Category: Peace

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Good News Good News

We all like to receive good news but here we are not even two weeks into the new year, and I feel that some of you are struggling with an Eeyore complex.

It’s hard to see anything good – you’ve become discouraged and hope seems to be fading. Before you allow that kind of thinking to take root in your heart, stop and read the good news that God has for you today!

Most of you know someone who has all the characteristics of Eeyore. Gloomy, downtrodden, anxious, negative with low self-esteem. Then there’s Pooh – an encourager, looking for the best in everyone, a messenger of good news and hope.

Today, I will take on the role of Pooh.

” Each of you is now a new person. You are becoming more and more like your Creator, and you will understand him better. 11 It doesn’t matter if you are a Greek or a Jew, or if you are circumcised or not. You may even be a barbarian or a Scythian, and you may be a slave or a free person. Yet Christ is all that matters, and he lives in all of us.

12  God loves you and has chosen you as his own special people. So be gentle, kind, humble, meek, and patient. 13  Put up with each other, and forgive anyone who does you wrong, just as Christ has forgiven you. 14 Love is more important than anything else. It is what ties everything completely together.

15 Each one of you is part of the body of Christ, and you were chosen to live together in peace. So let the peace that comes from Christ control your thoughts. And be grateful. 16  Let the message about Christ completely fill your lives, while you use all your wisdom to teach and instruct each other. With thankful hearts, sing psalms, hymns, and spiritual songs to God. 17 Whatever you say or do should be done in the name of the Lord Jesus, as you give thanks to God the Father because of him.” Colossians 3:10-17 CEV

In the Apostle Paul’s day there were definitely class distinctions – the religious and ruling class thought they were better than the more common people. Slaves were treated poorly and deemed to be in the lowest class by society.

But God…

chose each one of us to be His own and it’s His UNCONDITIONAL LOVE that gives us our worth. We are priceless to Him. He gave His all, His very life, to bring us to new life because of His sacrifice.

God loves you; He has chosen you; He has forgiven you. Christ made you part of His body and He gives you His peace. Because of Him you are worthy to be loved!

“ Christ died for us at a time when we were helpless and sinful. 7 No one is really willing to die for an honest person, though someone might be willing to die for a truly good person. 8 But God showed how much he loved us by having Christ die for us, even though we were sinful.” Romans 5:6-8 CEV

Good News – Good News! Christ died for you and you are deeply loved!

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Not A Game of Hide N Seek

When I was a kid we loved to play hide n seek. The neighbor kids would all come together in our front yard and we would scatter from there. Our houses had been built in a pecan grove so there were lots of trees to hide behind to avoid being caught.

We would play for hours. The darker it got the easier it was to hide. Then someone would turn on a porch light and the game was over.

As I was reading in Proverbs this morning, it dawned on me that the Holy Spirit is that porch light. Let me explain.

Jesus gave instruction to His disciples that when He left this earth the Holy Spirit would come and guide us into all truth.

“I have so much more to tell you, but it is too much for you to accept now. 13 But when the Spirit of truth comes, he will lead you into all truth. He will not speak his own words. He will speak only what he hears and will tell you what will happen in the future. 14 The Spirit of truth will bring glory to me by telling you what he receives from me.” John 16:12-14 ERV

There are so many times that I pray, “Holy Spirit, I need wisdom and I thank Jesus that you came to lead me into truth”.

It’s not a game of hide n seek. The Holy Spirit is available 24/7 to lead us. Let’s look at Proverbs 8.

“Listen, Wisdom is calling. Yes, Understanding is shouting for us…4 “I am calling out to all of you.  I am speaking to everyone. 5 You who are ignorant, learn to be wise. You who are foolish, get some common sense. 6 Listen, I have something important to say, and I am telling you what is right. 7 My words are true, and I will not say anything that is wrong.
8 Everything I say is right; there is nothing false or crooked about it. 9 These things are clear to any intelligent person.  They are right to anyone with knowledge. 10 Choose discipline over silver and knowledge over the finest gold. 11 Wisdom is better than pearls,
and nothing you desire compares with her.” Proverbs 8:1-11 ERV

The great thing about wisdom is that it isn’t hiding. Wisdom, God’s wisdom, is available to all of us.

