Peace

Peace- obtainable? Absolutely! 

Isaiah 26:3 NLT

You will keep in perfect peace all who trust in you, all whose thoughts are fixed on you!"

Isaiah 26:3 NIV

You will keep in perfect peace those whose minds are steadfast, because they trust in you.

Isaiah 26:3 NASB

The steadfast of mind You will keep in perfect peace, Because he trusts in You.

Isaiah 26:3 HCSB

You will keep the mind that is dependent on You in perfect peace, for it is trusting in You. 

Beauty comes through peace. Trust in the Lord and His grace and peace will fall upon you revealing the beauty of a Father who loves YOU!

Day 132: A unique peace

John 14:23-27 NIV

Jesus replied, “Anyone who loves me will obey my teaching. My Father will love them, and we will come to them and make our home with them. Anyone who does not love me will not obey my teaching. These words you hear are not my own; they belong to the Father who sent me. “All this I have spoken while still with you. But the Advocate, the Holy Spirit, whom the Father will send in my name, will teach you all things and will remind you of everything I have said to you. Peace I leave with you; my peace I give you. I do not give to you as the world gives. Do not let your hearts be troubled and do not be afraid.

John 14:23-27 NLT

Jesus replied, “All who love me will do what I say. My Father will love them, and we will come and make our home with each of them. Anyone who doesn’t love me will not obey me. And remember, my words are not my own. What I am telling you is from the Father who sent me. I am telling you these things now while I am still with you. But when the Father sends the Advocate as my representative—that is, the Holy Spirit—he will teach you everything and will remind you of everything I have told you. “I am leaving you with a gift—peace of mind and heart. And the peace I give is a gift the world cannot give. So don’t be troubled or afraid.

         There is a unique peace that comes from the Lord. It is a gift that we receive, not one we can go and take. True peace is not something you can acquire of your own strength. As much as we can meditate, seek counseling, pray, none of these will promote lasting peace that surpasses our understanding. We may temporarily provide ourselves a measure of relief of tranquility, but do not allow that to deceive you. Tranquility and peace can be two totally different concepts.

         Tranquility is a state of homeostasis. While it may seem like we are at rest or doing what we are called to do, it does not mean that there are not pieces within the system that are not working hard and in turmoil as tranquility can take a lot to master. Something is working hard behind the scenes to create the tranquility we are seeking. We miss-associate tranquility with peace because to look at peace from the outside we think it means calm, quiet, and undisturbed.

         What Jesus is offering here is completely different. For most of my life I have been seeking tranquility when I needed to learn how to embrace the peace that Jesus had to give me. It has taken me a long time to truly embrace what Jesus was talking about here before He left to prepare a place for us. Before I learned to embrace this peace, I was constantly seeking tranquility in my life. Tranquility looks like peace, but it really is not.

         I wanted everything to seem like it was at peace, and I believed that was how I would find the peace that Jesus was teaching us about here. Whereas, what He was really saying is that through the Holy Spirit, in ALL things and EVERYTHING we can have peace. It stems from grace. Our understanding of grace is to drive peace and contentment in ALL THINGS. This actually means all… In the presence of evil, hate, slander, vitriol, and death, we can maintain peace through Jesus…

Dear Peace Granting Father,

         Thank You for grace and peace. Without it, I do not know where I would be. I am humbled you have granted me peace in all circumstances and that I can pursue Your heart Jesus. Thank You for granting me a helper in the Holy Spirit. Forgive me when I do things that grieve Your Spirit Lord and guide me into everlasting peace with You. You have promised us so much, but we must endure temporary hardships while we grow into embracing the peace that You are offering. Thank You for granting us endurance and favor through Jesus’s grace and sacrifice on the cross. We love You Jesus. Amen. 

Day 133: Transcendent peace

Philippians 4:6-7 NIV

Do not be anxious about anything, but in every situation, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God. And the peace of God, which transcends all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus.

         This by far is one of the clearest explanations of how to access the free peace of God that transcends all understanding. It is also one of the verses that I personally turn to over and over again as I walk through this world. It is a direct script on the steps we are to take to access the peace that Jesus has so freely given to us to access.

         Let’s break it down. It starts with a command, “Do NOT be anxious about anything.” This is straight and to the point. However, we miss it… ANYTHING. This means everything. IN everything do NOT be ANXIOUS. We make every excuse known to God above, but this is a command. I know, but HOW do I NOT be anxious about anything?

         This is where the next line becomes so powerful, it tells us what to directly replace the anxiety with! “ But in every situation, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God.” This is literally a checklist to activate peace. IN EVERY SITUATION…BY PRAYER AND PETITION… WITH THANKSGIVING!!! PRESENT YOUR REQUEST TO GOD… I am not sorry for screaming these things to you, because it is SO important for us to understand how to access this peace. This is the most powerful practice I have ever encountered to combat everything I have experienced in my life.

Beyond understanding grace this is the single most important aspect of my walk with Jesus. I have to allow God’s peace to RULE in my life. The ONLY way I have found to truly access this peace is through thanksgiving and prayer. God’s word validates this in so many places, take for instance in Colossians 3:15, “Let the peace of Christ rule in your hearts, since as members of one body you were called to peace. And be thankful.” If we are to allow God’s peace to have complete dominion over our lives, we must learn how to access the transcendent power it has. The only way that we will access that power is through prayer, petition, and thanksgiving as we present ourselves to the Lord in humble adoration and service.

WAIT THERE’S MORE!!! For a nominal fee of nothing but the grace of Jesus Christ in doing all these things you get MORE! When we do these things with the right motives and understanding, that is prayer, petition, with thanksgiving, peace is granted through the Holy Spirit in a way that surpasses our capabilities. The Holy Spirit actually helps guard our hearts and minds! If we can tap into this cyclical process, we find a peace and resolve that makes us transcend all that is around us in a humble way that keeps us moving forward in life living out the gospel of Jesus Christ through grace in our own lives for all to see. It is a powerful process and fun once you begin to see the world through God’s eyes guarding your heart and mind. The world becomes very beautiful because you can see Jesus’s Grace covering everything.

Dear Transcendent Father,

         Lord, we are humbled to come into Your presence and present anything to You, for we know that we have nothing to truly offer You. Father, we come with an offering of praise and adoration with the sincerest thanksgiving we can offer. We are overwhelmed by all that You have done in our lives. You have brought us to this moment in time where we see all that we have and it pales in comparison to all that You are Jesus. Your grace is enough for us Jesus and we are beyond thankful for it. Without it we would not even be able to approach You in this moment. Thank You for Your grace and peace that transcends all understanding. Thank You for these gifts that are wonderful and provide us with so much comfort. Thank You for Your abundant love You continue to pour out upon us. Thank You for this moment and this breath. Lord, all we ask You for today is that we would see You move in our hearts and minds to guard us with Your peace and presence as we walk. Let us make it through understanding that You direct our steps and return tonight to meditate on Your word and Your promises Jesus. Thank You for Your sacrifice on the cross, in Jesus’ name, amen.

Day 134: Steadfast Peace

Isaiah 26:3 NLT

You will keep in perfect peace all who trust in you, all whose thoughts are fixed on you!"

Isaiah 26:3 NIV

You will keep in perfect peace those whose minds are steadfast, because they trust in you.

Isaiah 26:3 NASB

The steadfast of mind You will keep in perfect peace, Because he trusts in You.

Isaiah 26:3 HCSB

You will keep the mind that is dependent on You in perfect peace, for it is trusting in You.

         Steadfast peace... Is this really possible? Perfect peace… If we are really honest, I mean really honest, this sounds too good to be true. I have yet to experience this idea of perfect peace in its fullness. You may be different from me and have this all the time. If so, I would like to meet you and ask you a bunch of questions.

         What I have found is the hope this verse provides for me. My issue in my life is that my thoughts do not always stay fixed on the Lord. I think about Him and the calling He has placed on my life a lot, but I also wrestle with what would be the desires of my life. My fleshly sin nature is constantly fighting against my mind and heart. Each time I go through another struggle or situation, I find myself being more refined and carved by the Lord. I am nowhere close to the man the Lord wants me to be yet. I would imagine that I will never fully be the man God desires me to be this side of my eternal existence. Yet, I still have hope because of this verse.

         This verse is saying God will keep us in perfect peace. It is nothing of ourselves that will hold us in the place of steadfast peace. Our struggles take us out of this peace day in and day out. This is why I believe the Lord led me to put so many versions of this verse up for today. It is so much easier to see that the Lord is the source of holding us in the perfection of His peace. Our response is the only thing that is truly in our control. Notice how each verse is slightly different, but they all have the same human response to what Jesus does. We are to respond to everything in that we trust in Jesus. Our faith remains secure.

