A Peace Beyond Human Understanding

P-e-a-c-e. Whisper the word to yourself and you can almost feel your heart relax. When you're at peace, you feel an inner confidence that things are not running wild, regardless of the circumstances. Your mind is at rest. Your heart doesn't flutter with anxiety. Your focus is more clear.

But far too often, peace is like that elusive butterfly. Even Christians chase after it and find it just out of reach. Perhaps the rarest of all virtues, real peace comes only when you decide to take God at His word.

So, if God promises peace, let's discover how to find it on our most stressful days! Look carefully, resting on the edge of Isaiah's prophecies sits that elusive butterfly:

"The steadfast of mind You will keep in perfect peace,

Because he trusts in You.
Trust in the LORD forever,
For in GOD the LORD, we have an everlasting Rock."
(Isaiah 26:3-4)

Let's break down that promise and discover the secret to peace. Steadfast means, "to lean on for support." Of mind means, "to frame or to form." Together, this phrase means God will give complete peace to you if your "frame of mind leans on and is supported."

On what should you be leaning? On God, as the verse says: "The steadfast of mind...trusts in You." When you trust Him, you "throw yourself down,"  just as you do when playing that trust game, falling backward into the waiting, ready arms of those behind you. When you trust God, you refuse all other crutches and lean your entire weight on the One who gives stable support.

Can God hold you up? Yes. As verse 4 says, He's "an everlasting Rock."

And how will He hold you up?  In two ways: He will "keep" you, meaning He'll "guard or watch over" you, and He does this with "perfect peace," which in Hebrew means shalom. Literally, God will guard you with shalom, an unending security, an uninterrupted rest, and a complete calmness.

Did you notice where that complete calmness comes from? Not from you, but from God, whom you lean upon and trust. No wonder humankind's frantic search for peace leaves them empty-hearted, they're looking in the wrong places! Paul said, God's peace "surpasses all comprehension" (Philippians 4:7). It's not found in mind control or managed situations. The secret to shalom is trusting God.

Want a good summary of our Bible study above? God gives complete rest to those who lean on Him for support, to those who trust Him as an unmovable and strong Rock.

So, in what circumstance do you need peace today?  Are you facing a frightening situation? Lean on Him. Do you feel panicked, unsure of what to do? Trust Him with it.  Are you worried about your job, someone you love, or a situation outside your control? Give it to God. He promises you shalom if you lean your full weight against Him, not yourself:

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)

Today, choose one thing that distracts and disturbs you. Intentionally give it to God. Release your grasp on it, and let it go.

Who knows? In its place, you might find a butterfly resting in your open hand.

Prayer: O' Thou power of God, visit me today and cause me to trust in you like never before, with my whole heart, mind and soul in the mighty name of Jesus Christ, amen.

God bless you all my beloved.

The Greatness of the Almighty

Mark 10:42–45

I'm sure it comes as no surprise to most of us that we act out precisely what we take in. In other words, we become what we think. Long before that familiar line found its way into Psychology 101 and hyped-up sales meetings, the Bible included it in one of its ancient scrolls. It just said it in a little different way: "For as he thinks within himself, so he is" (Prov. 23:7).

The secret of living a life of excellence is merely a matter of thinking thoughts of excellence. Really, it's a matter of programming our minds with the kind of information that will set us free. Free to be all God meant us to be. Free to soar! It will take awhile, and it may be painful—but what a metamorphosis!

Let me get to the heart of the issue. Since the mind holds the secrets of soaring, the enemy of our souls has made the human mind the bull's-eye of his target. His most insidious and strategic moves are made upon the mind. By affecting the way we think, he is able to keep our lives on a mediocre level.

Don't forget: Our minds were originally enemy-held territories. We were blinded by the power of the enemy. The mind was his "base of operations" until the light shone within. At that time, the veil was lifted and we were no longer blinded. It was a supernatural event in which new life was given, and the enemy was relieved of his command.

But I am increasingly more convinced that Satan doesn't want to give up his territory. He is a defeated foe who knows his future. Yet he fights to the last degree to maintain the hold he has had on us. God is interested in our breaking free from such locks.

And what is God's ultimate goal? To take "every thought captive." When He invades those lofty areas, His plan is to transform the old thoughts that defeat us into new thoughts that encourage us. He has to repattern our whole way of thinking. And He is engaged in doing that continually because old habits are so hard to break.

God's offer is nothing short of phenomenal! Remember it? It is "taking every thought captive to the obedience of Christ" (2Cor10:5).

Be Blessed.

How Blessed Are You?

Blessings may come unexpectedly and all too often go unrecognized for what they are. God often speaks in a “still small voice” (1 Kings:19:12). He also seems to use “still small blessings” to let us know He is there for us. When blessings are recognized, our response can only be one of thankfulness. It amazes me that people seem to skip over great blessings or simply do not recognize the big ones—let alone the small ones. 

Small blessings, which are all free, are constant reminders that God is there. What a great source of comfort they can be. I read of the ten lepers Jesus healed in Luke:17:12-18





. I cannot imagine what these men had gone through in their lives. Leprosy is terribly debilitating and these people were shunned by others in Israel. These men stood far off (as lepers had to) and called out for mercy. 

Jesus gave them the free gift and blessing of being healed, however, only one came back to thank Jesus. This blessing Jesus gave allowed them to “live” again. The miracle was physically impossible and would be classified as a wonder today. Perhaps the other nine men eventually realized what a blessing they had been given. Let us hope so. God loves to give blessings to mankind.

The best thing about a blessing is that it is free. God does not just indiscriminately pass out blessings. His favor is contingent upon obedience. But often God uses blessings to call people to Him and give them the opportunity to repent and follow His way.

 The ten lepers were miraculously healed because of Jesus’ merciful nature. Paul would often enter Gentile cities and God would heal some who had never heard of Jesus Christ. They first thought their pagan gods had descended (Acts:14:9-11

). In these cases, God was getting people’s attention and building the church. 

A blessing may be considered as a gift or some act that brings joy and happiness, or it may fill a need. Though simple it may seem, people can be a blessing to others if their words and actions are properly considered and rightly given.

stay tuned.

God bless!