“ Do any of you need wisdom? Ask God for it. He is generous and enjoys giving to everyone. So he will give you wisdom. 6 But when you ask God, you must believe. Don’t doubt him. Whoever doubts is like a wave in the sea that is blown up and down by the wind.” James 1:5-6 ERV

Ask God. He enjoys giving wisdom. How do you know it’s God? Well, the Bible says we will be led or our hearts will be guarded by peace. If you need to make a decision pray about it and then proceed in the direction that gives you peace. No peace, don’t do it.

I’ve heard people say, “I just had a gut feeling this was right” or “I felt uneasy about that, I should have gone with my heart”. When we ask for wisdom, we can trust God to give it. Don’t be tossed about like a wave in the sea.

Seeking God’s wisdom is not a game of hide and seek. It’s a life of trust and it’s better than gold!

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The Note

I got up this morning thinking about what I needed to do today. The item at the top of my list is write thank-you’s.

Acknowledgement and appreciation is important. Without them we could develop an attitude of entitlement and selfishness. As a child, Mom made sure that we wrote our grandparents and other family members when they gave us a gift. Christmas, birthdays, graduations, etc. never passed without her nudging of “did you write your thank-yous”.

For as long as I can remember I have verbalized my gratitude when someone does something they don’t have to and assist me or make my job easier but saying “Thank you. I really appreciate that.” Those are not empty words, they are not cliche. They are a heartfelt expression of gratitude.

Why am I telling you this? Glad you asked.

I realized this morning that I do this very thing everyday when I write in my journal. Nearly every day the first two words I write are “thank You”… That’s probably the reason I spend so much time in the Psalms. David and the other writers continually expressed their thanks to the Lord.

“Praise the name of the Lord! He is kind and good.” Psalm 135:3 CEV

“Praise the Lord! He is good. God’s love never fails.” Psalm 136:1 CEV

“ 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

Gratitude removes worry and brings peace. Thankfulness puts our eyes on the blessing and the One who gave it to us and not on our own limitations.

Just yesterday I was reading about the miracle of the ten lepers who asked Jesus to heal them. It’s an interesting story of thankfulness.

“As he was going into a village, ten men with leprosy came toward him. They stood at a distance 13 and shouted, ‘Jesus, Master, have pity on us!’

14  Jesus looked at them and said, ‘Go show yourselves to the priests.’ On their way they were healed. 15 When one of them discovered that he was healed, he came back, shouting praises to God. 16 He bowed down at the feet of Jesus and thanked him.” Luke 17:13-16 CEV

Ten men were cleansed, only one came back to thank Jesus for what He had done. Look at Jesus’ reaction:

“17 And Jesus answering said, Were there not ten cleansed? but where are the nine? 18 There are not found that returned to give glory to God, save this stranger. 19 And he said unto him, Arise, go thy way: thy faith hath made thee whole.” Luke 17:17-19 AKJV

There’s a difference between being cleansed and being made whole. Cleansed or healed means the leprosy was gone. The dead and rotting flesh was healed but the man who returned with the grateful heart was made whole. This word indicates that missing body parts had been restored – instead of stubby fingers, whole fingers replaced them. Instead of a nose partially there, a “whole”ness came.

A miracle for sure. Healing and wholeness!

Write a note – say thank you – give glory to God and let the healing power of God’s love flow, unlimited power and peace!

Thank you for reading each morning, I really appreciate it.

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Great Riches

Rich – what does that word bring to mind? At this time of year it can be used in several ways.

Our conversation was rich with laughter.

The fudge was rich.

The presence of family and friends is rich.

That’s a present fit for a king but it requires his riches to buy it.

Rich: 1.wealthy: owning a lot of money or expensive property 2.worth much: worth a great deal of money 3.costly and fine: made from or consisting of things of the highest quality

What things in life make you feel rich?

Remember a couple of days ago when I used the verses from John 1 about the Word (Jesus) became flesh. Ok, so hold that thought for a moment and let’s look at Colossians.

