Perfect Peace

It is so easy to get weighed down by our own fears, concerns, disappointments, etc., that we become anxious, worried, and even discontent. 

Turn to Isaiah 26:3 and focus on that amazing truth for just a moment.  It's so powerful!

"You will keep Him in perfect peace whose mind is stayed on You: because he trusts in You." 

This is such a great verse!

Followers of Christ need to keep their mind on the truth, God's Word. 

When we become fearful and anxious, we allow our feelings to sometimes take the lead instead of following what God's Word teaches...to trust, to depend, and to lean on the Lord instead of giving way to our emotions which may tell us to panic and worry.

I woke up this morning with such feeling that caused me to doubt God and forget His promises of provision, care, and help, for me, His child. 

I am thankful the Lord lead me to this verse here in Isaiah 26:3.  I can go to bed with this in mind, that when I focus on the truth and trust in the Living God, then, He will keep me in perfect peace!

~Grow in Grace~ 

When I am Weak Then I am Strong

"Lord, teach us that it is only out of weakness that we are made strong, 

 only as we suffer that we may reign, 

only as we lose that we may gain." 

~Elizabeth Elliot~

Elizabeth Elliot knew her Bible.  She understood that we are often made strong through the difficulties we encounter because Christ is the One who sustains us and leads us. 

As Paul boldly declares in 2 Corinthians 12:10, "...That is why, for Christ's sake, I delight in weaknesses, in insults, in hardships, in persecutions, in difficulties.  For when I am weak, then I am strong."

Also, 

"For I know that this will turn out for my deliverance through your prayer and the supply of the Spirit of Jesus Christ, according to my earnest expectation and hope that in nothing I shall be ashamed, but with all boldness, as always, so now also Christ will be magnified in my body, whether by life or by death.  For me, to live is Christ, and to die is gain." (Philippians 1:19-21)

It is made very clear in scripture that we will encounter trials and hardships, but we are given such a great hope and promise: that we will be given the grace and strength to endure!!!  We are not alone.  Christ is our Great Sustainer and He is our guide!  

So, as we encounter overwhelming difficulties, know that we will be given the strength to endure and to persevere.  

This is such a great promise to hold on to!  

Be encouraged dear friends that when we are faced with a great obstacle (or even a little one), we will be given the provisions we need to endure!! 

~Grow in Grace~ 

2 Peter 3:18 

The Birth of Hope

"The Word became Flesh, and dwelt among us, and we saw His glory.  Glory as of the only begotten from the Father, full of grace and truth." 

~John 1:14~ 

"He who has seen Me has seen the Father." 

~John 14:9~ 

   Both of these verses declare that Jesus is indeed the Christ, the Son of God, our Savior.  He humbled Himself, taking on the form of man and dwelt among us.  He sacrificed Himself for sinful humans.  What grace!  What love!!  What hope!!!  

   Indeed, we have a great hope, in Christ!  On Christmas Day, we celebrate the birth of this miraculous hope.  

   I love what John MacArthur wrote:  

 "Christmas is a time of celebration and song, goodwill and good food, family and friends.  Bu it's important to remember that the source of Christmas is the saving Christ.

Humanity is lost, fallen.  We were separated from God because of our sin, and our only hop of forgiveness was for someone completely innocent of any wrongdoing to take all the punishment for our crimes.  Such a perfect life and a perfect love were impossible for any human to achieve, so God Himself did it for us.  He sent His Son form eternity into mortality, form glory into flesh, and from a throne to a manger.  Ultimate hope was born in ultimate humility.

Whenever you study the Gospels, you see God in every picture of Christ.  He talks like God, acts like God, thinks like God, performs miracles that only God could do, teaches truth only God would teach, and responds with the love, goodness, wisdom, and omniscience that only God could possess. And it all begins with the birth of the divine Child. 

This is the immeasurable gift of Christmas.  Christ, God's own Son, gave up His wealth and privilege to live as God with us.  Immanuel, that He might save his people from our sins and that through His poverty we might become rich. 

