ASSIGNMENTS

1. At least once a day read over this material and read or sing the song.

2. Place the scripture where you will see it each day.

3. Think of times when you have been in peace or turmoil and why.

4. Write down the ways you calmed yourself to more peace.

5. Plan to tell the class how you have overcome turmoil and been more at peace, or tell how you have struggled with trying to be more peaceful and couldn't .

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Did you know that according to one source, the world has only been at peace during 8% of the time since the recording of history began. In over 3500 years there has been peace less than 300 years, maybe less if some wars were not recorded. During this time 8,000 treaties have been broken. In fact, since the armistice at the end of WWI in 1918 there have been only 2 minutes of peace for every year of war.

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DAILY BIBLE VERSES AND PRAYER THOUGHTS

MONDAY - VERSES: Peace is mentioned 111 times in the New Testament. 1 Corinthians 3:3; Philippians 2:3; James 3:14-16 PRAYER THOUGHT: Ask God to forgive you for the times you have broken the peace between yourself and another.

TUESDAY - VERSES: Romans 5:1-2; Ephesians 2:14-17
PRAYER THOUGHT: Thank God for reaching out to make peace with Him possible.

WEDNESDAY - VERSES: 2 Corinthians 13:11; Colossians 3:15
PRAYER THOUGHT: Ask God to help you work to be at peace with Him first.

THURSDAY - VERSES: John 14:27; 16:33; Romans 3:17	PRAYER THOUGHT: Ask God to help you learn how to be at peace within yourself.

FRIDAY - VERSES: Mark 9:50; Luke 2:14; 12:51-53	PRAYER THOUGHT: Ask God to help you know the difference in real peace and an outward show of peace that is only an act.

SATURDAY - VERSES: Acts 10:36; Romans 12:18; 2 Timothy 2:22
PRAYER THOUGHT: Ask God to help you promote peace in your relationships with others.

SPIRITUAL HEALTH REGIMEN - WEEK 53

PEACEFULNESS - 7-28-13 TO 8-3-13

SCRIPTURE - HEBREWS 12:14 Pursue peace with all people, and holiness, without which no one will see the Lord:

COMMENT - It is God's will that we live peacefully with everyone around us. Pursue is a word which means to diligently seek and even to actively chase.

SONG - PEACE, PERFECT PEACE

1. Peace, perfect peace, in this dark world of sin: The blood of Jesus whispers peace within.

2. Peace, perfect peace, by thronging duties pressed: To do the will of Jesus this is rest.

3. Peace, perfect peace, with sorrows surging round: On Jesus' bosom naught but calm is found.

4. It is enough: earth's struggles soon shall cease, And Jesus call us to heaven's perfect peace.

THOUGHTS

Whenever I am troubled and lost in deep despair,

I bundle all my troubles up and go to God in prayer,

I tell Him I am heartsick and lost and lonely too,

That I am deeply burdened and don't know what to do.

But I know He stilled the tempest and calmed the angry sea,

And I humbly ask if in His love He'll do the same for me.

Then I just keep quiet and think on thoughts of peace,

And as I abide in stillness my restless murmurings cease.

-- Helen Steiner Rice

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Washington D.C. is full of peace monuments. We build one after every war.

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The sweet little old lady met the preacher at the church door and said to him, "Your sermons are like the peace of God," to which the preacher's wife added, "That's right - they pass all understanding."

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Several years ago a submarine was being tested and had to remain submerged for many hours. When it returned to the harbor, the captain was asked, "How did the terrible storm last night affect you?" The officer looked at him in surprise and exclaimed, "Storm? We didn't even know there was one!" The sub had been so far beneath the surface that it had reached the area known to sailors as "the cushion of the sea." Although the ocean may be whipped into huge waves by high winds, the waters below are never stirred.

The Christian's mind will be protected against the distracting waves of worry if it is resting completely in the good providence of God. There, sheltered by His grace and encouraged by His Holy Spirit, the believer can find the perfect tranquility that only Christ can provide.

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A young daughter was working so diligently at her homework that her father became curious and asked her what she was doing.

"I'm writing a report on the condition of the world and how to bring peace," she replied.

"Isn't that a pretty big order for a young girl?" her father asked.

"Oh, no," she answered, "and don't worry. There are three of us in the class working on it!"

Christ's mandate to be peacemakers remains an awesome challenge for all Christians.

