John 16:33 33

“I have told you these things, so that in me you may have peace. In this world you will have trouble. But take heart! I have overcome the world.”

When I read the above scripture/verse it always moves me into further submission of His love and promises.  His Word is true and powerful and was put together and put into place for our good.

When we see the gross perversion and horrific events surrounding us today, we should immediately pull up this verse, and so many others, that pertain to Christ and His peace.  He is victorious, and He defeated death, and resurrected for us!  His peace should embody us every step of the way for each and every day of our life here on earth.  And it will continue for eternity when we are called home.

So…believe in Him and His Word and embrace His promises, and know that the true symbol of peace is the Cross!  He went willingly to the cross for us…and we are washed clean because of His blood!  Amen!

When anxiety comes calling, pull out the promises of Christ and His Word…and feel the peace.

When things happen that seem to push you into the darkness…pull out the promises of Christ…and let His light shine in…and feel the peace.

When troubles come into your path…pull out the promises of Christ and His Word…and feel His love…and feel the peace.

When you are meditating and joyful and praising Him…pull out the promises of Christ and His Word…and feel His love…and feel His peace…and surrender to Him and Him alone.

“Father, thank You for Your Son and His blood, and for Your all powerful Word, may we always be bound to You and Your commandments, may we be lead by Your light, and may we never forget the true symbol of peace, the cross, and His peace, in Jesus name, Amen.” 

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Jude 1:2 2

Mercy, peace and love be yours in abundance.

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John 16:33 33

“I have told you these things, so that in me you may have peace. In this world you will have trouble. But take heart! I have overcome the world.”

***

John 14:27 27

Peace I leave with you; my peace I give you. I do not give to you as the world gives. Do not let your hearts be troubled and do not be afraid.

Psalm 16:8  (NLT)

I know the Lord is always with me.
I will not be shaken, for he is right beside me.

Life as we know it, can be very different from one individual to another. There may be those who have “no home” and  living on the streets, not knowing where their next meal is coming from, or if at all… yet they may have the LORD, and love in their hearts.

There may be some living in the lap of luxury, with no materialistic wants, but may be lacking in “love.”

And still, there may be some who are somewhere in between, living life in the middle of the road so to speak.

What’s the connection with individuals  so different?

We are all His creation, and His children.

And, by being His children we have full uninhibited access to His love, His Word, and His promises, should we want it.  

As I move through my day, there are routines that can be comforting, yet any kind of disruption in that routine may be unsettling.  It’s during those times of disruption I never stop listening for His Word, His voice, and His will for my life.

It’s important that we never stop believing that nothing is impossible with God.  And, it’s crucial we remember that no matter what, He is with us always, and is living in us. Hallelujah!

There are days I can barely concentrate due to chronic health issues that plague me,  but…that’s when I need to really concentrate, and reach out to Him all the more, knowing I’ll get through it, because He’s there for me.

However, please know, He’s there for all of us.  

I run to Him during rough days knowing He’s willing to hold me up with His right hand of righteousness, and that He loves me, that is what keeps me going.

Conversely,  I run to Him in good times, because no matter what, He gets all my love, He gets all the glory, and He reigns victorious, forever!

He is the Alpha and Omega!  My LORD and King!

He is all that I need today, tomorrow, forever.

When we know that He’s with us always, and feel it, and love Him, our life truly becomes just that—LIFE.  

“Father, thank You for being with me always and thank You for Your promises and love, may I never ever stray from You or Your love, in Jesus name, Amen.”

No matter what we are doing, or when we are doing it, we should bear in mind, heart and soul that we are “serving the Lord.”

Sometimes if I’m having “one of those days” and there is one avalanche after another, and I can hardly catch my breath, I must stop in my tracks and think, “everything that is happening right now, no matter what, I am doing it unto Christ.”   To which I take a deep breath and ask for His light to shine, and sing a silent praise to Him, the One most high, and worthy, and loving, my LORD, my Master, and Savior, Jesus Christ.  In just minutes or within a little time frame, I am strengthened by His love, and His Spirit, and His divine presence.

When we have the heart and mind-set to know that we are here to “serve” Him in all that we do…life becomes a life worth living, and one in which we can thrive.  But, not through our will, but His.  And, not through our strength, but His strength.  And, not through our will, but His.

Walking in His will, and meditating on His Word, and living according to His purpose for our lives, we receive the rewards here on earth, but…most important, when we are called home.

