A Peaceful Thought-Life..... Craig Denison

 

A Peaceful Thought-Life

Craig Denison

Weekly Overview:

One of the most powerful marks of a believer is transcendent peace. This world offers us no reason to be peaceful. It offers us no reason to be without stress, burdens, cares, and total frustration. But we serve a God who offers us peace in the midst of any circumstance. We serve a God in whom all true peace finds its source. May you discover the heart of your heavenly Father to bring you peace this week.

Scripture:“For to set the mind on the flesh is death, but to set the mind on the Spirit is life and peace.” Romans 8:6

Devotional:

Your thought-life can either be a place of peace and life or a source of immense internal struggle and despair. It’s our thoughts that the enemy tries to affect with half-truths and outright lies. It’s our thoughts that are the gateway to our emotions and actions. And it’s our thoughts our loving heavenly Father longs to influence, redeem, and renew that we might experience everlasting peace.                 

Isaiah 26:3 says, “You keep him in perfect peace whose mind is stayed on you, because he trusts in you.” Do you long for perfect peace today? Do you long to keep your mind stayed on the inexpressible excellencies of Jesus? It all starts with trust. When we allow our minds to stray into worry, doubt, fear, reservation, and lies, it is because we don’t trust that God is who he says he is or that he will do what he says he’ll do.

If we truly trusted God with our relationships, we wouldn’t spend so much energy mulling over conversations that could have been better or different. If we truly trusted God as the perfect provider of  our finances and possessions, we wouldn’t spend so much time overwhelming ourselves with all the different financial opportunities available, or not available, to us. If we truly trusted God with our futures, we wouldn’t devote so much of our minds to playing out every scenario that could possibly happen. And if we truly trusted God that we are loved, liked, enjoyable, and wholly found, we wouldn’t spend so much time thinking of ways we can impress others, work our way into a clique, make others laugh, or win the affections of another.

Romans 8:6 says, “For to set the mind on the flesh is death, but to set the mind on the Spirit is life and peace.” Where you set your mind today is your decision. The Spirit is fully available, ready and willing to lead you to abounding joy and peace. And the enemy is prowling like a lion seeking to devour your thoughts that they might breed emotional and even physical death (1 Peter 5:8).

There is a battle for your thoughts happening every moment. But greater is he who is in you than he who is in the world (1 John 4:4). God has a perfect plan to lead you away from thoughts that plague you into life and joy in the Holy Spirit. Trust him as your good and loving Father. Trust that he is always with you. Place your faith wholeheartedly in him because he is perfectly faithful and able. He has plans for an incredible hope and future for you if you will simply trust him and set your mind on him as often and as passionately as you can. May you find peace today in your thoughts through a powerful revelation of God’s abiding love.

Guided Prayer:

1. Meditate on the importance of placing your trust in God. Allow Scripture to stir up your desire to have a peaceful thought-life.

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

“Do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewal of your mind, that by testing you may discern what is the will of God, what is good and acceptable and perfect.” Romans 12:2

“For to set the mind on the flesh is death, but to set the mind on the Spirit is life and peace.” Romans 8:6

2. What thoughts plague you the most? What thoughts steal the peace available to you through trusting God?

“If then you have been raised with Christ, seek the things that are above, where Christ is, seated at the right hand of God. Set your minds on things that are above, not on things that are on earth.” Colossians 3:1-2

3. Place your trust fully in God today for whatever specifically troubles you and receive the peace that comes from setting your mind on your good and loving heavenly Father.

“Trust in the Lord with all your heart, and do not lean on your own understanding.”  Proverbs 3:5

“Delight yourself in the Lord, and he will give you the desires of your heart. Commit your way to the Lord; trust in him, and he will act. He will bring forth your righteousness as the light, and your justice as the noonday.”  Psalm 37:4-6

“The Lord is my strength and my shield; in him my heart trusts, and I am helped; my heart exults, and with my song I give thanks to him.”  Psalm 28:7

Our thoughts truly are a powerful gauge of our level of trust. Thoughts don’t run themselves. We think the way we do for a reason. When we begin to take captive and evaluate our thoughts, we embark on an important process of renewing our minds. Take notice of the way you think today. Take notice of what troubles you and what brings you peace and joy. Open your heart and ask the Holy Spirit to help you renew your mind and place your trust in him that you might truly have peace. May your thoughts be marked by the nearness and love of Jesus.

