God Gives Peace..... Craig Denison

 God Gives Peace

Craig Denison

Weekly Overview:

Our heavenly Father is the giver of every good gift. His mercies are vast, powerful, and real. His love has the ability to completely overwhelm and satisfy every one of our needs. Everything he gives us satisfies, transforms, and leads us to abundant life. As we spend this week stirring up our affections toward God, allow your heart to become soft and open. Allow his loving character to draw you close and provide life to every dry and weary place in your soul.

Scripture:“Let me hear what God the Lord will speak, for he will speak peace to his people, to his saints.” Psalm 85:8

Devotional:

Peace is a commodity that can only be found with time spent seeking the face of God. The world can’t offer us peace because it has nothing in which to place its hope, trust, and security. Kingdoms come and go. Leaders move in and out of power. What societies value changes like the passing of the tides. Our only constant is God. He has been, is, and forever will be the Creator, Sustainer, and Lord of all. All authority has been given to him. He governs the change of seasons. He thwarts the plans of our enemy. And he longs to offer total and sustained peace to all who place their hope and trust in him.

Isaiah 26:3 says, “You keep him in perfect peace whose mind is stayed on you, because he trusts in you.”Our God has peace in store for us in every situation if we will choose to keep our mind stayed on him and trust him. The world says that peace can only come when you’ve worked your fingers to the bone and have finally attained all you want. You can only have peace when you have enough money, friends, the right job, or the right spouse. You can only have peace if friends, family, and bosses like you. God’s way is to draw you into himself and offer you peace in the midst of your circumstances. He doesn’t want you to wait until everything gets worked out before you can have rest—he’s offering you rest right now.

Psalm 23 says, “The Lord is my shepherd; I shall not want. He makes me lie down in green pastures. He leads me beside still waters. He restores my soul . . . . You prepare a table before me in the presence of my enemies; you anoint my head with oil; my cup overflows” (Psalm 23:1-3, 5). God longs to prepare a table for you in the midst of whatever trouble surrounds you. He is calling you to keep your mind stayed on him no matter what lies before you. And he is asking you to seek his face and find your rest in him rather than toiling and striving for circumstantial peace.

Romans 8:6 says, “To set the mind on the Spirit is life and peace.” It’s by the Spirit alone that you will find life and peace. Stop looking for your fulfillment in the things of the world. Stop asking the world to offer you what it never had to begin with. Look toward your heavenly Father for the peace that surpasses all understanding. May you be filled with rest and peace today as you spend time in prayer seeking the face of God.

Guided Prayer:

1. Meditate on the truth that God is your sole source of peace and rest. Allow God’s word to mold and shape your perspective.

“The Lord is my shepherd; I shall not want. He makes me lie down in green pastures. He leads me beside still waters. He restores my soul.” - Psalm 23:1-3

“To set the mind on the Spirit is life and peace.” - Romans 8:6

“You keep him in perfect peace whose mind is stayed on you, because he trusts in you.” - Isaiah 26:3

2. Where have you been running to for peace? Have you had much peace and rest in your life lately? Acknowledging your past pursuits will help you make present changes.

“Trust in the Lord with all your heart, and do not lean on your own understanding. In all your ways acknowledge him, and he will make your paths straight.” Proverbs 3:5-6

3. Seek the peace that comes from placing your hope and trust in God alone. Ask the Spirit to fill you with peace in the midst of your circumstances. Let your requests be known to God, and receive the peace that comes from casting your burdens on the loving and capable shoulders of your heavenly Father.

“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. And the peace of God, which surpasses all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus.” Philippians 4:5-7

You will be robbed of peace as soon as you turn your trust away from God and begin to live in your own strength. The only source of consistent peace is keeping your mind stayed on God. You can trust in the reality of God’s desire and ability to help you. You can wait on him if he tells you to wait. You can move when he tells you to move. Offer your understanding, actions, and emotions to him, and allow him to be Lord over them all today.

