Category: Peace

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A Reliable Cure

Have you ever been to the doctor and had them ask you about your medical history and your family’s medical history? Lots of questions and sometimes you wonder if they are even listening as you answer.

This morning, I have a question for you. Do you have heart trouble? Are there triggers in your life that have or are now affecting your heart?

Then let me give you a prescription for the cure.

“Let not your heart be troubled: ye believe in God, believe also in me.” John 14:1 KJV

Jesus spoke these words to his disciples right before His crucifixion. If anything would cause “heart trouble” for them it would be this, but Jesus’ command was don’t be troubled.

“My son, pay attention to my words and be willing to learn; Open your ears to my sayings. 21 Do not let them escape from your sight; Keep them in the center of your heart. 22 For they are life to those who find them, And healing and health to all their flesh. 23 Watch over your heart with all diligence, For from it flow the springs of life.” Proverbs 4:20-23 AMP

King Solomon knew the way to prevent “heart trouble” was to pay attention to God’s word. It provides health and healing to all who choose to live by it.

The dosing instructions for this prescription were given to Joshua by the Lord.

“Always remember what is written in that book of law. Speak about that book and study it day and night. Then you can be sure to obey what is written there. If you do this, you will be wise and successful in everything you do. 9 Remember, I commanded you to be strong and brave. Don’t be afraid, because the Lord your God will be with you wherever you go.” Joshua 1:8-9 ERV

Twice a day are the instructions but more if needed – day and night.

So, if you are experiencing heart trouble this morning, I’m sending you to my cardiologist, He’s never lost a patient. You have a private consultation with Him, listen to His instructions.

“ I have told you all these things while I am with you. 26 But the Helper will teach you everything and cause you to remember all that I told you. This Helper is the Holy Spirit that the Father will send in my name.

27 “I leave you peace. It is my own peace I give you. I give you peace in a different way than the world does. So don’t be troubled. Don’t be afraid. 28 You heard me say to you, ‘I am leaving, but I will come back to you.’ If you loved me, you would be happy that I am going back to the Father, because the Father is greater than I am. 29 I have told you this now, before it happens. Then when it happens, you will believe.” John 14:26-29 ERV

I guarantee you that Jesus knew about situations that could weaken the heart. He had faced physical and spiritual attacks, mental temptations and reputation destroying lies. In the final night before His death, He was preparing the disciples to withstand the attacks of the heart.

“ I have told you all this now to prepare you. So when the time comes for these things to happen, you will remember that I warned you… 33 “I have told you these things so that you can have peace in me. In this world you will have troubles. But be brave! I have defeated the world!” John 16:4 & 33 ERV

Take the Great Physician’s prescription and keep your heart strong!

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Organized & Peaceful

I woke up very early this morning; my mind was hurriedly making lists. For the next few weeks things are going to be quite busy for me and I want to make sure that I don’t forget anything. That’s why I have lists.

I got up, fully intending to come out to the living room and write a few things down, but instead, I picked up my Bible first and went to a few of my favorite passages on organization and peace.

There are some lessons the Lord teaches us and it’s to our benefit to revisit them often.

“ My son, don’t forget my teaching. Remember what I tell you to do. 2 What I teach will give you a good, long life, and all will go well for you. 3 Don’t ever let love and loyalty leave you. Tie them around your neck, and write them on your heart. 4 Then God will be pleased and think well of you and so will everyone else.

5 Trust the Lord completely, and don’t depend on your own knowledge. 6 With every step you take, think about what he wants, and he will help you go the right way. 7 Don’t trust in your own wisdom, but fear and respect the Lord and stay away from evil. 8 If you do this, it will be like a refreshing drink and medicine for your body.” Proverbs 3:1-8 ERV

Solomon’s words for a long and healthy life are simple. Trust the Lord and not yourself, walk a road of love and loyalty, it will keep you on the right path all the days of your life.

Further along in this book is a verse that the Lord used in my life many, many years ago and has repeated it to me hundreds of times throughout my life.

“Roll your works upon the Lord [commit and trust them wholly to Him; He will cause your thoughts to become agreeable to His will, and] so shall your plans be established and succeed.” Proverbs 16:3 AMPC

This verse serves as my stress meter. Am I anxious? Am I frustrated? Am I stressing out over the details? If I answer yes, then I know that I have not rolled my works on the Lord and that I am trying to do them in my own effort and wisdom.

This morning, I wrote in my journal “Father, thank you for a peaceful heart and an organized mind”.

Did you know that Moses wrote one of the Psalms? This is his prayer for us.

