Sunday, December 8, 2013

God's Gift of Peace

Peace is a gift. During the next week we will discover the potential and possibilities of peace. We will look at obstacles to peace and discover how to begin experiencing more of God’s peace in our lives.




God Says

I have told you all this so that you may have peace in me. Here on earth you will have many trials and sorrows. But take heart, because I have overcome the world. –John 16:33

Something to Think About

Jesus never claims the world is going to be easy. He even says it is going to be difficult at times. He then declares he has overcome the world and because He has overcome the world we can overcome the world too. One of the first steps we take is accepting God’s peace.

Individual or Family Activity

Identify some areas that are making peace difficult in your lives. Write them on a sheet of paper. Make a commitment to dealing with these issues this week.




Individual or Family Prayer

Dear God -

In places like Somalia and Sudan – Connecticut and Korea
Bullets fly - Children die - Parents cry
Give us Your peace

Broken hearts
Lives too short
Fear of life and fear of death
Give us Your peace

Tears fall down our cheeks like rain from the sky
Knots in our stomach and sleepless nights
Worries about tomorrow compete for space in our mind with regrets from the past
Give us Your peace

Restlessness, impatience, annoyances, intolerance, frustration, and anger
They fill our lives like melted snow floods a fragile river
Give us Your peace

Prince of Peace – Take our burdens and give us rest.
Wonderful Counselor – Show us the way to peace.

Through the deepest valleys
In the darkest places
During the times we are completely alone
Show us the way to peace

Peace with You
Peace with others
Peace with the world
And peace with ourselves
Give us Your peace
           
Dysfunction, dismay, and despair – They exist in the world.
But you have overcome the world                                                            
Help us to be overcomers who embrace Your peace

We give you our fears
We offer you our failures                                                                                   
Our hearts are no longer troubled because of Your peace

You are God and Your peace surpasses all understanding
Guard our hearts and our minds                                                           
Teach us Your presence is greater than our struggles
Give us Your peace

Amen.

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