If you’re brave enough, stand on a sidewalk and ask passersby the question, “What gives you peace?” The answers you receive will most likely have one thing in common: peace defined as dependent upon circumstances—a solid relationship with a spouse, a well-paying job, or good health. What happens, then, if a couple fights, the company lays off employees, or sickness saps the body? Peace rooted in good situations isn’t really peace at all; it’s a brittle kind of harmony between man and the world. It crumbles very easily.
Jesus Christ is the only One who offers true peace—a lasting contentment that is unbreakable, no matter what missiles Satan may hurl. However, a sinful life makes peace impossible because a person cannot experience assurance of God’s care when he or she acts in defiance of His will. When a believer expresses faith in Jesus, the battle for self-rule is won. Submission to the Lord allows His peace to permeate one’s life.
When the Holy Spirit lives within us, we can approach life confidently and serenely. The only way to get this lasting peace is through a relationship with the Savior. Paul explains in Romans 5:1 that to be justified—that is, declared no longer guilty—we must accept the sacrifice Christ made in our place. Justification makes us right with God and opens our hearts to peace.
If you haven’t yet acknowledged to God that you recognize His Son’s loving sacrifice made on your behalf, then you don’t have real peace. Now is the right time to surrender to Him.
Why is it that some people face life's hardships with confidence and boldness, but others find themselves plagued with doubts and fear of failure? One reason is that too many people have a sorely inadequate view of who Jesus is. We may know Him as the Bread of Life and the Living Water, but how many of us know Him as our Great High Priest?
The Scriptures tell us that Jesus “had to be made like His brethren in all things, so that He might become a merciful and faithful high priest” (Heb. 2:17). Hebrews 4:15 adds, “For we do not have a high priest who cannot sympathize with our weaknesses, but One who has been tempted in all things as we are, yet without sin.” Jesus enters into our lives and experiences our pain, hurt, and guilt right along with us.
Have you ever been totally misunderstood when you did your best and gave your all? Consider this: Was anybody more misunderstood than Jesus? He was personally acquainted with that kind of pain. Has somebody you loved ever said no, shut the door, and walked away? You might wonder if Jesus ever felt such pain and rejection as this. Yes, He did. His own people scorned Him. Does Jesus, the sinless One, understand our feelings of guilt? The Bible says that the Father laid all the sins of the world on Him. Jesus Christ bore the guilt of all mankind.
No matter what you are facing, realize that the Savior identifies with your circumstance, and He feels every single thing you’re experiencing.
Every time David and other writers penned a song of worship, they spoke about the Lord’s specific attributes or actions. When the songs were compiled into the book we now call Psalms, the collection became like a biography of God—one that relies upon the language of praise and adoration to tell His story.
The ability to worship grows out of a love for the Lord. Because genuine love is always cultivated by learning about the other person’s character, the true root of praise is knowledge. That’s why God instilled in every believer a longing to know more of Him. We satisfy that desire by spending time with the Lord and by fellowshipping with other Christians. We also observe how the Father works in our lives to meet needs and provide blessings. Discovering each new facet of His character deepens both our knowledge of Him and our understanding of why He deserves praise.
Experiencing God in our lives makes us fall in love with Him. A person in love cannot help praising the one he or she cherishes. So we gratefully honor Jesus Christ with words, songs, dance, or whatever else appropriately expresses our delight in Him.
Our devotion does not have to stay private or remain confined within the church community. Each believer has a “biography” of the Lord to share. It’s a story of accumulated praise not only for how He has intervened in chaos, comforted in tragedy, and blessed abundantly, but also for the lessons learned. We share our adoration with the world so that others might come to know, love, and praise the Savior.
Most of us have some idea what being in love feels like. When we’re apart, we constantly think about the object of our affection and look forward to spending time together. We often relate stories and describe attributes so everyone knows how wonderful this special person is. In a word, we praise our loved one.
First Samuel 13:14 describes King David as a man after God’s own heart. One way he sought to honor his beloved Lord was to offer Him praise. The book of Psalms records David’s worship in words, with sentiments such as “Because Your lovingkindness is better than life, my lips will praise You” (Ps. 63:3). David also danced with abandon, expressing his passion and devotion before God—he didn’t care what others would think (2 Sam. 6:14).
Do we love God with the same unashamed enthusiasm David exhibited? Some people are more prone to fervent, emotional displays than others, but too many of us allow embarrassment or timidity to stifle our praise. Timid believers wonder what those around them will think if they sing loudly. Others worry that co-workers or friends will consider them fanatical if they talk about God too much.
The Lord is worthy of praise. He is our Friend, our Rock, and our Protector. What’s more, He saved us from death! If we let ourselves get caught up in others’ opinions, we could forget that His is the only one that matters. Ever since creation, the Lord has deserved and received praise offerings for His glory. Don’t let fear or embarrassment keep you from praising the Lord. Give God His due.
Throughout the world, and even within the church, we can find a wide variety of beliefs about the Lord. To avoid confusion and deception, we need to recognize that His Word is without error and that it reveals the truth we need to understand about our amazing triune God.
The inerrancy of the Bible. Unless a person has a firm belief in this doctrine, all of his or her ideas about the Lord will be subjective. Scripture is God’s thoughts written without error by men who were governed by the Holy Spirit. Fulfilled prophecy is proof that this book is never wrong (Isa. 48:3).
An accurate understanding of God. The Lord is one divine being expressed in three persons—Father, Son, and Holy Spirit. They are equal in every way, but their jobs differ. Think of the Father as the initiator, the Son as the implementer, and the Spirit as the energizer. All three were involved in creation as well as the plan of salvation.
The Son, who existed in eternity past, came to earth by being born of a virgin. He is the God-man, having added humanity to His deity. He lived a perfect life, died a sacrificial death for our sins, rose bodily from the grave, and ascended to the Father in heaven.
The Holy Spirit is our power source. He indwells every believer in Christ, transforming character, revealing truth, and enabling obedience to God.
Our Creator wants us to know Him. Isn’t that amazing? He invites us to enjoy an intimate relationship with Him. Every day we have the privilege of opening His Word and speaking with our loving God. He’s waiting for you . . .
