Presiding Peace

    

 

   

 

"And let the peace of God rule in your hearts, to which also you were called in one body; and be thankful."  Col 3:15 (NKJV)

 

 

I like this verse.  It is awesome advice to live by.  Sadly, I do not always live up to its standards.  Sometimes, I let rationalizing, worrying and fretting rule in my heart.  Sometimes I get so busy looking at where I want to end up, I forget to be thankful for where I am now.

 

"Let the peace of God rule in your heart" has so many connotations to me.  First of all, it means, let it sit on the throne of your heart.  Let it have preeminence to anything else.  A second things this could imply is that we are to let the peace of God make the rulings of our life.  Should I quit my job?  Should I pursue this course of study?  The best way to decide is to go with the decision that results in the most peace in your heart.  A third thing I take away from this verse, is that I have a responsibility to let peace rule in my heart.  Peace  will not hog-tie me and make me obey.  It quietly beckons, offering help.  Ultimately, it is up to me how much leverage I give to it.

 

The second part of this verse that strikes me is the importance of being thankful.  The "Old-timers" used to implore us to "count our blessings."  It is still good advice.  When I am having a rough day and choosing to be thankful it can go something like this.  Lord thank you for:

 

·         saving me

·         blessing with a wonderful husband

·         my beautiful children

·         my mother & my mother & father-in-law

·         a home to live in

·         food

·         clothing

·         clean water

·         vehicles

·         freedom to worship you

·         a fantastic church family

·         supportive friends

·         jobs to support our family, etc.

 

The list is positively endless.  Practicing the "attitude of gratitude" takes some effort.  But thinking upon "the pure and lovely" (Col.  3:8) really will help reset our minds to happier, more positive, hopeful and powerful thoughts.

 

Let's get our peace and praise on!

Dear God, I am humbled by your provision and protection of me.  Thank you for all of the wonderful blessings you pour out in my life.  Help me to center myself in you, and let peace preside.  In Jesus' Name.  Amen.

 

 

 

Escape From the Pit

 

    

 

2 He also brought me up out of a horrible pit,

Out of the miry clay,

And set my feet upon a rock,

  And established my steps. Ps 40:2 (NKJV)

 

 

I enjoy visiting the caverns.  For the most part.  But the claustrophobic part of me dislikes the feeling of going deeper, deeper still, under the surface of the Earth. What if the thing collapses?  How much breathable air would remain and for how long?

 

Depression, gloom and despair are a lot like an underground cave or pit. It is hard to breathe.  There is little light.  And there is a good chance that the only way you will  escape is if someone helps you out.

 

Today's verse talks about The Great Deliverer.  The Lord will "bring us up" out of a horrible pit.  That infers to me that He is willing to walk deep down into the pit, to where I am, and lend a hand of escape.  Jesus defeated death, hell and the grave at His death.  He arose victorious over anything that could hold us down or bind us.

 

I grew up on the top of a clay hill.  When it would rain, slipping and sliding in the clay  was a given.   When we are in a pit, the slippery slope can prevent us from making progress and cause us to fall deeper in, as we try to dig our way out.  Thank God that He puts our feet on solid ground.  He holds on to us to keep us from falling, as He lifts us up, up, up, out of the pit of despair.

 

Are you fighting oppression today?   Are you in the pits?  Down in the dumps?  Begin to cry aloud for your Deliverer to come on the scene and plant your feet upon His  rock.

 

 

  Dear God, I am in a pit today of ____.  Lift me up out of it, O Lord.  Give me solid ground to stand upon even as I feel that I am sinking in quick  sand. I trust You to deliver me.  In Jesus' Name.  Amen.

 

Sherri

 

 

Courage!

   

 

"Haven't I commanded you? Strength! Courage! Don't be timid; don't get discouraged. God , your God, is with you every step you take." Josh 1:9 (Message)

 

I wonder how many months, days and years I have wasted dreading my future.  Dreading a change I do not want.  Dreading work that I do not enjoy.  Dreading a perceived problem or stressor.  Precious time that I can never get back!

