Let There Be Peace

And let the peace that comes from Christ rule your hearts. For as members of one body you are called to live in peace. And always be thankful. [Colossians 3:15 (NLT)]

The only way to let peace truly rule our hearts is to surrender to God and allow him to rule our lives. It is His presence in our lives that will give us peace in the midst of turmoil, sorrow, or stress.

Oh Lord, let your Holy Spirit rule my life so that your heavenly peace rules my heart. Only then will I, indeed, be thankful in all circumstances.

Praise: A Powerful Antidote

Praise the Lord! Give thanks to the Lord, for he is good! His faithful love endures forever. Who can list the glorious miracles of the Lord? Who can ever praise him enough? [Psalm 106:1-2 (NLT)]

If we’re in pain, praise God. If we’re sinking under the weight of our troubles, praise God. When we’re mired in misery, praise God. Praise is a powerful antidote to our problems. It can heal our broken spirits and help us rise above our circumstances. Praise redirects our focus from our predicaments to God’s promises. It leads us to trust Him for a better tomorrow. It is praising God that will enable us to tap into His power!

Arise, O Lord, in your strength. We will sing and make music to praise your power. [Psalm 21:13 (GW)]

We Have All We Need

May God give you more and more grace and peace as you grow in your knowledge of God and Jesus our Lord. [2 Peter 1:2 (NLT)]

We’ve all met spoiled children (and adults) who expect the world to cater to their every desire. Let’s admit it, those people aren’t very likeable! God doesn’t want spoiled children so He doesn’t give us everything we want either. He does, however, give us everything we need to live the life He wants for us. Are we missing any of the blessings He has sent our way? Are there assets He’s given that we haven’t even bothered to use? Could we be wasting any gifts he has given?

Open my eyes, O Lord, to see your gifts. Open my heart, O Lord, to accept them. Fill me with your Spirit, O Lord, to use them as you want them to be used.

By his divine power, God has given us everything we need for living a godly life. We have received all this by coming to know him, the one who called us to himself by means of his marvelous glory and excellence. [2 Peter 1:3 (NLT)]

 

Time to Get Started

But there are some things that you cannot be sure of. You must take a chance. If you wait for perfect weather, you will never plant your seeds. If you are afraid that every cloud will bring rain, you will never harvest your crops. [Ecclesiastes 11:4 (ERV)]

Lord, what is the plan for today? Has my fear of failure kept me from starting your work? Do I delay because the conditions aren’t perfect? Yet, is there ever an ideal time for anything? Thank you for reminding me that less than perfect progress is far better than no progress at all! Replace my fear with faith and my procrastination with action. Please give me the confidence that you will provide whatever it is I need to do your work today.

…Who waits until circumstances completely favor his undertaking, will never accomplish anything. [Martin Luther]

 

 Behold the turtle. He makes progress only when he sticks his neck out. [James Bryant Conant]

For Those Who Have Led Us on Our Faith Journey

So come on, let’s leave the preschool finger painting exercises on Christ and get on with the grand work of art. Grow up in Christ. The basic foundational truths are in place: turning your back on “salvation by self-help” and turning in trust toward God; baptismal instructions; laying on of hands; resurrection of the dead; eternal judgment. God helping us, we’ll stay true to all that. But there’s so much more. Let’s get on with it! [Hebrews 6:1-3 (MSG)]

Once we become “Christian,” we don’t stop learning and growing in our belief.

Today, O Lord, we offer thanks for all those who have helped us mature in faith. Thank you for our teachers, pastors and those who provide music with which to praise you. Thank you for those who work behind the scenes to keep your church functioning. Thank you for those who so freely extend the hand of Christian friendship. Thank you for those who offer hugs, prayers, words of wisdom and true examples of walking with Jesus. Thank you for those strangers, angels in disguise, who remind us of your presence when they pass through our lives. Finally, Lord, thank you for those of your servants who have given us challenging tasks that have expanded our talents and deepened our faith.

Listen to Him

Then a cloud overshadowed them, and a voice from the cloud said, “This is my dearly loved Son. Listen to him.” [Mark 9:7 (NLT)]

O Lord, we’ve talked about this decision and I still don’t know what to do. Help me; speak to me; show me the way. If not a burning bush, how about lighting a neon sign or sending a banner in the sky to guide me? Perhaps, however, I have been too busy pleading my case to hear your response.

Thank you for the reminder that I need to stop talking and start listening. You will tell me which path to take; I just need to be quiet in order to hear your voice.

My sheep listen to my voice; I know them and they follow me. [John 10:27 (NLT)]