The promise of Peace suggests that within every person, there is something that carries the burden of anxiety, fear, discontentment, ambition, and other feelings that leave us joyless and exhausted. The beautiful gift of the Peace God promised us is a two-fold gift. Firstly, because of Jesus, there is peace between us and God the Father. No longer do we have to sacrifice animals, go through rituals, or work our way into God’s forgiveness. It was all fulfilled in the life, death, and resurrection of Jesus, and it will ultimately be complete when He returns again.
The second part is the gift of peace amid an ever-changing life. Change is, ironically, a constant in our lives. What do you do when life takes a turn? How do you respond? May we respond with the heart of Mary who said, “May it be done unto me according to Your Word (Luke 1:38).” When we are “prepared to move” wherever and whenever the Lord leads us, we find the peace we need whenever we’re faced with the curveballs.

Hope is a universal experience. But have you ever stopped to wonder why? Whether it be something innocent like presents at Christmas or something weighty like the guilt of sin or the grief of loss, hope is the anticipation of something better. Deep down, we all feel that something is amiss. Everything is not as it should be, and the reason is that we live in a world marred by sin and brokenness. Sadly, we fall into the temptation to resolve the brokenness, longings, fears, and desires in our hearts with things that don’t truly satisfy us. It may be money, politics, success, or other people. It can also be sin that feels satisfying in the moment but ultimately leaves us empty and worse than before. This is the very reason Jesus came as a child and promised to one day return. Because of this, we have a hope that is not built on circumstances or even this mortal life. This “living hope (1 Peter 1:3)” endures for this life and the next. It does not disappoint (Romans 5:5). Because of this, we can have joy and peace no matter what we face

The Bible teaches us that it is possible to be grateful and rejoice in the midst of suffering in life. In fact, the Bible not only suggests that it is possible but urges us to live in such a way. But how do we do this? How can we remain thankful and joyful when life becomes overwhelmingly hard?

Such a life of gratitude is an overflow of an intimate relationship with God. This is only possible when we focus on God instead of our circumstances. The Apostle Paul urges us to bring our anxieties to Jesus to receive his “mind-transcending” peace (Phil. 4:6-7). When we bring our anxieties to Jesus, we encounter a God who lovingly enters our anxious world. As we are assured of his presence in the midst of our hard circumstances, we will experience peace that transcends our understanding and our hearts will overflow with gratitude. 

God’s Word is full of promises that are faithful and true. In fact, very little can be counted on in this life, but God’s promises are a solid foundation because they’re backed by the honor of His Name (Psalm 138:2). While God’s promises are true, so many times we don’t get to experience them.
God promised a son to Abraham. In fact, God promised that Abraham would be the father of an entire nation. But there was no proof for Abraham to go on. It was only his faith that led him to leave his family and follow the God Who orders our steps.
We all pray for provision at one time or another. Many of you may be praying for that right now in some way. It may be finances. It may be in relationships. It may be for something intangible like faith or wisdom. The challenge is taking that first step of faith to see God do what He promised He would do.

If this world is not our home, why do our actions matter so much? After all, we’re saved by grace through faith, right? The reality is that we are saved by grace through faith in the complete and total work of Jesus’ death and resurrection. At the same time, God cares about our choices and actions. There will come a day when all will stand before Him, including the Christian. The question will be, “What do you have to show for the time, talents, and resources God gave you?”
To be fair, this truth can be wielded against well-meaning people. God desires that we have a truly transformed heart that is full of compassion for others. After all, that is God’s heart toward us.
As we discussed last week, “Maranatha” continues to serve as both a wake-up call and an encouraging reminder that one day, we will be with the Lord face to face. That truth should determine how we live out the rest of our lives.

It doesn’t take any amount of convincing that we’re living in a crazy world right now. It doesn’t matter your background, your beliefs, political viewpoints, or cultural upbringing, our world is the most advanced it’s ever been yet the most troubled. Wars are breaking out, famine and disease are rampant, natural disasters seem like a weekly occurrence, and let’s not even get into politics. So how do we live like Jesus in times like these?
The answer comes through an unlikely and ancient term, “Maranatha.” It’s an Aramaic term that served as a reminder, a prayer, and an admonition. It reminds us that the Lord is returning and that this world is not our home. It serves as an antidote to both apathy and anxiety. When the world is on fire, “Maranatha” is our peace in the storm.

Self-help is a massive industry, especially in our culture today. It seems that self-help books, motivational speakers, and life hacks are a dime a dozen, but the quest for a better life seems never-ending. In this information age, we still have not found the answer to a truly fulfilling life. Perhaps it’s because we are looking for the right answer in the wrong place.

So often, we default to a “think” and “do” way of life and Christianity. However, throughout Scripture, God emphasizes the heart as the most essential component of our relationship with Him and others. From the heart come the springs of life (Proverbs 4:23). Out of the overflow of the heart, the mouth speaks (Luke 6:45). Love the Lord your God with all your heart (Deuteronomy 6:5). It’s clear that the heart is the foundation of our lives, and yet the lie we believe is that we have the power to change it. So, what hope do we have? As with most of God’s upside-down ways, the path to victory is by surrender.

Jesus came not only to be our Savior but also our King. Knowing Jesus as Savior saves us, but knowing Jesus as King transforms us. Oftentimes, salvation is viewed as the only aspect of Christian life, when it is really the beginning of a dynamic relationship with God.  In 1 Corinthians 5:17, Paul says that anyone who is in Christ is made a new creation. In order to be new, we must fully step away from the life we were saved from into a transformed life. 

The purpose of Scripture is to help us know God and be more like Him (2 Timothy 3:16-17). Transformation is often easier said than done, however. When we come to challenging passages as we read in 1 Corinthians 14:34-35, we often want to fill the understanding gap with our ideas or the interpretations of our culture rather than sit with the text and allow it to transform us. Upon further digging, we see that Paul wasn’t just speaking about gender roles to subjugate women. He reinforced the truth of God’s design for unity, interdependence, order, and value for everyone in His Kingdom. Unfortunately, this verse has been extracted from the other verses that provide the context for God's beautiful blessing for us.

Communion may seem like another religious ritual that means little. Some churches observe it every week, while others observe it only occasionally. However, the Bible clearly states that regardless of how and whenever we observe communion, we should do so with the honor, faith, and power it actually holds. “Do this in remembrance of me,” Jesus said (Luke 22:19).
What does this have to do with condemnation? When you observe communion thoughtfully and rightfully, you realize that for those who are in Christ, who have received that free gift of salvation, there is no condemnation (Romans 8:1). Sin brings death (Romans 6:23), and as humans, we are prone to suffer under the burden of that sentence for our sins because satan loves to remind us of our failures and take advantage of our current failures. When we come to the Lord’s table, we can stand on the power of the new covenant (Luke 22:20), which has secured our adoption as sons and daughters once and for all. Communion not only reminds us of what Jesus has accomplished for us, but it also reminds us that He intercedes on our behalf for the Father (Hebrews 7:25). Suffice it to say communion holds more importance for us than we often realize.