June 26:  Enjoying His Peace.

HIS PARDON.
Then He said to her, "Your sins have been forgiven....Your faith has saved you; go in peace."--Luke 7:48, 50

We excused ourselves and went to a separate room in the house.  As a minister, I was about to anoint a man with oil (as instructed in James 5:14, 15), asking God to heal him, if it was His will, and to provide His peace, no matter the outcome.  Privately, he discussed with me things that he had done in his youth, which he knew were against God's will.  Then he proceeded to tell me that he was in total peace, because he knew that God had forgiven him his sins through Jesus' sacrifice for him.  He passed away a few months later.  In complete peace.


In the story found in Luke 7:36-50, we meet two main characters: a Pharisee and a sinner, an immoral woman.  The Pharisee had invited Jesus to dine with him, but the sinful woman came to Jesus with an alabaster vial of perfume to anoint His feet.  This provoked a dark thought in the Pharisees' mind: "If this man were a prophet He would know who and what sort of person this woman is who is touching Him, that she is a sinner" (verse 39).  Jesus then told him a parable of two debtors, high-lightening the woman's actions as an act of love in response to the great forgiveness that she had received.  Jesus not only accepted her gift of love but also addressed her directly, publicly proclaiming her newly-found wholeness: "Your sins have been forgiven....Your faith has saved you; go in peace" (verses 48, 50).  Even if you have been a public sinner, and everybody knows about it, God's pardon offers you peace and wholeness in the place of shame and despair.  He has paid the price of your sins at the cross!  Therefore, go in peace!

My Response:________________________________________________________

June 25:  Enjoying His Peace.

HIS SAFETY.
He said, "Stop weeping, for she had not died, but is asleep."--Luke 8:52

I was looking through Martha's final text messages to me.  Her opening words were: "I got the results of the MRI.  The tumor has spread in the brain."  I was out of the country and texted her back, letting her know that I was praying for a miracle and for the strength and peace which God has promised (John 14:27).  She responded: "Amen.  Thank you so much."  That's the last time I heard from her.  I was touched by her God-given courage and peace.  She died a few days later.  But what about the family that she left behind?  Can we be at peace when a close relative or friend passes away, and we are left with the pain of their absence?  Every time I visit my parents' tomb, I thank God that they are safe in His keeping.

By the time Jesus arrived at Jairus' house, his daughter had died; "they were all weeping and lamenting for her" (Luke 8:52).  At that point, Jesus made a surprised declaration: "Stop weeping, for she has not died, but is asleep" (verse 52).  Then He took her by the hand and raised her from the dead! (verse 54).  Jesus was saying that her death was not permanent but only temporary, like a deep sleep.  He made the same assertion about Lazarus' death.  When Jesus died, His victory over death was demonstrated by the fact that many who had fallen asleep were raised from the dead (see Matthew 27:52).  I find great peace in knowing that my parents are safe in God's keeping.  They are safely resting in Jesus, awaiting His call.  I want to share with you a quotation that is very comforting to me: " 'Precious in the sight of the Lord is the death of His saints' (Psalm 116:15, NKJV).  Some may regard this as a strange statement; it is nevertheless true.  The servants of God who are now sleeping, are to him exceedingly precious.  So long as time shall last, the influence of their godly life will continue to yield rich fruitage.  No longer can the enemy of the human race imperil their welfare; they are safe from his power.  Jesus claims them as His own, and on the morning of the resurrection He will bestow upon them the fullness of joy." *  Be at peace.  Our loved ones are safe in the Savior's keeping!

My Response:________________________________________________________
* Ellen G. White, Life Sketches of Ellen G. White (Mountain View, CA: Pacific Press, 1943), 476.

June 24:  Enjoying His Peace.

HIS CALMING.
"What are you doing, weeping and breaking my heart?  For I am ready...even to die at Jerusalem for the name of the Lord Jesus."--Acts 21:13

I distinctly remember the day when I ended up in the emergency room.  I had been under severe and prolonged stress, and my heart was acting up.  I owned a small computer company with specialized software, and we could no longer survive against the competition.  The time had come to close its doors, but I had tried so hard to keep it afloat.  That day at the ER, I realized that I had to face the inevitable, and that God would give me peace and wisdom to go through it.

