"I am persuaded and convinced today without any uncertainty that you are secure in the love of Jesus. If you have repented and confessed your sins – you have been born again – adopted into the family of God. If you are walking in obedience to the gentle guidance of the Holy Spirit serving Him as Lord of your heart and life, then you are His child and NOTHING NOTHING NOTHING can separate you from His love! You can rest in His love. You can relax in His love. You can let go and float in His love! You can completely let go of all your fear and worry and concern. His love is wrapped tightly around you! His grace will keep you! His strength will sustain you. He will KEEP you in His love! And in that place of trust and faith, you can remain and know that not only will you not be separated from His love, but you will win a resounding victory through that love – you will be more than a conqueror!"
Showing posts with label rest. Show all posts
Showing posts with label rest. Show all posts
Wednesday, October 17, 2018
Nothing Can Separate Us
"I am persuaded and convinced today without any uncertainty that you are secure in the love of Jesus. If you have repented and confessed your sins – you have been born again – adopted into the family of God. If you are walking in obedience to the gentle guidance of the Holy Spirit serving Him as Lord of your heart and life, then you are His child and NOTHING NOTHING NOTHING can separate you from His love! You can rest in His love. You can relax in His love. You can let go and float in His love! You can completely let go of all your fear and worry and concern. His love is wrapped tightly around you! His grace will keep you! His strength will sustain you. He will KEEP you in His love! And in that place of trust and faith, you can remain and know that not only will you not be separated from His love, but you will win a resounding victory through that love – you will be more than a conqueror!"
Sunday, September 30, 2018
A Meditation on Psalm 27
Sermons are often appropriate for the spiritual moments of our lives. God enlightens our minds to understand a passage of Scripture: teaching us, convicting us, calling us, changing us. Sermons take many forms and follow many structures. But sometimes, we need the strength that comes from simply focusing on and meditating upon the words of the Word. For today, I felt my heart drawn to Psalm 27. It is a passage of only 14 verses. We will read it together responsively in the King James version and then I will step through it in the Christian Standard Bible (CSB) as we meditate upon it.
1. The LORD is my light and my salvation; whom shall I fear? the LORD is the strength of my life; of whom shall I be afraid?
2 When the wicked, even mine enemies and my foes, came upon me to eat up my flesh, they stumbled and fell.
3 Though an host should encamp against me, my heart shall not fear: though war should rise against me, in this will I be confident.
4 One thing have I desired of the LORD, that will I seek after; that I may dwell in the house of the LORD all the days of my life, to behold the beauty of the LORD, and to enquire in his temple.
5 For in the time of trouble he shall hide me in his pavilion: in the secret of his tabernacle shall he hide me; he shall set me up upon a rock.
6 And now shall mine head be lifted up above mine enemies round about me: therefore will I offer in his tabernacle sacrifices of joy; I will sing, yea, I will sing praises unto the LORD.
7 ¶ Hear, O LORD, when I cry with my voice: have mercy also upon me, and answer me.
8 When thou saidst, Seek ye my face; my heart said unto thee, Thy face, LORD, will I seek.
9 Hide not thy face far from me; put not thy servant away in anger: thou hast been my help; leave me not, neither forsake me, O God of my salvation.
10 When my father and my mother forsake me, then the LORD will take me up.
11 Teach me thy way, O LORD, and lead me in a plain path, because of mine enemies.
12 Deliver me not over unto the will of mine enemies: for false witnesses are risen up against me, and such as breathe out cruelty.
13 I had fainted, unless I had believed to see the goodness of the LORD in the land of the living.
14 Wait on the LORD: be of good courage, and he shall strengthen thine heart: wait, I say, on the LORD. (KJV)
Adam Clark outlined it this way:
That is as good an outline of the passage as any I’ve seen. If you want to snap a picture of that, feel free to do so. So let’s ponder this for a little bit this morning. And as I walk through this I encourage you to relax your mind and let it think on these good things.
1 The Lord is my light and my salvation— whom should I fear? The Lord is the stronghold of my life – whom should I dread?
2 When evildoers came against me to devour my flesh, my foes and my enemies stumbled and fell.
3 Though an army deploys against me, my heart will not be afraid; though a war breaks out against me, I will still be confident.
David was a warrior: one of the most valiant & successful warriors in the history of Israel. This Psalm is full of military terminology and perspective. Some scholars suppose that this Psalm was written by him after the events of 2 Samuel 21:15-22 where David was almost killed by the Philistine giant Ishbibenob. One of his men, Abishai, came to David’s aid and killed the giant before he could use his new sword with deadly effect. After this close call, David’s men said to him, “Thou shalt go no more out with us to battle, that thou quench not the light of Israel.” In other words, “David, you are our hope and inspiration. You are to be king. We cannot risk you being in such mortal danger again.” Some suppose that David then penned these words as part of his response or reaction to that sentiment. “The Lord is my light and my salvation. The Lord is the strength of my life, whom should I dread?” Whether or not this is the background of this Psalm, there is no way for us to know. But I pose the exclamatory questions to you today: “The Lord is my light and my salvation – whom should I fear? The Lord is the stronghold of my life – whom should I dread?”
Can you say emphatically in faith with the Psalmist that you are not afraid of evildoers? Can you state with confidence that your enemies will not prevail? Can you express assuredly that you are not afraid of even the armies arrayed against you – because you are not trusting in yourself but in the Lord? Too often we say with our mouths that we are trusting in the Lord, but we don’t really mean it. We mean that we are trusting in our own strength most of the time and today we feel good about it. Unfortunately, that is not the same thing. David is not saying “Today I feel like worshipping God so I am expressing my faith and praise. No. He is saying that in the toughest of times – in the fiercest battles when I should fear all is lost, I don’t fear. For I am not trusting in my own strength; I am trusting in the strength of the self-existent eternal Jehovah God! I am not resting behind hastily constructed defensive positions of shallow sand, sticks, and rock. I am taking refuge in the mighty stronghold of God.
When soldiers take up a defensive position from enemy fire, they are limited to whatever cover they can find in the immediate environment: whether it is a shallow ditch, a wall, a building, a tree, they will hug the ground and hunker down behind whatever they can. If they have a few moments of time they will scoop out a shallow hollow to help them get lower and hopefully out of the reach of enemy fire. This is what it is like if we trust in our own strength…it may get us through for a little bit, but it can’t last as a defensive position. For true defensive positions, walls are erected, barbed wire is strung, guard posts are elevated, gates are placed, barriers are spaced about, bunkers are dug, weapons are positioned at key locations with intersecting fields of fire, and a watch is set. It becomes a heavily fortified place of defense, refuge, and safety. This is the comparison David was making. “The eternal God is my light in the darkness and my salvation. He is not my foxhole – He is my stronghold: whom should I dread? Whatever comes – no matter how fierce the battle or how strong the enemy, I need not be afraid for I am safe in the hand of the Lord.”
4 I have asked one thing from the Lord; it is what I desire: to dwell in the house of the Lord
all the days of my life, gazing on the beauty of the Lord and seeking him in his temple.
5 For he will conceal me in his shelter in the day of adversity; he will hide me under the cover of his tent; he will set me high on a rock.
6 Then my head will be high above my enemies around me; I will offer sacrifices in his tent with shouts of joy. I will sing and make music to the Lord.
