For years I have always wrote "Proverbs 3:5-6" in wedding, graduation and birthday cards. It has actually become somewhat of a habit, but what I hope is why I write it and what it means never does.

Lately with all the turmoil in politics and the financial world and I guess everything else I have noticed something greatly missing from our society. Everyone has lost something or afraid of losing something else. As things in our lives are becoming more and more uncertain and unstable, we tend to find ourselves more and more troubled, worrying and fretting about what lies around the next turn. But what we are missing or what we have lost is something that we have tended to set aside. It is not something that has been taken from us it is just something we forgot we have. What is it? It is Proverbs 3:4-6.

"Trust in the Lord with all your heart and lean not on your own understanding. In all your ways acknowledge Him and He will make straight your path.", The Holy Bible, NIV.

Better stated...PEACE.

Jesus said, "Trust in God, trust also in me."

He said, "Do not worry about your life, what you will eat or what you will wear." We will take care of you!

What is peace?

Paul, in the Bible, lists peace as one of the fruits that our lives will bear if we have given our life to Jesus.

Jesus himself is called the Prince of Peace.

Paul tells us to give every request to God and do it with thanksgiving and the peace of God, which transcends all human and understanding will guard our hearts and our minds.

So what is peace? Peace is Trust.

Like I mentioned earlier, peace is listed as a fruit of the Holy Spirit living in our life. What I really like is the order in which it is listed...Love, Joy, Peace, Patience, Kindness, Goodness, Gentleness, Faithfulness and Self Control.

In my own life, I have come to the conclusion that these are in somewhat or a sequential order. It all starts with Love. Love of God for me, love of Jesus for me, love from me for them, love from me for you.

The understanding of this love is the definition of Joy. Joy is a state of being it is not an emotion. I can be happy or sad, but still have joy! I am in a relationship with God my Father, by the blood of His son Jesus and will live them forever. This is joy!

If I can't grasp these two facets of my life...The love of God and the joy of my salvation I will never have PEACE. You see if everything that is around me is lost...I still should be able to love, have joy and have peace. Because I trust Him.

There are a couple old songs that are running through my head as I write this and their words are so powerful and true.

"but I know whom I have believed and am pursuaded that He is able. To keep that which I've committed unto Him against that Day."

"My hope is built on nothing less, than Jesus blood and righteousness. I dare not trust the sweetest frane, but wholly lean on Jesus name. On christ the solid rock I stand all other ground is sinking sand"

A picture that God gave me one time, was of two people out in the water. The waves were high and tossed too and fro. It was scary! All you could see was the head of each of the people. One person looked frantic, scared and their arms were flailing. The other person had a look of peace and serenity. What was the difference? The calm person was standing on a rock.

In this turbulant time, are you standing on the rock? If you are not...you will not have peace. For many of us, the good times we have experienced gave us several things that we though gave us peace, but when they faded we find ourselves wanting and lacking true peace.

Remember if the fruits of the Spirit are in somewhat of a sequential order that if you don't have love, you won't have joy and if you don't have joy, you won't have peace and if you don't have these you can't be patient, kind, good, gentle, faithful or self-controlled.

Jesus said not to worry about tomorrow, today has enough trouble of its own. He promises to be with us, never give us more than we can handle with Him and always give us a way out. he says that hthis world we will experience many struggles, but be of good cheer...He has already overcome the World!

May the Lord of God through Jesus Christ our Lord make your joy complete and give you peace!