The Right Hand Of God

Colossians 3:1

If ye then be risen with Christ, seek those things which are above, where Christ sitteth on the right hand of God.

There is always so much more understanding with God and especially what we learn from His Word, so I thought I’d share just some of what I’ve looked at regarding the “right hand of God” with you all, and in turn, it helped me understand it as well! 

When a father gave his blessing to a child in the lands and times of Israel, it was done with his right hand. It was a sign and statement of covenant made to the child and everyone associated with the family that signified not only a “blessing” but it bestowed the heritage, power, authority, the rights to lead the family, and imparted the promise of inheritance of ALL that the father owned! It was almost always given to the “first born son”! 

Genesis 48:17,18

And when Joseph saw that his father laid his right hand upon the head of

Ephraim, it displeased him: and he held up his father's hand, to remove it from

Ephraim's head unto Manasseh's head.

And Joseph said unto his father, Not so, my father: for this is the firstborn; put thy

right hand upon his head.

Moses saw the right hand of God as the place where power and authority came from.

Exodus 15:6, 12

Thy right hand, O LORD, is become glorious in power: thy right hand, O LORD, hath dashed in pieces the enemy.

Thou stretchedst out thy right hand, the earth swallowed them.

Attributing a hand to God is a figure of speech called condescencio. This is just one member of the human body attributed to God who is spirit. Others include, eyes, ears, arms, feet etc.  According to E.W. Bullinger, figures of speech are words or expressions used to “give additional force, more life, intensified feeling and greater emphasis”. They elaborate and expand a greater truth! Since God was the author of His Word, He had it written with these figures to arrest our attention and cause us to stop and consider the point with a broader and deeper understanding. 

The use of hand  is also the figure Metonymy  and is put for the actions performed by it. There are a number of different ways in which the figure hand is used throughout the Bible but mostly it relates to the agent, vehicle or power to deliver something with authority. This could be in the form of inspiration, counseling, thoughts, purposes, care, blessings, power, deliverance and victory. 

In Duet. 32:36 the Hebrew word yad which is most often translated hand, is translated as the word power.

Duet. 32:36

For the LORD shall judge his people, and repent himself for his servants, when he seeth that their power (yad-hand) is gone, and there is none shut up, or left.

Saul had all the priests that helped David from the city of Nob killed, because they were on David’s side, they fed David, cared for him and even kept secret his whereabouts! They gave David a helping hand! 

1 Sam 22:17

And the king said unto the footmen that stood about him, Turn, and slay the priests of the LORD; because their hand also is with David, and because they knew when he fled, and did not shew it to me. But the servants of the king would not put forth their hand to fall upon the priests of the LORD.

And just putting their hands on the priests would not have killed them, later they were slain by the sword. 

Here the hand of Moses describes the guidance and counsel that he delivered from God.

Lev. 8:36

So Aaron and his sons did all things which the LORD commanded by the hand  of Moses.

Lev. 10:11

And that ye may teach the children of Israel all the statutes which the LORD hath spoken unto them by the hand of Moses.

David acted on behalf of God to save His people from the power and authority of all their enemies. 

2Sam. 3:18

Now then do it: for the LORD hath spoken of David, saying, By the hand (agent, vehicle, power and authority) of my servant David I will save my people Israel out of the hand of the Philistines, and out of the hand of all their enemies.

Uriah actually delivered his own death sentence by his own hand. 

2 Sam. 11:14

And it came to pass in the morning, that David wrote a letter to Joab, and sent it by the hand of Uriah.

God has always worked through his people to deliver His Word, His Will and Purposes by giving us the privilege being the messengers of His great and precious promises! 

1 Kings 8:56

Blessed be the LORD, that hath given rest unto his people Israel, according to all that he promised: there hath not failed one word of all his good promise, which he promised by the hand of Moses his servant.

David understood the meaning applied to the truth of the right hand of God, and knew that it was the place of eternal delight! 

