Tag: PeaceofGod

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Kindness & Peace

Two things we can always use more of is kindness and peace.

It would mean a great deal if people treated us nicer, right? And I think we can get a hardy amen to having less drama in our lives. What can we do to see that we are being used to bring those two elements into the lives of those around us?

“This letter is to all of you in Rome. God loves you and has chosen you to be his very own people. I pray that God our Father and our Lord Jesus Christ will be kind to you and will bless you with peace!” Romans 1:7 CEV

Well, we can begin by praying for God to bless those we know with kindness and peace. And then we can follow through with being kind to those around us.

Kind to the other drivers on the roads, to the sales clerks and waiters. To receptionists and executives. To the person sitting at the next desk or our biggest competitor. To our kids and our spouses.

Paul said just a few verses later in the Book of Romans that

“You surely don’t think much of God’s wonderful goodness or of his patience and willingness to put up with you. Don’t you know that the reason God is good to you is because he wants you to turn to him?” Romans 2:4 CEV

It’s God’s goodness that brings people to Him. When we emulate God’s character we are being used to bring others to Christ. We must never underestimate the power of the Holy Spirit working through us.

“God’s Spirit makes us loving, happy, peaceful, patient, kind, good, faithful, 23 gentle, and self-controlled. There is no law against behaving in any of these ways.” Galatians 5:22-23 CEV

Today I’m praying that God’s goodness and peace will overflow in your lives!

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Broken Bread

Very shortly Dave and I will be leaving for “Sonrise” Service. It’s going to be a beautiful crisp morning as we join with friends to celebrate the resurrection of Jesus.

But that first morning wasn’t a time of celebration for the apostles and Jesus’ followers. It was a time of mourning, a time to say a proper good-bye, a time of preparing His body for a proper burial.

How startling and frightening it was for Mary and the other women to arrive at the tomb and find it empty!

They ran back to the place where they were all gathered and told Peter, John and the others that Jesus was gone and the angels said He was alive. Peter and John ran to the tomb and found it empty. They went back to the others and reported that it was as the women had said. (John 20, Matthew 28)

It was in the garden where Mary saw Jesus and knew the Lord was alive, He spoke to her. He called her by name.

Next to see Jesus were two disciples walking on the road. (Luke 24) They were talking about everything that had happened in Jerusalem – the trial, the beating, and the crucifixion. Jesus joined them on the road and asked what they were talking about. They thought He was the only one in Jerusalem who didn’t know what had happened. When they got to their destination, they invited Jesus to eat with them, still they didn’t recognize Him but when Jesus took the bread and blessed it, they knew! Instantly, Jesus was gone from their midst.

“Joining them at the supper table, Jesus took some bread and gave thanks. Then he broke some off and gave it to them. 31 Just then the men were allowed to recognize him. But when they saw who he was, he disappeared. 32 They said to each other, ‘When he talked to us on the road, it felt like a fire burning in us. How exciting it was when he explained to us the true meaning of the Scriptures!’”Luke 24:20-32 ERV

The two ran back, seven miles to Jerusalem, to tell the others what had happened. They were behind locked doors because they feared the soldiers would come for them. It was the evening of that same day and Jesus appeared in their midst.

The breaking of the bread and blessing it was something they had probably seen Jesus do many times. It was familiar to them and they recognized this gesture.

“While the two men were saying these things to the other followers, Jesus himself came and stood among them. He said to them, ‘Peace be with you.’

37 This surprised the followers. They were afraid. They thought they were seeing a ghost. 38 But Jesus said, ‘Why are you troubled? Why do you doubt what you see? 39 Look at my hands and my feet. It’s really me. Touch me. You can see that I have a living body; a ghost does not have a body like this.’” Luke 24:36-39 ERV

Maybe some of you are troubled today, wondering if God has forgotten you. He hasn’t! God takes the ordinary things in life and makes them extraordinary. He gladly reveals Himself and His power to us in personal ways.

Welcome Him to your table and break bread with the risen Savior!

