Peaceful Rest – BT4
New Testament verses on Peaceful-Rest
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Don’t forget to read Peaceful-Rest – BT2 for the summary and the ‘take away’ action items.
Jesus “rebuked (a) the wind and/coupled spoke (b) to the sea, ‘Silence now (c)! Become speechless now, with ongoing results!’ And the wind ceased, and there was a great calm.” He had told the wind and waves to “Shut your mouths now and keep them shut!” (d)! Jesus came to “give light to those who sit in darkness . . . to guide our feet into the way of peace” (e). Jesus promised, “In Me you might have peace, though in the world you shall indeed have tribulation, but take heart – I have overcome the world” (f). <Notes> a) epitimao: ‘corrected to prevent wrong,’ more wrong in this case, b) imperatively, with forceful urging, c) siopao, d) Mark 4:39, e) Luke 1:79, f) John 16:33.
To feel this overcoming peace, you have to “leave the world behind” to be “IN Christ.” Paul and others make this part of their standard greeting, “Unconditional-loving-favor-of-grace to you and peace from God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ” (a). Paul gives this benediction: “Now may the Lord of peace himself give you peace at all times in every way. The Lord be with you all” (b). <Notes> a) Romans 1:7; 1 Corinthians 1:3; 2 Corinthians 1:2; Galatians 1:3; Ephesians 1:2; Philippians 1:2; Colossians 1:2; 1 Thessalonians 1:1; 2 Thessalonians 1:2; 2 Timothy 1:2; Titus 1:4; Philemon 1:3; cf. 1 Peter 1:2; 2 Peter 1:2; 2 John 1:3; 3 John 1:15; Jude 1:2; Revelation 1:4, b) 2 Thessalonians 3:16.
Paul warns “to set the mind [direction] on the flesh [to fulfill its cravings] is death, but to set the mind on the Spirit [to fulfill its cravings] is zoe genuine-life and peace” (a). “For the kingdom of God is not a matter of eating and drinking but of righteousness and peace and joy by the means of the Holy Spirit” (b). “May the God of hope fill you with all joy and peace in/by/with having trusting-relying-faith, so that by the enabling-power of the Holy Spirit you may abound in hope” (c). “Comfort one another, agree with one another, live in peace; and the God of unconditional-love and peace will be with you” (d). “The [singular] fruit/nature of the Spirit IS-defined-as/exists-as Unconditional-Love, and it’s ‘flavors’ are a series of adjective-nouns:] joy, peace, . . .self-control/mastery” (e). <Notes> a) Romans 8:6, b) Romans 14:17, c) Romans 15:13, d) 2 Corinthians 13:11, e) Galatians 5:22.
Conversational-prayer is the key: “Do not be anxious about anything, but in everything by proseuche conversational-prayer and/coupled deesis supplication/entreaty with thanksgiving let your requests be made known to God. And the peace of God, which surpasses all the mind’s-understanding (a), will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus” (b). <Notes> a) nous: “the conscious, intellectual thinking, understanding, and word-forming mind,” but also the “complete inward hidden man, including the unconscious soul of mind, emotions, will, and even the spirit of man – see Identity, b) Philippians 4:6-7, c) Matthew 11:28-29.