tears, no pain, no loss...just the blissful state of continued existence in the presence of all mighty God. The pain of our sufferings subside from the mere thought.
A Gentle Peace
Phil. 4:5a
"Let your gentleness be evident to all..."
In the next step toward peace we find an effect of constant rejoicing in the Lord. Paul instructs us to be mindful of others by exuding gentleness toward all. The Greek word here is not the same as we find in the list of fruits of the Spirit in Galatians 5:23 (Praytes - meaning mildness of disposition, meekness, or gentleness of spirit). The word Paul uses in Philippians 4:5 is epieikes which means to appear suitable, seeming in a way to be equitable, fair, mild in demeanor, patient, and of gentle spirit. Here are all other uses of the word in scripture in the New Testament:
1 Timothy 3:3b NIV
...not violent, but gentle,
Titus 3:2 NIV
...slander no one, be peaceable and considerate, and show true humility to all men.
James 3:17 NIV
But the wisdom that comes from heaven is first of all pure; then peace-loving, considerate, submissive, full of mercy and good fruit, impartial and sincere.
1 Peter 2:18 NIV
Slaves, submit yourselves to your masters with all respect, not only to those who are good and considerate, but also to those who are harsh.
These verses give us a well formed word picture of what Paul is teaching not just from the word underlined but in context with other words. Our gentleness should be evident to all and that will include being people of peace, being considerate, truly humble, pure, peace-loving, submissive, full of mercy, full of good fruit, impartial, sincere or real. We also discover things that epieikes is not - violence, slander or harshness.
If you think about it, this is pure common sense. Some of our greatest anxiety and stress is the result of relationships with others. How different would relationships be if we practiced this word. Well, for one, we'd have more peace. You can't control how someone else acts, you can only control yourself and reaction to that person. What if you always took the high road of epieikes? Yes, you would get stepped on occasionally. Wasn't Jesus? Yes, you would most likely get taken advantage of, but wasn't Jesus? Unsavory people might actually come to like you, Jesus ate with them regularly. His example is our greatest demonstration of epieikes.
This second step in the path of peace is just as difficult as the first. They are inexorably linked, because a joyful heart rejoicing in the Lord will exude epieikes to others. It is the heart filled with bitterness, self-righteous justice, harshness, the need to get even or ahead, win the argument, and selfishness that is squeezed of rejoicing and what flows out toward others is not gentleness. So many people eliminate themselves from God's peace in these first two steps, me included. Let's make a pact (word from our first lesson on peace) to rejoice in the Lord and let that flow from us in gentleness that is evident to everyone around us. Paul doesn't mention it, but doing these two things places you in an excellent position to evangelize, not due to your words, but your actions - which frankly always say more.
Peace of the Pie: Part Two Peace of Nigh
Phil. 4:5b
"The Lord is near."
How much does this little sentence say? It almost seems out of place in the flow of Paul's writing. He is going along giving instruction then stops to emphatically state that the Lord is near. Perhaps our gentleness should be evident to all because the Lord is near. Maybe the Lord being near is just the next step to understanding the great peace He offers. I think this is a multifaceted statement that applies in all manner of ways due to the fact that God does not leave nor forsake us. Jesus said,
"...And surely I am with you always to the very end of the age." (Matt. 28:20b)
Translations handle the Greek word for near (eggys) differently. In the old King James version the wording states the the Lord is at hand. In the New Living Bible the translation is that the Lord is coming soon. These various translations actually help you capture a more accurate meaning of the Greek. The word is found some 30 times in the New Testament and only a small percentage are translated as near, however the meaning of the word involves both position and time. The older English word "nigh" has the same connotation - something is near and something is about to happen. The root word for eggys, is agkale, which literally means the inner angle of the arm or something closely enfolding such as the arms (waves) of the sea. The next time you go to the beach and stand in waist-high surf, remember that God's presence is as near and unrelenting as the waves. They just keep coming. Sometimes the waves are higher and sometimes calm, but they never stop. It is the same with God's presence. For the Christian - God is in you via the Holy Spirit.
With that understanding then we must realize something that gives us a great sense of peace - We are never alone. As Christians we walk this journey called life and always have an advocate with us. The spirit of God is always with you and His Spirit is His presence. You may not always feel it, but He is there in force. When I go through a tumultuous time, after it subsides - I get a sense of God pleading through His Spirit reminding me, "I was here all the time. Why didn't you lean on me more? Why didn't you pay attention to my leading?" Selfishly, too many times I rely on myself when in fact the power of the Creator of the Universe is within me. Take the pressure off yourself, and rely on the One who is always nigh. This will lead you on down the path of peace.
Enemy of Nigh
Phil. 4:5b
"The Lord is near."
The truth is we have an adversary in our closeness with the Lord. Satan is called by many names in the Bible and accuser may be the most accurate. He loves to have us take things on ourselves, blame ourselves, get more withdrawn, and ultimately rely less on the Lord. This naturally creates distance in our relationship to Christ, a distance than need not be the case, because we have established that the Lord is nigh. That is a fact that will not change. What does change is how close we feel to him. This has no bearing on where He is, but where we think or feel He is. Trust in the Word - He is always there. Satan will attempt to convince you that God has abandoned you to the wolves of this world and nothing could be further from the truth.
In 2nd Corinthians chapter 12:7-10, Paul details how a thorn in the flesh from Satan which the Lord refused to remove actually makes him stronger by relying more on God and His grace. "That is why for Christ's sake," Paul says, "I delight in weaknesses, in insults, in hardships, in persecutions, in difficulties. For when I am weak then I am strong." Wow, what a perspective. Zechariah, the father of John the Baptist, was silenced for a long period of time due to his doubt of God's word, and a priest who can't talk is a real problem. Eventually, his voice is returned to him, and he breaks out in song. He ends that song actually singing about the "path of peace."
