Bible study---Peace

 During advent I decided to do a Bible study centered on what each of the candles represent. A while back I posted my "hope week summary". Today I will write up my peace week. 

Currently I am reading a devotional put out by the Methodist church on our advent mission. I am really enjoying it. Today's read emphasized my hope study. He said Peace or Shalom is what we lost in Eden and can only be found again through Jesus. 

The Bible has a different definition of peace than what is generally assumed. It is not necessarily the absence of fighting, although that is important. The peace the Bible generally refers to is the deep soul satisfying peace that lets you feel ok even though life is crazy. There are a lot of references to peace in the concordance so I just picked some at random so I would be reading about 7 a day, from those I  picked what spoke to me most at this time in my life.

Judges 6:24, 2 Kings 9:17, 1 Chronicles 19:19, Psalm 29:11, Psalm 34:15, Psalm 37:11 

In the old testament, when the Jews followed the law they had peace, when they didn't they died or were enslaved. God gives us peace when we look for it and are meek. 

Psalm 119:165, Proverbs 12:20, Proverbs 14:30, Proverbs 17:1, Isaiah 9:6, Isaiah 26:3, Isiah 32:1, Isiah 4:18

When we have peace, we are healthy and joyful. To have peace, we must fix our minds on God because only Christ brings peace. 

Isiah 59:8, Zechariah 8:19, Matthew 10:34, Mark 9:50, Luke 1:79, Luke 19:38

There is no peace for the wicked, but Jesus will guide up to peace. When we follow Christ we will find conflict in the world but Christ will bring us peace. We must keep peace with other Christians when we are tested and we have to recognize God's way to peace. 

John 14:27, John 16:33, Romans 2:10

You get peace through the word of God and allowing Him to make you righteous, then you are to spread His peace to others. Live in peace, encourage others, rejoice. 

Ephesians 6:15, 1 Thessalonians 5:13, Hebrews 12:11, 1 Peter 3:11, Revelations 6:4, 1 Timothy 2:2, James 3:18

When you seek righteousness and wisdom you will have peace. Pray for peace and all to be saved but in the end days God will give permission for peace to be removed from the earth and people will slaughter each other. 

My summary is that while there won't be peace in the world, we can find peace within ourselves. We must fix our minds on God, seek out what He wants us to do and how He wants us to learn to be more like Jesus. When we do what He wants we can have peace which brings us joy and we can spread that to others.