Subject Thirty-six

THE WAY TO OBTAIN PEACE AND BLESSING

Scripture: Job 22:21-30

1. The meaning of peace and blessing
   1. Peace is the rest and satisfaction within.
   2. Blessing is the happiness and hope within. Happiness is for the present and hope is for eternity. If anyone has this blessing within, he is happy at the present and has hope for the future. Explain that some people may have fame, wealth, and high position today, but they do not have real peace and blessing within.
2. The source of peace and blessing
   1. The source of peace and blessing is God. Man has been created for God. Only when he has received God is there the inward peace and satisfaction. Only when he has God as his life is it possible for him to have peace today and hope for the future.
   2. The reason man does not have such peace and blessing within is that he has lost God.
3. The way to obtain peace and blessing
   1. Man lost his inner peace and blessing because he committed sins and was separated from God.
   2. To regain the peace and blessing, man must receive God. To receive God, man must return to God and depart from sin. Emphasize the words in the book of Job: “Acquaint now thyself with him, and be at peace: thereby good shall come unto thee...If thou return to the Almighty, thou shalt be built up, if thou shalt put away unrighteousness far from thy tents.” To return to the Almighty is to come back to God; to put away iniquity is to depart from sin.
   3. Accept the word of God and receive God according to His word. Explain that once a man receives the word of God, he has eternal life, forgiveness of sins, justification, and all other blessings.
   4. Have delight in God and treasure Him:
      Verse 26: “Then shalt thou delight thyself in the Almighty, and shalt lift up thy face unto God.”
      Verses 24-25: “Lay thou thy treasure in the dust,...and the Almighty will be thy treasure, and precious silver unto thee.”
      Describe man’s real situation: how he loves his children, money, education, position, etc. Yet, eventually these things only hurt him. For example, if you love money, one day the bank may become insolvent; if you love your children, they may disappoint you.
   5. Pray to God. He will hear you if you pray. Confess your sins before Him, ask for His forgiveness and cleansing, and sincerely receive the Lord Jesus as your Savior.
4. The result
   1. The man who accepts the word of God, has delight in God, treasures Him, and prays, will be able to know God, and peace and blessing will come upon him.
   2. He will have light, and the light will shine upon his ways. From this time on, there will be light in his life. He will behave in light, and he will have a way to go on.
   3. He will be saved.
   4. He will be exalted. A person who has accepted God is higher than other people, and he will become higher and higher until he reaches the New Jerusalem.