All tagged peace
Are there clouds in your life, and if so, what do they look like? Are they the big billowy white ones that we typically see on a bright summer day? How about the thin wispy ones that stretch out as if forever? Or are they the dark churning clouds that tower into the sky and are filled with lightning and ominous rolls of thunder? God is in the clouds, all clouds, and how does He come to you in them today?
How many times have we experienced sorrow in our lives? We are probably unable to count them. Sorrow is a fact of life and the result of caring, loving, and regret. However, God takes our sorrow and uses it for His own purposes, and if we are observant, we should see His hand there. In our sorrow God teaches us a great deal about Himself and elevates our faith.
Do I have the serenity in my life that Jesus had in His? Is my life spent settling into constant comfort and peace, and if not... why isn't it? Perhaps I am not truly abiding in Christ. These thoughts were provoked in me by my devotional reading this morning.
Coming to Jesus; this is my contemplation this morning. Do we come to Him in the physical act of circumcision, baptism, and communion, or something far deeper and more spiritual? What does He mean by these three simple words... "Come unto me."
Today let’s mull over what it means to really know God. What should a life be like that is fully emersed in and engaged with the will of God? Let’s consider that place in our faith where we struggle less and the comfort of walking in God’s presence has settled peacefully over us.
Troubles are a part of our lives. In daily life we face many trials, but as Christians and believers in God the Father, we face them from a point of great advantage and strength. We find confidence in God's ability to bring us through them, and they strengthen our faith as we face them, but what of the good times?
Today let’s contemplate how we can remain joyful in God’s promises while in the midst of our daily distresses. Let’s seek the source of our victory, certainty, and amazement during the trials and tribulations we face. Let’s try to understand how it is possible to feel comfort and joy in Jesus even when we are in the grips of struggling with our problems and the many crises we face.
Are you depressed about something this morning? Do you feel that the Lord has backed away or allowed some tragedy to befall you? Are you mired in a season of hopelessness? If so, you are not alone. This happened to others throughout the Bible, and is happening in the lives of many today, but here is a word of wisdom and hope for you that I personally cling to, and which will see you through such seasons too... “Just keep living!”
Today I read Oswald Chambers' devotional message titled "Transformed by Insight" and in it he wrote of our becoming a reflection of the Lord when we have been in His presence. This is a discussion that thrills me, and reminds me of not only the outward reflection, but the amazing feeling we have within us when He is near.
It is the 26th of December... The day after Christmas. For those of us who are parents we know that the day following the birth of a baby is a day of rest and recovery for mother and child. Birth is a wonder, but it is also traumatic. During the time of Jesus when all women gave birth naturally (without pain killers) it would have undoubtedly been even more so. So it is that on this day we take a deep breath and relax with our loved ones. Some of us will be healing after being on our feet too long yesterday. And a few will be spending their day repairing damaged relationships from "honest?" words, or otherwise rejuvenating their tired selves. Much like the day following the birth of our own children, there will be a sense of peace and calm about this day.
Yesterday we considered the effect that worry had on our bodies, minds, and souls, so today let’s delve deeper into the peace of God and the effect that prayer has on worry and stress. I am contemplating two of these thoughts this morning as I read Philippians 4 once again and read further into what Pastor E. M. Bounds has to say on this subject.
My devotional reading this morning began with an incredibly insightful statement. Pastor E. M. Bounds began by writing "Worry is the epidemic evil of mankind. Everybody is influenced by worry.", and as I thought about this observation, I came to the conclusion that He was so right. We do worry about many things in our lives... even everyday things. It made me think of my mother who was the consummate worrier. I would often tease her by saying that if she didn’t have something of her own to worry about, she would borrow someone else’s troubles and worry about those. I am making worry sound trivial, but it isn’t. Let’s visit this subject today.
I was reading Charles H. Spurgeon this morning and he was writing about our being called away from our homes and comfort, but that God still gives us rest... and how He continued to do this, even in our uncertainty. He used God's Word to Moses to make this point:
“And he said, "My presence will go with you, and I will give you rest."”
Exodus 33:14 ESV
This morning we will contemplate the time we spend with the Lord. Although we aren't judged by the number of minutes that we pray, we should still spend a great deal of quality time walking, and talking, with God over the course of our day. Our prayers are the answer to the question that God asked Elijah… “What are you doing here, Elijah?” Has He asked us the same question? Have we ever wrapped our faces in our cloak and stood at the entrance to our prayer closet listening?
Removing Doubt and Fear from our prayer lives as an impediment to the fullness of our faith and prayer is the subject of today’s message. The importance of prayer, and specifically a prayer in which we are confidently asking God to increase us in faith, can't be overstated. Haven’t we all prayed with a spirit of fear and doubt at some point in our lives? And, when we did this didn’t we find that the ground was shaking beneath us, and a fire burned within us? Yes, we had lost the Peace of God that we had felt when we prayed as we should? Taking the time to still our hearts before beginning to pray is a good way to steady our faith, and find courage in the low whisper of God. Taking a deep breath and then slowly letting it out is a wonderful way for our spirit to call Him.