         There is a little nuance here that I think we could easily miss if we are not careful. We know the Lord gives us a new heart in which He writes His word upon and the Holy Spirit indwells within us. Check each verse- notice how each one speaks about our minds and our thoughts. We have to guard our minds with thanksgiving for all the Lord has done. There is such promise in Jesus’s grace and power. Consider Isaiah 57:18-19 NASB, “I have seen his ways, but I will heal him; I will lead him and restore comfort to him and to his mourners, Creating the praise of the lips. Peace, peace to him who is far away and to him who is near,” Says the Lord, “and I will heal him.”” There is so much promised in this steadfast peace, but it is the Lord’s to grant, not ours to strive for. It is our responsibility to trust in Jesus’s promises and set our minds and thoughts to work on remaining steadfast on the calling Jesus has placed in our lives. When we stay focused and thankful, I believe we have access to this steadfast perfect peace that Jesus will continue to bless us with.

Dear Steadfast Father,

         Thank You for Your power and authority over our lives that can provide us access to Your perfect peace. You are such a blessing Lord. Let me take every thought captive and turn it to You Jesus. Thank You that Your will is being done in my life. Thank You for so much access to Your scripture in so many different forms. Your Word is the most powerful source of eternal lasting peace in our lives. We must trust in You because of our limited capacity as humans. Help us trust in You more and more and show us how Your grace and peace are at work all around us. Thank You Jesus for this and so much more. In Jesus authority and power, Amen. 

Day 135: Peace invoked by the name of Jesus

Numbers 6:24-26 NASB

The Lord bless you, and keep you; The Lord cause His face to shine on you, And be gracious to you; The Lord lift up His face to you, And give you peace.

         The power of this benediction is rarely understood. We are the recipients of the Lord’s blessings, glory, radiance, grace, and peace. This benediction is a call for us to be in the direct presence of the Creator of everything. To receive His blessings, to be kept by the Lord, for His face to shine upon us, His grace to cover us, and for Jesus to LOOK in our direction, oh my form, we are not worthy of this blessing, yet it is called upon us by the Lord Himself! This is extremely humbling if we glimpse the power of the Lord.

         One of the beautiful things about this benediction in Numbers is that we use it often to encourage others. It is such a blessing. Although, I think just like I did above, we cut it too short! Read verse 27… “So they shall invoke My name on the sons of Israel, and then I will bless them.” There is a requirement that is to be present prior to these blessings. We must CALL UPON JESUS FIRST!!! The Lord called me to add in Isaiah 66:2 to this devotional… what is the Lord looking for?

        
Isaiah 66:2 NASB

“For My hand made all these things, So all these things came into being,” declares the Lord. “But I will look to this one, At one who is humble and contrite in spirit, and who trembles at My word.”

         The Creator of everything looks at us under certain conditions of our being. Humility and contriteness. To have a contrite spirit we have to embrace deep remorse and brokenness over our internal nature. We have to know ourselves. A key to unlocking inner peace is that we would understand ourselves, even modern psychology suggests meditative practices to find one’s center. The world craves peace and balance, yet it does not go directly to the source of all creation. Even then, the world would suggest that we can get there on our own accord, yet grace directly confronts that because we are nothing without the grace of Jesus Christ.

         When we call blessings upon each other let us call upon the Creator Jesus to look in our direction. Yet, when we call let us remember our place. Our place being one of dust and ash, formed by the Creator for His purposes, let our vessels be used to serve His purposes. When Jesus looks into us, let us be a place where His Holy Spirit dwells and provides an eternal rest within our souls.

Dear Heavenly Father,

         Thank You for Your grace and peace. Thank You that when we appropriately invoke Your name in our lives You look towards us to keep us, to lift us up. You Jesus provide vision and clarity for our lives as we look towards You and Your glory shines upon us. As we navigate the plethora of blessings You have given to us, let us rejoice and be thankful that Your blessings are granted to us through Your peace and calm. May we always remember our place and humbly submit ourselves to Your will. Grant Your grace in abundance and allow peace to overwhelm our vessels. In Jesus Christ authority, power, and grace, amen.

Day 136: Peace in the Voice of the Lord Jesus

Psalm 29:11: "The LORD gives strength to his people; the LORD blesses his people with peace."

         On the surface this verse is encouraging, but there is significantly more to this verse than meets the initial reading. This verse is a promise. It is a promise of what may come after we understand His mighty power, grant our hearts to Him, and train our minds to see Him for the single sovereign authority in all existence. How can I make this claim? We must learn to always read God’s Word in context. So, let us look at the entire Psalm.

Psalm 29:1-11 NASB

Ascribe to the Lord, sons of the mighty, Ascribe to the Lord glory and strength. Ascribe to the Lord the glory due His name; Worship the Lord in holy attire. The voice of the Lord is on the waters; The God of glory thunders, The Lord is over many waters. The voice of the Lord is powerful, The voice of the Lord is majestic. The voice of the Lord breaks the cedars; Yes, the Lord breaks the cedars of Lebanon in pieces. He makes Lebanon skip like a calf, And Sirion like a young wild ox. The voice of the Lord divides flames of fire. The voice of the Lord shakes the wilderness; The Lord shakes the wilderness of Kadesh. The voice of the Lord makes the deer give birth And strips the forests bare; And in His temple everything says, “Glory!” The Lord sat as King at the flood; Yes, the Lord sits as King forever. The Lord will give strength to His people; The Lord will bless His people with peace.

         We are to ascribe and/or honor the Lord for His glory and strength and worship Him for He is Holy. In understanding and worship, we are to seek understanding of the power contained within His voice alone, His WORDS… This Psalm is a recap of some the things the Lord did throughout the Israelites journey to the Promise Land. It reads as if the power of the Lord is a great thunderstorm rolling through the various areas of Israel. God’s voice has infinite power.

         Framing God’s power and strength in our minds is significantly important to seeking beauty. Understanding the depth and resolve of the Lord’s voice alone, we can find deeper appreciation in the promise offered at the end of this scripture. “The Lord gives strength to His people and the Lord blesses his people with peace.” To be blessed with strength and peace is to walk in God’s glory seeing His beauty surrounding everything. You can rest in God’s Holiness, not your own merit. For there is nothing we have to offer but the living death of our will each day. Peace comes through surrender to the sovereign authority and voice, that is the full surrender to the Voice of the Lord Jesus Christ as outlined in the record of His voice- His Biblical Words…

Yahweh,

         Qol Yahweh, to hear Your words, the sweetness of their sound.

         Qol Yahweh, to see Your strength, the power of Your voice.

         Qol Yahweh, to seek Your counsel, the lightening of our burdens.

         Qol Yahweh, to feel Your presence, the comfort embraced.

         Qol Yahweh, to know Your history, for Your faithfulness is true.

         Qol Yahweh, to worship Your holiness, for Your righteousness is just.

         Qol Yahweh, to receive Your peace, quiets my soul and trains my mind. Amen.

Interesting context: This Psalm is commonly referred to as the thunderstorm Psalm. Where Qol Yahweh is featured seven times throughout the Psalm.

Qol Yahweh (קוֹל יְהוָה) is a Hebrew phrase found in the Old Testament, commonly translated as "the voice of the LORD" or "the sound of Yahweh". It refers to the manifestation of God’s presence, power, or message, often appearing in contexts of theophany (a visible/audible manifestation of God), judgment, or natural phenomena like thunder.

Day 137: Peace Assures

Romans 15:13 NASB

Now may the God of hope fill you with all joy and peace in believing, so that you will abound in hope by the power of the Holy Spirit.

         What is your purpose? What were you designed to do? What is it that you are doing right now that matters? What are you making of yourself? How is your influence being utilized in the world around you? What’s your why? How are you going to get there? What do you need to say no to? What do you need to say yes to? What needs to be done right now? How are you going to keep going when no one sees you? What are You doing Lord? What do I need to do Jesus? What are you trying to teach me? What can I learn from this? What can someone else learn? What is Your purpose Jesus for this suffering? WHY?

