Want Peace?

Thou will keep him in perfect peace  whose mind is stayed on thee, because he trusts in thee. Isaiah 26:3 ASV Bible Gateway 

I once had a person tell me they couldn’t be around me anymore because they needed peace. Ouch. Some people can be mean but not all personalities mesh but be kind to others regardless. I’m kind of the energizer bunny and it can drive some people nutty. 

Inner peace in today’s world is within reach if you can do a few things to help. Number one stay off social media. Number two don’t compare yourself to others.  Number three leave the news off in the morning and start your day with scripture and devotions. Number four forgive people you have hurt. Number five don’t gossip to include ‘innocent’ prayer requests. 

Now if you can master these five areas you are on your way to staying peaceful. Now go have a jolly good day. 

PRAYER: I want my life to be more like yours every day and I need to remember to stay in tune with you and cast off junk dragging me down. In Jesus’ name. Amen. 

Global Pause?



When the angel of the Lord appeared to Gideon, he said, “The Lord is with you, mighty warrior.” Judges 6:12

Whew this past couple weeks has been a beat down for prosperous free America. A total shutdown of life as you and I know it. We have freedom but can’t exercise it right now due to a global pandemic. What can you do? Comply for now and above all pray and don’t waste your time worrying.

Pausing helps us do just that. Pause, ponder, pray. Have faith that the Lord of the Universe knew all this and was never worried. His plans are not our plans. All catastrophes end up having great growth stories at the conclusion of them. Believe that this current time of ‘suffering’ will be over and before you know it life and the world will come back to life again. 

Do you believe the Lord is with you? Do you believe all things work together for good as it says in Romans 8:28? Do you believe God has your back, your families back? Then take a breath my friend and for now say “this is the day the Lord has made I will rejoice and be glad in it” And mean it. 

PRAYER: I pray for those people right now who have no income some of them in my family or my friends. I pray for fearful people who feel the world is collapsing. Give me strength to be a beacon of hope around those people who need a touch from you. In Jesus’ name. Amen. 

          #Biblegatewayblogger

Wading Through The Piles Of Life

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 14:27

Those of us blessed to be in America may have so many things that we really do not need. We get our 'stuff' and on top of that the mail, the books, the email, and on and on it goes and it seems we are wading in a sea of pile or being piled upon. 

Perhaps you can identify with my statement in some way. You either are under a mountain of stuff that needs to be organized or gotten rid of. The mail pile on your counter has gotten out of hand. The refrigerator contains 'biology experiments' as I like to affectionately call them, that need thrown into the garbage and then there is email, electronic trash. If you allow it to these things can really grate on you. A clutter free life is a more peaceful hectic life in my humble opinion, not saying I have 'arrived' yet but working on it. 

Maybe you have emotional clutter too that you need to go to the Lord about before it overwhelms you as well. This time of year can accentuate problems and issues. Try to keep things simple and not try to live up to everyone else's expectations and you indeed will feel better. Make it a daily point to get alone with the person whose birthday we are celebrating this month. You know, Jesus. 

PRAYER: Today I choose to wake up and get myself going. I choose to seek a peaceful life and not one filled with the clutter of life that is often unnecessary. In Jesus' name. Amen.

Whew!

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 14:27

We have all lost things in our lives. If you haven't you are a rare creature. I had been on a roll and had not misplaced anything in a while and felt like maybe I had passed the 'peace test'. But then it happened. I looked at my wrist as I was entering a local eating establishment  and my Fitbit was missing. I tried to stay calm. Much better than in the past. I left quickly and retraced my steps. I prayed and had prayer sisters pray. Searched my car. Returned to the coffee shop and it had been turned in. Oh happy day! Honest people. 

Life requires us to maintain cool emotions. Both my sons are in career fields that require calmness and cool thinking. Maybe your job requires you to stay cool and collected as well. Getting all flustered about losing objects does not bring them back any quicker. Sometimes it is necessary to resolve that no matter what, you will move on. Do not let it wreck your day or your life. Don't let missing things tear you apart. I know this is easier said than done especially when looking for keys, passports, birth certificate, adoption papers, car titles and other things like those. But still, fretting does not do one thing to help you or get the object back.

To help maintain a life of calmness and be able to function well at work and at play give your care to God. Fuming does not help but only creates more tension and stress. Ask God to help you. He is only a prayer away.

PRAYER: First of all thank you for helping me find most things I have lost. Thank you for honest people that turn things in that do not belong to them. Help me stay cool when I should misplace things in the future. In Jesus' name. Amen.

