Victory of Peace

Leave a comment

FullSizeRender (6)

The God of peace be with you all.

Romans 15:33

Peace between God and mankind began at Christmas as Jesus entered this world and the angels proclaimed, “Peace on earth to men of good will.”

Isn’t it ironic that during this Season of Peace, most people feel especially frazzled, overwhelmed and anxious? Between strained family relationships, crazy-busy schedules and over-the-top gift expectations, even the calmest of people can become a bit rattled. It’s easy at Christmas to lose sight of the fact that as believers in Christ, the God of peace is truly with us.

In the gospel of John, we read about Jesus preparing to go to the cross on our behalf. He reminded His disciples that the Father would send the Comforter, the Holy Spirit, to give us peace. Jesus said, “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,” (John 14:27). Jesus gave us a unique and wonderful gift, the gift of peace. Not a peace that the world gives, but rather a peace that only God can give, a peace that passes all understanding.

The cross was the ultimate victory providing peace with God through Jesus’ sacrifice. After Jesus ascended to Heaven, God did not leave us here alone to try to figure out life on our own. He gave us His Spirit.

Think about it – the very same Spirit of God who brought order from chaos when the universe was formed, is the Spirit that is with us!  Certainly He can bring a glorious peace to our restless hearts. So when you feel anxious or overwhelmed, remember this simple yet powerful phrase, The God of peace is with me. He will guide you and give you a new perspective. He will calm your chaos.

This is devotion also appears in Buckner International’s 2015 Advent Guide. Click here to download your free Advent Guide.

 

Prepare Your Heart

1 Comment

FullSizeRender (5)

Each year Buckner International assembles a group of writers to contribute to their annual Christmas Advent Guide. This year I had the privilege of writing a devotional for the guide. I wrote about the peace that God brings into our hearts through Jesus Christ in a message entitled “Victory of Peace,” based on Romans 15:33.

I encourage you to download a free copy of Buckner’s advent guide, so we can walk through the advent season together. Click here to download your free copy or you can order a booklet to be sent to your house. May the peace that Christ brings to our lives be very real to you this season.

The Joy of Thanksgiving

Leave a comment

typorama (2)

It’s happening! Christmas is already in full gear, and we haven’t even had Thanksgiving yet. Holiday decorations, music and advertisements have already bombarded every store.

Although tidings of great joy is a Christmas term, I think joy should also be associated with Thanksgiving. Have you ever noticed that joy and thankfulness go hand in hand? When you meet a thankful person, she is usually joyful, and when you meet a joyful person, she is typically a grateful person as well.

When we choose to deliberately focus on what we are thankful for, it changes our outlook in life. There are things to be glad about in every situation, but we have to be looking for them.  That’s what thankful people do – they count their blessings rather than wasting time grumbling and complaining. Let’s be intentional about gratitude every single day and usher in the holidays with a joy-filled heart.

Here are 10 ideas to spark and inspire a grateful heart for both you and your kids. These are simply suggestions, not another burdensome list. Keep it simple and just apply a couple of these in order to start a new Thanksgiving tradition.

  1. Write down 5 things you are thankful for every morning.
  2. Send a thank you note, text or email to a friend or family member, telling them what you appreciate about them.
  3. Forgive anyone you are holding a grudge against and thank the Lord for His forgiveness of your sins through Jesus.
  4. Give a thank you gift to a waiter or staff person you see on a regular basis.
  5. Thank a member of the armed forces with a card or gift.
  6. Make a list of the things you can be thankful for in a challenge you are currently facing.
  7. Call your spouse during the day, just to say thank you.
  8. Create a space somewhere in the kitchen for everyone to write what they are grateful for.
  9. Play and sing praise and worship music throughout your day.
  10. Pray together as a family at night, thanking the Lord for His blessings.

Finally, here are a few verses you may want to post around your house or memorize:

 Rejoice always, pray continually, give thanks in all circumstances; for this is God’s will for you in Christ Jesus. I Thessalonians 5:16-18

And whatever you do, whether in word or deed, do it all in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks to God the Father through him. Colossians 3:17

Praise the Lord. Give thanks to the Lord, for he is good;

his love endures forever.  Psalm 106:1

I hope you have a wonderful and joy-filled thanksgiving!