         Ever feel overwhelmed by ALL the questions that swirl in your mind? Yeah, me too. The Lord’s grace has been teaching me a truly different way of walking through this world. Most of these questions are awesome and should be asked in your life! However, they should not define our relationship with Jesus. This scripture comes after one of the greatest blessings and arguments that Paul offers in Romans that Jesus is for everyone! EVERYONE…

         Jesus wants our hearts. He wants us, just as we are, but not to leave us where we are. Jesus desires our belief in His authority and hope. When we stop striving and start resting in our belief in Jesus, we can gain access to ALL joy and peace, abounding in hope. This is not something we can work towards. It is not a question we can answer. It is a state of being. Just existing in Jesus, fully assured of our salvation in that it is not anything we have done, but the abundance of grace that covers us through our confession and belief in Jesus.

         I had a conversation with a dear friend one day about our salvation. This question was asked, “Do you think anyone can lose their salvation?” Salvation is not mine to give or to take away, or for me to pass judgment on for others. We are to judge the fruit within a person, but meet them with love and compassion knowing we are all facing hard battles meant to test each of us. If we endure the testing of our faith in the wrestling of all the questions and more from above, God’s word gives us this assurance, “The one who overcomes will be clothed the same way, in white garments; and I will not erase his name from the book of life, and I will confess his name before My Father and before His angels.” Revelation 3:5 NASB.

         Learning to have the joy and peace in believing has much to do with transforming our minds through God’s Word. We CAN abound in HOPE through the Holy Spirit. This means that we can embrace the full assurance of salvation in that we are secure when we endure. We have to get up each day and take up our cross, follow Jesus. We should make all attempts to make this a natural rhythm of our lives and of our first fruits of our day. Thus allowing our hearts and minds to be anchored in the integrity of grace, which leads us to joy and peace. When we find these things, our lives become anchored in God’s peace. A calm that surpasses understanding and brings us back to gratitude.

Dear Abundant Father,

         Thank You for the power You grant us through Your Holy Spirit. Thank You for the assurance of hope in eternal salvation through Your work. Let us settle the questions in our minds and allow ourselves to access the peace from You Jesus. You have abundantly poured out Your grace upon us and we are thankful for all of it. May our gratitude be overwhelmingly evident in our lives. We trust in Your power and will Jesus. May others know Your love through our lives. We love You Jesus. Thank You for all the blessings and beauty that surrounds us every day. In Jesus’ name, amen.

Day 138: Prince of Peace

Isaiah 9:1-7 NASB

But there will be no more gloom for her who was in anguish. In earlier times He treated the land of Zebulun and the land of Naphtali with contempt, but later on He will make it glorious, by the way of the sea, on the other side of the Jordan, Galilee of the Gentiles. The people who walk in darkness Will see a great light; Those who live in a dark land, The light will shine on them. You will multiply the nation, You will increase their joy; They will rejoice in Your presence As with the joy of harvest, As people rejoice when they divide the spoils. For You will break the yoke of their burden and the staff on their shoulders, The rod of their oppressor, as at the battle of Midian. For every boot of the marching warrior in the roar of battle, And cloak rolled in blood, will be for burning, fuel for the fire.

For a Child will be born to us, a Son will be given to us; And the government will rest on His shoulders; And His name will be called Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God, Eternal Father, Prince of Peace. There will be no end to the increase of His government or of peace On the throne of David and over his kingdom, To establish it and to uphold it with justice and righteousness From then on and forevermore. The zeal of the Lord of armies will accomplish this.

        As you begin to unravel the pursuit of God loving us with unlimited grace and mercy, you begin to see the beauty in many things. Life is not what is initially interpreted in our limited human scope. Diving deep into the scriptures and letting them transform your mind allows God’s glory and majesty to be revealed. This scripture is such a beautiful promise of what is currently happening and what will happen in the future. This was a prophetic promise given through the Holy Spirit to Isaiah. A promise that Jesus was coming for everyone.

         This passage contains within it one of the clearest descriptions of Jesus being a Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God, Eternal Father, and Prince of Peace. Comforting words these are in the presence of our hearts and minds when we begin to scratch the surface at understanding the fullness of who Jesus is. This is where the very next verse offers such powerful hope, “There will be no end to the increase of His government or of peace…” No end to peace? Yep, that is what it is literally stating, there will be no end to the peace that surpasses all understanding!

         I know in my life I have not always been at peace. In fact, I would say most of my life I have spent striving to accomplish things. I have always struggled to just be. I have studied scripture for decades and I never fully understood the true notion of peace. In my mind and heart, I have learned through God’s word that peace is resting in the fact that everything is already settled. The end is peace as long as we can hold onto the hope and promise of Jesus Christ. My world can be falling down around me, and everything seem like hope is lost, yet I can still rest in the promise of Jesus. Eternity is secure and ever-increasing peace will be a huge part in the economy of the Kingdom.

Dear Peace Reigning Father,

         Thank You for Your power and authority to lead everything into an everlasting peace. Thank You for the promises of Your Kingdom. Thank You for being the Wonderful Counselor, Our Mighty God, the Eternal Father, the ultimate Prince of Peace. Lord, You will fight the battles for us. Grant us the ability to follow You when the storms come and lean into Your word for guidance and our relationship with You Jesus. We love You and want to serve in this Kingdom of everlasting peace. In Jesus Christ’s authority and power, amen.

Day 139: Peace through tribulations

John 16:30-33

Now we know that You know all things, and that You have no need for anyone to question You; this is why we believe that You came forth from God.” Jesus replied to them, “Do you now believe? Behold, an hour is coming, and has already come, for you to be scattered, each to his own home, and to leave Me alone; and yet I am not alone, because the Father is with Me. These things I have spoken to you so that in Me you may have peace. In the world you have tribulation but take courage; I have overcome the world.”'

        Throughout this journey we have discussed tribulations at various times already. If you are interested in a refresher, you can reread days 25, 36, 41, and 70-71. Now, let us focus on the peace that can be present in those tribulations.

         Unfortunately, Jesus is making a claim that our lives believing and following Him are not going to be easy. He is telling His disciples that trouble is coming for them. Notice His word choices, they will be “scattered…” and Jesus is saying He will be alone… Yet, so are the disciples. Then watch the shift that takes place. Jesus is teaching a profound truth in this moment. His claim is that He will not be alone because the Father is with Him. Think about this for a moment, if Jesus was not alone, are we ever alone?

         Jesus is encouraging His disciples as they have just begun to see the true power of Jesus in that they no longer needed to question Him. They had submitted to the power and authority of Jesus Christ. This is where Jesus warned them… life was about to get harder. Notice the verb shift, TAKE courage. Most of the versions we have used in the devotions all say the word take. The KJV says be of good cheer!

         Yeah but… Tribulations suck. They are long periods of being scattered with sometimes the deep pains of feeling alone. Is that really the case? Or is Jesus with us? We know the church answer is that He is with us, but it does not always feel that way. This is why scripture tells us to take. It is something we have to lay ahold of in our walk. In understanding grace and beginning to feel God’s peace, it becomes significantly easier to take courage in light of tribulations. You can embody peace and it can become a part of your natural rhythm. If you already know that victory is secure, then why fret about anything. Jesus just told them that they had a helper on the way in the Holy Spirit!

         We have access to this Holy Spirit today. God’s peace is inside of each of us that believe in him and all we have to do is unlock its full potential. How? Keep studying God’s word and asking Him to reveal His beauty in everything. Once you begin to see Him in the worst of things, You will always be able to see and know that He is at work in all things.

Dear Peace Filling Father,

         Thank You for Your peace that fills every situation when we allow it to. We trust in You Jesus. You have told us that we will encounter trouble and tribulations. You have always been honest with us and You are a righteous and Just God. Instead of us questioning everything, let us walk in the knowledge that You know all things. Allow us to come back to You and with each other to be encouraged by Your truths and Your word. Father, Thank You for today and the bread of life that is in it. We praise You today, Jesus, Amen. 

Day 140: In peace we can rest

Psalms 4:1-8 NIV

Answer me when I call to you, my righteous God. Give me relief from my distress; have mercy on me and hear my prayer. How long will you people turn my glory into shame? How long will you love delusions and seek false gods? Know that the Lord has set apart his faithful servant for himself; the Lord hears when I call to him. Tremble and do not sin; when you are on your beds, search your hearts and be silent. Offer the sacrifices of the righteous and trust in the Lord. Many, Lord, are asking, “Who will bring us prosperity?” Let the light of your face shine on us. Fill my heart with joy when their grain and new wine abound. In peace I will lie down and sleep, for you alone, Lord, make me dwell in safety.'