“Let the word of Christ dwell in you richly in all wisdom; teaching and admonishing one another in psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, singing with grace in your hearts to the Lord.” Colossians 3:16 KJV

Let the word dwell in you richly or let’s put it this way. When Christ, who is the word, dwells in us we become rich in wisdom. Now there’s a novel concept, 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

“But God is rich in mercy, and he loved us very much. 5 We were spiritually dead because of all we had done against him. But he gave us new life together with Christ. (You have been saved by God’s grace.)” Ephesians 2:4-5 ERV

Now there are some gifts that we all desire – peace, thankfulness, wisdom, mercy and grace. A relationship with Christ, the Word, brings the richness of these gifts to our lives.

Merry Christ – mas!

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Peace on Earth

The life of Jesus began and ended with a message of peace and the instruction to “fear not” and be brave.

“I have told you these things so that you can have peace in me. In this world you will have troubles. But be brave! I have defeated the world!” John 16:33 ERV

In light of all that is going on around the world today there is definitely a need for the Prince of Peace.

Can you imagine being a shepherd, probably dosing off for the night when the entire night sky lit up? Talk about UFO’s – this was an invasion! No place to run, no place to hide and then came the message:

” All at once an angel came down to them from the Lord, and the brightness of the Lord’s glory flashed around them. The shepherds were frightened. 10 But the angel said, “Don’t be afraid! I have good news for you, which will make everyone happy. 11 This very day in King David’s hometown a Savior was born for you. He is Christ the Lord. 12 You will know who he is, because you will find him dressed in baby clothes and lying on a bed of hay.”

13 Suddenly many other angels came down from heaven and joined in praising God. They said: 14 “Praise God in heaven! Peace on earth to everyone who pleases God.” Luke 2:8-14 CEV

Don’t be afraid – Peace!

This isn’t just a nice little story in a nice little book – these shepherds were real people, and they came face to face with talking angels. Ya, that would make the hair on the back of your neck stand up!

But what is it you’re facing today – a bad medical report, a falling marriage, wayward children, financial failure, world unrest, the collapse of the future you had planned…

Then listen to what Jesus said

“But the Holy Spirit will come and help you, because the Father will send the Spirit to take my place. The Spirit will teach you everything and will remind you of what I said while I was with you. 27 I give you peace, the kind of peace that only I can give. It isn’t like the peace that this world can give. So don’t be worried or afraid.” John 14:26-27 CEV

and finally one of my favorites

“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.” Colossians 3:15 ERV

This morning as you are looking out on your world, be still and let the peace of God rule in your heart.

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Be Overwhelmed by Love

During the night I awaken several times and began to pray for those who feel overwhelmed. Holidays and life in general can do that to you. If we don’t stand guard over our soul the enemy will try to overwhelm us.

Finances, health issues, family, new jobs, finals, relationships, scheduling, legal threats, loneliness…these things can be overwhelming.

“o·ver·whelm – bury or drown beneath a huge mass.

negative synonyms: swamp, submerge, engulf, bury, deluge, flood, inundate, defeat completely.

I’ve been there more times than I would like to admit but that was a long time ago! You see I have found the answer to being overwhelmed by the negative influences of life.

Being overwhelmed by God’s love is positive and uplifting.

positive synonyms: conquer, vanquish, be victorious over, triumph over, overcome, overthrow, give too much of a thing to (someone); leave speechless

God’s love causes us to triumph; to overcome, it leaves us speechless when we view the depth of His love. The purpose of Christ’s birth was to bring God’s love to earth – to us. It was to bring us overwhelming peace.

“Praise God in heaven, and on earth let there be peace to the people who please him.” Luke 2:14 ERV

“O God, listen to my cry! Hear my prayer! 2 From the ends of the earth, I cry to you for help
when my heart is overwhelmed. Lead me to the towering rock of safety, 3 for you are my safe refuge, a fortress where my enemies cannot reach me.” Psalm 61:1-3 NLT

Jesus is our rock or a firm foundation! It’s in and through Him that we will be able to defeat those things that seem overwhelming. It’s His love that gives us the victory, through Him we are more than conquerors in every situation.

