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The signs come in all sizes and shapes. They are intended to deter would be intruders from entering the property of others to steal or destroy. "Warning! This property protected by (fill in the blank) Security Company." By paying the dues, anyone can procure such protection. What would it be worth to have God's sentinel guarding your most prized possessions? Paul gives four conditions under which He will do this. Read on to find out how to secure His services.

"Rejoice in the Lord always. Again I will say, rejoice! Let your gentleness be known to all men. The Lord is at hand. 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." (Philippians 4.4-7). Prior to considering these four conditions, it should be pointed out that the word guard in this text is a military term which literally means to garrison. This word was used to describe how the governor of Damascus guarded the city when he hoped to apprehend the apostle Paul (see 2 Corinthians 11.32). God's guard will garrison our minds and hearts! What a picture!!

Condition 1: "Rejoice in the Lord!" To rejoice in the Lord, one must place value in the Lord. One does not rejoice in things about which he/she is indifferent. To rejoice in the Lord, a person has to see the Lord as the source of all spiritual blessings (Ephesians 1.3). Such valuation of life's situations is not a casual or capricious thing. It takes an eye that is continually glued to the goal to rejoice and to rejoice always in the Lord. Flighty emotions are not involved in this action! Deep resolve and persistent effort is needed to rejoice always in the Lord! When the psalmist declared "The Lord is my Shepherd…" he did so with the same resolve that is required for the Lord to be the source of our joy.

Condition 2: "Let your gentleness be know to all men." One commentator suggests that this term gentleness should be translated sweet reasonableness. Indeed, the ASV and RSV translate the word as forbearance. It is simply a way of saying that all men should see by our lives that we believe that God is in control and will finally settle all accounts in His highest of courts. "The Lord is at hand" is a reference to the fact that the believer knows that God knows! Even when things don't go as we wish, God knows. He takes account of the demise of a single sparrow so it is obvious that He knows of our difficulties. Why should the believer get exercised over matters that have little or no eternal importance and which God will eventually handle anyway? Sweet reasonableness is able to turn the other cheek because the treasures which it values are not subject to human wrongdoers! With the sure knowledge that our treasures are securely laid up in heaven, the believer can be reasonable, gentle, and moderate in all things before all men.

If we want to employ the services of a security company, we have to meet their terms and conditions. If we want God's sentinel to guard our hearts and minds, we must meet His terms and conditions. The price is not cheap, but it is a bargain at any price!

Questions:

1. What is gentleness as used in our focus text?

2. Why should gentleness be a characteristic of the believer? What does he/she have going that would allow him/her to be gentle?

3. What was the ultimate price that was paid for our peace? Who paid that price?

4. RESEARCH: How is the peace that GOd offers different from the peace that the world offers?

"The Way" from Kevin Pauley

The First Sin