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When I was growing up, I loved the music of the Beatles. I listened to their music, saved their newspaper and magazine pictures, and eagerly listened for every detail of their lives. I was only nine years old when John Lennon and Yoko Ono held their famous Bed-Ins for Peace in Amsterdam and Montreal in 1969.
During the 50th anniversary, I listened to some of the retrospectives of the Bed-In at the Queen Elizabeth Hotel in Montreal and made notes of what John Lennon said about peace. He said that the non-violent Bed-In was an alternative to violence, and that fewer words meant more peace. Some of the famous mantras included, "Make love not war", "Give peace a chance", and "Together, we can get it together". He urged people to have peace in their hearts, peace at home, and peace in the world. But where is the roadmap to such a worldwide peace? It was never clear to me.
John 14:27 – Peace I leave you, My peace I give you; not as the world gives, do I give to you. Do not let your hearts be troubled, nor fearful. (NASB)
I believe that Jesus offers the best and most real peace possible. He had no wealth to leave to His followers nor did He ever write a will, but what He left was greater than any inheritance: He left the Holy Spirit to be present and powerful, and He left the peace that He had with God the Father, based on complete trust in God. The peace of Jesus isn't an escape from reality or the absence of trouble. He was able to face great suffering and conflict because of His faith in His Father's will and the infilling of the Holy Spirit.
Lennon cautioned the people of the world to get off the road of destruction and violence, but I believe that the only road to that kind of peace is through faith in God.
John 14:6 – Jesus said to him, "I am the way, and the truth, and the life; no one comes to the Father except through Me." (NASB)
This way to peace is one of eternal and abundant life and joy.
How can we as Christians really live in the peace of Jesus and bring it to the world? We can invite people to our churches and Christian meetings, and point the way to Christ. We can show them the wonderful promises of Scripture. The testimonies of believers are powerful ways to show the gospel of salvation. The prayers of faithful saints will bring many to faith in the Lord. Our lives will be the roadmap to giving peace a chance!
Prayer: Dearest Lord, thank You that You left Your peace with us, not one based on what the world can offer, but a peace centred in You and made possible by Your Holy Spirit. We bless You that we can have hearts free from trouble and fear. Help us to show others the way to this wonderful peace. Amen!
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Thanks for the inspiring words, Shirley.
Great post and reminder, Shirley. Thanks and God bless!
Challenging words Shirley and yet needed to world full of my way or the highway. Blessings.
Thanks, Shirley, for another of your interesting and encouraging devotionals. We sure do find peace when we seek Jesus and spend time reading and trusting in His word. Blessings for your special writings.
All very true, Shirley. If only God’s own people would “get it together” and have peace within the Body what a witness the church would be then.
Blessings.
Good morning, Shirley,
Thank you for your good words this morning, Peace through Christ only, indeed.
Blessings on your Sunday.
Good morning
This is a great down memory lane for me, and songs were good about peace and thankful we know the Father of peace.
Have a great day.
God bless.
Good morning, Shirley, and thank you for today’s devotional. When I read about John Lennon, I sighed. Our son was a great Beatles fan. He had many of the vinyl albums in pretty good condition. When he moved to Florida and did not take the albums, I gave them away. You can imagine his chagrin and my shame as I should have at least asked him. Well, he forgave me…he is pretty wonderful…and has chosen not to remind me of how much that album is probably worth today.
(Texas)
H Shirley,
Thank- you for your devotional.
Can you please pray with me today for teenagers who are sleeping in our backyard?
I only know one of them a little. The parent of that one is an old friend of mine and she asked if they could stay here while they attended the cavendish beach music festival. This is the third night they have stayed. I believe only one has an understanding of God. The rest have not been brought up with any Sunday school or church background.
I am going to give them each a gospel of John and an explanation of what it is. And I will encourage them to read it.
Thanks and God Bless You!
Thank-you.
Amen, Shirley. God bless you. Blessings.
Thank you, Shirley. We desperately need this peace!
Thank you – our faith in God and Jesus our Saviour brings us Hope and Peace today and tomorrow.