God's plan for our lives doesn't always include removing the troubles in our path, but it always involves providing heavenly peace to face the difficulties.  God had revealed to Paul that afflictions awaited him in Jerusalem (see Acts 20:22, 23), yet this didn't deter Paul from going there; he was totally at peace with it.  He bid farewell to the elders of the church of Ephesus and sailed towards Jerusalem, making several stops.  In some places, fellow church members kept telling him not to go to Jerusalem (21:4), yet he kept on his way.  When he got to Caesarea, a prophet named Agabus came from the region of Judea.  "He took Paul's belt and bound his own feet and hands, and said, 'This is what the Holy Spirit says: "In this way the Jews at Jerusalem will bind the man who owns this belt and deliver him into the hands of the Gentiles" ' " (verse 11).  Then everyone started begging Paul not to go to Jerusalem.  That's when Paul answered: "What are you doing, weeping and breaking my heart?  For I am ready not only to be bound, but even to die at Jerusalem for the name of the Lord Jesus" (verse 14).  At that point, they all said, "The will of the Lord be done!" (verse 14).  Having preached the gospel, Paul was resolute and at peace to face whatever God would allow.  God does not always remove the obstacles in our path, but He will invariably grant a miraculous calm in our souls.  God has our best interests at heart; if you are ever in doubt, look back at the cross, at Jesus' resolve to suffer in your place.  Trust your Savior to give you peace to go through your most difficult trials, even death.  He can be trusted!

My Response:________________________________________________________

June 23:  Enjoying His Peace.

HIS TESTIMONY.
They went on stoning Stephen as he called on the Lord and said, "Lord Jesus, receive my spirit!...do not hold this sin against them!"--Acts 7:59, 60

The Greek verb martureo means to bear witness or testify.  Many Christians lost their lives testifying of their faith in Jesus, and that's why nowadays the word martyr is used for a person who dies because of their faith.  The death of the martyrs, such as the Czech reformer John Huss who was burned at the stake on July 6, 1415, was characterized by supernatural peace and bold testimony under the direst circumstances.  This was also the case with Stephen, the first martyr.

After Stephen's final sermon, his audience "began gnashing their teeth at him" (Acts 7:54), as a prelude to his stoning. Stephen exclaimed: "Behold, I see the heavens opened up and the Son of Man standing at the right hand of God" (verse 56).  Not long earlier, Jesus had appeared before the high priest, prior to His crucifixion, and had made a similar statement: "Jesus said, 'I am [the Christ]; and you shall see the Son of Man sitting at the right hand of power, and coming with the clouds of heaven" (Mark 14:62). Now Stephen was giving testimony that Jesus, in fact, was at the right hand of God!  So, they stoned him, just as they had killed Jesus!  Stephen gave a testimony of who Jesus was and where He was!  At that moment, Jesus was standing at the right hand of God, as a Witness to His witness.  Acts 7:56 is the only occurrence of the title Son of Man outside of the four Gospels.  I am amazed at the final words of Stephen and how they parallel the statements of Jesus on the cross. Jesus said, "Father, into your hands I commit My spirit" (Luke 23:46); Stephen said, "Lord Jesus, receive my spirit!" (Acts 7:59).  Jesus said, "Father, forgive them; for they do not know what they are doing!" (Luke 23:34); Stephen said, "Lord, do not hold this sin against them!" (Acts 7:60).  You might be called to give a testimony of your faith in Jesus under difficult situations, such as a life-threatening illness, trials, and persecution.  Focus on Jesus and be bold, as Stephen was.  God will give you His peace, which surpasses understanding!

My Response:________________________________________________________

June 22:  Enjoying His Peace.

