Category: Prayer

Author: Rachel Kidd

Joy is peace dancing. Chaos is peace undefined. 

-F.B. Myer  

Baptist minister and prophetic evangelist Frederick Brotherton Meyer is best known for his part in the revival. Fittingly, his words on peace describe not a still peace, but rather one that moves, a living, active sort of peace.  

Revival happens when God’s presence brings hope and new life to His people, a renewal of faith, energy, and worship. Revivals tend to be on a large scale, inciting broad social change and inspiring zealous action.  

In short, revivals are not typically associated with peace. Many would describe revivals as chaotic, even sometimes energetic, and impassioned. Yet, they are also places of profound joy and peace, springing with God’s presence.  

I understand Myer’s description of peace as a spectrum, where joy becomes abounding peace personified and defined by the act of dancing. On the other hand, peace can also be utter chaos in its undefined and unregulated state.  

Without a clear definition and boundaries, peace can easily descend into chaos. God has the unique power to create, define, and transcend peace. Without the scripture, peace lacks the anchor it needs to exist. God and His word are the grounding force that defines peace, breathing it into our lives.  

 Peace, Defined 

You turned my wailing into dancing, you removed my sackcloth and clothed me with joy. –Psalm 30:11 

Here in Psalms, God is described as a giver of joy, the source of a joy so profound, it overwhelms deep sadness and grief. A sackcloth was a piece of clothing made from rough, unfinished fabric worn by the Israelites in times of mourning.1  

By replacing the fabric associated with grief and death with fibers made from pure joy, we see God working to define peace as joy. This joy is manifested through dance, transforming into praise from tears.  

There is a time for everything, and a season for every activity under the heavens: a time to be born and a time to die, a time to plant and a time to uproot,  a time to kill and a time to heal, a time to tear down and a time to build, a time to weep and a time to laugh, a time to mourn and a time to dance. –Ecclesiastes 3:1-:4  

A scriptural support for the idea that peace exists on a continuum, this verse describes seasons of life. There is a time for everything, like the seasons change from summer to fall, from winter to spring, so we have times of sadness and times of joy. 

May the God of hope fill you with all joy and peace in believing, so that by the power of the Holy Spirit you may abound in hope. –Romans 15:13  

Romans encourages us with the hope of believing, praying joy and peace over those who believe in Christ and are filled with the Holy Spirit. It’s a beautiful reminder of the power of faith and the peace that follows.  

For you shall go out in joy and be led forth in peace; the mountains and the hills before you shall break forth into singing, and all the trees of the field shall clap their hands. –Isaiah 55:12 

A prophecy of peace, this verse proclaims joy in the name of the Lord that is expressed through singing and clapping.  

Peace I leave with you; my peace I give to you. Not as the world gives do I give to you. Let not your hearts be troubled, neither let them be afraid.  

—John 14:27  

Jesus reminds us that He leaves us in peace, that He is the source of peace. He calls us to live not in fear and worry, but in peace that is not of this world.  

Peace Framework 

The concept of the peace framework helps us break down what it means to curate a peaceful life and truly understand the steps needed to take towards peace. There are three sides to the peace framework triangle; place, provision, and physical health.  

Each month in this series, we will dive deeper into each piece of the framework and get a better understanding of how we can apply these concepts as we create a peaceful life.  

 Much like Maslow’s Hierarchy of Needs, the Peace Framework provides a structure that helps us understand the components of a broader concept. It breaks down something that can be difficult to grasp into pieces that are much easier to understand. 

1. Place:  
   • Your environment, whether physical, mental, or social. 
   • Your place can impact your peace for the positive or negative. 
2. Provision: 
   • Your belongings and monetary provisions that sustain you.  
   • Whether you have enough or not enough, the worry of providing for yourself and your family impacts your peace. 

1. Physical Health 
   • Your well-being, safety, and mental stability.  
   • In times of sickness, whether physical or mental, people often experience a lack of peace.  

Each piece of the peace framework is applicable to everyone, regardless of where you live or your socioeconomic status. Helpful frameworks are broadly applicable and are easily adaptable to nearly anyone’s experience.  

 This series will delve deeper into each aspect of the peace framework and how we can apply the concepts to our lives, along with biblical knowledge, for a more peaceful and joy-filled life.  

Author: Rachel Kidd 

Blessings 

Since the dawn of time, people have waged war and wished peace on each other. In the midst of feast and famine, peace and war, Believers in the early church pronounced blessings of grace, peace, and mercy. In the years that followed, followers of Christ continued this tradition of blessings of peace, especially in the most trying times.. This Gaelic Blessing is an excellent example of this emphasis on the peace that comes with Christ.  