“Teach us to use wisely all the time we have.” Psalm 90:12 CEV

Moses seems to be saying the same thing here that Solomon said. Trust the Lord and not our own wisdom.

I have one more verse to share with you.

“God, you give true peace to people who depend on you, to those who trust in you.” Isaiah 26:3 ERV

You may have a long list of things to accomplish; there are unknowns and there is the temptation to worry and fret. I’d like to give you some Biblical advice, roll it all over on the Lord and let Him direct your path.

His way will give you a peaceful heart and an organized mind.

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Consequences

How many of you have heard these words?

“No temptation has taken you that is not common to man and the Lord will give you the ability to escape it” I Corinthians 10:13

That verse comes from I Corinthians chapter 10. Paul was giving instruction to the Christians about the example they had received from their forefathers who had murmured and complained in the wilderness.

They had seen all of God’s power when He delivered them from Egypt; crossing the Red Sea; living under the pillar of cloud by day; eating manna from heaven; drinking water from a rock and still they complained and rebelled.

So now Paul is giving strong admonition to them. Don’t let the temptation to complain and murmur about your circumstances cause you to stray from the Lord.

God is faithful and He will provide a way of escape. Don’t be confident in your own abilities because when you are, you will fall but be confident in Christ and what He has done for you.

“So anyone who thinks they are standing strong should be careful that they don’t fall. 13 The only temptations that you have are the same temptations that all people have. But you can trust God. He will not let you be tempted more than you can bear. But when you are tempted, God will also give you a way to escape that temptation. Then you will be able to endure it.” I Corinthians 10:12-13 ERV

Good word for today. How many times a day do we find ourselves complaining about something? How many times are we trusting in our own strength and not His?

Over the last week we have talked about planting seed. The seed, Jesus said, is God’s word. That’s good seed. Our words are also seed; when we murmur and complain it is far from good and we need to pull it up before it takes root and produces a crop. Some of us should pray for crop failure.

“Do everything without grumbling or arguing. 15  Then you will be the pure and innocent children of God. You live among people who are crooked and evil, but you must not do anything they can say is wrong. Try to shine as lights among the people of this world” Philippians 2:14-15 CEV

Paul was instructing the Christians in Corinth and in Philippi on godly living. It’s good instruction for us as well. He wanted them to see that words have consequences. Words of praise and words of complaint both produce a crop.

“You can trust this: Every word that God speaks is true. God is a safe place for those who go to him.” Proverbs 30:5 ERV

Let’s remind ourselves of how the Lord has been faithful in the past and it will keep us from complaining about the present or worrying over the future. It will bring about a consequence of peace.

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Out of Balance

The first of our three youngest grandchildren woke up about 30 minutes ago. She wanted to cuddle on the couch with me; 15 minutes ago Dave and the 2nd grandchild got up. She was cold and needed under the blanket. Still one grandchild, the boy, is sleeping upstairs in the loft.

It makes my morning a bit out of the norm. Quiet time cut short, coffee just getting made but I wouldn’t change it for the world. Just that things happen a little later than normal. But whether it’s routine or a break in routine God is always the same.

Practical.

God is practical. Everything He does has balance. Gravity, sunrise, sunset, changing seasons; earth, sky and water created before fish, plants and animals. Sun produces light and heat, the moon reflects light and no heat. Balance.

What’s out of balance and impractical about God is His unconditional love!

It doesn’t matter what we do or don’t do, God’s love for us will be the same. (Now that doesn’t mean He approves of everything we do, not in the slightest but He always loves us.)

People won’t go to hell because God hates them. They will go because they don’t accept His gift of love and His sacrifice for them.

Since we have Christ living in us it’s His love that should be flowing out of us.

” Together with these things, the most important part of your new life is to love each other. Love is what holds everything together in perfect unity. 15 Let the peace that Christ gives control your thinking. It is for peace that you were chosen to be together in one body. And always be thankful…17 Everything you say and everything you do should be done for Jesus your Lord. And in all you do, give thanks to God the Father through Jesus.” Colossians 3:14-17 ERV

The most important thing we can do is love each other. Love brings us to a place of peace. When we love we know that we have done all God has asked of us and God will do the rest. When we trust God to do what only He can do we can be thankful because He definitely has the talent and capability of handling His part.

We love not because those around us deserve our love but because God first loved us and so we can extend that love to others. It makes our Father happy to see us acting like Him.

I’m not asking you to go out and love the whole world, but I am asking that you extend God’s love to your co-worker, your neighbor, your child or spouse or sibling. Love unconditionally the way God loves you.

Now I’m off to love on some sweet grandkids.