This section the passage is interesting to me. At first it seems David is now turning his thoughts away from battle and war and difficulty and instead focusing on worship and praise. But we quickly discover that is not the case. As he begins to talk of the beauty of the Lord, we discover that He is not contemplating an absence of adversity or imagining a life without enemies. Rather, he is expressing his reliance on God in spite of them. His is not an expectation of peace without struggle but rather a rest amid the battle that comes from utter trust in God. He wants to remain God’s presence continually, fixing his heart upon Him. He wants to gaze upon the beauty of the Lord and rejoice in His glory. He wants to anchor every moment of living – even the battles – in eternity.
When the enemies surround, when trouble comes, when hardship besets him, he takes refuge in the tabernacle of God. God is his camouflage, his shelter, and his protection. He also continues his military terminology: “He will set me high on a rock” & “my head will be above my enemies around me.” For thousands of years, holding the high ground has been recognized as an important military tactic. The ancient strategist Sun Tzu advised military leaders to take the high ground and force enemies to attack from the lower position. Not only does it provide a superior position to observe and fire upon the enemy, it also forces large heavy armor whether elephants or tanks to stop because they cannot climb in steep terrain. It also forces cavalry to dismount and attack on foot whether in chariots or Strykers. What he is saying, is that “I will hold the high ground.” Strategically I will have the advantage over my enemies when I trust in the Lord.
Whether it be physical enemies, emotional enemies, or spiritual enemies, as believers, we must go to the high ground of faith, trust, and worship. When the battle is fiercest, then is when you need to run to the shelter of His arms. You see, when we are in the midst of the battle with its chaos and fear and destruction, Satan wants to separate us from our sanctuary. He wants to inhibit our prayers. He wants to interfere with our worship. He wants obstruct our faith. But in the middle of the fiercest battles, we need God more than ever. Ask Mr. Jesse sometime what it is like to radio for fire support and receive it! When under fire, infantry units will call for artillery fire or for close air support and in will come the Air Force or Navy pilots to support and suppress the attack of the enemy. We have the same option as believers in God. We can cry out to Him and call in that “air support.” Sadly, we too often do not. We rely on our strength. We sweat and struggle and stress and shout instead of taking refuge in Him and letting Him have control. Instead of letting Him hold the high ground.
May I encourage you today to stop struggling so hard and center your heart directly on God? Cry out to him. Let Him take you into His tabernacle. Let Him shelter you in the fortress of His arms. Rest in His strength. Let Him fight the battle for you. And never forget, these battles are temporary – for we are eternal beings serving an eternal God and we will leave these temporary battles behind to be with Him forever. Rest in Him! Sing with joy and worship in your heart placing all of it in His capable hands!
7 Lord, hear my voice when I call; be gracious to me and answer me.
8 My heart says this about you: “Seek his face.” Lord, I will seek your face.
9 Do not hide your face from me; do not turn your servant away in anger. You have been my helper; do not leave me or abandon me, God of my salvation.
10 Even if my father and mother abandon me, the Lord cares for me.
I love this because the Psalmist gets even more real here. He honestly confesses his fears and worries. He talks about his fear of abandonment, his lost earthly relationships, and his concern that God might be angry with him. He admits that his heart had been convicted to seek God and that he is responding to that urging of conscience and praying to Him now. He relies on the graciousness of God. He confesses his deep need of God and expresses his faith that God will hear and answer his prayer.
Did you know that it is okay to be real with God? Prayer is not supposed to be limited to only our fanciest words and most worshipful phrases. Prayer is not some sort of creative writing exercise whereby we please God and impress our friends. Prayer is supposed to be visceral and real and right where we are. We should always pray with respect and reverence for Who God is, but we should also talk to Him honestly and genuinely. It’s okay to pray, “God, I’m angry with you!” “God, I’m hurting right now!” “God, I feel alone!” “God, I’m lost – I don’t know what to do!” “God, I don’t understand!” “God, I don’t want to forgive.” “God, I want you to take revenge upon my enemies!” “God, help!” How do I know it’s okay to pray this way? Because the Scriptures – and especially the Psalms – are full of such prayers as people cried out to God whether in faith or despair.
We need to be the same way. If you’ve been trying to figure out how to impress God with your prayers or pray fancy things so other people think you are spiritually special, STOP IT! Talk to God! Get real with Him. Stop thinking of Him as imaginary and far away. He is real and He is HERE. He is listening and ready to hold a conversation with you if only you will be honest with Him and then listen when He whispers His reply. Seek His face. He is our helper and He will not abandon us.
11 Because of my adversaries, show me your way, Lord, and lead me on a level path.
12 Do not give me over to the will of my foes, for false witnesses rise up against me, breathing violence.
We are going to face adversity. Whether from human context or spiritual warfare, we are in a battle. We need to have level footing for our feet in order to fight. We need to be stable as we enter combat. All too often Christians are not balanced in their battles. We are not fixing our eyes on Christ. We are not listening to the whisper of the Holy Spirit. We are not concentrating on the Word. We are not living in a place of constant worship. As a result, when the battle begins, when the combat comes, we are not balanced with stable footing. Our feet are not set. We are not on the level path of the Lord. Because of this we stumble, we falter, we fail, we fall. The only way to avoid this is to be walking with the Lord in His way on His path.
The conflict is fierce. The skirmishes are hot. Violence is the order of the day in the battles we face. Have you experienced physical violence…emotional violence…spiritual violence? You say, well, “Pastor Rick, “I don’t know. I mean, I’m just facing life like everyone else.” Well, let me ask you this: when life goes “wrong” or things don’t go right…what is happening in your heart? When your car doesn’t work or your body doesn’t work or people fail you or relationships struggle, what are you tempted to do? You are tempted to give up on relationships. You are tempted to give up on living. You are tempted to give up on worship. You are tempted to give up on God. You are tempted to stay away from all that is good because things just aren’t going like you expected or planned. You want to escape the violence of the battle. You want to run away. You want to leave behind the struggle. In these moments we must stop relying in our own strength. It is in these moments we need God most of all. We cannot begin to imagine we can triumph alone. We cannot win on our own. We must have our feet anchored on the Solid Rock of Christ Jesus and be balanced by living in His presence and walking in His ways. We need to be on the level path!
13 I am certain that I will see the Lord’s goodness in the land of the living.
14 Wait for the Lord; be strong, and let your heart be courageous. Wait for the Lord.
Here, the Psalmist expresses a powerful faith: “I am certain, confident, sure that I will see the Lord’s goodness and joy here on earth while I am alive.” This is not just some vague hope or confidence that the future will be better by and by. This is not an expression of future faith that all will be right in the end. This is not saying, I know that God will redeem all things in eternity. This is an expression of faith in the present goodness of God.
It reminds me of the story of Lazarus after he had died. Martha, the sister of Lazarus hears that Jesus is coming and runs out to meet him. An interesting conversation ensues.
“John 11:21 Then said Martha unto Jesus, Lord, if thou hadst been here, my brother had not died. But I know, that even now, whatsoever thou wilt ask of God, God will give it thee.”
Jesus replies, “Thy brother shall rise again.”
Martha says, “I know that he shall rise again in the resurrection at the last day.”
Jesus says, “I am the resurrection, and the life: he that believeth in me, though he were dead, yet shall he live: And whosoever liveth and believeth in me shall never die. Believest thou this?”
