PerfectPeace | Kristi's Morning Devotional

January 3, 2022January 3, 2022

Stay Put

This morning I have spent a lot of time praying…so many people and things that came to mind and so I brought them to the Father.

Situations beyond my control; things I would like to see changed, things that concern me and those I love. And as I prayed, I did get the Lord’s peace and I also received His instruction.

“You will keep in perfect peace all who trust in you, all whose thoughts are fixed on you!” Isaiah 26:3 NLT

“You will keep him in perfect peace, Whose mind is stayed on You, Because he trusts in You.” Isaiah 26:3 NKJV

Same verse – two different translations. Look at those two words that I put in bold type. Fixed. Stayed.

Last week we hung some pictures on the wall of our new RV. They were affixed to the wall with both nails and museum putty. We want to make sure they stay in place when we travel down the road. Some people say that RV’s go through the equivalent of an earthquake every time they are towed. Things have a tendency to move around and we didn’t want that happening with the pictures.

But this morning, that was the image the Lord gave me about my thoughts. If I’m going to be at peace my thoughts need to be fixed and stayed on my trust in the Lord and His word. Held tight in the earthquake of life’s circumstances.

And if that weren’t enough, the Lord reminded me of my teaching just a few days back about hope being our anchor. Again, an anchor is something that holds us in a “fixed” position, so we don’t drift off course. But here’s one more thought the Lord brought to mind. It’s regarding our confidence in His love.

“and that Christ will live in your hearts because of your faith. Stand firm and be deeply rooted in his love.” Ephesians 3:17 CEV

A tree that is deeply rooted in the soil won’t blow over in the wind; it stays in place.

All through God’s word we have examples, word pictures, of the stability and strength that our lives have when we trust, have faith in, stay fixed upon, God’s love for us and the promises of His word!

If you’re having trouble holding on to your peace, then do what Dave and I did with those pictures. Nail them down and stick them in place.

Keep your heart fixed upon the Lord. Make it stay put!

October 4, 2021October 4, 2021

What About Tomorrow?

Dave and I are planners – yes, it’s a blessing and a curse. We make “lists”; first in our heads, then in our conversation and finally we put them down on paper.

We only have a couple more weeks on the mountain. We’ve loved our time here and would really hate to leave except that the cooler temperatures are reminding us it’s going to get cold. After living in Montana where it could get to 25-35 below zero, we have decided we don’t like being cold.

So, thinking ahead to what’s next once we leave our mountain home, we have begun to organize our thoughts and our priorities. It’s a common question amongst camp hosts – where will you go and what will you do when you leave here.

The last few nights we have been sitting by the fire talking, organizing, making our list and to be honest, there is an anxiousness that has started to creep in. Almost a worry about some things. That’s where we were a few nights ago. That angst needed to be banished – it’s not from God, we know that. God’s plans bring peace!

“But more than anything else, put God’s work first and do what he wants. Then the other things will be yours as well. ³⁴Don’t worry about tomorrow. It will take care of itself. You have enough to worry about today.” Matthew 6:33-34 CEV

When we are trusting God with our tomorrows we can leave worry behind. There is nothing, absolutely nothing, that our Father isn’t capable of handling. Not one thing that will arise in our lives with catch Him by surprise!

“Look how the wild flowers grow! They don’t work hard to make their clothes. But I tell you that Solomon with all his wealth wasn’t as well clothed as one of these flowers. ²⁸God gives such beauty to everything that grows in the fields, even though it is here today and thrown into a fire tomorrow. Won’t he do even more for you? You have such little faith! ²⁹Don’t keep worrying about having something to eat or drink. ³⁰Only people who don’t know God are always worrying about such things. Your Father knows what you need.” Luke 12:27-30 CEV

There’s an old song I used to sing, “I Know Who Holds Tomorrow”, that’s been running through my head lately. It brings me back to that place of peace that I know the Lord has designed for me.

“I don’t know about tomorrow
I just live for day to day
I don’t borrow from the sunshine
For it’s skies may turn to gray

I don’t worry o’er the future
For I know what Jesus said
And today I’ll walk beside Him
For He knows what lies ahead

Many things about tomorrow
I don’t seem to understand
But I know who holds tomorrow
And I know who holds my hand”

I’m writing this to myself today and if it ministers to you I’m glad!

“The Lord gives perfect peace to those whose faith is firm.⁴So always trust the Lord
because he is forever our mighty rock” Isaiah 26:3-4 CEV

Lord, I give you my today and my tomorrow. I’ll hold Your hand and walk in Your peace!