"...because of the tender mercy of our God, by which the rising sun will come to us from heaven to shine on those living in darkness and in the shadow of death, to guide our feet into the path of peace." Luke 1:78-79.
Both Paul and Zechariah could have given in to the enemy of nigh. They could have grown bitter over the hand they had been dealt, but they don't. In fact they leave lasting testimonies to understanding God's peace.
In review here is what we've learned from Paul so far:
Step one - Rejoice in the Lord always, again rejoice!
Step two - Let your gentleness be evident to all - this brings peace to our relationships.
Step three - Understand above all else that God is near, He is with you in all circumstances, and will actually enable you to do the first two steps.
Next, we'll deal with anxiety.
Anxiety
Phil. 4:6a
"Do not be anxious about anything..."
Anxiety is a paralyzing emotion where talent is stifled, and clear thinking is squeezed out by whatever the fear is. Paul knew that anxiety was a serious detractor to God's peace and verse six is all about dealing with anxiety. Before we go to those steps given by Paul, let us take a look at this word that detracts.
In the Greek the word is merimnao which means to be anxious or deeply troubled with cares. It has a very positive side in meaning to provide care for another, or even to seek to promote another person's interests. Perhaps that is where we get the KJV translation of "Be careful for nothing." You can see how that translation, in the old language, could be misconstrued in the current language. Make no mistake, Paul is saying don't worry excessively and we can take liberty to define the degree of "excess" by the words of Jesus in the Sermon on the Mount (He uses the word "merimnao"):
“Therefore I tell you, do not worry about your life, what you will eat or drink; or about your body, what you will wear. Is not life more than food, and the body more than clothes? Look at the birds of the air; they do not sow or reap or store away in barns, and yet your heavenly Father feeds them. Are you not much more valuable than they? Can any one of you by worrying add a single hour to your life?
“And why do you worry about clothes? See how the flowers of the field grow. They do not labor or spin. Yet I tell you that not even Solomon in all his splendor was dressed like one of these. If that is how God clothes the grass of the field, which is here today and tomorrow is thrown into the fire, will he not much more clothe you—you of little faith? So do not worry, saying, ‘What shall we eat?’ or ‘What shall we drink?’ or ‘What shall we wear?’ For the pagans run after all these things, and your heavenly Father knows that you need them. But seek first his kingdom and his righteousness, and all these things will be given to you as well. Therefore do not worry about tomorrow, for tomorrow will worry about itself. Each day has enough trouble of its own." Matt. 6:25-34
What Jesus and Paul are telling us is that God is in control...even when you can't see it, even when someone else is winning and you're losing, someone else is laughing and you're crying, and especially - even when you are worried. Anxiety is contrary to the trust purported by Paul and Jesus, so how on earth do we conquer it. Well, Paul doesn't leave us hanging. The truth found in the same verse has the remedy to anxiety, and several more steps down the tranquil path of peace.
Prayer
Phil. 4:6 a/b
"Do not be anxious about anything, but in everything by prayer..."
Late in his life on a visit to Princeton University, Albert Einstein was asked by a doctoral student if there were any original dissertations left to research. Einstein replied, "Find out about prayer. Somebody must find out about prayer." Paul knew all about prayer. His knees were scared and calloused from kneeling before God in prayer. There was no question that Prayer would be a huge part of his manual on peace.
In verse six we find two blanket-words: "anything" and "everything." Don't miss those, they are important. What they tell us is that there is not a worry that can be contrived and consume us that God can't handle through prayer. When Paul says "anything" and "everything", he means it,and we would do well to heed his advice - especially if peace is what we seek.
The Greek word here (proseuche) means prayer addressed to God. Sometimes it referred to a place of prayer like a synagogue or an outside place - particularly on the banks close to streams. In Acts chapter 16, when Paul goes to Philippi, on the Sabbath he seeks a place of prayer and goes outside the city gate by the river. Luke writes, "...where we expected to find a place of prayer."(Acts 16:13b) Proseuche is always translated as prayer - there are no variations.
One commentator says that we should pray simply because Jesus did. As you survey the Gospels, prayer is an obvious part of His lifestyle. As He walked planet earth, He made plenty of time for prayer. He would leave the multitudes and find quiet places. Before selecting the twelve He prayed all night. After hearing about the death of John the Baptist and feeding the 5,000, He found a mountain and sent the others away. Who can forget the anguish in the olive garden before His arrest, His example of the Lord's Prayer, or His prayer before raising Lazarus. The 17th chapter of John is one long prayer of Jesus. Prayer was always part of the journey for Christ, why then would we expect a life with minimal prayer? I confess that I sometimes treat prayer as a morning cup of coffee. I don't miss it, but I find it more routine than a conversation with the Creator should be. However, when I am troubled that changes.
Prayer is the conduit to God, a running dialog between the Father and us - the objects of His love. Philip Yancey writes, "If prayer stands as the place where God and human beings meet, then I must learn about prayer. Most of my struggles in the Christian life circle around the same two themes: why God doesn't act the way we want God to, and why I don't act the way God wants me to. Prayer is the precise point where those two themes converge." The result of prayer is like ripples in a pond. The smallest prayer like the smallest rock sends a message all the way to the shore. God doesn't miss a one. And, He meets us at the point of entry longing to hear more of our deepest desires. More on those in the next devotion on petition - a different degree of prayer.
Our Deepest Longings
Phil. 4:6c
"Do not be anxious about anything, but in everything, by prayer and petition,..."
The word petition takes praying or communicating with God in a specific direction. That direction addresses our needs and deepest longings, and God's sovereign nature. When you have a petition, supplication, entreaty, or great need, we must recognize who can do something about that need. In the Greek the word is deesis from the root word deomai, which simply means to ask for - even to the point of begging.
We are usually taught at an early age not to beg, but God actually wants you to beg because He loves you. You see, your deepest longings and desires are attributes of your character that God relishes to sort out with you through prayer. This kind of praying makes the peace of God a much more likely companion. Paul could have just said prayer, but he didn't, he added deesis. God is not an impersonal force, but intimate, and obviously He wants to hear the deep desires of our heart.
