God Gives Great Peace

Monday, January 23, 2012– Read – Isaiah 32:1-20Isaiah 32:1-20
English: King James Version (1611) - KJV
32 ¹ Behold, a king shall reign in righteousness, and princes shall rule in judgment. ² And a man shall be as an hiding place from the wind, and a covert from the tempest; as rivers of water in a dry place, as the shadow of a great rock in a weary land. great: Heb. heavy ³ And the eyes of them that see shall not be dim, and the ears of them that hear shall hearken. ⁴ The heart also of the rash shall understand knowledge, and the tongue of the stammerers shall be ready to speak plainly. rash: Heb. hasty plainly: or, elegantly ⁵ The vile person shall be no more called liberal, nor the churl said to be bountiful. ⁶ For the vile person will speak villany, and his heart will work iniquity, to practise hypocrisy, and to utter error against the LORD, to make empty the soul of the hungry, and he will cause the drink of the thirsty to fail. ⁷ The instruments also of the churl are evil: he deviseth wicked devices to destroy the poor with lying words, even when the needy speaketh right. the needy...: or, he speaketh against the poor in judgment ⁸ But the liberal deviseth liberal things; and by liberal things shall he stand. stand: or, be established ⁹ Rise up, ye women that are at ease; hear my voice, ye careless daughters; give ear unto my speech. ¹⁰ Many days and years shall ye be troubled, ye careless women: for the vintage shall fail, the gathering shall not come. Many...: Heb. Days above a year ¹¹ Tremble, ye women that are at ease; be troubled, ye careless ones: strip you, and make you bare, and gird sackcloth upon your loins. ¹² They shall lament for the teats, for the pleasant fields, for the fruitful vine. pleasant...: Heb. fields of desire ¹³ Upon the land of my people shall come up thorns and briers; yea, upon all the houses of joy in the joyous city: yea...: or, burning upon ¹⁴ Because the palaces shall be forsaken; the multitude of the city shall be left; the forts and towers shall be for dens for ever, a joy of wild asses, a pasture of flocks; forts...: or, clifts and watchtowers ¹⁵ Until the spirit be poured upon us from on high, and the wilderness be a fruitful field, and the fruitful field be counted for a forest. ¹⁶ Then judgment shall dwell in the wilderness, and righteousness remain in the fruitful field. ¹⁷ And the work of righteousness shall be peace; and the effect of righteousness quietness and assurance for ever. ¹⁸ And my people shall dwell in a peaceable habitation, and in sure dwellings, and in quiet resting places; ¹⁹ When it shall hail, coming down on the forest; and the city shall be low in a low place. low in...: or, utterly abased ²⁰ Blessed are ye that sow beside all waters, that send forth thither the feet of the ox and the ass.  

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Today in History

1656 – French scientist Blaise Pascal, 33, published the first of his 18 “Provincial Lettres,” the majority of which attacked the Jesuit theories of grace and moral theology

1935 – British biblical expositor Arthur W. Pink wrote in a letter: “Growth in grace is like the growth of a cow’s tail Ä the more it truly grows, the closer to the ground it is brought.”

1943 – The New Tribes Mission was incorporated in Los Angeles by founder Paul W. Fleming. NTM works today primarily in missionary aviation, Bible translation, church planting and the production and distribution of Christian literature.

1968 – The spy ship USS Pueblo & its 83-man crew were seized in Sea of Japan by North Korea.

Isaiah 32:17-18Isaiah 32:17-18
English: King James Version (1611) - KJV
17 And the work of righteousness shall be peace; and the effect of righteousness quietness and assurance for ever. ¹⁸ And my people shall dwell in a peaceable habitation, and in sure dwellings, and in quiet resting places;  

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“And the product of righteousness will be safety; and the service of righteousness tranquility and security forever. And my people will dwell in a safe pasture, and in secure dwellings, and in places of ease and rest.”

The result of trusting the Lord is safety, peace, ease and rest. These verses present to us a completely secure rest regardless of our surroundings.