HIS INTENTION.
"These things I have spoken to you so that My joy may be in you, and that your joy may be made full."--John 15:11

Our ministry receives several prayer requests every week through our website (Jesus101.tv) and app (Jesus101).  Many individuals request prayers for themselves, to come closer to God and to experience His peace.  Some relate stories of how they went away from God, looking for their own path and rejecting His ways.  But away from Him they only found darkness and despair, and now they eagerly long to come back to God and to bask in His grace and joy.  The amazing news is that God Himself desires that we may be filled with His joy!

In the narrative of the Vine and the branches, Jesus offers us an intimate relationship with Him.  He says, "Abide in Me, and I in you" (John 15:4).  Also, He explains that only in union with Him we can be fruitful, because apart from Him we can do nothing, and that the purpose of the fruitfulness is to glorify the Father.  Then He reveals that this intimate relationship is rooted in His love for us, for in the same way that the Father has loved Him, He loves us; and He bids us to "abide in [His] love"  His followers' response to this divine love is to remain in His love, pledging allegiance to Him and His commands (verse 10).  And finally, Jesus reveals His intentions for bringing this up to His disciples at the very time when they are grief-stricken: "These things I have spoken to you so that My joy may be in you, and that your joy may be made full" (verse 11).  He passionately desires that our joy in Him may be complete, full, and overflowing!  There is no other gladness that compares with the depth of His joy, even when we are in the midst of pain.  In John 14:27, Jesus had introduced His disciples to His peace.  Now, He speaks to them of His love and His joy!  The word joy had been used only once in this Gospel until now, but it is used seven times in these three chapters (John 15-17), just when His disciples need it most!  Jesus offers us an intimate relationship with Him, rooted in His love.  As we respond to His love, following His ways for us, He permeates us with the fullness of His peace, His joy, and His love.

My Response:________________________________________________________

June 21:  Enjoying His Peace.

HIS PLEADING.
"His father came out and began pleading with him."--Luke 15:28

I read that Father's Day was started by Sondra Dodd in 1919.  After hearing a sermon about Mother's Day, she told her minister that there should be a day to honor fathers.  She wanted to honor her father, a Civil War veteran, who had been a single parent, raising his six children.  Originally Sonora had requested June 5, her father's birthday, as the day of the celebration.  But the pastors couldn't arrange it fast enough, so they celebrated it on the third Sunday of June, 1910.  The day became a national holiday in 1972, when President Nixon signed it into law. *


I was so blessed to have a godly father!  He always supported me without smothering me.  He really embodied the best qualities of a human being, and I admire him and will be eternally grateful to God for him.  But, what does a godly father really look like?   Glad you asked.  The answer is found in the parable of the prodigal son, and the way the father, representing God, treated both of his sons.  The parable was told to answer the Pharisees, who grumbled about Jesus receiving sinners.  "A man had two sons," Jesus started the story (Luke 15:11).  You know about the younger son, who asked for his share of the estate, squandered it, became impoverished, and returned to his father's household.  The merciful father embraced him and killed the fattened calf to celebrate the return of the undeserving son (verses 22-24).  That's how our heavenly Father treats us!  And Jesus had to die so that He could welcome us back!  Back to the story, the older son became angry and didn't want to join the celebration.  He didn't agree with his father's acceptance of the prodigal.  In response, "his father came out and began pleading with him" (verse 28).  What kind of father pleads with his complaining son to join the celebration of his brother's return?  One who places his love for his children above his own honor.  Joel B. Green adds, "Just as the father had run out to meet his younger son, so, again dishonoring himself, he leaves the banquet over which he is host in order to plead with his elder son." **  This is our heavenly Father: always welcoming, always pleading.  The cross is proof that God loved us more than He loved Himself.

My Response:_________________________________________________________
* Wikipedia, s.v. "Sonora Smart Dodd," accessed April 14, 2019, https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sonora_Smart_Dodd#Father's_Day.
** Joel B. Green, The Gospel of Luke, 6th ed., NICNT (Grand Rapids, MI: Eerdmans, 1997), 585.

June 20:  Enjoying His Peace.

