Don’t you wish it was that easy to order up some PEACE and JOY? Life is hard. Circumstances can become overwhelming. Stress happens, but how you “deal” with it is the key. We need to keep things in perspective, not OUR perspective, but God’s! What will this circumstance or stress mean in eternity? Will all this really matter in Heaven or Hell? Do you know where you are going when you die? The Bible tells us how we can know for sure where we are going when we die. The Bible tells us how we can have PEACE and JOY. True PEACE and JOY can only come from a personal walk with the LORD.
Evangelist Dan Souza preached a great message last night at Tri-State Baptist Church on Psalm 91 and dwelling in the secret place of the most High. It was a great message. Unfortunately, Brother Souza doesn’t allow his messages to be recorded. However, PRAISE GOD, His Word is always there and can work in our lives if we just take the time to dwell in the secret place.

What is the secret place? Well, it is the time that you talk with the LORD. Not just talking TO the LORD, but talking WITH the LORD. No, I don’t mean the LORD will talk audibly to you, but I do mean that He will speak to us through His Word and our quiet time with Him. When is the last time you had quiet time with the LORD? Psalm 91:1-2 tells us “He that dwelleth in the secret place of the most High Shall abide under the shadow of the Almighty. I will say of the LORD, He is my refuge and my fortress; my God; in Him will I trust.”

I know my quiet time can use some revival. I have good intentions, but sometimes, I just get busy and put other things before the Lord. But PRAISE THE LORD, He is always there just waiting for His children to come to Him. He wants and desires for us to dwell with Him in the secret place and have our quiet time with Him.

Psalm 95:1-7 tells us “O Come, let us sing unto the LORD, let us make a joyful noise to the rock of our salvation. Let us come before His presence with thanksgiving, and make a joyful noise unto Him with psalms. For the LORD is a great God, and a great King above all gods. In His hand are the deep places of the earth: the strength of the hills is His also. The sea is His, and He made it: and His hands formed the dry land. O come, let us worship and bow down: let us kneel before the LORD our maker. For He is our God; and we are the people of His pasture, and the sheep of His hand. To day if ye will hear His voice.”

So do you want PEACE and JOY today? It all starts with Jesus first, Others second, and Yourself last. Here is a recent devotion from Dr. Paul Chappell on PEACE. EnJOY every moment and dwell in the secret place TODAY!

Peace Be Unto You

by Dr. Paul Chappell

“And they rose up the same hour, and returned to Jerusalem, and found the eleven gathered together, and them that were with them, Saying, The Lord is risen indeed, and hath appeared to Simon. And they told what things were done in the way, and how he was known of them in breaking of bread. And as they thus spake, Jesus himself stood in the midst of them, and saith unto them, Peace be unto you. But they were terrified and affrighted, and supposed that they had seen a spirit. And he said unto them, Why are ye troubled? and why do thoughts arise in your hearts? Behold my hands and my feet, that it is I myself: handle me, and see; for a spirit hath not flesh and bones, as ye see me have.”

Luke 24:33–39

Because of the empty tomb, we have peace.

The resurrection of Christ is the most beautiful picture ever painted, the most beautiful song ever sung, and the most beautiful sunrise ever witnessed. It is the embodiment of everything our world strives to portray. Hollywood seeks to produce the ultimate good-triumphing-evil story, but that story has already been told in the Bible. Singers seek to compose a song that touches the depth of a person’s soul, but God’s song of resurrection has already accomplished that. Artists seek to move people’s emotions through art, yet the picture of the empty tomb moves more than paint could.

How glorious is the empty tomb! It is the symbol of victory. It is the finisher of salvation. As Paul writes in 1 Corinthians 15:55–57, “O death, where is thy sting? O grave, where is thy victory? The sting of death is sin; and the strength of sin is the law. But thanks be to God, which giveth us the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ.” Death no longer has power over the saved. The grave is powerless in the life of the saved. Death no longer means the end, but the beginning of a new life with Jesus.

While many religions look somberly to the death of their leader, notice the gift Jesus provides us through the empty tomb.

Because of the empty tomb, we have peace. Fear was running rampant among believers after Jesus’ death, yet as Jesus appeared to His apostles, He greets them with a reminder of peace, “Peace be unto you.”

Jesus’ resurrection quieted the doubts and fears of those watching His ministry. He offered peace to those troubled by the uncharted waters they were facing. He promised peace to those worried by the chaos in the world. He extended peace to those trying to make sense of confusing events in their lives. His resurrection offered peace.

Our Lord no longer lies in a tomb. His ministry didn’t end at His death. Our God is alive and reigning in Heaven right now. Because of His resurrection, we can have peace during even the most troubling of times because we know He is in control of all that happens in the world.

Jesus offers you peace today through His empty tomb. You don’t have to worry about the future or stress about the unknown. As Jesus told His apostles, so He tells you, “Why are ye troubled? and why do thoughts arise in your hearts? Behold my hands and my feet, that it is I myself: handle me, and see; for a spirit hath not flesh and bones, as ye see me have.”

The apostles wondered at their fate so much that they locked themselves in a room and refused to let others inside. They were frightened by the Lord’s death. But as Jesus showed them His resurrected body, He quieted their fears and reassured them that He was very much alive and still in control.

Why are you troubled today? Do you believe Jesus is alive and in control of the world? Don’t allow the world’s problems to worry you, but remember that because of the empty tomb, you can know God is in control.

To learn more about the ministries of Lancaster Baptist Church and Pastor Chappell, please visit lancasterbaptist.org, paulchappell.com, or follow him on twitter.

Daily Bible Reading
2 Chronicles 13–14 | John 12:1–26