God Bless. and and and you you you you so you This is the first part of two, the subject, The Way to Genuine Peace. Your peace is really important. In fact, it is the foundation of mental health. Without this core condition, one cannot make wise decisions. For example, if one has perplexity instead of peace, how do you make a decision? And so your peace is really important. And so it's important that it be genuine. So our subject today is the way to genuine peace. Like one fellow said, I'm so used to being anxious. Then when I start to get calm, I get nervous. I hope that's not true of you. So how shall we understand the way to genuine peace? The first thing we must understand is that fake anything is dangerous. Fake anything is dangerous. and we live in a context of a lot of faith. We'll come to that in a moment, but let me show you this scripture. Folly is set in great dignity. Shameful things, silly things, ignorant things, stupid things are given prominent position in our culture. Folly is set in great dignity. And here's the problem. There is a generation that is pure in their own eyes, but watch this, but is not yet washed from their filthiness. So we have fake purity. Watch here now. In fact, the scripture goes on to say, how lofty are their eyes and their eyelids are lifted up. Fake. Let's look at a definition of it. It means fraud, or sham, or imposter, pretender, hoaxer, a cheater, a deceiver, a trickster. It means artificial, or counterfeit, or imitation, not the real thing, phony, forged, false, insincere. And now we live in a culture where this is our surround. And putting your trust, can you imagine if you trusted somebody and they turned out to be a fraud? Or an imposter? Or what if the signature was forged? And imagine, understand that fake anything is really dangerous. So the scriptures come now because God has your best interest at heart. You know that, right? God has your best interests at heart. He is smart, and He loves you. And so He comes to warn us where we need warning and encourage us where we can be encouraged. So let's look at a couple of scriptures. He says, hey, watch out for false witnesses. Thou shalt not bear false witnesses against anybody. Can't lie, no lying, look at this. Thou shalt not raise a false report. And put not thine hand with the wicked to be an unrighteous witness, same kind of a deal. Now watch this peculiarity, because the scriptures add here now, I want you to see this. that just because everybody's doing it doesn't make it a good idea. He says, thou shalt not follow a multitude to do evil. So even when you feel outnumbered, don't go with the way of the wicked. False and fake everything, anything is dangerous. Look at this one, deliver my soul from lying lips and a deceitful tongue. People not telling you the truth, the whole truth and nothing but the truth. What shall be given unto thee, or what shall be done unto thee thou? Look at this, false tongue, people speaking things untrue, setting you up to extract or to reduce you in some way. The scripture talks about a false balance. In fact, the service station that says it's pumping you a gallon of gas for whatever the price is, and it's only giving you seven-eighths of a gallon. A false balance, whether it's the measure of groceries, is an abomination. But a just weight is his delight. And then there's a false gift. It's people that boast of a false gift is like clouds and wind. We live in a culture of boasters. Everybody seems to be filled with a superiority complex. And maybe they have an inferiority complex and they're just covering it up by the superior. They're always boasting about, and they try to reduce you to make them feel really something. But it comes now the scripture and says, the guy or the girl that boasts himself of a false gift is like clouds and wind, but there's no rain. Before we leave the subject, look at this scripture. Most men will proclaim everyone his own goodness. But who will tell the truth? A faithful man who can find. Everybody wants you to think they are wonderful. And so, false gift, false boasting. Watch this, because it talks about prophecy. People who prophesy false dreams. And look at this false prophets, Jesus said, you know, watch out when everybody speaks good of you, there's a trick going on because they did that and they were false prophets. So watch out, all the compliments could have a nasty motive behind them. Now watch this one because the scripture comes now to warn us about perils among, look at this, false brethren, friends that aren't really true friends. In fact, look at this scripture. This is David's testimony. It was not an enemy that reproached me, that mocked me, made fun of me, told everybody I was stupid. Because if it had been an enemy, I could handle it, because you expect that from an enemy, right? And it wasn't someone that hated me that magnified himself against me, because then I would have just hid myself from him, right? Watch this now, here's the tragedy. But it was thou, a man of my equal, look at this, my guide, his counselor, his acquaintance. Who can tell the horror, the hurt of betrayal? Our culture's full of it. Men betray their wives, women betray their husbands, they betray children. I'm not sure there's any pain greater than trusting a friend who turns out to be a betrayer. In the military, it's a death penalty for betrayal. But watch this now. So David suffers this, and