Christ-Centred Peace

The scripture reading comes from Philippians chapter 4 verse 1 to 9.

Philippians 4:1–9

Please follow along on the screen or on your Bible.

Therefore, my brothers, whom I love and long for, my joy and crown, stand firm thus in the Lord, my beloved.

I entreat you, O dear, and I entreat Syntyche to agree in the Lord.

Yes, I ask you also, true companion, help these women who have labored side by side with me in the gospel together with Clement and the rest of my fellow workers, whose names are in the book of life.

Rejoice in the Lord always.

Again, I will say, rejoice.

Let your reasonableness be known to everyone.

The Lord is at hand.

Do not be anxious about anything.

But in everything, by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving, let your requests be made known to God.

And the peace of God, which surpasses all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus.

Finally, brothers, whatever is true, whatever is honorable, whatever is just, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is commendable.

If there is any excellence, if there is anything worthy of praise, think about these things.

What you have learned and received and heard and sent in me, practice these things.

And the God of peace will be with you.

Amen.

Thank you so much, Iris.

It's great to see all of you virtually.

At the moment, we would love to be back together physically.

But as you're online and in your home, wherever you are, I'd love you just to pray right now for God's word to really engage in our hearts.

So let's bow your heads and pray.

Father, just thank you that you are an incredible God.

That you're the God of all the universe.

And yet you're the God who wants to be with us and to bring us peace.

I pray, Lord, right now, Lord, many of us are in totally different circumstances.

Some of us feel very stressed.

Some of us feel worried.

Some of us feel all over the place.

But, Lord, we pray right now you'd center our hearts on you.

That your word would get into the depths of our souls and would bring joy this morning.

Joy in you.

So I pray, Lord, take your word.

Take away my words and let you speak through what we say this morning.

For the name and the glory of Jesus.

Amen.

Great.

If you don't know me, my name is Chris.

I'm one of the leaders here today.

And we've been looking at this series in Philippians over the last few weeks.

Now, for me, I've been in Hong Kong for nine years.

And Hong Kong is one of the most incredible cities in the world.

It is beautiful in scenery.

It's modern.

It's efficient.

It's an extraordinary city.

But if there's any word that I would say doesn't describe Hong Kong, it would be the word peace.

And maybe also the word joy.

Because, you see, in Hong Kong, we're a hurried, anxious, stressed people.

And there's also so much division and conflict that has been taking place particularly over the last year or so.

And so this passage is, we're going to look at with Paul writing to a pressured, anxious people.

And he's going to take them through in the first two to three verses.

He's going to look at dealing with some relational, bringing relational peace to people.

And then he makes a promise.

In verse 7, he says, the peace of God will be with you.

And then he says in verse 9, the God of peace will be with you.

This passage is a promise of peace.

Not just to the Philippians, but to us, right where we are, right today, whatever circumstances you're in.

God wants us, as his people, to be a people who love and walk in peace, no matter what our circumstances are.

So, the question we're going to look at is, how do we get to be a people of peace this morning?

Well, maybe let's just first start thinking about what actually is peace in the Bible.

Well, let me tell you what it isn't.

It isn't just being chilled out and having a laid-back personality.

Because often people who are very laid-back can struggle to really care about the real realities of life.

They just want to chill.

Whereas, it's also not just going on a staycation without your kids.

Because when you come back from staycation, the stress just comes again.

You see, biblical peace is actually upward, inward, and outward.

In the upward, the gospel promise here, you notice it says,

the peace of God will be with you.

But it's only experienced when you have the God of peace who is with you.

In other words, Romans 5 says this,

therefore, since we've been justified by faith, we have peace with God.

This first peace is a God peace because of Jesus' death on the cross.

We are no longer his enemies, but we're reconciled in relationship with him.

We're his.

And that peace with God then leads to the inward peace.

A calm, confident trust in God where in your soul,

it doesn't matter if the storms of life are going crazy,

you know that God has got you.

You know that you're his.

You know he'll provide.

You know that he is the one who anchors and holds you.

And he says it surpasses understanding this peace

because it's not what goes on in your brain

that you're planning to try and fix your circumstances that's going to get it.

It's a peace which has gone from here and it's gone down deep into here.

You see, you need upward peace to get inward peace,

but then that leads to outward peace.

You see, that's relational peace with others.

You don't have to prove yourself or fight to win in the argument

because the peace of God leads us,

and our reconciliation with God leads us to seek to reconcile with others

and to lay down our rights and our interests.