The miraculous gift of Christmas is God being born in a manger, so we can be born again in His glory!" 

   What a GREAT hope we have in Christ!!!  Praise His Name!!!  

   So, as we celebrate Christmas day tomorrow, may we focus on the birth of our Savior, Jesus Christ, and the true meaning of that.   It is something that we should give thanks for every single day of our lives!  Praise the Lord for this Great Hope given 2,000 years ago!  

Merry Christmas dear friends! 

~Grow in Grace~ 

2 Peter 3:18

Who or What are You Committing Yourself to?!

   I read this devotional this morning and let me say that I was VERY convicted.  Please, take a moment to read what Jerry Bridges wrote.

"When Paul turned his attention from his masterful exposition of the gospel in Romans chapters 1-11 to practical issues of Christian living, the first thing he did was call for commitment: 'Therefore, I urge you, brothers, in view of God's mercy, to offer your bodies as living sacrifices, holy and pleasing to God- this is your spiritual act of worship' (Romans 12:1, NIV).

As we look at Paul's call to commitment, we can see one obvious difference between the commitment of the devoted athlete and the commitment Paul called for.  The athlete's commitment is to himself or herself or perhaps to the team.  The commitment Paul urged upon us is to God.  Commit yourself to God.   Offer your body to Him as a living sacrifice, holy and pleasing to Him.

When we commit ourselves to the pursuit of holiness, we need to ensure that our commitment is actually to God, not simply to a holy lifestyle or a set of moral values.  The people of my parent's generation were generally honest, chaste, sober, and thrifty.  They were committed to those values, but they were not necessarily committed to God.  Many of them were outstanding moralists and even church people, but they were not committed to God.  They were committed to their values, not to God.

As believers we need to be careful that we don't make a similar mistake.   We can be committed to a set of Christian values or to a lifestyle of discipleship without being committed to God Himself.  But Paul said to offer yourselves to God, and in doing that commit yourselves to the pursuit of holiness in order to please Him." 

   I truly want to be committed to God and not just be "bound" to a set of Christian values or to a lifestyle without truly being dedicated to God. 

   It is really good to think about, dear friends!  Who or what are you committing yourself to?!  To God or to a set of Christian values and principles?!  

Psalm 37:5- "Commit your ways to the Lord." 

~Grow in Grace~ 

2 Peter 3:18 

My Prayer

This is my prayer:

"To You, O LORD, I lift up my soul.  O my God, I trust in You; let me not be ashamed; let not my enemies triumph over me.  Indeed, let n one who waits on You be ashamed; Let those be ashamed who deal treacherously without cause.  Show me Your ways, O LORD; Teach me Your paths.  Lead me in Your truth, and teach me, For You are the God of my salvation; on You I wait all the day.  Remember, O LORD, Your tender mercies and Your lovingkindnesses, For they are from of old.  Do not remember the sins of my youth, nor my transgressions; According to Your mercy remember me, For Your goodness sake, O Lord." 

(Psalm 25:1-7)

   It is easy to become discouraged, weary, fearful, and impatient,  and to therefore give in to such feelings, but know that God is forever faithful and His promises are true, and that should be what drives us onward!  What great hope we have, friends!  

    When I talk to my friends who are not trusting in Christ, who do not believe in the Truth, and when they share with me their difficulties and troubles, it is so sad that they live their life without hope which is only found in Christ.  

  I am so thankful to my Lord and Savior that He is my hope and stay!  When I encounter difficulties and discouragements, I know that He is forever faithful and He is my strength!  He gives me hope and comfort!  What a great God we have!  

   My prayer is what David expressed in Psalm 25:1-7.  May the Lord continue to show Himself to me more and more.  

   What is your prayer? 

~Grow in Grace~

2 Peter 3:18

Lord of my Judgment

   Have you ever been in a particular situation when you feel so frustrated at someone and all you want to do is just "let them have it"?!  Or lets say a friend was not being thoughtful and they acted in an insensitive way toward you, and you are feeling so discouraged and hurt because of their actions.  I am sure we ALL have experienced these situations in some way or another.  What do you tell yourself in those moments?  How do you react? 