Extended Reading: Psalm 23

Running to God When the Storms of Life Hit.....By: Betsy St. Amant Haddox

 Running to God When the Storms of Life Hit (Philippians 4:6-7)

By: Betsy St. Amant Haddox

Today’s Bible Verse - 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. - Philippians 4:6-7 (ESV)

Storms make my miniature Schnauzer Cooper incredibly nervous. When the thunder booms, he dances around my feet, staring up at me as if to say, “Why aren’t you freaking out, too?”

The other night, we had a significant storm roll through. Cooper kept looking out the window into the darkening sky, then glancing back at me, wide-eyed and anxious. I curled up in my armchair with a hot cup of coffee and a good book, tucked my favorite blanket around me, and then looked back at him.

“Want to sit with me?” He immediately jumped into my lap as if I couldn’t have given permission soon enough. He instantly nestled against my leg, head on my knee, pressed against my hip. I alternated sips while patting him, and the storm was soon a thing of the past.

I couldn’t help but draw a comparison about how we must seem to the Lord, prancing around, wide-eyed, and anxious, fretting over things we can’t control. Thankfully, we know He has patience and love for us, just as I had compassion for my sweet fur-baby. When storms come through our lives in various forms, we tend to only hear the booming thunder, don’t we? We’re so busy staring at the black sky and swirling winds, we lose sight of the still soft voice guiding our paths, offering us shelter and comfort and warmth.

The Bible gives us clear instructions on what to do when we’re afraid or anxious. My dog Cooper can’t talk (though I believe he understands English!) so he couldn’t come to me with his requests, but if his eyes could speak, he was 100% begging to come sit with me in my cozy book and coffee nest. He sought protection in my presence.

When your life storm begins to spiral, do you run around frantic and fearful, or do you remember to “not be anxious for anything” and to “let your requests be made known to God?” The best part about this advice is that it isn’t just an arbitrary command—it comes with a promise. The second half of Philippians 4:6-7 states that when we follow these commands the peace of God will guard our hearts and minds in Christ. I don’t know about you, but me (and Cooper!) crave peace during a bad storm. In fact, that’s all we’re after, isn’t it?

Whatever you’re going through right now, don’t forget to stop, avert your eyes from the gathering storm clouds, and pray. With thanksgiving and gratitude, go to God, who is in control over every wind and wave. Crawl up in His lap with your fears and seek protection in His presence. Take it from me and Cooper—it’s the only way you’ll find peace. Eventually, the storm will subside, the sun will peek behind those fading clouds, and you’ll sit back and bask in the glory of God’s faithful promises.

Why We Need Jesus Every Day..... By Debbie McDaniel

 Why We Need Jesus Every Day

By Debbie McDaniel

"Then Jesus declared, 'I am the bread of life. He who comes to me will never go hungry, and he who believes in me will never be thirsty.'" John 6:35

Not a day goes by that we're not in need of God's grace and peace. Every morning we need His Spirit to fill us again, to strengthen us for what's ahead. Every day we need a fresh word that He speaks to our hearts, that keeps our focus on what's most important. Trying to run this race of life without Him, will do nothing but drain us dry.

The people of Israel spent 40 years in the desert. Wandering in circles. Times were intense, hot, dry. I'm sure they got weary. But God met them where they were. He made sure they had what they needed. They learned through every hard and grueling step, how much they had to rely on Him.

They were hungry. And God sent manna. Every day a miracle was there, right before their eyes. They just had to pick it up.

“When the dew was gone, thin flakes like frost on the ground appeared on the desert floor. When the Israelites saw it, they said to each other, “What is it?” For they did not know what it was.

Moses said to them, “It is the bread the Lord has given you to eat. This is what the Lord has commanded: ‘Everyone is to gather as much as they need. Take an omer for each person you have in your tent.’”

The Israelites did as they were told; some gathered much, some little. And when they measured it by the omer, the one who gathered much did not have too much, and the one who gathered little did not have too little. Everyone had gathered just as much as they needed.Then Moses said to them, “No one is to keep any of it until morning.” Exodus 16:14-19

And just like the people of Israel had to gather it fresh every morning in the wilderness, so it is with us. They couldn't store it up; they had to look for it daily. And God always provided. Each morning it was there, waiting for them. Every day He made sure it met their needs, they were satisfied, they were nourished, they were cared for. And they never lacked, for God's resources never run dry.