Psalm 16:11

Thou wilt shew me the path of life: in thy presence is fulness of joy; at thy right hand there are pleasures for evermore.

He also believed that when he went out to battle, God was with him and fighting for him, and that He was a shield and would “hold him up”. His right hand, (the agent of His power and authority)  holds up the individual but honestly is the power that is keeping the Earth in place and the whole Universe together! “He’s got the whole world in His Hands”!

Psalm 18:35

Thou hast also given me the shield of thy salvation: and thy right hand hath holden me up, and thy gentleness hath made me great.

God’s Right Hand  is His Righteousness,  where there is All strength, and NO fear!

Isaiah 41:10

Fear thou not; for I am with thee: be not dismayed; for I am thy God: I will strengthen thee; yea, I will help thee; yea, I will uphold thee with the right hand  of my righteousness.

In a court of law when someone testifies, they are asked to “raise their right hand”. God has also sworn by His right hand to signify the truthfulness and weight of HIs Words! Here his strength is illustrated also by His arm.

Isaiah 62:8

The LORD hath sworn by his right hand, (power and authority) and by the arm of his strength, Surely I will no more give thy corn to be meat for thine enemies; and the sons of the stranger shall not drink thy wine, for the which thou hast laboured:

Prophetically, Jesus Christ IS the agent, vehicle, blessing, power and authority of the right hand of God, the one who would come and save God’s people, the actual implementation of His Will on Earth, the one who would not only be the “blessing” for all mankind but have the “authority and power” to deliver all men from destruction. 

Psalm 60:5

That thy beloved may be delivered; save with thy right hand, and hear me.

Psalm 80:17

Let thy hand be upon the man of thy right hand, upon the son of man whom thou madest strong for thyself.

Psalm 98:1

O sing unto the LORD a new song; for he hath done marvellous things: his right hand, and his holy arm, hath gotten him the victory.

The Psalmist knew that when they were in the presence of God, they were being upheld by His mighty Hand, the place of “all blessings, honor, power and glory”. 

And just like us today, when the Psalmist came to his senses about his circumstances, he described it as his “weakness”, and then turned his heart toward God’s endless blessings, power and authority! 

Psalm 77:10

And I said, This is my infirmity: but I will remember the years of the right hand of the most High.

Psalm 110:1 is proof that the Lord Jesus Christ is spoken of as The One who would sit at God’s Right Hand! It is quoted often in the Gospels and New Testament. 

Psalm 110:1

The LORD said unto my Lord, Sit thou at my right hand, until I make thine enemies thy footstool.

Complete confidence about victory was and is attributed to the Lord at God’s Right Hand! Jesus Christ would be exalted to God’s Right Hand!

Psalm 110:5

The Lord at thy right hand shall strike through kings in the day of his wrath.

Psalm 118:15, 16

The voice of rejoicing and salvation is in the tabernacles of the righteous: the right hand of the LORD doeth valiantly.

The right hand of the LORD is exalted: the right hand of the LORD doeth valiantly.

Jesus Christ absolutely knew of the power and authority contained in the Right Hand of God, and that he himself would be placed there by God’s will! 

Matt. 26:64

Jesus saith unto him, Thou hast said: nevertheless I say unto you, Hereafter shall ye see the Son of man sitting on the right hand of power, and coming in the clouds of heaven.

At the birth of the Church, the day of Pentecost, Peter knew that after he received the Spirit, he would receive power from on High and that the Comforter would testify all things concerning Jesus Christ. Here he quotes Psalm 16 in his tremendous sermon, all the time receiving words coming directly from The Right Hand Of God!

Acts 2:33 Therefore being by the right hand of God exalted, and having received of the Father the promise of the Holy Ghost, he hath shed forth this, which ye now see and hear

The people listening to Peter where astonished, believing initially that what he and the other disciples were saying was the result of their being drunk! Peter testifies that what they were seeing and hearing was being poured out, shed forth from the Right Hand of God!