You see, Paul says here that the peace of God,

upward, inward, outward,

will guard your hearts

and minds

and minds

in Christ.

That word guard,

it's the word which means to act like a security guard.

You know,

I don't know if you remember,

back in 9-11,

just after 9-11,

I went to Los Angeles airport.

And the security there

was just insane.

It was,

you could hardly move one meter

without someone asking for your ID,

trying to get past it.

It was just almost impossible to get through.

And Paul is saying,

in your heart

and in your heart

and in your mind,

the peace

of God

is meant to be like security guards

guarding your heart

to keep it trusting in Christ.

You see,

you hear you're getting fired

and worry comes along saying,

oh,

what about the future?

And the peace of God says,

let me see your ID,

worry.

You see all your friends

are getting married

and you're still single

and fear of missing out

comes to you

and says,

you should worry now.

But the peace of God says,

no entry,

FOMO.

You've been hurt.

Resentment and bitterness

are eating away at heart.

They're trying to get into your heart

and the peace of God says,

access denied.

That's what peace is.

Peace is like a ballast.

A ballast is what?

It's the heavy weight

you put in a boat

which no matter whether

the waves are pounding away,

it keeps that boat

rock solid and steady.

It's not going to capsize.

That's what the peace of God

wants to do

in us as a community.

Do you want that kind of peace

in your heart

and in your relationships?

Well,

Paul is going to show us

how do we get to take hold

of that peace.

So if we remember

over the last three chapters

in the book of Philippians,

Paul has been writing

to anxious,

in anxious,

troubling times.

Paul's in prison

because of the gospel

and he's awaiting trial

and possible execution.

The Philippian church

have been under pressure

from outside

and there are relational

tensions inside the church.

Paul has told the Philippians,

guys,

we're on the same team.

We're united

with our minds

set on Christ,

putting him

and others' interests

before our own.

We're going to follow

and imitate the J-curve

where the way down

is the way to life.

The way of dying to self

is the way to resurrection power.

We put our hope

and our minds

on knowing Christ,

heading towards that goal.

It's been inspirational stuff.

It's been a great sermon

Paul has been preaching

and you'd have thought

that would be enough

for the Philippians to go,

great, we've got peace now.

But Paul says,

no, gospel preaching,

even reading scripture

or spiritual disciplines,

though they are vital

in the Christian life,

Paul says,

first of all,

that if we're to be

a people marinated

in peace,

we've got to take hold

of the first path of peace

which is,

we need to walk

that path together.

This is verse 2 and 3.

For Ahir,

he gets specific

and he names

Euodia and Syntyche,

two women

who aren't getting on

with each other.

And we don't know

exactly why,

but it seems to be

not a major sin issue

because he doesn't

rebuke them,

but it seems to be

a preference issue.

Like,

I like hymns,

she likes rock music,

we don't get on.

But why does he name

Euodia and Syntyche?

And entreat them,

urge them.

You see,

what he's saying is,

this kind of conflict

in the church

is an issue.

He's saying,

don't let conflict

just fester

like an open wound.

It says,

it may not feel like

it's a massive deal

for these two women

not to be talking

to each other,

but there is a lack

of peace here.

And so he says,

agree in the Lord,

which doesn't mean

have all the same opinions,

but it means

live in a harmony

in Christ.

Make Jesus

and his honour

and the gospel

and your mission together

more important

than being right

or getting your own way.

Because you're on

the same team

and your fighting

is like trying to

punch yourself

in the face.

It harms you

and it harms the gospel.

But then he says,

okay,

let's deal with this.

But then he says,

true companion,

help these women.

And we don't know

exactly who

this true companion is.

Some people think

it's Luke.

But what he's saying

is,

you're not just

going to do this

by yourselves.

You know,

I can tell you

we need community

to help us

in our relationships

and to have peace

internally as well.

I can't tell you

how many marriages,

how many family relationships,

how many CGs and churches

are divided

and have issues

and flounder

because we've either

brushed conflict

under the carpet

and tried to avoid

talking about it

or because we're

so independent

and private

and fearful

of what others

will think about us

that we haven't

invited anybody in

to help us

on the journey

to peace together.

You see,

privacy

kills peace

because it leaves you

wrestling with your issues

in isolation

without other

mature believers

that God has placed there

to help you walk

on that path

towards peace.

So let me encourage you.

I don't know where

you're up to

but if you are going through

any either relational issues

or just anxiousness

in your own soul

right now,

don't walk it alone.