She replied, “She saith unto him, Yea, Lord: I believe that thou art the Christ, the Son of God, which should come into the world.” Then she went to call her sister. I think she scarcely comprehended at all what Jesus was saying. Jesus was saying, “You are about to see the Lord’s goodness in the land of the living” – not just in the future eternity but in the here and now!
Are you trusting in the Lord for help and strength refuge and comfort in the here and now or is He some imaginary person you pretend to talk to and claim to believe? Trust Him for His goodness to be extended to you now in the land of the living!
The Psalmist concludes with a simple exhortation: “Wait on the Lord: and he shall strengthen thine heart: when all around your soul gives way, let Him be your hope and stay – wait on the Lord.” May I gently ask today how much you have been waiting on God? Have you been seeking refuge in His presence – I don’t just mean desperate calls for help as you are drowned by life – I mean the intentional waiting upon Him and seeking His face? Get out of your self-made foxhole and run to the high ground and seek sanctuary in the fortress He is. Retreat from the battle you’ve been fighting in your own strength and let Him take over. He has superior fire power! Call in His air support! Let Him be your light and salvation. Stop being afraid. Stop being fearful. Stop trusting in yourself and trust in Him. Be real and tell Him how you really feel. Pray with honesty and faith. Let your feet walk His balanced and level pathway. Find peace in worshiping Him. Discover His goodness here and now in your life. Be strong and courageous – but not in your own strength – rather in the strength that comes when you wait on the Lord.
I hope this meditation is a strength and help to you today. Rest in the Lord. He is good even in the present, in the land of the living.
1. The LORD is my light and my salvation; whom shall I fear? the LORD is the strength of my life; of whom shall I be afraid?
2 When the wicked, even mine enemies and my foes, came upon me to eat up my flesh, they stumbled and fell.
3 Though an host should encamp against me, my heart shall not fear: though war should rise against me, in this will I be confident.
4 One thing have I desired of the LORD, that will I seek after; that I may dwell in the house of the LORD all the days of my life, to behold the beauty of the LORD, and to enquire in his temple.
5 For in the time of trouble he shall hide me in his pavilion: in the secret of his tabernacle shall he hide me; he shall set me up upon a rock.
6 And now shall mine head be lifted up above mine enemies round about me: therefore will I offer in his tabernacle sacrifices of joy; I will sing, yea, I will sing praises unto the LORD.
7 ¶ Hear, O LORD, when I cry with my voice: have mercy also upon me, and answer me.
8 When thou saidst, Seek ye my face; my heart said unto thee, Thy face, LORD, will I seek.
9 Hide not thy face far from me; put not thy servant away in anger: thou hast been my help; leave me not, neither forsake me, O God of my salvation.
10 When my father and my mother forsake me, then the LORD will take me up.
11 Teach me thy way, O LORD, and lead me in a plain path, because of mine enemies.
12 Deliver me not over unto the will of mine enemies: for false witnesses are risen up against me, and such as breathe out cruelty.
13 I had fainted, unless I had believed to see the goodness of the LORD in the land of the living.
14 Wait on the LORD: be of good courage, and he shall strengthen thine heart: wait, I say, on the LORD. (KJV)
Adam Clark outlined it this way:
- Freedom from Fear with Confidence in God (1-3)
- Love to God and His ways (4-6)
- Prayer for Assistance & Support (7-13)
- Exhortation to Dependence on God (14)
That is as good an outline of the passage as any I’ve seen. If you want to snap a picture of that, feel free to do so. So let’s ponder this for a little bit this morning. And as I walk through this I encourage you to relax your mind and let it think on these good things.
1 The Lord is my light and my salvation— whom should I fear? The Lord is the stronghold of my life – whom should I dread?
2 When evildoers came against me to devour my flesh, my foes and my enemies stumbled and fell.
3 Though an army deploys against me, my heart will not be afraid; though a war breaks out against me, I will still be confident.
David was a warrior: one of the most valiant & successful warriors in the history of Israel. This Psalm is full of military terminology and perspective. Some scholars suppose that this Psalm was written by him after the events of 2 Samuel 21:15-22 where David was almost killed by the Philistine giant Ishbibenob. One of his men, Abishai, came to David’s aid and killed the giant before he could use his new sword with deadly effect. After this close call, David’s men said to him, “Thou shalt go no more out with us to battle, that thou quench not the light of Israel.” In other words, “David, you are our hope and inspiration. You are to be king. We cannot risk you being in such mortal danger again.” Some suppose that David then penned these words as part of his response or reaction to that sentiment. “The Lord is my light and my salvation. The Lord is the strength of my life, whom should I dread?” Whether or not this is the background of this Psalm, there is no way for us to know. But I pose the exclamatory questions to you today: “The Lord is my light and my salvation – whom should I fear? The Lord is the stronghold of my life – whom should I dread?”
Can you say emphatically in faith with the Psalmist that you are not afraid of evildoers? Can you state with confidence that your enemies will not prevail? Can you express assuredly that you are not afraid of even the armies arrayed against you – because you are not trusting in yourself but in the Lord? Too often we say with our mouths that we are trusting in the Lord, but we don’t really mean it. We mean that we are trusting in our own strength most of the time and today we feel good about it. Unfortunately, that is not the same thing. David is not saying “Today I feel like worshipping God so I am expressing my faith and praise. No. He is saying that in the toughest of times – in the fiercest battles when I should fear all is lost, I don’t fear. For I am not trusting in my own strength; I am trusting in the strength of the self-existent eternal Jehovah God! I am not resting behind hastily constructed defensive positions of shallow sand, sticks, and rock. I am taking refuge in the mighty stronghold of God.
When soldiers take up a defensive position from enemy fire, they are limited to whatever cover they can find in the immediate environment: whether it is a shallow ditch, a wall, a building, a tree, they will hug the ground and hunker down behind whatever they can. If they have a few moments of time they will scoop out a shallow hollow to help them get lower and hopefully out of the reach of enemy fire. This is what it is like if we trust in our own strength…it may get us through for a little bit, but it can’t last as a defensive position. For true defensive positions, walls are erected, barbed wire is strung, guard posts are elevated, gates are placed, barriers are spaced about, bunkers are dug, weapons are positioned at key locations with intersecting fields of fire, and a watch is set. It becomes a heavily fortified place of defense, refuge, and safety. This is the comparison David was making. “The eternal God is my light in the darkness and my salvation. He is not my foxhole – He is my stronghold: whom should I dread? Whatever comes – no matter how fierce the battle or how strong the enemy, I need not be afraid for I am safe in the hand of the Lord.”
4 I have asked one thing from the Lord; it is what I desire: to dwell in the house of the Lord
all the days of my life, gazing on the beauty of the Lord and seeking him in his temple.
5 For he will conceal me in his shelter in the day of adversity; he will hide me under the cover of his tent; he will set me high on a rock.
6 Then my head will be high above my enemies around me; I will offer sacrifices in his tent with shouts of joy. I will sing and make music to the Lord.
This section the passage is interesting to me. At first it seems David is now turning his thoughts away from battle and war and difficulty and instead focusing on worship and praise. But we quickly discover that is not the case. As he begins to talk of the beauty of the Lord, we discover that He is not contemplating an absence of adversity or imagining a life without enemies. Rather, he is expressing his reliance on God in spite of them. His is not an expectation of peace without struggle but rather a rest amid the battle that comes from utter trust in God. He wants to remain God’s presence continually, fixing his heart upon Him. He wants to gaze upon the beauty of the Lord and rejoice in His glory. He wants to anchor every moment of living – even the battles – in eternity.