Peter knew where his authority, power and blessings were coming from and testified to the same council that crucified Jesus, that Christ was now seated at God’s Right Hand!

This must have shocked the scribes and Pharisees knowing all the many scriptures throughout the Old Testament referring to God’s Right Hand and all that it represented!

Acts 5:31

Him hath God exalted with his right hand to be a Prince and a Savior, for to give repentance to Israel, and forgiveness of sins.

Stephen was actually given the awesome privilege of seeing the glory (power and authority) of God by seeing Jesus standing at the Right Hand of God! 

Acts 7:55, 56

But he, being full of the Holy Ghost, looked up stedfastly into heaven, and saw the glory of God, and Jesus standing on the right hand of God,

And said, Behold, I see the heavens opened, and the Son of man standing on the right hand of God.

The apostle Paul was also given the vision of seeing and understanding Jesus being at God’s Right Hand and then receives the awesome understanding of our identity with Christ, seated with him with all spiritual blessings, power, authority and inheritance. 

Romans 8:34

Who is he that condemneth? It is Christ that died, yea rather, that is risen again, who is even at the right hand of God, who also maketh intercession for us.

Eph 1:20, 2:6

Which he wrought in Christ, when he raised him from the dead, and set him at his own right hand in the heavenly places,

And hath raised us up and made us to sit together with him in heavenly places. 

Paul exhorts us to think about, to seek the blessings and reality of what God has already accomplished. All spiritual blessings flow from this majestic place. 

Col 3:1

If ye then be risen with Christ, seek those things which are above, where Christ sitteth on the right hand of God.

Jesus is the express image of God’s will, of God’s compassion and deliverance, upholding All things by the word of his power!

Hebrews 1:3

Who being the brightness of his glory, and the express image of his person, and upholding all things by the word of his power, when he had by himself purged our sins, sat down on the right hand of the Majesty on high;

As The High Priest, Jesus is constantly before the Father God at HIs Right Hand interceding with HIs precious blood for God’s people. He is truly God’s Right Hand Man!

Hebrews 8:1, 10:12

Now of the things which we have spoken this is the sum: We have such an high priest, who is set on the right hand of the throne of the Majesty in the heavens;

The One who sits at God’s Right Hand has perfected Faith for us! And he did it with Joy! Keep your eyes always looking to him, “turn your eyes upon Jesus”.

Hebrews 12:2

Looking unto Jesus the author and finisher of our faith; who for the joy that was set before him endured the cross, despising the shame, and is set down at the right hand of the throne of God.

Being at the Right Hand of God, Jesus is always full of joy, strength, love, wisdom, peace, rest, truth, victory and honor. There is no sin there and no sickness either. Where he is, we are, and as he is, we are! Not by our own works of righteousness, but by his alone! 

All of the attributes of God’s Right Hand are where we are now seated, in Christ Jesus! All spiritual blessings, power and authority, wisdom and guidance, care and help, all inspiration and counseling are seated in Christ. 

Being seated, we are at rest there knowing it is by God’s great grace that we are given this extravagant gift of righteousness! 

And as the first born son legally received all from the Father, so we to are joint heirs with Christ to all that the Father has given him! 

1 Peter 3:22

Who is gone into heaven, and is on the right hand of God; angels and authorities and powers being made subject unto him.

Psalm 46:10

According to thy name, O God, so is thy praise unto the ends of the earth: 

thy right hand is full of righteousness.

When the apostles were told not to speak or preach anymore in the name of Jesus, they prayed to God for more boldness to speak. Their words and their actions would be coming from that position of God’s Right Hand. When we speak God’s Word, it holds the same authority as if Jesus Christ himself were speaking, as the agent  of the Almighty! 

Acts 4: 29,30

And now, Lord, behold their threatenings: and grant unto thy servants, that with all boldness they may speak thy word,

By stretching forth thine hand to heal; and that signs and wonders may be done by the name of thy holy child Jesus.

In His Grace, 

Sal

Pleasant Words ARE a Honeycomb!

