Where Can I Find Peace?

“Peace I leave with you; my peace I give you” (John 14:27).

We live in a world filled with turmoil. There are wars and violence in every nation and homes are rocked by discord and anger. We long for peace. We hold peace talks and peace summits and protest for peace. Still, we have no peace. Why?

Peace comes with surrender. Colossians 3:15 tells us to “Let the peace of Christ rule in your hearts.” The original terminology for “rule” means, “to decide, to be an umpire.” My husband used to umpire for Little League baseball, and it was up to him to decide if a pitch was a ball or strike, a hit was fair or foul, or if a player was out or safe. Whatever he decided stood. Coaches argued his calls at times, but his decision was the final word. When the peace of Christ rules in our hearts, we take His call, through His Word and His Spirit, as the final word on our situation.

Peace comes with trusting God. This one is personal for me right now. Jesus said “Do not worry . . . your Father knows what you need” (Matthew 6:25-34), so we rest our anxious hearts and remind ourselves of His faithfulness. We look to Him for our daily bread, our weekly daycare bill, and our monthly rent. He told us to “Ask, seek, knock,” and then trust Him to give and so we present our petitions and watch for His gracious hand to supply (Matthew 7:7-11).

Finally and most importantly, real, lasting peace comes only when we are at peace with God. Paul said that we are, by our human nature, enemies of God (Romans 5:10), and our evil behavior has alienated us from God (Colossians 1:21). But Romans 5:1 says that we “have peace with God through Jesus Christ.” The peace that changes our hearts and lives comes only through faith in Jesus Christ.

When the peace of God rules and reigns in your heart and mine, there is peace on the inside and peace on the outside that affects our homes, our nations, and our world. Beloved, let’s live in peace.

Pebbles in Your Shoe

Satan would rather put a pebble in your shoe than a mountain in your path.  Why? Ever had a little pebble in your shoe?  Isn’t it amazing how something so small can be such a huge distraction? It is a constant irritation that will stop you in your tracks. Often it’s the minor, seemingly insignificant things that do the most damage. Fishermen in the sea of Galilee watched the skies diligently and hurried to shore at the first sign of a storm. But more boats were damaged by the steady slap-slap-slap of the constant smaller waves that slowly ate away at the boat’s wooden sides. The wise fisherman checked his boat daily for signs of wear that could give way unexpectedly in the middle of the sea.

 I am quick to call down the forces of heaven over those mountains – but pebbles are such small, insignificant things.  “I can’t bother God with that.”  We tend to put our needs into different boxes. “Too big for me,” or “too little for God.”  We call for prayer when Grandma is near death, our child is hurt in an accident, or amid a worldwide pandemic.  But we think that God does not want to be bothered with our petty problems.  Does He even care that your washing machine has died?   Should I even bother Him about the paper I need to write?  Why would God be concerned about a teething baby who has kept you up three nights in a row?  He is too busy for such petty little problems.

My friend, God cares about all your needs.  He wants to be involved in the “everydayness” of your life.  He wants you to come to Him with your frustrations and the demands of your day that wear you down.  1 Peter 5:7 says “Cast all your cares on Him, because He cares for you.” All your cares – not just the big ones.  Didn’t Jesus teach us to pray “Give us this day our daily bread.” (Matthew 6:11)? Daily bread. Daily needs. He is a daily God.

God has not left you to manage this life on your own.  He sees all issues you face.  He cares about the most intimate details of your life.  Take it all to Him Beloved, the big and small.  He is the God that moves mountains that stand in your way.  And pebbles that get in your shoe.

Your Kingdom Come

Yesterday I wrote about the Kingdom of God and today I want to take us back for another perspective, In that devotional we looked at how the Kingdom of God is a present reality and is within us through the indwelling Holy Spirit. Please understand that I am not and will never espouse a humanistic gospel. We are the carriers of the Kingdom which is present in God’s Spirit and as such, we bring the Kingdom to the world in which we live.

But what is “the Kingdom of God?” The best answer comes from the Lord’s Prayer which He taught to His disciples: “Your Kingdom come, Your will be done on earth as it is in heaven” (Matthew 6:10).  This is not just a rote statement in Jesus’ prayer, it is an act of surrender.  Simply put, the Kingdom of God is where God’s will is done.

So then, what is God’s will?  I can tell you for certain it is bigger than your life and mine.  Paul said that God’s will is to bring all things in heaven and on earth together under the sovereign authority of Christ (ref. Ephesians 1:10). The ultimate purpose of all existence is the Lordship of Jesus Christ. All of history has been moving toward this one thing: the coronation of Jesus Christ as the King of kings with “authority, glory and sovereign power, everlasting dominion, and a kingdom that will never be destroyed” (Daniel 7:13-14).

When we pray “Your kingdom come, Your will be done on earth as it is in heaven, we are surrendering our will to the will of God and committing to being part of ushering in the Kingdom of God and Christ.  And when we “seek first the Kingdom of God and His righteousness” (Matthew 6:33), we are seeking His rule and reign in our lives. We are following the example of Jesus who said, “not my will but Yours will be done”

The Kingdom of God is now and not yet. The Kingdom of God is present in God’s people. The Kingdom of God is the will of God, and when we seek first the Kingdom of God, we are seeking to do His will. And when the Kingdom of God comes on earth, “every knee will bow and every tongue confess that Jesus Christ is Lord to the glory of God the Father” (Philippians 2:11). That, Beloved, is what the Kingdom in you is all about.