Why Be Angry?

 Because human anger does not produce the righteousness that God desires. James 1:20

 I have a dear friend who used to tell me to "blow it off" meaning basically to let something go. When you are agitated about something if you do not learn to release your anger, it can explode and become much worse. That is probably what we see on our nightly news when an angry person or crowd just could not and did not 'turn the other cheek' thus boiling over into confrontation and violence.

 Anger does not produce anything good. It destroys relationships, breaks things, hurts, and glorifies the enemy Satan. Sure people are going to be upset at times but it is how you deal with it that matters. Don't allow anger to send you over the edge.

 Ask God to help you maintain peace and joy when you really don't feel like it. You can master the anger monster.

PRAYER: Lord I love the feeling of peacefulness and do not like conflict. Give me strength when agitated to deal with it in a Christlike manner. In Jesus' name. Amen.

Peace With People

Peace I leave 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 14:27

Are you irritated in certain situations such as bad traffic, waiting in line, dealing with co workers or a boss, a slow waitress? If so then you know you need to probably work on developing a peaceful spirit and not one constantly agitated. People who are not peaceful can tend to easily explode and could make a scene. If you are a believer in Christ and want to attempt to live for Him and emulate Him around the clock then ask The Holy Spirit to indwell you and fill you with perfect peace.

When a person is less than peaceful they go through life always angry or upset. Things do not go their way and they 'pop a cork' so to speak. This then could escalate into a angry words, a physical confrontation and from there, who knows what. It is necessary to get a grip on being a peaceful person and being peaceful with others.

It is your choice. Peace or restlessness and worry. Only you can decide.

PRAYER: There have been times in my past Lord I acted less than peaceful. I choose to be peaceful and not allow the craziness of life to turn me into an upset person. Give me your strength. In Jesus' name. Amen.

You Have Need Of Patience

Wait for the Lord, be strong and take heart and wait for the Lord. Psalm 27:14

As I sat gazing at a lady in her van at a coffee shop, myself being inside by the register, as we both waited and waited and waited some more for our order, I simply smiled at her and shrugged. Why get upset? Our world is so much for instant everything. That is not God's way. When things don't happen fast or according to our time table it is easy to give up or get mad.

This is not what God wants. Throughout the Bible are stories of waiting. Man's way is always rushing and getting things now. Unfortunately or maybe fortunately, God does not operate according to our rules. I know I am thankful for that! His plan is better and sometimes it involves waiting.

Do you have a problem with trusting God and waiting? Just as a farmer waits for a crop or lady  waits for her newborn baby, we too need to develop patience so as to not wreck God's plan.

PRAYER:Lord I am thankful for the times I learned to wait and want to forget the times I messed things up by not. Thanks for guiding me along the way. In Jesus' name. Amen.

Close Calls

I thank my God every time I remember you. Philippians 1:3

 Recently as I sat down to write and turned on my computer, Facebook stuff popped up. I read for first  post where my daughter in law had been hit by a car while riding her bike to work that morning.After a call to my son I was cool, she is okay but 3000 miles away. After I waited, and tried to get to writing, the tears came. I was so thankful she was okay. For a brief moment I experienced the panic that sets in when a family member finds out something is wrong with another family member. Both my son and his wife are medical professionals so deal with hurting families all the time and now they were the hurting family.

 Have you gone through the unimaginable where you are enjoying a wonderful day then comes the dreaded phone call? This call changes your day and sometimes your life. A car accident. A son or daughter injured or killed in the war. A parent has died. Whatever the news we are never really ready to have it happen. There is never a good time.

The first thing to try to do is remain as calm as possible and to pray. Prayer has a way of soothing your soul in the toughest of times. Just try to get alone and be calm with God and let Him do the rest. Above all be thankful for those around you daily!

PRAYER: Lord you are my great comfort in the trials of life. When the unexpected happens you are there. Oh Lord I thank you for watching over me and my family. I praise your name forever. In Jesus' name. Amen.

Shhhh!

Because human anger does not produce the righteousness that God desires. James 1:20

I love the 4th of July. Freedom is special and I love to celebrate with friends, family, and fireworks. This year was very special enjoying the time out of town in a nearby city with my sister and brother in law. We had the perfect viewing location on a bluff overlooking where the fireworks would be shot off from. This space was "marked" by us for over four hours. During this time we had fun visiting with one another. About ten minutes before the show a very rude lady squeezed in and stood in front of us and tried to encourage her young daughter to do likewise. Frankly I was fearing for another kind of "fireworks" as we exchanged words, kind but firm.

