The Word of the Lord

The Word of the Lord

"A Peace, A Place, and A Purpose" by Marvin Hazel

"Let not your heart be troubled; you believe in God, believe also in Me. In My Father’s house are many mansions, if it were not so, I would have told you. I go to prepare a place for you. And if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come again and receive you to myself; that where I am, there you may be also." (John 14:1-3 NKJV)

In this text Jesus tells us of a peace, a place, and a promise. He begins with a comforting exhortation: do not be troubled; be at peace. Our peace is based on our belief in God and Christ. We know that He is trustworthy and that gives us a foundation of peace upon which to build our lives. Second, Jesus spoke of a place. He has promised to prepare for us a place where we will have eternal fellowship with Him. Finally, we have His personal promise that He is returning for us. Think of it! His personal signature is on our salvation; as we have received Him, He is coming to receive us. We look forward to that day in expectation, preparing ourselves for it.

Even when the noise and turmoil of this world is constant our hearts and minds should be trusting God because there is a peace, a place, and a promise. Jesus tells us in Matthew 6:25-34 that we should not worry. The word worry in this text suggests a distraction, a preoccupation with things causing anxiety, stress, and pressure. Jesus speaks against worry and anxiety because of the watchful care of a heavenly Father who is ever mindful of our daily needs. Jesus’ theme is single-hearted devotion to God and deals with the related attitude of freedom from anxiety over daily needs. He illustrated the worthlessness of worry by showing that it is unnecessary (vs 26, 28-30) unfruitful (vs 27) and unbecoming to a Christian (vs 31-32).

We can gain some further insight by looking at Philippians 4:4-9. Paul says we are to rejoice in the Lord and not let anything make us anxious. We have access to God through prayer and this should give us the comfort we need to keep our minds on things above and not be distracted by difficulties and circumstances that we face. Faith is not occupied with difficulties but with God; with whom all things are possible. Faith is not occupied with circumstances, but with the God of the circumstances. In verses 6 & 7 God’s Word gives us a wonderful promise of the benefit of God’s peace guarding our hearts and minds when we pray and believe God. All Jesus asked us to do is believe and by grace we have a peace, a place, and a promise. God’s peace sustains us as we build our lives communing with God while we await our Lord’s promise to come again and receive us unto Himself. A foretaste of our place of eternal fellowship has already been established for us by the infilling and presence of the Holy Spirit. In John 14:26, Jesus says, "But the Helper, the Holy Spirit, whom the Father will send in My Name, He will teach you all things, and bring to your remembrance all things that I have said unto you."

Peter reveals this same peace, place and promise in 1 Peter 1:3-5 when he writes, "Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who according to His abundant mercy has begotten us again to a lively hope through the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead, to an inheritance incorruptible and undefiled and that does not fade away, reserved in heaven for you, who are kept by the power of God through faith for salvation ready to be revealed in the last time." The word kept in verse 5 is an interesting word. It is a military term picturing a sentry standing guard as protection against the enemy. We are in spiritual combat, but God’s power and peace are our sentinels and protectors.

The peace we are to live in is not a philosophical concept but an actual impartation of Jesus’ emotional strength and stability. In John 14:27, Jesus said, "Peace I leave with you, My peace I give unto you; not as the world gives do I give to you. Let not your heart be troubled, neither let it be afraid."

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