he goes on. Watch about the relationship. We took sweet counsel. We had a lot of good chats together. Look at this. And we walked to the house of God in company. Fake Christians. Probably the biggest reason why so many don't follow God is because there's so many fakes, fake Christianity, fake Christians. Now, be careful about that, though, because the counterfeit is proof of the real thing. There are no counterfeit $3 bills because there are no real $3 bills. The person throws away his real 20s because there are phony 20s. That guy's crazy, right? The person says, I'm not gonna be a Christian because there are too many phony Christians. Maybe you have to say the same thing about him. The fake, the counterfeit is proof of the real thing. Scripture goes on and it's talking about appearing outward, but inside the person is full of hypocrisy and iniquity. Imagine, full of hypocrisy. And iniquity, most people don't even know what iniquity is. It's used over 360 times in the Bible. It's one of the four reasons Jesus went to the cross. He was bruised for our iniquities. It's a big human problem. I haven't got time to give you the details on it. Basically, iniquity is the Bible word for narcissism, and you should pick up a copy of this book, Amazon or wherever, on how to conquer iniquity. It's one of our books, and it would be helpful to you because I'll tell you what it is. It is playing God. It is narcissism. It is people living with a superiority complex, and they know it all and you know nothing. So watch out. Fake anything is dangerous. Now it comes to fake peace. Fake peace leaves us really damaged. and incapacitated in a lot of ways. Look at the scripture. They have healed the hurt of the daughter of my people, something to do with young ladies here, saying, look at this now, peace, peace when there is no peace. Let me just take a look at it so you can see this a little clearer here. This is the issue. People talk peace, but there isn't real peace. Fake peace leaves us still, I don't know if it's such a word, but discombobulated, confused. We lack the condition of our minds and hearts to make wise decisions. And so fake peace leaves us hurt and damaged. So this must be concluded. Authentic peace means everything. In fact, I love this scripture because authentic peace is based on some fundamental truths, which we're gonna talk about in just a couple of minutes. I have no greater joy than to hear that my children walk in truth. So the truth about peace is what we need to know. And not fake, but the real thing. There are only two worldviews about the subject of peace. I want you to see this clearly. They are opposing views. So let's go now to the words of Jesus. Watch with me now. Jesus said, peace. Oh, I like this. I leave with you. My peace. I give unto you. You got that part. Now watch the next part. I'm giving you peace, but not as the world gives peace. There is a contrast between the way to genuine peace and fake peace. Jesus says, I'm giving my peace to you. I'm leaving it with you. But it's not the way the world does it. I'm giving it to you differently than you would get it in the world. And look at the consequences. So now you can let not your heart be troubled and neither let it be afraid. No fear, no fear, no heart issue. By the way, heart issues are big issues. In fact, the scripture says, 24th chapter of Matthew, if you look it up, last days there would be men's hearts failing them for fear, for looking after the things that have come to them on the earth. Wars, rumors of wars, viruses, et cetera, wow. Fear, but not with the peace that comes from Jesus. I'm gonna show you the difference in just a moment. But the difference is God's way versus man's way. God's way to peace versus man's way to peace. Or another way of saying it, God's way versus the world's way. The world has its ideas, its philosophy on how to have peace. God's philosophy of how to have peace is drastically diametrically opposed and different in every way as you're about to see. Remember this, there are only two ways, two world views to peace. Jesus said, my peace I'm leaving with you, I give it to you, but I'm not doing it like the world does it, gonna be different, going to be different. So we know that God loves you, right? I hope you got that straight. And one of the things that God does is he warns us. So here's his warning, beware. lest any man spoil you through philosophy and vain deceit. Now watch this. I want you to see the contrast in worldviews. After the tradition of men and after the rudiments of the world, instead of not being after Christ. I don't know how many people will probably contest, I don't know. I don't know how many will tell you, and quote, that the way to peace is the way it traditionally has been found, after the way the world does it. And I'm telling you that the scriptures warn and God warns you, beware lest anybody spoil you through the philosophies and the vanity that they will deceive you. because the traditions of men and the rudiments of the world are in contrast with the way to peace that Christ teaches us how to have. Only two ways. Now, here's a big difference. God's way to peace surpasses natural understanding. Watch the scripture. The peace of God passes all understanding. So what's the difference here? And you must grasp this because this might prevent you from receiving the genuine peace. The peace of God passes