In the meantime, right here and now…serve Him in all you do, your life will be different and meaningful here, and we will receive that “crown” when we join Him at His table in the Eternity.

He promises all of His children a seat at His table.

Until such time…”listen to His voice, and follow Him, as you do all things unto Him, in a servitude capacity of  undeniable surrender and love.”

“Father, thank You for Your love, we love You and praise You for Your precious Word, as a warning, and a source of encouragement, may Your Words penetrate all those who hear it, and may they trust You as their Savior and Lord of lords and King of kings, in Jesus name, Amen.”

Psalm 103:19 19

The LORD hath prepared his throne in the heavens; and his kingdom ruleth over all.

Have you ever had a decision to make in which you’ve gone through it without regard to repercussions?

Or did you ever make a decision without thought and just went through the motions?

Still, did you ever have to do something or take care of a situation spontaneously?

Well, to the first question, it’s more than likely almost everyone has done this at one time or another.

The second question, probably a good amount of individuals have done this as well.

And the third scenario, we’ve all been there, done that!

The most important lesson to be learned is, “how did it all work out?”  And, could it have been a much different outcome had we gone to the LORD and asked for His will to be done?

In my own circumstances, I’ll emphatically shout, “YES!”  Circumstances and outcomes are overwhelmingly different when I go to the LORD in prayer and ask for His will and divine blessings in all that I undertake according to His purpose and plans for my life.

How can we do this? 

• By seeking Him daily.
• By thanking Him daily.
• By giving Him the glory daily.
• By surrendering ourselves to Him daily.
• By seeking His Kingdom daily.
• By trusting Him daily.
• And, finally…by loving Him fully, completely and always. Amen.

Remember this…God wants us to be happy and prosperous in all that we do.   He knows how to accomplish that outcome, if we merely seek Him and involve Him in all aspects of our life.

He is in control, and yes, He allows us free will and choice, and sometimes by messing up, its a way to become “closer” to Him.

So, He may allow things to happen in order to accomplish the goal of us “growing in Him” and “engrafting ourselves” deeper and deeper in His roots of love.

Trusting Him, no matter what, even when the circumstances seem highly unlikely…go with it, when it is His will. You’ll have the power of God, and the presence of God with you, and inasmuch, you’re always better armed and better equipped.

Take Gideon for example, like what he did in the passages of Judges 4-9. 

He was worried about the army that was against him. He had very few men in comparison to the huge outnumbered army against him.  So, He asked the Lord for help.  And, what happened? When he trusted and believed and surrendered to the LORD, He delivered them into Gideon’s hands and he had victory!  Victory in the LORD!

There are so many examples in the Bible telling us to trust Him, and believe in Him, and when we do…all things work out to our advantage. Because through Christ, we are victorious!

What is the message here?

• Don’t underestimate what God can do through you and in you.
• God is always with you, in whatever He calls you to do. He will never forsake you.
• He’s ready to give you assurance when you doubt Him.
• His ways are at times challenging, and surprising, but always has the best outcome for us all.

What decisions will you be making today? And, before you do, have you asked God for His help and His will in your life?  If not, I invite you to do so…and then wait for His response, it will be the best thing you can do for yourself, and it will bring joy to His heart, and blessings in your life.

“Father, I seek Your face in all I do, today, tomorrow always, in Jesus name, Amen.”

Judges 7:4-9 4

But the LORD said to Gideon, “There are still too many men. Take them down to the water, and I will thin them out for you there. If I say, ‘This one shall go with you,’ he shall go; but if I say, ‘This one shall not go with you,’ he shall not go.”

So Gideon took the men down to the water. There the LORD told him, “Separate those who lap the water with their tongues as a dog laps from those who kneel down to drink.”

Three hundred of them drank from cupped hands, lapping like dogs. All the rest got down on their knees to drink.

The LORD said to Gideon, “With the three hundred men that lapped I will save you and give the Midianites into your hands. Let all the others go home.”

So Gideon sent the rest of the Israelites home but kept the three hundred, who took over the provisions and trumpets of the others. Now the camp of Midian lay below him in the valley.

During that night the LORD said to Gideon, “Get up, go down against the camp, because I am going to give it into your hands.

Dear God: I Choose You~  

Daniel understood God’s law prohibited eating foods that were being offered to idols. He was in Babylon in full captivity—a place that worshiped false gods—when he soon faced a difficult decision. King Nebuchadnezzar demanded that only the finest foods be sent for Daniel’s consumption, but only after being presented to idols.

