A Glory Seed Devotional
PEACE…

“It is because the believer is in Christ, and has new life, and the abiding presence of Christ, that the other wonderful promises and realities assured the believer can be appropriated. The very fact that this work of God is defined as a new creation implies that God is the source of its power, execution, and consummation and in this demonstration of grace and power the believer can rest his present as well as his eternal future.” (The Present Work of Christ by John Walvoord http://www.walvoord.com/series/330)

At first I thought the above quote might be intimately related to HOPE but almost instantly the Spirit corrected me and pointed out its intimacy lies in PEACE rather than HOPE. There are times when PEACE and HOPE are interchangeable yet they are really quite different. HOPE is futures gift to the present but PEACE is Jesus' gift to the present. But the reality of PEACE is not based on what we experience with our five senses nor is its reality experienced in our minds - PEACE is experienced deep in our spirits and if our five senses, and our minds are focused on Jesus we can experience it in our daily lives.

Future’s gift of HOPE is experienced in our present lives as PEACE. Yet HOPE and PEACE cannot stand alone there must be a third heavenly gift - FAITH. Around 19 years ago I remember walking down the main isle leading from the Forging Department of Mueller Brass Company headed for an appointment to my Orthopedic Surgeon to get "the ball" rolling to undergo the first of 11 hip operations. Little did I know at the time that my hope, peace, and faith placed in the medical profession had actually been HOPE, PEACE, and FAITH from Heaven. In retrospect I am so appreciative to God for seeing past my immaturity of 19 years ago and blessing me in spite of it. Yet perhaps out of his ultimate foreknowledge God saw fit to bless me in spite of my spiritual immaturity and now 19 years later my hope, peace, and faith will forever be HOPE, PEACE, and FAITH!

Perhaps at their deepest/highest level HOPE can be understood as the presence of the Holy Spirit; PEACE can be understood as the presence of Jesus; and FAITH can be understood as the presence of God.

HOPE is Future’s gift to the present!
PEACE is God’s gift to the present!


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The GRACE of GOD is perfectly expressed in the life of JESUS!
And PEACE with GOD comes out of our relationship with JESUS!

Grace and PEACE,
Gary

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Scripture quotations marked ESV "Are from The Holy Bible, English Standard Version, copyright © 2001 by Crossway Bibles, a division of Good News Publishers. Used by permission. All rights reserved."