“31 What can we say about all this? If God is on our side, can anyone be against us? 32 God did not keep back his own Son, but he gave him for us. If God did this, won’t he freely give us everything else?…37 No, despite all these things, overwhelming victory is ours through Christ, who loved us.” Romans 8:31-32. CEV

So. Was it you I was praying for in the wee hours of the morning? Trust God to be your defense. Faith in His overwhelming love will crush the attacks coming against you!

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A Worry-Free Life

It doesn’t sound possible, does it? I mean I can’t just go through life with my head in the clouds, it would be irresponsible not to worry, wouldn’t it?

As I was reading this morning, I felt the Lord wanted me to remind you of a wonderful gift He has given to each of us. The gift of peace – not worry.

“Many thousands of people came together…Jesus said to his followers, ‘So I tell you, don’t worry about the things you need to live—what you will eat or what you will wear. 23 Life is more important than food, and the body is more important than what you put on it. 24 Look at the birds. They don’t plant, harvest, or save food in houses or barns, but God feeds them. And you are worth much more than crows. 25 None of you can add any time to your life by worrying about it. 26 And if you can’t do the little things, why worry about the big things?’…29 ‘So don’t always think about what you will eat or what you will drink. Don’t worry about it. 30 That’s what all those people who don’t know God are always thinking about. But your Father knows that you need these things. 31 What you should be thinking about is God’s kingdom. Then he will give you all these other things you need. 32 ‘Don’t fear, little flock. Your Father wants to share his kingdom with you. ‘” Luke 12:1, 22-31 ERV

Jesus’ instruction is two-fold. Don’t think or worry about all the things you think you need, instead, think about God’s kingdom, He wants to share it with you!

Freedom from worry comes from thinking on the things of God. He has provided all we need. King Solomon put it this way:

“ Look for wisdom like silver. Search for it like hidden treasure. 5 If you do this, you will understand what it means to respect the Lord, and you will come to know God.

6 The Lord is the source of wisdom; knowledge and understanding come from his mouth. 7 He gives good advice to honest people and shields those who do what is right. 8 He makes sure that people are treated fairly. He watches over his loyal followers. 9 If you listen to him, you will understand what is just and fair and how to do what is right. 10 You will gain wisdom, and knowledge will bring you joy.” Proverbs 2:4-10 ERV

God-given wisdom is a gift. This gift gives us understanding of God and causes us to know Him. Wisdom, knowledge, joy, freedom from fear is like a hidden treasure and so much more valuable than silver.

For the last number of years the Lord has instructed me to take the month of December to remind my readers of the precious gifts He has given us.

Focus today on the gift of wisdom, seek God’s way of doing things and be worry-free. Your Father says, “don’t worry about the things you need to live“.

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God on the Mountain

I was reading the story of the king of Syria attacking the king of Israel this morning. It touched a chord in my heart.

Benhadad, the Syrian king, led his armies in an attack of Ahad, the king of Israel, on mountain terrain. The smaller army of Ahad defeated the Syrian army. The prophet of God, went to Ahab after the battle and told him that Benhadad would attack him again in the Spring, so he needed to be prepared.

This is what Benhadad’s advisors had told him.

“Meanwhile, Benhadad’s officials went to him and explained: Israel’s gods are mountain gods. We fought Israel’s army in the hills, and that’s why they defeated us. But if we fight them on flat land, there’s no way we can lose.” I Kings 20:23 CEV

This is what the prophet of God told Ahab.

“The Israelites also prepared to fight. They marched out to meet the Syrians, and the two armies camped across from each other. The Syrians covered the whole area, but the Israelites looked like two little flocks of goats.

28 The prophet went to Ahab and said, ‘The Syrians think the Lord is a god of the hills and not of the valleys. So he has promised to help you defeat their powerful army. Then you will know that the Lord is in control.’”

Sometimes we are like Benhadad’s army. We see God as being limited to a particular situation or circumstance in our lives. We think, “Yes, God did this but hey, this is a big ask and I’m not sure that I can trust God in this situation.”

I’m here to tell you that our God on the mountain is also our God in the valley. He is faithful, trustworthy, always there – even in the presence of our enemies.