In Light of Paris

Leave a comment

Alexander III bridge, Paris, France

This weekend, we watched in horror as the terrible news from Paris unfolded. It’s hard to understand how people could choose to cause such suffering and pain in the lives of others. Our prayers go out to the victims and their families, as we struggle to find ways to demonstrate our support for them.

There are certain Psalms I reflect on every Monday, and as I meditated on Psalm 34 I thought it was timely in light of the tragedies in Paris. God’s word is always a source of comfort, wisdom and strength, particularly in times of difficulties. Take a moment to reflect on these words written by David as he expounded on the hope of those who fear the Lord.

Psalm 34

1 I will extol the Lord at all times;
his praise will always be on my lips.
2 I will glory in the Lord;
let the afflicted hear and rejoice.
3 Glorify the Lord with me;
let us exalt his name together.

4 I sought the Lord, and he answered me;
he delivered me from all my fears.
5 Those who look to him are radiant;
their faces are never covered with shame.
6 This poor man called, and the Lord heard him;
he saved him out of all his troubles.
7 The angel of the Lord encamps around those who fear him,
and he delivers them.

8 Taste and see that the Lord is good;
blessed is the one who takes refuge in him.
9 Fear the Lord, you his holy people,
for those who fear him lack nothing.
10 The lions may grow weak and hungry,
but those who seek the Lord lack no good thing.
11 Come, my children, listen to me;
I will teach you the fear of the Lord.
12 Whoever of you loves life
and desires to see many good days,
13 keep your tongue from evil
and your lips from telling lies.
14 Turn from evil and do good;
seek peace and pursue it.

15 The eyes of the Lord are on the righteous,
and his ears are attentive to their cry;
16 but the face of the Lord is against those who do evil,
to blot out their name from the earth.

17 The righteous cry out, and the Lord hears them;
he delivers them from all their troubles.
18 The Lord is close to the brokenhearted
and saves those who are crushed in spirit.

19 The righteous person may have many troubles,
but the Lord delivers him from them all;
20 he protects all his bones,
not one of them will be broken.

21 Evil will slay the wicked;
the foes of the righteous will be condemned.
22 The Lord will rescue his servants;
no one who takes refuge in him will be condemned.

The Bible leads us to find our hope in God. When life seems overwhelming or out of control, call out to Jesus. He is our source of salvation, comfort and strength. He is close to the brokenhearted and saves those who are crushed in spirit. May you find your refuge in Him today.

“Taste and see that the Lord is good. Blessed is the person who takes refuge in Him.” Verse 18

Guest Blogger Julie Smith

Leave a comment

Recently, while pushing my super-sized shopping cart down a CostCo aisle, I made eye contact with an older woman who was dressed in the traditional Arab, dark-colored, full body cloak. Struck by the sternness of her countenance and almost without thinking, I continued to look her in the eyes as my smile gently grew larger, while remaining sincere. It was as if I could follow her thought process in response to my smile. At first, sadly, her eyes declared that infrequently, she is the recipient of kindness from white women. And then, her smile went from no smile, to a tentative smile, to a smile mirroring my own. What a wonderful experience we both had and no words were exchanged. Our exchange contained expressions of the heart painted on the canvas of human faces.

Scripture tells us that David was “a man after God’s own heart.” To understand another’s heart, we gather information about what is important to that person. Since the face expresses the heart, in seeking God’s face, aren’t we really longing to understand His heart about many things? Not the least of which is how He feels about us and those we encounter. I find it unfathomably inviting that God wants us to seek His face. The One who created you and created me, who redeemed us on a rugged cross yearns to open His heart to us. As a result, His desire is that we care about who and what He cares about, and then with our faces pass along His glory to others.

At CostCo, the woman had a complete countenance transformation as she responded to His heart reflected in a human face. Viewing her facial transformation in time lapsed photography would provide a powerful reminder of God’s ability to impact our culture with the use of a tool we each possess, our faces. Like Moses, as we spend time on the mountain alone with God, our faces will be transformed and cannot help but reflect His glory to others. So, what do you say? Shall we schedule an appointment at The Heavenly Mountain Spa so that He can make us over with His love? This way, our faces can more often reflect His heart to a lost and hurting culture.

“But we all, with unveiled face, beholding as in a mirror the glory of the Lord, are being transformed into the same image from glory to glory, just as by the Spirit of the Lord.” 

2 Corinthians 3:18

Check out Julie’s blog by clicking here.