The truth is this, when we deny the Lord the deepest longings of our heart we are saying we don't need Him. That is always a counterproductive premise. This doesn't mean that everything you beg for will be given, but by His will He gives, and even more He quells desires outside His will by granting His peace to us.
One of the greatest gifts of petition is the privilege we have to intercede for others. The ripples in the pond grow even more prominent as more of God's people beseech Him on a specific need. Matter of fact, one of the attributes of Christ right now is that He petitions intercessory prayers to the Father for us.
"...(He)is at the right hand of God, and also is interceding for us." Romans 8:34b
"...because He always lives to intercede for them." Hebrews 7:25b
Peace of the Pie: Part Three Peace of Thanks
Phil. 4:6next
"Do not be anxious about anything, but in everything, by prayer and petition,with Thanksgiving..."
Our next step on the path of peace within the step of prayer, is to pray with Thanksgiving (eucharistia). Being able to gain the peace of God is dependent on being able to see where God has blessed you.
Our world is rife with depression. It is perfectly normal to feel sad or gloomy at times, but depression takes more of a bite. Instead of passing moments of despair, the passing moments become continual moments of bleakness that seem unstoppable. This mood becomes unmanageable - consuming the day and interfering with how we would normally live our lives. One on-line drug company speculates that currently over 15 million Americans are taking medication and receiving treatment for depression. It is an epidemic.
The enemy is very active in depression, and he does a formidable job of concealing blessings. By definition, Depression is a hopeless feeling of not being blessed, and one of the remedies can be counting your blessings. No matter what, as a Christian - you always have Christ ("The Lord is near," from verse 5). That is a powerful blessing that reaches beyond our circumstances and depression into the arms of eternity. A sense of thankfulness is the enemy of depression. Evidently Paul knew this whether he was riding out a storm, shipwrecked, in a jail, chained, just been beaten, thrown out of town, or facing a riot. So Paul tells us to count our blessings and pray and petition with Thankfulness. It is a pathway from despair to the doorstep of peace.
I listened at our church yesterday in amazement at the testimony of Jeff and Becky Taylor. Becky has battled stage 4 brain cancer for over a year and is making great progress. The battle is not completely over, but here mantra has always been the same, a whimsically stated phrase of thanksgiving, "It's all good." I marvel at their faith and the peace that is so evident.
In closing, I would like to point out that two of Christ's most incredible miracles were proceeded by prayers of thanks.
"Jesus then took the loaves, gave thanks, and distributed to those who were seated as much as they wanted. He did the same with the fish." John 6:11
"So they took away the stone. Then Jesus looked up and said, 'Father, thank you...'" John 11:41a
Before feeding 5,000 from a little boy's lunch, and overturning the death of Lazarus, Jesus prayed with Thanksgiving. Don't miss this step in our quest for His peace.
Present to the LORD
Phil. 4:6
"Do not be anxious about anything, but in everything, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God."
Wow, what a verse. There is so much good stuff packed into those twenty words. Today we look at the very last part - presenting your requests to God. We could probably get a great debate started about how to present your requests to God, but we're not going to "wrangle with words" (2 Tim. 2:14) This is not about whether you pray expectantly, name it claim it, or merely as God's will to be done. This is about Gnorizo.
The Greek word means to make known, to make recognized, to gain knowledge of, or declare. It is the same word used to describe how the angels told of the birth of Jesus to the shepherds. In John 17:26 as Jesus prays, He says that He has made the disciples known to God - same word. In these examples and in our verse today, it is not that God does not know these things, but it appears clear that He needs to be made known of your awareness of these things. We have a God who longs for the details and specifics of the presentation. This doesn't mean you blab on like Jesus warned of doing, but that you talk openly and plainly to God about the requests, prayers, petitions, and thanks you have. Simply, God wants to hear from you about the deepest desires of your heart.
If you think about it, the entire process of prayer, petition, thanksgiving, and presentation helps quell anxiety, the enemy of peace. A healthy prayer life then when combined with a joyful heart, a gentle disposition, and the understanding of God's presence allows for God's peace to become a reality. Paul didn't go into great detail about those first steps, but when he got to prayer and dealing with worry, he slowed down measurably. So should we. Make the time to find your knees. You can virtually pray all day as the Spirit leads, Paul said to pray without ceasing (1 Thess. 5:17). A short prayer here or there is always beneficial.
Next, the results of the steps we've just covered.
Beyond Understanding
Phil. 4:7
"And the peace of God, which transcends all understanding..."
Paul wrote more New Testament scripture than any other writer. His letters have established the doctrines that are the basis of our faith. Scholars have said that if Romans had been the only book of the New Testament to survive the ages, theologically we'd have all we need. Simply put, when writing about the gospel - he has no peer. His abilities with the Greek language rival the writers of the classics, he was highly educated, and a Pharisee's Pharisee by his own admittance. However, the peace of God baffles him.
Paul writes that this peace transcends (hyperecho) our understanding (nous). Just as the prophet Isaiah wrote that God's ways are not our ways, that His thoughts are not our thoughts (Isaiah 55:8), evidently then - God's peace is very close to Who He is. And, Paul writes that we don't have the mental capacity to grasp the complete idea of God's peace. It surpasses us.
Thank the LORD that even though we can't understand it, we can feel it. This peace is a tranquility that surrounds our emotions even in the darkest times. You may not be able to describe it or even understand it, but nothing is more evident when you have it and likewise when you don't. Without God's peace we are exposed on every flank, no match for the enemy who lurks to destroy. It is God's peace that allows us to stand firm in His truth when the world looks to undermine it. It is His peace that speaks to our hearts of God's love when we see diaster and hurt in this fallen world. It is God's peace that allows you to forgive others, release anger, stay positive in negative times, and love the unlovable. Granted, all that is beyond our knowledge to understand, but no one for a second who has felt the peace of God doubts the reality of God's peace.