When the enemies surround, when trouble comes, when hardship besets him, he takes refuge in the tabernacle of God. God is his camouflage, his shelter, and his protection. He also continues his military terminology: “He will set me high on a rock” & “my head will be above my enemies around me.” For thousands of years, holding the high ground has been recognized as an important military tactic. The ancient strategist Sun Tzu advised military leaders to take the high ground and force enemies to attack from the lower position. Not only does it provide a superior position to observe and fire upon the enemy, it also forces large heavy armor whether elephants or tanks to stop because they cannot climb in steep terrain. It also forces cavalry to dismount and attack on foot whether in chariots or Strykers. What he is saying, is that “I will hold the high ground.” Strategically I will have the advantage over my enemies when I trust in the Lord.
Whether it be physical enemies, emotional enemies, or spiritual enemies, as believers, we must go to the high ground of faith, trust, and worship. When the battle is fiercest, then is when you need to run to the shelter of His arms. You see, when we are in the midst of the battle with its chaos and fear and destruction, Satan wants to separate us from our sanctuary. He wants to inhibit our prayers. He wants to interfere with our worship. He wants obstruct our faith. But in the middle of the fiercest battles, we need God more than ever. Ask Mr. Jesse sometime what it is like to radio for fire support and receive it! When under fire, infantry units will call for artillery fire or for close air support and in will come the Air Force or Navy pilots to support and suppress the attack of the enemy. We have the same option as believers in God. We can cry out to Him and call in that “air support.” Sadly, we too often do not. We rely on our strength. We sweat and struggle and stress and shout instead of taking refuge in Him and letting Him have control. Instead of letting Him hold the high ground.
May I encourage you today to stop struggling so hard and center your heart directly on God? Cry out to him. Let Him take you into His tabernacle. Let Him shelter you in the fortress of His arms. Rest in His strength. Let Him fight the battle for you. And never forget, these battles are temporary – for we are eternal beings serving an eternal God and we will leave these temporary battles behind to be with Him forever. Rest in Him! Sing with joy and worship in your heart placing all of it in His capable hands!
7 Lord, hear my voice when I call; be gracious to me and answer me.
8 My heart says this about you: “Seek his face.” Lord, I will seek your face.
9 Do not hide your face from me; do not turn your servant away in anger. You have been my helper; do not leave me or abandon me, God of my salvation.
10 Even if my father and mother abandon me, the Lord cares for me.
I love this because the Psalmist gets even more real here. He honestly confesses his fears and worries. He talks about his fear of abandonment, his lost earthly relationships, and his concern that God might be angry with him. He admits that his heart had been convicted to seek God and that he is responding to that urging of conscience and praying to Him now. He relies on the graciousness of God. He confesses his deep need of God and expresses his faith that God will hear and answer his prayer.
Did you know that it is okay to be real with God? Prayer is not supposed to be limited to only our fanciest words and most worshipful phrases. Prayer is not some sort of creative writing exercise whereby we please God and impress our friends. Prayer is supposed to be visceral and real and right where we are. We should always pray with respect and reverence for Who God is, but we should also talk to Him honestly and genuinely. It’s okay to pray, “God, I’m angry with you!” “God, I’m hurting right now!” “God, I feel alone!” “God, I’m lost – I don’t know what to do!” “God, I don’t understand!” “God, I don’t want to forgive.” “God, I want you to take revenge upon my enemies!” “God, help!” How do I know it’s okay to pray this way? Because the Scriptures – and especially the Psalms – are full of such prayers as people cried out to God whether in faith or despair.
We need to be the same way. If you’ve been trying to figure out how to impress God with your prayers or pray fancy things so other people think you are spiritually special, STOP IT! Talk to God! Get real with Him. Stop thinking of Him as imaginary and far away. He is real and He is HERE. He is listening and ready to hold a conversation with you if only you will be honest with Him and then listen when He whispers His reply. Seek His face. He is our helper and He will not abandon us.
11 Because of my adversaries, show me your way, Lord, and lead me on a level path.
12 Do not give me over to the will of my foes, for false witnesses rise up against me, breathing violence.
We are going to face adversity. Whether from human context or spiritual warfare, we are in a battle. We need to have level footing for our feet in order to fight. We need to be stable as we enter combat. All too often Christians are not balanced in their battles. We are not fixing our eyes on Christ. We are not listening to the whisper of the Holy Spirit. We are not concentrating on the Word. We are not living in a place of constant worship. As a result, when the battle begins, when the combat comes, we are not balanced with stable footing. Our feet are not set. We are not on the level path of the Lord. Because of this we stumble, we falter, we fail, we fall. The only way to avoid this is to be walking with the Lord in His way on His path.
The conflict is fierce. The skirmishes are hot. Violence is the order of the day in the battles we face. Have you experienced physical violence…emotional violence…spiritual violence? You say, well, “Pastor Rick, “I don’t know. I mean, I’m just facing life like everyone else.” Well, let me ask you this: when life goes “wrong” or things don’t go right…what is happening in your heart? When your car doesn’t work or your body doesn’t work or people fail you or relationships struggle, what are you tempted to do? You are tempted to give up on relationships. You are tempted to give up on living. You are tempted to give up on worship. You are tempted to give up on God. You are tempted to stay away from all that is good because things just aren’t going like you expected or planned. You want to escape the violence of the battle. You want to run away. You want to leave behind the struggle. In these moments we must stop relying in our own strength. It is in these moments we need God most of all. We cannot begin to imagine we can triumph alone. We cannot win on our own. We must have our feet anchored on the Solid Rock of Christ Jesus and be balanced by living in His presence and walking in His ways. We need to be on the level path!
13 I am certain that I will see the Lord’s goodness in the land of the living.
14 Wait for the Lord; be strong, and let your heart be courageous. Wait for the Lord.
Here, the Psalmist expresses a powerful faith: “I am certain, confident, sure that I will see the Lord’s goodness and joy here on earth while I am alive.” This is not just some vague hope or confidence that the future will be better by and by. This is not an expression of future faith that all will be right in the end. This is not saying, I know that God will redeem all things in eternity. This is an expression of faith in the present goodness of God.
It reminds me of the story of Lazarus after he had died. Martha, the sister of Lazarus hears that Jesus is coming and runs out to meet him. An interesting conversation ensues.
“John 11:21 Then said Martha unto Jesus, Lord, if thou hadst been here, my brother had not died. But I know, that even now, whatsoever thou wilt ask of God, God will give it thee.”
Jesus replies, “Thy brother shall rise again.”
Martha says, “I know that he shall rise again in the resurrection at the last day.”
Jesus says, “I am the resurrection, and the life: he that believeth in me, though he were dead, yet shall he live: And whosoever liveth and believeth in me shall never die. Believest thou this?”
She replied, “She saith unto him, Yea, Lord: I believe that thou art the Christ, the Son of God, which should come into the world.” Then she went to call her sister. I think she scarcely comprehended at all what Jesus was saying. Jesus was saying, “You are about to see the Lord’s goodness in the land of the living” – not just in the future eternity but in the here and now!
Are you trusting in the Lord for help and strength refuge and comfort in the here and now or is He some imaginary person you pretend to talk to and claim to believe? Trust Him for His goodness to be extended to you now in the land of the living!
