When You Live At Peace, Joy Will Follow

May the God of hope fill you with all joy and peace in believing.” So you are the one who is filled with peace. You are the one who is filled with joy. Romans 15:13

 

The word ‘Joy’ appears nearly 200 times in the Bible, which helps us understand just how important this second sweet fruit of the Spirit really is. Joy is a condition of the heart, a good feeling that is based on a much wider range of good things than peace is. But they are so interwoven that there could be no true heart experience of Christian joy without the heart experience of Christian peace.  The good feeling of joy that comes into the heart doesn’t just come from the absence of worry or conflict; it comes from other things as well.

The bible has just as much to say about Peace, it appears approximately 300 times with the highest occurrences in the book of Isaiah. One of my favorite scriptures in Isaiah is Isaiah 26:3 “You will keep in perfect peace those whose minds are steadfast, because they trust in You.”  Peace in Galatians 5:22 speaks of knowing that the Lord of the universe is always there and you resting in that. It’s not just knowing, but it is also living it out. Peace is sitting in comfort and knowing that God is by your side no matter what is going on in you or around you.  Peace happens when anxieties are removed, when fear and conflict are not troubling your heart.

Joy and Peace – If we were to explore the difference between these two experiences based on our relationship with Christ, here is how we could view it from a biblical standpoint; The Bible says God gives us joy and peace. It tells us that real joy comes from God and is ours forever. The joy that is found in God’s presence isn’t static; it changes and restores us.

Even with this perspective, it can sometimes be hard to find contentment and joy when we receive so many messages in our day-to-day lives that we’re not smart enough, beautiful enough, or successful enough. If we could just work harder, eat healthier, or be a little less stressed, then maybe – just maybe – we will finally be at peace.

There’s always something that going to be missing in that statement, so back to the bible we go.  Paul gives us more examples of joy and peace in Philippians 4:11-13 where he states that because of Christ, nothing can change the way he feels or the condition of his heart.

11 I am not saying this because I am in need, for I have learned to be content whatever the circumstances. 12 I know what it is to be in need, and I know what it is to have plenty. I have learned the secret of being content in any and every situation, whether well fed or hungry, whether living in plenty or in want. 13 I can do all this through Him who gives me strength.  Philippians 4:11-13 (NIV)

After all the things we’ve gone through in our lifetimes, we should choose peace over happiness, which is the pursuit of desires and ambitions, whereas peace of mind is the ability to let go of those ambitions and desires. The achievement of peace is the ability to simply deal with things the way they are. In fact, this state can put you in position to then experience more happiness.  I also choose joy over happiness because when I choose joy, there is hope, with joy, hardship offers growth and opportunity. With joy, self-esteem and self-respect are everlasting, no one can take them away.

As I am writing this, I start to ponder where you are in your personal life journey, are you truly experiencing the joy and peace that the Lord desires for you, or is it just that temporary happiness, which is based on what is happening around you at the time?

Know that when you choose Christ, you choose peace – He is the Prince of Peace, and the Joy of the Lord is our strength.  Choose wisely.

Shalom – Peace be unto you!

Deborah: The Warrior

“She held court under the Palm of Deborah between Ramah and Bethel in the hill country of Ephraim, and the Israelites went up to her to have their disputes decided.” Deborah was a woman of great wisdom, revelation, and discernment.   Judges 4:5

Deborah, also spelled Debbora, is mentioned in the Old Testament (Judg. 4 and 5).  She was a Prophetess from the Tribe of Ephraim and of Jehovah God. According to the Book of Judges, Deborah was the fourth Judge of Israel pre-monarchical Israel and the only female judge mentioned in the Bible.  Her Hebrew name goes back to the times of the Bible where she was known as “the honey bee”, or a mother in Israel.  Deborah’s spiritual meaning once instilled a sense of pride in the people of Israel when morale was at an all-time low.

Deborah was renowned for her wisdom.  The people knew that if she was consulted for guidance or judgment, that she would meditate on scripture and seek God in prayer before giving her answer.  She was not only well-known for her wisdom, but for the place she chose to give court as well.  Those who sought her could find Deborah under a palm tree between Ramah and Beth-el known as, “Deborah’s Palm.”

Deborah was obedient and didn’t question God’s voice or wonder what others would say or think, she simply had the faith to do what God told her. Whether people followed or not was not her concern. Her only concern was doing what the Lord called her to, and not letting anything get in the way of that. She inspired the Israelites to a mighty victory over their Canaanite oppressors (the people who lived in the Promised Land, later known as Palestine).

For those unfamiliar with Deborah’s story, we can sum it up as follows:

Deborah was chosen by God to serve as the Mother of Israel and lead His people to victory. Deborah’s success was due to her faith in God. She served God by utilizing her values and Spiritual gifts. Due to her faith, God called her, a woman, to lead His people to victory.

