These last few weeks and months have been anything but peaceful. The world is in turmoil and peace will not be found anytime soon.

Billy Graham said: Are you searching for peace? Are you longing for it? You thought you would find it if you made a lot of money, but you didn’t find it. You thought you would find it in getting and accumulating a lot of knowledge, so you got all the degrees you could, but you didn’t find it, this peace.

You’ve searched the religions of the world, but you haven’t found it. There are a thousand ways you’ve turned, trying to find peace, but you haven’t found it. When you come to Christ by an act of faith, He gives you the Holy Spirit who produces the fruit of the Spirit and gives you the peace that passes all understanding.

Isaiah 26:3: You will keep in perfect peace those whose minds are steadfast, because they trust in you.

In the Book of John the 14th chapter Jesus is comforting his Disciples.

Jesus knows very soon he will be arrested and things will change significantly.

As we read this chapter Jesus touches on a number of things. 

” Do not let your hearts be troubled”

” I am preparing a place for you”

” He is the way to truth and life’

” I will do whatever you ask in my name”

” I will ask the Father and he will give you another Counselor”

He has been their Counselor and now another one is coming.

Jesus shares a number of other thoughts then we come to verse 27.

I think after everything he has said to his disciple Jesus uses verse 27 to bring it all together to this point .

John 14:27, I leave my peace with you. I give my peace to you. I do not give it to you as the world does. Do not let your hearts be troubled. And do not be afraid.

I want you to  understand 3 kinds of peace Jesus is talking about.

• Peace with God (spiritual) -We have been made right with God because of our faith. Now we have peace with him because of our Lord Jesus Christ. (Romans 5:1 NIV).

• Peace of God (emotional) -Don’t worry about anything. Instead, tell God about everything. Ask and pray. Give thanks to him. ⁷ Then God’s peace will watch over your hearts and your minds because you belong to Christ Jesus. God’s peace can never be completely understood. (Philippians 4:6-7 NIV). 

• Peace with each other (relational) -Blessed are those who make peace (peacemakers). They will be called sons of God. (Matthew 5:9 NIV). 

A number of times in the Bible Jesus says, “Peace be with you” It is obvious to me that Jesus wants us to find and to have peace. 

The world will only find this peace when they find Jesus Christ our Lord and Saviour. That’s what we are called to do, “Share His Peace”.

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ALLIANCE HISTORY AND THOUGHT

Keith Taylor has been the Senior Pastor at Beulah Alliance Church for the past 28 years.

Beulah  is one of the oldest and biggest Protestant churches in Edmonton.

When Taylor assumed his post at Beulah, about 600 worshippers gathered regularly. Today, Beulah counts more than 3,000 members on its rolls of regular attendees, not counting thousands more who occasional attend.

Beulah Alliance Church started as a rescue mission in 1907, when Edmonton’s population was about 2,500. As Edmonton grew, so did the church and, by 1956, the congregation moved from 105th Street into a large new church on 124th Street, near 109th Avenue. At the time, Beulah had more than 1,000 children enrolled in Sunday School. It then moved to its current facility 178 street and 98ave.

Beulah has always been active in fostering new congregations, commonly known as church plants. Sherwood Park Alliance, which began in the 1960s, is just one example. About 50 churches and organizations in the Edmonton region can trace their roots back to Beulah. 

Today, Beulah is the hub for multiple campuses Including an Arabic and Hispanic fellowships.

Pastor Taylor sets direction for a staff of 65, some of whom are pastors at the neighborhood sites.