Tag: peace

Scripture & Prayer: Do Not Be Anxious, Philippians 4:6-7

Philippians 4:6-7 NIV “Do not be anxious about anything, but in every situation, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God. And the peace of God, which transcends all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus.”

Heavenly Father, 

Thank you that we can bring all of our requests to you, with thankful hearts. We are thankful that you are good and that you will always be faithful in any situation we face. You are concerned about every worry, every concern, and every circumstance, good or bad. The details of our lives matter to you. 

Teach us to be quick to pray whenever we feel anxious. We can be completely honest with you because you love us and know us better than we know ourselves. And you desire to be intimately involved in our lives. 

As we give you our anxious thoughts, you promised to give us your peace in return. You have promised us that your peace will guard our hearts and minds in Christ Jesus and go beyond our understanding. And we are thankful that the love and peace you give far outweigh any hurt we feel or any issues we face. 

Lord, I pray for each person reading this prayer right now, that they would make their specific requests known to you, with thanksgiving. 

I pray that they would joyfully receive the peace that you promised as they continue to wait on you with expectation and trust, knowing that you are at work in their hearts and lives. 

In the name of Jesus. Amen. 

Have a blessed week!

Love Life and See Good Days

1 Peter 3:10-11 ESV For “Whoever desires to love life and see good days, let him keep his tongue from evil and his lips from speaking deceit;  let him turn away from evil and do good; let him seek peace and pursue it.”

These are wise words that help lead us to good days and a life we can enjoy. It challenges us to keep a guard over our tongues, turn from evil, do good, and to seek and pursue peace. Since our words and actions have an impact, asking God to help us to be mindful in these areas and being sure to talk to Him about our specific struggles will invite Him in to help us. 

We are often ready to get to the next season of life. Especially when we are going through something difficult. However, learning as much as we can right where God has us, will benefit us now and when we enter the next season of life. And the wisdom found in these verses to not indulge in harmful words and evil actions will help us as we go through the learning process. 

Photo by: Pixabay

We often cannot fully perceive what we are missing out on until we are willing to trust God and obey what He is telling us to do. Then our obedience leads to blessings and better understanding. 

The final words of these verses say to seek peace and pursue it. I have found that peace brings clarity and the ability to better hear God’s voice and follow His leading. We serve a God who is willing to give us peace in exchange for our worries; so cast your worries on Him today because he cares for you (Philippians 4:6-7; 1 Peter 5:7).

Our Daily Bread

Matthew 6:11 NIV, “Give us today our daily bread.”

Lately, I have thought of this verse to remind myself that the Lord is willing to give us our daily bread to navigate our lives. Not only through the trials we may face but also to get through our daily tasks and responsibilities. We just simply have to be willing to ask for help and then surrender to God and trust Him to answer. James 4:2 reminds us that we have not because we ask not. 

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When we keep our focus on Jesus, we can take courage knowing He loves us and that even in the midst of our difficulties, He is working all things together for our good (Romans 8:28). The lessons we are learning will make us even more wise and teach us more about the character of our God. And we never know who is watching us; how we act and what we say can inspire others and shine the Light of Jesus into their lives.

God sends us the people and resources we need to help us. He is the source of anything good and He is willing to share His goodness with us everyday. It’s a simple truth that is easy to overlook, especially when we feel pressure to have all the answers. But it’s true, all we have to do is ask. 

Dear Heavenly Father, 

Give us today our daily bread. 

In Jesus name. Amen. 

Stay Tuned In

Galatians 5:16 NLT, “So I say, let the Holy Spirit guide your lives. Then you won’t be doing what your sinful nature craves.”

Most of us can probably agree that it is not always easy to live by the Holy Spirit. As the verse mentions, the sinful nature rises up to entice us. Plus, we live in a hectic world that sends us many signals, signals that work to draw our hearts and minds away from the Lord. Remaining intentional about staying tuned in to the voice and leading of the Holy Spirit will help us to not be lead astray.

Photo by:
John-Mark Smith of the Ukraine 🇺🇦

When we read and meditate on God’s Word, it will strengthen us so our thoughts and actions stay in line with His will. And honest communication with the Lord about everything through prayer, will remind us that He is with us, is sovereign over our lives and loves us unconditionally. Exchanging our worries for prayer, will also lead us to God’s perfect peace.

