Good morning,
"As for me, I will call upon God; and the Lord shall save me. Evening, and morning, and at noon, will I pray, and cry aloud: and He shall hear my voice. He hath delivered my soul in peace from the battle that was against me: for there were many with me." (Ps.55:16-18) When we call on God He will save [deliver; liberate; make us victorious]. "He has delivered my soul in peace from the battle that was against me", what a great promise to us! When I call to God He answers me with His deliverance for my soul [mind, will, emotions, appetite], by giving me His peace. Peace means soundness, wholeness, and completeness, health, prosperity, quiet, tranquility, and contentment. As we experience God's deliverance it causes us to be complete in our body, mind, emotions, appetites, and our will; His peace makes us whole in every area of our lives. We have a lot to be thankful for! The greatest part of this verse to me is that God gives us this completeness, right when the battle is against us. In the midst of warfare, we need to have soundness of mind, body, emotions, and tranquility, so that we can hear God's directions and instructions for our next step. Remember we must be able to run this race without being so encumbered by so many weights. "Therefore, since we are surrounded by such a huge crowd of witnesses to the life of faith, let us strip off every weight that slows us down, especially the sin that so easily trips us up. And let us run with endurance the race God has set before us." (Hebrews 12:1) Weights are whatever is prominent, bulky, a mass, hence a burden or an encumbrance. The very things that we carry in our minds, will, emotions, and our body too; these things that make us not complete, or sound, or tranquil. Weights keep us burdened down and not moving as the Lord desires us to do. It is hard to run with a mass in your mind, or your body, or your spirit. We must desire peace, not drama and chaos.
Let's put a stop to the lawlessness, disorder, discord, and anarchy that runs rampant in our souls, we can do it too. Let's strive for the peace of God. Listen to the way peace is described; "And God's peace [shall be yours, that tranquil state of a soul assured of its salvation through Christ, and so fearing nothing from God and being content with its earthly lot of whatever sort that is, that peace] which transcends all understanding shall garrison and mount guard over your hearts and minds in Christ Jesus." (Phil. 4:7) That is the peace that God gives right in the midst of the battle. The kind of peace, that transcends [over the top; rises above; to surpass; be superior; go beyond] all of our understanding. We must seek this kind of "over the top and superior peace." God is not the author of confusion, chaos, or disorder, but He is the God of over the top and surpassing peace. We can always have it by practicing keeping and fixing our mind, our emotions, appetites, and our will on the God of peace. You can have it on your job, at home, at church, in your relationships, and in all kinds of trouble. "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." (Isa. 26:3) Our soul, mind, will, emotions, and appetites, can always be in a superior state of peace, even in the midst of the battle, but it can only be accomplished by keeping our mind on Him, and then He guards our mind. In peace we can truly hear Him, regardless of the battles. Keep crying out to Him, evening, morning, and noon, let your voice be heard!
Let's put a stop to the lawlessness, disorder, discord, and anarchy that runs rampant in our souls, we can do it too. Let's strive for the peace of God. Listen to the way peace is described; "And God's peace [shall be yours, that tranquil state of a soul assured of its salvation through Christ, and so fearing nothing from God and being content with its earthly lot of whatever sort that is, that peace] which transcends all understanding shall garrison and mount guard over your hearts and minds in Christ Jesus." (Phil. 4:7) That is the peace that God gives right in the midst of the battle. The kind of peace, that transcends [over the top; rises above; to surpass; be superior; go beyond] all of our understanding. We must seek this kind of "over the top and superior peace." God is not the author of confusion, chaos, or disorder, but He is the God of over the top and surpassing peace. We can always have it by practicing keeping and fixing our mind, our emotions, appetites, and our will on the God of peace. You can have it on your job, at home, at church, in your relationships, and in all kinds of trouble. "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." (Isa. 26:3) Our soul, mind, will, emotions, and appetites, can always be in a superior state of peace, even in the midst of the battle, but it can only be accomplished by keeping our mind on Him, and then He guards our mind. In peace we can truly hear Him, regardless of the battles. Keep crying out to Him, evening, morning, and noon, let your voice be heard!
Love,
Pastor D.
Daughters of Z 