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Lord, make me an instrument of Thy peace; Where there is hatred, let me sow love; Where there is doubt, faith; Where there is despair, hope; Where there is darkness, light; and Where there is sadness, joy. O Divine Master, grant that I may not so much Seek to be consoled, as to console; To be understood as to understand; To be loved, as to love; For it is in giving that we receive; It is in pardoning that we are pardoned; and It is in dying that we are born to eternal life. - Attributed to Francis of Assisi

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There is a painting titled "Peace." It depicts waves crashing against the jagged rocks. It portrays the violence of a crushing storm. It seems anything but peaceful. But down in a small corner of the painting, tucked away in the rocks, is a little bird sitting on her nest totally oblivious to the raging storm all about. That is peace.

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No God - No peace; know God - know peace.

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A hurricane is a storm with cyclonic winds that exceed 74 m.p.h. Rain, thunder, and lightning usually accompany the winds. Hurricanes can be very fierce storms with relentless pounding winds that continue hour after hour. But a very fascinating thing about a hurricane is its "eye" a place of perfect calm in its center. Though the winds blow and rage all around it, there are none in the eye. So with us in the storms of life. With the Lord as our center, there is calm and peace, even in the darkest of life's storms.

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THREE STEPS TO PEACE

INTRODUCTION

A. HEBREWS 12:14

B. GALATIANS 5:22-25

I. GET THE POISONOUS HABITS AND ATTITUDES OUT OF YOUR LIFE - NEGATIVE

II. FILL YOUR LIFE WITH HEALTHY HABITS AND ATTITUDES - POSITIVE

III. ACCEPT YOUR RESPONSIBILITIES, OBLIGATIONS AND LIMITATIONS IN YOUR RELATIONSHIPS WITH . . .

A. SELF - 1 TIMOTHY 4:15-16

B. PARENTS - EPHESIANS 6:1-3

C. SPOUSE - EPHESIANS 5:22-28

D. CHILDREN - EPHESIANS 6:4

E. EMPLOYER / EMPLOYEES - EPHESIANS 6:5-9

F. GOVERNMENT - ROMANS 13:1-6

G. NEIGHBORS - GALATIANS 5:13-14

H. ALL MEN - GALATIANS 6:9-10

I. CHRISTIANS - 1 THESSALONIANS 5:13-15

J. GOD - MATTHEW 22:37

THREE STEPS TO PEACE

INTRODUCTION:

A. Hebrews 12:14 Follow peace with all men, and holiness, without which no man shall see the Lord:

B. Galatians 5:22-25 But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, longsuffering, gentleness, goodness, faith, (23) Meekness, temperance: against such there is no law. (24) And they that are Christ's have crucified the flesh with the affections and lusts. (25) If we live in the Spirit, let us also walk in the Spirit.

I. GET THE POISONOUS HABITS AND ATTITUDES OUT OF YOUR LIFE - NEGATIVE

A. HATRED, ANGER, GRUDGES, BITTERNESS

B. ENVY, JEALOUSY

C. EVIL THOUGHTS

D. DIVISIVE ATTITUDES, MISTRUST, DEFENSIVENESS

E. SELFISHNESS, GREED

F. GUILT

G. FEAR, PARANOIA

H. PRIDE, CONCEIT, ARROGANCE

I. DECEIT

J. DOUBT

K. IMPURE MOTIVES

L. REBELLION

M. OTHER SINS

II. FILL YOUR LIFE WITH HEALTHY HABITS AND ATTITUDES - POSITIVE

A. TRUTH

B. JUSTICE

C. RIGHTEOUSNESS, OBEDIENCE

D. PURITY

E. PRAISE, ENCOURAGEMENT

F. PATIENCE

G. KINDNESS, GENTLENESS, LOVE, MEEKNESS

H. HOPE

I. FAITH, TRUST

J. HUMILITY, SERVICE

K. JOY, PLEASANTNESS

III. ACCEPT YOUR RESPONSIBILITIES, OBLIGATIONS AND LIMITATIONS IN YOUR RELATIONSHIPS WITH . . .

A. SELF - TO THYSELF BE TRUE - CONSIDER THE BOOK "BOUNDARIES" BY HENRY CLOUD - 1 Timothy 4:15-16 Meditate upon these things; give thyself wholly to them; that thy profiting may appear to all. (16) Take heed unto thyself, and unto the doctrine; continue in them: for in doing this thou shalt both save thyself, and them that hear thee.

B. PARENTS - Ephesians 6:1-3 Children, obey your parents in the Lord: for this is right. (2) Honour thy father and mother; (which is the first commandment with promise;) (3) That it may be well with thee, and thou mayest live long on the earth.