After this "battle" I said "Becky, you know better. You write about love, peace, forgiveness and look at you." Granted this woman was wrong in what she did and taught her child a very poor lesson, but also I did not need to say a thing. Human anger is natural but has to be controlled. It is a common emotion to be upset when someone pushes themselves in front of you when you have done the right thing by coming early to secure a spot. All in all, it turned out okay and I was not about to let this woman ruin my otherwise perfect day. I came away and did what I needed to do "breathe out" like I had written on earlier in the week.

If you occasionally get angry or upset it is good to get it nipped in the bud and not let it boil over. Meditate on verses on peace and love and let God transform your heart to be like His. And to remember that God wants you to love all people and pray for them.

PRAYER: Thank you Lord for loving me warts and all. Every day are new challenges for striving to walk in your footsteps. Convict me when I get out of line. I choose peace. In Jesus' name. Amen.

God Really Does Care

"I have told you these things, so that in me you may have peace. In this world you will have trouble. But take heart! I have overcome the world.” John 16:33

Things in life are going to happen both good and bad. No one is immune. Just this past week I know of two families struggling with the loss of a mom and wife, one was quite before the typical age we associate with dying. Tragedy happens sometimes unexpectedly as in the death of a baby or child. Why? I do not know but I know that God is bigger than any problem. There is a given in life and that is we all will die someday.

Do you feel God has abandoned you or do scream out in anger at Him over taking your loved one away from you? God loves you my friend. He has experienced every pain we have. Satan is the one who attempts to get you to scream and curse God. Don't do it my friend. Instead thank Him for the time you were blessed with the gift of the beloved one who has gone on to be with Him.

PRAYER: Lord I know you love me. Your love knows no bounds. Forgive me if I have ever doubted your love. In Jesus' name. Amen.

Click link for a song of praise to get your Sunday started.

http://youtu.be/BTi2-VIcaRw

Beyond This World

Then I saw a new heaven and a new earth. For the first heaven and the first earth had passed away. And there was no longer any sea.I saw the Holy City, the new Jerusalem, coming down out of heaven from God. Prepared as a bride beautifully dressed for her husband. And I heard a loud voice from the throne saying. Now the dwelling of God is with men, and He will live with them. They will be His people and God himself will be with them and be their God. He will wipe every tear from their eyes. There will be no more death or mourning or crying or pain. For the old order of things has passed away. Revelation 21:1-4   

Death is going to come to everyone. As much as Hollywood movies such as 'Forever Young' try to depict  freezing people until a cure is found for their disease we  all will die. Death isn't to be feared. It should be feared if a person hasn't  asked Jesus into their hearts.

Grieving hurts. The loss of a baby, a child, or a teen especially is difficult. God loves you my friend. Do not turn your back on Him. There is joy to come in His kingdom. 

PRAYER: Lord losing friends and family to death is hard but help me rejoice when they go home to meet you in the clouds. I look forward to heaven when it is my time. In Jesus' name. Amen. 

Recovery Mode

Now to him who is able to do immeasurably more than all we ask or imagine, according to his power that is at work within us. Ephesians 3:20

The all too familiar phrase pops up occasionally on computer screens "Word Has Entered The Recovery Mode" and a grateful shout of "hallelujah" comes from the mouth of a very relieved writer who thought I had lost my work. There have been times I have done work and can not find it. When this occurs an outbreak of panic is not the answer but trying to remain calm in the midst of this. Often I just laugh because I believe it is spiritual warfare.

No matter what in life you are facing or what has upset your day God can restore you and give you his perfect peace. He is the all powerful mighty God and the best "recovery mode" ever. Do not let bad news, computers crashes, traffic jams, tax deadlines, or wayward children cause you to start fretting. You can run to Jesus and let Him take you and help you recover from whatever has gotten you down.

PRAYER: Thank you Lord that you pick me up and help me recover from the setbacks in life. in Jesus' name. Amen.

Service Unavailable

And the peace of God which transcends all understanding, will guard your hearts and minds in Christ Jesus. Philippians 4:7

An error message  appeared on my Blogger account one day that said "service unavailable" when trying to post something to Facebook. It was very frustrating to have glitches in trying to get my writing done. Occasionally things happen that cause stuff to be out of order and it can cause frustration or panic. It is how we handle ourselves during this time that matters. In the big scheme of things it is fairly small even though it is maddening.