No matter what you are going through today, God's peace can change your outlook. Paul has laid a pathway to get there, may we be committed to walk it.
Peace of Protection
Phil. 4:7
"And the peace of God, which transcends all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus."
On that last night, after the last supper and before His arrest, Jesus told the disciples some very difficult things to hear. Nothing was more disturbing than news of His going away. The disciples must have been absolutely gripped with fear and confusion. Jesus was their life. They had stepped away from everything else, and with Jesus gone they didn't have the first idea about what to do next. In addition, the events of the next day would drive them into hiding behind locked doors. Yes, Jesus told them of a Helper that would be sent - The Holy Spirit, but that concept was beyond their frame of reference. There was no peace that night, but Jesus talked of it anyway:
"Peace I leave with you; my peace I give you. I do not give to you as the world gives. Do not let your hearts be troubled and do not be afraid."
I sense they wanted to believe that with all their might, they just didn't know how. Once Jesus was arrested they fled like school children going to recess. Therefore, we must understand (as they would later at Pentecost) that the guarding of our hearts and minds through this peace given involves the Holy Spirit. If Jesus is "God with us" then the Holy Spirit is even closer, He is "God in us."
"But you know Him (Holy Spirit), for He lives with you and will be in you." John 14:17b
As we have studied in this series - when you live a life always rejoicing, being gracious to all people at all times, when you know the nearness of God, when you do not give anxiety any foot hold, praying, petitioning, giving thanks, and presenting your desires to God - then God grants His peace through the nature of His Being - Christ Jesus and the Holy Spirit. They are the two strongest agents of peace the world has ever (or will ever) know. And, as a believer, they are in your corner in the battle of life. Don't be like that fighter that doesn't listen to the corner men, but does as he pleases in the ring. That is not the way to find peace. Instead, when you return after a tough round, listen to what they have to say, have peace knowing they are there, and win, lose, or draw - your heart and mind will be guarded.
The disciples learned this with the coming of the Holy Spirit. Their confusion was replaced with clarity (their minds were protected), and their fear was replaced with great courage (their hearts were protected). And, the story of Christ, which they started as the smallest of all seeds grew into a great tree where people flock and find the peace that makes all the difference.
Matt. 13:31-32
“The kingdom of heaven is like a mustard seed, which a man took and planted in his field. Though it is the smallest of all your seeds, yet when it grows, it is the largest of garden plants and becomes a tree, so that the birds of the air come and perch in its branches.”
Peace Like A River
Horatio Spattford lived in Chicago and practiced law there. He was very successful, and eventually came to own a tremendous amount of property in the city. He and his wife, Anna, were very close friends and stanch supporters of the great evangelist Dwight L. Moody. The Spattford's were the picture of success and prosperity in a great and emerging American city. Things began to change in 1871.
It would be that year that the only son of Anna and Horatio would die and then on the night of October 8, 1871 the barn of Patrick and Catherine O'Leary caught fire. There had been a drought that fall and the southwest winds spread the fire. The blaze could not be stopped and after two days most of the city lay in ruin, 300 people were dead, and 100,000 were homeless. The firefighters were helpless to stop the blaze and finally it was rain that quenched the disaster. Horatio and Anna lost all their real estate. However, out of the rubble Chicago would rise again, and Horatio didn't give up, but kept grinding to get back on his feet.
In 1873, Moody was planning a European preaching tour and Horatio thought it would be good holiday for his family to get out of Chicago for a while. He attended to some business matters and sent his wife and four daughters on ahead of him. On November 15, 1873 the Ville du Havre set sail from New York with 313 souls on board. At 2am on Saturday, November 22nd the ship was struck by another vessel. Panic stricken, the passengers grabbed life preservers as the crew were slow to react. The life boats had just been painted and were stuck to the deck. Only a few could be loosened in time, and 226 of the 313 souls perished in the Atlantic. Those included all four of the Spattford daughters. Only a few days later Anna would arrive and send word to Horatio, the now famous telegram that only stated, "Saved alone." Hurriedly, Spattford made ready to go join his grieving wife. As he passed the spot were the ship sank he penned these famous words that became an anthem of peace. Here is the original lyrics.
When peace, like a river, attendeth my way,
When sorrows like sea billows roll;
Whatever my lot, Thou hast taught me to say,
It is well, it is well with my soul.
(Refrain:) It is well (it is well),
with my soul (with my soul),
It is well, it is well with my soul.
Though Satan should buffet, though trials should come,
Let this blest assurance control,
That Christ hath regarded my helpless estate,
And hath shed His own blood for my soul.
(Refrain)
My sin, oh the bliss of this glorious thought!
My sin, not in part but the whole,
Is nailed to His cross, and I bear it no more,
Praise the Lord, praise the Lord, O my soul!
(Refrain)
For me, be it Christ, be it Christ hence to live:
If Jordan above me shall roll,
No pain shall be mine, for in death as in life
Thou wilt whisper Thy peace to my soul.
(Refrain)
And Lord haste the day, when my faith shall be sight,
The clouds be rolled back as a scroll;
The trump shall resound, and the Lord shall descend,
Even so, it is well with my soul.
(Refrain)
When sorrows like sea billows roll;
Whatever my lot, Thou hast taught me to say,
It is well, it is well with my soul.
(Refrain:) It is well (it is well),
with my soul (with my soul),
It is well, it is well with my soul.
Though Satan should buffet, though trials should come,
Let this blest assurance control,
That Christ hath regarded my helpless estate,
And hath shed His own blood for my soul.
(Refrain)
My sin, oh the bliss of this glorious thought!
My sin, not in part but the whole,
Is nailed to His cross, and I bear it no more,
Praise the Lord, praise the Lord, O my soul!