         After the day is settled, all toil and strife is laid aside, we can seek the peace of the Lord knowing we have done all we can do and rest in peace. The only true security is found in Jesus. Nothing this world has to offer will allow us to find the abundance of joy that is found in the Lord Jesus Christ. He alone is all we need to rest in…

         Funny thing is, before writing this devotion, I overslept my alarm by a staggering forty minutes! Yet, in my routine of spending time with the Lord, I have built in enough time to seek Him even though I may be inclined to rush. I am able to still slow down in the mornings and take time with Jesus. Through His grace alone am I able to grant Him my first fruits and my final thoughts.

         Last night was one for the books… A night of joy and confusion, but one of significant beauty. I sat with my parents for a time listening and discussing our day, then prayed with my children, sought counsel from friends over a situation, and prayed for multiple situations present in my life. The Lord led me to peace and a restful night of sleep knowing that my only security is found in Him.

         Remembering these verses is powerful to help you rest. Write this one down and put it by your bedside. Let it reside in your hearts and minds as you rest in peace through Jesus. This verse became one of my daughters’ favorites very early on in their life because their Nana had put the final verse up in their little bunk bed area of their house. Within one or two visits they had it memorized because it was something they read each night as their final thoughts wound down and they rested in peace. Then it became the first thing they read as they woke up, cementing it into their minds and hearts forever. Rest in the peace of the Lord tonight…

Dear Rest Granting Father,

        
        Thank You that You cause us to rise each day and help us face every obstacle. Thank You that You hear our prayers and come to us when we call upon Your name Jesus. Let us approach You with the reverence that makes us tremble in Your presence as we seek the light of Your face. May our lives be a living sacrifice to You Jesus that others would see Your light through us. All prosperity and joy are deeply anchored in You Jesus and we are nothing without You. Grant us the ability to see Your grace and favor in our lives and let us lay down and dwell in Your safety tonight, Lord. Jesus help us understand that we will rest in You throughout all eternity at peace with You and tonight is just another opportunity to be at peace in You before we sleep. In Jesus authority and power, amen.

Day 141: Unshaken love and peace

Isaiah 54:9-10 NIV

To me this is like the days of Noah, when I swore that the waters of Noah would never again cover the earth. So now I have sworn not to be angry with you, never to rebuke you again. Though the mountains be shaken and the hills be removed, yet my unfailing love for you will not be shaken nor my covenant of peace be removed,” says the Lord, who has compassion on you.

         Have you ever met someone with seemingly unshakable faith? I was graced by one of the most beautiful humans to ever live with my former wife. She was one of the few women in this world that remained steadfast in her faith all the way up until her final moments. Her experience and faith taught me a lot about the Lord Jesus Christ. When you become one flesh together you share faith with one another. It is such a deep connection that we can grieve the loss of so much within that relationship as we grow and change throughout the years. No one ever expects it to end abruptly, or that it will contain such ferocious storms that life would end far sooner than anyone would expect. It leaves one broken and confused about so much in life. Isaiah 54 speaks into this and so much more, which makes the verses today stand out to me in significant ways.

         There is a promised oath from the Lord of all creation contained within these verses and they are being spoken through Isaiah to God’s people. Those of us secured in Jesus Christ are God’s people, so listen up! This applies to your life today. God has sworn to not be angry with us… This is a sworn oath from the Lord. He says He will NOT be angry with us. Not be angry because of our sin, our failures, our short comings, no matter how many times we fail to act, He will NOT harbor anger towards us…

         I don’t deserve that at all. Yet, God goes further than just not being angry with us, He promises that His unfailing love, UNFAILING LOVE!!! Will NOT be SHAKEN!!! Nor His covenant of peace be removed. How can you not be amazed at this promise? I know I am! I know that through the storms I have stood in, God has proved this over and over to my heart and mind as a man. His grace is overwhelming to me, and I live within it every day.

         Being an educator, I have had the privilege of repeating myself millions of times. I mean it has to be millions of times at this point… millions. Yet, I keep coming back to do the job I am called to do. Some days are significantly better than others, but in general terms every day is a constant broken record. Over the years I have learned to communicate in different ways to make the kids think and one of my favorite phrases has become “There is nothing you can do to make me unlove you.” This is a real head scratcher for the kids, but it is a call to this unshakable love God has for us. Jesus made the choice to withhold His anger and grant His love in an unshakable way, then He chooses to grant us peace in His compassion with a promise that it will NEVER be removed from us.

         This means, because of God and His work through grace we are enough! He makes us enough through Jesus. We have been given beautiful promises through Jesus and a commitment that is as evident as rainbows. God’s unshaken love and peace for us will reign forevermore. To me, that is one of the most beautiful ways of framing my thoughts every day as I seek His beauty in the world around me.

Dear Unshakable Father,

         Thank You for Your promises of unshakable love and peace. Lord, who are we but dust and ash in Your hands that You would pour out Your grace so lavishly and free us from the bonds of this world, granting us faith and favor in You. Jesus, we stand in awe of You. May I submit to Your will for me knowing that You will meet me on the road I walk and call me back from being deserted or distressed in my life. Your word goes on further to say in Isaiah 54 that “No weapon formed against me will prosper or prevail,” and that promise reigns true today. Though this mortal life may end, eternity is now in Your presence. Thank You Jesus. Amen.

Day 142: Peace with God

Romans 5:1-5 NLT

Therefore, since we have been made right in God’s sight by faith, we have peace with God because of what Jesus Christ our Lord has done for us. Because of our faith, Christ has brought us into this place of undeserved privilege where we now stand, and we confidently and joyfully look forward to sharing God’s glory. We can rejoice, too, when we run into problems and trials, for we know that they help us develop endurance. And endurance develops strength of character, and character strengthens our confident hope of salvation. And this hope will not lead to disappointment. For we know how dearly God loves us, because he has given us the Holy Spirit to fill our hearts with his love.

         Is it peace with God or is it peace from God? Why does it matter? It doesn’t, it is just an interesting concept to think about. I can be at peace with God, or I can contain internal chaos within myself without Him. I have done life both ways and one is so far superior to the other that there is really not a choice in my mind anymore. How do you get to a similar place?

         First off, you have to begin the work of truly transforming your mind. If you are reading these daily it is a good start, but the truth is these will never replace your own extensive study of God’s word. There are tons of programs, reading plans, and devotions out there just like this one designed to help, but NOTHING can or will replace the truth of God’s word.

         It is a simple process, but it takes time. Yes, you can use the resources of our modern world to find things fast, but what I am proposing forces a deep level of contemplation and consideration that both humbles you and teaches you. You have to ask God a question and then seek the answer in His word.

         In my walk, I found myself broken at a level I never fully understood. I had to put my trust in the scripture to the test. I asked myself, if I feel this way, what does God’s word say about this? Honestly, google searches, asking others, seeking counseling, nothing seemed to place everything in a nice little digestible process that I could seek gratification in knowledge or awareness of my situation. I had to dive in, all the way into God’s word. I sought God’s comfort and read for days upon days seeking to find where scripture spoke and encouraged me in what I was feeling. I did not find the answer I sought, but I found the truth in scripture. There was not relief, but awareness.

         I found a detailed explanation of what I was feeling. It mirrored my feelings perfectly and the finality of the words echoed in my soul with anguish. There was no solution or quick fix. It was what it was. It was one of the most difficult passages of God’s word I have ever wrestled with in my walk. It still remains true to this day, but the process of asking the question in my inner room and seeking the answers for myself in scripture led me to one of the greatest outcomes of faith. PEACE… I found peace with God instead of fighting the feelings within my mind and heart. I found peace in Jesus’s work for me. I did not deserve the grace and peace that covered me. In fact, I deserved far worse than what I had experienced.

         This led me to understand the overwhelming kindness of our Lord Jesus Christ and the peace we can have WITH Him when we face the most difficult of situations life has to offer. Peace with God. This is obtainable, but we have to seek Him in His word, otherwise, we are seeking quick solutions to something that is perfected over time and takes a while for us to understand. I know I would rather have peace with God, than have Him stand in opposition to my walk…

Dear Peaceful Father,

         Thank You that I can have peace with You. Your forgiveness has transformed my soul, and I know I am at peace with You through Your work and grace. I know I am nothing and can do nothing to obtain something You have freely given me. I desire to walk in Your peace and comfort all the days of my life Jesus. May I share in Your Glory and walk in and through my sufferings knowing the product of the faith You have granted me. May I persevere and my character be perfected in You Jesus. Fill me with Hope and Love from Your Holy Spirit. Let us walk in Your unreflected light, for You are the source. Thank You Jesus. Amen. 

Day 143: Peace in every circumstance

2 Thessalonians 3:16 NASB

Now may the Lord of peace Himself continually grant you peace in every circumstance. The Lord be with you all!

