Shalom!

               Have you had your Joy Juice today?  SHALOM! I’m greeting you in Hebrew this morning…..may your day be filled with peace…and joy!

                The Hebrew word “shalom” has a rich meaning. “This word is found more than 200 times in the Old Testament! Its basic meaning is “to be whole, or safe, or sound.” Shalom designates a condition in which life can be best lived.  It is the concept of integrity; body, soul, and spirit are in alignment.  In shalom, you have more than the absence of hostility. You have a quality of life that nurtures peace.”  (David Jeremiah) 

                Do you see why “Shalom” is such a beautiful greeting?  It’s almost as if the one speaking that word is praying for complete peace in your life.  And prayer is the best place to start regarding true peace.  We should be praying, not only for ourselves, but for one another the verse in Romans 15:13: 

 “May the God of hope fill you with all joy and peace as you trust in him, so that you may overflow with hope by the power of the Holy Spirit.”  

                To quote David Jeremiah: “If things are bad on the outside, but the Holy Spirit if in charge on the inside, He will give you peace, when you surrender your life to Jesus, our Prince of Peace, and express the yearning for His peace in your heart. So if you feel discouraged, hold fast to this: real peace is possible. Of that the Bible assures us.
 

               SHALOM! “May the God of hope fill you will all joy and peace as you trust in him…”

                 

The Prince of Peace Brings Joy

            Have you had your Joy Juice today?  Peace and joy are a part of God’s plan!

            The mission of Christ was to bring peace to the world.  That’s why God sent His Son to earth.  Out of His incomprehensible love for mankind….that’s you and me…He longed to transform our chaotic world into a world of His peace and love. That’s why Jesus was given the name “Prince of Peace”.  That spoke God’s mission clearly.  Jesus would be The One to serve as a “blanket of peace” to cover our less than peaceful world.

            When Jesus first appeared on this earth, born of the Virgin Mary and resting in a lowly manger…He didn’t have the surroundings usually associated with a prince.  But the angels of heaven announced His arrival with these words: “Glory to God in the highest, and earth peace, goodwill toward men.” (Luke 2:14)

This tiny baby was God’s plan for PEACE on earth.  It’s our job to allow Him to cultivate that peace in each of our hearts.  We can do that by:

·         Understanding what God’s peace means for us.

·         Asking for and truly desiring His peace with all our heart.

·         And then by DOING the things that open our hearts to accept it when it arrives. (David Jeremiah,  A Life Beyond Amazing)

May we invite the Prince of Peace to fill us completely with His love, peace and joy.

Peace & Joy Go Hand-in-Hand

            Have you had your Joy Juice today? Peace and joy should go hand in hand.

            “Peace is not the absence of stress but the presence of the Savior,” writes David Jeremiah. It’s a fact of life that we will have a variety of stressful moments….almost daily. Yet, we can still experience peace! How can that be?

            Dr. Jeremiah explains: “In the face of uncertainty, tragedy, and danger, we all have moments when we’re overcome, when we lose sight of the peace our Lord brought us.  In these times, our work—and it’s not always easy—is to turn our thoughts and hearts back to God’s peace, the peace that passes all understanding. Our job is to immerse ourselves in the peace of Jesus Christ.” 

            The Bible calls Jesus the Prince of Peace.  He is not the prince of chaos or stress or anxiety.  He’s the epitome of PEACE.  Though our world-view would have us see God as stern, vengeful and rigid, Christians know (through the Word of God, as well as the experience of His faithfulness) that He is a God of peace and order. Remember the passage in Galatians 5 where the fruit of the Spirit is listed…..love, joy, PEACE…   The Holy Spirit working in our lives produces peace. 

            1 Corinthians 14:33 tells us clearly: “For God is not a God of confusion but of peace…”

             Don’t allow the stresses of this day to steal your joy.  Hold on to the Prince of Peace.