Photo by: TimaMiroshnichenko of Poland 🇵🇱

We all have times in life where we go through difficult challenges, and our faith and trust in God are tested. During these times, allowing the Holy Spirit to guide us may seem especially hard, but no matter what circumstances we find ourselves in, God is willing to help us in our time of need. Remember, nothing we face is too hard for God and He is faithful to us. He never changes. His love always remains the same. 

Psalm 36:5 ESV, “Your steadfast love, O LORD, extends to the heavens, your faithfulness to the clouds.”

Stay tuned in to the Lord. He promises to direct our paths as we trust Him.

Do You Have An Answer?

1 Peter 3:15-16 NIV, “15 But in your hearts revere Christ as Lord. Always be prepared to give an answer to everyone who asks you to give the reason for the hope that you have. 16 But do this with gentleness and respect, keeping a clear conscience, so that those who speak maliciously against your good behavior in Christ may be ashamed of their slander.”

Photo by:
August de Richelieu

Recently while attending a small Bible study group, the speaker asked the question, “What keeps you committed to Christ?” For me, it was a very timely question because I had been thinking about this just a few days earlier.

These verses in 1 Peter tell us to be prepared to answer this question. We never know when we will be given the opportunity to share with someone the reason we have chosen to put our hope in Jesus Christ.

When it was my turn to answer the question, and share about something that keeps me committed to Christ, I said, “He always sees and He always hears.”

I love that Jesus is the God who always sees me. He is always aware of me and what I am going through. Although I am blessed to have people who care about me, people cannot always see what He can. I am never out of His sight. He understands me and my circumstances completely.

Secondly, I love that Jesus is the God who always hears me. I can pray at anytime and He will hear me. No appointment needed. He is always available. He does not slumber or sleep.

Psalm 121:3-5 NLT, “3 He will not let you stumble; the one who watches over you will not slumber. 4 Indeed, he who watches over Israel never slumbers or sleeps. 5 The Lord himself watches over you! The Lord stands beside you as your protective shade.”

Photo by: Mental Health America 🇺🇸

I was glad the Bible study leader asked us this question. I was reminded to always be ready to give others an answer for the hope Jesus gives me and why I choose to stay committed to Him. It could be a non-Christian asking us about our faith in Christ or even another Christian who needs encouragement. Whatever the case, we should be ready.

I could use some encouragement and I am sure others can too, so I am asking you to please share in the comments, “What keeps you committed to Christ?”

Small as a Mustard Seed

Matthew 17:20 NIV, “He replied, “Because you have so little faith. Truly I tell you, if you have faith as small as a mustard seed, you can say to this mountain, ‘Move from here to there,’ and it will move. Nothing will be impossible for you.”

We may have times in life where we question our faith in God, and feel as if our lack of faith has hindered our progress or even caused us to not experience the answer to some of our prayers. However, this verse encourages us by reminding us that even a small amount of faith in God, the size of a mustard seed, can have a huge impact.

God can see our hearts, and when we come to Him in prayer, we do not have to speak many words or have all the answers. All we need is faith, the size of a mustard seed. Then, Jesus said, nothing will be impossible, and mountains will move.

So trust God and don’t be discouraged. Believe that He can do great things with your mustard seed faith.

Photo by: Eva Bronzini of Estonia 🇪🇪

Thankful for the Family of Believers

1 Peter 5:9, “Stand firm against him, and be strong in your faith. Remember that your family of believers all over the world is going through the same kind of suffering you are.”

Photo by: Pavel Danilyuk of Belarus 🇧🇾

I am thankful for the family of believers that we have because we are able to support and encourage one another in our faith. It is a blessing to have fellow brothers and sisters in Christ who are praying for me and standing on the Word of God just as I am. All of your writings here on WordPress also bring me much inspiration and help my faith to stay strong, thank you for sharing your heart through your blog posts and comments. I pray we would all continue to stand firm against the tricks of the enemy and be strong in our faith in God.

Dear Father,

Thank you for the family of believers here on WordPress and around the world. Keep us in your perfect peace as we keep our minds fixed on you. No matter what we may be facing, help us to stand firm against the enemy and be strong in our faith. Help us to be quick to call out to you for help in times of need. You are our ever present help in times of trouble and thank you for hearing our prayers.

In the name of Jesus. Amen.

For more inspiration visit: Drawing Closer to Christ on YouTube