God's Kind of Peace

Grace to you and peace from God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ. Ephesians 1:2

Let's discovery the greek meanings behind these powerful, yet overlooked words.

Grace:  Xaris

It is a feminine noun that means favor, disposed to, inclined, favorable toward or leaning toward to share benefit.

Paul the Apostle is blessing the reader in Ephesus God's grace and see how He leans into them in all circumstances of their life.

"Can I ask you a favor?" we ask our friends. We're looking for help in our time of need. However, the way we use the word favor, in the english, belittles the way the Jews used the word. Paul knew that believers in Jesus needed God's grace daily because they were working at following the recognized Messiah. That meant they would be persecuted by unbelieving Jews.

When a child feels fear, they lean into their father and mother. This contact brings security. The same way with God. We lean into Him as He is already leaning into us.

In John 1:16,17... For of His fullness we have all received, and grace upon grace.   For the Law was given through Moses; grace and truth were realized through Jesus Christ.

The Jews were used to leaning into the Law given by Moses. But Moses spoke of another prophet that will come to His people. Jesus came as Moses promised and brought a fulfillment of Moses' Law through the power of Grace. John emphatically states "grace upon grace."

Are you leaning into God? He's leaning towards you so you will recognize His love and power for you.

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Grace and peace...

Peace: Eirene [greek]

Eirene simply means to join, tie together into a whole. Or wholeness with all essential parts joined together. God's gift of wholeness.

When an individual calls upon God they are asking to be joined to Him and to personally experience His wholeness.

We usually live in a disjointed lifestyle torn by the messages of the world to be like something or someone... something that isn't what God has planned for them. God knows how to bring wholeness to us because He is Whole! God's work in us is from start to finish. It doesn't just start with His salvation through His Son Jesus, but He draws us to Himself that we may accept His Son's sacrifice for them, thus being saved and begin a new regenerated life!

God brings peace into existence, a true peace... inner peace that surpasses even our comprehension, between Him and us. He redeems our life from the old worldly ways and brings an entirely new concept of life that makes us whole!

What does this peace experience feels like?

It's different for everyone, and the same for everyone.

In any circumstance you can know God is with you, thus security is the main object. Mixed in this security is His love for you personally. No matter what words are spoken to you, what situations or illness you face, as you lean into God His peace covers your life.

I had a severe mental illnesses through 14 years of my life that put me in hospitals. Fear and anxiety and even pyschosis tested me. But there were times when I was able to press into His bosom and ask tough questions and know peace. Even when everything was out of control in my mind, I knew that somewhere God was still holding me together. Though the 'wholeness' seems dismantled, there was a deep strong thread I grasped.

Does having God in your life mean you will not have stress? It means the stress will always have answers. God knows we are feeble and doesn't want us to have anxiety, but He makes ways to escape it. God constantly persuades us to trust Him. The ongoing developing of peace is steady as we allow it to grow. When we're not able to grasp His peace, He sends along peace abiding believers who will pray us back into peace.

There is a scripture that says His kind of peace guards our heart and mind. He will guard you like a military guard can in your soul. All you have to do is put your heart and mind on God, His Words and ask to be guarded and renewed.