Prince of Peace

Prince of Peace

Isaiah 9:6

Me:

If it Bleeds it Leads

a.Doom scrolling

i. I talked about this last year

ii. Most in this room have a Facebook account

iii. Facebook knows what you pause at and read

iv. There is a lot of negative content

v. And yes I pause and read it too.

vi. It’s like a train wreak you don’t want to watch but at the same time you can’t turn away.

b. Praise and prayer

i. Have you noticed there is a lot more prayer than praise?

The misery index

i. It measures the rate of unemployment along with inflation

ii. Can you guess? Yep it’s pretty high at the moment

iii. I buy $40 worth of gas everyday

iv. I’d love to cook a brisket. It’s $80 bucks.

We:

Why are we so miserable?

a. Here are 15 habits of miserable people

i. They’re never thankful for anything.

ii. They lead a very unadventurous life.

iii. They live in and glorify the past.

iv. They do things for personal gain.

v. They are afraid of economic loss.

vi. They love to pick fights.

vii. They blame others and play the victim.

viii. They think people’s intentions towards them are always dishonorable.

ix. They give themselves a negative identity and revel in it.

x. They get involved in others’ drama.

xi. They always expect the worst.

xii. They focus only on themselves.

xiii. They are critical of everything.

xiv. They worry too much.

xv. They are envious of other people’s success.

b. Let us find a way to rise above this.

i. Let us find some peace in our lives

God:

A Parting Gift.

a. Peace of mind and heart

John 14:27 The Living Bible

27 “I am leaving you with a gift—peace of mind and heart! And the peace I give isn’t fragile like the peace the world gives. So don’t be troubled or afraid.

ii. This verse is an echo of the verse 1.

John 14:1 NIV

1 “Do not let your hearts be troubled. You believe in God; believe also in me.

iv. Jesus wasn’t telling his disciples that life would be free of trouble.

v. He in chapter 15 explains to them that the world will hate like it does me.

But don’t lose heart

i. I will give you MY peace

ii. Not the fleeting peace the world offering

1. We get from it all for some “peace and quiet”

2. But when we return, we still have the same troubles

iii. Jesus gives lasting peace

iv. This lasting peace happens through the work of the Holy Spirit

You:

The Barrier to Peace

i. Guilt – unconfessed unrepentant closet sin – your guilt will not let you rest

ii. Fear – Fear is a self-imposed prison that will keep you from becoming what God intends for you to be.

iii. Materialism - greed – Living only to satisfy your desire – selfish living

iv. Resentment – Your hurts. It’s hard to move pass it – You are giving the enemy a sit at your table

v. The need for approval – thinking less of yourself. I’m worthless

1. Your self-esteem is off the carts. I have nothing to prove

b. 15 habits of miserable people

i. They all fall into one of those categories

Just imagine:

What a Gift

a. Peace! Be Still!

Mark 4:39 ESV

39 And he awoke and rebuked the wind and said to the sea, “Peace! Be still!” And the wind ceased, and there was a great calm.

Peace even in the storm

i. Won’t that be amazing?

ii. You know what Jesus says next don’t you?

Mark 4:40 ESV

40 He said to them, “Why are you so afraid? Have you still no faith?”

iv. Anyone else guilty?

How do we get this peace?

i. Growing in our faith

ii. Being in a love relationship with Jesus

iii. Quiet time – bible study – scripture reading

My Commitment This next year I will grow in my faith