The question became for Daniel “was it better to merely obey the king—or, disobey God to please the king? The underlying issues were about allegiance to God. He could have reasoned that breaking the divine command was because he had no choice, that he was just a servant. That would have been an easy justification for disobedience. However, Daniel was filled with a driven desire to do what was right in the eyes of God—and so as a result, he resolved not to eat the royal food, and sought instead, for a way that would honor the Lord by keeping God’s laws.

Prayer and a reverent mind and heart helped Daniel, and through God, he was strengthened, and able to pursue the righteous path instead of the thorny road.

It’s vital to realize that obeying God is clearly the right choice. No matter what the world is doing, or what your friends think is “cool” – outside of God’s will and laws, it’s like walking the tightrope without the protective net below. However, with God—should we fall, or slip…He is always there to catch us.

Prayers and daily dedication/worship is the preponderance of servitude in His eyes. To become like Daniel, it’s crucial to facilitate a wholehearted commitment to follow the Lord and consistently apply Scripture to circumstances and decisions. Then, when a challenge comes, we’ll have the courage and wisdom to obey God’s commands.

Which path will you choose?

“Father, my Lord, thank You for loving Your children, and protecting us under the auspices of Your Sovereign Power and love, I choose You and only You, I serve You and only You, and I love You more than I can say, in Jesus name, Amen.”

25 Then king Darius wrote unto all people, nations, and languages, that dwell in all the earth; Peace be multiplied unto you.

26 I make a decree, That in every dominion of my kingdom men tremble and fear before the God of Daniel: for he is the living God, and stedfast for ever, and his kingdom that which shall not be destroyed, and his dominion shall be even unto the end.

27 He delivereth and rescueth, and he worketh signs and wonders in heaven and in earth, who hath delivered Daniel from the power of the lions.

28 So this Daniel prospered in the reign of Darius, and in the reign of Cyrus the Persian.

Daniel 6:26-28 (KJV)

Personally, I don’t think I’ve ever met anyone who likes to “wait.”  People invariably become impatient while waiting at the Doctor’s office, at the Dentist’s office, waiting in line at the Supermarket, or the Bank.  Even in a restaurant, we get antsy waiting for our food, or for the server to approach our table, at times I’ve witnessed people slamming down their menus and walking out as they grew weary of waiting!

So, if that sounds like you, you’re not alone. It’s part of being human, no one can truly say, (at least I never heard it!) “hey, I enjoy waiting…it’s in my DNA to wait, I love it!)  If you do enjoy waiting, then you are a rare one indeed.

But, what about waiting on God?  That is an entirely different scenario. However, people can grow impatient with waiting for their prayers to be answered, wondering if God hears them, or waiting for a sign or a deliverance from a situation. Hang on…and just do as God commands, “Be still, and know that I am God… Psalm 46:10”

When we wait patiently and with an open heart filled with joy of loving Him, the wait can become easier. God has a plan for us, all of us, and its according to His timing not ours. His plans are best for us, even if we think “we know it all” I assure you, we DO NOT!  We cannot be wise in our own eyes, for it is by His grace, and His wisdom and His divine protection that we catapult into a tranquil and loving “womb” of tolerance and decisions.

(Be not wise in your own eyes, revere the LORD and keep from evil, it shall be health to you navel and marrow for your bones…Proverbs 4:8 KJV)

Instead trust Him, lean on Him for all things, and all decisions, and know that He will guide your path.

(Trust the LORD with all your heart and lean not on your own understanding, in all your ways, acknowledge Him and He shall direct your paths. Proverbs 4:5-7 KJV)

When we wait on Him, trust Him, love Him,  exalt Him and surrender to Him, humble ourselves to Him, He will lift us, protect us, and bring prayers to fruition, should it be HIS WILL.

Keep that in mind, His will, again…not ours.

(And therefore will the LORD wait, that he may be gracious unto you, and therefore will he be exalted, that he may have mercy upon you: for the LORD is a God of judgment: blessed are all they that wait for him. Isaiah 30:18  KJV)

“Father, thank You for Your promises, Your unwavering and unconditional love, grace, and protection, may I always be close to Your heart, and may I always have You in my heart, in all that I do, may I seek You, and Your will, and wait for You, and give You all the glory, now and always, in Jesus name, Amen.”