Wars, riots, domestic violence, and international conflicts—it’s clear that the world is not at peace. But our internal worlds don’t have to mirror this external chaos.
In this message, Dr. Stanley speaks of Jesus Christ as the Prince of Peace and explains how we can find inner contentment and true rest through a personal relationship with Him. Don’t let things like anger, lust, or bitterness steal your peace. Learn how to trust God and let Him calm your soul with His soothing presence
[Music]
the world can’t satisfy the longing in
your heart my peace Jesus it my peace
are given to you not as the world tries
it’s best to you
[Music]
four decades ago we started in touch
ministries to lead people worldwide into
a growing relationship with Jesus Christ
throughout the years we’ve seen God’s
greatness his love and his blessings in
such awesome ways that we just want
everyone to know him so let’s open God’s
Word and seek Him together next on
InTouch the narrow path to personal
peace Jesus said my peace I give unto
you not as the world gives give unto you
let not your heart be troubled neither
let it be afraid and he spoke those
words to his disciples the night before
he was going to be crucified and of
course they didn’t quite understand what
all this was about
they had an idea that something really
tough was giving rather happened but he
said my peace I give unto you and if I
should ask you this morning do you have
peace in your heart I mean do you have a
subtle sense of satisfaction not that
you everything is right but that you
have a relationship with God whereby you
convince and persuade or whatever you
face in life it’s gonna be okay because
you have him assurance that he is living
within you your name is written in the
Lamb’s Book of Life one of these days
whether you die or he comes first you
know that you go into heaven and all of
this mess is going to be over with and
things are going to be right like he
promised
do you have that sense in your own heart
well we don’t live in a very peaceful
age that’s for sure
people do not have peace about that job
about that marriage about that children
about the circumstances in which they
live or where they live or how they have
to live and so when Jesus comes along
and he says my peace are given to you
not as the world gives that is the world
can’t give the kind of peace that Jesus
offers so I would ask you do you have
that kind of peace
can you honestly say I have this sense
of peace now the Greek word is RNA which
means to put something together that is
to bind it together that is when a
person has genuine peace we sense this
together this in their heart we sense
this one listen without strife and
without consternation and all the things
at yawn the peace that Jesus Christ
offers is peace that comes through a
relationship with him that’s the only
true source of lasting peace everything
else in the world is counterfeit you may
have all the money in the world you
won’t go anywhere you choose do most
anything you want to do have most
anybody you want to have but if you
don’t have Jesus you do not have peace
you don’t have to have anything else and
you don’t have to have anybody else to
have peace Jesus said my peace are given
to you why did he say that because
that’s the only source of true genuine
peace is a personal relationship of
Jesus Christ so and you think about the
things that Jesus said the way he said
him he said we’re the children of God
and this God has got a feast that’s who
we are
and when you trusted Christ as your
Savior you took on a whole new
relationship the most important
relationship in life the only
relationship that’s going to last beyond
this life and that’s the relationship
with Christ he said for example we had
to be followers of the Prince of Peace
who is the Prince of Peace Jesus he’s
the Avenue he’s the Prince and he said
in the Sermon on the Mount we’re to be
called peacemakers I wonder how many of
you consider yourself a peacemaker now
some of you would have to say well not
when the situation I live in I’m not a
peacemaker
well Jesus didn’t say except if any but
we’re to be peacemakers watch this
there’s to be something within us
that’s so connects with someone else and
helps them to be connected to the real
true peacemaker that things begin to
change when the relationship with Jesus
Christ gets right then you have the
foundation of true genuine peace until
that happens it’s not going to be there
and if you ask the majority of people do
you have peace they’d have to say well
sometimes maybe and ultimately not
really and when I think about all the
things that Jesus said he said we’ve
been given the gift of peace this isn’t
something we work up to it’s a gift that
he gives us what is that gift watch this
it’s the gift of himself when Christ
comes into your life watch this
carefully he satisfies the longings of
your heart he promises to do it he
satisfies those hungers and thirst and
our life that really and truly satisfied