Pleasant Words ARE a Honeycomb!

Proverbs 16:24

Pleasant words are a honeycomb,

Sweet to the soul and healing to the bones.

Have you ever noticed that when someone speaks kind and gracious words to you, how they affect your life in a positive and healing way? They can lift you up and inspire you, and they can even heal you when they are words spoken directly from God! That’s God’s intention for the words we speak! That we speak directly from Him, from His mouth just like Jesus Christ did! Jesus only spoke the words the Father gave him to speak and look at the powerful and wondrous works he did by them. Multitudes were healed “at his word”, and brought to salvation!

The word for pleasant in Proverbs 16 is translated elsewhere as “beauty”, and means glory or brightness, as in “The beauty of the LORD”.

Psalm 27:4

One thing I have desired of the LORD, that will I seek: that I may dwell in the house of the LORD all the days of my life, to behold the beauty of the LORD, and to inquire in His temple.

So pleasant words are a reflection and image of the Beauty, the Brightness, the Glory of the Lord! Oh how our words can have great weight to them if we only allow God to direct them!!!

Psalm 90:17

And let the beauty (glory, brightness) of the LORD our God be upon us: and establish thou the work of our hands upon us; yea, the work of our hands establish thou it.

Every time we speak the glorious words of our Father God over ourselves Or to others, they ARE, not maybe, not might be, but ARE  “Sweet to the soul, our hearts and minds, and Healing to our bones, our blood and bodies!

Harsh words have the opposite affect on our bodies. They cause pain to the heart and mind, and can ultimately lead to sickness in the body.

So speak the Truth of God’s Words to yourselves every day, good things to yourself every moment of the day and those words will become the treasure of your heart. And since out of the heart the mouth speaks, so the words we speak to one another will be Glorious, Bright, Pleasant and Beautiful, because they will be from the mouth of God, and the very Heart of our Father.

Proverbs 3:17

Her (wisdoms) ways are ways of pleasantness, and all her paths are peace

ALL vs. all

I can do ALL things through Christ who strengthens me. Philippians 4:13

What does ALL mean to you? What does ALL mean to God?

Getting our minds to track more with God’s idea of what all means will help us receive more of His truth and live out more of His promises.

Many times throughout our lives we’ve been told to “give it your all”, by those who, with all good intentions, want to encourage us on to greater heights of success. Most of us know our limitations and will go as far as our all will take us. Some can go beyond their all and surprise themselves, but our abilities will always fall short of the great ability of God in Christ is us. That ability of His grace is limitless and will never run out, for God is the source of ALL strength, and the fountain of ALL life!

In the Gospels, Jesus Christ ministered to many that were sick and demon possessed, and the Bible records some of the tremendous miracles that he performed. John recalls that if they were to write of ALL Jesus’ works ”the world itself could not contain the books that should be written”. John 21:25

Yet when speaking of the many healings that Jesus did, the Bible tells of ALL being delivered! And Jesus Always did the will of his Father, God!

Matthew 4:23

And Jesus went about all Galilee, teaching in their synagogues, and preaching the gospel of the kingdom, and healing all manner of sickness and all manner of disease among the people.

Matthew 12:15

But when Jesus knew it, he withdrew himself from thence: and great multitudes followed him, and he healed them all;

And when commissioning his twelve disciples, he gave them power and authority over all sickness, disease and spirits as well!

Matthew 10:1

And when he had called unto him his twelve disciples, he gave them power against unclean spirits, to cast them out, and to heal all manner of sickness and all manner of disease.

There is no distinction here. Jesus healed all manner of sickness and disease, and gave his disciples the same authority. The exception only came when people refused to believe, and in their towns and villages Jesus could not do “many mighty works”.

Matthew 13:58

And he did not many mighty works there because of their unbelief.

God’s original intent for man was for him to be His representative here on earth, so God gave man dominion over all the earth.

