So, do you have perfect peace in every area of your life? I have to admit that I don't all the time. In fact, as I'm writing this, I have several major problems on my mind involving my immediate family. Outside of my family, I have friends who are going through divorce, have cancer, are foreclosing on their house and filing for bankruptcy, can't find work, whose kids are on drugs, kids who are in trouble, marriages failing. I could go on. I don't know about you, but it seems like life just keeps getting harder and harder and the problems get worse and worse.
So where is the peace? We can't get rid of the problems. They seem to keep coming in wave after wave. In fact, I believe things will get much worse as we draw closer to the end of the age and the return of Jesus. So, if we can't eliminate or avoid problems, how do we find peace?
The other day, I found an exact recipe for peace in Isaiah 26
You will guard him and keep him in perfect and constant peace whose mind [both its inclination and its character] is stayed on You, because he commits himself to You, leans on You, and hopes confidently in You. So trust in the Lord forever; for the Lord God is an everlasting Rock [the Rock of Ages]. (Amplified version)
Recipe for Peace
Ingredients
1. Hope
2. Inclination
3. Character
4. Trust
5. Mind
6. Leaning
7. Commiting
Directions:
1.Take your mind, inclination (desires) and character (entire being) and focus them on Jesus ALL THE TIME.
2. Commit your entire life and future and all your problems to Jesus and lean (rely, depend, rest) on Him
3. Hope confidently (believe) that Jesus will come through for you.
4. Trust in Jesus forever
Do these four things over and over again in your mind and heart all day and all night and God guarantees you will have Perfect and Constant Peace.
I don't know about you, but this is one recipe I'm going to try!
I have been leaning on this verse like crazy lately!!
ReplyDeleteGreat recipe! I think I will print it out, so that I can use it daily. Keep it coming, MaryLu!
ReplyDeleteWhat a great recipe! Thank so much for your inspiring post.
ReplyDeleteI love both this verse and how you laid it all out - you made it so much easier to remember!
ReplyDeletePsalm 94:19 When my anxious thoughts multiply within me, Thy consolations delight my soul (NASB).
God is the only one who can give perfect unfailing PEACE. A very good recipe. YES let us keep our minds on the LORD at all times.
ReplyDeleteThank you for the comments, everyone! Funny thing, when you determine with God's help to keep your mind on Him and gain peace, it seems the devil gets quite upset and throws everything he can at you. LOL. It's been one of those weeks. A real test of what I wrote in this post. But God is faithful...
ReplyDeleteAMEN!!!!!
ReplyDelete