Choosing Peace...

I had the privilege of hearing Kay Arthur speak a year or so ago.  Her focus was on John 14. Her first bit of teaching stopped me in my tracks and has stayed with me ever since.  John 14:1 says "Let not your heart be troubled. Trust in God, trust also in Me."  


I have heard that verse many times... it is used often in conjunction with a death.  And the message is usually that when our hearts are troubled, we can / should trust in God.  That is true... not a bad message or a wrong one. But what Kay pointed out was the wording... LET NOT... Don't Let your heart be troubled.. That puts it all on me. It is a choice... I choose to have a troubled heart or one at peace because I trust in Him. 


So no matter what life sends my way, I have a choice as to how I will let it effect me. 


I was reminded of that choice again today as I read John 16:33  “I have told you these things, so that in me you may have peace. In this world you will have trouble. But take heart! I have overcome the world.”


Again, another verse I am very familiar with.. but today God showed me the choice in it. Jesus tells us that we WILL have trouble in the world. No choice there. It is going to happen. But before that He says He has told us things (His precious promises) so that we MAY have peace.. MAY.. might.. not will. Peace is not an automatic guarantee.  Again, it is a choice we make.  


So today...no matter what my emotions and circumstances tell me, I am choosing to "let the peace of Christ rule my heart" (Col. 3:15) instead of letting my heart be troubled and full of unrest.


How about you? What are you choosing today?

Choose the better thing....

This morning I was reading in Acts 6.  I didn't get far before the Lord stopped me. The beginning of this chapter deals with setting up church leadership... but there is a phrase in verse 4 that jumped out at me and applies even not only to church leadership, but also to our day to day lives.

"give attention to prayer and the ministry of the Word."

Isn't this what the Lord wants each of us to do? To give attention... make time... priority time... to pray and be in the Word and pour the Word into others?

I am busy... as most everyone of you are too... and if I am not careful, the busyness of my life takes over and causes me to either not give attention to prayer and the Word or to do so rapidly as if to get it done and off my to-do list for the day... a task, not a delight.  As I pondered this phrase, I was taken back to a familiar story in Luke 10. Jesus has come to the home of Mary, Martha and Lazarus.  Martha is rushing about making sure everything is done... not bad things.. things that need to be dealt with, but that don't have to take priority right then.... they will still be there to do once Jesus has left the house.  Mary, on the other hand, has stopped all her activity and is sitting at the feet of Jesus taking in all He says (Luke 10:39).  Martha continues to work and work and get more frazzled as she has a pity party in her mind about all she is doing and all Mary is not.  She decides to make Jesus aware of the injustice of the situation, but is, no doubt, taken back by His reply:

"Martha, Martha, you are worried and upset about many things but only one thing is needed.  Mary has chosen what is better and it will not be taken away from her" (Luke 10:41-42)

Today, I want to choose what is better... I want to give attention to prayer and the ministry of the Word.  I pray to have ears that hear and a heart that responds to whatever the Lord calls me to.  I want to be a sheep that knows the Shepherd's voice and responds when He calls.

What will you choose today?

Downcast

I was rather glum yesterday -- the weight of the world on my shoulders.  At some point I heard in my spirit... "Why are you downcast, O my soul?"  I knew that came from a Psalm and the point was with God there is no need to be downcast.  I let the day go on and never stopped to look up the actual Psalm.  But this morning I did...

Ps. 42:5 & 11 Why are you downcast, O my soul? Why so disturbed within me? Put your hope in God for I will yet praise Him, my Savior and my God.

and then I read on to verse 6...


My soul is downcast within me; therefore I will remember You....

There is the key to not being downcast...

remember WHO God is... WHAT He has done... WHAT He promises

That is the cure! Remember... Focus..... on God.

And it is a choice... we CHOOSE to Focus on Him and not our circumstances.

Let us fix our eyes on Jesus, the author and perfector of our faith. Heb. 12:2a

Let us -- again, a choice. Something we are told to do (Let us) but not made to do... it is our choice. So when I am downcast, it is my choice to stay there! Whoa!


My eyes are ever on the Lord, for only He will release my feet from the snare.  Ps. 25:15

Where are your eyes today?

Word of the Year: Choice

I am woefully behind on this blog!  I realized that I haven't even posted my word for the year. I started this tradition with myself in 2008. My word then was Gratitude. 2009: Peace. 2010: Change (I was not thrilled about that one, but it was perfect for that year!) My 2011 word did not come quickly as the others had. In fact, I really wondered if I would have a word. I kept trying to make words fit instead of waiting on the Lord to show me. I am a bit surprised my word isn't patience!  But He did show me late in January... Choice.

Life really is all about Choices.

I choose to sleep a bit longer or get up and have time with God

I choose to respond to someone in love or anger

I choose to exercise or sit on the couch

I choose to eat healthy or not

I choose what goes into my mind, my mouth, my heart etc.

I choose ow I spend my time, where I spend it, who I spend it with etc.

I choose to obey or disobey the Lord

I choose to take Him at His Word -- BELIEVE Him... have FAITH in Him... or not to

I choose to Walk in Faith or stumble around on my own

I choose to wait patiently on His timing or to try to make something happen on my own or to grumble as I wait

The list goes on and on and on and on.. and almost daily He shows me how CHOICE affects my life.

I pray that I will be like Mary and choose the Better thing!

Martha, Martha,” the Lord answered, “you are worried and upset about many things,  but few things are needed—or indeed only one. Mary has chosen what is better, and it will not be taken away from her.” Luke 10:41-42

Psalm 55

Written November 17, 2008 

Psalm 55 has a good bit of despair in it, but there is also hope. 

Verse 2 says, “my thoughts trouble me and I am distraught at the voice of the enemy.” 

Isn’t that where satan hits hardest – in our thoughts?  Satan is the father of lies and he whispers them constantly to us.  He knows all the right buttons to push. 

This verse reminds me of the Casting Crowns’ song “Voice of Truth” which talks abouot these lies and the dear they bring.  They can paralyze us if we choose to listen to them.  But 2 Tim. 1:7 tells us that” God did not give us a spirit of fear, but a spirit of power, love and a sound mind” and we are to make the choice to listen to the voice of truth – God’s voice – and not these lies the enemy bombards us with.  We must take these lies captive and give them to Jesus (2 Cor. 10:15) and renew our mind (Rom. 12:2) by being in the Word.  If we keep our minds filled with truth, there will be no room for lies and the battle will be tougher for satan. 

Despite the despair found in this Psalm, the Psalmist knows where to find help…. 

v. 16 “But I call to God and the Lord saves me” 

v. 18 “He ransoms me unharmed” 

It is a choice …. To wallow in lies or to believe and trust God. 

v. 22 “Cast your cares on the Lord and He will sustain you; He will never let the righteous fall.” 

v. 23b “But as for me, I trust in You (Lord).”