Guarded Treasure

On May 15, 2018   /   Word of the Day   /   Leave a comment

John 14: 27

Peace I leave with you; My peace I give to you.

Jesus was leaving planet earth. He told his disciples what was to come. Can you even imagine how distraught they must have been? I place myself in their shoes and it seems devastating. Not only were they about to lose their leader, but also their best friend and even beyond that, their Lord. He was everything to them, truly. Then he announced he was leaving. Oh, heart of woe!

Jesus knew the anguish of their souls. I am sure he was feeling sorrow as well and probably concern for them. He gave them something to soothe their souls, a promise for their well-being. He told them that he was going to leave his peace here for them. That would have been a profound statement to them because they had witnessed him remain cool under tremendous pressure. They knew his peace was special.

This same peace is available to us today. He left his peace here on the earth for whoever wishes it or needs it. In his peace is such tranquility. It literally has calming, restorative breath in it. It enables us to face trying situations without raising our blood pressure. In his peace we have the ability to face all manner of challenging circumstances while remaining in calm confidence instead of dread and panic.

You can see that it is very precious. One of the things our heavenly Father told me in my journaling is that the devil wants to steal this peace from me. Father encouraged me to resist the devil’s attempts to steal my peace, that is the peace which Jesus gave me. I see how valuable it is and that is was a key component in Jesus’ last days. He knew each one of us would need his help on a daily basis and his peace was the treasure he gave. The Father showed me that this gift should be guarded.

Don’t let anyone have what Jesus has given you, whether that be his peace, freedom, salvation, acceptance, redemption, etc. Why should I give some idiot on the freeway the power to steal the peace Jesus gave me? What stressor is important enough to you to allow it to steal your peace? There is nothing that is worth it. Hang on to this valuable treasure from Jesus. Peace is health, it is feeling good. Don’t let it go!

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Peace, Peace

On August 18, 2017   /   Word of the Day   /   Leave a comment

Matthew 10: 13

If the house is worthy, give it your blessing of peace. But if it is not worthy, take back your blessing of peace.

Jesus talked about peace or blessed people with peace quite a number of times. Before he left the earth he even made a point of leaving his peace here with us (John 14: 27). What is so compelling about peace that caused him to frequently say, “Go in peace” or “peace be with you?” We have to dig into our Hebrew roots to get an appreciation of this peace which Jesus speaks of and even directs us to bless others with.

The Hebrew word is Shalom, and it is very rich with many shades of meaning. The simplest way to describe the Jewish idea of peace is wholeness in every area of life, or I have heard others say, “nothing missing, nothing broken.” This necessarily means that your health is not broken, your finances are whole, your relationships fruitful, your spirit vital, and every other facet of life you can think of functions perfectly. When Jesus, or any other Jew, says “peace” to you, they have spoken a blessing which covers every aspect of your life. Now, consider today’s verse. Does it take on more meaning?

Jesus intimates in this passage that we have the right and perhaps even the obligation to speak a blessing of peace on the households of others. This may manifest in you praying peace as you enter a friend’s house. Maybe you are invited to attend a party or even a Bible Study at someone’s house. You can give that home YOUR blessing of peace. In so doing, you are speaking wholeness to that household – nothing missing, nothing broken. That is a powerful privilege the Lord Jesus has given us. So, think of that as you visit people’s homes and maybe also stop at your own front door and speak “Peace.”

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Unshakable Love

On July 26, 2017   /   Word of the Day   /   Leave a comment

Isaiah 54: 10

“For the mountains may be removed and the hills may shake, but My lovingkindness will not be removed from you, and My covenant of peace will not be shaken,” says the Lord who has compassion on you.

You’ve got to love this verse. Some of you are going through challenges right now so this must be really good news for you. No matter how rough things get, even if there is a calamity so great that the mountains are reduced to rubble; even if the hills quake, you will remain in God’s loving embrace where He can look after you. No matter how dire the situation, God’s love will not be shaken. In your loneliest of times, in the most stressful situations, the Lord our God, loves you. His devotion to you cannot be shaken despite the circumstances. Even when you are paying Him no attention, He is alert and watching over you. He awaits your return.