“They who love your law have great peace: and nothing will cause them to stumble.” (Psalm 119:165Psalm 119:165
English: King James Version (1611) - KJV
165 Great peace have they which love thy law: and nothing shall offend them. nothing...: Heb. they shall have no stumblingblock  

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“You will keep him in perfect peace, whose mind is resting on you: because he has his confidence in you. Trust in the LORD forever: for in the LORD JEHOVAH is an everlasting rock:” (Isaiah 26:3-4Isaiah 26:3-4
English: King James Version (1611) - KJV
3 Thou wilt keep him in perfect peace, whose mind is stayed on thee: because he trusteth in thee. perfect...: Heb. peace, peace mind: or, thought, or, imagination ⁴ Trust ye in the LORD for ever: for in the LORD JEHOVAH is everlasting strength: everlasting...: Heb. the rock of ages  

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“For the kingdom of God is not meat and drink; but righteousness, and peace, and joy in the Holy Spirit.” (Romans 14:17Romans 14:17
English: King James Version (1611) - KJV
17 For the kingdom of God is not meat and drink; but righteousness, and peace, and joy in the Holy Ghost.  

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“But the wisdom that is from above is first true, then peaceable, gentle, and easily obeyed, full of mercy and good fruits, without uncertainty, and real. And the fruit of righteousness is sown in peace by them that produce peace.” (James 3:17-18James 3:17-18
English: King James Version (1611) - KJV
17 But the wisdom that is from above is first pure, then peaceable, gentle, and easy to be intreated, full of mercy and good fruits, without partiality, and without hypocrisy. partiality: or, wrangling ¹⁸ And the fruit of righteousness is sown in peace of them that make peace.  

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The lack of peace in the hearts and minds of Christians is perhaps the most devastating charge against their testimony. Charles Spurgeon said correctly, “It (the Bible) does not say that you shall either have peace with the devil, or peace with the flesh, or peace with the world; but it does say that you have peace with God, which is infinitely better.” Although God guarantees peace to those that trust Him, many today live in fear and are filled with worry about all kinds of things and situations that “may” come to pass in their lives. God has purposely taken from us the knowledge of tomorrow and has called on us to face it by faith. “And he said to his disciples, “I say to you, Don’t worry about your life, or what you will eat; or for what you will put on. Life is greater than food, and the body is greater than clothing. Look at a raven: for they don’t neither plant or harvest; they don’t have a storeroom or a granary; and God is feeding them: how much more valuable are you better than the birds?  And which of you by worry can add to his life even a few inches? If you don’t have the power and authority to do that which is the smallest, why would you worry about the rest? Consider the lilies how they grow: they don’t work, they don’t spin; and yet I say to you, that Solomon in all his majesty was not clothed like one of these. If then God clothes the grass like this, which today is in the field, and tomorrow is thrown into the furnace; how much more will he clothe you, who have but a little faith? Don’t seek after what you will eat, or what you will drink, nor be filled with anxiety, for all these things do the people of the world search for: and your Father knows that you have need of these things. But rather seek the kingdom of God; and all these things will be added to you. Don’t be afraid little flock; for it is your Father’s good pleasure to give you the kingdom.” (Luke 12:22-32Luke 12:22-32
English: King James Version (1611) - KJV
22 And he said unto his disciples, Therefore I say unto you, Take no thought for your life, what ye shall eat; neither for the body, what ye shall put on. ²³ The life is more than meat, and the body is more than raiment. ²⁴ Consider the ravens: for they neither sow nor reap; which neither have storehouse nor barn; and God feedeth them: how much more are ye better than the fowls? ²⁵ And which of you with taking thought can add to his stature one cubit? ²⁶ If ye then be not able to do that thing which is least, why take ye thought for the rest? ²⁷ Consider the lilies how they grow: they toil not, they spin not; and yet I say unto you, that Solomon in all his glory was not arrayed like one of these. ²⁸ If then God so clothe the grass, which is to day in the field, and to morrow is cast into the oven; how much more will he clothe you, O ye of little faith? ²⁹ And seek not ye what ye shall eat, or what ye shall drink, neither be ye of doubtful mind. neither...: or, live not in careful suspense ³⁰ For all these things do the nations of the world seek after: and your Father knoweth that ye have need of these things. ³¹ But rather seek ye the kingdom of God; and all these things shall be added unto you. ³² Fear not, little flock; for it is your Father's good pleasure to give you the kingdom.  

