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Today in my heart and spirit I was experiencing much unrest and anxiousness. I knew the solution to my problem was to go to the author of peace. I sat down and poured over several scriptures on peace and then prayed for God's perfect peace to fill me to overflowing. Thankfully the Lord filled me with His perfect peace.
One of the verses that I read that particularly blessed me is...
"Be anxious for nothing but in everything by prayer and supplication, with thanksgiving, let your requests be made known to God; and the peace of God, which surpasses all understanding will guard your hearts and minds through Christ Jesus."
Philippians 4:6-7
I read particularly verse 7 over and over again until I got it deep in my spirit. The passage that says, "and the peace of God, which surpasses all understanding" just loomed over me and totally strengthened me. In addition, the ending of the passage as well spoke volumes to me on how our Jesus will guard our hearts and minds. What a wonderful bonus as His child to know that He protects our very hearts and minds.
I am in awe and extending rich thanksgiving, knowing I can walk in tremendous peace as I fix my eyes on "the author of peace" our sweet Jesus.
9/30/14 Life is like a road traveled. We start out never knowing what we will meet as we travel throughout life.We dream our dreams and hope our hopes, but only God knows where our journey will take us. We walk down the road (or ride) always straining to find what is beyond the bend. There are always challenging roads filled with potholes as well as smooth new highways to traverse. We can be sailing along when we come to a detour sign and suddenly we are bumping and lurching on a broken road that we have not expected.
What I do know is that we are not alone on these narrow roads.
Christian stores sell angel clips for the visors for our cars showing the idea that
having one in the car is a protection from disaster. That is not so: the little
angels are just a symbol of the angels posted around us all the time who are doing the work
for us that God directs. In spite of that we all suffer from our memories of
lost dreams that never came to fruition, we need to be aware that our disappointments and challenges in
life are some of the very happenings that bring us to through the trip on the
broken road triumphantly. God has put us there, and He uses these trials to bring
us to new understandings that help us to grow in ways will result in final
descent into the valley where good things are waiting for us.
Every moment of our time has been part of God's grand plan which is coming to fruition. You may ask then why do I have all these stops and starts in the traffic of my life? They are just slow downs as you travel down your highway. In the song that I am posting below the words say: "That God bless the broken road that led me straight to........." You can fill in the blanks here as to what you have been led to. Just know He is leading you to the wonders He has in store for you. Here are the words of God's promise to each of us...
For Iknow the plans I have for you,” declares the Lord, “plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future.
You need to remember that all the traffic snarls, red lights and accidents along the road just are bringing you closer to God's marvelous plan for you. Just keep on driving! Written by Corinne Mustafa
9/29/14 The pretty girl on the cover smiled at me as the headline promised to tell me a secret I never knew. Although in our weight conscious culture-there is nothing new under the sun-I still glance at the article to see if there's something that might help me get a grip on myself. Be Clutter Free, How to Stay Organized, How to Be Happy, How To Raise Healthy Children, How to Get More for Your Money, How to Get Along With Others and on and on the media reaches out to us from every direction, assuring us that if we just follow these 10 simple steps we can have it all.
Can we really have it all? Let's talk pie. Not apple or pumpkin, but a time pie chart. Each day has 24 slices of pie. It is up to you how you use these slices. If you focus your attention and energy on a particular area, you will, in your own strength, probably achieve some level of improvement in that area. But following 10 simple steps will use up slices of pie every single day. Each of us has essential things to do, like sleep, work, caring for ourselves, caring for others, laundry, shopping, cooking, commuting, etc. Then there's volunteering, hobbies, and friends. The list is endless but our time is not. There is a promise that will allow each of us to lose 10+ lbs and keep it off while giving us direction on how to use our pieces of pie.
"But seek first His kingdom and His righteousness,
and all these things will be added to you.
So do not worry about tomorrow;
for tomorrow will care for itself.
Each day has enough trouble of its own.