Extended Reading: Psalm 37

3 Consequences of Rejecting God’s Authority..... by Jennifer Waddle

 3 Consequences of Rejecting God’s Authority

by Jennifer Waddle

BIBLE VERSE OF THE DAY: Why do the nations rage, and the people plot a vain thing? The kings of the earth set themselves, and the rulers take counsel together, against the Lord and against His Anointed, saying, “Let us break Their bonds in pieces and cast away Their cords from us.” - Psalm 2:1-3 NKJV

3 Consequences of Rejecting God’s Authority
by Jennifer Waddle

If you’ve ever been on a road trip with a toddler, you’ve probably experienced the struggle of trying to keep them buckled in their car seat for hours on end. They don’t understand that the restraints are keeping them safe, and that ultimately, you love them and know what is best.

So it is with mankind and their Maker.

From the beginning of creation until now, people have tried to cast off every restraint placed on them by the loving hand of God. Not willing to yield to the perfect will of the Father, nations have rejected God’s authority again and again.

Though the Lord remains faithful, He also maintains justice, and there are consequences to rejecting His authority. Here are 3 of them listed in the Bible:

1. They get what they ask for.

They soon forgot His works; they did not wait for His counsel, but lusted exceedingly in the wilderness, and tested God in the desert. And He gave them their request, but sent leanness into their soul. Psalm 106:13-15 NKJV

Nations that disregard God’s counsel in favor of their own lusts eventually get what they ask for. Sadly, though their flesh is satisfied, their soul is parched like a dry and thirsty land with no water.

Let us come to the Fountain of Living Water—to the well that never runs dry—and drink to the full of God’s goodness and mercy! (John 4:10)

2. They suffer unnecessarily.

Therefore, as the fire devours the stubble, and the flame consumes the chaff, so their root will be as rottenness, and their blossom will ascend like dust; because they have rejected the law of the Lord of hosts, and despised the word of the Holy One of Israel. Isaiah 5:24

The horrendous aftermath of a wildfire may be an accurate word picture of the consequences that a nation without God will suffer. Consumed by their own falsehoods, those who reject the Word of the Lord will suffer unnecessarily.

However! The Lord is faithful and just to forgive. (1 John 1:9) He longs for us to return to Him with all of our heart, mind, soul, and strength. He longs to cover us with His mighty hand and be our Protector.

Let us repent and humble our hearts before Him that He might come and heal our land! (2 Chronicles 7:14)

3. They are left to their own devices.

Of the Rock who begot you, you are unmindful, and have forgotten the God who fathered you.
And when the Lord saw it, He spurned them, because of the provocation of His sons and His daughters. And He said: ‘I will hide My face from them, I will see what their end will be, for they are a perverse generation, children in whom is no faith. Deuteronomy 32:18-20 NKJV

Rejection of the Lord’s sovereignty and provision only leads to a desolate ending. Without faith in the One who made us, we are empty, lacking, and ultimately left to our own devices.

Let us turn back to our Rock and remember our Maker. Just like the father, who was waiting at the window for the return of his prodigal son, so the Lord is waiting for us to return to Him!

“In an acceptable time I have heard you, and in the day of salvation I have helped you.”
Behold, now is the accepted time; behold, now is the day of salvation. 2 Corinthians 6:2 NKJV

Give No Quarter..... by Ryan Duncan

 Give No Quarter

by Ryan Duncan

“Finally, be strong in the Lord and in his mighty power. Put on the full armor of God so that you can take your stand against the devil's schemes.” – Ephesians 6:10-11

This week my small group started a new series on minor characters in the Old Testament. I have to say it’s been pretty interesting. There are so many characters in the Old Testament whose stories often get overlooked, liked Jephthah, one of Israel’s judges, or Rizpah, who defended the bodies of her slain family. The person I ended up researching though was Josiah, who ruled Jerusalem as King for thirty-one years. 2 Kings opens by saying Josiah did what was right in the eyes of the Lord, a rare feat for most of Israel’s Kings, but then it shifts gears and talks about how Josiah discovered the long lost Book of Law in God’s temple.

