KEY TO PERFECT PEACE

"You will keep in perfect peace

all who trust in you, 

all whose thoughts are fixed

on you!"  

(Isaiah 26:3 NLT)

I have found this to be so true.

Several places in the Scriptures God

tells us to not worry but to give him

our problems.

But notice that there are conditions.

We are not just to throw our problem

at God and expect him to take care of 

it for us while we run on and do our

own thing.

If our thoughts or mind is constantly

on God and his kingdom and his will.

Then we can trust in him to take care

of the problems and he will then give

us perfect peace.

 

TODAY'S PROMISE

 

"The LORD is a shelter for the oppressed,

a refuge in times of trouble.

Those who know your name trust in you,

for you, O LORD, do not abandon

those who search for you." 

(Psalms 9:9,10 NLT)

TODAY'S QUOTE

"For too many years I've trusted in strategy

or my own intelligent or my own ability

to communicate."

- Francis Chan

STRENGTH FOR THE DAY

 

Nehemiah, much like ourselves was living in a desperate

time.  The nation of Israel was attempting to rebuild with

enemies all around trying to destroy them while they were

rebuilding.  They even had to work with a weapon at their

side.  Today we would call it open carry.

The difference is, we are being destroyed on our way down.

Israel was on it's way up, we are on our way down.  We could

wave at each other in passing.  We are at similar dangerous

points in history.  They were reestablishing their society and

our world and it's society are on it's way to hell in a hand

basket.

They needed strength and so do you and I to live in today's

world.   But where do I get the strength needed to go through

each day?

I'm a very old man.  I take lots of pills.  But, thank God,

only one is a medicine.  The others are all just supplements

to keep me healthy.  The image above looks like that man

also takes vitamin B-12 too.  Why not, they are supposed to

give you energy and they taste good.  But is that the strength

I need to live in today's world.  Of course not.  Nor even the

food I eat.

 Nehemiah gives us the clue as to where their

strength came from.

"... for the joy of the LORD is your strength!"

(Nehemiah 8:10 NLT)

Simple.

Start your day off by spending time with God.

Get yourself happy [joyful] in God before you go out

and face your day and your world.  It will give

you strength to make it through the day.

"My help comes from the LORD,

who made heaven and earth!"

(Psalms 121:2 NLT)

"The LORD is my strength and shield.

I trust him with all my heart.

He helps me, and my heart is filled with joy.

I burst out in songs of Thanksgiving.

the LORD gives his people strength.

He is a safe fortress for his anointed king."  

(Psalms 28:7,8 NLT)

GOD'S HANDY WORK

I was eating my supper tonight looking out

the window at this sky.  I just had to step 

out and snap a photo of it.

It makes me think of the Scripture when it says:

"The heavens proclaim the glory of God.

The skies display his craftsmanship."

(Psalms 19:1 NLT)

 

TODAY' PROMISE

 

“Surely your goodness and unfailing

love will pursue me all the days of my

life, and I will live in the house of the 

Lord forever.”

(Psalms 23:6 NLT)

TODAY'S QUOTE

 

“Throughout the history of mankind

you will find that those who walked

with the living God were often

lonely men.”

- K.P. Yohannan

JURY DUTY

Last night God reminded me of one of many prayers

he has answered for me over the years.

Possibly thirty years ago I was summoned to jury duty.

At that period of time the family finances was real tight.

I plain and simply could not afford to miss work to be

doing jury duty.  It is true, they would pay a nominal fee

for showing up at the courthouse and pay a minimum

milage fee.  But that would not buy much groceries.

However, God said,

"Then call on me when you are in trouble,

and I will rescue you, and you will give 

me glory." 

(Psalms 50:15 NLT)

Knowing this I so well remember going up into the

field behind the house, getting down on my knees

in an old yellow Ford up there and praying about

the matter.

The outcome.

My employer decided to pay me full salary while 

on jury duty.  

And,

when the money come in to me from the county

for my time on jury duty I tried to give it to my 

employer because he had paid me full salary while

on jury duty.  He would not take it.

Praise God,

rather than being behind finically I came out ahead.

 

TODAY'S PROMISE

 

"The LORD says, 'I will rescue those who love me.

