Showing posts with label peace of God. Show all posts
Showing posts with label peace of God. Show all posts
Wednesday, February 25, 2015
THE LIGHT AMIDST THE RAGING STORM
Have you ever been in a blinding snowstorm? The snow is coming down so fast that you can't see your hands in front of you? It is scary. You are lost in the midst of it wondering how to get out.
If you live in a warm climate you probably cannot fathom this experience. However, if you are a born again Christian for any length of time, you will experience another kind of blinding snowstorm, a spiritual snowstorm. The only cry in your heart will be,"Where are you Lord? I can't see you and hear you?"
When I listened to this song," praise You In This Storm", 1 Thessalonians 4:17 came to mind. "Rejoice always, pray without ceasing, give thanks in all CIRCUMSTANCES for this is the will of God concerning you in Christ Jesus.". I am grateful that the Lord is in me and that I am in Him, because that means He is IN all my circumstances. I can trust Him to deliver me from any impossible situation. Please enjoy the song. May it bless you no matter what situation you may be in.. The Lord is your peace. He will keep you in the midst of any storm.
Tuesday, August 13, 2013
WHO'S IN YOUR BOAT?
Have you ever got up in the morning, because the phone is ringing, or someone is pounding on your front door, because the door bell doesn't ring. Maybe you forgot your mother-in-law was coming for breakfast. You are still in your pajamas and your hair is a bedhead. Maybe the children are up early, because the phone or the door bell woke them up? Good morning world! You take a deep breath and your day has started.
After years of greeting the morning with such ordeals, I realize one thing. It is important for me, even before I get out of bed, to first connect with my Lord. It is not a fancy prayer or something I read, but just a "good morning Lord. Thank you for bringing me safely through the night and I desire for to do your will today not mine. I surrender my will to your plans today, knowing that your will is the best for me. I ask for your wisdom and understanding to work out any problems that I might face today." It is short. Some mornings, it is longer than others. It all depends upon what is greeting me in the morning.
I have found, that as long as Jesus is in my 'boat',so to speak, He is there to calm the storms of that day. It is too easy to forgot that Jesus is in me and with me. The day can get very frustrating trying to accomplish my plans on my own, ignoring the presence of the Lord. Jesus said that He would never leave us nor forsake us. He is with us all the time. When the seas of life get rough and the winds begin to fiercely blow against our sails, it is good to remember WHO IS IN MY BOAT and not keep trying to climb out. Jesus is NOT asleep, but waiting and watching for me to give up and call upon Him. My job is to stay in the 'boat' and let Jesus calm the storms of life pressing in around me
If you have found yourself today standing at the helm of your boat shouting at the winds and crashing rain against your sails STOP! LOOK! AND LISTEN!. God is speaking to you, "Be still and know that I am God". You will be amazed how quickly the Lord will answer your need. Psalm 91:15 "When he calls to me, I will answer him; I will be with him in trouble; I will rescue him and honor him." Tomorrow morning when you awake let us meet together in the throne room of our God and thank Him that He is in our boat and that He will keep it from sinking.
After years of greeting the morning with such ordeals, I realize one thing. It is important for me, even before I get out of bed, to first connect with my Lord. It is not a fancy prayer or something I read, but just a "good morning Lord. Thank you for bringing me safely through the night and I desire for to do your will today not mine. I surrender my will to your plans today, knowing that your will is the best for me. I ask for your wisdom and understanding to work out any problems that I might face today." It is short. Some mornings, it is longer than others. It all depends upon what is greeting me in the morning.
I have found, that as long as Jesus is in my 'boat',so to speak, He is there to calm the storms of that day. It is too easy to forgot that Jesus is in me and with me. The day can get very frustrating trying to accomplish my plans on my own, ignoring the presence of the Lord. Jesus said that He would never leave us nor forsake us. He is with us all the time. When the seas of life get rough and the winds begin to fiercely blow against our sails, it is good to remember WHO IS IN MY BOAT and not keep trying to climb out. Jesus is NOT asleep, but waiting and watching for me to give up and call upon Him. My job is to stay in the 'boat' and let Jesus calm the storms of life pressing in around me
If you have found yourself today standing at the helm of your boat shouting at the winds and crashing rain against your sails STOP! LOOK! AND LISTEN!. God is speaking to you, "Be still and know that I am God". You will be amazed how quickly the Lord will answer your need. Psalm 91:15 "When he calls to me, I will answer him; I will be with him in trouble; I will rescue him and honor him." Tomorrow morning when you awake let us meet together in the throne room of our God and thank Him that He is in our boat and that He will keep it from sinking.