         As of writing this, here is a list of my current circumstances. I am homeless in the sense that I do not go to my house as it is being remodeled. With that, there are literally hundreds of decisions that need to be made down to what color the walls need to be. So, I could be easily overwhelmed with all of those choices. I am prepared for a morning of being a head archery coach for my elementary 4-5th grade team where I am coordinating 35 different families along with my coaching crew which God has blessed me with. I will be helping transport my father who for the first time will be returning to the archery venue since his surgery to reattach his hamstring and muscles to his hip bone with orders to remain non-weight bearing. My mom will be going to a women’s event at church, so she will not be able to help.

         I have stacks of papers that need to be graded. There is a man in a bible study that I have been graced with the opportunity to lead desiring to get baptized this weekend. We have not been able to see my nephew since Christmas and the girls want to know their baby cousin, so I am coordinating that for tomorrow on what should be our day of rest. Groceries need to be procured, the laundry for the next week needs to be done, since I am practically living out of a suitcase and have been for about five weeks now with probably at least another month to go, if not more before I can return home.

I am praying for my students and the weight they are carrying as this week has contained significant hurdles and issues with many of them. The Lord led me to another man this week that I could just see the struggle inside without him saying hardly anything as he is trying to raise three daughters with his wife that is a cancer survivor… and as I was reminded this week from our pastor, this is such a blessed life because of how many believers are incarcerated or being martyred for their faith all around the world.

         Needless to say, my world is full of tons of circumstances, responsibilities, callings, and things I just want to do, this list can go on and on. It is incredibly humbling that this is the life I get the opportunity to serve and follow Jesus in. I truly feel this way. I am humbled that this is my life and it leads me to incredible gratitude every day. The Lord Jesus has led me to the greatest source of peace my life has ever found, Jesus Himself. My words over the last two months have been further refined to help me acknowledge these truths and the more I keep it central to my thoughts, the more peace I am encountering. When greeting people lately and they ask me how I am doing, I have learned to say, “I am blessed by God’s incredible grace today.” I truly mean it when I say it too.

         The Lord of peace has given us a part of Himself that can grant us peace in all things. The Holy Spirit will lead us to that peace if we choose to follow its leadership. I am not claiming that I am perfect, I am claiming I am at peace. I am not in control of my day, but I must walk forward trusting in the One who is in control. As I walk, it is imperative that I go forth with peace and joy, loving on others as best I know how and then allow the Lord to use me to love others well. I trust in the grace afforded to me today and I know that I am enough because of the Holy Spirit within me covering my inadequacies. I trust in the grace and peace granted to me by Jesus and know that He loves us all. How great is our God! Lord of ALL creation, that He would grant us access to His perfect peace in an inexhaustible way.

Resourceful Father,

         Thank You that You are the source of resources in our lives Lord. Jesus, Your peace is beyond incredible. As I list the things present in my life and the circumstances You have called me into, I am incredibly humbled and grateful for each one. The trust others have placed in the calling You have put in me is humbling. The people You have surrounded me with daily to love, learn from, and lead are incredible sources of comfort and peace in my life. Lord, thank You for the ability to see the significant beauty that surrounds me in this day. You are light and love in my life. You are the greatest source of peace. I am thankful for the grace that grants me this incredible access to this peace through Your Holy Spirit Lord. Guide and direct our steps today to love others well. In Jesus Christ’s name and authority, amen. 

Day 144:Love the Word and great peace is found

Psalm 119:161-168 NASB

Rulers persecute me without cause, But my heart stands in awe of Your words. I rejoice at Your word, Like one who finds great plunder. I hate and loathe falsehood, But I love Your Law. Seven times a day I praise You Because of Your righteous judgments. Those who love Your Law have great peace, And nothing causes them to stumble. I hope for Your salvation, Lord, And do Your commandments. My soul keeps Your testimonies, And I love them exceedingly. I keep Your precepts and Your testimonies, For all my ways are before You.

        Those who love God’s Law have great peace. This is a powerful phrase. What is the Law? This is an old testament reference to the Word of God and the rules He established through Moses and the prophets, but it was His Word. His Voice. His Grace. His Guidance. His Provision. All about King Jesus’s Word being manifest into this established order and creation. So, to love God’s Law, is to love His Word.

         When we love something, we tend to fill our lives with it. Think about someone who really loves their sports team, almost everything they have has something to do with supporting their team. They have memorabilia, photos, pay for experiences, and go to great lengths to alter their schedules around the team. They build their life around those moments they have in support. This is true of fans of music artists, athletes, famous people, movie genres, books, authors, basically all the things that people seek. These are all forms of dedicated worship and idolatry. I know people that had collections that would rival museums all due to something that had happened when they were significantly younger that drive their action well into their senior years. Yet, in all these examples, it would be easy to say that so-in-so loves this or that, because they have filled their life with it.

         What about God’s word fills your life? Think about it, where do you have it written down? Where do you meditate on it? Where does it fill your life? Where do you keep it? Do you write it down and keep it in your pocket? Do you carry it with you everywhere you go? Does it drive your thinking? Do you talk about it to others? So many questions, but what says I love you more than your inclusion of the thing you love in your daily life? Does it fill the air around you?

         Everything matters in how you dwell in this life. What you fill yourself with will ultimately drive your actions. I know for me, even the music I listen to every day changes my thought process. I want to encourage you today. Write some scripture down and do something with it out of the ordinary. Find a place to put it to remind you of your love for God’s Word in your life. If you do not love God’s Word and find it confusing or hard to interpret, find a way of including it in your everyday life and you will begin to fall in love with it more and more.

Dear Heavenly Father,

         Thank You for Your Word that so abundantly covers us in wisdom and truth. Thank You for Your authority and power watching over us and protecting us. Thank You that we have free access to Your Word in our lives and we can study and meditate on it all the days of our lives. Thank You that You provide us peace in great abundance as we work to keep You central and foremost in our lives. Teach us to love Your Law and Word in our lives so that we will honor You and bring glory to Your name through Your grace Jesus. We love You Father. Thank You for sending Yourself in Jesus to die for us and forgive us of our sins. Thank You for the Holy Spirit guiding and directing every step, Lord. In Jesus Christ’s name we pray, amen.

Day 145: Spirit mindset leads to peace

Romans 8:6-8 NASB

For the mind set on the flesh is death, but the mind set on the Spirit is life and peace, because the mind set on the flesh is hostile toward God; for it does not subject itself to the law of God, for it is not even able to do so, and those who are in the flesh cannot please God.

         It is interesting how life works. What we focus on is what we see. I want you to think for a minute, but I do not want you to think of anything related to a hammer.

Go ahead, give yourself a minute to think without nailing anything down.

Maybe you will pry out something or even beat your mind into submission.

It would be awful if this were to jack you up or demolish every argument. Is this making a real impact on your thinking? Why don’t you bring the gavel down on this with the heavy hand of the forge. Some would call me a blunt force instrument nicknamed the sledge, but I haft to hit the face and not the peen because if I don’t, I might hit the throat and break the instrument of destruction. Let me reconstruct this argument one more time by striking the anvil and hitting the nail on the head.

         Mindset is a tricky thing. What we think about are the things we often see and focus on. This is the importance of renewing our minds as mentioned throughout scriptures. We have to focus on the Spiritual implications of everything we do. When we are able to focus on the Spirit, through the Spirit, we begin to experience life and peace. It is possible to see the world of beauty surrounding us, but only if we do exactly what this scripture advises us to do. This is as much of a physical act as it is spiritual.

         When our minds pursue the desires of our flesh, we experience death. The flesh does not satisfy our souls, and we are always left with a feeling of unsatiated desire. Notice what the verse says about this mindset, it is “Hostile” towards God. This is because it has no bounds as to the lengths it will go to for self-satisfaction. It only builds and breaks for itself… The hammer within our hands is a dangerous tool. However, allow that same hammer to be guided by the Spirit of God, The Master Carpenter, Creator of all things, we see life and peace.

         This means the mindset is not just one focusing on God’s word like we learned yesterday, but one that is focused on God’s purpose and outcomes as well. We have to subject our flesh and spirit to The Spirit and allow ourselves to be found in Jesus. Upon setting our minds and hearts on Jesus, we have to routinely and actively pursue Him daily. We have to almost beat ourselves into submission in order to be formed. This is why we are refined and broken throughout our lives. We are forged and subjected to intense situations and have trouble and tribulations to perfect our calling. It is about those of us who endure through the process that will inherit the Kingdom of God. This is validated with Jesus’s Words in the Sermon on the Mount in Matthew 6:33, “But seek first His kingdom and His righteousness, and all these things will be provided to you.”