Deep peace of the running wave to you.
Deep peace of the flowing air to you.
Deep peace of the quiet earth to you.
Deep peace of the shining stars to you.
Deep peace of the gentle night to you.
Moon and stars pour their healing light on you.
Deep peace of Christ, of Christ the light of the world to you.
Deep peace of Christ to you.
A Gaelic Blessing
God of Peace 

You will keep in perfect peace him whose mind is steadfast, because he trusts in you. – Isaiah 26:3 

In the Old Testament book Isaiah, we are told that there are two conditions that must be met before God can bless us with peace. First, we must keep our minds steadfast, or resolute in our faith, and we must fully and completely trust in Him.  

Do not be anxious about anything, but in every situation, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God. And the peace of God, which transcends all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus. Finally, brothers, whatever is true, whatever is noble, whatever is right, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is admirable—if anything is excellent or praiseworthy—think about such things. – Philippians 4:6-8  

In Philippians 4, Paul shares his practical advice for daily Christian living; a prescription for peace. He is talking about the peace of God, not world peace, rather the kind of perfect, personal peace that can only come through God.  

 Like Isaiah, Paul prescribes us twelve additional conditions we must meet in order for God to grant us His perfect peace.  

1. Do not worry about anything.  

Paul was shackled in filthy, painful conditions in a Roman prison, beaten, whipped, and stoned. Paul was shipwrecked and blinded, experiencing all the horrors of persecution at the hands of the Romans. Yet, he did not worry because he relied on God’s grace.   

1. Pray about everything.  

Sometimes prayer will deliver us from the pain we are experiencing, sometimes it will not. God sometimes chooses to give grace to live through the difficulty, the ability to endure it for His glory. 

1. Think about good things.  

We are to control thoughts instead of letting them control us, not only for peace, but for sanity. To dwell on things that are unjust, painful, or impure only makes us feel discouraged and low. Even in the most difficult circumstances, thinking of good things that praise God will be uplifting to our soul.   

1. Do what is right.  

Paul encouraged the Philippians to follow his example and live in a way that is right in the eyes of God. He tells them to do what they know and believe to be good and right.  

1. Do not question the value of the good you have done.  

It can be difficult to live righteously and suffer in poverty, pain, or sickness while watching immoral, evil people live in comfort and wealth. But Paul reminds us that even if our good works are not rewarded on earth, we will be rewarded in heaven.   

1. Be thankful.  

In prison, beaten and alone, Paul had two choices. He could grieve his unfortunate circumstances, or he could thank God for what he did have. He was alive and able to commune with the Lord, and so he chose to thank God for the opportunity to spend so much time with Him. We have that same choice too in our own difficult circumstances.  

1. Be gentle.  

When we accept even our most difficult circumstances as the will of God instead of fighting against them, we can be at peace. This gentleness is of acceptance, understanding that we are a part of God’s plan.  

1. Be patient.  

We have to learn to wait on the Lord, even when we don’t understand His ways or His plan for our life.  

1. Remember the nearness of our Lord.  

The Lord always stands by us, even when others desert us. Paul was never alone, even when everyone he knew abandoned him, God never left his side. Remembering that our God is near brings us peace when we are lonely or afraid.  

1. Find joy in knowing Christ and growing closer to Him.  

Our relationship with God should bring us joy as we learn about Him, bringing us peace rather than relying on the unreliable joy of earthly things.  

1. Value the approval of God, far above that of others.  

The approval of man is conditional and fleeting, but walking in the way of the Lord means peace.  

1. Rest your hearts and minds in Christ, knowing that He can do what you cannot do.  

It’s not what I am, it’s what He is. It’s not what I can do, it’s what He can do.  

God wants you to find true and lasting peace in Him. While the Western mind typically operates in “either, or” categories, the Eastern mind operates with the understanding of “both, and” categories. While God is a God of righteous wrath and judgment, He is also a God of peace.  May His peace rest upon you knowing that he wages war against the evil one on your behalf. 

Utilize this list from the Great Physician as a blessing and medicine for your soul in the midst of the battle. 

Author: Charles Hegwood

We do not often equate the Kingdom of God and our prayer life. We must answer the question of what does Kingdom minded prayer look like for the life of a follower of Jesus. Of course it should come as no surprise that Jesus has answered this question in several gospels. For example in Luke Jesus is modeling how to pray for His disciples. In Matthew, the focus of our discussion today, the context is the Kingdom of God. As we begin to dig into Matthew 6:5-15, we will see what a kingdom minded prayer is not and what it is. The main idea of our discussion is that unlike the hypocrites we should pray to the Father with His honor and Kingdom in mind.These are the prayers God hears and they change the way we talk with others.  

