Joy Becomes Peace
Matthew 5:9, “Blessed are the peacemakers: for they shall be called the children of God.”
Good morning people! Today is a new day to begin feeling positive in whatever this day holds! May we meet this day with an openness and wonder, filling it with the joy that can help us to endure whatever we face good or bad! When you pause and pray, do you ask God for joy? Do you ask for peace? Have you taken time to be thankful; even for those things you already gave God the praise for? If you think about it for a moment, if we don’t bring joy into our daily life; we can’t really find peace within our heart or within our lives! There’s an old hymn, “Joy unspeakable”, that has an upbeat rhythm, but the words talk of acceptance of joy that brings peace, finding joy that no tongue can tell, of a well that springs up and flows; every ounce of your being wants to have the joy in that song to exude into your soul! As we receive salvation, there is a deep, stable, trusting joy that fills your soul and gives you peace that is hard to explain. When we abide in the Holy Spirit, we gain an inner calmness that remains even when we are in difficult circumstances; it brings peace with God’s presence in our hearts. Paul wrote to the churches in Rome, Romans 15:13, “Now the God of hope fill you with all joy and peace in believing, that ye may abound in hope, through the power of the Holy Ghost” and wanted them to receive that same joy he received when Ananias lay his hands on Paul’s eyes! Not only was his blindness humbling, it was transforming! When we have a personal relationship with God, joy is ensured and softened by the stillness of God’s peace. The moment we become a born-again child of God, we receive a joy that is full of glory, fills our hearts with hope, makes us want to shout, praise and thank God, lifts us into a worship of singing, shouting, jumping, and sometimes running! Some reviews say that joy transforms into peace; going from an emotional, spiritual high, to a settled, stable trust, a quiet confidence, total serenity. Many will conclude that joy and peace are inseparable and each is needed to be complete in our relationship with God. Today, if you have not yet given your heart to God and asked Him for joy and peace; I plead with you to take that step; to feel His presence enter into your heart, and allow that joy unspeakable to gain control and lift you to a peace you will not want to lose! If you are a believer and you are not feeling the joy you need, get to praying for it, call on Jesus, pray, fast, study; find your way back to the joy that brings peace!
Scriptures:
Read: Isaiah 61:10, I Peter 1:8-9, Philippians 4:6-7, Isaiah 55:12, Romans 15:13, Galatians 5:22-23, John 15:9-14, I Peter 5:6-7, Psalms 16:11, Romans 12:12, Psalms 5:11, John 16:33, Psalms 30:5, I Thessalonians 5:16-18, Zephaniah 3:17, Philippians 2:1-2, I Peter 4:13, John 14:27, Matthew 5:9
Prayer:
Dear God, thank you for salvation, for your Son’s sacrifice on that cross for each of us to receive that forgiveness of sin, for the joy and peace that fills our hearts. Thank you, God, for your unconditional love, grace, mercy and protection. Thank you, God, for the armor you provide so that we may not lose our joy or our peace. Amen.