June 2, 2021June 2, 2021

Rougher Than Hoped For

Our son and his girlfriend were recently out on the open ocean in their boat. He told his Dad that the sea was rougher than he had hoped for but they arrived safely at their destination.

Rougher than hoped for.

For some that seems to be a life’s motto. What do we do in the rough seas of life? When we have Christ beside us, traveling with us, piloting the boat, we can have peace. With Christ on board we can be confident that we will be safe regardless of the outcome.

At one point Jesus spoke to the winds and waves and commanded them to cease. The same could have happened for the Apostle Paul when he was in a storm sea but didn’t.

“The storm was so fierce that the next day they threw some of the ship’s cargo overboard. ¹⁹Then on the third day, with their bare hands they threw overboard some of the ship’s gear. ²⁰For several days we could not see either the sun or the stars. A strong wind kept blowing, and we finally gave up all hope of being saved…But now I beg you to cheer up, because you will be safe. Only the ship will be lost. Last night he sent an angel ²⁴to tell me, “Paul, don’t be afraid! You will stand trial before the Emperor. And because of you, God will save the lives of everyone on the ship.” ²⁵Cheer up! I am sure that God will do exactly what he promised. ²⁶But we will first be shipwrecked on some island.²⁷For fourteen days and nights we had been blown around over the Mediterranean Sea…But Captain Julius wanted to save Paul’s life, and he did not let the soldiers do what they had planned. Instead, he ordered everyone who could swim to dive into the water and head for shore. ⁴⁴Then he told the others to hold on to planks of wood or parts of the ship. At last, everyone safely reached shore.” Acts 27:13-44 CEV

I hope you will take time to read the whole story. It’s amazing!

Fourteen days in a terrible storm, unable to see the sun and the stars for days. This was a prison ship with 276 passengers and crew on board. They were unable to maintain sea worthiness but God gave Paul a word “God will save the lives of everyone on the ship…everyone safely reached shore”. The ship was lost but not one person perished.

Our Father is faithful to protect and to save.

You might feel that you are in the storm of your life. Your ship is breaking apart on the rocks. But…

“God, you give true peace to people who depend on you, to those who trust in you. ⁴So trust the Lord always, because in the Lord Yah you have a place of safety forever.” Isaiah 26:3-4 CEV

When it’s rougher than we hoped for we can put our trust in the Lord and there we have a place of safety forever!

March 1, 2021March 1, 2021

Peace Like A River

As I sat here this moring one word came to mind – Peace.

It’s the start of a new month, a new week, a new day and my heart is wrapped in a warm blanket of God’s peace!

The image I used this morning is a picture I took years ago near our home in Montana. The air was still and when we quieted our voices all we could hear was the sound of the river rolling over the rocks and splashing the snow covered banks.

Peace!

Peace doesn’t mean the absence of adverse circumstances. I can think of two examples from the Bible where people were in dire straights but they were at peace.

Daniel had been condemned to the lions’ den. His crime was prayer. His enemies were committed to having him destroyed and since they could find nothing else to accuse him on, they chose his faith in God and his commitment to prayer.

“The next morning, King Darius got up just as it was getting light and ran to the lions’ den. ²⁰He was very worried. When he got to the lions’ den, he called to Daniel. He said, “Daniel, servant of the living God, has your God been able to save you from the lions? You always serve your God.”

²¹Daniel answered, “King, live forever! ²²My God sent his angel to save me. The angel closed the lions’ mouths. The lions have not hurt me because my God knows I am innocent. I never did anything wrong to you, King.” Daniel 6:19-22 ERV

Peter is the second example that came to mind. There was great persecution of those who followed Jesus and preached about His resurrection. The leaders of the day were out to stop this message, even if it meant killing the messengers. One of the apostles had already been killed and now Peter had been arrested and imprisoned. He was to be the next to die.

“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. ⁷Suddenly 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, ⁸and 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.” Acts:12:6-8 CEV

It was a heaven sent jail break. What I find so interesting about this story is that Peter, facing death, was in such a deep sleep that the angel had to poke him to wake him up. He was at peace.

When we focus our thoughts and attentions on God and His love; His provision and His strength, we find peace.

“You will keep the man in perfect peace whose mind is kept on You, because he trusts in You. ⁴Trust in the Lord forever. For the Lord God is a Rock that lasts forever.” Isaiah 26:3-4 NLV

Start your day with your mind stayed, focused, on the Lord. Let His peace flow through your heart like a river. Let it carry away the anxieties of life and bring refreshing to your mind.

Trust in the Lord and you will have peace!