Matthew 6:33 NIV
The weight I am talking about losing is fear, anxiety, doubt, and worry. These things are weights on my shoulders and in my mind. But when I recognize that I am struggling, I fall for the promises of the world, I think, I will get organized, get thin, get healthy, get rich, and then I will have nothing to be afraid of, just think how I will be able to bless and help others! But I try to do these things with my focus on myself and in my own strength as if I am doing them to make God happy. Being the imperfect, selfish creature that I am, when I achieve some level of success I stand so proud and delighted with myself. But pride comes before a fall, and it is only a matter of time until I fail (again). It is then that I remember God.
My child, when the Lord corrects you, pay close attention
and take it as a warning.The Lord corrects those he loves,
as parents correct a child of whom they are proud.
Happy is anyone who becomes wise—
who comes to have understanding.
There is more profit in it than there is in silver;
it is worth more to you than gold.
Proverbs 3:11-14 GNT
Dear Lord, thank You for loving me enough to correct me, and show me when I have lost my way and am only focusing on my little world and not on You and Your kingdom. In Jesus name, amen. Written by Mary M. Wilkins
If the grass is always greener on the other side of the fence, consider where you are fertilizing and watering the lawn.
Are you unhappy where you are - in your career, in your relationships, in your church? Does someplace or someone else look more appealing? Are you never satisfied with what you have and always want more or what others have? Are you often jealous, envious, or unfaithful in your mind? These feelings can lead to irritability in your current situation, depression with your circumstances, or even sabotage of your relationships. You may find that you are complaining a lot and never happy, always wishing for something else and blaming others for your quandary.
A heart at peace gives life to the body, but envy rots the bones. Proverbs 3:31 (NIV)
Consider this instead - what would happen if you put all your effort into making your current situation better instead of wishing for something else? Instead of pointing your finger at other people for your unhappiness, try changing what you have control over - yourself. If you are feeling burned out at work, try coming up with ways to make what you are doing more enjoyable. Feeling stagnant in your relationship? Find ways to make it more exciting instead of waiting for the other person to change or looking elsewhere. Things at church got you down? Enrich your congregation with sharing fresh ideas, finding your gifts/talents to use, supporting the ministry in all ways possible. In all these situations make up your mind to be content with where you are and to glorify God in all you say and do.
Remember, green grass can wither and die, especially if you don't take care of it. And even if it looks greener on the other side of the fence, it also isn't indestructible or immortal - it could die too. There may be weeds, grubs, gopher holes, and the like hiding in the lawn. What may appear to be better may actually turn out to be worse or have it's own pitfalls once you have it. So it is important to be content and grateful for what you do have, and trust in God to reveal more as you work to glorify him in your current place. Thank the Lord for his forgiveness when you fail in these endeavors and ask him to fill you with the power of his Spirit. Watch your life change as your heart is filled with his love!
Trust in the Lord and do good; dwell in the land and enjoy safe pasture. Take delight in the Lord, and he will give you the desires of your heart. Psalm 37:3-4 (NIV)
written by Jan Andersen This is not actually an official Christian song but it is filled with all the thoughts of gratitude that we should have about the world (the green grass) that God has given us.
"But the seed on
good soil stands for those with a noble and good heart,
who hear the word,
retain it, and by persevering produce a crop."
Luke 8:15
All of us, at one time or another, have listened to someone speak and then
later have completely forgotten what they said. That is because sometimes
we do not give our full attention to what is being said. We "listen"
but we do not really "hear."
This is prevalent with many in the church also. We can be so busy doing
the Lord's work that we don't take time to be with Him on a one-to-one
basis. Sometimes we are busy with so many daily activities that we don't
take the time we need just to be quiet and still.
One reason I do my devotional reading first thing in the morning is because I
need to spend some quiet time with God before I am swept away in the business
of the day. I generally have lots of plans for the day. However,
I'm finding that I need to know what God thinks and in which direction He wants
me to go.
Martin Luther used to say that the busier he was the more time he had to spend
in prayer. If we take the time to really hear God we can have better
directions and even accomplish more in less time. That is something that
we should all like to hear.