The Psalmist concludes with a simple exhortation: “Wait on the Lord: and he shall strengthen thine heart: when all around your soul gives way, let Him be your hope and stay – wait on the Lord.” May I gently ask today how much you have been waiting on God? Have you been seeking refuge in His presence – I don’t just mean desperate calls for help as you are drowned by life – I mean the intentional waiting upon Him and seeking His face? Get out of your self-made foxhole and run to the high ground and seek sanctuary in the fortress He is. Retreat from the battle you’ve been fighting in your own strength and let Him take over. He has superior fire power! Call in His air support! Let Him be your light and salvation. Stop being afraid. Stop being fearful. Stop trusting in yourself and trust in Him. Be real and tell Him how you really feel. Pray with honesty and faith. Let your feet walk His balanced and level pathway. Find peace in worshiping Him. Discover His goodness here and now in your life. Be strong and courageous – but not in your own strength – rather in the strength that comes when you wait on the Lord.
I hope this meditation is a strength and help to you today. Rest in the Lord. He is good even in the present, in the land of the living.
Tuesday, October 31, 2017
His Strength
Deuteronomy 33:27 – “The eternal God is thy refuge, and underneath are the everlasting arms: and he shall thrust out the enemy from before thee; and shall say, Destroy them.”
Wednesday, July 5, 2017
Finding Rest in Him
In this unusual singing sermon, I hope you'll forgive that my voice is the only one on the recording. However, I hope that you find strength to your heart and soul from it today!
Friday, March 10, 2017
When God Waits
Close on the heels of my questions and wondering, I turned to the Bible to see what it says about the idea. I typed the word “wait” into the search engine of my Bible software and eagerly scanned the verses to see if I could find one where God was waiting. However, as I read verse after verse I became crestfallen. It seemed there was no scriptural support for the idea of God waiting. But then I found Isaiah 30:18 “¶ 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.” Huzzah! There in the Bible I found a verse that said God waited. My search was over. Or was it? Of course not. I continued searching but I could not find any more verses that said God waited. So I came back to this one and said, “Well, I’d better check the meaning of the word in Hebrew. Maybe we translated it “wait” in English, but perhaps the Hebrew is more precise.” I was relieved to find that the Hebrew definition also meant “to await: long, tarry, wait.” But if this was the only verse in the Bible that says God waits, how was I supposed to fully understand God’s waiting?
Sunday, January 8, 2017
Seven Principles of Peace
Technical Difficulties prevent me from posting the recording of this sermon, but the sermon is posted here for your encouragement. I hope it is a blessing!
I originally intended to preach one of two messages to you this morning:
A Continuation of our series on Discipling our children
A Message titled “Pleasing”
But, as I tried to prepare on the basis of either of those thoughts, I could not seem to make headway. This morning as I prayed, the Lord led me to a different thought for this day.
This year has been immensely challenging for us here at Water of Life. Each family has been through truly earth-shaking changes and challenges. Jobs have changed for me and for many of the men here. Some of us have moved households across multiple states. School has been difficult for several. Some of us have experienced very difficult and challenging family or financial circumstances. Some have been deeply bereaved or grieved by some tragedy among family or friends. Some of us are probably not where we wish we were spiritually and we are overwhelmed by that fact and feel a bit powerless to change it. How many here fit in one of the categories I mentioned?
Then this message is for you.
Take a deep breath and exhale slowly. Do it again. One more time. How would you describe that feeling? (hopefully we get, “calm” or “peace” here…lol).
For all of us, peace is closely associated with our emotions and feelings and physical condition.
I have rarely experienced it but one of the most peaceful emotional places on earth to me is in an environment where it is warm enough to lay on the ground alone in the rain with eyes closed feeling the gentle massage of falling rain drops and hearing no traffic sounds, no machinery sounds, no animal sounds…nothing but the whispering roar of the falling rain. I suppose that such a moment of peace and relaxation comes not only from the quiet and the calming of the spirit and body, but also from the fact that if you have time to lay in the rain, in those moments, there are no demands of work or family or responsibility. For each of us that ultimate moment of relaxation and peace may be found differently.
But is peace just a feeling?
We know it is more. The dictionary tells us that peace first is as we have just described: “generally a state of quiet or tranquility; freedom from disturbance or agitation; and is applicable to the temper of the mind, to individuals, and to society.” However, it also means “freedom from war; freedom from commotion; freedom from quarrels, lawsuits, disturbances; freedom from emotional agitation or disturbance; harmony; reconciliation; quiet; Heavenly rest.”
The world seeks for peace. Nations strive for unity. Non-governmental agencies around the world work every day to bring aid and comfort. People long for peace in their homes and in their jobs and in their dreams and goals. And we do all kinds of things to achieve it. Type in “How to find peace” into Google and you will get all sorts of suggestions. Things like:
Set Limits.
Slow Down.
Give up ties to insensitive people.
Give up obsessing with negative news.
Don’t make the mistake of thinking that peace and happiness are the same thing.
On and on the pages go through all 35,800,000 results. Many people equate peace with financial stability, powerful position, familial harmony, sensual satisfaction, sensory experience, substance use, and many other things. For some peace is a full bank account. For others it is a slice of warm apple pie and a glass of milk shared with friends. For still others it is some kind of ethereal religious experience or place of meditative Zen. Many of us continually seek these things in an effort to assuage our consciences, relieve our guilt, and rest our weary spirits.
But all of these things will leave us with longing whatever momentary peace they might bring us. I think it is time we consider what kind of peace we ought to pursue.
Let us turn to the Epistle to the Philippians chapter 4. After all his previous discussion, Paul declares a recipe for peace:
“4 Rejoice in the Lord alway: and again I say, Rejoice.
5 Let your moderation be known unto all men. The Lord is at hand.
6 Be careful for nothing; but in every thing by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known unto God.
7 And the peace of God, which passeth all understanding, shall keep your hearts and minds through Christ Jesus.
8 Finally, brethren, whatsoever things are true, whatsoever things are honest, whatsoever things are just, whatsoever things are pure, whatsoever things are lovely, whatsoever things are of good report; if there be any virtue, and if there be any praise, think on these things.
9 Those things, which ye have both learned, and received, and heard, and seen in me, do: and the God of peace shall be with you.”
There are 7 Principles of Peace here. I will touch on each one briefly:
Adam Clarke said, “Be continually happy; but this happiness you can find only in the Lord. Genuine happiness is spiritual; as it can only come from God, so it infallibly tends to him.” What he is really telling us is that true happiness and joy are found only in God. He designed us this way that we would find the peak of our joy and happiness in Him. As such, it is only when we are in harmony with Him that we will truly be happy. When in harmony with Him our joy is complete and right and sustained. No matter what we face in life, when our hearts are in harmony with Him we can rejoice in that relationship. Even in moments of hardship and pain and suffering, peace comes through harmony with Him. It does not say to rejoice in sorrow, rejoice in pain, rejoice in grief. It says to rejoice in the Lord. When we rejoice in the Lord, we can then still have joy even amid the deepest valleys because our rejoicing is not in the circumstance but in the person of our Lord and Savior. This is the first Principle of Peace – the Prince of Peace in our hearts. Rejoice in the Lord.
Be Balanced.
