New Believers Bible - Flipbook - Page 107
CORNERSTONES
page
A34
“I am leaving you with a gift—peace of mind and heart. And the peace I give is
a gift the world cannot give. So don’t be troubled or afraid” (John 14:27).
Unfortunately, some people are so caught up in the “pursuit of peace” that
they have forgotten that Jesus has already given it to them. They have simply left
that gift “unopened.” And we cannot find peace outside of the parameters God
has given us. As Augustine said many years ago, “Our souls are restless until they
find their rest in God.” Begin to “unwrap” this precious gift by examining what
God’s Word has to say about it.
1. Peace Begins When We Relinquish Control of Our Lives to God.
When we give Jesus our burdens and allow him to guide us, we find rest (see
Matthew 11:28-30, page 850).
2. Perfect Peace Builds upon Total Trust. As God becomes a regular part
of our daily lives, our worries begin to disappear (see Isaiah 26:3, page 606).
3. Our Peace Continues As We Follow the Holy Spirit. We must stop
allowing our old, sinful nature to control us before we can really experience
peace (see Romans 8:5-8, page 1016).
4. A Love for God’s Word Brings Peace of Mind. The more the Bible
becomes a part of our lives, the greater the peace we will experience (see
Psalm 119:165-168, page 530).
5. God’s Peace Needs to Rule in Our Hearts. We must constantly keep
other things from crowding out God’s peace in our lives (see Colossians 3:15,
page 1082).
One noticeable change that takes place in a new believer’s life is the inner joy he
or she receives. In fact, joy is listed as part of the “fruit of the Spirit” that should
be evident in a believer’s life (see Galatians 5:22, page 1062). But this joy is
different from the fleeting and temporary “happiness” that is usually dependent
upon “good things” happening in someone’s life. While sorrows will come a
believer’s way, the Holy Spirit gives him or her an inner joy and peace that
cannot be taken away. Below are some of the ways in which you can experience
God’s joy in your life.
1. Studying God’s Word Helps Us to Experience His Joy. As we study
God’s Word and honor God with our lives, we experience his joy in our lives
(see Nehemiah 8:1-18, page 422).
2. Knowing and Trusting God Is the Source of Inexpressible Joy. The
greatest joy we can experience comes only from a personal relationship with
Jesus Christ (see 1 Peter 1:8, page 1134).