This verse says that no matter what, His lovingkindness will not be removed from you. That means there is no power strong enough, no situation dire enough to shake His love from you. There is no darkness deep enough or pain strong enough to separate you from His love. The only power in this earth or beyond that can separate you from the love of God is you. As long as you are steadfast and do not reject Him, then you can trust that His love and affection are present for current circumstance.

Did you know that Father has a covenant of peace? It goes back to the beginning of time however, it was fulfilled in the person of Jesus, our Messiah. Jesus is the prince of peace so as long as you are holding on tightly to him, no one can steal your peace. Sometimes you just have to whisper his name to remind yourself that no power or person has authority over the peace Jesus left for you. You may have to write out John 14: 27 on a 3 X 5 card and place it in a prominent location while you are working through the challenge.

Be reminded, daily, that nothing can remove Dad’s love from you nor steal the peace pact He has with you. Keep today’s verse in front of you and realize there is not one moment of any day that the Father does not love you with all He is. His devotion to you is larger than the universe and it is a source of great strength. Be safe and secure in the absolute knowledge that your Father loves you and has provided peace for you. Let Him love you and hold you in His safety.

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Fertile Desert

On April 7, 2017   /   Word of the Day   /   Leave a comment

Isaiah 32: 16 -18

The Lord’s justice will dwell in the desert, his righteousness live in the fertile field. The fruit of that righteousness will be peace; its effect will be quietness and confidence forever. My people will live in peaceful dwelling places, in secure homes, in undisturbed places of rest.

Glory! Hallelujah! Does this strike you as good news? Or, perhaps, great news! I can even sweeten this by telling you when this is to happen. This is for you today.

The problem with many Old Testament verses is that people stumble over the timing. That is understandable. I will tell you that most of them are fulfilled in Jesus if you ever have doubt. The great thing about today’s verse is that Isaiah actually told us when this would become a reality. In verse 15 he disclosed that this change in the environment, this change in the world would come when “the Spirit is poured out upon us from on high.” Yahoo!

Jesus promised us another. In fact, he said it was better for us that he leave earth so that he could send the helper (John 16: 7). He told his disciples not to leave Jerusalem until they received that which was promised, or in other words, the Holy Spirit (Acts 1: 4 – 5). Then, on the day of Pentecost, the promise was fulfilled and the Holy Spirit was poured out from on high. You and I are not living in the time of which Isaiah spoke. This prophecy is for our time. We should take great joy in this good news.

Isaiah saw that because of the coming of the Holy Spirit we could live in peace and righteousness. This concept is very in keeping with other New Testament text. Paul wrote that we have become the righteousness of God in Christ Jesus (2 Corinthians 5: 21) and did you know that Jesus is the Prince of Peace? Additionally, when he left earth, he left us his peace (John 14: 27). Increasingly, we are seeing all of the pieces fitting together. It shouldn’t be any surprise, though, because all of this was part of God’s master plan. He knew when He whispered in Isaiah’s ear that this day would come and that what He told Isaiah would be fulfilled in our sight.

There is a key to unlocking all of this though. The key is the Holy Spirit. Jesus said that he is the “Spirit of truth, whom the world cannot receive, because it does not behold Him or know Him, but you know Him because He abides with you, and will be in you” (John 14: 17). It is the “in you” piece that is so revolutionary. The disciples knew of the Holy Spirit but Jesus was telling them that when he went away and sent the outpouring of the Spirit, then the Spirit would come to not only live with us but in us. This continuing presence of the Holy Spirit is a game changer. The sad truth, though, is that it is only a game changer for those who recognize the truth and embrace it. He was sent as our helper so we have to let him do his job.

In him is this peace, confidence, righteous enjoyment and all of the other great and wonderful things that the Father, Son and Holy Spirit have worked to bring us. Their plan installs each of them in our lives as partners. Isaiah saw the desert turned into a fertile field. That desert is our lives and hearts. They have been renewed in Christ and we have a joyous and victorious reality to live.