God’s people were living in Canaan, which was ruled by a cruel king known as Jabin of Hazor.  His second in command was an equally cruel general known as Sisera. Often, in their desperation, the people would come to Deborah’s Palm to hear her words of encouragement and wisdom.  Deborah, a God-fearing prophetess was told by God how to deliver His people from the grip of Jabin and Sisera.  Deborah then called for Barak, a military commander who would lead the charge against Sisera.  Barak agreed to follow Deborah’s plan, but with one condition, that she went with him into battle.  Deborah agreed, but told Barak because of his fear, the credit for the defeat of Sisera would go to a woman.  Deborah then went into battle with Barak, and their enemy was destroyed.

Some Scholars saw this as Barak being spineless while others saw it as Barak making a smart decision since Deborah was a mediator between God and man. Either way, they were successful in the mission God sent them to accomplish.

When we answer the call of God, we too can be successful in the battles that we face.  Don’t be afraid, if He brought you to it, He will see you through!!  Believe in the one who can do anything but fail.

PRAYER:  Dear Lord, thank you that, unlike man, you do not discriminate between who you choose to use for your service. You God are not a respecter of men, you provide every person with the opportunity to receive the blessings available through your plan for their life. Help us to see this and move forward knowing that you are always with us.  It’s in Jesus’ name we pray, Amen!

Sons and Daughters

Fathers, do not provoke your children to anger [do not exasperate them to the point of resentment with demands that are trivial or unreasonable or humiliating or abusive; nor by showing favoritism or indifference to any of them], but bring them up [tenderly, with lovingkindness] in the discipline and instruction of the Lord. Ephesians 6:4 AMP

Children are a gift from God. We as parents are called to bring them up in the way of the Lord.  One of the things we have taught or should have taught our children is that honor means “lifting someone up and treating them as special and important.” It’s about allowing others to go first, encouraging them, empowering them, and believing the best in them.

Since children have learned about honor from their parents, there is one question that should be asked.

  • How do you honor your children?
    • Do you speak respectfully to them?
    • Do you discipline with harshness and in anger?
    • Do you belittle them in front of others?

Ok, that was more than one question but you get my drift. One of the greatest things we can do to teach our children how to honor us is to honor them.  We also teach them that honor doesn’t end when they grow up and move out of the house. You, we, all of us, are called to honor others throughout our lives. Of course, there are always circumstances where we are not able to obey this. People leave this earth, they are abusive, they abandon us, etc., but where possible we are called to honor them.

PRAYER:  Dear Lord, please teach us how to first honor you and respect others at all times.  Do not allow us to disrespect your servants. Enable us to treat them well and respect them so that we may receive the blessings that you have in store for those who keep your commandments. Remind us that when we honor others, we too receive the honor. For it’s in the name of Jesus Christ we pray. ~~ Amen.

 

Benefits of Freedom

  Now the Lord is the Spirit, and where the Spirit of the Lord is, there is freedom.

II Corinthians 3:17

What Does It Mean to Be Free? Freedom looks different for everyone, it may come down to your own beliefs in life, or your focus to achieve those beliefs.   Some believe their freedom means:
  • Being themselves – continuing to challenge themself, growing as a person, loving the person that they are becoming, and following their beliefs.
 
  • Being able to wake up every morning and loving the body that they are in
 
  • Helping others to live their best life, by first helping them to accept their struggles.
  In Galatians 5:13-26, Paul talked about true freedom. It’s not about living any way you want to but living within Christ’s laws and enjoying the benefits of doing so. When we repent of our sin and receive Jesus as our Savior, the benefits that come along with that is:  
  • We are given eternal life
 
  • We have fellowship with God
 
  • We are set free to live according to the Spirit and not the flesh.
  To wrap it all up, Freedom isn’t just doing whatever you want, it is doing what you were made to do! Freedom in Christ, which is a great benefit, does not free us from rules.  No matter how large or small, we are called to obey the laws of the land and those of Christ. We shouldn’t call it legalism; we should call it obedience!   Let the redeemed of the Lord say so!   PRAYER:  Dear Lord, I accept the truth through grace that our freedom cannot be earned but comes through You.  No matter what others think about freedom, I understand that true freedom happens when we believe we are who you say we are, rejecting the lie that the enemy has spoken to us and over us.  I’m thankful for freedom, and the benefits that come along with it. I claim that freedom in the name of Jesus!  Amen!

Freedom! What is it?

 Stand fast therefore in the liberty wherewith Christ hath made us free, and be not entangled again with the yoke of bondage. Galatians 5:1

 

“For to be free is not merely to cast off one’s chains, but to live in a way that respects and enhances the freedom of others” Nelson Mandela

WHAT IS FREEDOM?

 

“Freedom” means many things to many people; perhaps it’s having the opportunity to vote for ideas or for people who best represent your views. It could refer to the concept of freedom of speech: the ability to freely voice personal opinions or perspectives. Others may understand freedom in regard to finances, where people seek to free themselves of financial debt, outstanding credit, and burdensome loans.

Freedom, is something we dream about, celebrate, advocate, and hope for, but what do we really mean by “freedom”?  Is it the ability to do exactly what you want to do without repercussions?  So many questions, and even more answers, depending on who you ask and on what day of the week it is.

President Franklin Delano Roosevelt in his State of the Union Address delivered on January 6, 1941, wrote:

“We look forward to a world founded upon four essential human freedoms.

