“And he will be
called Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God, Everlasting Father, Prince of
PEACE. Of the increase of his government
and PEACE there will be no end.” (Isaiah 9:6-7)
“The government that is upon Jesus’ shoulders is not a
political government; no, this verse refers to the governing of our lives. We are not supposed to be running our own
lives. In fact, we are not even capable
or qualified to do so. None of us are intelligent
enough to know what is best, and that is why we need to be so thankful for
God’s intervention and His willingness to lovingly guide our lives. The more God’s government increases in my
life (the more He directs my thoughts, conversations, decisions, and actions),
the more my PEACE will increase. Peace
does not come from success, professional position or promotions, social status,
educational achievements, money, or an engaging personality. No, we find peace as we live according to the
kingdom of God, which is defined as righteousness, peace, and the joy of the
Holy Spirit (see Romans 14:17). Being
right with God, knowing we are right with God, and doing right things out of
knowing who we are in Christ is a process, but it leads to peace, and peace
leads us to joy.” (from Joyce Meyer’s Everyday Life Bible)
Naturally, I turned next to Romans 14. It’s a great chapter- I encourage you to read
it. Don’t stop until you get to 15:13,
which says:
“May the God of hope fill you with all joy and PEACE as you
trust in him, so that you may overflow with hope by the power of the Holy
Spirit.”
From my journal on Jan. 26:
“As I sit in a remote cabin in Bowie, Texas- I’m feeling an
overwhelming sense of rest, relaxation, and peace. Stepping away from the hustle and bustle of
life in the city- as a mommy and housewife- I was able to sit and watch the
sunset last night alone. I turned on my
worship music (thankful for iPhones and Pandora) and sat in God’s presence,
enjoying His beautiful creation, praising His name, and taking long, deep
breaths. Don’t get me wrong- I’m missing
my boys back home like crazy. It took
some courage for me to sign up for this Retreat and be away from them 2 nights
in a row. But I know they’ll enjoy
bonding, and I need rejuvenation before little miss Reese arrives.”
Another quote I found in my journal (from J. Meyer) says “We
must choose to love on purpose, give on purpose, and stay at peace on
purpose. If we want to have peace, we
must purpose to have it, because the devil will try to steal it.”
Friends, guard your hearts. Don't let the devil steal your peace! Purpose to find it today. Find something that will help you find a little piece of Heaven every day. Maybe that means taking 5 minutes to sit and listen to your favorite song. Maybe it means allowing yourself to have that bowl of ice cream after dinner. Whatever makes you "happy" - do more of that. Live for today.
Friends, guard your hearts. Don't let the devil steal your peace! Purpose to find it today. Find something that will help you find a little piece of Heaven every day. Maybe that means taking 5 minutes to sit and listen to your favorite song. Maybe it means allowing yourself to have that bowl of ice cream after dinner. Whatever makes you "happy" - do more of that. Live for today.