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In Everything

I saw this picture and it immediately brought a smile to my face. But what has that got to do with our teaching this morning?

Everything. Yes, everything. God wants us to have thankful, joyful hearts.

“In everything give thanks. This is what God wants you to do because of Christ Jesus.” I Thessalonians 5:18 NLV

There’s a big difference between giving thanks IN everything and FOR everything.

We can give thanks IN every situation and circumstance because our eyes are on the Lord, and we can trust Him to be an EVER-PRESENT HELP in times of trouble.

“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 4:6-7 CEV

More qualifiers for our conduct in every situation.

Don’t worry about ANYTHING!

Pray about EVERYTHING!

BELONG to Christ, be blessed with PEACE

Kind of sounds like Jesus’ own words in the boat that was storm-tossed at sea.

“But he was in the stern, asleep on the cushion. And they woke him and said to him, ‘Teacher, do you not care that we are perishing?’ 39 And he awoke and rebuked the wind and said to the sea, ‘Peace! Be still!’ And the wind ceased, and there was a great calm. 40 He said to them, ‘Why are you so afraid? Have you still no faith?’” Mark 4:38-40 ESV

We will have storms and trials. We will face situations and circumstances beyond our control but instead of being weighted down with worry and fear we are admonished to place them in the control of the One who brings peace. We place our faith in Him!

“Give all your worries to him, because he cares for you.” I Peter 5:7 ERV

“So I tell you, don’t worry about the things you need to live—what you will eat, drink, or wear. Life is more important than food, and the body is more important than what you put on it. 26 Look at the birds. They don’t plant, harvest, or save food in barns, but your heavenly Father feeds them. Don’t you know you are worth much more than they are?” Matthew 6:25-26 ERV

At this Easter season, with our attention focused on the horrible way Jesus was treated leading up to the crucifixion, we wonder how He could experience such a horrible death. How was He able to go through it all without lashing out?

“We must never stop looking to Jesus. He is the leader of our faith, and he is the one who makes our faith complete. He suffered death on a cross. But he accepted the shame of the cross as if it were nothing because of the joy he could see waiting for him. And now he is sitting at the right side of God’s throne. 3 Think about Jesus. He patiently endured the angry insults that sinful people were shouting at him. Think about him so that you won’t get discouraged and stop trying.” Hebrews 12:2-3 ERV

Think about Jesus! Don’t worry – put a smile on your face and know that God loves you and will bring you through anything and in everything He will give you peace!

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Filled with Peace

I was sitting here this morning telling heavenly Father, Jesus and Holy Spirit how much I love them and I was flooded with peace!

I felt like such a little girl being lifted up in my father’s arms and brought to rest on his big broad lap. I was so overtaken by His greatness and compared to my minute abilities. Again, I was overwhelmed with peace by the presence of Almighty God, my Lord and Savior and the Spirit of the Lord.

Many times I am overwhelmed with the thoughts of God’s amazing love and peace.

Things in our daily lives can be chaotic and unsettling but when we focus in on who God is and how much He loves us, it’s like being wrapped in a warm blanket in a comfy chair.

Comfort! Peace! Security!

“I pray that the God who gives hope will fill you with much joy and peace as you trust in him. Then you will have more and more hope, and it will flow out of you by the power of the Holy Spirit.” Romans 15:13 ERV

Our Father wants us to be at peace, to trust Him, to know that He will handle whatever we bring to Him.

“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.

8 Finally, my friends, keep your minds on whatever is true, pure, right, holy, friendly, and proper. Don’t ever stop thinking about what is truly worthwhile and worthy of praise. 9 You know the teachings I gave you, and you know what you heard me say and saw me do. So follow my example. And God, who gives peace, will be with you.” Philippians 4:6-9 CEV

Here’s to a peace-full day!

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Do Your Best

Do your best!

Have you ever said that to your kids, a friend, your spouse or even encouraged yourself to “do your best”? I know you have.