         A master craftsman knows that good work takes time. Maturity teaches us patience. Seeing God’s beauty takes time to hone and develop in every situation, but it is always there. We have a majestic God longing to love us well, but He also wants our submission and full dedication to Him. How will you avoid hitting your thumb and build a life of peace in the Spirit?

Dear Master Carpenter,

         Thank You for having built a place for us to live out life in Your grace and mercy. You have provided so much for us to grow into, including the freedom to choose our own pursuits. Father, You are gracious and know how to utilize us in the way You designed us to be. Let us be tools in Your hands through Your Spirit. Grant us the life and peace we seek in You Jesus. Let us focus on Your work. Father, thank You for forgiving us when we have focused on our own desires instead of voicing those to you and trusting You to deliver them in Your timing Lord. Help us understand that Your craftmanship is perfect and Your timing is not rushed but divinely designed to make life significantly easier when we focus on You. You have promised Your yoke is easy and the burden is light, let us rest in that today. In Jesus’ name and authority, amen.

Day 146: Be at peace with all people

Romans 12:17-18 NASB

Never repay evil for evil to anyone. Respect what is right in the sight of all people. If possible, so far as it depends on you, be at peace with all people.

Hebrews 12:14-16 NASB

Pursue peace with all people, and the holiness without which no one will see the Lord. See to it that no one comes short of the grace of God; that no root of bitterness springing up causes trouble, and by it many become defiled; that there be no sexually immoral or godless person like Esau, who sold his own birthright for a single meal.

        Scripture is clear, we are to be at peace with all people, or at the very least pursue peace with all people. It is hard to take a stance on issues where there is rigid inflexibility, especially with the “opposing” side seemingly set in their ways. As Christians, we tend to take a more conservative approach when there should be only one approach. The best approach is a biblical approach. We have to consult the scriptures in all things and pray seeking the Lord’s counsel in every decision. We have to rest in how he directs our steps even though we may try to plan our way.

         There is a subtle key to peace in both of these scriptures. It ties into multiple aspects of scripture throughout the entire bible. Food. Look at the Hebrews verse again. It commands us to pursue peace with all people and ensure that no bitterness spring up within us… but the last line, “who sold his own birthright for a single meal.” This line may be a key to peace, ensuring everyone gets fed. Not just physical food, but the spiritual food of God’s word too.

         The first verse in Romans echoes this exact same idea, but I did not include the part that echoes it, which is why we should always read scripture in context, otherwise the author could be using the text to prove their point, not God’s!

Romans 12:19-21 NASB.

“Never take your own revenge, beloved, but leave room for the wrath of God, for it is written: “Vengeance is Mine, I will repay,” says the Lord. “But if your enemy is hungry, feed him; if he is thirsty, give him a drink; for in so doing you will heap burning coals on his head.” Do not be overcome by evil, but overcome evil with good.

 Here again we see this theme of feeding those that we are to pursue peace with in our lives. Now, this does not mean that we are to be doormats either, Jesus clearly gives us guidance in this pursuit of peace. Sometimes it is in our best interest to leave them to their own hedonism as well.

Matthew 10:12-15 NASB

As you enter the house, give it your greeting. If the house is worthy, see that your blessing of peace comes upon it. But if it is not worthy, take back your blessing of peace. And whoever does not receive you nor listen to your words, as you leave that house or city, shake the dust off your feet. Truly I say to you, it will be more tolerable for the land of Sodom and Gomorrah on the day of judgment, than for that city.

We have been given clear guidance as to how we are to be at peace with all people. The question is, are we actually practicing this guidance? I know we break bread in our own circles, but do we take the time to get to know those around us well enough to be able to feed them, thus disarming them enough to hear the good news of the Gospel?

Dear Peace Granting Father,

         Thank You for another day to seek Your counsel and wisdom. Thank You for another day of bread. Jesus, Your authority is unmatched in all of known existence, and we are humbled that You would call us Yours. You grant us our daily bread that we may have Your grace in abundance and that we may live at peace with You. In all of Your scriptures throughout all of known history, You Lord, have provided every need. Who are we but dust and ash as we come to praise You for all the peace and sustenance You provide for all of us. Thank You Jesus. It is in Your grace and authority we are thankful for the multitude of blessing You will pour out upon us today. Amen.

Day 147: Become a peacemaker

James 3:13-18 NASB

Who among you is wise and understanding? Let him show by his good behavior his deeds in the gentleness of wisdom. But if you have bitter jealousy and selfish ambition in your heart, do not be arrogant and so lie against the truth. This wisdom is not that which comes down from above, but is earthly, natural, demonic.

For where jealousy and selfish ambition exist, there is disorder and every evil thing. But the wisdom from above is first pure, then peace-loving, gentle, reasonable, full of mercy and good fruits, impartial, free of hypocrisy. And the fruit of righteousness is sown in peace by those who make peace.

Matthew 5:9 NASB
“Blessed are the peacemakers, for they will be called sons of God.”

         How do we become peacemakers? James is providing us with a prescription for knowing how to become a peacemaker. It is a skill we can all learn. Furthermore, it is possible for us all to embody this peacemaking skill because we have access to the Holy Spirit and divine wisdom of God’s word.

         One of the first steps in becoming a peacemaker is to check yourself. We must not carry the characteristics of jealousy or selfish ambition in our hearts. We must remove the planks from our own eyes in order to see clearly. How? We must allow the transformative work of scripture to renew our minds and reflect over our own motives. God is in control, but how much do we truly acknowledge that in our lives? We assume too much most of the time and do not totally rely on His provision. So step one to developing as a peacemaker is to check yourself.

         A good second step is to seek the wisdom that only God can grant. This is pure knowledge that does not come from earthly pursuits. This is where I know I have failed in my own life in leveraging my own experiences as wisdom. While they were granted to me through my life, yet I filtered them through my own natural ability and/or earthly capabilities. I am learning to filter them through the grace of the Lord and the peace that comes from Him alone. This is the distinguishable difference of peace from above, verses earthly influence.

         Then the next series of steps is to embrace a reasonable gentleness that is full of mercy and good fruits. This comes with a discernment that we are to judge by the measure in which we want to be judged. Therefore, we can become impartial, mainly because we have learned that ALL of us have fallen short of the metrics necessary to enter the Kingdom of Jesus. All means all and we get it enough to be real in our own struggles as humans. We are to sow peace through how we view every human around us. We all struggle and each of us has our own uniquely different experience. As a result of those experiences, we all come to life in righteousness in slightly different ways.

         Obviously, this is easier said than done, but it is a process that we can learn and perfect throughout our lives. We have to check ourselves, seek reconciliation with our creator through the transformation of our hearts and minds, handle grievances with others in an impartial way, then be generous to those God loves, and ALWAYS PRAY!!! As peacemakers, we will be called sons and daughters of God.

Dear Perfect Peacemaking Father,

         Thank You for Your authority and grace in this day. Thank You for Your peace that surpasses all understanding. Lord, thank You that You established the model we are to mirror in our lives to become peacemakers. You have ordained us to learn and develop skills as we walk in truth and wisdom that comes from beyond this world. Lord, we are thankful that You promise to equip us with the words we are to say when the time comes in our lives to be peacemakers. We trust in Your provision. You are the Perfect Peacemaker that sent Jesus to reconcile us and carry us with His generosity. He prayed for us while we were still sinners and forgave us. Let us do likewise in our lives with all those around us. In Jesus’ name and authority, amen. 

Day 148: Seeking Peace

Psalm 34:14 NASB

Turn from evil and do good; Seek peace and pursue it.

         What does it mean to seek peace? It means the same as we learned yesterday, we are to be peacemakers. We are to seek peace with all people. Does this mean that we are to seek peace with people whose beliefs do not align with our own? Yep. Why? The churchy answer is so that God’s glory may be revealed. The real answer goes deeper than that.

         God desires peace with His creation, but He wants it to come to Him on its own terms. He knows the outcome of the battles because He is eternal. This also means He knows ALL the plausible outcomes of every choice we are to make in our lives. The question is for us to seek Him and desire His will for every decision we make. When we find ourselves in alignment with who He is and doing things out of our love for Him through His grace, we find ourselves seeking peace.

         This is where the ability to see beauty in every situation becomes more of a reality. When someone begins to open their mind and heart up to see the beauty surrounding them, they naturally start seeking peace. Even in the darkest of storms beauty can be easily defined if we seek God first. To seek peace is to seek the Creator of peace, since seeking peace is looking to the original established order of things we know what we must pray and pursue God while attempting to walk with Him as freely as Adam and Eve did in the garden. He becomes our focus and we then, out of the outpouring of abundance in our lives, become peacemakers.