Getting mad, throwing things, and having a tantrum won't change things so you may just as well seek peace in the midst of this down time. Go one to something else. Get your mind off your trouble. Stuff breaks, friends disappoint, people hurt you, promotions don't come, bills pile up and all sorts of other things. In times when things aren't as they should be trust in God for His peace to see you through.

PRAYER: This is the day you have made and no matter what comes my way Lord help me react in a kind positive way. In Jesus' name. Amen.
       

Inspiration or Frustration?

Peace I leave 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 14:27(NIV)

It seems so much easier in the morning to wake up and hit the ground running without God. Even well meaning Christians do it. The world seems to lure us away. Quiet time or a morning show and news, what is it going to be. Hmmm, let me think about that. First of all it takes discipline to make yourself break a habit of watching a talk show if that is what you have been used to but ask yourself how much time you invest in meaningless chitchat of celebrities compared to getting into God's word and feeding your mind on inspiration.

The news typically is not good news except on a rare occasion and can instill fear and worry. You can enter your day in peace or in turmoil.

PRAYER: Sometimes Lord I can easily get caught up in meaningless television and lose track of time without spending any with you Lord. Help me to order my days better that I give you quality time. In Jesus' name. Amen.

JOYFUL, JOYFUL

Recently I accidentally got ahead of someone who had been waiting at a local eating establishment. This individual gave me a really angry look. I apologized and said I was sorry but she still said nothing and just had this smirk on her face. People like this need prayer. My accidentally cutting in line should not have been reason to warrant  such a response,  so apparently this young woman had other issues on her mind.  Most the time I try to get people to smile but this girl was beyond smiling. 

Are there people in your life that tend to be complainers, grouches, and find negative in everything? Maybe it is even you? Joy is something that comes from deep within. God can give you that true joy. Do not allow those in your life who do not experience this rob you of your joy. Only God can transform a person and deliver them from a bad spirit. 

You can't expect to be joyful if you harbor resentment, wrong thinking, or a bad attitude. God can set you free! 'The hope of the righteous brings joy, but the expectation of the wicked will perish.' (Proverbs 10:28)

PRAYER: I want your joy Lord constant and ever present in my life. I know I can only have that by reading and living the word of God. Guide my steps each day to walk a life filled with joy. In Jesus' name. Amen.

WHITE CAPS MAKING YOU SCARED?

The part of the country I live in is pretty close to the beaches of both Florida and Alabama relatively speaking. The seashore is a great place to visit. When a storm is brewing at sea the ocean waves can be very scary and often dangerous. Sailors out at sea can attest to the tremendous power of the waves that form massive white caps.

Once on a cruise, my husband and I were on the upper deck around midnight and the dark ocean waves were very large and frightening. I love the ocean but seeing it so black and fierce that night stirred up fear inside of me. I could not even imagine what it would be like to go down with the ship. Pretty scary thought.

Do you recall the story in the Bible about Jesus calming the storm? Mark 34:35-39 recalls the story.'That day when evening came, he said to his disciples, “Let us go over to the other side.” Leaving the crowd behind, they took him along, just as he was, in the boat. There were also other boats with him. A furious squall came up, and the waves broke over the boat, so that it was nearly swamped. Jesus was in the stern, sleeping on a cushion. The disciples woke him and said to him, “Teacher, don’t you care if we drown?”He got up, rebuked the wind and said to the waves, “Quiet! Be still!”Then the wind died down and it was completely calm.' What they lacked was faith He could save them.

What storm or white caps are you facing in life? God can still the storms of life if only you cry out to Him.

PRAYER: I need you every hour in my life Lord. I can not do anything on my own. Thank you for getting me through some storms in my life and the storms sure to come. You are my hope! Thanks! In Jesus' name. Amen.

SENSE OF PEACE

At Christmas we are always hearing "Peace on Earth". That is a wonderful thing to think about peace. Shortly after Christmas when New Year approaches  there is a sense of peace in getting to start a brand new year. New goals, new dreams, new hopes, new challenges. You can have true peace in your heart each day of the new year when you allow God to guide and direct your life. Nothing else gives this true peace other than our savior and Lord. 

Even when threatened with job loss, no health care, death, and a host of other things you can still experience God's perfect peace in the midst of these. John 14:27(NIV) says 'Peace I leave 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."  This is only possible when you truly allow Jesus to control your life. Have you asked Him into your heart? If not why not start 2014 out by allowing Jesus to be Lord? 

