Devotional

Peace

John 14:27  Peace I leave with you; my peace I give to you. Not as the world gives do I give to you. Let not your hearts be troubled, neither let them be afraid.

John 16:33 I have said these things to you, that in me you may have peace. In the world you will have tribulation. But take heart; I have overcome the world.”

Jesus left His peace as He departed this world for us to have. It’s here. We just need to utilize it. It’s for the taking. It’s now. Whatever we are going through that needs peace, it’s available. The healing may take time. The process may take time. Recovery takes time. Peace is for the now.

Luke 1:79 to give light to those who sit in darkness and in the shadow of death, to guide our feet into the way of peace.”

Do you let Him guide you into the way of peace? Do you know how?

Col 3:15 And let the peace of Christ rule in your hearts, to which indeed you were called in one body.

There it is again, a heart issue. It must rule (umpire like in baseball) my heart.

But how you ask?

Phil 4:6-9 do not be anxious about anything, 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 your minds in Christ Jesus. Finally, brothers, whatever is true, whatever is honorable, whatever is just, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is commendable, if there is any excellence, if there is anything worthy of praise, think about these things. What you have learned and received and heard and seen in me—practice these things, and the God of peace will be with you.

1. Everything must be taken to God in prayer…..first. Not second. Not third. Not after we went to 5 friends and the refrigerator.
2. Thanksgiving (if you haven’t heard of Ann Voskamp and her book One Thousand Gifts you might want to check it out) is vital in everything we do, say, and just importantly how we think. This is a lifestyle. Bad things happen to good people. You aren’t thanking God for the hurt you are experiencing or asking for more bad things to happen, you are thanking God that He has the answer to what you are going through. Thanking Him that He is faithful.
3. Request- tell him about it and then request what you need.
4. His peace (which passes what we can understand- how it will work out) is the guard for your heart and mind.
5. How can you actively do this? Choose to think on truth, what is honorable, just, pure, lovely, commendable….
6. Find an accountability partners, a mentor, or those around you who practice and live this out. What we focus on is the very thing we empower.

Peace out!

John, Son of Thunder. John, The Revelator. John, Beloved Disciple.

This man is one of my favorites in Scripture, if not the favorite. Something about him draws me to him- every time I read the words he penned about our Lord, how to live, love, and even the future. John beckons us to know Christ as Savior and Lord. Why because….1 John 4:8 God is love.

John 3:16 For God so loved the world, that he gave his only Son, that whoever believes in him should not perish but have eternal life.

1 John 4:11-Beloved, if God so loved us, we also ought to love one another. No one has ever seen God; if we love one another, God abides in us and his love is perfected in us.

John 15:9  As the Father has loved me, so have I loved you. Abide in my love.

John 15: 12 This is my commandment, that you love one another as I have loved you.

All you need is love….all you need is love, love. All you need is love. Yes, the Beatles song is playing it’s familiar tune in my head.

This is to say….and our focus for today is John who called himself loved, beloved. Yep, that’s what I said, he CALLED HIMSELF beloved.

John 13:23 One of his disciples, whom Jesus loved, was reclining at table at Jesus’ side

John 21:20 Peter turned and saw the disciple whom Jesus loved following them, the one who also had leaned back against him during the supper…

Notice the verses,  all the verses….one of the disciples whom Jesus loved and the disciple whom Jesus loved….. John is writing about himself!

God purposed for us to know how John saw himself, his true identity. What a very good place to start! This is you. Do you know what it is to be called loved? You, Sally, Jane, Meredith, Janice, Mary….. you are loved. Let that wash over you. Let that sink it. Let it permeate your being. Can you say that about yourself? I am loved. I am loved by the God of the universe the way He loves Jesus!

Do you believe it?

Go ahead try it out.  I am loved! I____AM____LOVED!  Me, like Jesus is loved. Jesus you chose me. I am yours. You love me as your own Son. You know me. You love me. I am loved. I am! You are! Loved!

Created by hand, that’s you, a living breathing human being.

Genesis 1:1-3

In the beginning, God created the heavens and the earth….And the Spirit of God was hovering over the face of the waters. And God said, “Let there be light,” and there was light.

And God said….and it was so.

The difference is YOU.

Gen 1:27-28  So God created man in his own image, in the image of God he created him; male and female he created them.  And God blessed them. And God said to them, “Be fruitful and multiply and fill the earth and subdue it, and have dominion over the fish of the sea and over the birds of the heavens and over every living thing that moves on the earth.

