Bro. Eddie Ministries Reading Plan: The Word Gives HopeSample

Real peace The reason why the world is in turmoil is because it does not know the true peace. Any effort to get it is meaningless if people will not get it from whom it comes. To have peace means more than to stop chaos and war. It means more than to solve problems of all sorts. To have real peace means to surrender our will to God. It means to let go of the feeling of fear, anxiety and hatred. It means to quit from doing all actions that go against the will of Him who must rule our being. The Bible reveals to us the One who can give us real peace. Prophet Isaiah said of Him, “For unto us a Child is born, unto us a Son is given; and the government will be upon His shoulder. And His name will be called Wonderful, Counselor, Mighty God, Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace. Of the increase of His government and peace there will be no end, upon the throne of David and over His kingdom, to order it and establish it with judgment and justice from that time forward, even forever. The zeal of the Lord of hosts will perform this.” (Isaiah 9:6-7) The Bible scholars noted that the fivefold names or attributes of the Messiah to reign forever refer to the Lord Jesus Christ. Wonderful and Counselor are likely one name that tells about His role as a political guide and leader. He is the God made flesh also ascribed as the Mighty God. It means He is the all-powerful and great hero of His people. It means He is the divine warrior who has triumphed over sin and death. Everlasting Father states that Christ cares for the people just as a father cares for his children. That name is not in conflict with that of the First Person of the Trinity. As Jesus said to Philip in John 14:9, “He who has seen Me has seen the Father.” He is also named as the Prince of Peace. It tells us that His reign will be marked by peace. And this He obtained by shedding His own blood for sinners. Thus it was a triumph over Satan who brought chaos on earth. Apostle Paul wrote about it this way. “Having disarmed principalities and powers, He made a public spectacle of them, triumphing over them in it.” (Colossians 2:15) The author of Hebrews also said it well. “…That through death He might destroy him who had the power of death, that is, the devil.” (Hebrews 2:14) Jesus traded His life that we might have peace with God. “For He Himself is our peace…having abolished in His flesh the enmity…that He might reconcile them both to God in one body through the cross, thereby putting to death the enmity. And He came and preached peace to you who were afar off and to those who were near. For through Him we both have access by one Spirit to the Father.” (Ephesians 2:14-18) Finally Jesus gave His own peace to settle in our hearts. He said, “Peace I leave with you; not as the world gives do I give to you. Let not your heart be troubled, neither let it be afraid.” (John 14:27) Why are Christ’s death and His kingdom related to peace? It was Christ’s death that triumphed over sin and death. His death nullified Satan’s right to have a hold on people’s lives. It completed what God required of men to be redeemed from their sin. It offered peace between the holy God and sinful man. If a person accepts this truth, he will have the peace he is searching for. Let Jesus the Prince of Peace enter our hearts. It is the only way to let real peace reign in us. If we did, it means we allow Him to rule the way we think, speak, decide and act. It is the way of saying, “Let His kingdom come!” Reflection: 1. “Not as the world gives…” What do you think is the kind of peace that Jesus was referring to in this phrase? 2. “He Himself is our peace.” What does it mean to you? Jesus gave us peace at His own risk