Day Four: A Smile burdens grow greater, He sendeth more strength when the labors increase; to added aiction He addeth His mercy, To multiplied trials, His multiplied peace.” The Lord make His face shine upon you, ______ and be gracious to you. God’s grace is immeasurable, His mercy is inexhaustible, Numbers 6:25 His peace is inexpressible. ______ A recent study that I read, concluded that “Father, may I live each moment today in light of your grace, March 4/5, 2017 TABLE ROCK FELLOWSHIP smiling can be good for your health. Research mercy and peace.” Vol. 21, Issue 8 3610 N. Pacific Hwy. | Medford, OR 97501 | 541.245.2612 | tablerockfellowship.org shows that smiling slows down the heart and reduces stress. PEACE 3.0 • I Peter 1:2(b) But smiling isn’t just good for you; a genuine smile blesses those on the Day Six: “Peace with Others” receiving end as well. Without saying a word, it can tell others that you like “If possible, so far as it depends on you, be them and that you are pleased with them. A smile can hug someone with love at peace with all people.” without giving them even the slightest touch. Romans 12:18 Life does not always give us a reason to smile. But when we see a heartfelt smile on a child’s face or through aged wrinkles, our hearts are encouraged. When people are not at peace with In showering the people with His favor, God instructed the high priest to others but in conict, they tend to focus bestow on the people the blessing found in Numbers 6:24-26. In the New only on the other person and not Living Translation, “The Lord make His face shine upon you” (v.25) is rendered themselves. Often, one spouse would as “The Lord smile on you.” The Lord smiling and “lift[ing] up His countenance” come in the oce and start ranting and raving, "My husband does this …;" (v.26) expresses that the people have God’s special attention and approval. "My wife never will do that … ;" and it would go on and on. The counselor This benediction, pronounced by many pastors at the end of church services might think, “This counseling isn't going to be very eective, because the today, arms that God provides for and protects His people, assuring us of His person who apparently needs to change isn't even in the room.” So a presence, pardon, and peace. The Hebrew concept of peace (shalom) is counselor might get a pad of paper, draw a circle on it, and say, "This is a pie all-embracing and includes the concepts of completeness, security, health, that represents all the chaos in your marriage. Now, 100 percent of the blame wealth, tranquility, contentment, friendship, and peace with God and man. is in that pie, because that's where all the chaos is." The counselor might then Smiles are also a hint of the image of God in us. In the ancient blessing give them the pen and say, "I want you to draw a slice of pie that you think recorded in the book of Numbers we get an indication that God “smiles”: “The represents your responsibility for the chaos." Lord make His face shine upon you, and be gracious to you; the Lord lift up His The piece of pie that the client normally draws is never very big. Then the countenance upon you, and give you peace” (Num. 6:25-26). Those words are counselor might say, "Okay. So why don't you and I talk about just your slice. a Hebrew idiom for the favor of God on a person’s life, asking God to smile on Let's talk about this piece that is your responsibility." Most of us never want to His children. talk about our slice of the problem. So today, remember that you are loved by God, and that He is pleased to Here’s an exercise for this week: As you experience relational conict at be gracious to you and to shine His face upon you. work, at home, with your friends—any conict of any sort, big or small—stop ________ and think about what part of the conict you’re creating. Your smile could be a message of cheer from God to a needy soul. Ask yourself, What is in my slice of the pie? Have I taken responsibility for _______ my life, really, or am I enjoying the blame game so much, that it has allowed “Lord, may my life be so pleasing to You that You are me to ignore what I am ultimately responsible for? If one can ever get the two pleased to have Your face shine on me.” parties to own their piece of the pie, progress can be made. But if everybody is focused on the other person's slice of the pie, there’s just chaos. Peace is a calmness, contentment, Day Five: “My Favorite Words” _________ Making Peace with someone isn’t about who is right; and condence amidst conict, chaos, “Grace, mercy, and peace from God the Father and Christ Jesus our Lord.” it’s about what is right. II Timothy 1:2 _________ “Dear Father, in my conict with others today, may I look at what I might be or crisis, made possible by The words grace and peace are found in all of Paul’s greetings in his New doing that only makes it worse and work on that part of the problem.” Testament letters to the churches. And in his letters to Timothy and Titus, he also the presence of Jesus Christ. includes mercy: “Grace, mercy, and peace from God the Father and Christ Jesus our Lord” (2 Tim. 1:2). Let’s examine each of these words. Grace is what our holy God gives that we, as sinful people, don’t deserve. In TALK IT OUT Acts 17:25, we learn that “He gives to all life, breath, and all things.” His gifts What is peace? include our very next breath. Even in our darkest hour, strength is given by God Why is it important? so that we can endure. How does one experience it? Mercy is what God withholds that we do deserve. In Lamentations 3:22, we What stops a believer from experiencing it? read, “Through the Lord’s mercies we are not consumed.” Even when we’re wayward, God gives time and help for us to turn back to Him. What steals your peace? Peace is what God brings to His people. Jesus said: “Peace I leave with you, Where do I nd it? My peace I give to you; not as the world gives do I give to you” (John 14:27). Even What verses last week on ‘peace’ meant the most to you? in the worst of times, we have inner tranquility because our God is in control. What verses on ‘peace’ this week mean the most to you? We can be encouraged that throughout our lives the Lord will give us the How does Scripture bring peace? grace, mercy, and peace we need to live for Him. How do we experience the fruit of peace? Flint wrote it this way in his Hymn, “He giveth more grace when the What stops you from times of solitude? Day One: Peace With God "good movement pushes out bad movement." We can discourage complaint's “Therefore, having been justied by faith, we have residency in our lives, by inviting another guest to move in with us. That new peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ.” guest is trust. When we choose to trust in the face of deep disappointment, Romans 5:1 complaint has less space to maneuver. While attempting to unpack for an extended stay, it discovers that trust has taken all the drawers in the guest The lm Luther, traces the struggles of the room and already occupies the empty seat at the table. Trust evicts complaint. young scholar to relate the message he was Trust and complaint are incompatible roommates. One, inevitably pushes the learning from Scripture, to the rigid church of his other one out. day. Martin Luther's own religious upbringing had _________ taught him a gospel that was an exercise in fear. Preaching to his congregation in Wittenberg, “If you want to know where your heart is, look to where your mind goes when it wanders.” Martin Luther dared to proclaim the truth of the _________ Christ of Scripture, over the terrors of the institutional church. Standing before his “Dear Father, may I only let into my heart, that which is good.” congregation he says, "Terrible. Unforgiving. That's how I saw God. Punishing us in this life, committing us to Purgatory after death, sentencing sinners to burn in hell for all eternity. But I was wrong.” Lesson Three: Words for a Troubled Heart Those who see God as angry do not see Him rightly, but look upon a curtain as if a dark storm cloud has been drawn across His face. If we truly As John 14 opens, Jesus reminds His believe that Christ is our Savior, then we have a God of love, and to see God in disciples that they can trust Him. His words faith is to look upon His friendly heart. would have been a voice of calm in the midst "So when the devil throws your sins in your face and declares that you of their confusion—and it can be, in ours as deserve death and hell, tell him this," says Luther, (as his sermon rises to a well.