         How do we go about doing this in practical ways? Turn from evil and do good. Focus on the good. As we say it, focus on the beauty surrounding you and you will encounter God’s presence in this life. We must also always hold a reverence for God at the same time. Otherwise, why would this same set of scripture tell us this as instructions to seeking peace?

Psalm 34:11-15 NASB

Come, you children, listen to me; I will teach you the fear of the Lord. Who is the person who desires life And loves length of days, that he may see good? Keep your tongue from evil And your lips from speaking deceit. Turn from evil and do good; Seek peace and pursue it. The eyes of the Lord are toward the righteous, And His ears are toward their cry for help.

To be taught the fear of the Lord is the appropriate reverence to the power and authority of Jesus as God. We also have to take every thought captive and moderate our speech patterns in order to seek peace. Language is the source of all miscommunications… The best approach to moderating your tongue is to fill your heart and head with the knowledge contained within the Word of God. In doing so, you will become a natural peacemaker.

Dear Beautiful Father,

         Thank You for Your Word and the power contained within it. Thank You for your hope and joy. Thank You for grace abounding in beauty. Lord, grant us the ability to seek peace and pursue it will all people. We trust in Your provision and hope knowing that You are the uncaused cause. You are our everything. Jesus, let us walk in the shadow of Your glory and carry our crosses out into the world You would call us to minister to, making peace and seeking a deep relationship with You that would be so evident to all people that they themselves may desire You Father. Thank You for Your forgiveness, our daily bread, and ultimately Your grace through Your sacrifice on the cross, Amen.

Day 149:Thankful living leads to peace

Colossians 3:12-17 NASB

So, as those who have been chosen of God, holy and beloved, put on a heart of compassion, kindness, humility, gentleness, and patience; bearing with one another, and forgiving each other, whoever has a complaint against anyone; just as the Lord forgave you, so must you do also. In addition to all these things put on love, which is the perfect bond of unity.

Let the peace of Christ, to which you were indeed called in one body, rule in your hearts; and be thankful. Let the word of Christ richly dwell within you, with all wisdom teaching and admonishing one another with psalms, hymns, and spiritual songs, singing with thankfulness in your hearts to God. Whatever you do in word or deed, do everything in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks through Him to God the Father.

         Gratitude is one of the best practices we can adopt throughout all of scripture. Being grateful, thankful, expressing gratitude to the Lord and all of His creation is huge. It has a significant role in Philippians 4. We started off our peace study with this verse, but it bears repeating!

Philippians 4:6-7

Do not be anxious about anything, but in everything by prayer and pleading with thanksgiving let your requests be made known to God. And the peace of God, which surpasses all comprehension, will guard your hearts and minds in Christ Jesus.

Here in Colossians, we see a broader application of this gratitude. It is teaching us how we are to live. We have to actively choose things that we want to embody. It is a choice, not just a by-product of faith. We have to “put on” compassion, kindness, humility, gentleness, and patience. These things are fruits of the Spirit, but they are something we have to pursue in our lives.

         I am not sure about you, but I do not wake up naturally in these things, in fact, the opposite is generally true. The older I get, I wake up sorer than when I went to bed, with a desire to hit the snooze button, I want a cup of coffee, and then I want to mentally run through the day ahead to prepare myself. I do not wake up and fix my mind upon these things naturally. Seems relatable right? This is the point of why we have to anchor our firsts fruits of our days in Jesus Christ’s words.

         I am not going to naturally be willing to forgive, unless I have tapped into the one who forgives me first. I am inclined to complain and have grievances against others, but I have to tap into the grace granted on my behalf in order to see God’s beauty in everything. Otherwise, I do not have peace. Peace comes through Jesus. True lasting, enduring peace that surpasses comprehension must be allowed to rule in our hearts and minds. We have to learn how to lift each other up in this world and encourage one another through thanksgiving, when we do, our worlds become so much richer in Jesus’s way. We have to do everything through and for Jesus Christ.

Dear Enduring Father,

         Thank You for another day. Thank You for another opportunity to love what You have called me to love. Thank You for providing me these wonderful things to dwell on today. Thank You that we have access to Your grace, but more so, all the abundance of amazingly sweet things that come with You Jesus. We are blessed that You would call us sons and daughters. We are blessed that You would provide for us today. We understand You are Holy and have the authority and power to withhold, but You give so lavishly to us that we are humbled.  Thank You for the peace that surpasses wisdom and knowledge. Allow us to begin the process of resting in Your peace in such a way that others see our contentment in You. So much so, that they want to know You for seeing Your authority and power at work in our daily lives. Thank You Jesus for dying on the cross to save us from the just wrath of God over the consequences of our sin. In Jesus Christ’s name we pray, amen.

Side note: One of the little ways I have learned to combat waking up with the alarm clock selfishness mindset is very practical. I have my alarm set to play praise and worship music when I wake. Originally, it helped me with the grief of waking up alone, but now it is a mental way of combatting my own selfishness. I am able to start the second thought after the initial recognition of the alarm to be on God praising Him. It has helped me significantly. May be it will help you too.

Day 150: Enemies at peace

Proverbs 16:7 NLT

When people’s lives please the Lord, even their enemies are at peace with them.

Proverbs 16:7 NIV

When the Lord takes pleasure in anyone’s way, he causes their enemies to make peace with them.

Proverbs 16:7 NASB

When a person’s ways are pleasing to the Lord, He causes even his enemies to make peace with him.

         Have you ever had that one person that just seems to be the fly in the ointment? You know the real snake in the grass kind of person? We all face people like this in our lives. Imagine being able to live at peace with this kind of person. What if, they could become someone that loves you regardless of how the relationship started. One of my sweetest, most cherished relationships in my past was like this.

         It all began at the beginning of my career. We worked together and I was trying to save money for my classroom but use technology in a more effective way. There was one person that reported what I was doing, and I ultimately was asked to stop. We did not see eye to eye, but she was just doing her job too. I never took it personally, and ultimately the cost of what I was doing was significantly reduced and then the method I utilized was adopted as technology upgraded throughout the building. She transferred to a different school and life moved forward.

         Seven years later, I transferred to a different school, and I found out that she had become a librarian. We were now working together again. There was clearly animosity still between us, but that did not stop my resolve. The Lord had been working in my life through that time period, and we had a good life serving the Lord, raising our girls. Over time, I learned how to communicate with my friend. She loved it when people recognized her shoes. I taught my students that you can always find something, no matter what, to compliment a person. I taught them the strategy to compliment her shoes, and my classes quickly became her favorites! She knew what I was doing…

         Over the next seven years, we became friends. We lived close to each other and a few times due to life, she needed help getting to work when she had some car issues. Our conversations became richer and deeper, and a level of trust was forged over time. We lived at peace with each other.

         The sweetest part of it all was how much she served my family in our greatest time of need. She loved cooking for people. She would sell many of her dishes to families. She became a regular deliverer of meals to my family during the progression of my wife’s cancer journey. She has a peanut butter pie that is beyond amazing…

         God finds ways to help even those that would work against us to soften over time when we choose to love others well. Jesus wants us to love like He does. Forgiving, enduring, patient, and pure in our pursuits to love others. If we can find the way to honor God in all relationships He will honor us with peace, even peace with our enemies.

Dear Peace-Making Father,

         Thank You for the sweetness of my friend. She will forever be praised in my life. I pray one day she will read this and know her impact has had eternal repercussions. I pray for special blessings over her today. As for us Lord, teach us how to love our enemies and pray for them. Grant us opportunities to feed them and pray for them. Let us be able to meet their needs where appropriate so that they may encounter Your love Jesus. You send us as sheep among wolves, and You teach us to be shrewd but gentle. Jesus, we know the real prize in our lives is how You pursue the wolves and turn them into sheep, the wolves are the prize. Our victory is eternal. Help us live in a way that is pleasing in Your sight Father and take pleasure in our way. Thank You Jesus for loving us through our sin and forgiving us. Let us learn to do likewise. In Jesus Christ’s name, amen.

Day 151: Harvest peace

Galatians 5:22-26 NLT

But the Holy Spirit produces this kind of fruit in our lives: love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, and self-control. There is no law against these things! Those who belong to Christ Jesus have nailed the passions and desires of their sinful nature to his cross and crucified them there. Since we are living by the Spirit, let us follow the Spirit’s leading in every part of our lives. Let us not become conceited, or provoke one another, or be jealous of one another.