Genesis 1:26

And God said, Let us make man in our image, after our likeness: and let them have dominion over the fish of the sea, and over the fowl of the air, and over the cattle, and over all the earth, and over every creeping thing that creepeth upon the earth.

The idea that God would want to heal and provide for all is not new. When Israel left Egypt, the land of bondage, to enter into the promised land, their new home, there was not one feeble knee among them, meaning all were healed during the atonement of the first Passover.

Psalm 105:37

He brought them forth also with silver and gold: and there was not one feeble person among their tribes.

It has always been God’s desire that all be healed, and forgiven of their sins, and to live before Him in righteousness.

David praised God for His many benefits and encouraged the children of Israel to not forget them.

Psalm 103:2,3

Bless the LORD, O my soul, and forget not all his benefits:

Who forgiveth all thine iniquities, who healeth all thy diseases.

God knows the benefit of keeping His word in our hearts, and understanding the blessings that it provides, He encourages us to keep them in the midst of our hearts so that they will bring healing to all our flesh!

Proverbs 4:20-23

My son, attend to my words; incline thine ear unto my sayings.

Let them not depart from thine eyes; keep them in the midst of thine heart.

For they are life unto those that find them, and health to all their flesh.

Keep thy heart with all diligence; for out of it [are] the issues of life.

Can God reach all your flesh? Well if we rely on our own definition of all then the answer might be no, “how could He”? That is when we put God into a box. But if we rely on God’s definition of all, the answer is simply “Yes”.

If simply by breathing in Air into our lungs can bring Oxygen to every cell of our bodies, why cannot the God who created our bodies brings healing and life to every cell simply by keeping His Words as the center of our heart and thoughts!

To encourage one another to believe the integrity of God’s Word starts with taking God at His Word. Why would He use the word ALL if He did not mean ALL.

Jesus Christ took God at His Word and believed in God’s definition of ALL!

Now he lives in us!

Matthew 19:26

But Jesus beheld them, and said unto them, With men this is impossible; but with God all things are possible.

Mark 9:23

Jesus said unto him, If thou canst believe, all things are possible to him that believeth.

Mark 14:36

And he said, Abba, Father, all things are possible unto thee; take away this cup from me: nevertheless not what I will, but what thou wilt.

Let’s never define all by our own limited ability. Here are some other verses that may need our definitions to be put aside so we can receive God’s provision in every area of life and let God to be our all in all!

         Psalm 34:4         I sought the LORD, and he heard me, and delivered me from all my fears.           

3 John 2

Beloved, I wish above all things that thou mayest prosper and be in health, even as thy soul prospereth.

           

Philippians 4:19

But my God shall supply all your need according to his riches in glory by Christ Jesus.

           

2 Corinthians 9:8

And God is able to make all grace abound toward you; that ye, always having all sufficiency in all things, may abound to every (all) good work:

           

Ephesians 3:20

Now unto him that is able to do exceeding abundantly above all that we ask or think, according to the power that worketh in us

           

Ephesians 1:21-23

Far above all principality, and power, and might, and dominion, and every name that is named, not only in this world, but also in that which is to come:

And hath put all things under his feet, and gave him to be the head over all things to the church,

Which is his body, the fulness of him that filleth all in all.

(or, which is his body the fullness of him that is all filling in all believers)

God has a great plan for our lives, and that is to live in all the fullness of Christ, every day, every moment of the day, from now and throughout all time!

Let’s encourage one another daily to live for Him in all we say and do!

Colossians 3:16,17

Let the word of Christ dwell in you richly in all wisdom; teaching and admonishing one another in psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, singing with grace in your hearts to the Lord.

And whatsoever ye do in word or deed, do all in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks to God and the Father by him.

Is God Really On Our Side? Yes!!!

Is God really on our side?

The simple answer is yes!

Yet most people live their whole lives questioning whether or not God really loves them and would really provide for them.

God really is the loving parent who provides life itself, shelter, food, provision, love, help, teaching and goodness all the days of our lives.