PRAYER: It is easy to be caught in a trap of fear, worry, doubt, and concern. I know Lord you are bigger than any crisis in my life. Indeed only trust in you and continue to pray. In Jesus' name. Amen. 

TOO MUCH ON YOUR PLATE?

When a person gets overly committed or busy the saying is they "have too much on their plate". The question is , is God on that plate at all? If so He needs to stay on it and some other things need to perhaps come off. This is so very true at this time of year. Why oh why do we allow ourselves to ruin the birthday of the savior by over committing to parties, socials, church activities, cookie baking and then we find ourselves frazzled? Is this anyway to celebrate the birth of the King of kings and Lord of lords?

A person does what he really has a passion for. For instance, I love to exercise, hike, and write so I make time to do those things. Oh yes I love to spend time with God too. That does come first but sometimes I have forgotten. It is easy to let the urgent requests of life squeeze out the savior. Here, of all times, we are getting ready for Jesus birthday party but people seem like they are worn thin.

We should be rethinking our priorities. Many attend church once or twice a year this being Easter and Christmas. It is a holy holiday after all. But is that "babe in a manger" in your heart all the other days or is Christmas about toys, shopping, eggnog, and traffic jams? It is something only you can honestly answer. Do you need to step back and change your plan this year to fit Jesus into his own birthday?

Isaiah 9:6(NIV) says 'For unto us a child is born, a son is given and the government shall be upon His shoulders. And He will be called Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God, Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace."

PRAYER: Lord I can get caught up in all the commercial aspects of Christmas and I really do not want to. Christmas is about giving because the best gift ever was given to us. You! Forgive me Lord if I have put you in the background during your own celebration. In Jesus' name. Amen.

BLOW IT OFF...DON'T BLOW UP!

 So many fights and arguments could be alleviated in life if people would just learn to not take things so seriously, be patient, and thank God for the good things and overlook the not so good.
 For instance, recently I was flying standby as a family member on the airline my son works for. This was the day of the huge ice storms that affected the cancellation of many flights into and out of Dallas. Guess where I was changing planes? You got it. Dallas! Needless to say when air travelers plans are messed up either by maintenance issues, crew issues, or weather there are some personalities who it does not sit well with. As I was writing this in Huntsville I was not seeing those frazzled nerves yet as it was still early in the course of the travel day.
 Being upset about things out of our control is a waste of time. It is better to go with the flow or as my Chicago friend Diane used to say about issues that upset me, "Blow it off". Very good advice for all sorts of things. Try to display the fruits of the Spirit in all of life. Don't "blow up" but remain n control and make believe Jesus is right there with you. He is you know.
Matthew 5:9(NIV) says 'Blessed are the peacemakers for they shall be called children of God.' When the unexpected happens to you remain in control or do you stay peaceful? Start today to develop the attitude of joy and peace no matter what is going on around you. Others will wonder what's up and may even ask you.
PRAYER: Thank you Lord for mobility to get around and do things. Thank you for the blessing of changed plans because sometimes those are "God moments" that we do not yet see or understand. Give me peace and joy as I learn to be flexible. In Jesus' name. Amen.

CHILL MARTHA!!

Christmas time is wonderful. It is a time of memories and sometimes immense sadness when we have
recently a lost loved ones. For many it is dreaded each year due to all the hype and mandatory things
they feel they need to do.

First off, it is Jesus' birthday celebration, pure, plain, and simple. No need to attend umpteenth million cantatas or plays, put up lighting displays, mail out 100 plus cards, have an open house, and bake oodles of cookies and gingerbread men if it is only going to take away the true meaning and joy of this wonderful time of year. Keep your focus on one thing and that is about the birth of a baby in a manger.

Parents of young ones could take this time to stop the gimme monster and turn the celebration into
Jesus' birthday party. Share with others instead of heaping many unwanted and unused things upon
yourself.

This time of year and hearing stories of frazzled nerves reminded me of the story of Mary and Martha
in Luke 10:38-42 which says in verses 41 and 42 '"Martha, Martha,” the Lord answered, “you are
worried and upset about many things, but few things are needed—or indeed only one.Mary has chosen what is better, and it will not be taken away from her." Martha could just not relax because of all the preparations she thought were vitally important. Jesus just wanted her company.

How about you? Do you need to just "chill" and sit in God's presence?

PRAYER: This is an exciting time of year but I can tend to focus on the wrong things. Help me Lord as I seek to stop shopping til I drop and instead to drop down at your feet and worship you. In Jesus' name. Amen.