<html><head></head><body><div><div><div><div><br></div>Ephesians 2; 17&amp;18<div><br></div><div><b>17. &nbsp;And he came and preached peace to you who were far off and peace to those who were near;</b></div><div><b>18. &nbsp;for through him we both have access in one Spirit to the Father.</b></div><div><b><br></b></div><div>During Holy Week, days before Jesus offers himself for us on the cross, he said to his&nbsp;disciples,</div><div><i>“Peace I leave with&nbsp;you; my peace I give to you; not as the world gives do I give to you. &nbsp;Let not your hearts be troubled, neither let them be afraid.” &nbsp;</i>(John 14;17)</div><div><br></div><div>The peace Jesus <i>“leaves</i>&nbsp;(and) <i>gives” </i>to those who follow him, is perfect. &nbsp;Meaning it is divine peace, the peace of God himself.</div><div><br></div><div>It is&nbsp;a peace which means the Father (who demands holiness)&nbsp;is both ‘approachable’ and ‘favorable’ toward us. &nbsp;What else&nbsp;does this mean? &nbsp;It means we <u>in Christ,</u>&nbsp;are partakers of the divine nature, perfect in holiness. &nbsp;Not only have all our sins been forgiven, but we now are <u>in</u>&nbsp;the very righteousness of God. &nbsp;&nbsp;<span>This means we are about o</span><span>ur Father’s business.</span></div><div><span><br></span></div><div><span>It is Jesus’ own perfect peace. &nbsp;It is not a peace ‘like’ the peace of Jesus, it is Jesus’ own peace, ours because we are in him and he is in us. &nbsp;He calls it, <i>“my peace.”</i></span></div><div><span><i><br></i></span></div><div><span>The peace of Jesus knows the Father’s favor and pleasure. &nbsp;Jesus’ peace, knows the Father will allow him to face and endure suffering&nbsp;death and the torments of hell, AND be victorious! &nbsp;Jesus repeatedly told the disciples that he would be killed and on the third day rise. &nbsp;He knew the end of the story. &nbsp;There was no doubt in him. &nbsp;</span></div><div><span><br></span></div><div><span>Knowing how everything will turn out gives us courage to follow him through all the tribulations of this life. &nbsp;<i>“In the&nbsp;world you have tribulation; but be of good cheer, I have overcome the world.” &nbsp;</i>(John 16;33)</span></div><div><span><br></span></div><div><span>It is the very proclaiming of his Word, which delivers the peace of Jesus into our souls. &nbsp;Remember there was a time of great tribulation for Jesus in the Garden of Gethsemane. &nbsp;Some Biblical texts record he suffered so much anticipating his tormenting&nbsp;separation from the Father, his tortious&nbsp;and death, that he gave for a bloody sweat. &nbsp;(This has been proven to really happen to those under extreem strain.)</span></div><div><span><br></span></div><div><span>What restored peace into the heart, mind, soul, and spirit of Jesus? &nbsp;It was his <i>“Abba! Father!” p</i>rayer.</span></div><div><span><i>“Abba, Father, all things are possible to thee; remove this cup of suffering from me; yet not what I will, but what thou wilt.” &nbsp;</i>(Mark 14;36)</span></div><div><span><br></span></div><div><span>This is the <i>“one Spirit of Jesus”, &nbsp;</i>the will to do only the Father’s will. &nbsp;</span></div><div><span><br></span></div><div><span>What is the Father’s will for us? &nbsp;It is the same as his will for his only Son; complete&nbsp;victory over death, the resurrection to eternal life. &nbsp;This is the Father’s will for us. &nbsp;Perfect peace in willing&nbsp;submission to the Father’s will.</span></div><div><span><br></span></div><div><span>Prayer: &nbsp;Merciful Father, grant us to live in the Mind of Christ, which you have given us. &nbsp;In Jesus and in his own peace, we pray, Amen</span></div><div><span><br></span></div><div><span>Love,</span></div><div><span>Dad/Baba/Eric</span></div><div><span>Grandpa Pickle Pastor</span></div><div><span>“A chapter a day, every day, progressively, be transformed, ‘soak’ in the living Word. &nbsp;God’s Word is our habitation, and we are His.”</span></div><div><b><br></b><br><br><div><a></a><br></div></div></div></div></div></body></html>


Ephesians 2; 17&18
17.  And he came and preached peace to you who were far off and peace to those who were near;18.  for through him we both have access in one Spirit to the Father.
During Holy Week, days before Jesus offers himself for us on the cross, he said to his disciples,“Peace I leave with you; my peace I give to you; not as the world gives do I give to you.  Let not your hearts be troubled, neither let them be afraid.”  (John 14;17)
The peace Jesus “leaves (and) gives” to those who follow him, is perfect.  Meaning it is divine peace, the peace of God himself.
It is a peace which means the Father (who demands holiness) is both ‘approachable’ and ‘favorable’ toward us.  What else does this mean?  It means we in Christ, are partakers of the divine nature, perfect in holiness.  Not only have all our sins been forgiven, but we now are in the very righteousness of God.   This means we are about our Father’s business.
It is Jesus’ own perfect peace.  It is not a peace ‘like’ the peace of Jesus, it is Jesus’ own peace, ours because we are in him and he is in us.  He calls it, “my peace.”
The peace of Jesus knows the Father’s favor and pleasure.  Jesus’ peace, knows the Father will allow him to face and endure suffering death and the torments of hell, AND be victorious!  Jesus repeatedly told the disciples that he would be killed and on the third day rise.  He knew the end of the story.  There was no doubt in him.  
Knowing how everything will turn out gives us courage to follow him through all the tribulations of this life.  “In the world you have tribulation; but be of good cheer, I have overcome the world.”  (John 16;33)
It is the very proclaiming of his Word, which delivers the peace of Jesus into our souls.  Remember there was a time of great tribulation for Jesus in the Garden of Gethsemane.  Some Biblical texts record he suffered so much anticipating his tormenting separation from the Father, his tortious and death, that he gave for a bloody sweat.  (This has been proven to really happen to those under extreem strain.)
What restored peace into the heart, mind, soul, and spirit of Jesus?  It was his “Abba! Father!” prayer.“Abba, Father, all things are possible to thee; remove this cup of suffering from me; yet not what I will, but what thou wilt.”  (Mark 14;36)
This is the “one Spirit of Jesus”,  the will to do only the Father’s will.  
What is the Father’s will for us?  It is the same as his will for his only Son; complete victory over death, the resurrection to eternal life.  This is the Father’s will for us.  Perfect peace in willing submission to the Father’s will.
Prayer:  Merciful Father, grant us to live in the Mind of Christ, which you have given us.  In Jesus and in his own peace, we pray, Amen
Love,Dad/Baba/EricGrandpa Pickle Pastor“A chapter a day, every day, progressively, be transformed, ‘soak’ in the living Word.  God’s Word is our habitation, and we are His.”


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