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Sounds of Refreshing

What sounds wake you up in the night? For me it was the sound of distant thunder. About 2 hours ago, it was slightly muffled, and I knew it was far away but there it was. Hopefully, the promise of rain.

All around us there has been rain but here in our little community we’ve had very little. As I listened the thunder seemed to be coming closer and then the patter of rain drops on the roof. At first, I stayed in bed thinking it was but a brief shower. To my pleasant surprise it wasn’t. It’s a gentle shower, not a pelting deluge, that has continued for well over an hour.

I walked out on the patio and just stood there taking it all in. There is something so soothing about the smell of rain in the desert. The dry earth welcoming the moisture; the sage brush, palo verde, mesquite, saguaro and the ocotillo exhale their dryness and welcome the refreshing.

Oh, the refreshing! The welcomed refreshing.

“When your land was thirsty, you sent showers to refresh it.” Psalm 68:9 CEV

“Thirsty deserts will be glad; barren lands will celebrate and blossom with flowers. 2 Deserts will bloom everywhere and sing joyful songs. They will be as majestic as Mount Lebanon, as glorious as Mount Carmel or Sharon Valley. Everyone will see the wonderful splendor of the Lord our God.” Isaiah 35:1-2 CEV

But rain isn’t just for the dry ground or the barren desert. The Lord promises a refreshing for our souls.

“I will bless the thirsty land by sending streams of water; I will bless your descendants by giving them my Spirit. 4 They will spring up like grass or like willow trees near flowing streams.” Isaiah 44:3-4 CEV

“Let’s do our best to know the Lord. His coming is as certain as the morning sun;
he will refresh us like rain renewing the earth in the springtime.” Hosea 6:3 CEV

“The Lord your God wins victory after victory and is always with you. He celebrates and sings because of you, and he will refresh your life with his love.” Zephaniah 3:17 CEV

“You let me rest in fields of green grass. You lead me to streams of peaceful water,
3 and you refresh my life.” Psalm 23:2-3 CEV

There’s only a few light sprinkles falling now but the earth is refreshed. Let me share one more verse of refreshing with you.

“Rain and snow fall from the sky. But they don’t return without watering the earth that produces seeds to plant and grain to eat. 11 That’s how it is with my words. They don’t return to me without doing everything I send them to do.” Isaiah 55:10-11 CEV

God’s word is like the rain that showers the earth bringing new life and refreshing. If you are thirsty, if you are dry, look to God’s word and soak in the rain of His Spirit.

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Complete Peace

Yesterday a part of our praise was given to this song. It’s one of my very favorites. It has ministered to my heart since the first time I heard it. I fell asleep last night and woke this morning with my heart flooded with this song. It’s for you, each and every one of you.

I SPEAK JESUS

I just want to speak the name of Jesus
Over every heart and every mind
Cause I know there is peace within Your presence
I speak Jesus

I just want to speak the name of Jesus
Till every dark addiction starts to break
Declaring there is hope and there is freedom
I speak Jesus

Cause Your name is power
Your name is healing
Your name is life
Break every stronghold
Shine through the shadows
Burn like a fire

I just want to speak the name of Jesus
Over fear and all anxiety
To every soul held captive by depression
I speak Jesus

Your name is power
Your name is healing
Your name is life
Break every stronghold
Shine through the shadows
Burn like the fire

Shout Jesus from the mountains
Jesus in the streets
Jesus in the darkness over every enemy
Jesus for my family
I speak the holy name
Jesus

Your name is power
Your name is healing
Your name is life
Break every stronghold
Shine through the shadows
Burn like a fire

I just want to speak the name of Jesus
Over every heart and every mind
Cause I know there is peace within Your presence
I speak Jesus

Now, let’s see how this applies to us in our daily lives.

Jesus said: “Come to Me, all of you who work and have heavy loads. I will give you rest. 29 Follow My teachings and learn from Me. I am gentle and do not have pride. You will have rest for your souls.” Matthew 11:28-29 NLV

Peter said: “This Jesus is the stone you builders rejected; he has become the cornerstone! 12 Salvation can be found in no one else. Throughout the whole world, no other name has been given among humans through which we must be saved.” Acts 4:11-12 CEB

“Peter said, ‘I don’t have any money, but I will give you what I do have. In the name of Jesus Christ the Nazarene, rise up and walk!’” Acts 3:6 CEB

Paul said: “That at the name of Jesus every knee should bow, of things in heaven, and things in earth, and things under the earth; 11 And that every tongue should confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father. Philippians 2:10-11 CEV

It was in the name of the Lord that Daniel was kept from destruction in the lions’ den. It was His trust in the Father’s protection that allowed Jesus to sleep during a storm that was swamping their boat. It was faith in the name of Jesus that caused the crippled man to walk and blind eyes to open.