understanding. The world's way has to be understood. Now watch this now. Understanding, let's talk about a definition of the word understanding. To understand means to comprehend the laws of cause and effect. So the world's way is if you do this, you'll have peace over here. You do that, you'll have peace. Cause and effect. And so they need to understand it in order to have peace. For example, I can pay my bills this month, therefore I have peace. I've got no trouble in my marriage right now, so I have peace. Everything's going good at the job, so I have peace. Cause and effect. Here's the problem. Peace is not a feeling. Peace is not an emotion, because feelings and emotions can come and go and change with circumstances, and that's the problem with the world's view of peace. So things don't go so good, you lose your peace. Why? Because there's the cause and effect. God comes along and says, I'm gonna give you peace, but it's a peace that passes understanding. It's a peace that surpasses this whole idea of cause and effect. I'm gonna give you a peace that no matter what the causes are around you, good, bad, or indifferent, you will still have your peace. It won't blow away with the winds. Nobody can rob, take it away from you. No circumstances can be so damaging as to lose this kind of peace, because it's not about cause and effect. It's a peace that passes understanding. Let's take a look at the rest of the scripture. The peace of God, because here's what it does. The peace of God, which passes understanding, shall keep your heart and your mind through Christ Jesus. This peace that God offers you is so effective that it affects your heart and it keeps your mind. And why is that important? Because if peace is the core condition, you will have mental health. Watch, if peace is the core condition of your heart and mind, you can make wise decisions on the basis of peace. But if you're, again, discombobulated, if you're confused, if, let's for example, let's say you got anger, can't make a reasonable decision now because anger will override your ability to make intelligent choice. It will influence your decision. That's why you should never make decisions when you're angry, not even flashbacks in the moment of that anger. That's why it's the meek that shall inherit the earth, not the angry people. Because you see, this kind of peace is so stabilizing. that no matter what the circumstances are, good, bad, or indifferent around you, this peace is the core condition out of which you can make wise decisions, moral decisions, spiritual decisions, accurate decisions, right decisions. That's why this kind of peace is so important. You cannot change all of your environment or that of the world whether it be the wars or the crime or the viruses or the health issues, whatever they are, you can't change all that. But you need to make wise decisions about it. And if you have peace, now you can deal with whatever is coming your way because there is this deep, settled, permanent condition of heart and mind and keeps you stable healthy, mentally alert, uncontaminated by incoming data of all negative descriptions. Peace of God will keep your heart understanding. Now, here is the issue. Remember, we have these two worldviews, gods and mans. And here's why people have a hard time getting genuine peace, because here it is. Every way of man is right in his own eyes. Look at this scripture. Even the way of the fool is right in his own eyes, but he that hearkeneth to counsel is wise. The way of the fool is right. He thinks he's right. Oh my goodness. That's why That's why you need to be really careful about the counsel you get. Here's the world problem, ready? Here it is. The way of peace they know not. So what happens? Watch here, watch the screen with me. The way of peace they know not. And as a consequence, there's no ability to adjudicate in their going, no way to make wise decisions. Because the way of peace, they don't know. So there's no judgment in their goings. Look at this now. They then make crooked paths. Without peace, you make wrong decisions. They don't know the way of peace. So they have no adjudication, reasonable decisions in their goings, and they end up making crooked paths. Now watch this now. And whoever goes in these crooked paths, look at this now, shall not know peace. It is of superlative importance to get genuine peace. But what's the problem here? The problem is the contest between God's smart and human smarts, God's love and human selfishness. Here's the New Testament version of the same. Destruction and misery are in their ways and the way of peace Have they not known? They don't know how to deal with the destruction. They don't know how to deal with misery because the way of peace, because peace is that core condition that enables us to make wise, moral, right decisions. The way of peace they have not known, watch this now. There's no fear of God. before their eyes, they think they know it all. And it has always amazed me that we humans will compete with God at an intellectual level to think that we're smarter than him. My goodness, can you imagine the infinite person trying to promote his ideas in the face of omnipotence and omniscience and infinite God's mind? He's really smart. This is probably, and we're gonna see in a moment, this is the crux of the issue. So how then do we find a way to genuine peace? The answer is that Jesus is the one