C. SPOUSE - Ephesians 5:22-28 Wives, submit yourselves unto your own husbands, as unto the Lord. (23) For the husband is the head of the wife, even as Christ is the head of the church: and he is the saviour of the body. (24) Therefore as the church is subject unto Christ, so let the wives be to their own husbands in every thing. (25) Husbands, love your wives, even as Christ also loved the church, and gave himself for it; (26) That he might sanctify and cleanse it with the washing of water by the word, (27) That he might present it to himself a glorious church, not having spot, or wrinkle, or any such thing; but that it should be holy and without blemish. (28) So ought men to love their wives as their own bodies. He that loveth his wife loveth himself.

D. CHILDREN - Ephesians 6:4 And, ye fathers, provoke not your children to wrath: but bring them up in the nurture and admonition of the Lord.

E. EMPLOYER / EMPLOYEES - Ephesians 6:5-9 Servants, be obedient to them that are your masters according to the flesh, with fear and trembling, in singleness of your heart, as unto Christ; (6) Not with eyeservice, as menpleasers; but as the servants of Christ, doing the will of God from the heart; (7) With good will doing service, as to the Lord, and not to men: (8) Knowing that whatsoever good thing any man doeth, the same shall he receive of the Lord, whether he be bond or free. (9) And, ye masters, do the same things unto them, forbearing threatening: knowing that your Master also is in heaven; neither is there respect of persons with him.

F. GOVERNMENT - Romans 13:1-6 Let every soul be subject unto the higher powers. For there is no power but of God: the powers that be are ordained of God. (2) Whosoever therefore resisteth the power, resisteth the ordinance of God: and they that resist shall receive to themselves damnation. (3) For rulers are not a terror to good works, but to the evil. Wilt thou then not be afraid of the power? do that which is good, and thou shalt have praise of the same: (4) For he is the minister of God to thee for good. But if thou do that which is evil, be afraid; for he beareth not the sword in vain: for he is the minister of God, a revenger to execute wrath upon him that doeth evil. (5) Wherefore ye must needs be subject, not only for wrath, but also for conscience sake. (6) For for this cause pay ye tribute also: for they are God's ministers, attending continually upon this very thing.

G. NEIGHBORS - Galatians 5:13-14 For, brethren, ye have been called unto liberty; only use not liberty for an occasion to the flesh, but by love serve one another. (14) For all the law is fulfilled in one word, even in this; Thou shalt love thy neighbour as thyself.

H. ALL MEN - Galatians 6:9-10 And let us not be weary in well doing: for in due season we shall reap, if we faint not. (10) As we have therefore opportunity, let us do good unto all men, especially unto them who are of the household of faith.

I. CHRISTIANS - 1 Thessalonians 5:13-15 (13) And to esteem them very highly in love for their work's sake. And be at peace among yourselves. (14) Now we exhort you, brethren, warn them that are unruly, comfort the feebleminded, support the weak, be patient toward all men. (15) See that none render evil for evil unto any man; but ever follow that which is good, both among yourselves, and to all men.

J. GOD - Matthew 22:37 Jesus said unto him, Thou shalt love the Lord thy God with all thy heart, and with all thy soul, and with all thy mind.

CONCLUSION

Hebrews 12:14

Pursue peace with all people, and holiness, without which no one will see the Lord.

Hebrews 12:14

Pursue peace with all people, and holiness, without which no one will see the Lord.

Hebrews 12:14

Pursue peace with all people, and holiness, without which no one will see the Lord.

Hebrews 12:14

Pursue peace with all people, and holiness, without which no one will see the Lord.

Hebrews 12:14

Pursue peace with all people, and holiness, without which no one will see the Lord.

Hebrews 12:14

Pursue peace with all people, and holiness, without which no one will see the Lord.

Hebrews 12:14

Pursue peace with all people, and holiness, without which no one will see the Lord.

Hebrews 12:14

Pursue peace with all people, and holiness, without which no one will see the Lord.

Hebrews 12:14

Pursue peace with all people, and holiness, without which no one will see the Lord.

Hebrews 12:14

Pursue peace with all people, and holiness, without which no one will see the Lord.

Hebrews 12:14

Pursue peace with all people, and holiness, without which no one will see the Lord.

Hebrews 12:14

Pursue peace with all people, and holiness, without which no one will see the Lord.

Hebrews 12:14

Pursue peace with all people, and holiness, without which no one will see the Lord.