HIS SUBMISSION.
And Jesus, crying out with a loud voice, said, "Father, into your hands I commit My spirit."  Having said this, He breathed His last.--Luke 23:46


We find real peace when we surrender to God's plan, even when we don't fully understand His will for us.  When I was in my thirties, I went through a series of adverse circumstances that I didn't understand and could not control.  These were hard times for me.  At that time, I purchased a key ring with an inscription that became my motto as I walked the difficult path.  It read: "I don't know the master plan, but I know the Master planned it, and I am included."

I have watched each of my parents submit themselves into God's care, having battled cancer for several years and, finally, facing the end of their lives.  As they entrusted themselves into God's keeping in life, so they did in death.  When Jesus was facing the end of His life, He committed His Spirit into God's hands, breathed His last, and gave up His Spirit.  The Old Testament is often quoted both by Jesus and by the Gospel writers when they describe His final hours.  In both Matthew and Mark, Jesus utters words from Psalm 22:1.  Luke points out that He also recited the words of Psalm 31:5: "Into Your hands I commit my spirit" (23:46).  Luke adds that a darkness fell over the land from noon until 3:00 P.M., which was the time of the evening sacrifice.  Some believe that Psalm 31:5 was repeated during the evening sacrifice.  Now Jesus Himself, in His prayer to the Father, recites the words of this psalm of confidence.  There had been a divine plan, from the foundation of the world, to save you and me.  Jesus, the Lamb of God, was to be sacrificed for our sins.  As He accomplishes the redemption plan, prophesied in the Scriptures, Jesus commits Himself into His Father's hands.  He fully submitted to God's will, just as He had prayed in the Garden of Gethsemane: "Not My will, but Yours be done" (Luke 22:42).  Whether in life or in death, there is no safer place than in God's hands.  Believing ourselves saved by the sacrifice of Jesus, we now have the privilege of living and / or dying in full submission to His plan and His will.  May our words be: "Into Your hands I commit my spirit."

My Response:________________________________________________________

June 19:  Enjoying His Peace.

HIS ARGUMENT.
"If then you cannot do even a very little [add a single hour to your lifespan], why do you worry about other matters?"--Luke 12:26


Many have shared  with me their techniques to combat worry.  Some imagine the worst possible scenario, accept it, and seek to improve on it.  Others rely on statistics, calculating the chances of getting hit by lightning  or dying in a car crash.  And still others use calming resources and breathing exercises.  But most people find that these methods are not enough.  We are a society of worrywarts in need of facing the root of our anxiety.

It has been reported that Kindle's most highlighted Bible text is Philippians 4:6, 7, a passage that addresses anxiety,* showing how our society is struggling with worry.  In Luke 12, Jesus addresses our worry and anxiety, mentioning the concept several times.  Starting from verse 22, Jesus offers a sequence of arguments against worry: First, those of us who worry about what we will eat and wear have a limited perception of what life is really all about, "For life is more than food, and the body more than clothing" (verse 23).  Jesus draws His second argument from nature, utilizing the style of lesser to greater: if God feeds the ravens and clothes the lilies, how much more will He take care of us!  Thirdly, Jesus points out the futility and unproductiveness of anxiety, highlighting that we can't add an hour to our lifespan by worrying.  If we can't do this "very little thing" through worrying, who do we worry about other matters? (verse 26).  The  culmination of Jesus' arguments is an alternative way of life to the anxiety-driven struggle to meet one's own needs, and it is based on a simple and powerful awareness: "Your Father knows that you need these things" (verse 30).  He is in control.  He is grateful to provide.  He knows what we need, and He is more than willing to give these things to us.  We are, thus, set free from self-protecting concerns and can now focus our energies on the gospel propagation.  Yes!  Jesus sets us free from fear, worry, and anxiety!  Woo-hoo!

My Response:___________________________________________________________
* Robinson Meyer, "The Most Popular Passages in Books, According to Kindle Data," Atlantic, November 2, 2014, https://wwww.theatlantic.com/technology/archive/2014/11/the passages-that readers-love/381373/.