What Kingdom Prayer is Not  

Interestingly, before Jesus told His disciples what prayer is, He first reminded them of what it is not. If it was important for Jesus it must be important for us as well. People were praying. Prayer was not a new concept to the first century Israelite or the Gentile. But not all prayer is created equal. According to Jesus we should avoid praying to achieve adoration from others. This problem is not so foreign to us today. Imagine the person who stands up to pray and they give a great elegant prayer that is more of a performance than it is a genuine prayer. In Jesus’ day people would pray to be seen as holy and respected. Jesus’ response is to pray in private. Now Jesus is not suggesting that public prayer is wrong. The problem was the attitude of the person praying. Your attitudes toward your prayer are important too. Attitudes and motives matter. Remember, as we will soon see, we pray not to others, but to an audience of one; the Father.  

The second way not to pray is to not babel on and on. You may have experienced this. This is the person who gets up to pray and rambles. It is a salad of words and ideas. The use of the word ‘babel’ has the connotation of trying to capture God’s attention. This is a sputtering of words with the hopes of manipulation and pestering God. Jesus warns there is no need for this. The Gentiles pray in vain anyway. The Father listens to His children. You do not have to use many words or even fancy words to capture His attention or bend His arm. After all, God knows what you need before you ask. These are two attitudes and ways to not approach the Father. Then how are we to pray?  

What Kingdom Prayer is 

The word ‘therefore’ connects to what we just read and discussed which then progresses the conversation to what Jesus is about to say. Jesus will now utter the words that many a person can recite without much thought. I prayed this prayer with my marching band every Friday and Saturday during the Fall in my High School years. I often wondered if half of the people praying that prayer had given much thought to what it means. Have I? Have you? The ‘Lord’s Prayer’ is much more than just a prayer to recite; it is a guide to deep conversation with the Father.  

“Our Father”  

Words we say and so often overlook. We have become so desensitized to calling God Father that it does not mean much anymore. However, when Jesus told His disciples that Kingdom-minded prayer began with calling on God as Father, this was revolutionary. You would not have called God ‘Father.’ They did not think of God in this way. Yet Kingdom-minded prayer prays to our Father. We get to call Him Father. Marvel at the fact that we get to call on the King and creator of the universe Father. We are His family. We are His children. Pray not to a distant God in hopes that He may hear. Instead, call on a God who comes near and desires to be close to us. That should cause us to sit in amazement.  

“Your name be honored as holy.”  

We pray for the honor and glory of our Father. We do not pray from selfish ambition. The goal and hope of every prayer is that God would be lifted high. After all, this is how Jesus prayed while on earth. We want to realize that the Father is set apart from creation and perfect in all ways. As we pray kingdom-minded prayers we must keep God’s goodness and holiness at the forefront of our minds.  

“Your Will be done on earth as it is in heaven.” 

  As we pray with the kingdom of God in mind, we pray for God’s will to be done. It will be done regardless of our prayer, but the beauty is that Jesus is welcoming us into the workings of the Father when we pray. We get to pray to unleash the will of God. We pray with the Kingdom in mind. We pray then with a purpose. What do I mean? Our prayers are not aimless and wandering, but driven with the glory of God and His purpose in mind. May we capture a kingdom vision for our prayers.  

“Give us our daily bread.”  

It is okay, even welcomed, to pray for our provisions. Kingdom-minded prayer incorporates what we need to accomplish God’s goals in this life. Jesus was preparing His disciples for a life of on the go ministry.  

Application of Kingdom-minded Prayer 

Wait, you skipped verse 12 and 13, you may be thinking. Well not quite. Verse 12 and what follows becomes the way prayer impacts our daily life. It changes the way we talk to other people. As we ask the Father for forgiveness we also forgive others as well. Look at verse 14 for reference. Jesus locked in on our forgiveness of others reflecting the heart of someone who prays to be forgiven and to forgive. Our prayers are not to be empty. They have purpose. Our prayers should promote change in our lives in how we interact and forgive others.  

Conclusion 

As we conclude our discussion of kingdom-minded prayer, we must realize that the follower of Jesus prays differently than the world. The glory and Kingdom of God drive our prayers. Our prayers drive us to engage the world around us as one who has truly met with the Father, the King of all Creation. This conversation with the Father leads us to forgive and show God’s love to a lost and dying world. Your prayer life will be reflected in your daily life.