Talk to a member

of your CG.

Come and talk to a member

of staff or an elder.

We want to walk it together

because the way of peace

is a communal journey.

That's the first thing.

The first path to peace

is walk together.

Second path to peace

is this in verse 4.

He says,

Rejoice in the Lord always.

Again, I'll say it.

Rejoice.

Did you get what he said there?

He said,

In the midst of all the challenges,

everything you're facing right now,

rejoice in the Lord always.

In Greek,

the word always

means always.

And you just received

a harsh text from your boss.

Rejoice.

Your spouse just left

the towel on the floor

for the thousandth time.

Rejoice.

Your economy is collapsing.

Your work is on the line.

You're fearful about

the future of politics.

Rejoice.

And inside,

aren't we going,

Paul,

what planet are you on?

Could you just get

a little bit of a reality check here?

And Paul anticipates

our kind of natural objection

in our heart

and he goes,

No, no, no.

Did you hear what I said?

No, let me say it again to you

if you're wondering.

Rejoice.

Rejoice.

You see,

this is not a suggestion.

This is a command.

And with commands,

you're not meant to go,

Oh, that sounds

a little bit difficult.

Maybe I'll just give

that one a miss.

No, commands,

you're meant to obey them.

Commands are not optional.

And so Jesus,

what he's saying is,

Jesus calls every Christian

to a life of joy.

It's one of the chief markers

of the Christian life.

It's the pathway to peace.

Romans 14 says,

Paul goes,

The kingdom of God

is not about external things

like eating and drinking.

It's a matter of peace

and joy

in the Holy Spirit.

This is what it's about.

You see,

what is joy really,

what is he talking about here?

Well,

what he's not talking about

is going around

with a fake smile

on your face,

pretending that everything's fine

when everything else

is collapsing around you.

You know,

we should feel sorrow

when we lose a loved one

or when there is pain

and difficulty

in circumstances.

We should feel grief

when Liverpool lose

in the Champions League.

That is right

and appropriate.

But,

some people are thinking

that's joy,

but we need to correct that.

But so often,

you know,

and I've experienced this,

many Christians,

when you're feeling down,

when you're feeling miserable,

I've had so many come to me

and say,

I don't really want to go to church

and engage with community

because I think

I'm just going to be a hypocrite

singing songs

and those kind of things.

Because we're supposed

to be happy,

right,

as Christians.

But the thing is,

we've got the total wrong idea

of what joy is meant

to be about here.

In 2 Corinthians,

Paul can say,

I'm sorrowful,

but I'm always rejoicing.

You see,

you can have sorrow and joy

at the same time.

Christians should be

the most real people

in the world,

not denying our feelings.

But what is joy?

If that's what it's not,

what is it?

Well,

the most simple thing

we can say is,

joy is a feeling

or a state of happiness.

In scripture,

you can feel joy

because of a good meal,

seeing friends again

like Epaphroditus.

You can even feel joy,

rejoice,

getting your own way.

The Pharisees rejoiced

when Judas betrayed Jesus.

So you don't even need

to be a Christian

to rejoice.

But there is something unique

about Christian,

biblical joy,

joy,

which is it's not determined

by your circumstances.

You know,

you can rejoice

when you're in prison

like Paul

or when you've just been beaten

like the apostles

in Acts 5.

It's a Christian joy.

It's not primarily

joy in circumstances,

it's joy in Jesus.

And so that means

there's two things

that joy is,

and rejoicing.

Joy is both a gift

and a fight.

It is both

a fruit of the spirit

and a choice

of focus.

So let me think

of the first one.

Why is it a gift?

Have you ever

tried

to command

a feeling?

Okay,

you've just heard

you failed an exam.

Now be happy!

Okay?

It doesn't work right.

You can't just

switch on

and off

your emotions.

That's why

this kind of rejoicing

is a fruit

of the spirit

because

it is the Holy Spirit

opening your eyes

to see

the beauty of Jesus

right where you are.

You see,

I've just talked

to a couple people

even in this past week

who are going through

really difficult

work circumstances.

And both of them

have said to me,

you know,

everyone around me

I talk to

thinks I should be

really worried

and really stressed

because this is

just a tough situation

but I feel like

this sense of

just real peace

and real joy

at the moment

in God

because I just see

God is good

at the moment

and he's going to

provide for me

and everyone's

looking at me

like how can you

do that?

