Dear People Who Keep Company with God,
Over ten years ago Becky and I heard Dottie Schmitt minister up in Toronto. She spoke about the heaviness that can invade the home of people who are active in ministry, especially pastors. From time to time Becky and I have reminded ourselves of this and have made efforts to make sure our home is a place of rest and peace. We have learned the best way to do this is to be full of His rest and peace ourselves. The bible tells us“the mouth speaks from that which fills the heart.” (Luke 6:45).
And behold, there arose a great storm on the sea, so that the boat was being covered with the waves; but Jesus Himself was asleep. 25 And they came to Him and woke Him, saying, “Save us, Lord; we are perishing!” 26 He said to them, “Why are you afraid, you men of little faith?” Then He got up and rebuked the winds and the sea, and it became perfectly calm. Matthew 8:24-26
Jesus slept through a hurricane level storm because within His heart there was no storm, only peace and rest. When He opened His mouth and spoke to the winds and the sea, His peace overcame the storm that swirled around Him. That was a significant atmosphere change.
for the kingdom of God is not eating and drinking, but righteousness and peace and joy in the Holy Spirit. Romans 14:17
Righteousness, peace and joy are the three primary expressions of the kingdom of God being present in a person’s life. They are meant to be continuously experienced just like eating and drinking is to be continuously experienced in the natural realm. A diminishing or loss of righteousness, peace and joy are signs that something else is more at work in your heart than the kingdom of God.
Sometimes we lose our peace because it is the Holy Spirit telling us something is wrong. Let the peace of Christ rule in your hearts (Col 3:15). The word for rule can be translated as umpire. The worst mistake I have ever made as a believer was when I chose to ignore the loss of peace within my heart. I learned a very hard lesson, regardless of the way things appear or what anyone may say or do, never violate the peace in your heart.
For, “The one who desires life, to love and see good days, must keep his tongue from evil and his lips from speaking deceit 1 Peter 3:10
Another reason we lose our peace is through the words we speak. I went through a time where I was having a difficulty with everything and everyone around me, yet I could not give a good reason for being in such a state of mind. In the midst of this I heard the Holy Spirit say, “You must stop harboring criticism and complaining in your heart.” As I confessed and repented to the Lord I felt like a thousand pounds was lifted off my heart and my whole outlook on life immediately changed. Make no mistake about this, criticism and complaining is speaking evil and we cannot expect to have many good days when our words are bent this way.
But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace , patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, 23 gentleness, self-control; against such things there is no law. Galatians 5:22-23
Self effort is one of the greatest enemies to abiding peace. There are so many tired Christians and burned out people in ministry. We are always on the go, trying to do more and achieve more yet I have found you do not bear much of any kind of fruit running around like that. In fact, I think we have it backwards so much of the time. It is the fruit of the Spirit not the fruit of our efforts or our commitments. We think it is what we do when in reality it is what He did. The Lord is the Prince of Peace and we get peace and keep peace from our relationship with Him.
Our lives are meant to be lived in response to Him and His love and commitment to us.
Many Blessings, BW