If you need peace, we know where to find it and we’ll tell you.

Steve Brown:
If you need peace, we know where to find it and we’ll tell you, on Key Life.

Matthew Porter:
This is Key Life. We’re here to let you know that because of what Jesus has done, God will never be angry at you again. Jerry Parries has been teaching us all this week. Jerry serves as pastor at Christian Family Worship Center, House of Grace. And he’s the author of The Making of a Blended Family.

Steve Brown:
Thank you Matthew. Hi Jerry. This has been such a great week.

Jerry Parries:
Wow.

Steve Brown:
You know, and this is true, every time I went to your church and sat at your feed and listened, I thought, you know, I can do this thing. I really can. I’m feeling kind of that way with this week of broadcast.

Jerry Parries:
Amen.

Steve Brown:
Okay. We’re talking about, you want to explain once more what the hallway is?

Jerry Parries:
Yes. Yes. I was sharing this week about hallway experiences. What is hallway experiences? I gave a story of my brother in law came to me one day and he was feeling bad, was depressed and just was not happy about life. And I told him, I said, God never closes a door that he doesn’t open up a window. He says, I don’t have a problem with God closing the door. I don’t have a problem with God opening up the window. It’s the hallways that get me.

Steve Brown:
Oh, that’s so good. That imagery works.

Jerry Parries:
Yeah, it works, doesn’t it? And he said, it’s the hallways. And so, we’ve been talking about how to handle hallway experiences.

Steve Brown:
And you’ve taught us to look for the joy, to praise and pray, to rejoice always, to trust God.

Jerry Parries:
Yeah.

Steve Brown:
But there’s more, isn’t there?

Jerry Parries:
Yeah, there is more. I talked about on last, on yesterday. Don’t worry about a thing, but pray about everything. I just want to tag onto that just a little bit, during this season, during this season in your life. Sometime you need to change some of the habits that you have, maybe you need to shut the TV off for a few minutes and just spend time praying or get off of Facebook, you know, and spend time praying or get off of Instagram, you know, put your phone on vibrate, you know, at this point, you know, when you’re going through something, sometimes you want to do things differently in order to get different results. So, you have to sometime reprioritize what you’re doing in the hallway, when you can’t quite see where you’re going in life, sometimes you need to be focused on where you’re trying to go. And that means you’ve got to spend some time with God in prayer.

Steve Brown:
Oh yeah. And Paul’s pretty specific about our meditation, that’s what he’s talking about, isn’t he?

Jerry Parries:
Yeah, which brings us to the sixth point. Is that you have to meditate on God’s word, which is positive things and not negative things, verse 8. Well, let me read for Philippians 4 and 4 says.

Rejoice in the Lord always. And again, I say rejoice.

That’s where we find joy in it.

Let your gentleness be known unto all men.

Why? Cause the Lord is at hand. While you’re going through what you’re going through, you don’t have to be worried. You don’t have to fret because God is there with you.

Be anxious for nothing, but in everything by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving. Let your requests be made known unto God.

Which means don’t worry about a thing, but pray about everything. And when this happens, when you follow those steps, Steve. Something miraculous happens and the peace of God, which surpasses all understanding will guard your heart and your mind through Christ Jesus. You will have peace in the midst of the storm, when you rejoice in the Lord always, when you let your gentleness be known unto all men. When you’re not anxious, when you pray about everything and don’t worry about anything. The peace of God, which surpasses all understanding. How am I dealing with three deaths in three months? How do I have the peace of God?

Steve Brown:
I don’t know?

Jerry Parries:
The peace of God, a passive understanding. The average person will look and say, how are you dealing with this? This is the peace that surpasses understanding. This doesn’t pass, it surpassed the understanding of how you can handle these moments like this because God’s peace comes because you put your trust totally in him.

Steve Brown:
But as you were saying, you kind of have to reprogram sometimes, don’t you?

Jerry Parries:
You do. You have to re -shift some things in your life. You know, sometimes you’re so busy with life, trying to make it, trying to get ahead that you don’t take the time to spend spiritually, building up the spiritual man by praying and singing hymns and listening to the right music. Now, ain’t nothing wrong. I had a pastor tell a guy one time, he said, pastor, is this sinful to listen to jazz music? He said, no, you’re too broke to listen to jazz music. He said, you need to listen to Christian music so that you could build yourself up. There’s nothing wrong with listening to jazz. There’s nothing wrong with listening to R& B or whatever music you like. But in this season, I need to listen to stuff that’s going to edify me, that’s going to build me up. I got to keep my radio station on the station that you’re listening to this program on for a few minutes until I can get through the hallway.

Steve Brown:
Is that what Paul meant when he said.

Finally brothers, whatever things are true, noble, just, pure, lovely, good report, meditate on these.

Is that what he’s talking about?

