by George | Jan 17, 2021 | Community News
Peace Be Still
“Then He arose and rebuked the wind, and said to the sea, “Peace, be still!” And the wind ceased and there was a great calm.”
Mark 4:39
Imagine you are watching the ocean waves crashing into the shore. The waves suddenly get larger, and you can hear the wind howling.
Then, the waves become smaller and smaller. The wind becomes silent and starts to blow gently…
I was really angry about something… My voice became louder as I complained to my co workers standing nearby. One of them said calmly, “Peace, be still.”
I knew exactly why he said that. There was a storm brewing in my life, based on something so important…. that I can’t remember it now…
“Peace be still.” He uttered these words as a prayer that Jesus would calm the storm in my life, just as He calmed the storm long ago.
Jesus had said to His disciples, “Let us cross to the other side.” Mark 4:35
So, their destination was never in doubt, or it shouldn’t have been.
The disciples became frightened in the midst of the storm. They awoke a sleeping Jesus and said “Teacher, do you not care that we are perishing?” Mark 4:38
Sometimes we forget that God is leading us to the other shore. We forget that He will never leave us or forsake us. (Deuteronomy 31:6)
We tend to put our minds on the storms brewing, and before long we feel a storm brewing inside of us, and our soul becomes like the turbulent waves of the ocean. Waves of fear, anxiety and anger…
But the Master says “Peace be still.”
May the peace of God which passes all understanding fill your soul today. You WILL get to the other shore…
by George | Jan 13, 2021 | Community News, Devotional, Newsletter
Rest and Wait
The calendar has turned to January. A new year has begun. There is a sense of relief that the old year is gone. We have hopes and dreams for this new year.
We have a feeling of restlessness. Shouldn’t we be up and moving towards our new goals? This morning, some are already starting.
We drove by a local gym. There were many cars in the parking lot.
I wasn’t THAT ambitious this morning, but I felt like I should be doing something…
But I would suggest that we need not rush into anything.
Instead, we need a time of rest, renewal and refreshment.
Not just a physical rest, but also a Spiritual one. It’s a good time to pray, and listen for the still small voice of God. It’s a time of waiting.
Here’s some verses for your quiet time with God today. Read over them prayerfully and slowly.
“Come to Me, all you who labor and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest.”
Matthew 11:28
“Be still, and know that I am God; I will be exalted among the nations, I will be exalted in the earth!”
Psalms 46:10
(Other translations for “Be still” are “quit striving” and “quit fighting.”)
“Commit your way to the LORD, Trust also in Him, And He shall bring it to pass.”
Psalms 37:5
“Commit your works to the LORD, And your thoughts will be established.”
Proverbs 16:3
“Trust in the LORD with all your heart, And lean not on your own understanding; In all your ways acknowledge Him, And He shall direct your paths.”
Proverbs 3:5-6
Lastly, remember to ALWAYS put God first in your life.
“But seek first the kingdom of God and His righteousness, and all these things shall be added to you.”
Matthew 6:33
Happy New Year and
Happy Rest in God!
by George | Jan 9, 2021 | Community News
Resolutions? Goals? None of the Above?
How do you feel about New Year’s resolutions? Do you make goals instead? Or, do you have elaborate plans mapped out for the new year? Maybe, it’s none of the above. You want to continue on the same path, but doing so with a new zeal.
Regardless of your preference for starting a new year, here’s some advice from the Word.
First:
Put God first, before anything or anyone. Give Him the throne of your life. He will guide your path.
Jesus tells us to seek first the kingdom of God. (Matthew 6:33)
Psalm 32: 8 — “I will instruct you and teach you in the way you should go; I will counsel you with My eye upon you.”
Forget the past:
It’s hard to walk forward when you are looking behind you!
Philippians 3:12-14 — “Not that I have already obtained this or am already perfect, but I press on to make it my own, because Christ Jesus has made me his own. Brothers, I do not consider that I have made it my own. But one thing I do: forgetting what lies behind and straining forward to what lies ahead, I press on toward the goal for the prize of the upward call of God in Christ Jesus.”
Forgive:
Unforgiveness is a weight on your soul. Forgive, and let God help you with your feelings.
Ephesians 4:32 — “Be kind to one another, tenderhearted, forgiving one another, as God in Christ forgave you.”
Forge ahead:
Keep moving forward!
Hebrews 12:1-2 — “Therefore we also, since we are surrounded by so great a cloud of witnesses, let us lay aside every weight, and the sin which so easily ensnares us,and let us run with endurance the race that is set before us, looking unto Jesus, the author and finisher of our faith, who for the joy that was set before Him endured the cross, despising the shame, and has sat down at the right hand of the throne of God.”
Fear not:
It’s a scary time, but remember that God is greater than our fears!
1 Timothy 1:7 — “For God has not given us a spirit of fear, but of power and of love and of a sound mind.”
May God bless you in 2021 and make your way prosperous!