And the reason

they can do that

is because it's

a work of the spirit

in their lives.

It's a gift

from God.

But the

Paul actually

he says,

you know,

I want to know

the resurrection

power of Jesus

and resurrection

power is the

power to rejoice

no matter what's

going on in your

life

because of Jesus.

That's why we need

to pray for joy

in Jesus.

I don't know

when the last time

you actually prayed

that you would

actually learn

how to rejoice

in Jesus

in your circumstances.

I'm just challenged

by that.

But we desperately

need the spirit's work.

Doesn't our

automatic response

to that command

of thinking

that's just

not realistic.

Show that we're

so self-reliant

in our lives

that we think

it all depends

on us.

No,

we've got to get

desperate for our

eyes to be focused

on him

and to have the spirit

bring us joy

in our hearts.

But it's a gift

but it's not just

a gift.

It's also a fight

for focus.

You see,

he says rejoice

in the Lord.

Not rejoice

because your

circumstances suck.

He says rejoice

in the Lord

because Paul

has just got

this active focus

on Jesus

all the time.

We've seen it

all before.

Chapter 1,

he says for me

to live is Christ

and me to die

is gain.

Chapter 3,

I've counted

everything a loss

compared to the

surpassing worth

of knowing Jesus,

my Lord.

In his struggles,

what he's doing,

he's actually

not looking down,

and he's looking

up and he's

seeing Jesus

and he's saying,

I can see him

and his grace

in the midst

of this.

You see where

his focus is?

He's fighting

to fix his eyes

on Jesus.

You know,

part of the fight

of joy is when

you are feeling

miserable,

when you are

feeling stressed

and down,

it's not backing

out of community

because you feel

like a hypocrite.

It's actually moving

into God's people.

It's getting

into God's word.

It's fixing,

it's choosing

to fix our

thoughts on

Jesus and say,

I'm going to

trust him even

though I don't

feel like it.

It's a fight.

It's putting on

Jesus-centered

worship music

when you just feel

like you've got

no energy left

to fight,

just to help

lift your eyes

up to him.

It's pouring out

your emotions

to God

and trusting him

and lifting him

with an expectancy

that the spirit

will restore

joy and peace

into your heart

in his timing.

And you're going

to come back

again and again

and that's the fight.

That's the fight

for joy.

Some Christians

think joy

should just be

this kind of

automatic thing.

They think it's

just gift

but no fight.

But God says,

no,

it needs both

of those things

together.

So what do we

fight with?

How do we fight?

What are we

rejoicing?

Well,

here's what we

need to do.

We need to get

out our gospel

shotgun.

And we need

to fire the

promises of God

in our circumstances.

Here's what we

rejoice in.

First,

we rejoice in

grace.

Philippians 3,

20 says,

our citizenship

is in heaven.

So we rejoice

in whose we are.

You know,

our citizenship

is in heaven.

You could have

just been treated

really unfairly

at work

and you're feeling

miserable,

angry,

frustrated.

Peace is gone.

But when you

remember,

Jesus died for me

when I never

deserved it.

He's treated me

so much better

than I deserve.

In Christ,

they can mistreat me

but I have a

savior who loves me,

who holds me.

I'm safe,

I'm held,

I'm secure.

No one can ever

take away what I

have in Jesus.

We can rejoice.

We rejoice in grace.

We rejoice in power.

You wake up

and you feel like

you've got just

to face a whole

load of people

or situations

you just don't

know how to face

or you just

don't want to.

Anyone ever like that?

Pull that gospel

trigger which says,

I can do all things

through Christ

who gives me strength.

His resurrection power

is at work in me

right now.

He's the Lord

and he has this situation

in his hands.

He's changing me

by his spirit

so I can be more

than a conqueror

today through him.

Jesus,

let's go together

and face this.

I rejoice in power.

I rejoice in grace.

We rejoice in hope.

You failed again.

You feel the shame

and stress

of just constantly

messing up

or you're waiting.

You're seeing

other people's mess ups

and you're waiting.

You're longing

for them to change.

32021 says,

we await a savior,

Jesus.

Who will transform

our lowly body

into his,

to be like his glorious body.

You say,

shame,

I'm not going to live

under you any longer.

I have a savior

who is bigger,

who is more glorious,

who loves me.

His love is deeper.

His power is greater

than any failure.

And he can work right now

in my life

and in the life

of the people around me

because he's going

to take today,

he's going to transform it

for his glory

because he is near,

he's coming back again

and he's going to do

a restoration work

and he's going to work

even right now

for his,

for redemptive glory.

