Read the transcript from today's video devotional.
Do you know why the world has conflict? Why there's difficulty in your life—marriage stress, family squabbles, friends fighting, fractures in your relationships? It's because we lack peace. Think about it. What's giving you stress right now? What is the one thing—or the ten things—that are robbing you of peace? What are the things that give you anxiety? What's causing you to wallow in worry? Maybe you're anxious, and maybe you're even anxious about being anxious. You don't have to define peace to know what peace isn't. Worry, fear, stress, anxiety—we know what that feels like. Our Verse of the Day is a tremendous set of promises that are so loaded with meaning.
It's in Isaiah chapter 26, verse 12. "LORD, you will grant us peace; all we have accomplished is really from You."
Context from Isaiah
We're in Isaiah, a book of tremendous verses. "For unto us a Child is born, for unto us a Son is given"—Isaiah chapter 9, verse 6, pointing to the Lord Jesus Christ and salvation. Here in chapter 26, Israel is giving God praise. It was a song of trust in God's protection. Now, out of that, come our three P's.
The Person of Peace
Number one: the Person of peace. Lord. The very first word: "Lord, you will grant us peace." We mess up right here. We go to our friends and family. We start scrolling. We turn on the TV. We go for a walk. We go to friends. Whatever these are, these are not all bad—but sometimes, maybe more often than we want to admit, we need to go to God. He is the Person of peace. Innate in God's nature—He's never confused. He never struggles. He never looks at Himself and goes, oh my, I've got to watch over Russell, I've got to watch over the United States, I've got all these issues and things happening. He's never confused, never bewildered. He is the Person of peace. It's not a principle, not a set of legalistic rules. He is the Person, God Himself, of peace. He's trustworthy for us. You can go to Him. He's reliable. He is the Person of peace.
The Promise of Peace
Number two: the promise of peace. "Lord, you will grant us peace." That's a promise, a promise for you and for me. In John chapter 14, verse 27, Jesus said, "Peace I leave with you. My peace I give to you, not as the world gives do I give to you. Let not your heart be troubled." I love when Jesus gives us these verses, because He knows that we—periodically, sometimes more often than we want to realize or admit—struggle with a lack of peace, a lack of joy, frustration, family squabbles, sibling rivalry, fractured family issues. He understands, and He gives us this promise.
The Producer of Peace
Thirdly and finally: the producer of peace. The verse says, "Lord, you will grant us peace; all we have accomplished is really from you." That reminds me of John chapter 15. Apart from You, Jesus, we can do nothing. Nothing. But here—all we have, all we've accomplished, is ultimately from You. Look at your friends, look at your family, look at your life. Any accomplishment in your whole life is ultimately, if you love Jesus, from Him.
What Do We Do?
Here's the great news—before we get to application—you and I now have peace with God if you know Him. The enmity is over. We have real peace with God. Sins are forgiven. Very quickly, two more things.
Number one, run to the Person, not the pressure. Run to the Person of peace. Run to Him. Peace is found in a Person. When stress rises, go to Jesus. He's there for you. Philippians chapter 4 says don't be anxious about anything, pray about everything. Stop chasing peace. Go to the Person of peace, the Prince of Peace.
Number two, run to the Word, not the world. God supplies you and me with peace. May you have peace, because we know Jesus—the ultimate Prince of Peace.