The Whitecaps

Good morning and welcome in. Today we’re going to take a look at a passage of Scripture but before we do that I wanted to tell you a little story.

As many of you already know, Andrew and I like to do some sailing in our downtime. We picked up a really old catamaran that we spent some time fixing up for cheap and painting. It’s a really old boat but it sure likes to fly across the lake. It’s a lot of fun and very cheap entertainment. We have a very nice lake about 4 miles away from us that we frequent in the summer quite often. Sometimes when you go out on the lake in a 15 or a 20 mile an hour wind, people don’t realize how much work it takes as you fight with the rudder and the rigging to keep her on course. It can get really rough out there on a windy day with two and a half foot waves crashing over the side of the boat. Sometimes it looks like the sails are going to tear right off the mast. Andrew gets soaked from head to toe as he hangs out on the wire. After an hour or so our bodies are sore from fighting with the wind.

The lake that we usually sail on has a fairly big island on it and when we finally get to the point of utter exhaustion we head towards the downwind side of the island where the wind is completely blocked off. The huge waves start to disappear and the boat slowly comes to a stop in the complete calm behind the island. It’s so calm you could hear a pin drop and it’s hard to believe that you’re on the same lake that was so ferocious a few minutes earlier. We had finally found our peace from the whitecaps.

This reminds me of the Christian Life.

Peace is defined as a state of tranquility or quiet: a state of harmony, quiet or calm that is not disturbed by anything at all. Just as we seek a peaceful part of the the lake, as a Christian we are supposed to seek peace with others.

1 Pet 3:11 Let him eschew evil, and do good; let him seek peace, and ensue it. 

This is the season for deer hunting in northern Minnesota and lots of people are heading into the woods to try to attain some venison. They go through great lengths to achieve the goal of a successful deer hunt. Just as hunters pursue after a deer we are to pursue after peace in this world. Ensue means to strive to attain or to pursue. Peace is something that we want to achieve.

Maybe in high school some of you were known as high achievers. You worked very hard at something to accomplish whatever you put your mind to. Achieve means to bring to a successful end or to carry through and to accomplish. We want to seek peace and achieve it while in this world. Those who do will be blessed by God.

Matthew 5:9 – Blessed are the peacemakers: for they shall be called the children of God.

Romans 12:18 – If it be possible, as much as lieth in you, live peaceably with all men.

Many years ago I worked in retail and there were numerous times when somebody would come back to the store extremely upset with the things that they had purchased. To seek peace with the situation I would quickly give them all of their money back and also let some let them choose some free items from store. Their anger was finally abated. The interesting thing is that a month later they would bring their entire family with them back to the store because they had been treated well. When you seek peace God blesses you.

Hebrews 12:14 – Follow peace with all men, and holiness, without which no man shall see the Lord:

There are many people who judge you by what you eat or what you drink but what really matters is what kind of person that you are in your heart.

Romans 14:17-19 – For the kingdom of God is not meat and drink; but righteousness, and peace, and joy in the Holy Ghost. For he that in these things serveth Christ is acceptable to God, and approved of men. Let us therefore follow after the things which make for peace, and things wherewith one may edify another.

Psalms 34:14 – Depart from evil, and do good; seek peace, and pursue it.

The beloved Apostle James warned about infighting going on within the church rather than seeking peace.

James 4:1-3 From whence come wars and fightings among you? come they not hence, even of your lusts that war in your members? Ye lust, and have not: ye kill, and desire to have, and cannot obtain: ye fight and war, yet ye have not, because ye ask not. Ye ask, and receive not, because ye ask amiss, that ye may consume it upon your lusts.

The Apostle Paul mentions another instance of the same kinds of things that were going on in a home church. Instead of seeking peace with each other, it was a contentious atmosphere.

1 Cor 1:11 For it hath been declared unto me of you, my brethren, by them which are of the house of Chloe, that there are contentions among you.

Unity is having oneness of mind. In the church what joins us together are the doctrines and the teachings of the Lord Jesus Christ and the disciples. That is our source of our unity. True unity with each other is going to result in peace because you’re all joined together in the same mind. Just like glue, peace is the bond that holds us all together.

Ephesians 4:3 – Endeavouring to keep the unity of the Spirit in the bond of peace.

We must allow the peace of God to completely control our hearts.

Colossians 3:15 – And let the peace of God rule in your hearts, to the which also ye are called in one body; and be ye thankful.

1 Thessalonians 5:13 – …..and be at peace among yourselves.

2 Corinthians 13:11 – …live in peace; and the God of love and peace shall be with you.

Romans 15:33 – Now the God of peace be with you all. Amen.

Each time Andrew and I sail to the quiet side of the island to escape the whitecaps I remember what God calls each of us to do, to seek peace with each other. I remember this each time we hide behind the island, and find a place of peace from…

… The Whitecaps.

Let’s think about these things for right now.  We can be found on your web browser by searching, tlkjbc  where you can find our diaries distributed through various platforms. We are not associated, nor affiliated with any other religious groups. You can get our entire podcast feeds directly, along with transcripts at tlkjbc.com or I suppose that you could find us somewhere up here, in the Great Northern Minnesota woods. Peace to you, and Lord willing, we will talk with you some more tomorrow. Till then, bye bye everybody. ❤️

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