Read Romans 5:1-5
Peace to many means an absence of suffering, hardship or conflict. A person suffering with chronic illness may desire a little ‘peace’ - a little break from the pain and suffering. A father and mother who have persevered with a wayward teenager may desire ‘peace’ - a break from the toil and hardship of parenting. People in war torn lands may desire ‘peace’ - the absence of fighting and conflict.
Romans 5:1-5 does not assume that life is conflict or hardship or suffering free
A young boy, sailing with his dad, was terrified that the storms and wind would sink the yacht. But rather than close his eyes and pretend that all was ok (which is what many religions encourage us to do) he looked at his father and saw his confidence. The boy was at peace knowing that his dad would navigate them to safety. We are at peace with God in the storms and winds of life not because we close our eyes and pretend but because we know that our heavenly Father, our heavenly Dad, will navigate us to safety.
As believers in the Lord Jesus Christ we refuse to focus on the storms and winds of life. We choose to focus on our heavenly Dad who navigates us to eternal safety. Even more so, as we focus on our heavenly Dad, we rejoice in our sufferings. We praise God in the midst of the storms because these very storms produce in us perseverance, character and hope! As we grow in these characteristics we are being fitted out for heaven.
Often our hearts and minds are drawn to what we might lose through the storms of life. We tend to focus on the things of life, the people around us. While it is not wrong to care about the people around us and the things we have, if they become our focus then we can cling to them rather than cling to God. We begin to fear losing them more than we fear God. We begin to want them more than we want God. It’s very easy to lose sight of our Father and to focus on the storm because the storm can take away the things we cling to.
God promises us in verse 5 that hope will not disappoint us because God has poured out His love into our hearts through His Holy Spirit. We can trust God to care fully for our things and the people we love. If God chooses to take some of these away then we know that God is sovereign and knows what He is doing. Hope will not disappoint us. Losing people and sometimes things can be painful and tragic but our hope brings us back to God in joy. Our hope brings us back to God in total dependence. Our hope will never disappointed because it is God given and God directed.
Prayer:
Use the bible passage from today and the reading notes to write down your prayer points before you pray.
Adoration:
Confession:
Thanks:
Supplication:
¥ Pray that hope would blossom in each individual in your church.
¥ Pray for the persecuted believers in Iran/Iraq - that they would grow in hope and peace. Pray for thousands of conversions through their hope and peace.
As you read the Bible ask yourself constantly what God is saying. Don’t read what you think is there in the Bible, read what is actually there! You’ll get a few surprises!
1. What hope can you share with a believer who has lost a loved one who wasn’t a believer? Don’t take the easy way out and say this may not be a good time to talk theology!
2. What hope can you share with a believer who has lost a believing loved one?
3. What hope can you share with a persecuted believer?
4. What hope can you share with a rich wealthy believer?
Intro: Think through all you own and finish the sentence “I would fear losing … because….’. Do this for several things. Laugh a bit and have some fun.
Discuss something in your life that you have feared losing and have lost. Discuss how you related to God and how he pulled you through.
Read Hebrews 13:5
Why shouldn’t we love money?
In what way is God more powerful than money?
Do we need money?
Pray together that you would grow in trust of God.
Intro: Think through all you own and finish the sentence “I would fear losing …. because….’. Do this for several things. Laugh a bit and have some fun.
Discuss something in your life that you have feared losing and have lost. Discuss how you related to God and how he pulled you through.
Read Hebrews 13:5
Why shouldn’t we love money?
In what way is God more powerful than money?
Do we need money?
Pray together that you would grow in trust of God.
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