         We MUST harvest peace! Fruit is meant to be harvested. This list is beyond appropriate. I have check multiple translations and versions of the bible and every one of them start the list and end it in the same way. They all contain the same sequence of love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, and self-control.

         We have to receive love and grace first. Then we find joy in the Lord. Joy leads to peace. Peace leads to patience and patience leads to kindness to others. Once kindness has taken root, goodness emerges. With goodness in full bloom, the faithfulness of our consistency becomes steadfastly evident, upon this evidence our roots gently take hold in deep places allowing ourselves to be anchored in Jesus, so much so that we maintain self-control in all circumstances.

         These fruits must be harvested. It is a process of renewing and transforming our minds so that our lives become producers of fruit. This is a supernatural process; however, we also have more control over this process than many would lead you to believe. You have to do the work. Harvest only comes through work. While Jesus is our Shepherd, He is also the master gardener. God created a garden before He created sheep. He prepared the soil for His harvest. He planted. He cultivated. He caused the growth. He allowed us to become a part of His harvest as His workers. He wants to cultivate and grow within you the things that will allow you to cultivate and grow others through Him. This process can be one of peace.

         Think about those around you that you naturally gravitate towards. Most people gravitate towards people that generate peace in their lives. Sometimes chaos is fun, but ultimately, we lean on our people that generate peace. This is an important aspect of learning to harvest peace. When we become harvesters of peace, people notice. We have a way about us that grounds people back to truth. That way is Jesus and the Holy Spirit. When we fully trust in the process of brokenness, refinement, wrath, grace, and then peace we begin to find the one thing that peace provides more than anything else, rest… Harvest peace, find rest.

Learning to be at peace helps you find the patience needed to operate in this busy world. Upon finding patience, you have the capacity to truly be still and rest.

Dear Peace Harvesting Father,

         Thank You for the peace that transcends all understanding. It guards our hearts and minds as promised in scripture. I need to embody this more as I walk out my faith in You Jesus. Grant me the ability through Your love and the joy to harvest peace today. Let that peace be glaringly evident as a part of Your beauty being revealed in Your world today. May we catch a glimpse of it as we walk out our faith and endure through the trials of this day. Bless and keep those around us and our families in Your will Father. Allow us the ability to pray and lift those we love and those we don’t love to You Jesus for Your will and grace to come over them. You love us all. Thank You Jesus for Your willing sacrifice on the cross for us and forgiving us. In Jesus Christ’s name, amen.

Day 152:Peace in an eternal promise of rest

Ezekiel 34:25-31 NASB

And I will make a covenant of peace with them and eliminate harmful animals from the land, so that they may live securely in the wilderness and sleep in the woods. I will make them and the places around My hill a blessing. And I will make showers fall in their season; they will be showers of blessing. Also the tree of the field will yield its fruit and the earth will yield its produce, and they will be secure on their land. Then they will know that I am the Lord, when I have broken the bars of their yoke and have saved them from the hand of those who enslaved them. They will no longer be plunder to the nations, and the animals of the earth will not devour them; but they will live securely, and no one will make them afraid. I will establish for them a renowned planting place, and they will not again be victims of famine in the land, and they will not endure the insults of the nations anymore. Then they will know that I, the Lord their God, am with them, and that they, the house of Israel, are My people,” declares the Lord God. “As for you, My sheep, the sheep of My pasture, you are mankind, and I am your God,” declares the Lord God.

         The Old Testament is a powerful tool to utilize in understanding the eternal nature of God. It is also powerful to look back on God’s promises to His people. This section of scripture comes after a section that condemns the leaders that had exploited the people of Israel ignoring their needs. It speaks of the Divine Shepherd coming to rescue them and the Messianic promise of God, which we now know as Jesus. Then it ends with the covenant of peace above. A covenant being a promise that cannot be undone by any circumstance for the sheep that live under Christ.

         There are so many aspects to cover in this one section of scripture that it would take a lot of time studying to understand the full effects of this peace covenant. However, we are focusing on one central theme, security. Each of the promises outlined above all serve to provide security in Christ Jesus. Security of person, security of place, and the security of hope all serve this covenant of peace.

         The security of person is that each one of us has a promise of our own. Jesus promises personal security from direct harm. There is a double entendre here in this scripture if you are willing to see it this way. The showers that fall in their season are not just for the land, but also for the person. Showers indicate a cleansing from the world, but also a period of time that we face refinement and brokenness as a person. It is a period of personal refinement and cleansing. The promise is that you will face seasons, but they will be blessings. This is beautiful in God’s design for our lives.

         The security of place is just that, a place where the environment is not trying to kill us. Our inner room so to speak. Living securely in the promise of physical safety, but also in emotional and spiritual stability that could only come from a Creator powerful enough to ensure our foundation remains secure. It is also the security of others infringing upon our lives.

         The security of hope is likely the most powerful. We have a hope that cannot be taken or shaken because of the sovereign authority of Jesus Christ. This hope is eternal. This hope is in the knowledge of the authority and power of Christ. Upon encountering this hope, you are forever changed from being an insecure creation to knowing the Creator. This relationship provides all that is needed for a secure life. This knowledge, when allowed to grow and develop over time, leads us to a deep lasting peace that allows us ultimate rest in Jesus. For Jesus has broken the yoke that enslaves us on this earth and offers us a security in hope that grants us the greatest of all gifts, our Father’s love.

Dear Covenant Honoring Father,

         Thank You for Your covenants of old. These promises are ones that we have free access to in our lives due to Jesus dying on the cross to take the brunt of the wrath we deserve from our sins. Your promises, Father, are unending and the knowledge of these promises liberates our sense of security. May we find our security in Your presence Lord. May we hold steadfast faith in You Jesus and trust in the Holy Spirit and Your word for guidance and wisdom. Lord, You are good to us. Thank You for all these blessing and more. In Jesus Christ’s name, amen.

Day 153: Peace leads to rest

Matthew 11:28-30 NASB

“Come to Me, all who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest. Take My yoke upon you and learn from Me, for I am gentle and humble in heart, and you will find rest for your souls. For My yoke is comfortable, and My burden is light.”'

         Peace leads to rest. Rest is so much more than sleep. Think about this for a moment. Have you ever had a moment in your life when you have set an incredibly hard goal and obtained that goal? It could be something in your professional life, something in your personal life, it could be as simple as a task you thought you would never be able to accomplish, regardless of what it was, it took almost everything you had in you to become successful. Upon accomplishing that goal or completing that task you were physically and mentally exhausted, yet something deep inside of you felt secure and at peace. This is where rest can truly be found.

         We are given rest when we understand that Jesus saves us from God’s wrath over our sin nature, we accept His offer of grace, which subsequently leads us to peace. As we accept these, deep within our hearts, and transform our minds through the careful study of scripture we begin to truly find rest. Rest is not in the moments of sleep, but in the sense of security that comes from the peace afforded to us through Jesus Christ.

         This is what makes Jesus’s claim here in Matthew so incredibly powerful. We become weary and burdened by our day-to-day grind, especially if we do not anchor ourselves in the Holy Spirit at the start of our day. We can operate out of a place of rest as we take the yoke upon us with Jesus standing side by side. This is what it means to be yoked together. We stand with Christ and He is the stronger provider. In His strengths we can be weak. This is where His gentleness and humility come into being. He knows we need Him, and He chooses to bind us to Himself to carry by His example of submission to the will of the Father.  When we appropriately frame this in our minds and hearts, and submit to Jesus, we find rest for our souls.

         Notice, it is rest for our souls, not our bodies. While our bodies need rest, our souls will be at peace with proper alignment with the Creator. Eternity becomes secure and with proper alignment of our daily walk, we walk in rest as we face each trial and tribulation that comes. What we put into ourselves matters more than we could possibly know. I may never be comfortable again or get a great night of sleep again, but my soul can operate out of a place of deep rest in Jesus. Grace affords us an abundant life in peace and rest. We will explore rest in the weeks ahead and learn what does God’s word teach us about it and how do we access it.

Dear Yoke-bearing Father,

         Thank You that You took on the burden of wrath and saved us through Your grace. Thank You for the peace that transcends our understanding. Thank You for each day and the grace afforded to us that provides beyond our comprehension. You are the provider of rest in the middle of chaos. You hovered over the expanse and provided order to the chaos, if You can do that Lord, our problems can be inconsequential to You, yet You still care about the smallest of detail in our lives. Thank you for all that You do Jesus. Be with those around us today and help them see You. In Jesus’ name we pray, amen.