There once was a king who offered a prize to the artist who could paint the best picture of peace. Many artists tried. The king looked at all the pictures, but there were only two he really liked and he had to choose between them. One picture was of a calm lake. The lake was a perfect mirror of peaceful towering mountains which were all around it. Overhead was a blue sky with fluffy white clouds. All who saw this picture thought that it was a perfect picture of peace.
The other picture had mountains too. But these were rugged and bare. Above was an angry sky from which rain fell, and in which lightning flashed. Down the side of the mountain tumbled a foaming waterfall. This did not look peaceful at all. But when the king looked, he saw behind the waterfall a tiny bush growing in a crack in the rock. in the bush a mother bird had built her nest. There, in the midst of the rush of angry water, sat the mother bird on her nest in perfect peace.
Which do you think won the prize? The king chose the second picture. Do you know why? “Because,” explained the king, “peace does not mean to be in a place where there is no noise, trouble, or hard work. Peace means to be in the midst of all those things and still be calm in your heart. That is the real meaning of peace.” True peace is found not in the absence of crisis, but in the presence of Christ. Jesus said, “I have told you these things, so that in me you may have peace. In this world you will have trouble. But take heart! I have overcome the world” (John 16:33).
How do we receive this peace? When Christ calls obey. When storms distract you pray. When Christ comes let Him stay. Let Jesus change your life. It's simple, but be genuine and honest about what you are doing. You simply have to believe that Jesus lives, admit that you have done wrong things and thought wrong thoughts in the sight of a holy God, ask Jesus for His forgiveness through His sacrifice for you on the cross, and then ask Him to come and change your life.
And He will - "If you confess with your mouth Jesus as Lord, and believe in your heart that God raised Him from the dead, you will be saved" (Rom 10.9)
What happens next? You will start a relationship with the one true God - you can claim that special peace in your life that only Jesus gives.
Now stand on the promises of the risen Christ:-
"I am with you always, even to the end of the age"
"My peace I leave with you; My peace I give to you; not as the world gives ... Do not let your heart be troubled, nor let it be afraid."
Written by a Guest blogger
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