After deciphering the book and realizing his people have turned away from God, Josiah went on a complete rampage. Just read the passage below,

"He did away with the pagan priests appointed by the kings of Judah to burn incense on the high places of the towns of Judah and on those around Jerusalem--those who burned incense to Baal, to the sun and moon, to the constellations and to all the starry hosts. He took the Asherah pole from the temple of the LORD to the Kidron Valley outside Jerusalem and burned it there. He ground it to powder and scattered the dust over the graves of the common people. He also tore down the quarters of the male shrine prostitutes, which were in the temple of the LORD and where women did weaving for Asherah. Josiah brought all the priests from the towns of Judah and desecrated the high places, from Geba to Beersheba, where the priests had burned incense. He broke down the shrines at the gates--at the entrance to the Gate of Joshua, the city governor, which is on the left of the city gate.” -  2 Kings 23:5-9

My first impression on reading these passages was that Josiah over-reacted. It was great that he wanted to return his people to God, but burning everything in a ten mile radius seemed a little extreme. Then it hit me; that was the point. To God, Sin is a cancerous tumor that must be cut out of your lives completely. Maybe you’re a guy who’s fallen into the grip of pornography, or a girl who can’t stop putting others down through gossip.

We tell ourselves these things are just human weakness and they don’t mean anything, but God will never approve of our “guilty pleasures”. Christ’s grace has given us a way to battle Sin, and in this unseen war the winner takes all. So, if you’re ready to fight, remember to put on the Armor of God, and give the Devil no quarter.

Intersecting Faith and Life

Are you allowing yourself to compromise with sin? Consider how this is affecting your relationship with Christ.

Further Reading

1 Peter 1:8

A Prayer for the What-if’s of Life..... By Betsy de Cruz

 A Prayer for the What-if’s of Life

By Betsy de Cruz

“To all those in Rome who are loved by God and called to be saints: Grace to you and peace from God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ.” – Romans 1:7, ESV

Some days my anxious feelings get the best of me. Like the day I headed out the door with my family, dog, and picnic supplies to spend 4 hours at the park so my oldest son could take an important online exam at home. I thought I had a handle on the day until I remembered something that made me tremble.

My daughter was learning to drive, and I’d promised she could practice getting on the freeway for the first time that morning.

Suddenly all my what-if’s came crashing in on me. What if my daughter had a wreck? What if the internet went out at home, and my son bombed his test?

I took a deep breath and remembered to pray for God’s grace over my life and His peace in my heart, just like I’d read in my Bible that morning. I felt calmer as I walked out the door.

In the New Testament, Paul began almost every letter he wrote with these words: “Grace to you and peace from God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ.” Sometimes when we hear things again and again, we tend to tune them out, yet Paul wanted believers everywhere to remember and avail themselves of the grace and peace of God.

You may be wrestling with your own what-if’s today. What if the job doesn’t happen? What if the chemo doesn’t work or the marriage counseling doesn’t help?

How about taking a deep breath right now and remembering God loves you dearly? He stands ready to give you the grace and peace you need. No matter what happens today, God will give you His enabling grace to handle it. You belong to Jesus; nothing can steal the gift of eternal life His death has already secured for you.

Through Jesus, the Prince of Peace, you can experience the peace that passes understanding. Even in the middle of unresolved, anxiety-producing situations, you can rest in the knowledge that God is working out His perfect will for you.

So much of life happens outside of our control, but let’s not miss the grace of God. What if we meditate on Romans 1:7 today and receive the blessings of grace and peace He desires to give us?

Heavenly Father,

When things happen outside my control, I remember my life belongs to you.  I surrender to your will for my life and your plan for my day. Jesus, thank you for loving me enough to die on the cross to give me the gift of God’s grace.

Forgive me for the many times I’ve trusted in my own abilities and struggled to do things in my own power. Help me to rest in and trust your enabling grace today. I know that in all my challenges, your grace will strengthen and enable me to live for you.

Forgive me for letting stress and worry get the better of me. Thank you for the gift of peace. In this moment, I open my heart to receive the peace that only Jesus can give. No matter what happens today, help me to meet it with a calm spirit and peaceful heart.

I receive your grace and peace, Lord. I remember and receive your love for me. Help me remember You are with me each moment.

In Jesus’ name, Amen.