Lead Us Not into Temptation

James said, “When tempted, no one should say, ‘God is tempting me.’ for God cannot be tempted by evil, nor does He tempt anyone” (1:13).  So why then, did Jesus include in His prayer: “And lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from the evil one.” (Matthew 6:13)? Isn’t James contradicting Jesus? How are we to understand this? Jesus is teaching us to ask for deliverance from temptation.  He is not in any way implying that God would usher us into tempting situations, although He may, as a step of purification, allow Satan to press us with temptation. Peter can attest to that.  

After the Passover meal, just before His arrest, Jesus announces that all of the disciples will abandon Him in His hour of need. Peter declared: “Even if all fall away on account of you, I never will” (Matt. 26:33). What passion! What boldness! What foolishness!  Jesus answered His disciple, “I tell you the truth, this very night, before the rooster crows, you will disown me three times” (v. 34). Luke noted that Jesus told Peter, “Simon, Simon, Satan has asked to sift you as wheat.  But I have prayed for you, Simon, that your faith may not fail. And when you have turned back strengthen your brothers” (Luke 22:31).  Satan wanted access to all of the disciples (the first “you” is plural), but Jesus permitted him to lean only on Simon Peter (the second “you” is singular).  Why? Because He intended for Peter to be a powerhouse in His church, and there were things in him that needed to be sifted out. Things like pride and arrogance and self-sufficiency. By the way, did you catch Jesus’ promise – “I have prayed for you, Simon. And did you also catch His assurance – “when (not if) you have turned back, strengthen your brothers.” It’s as if Jesus was telling Peter, “This will be rough, but I am praying for you, and you will win this battle – you have My word on it.”

Beloved, is temptation and struggle pressing hard against you? Perhaps the Lord is using the enemy to sift out something that could hinder you from becoming a mighty servant in His Kingdom. Gold is purified by fire. If it’s hot where you are right now, trust God in the process. As Job declared, “When He has tested me, I will come forth as gold” (Job 23:10).

Daily Bread

The doorbell stirred me from my studies and I opened the door to find a dear friend from church standing outside with bags in her hands. “I have something for you,” she said and we unloaded bag after bag after bag of groceries from her car. “The Lord told me you needed some food,” she said very simply. I cried as I hugged her over and over. “Yes ma’am, we did – thank you so much!” She quickly made her way back to her car and was gone in minutes as my family stood in shock at the bounty God had provided. There was enough food for two weeks – milk and eggs and bread and sandwich fixings and meat and vegetables and even baby food for my granddaughter. I had told no one that we were down to a half a bag of grits in the pantry – and it was another week before payday. But God knew, and He gave us “our daily bread.” That evening our family sat down together and enjoyed a delicious meal of spaghetti and grace.

The first part of The Lord’s Prayer is praise, worship, and surrender. That’s so important to our relationship with God and our hearts. When I begin my prayers with praise and acknowledge God’s sovereign authority in my life, my attitude and desires shift from self-centered to God-centered. The more I focus on God, the less I focus on me.

But Jesus wanted His disciples and us to know that God is deeply concerned for the needs and cares of His children, so He taught us to pray, “Give us today our daily bread” (Matt. 6:11). That’s exactly what God did for us.

In my fifty-something years of walking with God, we have been in some hard places financially, but we have never gone without a roof over our heads or food on our table. God has always provided for us. Sometimes just in the nick of time, but never too late.I don’t know what your need is today

Beloved, but I know that the God who sent His Son to redeem you and give you eternal life is also the God who loves you and cares for you and about you. He is Jehovah Jireh – “the Lord the Provider” (Gen. 22: 14) and He lives up to His name every day.

The Name of God

“Oh my God!”

I drew a deep breath, put on a big smile, and turned around to face her.

“Oh, you know Him too? Isn’t He wonderful? Aren’t you glad He is your Father!”

The shocked look on her face told me I was right – she didn’t know Him as Father. She glared at me, “What are you talking about?!”

“You were calling out the name of God, so I assumed you knew Him like I know Him – as my Heavenly Father.”

“You’re crazy! It’s just a word!” she muttered as she walked away. 

When Jesus taught His disciples to pray, He opened with reverence and worship: “Our Father in heaven, hallowed be Your name,” (Matthew 6:9). Jesus was teaching them and us that the name of God should always be treated with the holiness that is due Him.  When the Lord gave Moses the Ten commandments He included reverence for His name: “You shall not misuse the name of the Lord your God, for the Lord will not hold anyone guiltless who misuses His name” (Ex. 20:7). The name of God is His essence and identity, it declares Him as great, mighty, powerful, exalted, and deserving of worship. And when it is combined with profanity, misused as an expression of surprise or disgust, or used to deceive and manipulate it is a personal affront to Him. Likewise, the name of Jesus Christ is never to be spoken in any manner that denies His holiness and righteousness.

When I was in school I was teased horribly over both my first and last names: Dorcas Beegle. Every day I was greeted with “Here comes Dorky Dorcas, the beagle dog!” followed by a chorus of barking and howling. It hurt. They were making fun of my name, but their words felt like a personal attack on me. When we misuse the name of God, we think we’re only speaking words, but we are attacking God’s character. When my classmates teased me, I would hide in the bathroom and cry, but God says that He will hold accountable anyone who misuses His name.

And while we’re at it – please do not misuse the word “holy.” It is the word that most defines God. Jesus shed His blood to make unholy people holy. It is not to be combined with profanity, bodily functions, or farm animals. It should also always be used with reverence. So, no more “Holy cows! okay?”

Beloved, how does God’s name and the name of His Son roll off of your tongue?