Peace Archives - The Gospel Outpost

Fruit of Peace: Bringing Peace To The World

The Fruit of the Peace: Bringing Peace To The World

June 18, 2018

The Spirit inside of us intends to bring peace to the world, through what we think, what we say, and what we do. The world, however, intends to further the descent into sin. While we bring peace, it stands in opposition to the world. People tend to think that peace and passivity are interchangeable, that if we simply do not call a person out or hold them accountable, that we will be peaceful. As we see from our past two articles in this series, nothing could be further from the truth. Peace is forged in the flames of discipleship and holiness. To be a peacemaker is to be one who bears witness to the source of our peace. For the Christian, we give a taste of the everlasting and eternal promise and home that God offers to all people. This is the expression of the peace that Spirit expresses through us.

The Fruit of the Peace: Anxiety Choked Out By Peace

June 11, 2018

Anyone who knows me understands that I tend to be anxious and worry about a great deal of things. I worry about how other people are doing. I worry about my future. I worry about whether or not I will be able to make it (without clearly defining what “making it” actually means). For the Spirit filled Christian, peace is expressed through any situation and any time. Yet, anxiety seems to always poke its head into any situation in an effort to choke out the peace of God. The world almost seems to glorify anxiety and romanticize the idea that everyone should reasonably and expectantly be anxious about their current events and situations. Anxiety, however, is not a fruit of the Spirit. It stands contrary to the fruit of peace that lives within the heart of all who have been filled by the Holy Spirit. Where anxiety tries to choke out peace, by the strength of God, peace chokes out all anxiety.

The Fruit of Peace: The Wellspring of Right Standing

The Fruit of the Peace: The Wellspring of Right Standing

June 4, 2018

For the Spirit-filled Christian, peace is not a far off abstract but comes from the indwelling of the Holy Spirit. Peace is tied to our eternal state rather than where we are during a particular moment of time. For the Christian, the Spirit of God indwelling inside of believers is a source of peace in the midst of a chaotic and anxious world.

James 3:13-18 Both Sides of Wisdom

January 10, 2018

James continues his discussion of wisdom and how we apply it to our lives as Christians. James begins with a rhetorical question challenging to the reader to take a look inward and ask “Am I wise?” Wisdom goes beyond a simple understanding of what is right. While wisdom includes understanding, it goes beyond that. Wisdom, and thus a wise person, applies what they have learned. Yet, this wisdom is easily contrasted with the wisdom of the world. The world will encourage us to pursue selfish gain over and at the expense of others. The wisdom of Heaven, though, strives for a greater and deeper expression of a life changed and redeemed by an everlasting God.

And He Shall Be Called: Immanuel

December 25, 2017

Isaiah spoke often of the coming Messiah for the deliverance and salvation of God’s people. As the angels spoke to John, they revealed the truth of the words from Isaiah. “‘Therefore the Lord himself will give you a sign: The virgin will conceive and give birth to a son, and will call him Immanuel. ‘ Isaiah 7:14, NIV As with many of the names given throughout the biblical text, names carry a significance and meaning as to the nature of a person. Immanuel translates from the Hebrew to “God is with us.” The nature of Jesus’ relationship with mankind is summed up in with this name.

And He Shall Be Called: Prince of Peace

December 18, 2017

Jesus is the Messiah that the prophet Isaiah spoke of long before His arrival and fulfills the role as the Prince of Peace. Within Jesus is this dual identity of both being a full reigning sovereign and an approachable man. While King’s rule over their land, one of their main tasks is to protect the citizens and maintain peace throughout the land. Jesus, being a reigning sovereign, is no stranger to this task. Peace guided God to take the form of man in order to restore the right relationship between them. When man allowed sin and chaos to enter into perfection, Christ came to restore the peace between the people. The King had come and fought hard for the peace that is without end.

You Need Only Be Still

January 19, 2017

By the time of Exodus 14, the Israelites had been through quite and ordeal. Where they were once a growing an prosperous people, the Egyptians had driven them into slavery and forced them into hard demeaning work. There, they spent many years doing the will of the Pharaoh and Egypt. They cried out in anguish for…
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