PORTLAND CENTRAL CHURCH OF THE NAZARENE
  • Home
  • Programs
    • Prayer
    • Discipleship >
      • Groups
    • Engagement
    • Service
  • Church Online
  • Give
  • Messages
    • Recent Messages
    • Weekly Devotions Blog
  • About Us
    • Locations
    • Vision, Mission, Values & Beliefs
    • Meet The Team
    • Contact Us
  • Events
  • Ministries
    • Children's Ministry
    • Youth Ministry
    • Agape Village
    • Reach PDX
    • Spanish Ministry

Quick Read Devotionals

Jesus Is Our Peace

12/5/2021

0 Comments

 
For a child is born to us, a son is given to us. The government will rest on his shoulders. And he will be called: Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God, Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace.
Isaiah 9:6

I think one of the most peaceful moments I have experienced was sitting out in the woods watching the sun set. It was during hunting season and I walked a few miles out on a ridge and sat down. I was supposed to be watching for elk but was taken by the setting sun, the stillness in the air, and the absolute peace I felt. In that moment I had no responsibilities, no burdens, and no phone ringing (there was no service). It was peaceful. The only problem – it wasn’t sustainable. I had to walk back to camp, I had to drive back home, and I had to engage in life. Peace is amazing and would be even more amazing if we could have it all the time.

Those kinds of peaceful moments are wonderful and we all need to experience them regularly. But, when we talk about Jesus being our Prince of Peace those are not the moments He died to give us. He actually came to give us so much more than that. The peace Jesus came to give is sustainable – it is eternal. 

But, before we can experience this sustainable peace we first must confront the things that steal our peace. In Matthew Jesus said he didn’t not come to bring peace, but division. Now, that sounds contradictory to what Isaiah said doesn’t it? The Prince of Peace wasn’t going against His mission, He was telling us that what He brought isn’t going to be easy to receive. It isn’t going to be an escape from reality, but a new reality. It is going to require confrontation. The promised result, however, being deep and abiding peace. 

Jesus came to give peace through confrontation. He confronted the sin in the world. He confronted the religious leaders. He confronted the broken and the lost. Jesus’ public ministry wasn’t about trying to get everyone to agree. It was about showing everyone the way to ultimate peace. 

If you want peace today then start by seeking Jesus. Expect some conviction and some challenge. It isn’t a bad thing, don’t resist it. Through that challenge comes repentance and through repentance comes forgiveness. It is in forgiveness we can find real, lasting, peace.

​Pastor Matt
0 Comments



Leave a Reply.

    Authors

    Pastor Matt Huff leads Portland Central Nazarene Church. He loves being in ministry and seeing lives transformed by the power of Christ.  

    Stacy Watkins is the Director of Discipleship Ministries and also works in our transitional housing community, Agape Village, helping people get off the streets.  

    Archives

    June 2025
    May 2025
    April 2025
    March 2025
    February 2025
    January 2025
    November 2024
    October 2024
    September 2024
    August 2024
    July 2024
    June 2024
    May 2024
    March 2024
    February 2024
    January 2024
    April 2023
    March 2023
    February 2023
    January 2023
    October 2022
    July 2022
    June 2022
    May 2022
    April 2022
    March 2022
    February 2022
    January 2022
    December 2021
    November 2021
    October 2021
    September 2021
    August 2021
    July 2021
    June 2021
    May 2021
    April 2021
    March 2021
    February 2021
    January 2021
    December 2020
    November 2020
    October 2020
    September 2020

    Categories

    All
    Blessed
    Character
    Daniel
    Discernment
    Easter
    Faith Building
    God Is King
    Gospel Story
    Grit
    Holy Spirit
    Hope
    Jesus
    Jonah
    Joshua
    Joy
    Light
    Love
    Mercy
    Nehemiah
    Outreach
    Peace
    Praise
    Prayer
    Relationships
    Romans
    Sermon On The Mount
    Thankful
    The Cross
    The Jesus Strategy
    Trust
    VBS 2021

    RSS Feed

9715 SE Powell Blvd.
Portland, OR 97266
Directions
Phone: 503-760-6272

Service Time: Sunday, 10:00 am
  • Home
  • Programs
    • Prayer
    • Discipleship >
      • Groups
    • Engagement
    • Service
  • Church Online
  • Give
  • Messages
    • Recent Messages
    • Weekly Devotions Blog
  • About Us
    • Locations
    • Vision, Mission, Values & Beliefs
    • Meet The Team
    • Contact Us
  • Events
  • Ministries
    • Children's Ministry
    • Youth Ministry
    • Agape Village
    • Reach PDX
    • Spanish Ministry