It is the power in the name of Jesus that brings forgiveness and salvation to all who believe; peace that bypasses our understanding and rest to the weary.

“I just want to speak the name of Jesus Over every heart and every mind Cause I know there is peace within Your presence I speak Jesus”. Complete Peace!

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Wait – What For?

Sometimes I get up and know immediately what I’m supposed to share. Sometimes it comes while I’m sipping my coffee and just enjoying the quiet time the Lord and I share together. Then there are times like this morning when I wait.

I’m not good at waiting. I often get impatient in long lines, on hold, in crowds and I have a real problem with those pedestrian crossing lights. That was the example the Lord reminded me of this morning.

I’ve been known to push that button on the light pole several times just to make sure the timer was activated and knew I was waiting. I’ve also been known to cross the street while the little figure in red was still illuminated. Those lights were installed for my safety, to protect me from oncoming traffic.

So, this morning when I heard the Lord say wait, I should have realized that He was asking me to trust Him and waiting was for my benefit.

“ Lift up your eyes and see. Who has made these stars? It is the One Who leads them out by number. He calls them all by name. Because of the greatness of His strength, and because He is strong in power, not one of them is missing.

27 O Jacob and Israel, why do you say, “My way is hidden from the Lord. My God does not think about my cause”? 28 Have you not known? Have you not heard? The God Who lives forever is the Lord, the One Who made the ends of the earth. He will not become weak or tired. His understanding is too great for us to begin to know. 29 He gives strength to the weak. And He gives power to him who has little strength. 30 Even very young men get tired and become weak and strong young men trip and fall. 31 But they who wait upon the Lord will get new strength. They will rise up with wings like eagles. They will run and not get tired. They will walk and not become weak. ” Isaiah 40:26-31 NLV

Why do I think that I need to rush ahead? Why do I feel the need to hurry? Why do I think I can accomplish anything in my own strength and power? Even those much younger than me get tired.

If I wait for the Lord, He will give me the strength I need. Waiting for Him and His timing keeps me safe.

“I patiently waited, Lord, for you to hear my prayer. You listened 2 and pulled me from a lonely pit full of mud and mire. You let me stand on a rock with my feet firm, 3 and you gave me a new song, a song of praise to you. Many will see this, and they will honor and trust you, the Lord God.” Psalm 40:1-3 CEV

Is the Lord telling you to wait? Then I encourage you to wait patiently; He will renew your strength and put you safely on a firm foundation.

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A Final Note

Because I believe that all scripture is given by God and is profitable to our instruction I couldn’t close the teaching in the book of Ephesians without Paul’s final words to them.

“Pray that I will be given the message to speak and that I may fearlessly explain the mystery about the good news. 20 I was sent to do this work, and this is the reason I am in jail. So pray that I will be brave and will speak as I should.

21-22  I want you to know how I am getting along and what I am doing. This is why I am sending Tychicus to you. He is a dear friend, as well as a faithful servant of the Lord. He will tell you how I am doing, and he will cheer you up.

23 I pray that God the Father and the Lord Jesus Christ will give peace, love, and faith to every follower!” Ephesians 6:19-23 CEV

Paul had been to Ephesus several times. He became their teacher and their friend. He had eaten in their homes, he knew their children’s names and their family businesses. He had seen them grow in Christ.

Now he could no longer travel and be with them in person. I’m sure he missed them and wanted to communicate that he was still committed to them and praying for them. His final visit with them was filled with tears.

“You know everything I did during the time I was with you when I first came to Asia. 19 Some of the Jews plotted against me and caused me a lot of sorrow and trouble. But I served the Lord and was humble. 20 When I preached in public or taught in your homes, I didn’t hold back from telling anything that would help you. 21 I told Jews and Gentiles to turn to God and have faith in our Lord Jesus…36 After Paul had finished speaking, he knelt down with all of them and prayed. 37 Everyone cried and hugged and kissed him. 38 They were especially sad because Paul had told them, “You will never see me again.” Then they went with him to the ship.” Acts 20:18-38 CEV

Paul was, and is, also encouraging believers to follow the Lord. A man who had been beaten on several occasions, shipwrecked, thrown into prison and now was in house arrest in Rome never wanted the Christians to be without hope.

His final words in this book bear repeating.

“23 I pray that God the Father and the Lord Jesus Christ will give peace, love, and faith to every follower!” Ephesians 6:23 CEV

Peace, love and faith to every follower – may we know the truth of those words in our lives today.

