God's Peace Transcends All

And the peace of God which transcends all understanding will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus. Philippians 4: 7.

We have heard and know quite a lot about the heart in man. Now, we look at the heart as a new, created pure heart and the mind as the mind that was in Christ Jesus. Who will keep them? Your heart and your mind will be guarded by Peace. God’s Peace will guard them.

First, we look at The Worth of God’s Peace. It transcends all understanding. No human understanding can fathom, explain, capture or imitate this Peace. To transcend is to exceed, to surpass, or be beyond the range, sphere or power of human understanding. In plain, simple human terms, God’s peace is not touched by human doings. Such is the nature of God’s peace.

Second, we look at The Work of God’s Peace. God’s peace takes on the work of Guard to your heart and mind. Now we look at the work of Guard.

The guard is your Protection. When boxers, for example, are in the ring to fight, they wear a mouth guard that will protect the teeth from the punches and blows of the opponent or attacker. God’s Peace does this for it is Peace that protects the new heart and mind from the onslaught and unexpected attacks of anxieties, fears, doubts, depression and panic.

The guard is your Provision. Note, it is God’s Peace that provides all that the heart and mind need to live, in the midst of all that will destroy, tear apart and cause you to be maimed or make a total wreck of you. Sometimes, you see workers cutting grass from the verges of main streets, or working on some resurfacing jobs. The sun is scorching, but women with a supply of water are there to take the water to these workers so that they do not faint from lack of water or suffer from any ill effects from dehydration. In other words, one might be guarded in terms of appropriate clothing and such like, yet still fall because of a lack of the provision needed to keep one hydrated.

The guard is your Promotion. Think of this! When God’s peace is the Protection and Provision, of heart and mind, then you evidence God. You advance the peace of God to all. You become the Lord’s promotion, for others will see God’s Peace and seek Him. During Sports Days at school, I would always marvel at the Milo Company who would come in, set up a tent and give free drinks of cold Milo to all. They were pleased, proud and positive about their product and to promote it, gave it freely. All I am saying is that God, not you, wants His Peace promoted and so He gives it freely, that all might see, taste, feel and know.

Third, we look at The Warning of God’s Peace. The Word says that God’s Peace keeps and guards the heart and mind that are In Christ Jesus. Pause and soberly hear this. Many become fooled and end up frustrated for totally seeking this peace, but not receiving it. Often, they settle for less. Peace will keep your hearts and minds in Christ Jesus. In other words, it is clear. No other heart and mind will be kept by God’s Peace, only those in Christ Jesus. This could never be over emphasised. Peace, God’s Peace only is the Protector, Provider and Promoter of the heart and mind in Jesus. It is the heart and mind that have been ‘changed’ in Christ.

The problem is not all those mountains, trials and tribulations in your path. The problem is not even the severity and frequency with which those problems come to you. You see, God has already offered you His Provision, Protection and Promotion for your heart and mind. He has already given His Peace - Tried, Tested and Triumphant - in Jesus Christ. It is Peace that neither you nor your enemy can fathom. It goes beyond the abilities of any fears and anxieties that you might have. No fear! I tell you, no anxiety either, can overtake you or even hold you, for the transcending Peace, keeps.

The Lord’s Peace is offered to humans, yes people just like you, perfect candidates for Peace. Then why not earnestly and honestly, give your heart and mind to God in Christ? It was God who asked for them first, nothing of your design or make up. You never even thought this up, God did. The Lord God is still asking for your heart and mind. He will take them, give you a new heart and the mind that was in Christ Jesus. Then and only then will He be in charge of them, taking full responsibility for them.

Let Your peace keep my heart and mind, O Lord. Amen!