Devotional Song: … GO TO THIS LINK … Please take the time to take in a YouTube video with song and lyrics from Don Moen singing his arrangement of the old hymn … Wonderful Peace … poignantly singing of the peace that can be had in the hearts of those who truly trust in the Lord.
==============
Highlight Verse[s]: Psalm 23:4 [NLT] … 30 A peaceful heart leads to a healthy body; jealousy is like cancer in the bones.
… A heart filled with peace protects our health.
==============
Highlight Passage [context]: Proverbs 14:29-35 [NLT] … USE THIS LINK …
… God, thru Solomon, shows His children the results of a heart filled with peace.
==============
Reference Passage : … Isaiah 26:3 [NLT] … 3 You will keep in perfect peace all who trust in you, all whose thoughts are fixed on you!
… Peace comes to those who trust FULLY in God and focus in Him 24/7.
Reference Passage : … John 14:21 [NLT] … 21 "Those who accept My commandments and obey them are the ones who love Me. And because they love Me, My Father will love them. And I will love them and reveal Myself to each of them.”
… Living in obedience to Christ is the key which unlocks His peace in our lives.
Reference Passage : … Hebrews 11:11 [NLT] … 11 No discipline is enjoyable while it is happening—it’s painful! But afterward there will be a peaceful harvest of right living for those who are trained in this way.
… For those who can maintain a Godly discipline thru the challenges of life, peace will be the result.
Reference Passage : … 1 Peter 5:7 [NLT] … 7 Give all your worries and cares to God, for He cares about you.
… Peter had it right when we’re dealing with disappointments in life; … we must just give them over to a loving God and receive His enabling grace and peace.
My Devotional Journal: Today's ODB author, Amy Boucher Pay, used a young woman imprisoned and tortured to illustrate what our faith in a Good Shepherd can - and will - do. The ODB author wrote … For forty-five years after his career as a professional athlete ended, Jerry Kramer [see photo] wasn’t inducted into his sport’s hall of fame (the highest recognition). He enjoyed many other honors and achievements, but this one eluded him. Although he’d been nominated for the honor ten times, it had never been bestowed. Despite having his hopes dashed so many times, Kramer was gracious, saying, “I felt like [the National Football League] had given me 100 presents in my lifetime and to be upset or angry about one I didn’t get was kind of stupid!”
Where others might have grown bitter after being denied so many times in favor of other players, Kramer wasn’t. His attitude illustrates the way we can safeguard our hearts against the corrosive nature of envy, which “rots the bones” (Proverbs 14:30).
I’m sure all reading here have dealt with (or are dealing with) great challenges or disappointments in life … as did Jerry Kramer in this ODB story. But when we do, God’s word is clear as to the key to retaining God’s peace thru it all. And as Don Moen sings in the linked song, and as the Scriptures above remind us, our peace is contingent on our trust in and our focus on our relationship with Christ.
So, I pray that all reading here, especially those sustaining disappointments and discouragement, maintain the disciplines of the faith and hold on to our focus in Christ.
=============
My THANKFULNESS: … Oh Abba Father, … thank You, Lord, … for giving us Your peace when we trust in You.
=============
My Prayer Today: Oh Abba Father, … King Jesus, … I pray, Lord, that all reading here can, and will, join me, in faith, to give over our disappointments to our Lord, and let His grace provide us with peace. … Amen
Blogger Note: Everyday during this year, my daily devotional blogs are influenced by the reading and study of the online devotional blog entitled “Our Daily Bread,” distributed online via email by RBC Ministries. If you GO TO THIS LINK on the date of my blog, you can read/study the ODB blogs; or you can subscribe to the blog via email at that site.
No comments:
Post a Comment