Saturday, May 25, 2013
The Storm
Years ago, a pastor was on a long plane flight and resting very comfortably, when the warning lights came on, "Fasten your seat belts." Then, after awhile, a calm voice said, "We shall not be serving the beverages at this time as we are expecting a little turbulence. Please be sure your seat belt is fastened."
As he looked around the aircraft, it became obvious that many of the passengers were becoming apprehensive. Later, the voice of the announcer said, "We are so sorry that we are unable to serve the meal at this time. The turbulence is still ahead of us."
And then the storm broke. The ominous cracks of thunder could be heard even above the roar of the engines. Lightning lit up the darkening skies, and within moments that great plane was like a cork tossed around on a celestial ocean. One moment the airplane was lifted on terrific currents of of air; the next, it dropped as if it were to crash.
The pastor confessed that he shared the discomfort and fear of those around him. He said, "As I looked around the plane, I could see that nearly all the passengers were upset and alarmed. Some were praying. The future seemed ominous and many were wondering if they would make it through the storm.
Then, the pastor suddenly saw a little girl. Apparently the storm meant nothing to her. She had tucked her feet beneath her as she sat on her seat; she was reading a book and everything within her small world was calm and orderly. Sometimes she closed her eyes, then she would read again; then she would straighten her legs, but worry and fear were not in her world. When the plane was being buffeted by the terrible storm, when it lurched this way and that, as it rose and fell with frightening severity, when all the adults were scared half to death, that marvelous child was completely composed and unafraid." The minister could hardly believe his eyes.
It was not surprising therefore, that when the plane finally reached its destination and all the passengers were hurrying to disembark, the pastor lingered to speak to the girl whom he had watched for such a long time. Having commented about the storm and behavior of the plane, he asked why she had not been afraid.
The sweet child replied, "Sir, my Dad is the pilot, and he is taking me home."
Physical, mental, financial, domestic and may other storms can easily and quickly darken our skies and throw our plane into an apparently uncontrollable moment. We have all known such times, and let us be honest and confess, it is much easier to be at rest when our feet are on the ground than when we are being tossed about a darkened sky.
Let us remember:
OUR FATHER IS THE PILOT
HE IS IN CONTROL AND HE IS TAKING US HOME!!!!!!!
Isaiah 43.
Author unknown
As he looked around the aircraft, it became obvious that many of the passengers were becoming apprehensive. Later, the voice of the announcer said, "We are so sorry that we are unable to serve the meal at this time. The turbulence is still ahead of us."
And then the storm broke. The ominous cracks of thunder could be heard even above the roar of the engines. Lightning lit up the darkening skies, and within moments that great plane was like a cork tossed around on a celestial ocean. One moment the airplane was lifted on terrific currents of of air; the next, it dropped as if it were to crash.
The pastor confessed that he shared the discomfort and fear of those around him. He said, "As I looked around the plane, I could see that nearly all the passengers were upset and alarmed. Some were praying. The future seemed ominous and many were wondering if they would make it through the storm.
Then, the pastor suddenly saw a little girl. Apparently the storm meant nothing to her. She had tucked her feet beneath her as she sat on her seat; she was reading a book and everything within her small world was calm and orderly. Sometimes she closed her eyes, then she would read again; then she would straighten her legs, but worry and fear were not in her world. When the plane was being buffeted by the terrible storm, when it lurched this way and that, as it rose and fell with frightening severity, when all the adults were scared half to death, that marvelous child was completely composed and unafraid." The minister could hardly believe his eyes.
It was not surprising therefore, that when the plane finally reached its destination and all the passengers were hurrying to disembark, the pastor lingered to speak to the girl whom he had watched for such a long time. Having commented about the storm and behavior of the plane, he asked why she had not been afraid.
The sweet child replied, "Sir, my Dad is the pilot, and he is taking me home."
Physical, mental, financial, domestic and may other storms can easily and quickly darken our skies and throw our plane into an apparently uncontrollable moment. We have all known such times, and let us be honest and confess, it is much easier to be at rest when our feet are on the ground than when we are being tossed about a darkened sky.
Let us remember:
OUR FATHER IS THE PILOT
HE IS IN CONTROL AND HE IS TAKING US HOME!!!!!!!
Isaiah 43.
