Pam Padgett - teacher
Jesus said ...
John 14:27 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.
People of the world often do and say things they think will lead to peace, but problems and even turmoil result.
I live in a community that was built around a golf course. The golf course
closed about a year and a half ago, with the owner of the land saying he
wanted to sell it. Last summer residents in our community started
meeting to plan what to do in the event the owner sold the land to a
developer who would build houses on what is now open land. They
wanted to prepare to fight this happening. Keeping the open space (rather than filled with houses) seems
to the natural mind a way of peace.
At first my flesh was stirred up to get involved. But when I turned to God with this, I was shown a different way:
--- I was reminded to take no thought for the future but to seek to
do the will of God and trust Him for what I need and what is best for me
...
Matthew 6:31 Therefore take no thought, saying, What shall we
eat? or, What shall we drink? or, Wherewithal shall we be clothed? 32
(For after all these things do the Gentiles seek:) for your heavenly
Father knoweth that ye have need of all these things. 33 But seek ye
first the kingdom of God, and his righteousness; and all these things
shall be added unto you. 34 Take therefore no thought for the morrow:
for the morrow shall take thought for the things of itself. Sufficient
unto the day is the evil thereof.
--- I was also given a word that people try to preserve the way things are now as much as possible. But all these things we see now are temporary and will be destroyed at the end of the world. We might prize things of this world such as open spaces, but these things have no eternal value and are futile.
With these things, I was led to not get involved in the meetings. Instead, I was led in a way of peace by what I was given by God in this matter.
Later I heard that conflicts came forth in the community meetings as various
people wanted their own ways to be followed. Not a way of peace.
Another way I have been led in peace where the golf course land is
concerned ... the golf course land was no longer mowed by the golf course maintenance crew. But the owner of
the property gave permission for any homeowners to mow the area behind
our homes to keep the weeds from becoming a problem to us. Some
homeowners wanted to fight to make the golf course owner mow the land.
But it was put in my heart to just pay my
lawn mowing people to also mow the area behind my property.
This only needed to be done once, and it cost very little and was not a financial burden
at all. Rather than struggling with the golf course owner to do this, it was taken
care of very simply, quickly, and peacefully.
Being involved in strife to keep the
land from being developed in the future, or struggling to make the owner pay for mowing
behind my house, would not allow me to live in peace.
Because of what I heard from God, however, I'm able to enjoy looking out on, and taking the dogs for walks on, the vacant land without fear or strife in my heart.
John 16:33 These things I (Jesus, the Word) have spoken unto you, that in me ye
might have peace. In the world ye shall have tribulation: but be of good
cheer; I have overcome the world.
When we settle a matter by turning to God and waiting to hear from Him, we can overcome those things which would prevent us from being in peace through the word we are given by God.