who shows us the way to genuine peace. Now, I want to go to this passage of Scripture and let you take a look for yourself, because this is a Scripture talking about why Jesus came here. Look at this. Number one, he came to give knowledge of salvation unto his people by the remission of their sins. Can you imagine the peace that comes from knowing that all your sins are over with, gone, remitted, no longer causing you trouble, the past not interfering with the future or the present anymore? Imagine the peace that just comes from knowing Your sins are gone. That's why he came here. Now, I'm going to do what I like to do, but some people probably getting tired of me doing it because I got a sentence from the Lord a long time ago, and I tried to tell it because maybe repetition is the classic method of learning. If you haven't heard this, I hope you hear it now. Here it is. Never doubt that the God who can create something out of nothing can also create nothing out of something. And that is exactly what he wants to do with your sins. You get to Jesus, you get to the cross, because there on that cross a great exchange took place, and you leave your sins behind. They are forgiven, they are cleansed, and you are reestablished. Can you imagine, and we're not even to the big meat of this subject yet, but the peace that comes from knowing that my past cannot damage my present. That's why Jesus works in our hearts. Remember how the scripture says, If any man be in Christ, he is a new creation. Next part, the old things have passed away and everything has become new. Okay, let's get back to the scripture before I get off too far. He came to show the knowledge elevated to people and their remission of sins. And so through the tender mercies of God, whereby the day spring, that's another name for Jesus, that's why he came here. Imagine God came here. I mean, we were so far off. Somebody had to come straighten us out and show us, not only provide redemption, but to show us how to live. So he visited us. Now, here is why Jesus came. Watch it closely. Number one, to give light to them That's it in darkness. Most of us, we don't even know what life is about. We stumble in the dark. But Jesus said, he that follows me shall never stumble. Watch this now. He came to give light to those who sit in darkness, and he came to give light to those that are in the shadow of death. He wants to teach you how to die right. By the way, it's the only way to get to heaven. But watch this one, because it's the one we're talking about today. He came to guide our feet into the way of peace. Jesus comes to show us the way of peace. Now, there was a meeting of the disciples, and there was one we call Doubting Thomas was in the meeting, and this is what he said. Thomas said unto him, How can we know the way? And Jesus gave this brilliant, truthful answer. And Jesus saith unto him, I am the way, the truth, and the life. Watch this now. I'm the way. You will never get lost. I am the truth. You will never be confused. I am the life. You will never be depressed. I am the way. Jesus comes to show the way of truth. Now, before we get to the details on that, you've got to settle this in your thinking. Did you know that God thinks about you? The question is, if he thinks about you, what does God think about you? Most people don't realize it. If you and I could do a scan of God's brain and see what's in his mind, Do you know what you'd find there? What's in the mind of God? Answer. You. Mm-mm-mm. Imagine God thinks about you. But what kind of thoughts does he think about you? First question. So let's look at this scripture now, look at this. I know the thoughts I think toward you, says the Lord. Watch it now. Thoughts of peace and not of evil to give you an expected, a fulfilled life. God's thoughts about you peaceful okay okay okay preacher so God thinks about me yeah so listen to the preacher now because I'm asking you the question how often do you think God thinks about you I mean were you just a passing thought how often do you think God thinks about you Here's David put it, watch it now. Look at the screen, the monitor with me. How precious are thy thoughts unto me? How great is the sum of them? How many times do you think about me? Are you ready? If I should count them, they are more in number than the sand. Well, sand. A handful. How many pieces of sand in a handful of sand? A million? A billion? How much sand between where you're standing on the beach and the pier? How much sand around the Great Lakes? Erie, Ontario, Superior, Huron. How much sand around the Atlantic and the Pacific? He's got you on His mind. And His thoughts about you are more in number than the sand, and they are all peaceful thoughts. Now, I know this is hard for you to understand because we are finite in our minds and brains, but He is not. That's why you should learn to love this great person of God. He's so amazing. His thoughts about you are more in number, and the thoughts about you are always peaceful. Here's why. Because God is a peacemaker, not a troublemaker. He's known as the God of peace. Now, the God of peace will be with you. Amen. Look at this. The God of peace shall be with you. The God of peace. Over and over in scripture, he's the God of peace. All right. It is not enough to academically understand what we've just said. Genuine peace requires that you know God. Understand him. For starters, watch