the world has all kinds of counterfeits
but there’s one narrow path that leads
to peace and it’s not the world’s
approach they offer many counterfeits
one single narrow road to peace and most
people will die
never having found it and I would ask
you if you know what that peace is do
you know how to walk that path or are
you like the rest of the world sort of
trying to get all of this and all of
that and go here and do this and do the
other trying to find something to
satisfy the knowing in your heart one
thing was certain
you can’t counterfeit peace not really
these is a precious precious gift from
one person and that’s Jesus and nowhere
in the Bible is that say there’s any
other source but I would just ask you if
you have it
doesn’t mean that you have everything
the world you want but you watch this
you can have absolute awesome complete
continuous full
of the peace of God in your life and not
have a lot of things and when I think
about Jesus and the Apostles he said my
peace are given to you not as the world
gives give unto you what he say that
because he’s saying to them the world
can’t satisfy the longing in your heart
my peace Jesus said my peace are given
to you not as the world
so when I think about that and I think
about like came across this verse in
Scripture but I don’t know how in the
world I missed it all these years and it
was sort of ashamed of myself and I
realize I missed it I had to ask God to
forgive me and so if you turn to the
10th chapter of Luke you gonna have
you’re gonna have to ask him to forgive
you also but let’s look at this if you
will
Luke chapter 10 when Jesus was sitting
his disciples out well he he he was
instructing them what to do how to do it
and yes what he says in verse 5 now
think about this and apply this to
yourself thinking don’t think about the
being in New Testament thinking about
right now whatever house you enter first
say peace be to this house did you do
you see what it says whatever house you
enter first say peace be to this house
and I got to thinking Lord has been in
in my life and I never said that Jesus
said whatever house you enter first say
peace be to this house so I had to ask
the Lord forgive me I thought that’s not
what I’ve done you said oh Jesus didn’t
mean you yes he did and so Jesus meant
what he said because what he was saying
is pray pray for this home
pray pray for the people who are living
here what kind of trouble so they
haven’t had a marriage troubles children
the kids financial troubles
disappointments and all the things that
happened within the house Jesus always
had a purpose for every single thing he
said and so this is what he said to him
whenever you go wherever you go
you bless that house before you enter it
now there’s some things that steal our
peace in our life so I want us to think
about it for example he’s promised to
give us peace and we do have peace with
him when I heart is right we’ve been
saved with the grace of God that’s I
mean you never sinned but you ask him to
forgive you and you walk his walk of
peace but there’s some thoughts there’s
some ideas that steal our peace so
remember we said pieces are narrow paths
that is if you are walking in peace that
a lot of things that are not going to be
in that pathway so let’s think about
some P stealers for a moment one of them
is lustful thoughts you cannot have
lustful thoughts and have peace they
cause the Spirit of God in a Christian
for example is going to cause you to
feel not just peace but a sense of
conviction when a person looks at
something or someone with a lustful
thought the Spirit of God isn’t saying
bless you they can the Spirit of God is
convicting he shouldn’t look shouldn’t
see shouldn’t think shouldn’t desire
and lust after it the narrow road
of peace eliminates a lot of things
lustful thoughts create not peace but
chaos in a person’s heart in the first
and soul and we live in a society that’s
full of it so that’s one thought then
for example feelings of guilt
if you feel guilt over sin in your life
Guildford was something you didn’t do
should have done guilt over something
you said you should not have said you
can’t have you can’t have peace watch
this peace you’re listening same in
peace is fragile the path of peace is
very narrow and that is thoughts that
are guilty thoughts destroy peace or
anger you can’t be angry and the
these can’t be God talks about angered
doesn’t belong in their hearts you can’t
be angry toward somebody and have peace
in your heart at the same time you said
well but if you know what they did to
you you got a right to be angry no you
don’t how can you have peace in your
heart if something inside of you is
knowing away and and getting more and
more bitter every day you cannot peace
is a narrow pathway I think about people
for example who are very very bitter
about something that’s happened in their
past they can’t get over it
the way they’ve been treated what they
feel may be true and nowhere in the
Bible is that say you have a right to be
