Jan 14 Mon - 1 Tim 6

Jan 15 Tues - John 14

Jan 16 Wed - John 16

Jan 17 Thr – Mt 6

Jan 18 Fri - Heb 13

Jan 19 Sat – Phil 4

PRAYER: A - Adoration (prayer of centering; focus on God's goodness); C - Confession (prayer of repentance and asking for God's forgiveness); T - Thanksgiving (prayer of gratefulness, content, joy, avoiding pessimism); S - Supplication (prayer for others; then pray for yourself)

S - STOP and listen... give God some time to speak to you --- end with the LORD'S PRAYER

Where to begin: What's the state of your soul today? Who is going to heaven because of you?

A. 1 Key to Embracing Life's Unknowns is to Learn to Live in "Peace"/Contentment

Rom 8:1-6, "The Spirit leads to life and peace."

John 14:27, "Peace I give to you... I do not give as the world gives."

What does the world give?

John 16:33, "In the world, you will have distress... I have overcome the world"

B. Distress (anxiety, worry, sorrow, pain) = the opposite of peace

1. Is Jesus right, that the world causes you distress? Where? How? (Hint: people)

2. If Jesus offers peace, then how do you define peace? What is "peace" to you?

- Modern English, "state (not an attitude but an internal condition of one’s heart) of stillness and serenity, of freedom from disquieting, agitating, anxious thoughts and a condition of harmony in relationships" Which ones? (Jesus says: God, Others, Self)

- Serenity from NT Greek word, "Eirene" = to bind together what is broken

- Eirene comes from OT Hebrew, "Shalom" = wholeness, completeness

C. Shalom/Peace is Lost, when something "inside of you" becomes broken. Note: Peace is not lost, when something outside of you becomes broken.

1. Our Culture's Perspective on Peace? = a result of external brokenness

a. pre 1760 - Western world agrarian/uneducated - slow pace; focus on past

- learned from the past, planted crops and then watched them grow

b. 1760 - Industrial Revolution shifted focus to "always a better future"

- postpone today, because we believe tomorrow will be better

- postpone living (purchases, etc), because upgrade is around corner

c. Today - we mortgage today in hopes of a better tomorrow; we believe "we" will live to see the future and its upgrades; just a matter of time, and life will be better

d. Problem: Today = future you believed yesterday would fix your problems

2. Worry/Anxiety = always the result of focusing on the future ("what if" scenarios)

a. Mt. 6:25-34, "Do not worry about tomorrow."

- God commands we not focus on future. Why? Because focusing on the future "breaks"/creates brokenness regarding what is already good today.

- You cannot be content with what you have, and also desire an upgrade

b. Jesus/God says, the future will not fix your problems/brokenness, precisely because your brokenness is not related to an upgrade/external fix/solution

D. Contentment = Letting Go of "what ifs" to be at "peace" with "what is"

- this does not mean ignoring healthy boundaries or good stewardship

1. 1 Tim 6:6-11; Luke 12:15; Phil 4:11-12; Heb 13:5, "Be content..."

2. Hiking at Big Bend - Is the point the drudgery to the mountaintop? (hint: no)

Application? The Journey is the destination. Glorifying God along the way is the goal.