WISDOM FOR LIVING DAILY DEVOTIONAL
JANUARY 31, 2025
TOPIC: HOW TO HAVE GREAT PEACE
BY T. O. BANSO
“Great peace have those who love Your law, and nothing causes them to stumble” (Psalm 119:165 New King James Version).
It was not my original intention to write on this topic. I wanted to write on another topic. But a virtual prayer session with a pastor friend brought about this. And as I write this, I remember what the Apostle Jude said in the introductory part of the book of Jude.
He said in verse 3, “Dear friends, I had been eagerly planning to write to you about the salvation we all share. But now I find that I must write about something else, urging you to defend the faith that God has entrusted once for all time to his holy people” (New Living Translation). Jude wanted to write about a different subject before, but he changed his mind and wrote what we have in the book of Jude.
I wanted to write on a different topic before but the main scripture in our prayer session made me change the topic. This is the scripture: “Great peace have those who love Your law, and nothing causes them to stumble” (Psalm 119:165 New King James Version). Note the phrase “great peace.”
The phrase great peace appears only once in the King James Version and it’s in Psalm 119:165 that we are considering. The phrase appears only twice in the New King James Version, once in the Old Testament (Psalm 119:165) and once in the New Testament (Acts 24:2). The King James Version renders the great peace in Acts 24:2 as great quietness. The American Standard Version renders it as much peace. The peace or quietness in this scripture refers to political peace or prosperity in the land, not personal peace of mind. The context is different from that of Psalm 119:165, which is our focus in this message.
What the New King James Version and other translations refer to as great peace also means “abundant peace” (Christian Standard Bible, Berean Standard Bible, Holman Christian Standard Bible, Majority Standard Bible, etc.). GOD’S WORD Translation says, “There is lasting peace for those who love your teachings. Nothing can make those people stumble.”
This scripture tells us how to have great, abundant, or lasting peace. It says it comes by loving or having affection for the law, instructions, or teachings of God. Simply put, a child of God who wants to have great peace must love or have affection for the Word of God. That is talking about willingly obeying the Lord. Love for God is shown in obedience to His Word or instruction. Jesus said, “If you love me, keep my commands” (John 14:15 New International Version).
Moses commanded the Israelites to love the LORD, walk in His ways, and keep His commandments, His statutes, and His judgments, that they might live and multiply; and the LORD would bless them in the land they were entering to possess (Deuteronomy 30:16). Also, Deuteronomy 30:20 talks about loving the LORD and obeying His voice.
God says there is no peace for the wicked (Isaiah 57:21). The way to have peace of mind in life is obedience to God. “You give peace of mind to all who love your Law. Nothing can make them fall” (Psalm 119:165 Contemporary English Version). Note the phrase “peace of mind.” Isaiah 48:18 says, “Oh, that you had heeded My commandments! Then your peace would have been like a river, and your righteousness like the waves of the sea” (New King James Version). In other words, obeying God is the key to peace.
The latter part of our focal scripture, Psalm 119:165, says, “Nothing causes them to stumble” (New King James Version). This means that those who love the law of God will enjoy great peace and nothing shall make them stumble. The King James Version renders “Nothing causes them to stumble” as “Nothing shall offend them.” The New Living Translation says, “Those who love your instructions have great peace and do not stumble.” The New International Version puts it this way: “Great peace have those who love your law, and nothing can make them stumble.”
Those who love the Word of God shall have great peace and nothing shall offend them or make them stumble. They won’t stumble or have any occasion of stumbling. The Young’s Literal Translation says, “Abundant peace have those loving Thy law, and they have no stumbling-block.”
The Word of God is a lamp unto their feet and a light unto their path (Psalm 119:105). They won’t stumble because they’re walking in the light. “But if we walk in the light as He is in the light, we have fellowship with one another, and the blood of Jesus Christ His Son cleanses us from all sin” (1 John 1:7 New King James Version).
Do you want to have great peace, the peace that God gives, not the one that a government promises? Love the Word of God. Jesus said, “If you abide in My word, you are My disciples indeed” (John 8:31 New King James Version). Abide in His Word and obey it.
Are you His disciples? Do you abide in His Word? Do you have affection for His Word? Do you rejoice at His word like one who finds great treasure? (Psalm 119:162). Do you obey His Word because you love it? Love the Word of God if you want to have great peace and don’t want to stumble or fall. Proverbs 3:1-2 says, “My son, do not forget my law, but let your heart keep my commands; for length of days and long life and peace they will add to you” (New King James Version). Did you note the word peace? Those who love the Word of God have great peace and nothing can make them stumble or fall. Love the Word of God.
Jesus said, “Peace I leave with you, My peace I give to you; not as the world gives do I give to you. Let not your heart be troubled, neither let it be afraid” (John 14:27 New King James Version). The peace God gives surpasses all understanding (Philippians 4:7). It is not dependent on happenings. There is a place of prayer in enjoying peace that surpasses all understanding, but obedience to His Word is the major way to access great peace.
TAKE ACTION!
If you are not born again, you need to give your life to Jesus now. Take the following steps: *Admit that you are a sinner, and cannot save yourself, and repent of your sins. *Confess Jesus as your Lord and Saviour. *Renounce your past way of life – your relationship with the devil and his works. *Invite Jesus into your life. *As a mark of seriousness to mature in the faith, start attending a Bible-believing, Bible-teaching, and Bible-practising church. There they will teach you how to grow in the Kingdom of God.
Kindly say this prayer now: O Lord God, I come unto You today. I know I am a sinner, and I cannot save myself. I believe that Jesus is the Son of God who died on the cross to save me and God raised Him on the third day. I repent of my sins and confess Jesus as my Lord and Saviour. I surrender my life to Jesus now and invite Him into my heart. By this prayer, I know I am saved. Thank You, Jesus, for saving me and making me a child of God.
I believe you have said this prayer from your heart. Congratulations! You must join a Bible-believing, Bible-teaching, and Bible-practising church where they will teach you how to live your new life in Christ Jesus. I pray that you flourish like a palm tree and grow like a cedar of Lebanon. May you grow into Christ in all things and become all God wants you to be. I will be glad to hear from you. The Lord be with you.
PRAYER POINTS: Father, forgive me in any way that I have not loved Your Word. Holy Spirit, help me to love the Word of God and demonstrate it by willing obedience. Father, help me to enjoy again the peace I have lost because of my lack of affection for Your Word. Father, I receive great peace as I love and obey Your Word. I shall not stumble or fall.
(For over 900 in-depth and powerful messages by T. O. Banso, visit: www.cedarministry.org).
T. O. Banso is the President of Cedar Ministry International, Abuja, Nigeria.
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