That's what He does for us every single morning. Sometimes we miss it, out of busyness or stress. We try to get things going too fast, spinning wildly, trying to get it all done, and sometimes we might start to forget what matters most.

But even for those times, His grace is there. He waits for us. His patience and His peace, it never runs dry.

Each day, His miracles are all around, right before our eyes. We just have to choose to look for them, to pick up His provision, and stay close to His Presence.

God's got our past covered, our future secured, and there's more than enough grace for this day.

"Then Jesus declared, 'I am the bread of life. He who comes to me will never go hungry, and he who believes in me will never be thirsty.'" John 6:35

Jesus is our Bread of Life. He promises that as we come to Him, and pick up with words, spend time first with Him, and allow His truths to nourish our spirits and lives, we will be satisfied.

Peace.

Intersecting Faith & Life: Sometimes life may be hurried and stressed. But choose not to allow the enemy to steer you away from God. It’s those times you need Him most. Make the choice to come to Him daily. Allow Christ to meet your deepest needs and His Spirit to bring refreshing to your soul. He is enough. He is more than enough.

Further Reading:
Matthew 11:28-30
Matthew 5:6
Exodus 16
John 15:5

A Prayer to Let the Lord Lead..... By: Chelsey DeMatteis

 A Prayer to Let the Lord Lead

By: Chelsey DeMatteis

"For I have given you an example, that you also should do just as I have done to you." John 13:15

Something I’ve found deeply enjoyable about growing older is watching the things that come to fruition that God has knit in my heart. You know, the things that make me, “me” and you, “you.” The “me and you” that was formed in our mother’s wombs. God created all of us with individual gifts, quirks, and personalities to show us the vastness of the God we serve. Within this reflection, I’m stunningly aware of how sin broke His perfection and why we needed a Savior.

I see this in how I get caught up in serving the Lord through my gifts. I begin trying to take the lead and want to work in my own strength.

The Lord began unfolding this all in my heart as I sat at a meeting with two other Christian women. I pulled up my chair, fully confident that they’d want to hear my ideas and that we’d all be on the same page. Well, I couldn’t have planned it more wrong had I tried. This nice lunch quickly turned into two of us butting heads over the way we wanted things done.

As I sat at that meeting, I felt as though my way of serving was being taken away. I felt like they were stepping all over my toes, and squandering my giftings. Does this sound like something you've experienced too?

Pride, fear, and rejection began rising up within me. All thoughts of God’s grace and His position of authority at this moment were diminished by my fleshly desire to serve the way I wanted, instead of submitting my heart to His plans.

As I made my way to my car and finally handed over my pride-filled heart to the Lord, I knew the meeting went the way it needed too and the gospel message pierced my heart again, it always does. This life is not about me and my way. Getting to serve isn’t supposed to be about me and having my plans go the way I'd prefer. It's about the Lord and His glory.

This lunch showed me much about the condition of not only my heart but everyone else's heart too. He showed me that I have to trust Him and His leading even in something as little as a lunch meeting. I was reminded that I have to take pride, fear, and rejection to the cross and put them to death so I can rightly serve The Lord in the giftings He’s given me.

I want to leave you with this: when Jesus came to serve the people of this world, He came with a heart full of humility, truth, and love. While He had all authority, He chose submission instead of demanding to be served.

John 13:15 tells us that as He washed the disciples’ feet, Jesus said this: "For I have given you an example, that you also should do just as I have done to you." I pray that this leaves you trusting God’s leading. We don't need to make things happen, we just need to be obedient to God and have a heart humbly ready to serve.

Pray with me...

Lord,

Thank you for the gifts you knit within me. I pray Lord, as I live for your Kingdom, that my heart would always find itself attentive to your Holy Spirit. I pray that my heart would seek to serve you from a place of humility and honor you by honoring your truth. Help me see my pride clearly and reject it fully. Help me serve in humility and trust that you will open up opportunities for me to use my gifts and talents for your kingdom.

In Jesus's name,

Amen.