“Let your moderation be known to everyone.” This Greek word means “mildness, patience, gentleness, clemency, moderation.” How true it is that a meek and gentle spirit brings far more peace than a spirit inflamed by passion or pride. How important it is that we walk in a balanced manner on an even keel. How do we do this? I refer back to the first point: rejoice in the Lord. If you are finding your joy and happiness in God and you are in harmony with Him, then He will be your foundation for balance. If you are out of sync with Him, it is highly likely that you will be imbalanced and off track. You will be far more prone to outbursts of personal passion instead of His passion. Paul reminds the Philippians that God is the boundary for our passions when he follows the statement “Let your moderation be known to everyone” with “The Lord is at hand.” In other words, “The Supreme Master is standing nearby.” So if I could put it this way, “Live balanced before all people. The Lord is standing by to guide you and help you and ensure that you do!” This is the second Principle of Peace – Be Balanced.
Don’t Worry.
“Be careful for nothing;” or “Don’t be anxious or worried about anything.” The medical field tells us that anxiety is a normal reaction to stress. It can even be a positive motivator to better performance in difficult situations. But it can also quickly cross the boundary from a positive element to a disorder. WebMD says, “…excessive worriers react quickly and intensely to these stressful situations or triggers. Even thinking about the situation can cause chronic worriers great distress and disability. Excessive worry or ongoing fear or anxiety is harmful when it becomes so irrational that you can’t focus on reality or think clearly.” This can lead to physical symptoms ranging from minor dizziness, headaches, nausea, and irritability to serious disorders of the immune system, the digestive system, short term memory loss, and premature heart disease. Excessive worrying and high anxiety can also lead to depression, suicidal thoughts, and psychological disorders. God knows this and so he urged us through the writing of Paul to not wallow in our worry. This is the third Principle of Peace. But you say, “Pastor Rick, I struggle with this. I get that I am not supposed to worry, but how do I lay aside my anxiety? How do I cope?” I’m glad you ask. That is our next Principle of Peace:
Anchor Everything with Prayer and Praise.
God did not say, “Don’t worry” followed by “Good luck with that.” He followed the direction with a practical method of achieving it. He said, “Don’t worry, but in everything by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving make your requests known unto God.” “Prayer is that serious application to God from a sense of want or lack; Supplication is continuance in prayer; Thanksgiving is that worship and praise for countless favors already received.” You see, God says, “Stop your worrying and let me worry about it. You let go of it and give it to me. I will handle it.” In a sense you might say that excessive worry is directly connected to faithlessness. For when we believe that He is and that He is a rewarder of them that diligently seek Him (Heb. 11:6), what have we to worry about? If He can provide a solution to our sinfulness surely He can solve the things for which we have earthly need! Do we trust Him? Thus, a way to find freedom from worry and fear is to pray, as a continual conversation, and praise as we go fixing our minds on His faithfulness and provision in the past knowing by faith He will again provide in the present and future. The fourth Principle of Peace is to “Anchor Everything with Prayer and Praise.”
Peace Comes from God in Christ.
“And the peace of God, which passeth all understanding, shall keep your hearts and minds through Christ Jesus.” This verse is so beautiful. It is the climax of the first principles of peace: Since your joy is genuine and fastened to a relationship with the Lord; since you are living a balanced life under His watchful eye; since you are laying aside your anxiety and instead casting all your cares upon the Lord in a continual conversation of prayer and praise; then the peace of God Himself – which is far greater than we can even describe – will keep our hearts (emotions) and minds (our thinking and intellect). The word “peace” here is the Greek word Eirene which comes from a word meaning “to join” and means “peace; one; quietness; rest.” Words that could very nearly be used here would also be wholeness and completeness. The peace of God therefore comes when we are joined with Him and are one with Him – completed and made whole in Him – resting in Him and finding comfort and quietness in His Spirit! Wow that is beautiful! But this is not something we conjure ourselves. No. It says that His Peace that I just defined will “keep.” This word is an active word. It means to be “a watcher in advance” or to “set a guard as in sentinels at the gates” or “to keep/guard/protect as in a garrison or castle.” This is a military term! Think of it! The powerful peace of God is actively going to protect you in its castle. It is going to set a watch over your heart and mind to shield it from the attacks of the enemy and protect it from worry! How? Through Christ Jesus! I can’t spend a lot of time on this thought but I commend it to you for meditation: The power peace of God is going to protect your heart and mind through the Lord Jesus who walked as we walk, who suffered as we suffer, who was tempted as we are! In Christ is the true strength of peace! Any peace outside of Him will be transient; but in Him is peace everlasting and His knowledge of our earthly sojourn serves as a sentinel against the darkness. We can rejoice and rest in the Castle of His Care! Genuine Peace comes from God in Christ. There is no other. (This is the 5th Principle of Peace.)
Focus Your Mind.
Knowing all these things, then Paul gives us a list of things to fix our minds on that they may be boundaries of our behavior and drivers of our actions. These things will enable us to maintain peace of heart and mind. Focus on the things that are:
True – that come directly from the Word of God and are anchored in Him that is True – Jesus Christ
Honest – that are right and good as one ought to live and behave
Just – that are of righteousness, balance, and honor to both God and neighbor
Pure – that are of chastity and holiness in mind and body
Lovely – that are of beauty, kindness, and friendship
Of Good Report – that are of usefulness and are charitable to and profitable for society
Of Virtue – good for all mankind; worthy of aspiration
Of Praise – worthy of esteem
Focus on these things. Meditate on these things. Aspire to these virtues. Live your life in honor of them. Give your energy to them. This is the sixth Principle of Peace.
Walk in the Way.
Finally, Paul says, “The things which you have learned from my preaching and teaching, and that you have received by faith as revelation of God, that you have heard about me and heard from me as I lived and worked among you – do them. Do as I do. Follow in the way that I have led you. As I follow Christ, follow me. As I live according to His way, join me in doing the same. If you live according to these ways I have taught you, you will discover true peace since the God of Peace will be with you.” Thus the final Principle of Peace is to walk in the ways of God in Christ according to the Word.
So the complete recipe for peace is:
Let your relationship be with Him. Live carefully and meekly under His watchful eye. Don’t be consumed by anxiety but cast your cares upon Him in a continual conversation always remembering His goodness. Never forget that true peace only comes from God when we are kept in His care through Christ. And in this sweet relationship, let us fix our minds and behavior on the things that are good and walk in the ways of Word as exemplified by Christ and empowered by the Spirit of God.
Rejoice in the Lord – Let your relationship be with Him.
Be Balanced – Live carefully under His watchful eye.
Don’t Worry – Don’t be consumed by anxiety but cast your cares upon Him.
Anchor Everything with Prayer and Praise – in a continual conversation lifting your cares and remembering His goodness.
Peace Comes from God in Christ – when we are kept “castled” in His care.
Focus Your Mind – on the things which are good as boundaries for our behavior and motivators for action
Walk in the Way of God as demonstrated by Christ and taught by Paul.
These Seven Principles of Peace will anchor us in the storms, shield us in the fight, and bring us safely home.
If you have struggled to find peace in the last days, weeks, or months, I encourage you to anchor your life in Him completely!
Jesus said, John 14: 25 ¶ These things have I spoken unto you, being yet present with you.
26 But the Comforter, which is the Holy Ghost, whom the Father will send in my name, he shall teach you all things, and bring all things to your remembrance, whatsoever I have said unto you.
27 Peace I leave with you, my peace I give unto you: not as the world giveth, give I unto you. Let not your heart be troubled, neither let it be afraid.