Again, man was different! How did he make you?  The verse above says so God created man in his own image….in the image of God he created him.  But how?

Gen 2:7 then the Lord God formed the man of dust from the ground and breathed into his nostrils the breath of life, and the man became a living creature.

We were formed or fashioned from His very hands. With everything else he spoke it and it was. He took time to breathe into man, from His own breath, His life.

So, from the very beginning, you, yep you (and me) were created especially for God, by God, from Him, to be with Him, to know Him and in His likeness.

So what is God like? Here are two things directly for us it says He is from Ephesians 4:24 says… and to put on the new self, created after the likeness of God in true righteousness and holiness.

Righteous means approved or proper justice. That means as you walk with Him, putting on your new self (the one He really intended you to be), you are approved and will get proper justice in your life.

Holiness means set apart, working heaven’s will on earth, godliness and beloved by God. Woah.

Yes, I looked them up so that the words we hear wouldn’t be the only ones we think of with those words. I was  curious about the encompassing of the words, their fullness.

In summation, God’s character is who He is. We can trust in it. Two of those qualities that are Him and we are created in that same likeness could sound like this:

You_____________(insert your own name)  are approved and will get proper justice for the things that have come against you. He is working out heaven’s will for you in process and you are set apart for that will because you are beloved by God!

Thank you Lord God!

 

Peace. How do I get it? How do I keep it?

If you only knew my life… If you only knew what I was going through….If only….Why…..

Isaiah 26:3-4 says You will keep him in perfect peace, whose mind is stayed on You, because he trusts in You.Trust in the Lord forever, for in the Lord is everlasting strength.

Ever thought that peace has to do with God’s strength?

Can you remember when you were a child and you were scared to do something or go somewhere like first day at school? Your mom or dad tried to encourage you to go for it. When you just couldn’t, one of them went with you. Instant relief. Peace. They are bigger and you knew they would protect you, you know make it all ok. They care and love you.  It was their strength in which you trust. They could handle it.

Your Father in heaven is always here. Right with you. In each and every situation. He is the one who keeps us in perfect peace. We don’t do it. He does. Our job is to focus and keep our mind on Him. Have you had your dose of Him today? You know, the medicine for your soul that sinks deep, stays with you, slow release kind to keep you stable all day long? Where’s your focus? Is your mind and heart on His goodness, protection, ability, capability?

Trust Him a little more today. He is trustworthy. Let His strength bring His peace to you.

 

Our Heavenly Father loves us with an everlasting love.  He is God. We are human. He is sinless. We, not so much. Hebrews 4:15-16 says- For we do not have a high priest who is unable to sympathize with our weaknesses, but one who in every respect has been tempted as we are, yet without sin. Let us then with confidence draw near to the throne of grace, that we may receive mercy and find grace to help in time of need.

I don’t know about you, but my original way of thinking was to hide or run when I needed grace. Why? I was embarrassed or shamed or sometimes just didn’t like me, so how could He like me? He says to draw near with CONFIDENCE or boldly to his throne.  He says he understands. He wants to bring us closer, accept us, love on us, show us the way out of trouble.

Isaiah 43: 25  I, I am he who blots out your transgressions for my own sake, and I will not remember your sins.  Ever blot out a stain? It’s gone. Can’t find it. Removed. As long as we are honest with Him about it (have to see a stain to remove it) and come out of hiding, He does it, for us, for His own name.

This is so important, it’s a recurrent theme in the Word of God. Just one more!

Psalm 103:12 For as high as the heavens are above the earth,
so great is his steadfast love toward those who fear him;
as far as the east is from the west,
so far does he remove our transgressions from us.
As a father shows compassion to his children,
so the LORD shows compassion to those who fear him.

Come to Him, He loves you. He loves me. You are accepted. I am accepted. That’s FREEDOM!

You matter. You are valued. You have purpose.

We are created by a God who loves us, needs us, wants us. Being human creates that need. It is within us to want to have purpose. God put it there. You matter. Our heavenly Father says in John 15 to bring forth much fruit. The seeds of life, change, service, among others begin by being placed in the ground. Once sprouting, we expect full growth and fruit sometimes just by of the act of planting. In Revelation 3:10 first part of the verse says: Because you have kept my word about patient endurance….

Who wants to hear that? Patient endurance? Day in day out.

Slow growth produces the hardest woods of trees. Slow growth means deeper roots. Slow growth means less pruning and bigger branches. Slow growth means the inside (where no one can see) is being fed. How much better the fruit?!