We can rejoice

in grace,

in power,

in hope.

this ain't all there is.

Our savior is returning.

The Lord is near.

And as we learn

how to fight in that

and pray for the spirit

to work in our life,

Jesus becomes

more precious to us.

The word of God,

the spirit takes his word

and just warms your heart.

some of us

don't experience

that joy

or that peace

that joy

is like a

playmate with

because our focus

is so cluttered

on so many other things.

Our minds

are so focused

on our own plans

that we often

count following Christ

as loss

compared

to the surpassing

worth of everything

else we want

in our lives.

but the path

to the fortress

of peace

goes by the gateway

of walking together

and of rejoicing

in Christ together.

I want to just stop here

and pause.

We're going to come on

to the last couple of points

in a minute

but I want you to stop

and either with the person

next to you

or if you're on your own

I've got a couple of questions

that I want you just to reflect on

to talk about together.

What gives you

the greatest joy?

Does that lead

to peace in God?

How are you fighting

for joy

and peace

in Jesus

right now

in your present circumstances?

So take a couple of minutes

and then we'll come back

and we'll carry on

with the next part.

we'll see you once again.

Amen.

Amen.

Amen.

Amen.

Amen.

Amen.

Amen.

Amen.

Okay.

So we've looked at the pathway to peace, that fortress, which means we don't walk alone.

We do it together.

We rejoice always in all circumstances.

But then thirdly, the passage says, pray thankfully.

Here's what it says in verse six.

Don't be anxious about anything, but in everything by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving,

let your requests be known to God.

You see, the Philippians have got good reason to be anxious.

Paul is in prison and potentially about to die, and they may even be next.

They don't know.

Paul's not saying at this point, just be zen.

You know, don't be concerned about anything.

You see, if my 11-month-old son went missing for 24 hours and I was not concerned, that would be a lack of love.

The reason we get anxious and we worry is because we love things, because we care about things which seem to be under threat or out of our control.

Whether it's our health, whether it's our kids, whether it's our love life, whether it's our job, whatever it is in our relationships.

But Paul is saying when anxiety knocks on the door, if you want the security guards of God's peace-filled presence to be with you,

stop clinging with clenched fists to what you care about most.

Just like my son with his favorite toy.

Surrender them open-handedly to the feet of Jesus to entrust them to him in prayer and supplication.

And what he's saying is in prayer, and he's talking general prayer, that regular routine of opening your life up to relate to God,

for him to come into all of your life.

That's time with God.

If you don't spend time with God regularly in scripture, in seeking his face, to enjoy him,

don't be surprised if you discover a restlessness in your own soul,

because you've already fired the security guards of God's peace.

Worry and relational tension can just walk right in if you're not doing that regularly.

But then he doesn't just say general prayer, he also says supplication and request.

That's specific requests for help.

And he says, in everything.

That means not just spiritual stuff.

It's in everything.

Big stuff, little stuff, the things you think God might not even be concerned about.

You know, I remember it was late.

I was walking back late night from Kowloon somewhere.

And I was walking back and I was feeling tired.

I was feeling miserable.

I was feeling hungry.

But it was late night, so I didn't want to eat very much.

I wanted just a snack.

But if you know me, I have some food intolerances and snacks I can never find anywhere that I can eat.

And that all just made me feel like, oh, a little pity party of how unfair life was at that moment.

But then I stopped to say to myself,

God, and I prayed, God, I know that you promised to provide for me.

And God, I just give you this stupid little moment to you.

And I walked around the corner and there was a sushi shop.

And sushi is one of the few snacks that I can eat.

And I wasn't in an area where I thought there was any sushi around.

It was so late.

I thought everything was shut.

And I rejoiced in the Lord at that moment.

But that sushi shop was actually always there.

It wasn't a miraculous event in one sense.

But I saw God in the ordinary everydayness, his gracious hand, because I had entrusted my care to him.

And I saw, like, if I hadn't prayed, I would have just felt entitled.

And I would have just not even stopped for a second thought at that moment.

But instead, thankfulness filled my heart, because I saw grace, evidence, in the little things, as well as the big things.

And when we have that constant attitude of prayer, we will see the glory and grace of Jesus.

And it will cause us to rejoice more in him.

You know, the hymn says,

Oh, what peace we often forfeit.

Oh, what needless pain we bear.

All because we do not carry.

Everything to God in prayer.