(Refrain)
For me, be it Christ, be it Christ hence to live:
If Jordan above me shall roll,
No pain shall be mine, for in death as in life
Thou wilt whisper Thy peace to my soul.
(Refrain)
And Lord haste the day, when my faith shall be sight,
The clouds be rolled back as a scroll;
The trump shall resound, and the Lord shall descend,
Even so, it is well with my soul.
(Refrain)
That is the story behind one of the most famous American hymns. The Spattford family recovered, and Anna gave birth to three more children. Tragedy struck the family again as the only son died of pneumonia. Eventually they moved to Jerusalem and helped establish an American colony there. The rest of his life Horatio engaged in philanthropic work and established trust with Christians, Jews and Muslims in surrounding communities. In 1888, he passed away of malaria and is buried in the Mount Zion cemetery. His words of peace have soothed millions and millions.
Peace of the Pie: Part Four Truth
Phil. 4:8
"Finally, brothers, whatever is true..."
As Paul begins to wind down his missive on peace, he gives us a list of specific things to occupy the mind. Perhaps knowing that we can fill our heads with all manner of things that are not helpful, Paul says here are some things that will help you stay solidly on the path of peace. He begins his list with truth.
So much of our world is false or an illusion. Sin presents an illusion of single moments of feel-good activity that satisfy the flesh only to tear down the spirit. People are very concerned with how they appear to others - to the point of concealing what is real, what is true, and opting for a plastic-like superficial image. The famous have image coaches and consultants waiting at a moments notice to help spin a situation so they don't lose endorsements or the confidence of the public or private sector. Sometimes our world can appear like a Hollywood Western town. On the street all the buildings look real, but are mere shells of realness. The great and powerful Oz was just a carnival promoter behind a curtain pulling switches. Paul says to fill our minds with what is true. Come out from behind the curtain and be transparent.
The Greek word here for "true" is the adjective "alethes". There are no mysterious meanings - it simply means "true." However, the secondary definition implies a "lover of truth," or "speaker of truth." The root word in the Greek for "alethes" is none other than the first letter of the Greek alphabet - "alpha." Believe it or not the word/letter is of Hebrew origin and we know it biblically as identifying Christ, the beginning.
"In the beginning was the Word," John would begin his gospel, and he would end his revelation with these words told to him by Christ, "I am the Alpha and Omega, the first and the last, the beginning and the end." (see John 1:1 and Rev. 22:13)
Paul knew the influence of our thoughts on our lives and attitudes. He begins his list with truth, the foundation of all things that are real - the beginning. Truth grounds us, makes us and the world around us real and transparent. The veil is removed and we focus on the matters that matter, what is real, and not the realm of fear, doubt, and false pretense of the enemy. This is a sure-fire way to stay planted on the path of peace.
Noble
Phil. 4:8b
"...whatever is noble..."
When I see the word "noble" for some reason I always think of royalty. Those born of ancestral distinctive lineage. The Greek word that Paul uses here is "semnos", which means an honorable venerated character by deed or by person. It is derived from the root word "sebo" meaning to revere something. So, as Paul lists our second word to occupy our minds, he instructs us to think of things that are honorable, venerated, or dignified. These are thoughts far from the gutter, they are hill-top thoughts.
Paul used the same word on three occasions in his pastoral epistles to Timothy and Titus. He instructed that deacons should be "worth of respect" (NIV), "dignified" (ESV), and "well respected and have integrity" (NLB - 1 Tim. 3:8). Three verses later (3:11) Paul uses the same word (semnos) to describe how their wives should act. In Titus 2:2, Paul instructs the older men to have these same qualities - dignity, respect, integrity, to be men of honor.
Therefore, to allow peace to reign in our lives we must keep our thoughts honorable, of high integrity, dignified, respectful, honorable, and yes - noble. This will not be easy. All you have to do is sit in front of your TV nightly, and even though you watch an "honorable" show with your family, you'd better have the remote control close by, because you will be accosted with advertisements that are abhorrent. The world is full of the enemy's ploys to bring your mind down several notches. His plan is to replace your thoughts of honor and with seedy thoughts and images of debauchery. It is his modus operandi. These thoughts open all sorts of doors to sin and drive a nail into the heart of peace. It is our great fortune that we have Christ, who wipes that heart clean and removes any nails with the sacrifice of his own blood and victory each time a Christian asks forgiveness.
Come to think of it, we are royalty. No, not by birth, but by our decision to accept the love of Christ. By doing so we are children of God. It doesn't get any more royal or noble than that.
During the peace movement of the 60's a popular song created a rallying phrase, "All we are saying is give peace a chance." In today's devotion - give peace a chance by thinking noble, honorable, and dignified thoughts. Peace will flourish when it doesn't have to compete with desires of the flesh. Whether acted upon or not doesn't matter, Jesus was clear when he stated that sin in the heart was no different than the act itself (Matt. 5:28). Do your best to keep those thoughts noble.
Right
Phil. 4:8d
"...whatever is right..."
Our next word that Paul gives us to occupy our minds with is dikaios. It is translated most often as just or right. It the Greek it had a wide meaning of observing laws, to be virtuous, to be highly reputable. The early church fathers used the word to designate the act of wholly following the will of God. The term could be used to communicate a degree of being approved or accepted by God by action to which some (rightly) wrote that only Christ could embody that degree of the word. In the a much more narrow sense, or everyday life, the word meant rendering to each other their due and passing judgement whether expressed by word or in the manner of how you treat others.
This word strikes an inner chord we all have to see justice be done. Deep down we find great satisfaction when an offender gets his just penalty or a good man his just reward. A good friend of mine once wrote an article on how old Western movies delighted him - because justice was almost always served to the bad guy. likewise, we want to see justice in our world, we want God's laws honored, but regretfully we've seen nothing but a shift in the wrong direction beginning with the rebellious 60's, then came the "me" decade of the 70's, the greed of the 80's, the intellectualism of the 90's, and the 2,000 have were the decade of universalism. So for nearly 50 years it has been hard to find what is just or right in a world that continues to drift toward what is false, feels good, and doesn't offend someone (well, unless your a Christian - in that case it has been open season).