Author unknown
Sunday, February 17, 2013
"God's Shalom/Peace
Have you ever thought of the difference between the peace OF God and the peace WITH God? Is there a difference?
John 14:27 says, "Peace I leave with you, MY peace I give to you; not as the world gives do I give to you. Let not your heart be troubled, neither let it be afraid."
In this verse, our Lord was speaking to His disciples seeking to explain to them "His peace" that He was going to leave to them. He spoke in Hebrew, using the word "shalom". He would have said to them, "Shalom I leave with you, My shalom I bequeath to you, not as the world gives, I give to you."
Hebrew is a beautiful language, but when translated into our English vernacular, we can miss the beauty of it's original intent. For instance, according to the Strong's Concordance, you will find that the definition of the word shalom, (peace) includes "well-being, health, prosperity", not just peace of mind in the usual sense. The peace that Jesus left behind for us is literally His health and prosperity for our spirit, soul and body. So when He said,, "My shalom I leave with you", He bequeathed to us as an inheritance, His very own health and prosperity through the person of the Holy
Spirit.
Even the word "peace" in a Greek lexicon means peace and rest in contrast with strife. The word denotes the absence or end of strife. And as influenced by the Hebrew word "shalom", it also means a state of health, a state of untroubled, undisturbed well-being. God's will for us is to live by His Spirit in a perpetual state of shalom.
Impossible, you say? It sure is. Apart from Christ there is no peace with God. We must be born again to receive the peace OF God and the peace WITH God. We may not realize it at first, but as we grow to know His heart, we will learn to rest in His shalom. It will take time.
But, we must always remember that the devil will try to disturb our sense of peace. Don't let him. We have the privilege of receiving the same peace that Jesus experienced with His Father, when He walked among men. He trusted Himself only to His Father. (John 2:25) By faith as believers, we now have "HIS PEACE" bequeathed to us. We can REST in Him alone for true love, and acceptance. As the Father loves His Son, so He loves His body, the church. We are hidden in Christ in God. (Col. 3:3)
His peace is truly not of this world. It is His gift to us and as we grow to understand His Kingdom is within us, we will confess that His kingdom is His " RIGHTEOUSNESS, PEACE AND JOY in the Holy Spirit", Rom.14:17. This is just another one of our inheritance in Christ to enjoy in this life.
John 14:27 says, "Peace I leave with you, MY peace I give to you; not as the world gives do I give to you. Let not your heart be troubled, neither let it be afraid."
In this verse, our Lord was speaking to His disciples seeking to explain to them "His peace" that He was going to leave to them. He spoke in Hebrew, using the word "shalom". He would have said to them, "Shalom I leave with you, My shalom I bequeath to you, not as the world gives, I give to you."
Hebrew is a beautiful language, but when translated into our English vernacular, we can miss the beauty of it's original intent. For instance, according to the Strong's Concordance, you will find that the definition of the word shalom, (peace) includes "well-being, health, prosperity", not just peace of mind in the usual sense. The peace that Jesus left behind for us is literally His health and prosperity for our spirit, soul and body. So when He said,, "My shalom I leave with you", He bequeathed to us as an inheritance, His very own health and prosperity through the person of the Holy
Spirit.
Even the word "peace" in a Greek lexicon means peace and rest in contrast with strife. The word denotes the absence or end of strife. And as influenced by the Hebrew word "shalom", it also means a state of health, a state of untroubled, undisturbed well-being. God's will for us is to live by His Spirit in a perpetual state of shalom.
Impossible, you say? It sure is. Apart from Christ there is no peace with God. We must be born again to receive the peace OF God and the peace WITH God. We may not realize it at first, but as we grow to know His heart, we will learn to rest in His shalom. It will take time.
But, we must always remember that the devil will try to disturb our sense of peace. Don't let him. We have the privilege of receiving the same peace that Jesus experienced with His Father, when He walked among men. He trusted Himself only to His Father. (John 2:25) By faith as believers, we now have "HIS PEACE" bequeathed to us. We can REST in Him alone for true love, and acceptance. As the Father loves His Son, so He loves His body, the church. We are hidden in Christ in God. (Col. 3:3)
His peace is truly not of this world. It is His gift to us and as we grow to understand His Kingdom is within us, we will confess that His kingdom is His " RIGHTEOUSNESS, PEACE AND JOY in the Holy Spirit", Rom.14:17. This is just another one of our inheritance in Christ to enjoy in this life.
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