All things are possible with love, because God is the center
of all love. He is love! My desire is to slow down myself as I am
rushing through this life on earth and fill them with more love. In doing so, I will be able to do more things,
and do them much better with a lot more peace, because I will be so much closer
to God. How can I be full of love
without God? It is impossible, because
God is love.
Whoever does not love
does
not know God,
because God is love.
1 John 4:8
(NIV)
Just knowing that I am so loved so greatly by God warms my
heart. It also makes me want to share it
with others; which is what God’s plan is for us. We are to take His love, fill ourselves with
it and share it with all others, by our actions and our words; living our lives
in such a way that another woman is going to see me and say to herself……”I want
what she has”.
This is how God showed his
love among us:
He sent his one and only Son into the world
that we might
live through him.
This is love: not that we loved God, but that he
loved us
and sent his Son as an atoning sacrifice for our
sins.
Dear friends, since God so loved us,
we also ought
to love one another.
1 John 4:9-11
(NIV)
A true desire of mine is to in fact be living a life so full
of God and serenity that someone will make that statement about me, because,
that will mean that I am pleasing my father in the most glorious way. I won’t be the nervous worrier any longer. It is truly going to be a hallelujah moment
when that happens….and I know that it will happen. I will continue to persevere through the
challenges of life putting God first in my thoughts and leaning into Him
throughout each and every moment of each and every day. Old habits are difficult to break, but, I
also know that they are far from impossible when I keep God in my pocket, in my
heart and on my face as I lovingly travel along this journey.
No, in all these things
we are more than conquerors
through him who loved us.
For I
am convinced that neither death nor life,
neither angels nor demons, neither the present
nor the future, nor
any powers,
neither height nor depth, nor anything else in all
creation,
The definition of hope is to trust in, wait for, look for, or desire
something or someone, or to expect something beneficial in the future.
Hope anchors us to what God has shown us in His Word or in the
Spirit, it anchors things to us. Keep hope in front of
you. Keep your vision in front of you. Keep focused on
what God has put in your heart. Do not ever look back to the what
if’s keep moving forward.
Psalm 78:41 says...
Do not consider where you
have come from
keep looking at what you have and what is to
come.
Hope is what makes you patiently wait.
See the faithfulness of
our God it gives you hope for your future.
During my quiet time
with the Lord this past Sunday, the scripture out of 2 Chronicles 20:17
kept going through my mind over and over. I was quite certain the Lord was
speaking to me and wanted to establish that particular scripture in my heart
deeply.
This is what His Word
says....
"You will not need to fight in this battle, Position yourselves,
stand still and see the salvation
of the Lord, who is with you,
O Judah and
Jerusalem!" Do not fear or be dismayed;
tomorrow go out against them,
for the Lord is with you."
2 Chronicles 20:17
This was a pivotal time
when the Israelites were facing a major crisis. They could either go bonkers
with fear or to trust fully in their Lord God Almighty. Thankfully they trusted
and watched the Lord move with great power, and there was great victory!
That is what the Lord
was saying to me in the situations I am facing today. He will most
certainly fight my battles for me. He is asking me to position myself, stand
still, and He will act on my behalf bringing glorious deliverance!
He is passionate to see
my destiny fulfilled and is there to direct me as I look to Him.
I shall stand still and
watch His glory unfold before my very eyes!
“Every fear has no place at the sound of Your Great Name”
Natalie Grant
As I heard this powerful song, I asked myself do we as believers in Christ know the power that is in His name. When we are facing fears, worries, trials, and decisions, do we call out His powerful name? Do we understand that when we call out His name, a peace that surpasses all understanding comes in and takes care of us? I don’t quite know why this song stands out to me. Could it be because I have faced many fears of my own and it was Him who took them from me? It was Him that came and said, “Liz, give me all of your fears once and for all!” I know that I had to witness my own daughter surrender her fears to Him. She had to learn the power of His name. It wasn’t something I could tell her about; she had to search for that on her own. Whether we say Jesus, Lord, All Mighty, we are calling for His power to come over us. When you read in scripture about the power of His name, you know He came to show His power. People came to salvation through His power, people were healed through His power, and demons were casted out through His power. He wants us to walk in His power, He wants us to walk in freedom through His power, and He wants us to heal through His power. I hope and pray that the next time you are facing fear, doubt, trials, or something that is weighing you down; you look up and call out His Great Name! He is waiting on you! He wants you to experience His power. Take a step and see and experience the power of His great name!