He is strong enough and capable enough to fight ALL of our battles.

"God is on our side" in the scriptures is set inside a rhetorical question.

This is a figure of speech which means; "a question that requires no answer".  

It emphasizes the fact that no one could be like God and no one could be as strong and powerful as he is.

Psalms 118:6 ESV

The Lord is on my side; I will not fear. What can man do to me?

Psalms 118:6 NLT

The Lord is for me, so I will have no fear. What can mere people do to me?

Here is a similar one from the Book of Psalms. A favorite verse of many!

Psalms 27:1 ESV

The Lord is my light and my salvation; whom shall I fear? The Lord is the stronghold of my life; of whom shall I be afraid?

If we would pause and consider Who the Lord IS, we would echo the words of the Psalmist! God is The Creator of all life, The Everlasting God, who inhabits Eternity, and the heavens and the heaven of heavens cannot contain Him! He is all powerful, all knowing, all loving and ever abiding in us, yes this is the Lord who is our strength, fights our battles and has no competitors!

The whole end section of Romans chapter 8 is also rhetorical! Questions where the answer is understood!

          Romans 8:31, 33-35, 38, 39 ESV

What then shall we say to these things? If God is for us, who can be against us?

Who shall bring any charge against God's elect? It is God who justifies.

Who is to condemn? Christ Jesus is the one who died—more than that, who was raised— who is at the right hand of God, who indeed is interceding for us.

Who shall separate us from the love of Christ? Shall tribulation, or distress, or persecution, or famine, or nakedness, or danger, or sword?

For I am sure that neither death nor life, nor angels nor rulers, nor things present nor things to come, nor powers, nor height nor depth, nor anything else in all creation, will be able to separate us from the love of God in Christ Jesus our Lord

When Jehoshaphat and the children of Israel were faced with armies that outnumbered them 3 to 1, they went to God and asked him rhetorical questions that really needed no answer.

2 Chronicles 20:6 ESV

O Lord, God of our fathers, are you not God in heaven? You rule over all the kingdoms of the nations. In your hand are power and might, so that none is able to withstand you.

Jehoshaphat just needed to be reassured of this truth, that "in Your Hands are so much power and might that none is able to withstand YOU"!

Once given the answer that God really was on his side, Jehoshaphat sent out the singers with a victory song, their anthem of praise, "in front" of the army proclaiming beyond a shadow of a doubt that God Almighty was going to fight their battle! God Almighty was truly “On THEIR side”.

The prophet Elisha knew that there were more "on his side" then with the army that came to arrest him, for he saw God' powerful army with spiritual eyes!

2 Kings 6:16, 17 ESV

He said, "Do not be afraid, for those who are with us are more than those who are with them." Then Elisha prayed and said, "O Lord, please open his eyes that he may see." So the Lord opened the eyes of the young man, and he saw, and behold, the mountain was full of horses and chariots of fire all around Elisha.

Is God really on our side today?

Read the book of Ephesians and come to the conclusion that God has done everything through Jesus Christ not only to bring us to His side, as beloved children of the Most High God, but to reassure us that He has placed IN us the spirit of Christ, THE victory of every battle.

Our song of victory today IS Christ and we are super conquerors in him every day!  As God Almighty and our Father in Christ, there is no question that he has placed us " far above all rule and authority and power and dominion, and above every name that is named, not only in this age but also in the one to come." (Ephesians 1:21 ESV)

No fight no battle could ever be stronger than him, for its Christ that reigns within!

God our Father is not only able, but He is willing to do far greater than we could ask or think!

Ephesians 3:20, 21 KJV

Now unto him that is able to do exceeding abundantly above all that we ask or think, according to the power that worketh in us, Unto him be glory in the church by Christ Jesus throughout all ages, world without end. Amen.

Yes, God really is on our side! And that’s quite the advantage.

The song “God Is On Our Side” is your song written for you to sing! And for every believer to sing!! Sing it loud and sing it with great joy in your hearts for God truly is on our side and who can be against us!