this scripture now, look at this. Grace and peace be multiplied, multiplied peace unto you. Now, how do you get that? Watch this. Multiplied peace through the knowledge of God and through the knowledge of Jesus our Lord. That's a requirement. You can never get the peace if you don't understand the giver of peace. It requires the knowledge of God. Now in closing, and by the way, this is part one, part two's coming. I'll give you the details on Jesus' way to genuine peace, but here's where it starts. My 10th point today is this, genuine peace begins with making Jesus the governor of your life. Peace begins with Jesus' government. If we keep going our own way, we don't have peace. If we do what everybody else tells us to do, we want a peace. So to have genuine peace, you come to this wonderful giver of peace. and you yield yourself to his management. I'm gonna do a series coming up called Developing Your Personal Life Management System. Everybody needs a life management system. And of course, a life management system requires a life manager. And I want you to know that you could choose no better than the Lord himself. But let's look at the scripture. You quote this at Christmastime, unto us a child is born, unto us a son is given. So what about him? The government shall be upon his shoulder. The government shall be on his shoulders, not a political opinion, a political position. He's not the government of a country, although our country would do well to get back to him for sure, like we were in the beginning. But watch this, the government shall be, it's on his shoulders, his responsibility, okay? And look at this, he has many names, but here's a couple of them. His name shall be called Wonderful, Counselor, the Mighty God. Did you know that that's who Jesus was, right? The Mighty God, the Everlasting Father, and he's called the Prince of Peace. He's called the Prince of Peace. Now take a look, because this word Prince means the head person, the top-ranking individual, the master or the ruler, the number one. And that's what Jesus is. He is the Prince of Peace. He's the number one. And watch this now. His government should be upon his shoulders. The government of every human life, every intelligent person should bring their life under the government of Jesus. Who's running your life? How important are the opinions of everybody else? Is everybody else telling you what to do? Is the culture shaping you? Or are you playing God yourself? I'll decide. I, the very person who's right in the middle of the word sin, I. The very person who's right in the middle of the word pride. Five, three times in the word iniquity, I, I, I. See, that's our problem. Oh, we like sheep gone astray, we've turned everyone to his own way. Genuine peace begins with bringing a person's life, in this case your life, under his government. From self-government to Christ's government. That's why He declared, man shall not live by bread alone, but by every word that proceeds out of the mouth of God. So here's what I'm asking you. Have you turned your life over to Jesus? And you say, well, why would I turn my life over to Jesus? And I want to give you two reasons why. Number one, you can trust him. He will never lead you astray. Number two, he loves you. He wants what's best for you all the time. And he's the only one smart enough to know what that is. Smart people connect with a smart God, turn their life over for his government. Now watch this. Of the increase of his government and of his peace, there shall be no end. His government of your life and the peace that you get shall not have an end point to it. Look at now. Of the increase of his government and of his peace, there shall be no end upon the throne of David and upon his kingdom, which you become part of. Watch now. And here's what he's promised to do. Number one, He's gonna order this peace for you. He's going to establish it with judgment. That means the ability to make smart decisions. And of course, it's going to be with justice. Now watch this. And this peace that you have is gonna be forever. And one concluding, watch this now. The zeal of the Lord of hosts will perform this. Your peace is His agenda. Next time we get together, I'm going to give you the details in part two. But it starts with you. Is your life under the government of God? By the way, in closing, next time we get together, I don't want your life near the panic. I want you to have the peace. There are lots of things I wish for you, but more than anything else, I wish for you the peace of God. I mean, people do help us from time to time, and if you want to help support this ministry, you can by writing to Nothing But The Truth for a tax-deductible receipt, 5570 Florida Mining Boulevard, Unit 408, Jacksonville, Florida, 32257. You'll be welcome, or you can go to the website, click on the giving statement. By the way, all the videos on there are absolutely free. And look at this title, Truth of necessity must be the basis of all wise decision-making for every area of life. Why would you want to make decisions on fake or false? So, in concluding, let me say, make sure you get started on the way to genuine peace. And that is by bringing Jesus Christ into your life to rule in the government position, unchallenged by anybody or anything else. And that will be the first step by receiving the Prince of Peace to discovering his ways. Peace. Peace be with you.