angry and bitter if somebody does this
and so no I’ll tell you what subtle did
when Jesus went to the cross if anybody
had a right to be bitter and angry and
resentful he did but he did not and so
by example he says it and by word he
teaches us not to be bitter and angry no
matter what happens and a lot of people
who are miserable today because they’re
bitter toward someone for something
they’ve done maybe they cheated you in
some fashion maybe they made a promise
they broke and I’ll think about having
two people make promises to each other
about marriage and break those promises
you can’t be living a double life and
have peace no matter how fine your
automobile is that big your bank account
what position you have you may be number
one and whatever the situation you’re in
you don’t have peace with God if you’re
not obedient to God you cannot the world
doesn’t believe that they’re trying to
deaden their conscience and did their
feelings because what’s going on within
them that’s wrong is that’s destroying
them
our thought life you cannot escape what
you think by taking the pill or having a
drink think about this how foolish when
you can have a piece of a loving
Heavenly Father and you decide no this
is the route I’m going and then people
who see me they’re pretty good if you
look at self-centeredness very self send
it’s all about me it’s all about what I
want it’s not about what I deserve
it’s all about what I think it’s all
about what I want to do listen you can
have no peace if you’re all wrapped up
in yourself that’s self centered is it
selfish it says pride can having a piece
like that then I think about people who
doubt people who live in doubt they
doubt the word of God they doubt that
God will answer that prayer they doubt
that going to church are making a
difference in the world they doubt their
friendships their relationships they
live that the skeptics at heart there’s
no peace in that in fact if you’ll think
about it it’s a very very very narrow
path to genuine peace because we have a
lot of things around us of Steel at
peace if we allow it can you live
peacefully and have peace and enjoy
peace in the world is confused and mixed
up and as wrong as ours is yes you can
watch this
it isn’t relationship plus its
relationship period you ought to write
that now it’s not relationship plus its
relationship period
it’s Jesus and you he is the source of
peace he is the provider of peace he and
he alone and all you have to do is look
around talk to your friends or your
enemies of the people you work with find
out how many find out how many people
you talk to you can tell by their
conversation whether they have peace or
not because watch this a person who does
not have peace
cannot hide it and people think if they
get enough money bill have peace how
much money is enough it’s never enough
there’s only one source of true genuine
peace that is having a sense of oneness
with God a sense of unity that’s the
source of all genuine peace no matter
what happens this is how we meet people
once in a while who are going through
situations in circumstances we think how
do they handle that and every once in a
while I’ve met someone who and I walk
away and think Oh God I hope I could
have the kind of peace they have going
through what they go in through Jesus
Jesus Jesus Jesus Jesus is the source of
true genuine lasting peace anything else
and everything else is a substitute I
think also people who are living in
doubt about the things of God and I’ll
think about people for example who just
are not believers and I can tell you
this not living long enough to know this
I’ve never met a person who is not a
Christian who gave me any true genuine
evidence that they were really happy
little fluff on the outside a lot of
that sounded good but the more I
listened and the more I watched and then
what I didn’t see and didn’t hear that’s
not these let me tell you something when
you have Jesus in your heart you can’t
keep it to yourself and it’s not that
you have to act out you don’t have to
act anything you just allow him to
express who he is through your
conversation watch this your
conversation your conduct and your
character and I think for example people
who are living in unbelief
they are miserable no matter what they
say to you they’re miserable if you
don’t if you don’t have Jesus in your
life and let me ask you a question what
do you have that you can really and
truly depend upon Jesus is the source
the narrow road to peace is a
relationship with Jesus and I think
about people for example who get jealous
they think they’ve got everything just
right somebody else comes along and they
get jealous about this and jealous about
that and jealous about somebody and
that’s not peace peace is a gift of God
that comes through the presence of
Christ in our life that’s the source of
peace this is why some people can go
through the most terrible horrible
circumstances and situations that are
loss and suffering heartache and pain in