In His grace,

Sal

http://youtu.be/s24G0jOWwe8

The God Of Peace

         1 Thessalonians 5:2
         And the very God of peace sanctify you wholly; and I pray God your whole spirit
         and soul and body be preserved blameless unto the coming of our Lord Jesus
         Christ

God is the true source of peace, for He is the God Of Peace. Our loving Father desires for His children to live in complete rest, and undisturbed wellness. The relationship He has provided for us in Christ is the Life of peace, a life of health and prosperity, a life that is focused and at one with the Maker of the Universe and of Eternal Life!

Isaiah 26:3

Thou wilt keep him in perfect peace whose mind is stayed on thee, for he trusteth in thee.

Psalm 119:165

Great peace have they that love thy law, and nothing shall offend them.

In line with all of God’s nature, He has provided abundance in this category as well. The words perfect peace, are the same Hebrew word, shalom shalom, which brings the emphasis of peace piled up upon peace, or as it is defined,  perfect soundness, complete wholeness, safety, strength and tranquility to all those that trust in the LORD!

Peace is spoken of throughout the Old Testament as being whole, well and healthy, complete and well taken care of in life. That is why it is so often used in times of peace, for all is safe and sound. Yes there is an absence of war and turmoil, which brings with it healing, health and prosperity. God has always richly provided a life of peace by giving us His Word to rely upon, trust in and adhere to. In it we find many promises to rest in and give us strength.

Notice how the word shalom is translated in Genesis as well and good health.

Gen. 43:27,28
And he asked them of their welfare, and said, is your father well, (shalom) the old man of whom ye spake? Is he yet alive?

And they answered, thy servant our father is in good health, (shalom) he is yet alive, and they bowed down their heads, and made obeisance.

When God gives us strength, it is accompanied with rest and peace.

          Psalm 29:11

          The LORD will give strength to his people; he will bless his people with peace.

When we make God our focus and spend time with Him, especially in the Words He has given to us to read and believe, He impresses upon us the great love He has for us. His Word is a magnificent Love Letter to His children, filled with what He has done, is doing, and will do throughout all time. Jesus Christ being the central theme, purpose and point of the life God has called us to.

It is only through faith in Jesus Christ and his work of redemption that we have relationship with God Almighty. It is not through our own efforts and work, which only brings more anxiety, stress and unrest to our minds and bodies.

All of the qualities of peace spoken of throughout the Old Testament are born out in the life of Jesus Christ, and the spirit God has given us to live by. He is our Righteousness!

          Isaiah 32:17

And the work of righteousness shall be peace; and the effect of righteousness quietness and assurance forever.

          Isaiah 53: 4,5
          Surely he hath borne our griefs, and carried our sorrows: yet we did esteem 
          him stricken, smitten of God, and afflicted

But He was wounded for our transgressions, He was bruised for our iniquities; The chastisement for our peace (shalom) was upon Him, And by His stripes we are healed.

Look at verse 5 in a few other versions;

          But he was pierced for our rebellion, crushed for our sins. He was beaten so 

          we could be whole. He was whipped so we could be healed. (NLT)

But He was pierced through for our transgressions, He was crushed for our iniquities; The chastening for our well-being fell upon Him, And by His scourging we are healed. (NASB)

Jesus Christ was given to the world to bring peace and God’s good pleasure to the world.

          Luke 1:79
          To give light to them that sit in darkness and in the shadow of death,
          to guide our feet into the way of peace.

          Luke 2:14
          Glory to God in the highest, and on earth peace, good will toward men.

When the women received her healing, Jesus told her to live from now on in peace.

          Luke 7:5
          And he said to the women, thy faith hath saved thee; go in peace.

          Romans 5:1,2
          Therefore being justified by faith we have peace with God through 
          our Lord Jesus Christ.

We now live our lives in peace, whole and complete because of Jesus Christ!

We too should “go in peace”!