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All for Him

I hope you are enjoying this morning walk through the book of Ephesians. I know I am.

There are so many promises and insights contained in this one book. God’s character, His love, revealed in depth. Being raised in a church that was more concerned about it’s rules than in relationship I had a hard time realizing that I didn’t have to earn God’s love. He gives it freely.

The last three chapters have shown us God’s mercy, grace, forgiveness, power and unconditional love. Now Paul is going to show us how to put what we have received into action.

He was imprisoned because he taught that the message of Christ’s redemption was available to all, including the Gentiles. The Jewish religious elite hated this message and did their best to eliminate it from the very outset. But God had a different plan. Missionaries went around the known world telling them of the incomparable love of God. When Paul could no longer travel because of his imprisonment he wrote letters. Letters for us to read; letters that God has used to bring so many to a saving knowledge of Christ.

“I am being held in prison because of working for the Lord. I ask you from my heart to live and work the way the Lord expected you to live and work. 2 Live and work without pride. Be gentle and kind. Do not be hard on others. Let love keep you from doing that. 3 Work hard to live together as one by the help of the Holy Spirit. Then there will be peace. 4 There is one body and one Spirit. There is one hope in which you were called. 5 There is one Lord and one faith and one baptism. 6 There is one God. He is the Father of us all. He is over us all. He is the One working through us all. He is the One living in us all. 7 Loving-favor has been given to each one of us. We can see how great it is by the gift of Christ.” Ephesians 4:1-7 NLV

Do you see the theme of these verses? There is One. One way to live, one way to work and that is to follow the example and teachings of Christ.

We have the Holy Spirit living in us and He will help us to live in a way that brings honor to the Father. Since we are called the body of Christ, and Christ is the head that implies unity of thought and passion. Our physical bodies don’t act independently of our head and our spiritual bodies shouldn’t either.

Each one of us have received the loving-favor or the grace of God as a gift. Not one of us is good enough to work our way to heaven. This is a humbling fact. Remember these words from chapter 2?

“But God, who is rich in mercy, because of His great love with which He loved us, 5 even when we were dead in trespasses, made us alive together with Christ (by grace you have been saved),” Ephesians 2:4-5 NKJV

Let me repeat. Since Christ is the head and we are His body we should be working together for His honor and glory. It’s all for Him!

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One Thing Is Needful

I’m so glad to see that many of you were able to click through and find yesterday’s blog. I hope everything posts correctly this morning.

It was a long weekend for most of us. It’s nice to have the time to visit with family and friends and be involved in activities outside of our normal realm. BBQs, fireworks, swimming, boating, roasting hot dogs, eating watermelon and enjoying small/large town parades and celebrations in the park. We are blessed to have these kinds of celebrations.

Now, it’s Monday morning and a full week of the routine ahead. I asked the Lord what He wanted me to focus on as I started this new week. How long should I make my “to do” list? What needs to be accomplished?

“The Lord and his disciples were traveling along and came to a village. When they got there, a woman named Martha welcomed him into her home. 39 She had a sister named Mary, who sat down in front of the Lord and was listening to what he said. 40 Martha was worried about all that had to be done. Finally, she went to Jesus and said, ‘Lord, doesn’t it bother you that my sister has left me to do all the work by myself? Tell her to come and help me!’

41 The Lord answered, ‘Martha, Martha! You are worried and upset about so many things, 42 but only one thing is necessary. Mary has chosen what is best, and it will not be taken away from her.’” Luke 10:38-42 CEV

I used to be such a Martha and I have to be very watchful of not letting myself fall into that trap. There’s always one more thing to be done, but those things will keep me from the one thing that is needful (necessary), from what is best and that is spending time listening to the Lord’s words.

Yesterday I was talking with a friend on the phone and she told me that sometimes she wakes up in the middle of the night with thoughts running through her mind, robbing her sleep and her peace. She said “it’s then that I start thanking the Lord for all the things I have been blessed with – my comfortable bed, the air conditioning, the soft covers” and then she said “I fall asleep, no longer worried but praising God that He is able to take care of everything”.

“Always be glad because of the Lord! I will say it again: Be glad. 5 Always be gentle with others. The Lord will soon be here. 6 Don’t worry about anything, but pray about everything. With thankful hearts offer up your prayers and requests to God. 7 Then, because you belong to Christ Jesus, God will bless you with peace that no one can completely understand. And this peace will control the way you think and feel.” Philippians 4:4-7 CEV

May I encourage you to do what’s needful. Think on God’s word. His promises are unbreakable; don’t worry, be glad. Be blessed with peace – choose the good part!

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