Peace of mind and soul is what we strive for daily. We pray for it, yet it seems the heavens are as brass. We work for it, only to find we are too tired to recognize it. What is real peace? How do we loose it? How do we find it again? Maybe a little digging in the Word will make it possible for us to regain what we "feel" we have lost.
First of all, Galatians 5:22-23 list peace as the third fruit of the Spirit. Romans 5:1 says, we can have peace with God only through Jesus Christ our Lord. Therefore, the first step to real peace of mind and soul is a personal relationship with God by accepting Jesus Christ as Savior and living for him as Lord.
Secondly, in John 14:27 Jesus states he would leave us his peace. Not the kind of peace the world can give, which is based only on feelings and good experiences, but his own peace. A peace that believes in the good of an eternal outcome regardless of the circumstances. A peace that knows the love of the Father and believes he is working all things for our good and his glory. A peace that understands the eternal value of difficult times.
Read Mark 4:35-41
Picture the scene. The sea is stirring in such a way that avid seamen are terrified they are going to die, while Jesus, the Creator of the storm, is peacefully asleep in the bottom of the boat. His peace allows him to know that all is well and will continue to be well for all eternity no matter what the circumstances may be on earth. He views the eternal value of the wind, rain and thunder not the finite, earthbound, time limited nature of things.
Note what Jesus says in verse 39 of Mark chapter 4: "Why are ye so fearful? How is it that ye have no faith?" Herein lies the key to discovering why we have little peace during the storm. We allow our minds to race with thoughts of how to row out of our own raging seas, instead of resting in the Creator of them. Just as Jesus spoke the words, "Peace be still," to the troubled seas, he wants to speak the same words to your troubled soul. To hear him, you need only to choose to view him as the Sovereign and believe he is the Lord of all your circumstances.
Psalm 4:4 "Stand in awe, and sin not: commune with your own heart upon your bed, and be still."
Psalm 46:10 "Be still and know that I am God: I will be exalted among the heathen, I will be exalted in the earth."
Now, read Psalm 46:11 "The Lord of hosts is with us: the God of Jacob is our refuge."
Of all the patriarchs, why did God allow Jacob to be mentioned here? I believe it is because Jacob was a wrestler with God. Jacob had great difficulty finding peace with God because he sought ways to maneuver around difficult circumstances, often choosing to be deceitful. Lying is the sin that causes us to believe we have the power to manipulate our way around God's plan. We loose fellowship with God, thus loosing our peace with him.
We must stop allowing ourselves to be agitated and disturbed by our circumstances. We cannot allow ourselves to be fearful, intimidated and unsettled. We must choose to walk by faith, in true obedience to God's Holy Word and allow him to fill us daily with his peace so we can walk in peace of mind and soul.
Monday, April 29, 2013
Sunday, April 28, 2013
Walking on in the Power of His Might
"further up and further in"
As I have aged in my walk with God, I have come to realize that many experiences are layered in nature. God will use a situation to reveal a hidden sin or he will allow a circumstance that will draw me closer to him.
In Exodus chapter 5 we find Moses and Aaron before the Pharaoh asking for the Israelites release. Pharaoh refused, and in turn increased the labors of the Hebrews by requiring them to collect the straw needed to make the bricks. To understand the depth of this situation in God's sovereign layering system, I want to include a portion from Allan A. MacRae's, "The Relation of Archaeology to the Bible," in Modern Science and Christian Faith.
Archaeologists became interested early in examining Egyptian bricks of Moses' time to see if they contained straw. They found that, while many did contain straw, many also did not, leaving the impression that the Bible was wrong. But as usual in such cases, sooner or later it is shown that "the testimony of the Lord is sure, making wise the simple." (Ps. 19:7)-who know no better than to doubt the truth of God's Word. It is now known that oat straw boiled in water, when added to clay, makes the clay much easier to handle. With out the organic material obtained from the straw, the difficulty of making bricks was greatly increased. The fact that brick makers of Egypt found the use of straw essential, whether visible evidence remains or not, is fully borne out, as various writers have asserted.
It is my belief that God allowed the Israelites labors to be increased to begin the process of revealing hidden sin and to unveil the layers of his character and nature to them. They must be broken from their dependencies regarding Pharaoh and learn to depend on God and God alone.