Each time we do something we should be doing our best – even if it’s washing the dishes, cleaning house, working in the garden, preparing a meal and it goes without saying that we should be doing our jobs to the best of our ability.

And what if you were God?

Do you think that He does anything less than His best? I found myself praying that this morning, “Father, do your best.” In praying for my kids and grandkids, my friends and relatives, I don’t always know the details of what they need and so this morning I was just praying that the Father would do His best in their lives today.

I hope that’s ok with you. Some of you need healing, some financial blessing, some need joy, others need rest, some need encouragement while others need a project (to feel helpful). Some need to be free from bitterness, others free from guilt. Some just need a hug and to hear I love you.

So again my prayer is “Father, do your best”. And then I was reminded of these verses – it’s the Father doing His best!

“If you will obey the Lord your God, all these blessings will come to you and be yours:

3 ‘He will bless you in the city and in the field. 4 He will bless you and give you many children. He will bless your land and give you good crops. He will bless your animals and let them have many babies. He will bless you with calves and lambs.

5 He will bless your baskets and pans and fill them with food. 6 He will bless you at all times in everything you do.

7 The Lord will help you defeat your enemies who come to fight against you. Your enemies will come against you one way, but they will run away from you seven different ways! 8 The Lord will bless you and fill your barns. He will bless everything you do. The Lord your God will bless you in the land that he is giving you. 9 If you follow the Lord your God and obey his commands, he will do what he promised. ‘” Deuteronomy 28:1-9 ERV

Thank you, Father, for blessing my friends with Your best today!

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Peaceful Night

Did you have a good night’s sleep? Or was your slumber interrupted with overactive dreams that made you wake feeling unsettled and anxious?

I will admit to you that my night’s sleep was hard. Yesterday, I woke with a sinus headache, and it stayed all day long. I was able to get some relief last night but this morning it’s still here. I’m recycling a blog I wrote about 8 years ago and I would appreciate your prayers for my day.

This morning, we need to look at a couple friends of mine. They have learned to sleep in spite of the storms.

“So they left the crowd, and his disciples started across the lake with him in the boat. Some other boats followed along. 37 Suddenly a windstorm struck the lake. Waves started splashing into the boat, and it was about to sink.

38 Jesus was in the back of the boat with his head on a pillow, and he was asleep. His disciples woke him and said, ‘Teacher, don’t you care that we’re about to drown?’

39 Jesus got up and ordered the wind and the waves to be quiet. The wind stopped, and everything was calm.

40 Jesus asked his disciples, ‘Why were you afraid? Don’t you have any faith?’ Mark 4:36-40 CEV

Jesus was sleeping during the storm and when those around him woke Him up, they were panicked. “Jesus, don’t you care, we’re going to drown”.

Jesus spoke to the storm and everything was calm. Then He asked, “why were you afraid, where’s your faith?”

Now take a look at another friend. It’s just a few years after this incident.

“At that time King Herod caused terrible suffering… 2 He ordered soldiers to cut off the head of James, the brother of John… 4 He put Peter in jail and ordered four squads of soldiers to guard him. Herod planned to put him on trial in public after the festival.

5 While Peter was being kept in jail, the church never stopped praying to God for him.

6 The night before Peter was to be put on trial, he was asleep and bound by two chains. A soldier was guarding him on each side, and two other soldiers were guarding the entrance to the jail. 7 Suddenly an angel from the Lord appeared, and light flashed around in the cell. The angel poked Peter in the side and woke him up. Then he said, ‘Quick! Get up!’

The chains fell off his hands, 8 and the angel said, ‘Get dressed and put on your sandals.’ Peter did what he was told. Then the angel said, ‘Now put on your coat and follow me.’ 9 Peter left with the angel, but he thought everything was only a dream.” Acts 12:1-9 CEV

Here we find Peter, who was probably in the boat with Jesus and panicked over the storm. His good friend and fellow apostle James has just been beheaded and he has been arrested. He’s asleep in the jail cell, chained between the guards.

Peter was in such peaceful sleep that the angel sent to rescue him had to poke him to get him to wake up.