  1. freedom of speech and expression 
  2. freedom of every person to worship God in his own way 
  3. freedom from want 
  4. freedom from fear 

As you can see, Freedom is a powerful, and often intimidating word. It is the privilege of liberty and independence. But what do you do with Freedom?  How you choose to exercise and respect it — is what really matters.

 

PRAYER:   Lord, I pray that You would guide us and keep our minds free from the corruption of this world. Continue to give us the peace that surpasses all understanding, a peace, which sets us free from the worries and anxieties of the times we live in. And as the temporary freedoms fade away, may our confidence rest in You and You alone. In Jesus’ name – Amen.

Read The Manual

How many of us actually read manuals? We buy products, appliances, and even modes of transportation and fail to read the manuals that accompany them. At least I do. Then when something goes wrong I struggle trying to figure it out.

Our two-year-old refrigerator has been acting up. Just past the warranty of course. The ice maker stopped making ice. Living in the middle of the desert no ice is a problem. I tried to figure out the problem for days then discovered that it had frozen up. I only had two options right? Unplug it and let it defrost, ruining all the other items in the refrigerator, or I could squirt hot water in there and try to defrost it that way. Which did I choose? Squirting hot water, EVERYWHERE.

It worked, or so I thought, we had ice for about a week and then the same thing happened. We gave up, no ice for us. It was cold out anyway so who needed it. Well, it warmed up and we found ourselves in need of a cold glass of ice water. Back to squirting hot water. Then it dawned on me. There must be something on YouTube, my electronic all-purpose manual, that could help. Sure enough, I found it.

Step-by-step instructions on how to defrost a modern-day ice maker. Hold two buttons on the front panel door for 8 seconds. Select mode for defrosting ice maker and within 5 minutes we had ice.

Isn’t that our walk with God sometimes. We find ourselves in difficult situations that seem impossible to figure out. We try fixing them on our own only to have a complete mess on our hands. When we become completely frustrated we turn to God for help. Only to discover the solution was as simple as holding down two buttons for 8 seconds.  The word of God is the manual to help us walk out our journey with God. The solution that we need to fix whatever we face is in there.

But they delight in the law of the Lord, meditating on it day and night. Psalm 1:2 NLT

Don’t wait until things are broken to open the Bible. There are so many blessings that we have yet to discover. So much wisdom to guide us but we will never know unless we open up the front panel door.

The Light Shines in the Darkness

We may have all experienced one or two dreadful thunderstorms during our lifetime. This can cause power to go out leaving us in total darkness.  It is then that we find ourselves at the mercy of not just the thunderstorms, but the darkness which also creates the potential of us hurting ourselves.

Terrible and all kinds of hurtful things occur when the power is out, such as stepping on those lego pieces not put away, stubbing a toe, hitting ourselves against the drawer that was left open when we grabbed the flashlight, or stepping on our dog or cat; the list goes on and on as to how much harm we may be subjected to when the power is out. Have you ever experienced this? Total darkness, soul darkness.

The path of the righteous is like the morning sun, shinning ever brighter till the full light of day.  But the way of the wicked is like deep darkness, they do not know what makes them stumble. Proverbs 4:18-19 (NIV)

Imagine how relieved we feel when the power comes back on. Now we see clearly, that which we couldn’t see in the darkness.

The light shines in the darkness, and the darkness has not overcome it.  John 1:5 (NIV)

Just as the thunderstorm that caused the power to go out and create all kind of chaos, Satan works the same way.  Trying to blind our mind, spirit, and soul with all that is evil. We begin to doubt, hurt others, be unforgiving to others and ourselves; the list goes on.  All these things take place when we don’t activate the light in our lives, that is Jesus.

The god of this age has blinded the minds of unbelievers, so that they cannot see the light of the gospel that displays the glory of Christ, who is the image of God. 2 Corinthians 4:4 (NIV)

If we are so relieved when the power comes back on, how much more joy should we feel and experience when we invite Jesus to be the light in our lives. For it is then that we can plainly see who satan really is, “the big deceiver”.

For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life. John 3:16 (NIV)

When Jesus spoke again to the people, he said, “I am the light of the world.  Whoever follows me will never walk in darkness, but will have the light of life. John 8:12 (NIV)

Directionally Challenged

In life we do things or make decisions hastily. When we don’t take the time to review or research the decision we are going to make, it does not always turn out in our favor.  We used to tell our kid, when they wanted to buy something, to wait and save for one month.  At the end of this time, if you still want it, then buy it.  This worked very well.  Nine out of ten times they no longer wanted it.

It’s the impulse choices that normally gets us in trouble.  When you refresh your thoughts, clear out your mind, clarity will begin to set in.  This is what we need to do with the Lord. Go in with clarity of mind and ask for what we need.  We need to remember about the wait time, just as the kids did. Making spur of the moment decisions, choices on our own, with no spiritual guidance can be detrimental to our well being.  Have patience, refresh, reset, pray and wait.

Isaiah 40:31
But those who hope in the LORD will renew their strength.  They will soar on wings like eagles; they will run and not grow weary, they will walk and not be faint.

Psalm 27:14
Wait for the LORD; be strong and take heart and wait for the LORD.