Pure
Phil. 4:8d
"...whatever is pure..."
Our next step in the walk of thoughts that lead to peace is thinking pure thoughts. Much like truth, purity has taken a beating on the stage of the world due to relaxed views on what is acceptable. So purity or piety doesn't get a lot of air time in most churches - it is for lack of a better word, somewhat passe. Paul would disagree.
The word in the Greek is "hagnos" and is almost always translated as "pure," the paraphrase of the Message actually uses the word "authentic," and one other translation uses the word "holy." The meaning of the Greek word is a ramped up or exciting reverence, being venerable, or sacred. In the since of purity it is a freedom from carnality, obscenity, sexual immorality, and desires of the flesh. It can also mean clean, modest, without fault, and immaculate.
Many folks look at purity as an impossible goal, or lump it in with legalism or Pharisaic theology. Legalism contends to use "works" as a basis of salvation. Purity is more personal, it comes down to the fine point of your relationship with God and what flows from that relationship in obedience - not because you have to, but because you love to. Legalism is always an obligation. Authentic purity is the love for God coming out in how we think and live our lives. This type of thinking leads to tremendous peace, for out of pure thoughts flow pure motives and pure actions. This is God's will for our lives - to be set apart, to be holy as He is holy.
In a fallen world this will never be easy. Satan does all he can to interfere in the will of God and dissuade the elect from practicing a deeper relationship with God. But, don't throw up your hands and say, "I can't." Instead, start with your thoughts and keep them as pure as you "can." Keep your eyes on Christ, the purest thing in all the cosmos.
The church in Corinth was an incredible challenge. Las Vegas would be mild in comparison to this ancient city, and the church was right in the middle, sometimes even letting in the impurity of the world. Paul wrote to them in 1 Cor. 10:5...
We demolish arguments and every pretension that sets itself up against the knowledge of God, and we take captive every thought to make it obedient to Christ.
What sage advice! Take every thought captive and make it obedient to Christ. This will lead to greater peace in your life.
Lovely
Phil. 4:8e
"...whatever is lovely..."
The word only occurs once in the New Testament. Our next word in which Paul instructs us to think upon is the word lovely or "prosphilies" in the Greek. The word is actually a compound word (pros + philies or phileo). The first part of the word means toward something and the second part means to love, to show signs of love, or be fond of doing. Together, most define the word as something pleasing, acceptable, agreeable, or lovely. Other translations use the words friendly, loveable, compelling, things able to be loved, and beautiful.
Two things inspire me most: God's creation and God's greatest creation. A mountain vista, the desert where the sun and horizon become one orange splash of color, the beautiful color of the sky just before dark, to walk on the shore of a great body of water, the stillness of a cypress swamp, the lush green pastures of endless farmland, the magnificence of a waterfall, the natural art of a cavern, or just an early morning mist hugging the ground in your back yard - all these things are beautiful. They are the handiwork of the very hand of God. He has surrounded us with the wonderful imagination of His creation. We need to think upon it as we travel about our day. Some of the scenes mentioned automatically create a peace within us.
God's greatest creation is the human race, made in His own image. People are inspiring. Those who practice (more about that word coming soon) a Christian walk where they give so much of themselves to others is truly lovely. The acts of kindness, graciousness, unbound love, selfless giving, and unconditional favor demonstrated in others always leaves my soul smiling from the inside out. People are capable of such great love and kindness, I marvel at God working through them. Think about these lovely people that inspire you. These thoughts help bring you peace.
One word of caution - don't be the person who can't see the lovely in this world. I know this world can be dark, destructive, despairing, and evil, but don't let your eyes grow callous so that you can't see the lovely. Don't become consumed with the darkness that light can't be seen. Trust me, the lovely light of Christ is shinning through His followers all over the place. Just lift your head and take in the reflection of their shine. And, enjoy the peace that is theirs and can be yours.
Peace of the Pie - Part Five Admirable
Phil. 4:8f
"...whatever is admirable..."
Do you remember getting your report card? For one entire period of time, your report card was all you needed to know about how well (or not) you were doing in school. It was just six or so grades on one folded piece of paper (mine was anyway), but it was a measuring stick of all your work. There were times when I was excited to present this card to mom and dad and times when I was less than thrilled. Today, we see every grade the day it is posted on-line for our kids. I feel for them! The report card basically comes everyday. I at least had time to prepare my excuses on the bus ride home. Today the report card only confirms what parents already know. I'm not sure why we waste the paper for the card part. The bottom-line is this regardless of the delivery: it is still either a good report or a bad report.
Today's word is another word used only once in the New Testament. That makes it harder to understand the words because they can't be studied as much in context with other uses. Admirable (ephemos) here means to speak well of, sounding well, uttering words of good omen, or speaking auspiciously. It is something of good report, a good report card.
We must understand as we look at these words that Paul is drawing us to contemplate the positives of our lives and not dwell on the negative. That, in of itself, will bring you peace. Now, you may have to turn off the evening news at times to find something admirable to dwell upon, but again like lovely, just, pure, noble and true - they are out there. Just Saturday night at our church during our annual Christmas Eve service I watched a short video of a blind autistic child named Christopher Duffley. His mother had abused drugs while pregnant with him and he suffered the birth defects noted. But, what Satan meant to destroy with addiction, God is redeeming to His glory. It turns out that little Christopher has a gift of song. It was moving to say the least.
In this world you can look and find all the bad reports you want, so why not go out with the same fervor and look for the good reports? Why not dwell on those stories? Why not be inspired? I think that is Paul's point with this word, and whether your in the 1st or 21st century, it still applies. It is key to our attitudes and thus a key to peace. Interestingly, the word attitude as it applies to flying a jet is based on three key axes relative to the horizon (ground) and other elements like wind, etc. When flying if you have a negative attitude, well you crash. It is the same with our mental attitudes. Therefore, find the good report and dwell upon that - then your attitude relative to the ground will be positive.
