Category: Peace of God

God of Peace

Psalm 23:1-3

The Lord is my shepherd, I lack nothing. He makes me lie down in green pastures, He leads me beside quiet waters, He refreshes my soul. He guides me along the right paths for His name’s sake.

With all of the hustle and bustle going on in the world surrounding the Coronavirus Pandemic; perhaps we needed this reminder that the Lord Jesus is our Shepherd.  We lack nothing when we have Him!  He will provide for us and keep us safe!  He will keep us calm when the world panics.  Jesus will refresh our souls with His peace in our hearts as we keep our hearts and minds focused on Him. As the Prophet Isaiah wrote: “You will keep in perfect peace those whose minds are steadfast, because they trust in you.” (Cf. Isaiah 26:3)

I thought maybe we should remember the peace that we have within us.  Here are a few Scriptures to keep us close to the God of peace:

John 14:25-27 (NIV)

25 “All this I have spoken while still with you. 26 But the Advocate, the Holy Spirit, whom the Father will send in my name, will teach you all things and will remind you of everything I have said to you. 27 Peace I leave with you; my peace I give you. I do not give to you as the world gives. Do not let your hearts be troubled and do not be afraid.

Philippians 4:7 (NIV)

6 Do not be anxious about anything, but in every situation, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God. 7 And the peace of God, which transcends all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus.

2 Thessalonians 3:16 (NIV)

16 Now may the Lord of peace Himself give you peace at all times and in every way. The Lord be with all of you.

So Now You Know!

Have a Blessed Day!

In My Distress

Psalm 120:1

I call on the Lord in my distress, and He answers me.

Always a timely word!  Whenever you or I feel stressed … hard pressed … distressed … anxious … or even fearful with what is happening in your life, God has affirmed in His Word that He wants us to call upon Him.  God in our refuge and strength, an ever-present help in times of trouble (Cf. Psalm 46:1) So whatever we are going through, we should give it to the Father.  Talk with Him.  Share with Him.  This verse assures us that He will listen.  As Peter affirmed, “Cast all your anxiety on Him, because He cares for you.” (Cf. 1 Peter 5:7) Here Peter quotes Psalm 55:22 which reads, “Cast your cares on the Lord and He will sustain you; He will never let the righteous be shaken.”

If you feel defeated for some reason … if you feel like giving up or giving in to your circumstances or situation … pause for a moment.  Breathe.  Breathe deeply.  Now I encourage you to read how Asaph reset His mindset when feeling overwhelmed with the world and culture that surrounded him.  Read Psalm 73 this morning.  It will not take long, but it will impact your day.  I believe it will bring you some fresh perspective.  I am particularly fond of its conclusion:

Psalm 73:23-28 (ESV)

21 When my soul was embittered, when I was pricked in heart, 22 I was senseless and ignorant; I was like a brute beast toward You. 23 Nevertheless, I am continually with you; you hold my right hand. 24 You guide me with your counsel, and afterward you will receive me to glory. 25 Whom have I in heaven but you? And there is nothing on earth that I desire besides you. 26 My flesh and my heart may fail, but God is the strength of my heart and my portion forever. 27 For behold, those who are far from you shall perish; you put an end to everyone who is unfaithful to you. 28 But for me it is good to be near God; I have made the Lord God my refuge, that I may tell of all your works.

Oh, how I pray that we would understand how much God loves us!  He is the Father of compassion and the God of all comfort! (Cf. 2 Corinthians 1:3) Even now, He is running toward you … to embrace you and show you His lovingkindness. (Cf. Luke 15:20) Just be still and embrace Him.  Rest in Him.  He is the God of peace.  And the peace of God, which transcends all understanding, will guard your heart and your mind in Christ Jesus. (Cf. Philippians 4:7) In John 16:33, Jesus said, “In this world you will have trouble.  But take heart! I have overcome the world.” Yes, Jesus is all you need, and His grace is sufficient for you. (Cf. 2 Corinthians 12:9) So, call upon Him.  He will listen to you.  And when you are finished, be still and listen to Him. I believe you will be amazed at His answer….

So Now You Know!

Have a Blessed Day!

Lord – My Strength

Psalm 18:1-2

I love you, Lord, my strength. The Lord is my rock, my fortress and my deliverer; my God is my rock, in whom I take refuge, my shield and the horn of my salvation, my stronghold.

Our theme of God our strength … our fortress … our refuge … our shield … and our salvation continues!  What a powerful word we have from the inspired pen of King David!

Oh, there is someone …  perhaps many who need this word this morning!  You are fighting battles that are beyond your own understanding … beyond your own strength … beyond your own abilities.  They are battles that belong to the Lord!  You do not have to carry them!  You were not meant to carry them! God is wanting to show you HIS power … HIS strength … HIS love and care for you … to build your faith … to increase your trust in HIM … and Him alone!  For our struggle is not against flesh and blood. (Cf. Ephesians 6:12) And the weapons of our warfare are not of the world; on the contrary, they have divine power to demolish the strongholds of the enemy. (Cf. 2 Corinthians 10:3-5)

I encourage you to take every thought of defeat captive and to make it obedient to Christ.  Through prayer, seek God and allow Him to be your stronghold and fortress … your shield and strong tower.  Go to Him in faith and trust that He is your rear-guard.  No weapon formed against you will prevail, and you will refute every tongue that accuses you. This is the heritage of the servants of the Lord, and this is their vindication from me,” declares the Lord. (Cf. Isaiah 54:17) This is my prayer for you this morning … for those who are in spiritual battle.  Take refuge.  Find rest in the Lord Jesus.  He said, “Come unto me, all you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest.” (Cf. Matthew 11:28) Peace I leave with you; my peace I give you. I do not give to you as the world gives. Do not let your hearts be troubled and do not be afraid. (Cf. John 14:27) Yes, receive His peace this morning!  He is watching over you….  Amen.

So Now You Know!

Have a Blessed Day!

High Anxiety

Philippians 4:6-7

Do not be anxious about anything, but in every situation, 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.

I’m not sure what I could add to what Paul has already shared….

Do not be anxious about ANYTHING!  We just need to pray with thanksgiving because – as we learned from John: “This is the confidence we have in approaching God: that if we ask anything according to His will, He hears us. 15 And if we know that He hears us—whatever we ask—we know that we have what we asked of Him.” (1 John 5:14-15) Knowing that we have what we asked of Him in prayer and petition should give us reason to include thanksgiving with our prayer.  And in this we experience the peace of God.  It enters our hearts and minds because of our confidence … our faith in Christ Jesus!

So let this be your meditation today.  Do not be anxious.  Cast all your cares upon Him, because He cares for you. (Cf. 1 Peter 5:7; Psalm 55:22)

So Now You Know….

Have a Blessed Day!