What caused the change from panic to restful sleep? Confidence! Confidence that God was in control. Confidence that God could be trusted. Confidence that he didn’t have to worry!

“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 4:6-7 CEV

So be encouraged and sleep in peace and rest in safety! God can handle the storms.

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Leaving on a Jet Plane

Well, this wonderful trip has come to an end.

We pack up this morning, drive back to Jacksonville, turn in the rental car and board a plane, headed for home. One stop over in Dallas and arrive in Phoenix later today. It’s been fun and exciting – but home is sweet.

That’s my day. What’s yours got in store? Whatever it is the Lord has designed a path and is waiting for us to follow Him.

“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

“You, Lord, are my shepherd. I will never be in need. 2 You let me rest in fields of green grass.
You lead me to streams of peaceful water, 3 and you refresh my life. You are true to your name, and you lead me along the right paths.” Psalm 23:1-3 CEV

“ If you will obey the Lord your God, all these blessings will come to you and be yours:

3 “He will bless you in the city and in the field…6 He will bless you at all times in everything you do.” Deuteronomy 28:2-6 ERV

I am praying for your day to be filled with the blessings of the Lord. That’s the kind of day He has designed for us.

I’ll be with you tomorrow from my living room in Queen Valley.

Enjoy the blessings of the day!

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The Purpose of Praise

It’s Monday morning and that’s reason enough to start the day with praise. Praise brings us peace and praise also accentuates God’s power.

There is a Psalm that I often use in my blogs but mostly I only use the last half of it, verses 13-21. This morning as I was reading it was the first verses that really spoke to me.

“ I will tell of your greatness, my God and King.
    I will praise your name forever and ever.
2 I will praise you every day.
    I will praise your name forever and ever.
3 The Lord is great and deserves all our praise!
    No one can fully understand his greatness!
4 Each generation will praise you
    and tell the next generation about the great things you do.
5 Your majesty and glory are wonderful.
    I will tell about your miracles.
6 People will tell about the amazing things you do,
    and I will tell everyone how great you are.
7 They will talk about your goodness
    and sing about your justice.

8 The Lord is kind and merciful,
    patient and full of love.
9 The Lord is good to everyone.
    He shows his mercy to everything he made.
10 Lord, all you have made will give thanks to you.
    Your loyal followers will praise you.
11 They will tell how great your kingdom is.
    They will tell how great you are.
12 So others will learn about the mighty things you do,
    about the glory of your kingdom—how marvelous it is!
13 Your kingdom will never end,
    and you will rule forever.” Psalm 145:1-13 ERV

Things around us seem to change constantly but not God! He is the same yesterday, today and forever. He is always kind, always good. He is love and His love endures forever. He shows mercy and gives grace. He is just and mighty, He is patient. He forgives sin and makes all things new.

“17 Never stop praying. 18 In everything give thanks. This is what God wants you to do because of Christ Jesus. ” I Thessalonians 5:17-18 NLV

Never stop praying and never stop praising. Our God never abandons us, and He has a definite plan for our peace and our good.

“ Do not worry. Learn to pray about everything. Give thanks to God as you ask Him for what you need. 7 The peace of God is much greater than the human mind can understand. This peace will keep your hearts and minds through Christ Jesus.” Philippians 4:6-7 NLV

The Word of God is our solid foundation. It keeps us stable in the storm. The purpose of praise is to focus on God’s power and that brings peace always, even in the midst of the storm!

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Seeking the King

Here we are almost to Christmas day. How are you doing with maintaining the peace and the joy of the season?

Frankly, the last several days have been hectic, too much to do and not enough hours in the day. I noticed a weariness creeping in. In fact, two days ago I asked the Lord if it was ok to sleep in. I knew He wouldn’t mind. So, I’ve slept until 4:30 and 5:00 respectively. It was good rest.

I wonder if the wise men who came from the East were weary from their travels.

They had no GPS or Rand-McNally Atlas to guide them. They were led by a star. They didn’t come to the stable and find a baby. Their entourage had traveled a great distance, and some believe it could have taken a year or two to arrive.

