One of the many amazing promises God gives us through Jesus is found in Romans 5:1:  ¹Therefore, since we have been made right in God’s sight by faith, we have peace with God because of what Jesus Christ our Lord has done for us.  Romans 5:1 NLT  Actually, we find TWO amazing promises in Romans 5:1:  First, we have been made right in God's sight--or justified by faith in Jesus AND second, we have peace with God.

As I mentioned in worship yesterday, if we have upset the almighty Creator of the universe--and we have through our sin, we have every reason to be very afraid.  Yet, Jesus, God in the flesh, came to the earth to reconcile us to Himself!  That is truly amazing.  Once we receive that relationship of reconciliation, and the fact of being justified--just as if I(or you)never sinned, we have PEACE WITH GOD. 

Peace as God offers us is not just an absence of war or conflict.  Peace is the overwhelming sense that all is well, even when nothing on the outside of our lives is well.  The reality we know as those for whom Jesus have died, is a reality of absolute, internal well-being even when the world around us is falling apart.  That's good to know--and experience--since life often hands us situations and circumstances that cause fear, worry and strife.  Jesus knew that, because He lived here among us.  He experienced the same things we do.  Since He was and is God, those things did not disturb His peace.  Since we now, know Him -- presuming that we do, now know Him! -- we have His peace in us through the Holy Spirit.  While we're talking about the source of hope in our lives this week, it's a great "by product" of our life in Jesus Christ that we get to live in peace with God.

Let's pray:  Heavenly Father, Thank You for giving us peace through the saving work of Jesus on the cross!  Fill us with Your Holy Spirit that we may live in that peace no matter what our circumstances.  This we ask in Jesus' name.  Amen.