Peace I leave with you, My peace I give to you; not as the world gives do I give to you. Let not your heart be troubled, neither let it be afraid (John 14:27).
There is so much disrupting our peace today. Everyday cares of life are enough to keep us thinking. Political division, economic stress, societal disagreement and international conflict dominate the headlines. If we were to concentrate on these things, fear would most likely grip our hearts and minds. In Luke 21:26, Jesus spoke of a time when “men’s hearts will fail them from fear and the expectation of those things which are coming on the earth.”
It is no wonder that Jesus said His peace was not as the world gives us. Since there is no real peace in the world, how can it give peace to us? As believers, we can have the peace that only comes from Him. It is a peace that permeates our hearts and our minds. Philippians 4:6-7 speaks of the greatness of His peace:
Be anxious for nothing, but in everything by prayer and supplication, with thanksgiving, let your requests be made known to God; and the peace of God which surpasses all understanding, will guard your hearts and minds through Christ Jesus.
According to Scripture, we can go to God about whatever concerns us. Then- and this is the good part- we can leave it in His hands. Why can we do this? We can do this because we have His peace guarding our hearts and minds. Therefore, we can trust Him to take care of things because he truly is in control. We can actually live our lives as King David, who wrote:
I will both lie down in peace, and sleep; For You alone, O Lord, make me dwell in safety (Psalm 4:8).
Dave Snyder is an Ordained Bishop with the Church of God – Cleveland, Tennessee. Before entering the ministry on a full-time basis, he was a school teacher. He also coached middle school basketball for eight years.
Dave and his wife, Sara, have two children — Craig and Karen. They also have one ten year old granddaughter — Breanna.
Dave and Sara pastored in West Virginia for thirty-six years. Sara is now retired from the banking industry, and Dave is retired from pastoring. However, Dave currently serves as prison Chaplain for the West Virginia Division of Corrections and Rehabilitation.
Writing essays, articles, and devotionals is a real passion for Dave. He also enjoys playing musical instruments and singing.
by leaps and bounds 
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