  A few weeks ago, my mom shared this little "prayer" with me that she would say when times were difficult for her and when she found herself in those situations, as mentioned above. 

"Lord, let Your Spirit tell me what to say and do in this situation.  Be Lord of my judgments, subdue my passions, control my impulses, and let Your Spirit guide me.  Lord, be soul and life to me, and in the triple kingdom of my spirit, soul, and body, be my supreme Master.  In every providence of my nature, may Your law be set up and Your will be done."

   I want this to be my prayer as well in that moment and time when I do not feel like acting Christlike because of my circumstances.  Our emotions and feelings are so powerful, and they most certainly can lead us in a way we do not want to go.  That is why we should stop, pray, and align our thinking up with what the Word of God says to do instead of following our impulses and feelings that tell us to "lash out" or to "give them what they deserve".

  Psalm 39:1 and Proverbs 21:23 are great verses to memorize and meditate on.  Go read them!!

  

Have a great start to your week, friends! 

~Grow in Grace~

(2 Peter 3:18) 

Listen up!!!

"Have you not known? Have you not heard? 

The Lord is the everlasting God, the Creator of the ends of the earth.  

He does not faint or grow weary; his understanding is unsearchable.  

He gives power to the faint, and to him who has no might he increases strength.

Even the youths shall fain and be weary, and young men shall fall exhausted; 

but they who wait for the Lord shall renew their strength; 

they shall mount up with wings like eagles; 

they shall run and not be weary;

they shall walk and not faint." 

~Isaiah 40:28-31~

  This is such a beautiful passage of scripture!  I can just picture these verses being yelled on top of a mountain or on some high place so that all could hear:

"HAVE YOU NOT KNOWN?! 

HAVE YOU NOT HEARD?!"

  How often we forget who our God is.  We get so caught up in our difficulties and trials, often blaming God for what we are going through, and we, in a sense shake, our fists at Him saying, "can you not see that I am suffering and hurting?!"  

 Do you ever feel like that?! I am sure we all have at some point.

 I read this passage of scripture (the one at the beginning of this post) on a day when I was burdened with worry, hurt, anxiety, and even confusion.  It is easy to have our minds wander away from the truth and think that God does not care or He is is not understanding.  Well, after I read this passage in Isaiah, those doubts and wrong thoughts were immediately shut down!  Every thought I had that went against the truth was immediately exposed and destroyed. 

My thought:  "Is this out of God's control or too far for His 'reach'?" 

Truth: "...He does not faint or grow weary..." (v. 28) (notes- He is not too weak to ac to act, nor was fatigue an obstacle for the Creator in caring for His people.  Though even the young and strong become tired and fall, the Ancient of Days never does)

My thought:  "Does He truly understand what I am going through?" 

Truth:  "...His understanding is unsearchable..." (v. 28) (notes- to the human mind, God's wisdom is not fully comprehensible in how He chooses to fulfill His promises) 

My thought:  "I am so discouraged and tired of dealing with these difficulties.  I don't know how much more I can take!" 

Truth:  "...He gives power to the faint, and to him who has no might He increases strength.  Even the youths shall faint and be weary, and young men shall fall exhausted; but they who wait for the Lord shall renew their strength; they shall mount up with wings like eagles; they shall run and not be weary; they shall walk and not faint."  

   See friends, when we counter attack the lie with the truth, then we can clearly see who our God is and there is great hope!  Our situation may not change all of a sudden and we may continue to deal with the same problems, but we are given a peace that surpasses all understanding and the strength we need to endure and push through!   Also, God is with us, and He will never forsake us.  

  Trust and wait upon the Lord and He will mount you up with wings like eagles, He will give you the strength to run and not be weary, and the endurance to walk and not grow faint.  

~Grow in Grace~ 

2 Peter 3:18