PURSUE PEACE

Recently I was listening to Henry Gruver (http://www.joyfulsoundministries.com/ ) talk about getting started in prayer walking and how God lead him in it.  He was saying that God told him to be mindful of His peace.  Henry was instructed that when he lost the peace he was to go back to where it was lost.  I think this is a good guide for our daily lives, follow God’s peace and when we lose it back up to find where we lost it and make a course correction.  That correction could mean repenting of something, forgiving someone for something, or changing what I am doing.  It could mean any number of things.  But we can let the peace of God be our guide.

Around that same time I was also reading an article by Sharon Carlson, of International Accelerated Missions (http://www.iamoutreach.org/ ).  The title was “Go After the Ark.”  Joshua 3:3 And they commanded the people, saying, When ye see the ark of the covenant of the LORD your God, and the priests the Levites bearing it, then ye shall remove from your place, and go after it. (KJV)

The Ark of the Covenant represents the presence of God.  This admonition is appropriate for us today.  Pursuing the presence of God, staying where He is can be a key for our lives.  When I feel the manifest presence of God it is generally in the form of overwhelming peace. For me the peace of God and the presence of God go together.   So I guess I could say by pursuing the presence of God I am also pursuing peace. 

Today I have that Presence living inside of me.  Yet often I don’t acknowledge Him nor follow after Him.  Too often I go on about my day without paying much attention to the Presence within me.  I think if I paid more attention to the peace of the Presence within me I would be better guided through my day.  When I sense His peace I need to just keep going.  But being aware of when that lifts and turning to Him for guidance to get back to the place of His peace could be a great guide.

Romans 14: 17-19 For the kingdom of God is not meat and drink; but righteousness, and peace, and joy in the Holy Ghost. ¹⁸ For he that in these things serveth Christ is acceptable to God, and approved of men. ¹⁹ Let us therefore follow after the things which make for peace, and things wherewith one may edify another.

2 Timothy 2:20 Flee also youthful lusts: but follow righteousness, faith, charity, peace, with them that call on the Lord out of a pure heart.

Colossians 3:15 And let the peace of God rule in your hearts, to the which also ye are called in one body; and be ye thankful