Peace

(JANUARY 17, 2021) PEACE Introduction: This has been a deeply emotional week for LEC with the sudden and unexpected passing of Melvina Carter. There will be celebration of her life here at our church on Tuesday evening and while we will be restricted to our maximum attendance number, the family will be offering a livestream through our church website. I'm really proud of you church-you have been an inspiration to me with the way you have supported Jerome and Jamila and their family. Our human heart does not know how to accommodate death but we try-food, flowers, words of comfort, are all our attempt to navigate our pain and sadness. It's appropriate that we are looking at PEACE this morning...as part of our series we called OVERWHELMED. Last week, we looked at Peter and his "worst moment" and we talked about things we discover about ourselves in worst moments. Today, I want to talk about our pursuit of peace and what that means in a chaotic world like the one we live in. We live in an time/atmosphere of extraordinary fear. (Example: My t-shirt "after the virus, there are still a few of you that I need to stay away) As I think about the constant and never-ending challenges of COVID I recognize the fear that has settled upon our country, ourselves-- * There is the uncertainty of whether or not you might be a carrier * The careful precautions in order to protect yourself and others * The concern that you might have it and might unknowingly be a danger to others, especially the more vulnerable among us? (Example of meeting Sally in the parking lot) * There is this unsettled feeling in the air, the unrest, the weariness of a health crisis that is grinding our world into the ground. * The dismay we feel about institutions we once trusted that have failed to keep us safe and protected. * If that was not enough, every day the report of more shootings, more killings and no one seems able to stop it. (133 fatal shootings in Cleveland just in 2020) * It feels at times like we are a society on the brink of an emotional breakdown. So, we would agree we need PEACE individually and corporately. Fear is real and the answer is not denial. I want to project PEACE in 3 levels: 1. Sometimes we need PEACE that frees us from the drama and the crazy-when the kids are loud and unruly, when the house is full, work is crazy, people are getting on our last nerve! (I bought Shelly a t-shirt for Christmas that says "when the virus is over, there are still a few of you that I will want to stay away)-there are times when we just need some noise-canceling headphones-Sometimes I need separation from people who claim they don't like drama but it seems to live in/around them like an aura that follows them into the room! 2. Sometimes our need is for PEACE over our ongoing anxiety about things going on in our life-real anxiety over will we have enough money to pay our bills, can we keep our children safe, are we making the right decisions for our family, our marriage...sometimes we live in a constant low-level state of ongoing anxiousness. 3. Sometimes our need is for PEACE from the crippling fear and anxiety in the deepest part of our soul. It's like we feel trapped in our emotional jail because no matter how hard we try, we cannot get the anxious thoughts out of our head! My son Jason wrote a powerful devotion this week and I copied it to our church social media sites-he writes, Fear is powerful because anything is possible. Like a lousy weatherman, it doesn't matter how many times you've been wrong before; you could be right this time. But you're giving fear far too much credit. Most of the things you were afraid of in your life have never happened. Let that sink in. Most fear is fake. We might want to say "good for you BIG time preacher boy, but you don't have a clue what my life is like!" and that's true but there is a lot of truth in what he wrote...sometimes we can be afraid of things that never happen! However, there is hope in God's Word. We read it last week and we want to read it again from the screen out loud- (Matthew 11:28-30) Come to me, all of you who are weary and carry heavy burdens, and I will give you rest. Take my yoke upon you. Let me teach you, because I am humble and gentle at heart, and you will find rest for your souls. For my yoke is easy to bear, and the burden I give you is light. So for just a few more minutes, I want us to look at two separate but powerful passages of Scripture that can teach us about pursuing PEACE... Philippians 4: The first should be familiar because we just recently finished the Philippians series- (v. 6-7) Don't worry about anything; instead, pray about everything. Tell God what you need, and thank him for all he has done. Then you will experience God's peace, which exceeds anything we can understand. His peace will guard your hearts and minds as you live in Christ Jesus. Paul gives us a simple 3 step plan to find PEACE... * Pray about everything * Tell God what you need * Thank Him for what He has done Think about it like this- 1. PRAY until you stop worrying 2. If you start worrying...begin PRAYING! 