“Staying” the Course...

You will keep him in perfect peace,
Whose mind is stayed on You,
Because he trusts in You.
Trust in the LORD forever,
For in YAH, the LORD, is everlasting strength.—Isaiah 26:3-4

This verse became my life verse very early on in my walk with the Lord. I did not know much, but I knew that this one was core.  I think it’s simplicity appealed to me.  The Lord has used this verse relentlessly in my life.  It has become a testimony to me of the depth, power and wisdom of God. The longer I walk with Him the more I see that it truly is all about Him in every way.

Colossians tells us in Chapter 3:17 that  "... whatever you do in word or deed, do all in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks to God the Father through Him." Acts tells us that "In Him we live and move and have our being."

Every moment is Jesus....every situation is Jesus....every circumstance is Jesus and He should be the basis for every relationship we have.  He is called Jehovah Shalom (God of Peace) and the Prince of Peace.  He is the Great I AM. Chuck Smith  has said that the name "Jehovah" can be interpreted as "The Becoming One." The One who becomes to people just what they need.  I love that...the Becoming One.   He becomes our peace when we focus our minds on Him.  I love that whenever my heart and mind go awry and anxiety threatens, these kind words of my God are my stay.  I run to the Rock of Ages and seek His strength.   I “stay” the course, I immerse myself in the Word and His peace which is an outflow of the fruit of His Spirit...love...floods my heart.  Ending with the OYB Psalm

Hear my cry, O God;
Attend to my prayer.
2 From the end of the earth I will cry to You,
When my heart is overwhelmed;
Lead me to the rock that is higher than I.
3 For You have been a shelter for me,
A strong tower from the enemy.
4 I will abide in Your tabernacle forever;
I will trust in the shelter of Your wings. Selah—Ps 61:1-4

Stubborn Children...

He removed the protection of Judah. You looked in that day to the armor of the House of the Forest; you also saw the damage to the city of David, that it was great; and you gathered together the waters of the lower pool. You numbered the houses of Jerusalem, and the houses you broke down to fortify the wall. You also made a reservoir between the two walls for the water of the old pool. But you did not look to its Maker, nor did you have respect for Him who fashioned it long ago. —-Isaiah 22:8-11

Jerusalem prepared for the battle.  They strengthened the city wall and made sure there was enough water for a siege, but they did not look to the One who made the city.  They did not have respect for Him who fashioned it long ago.  All they did would not prosper or profit, because Judah did not do what was TRULY NEEDFUL.  She did not obey God. She did not turn her heart towards the Lord.

Even in the midst of war and chaos, the safest place for Judah and each of us to be is under our God’s wing of protection. Humility protects and preserves.  Lowliness of mind keeps us from our own wrong desires and settles our mind on what He desires.  His perfect will then covers us.

 "Ah, stubborn children," declares the LORD, "who carry out a plan, but not mine, and who make an alliance, but not of my Spirit, that they may add sin to sin; who set out to go down to Egypt, without asking for my direction, to take refuge in the protection of Pharaoh and to seek shelter in the shadow of Egypt! Therefore shall the protection of Pharaoh turn to your shame, and the shelter in the shadow of Egypt to your humiliation. For though his officials are at Zoan and his envoys reach Hanes, everyone comes to shame through a people that cannot profit them, that brings neither help nor profit, but shame and disgrace."  (Isaiah 30:1-5, ESV)

OYB Psalm today is perfect here...

Give us help from trouble, For the help of man is useless. Through God we will do valiantly, For it is He who shall tread down our enemies.*—Ps 60:11-12

The Word Brings Perspective...

Saul also sent messengers unto David's house, to watch him, and to slay him in the morning: and Michal David's wife told him, saying, If thou save not thy life to night, to morrow thou shalt be slain.--1st Samuel 19:11

In First Samuel 19 we find Saul trying to kill David yet again.  These years were obviously very difficult ones for David, but it is very helpful for us (me) to remember that some of David's most beautiful psalms were penned during this time.  As we read them and hear the depths of David's heart, we too, cry out with David and turn out hearts upside down before our God.

 Psalm 59 was written during this time in David's life.  As you read it, you can hear his desperation and his desire on his enemies.  He begins very distressed...but as I have always found in my own life when I bring my troubles to my God, my attitude begins to change as I lift my eyes to His throne.

My problems so often overwhelm my heart but they never overwhelm my God. These low points in our lives give us the greatest opportunity for faith.  All we need do is go to Him and pour out our heart.  He does the rest.

As I pray through all my troubles and focus on Him my perspective changes....just as David's did.  At the end of my prayer I am seeing God more clearly and my problems have dimmed in the light of His glory and grace.  I begin to praise Him even though nothing has changed in my circumstances.  Something has changed in my heart.  I have beheld Him and have been transformed just a little bit more into His likeness.  I then can praise Him as David did at the end of Psalm 59:

But I will sing of thy power; yea, I will sing aloud of thy mercy in the morning: for thou hast been my defence and refuge in the day of my trouble.  Unto thee, O my strength, will I sing: for God is my defence, and the God of my mercy.--Psalm 59:16-17

Grace to You and Peace...

Grace to you and peace from God the Father and our Lord Jesus Christ,—Galatians 1:3

The churches of Galatia had moved away from the one true Gospel.  They were perverting it by adding requirements of the law to the Gospel of grace. I am so grateful that Paul faced the Galatian church’s heresy straight on.  Even his typical greeting here puts truth to their lie.  If salvation is by works as they claimed, it is not of “grace” and cannot result in “peace,” since no one can be sure he has enough good works to be eternally secure.

Grace and peace are two words that cause my shoulders and back to relax when I hear them.  The burden is not mine.  Grace is God’s UNDESERVED kindness to me...a sinner.  It doesn’t ask me to do anything, instead, it tells me what God has done for me, and offers me...a hopeless, helpless and condemned sinner...a way out.

The God of the Universe invites me to receive His free gift of salvation, and when I accept, He imputes His righteousness to my account.  I am now at peace with God. I can rest in the knowledge that the penalty of my sin has been paid, and that I am forgiven.  It doesn’t end here though.  The same grace that saved me now keeps me...bringing me the peace of God moment by moment throughout my earthly journey and fulfilling His purpose for me. The arm of the Lord is made bare in my life as God, in Christ, sets out to finish the good work He began in me at salvation. The law does not bring God’s peace...it brings a curse...no one can keep it..it has no power to save...only condemn.