I will protect those who trust in my name.

When they call on me, I will answer;

I will be with them in trouble.

I will rescue and honor them.

I will reward them with long life

and give them my salvation."  

(Psalms 91:14 - 16 NLT)

TODAY'S QUOTE

“I’m convinced that the path of every

believer will sooner or later include

suffering.  The Lord gives us these

trials to keep us humble and dependent

on him for our sustenance.”

-Brother Yun in

The heavenly Man.

 

WHAT IS YOUR CHARACTERISTIC?

What is your characteristic?

What image, or impression  do you portray

to other people whether natural or acquired?

Just what type of person are you?

I knew a woman very well for over twenty five years.

I finally formed the opinion that she was not happy 

unless she was going crazy planning something.

Or, I had a good friend years ago that worried about

everything.

You have seen them all over.  Some of them are real bikers

and most of them are just trying to give the image of being

a biker.

One time I was talking with a customer at work.  I was 

showing her my "leathers". [Yes, I rode year around for

many years.  But you can be sure I did not try to look 

like a biker.]  Anyway, she told me how when her husband

go on his motorcycle he became a completely different man.

You know what kind of characteristic he wanted to portray.

Or perhaps a hot rodder.

You know, every time they pull up to a stop they have to 

race their motors so people will know what a powerful

car or pickup they have.

Smart, intelligent.

You run into this type very often.  You learn that they are

careful how they express themselves about anything so 

that it is not obvious that there might be something 

they don't know.

I am getting to old to worry about making an impression

on other people.  Franky, it is all futile and silly.  I am 

getting too close to that time when I will be standing before

God and giving an account of myself.

But, God gives us some clear instructions through the

Apostle Paul how we are to live and react in this life.

And, I WANT TO BE THAT WAY, I want it to be

the characteristic of my life.

"Don't worry about anything;

instead,

pray about everything.

Tell God what you need,

and thank him for all he has done.

Then you will experience God's peace,

which exceeds anything we can understand.

His peace will guard your hearts and minds

as you live in Christ Jesus." 

(Philippians 4:6,7 NLT)   

I want my characteristics to be:

1.  I don't worry about anything.  I leave it all

in God's hands.

2. I pray about everything and tell God what I need.

["everything".  I cannot get over the magnitude of

that.  You know, even a sore toe, how to comb my

hair, what to think, etc.]

3. I thank God for everything.

TODAY'S PROMISE

 

"If you make the LORD your refuge,

if you make the MOST High your shelter,

no evil will conquer you;

no plague will come near your home.

For he will order his angels to 

protect you wherever you go."  

(Psalms 91:9 -11 NLT). 

TODAY'S QUOTE

 

“It is not he that reads the most,

but he that meditates the most,

that will prove the choicest,

sweetest, wisest and strongest

Christian.”

 

- T. Brooks

 

THE REBEL FORGIVEN

I know, you and I are not rebels.

Well, we don't think we are.

But, look at one of the several definitions

of "rebel" from the dictionary.

"2 a person who resists any authority 

or controls"

We don't resist authority or controls do we,

except speed limits and a few other things.

But how about in our relationship to God

Himself???  How many times do we (I) do

things, think things, see things we know God

does not want us to do, think etc?

When we do it, think it or what ever,

and we know that is not what God would

want us to do.  WE ARE REBELLING

AGAINST GOD.

So we are rebels after all.

Consider Hebrews 12:1 (NLT)

"Therefore, since we are surrounded

by such a huge crowd of witnesses to

the life of faith, let us strip off every

weight that slows us down, especially

the sin that so easily trips us up.  And

let us run with endurance the race God

has set before us."

I am not as perfect as you are.  Some times

I mess up, again and again.  Then I know

that I am guilty of rebelling against God.

And as a child of God His Holy Spirit

convicts me of my wrong doing.  And 

that can, and should hurt.  So what should

I do."

"Finally, I confessed all my sins to you

and stopped trying to hide my guilt.

I said to myself, 'I will confess my

rebellion to the LORD.'  And you 

forgave me!  All my guilt is gone." 

(Psalms 32:5 NLT)

Praise God, I confess to Him.

God forgives me.

And my guilt is gone.