“My peace is such as meets all the wants of the soul, silences the alarms of conscience, is fixed and sure amid all external changes, and will abide in the hour of death and for ever. How desirable, in a world of anxiety and care, to possess this peace! and how should all who have it not, seek that which the world can neither give nor take away!” Barnes
In closing, there are a few that have been on my mind today that I would like to invite to the front this morning. I want to pray with you and for you that you will find the strength of peace in Him today. If any others would like to join them, please feel free to come up here too. Conclude with prayer.
I originally intended to preach one of two messages to you this morning:
A Continuation of our series on Discipling our children
A Message titled “Pleasing”
But, as I tried to prepare on the basis of either of those thoughts, I could not seem to make headway. This morning as I prayed, the Lord led me to a different thought for this day.
This year has been immensely challenging for us here at Water of Life. Each family has been through truly earth-shaking changes and challenges. Jobs have changed for me and for many of the men here. Some of us have moved households across multiple states. School has been difficult for several. Some of us have experienced very difficult and challenging family or financial circumstances. Some have been deeply bereaved or grieved by some tragedy among family or friends. Some of us are probably not where we wish we were spiritually and we are overwhelmed by that fact and feel a bit powerless to change it. How many here fit in one of the categories I mentioned?
Then this message is for you.
Take a deep breath and exhale slowly. Do it again. One more time. How would you describe that feeling? (hopefully we get, “calm” or “peace” here…lol).
For all of us, peace is closely associated with our emotions and feelings and physical condition.
I have rarely experienced it but one of the most peaceful emotional places on earth to me is in an environment where it is warm enough to lay on the ground alone in the rain with eyes closed feeling the gentle massage of falling rain drops and hearing no traffic sounds, no machinery sounds, no animal sounds…nothing but the whispering roar of the falling rain. I suppose that such a moment of peace and relaxation comes not only from the quiet and the calming of the spirit and body, but also from the fact that if you have time to lay in the rain, in those moments, there are no demands of work or family or responsibility. For each of us that ultimate moment of relaxation and peace may be found differently.
But is peace just a feeling?
We know it is more. The dictionary tells us that peace first is as we have just described: “generally a state of quiet or tranquility; freedom from disturbance or agitation; and is applicable to the temper of the mind, to individuals, and to society.” However, it also means “freedom from war; freedom from commotion; freedom from quarrels, lawsuits, disturbances; freedom from emotional agitation or disturbance; harmony; reconciliation; quiet; Heavenly rest.”
The world seeks for peace. Nations strive for unity. Non-governmental agencies around the world work every day to bring aid and comfort. People long for peace in their homes and in their jobs and in their dreams and goals. And we do all kinds of things to achieve it. Type in “How to find peace” into Google and you will get all sorts of suggestions. Things like:
Set Limits.
Slow Down.
Give up ties to insensitive people.
Give up obsessing with negative news.
Don’t make the mistake of thinking that peace and happiness are the same thing.
On and on the pages go through all 35,800,000 results. Many people equate peace with financial stability, powerful position, familial harmony, sensual satisfaction, sensory experience, substance use, and many other things. For some peace is a full bank account. For others it is a slice of warm apple pie and a glass of milk shared with friends. For still others it is some kind of ethereal religious experience or place of meditative Zen. Many of us continually seek these things in an effort to assuage our consciences, relieve our guilt, and rest our weary spirits.
But all of these things will leave us with longing whatever momentary peace they might bring us. I think it is time we consider what kind of peace we ought to pursue.
Let us turn to the Epistle to the Philippians chapter 4. After all his previous discussion, Paul declares a recipe for peace:
“4 Rejoice in the Lord alway: and again I say, Rejoice.
5 Let your moderation be known unto all men. The Lord is at hand.
6 Be careful for nothing; but in every thing by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known unto God.
7 And the peace of God, which passeth all understanding, shall keep your hearts and minds through Christ Jesus.
8 Finally, brethren, whatsoever things are true, whatsoever things are honest, whatsoever things are just, whatsoever things are pure, whatsoever things are lovely, whatsoever things are of good report; if there be any virtue, and if there be any praise, think on these things.
9 Those things, which ye have both learned, and received, and heard, and seen in me, do: and the God of peace shall be with you.”
There are 7 Principles of Peace here. I will touch on each one briefly:
- Rejoice in the Lord
- Be Balanced
- Don’t Worry
- Anchor Everything with Prayer and Praise
- Peace Comes from God in Christ
- Focus Your Mind
- Walk in the Way
Adam Clarke said, “Be continually happy; but this happiness you can find only in the Lord. Genuine happiness is spiritual; as it can only come from God, so it infallibly tends to him.” What he is really telling us is that true happiness and joy are found only in God. He designed us this way that we would find the peak of our joy and happiness in Him. As such, it is only when we are in harmony with Him that we will truly be happy. When in harmony with Him our joy is complete and right and sustained. No matter what we face in life, when our hearts are in harmony with Him we can rejoice in that relationship. Even in moments of hardship and pain and suffering, peace comes through harmony with Him. It does not say to rejoice in sorrow, rejoice in pain, rejoice in grief. It says to rejoice in the Lord. When we rejoice in the Lord, we can then still have joy even amid the deepest valleys because our rejoicing is not in the circumstance but in the person of our Lord and Savior. This is the first Principle of Peace – the Prince of Peace in our hearts. Rejoice in the Lord.
Be Balanced.
“Let your moderation be known to everyone.” This Greek word means “mildness, patience, gentleness, clemency, moderation.” How true it is that a meek and gentle spirit brings far more peace than a spirit inflamed by passion or pride. How important it is that we walk in a balanced manner on an even keel. How do we do this? I refer back to the first point: rejoice in the Lord. If you are finding your joy and happiness in God and you are in harmony with Him, then He will be your foundation for balance. If you are out of sync with Him, it is highly likely that you will be imbalanced and off track. You will be far more prone to outbursts of personal passion instead of His passion. Paul reminds the Philippians that God is the boundary for our passions when he follows the statement “Let your moderation be known to everyone” with “The Lord is at hand.” In other words, “The Supreme Master is standing nearby.” So if I could put it this way, “Live balanced before all people. The Lord is standing by to guide you and help you and ensure that you do!” This is the second Principle of Peace – Be Balanced.
Don’t Worry.
“Be careful for nothing;” or “Don’t be anxious or worried about anything.” The medical field tells us that anxiety is a normal reaction to stress. It can even be a positive motivator to better performance in difficult situations. But it can also quickly cross the boundary from a positive element to a disorder. WebMD says, “…excessive worriers react quickly and intensely to these stressful situations or triggers. Even thinking about the situation can cause chronic worriers great distress and disability. Excessive worry or ongoing fear or anxiety is harmful when it becomes so irrational that you can’t focus on reality or think clearly.” This can lead to physical symptoms ranging from minor dizziness, headaches, nausea, and irritability to serious disorders of the immune system, the digestive system, short term memory loss, and premature heart disease. Excessive worrying and high anxiety can also lead to depression, suicidal thoughts, and psychological disorders. God knows this and so he urged us through the writing of Paul to not wallow in our worry. This is the third Principle of Peace. But you say, “Pastor Rick, I struggle with this. I get that I am not supposed to worry, but how do I lay aside my anxiety? How do I cope?” I’m glad you ask. That is our next Principle of Peace:
Anchor Everything with Prayer and Praise.