The great work of God in Christ was to make us righteous in His sight, holy and unblemished by sins and sin nature. To make us right with Him through the life and payment of His dear Son! Being made right with God is to be made whole, complete, sound in body and mind, at rest in strength and confidence, quietness and assurance forever, At One with The Creator of All Life! Peace in all of it’s Fullness.

          John 1:16
          And of his fullness (pleroma) have all we received, and grace for grace.

          John 14:26
          Peace I leave with you, my peace I give unto you, not as the world giveth, 
          give I unto you. Let not your heart be troubled, neither let it be afraid.

We that have received Christ Jesus as Lord, and have tasted of his life in us through the spirit, live lives filled with his fullness, completeness, for we are complete in him!

          Colossians 2:9,10
          For in him dwelleth all the fullness of the Godhead bodily.

And ye are complete in him, which is the head of all principality and power.

The Greek words for fullness and complete are pleroma and pleroo. Pleroma is a noun, while pleroo is a verb. They both mean to be completely fitted, fully filled, made whole, complete!

It literally means to be; completely filled, made to abound, to furnish and supply liberally.

All the health and prosperity God desires for His children, supplied to us in the spirit of Christ in us!

          Ephesians 1:22, 23
          And hath put all things under his feet, and gave him to be the head over all things
          to the church Which is his body, the fulness (pleroma) of him that filleth (pleroo)
          all in all.

Is Christ incomplete? Is he not fully filled with the nature and life of God? Is he sick, lacking in anything? We then that are part of his body are fully fulfilled and fitted with the completely, completely absolutely complete Christ!

          2 Peter 1:2
          Grace and peace be multiplied unto you through the knowledge of God, and of 
          Jesus our Lord,

Philippians 4:6,7

Be careful for nothing; but in every thing by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known unto God

And the peace of God, which passeth all understanding, shall keep (guard) your hearts and minds through Christ Jesus.

Look at the Message Bible translation of Philippians 4:6,7

Don’t fret or worry. Instead of worrying, pray. Let petitions and praises shape your worries into prayers, letting God know your concerns. Before you know it, a sense of God’s wholeness, everything coming together for good, will come and settle you down. It’s wonderful what happens when Christ displaces worry at the center of your life.

It is God’s wholeness that is the source of our wholeness. His Life in us is so rich, it is qualified to satisfy every need, every want and concern. It is more than enough to fully fulfill us. He has made us holy in order to bring us into His Holy presence so that He could bless us, help us and care for our every need.

          1 Peter 5:7
          Casting all your care upon him, for he cares for you.

God has provided us a life of peace in the spirit of Christ in us. To live as if we were in the garden with our access to God restored and our Father’s loving care for us in abundance.

          Ephesians 2:13-15

But now in Christ Jesus ye who sometimes were far off are made nigh by the blood ofChrist.

For he is our peace, who hath made both one, and hath broken down the middle wall of partition between us.

Having abolished in his flesh the enmity, even the law of commandments contained in ordinances; for to make in himself of twain one new man, so making peace.

Jesus Christ not only made peace between Jews and Gentiles, and made of two one new man, but he also was our peace with God, reuniting us all together to be a dwelling place for God himself! The fullness of him that filleth all in all!

         Ephesians 2:16-22

          And that he might reconcile both unto God in one body by the cross, having slain

          the enmity thereby

And came and preached peace to you which were afar off, and to them that were nigh.

For through him we both have access by one Spirit unto the Father.

Now therefore ye are no more strangers and foreigners, but fellowcitizens with the saints, and of the household of God

And are built upon the foundation of the apostles and prophets, Jesus Christ himself being the chief corner [stone];

In whom all the building fitly framed together groweth unto an holy temple in the Lord:

In whom ye also are builded together for an habitation of God through the Spirit

God has given us more than just a life without strife, He has made us all one in Christ, whole and complete in every way to live life with exuberant joy, full of Life, full of Christ!

In Christ,

Sal Arico