God really is looking for faithfulness to whatever he has placed before us. We seek lives of purpose. Even taking good care of ourselves is one of them. Do you care for yourself like you matter to yourself, to God, to others?

You have great purpose right where you are. Doing life. What’s before you, around you. In you. Through you.

Psalm 57:2 I cry out to God Most High, to God who fulfills His purpose for me.

Lord, I do cry out to you. Thank you for valuing me. I know you love me and have purpose for me. Life is full of questions but the certainty lies in you my God. You created me for relationship with you and with others. I matter. Right here. Right now. Fulfill Your purpose in me.

Psalm 118: 8-9

It is better to trust in the Lord than to put confidence in man.
It is better to trust the Lord than to put confidence in princes.

Life is full of ups and downs, twists and turns. Sometimes we seek and pray. Other times we wonder and pound our fists towards heaven. We don’t understand. Why me? Where are you God?

This morning, as I was reading, I was reminded, stay still, stay in the center.

What does that mean to you? How can you stay in the middle? It’s been very rainy the last few days. Umbrellas, for the most part are made for one person. The rain is constant, the air chilly. We have to open the umbrella before we step out into the weather. We have to place the umbrella directly overhead in order to not get wet. Stand in the center. Where we move, it moves, covering us. Move one way or the other without the umbrella in position, a wake up call of sorts. Wet and chilly. Adjust. A little wind. Adjust again.

The center of the Word, the literal physical middle is Psalm 118: 8-9. Trust in God, not man. We need to move and stay under the covering. Trust. Stay in the center. Let him surround when the world brings a downpour.

Father thank you that you are trustworthy. I can place my full trust in You. You know me. You know my needs, my desires. You are the covering of my heart, my soul, my life. I look to You. You are good and Your mercy endures forever. You, O God, have this covered!

Romans 12:10,12

Love one another with brotherly affection. Outdo one another in showing honor.  Rejoice in hope, be patient in tribulation, be constant in prayer.

Prayer is oxygen to our spiritual lives.  Prayer is the key to intimacy between Father and child, Christ and you. Prayer is something to prize and not take for granted. He created the world with His spoken Word and chooses to want to hear us, communicate, and utilize our talking with Him to fulfill His purposes.  Let’s pray for true place where love abounds, God is honored and His power is being made known in and through our lives. Lets pray and make prayer the priority.

Heavenly Father, forgive us for relying on our own strength and energy instead of abiding in You. Seeking You. Help us to prioritize prayer and make it personal in every facet of our lives, family, workplace, everywhere we walk and live.  Help us to become a prayer for ourselves, for others, for the lost, for nations. Spark and ignite. Revive again! May we bring glory to You. In Jesus name, Amen

Philippians 4:6

Let your reasonableness be known to everyone. The Lord is at hand; do not be anxious about anything, but in everything by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known to God.

Hard work, planning, being responsible are all very important. Prayer is what infuses all our efforts and genuine concerns of our hearts with God’s ability. Prayer should be the framework in which we view all the circumstances and people in our lives – he infuses with eternal perspective. Even the most intense battle is temporary, endurable and winnable. Let him carry it. Prayer is hope, relief, help, power.

Lord, I ask that You forgive me when I haven’t valued the power of prayer that You have at my disposal. I have tried to make things happen in my own way. Father God, I want to learn to pray in faith and continue to grow closer to You. I want to experience confidence and freedom to believe You, rely completely on You. Guide me, train me, help me to gain more trust. Make me a mighty warrior in prayer. Be glorified through me as I learn to trust in You and who you are.

Amen.

Psalm 91: 14,15

Because he hath set his love upon me, therefore will I deliver him: I will set him on high, because he hath known my name. He shall call upon me, and I will answer him; I will be with him in trouble: I will deliver him, and honor him.

What might God do in response to your personal prayers, of the prayers of His people? What would happen if we set aside time, daily, and as we go about our day to pray powerfully and effectively? What if we begin to humbly seek His face in faith for revival and spiritual awakening, even for my own soul? What might He do through us, through you?

Father, I come before You and thank You for the great legacy of prayer that has come before us. I ask You to pour out Your Holy Spirit on me and draw me into a daily, more intimate walk with You. May prayer become as natural to me as breathing, and may You work through my prayers to help bring about Your kingdom and Your will in my heart, home, and this generation. In Jesus Name.