“ Jesus was born in the town of Bethlehem in Judea during the time when Herod was king. After Jesus was born, some wise men from the east came to Jerusalem. 2 They asked people, “Where is the child who has been born to be the king of the Jews? We saw the star that shows he was born. We saw it rise in the sky in the east and have come to worship him.” Matthew 2:1-2 ERV

These men were on a mission. They came to worship the King.

“After the wise men heard the king, they left. They saw the same star they had seen in the east, and they followed it. The star went before them until it stopped above the place where the child was. 10 They were very happy and excited to see the star.

11 The wise men came to the house where the child was with his mother Mary. They bowed down and worshiped him. Then they opened the boxes of gifts they had brought for him. They gave him treasures of gold, frankincense, and myrrh. 12 But God warned the wise men in a dream not to go back to Herod. So they went home to their own country a different way.” Matthew 2:9-12 ERV

Can you imagine how that must have occurred? Mary was home, going about her daily duties. Taking care of the small child, Jesus, possibly preparing a meal for Joseph who would soon be arriving home from work. She hears a commotion out in the street and then a knock at the door. There before her is a caravan and regally dressed men asking about her child.

They entered her home and bowed before her Son, worshipping Him and presenting Him with gifts. It certainly would have caused no small stir in the neighborhood.

Are we as persistent in our search of Jesus as these men from the East? Each day they had one purpose – follow the star. Find the Messiah.

A song was recorded by Sandi Patty in the early 1970’s. The lyrics of the chorus are:

“Come let us worship the King
Jesus the Savior is born
For the Lord will reign over all the earth
Come let us worship the King
Jesus the Savior is born
For the Lord is great and greatly to be praised
Through all the earth
Let us worship the King”

We have this promise from the prophet Jeremiah:

“You will search for me, and when you search for me with all your heart, you will find me. ” Jeremiah 29:13 ERV

The best way I know to combat weariness, discouragement and frustration is to search for and worship the King.

“Come to me all of you who are tired from the heavy burden you have been forced to carry. I will give you rest.” Matthew 11:28 ERV

A true sign of a wise man or woman is to search for the King!

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A Pair of Socks

Last week Dave and I participated at a Christmas Party with our neighbors for the children in our community. This is an annual event that has hosted children for 30+ years.

All the children were so polite and grateful for their gifts and one pre-teen girl impacted me greatly. She had come to the fishing pond with her family. When she opened the bag that had been attached to the end of her line, she got so excited. I was standing close by, and she showed me her gift.

“Socks” she said. “I love socks. This is the best gift” and with that she reached out to me and gave me a huge, tight hug! She was holding back the tears as she giggled and kept repeating “I love socks”. It was the best gift.

You know that’s how I feel about God’s word.

When I’ve been emotionally wrestling with some problem or struggling in a situation and I pick up my Bible and the answer seems to jump off the page, I get so excited! I feel as though God put those verses there just for me.

It’s a wonderful gift.

“The Law of the Lord is perfect; it gives us new life. His teachings last forever, and they give wisdom to ordinary people. 8 The Lord’s instruction is right; it makes our hearts glad. His commands shine brightly, and they give us light…10 They are worth more than the finest gold and are sweeter than honey from a honeycomb.” Psalm 19:7-10 CEV

Like pure gold.

When Christ, who is the word, dwells in us we become rich in wisdom. Wisdom is a commodity that money can’t buy but dwelling in the Word makes wisdom available.

“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. 16 Let the teaching of Christ live inside you richly. Use all wisdom to teach and counsel each other. Sing psalms, hymns, and spiritual songs with thankfulness in your hearts to God. 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 3:15-17 ERV

These are gifts that we all desire – peace, thankfulness, wisdom. A relationship with Christ brings the richness of these gifts to our lives.

God’s word will warm our hearts much better than a pair of socks warm our feet on a cold winter’s day. Let His word dwell in you.

Merry Christ – mas!

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