Campus Community | Jonathan Pokluda

Overview:

During tonight’s message, Pastor Jonathan Pokluda preached from Psalm 16 about the peace that comes from God. We find God’s peace in three ways.

First, we find peace with God’s people. Often there is a temptation to hang out with people who pursue worldly things. We will not find peace with these people because the world and its people are full of anxieties and evil. Instead, we can find God’s peace as we spend time with Christians who are on fire for God. God will use His people to encourage us to pursue Him and become more like Christ.

Second, we find peace in God’s presence. We cannot have God’s peace unless we have God in our lives. We must consistently pursue Him. Sometimes we spend more time maintaining the perception of a relationship with God rather than our actual relationship with Him. Our relationship with God then becomes a list of things to do that we publish for others to see. If we are more interested in maintaining our reputation instead of our relationship, we will not have peace. True peace only comes from spending time knowing God.

Finally, we can find peace in God’s promises. Believers have eternity with God to look forward to. Despite everything that happens on earth, we can hold to the promise of an eternity in heaven with God. We can also find peace as we hold on to the many promises God gives to us in the Bible because God does not turn back on His word. He remains steadfast and the same.

Quotes:

“David uses Adonai, and that is the Lord my shelter, my protector.”

“Some of you are trying to have just enough of yourself in the World to enjoy the world, and just enough of yourself in Jesus to enjoy Jesus, and you won’t find peace in that”

“You are the average of your five closest friends. You are going where they are going. You will talk, dress, and love what they love”

“Are you influencing or are you being influenced?”

“What are the ‘what ifs’ that I’m chasing?”

“If your output surpasses your input then your upkeep is going to be your downfall”

Questions:

1. Is something causing you anxiety in this current season? What specifically is that thing?
2. What do you typically run to in order to find peace?
3. Do your closest friends make you want to be more like Jesus? Yes or No?  In what ways?
4. Honestly describe your current relationship with God in 3 words.
5. What is your favorite promise of God to think on in times of darkness?