Have you ever been to a child's performance? Whether it is a play or a recital, the charm is in the storytelling process not the quality of the performance. So when my husband jokingly gave his opinion of the acting skills in the movie I was watching, I rolled my eyes and tuned him out. The story line had me hooked. "Perfect on Paper" a Hallmark channel movie, shows the risk we take when we judge people based on their list of accomplishments. Of course, as in all predictable romance stories, there is a young woman and 2 guys. Thanks to the creativity of the story teller choosing what to show us, we can see the good in both guys, but one of them looks better on paper. As time goes by, more is revealed, and we discover truths about each guy's character. A reminder not to judge a book by its cover, or even by the first few pages.
Far more important than choosing who to date, the story does a great job of showing us we are not very good judges. A great outfit, nice car, beautiful home, clean house, fabulous hair etc do not begin to tell us who people really are. Who someone works for, where they went to school. what promotion they received do not tell the whole story. These things are just props, angles, and incidentals in a larger picture surrounding who a person is on the inside. If I made a list of everything I have ever done, then deleted the things I didn't want you to know about me, I could create lots of different and even perfect impressions of who I am. But bottom line is I am a sinner saved by His grace. Sometimes I am working hard to live a life that please Him, other times I am just thinking of how I can please myself. But God's Word gives us a guideline for judging others:
"Do not judge others, and you will not be judged
Do not condemn others, or it will all come back against you.
Forgive others, and you will be forgiven."
Luke 6:37 NLT
So why do you see the piece of sawdust
in another believer's eye
and not notice the wooden beam in your own eye?
Matthew 7:3 GWV
Dear Lord, please search our hearts and show us any specks or any beams in our own eyes. Please forgive for automatically accepting and embracing certain people with certain things on their list while at the same time dismissing or judging others based on first impressions without waiting for substance to show us who a person is. Thank You Lord for waiting so patiently as we very slowly grow up in Christ. In Jesus name, amen. Written by Mary M Wilkins
Hey God, what's up with this? I have dedicated my life to you and am trying to do my very best to glorify you in all that I do. Yet, I am suffering at the hands of others. That doesn't seem very fair.
God is not unjust; he will not forget your work and the love you have shown him as you have helped his people and continue to help them. Hebrews 6:10 (NIV)
Okay then, please help me understand what is happening and keep me out of harms way. I am afraid of what else might happen if this continues. What should I do?
Be merciful to me, my God, for my enemies are in hot pursuit; all day long they press their attack. My adversaries pursue me all day long; in their pride many are attacking me. When I am afraid, I put my trust in you. In God, whose word I praise - in God I trust and am not afraid. What can mere mortals do to me? All day long they twist my words; all their schemes are for my ruin. They conspire, they lurk, they watch my steps, hoping to take my life. Psalm 56:1-6 (NIV)
So I need to trust you more? I guess that is true. If I am afraid of what might happen, then I am not putting it all in your hands and allowing you to work through it. What else?
Keep your conduct among the Gentiles honorable, so that when they speak against you as evildoers, they may see your good deeds and glorify God on the day of visitation. 1 Peter 2:12
Okay, so I guess my little thoughts of "getting even" somehow, pointing out their faults and wrongs, or of giving up and throwing in the towel are not options. I need to continue living in faith and glorifying you in all my doings. Keep on keeping on. Is that it?
