The Peace of God and the God of Peace

Gary DeLashmutt

Philippians 4:4-9

God's peace is a sense of security in Him and is related to joy and hope. Regardless of your situation, God's peace can increasingly become the "background music" of your soul. Two proactive steps one can take to find the peace of God is to rejoice in the Lord and count your many blessings. Two reactive steps are to take all your annoyances and anxieties promptly to God and practice specific habits of rejoicing and being grateful.

Labor Day

Conrad Hilario

Matthew 11:28-29

Labor Day was created to celebrate the Labor Movement but now is more seen as a day to relax and rest from the demands of work. The modern world is full of demands and pressures that cause many of us to work hard to to live up to a standard, to prove we are enough and even determine our identity. But Jesus offers a better way. Jesus offers rest from the weight of sin, worry, and anxiety. His rest offers a secure standing before God and relief that our identity is anchored to something stable.

Experiencing True Unity in the Body of Christ

Dennis McCallum

Ephesians 4:1-6

When we put our faith in Jesus, we are mystically joined to the Body of Christ. We become one with Jesus, vertically, and we become united with other Christians, horizontally, in the Body of Christ. We do not create this unity, but we are called to preserve it. Our fallen nature opposes this but with the help of the Holy Spirit, we can experience true unity in the Body of Christ.

The Unity of the Spirit

Scott Risley

Ephesians 4:1-6

In Chapters 1-3, Paul emphasizes the "Sit" phase of a Christian's life, where he learns to embrace all the things God has done for him. In Chapters 4-6, he talks about the "Walk" phase , where the Christian learns to "Walk" in a manner worthy of his calling. Based on all the wonderful things God has done for him, the Christian must walk in such a way that he demonstrates humility, gentleness, patience, and forbearance. A Christian that walks in this manner will preserve the unity of the Body of Christ that Christ provided for us.

Peace on Earth

Scott Risley

Ephesians 2:11-22

Before Jesus died on the cross, there was enmity between the God and man that was unreconcilable. But His death on the cross not only made a way for peace between God and man but also allowed peace between Jews and Gentiles. Now, anyone who puts their trust in Jesus has a unity with other Christians that only Christ can bring about. Every Christian is a unique stone in the spiritual temple of God. Only Christ can bring true unity with others. Though you are far away from God, Christ can bring you near.

Becoming Who We Are

Dennis McCallum

Ephesians 1:1-11

Once we are baptized into Christ, we receive all the spiritual blessings in the heavenly places. Although our present condition does not seem to be much different, our condition has radically changed for the better. We can now see ourselves in Christ and no longer focused on performance. We are now secure, motivated and unafraid.

Peace with God

Ben Foust

Romans 5:1-11

Paul wraps up his extensive logical argument for God's offer of salvation, not through good works, but through receiving the gift of forgiveness through Jesus' payment on the cross. He finishes with a joyful celebration of all the good things that come to those who accept this gift, primarily peace with God. This peace opens the door to full, open access to God and hope for the future. All people who have received this gift should rejoice in these truths and fully explore them.

The Beneficial Results of Justification

Ben Foust

Romans 5:1-11

When we ask God to forgive our sins because of the work Jesus did on the cross, we are justified by faith. If the forgiveness of our sins was all we received at that moment, it would be more than enough! But justification is only the beginning of the many blessings God pours out upon us. He get peace with God, not just an end to hostility, but true reconciliation. We get the hope of future glory and so much more!

Chapter Four

Chris Hearty

Ecclesiastes 4:1-12

King Solomon considered the oppression the powerful exert over the earth and saw the meaninglessness of justice apart from God. He saw people either try excessively to achieve or the alternative, just give up trying. He saw the perils of being alone in this world. Solomon warns trying to live a life apart from God leads to oppression, discontentment or loneliness.