As the Hebrews worked for Pharaoh, he gave them a place to live and food to eat. They were physically oppressed and requested deliverance from him. They were spiritually oppressed and requested redemption from God. They needed to be able to view the Almighty, as both their Deliver and Redeemer. When Pharaoh increased their labor, they reported to him their frustration. He repeated his demands. As the officers of the Hebrews were returning to report to the people, they met Moses. The officers rebuked Moses.
Exodus 5:21- And they said unto them, the Lord look upon you, and judge; because ye have made our savour to be abhorred in the eyes of Pharaoh, and in the eyes of his servants, to put a sword in their hand to slay us.
Reading Exodus 5:22-23, I get the sense that Moses was feeling dejected. But the Almighty was about to peel back a page in his master plan that would allow all mankind to see redemption.
Up to this point the Hebrews had only known God as El-Shaddai, or God Almighty. In Exodus 6, we see him introduce himself to Moses as JEHOVAH or Yahweh, the redemptive name of God. He continues in chapter 6 to reveal his future plans for the redemption of the nation of Israel. But in Exodus 6:9, we see the Israelite's refused to respond to this redeeming plan. They were anguished in spirit because of their cruel bondage.
Had the Israelites allowed God to condition their emotional responses? No! Instead of standing in awe of his wonderful plan for them, they whined because of their labors and refused to except God's consolation.
How often do we do the same thing? We doubt the truth of God's word and refuse to believe that things will ever get any better. How exasperated God must become with us! Yet, he loves us and continues to draw us "further up and further in." (C.S Lewis)
In Exodus chapter 5 we find Moses and Aaron before the Pharaoh asking for the Israelites release. Pharaoh refused, and in turn increased the labors of the Hebrews by requiring them to collect the straw needed to make the bricks. To understand the depth of this situation in God's sovereign layering system, I want to include a portion from Allan A. MacRae's, "The Relation of Archaeology to the Bible," in Modern Science and Christian Faith.
Archaeologists became interested early in examining Egyptian bricks of Moses' time to see if they contained straw. They found that, while many did contain straw, many also did not, leaving the impression that the Bible was wrong. But as usual in such cases, sooner or later it is shown that "the testimony of the Lord is sure, making wise the simple." (Ps. 19:7)-who know no better than to doubt the truth of God's Word. It is now known that oat straw boiled in water, when added to clay, makes the clay much easier to handle. With out the organic material obtained from the straw, the difficulty of making bricks was greatly increased. The fact that brick makers of Egypt found the use of straw essential, whether visible evidence remains or not, is fully borne out, as various writers have asserted.
It is my belief that God allowed the Israelites labors to be increased to begin the process of revealing hidden sin and to unveil the layers of his character and nature to them. They must be broken from their dependencies regarding Pharaoh and learn to depend on God and God alone.
As the Hebrews worked for Pharaoh, he gave them a place to live and food to eat. They were physically oppressed and requested deliverance from him. They were spiritually oppressed and requested redemption from God. They needed to be able to view the Almighty, as both their Deliver and Redeemer. When Pharaoh increased their labor, they reported to him their frustration. He repeated his demands. As the officers of the Hebrews were returning to report to the people, they met Moses. The officers rebuked Moses.
Exodus 5:21- And they said unto them, the Lord look upon you, and judge; because ye have made our savour to be abhorred in the eyes of Pharaoh, and in the eyes of his servants, to put a sword in their hand to slay us.
Reading Exodus 5:22-23, I get the sense that Moses was feeling dejected. But the Almighty was about to peel back a page in his master plan that would allow all mankind to see redemption.
Up to this point the Hebrews had only known God as El-Shaddai, or God Almighty. In Exodus 6, we see him introduce himself to Moses as JEHOVAH or Yahweh, the redemptive name of God. He continues in chapter 6 to reveal his future plans for the redemption of the nation of Israel. But in Exodus 6:9, we see the Israelite's refused to respond to this redeeming plan. They were anguished in spirit because of their cruel bondage.
Had the Israelites allowed God to condition their emotional responses? No! Instead of standing in awe of his wonderful plan for them, they whined because of their labors and refused to except God's consolation.
How often do we do the same thing? We doubt the truth of God's word and refuse to believe that things will ever get any better. How exasperated God must become with us! Yet, he loves us and continues to draw us "further up and further in." (C.S Lewis)
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