God did not say, “Don’t worry” followed by “Good luck with that.” He followed the direction with a practical method of achieving it. He said, “Don’t worry, but in everything by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving make your requests known unto God.” “Prayer is that serious application to God from a sense of want or lack; Supplication is continuance in prayer; Thanksgiving is that worship and praise for countless favors already received.” You see, God says, “Stop your worrying and let me worry about it. You let go of it and give it to me. I will handle it.” In a sense you might say that excessive worry is directly connected to faithlessness. For when we believe that He is and that He is a rewarder of them that diligently seek Him (Heb. 11:6), what have we to worry about? If He can provide a solution to our sinfulness surely He can solve the things for which we have earthly need! Do we trust Him? Thus, a way to find freedom from worry and fear is to pray, as a continual conversation, and praise as we go fixing our minds on His faithfulness and provision in the past knowing by faith He will again provide in the present and future. The fourth Principle of Peace is to “Anchor Everything with Prayer and Praise.”
Peace Comes from God in Christ.
“And the peace of God, which passeth all understanding, shall keep your hearts and minds through Christ Jesus.” This verse is so beautiful. It is the climax of the first principles of peace: Since your joy is genuine and fastened to a relationship with the Lord; since you are living a balanced life under His watchful eye; since you are laying aside your anxiety and instead casting all your cares upon the Lord in a continual conversation of prayer and praise; then the peace of God Himself – which is far greater than we can even describe – will keep our hearts (emotions) and minds (our thinking and intellect). The word “peace” here is the Greek word Eirene which comes from a word meaning “to join” and means “peace; one; quietness; rest.” Words that could very nearly be used here would also be wholeness and completeness. The peace of God therefore comes when we are joined with Him and are one with Him – completed and made whole in Him – resting in Him and finding comfort and quietness in His Spirit! Wow that is beautiful! But this is not something we conjure ourselves. No. It says that His Peace that I just defined will “keep.” This word is an active word. It means to be “a watcher in advance” or to “set a guard as in sentinels at the gates” or “to keep/guard/protect as in a garrison or castle.” This is a military term! Think of it! The powerful peace of God is actively going to protect you in its castle. It is going to set a watch over your heart and mind to shield it from the attacks of the enemy and protect it from worry! How? Through Christ Jesus! I can’t spend a lot of time on this thought but I commend it to you for meditation: The power peace of God is going to protect your heart and mind through the Lord Jesus who walked as we walk, who suffered as we suffer, who was tempted as we are! In Christ is the true strength of peace! Any peace outside of Him will be transient; but in Him is peace everlasting and His knowledge of our earthly sojourn serves as a sentinel against the darkness. We can rejoice and rest in the Castle of His Care! Genuine Peace comes from God in Christ. There is no other. (This is the 5th Principle of Peace.)
Focus Your Mind.
Knowing all these things, then Paul gives us a list of things to fix our minds on that they may be boundaries of our behavior and drivers of our actions. These things will enable us to maintain peace of heart and mind. Focus on the things that are:
True – that come directly from the Word of God and are anchored in Him that is True – Jesus Christ
Honest – that are right and good as one ought to live and behave
Just – that are of righteousness, balance, and honor to both God and neighbor
Pure – that are of chastity and holiness in mind and body
Lovely – that are of beauty, kindness, and friendship
Of Good Report – that are of usefulness and are charitable to and profitable for society
Of Virtue – good for all mankind; worthy of aspiration
Of Praise – worthy of esteem
Focus on these things. Meditate on these things. Aspire to these virtues. Live your life in honor of them. Give your energy to them. This is the sixth Principle of Peace.
Walk in the Way.
Finally, Paul says, “The things which you have learned from my preaching and teaching, and that you have received by faith as revelation of God, that you have heard about me and heard from me as I lived and worked among you – do them. Do as I do. Follow in the way that I have led you. As I follow Christ, follow me. As I live according to His way, join me in doing the same. If you live according to these ways I have taught you, you will discover true peace since the God of Peace will be with you.” Thus the final Principle of Peace is to walk in the ways of God in Christ according to the Word.
So the complete recipe for peace is:
Let your relationship be with Him. Live carefully and meekly under His watchful eye. Don’t be consumed by anxiety but cast your cares upon Him in a continual conversation always remembering His goodness. Never forget that true peace only comes from God when we are kept in His care through Christ. And in this sweet relationship, let us fix our minds and behavior on the things that are good and walk in the ways of Word as exemplified by Christ and empowered by the Spirit of God.
Rejoice in the Lord – Let your relationship be with Him.
Be Balanced – Live carefully under His watchful eye.
Don’t Worry – Don’t be consumed by anxiety but cast your cares upon Him.
Anchor Everything with Prayer and Praise – in a continual conversation lifting your cares and remembering His goodness.
Peace Comes from God in Christ – when we are kept “castled” in His care.
Focus Your Mind – on the things which are good as boundaries for our behavior and motivators for action
Walk in the Way of God as demonstrated by Christ and taught by Paul.
These Seven Principles of Peace will anchor us in the storms, shield us in the fight, and bring us safely home.
If you have struggled to find peace in the last days, weeks, or months, I encourage you to anchor your life in Him completely!
Jesus said, John 14: 25 ¶ These things have I spoken unto you, being yet present with you.
26 But the Comforter, which is the Holy Ghost, whom the Father will send in my name, he shall teach you all things, and bring all things to your remembrance, whatsoever I have said unto you.
27 Peace I leave with you, my peace I give unto you: not as the world giveth, give I unto you. Let not your heart be troubled, neither let it be afraid.
“My peace is such as meets all the wants of the soul, silences the alarms of conscience, is fixed and sure amid all external changes, and will abide in the hour of death and for ever. How desirable, in a world of anxiety and care, to possess this peace! and how should all who have it not, seek that which the world can neither give nor take away!” Barnes
In closing, there are a few that have been on my mind today that I would like to invite to the front this morning. I want to pray with you and for you that you will find the strength of peace in Him today. If any others would like to join them, please feel free to come up here too. Conclude with prayer.
Thursday, March 19, 2015
The Everlasting Arms
Listen as Pastor Rick delivers an encouraging sermon that was blessed to his heart in prayer. Are you resting in the Everlasting Arms?
Wednesday, May 7, 2014
The Gospel of John - The Witness of Surrender
Listen as Pastor Rick talks about living surrendered. What does the "Best Man" of the bridegroom have to do with it? Listen and see. Is your life surrendered to the will of God?
Monday, April 29, 2013
THE SABBATH PRINCIPLE - The LAW Series #6
The culture at large and the church in general has greatly fallen away from the keeping of this commandment. Listen as Pastor Rick shares the teachings of Dr. Ryken and explains what the commandment means both in the Old Testament and the New Testament, and applies how we should practice it in our world today.
Sunday, January 20, 2013
BE ENCOURAGED!
BE ENCOURAGED! Oh yes! This one will encourage your heart! Listen as Pastor Rick expounds upon 2 Thessalonians 2:16-17 and gives us a foundation for encouragement! Listen carefully, because your name just might be mentioned! :-)
Saturday, December 22, 2012
COME!
The birth of Christ was God's invitation to reconciliation with the world. Listen as Pastor Rick shares this powerful profile in the Character's of Christmas Series!
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