Finding Keeping Sharing Peace - Message Study Questions

Message Summary

When believers receive the peace of God through Jesus Christ, they are forgiven, loved unconditionally, and united to God through the Holy Spirit. At that moment they have peace. But how then do we live out God’s peace? We maintain God’s peace through training, by exercising our faith (putting it into practice) and becoming peacemakers. When we rejoice and bring our requests to God in prayer with thanksgiving, the result is the peace of God, which surpasses understanding and guards our hearts and our minds.

This requires faith. The practical, ongoing experience of God’s peace comes from actually putting your faith into practice in your daily life. As children of God, part of that training and faith involves making peace between people. It requires courage to step into conflict, to seek truth above all, and pursue relationships. The peacemaker starts the reconciliation process instead of waiting for others to initiate it. Peacemaking ultimately brings personal peace and glorifies God.

1. Where have you been sensing a lack of peace in your own life?
   

2. Can you share a time when you took a step of faith and experienced the peace of God?

Consider This

Our culture has been training us to make our life all about our momentary happiness based on circumstances. And God says whether your circumstances are good or bad, rejoice! Give thanks. Bring your needs and worries to God with thanksgiving for what you do have and Who you do know.

1. Read Phil 4:4-7.

   • How are you inclined to react when circumstances don’t go the way you want?
   • From these verses, what can you do to experience the peace of God?
     

2. According to Phil 4:8-9, what else can you do to find mental peace? What are some ways you could apply this to your life?
   

3. When someone is joyful, kind and thankful, how does that affect those around that person?
   

4. What can you do today to reduce your anxiety?
   

5. Read Hebrews 11:1-3, 6.

   • How would you define faith?
   • What is the greatest act of faith you have personally seen?
   • How is faith affected when God doesn’t explain exactly what is going on and what to expect?
   • Is it possible to please God without faith?
     

6. Can you share some time when you did trust God for something, and times when you didn’t?

7. What do you need to trust God for even though you can’t see how it will play out? How can you demonstrate your faith this week?
   

8. What does a peacemaker look like according to James 3:17-18? What are the results of peacemaking (see also Matthew 5:9)?
   

9. Read Romans 12:18. Is peace always possible? What is the believer’s duty?
   

10. What needs to happen for you to live at peace with someone in your life?
    

Moving Forward – Application

The peacemaker seeks peace. The peacemaker repents quickly when they are in the wrong. The peacemaker starts the reconciliation process instead of waiting for others to initiate it. This week consider how you could:

1. Step into the chaos, the conflict and the dysfunction versus avoiding conflict at all costs?
   

2. Seek truth even if it is not what you want to hear versus spreading disinformation.
   

3. Pursue relationships versus closing your circle.
   

4. Make a list of what you can rejoice for this week.
   

5. Pray to God with faith about the things that cause fear and anxiety for you this week.