Pastor Buddy’s Blog

Don’t leave home without it…

Filed in Devotions & Studies |

Howdy Journal,

Seems like I’m more into marking time than anything else nowadays. Only have three chemos to go.? Most every day is a followup on the prior day. However, I did do a no no earlier this week. Did a bit of? bass fishing with Andre and Justin.

Well - Think I have this thing figured out. The bass have a secret CIA division. Somehow they knew I was coming and none of them would show up for me to catch them. Rats.? I’ve got to come up with a better plan.? ? :)?

CJ and I made a couple of rounds today. First was to pick up the paper. Then went to the church office to pick up a few more of my books.

Betty and I? made a round to Alex for some items. I remained in the truck for the most part. Just needed to get out of the house. Of course I’m not being a good boy.? I’m not to be in public or to have visitors.? (During certain times.)

Ok, nuff on that. Think you can put up with another of my Bible studies? This one will be? different. I want to share with you how to find a measurement for your faith. It’s not as hard as you may think.

Let’s call this study —? ‘Don’t leave home without it.’? (You’ll figure the title out at the end of the? study.)

The apostle Paul said that the Holy Spirit testifies to our spirit that we are children of God.? Did you know that this same testimony has to do with a continuous walk of faith? It is true. We can measure our faith walk by the testimony of the Spirit.

The testimony of the Holy Spirit is always a testimony of peace. When the peace of God is ruling in our hearts, this means that we are living in the realm of faith. If we do not have peace in our hearts, this means that we are not under the covering of faith, that is, something is missing somewhere.?

Listen to these Scriptures:

“And He said to her, ‘Daughter, your faith has made you well; go in peace and be healed of your affliction.” (Mark 5:34 - Recorded also in Luke 7:50)

“And He said to the woman, ‘Your faith has saved you; go in peace.” (Luke 8:48)

“Therefore, having been justified by faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ.” (Rom5:1)

“Peace be to the brethren, and love with faith, from God the Father and the Lord Jesus Christ.” (Eph6:23)

Two words? interrelate in each of these Scriptures. They are? the words ‘faith’ and ‘peace.’ These terms belong? together. This is why when a child of God does not have peace in their heart about a thing, they? should instictively know to? back off.

The peace that I am speaking of is a? kingdom of God? peace. Peter quoted? David, saying, “The one who desires life, to love God and see good days, must keep his tongue from evil and his lips from speaking guile. He must turn away from evil and do good;

“HE MUST SEEK PEACE AND PURSUE IT.” (1 Peter 3:10,11 - Caps for emphasis only.)

Both David and Peter are speaking of a peace that comes from the Lord. The Amplified Bible gives the shades of meaning in Greek: “Let him search for peace (harmony; undisturbedness from fears, agitating passions, and moral conflicts) and seek it eagerly.”

We are to eagerly seek the peace that comes from God Himself. We are to do nothing without this peace to guide us.

There is a reason that the peace of God and the faith we are to live in? go hand in hand. In the new covenant God’s peace is a heavenly peace that is designed to let us know that we are in the perfect will of God. God’s peace? gives us the borders for our faith journey. If we get beyond the? borders? of peace, we should take this as a warning from the Lord that something is? not right.

The apostle Paul adds to this in saying, “Let the peace of Christ rule in your hearts, to which indeed you were called in one body; and be thankful.” (Col3:15)

Keep in mind that we are talking about a special peace, God’s peace? comes from the throne. It carries a? clear witness that we are in God’s will. Paul said that? God’s kingdom is not about earthly things, that is, what we eat or drink. It is about righteousness, peace, and joy in the Holy Spirit. Righteousness, peace and joy are attributes of the kingdom of God.

And so, any child of God can find the measure of their faith by finding the measure of their peace.

But I need to take this a step further. The faith we are to live by is not our own human faith. Although our human faith is not to be disregarded, it can fail us. Yet the faith we are to live by is a heavenly peace. It is a peace that is administered to us by the Holy Spirit. For this reason it is a spiritual peace.

This peace carries a constant? testimony of the Holy Spirit to our spirits that everything is alright. This is why? peace and faith can be considered? the power twins of our Christian walk.

Because the faith that comes to us from God is a heavenly faith, it remains? without mixture. It has no fear in it, no doubt in it, no confusion, no condemnation, nor any other such thing. It comes to us in a pure spiritual atmosphere of heavenly peace.

To seek to walk in this peace should be the continual aim of every believer.

Now — Are there any conditions to be met in our Christian walk that determine how God’s peace will work with our faith? There are two issues in particular.

First, Jesus said, “Do not let your heart be troubled; believe in God, believe also in me.”? (John 14:1)

Notice the cure for a troubled heart. We are not to let our heart become troubled. We do this by learning to trust in? Jesus Christ. We are to trust Him in every situation and in every circumstance. Sometimes we lose our peace because we are not trusting in the Lord as we should.?

Then there is a second issue. Every child of God should understand that if we are harboring ‘wrongness’ in our hearts, this must be dealt with. We are to bring our hearts to Jesus for? forgiveness and cleansing.

Wrongness means that we are? harboring or expressing ill feelings towards others, or that we are? involved in letting our mouth run loose against others, or that we are caught up in some form of unforgiveness. We? cannot expect the peace of God to simply overlook some form of bitterness in our heart. These things? have to be dealt with.

This is why the first thing we should always do in our prayers is to present our heart to the Lord for cleansing. The Holy Spirit will minister to our spirit in these regards. It is here that we can receive our? cleansing from any unrighteousness. And thus? the peace of the Lord can again fill out hearts.?

The Psalmist said, “So teach us to number our days, that we may present to You a heart of wisdom.” (Ps90:12)

Keep in view? what Peter wrote: “The one who desires life, to love God and see good days, MUST keep his tongue from evil and his lips from speaking guile. He MUST turn away from evil and do good. He MUST seek peace and pursue it.”

These are things we MUST do in order to walk in the peace of God.

The high side in all this is that God’s children have the Holy Spirit in residence to guide them through whatever needs to be dealt with. This is the why the apostle instructed us not to grieve the Holy Spirit with bad behavior or bad attitudes.

Think about it.

If you are in faith you are also in peace. If you are not in peace, then? something needs to be corrected. In many cases it may simply be a belief readjustment.

The fact remains — Faith and peace cannot be separated. They will always be together. Great faith means great peace. The faith we receive from the Lord will always be packaged in God’s peace.

What is the answer to all this? Don’t leave home without it.? ? : )

Much love coming your way,

Buddy

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