Peace in the midst of the storm

Philippians 4:6 - Be careful for nothing; but in every thing by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known unto God.

1. If we do not thank God for everything that happens to us, we will never have the peace that passes all understanding.

   1. Saved Baptists should not and do not want to be like the world – without hope.

      1. We really cannot ask God to fulfill our requests until we thank him for whatever situation we find ourselves in.

      2. Romans 8:28 reveals that all things that happen to us happen for our good.

      3. God never intends any situation we find ourselves in to be to our hurt, and God knows how much we can bear, and how every circumstance will work out.

   2. Peace is what all men want, but few men have.

      1. Galatians 5:22 – Peace is one of the fruits of the spirit.

      2. Colossians 3:15 – Let the peace of God rule in your hearts.

      3. II Thessalonians 3:16 – The God of peace will give you peace.

      4. Romans 5:1 – We are justified by the faith of God, therefore we have peace.

      5. Romans 8:6 – If we are carnally minded, we will not have the peace of God.

      6. Romans 14:17 – The kingdom of God is peace, plus some other things.

   3. John 14:27 – Peace I leave with you, my peace I give unto you: not as the world giveth, give I unto you. Let not your heart be troubled, neither let it be afraid.

2. Problems we face every day.

   1. I cannot give God thanks for what has happened to me.

      1. It is too difficult to go through.

      2. Some people might be able to give thanks, but I cannot.

      3. Ephesians 5:20 - Giving thanks always for all things unto God and the Father in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ;

         1. This is not easy, and is completely against the desires of the flesh.

         2. We must understand/know/believe Romans 8:28.

      4. Philippians 4:6 - Be careful for nothing; but in every thing by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known unto God.

         1. Acts 12 – Peter rested between two soldiers when he knew he would likely be killed the next day.

         2. Paul and Silas sang and praised God at midnight when they were put in jail for casting the demon out of a young girl.

         3. Paul said – I know whom I have believed, and am persuaded that he is able to keep that which I have committed to him.

      5. It may be the reason we have continual problems and troubles is because we do not thank God for all our troubles.

   2. The preacher should be the one that reads his Bible and tells me what it says.

      1. I do not have time to read it for myself because I am too busy making a living for my family and myself.

      2. It is the preacher’s job to make sure he preaches what God wants him to preach, because I cannot grow as a Christian if he fails.

         1. The truth is: the person that thinks this has already failed.

         2. It is your job to grow into a good Christian.

         3. My job is to preach the eternal truth to you.

         4. If you do not use what I give to you, that is your problem.

         5. If I do not give you good material so you can grow, that is my problem, and I will be held accountable before God for this terrible error.

   3. Matthew 18:29 does not apply to me, but to somebody else.

      1. I do not know who.

      2. I must worry and strive for what I desire, and never trust in Christ to give it to me.

      3. These are all wrong assumptions, and actually are sin because the person is in unbelief and does not trust God.

   4. Matthew 6:33 – When God’s children do what he tells them to do, God will add to them all the necessary things of this life.

      1. God will always fulfill all his promises if we will only ask.

      2. I Timothy 3:3 – One of the qualifications of a pastor is that he not be greedy of filthy lucre. This is also good of every church member.

   5. Psalm 23:1-6 is written by a believer for believers.

      1. This Psalm is good for us today.

      2. We should not fear any evil when we walk through the valley of the shadow of death, but have full confidence and faith in Christ and his eternal promises.

      3. Our life is not build on material things, but on eternal things.

      4. God can give us peace in the midst of the storm, just as he stopped the storm on the Sea of Galilee, but only if we ask and trust him.

John 20:27 Then saith he to Thomas, Reach hither thy finger, and behold my hands; and reach hither thy hand, and thrust it into my side: and be not faithless, but believing. This is God’s desire for us. God wants us to believe and have peace and trust him. If we do not have faith, it is not God’s fault, because he knows we do not have the capacity to get faith until he gives it to us. And he will give us plenty of faith, if we will only strive to please him, above all things. Then we make his faith our faith.

Genesis 25:20-26 – Isaac was 40 years old when he took Rebekah to wife, but 60 when the twins were born. Isaac had to pray for God to fulfill his promise to him, even though the promise was very sure. God expects us to pray to him, and seek peace and from him. Note the very long period of time that passes – 20 years when it might have seemed there was no answer to the promise God gave Abraham. Sometimes we fail when we do not receive an immediate answer to our prayers. If we really know God’s word for us, we will be faithful to pray and ask God to do what he said he would do. We should keep on praying, trusting and asking, even if it takes 20 years!