Peace that Passes Understanding

Food for thought.  Excerpts are taken from God's Holy Word, Joyce Meyer's Everyday Life Bible, and my personal journal.

 “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. 

Secret Agent Work

Jesus tells us:
“You are the salt of the earth. But what good is salt if it has lost its flavor? Can you make it salty again? It will be thrown out and trampled underfoot as worthless."  (Matthew 5:13)

Joyce Meyer comments:
"Love represents the salt; it is the energy and the flavor of our lives.  Every day can be exciting if we see ourselves as God's secret agents, waiting in the shadows to sprinkle some salt on the tasteless lives of the people we encounter."

Jesus also says:
"You are the light of the world—like a city on a hilltop that cannot be hidden.  No one lights a lamp and then puts it under a basket. Instead, a lamp is placed on a stand, where it gives light to everyone in the house.  In the same way, let your good deeds shine out for all to see, so that everyone will praise your heavenly Father."  (Matthew 5:14-16)

Loving others (even showing kindness and love to complete strangers) takes effort.  It takes consciously slowing yourself down and thinking before you speak.  It takes humility; You must take the light off of yourself- because your life is not really all about you- and shine some light on those around you.

I encourage you to make an effort to live as God's secret agent.
When you stop at the grocery store, complement a stranger and give them a smile.
When you run into a co-worker who looks like death-warmed-over, give them a pat on the back and a word of encouragement. 
Small gestures, such as these, could make a huge difference in someone else's day.  It could give them HOPE that they were unable to find elsewhere. 

24 days and counting....

I've made it (almost) all the way through January upholding my resolutions!  Granted, often times breakfast is accompanied by cartoons instead of Praise & Worship...but we definitely turn on the radio at some point in our day...and that station is always first on my list.  But, friends, let me tell you about that other resolution I had (opening my Bible every single day) ....  WOW. 

Words cannot express the amazing things God has already taught me in 24 short days.  Of course there are days that I open to the next reading passage on my list and grumble a little bit under my breath.  "Isaiah?  Really?  What in the world is all this prophesy stuff?  How does it apply to me?  I'm not a history buff....this doesn't make sense.  It's repetitive, too."  Then at the next opportunity I have, I'll open my Idiot's Guide to the Bible or Joyce Meyer Everyday Life Bible to see what the experts have to say about Isaiah.  Boom!  All of a sudden, I'm overwhelmed with clarification and encouragement.  It's pretty darn cool.

The funny thing is that I had my mind set on completing each daily passage and moving on to the next day's passage from this Reading Guide I found (which I love!!) in order to read the entire Bible in a year.  Well.....God had other plans for me.  I soon realized that if I wanted to fully understand, dig deep, and STUDY God's word- because reading and studying are totally different things- then I would need to slow down a bit.  The awesome thing about this reading plan is that it breaks the Bible down into 7 different genres, and you read from a different genre each day (or every 2 to 3 days if you're like me.)  To check it out, click here:  Genres Bible Reading Plan

I'm also trying to journal daily "takeaway" thoughts from my reading- and this journal is a great place to list prayer requests too.  I love being able to look back and see what God was teaching me a week ago and how He has been at work in my life- answering prayers or just being present in the situations I've called upon His help.

Top 2 New Years Resolutions

Well, my Christmas Countdown didn't make it all the way through December. I'm not quite sure what happened. Oh yeah- life. But today I have a spare moment to sit and reflect, and make some new year's resolutions.

2013 started with a great morning! My son slept in, which allowed me to sleep in. I woke rested and ready to take on my little world. As I tooled around the kitchen making breakfast with Robbie in his high chair, I turned on some Praise & Worship music and sang till my heart was full. I raised my hands in praise at one point and Robbie mimicked me. I then vowed to do that every morning. (Resolution #1) What better way to start our day and instill in my son the importance of, and desire to, worship?

One song that came across my Pandora station was Word of God Speak, by Mercy Me. And Resolution #2 struck me. I must make time to sit and read God's Word daily. There is no better way to find peace than sitting in God's presence, talking to Him and waiting patiently for Him to guide me and pour out His love, mercy, & strength on me. "My soul and flesh cry out for You, the Living God. Your Spirit's water for my soul..."

After finding a weekly Bible reading plan and getting started, I'm so motivated to see this through! I look forward to seeing what amazing things God has in store for me on this journey.

I have more resolutions on my list (eating healthy, getting more exercise, etc) that are very common and cliche. But these two are my TOP priority. They go hand in hand. Making time to be in God's Presence is not always easy or popular. We make excuses that we're just too busy...but then we turn on the tv instead of opening our Bible or bowing our heads in prayer. My husband and I made a bold move a few months ago- we cancelled our cable. We now only have network channels (with no DVR) coming from a digital antenna. And we only have one tv in our house. We have enjoyed playing with our son, chatting and catching up with each other once he's in bed, and picking up a book when all is finally quiet. Like the good old days.

My point is this:
I vow to stop making excuses, and I will make my relationship with God top priority. Relationships cannot be developed if we don't have two-way communication, and God communicates to us through His word.

Day 10-12: Magic of the Manger

Christmas Countdown
Day 10-12: Magic of the Manger

Thought:  The Son of God could've been born anywhere, yet he was born in a lowly, smelly place where animals eat and sleep.  What a beautiful picture of humility.  From day one, Jesus' very purpose was to show unconditional love for all of humanity.  He needed to be able to relate to the poorest of poor.  I'm reminded of the show Undercover Boss- even though I've never seen an episode.  The greatest leaders are those who are willing to get into the trenches, do some dirty work, and lead by example. 

The manger reminds me to be thankful for the blessings I have.  I'm thankful for a Savior who came to earth in the most lowly conditions to serve us and save us.  I want to be more like Him.

Verse: Luke 2:6-7
"While they were there, the time came for the baby to be born, and she gave birth to her firstborn, a son. She wrapped him in cloths and placed him in a manger, because there was no guest room available for them."

Song: Michael W. Smith's Medley: Away in a Manger/Child in the Manger
I encourage you to close your eyes and listen to this one :)

Day 8/9: Magic of the Music

Christmas Countdown
Day 8/9: Magic of the Music

Thought: Music can lift your spirits, tell a marvelous story, and make you want to dance or cry.  Carolers and Flash Mobbers enjoy bringing the magic of music to others, because it touches hearts and brings great joy.  Direct your song toward God today, and let your Christmas music become an act of praise & worship this season.  Joy to the World!  The Lord is come!

Verse: Psalm 95:1-2
"Come, let us sing to the Lord!  Let us shout joyfully to the Rock of our salvation.  Let us come to him with thanksgiving.  Let us sing psalms of praise to him."

Video: Christmas Flash Mob by Journey of Faith

Day 7: Magic of Snow

Christmas Countdown
Day 7: Magic of Snow

Thought: For those of us that rarely get to see and experience snow, we tend to wish for it.  We dream of a White Christmas.  We put fake snow out as decoration.  And on the rare occasion that the real thing comes to visit, we take advantage of every moment we have it.  Snow seems magical to me because it's beautiful and it's from God.  It covers all the imperfections of our man-made cities.  The white blanket it creates is crisp and clean.  Snow should remind us of God's perfection, His righteousness, and His great act of love- sending His son- that makes it possible for us to be forgiven and made white as snow.

Verse: Isaiah 1:18
"Come now, let us reason together, says the Lord.  Though your sins are like scarlet, they shall be as white as snow."

Song: Snow, White Christmas