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Are you afraid? Do you live with worry each day of your life? What are you afraid of? Is that person or thing greater than God? Look at what God’s Word tells us:

“And Moses said to the people, “Don’t be afraid, standstill, and see the deliverance of the Lord, that He will show you today: for the Egyptians whom you have seen today, you will never see again. The LORD will fight for you, and you will remain silent.” (Exodus 14:13-14Exodus 14:13-14
English: King James Version (1611) - KJV
13 And Moses said unto the people, Fear ye not, stand still, and see the salvation of the LORD, which he will shew to you to day: for the Egyptians whom ye have seen to day, ye shall see them again no more for ever. for the...: or, for whereas ye have seen the Egyptians to day ¹⁴ The LORD shall fight for you, and ye shall hold your peace.  

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“For as many who are led by the Spirit of God, are the sons of God. For you have not received the spirit of slavery again to cause you to fear; but you have received the Spirit of adoption, by which we cry, Abba, Father. The Spirit himself bears witness with our spirit, that we are the children of God: And if we are children, then heirs; heirs of God and fellow-heirs with Christ; if so be that we suffer with him, that we are also glorified together. For I calculate that the sufferings of this present time are not worthy to be compared with the glory which will be revealed among us.” (Romans 8:14-18Romans 8:14-18
English: King James Version (1611) - KJV
14 For as many as are led by the Spirit of God, they are the sons of God. ¹⁵ For ye have not received the spirit of bondage again to fear; but ye have received the Spirit of adoption, whereby we cry, Abba, Father. ¹⁶ The Spirit itself beareth witness with our spirit, that we are the children of God: ¹⁷ And if children, then heirs; heirs of God, and joint-heirs with Christ; if so be that we suffer with him, that we may be also glorified together. ¹⁸ For I reckon that the sufferings of this present time are not worthy to be compared with the glory which shall be revealed in us.  

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Jesus instructed His disciples that in the last days, “Men’s hearts will cause them to faint because of fear, and expecting those things which are coming on the earth: for the powers of heaven will be shaken. And then they will see the Son of man coming in a cloud with power and great glory. And when these things begin to come to pass, then look up, and lift up your heads; for your redemption is coming soon.” (Luke 21:26-28Luke 21:26-28
English: King James Version (1611) - KJV
26 Men's hearts failing them for fear, and for looking after those things which are coming on the earth: for the powers of heaven shall be shaken. ²⁷ And then shall they see the Son of man coming in a cloud with power and great glory. ²⁸ And when these things begin to come to pass, then look up, and lift up your heads; for your redemption draweth nigh.  

WP-Bible plugin) John reminds us in the Revelation of Jesus Christ that Jesus said, “I know your works, and tribulation, and poverty, (but you are rich) and I know the blasphemy of them which claim they are Jews, and are not, but are the synagogue of Satan. Fear none of those things which will afflict you: behold, the devil will throw some of you into prison, that you may be test; and you shall have tribulation ten days: be faithful until death, and I will give you a crown of life. He that has an ear, let him hear what the Spirit is saying to the churches; He that is an over comer will not be hurt by the second death.” (Revelation 2:9-11Revelation 2:9-11
English: King James Version (1611) - KJV
9 I know thy works, and tribulation, and poverty, and I know the blasphemy of them which say they are Jews, and are not, but are the synagogue of Satan. ¹⁰ Fear none of those things which thou shalt suffer: behold, the devil shall cast some of you into prison, that ye may be tried; and ye shall have tribulation ten days: be thou faithful unto death, and I will give thee a crown of life. ¹¹ He that hath an ear, let him hear what the Spirit saith unto the churches; He that overcometh shall not be hurt of the second death.  

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We must understand that fear is not part of the life of faith and will not be allowed by God to live in fear. “For God has not given us the spirit of fear; but of power, and of love, and of a sound mind.” (2 Timothy 1:72 Timothy 1:7
English: King James Version (1611) - KJV
7 For God hath not given us the spirit of fear; but of power, and of love, and of a sound mind.  

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