Whatever it is.

Your kid's temper tantrum.

That car park space.

Your work issues.

We pray, not with demanding clenched fists that God's got to answer in our way.

But with open hands, entrusting the things we care about to the God who cares more about us than we care even about him.

And we do that again and again and again.

Gordon Fee, who Kevin referenced last week, he's got this great quote.

He says,

Peace comes because prayer is an expression of trust.

Did you hear that?

He said,

Sometimes we need to wait.

But actually, even in the waiting, we can thank God and see his goodness to us in Christ.

We walk together.

We rejoice always.

We pray thankfully.

And the final thing is we focus on grace.

Have you ever been talking to a very attractive looking person?

And they had a big spot or piece of food on their face.

And all you can do is fixate on that spot or that food.

You can't see the person.

That's what we're like in relational conflict.

That's what we're like when we're under stress.

All we see is everything that's wrong.

In the other person or in our circumstances.

And we miss peace because like I said before, we don't see the gracious hand of God at work in our lives, in the people around us, and in the world around us.

That's why Paul says,

That's why Paul says,

Finally, brothers, whatever is true, whatever is honorable, whatever is just, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, if anything is excellent or worthy of praise, think about these things.

He's saying,

He's saying,

The person you have issues with, look for signs of grace.

That tough situation you're in.

See where it's beautiful.

See where there is truthness.

See where there's something worthy of praise.

And you'll see tiny reflections of a gracious, beautiful, truthful, just, pure, praiseworthy God.

And make that your focus.

We don't ignore issues, but we dwell on grace.

And as we do these four things, we will see that we will become a kind of community that Hong Kong desperately needs.

Hong Kong needs a community of peace and joy.

We can't do it by ourselves.

We've got to rejoice in Jesus.

We've got to pray continually.

We've got to fix our eyes on the right things.

But if we're to be a people of that calm confidence and reconciled relationships in this sea of fear and hostility,

we need to make space for it.

Can I be honest?

I'm going to finish with this.

Many of us are restless.

Many of us are anxious.

Many of us are intense relationships.

Because we have an unguarded fortress in our hearts and our minds.

The reason is we just haven't made space in our minds, in our hearts, and in our schedules for the rejoicing in God.

And for other people to invite others in to walk with us in our issues.

You know, anxious people cram their days full to try and be as efficient as possible.

Anxious people are always on their phones.

Anxious people are always listening to other anxious people.

And always engaging with anxious news all the time.

And that's what fills your mind.

This church doesn't need more headless, chicken, hurried people.

It needs a people who are pursuing the God of peace.

So much that we're going to make radical decisions to make space to rejoice in him.

What does that mean?

Well, just think.

Do you plan in your week for time to rejoice in Jesus?

Jesus.

Every day, switch off your phone for 30 minutes.

And focus on Christ and his word.

Pick up the phone.

Text someone.

Invite them into your issues right now.

Set aside a day or half a day, if you can only do that, to Sabbath.

With your family or in community.

And don't just think about it.

You've actually got to do it.

You've got to plan it.

You've got to put it in there.

Because your joy and your peace is at stake.

Are we willing to take the steps to deal with relational conflict?

Realizing that Jesus died to make us this kind of people.

And the peace of God, which surpasses all your great thinking,

will guard your heart and your mind in Christ Jesus.

And the God of peace will be with us.

Do we want that?

Do we want that?

Let me pray.

Maybe you just actually want to do business with God right now.

Just feeling, is there a restlessness in your soul?

Maybe you're actually just feeling just a bit out of sorts with God at the moment.

And the idea of joy in him seems a million miles away.

Maybe you've actually been pressing into God.

But it feels like it's just been hard.

Wherever you are, I just want you to bring where you are to God right now.

I want you to be real with him.

And I want you to ask him for a supernatural work of his spirit to fill you with the joy of seeing Jesus in the gospel,

in everything around you,

in hope, in grace, in power,

to realize that he's what you need.

Father, I pray,

make us a people of peace and joy.

I pray, Lord,

where there is tensions in our relationships,

don't let us go another day,

just letting that drift.

Lord, I pray

that we would come to you,

the God of peace,

and find mercy,

find grace,

find reconciliation and power to live

a joy-filled life.

Let us be more consumed with you

than with all the things that we chase after,

realizing to become more like you

is the greatest joy we can have

because you are the greatest joy there is in the world.

Fill us more with that joy,

I pray.

In Jesus' name,

Amen.