Here is the link to Christopher's song:
Excellence
Phil. 4:8g
"...if anything is excellent..."
Excellence is clearly visible when you see it. It is words, actions, or deeds so far above reproach that they stand out in a way that is truly above the crowd - way above the crowd. Today's word is delivered with the rare sense that accompanies excellence - "If anything is excellent..." It is as though Paul is saying, "If you are so privileged to be in the presence of something excellent - take note and think of such things." In the New Testament the word is found 5 times in 4 verses always translated as excellent in the NASB.
The Greek word is "arete." It means a virtuous course of thought, feeling, or action - a virtue of moral goodness or any particular moral excellence such as modesty or purity. In the old King James English the word is translated as virtue and praise. The word "excellence" hadn't been around that long at the time of the King James translation. The Latin word "excellentia" meaning to excel at something, wasn't common language at the time. In our time maybe it has become too common. We label too many things excellent now, when in fact true excellence is rare. It should be reserved for the greatest of their craft, work, or talents. These are the people that God has gifted to such extreme measures that we struggle to find comparison. So, Paul implies a search for excellence, and if you are so fortunate to find it - ponder what is excellent. The perfection, love, grace, truth, and yes - peace of Christ is always there to be thought about by the Christian. Page after page of the Gospels tell His story, and page after page excellence is not so rare, but fully on display. Think about this "excellent story of good news," study how Jesus interacts with others and as you employ and practice these acts - you will find that peace will be yours even in troubling times.
In truth, we too are called to excellence. Not perfection - that job was taken and accomplished only by Christ, but to strive to do our best in all we do.
"Whatever you do, work at it with all your heart, as working for the Lord, not for human masters..." Col. 3:23
Paul says here to do you best version of excellence in all facets of your life, whatever really means whatever. Raise your kids, love your spouse, do your job, clean the bathroom, rake the yard, exercise, study, pursue your passions, be an involved church-member, help others, love others, pick up trash that is not your responsibility, do unto others, etc., etc., etc. I could go on. In the act of contemplating excellence and practicing it in all your endeavors - you will find that peace will be a common companion. Don't think that bad things won't happen to you - bad things and peace aren't mutually exclusive. Like Paul and Silas in the bottom of the jail complex, a bad thing had happened to them, but peace was theirs in such a powerful way that everyone around them felt it. It was excellent!
Praiseworthy
Phil. 4:8h
"...if anything is excellent or praiseworthy..."
This morning we look at our last word to occupy our minds on the path of peace. The Greek word epainos is found 11 times in the New Testament and always translated as praise or worthy of praise - praiseworthy. The Greek word means something commendable, or of approbation. It has a connotation of a thing or person being recognized as praiseworthy. Paul also suggests that praiseworthy and excellent are almost interchangeable. If you are fortunate enough to find either one, things of virtue or praise, then think of these things.
As I review the list of things Paul instructs us to think about: what is true, noble, just, pure, lovely, admirable, excellent or worthy of praise, I only see my deviation from attaining such thoughts. Sure, I try to find these things in our world, but they seem so rare. But if you stop and think about it, for Paul and Christians in the first century - it was just as difficult.
Who was martyred this week?
Was there another riot in Ephesus?
Is Corinth still permitting open sexual immorality in church?
Are more and more being swayed by the Gnostics?
How much longer before Rome razes Jerusalem to the ground fulfilling the prophecy of Christ that not one stone would be left upon another within the current generation? (That happened in 70AD)
Someone said Nero is blaming the burning of Rome on Christians, what does that mean for us?
What it meant was that tens of thousands would die at the hands of Rome. So, we think we have problems in the 21st century, the truth is the church has always been under attack. Satan has always disguised the noble, true, just, lovely, admirable, pure, excellent or praiseworthy.
I'm currently writing a story that involves a character who is a serial killer. It has been very difficult to attempt to crawl into the mind of such a person. One thing I discovered in just allowing myself to tell his story, is that when this man looks to the heavens at the starry host - his focus in not on the stars. He is captivated by the darkness. He is thrilled with the vast distances between the stars for to him there is more darkness than light, more vast distances of nothing than brightly shining suns. His outlook then is one of darkness not light, despair not hope, destruction not edification, unrest not peace. He is so consumed by the enemy that he can't see the magnificence of the expanse of constellations or marvel at the sheer creativity of a mighty God. It is an extreme example, but don't think that darkness doesn't destroy your peace - it does. Sin and being consumed by thinking of all the bad things will erode your path of peace. Paul is telling us to choose another path, focus on other things, and he gives us a very specific list.
Thinking
Phil. 4:8i
"...think about such things."
My 12 year old has a baseball instructor who also has a blog. Once he wrote a compelling piece on a part of Proverbs 23:7. The NASB translates that passage this way:
"For as he thinks within himself so is he."
This makes me think of another old saying, and I don't know who to attribute for saying it, but here goes: "Whether you think you can or you think you can't, you are right." That is solid homespun wisdom and starts to scratch at the surface of how powerful our thought process and focus can be.
Of course Robbie's coach used the message of this truth in the context of sports, but I think Paul is saying basically the same thing as he wraps up the list of what we should be focused on thinking. Paul says to think on what is noble, pure, true, admirable, excellent, praiseworthy, lovely, or just. Eight interrelated aspects of thought that bring peace to our lives regardless of whether or not our environment is peaceful.
