In modern times when we hear the word “peace” we tend to think of the absence of war or absence of conflict between people. Jesus is described in the Bible as the “Prince of Peace” and in John 14:27 He says, “Peace I leave with you; my peace I give you. I do not give to you as the world gives. Do not let your hearts be troubled and do not be afraid.”

Jesus’ peace is a peace for you personally. Closer to the dictionary definition of “quiet and tranquility: Mental calm; serenity.” We can have this peace through our faith in Jesus. He wants us to pass our troubles, sorrows, and concerns to Him and ask for His help. If we trust Him, we can be at peace.

The apostle Paul describes it in Philippians 4:7 “The peace of God which passes all understanding, will keep your hearts and minds in Christ Jesus.” We may not understand it, but through faith in God we can have peace.

Dear Lord, Help us trust You and accept Your peace in our lives, knowing that You will guard and protect us. In Jesus’ name. Amen

A while ago, I had the opportunity to do some very basic rock climbing and learn a little about how it is done. One thing that was very evident to me was how important and reassuring it was to have a “belay” line. A belay line is used by rock climbers to prevent falling a long distance if they lose their grip or footing and fall. On a climbing wall the lines hang down from the top, and slack is taken up as the climber ascends. On a natural climb, the belay line is anchored and another stationary climber feeds out the line as the other climber ascends. If the climber slips, he/she can only fall as far as the last anchor point and the amount of slack the rope allows.

The simple climbing I did looked so easy from the ground. However, once 30 or 40 feet up it felt much more serious. However, the knowledge that the belay line meant that making a mistake would only result in maybe a scrape or two, rather than serious injury, made it a completely different experience.

In a similar way, this is what Paul is saying in Hebrews 13:5-6, he writes, “For God has said, “I will never, never fail you nor forsake you.” That is why we can say without doubt or fear, “The Lord is my helper, and I am not afraid of anything that mere man can do to me.”

If we can get the belief God will not fail us, built into our hearts and minds, we can proceed with confidence on the mission to which he calls us.

Dear Lord, help us all truly know that you will not fail us, and use this knowledge to do your will even in the midst of our fears. In Jesus’ name. Amen.

There is a story about a man who walked a tight-rope across the Niagara Falls with a crowd watching. After he finished, he walked across the falls on the tightrope while pushing a wheelbarrow with his dog in it. Finally, after he did that, he walked across with his son in the wheelbarrow. When he finished, he asked a man in the crowd. “Do you think I could do that again?” the man answered, “yes.” He asked the man again, “are you really sure I can do that again?” the man said with confidence, “definitely.” Then the tight rope walker said to the man, “get in the wheelbarrow.”

In Luke 24:38, after Jesus rises from the dead, he visits the disciples and says, “Why are you frightened? Why are your hearts filled with doubt?”

As humans, we may seem to have great confidence in our opinions and beliefs, but sometimes we don’t believe enough to have the confidence to overcome our emotions and our logic. For the spectator and the tightrope walker, it is overcoming the fear that even though he saw the tightrope walker perform the stunt three times, he could not overcome his fear and get in the wheelbarrow, because of the potential risks.

In the case of the disciples, their logical minds had trouble accepting what they were seeing, Jesus alive, in the flesh, after they watched him be crucified.

It takes boldness and confidence in God’s commitment to be with us, for us to overcome our logic and our emotions and do what we know God wants us to. Jesus said in Matthew 28:20, “I am with you always, even to the end of the age.”

Dear Lord, When we are afraid, or our logic conflicts with our faithful following of your will, you can give us the strength to overcome. Help us overcome these obstacles to act for you. Help us realize each time we do, we have become more capable to overcome the next obstacle. In Jesus’ name we pray. Amen.

You may have hear the Native American story that goes like this.

A Grandfather told his grandson.

“There is a battle going on inside every human. Including you. It’s a battle of two wolves — a dark and a light wolf. The dark wolf represents envy, arrogance, anxiety, ego, inferiority, regret, greed, self-pity, guilt, false pride, fear, pain, anger, jealousy, rage; the light wolf represents love, peace, humility, kindness, serenity, generosity, trust, tranquility, compassion, empathy, joy, gratitude.”

After some silence, the grandson asks, “Grandpa, which wolf wins?”

The Grandfather responds slowly, “Whichever one you choose to feed.”

I think this story is an interesting parallel to the “Fruit of the Spirit” in Paul’s letter, Galatians 5:19-23, “When you follow the desires of your sinful nature, the results are very clear: sexual immorality, impurity, lustful pleasures, idolatry, sorcery, hostility, quarreling, jealousy, outbursts of anger, selfish ambition, dissension, division, envy, drunkenness, wild parties, and other sins like these. Let me tell you again, as I have before, that anyone living that sort of life will not inherit the Kingdom of God. But the Holy Spirit produces this kind of fruit in our lives: love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, and self-control.”

This is the battle going on inside each of us; between our sinful nature and the Holy Spirit in us. Which will win? The one we feed.

Dear Lord, help us recognize the conflict inside ourselves and choose to feed and follow the Spirit to live our lives filled with love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, and self-control. In Jesus’ name. Amen.

I think there are two types of belief for Christians. First, and most important, is the belief that Jesus Christ is God, and that his death and resurrection are the ransom for our sins and provides us salvation.

For many of us, the second belief is the hard one. That is the belief that God knows and cares for each of us, and He can and will intervene in our and other’s lives.

Jesus tells the Father of a demon possessed boy in Mark 9:23, “Everything is possible for one who believes.” I believe the father’s reply is what we often feel, when we want and hope for something badly. He says, “I do believe; help me overcome my unbelief!”

Believing changes how we act. When we believe, we act with confidence, with an expectation that God loves us, will not harm us, and will intervene and make things work out the way that is best for us.

Dear Lord, Help us with our unbelief. Help us realize that you want us to believe with confidence, and expect your answers to our prayers. For those answers of favor, grace and salvation, we thank you Lord. Amen.