Do nothing out of selfish ambition or vain conceit, but in humility consider others better than yourselves. Each of you should look not only to your own interests, but also to the interest of others. Philippians 2:3-4 (NIV)
Bear with each other and forgive one another if any of you has a grievance against someone. Forgive as the Lord forgave you. Colossians 3:13 (NIV)
NO WAY! You've got to be kidding me! You mean I have to not only continue doing the next right thing, but I also have to put the best interests of even my enemies above my own? AND forgive them? But that's so hard to do! I can hardly look at some of them without either getting angry or crying, or dwelling on how they are misleading others with their misdeeds. Sigh... but you are always faithful and forgiving to me...
Okay, I think I understand now. I can continue to do what is right, and there will still be people who disagree and are not happy with it, and even attack me for it. I must endure any hardships I suffer because of my faithful service. I need to trust in you and not be fearful. All that I do must continue to honor you. And I must humbly lift those others up in prayer and faithfully serve you, and be ready to forgive them when they repent. And when I stumble and fail at these things, you continue to forgive me and lift me up again. Thank you, Lord!
written by Jan Andersen
song: Forever God is Faithful, by Michael W. Smith
"Since you are my rock and my fortress, for the sake of your name lead and guide me." -- Psalm 31:3
After the death of my beloved Mother, I found a piece of paper on which she had copied a couple of verses of the hymn: "Jesus, Savior, Pilot Me." So that was one of the hymns we sang at her funeral service.
Jesus Savior Pilot Me, painting by Warner Sallman in 1950
The hymn speaks about life on earth being a tempestuous sea with many unknown things hidden from our view as we journey on. How very true.
We will encounter many obstacles along the way of life. The only safe way to travel is to know God and rely on His hand to guide us safely through everything.
Every morning when we begin the day in prayer and God's Word our request should be: "Jesus, Savior, pilot me."
written by Carol Steficek
"Jesus, Savior, Pilot Me" by Edward Hopper, 1818-1888
1. Jesus, Savior, pilot me Over life's tempestuous sea; Unknown waves before me roll, Hiding rock and treacherous shoal. Chart and compass come from Thee: Jesus, Savior, pilot me.
2. As a mother stills her child, Thou canst hush the ocean wild; Boisterous waves obey Thy will When Thou say'st to them, "Be still!" Wondrous Sovereign of the sea, Jesus, Savior, pilot me.
3. When at last I near the shore, And the fearful breakers roar 'Twixt me and the peaceful rest, Then, while leaning on Thy breast, May I hear Thee say to me, "Fear not, I will pilot thee."
Hymn #649 The Lutheran Hymnal Text: Matthew 8:26 Author: Edward Hopper, 1871 Composer: John Edgar Gould, 1871 Tune: "Pilot"
I am feeling so grateful today….there is nothing that I
can’t do with the love of my savior with me.
He is never going to leave me or reject me; He has a love that is never
ending. A love with such enormous depth
that it is impossible to describe. The
most amazing truth about His love is that we all have it. The only thing we need to do is fill our
hearts with it.
Christ’s love is greater
than anyone can ever know, but I pray that you will be able to know that love.
Then you can be filled with the fullness of God. Ephesians 3:19 (NCV)
I have such a comfort and peace within me when I remain
steadfast in His greatness. There is
truly nothing that I can’t do when I keep my faith in my Father. His heart is filled with happiness when He
sees His children living a serene life sharing the faith of his world with all
others. Giving love to the loveless,
hope to the hopeless and faith to the faithless.
But those who trust in
the Lord will find new strength.
They will soar high on wings like eagles.
They will run and not grow weary.
They will walk and not faint.
Isaiah 40:31
(NLT)
I know that there is
nothing better for people than to be happy and to do good while they live. Ecclesiastes 3:12 (NIV)
So the reality is that I love the Lord and I love living in
this world…. the life He has created for me to live in; I will continue to be
strong with the love that He has given me so that I can do all the things that
I love and want to do. At the same time
I can and will be a witness for Him in sharing and showing others the life of a
blessed woman with a happy and grateful heart because Jesus loves her!
Rejoice in the Lord always.
I will say it again: rejoice! Let your gentleness be evident to
all. The Lord is near. Do not be anxious about anything, but in
everything, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to
God. And the peace of God, which transcends all understanding, will guard
your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus.
