Overcoming Peace

On December 11, 2015   /   Word of the Day   /   Leave a comment

John 16: 33

These things I have spoken to you, that in Me you may have peace. In the world you have tribulation, but take courage; I have overcome the world.

Jesus says to us, in this passage, that we can have peace “in” Him. He has already overcome the world and all of its tribulation and trouble. Being “in Him” means we do not have to participate in that tribulation. Yes, there are always bumps in the road but because He has already overcome, we can keep our peace. We do not have to get all upset and worried. Really we should not. He came so that we might have life in abundance (John 10:10). As we roll all of our care onto him; putting our full trust in Him and in His victory, then we do not have to suffer the emotional turmoil that the world is tortured with. Jesus is with us every day and we are everyday learning to draw closer and closer to Him and into His peace. He is, after all, the Prince of 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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Peace and Unity

On December 9, 2015   /   Word of the Day   /   Leave a comment

Psalm 133: 1

Behold, how good and how pleasant it is for brothers to dwell together in unity!

We have opportunities everyday to get offended and/or get in strife. God is looking for people who can hang on to their peace even when things challenge them. This is no easy task in today’s world. Just driving to the grocery store and back can be enough to steal every bit of peace you have; not to mention the time you spend in the store waiting in line, etc. There is no shortage of chances to let your emotions get wrought up. What can we do to stay in peace in the midst of the daily turmoil? We have to rise above it. We ask the Holy Spirit to help us be at peace and maintain our peace. We are not going to change every driver out there so we must get Jesus to help us. Not all of our co-workers, family members or even church members are going to walk in a manner that makes it easy for us to stay out of strife. None the less, Jesus said that he gave us his peace (John 14: 27). We must refuse to let the devil hop up and down on our buttons and cause us to get stirred up. Only by yielding to Jesus and allowing the Holy Spirit to do a work in us are we going to be able to walk in this world but not be of it. Jesus has within himself the power to overcome these obstacles to our love walk. He told us that he has overcome the world so by and through him we are overcomers too. Hold on to your peace. Follow peace. Don’t let others get you into strife and dissention. Let us exemplify Christ in our unity and communion with others.

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Time to Pray

On December 8, 2015   /   Word of the Day   /   Leave a comment

Psalm 32: 6

Therefore, let everyone who is godly pray to Thee in a time when Thou mayest be found; surely in a flood of great waters they shall not reach him.

When should you pray in response to a calamity? Today! When you are in a crisis is no time to begin praying. It is the daily prayer, the continual prayer that helps you to be able to stand in the time of great pressure. When the challenge comes, your deep, abiding trust in the Lord arises because you have been daily praying to him.  

You can hear him a lot better when you are quiet too. You need the calm, quiet time to build yourself up and to hear from Father. In a crisis is no time to try to start that. When you have laid in layer after layer of prayer in your heart and thereby drawn closer to the Lord and more secure in your relationship with him, all that prayer comes to your defense when you need it. Pray now, when you are not over-stressed so that in the time of great need your defenses are fully arrayed. Your armor will already be on you and the weapon of our warfare, the Word, will be in your heart at the ready.

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Inquire of the Lord

On December 7, 2015   /   Word of the Day   /   Leave a comment

1 Kings 22: 5

Moreover, Jehoshaphat said to the king of Israel, “Please inquire first for the word of the Lord.”

The king of Israel, Ahab, had asked the king of Judah, Jehoshaphat, to go up with him against another army to take some land that he thought belonged in the kingdom of Israel. Jehoshaphat answered that they were as brothers, that his people were Ahab’s people and his horses were Ahab’s horses. He was practically committed to helping Israel just by their closeness, but still, he required Ahab to pray about this war before he went up against the army.

We could all stand to take a page out of Jehoshaphat’s book. We should pray about everything before we give our answer. Before we undertake anything, even our drive to work, we ought to say a prayer. Every time even a small decision is required, stop and ask the Lord what he advises. He cares about everything in your life; even the things that you think are small and insignificant. He has great insight and can save you a lot of time and effort. Remember Jehoshaphat and when you have a decision to make call on God for direction and assistance.

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Preach It!

On December 4, 2015   /   Word of the Day   /   Leave a comment

Acts 18: 9 – 10

And the Lord said to Paul in the night by a vision, “Do not be afraid any longer, but go on speaking and do not be silent; for I am with you, and no man will attack you in order to harm you, for I have many people in this city.”

Whatever God gives you to say, speak with confidence and in the power of the Holy Spirit. Jesus said that he has many people in the city. He is telling us that he has people who are praying for the word to be preached, for the word to be taught. He has praying people whose prayers are supporting you and pulling on your anointing.

I heard a story told by a bible teacher of a man that had been involved in the occult. He was a witch doctor and his father was a witch doctor. The man is now a Christian but was telling how his father trained him in the things of the occult. The father pointed out one little village and said, “We will not be putting any curses on that little village.” When the son asked why, the father responded, “Because a Christian lives there.” Because one Christian lived in that village, the whole village was protected from the curse.

Brother, when someone goes to attack you because you are spreading the gospel, they are in for some trouble. Go forward in faith and courage for the God of all creation is on your side and he has assigned praying people to guard your back. Obey the Lord in everything he has given you to do and do not fear.

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Love Is …

On December 3, 2015   /   Word of the Day   /   Leave a comment

1 Corinthians 13: 4 – 8

Love is patient, love is kind, and is not jealous; love does not brag and is not arrogant, does not act unbecomingly; it does not seek its own, is not provoked, does not take into account a wrong suffered, does not rejoice in unrighteousness, but rejoices with the truth; bears all things, believes all things hopes all things, endures all things. Love never fails.

If you are old enough you may remember posters and figurines which attempted to reveal the nature and appearance of love. Love is … a puppy on a summer day, or something like that. Well, I have travelled many miles since those days and I now know what love is and it is a lot more simple than we ever knew. In fact, God did the original Love is … poster two thousand years ago. Love is patient, kind, etc.

I started to title this Word of the Day “Marriage Advice” because this is the most clear exposition on love I have ever heard. You could attend a week long marriage seminar and not get as much as this simple yet rich verse reveals. So this is what I would say to a couple seeking pre-marital counseling, if the person you are planning on marrying does not display these characteristics, these behaviors towards you, then don’t marry him/her.

If someone does not exhibit patience, kindness, and the rest then it is not love. Love is …. They may need you, they may have a dysfunctional attachment to you but love is known by the attributes above. Now, we may not always like this truth but truth is truth and you go ahead and marry that person but you will be back for couples counseling later and probably still end up in divorce.

We are not requiring a person to be perfect but love has some characteristics, it leaves evidence. For example, love is not jealous. If your soon to be spouse is jealous then understand that he/she isn’t demonstrating love through that expression. They are expressing ownership. They believe they have the right to own all your time, your thoughts and decisions. And, importantly, he or she does not trust you. Now, what would you say to a friend whose boyfriend or girlfriend tried to control them through jealousy? I am sure you would warn them. Well, take your own advice. Anyone who treats us other than as the verse above enumerates is acting out of some motivation other than love.

You deserve love. Christ brought love. God is love. Live in love.

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