 

As Joshua was preparing to go in and claim the Promised Land that his predecessor, Moses, had told him about, he had plenty of reason to fear.  Lots of room to dread.  He had very real enemies before him.  But that was no reason - according to God- to shrink back in dread or fear.  Instead, the Lord commands him to have strength and courage.  Joshua was to avoid timidity and discouragement.  God knew the battles he faced, but he also knew the victory and blessing that he would receive.

 

If you are facing a situation that is uncertain to you.  Take these verses. Make them your own.  Pray over your situation, and watch God  show up to fight on your behalf!

 

Dear Lord, please grant me strength and courage.  Help me to walk in boldness rather than timidity.  Help me to be hopeful  rather than discouraged.  Thank you that you make each step  with me and  watch over me so  carefully.  In Jesus' Name.  Amen.

Sherri

Audience of One

 

 

"Do not consider your maidservant a wicked woman, for out of the abundance of my complaint and grief I have spoken until now." 1 Sam 1:16 (NKJV)

 

 

This is a classic example of someone's earnest heart's cries being misjudged and misunderstood by another.  What makes it more sad, is that in this passage, Hannah was praying to her God about the distress in her heart.  That is when the priest falsely accused her of being drunk.

 

The sad truth is that even when we are earnestly entreating the Lord in prayer in the altar, people can misjudge our motives.  Other Christians, maybe even ministry leaders, can falsely accuse us of wrongdoing.  No human being gets it right every time.  There will always be misunderstandings.  But like Hannah, we cannot quit asking, we cannot quit praying.  Even though she was belittled,  God heard her prayer.  And He answered! 

 

I will always remember when one of our sons was small, he was saying grace over the evening meal.  He was praying so quietly that I could not hear him.  I said, "Son, you need to speak up when you are praying."  His response both tickled and sobered me because he said, "I was not talking to you."  He did not say it in rebellion or disrespect.  He was honestly puzzled about why I had to eavesdrop on his conversation with God.  Touché.  Our prayers cannot be about impressing others.  They have to be about reaching the heart of the Father.

 

Pouring our heart out to God should be natural for His children.  We should bring out concerns and petitions to Him.  Even when words fail us, He understands  and hears the cries of our heart. He hears and moves on our behalf.

 

Dear Lord, please help me to be a person of persistent prayer.  Help me to lift my voice for an audience of One.  In Jesus' Name.  Amen.

Sherri

Developing a Compassionate Touch

 

   

 

8 The LORD is gracious, and full of compassion; slow to anger, and of great mercy.  Ps 145:8 (KJV)

 

When we are hurting,  what is  it we want from people?  Understanding?  Compassion?   Wise counsel?

 

We all have different ways of responding to our own pain as well as different ways that we respond to the pain of others.  The people that I prefer to confide in are those who most exhibit the attitudes of the Lord listed in this verse.  I want a compassionate listener.  Someone who does not get angry with me because of my feelings.  Someone who has mercy on me and understands that I am struggling.  I try to be that friend.  But of course, we all fall short of the excellence of the Lord. 

 

I am so grateful that even when I am wrong, He understands why I feel like I feel, and He cares.  He doesn't make me clean up my feelings, or immediately tell me how wrong I am.  He just loves and accepts me.  If there are sins, He lovingly points them out.

 

The compassion of Christ is no small feature.  It is almost impossible to receive correction from someone whom you do not feel truly loves and cares about you.  But we know He cares.  He wrote His love in His own blood at Calvary.  I am so grateful for his unconditional love and compassion for my failures and shortcomings.  Because of that, I readily receive His correction.

 

When I think of the Lord's holiness and justice, it is a wonder that He does not spend all of His time just correcting us. But instead, He shows us His love and compassion for what makes us how we are.  He knows that we are dust.  He knows that we are worms.  But He loves us. 