“I may walk through valleys as dark as death, but I won’t be afraid. You are with me,
and your shepherd’s rod makes me feel safe. 5 You treat me to a feast, while my enemies watch. You honor me as your guest, and you fill my cup until it overflows.” Psalm 23:4-5 CEV

God is faithful. His promise to never leave us or abandon us holds true no matter where we are!

There’s a song that really has an impact on my life every time I hear it. I hope you will follow this link and listen to it today. But just in case you don’t, let these words encourage your heart. “God on the Mountain” by Linda Randel

“Life is easy, when you’re up on the mountain
And you’ve got peace of mind, like you’ve never known
But things change, when you’re down in the valley
Don’t lose faith, for you’re never alone

For the God on the mountain, is still God in the valley
When things go wrong, He’ll make them right
And the God of the good times, is still God in the bad times
The God of the day, is still God in the night

You talk of faith when you’re up on the mountain
But talk comes so easy, when life’s at its best
Now it’s down in the valley of trials and temptations
That’s where your faith is really put to the test

For the God on the mountain, is still God in the valley
When things go wrong, He’ll make them right
And the God of the good times, is still God in the bad times
The God of the day, is still God in the night
The God of the day, is still God in the night”

No matter where you are today, God is right there with you!

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Beside the Quiet Stream

This morning I’m taking things a bit slower.

Got up a little later, sipping my coffee and enjoying the aroma. Heart filled with prayer and praise. So grateful for all the blessings – large and small.

In my heart, I’m sitting in my favorite place beside a quiet stream. In my spirit, I see my constant companion, the One who never leaves or abandons me, my Savior, my best friend, Jesus. He’s been talking and I’ve been listening. He says it’s ok to rest and He’s led me to this place.

“The Lord takes care of me,
    like a shepherd with his sheep.
I have everything that I need.
2 He takes me to green fields where I can rest.
    He leads me to streams of water where I can drink.
3 He gives me new strength in my life.
He is my guide to the right paths.
    He does this to give honour to his name.
4 I may walk through a valley that is as dark as death.
    But I will not be afraid of any danger.
This is because you are with me, Lord.
Your stick and your shepherd’s pole protect me from danger.

5 You prepare a big meal for me while my enemies watch.
    You put olive oil on my head.
You bless me so much that my cup is completely full.
6 I am sure that you will always be good to me.
You will love me all the days of my life.
    That will never change.
I will live in the Lord’s house for as long as I live.” Psalm 23 EASY

You’ll have to excuse me now – it’s time for a second cup and more conversation with my Jesus!

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Our Beautiful Lord

When I woke this morning, I was weary. My body ached and I felt weak. I felt vulnerable; there was only one thing to do.

Focus on my beautiful Lord and Savior.

“ With Jesus as our high priest, we can feel free to come before God’s throne where there is grace. There we receive mercy and kindness to help us when we need it.” Hebrews 4:16 ERV

“So we should be thankful because we have a kingdom that cannot be shaken. And because we are thankful, we should worship God in a way that will please him.” Hebrews 12:28 ERV

I thank Him for saving me, for His healing, joy, hope, peace, strength, rest, forgiveness, adoption, kindness, patience and understanding. In my thankfulness I heard the melody and the lyrics of this praise song.

Oh Lord, you’re beautiful,
Your face is all I seek,
For when your eyes are on this child,
Your grace abounds to me.

Oh Lord, please light the fire,
That once burned bright and clear.
Replace the lamp of my first love,
That burns with Holy fear.

I want to take your word and shine it all around.
But first help me to just, live it Lord.
And when I’m doing well, help me to never seek a crown.
For my reward is giving glory to you.

Oh Lord, you’re beautiful,
Your face is all I seek,
For when your eyes are on this child,
Your grace abounds to me. by Keith Green

And then this one:

Turn your eyes upon Jesus,
Look full in His wonderful face,
And the things of earth will grow strangely dim,
In the light of His glory and grace.

You see, when we rise each day we have a choice. We can look at our circumstances and the day ahead through our own understanding and conditioning or we can see it through the eyes of Christ who has called us to be victorious, overcomers, always triumphant through Him.

Today, I chose the latter. I choose to look into the face of my beautiful Savior and draw my strength from Him.

I pray you will do the same!

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