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Perfect Peace

On March 20, 2017   /   Word of the Day   /   Leave a comment

Isaiah 26: 3               (NIV)

You will keep in perfect peace those whose minds are steadfast, because they trust in you.

There are three elements to this verse. First perfect peace, second steadfastness and third trust. Perfect peace is the conclusion – that is where we want to arrive. We find that the way to that perfect peace is through steadfastness and trust.

So, what is steadfastness? The Tree of Life version reads, “You keep in perfect peace one whose mind is stayed on You.” People who keep their mind on God are kept in perfect peace. For some of us it would be enough to taste perfect peace every now and again but these people, those who keep their thoughts with God, abide in perfect peace. Honestly, though, it is no big surprise that perfect peace is in God. Jesus said that one of the things he left for us was his peace (John 14: 27). How can we not be in peace when we keep our thought lives enveloped in God? Jesus is the Prince of Peace. So, when we keep ourselves, our minds and our thoughts on God; when we are steadfast about what we let our minds meditate on then we will abide in that perfect peace.

Isaiah also revealed that keeping our mind stayed on God produces trust in Him and that trust leads to perfect peace. We might also speculate that the more we trust God, the more we do think about Him and about His way of perceiving things. Of course we experience more peace as our trust in Him increases. The more we keep our minds on Him and learn of Him, the more we trust Him. Then our peace increases.

So, it might be fair to say that in Him is perfect peace so that our only task, really is just to remain in Him. When we think about Him instead of thinking about the latest junk we heard on the news, then it is much easier to abide in peace. He is confidence and assurance. Think on Him instead of thinking on the things of the world and have joy and peace, perfect peace.

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Peace, Sweet Peace

On April 28, 2016   /   Word of the Day   /   Leave a comment

John 20: 21

Jesus therefore said to them again, “Peace be with you; as the Father has sent Me, I also send you.”

Jesus appeared to his disciples after his crucifixion and ascension. First of all, how cool is that? I would like to have been there. Today’s verse comes from one of those visits. When he first appeared to them he said, “Peace be with you” (v. 19) and showed them the holes in his hands. The scripture says that then the disciples rejoiced. Well, I guess so. So then he said again, “Peace be with you” before he launched into what he wanted to say to them. 

One of Jesus’ many missions in coming to earth was to bring us peace. He is called the Prince of Peace because that is one of his anointings. Jesus spoke the same kind of message to his disciples as he was preparing them for his departure. He told them, “I go away and I will come to you … I go to the Father” (John 14: 28). He told them that his time was at an end but before he revealed the end he said to them, “Peace I leave with you; My peace I give to you” (John 14: 27). 

You see, Jesus is always, and I do mean always, sending us his peace. This is important to know because there is always peace where Jesus is. If you are entering a business deal and there is not peace, then you can bet Jesus isn’t in it. If you say something and peace flies from you, then you might want to rephrase or apologize. Even in decision making, you can follow peace and if you don’t have peace, wait until you do. There may well be a third option that you aren’t considering.

Also, when you are in difficult times, pursue peace. Let Jesus come in and minister peace to your heart. He is the author and thus the source of peace. If you are in trials or your heart is challenged then he is that peace that you need. Seek him and find peace.

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Perfect Peace

On December 10, 2015   /   Word of the Day   /   Leave a comment

John 14: 27

Peace I leave with you; My peace I give to you; not as the world gives do I give to you.

Jesus left his peace here with us. Jesus was able to walk through this world and remain in peace. He did not let all of the nay-sayers get him down or steal his peace. We don’t see him getting all riled up, except when the people used his father’s house as a farmers’ market. Then he cleaned house. He was called names; people tried to stone him and criticized his ministry. Jesus was able to walk on through it all, though, and maintain his peace and his purpose. When he left the earth He left his peace with us. He said that He doesn’t give as the world does. He gives as only a true love can. He left his own peace, the best of His peace. He didn’t leave anything out. His peace is a supernatural peace rather than a worldly peace. His has the power to soothe and comfort you even when circumstances are against you. Even in your darkest hour, His peace is enough to calm and console you. Don’t fear anything. His peace has been given to you so that you can endure all without fainting.

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