 

We must strive to live as He did- with compassion, tender mercy and understanding.  This "soft touch" will allow us to reach more people than an attitude that requires others to meet our righteous standard.

 

 

  Dear God, thank you for your love, acceptance and compassion. Help me to live that out before others as well.  In Jesus' Name.  Amen.

 

Sherri

 

 

Cleansed with Compassion

 

 

"Now a leper came to Him, imploring Him, kneeling down to Him and saying to Him, "If You are willing, You can make me clean."

41 Then Jesus, moved with compassion, stretched out His hand and touched him, and said to him, 'I am willing; be cleansed.' "  Mark 1:40-41 (NKJV)

 

I guess if I had to pick one of the things that I most love about Jesus, it would be His compassion.  He looks at us, sees our mess, and is moved with compassion.  He could have felt disgust because the sin-torn world we live in, was a choice that man made.  Thus, we are deserving of some of the problems that come our way. But instead, He has mercy on us.  He could look upon us in judgment, reckoning us to deserve whatever we get, but instead, He loves us!

 

I am especially blessed by the account with the leper.  It shows that Jesus did not just feel compassion for the socially ostracized and infirm man.  He reached out in love and touched him.  A touch that was likely to expose Him to the same dread disease.  He touched someone who had probably not been touched since he was first diagnosed.  At least not by a clean person!  The very thing that repels others, draws our Lord.   He is not intimidated by our sickness or bondage.

 

People talk about some of our modern heroes- firemen, by saying, "When others run out, firemen run in."  (This is so true- and a special thanks to you in that line of work! ) But even more, when Jesus sees a disaster, He approaches to render aid.  When He senses sadness, He is no fair-weathered friend.  He stays by our side. 

 

Struggling with habitual sin?   Caught in a trap of your own making?  Jesus is calling your name today and saying, "I am willing; be cleansed."  Receive His touch and help today!

 

Dear Lord, I need you to forgive me for struggling with ____.  Wash me, cleanse me and make me whole, I pray.  In Jesus' Name.  Amen.

 

 

 

 

 

                                         

Safety and Peace

 

    

 

"I will both lie down in peace, and sleep;

For You alone, O Lord , make me dwell in

 

safety." Ps 4:8 (NKJV)

 

 

Insomnia.  It is a common complaint from many a depressed or stressed out American. You lie down to sleep, but your thoughts  begin to race.  What am I going to do about that work problem?  How will I ever afford to put braces on Bobby's  teeth?  What if the doctor's report is bad?  I dread my job.  I can't face it any more...

 

All of these thoughts are an onslaught of the enemy on a mind that is already overtired and overrun. This passage indicates that a benefit of walking with the Lord is having peace and restful sleep at night.  When our minds finally "still" for the night, it is sometimes difficult to actually stop the frenzied processing and fretting. 

 

We have to guard our thoughts and deny the enemy access to our minds.  I know, I know. That is easier said than done. Sometimes it seems that my mind has a mind of its own!  We have to strive to maintain a peaceful heart and mind.  It does not just naturally occur.  It happens as we fix our thoughts on the Lord, His promises, His provision and His faithfulness.

 

Another enemy of peace is a tormented conscience.  Christians cannot spend the whole day violating the laws of God and lie down that night to a soft pillow.  God gave us consciences to help keep us on the straight and narrow path.  Guilt can eat you alive.  It erodes your confidence and intimacy with God.  Let your pre-sleep time be an opportunity for confession of sin, seeking the Lord's help for tomorrow and seeking the peace of God.

 

He alone makes us to dwell in safety.  He alone stands guards about us, enabling us to close our eyes and lay down our weapons.  He is a faithful Shepherd over His sheep.  He keeps the predators at bay and provides for our needs in the safety of  His provision.   What a loving God we serve!

 

Dear God, thank you for allowing me to find safety and peace in You.  Help me to keep my conscience clear and guard my heart and mind.  Help my thoughts to be a peaceful place, and help my sleep to be sweet.   In Jesus' Name. Amen.