June 18:  Enjoying His Peace.

HIS CLEANSING.
"I am willing; be cleansed."--Matthew 8:3

We don't hear much about leprosy anymore, even though the disease is still around.  Yet there are other physical, mental, and emotional conditions that carry a similar social stigma for their victims.  Sometimes people end up being known by their misfortune, bad experience, or mistake, instead of their name.  There goes the divorcee!  Or did you hear about the jailbird?  How about the adulteress?!  Unfortunately, society in general is quick to judge and marginalize, robbing people of their worth.

It is hard for us to fully understand the impact the story recorded in Matthew 8:2, 3 would have left on the listeners.  At the time, leprosy was the most dreaded disease, barring its victims from society because they were considered ceremonially unclean (Leviticus 13; 14).  People afflicted by leprosy had to warn others about their misfortune by crying out loud: "Unclean!  Unclean!" (Leviticus 13:45).  A leper came to Jesus and prostrated himself in front of Him (Matthew 8:2).  Somehow, perhaps by witnessing a miracle of Jesus, this man had become convinced that Jesus had the ability to heal him from leprosy: "Lord, if You are willing, You can make me clean" (verse 2).  It was all up to Jesus; it was His choice!  Would He be willing?  In an astounding show of compassion and care, Jesus "stretched out His hand and touched him" (verse 3).  Can you imagine the shock?  The leper probably had not felt human touch in years!  The ritual law stated that if someone touched a leper, they too immediately became ceremonially unclean (see Leviticus 5:3).  But not in this case!  Instead of Jesus becoming a leper, the leper was cleansed.  Jesus had not only the power to heal but also the willingness to do so.  He said, "I am willing; be cleansed.'  And immediately his leprosy was cleansed" (verse 3).  Jesus wanted to heal this man.  When, due to our mistakes, addictions, or the guilt of our sin, we feel separated from our true selves, others, and God, let's remember that Jesus has the power and willingness to heal us.  Let's come to His feet and ask for healing and peace.  He will answer: "I am willing; be cleansed."

My Response:_________________________________________________________

June 17:  Enjoying His Peace.

HIS PEACEMAKING.
"Leave your offering there before the altar and go, first be reconciled to your brother, and then come and present your offering."--Matthew 5:24

We arrived at an inpatient rehab where one of our acquaintances needed to stay for a while, due to alcohol abuse.  A sign outside the building had a quotation that made a lasting impact on my mind: "Those who are at war with others are not at peace with themselves." *  Later on, I learned that the words are attributed to William Hazlitt, a British writer, who authored many other such quotes.

God took the initiative to reconcile us to Himself, and when we believe in the sacrifice of Jesus on our behalf, we are given true and absolute peace with God: "Therefore, having been justified by faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ" (Romans 5:1).  This is a core principle of the gospel: we didn't earn our peace, but we have peace through Jesus.  This is the vertical dimension of peace.  Having received this divine gift through Jesus, His followers are to follow the overflowing of that peace into their daily affairs with all people (the horizontal dimension), becoming peacemakers, as far as it depends on them (see Romans 12:18).  In the Sermon on the Mount, Jesus addressed this, pronouncing a blessing over peacemakers: "Blessed are the peacemakers, for they shall be called the sons of God" (Matthew 5:9).  In this sermon, Jesus makes six pronouncements expanding the meaning of the commandment (Matthew 5:21-48).  The first one is about the commandment: "You shall not commit murder" (verse 21), which Jesus expands to include anger against our fellow humans (verse 22).  His first illustration on this statement is: "Therefore if you are presenting your offering at the altar, and there remember that your brother has something against you, leave your offering there before the altar and go; first be reconciled to your brother, and then come and present your offering" (verses 23, 24).  As God did with us, we are to take the initiative.  After we have done our part to share the peace that we have been given, then God will accept and bless our worship.  Let's share the peace of Jesus that we have received.  Blessed are the peacemakers, for they shall be called the sons of God. (Matthew 5:9).

My Response:_________________________________________________________