3. Tell God how you feel-He can take it and He already knows! You enter into prayer WITH your feelings and you will leave WITHOUT them. Mark 4 The second passage is a familiar story in which Jesus and the disciples encounter a storm while in a boat. (Mark 4:35-41) On the same day, when evening had come, He said to them, Let us cross over to the other side. Now when they had left the multitude, they took Him along in the boat as He was. And other little boats were also with Him. And a great windstorm arose, and the waves beat into the boat, so that it was already filling. But He was in the stern, asleep on a pillow. And they awoke Him and said to Him, Teacher, do You not care that we are perishing? Then He arose and rebuked the wind, and said to the sea, "Peace, be still!" And the wind ceased and there was a great calm. But He said to them, "Why are you so fearful? How is it that you have no faith?" And they feared exceedingly, and said to one another, "Who can this be, that even the wind and the sea obey Him!" I want you to see something-- PEACE and STILLNESS are 2 separate experiences- Could it be that Jesus has declared PEACE but we refuse to be STILL in it-instead rushing on in the frenetic way of managing our lives. (Like working on a car while it's moving) Jesus spoke PEACE- He commanded BE STILL Think of it like this-Peace (there it is), now BE STILL! (Psalms 46:10) Be still, and know that I am God! (Exodus 14:13) And Moses said to the people, "Do not be afraid. Stand still, and see the salvation of the Lord, which He will accomplish for you today. For the Egyptians whom you see today, you shall see again no more forever. (2 Chronicles 20:15-17) He said, "Listen, all you people of Judah and Jerusalem! Listen, King Jehoshaphat! This is what the Lord says: Do not be afraid! Don't be discouraged by this mighty army, for the battle is not yours, but God's. Tomorrow, march out against them. You will find them coming up through the ascent of Ziz at the end of the valley that opens into the wilderness of Jeruel. But you will not even need to fight. Take your positions; then stand still and watch the Lord's victory. He is with you, O people of Judah and Jerusalem. Do not be afraid or discouraged. Go out against them tomorrow, for the Lord is with you!" (I admit I have no moral authority to teach this-but I'm trying to learn how to be still) What does STILLNESS look and feel like for you? * Maybe you intentionally turn off all the noise-maybe the TV does not play for a day. * Shutting down the cell phone and putting it in the drawer. * Removing yourself from toxic relationships. Some people are not good for my peace. * Refusing to take on more, do more. Whatever is required-choose to be still and allow God to fight for you. He won't fight...if you are doing all the fighting. Conclusion: Ask yourself-where are the distractions in my mind and head that are keeping me from PEACE? * Maybe for you is an unhealthy perspective of your relationship to God-you can't seem to fully accept that He's for you. * Maybe you've spent so much time in fear and anxiety that you don't know how to be at PEACE anymore-or at least you think so. * Maybe a deep hurt, a painful memory, a past experience is blocking your ability to break free from the feelings of emptiness and hopelessness. The story of Elijah in 2 Kings 17 is such a powerful example of this-a man who just before this stood on a mountain and called down fire from heaven and killed 450 satanic prophets got spooked by a woman who threatened his life and so he ran away-left his ministry team and went into hiding. Why? * He was tired * He started believing things that were not true * He stopped doing what God told him to do In the mouth of a cave he heard the still small voice of God whispering, what are you doing here Elijah? All his fears came pouring out... (1 Kings 19:14) He replied again, "I have zealously served the Lord God Almighty. But the people of Israel have broken their covenant with you, torn down your altars, and killed every one of your prophets. I am the only one left, and now they are trying to kill me, too." I've thought about this and it's not original with me but it works and feels like a comfortable fit for where I am, where we are today-- * Stillness is a choice * Prayer is a gift * Peace is a promise If you need PEACE or STILLNESS in any area of your life, I'm going to ask you to do something BOLD-remember the prophet told Jehosophat to go looking for his enemy and even told him where to find them. In the comment section of the platform you are watching-just put your name-that's all I need...when I see your name, I'll start praying with you and over you immediately-and I've asked a few other intercessors to do the same-don't be ashamed or intimidated by this-it will work-or if you prefer text me-330-212.9656-I don't need details unless you want to share them-your name is enough and I'll start praying as soon as you reach out...be bold and PEACE is yours! Perhaps you don't know PEACE because you don't know Jesus-He is our PEACE God I'm a sinner I'm sorry for my sins I believe Jesus died for my sins I believe you will forgive me of my sins I choose Jesus