Jerry Parries:
That is exactly what he’s saying. He’s saying, listen, at this moment, while you’re going through the hallways of life, you need to listen to whatsoever things are true. The things that are true is what God says, that you can make it, that you’re the head and not the tail, you’re the above and not beneath. You need to listen to those things. What sort of things are noble? What sort of things are pure? You need to listen, get your Bible and just allow it to read to you, you know, get an app that reads the word to you so that you can build yourself up. Man, you’re trying to get to a dark place right now. You don’t have time to be listening to certain things. You don’t have time to be, you don’t have time to go certain places. You know, certain people you can’t talk to, you can’t talk to somebody who’s drowning while you’re drowning. You need to talk to a lifeguard. You need to talk to somebody that’s going to help you up right now. And right now the word of God is what does that. So, whatsoever things are lovely. Whatsoever things have good report. I don’t need any negativity in my life. I don’t need anybody bringing me any bad reports. I’ve got to think of, I’ve got to meditate on these things. And the Scripture says in verse 9.

The things which you have learned and receive and heard.

What are the things you’ve learned? That God is able to do all things. God is able to supply you all of your needs. The Scripture says.

And now we know that God can do all things.

And nothing is impossible.

All things work together for the good.

That’s what I was trying to say.

All things work together for the good of them that love the Lord, that are called according to his purpose.

That’s what I learned. That’s what I heard. That’s what I read. And now, I’m seeing God do something. And the Bible says.

When you do these things, the peace of God will be with you.

Steve Brown:
You know, we live in a culture that lies to us. I mean, and we’re, it used to be when we didn’t have all the technology, and all the stations, and the 24 7 news, and the constant Facebook, and the constant Twitter and X and all of that. But that’s where the lies are. And we’re inundated, I mean, we’re overwhelmed with it all the time. And so, what you’re suggesting is a volitional, intentional act of saying, I’m not going there, I don’t need that right now, I need what God says.

Jerry Parries:
Yes, shut it off. I encourage you to fast from Facebook, fast from TV, fast from news. God, what’s happening in America? Just fast from it. Just shut all of that out and concentrate and meditate on the goodness of God in your life.

Steve Brown:
Now again, you’re not saying that jazz is bad and you’re not saying that it’s wrong to have a Facebook page or any of that. You’re just saying when you’re in the hallway and the window hasn’t opened, best you think about some things that are positive.

Jerry Parries:
Right.

Steve Brown:
That are helpful.

Jerry Parries:
Absolutely. None of the, all things are lawful, but all things are not expedient. Some things are not just good for you right now. You know, and so, sometimes you have to just cut it off for a while until you get, it’s like when you go into the hospital and, and you come out of surgery. Nothing’s wrong with eating chicken and rice and

Steve Brown:
but not yet

Jerry Parries:
but not yet, you know, you’ve got to heal first, you’ve got to drink water. So, right now you’re going through a spiritual turmoil. There isn’t nothing wrong with it, but at this moment, this ain’t the time to be eating all of that stuff that the world has, you need to eat off of Jesus.

Steve Brown:
Jerry, that is so balanced and so wise. Now, we’re about out of time. We’re going to land this plane for the week. So, you’ve got a final word, do you want to review and just tell us, remind us of what you taught us?

Jerry Parries:
Yeah. I just want to say to everyone that’s out there that’s listening to me, while you’re in the hallway, remember, find the joy in it, God is with you, pray and praise, make your requests known, and then watch what you meditate on, so that you will be able to get through the hallways of life. Listen, life is tough. Life is, life be lifeing, you know. And sometimes it’s not the enemy, sometimes it’s just life. But in the midst of life, you have a helper called the Holy Spirit to help you through those moments to get you through the hallway, to get you to the door or window so that God will bring you out.

Steve Brown:
Jerry, God bless you. And you have a safe journey as you head to Greece.

Jerry Parries:
Yeeeaaah!

Steve Brown:
Just make sure you come back and teach us some more. Guys, this is the pathway to joy and peace. And anybody who tells you different, they don’t know what they’re talking about. This is God. Rejoice always. You think about that. Amen.

Matthew Porter:
Thank you Steve Brown and Jerry Parries. What a terrific week of teaching. If you missed any episode or maybe you want to re-listen or share this series with a friend, it’s as easy as visiting us at keylife.org and our team approach continues tomorrow when Steve and Pete join forces for Friday Q& A. Tomorrow, they’ll tackle a question about the commandments regarding the Holy Spirit. Don’t miss it. Well, when you first see Philip Plyming’s name, you’re going to want to pronounce it Plyming, because that’s how it’s spelled. But it is Plemming, as in Plymouth Rock. We learned that when we spoke with him on Steve Brown Etc. about his new book. It’s all about the apostle Paul’s hardships and the enduring power of being authentic. I think you’d enjoy that conversation, and as it happens, we’ve put it on a CD that we can send to you for free. Just call us right now at 1-800-KEY-LIFE that’s 1-800-539-5433. You can also e-mail [email protected] to ask for that CD. Or to mail your request, go to key life.org/contact to find our mailing addresses. Again, just ask for the CD featuring Philip Plyming. Finally, if you value the work of Key Life, would you join us in that work through your giving? You can charge a gift on your credit card or include a gift in your envelope. Or simply pick up your phone and text Key Life to 28950 that’s Key Life, one word or two. It doesn’t matter. Text that to 28950. Key Life is a member of ECFA in the States and CCCC in Canada. And we are a listener supported production of Key Life Network.