Jun 28, 20224 min read

His Power. Your Peace.

"Baby, don't let nobody take your peace." I can't remember if it was my grandmother or a church mother, but I can hear the voice of a woman of wisdom whispering this in my ear. Used to be rare, but not anymore. Not with the world we live in.

The World We Live In

The book of Romans has easily become one of my favorites in the Bible this past two years because it speaks of victory in tight spaces. The Christian Jews and now Christian Gentiles were battling for spiritual superiority. Sound familiar? But the Apostle Paul was determined. The Roman church had to move outside the boundaries of tradition and law and into the Spirit of grace. Therefore, there is now no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus, because through Christ Jesus the law of the Spirit who gives life has set you free from the law of sin and death. For what the law was powerless to do because it was weakened by the flesh, God did by sending his own Son in the likeness of sinful flesh to be a sin offering. And so he condemned sin in the flesh, in order that the righteous requirement of the law might be fully met in us, who do not live according to the flesh but according to the Spirit. ~Romans 8:1-15 New International Version Laws are changing everyday. Some for good. Some not. Either way it has it's limits. That doesn't mean we don't fight for what is right, but we can't expect to find our peace in man's law. Christ fulfilled the law through the sacrifice of his flesh, and superseded the law through the power of his grace. The fulfillment of our peace can only can be found in Him. Period. With the world we live in, more and more I cling to those words ringing in my ear... "Baby, don't let nobody take your peace."

Your Peace is Precious

It's more important than ever to keep the Cross at the center of what we see.

Those who live according to the flesh have their minds set on what the flesh desires; but those who live in accordance with the Spirit have their minds set on what the Spirit desires. The mind governed by the flesh is death, but the mind governed by the Spirit is life and peace. ~Romans 8:5-6 When I read this passage, I had to ask God.... Lord, what does your Spirit desire to come out of all of this? Have you been feeling oversaturated with the inundation and revelations of shock and awe? It can almost make wanting better seem silly given the weight on the world's shoulders. But how else can we fight, survive, thrive unless we have a place for our souls to recover and rest? If you are not running to a place of mental respite in Jesus, where are you going? Even the children of Israel had Gilgal. It was where they rested after circumcision, where they returned after battling for the Promised Land. It is also where King Saul lost his kingdom because of his disobedience to God. Even Saul's chaos could not withstand God and his place of peace. Your peace is precious. Do you know where your peace is?

Jesus is the Keeper of Your Soul

The mind governed by the flesh is death, but the mind governed by the Spirit is life and peace. ~Romans 8:6 NIV To remind us where it is peace lies, I close with a paraphrase of one of my favorite gospel songs. The song is Perfect Peace by Marvin Sapp. Lord, keep us in Perfect Peace, all whose minds are stayed on thee. We remember the earth is the Lords and the fullness thereof, The whole world and all that dwells therein belongs to you who has made made us. You watch over me. So why should I be bound when God has set us free Why, when Jesus died for you and me. He has lifted all of our burdens all away. He is the keeper of our souls. Oh, yes. God will make a way out of no way. I'm so glad that He's our Savior. He watches me. Jesus is the keeper of my soul. He holds me, He cradles me He takes care of me. Yes! He'll make a way for us. He'll open doorways no man can shut. He'll be with us through the thick and thin. He is the keeper of our soul. Baby, don't let nobody take your peace. 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. ~Romans 15:13 NIV