their life and have this awesome sense
of unshakable peace because they have
one relationship that’s right
now how do we experience this peace I
want you to write them down and the
first one says this we must believe that
he is in control of our life and our
circumstances I don’t believe that not
y’all having a peace otherwise we will
attempt to be in control and there’s no
peace in that struggle but do I believe
that he is an absolute control he is
just because I get out of control
doesn’t mean he’s out of control doesn’t
mean that he can’t does not control
everything so ask yourself the question
do I believe that he is in control of my
life I didn’t say feel like it that you
believe that he’s in control the second
statement is this we must believe that
his offer of peace is real and be
willing to accept his offer peace in
spite of our feelings
can’t go by feelings here’s off my peace
I give unto you not as the world gives
give unto you let not your heart be
troubled
not like what the world’s got to offer
because it doesn’t satisfy anything and
then in order to have peace we must
fully surrender a total life mind will
and emotion that Jesus is Lord we must
fully surrender a total life mind will
in the motion to Jesus is Lord that is
my character my conversation and my
conduct I must surrender them peace is
this awesome eternal relationship this
one that’s with Jesus does that mean
that you’ll never have any trouble no
does it mean that you’ll never get sick
no doesn’t mean that you’ll ever have
fear no but here’s what happens whenever
and whatever comes your way you can
respond with this absolute certainty the
Lord Jesus who is in me will see me
through this he will be adequate no
matter what’s going on in my life so I
would ask you a simple question do you
have peace in your life were you sitting
here this morning when you first came in
and you were worried about something
concerned about something maybe you were
feeling jealousy maybe you were feeling
lustful maybe you were feeling just
distraught about the way that you’ve
been treated maybe you were concerned
about what’s going to happen tomorrow on
your job well that person that you just
don’t like being around you see you go
to church in the terrible shape but time
you get out unless you willing to
surrender your life to Jesus
and say Lord yeah Here I am
here’s my life I’m gonna trust you not
for how people are gonna treat me well
I’m gonna receive or not receive I’m
gonna trust you to be in me what only
you can be and I’m gonna trust that you
have absolute control and that you’re
gonna make it all come out in such a
fashion it’s gonna be a blessing to you
Lord and a blessing to me sometimes
those trying painful circumstances in
life turn out to be a seedbed just the
seedbed of awesome peace that God
since the aligner now listen you’ve
heard all of this and every single one
of us knows in our heart right now if we
have peace on earth you have to ask
anybody else you know where you have
peace not watch this carefully you can’t
have it no matter what you’re going
through you can have it the invitation
to peace is always there from Jesus so
what does it require of me surrender my
life to Him okay Jesus I’ve messed it up
I’m just surrendering myself to you
whatever you choose I’m going with it
I’m gonna believe that you the source of
my peace is my peace and you will see me
through whatever I’m facing and you’ll
see me through it knowing in my heart
you are the source of my peace I ask you
one last question if Jesus is not the
source of your peace now be honest if
Jesus is not the source of your peace
what is I love that verse my peace I
give unto you not as the world gives let
not your heart be troubled neither the
afraid and maybe you have been listening
or watching and you’re thinking okay you
just don’t know my circumstances he does
he knows all about your circumstances
and you know what he’s willing to do
forgive you of your sin cleanse you but
it’s a matter of surrender and a matter
of faith am I willing to believe that he
can clean up this horrible mess I made
if I surrender my life to him let me ask
my question is NMS too big for God then
he’s got your number had me he’s waiting
for you to deal with him he’s waiting
for you to bring it to him to say lord I
messed these things up in my life I’ve
heard other people I’ve cheated that
whatever done yeah whatever whatever
you’ve done in your life I’m giving it
all to you I’m surrendering my life to
you what will he do forgive you watch
this and forget it give you a new start
and that’s my prayer for you and father
thank you that you didn’t list 20 things
for us to do the change in order to have
your peace you said trust me trust me
trust me
thank you for loving us enough to make
it so simple and plain thank you for
loving us enough to forgive and forget
and give us a new start in Jesus name
Amen if you’ve been blessed by today’s
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