Now, if we apply the truth found in the Proverbs verse we begin to understand an addition positive result of thinking such things - we begin to embody those things. Noble thoughts lead to noble actions. Thinking upon what is lovely enables us to be tuned in to what is lovely around us. Pure thinking leads to purer living. Just or right thoughts guide toward acting in a just manner or doing the right thing. If I focus on what is admirable and inspirational, then perhaps I will be an inspiration to someone else. If I contemplate excellence then I can embody excellence in all I do - for I do for the LORD and not for man. If I think upon what is true, then what is false has less of a foothold in my heart and what comes out of my mouth. If I dwell upon what is praiseworthy then surely the joy and inspiration of such things will travel with me all my steps. If not, then garbage in my mind becomes garbage in my life which spews over to others. I lose the effectiveness of my witness for Christ. I will have a harder path because peace will be elusive. And, the truth is, no matter who you are, you need the peace of God. You need to feel the presence of heaven smiling on your soul reminding you that circumstances here and now are trumped by eternity. The truth is that as a Christian you are redeemed. I love that word. Paul's list of good thoughts will guide you from being redeemed to living redeemed - FULL up to the top with God's peace. It is a necessary ingredient.
Practicing
Phil. 4:9a
"Whatever you have learned or received or heard from me, or seen in me—put it into practice."
As we stride into our last verse on God's peace, Paul boldly proclaims that the church in Phillipi should practice what they have learned, received, heard, or seen. They have learned great things from Paul, again he is responsible for more church doctrine than any other writer. They have received from him his love for them rooted in the love of Christ. They had heard his words. Paul's instruction to the people, especially in these passages guided them toward God's peace, which he knew they would need from his own first hand experience. And, perhaps most importantly the people had seen in Paul's actions all these things. With Paul there was no confusion or hypocrisy. What he taught, wrote, and proclaimed - he lived. He wasn't perfect mind you, never claimed to be, but even in his failures his witness in dealing with those things spoke to his followers. It was Paul that taught us that even when God refuses to remove the "thorn in our flesh", we can rely upon his grace which is sufficient. When we are weak, Paul wrote, then through Christ we become strong. (2 Corinthians 12:6-10)
Let us put it simply - Paul practiced what he preached. The number one reason we find on most surveys of why people don't come to church is hypocrisy. Here Paul is saying - look at me and what I do, then put into practice what you have received, heard, learned, and seen. This is not arrogance, but merely the supreme confidence of a single soul sold out to Christ.
The Greek word for practice is prasso. It is a verb (an action word) that is found 39 times in the New Testament. It means very plainly to act upon, to exercise, practice, to carry on, to undertake, to do, to accomplish and perform, to commit, manage affairs, transact business, to be active in a purpose. Wow, what a word, wow, what a difference that word makes in the word around us. If you want to influence people for Christ, then what you say has a play, but what you do will drive home the point.
Practice.
Allen Iverson was without a doubt one of the most talented point guards I have ever watched run the court. He was blessed with a quickness, an ability to handle the ball, and shooting prowess that was beyond rare. However, he never won a championship at Georgetown University or in the NBA, and I believe it was his attitude toward practice that sealed his fate (You may recall his tirade on camera during a press conference on "Practice"). What if Iverson had been devoted to practice? What if he had improved even more? The truth is we'll never know. He has lost steps of quickness now and he isn't the young buck he once was. In this life of ours we need to put into practice what we've learned and grow evermore in our relationship with Christ. Practice that - and then be prepared to experience the peace of God on a level where words fail you to describe it. Paul knew that pinnacle well, and he invites us out on the precipice. Let us join him in practice.
The God of Peace
Phil. 4:9b
"And, the God of peace will be with you."
Simple. Encouraging.
As Paul wraps up his six verses on the peace of God, he reminds us that He is a God of peace. You will find in other letters from Paul that peace is a repeated subject as he signs off near the end. Here are a few:
"May God himself, the God of peace, sanctify you through and through. May your whole spirit, soul, and body be kept blameless at the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ." 1 Thess. 5:23
"The God of peace will soon crush Satan under your feet. The grace of our Lord Jesus be with you." Romans 16:20
"For God is not a God of disorder, but peace." 1 Cor. 14:33
"Finally, brothers, good-by. Aim for perfection, listen to my appeal, be of one mind, live in peace. And, the God of love and peace will be with you." 2 Cor. 13:11
"Now may the Lord of peace Himself give you peace at all times and in every way. The Lord be with you all." 2 Thess. 3:16
As you can see, peace is a repeated theme, it just so happens that Paul took a little more time with our six verses, and I'm glad he did. It is very important to know that this peace is not of ourselves. Truly it is alien to us, and can only be found in the ultimate agent of peace (and love) - Jesus Christ. You may find pseudo peace in other endeavors in life, but you'll never find God's peace apart from belief in the Anointed One - the Messiah. I pray that the God of peace is real for you as we end this series. Here are the steps to the path of peace one last time:
1) Be joyful - rejoice (Phil. 4:4)
2) Rejoice always - there is not a day off from rejoicing (Phil. 4:4)
3) I say it again REJOICE...it is that important. (Phil. 4:4)
4) Be gracious and gentle - this is key to relationships with others (Phil. 4:5)
5) God is near - Live like He is with you because He is. (Phil. 4:5)
6) Don't worry or be anxious. This is the enemy of peace. (Phil. 4:6)
7) Everything committed to prayer dispels anxiety...(Phil. 4:6)
8) Pray and petition with thanks...being thankful unleashes God's peace. (Phil. 4:6)
9) Present your requests - God wants all the details...(Phil. 4:6)
10) The peace that can't be described guards you heart & mind...(Phil. 4:7)
11) Occupy your mind with the right things...(Phil. 4:8)
True thoughts
Noble thoughts
Just thoughts
Pure thoughts
Lovely thoughts
admirable thoughts
Thoughts of excellence
Thoughts of praiseworthy things
12) Practice what Paul instructs... you can't only think the right way. (Phil. 4:9)
13) Understand that the peace of God and the God of peace is with you.
As we look to a new year, I pray that God's peace will reign in the lives of His followers. The impact on the rest of the world would transcend all understanding.