Post by Betty on May 31, 2005 18:42:15 GMT -5
Title: Prayer and Peace
With my soul have I desired Thee in the night;
yea, with my spirit within me will I seek Thee
early: for when Thy judgments are in the earth,
the inhabitants of the world will learn
righteousness.
One of the prevailing themes of both Old and New
Testaments is the constant presence of peace in
the hearts of those who abide in God. The prophet
Isaiah said it this way, "Thou wilt keep him in
perfect peace, whose mind is stayed on Thee:
because he trusteth in Thee" (Isaiah 26:3).
Literally Isaiah said, "Thou wilt keep him in
peace, peace." Or God will keep us in double
peace. He will give us a double portion of peace
when our minds rest on Him.
Likewise in the New Testament Jesus taught His
disciples that His very presence would bring them
peace. He said, "Peace I leave with you, My peace
I give unto you: not as the world giveth give I
unto you" John 14:27). He told His disciples,
"These things I have spoken unto you, that in Me
ye might have peace. In the world ye shall have
tribulation: but be of good cheer; I have
overcome the world" (John 16:33).
The apostle Paul understood the principle of
fixing our minds on God and enjoying His peace.
He counseled the Colossian believers to "let the
peace of God rule in your hearts, to the which
also ye are called in one body; and be ye
thankful" (Colossians 3:15). If our minds are
stayed upon God, His peace will rule the affairs
entertained by our minds. If, on the other hand,
we allow our minds to dwell on the cares of this
world, God's peace will be far from our thoughts.
It is for this very reason that the apostle told
the Philippian believers, "Be careful for
nothing" or be full of care about nothing "but in
everything by prayer and supplication with
thanksgiving let your requests be made known unto
God. And the peace of God, which passeth all
understanding shall keep your hearts and minds
through Christ Jesus" (Philippians 4:6-7). The
peace of God that garrisons our hearts and minds
cannot exist alongside the cares of this life.
Each of us must make the decision whether our
minds will dwell on those things that trouble us
or on the power of God to deliver us. A mind full
of care can be a mind full of peace. The
difference is only a prayer away.
Isaiah was in the habit of seeking God in the
middle of the night. When the thick clouds of
sorrow overshadowed his heart and he no longer
could endure the disappointments of that day, he
did not allow his mind to dwell on those
disappointments, but rather on the Lord's
deliverance. Rather than lay his head on a pillow
of doubt, he would lay it on the pillow of
dependence on the Lord God.
Isaiah continued, "Yea, with my spirit within me
will I seek Thee early" (Isaiah 26:9). The
experience of meeting the Lord in the darkness of
midnight and having his mind freed from fear
enabled the prophet to face the new day, eagerly
awaiting an additional measure of God's
peace. Thus he determined that his spirit would
seek the Lord early, fully confident that the
Lord would answer his prayer: "Lord, Thou wilt
ordain peace for us: for Thou also hast wrought
all our works in us" (Isaiah 26:12).
The pattern for dealing with the cares of this
world is the same for us today. God has designed
us to live at peace with Him, with our world and
with ourselves. But we can do this only as we
turn our cares over to Him in exchange for His
ruling peace. Whatever difficulties you faced
yesterday and wrestled with through the night
last night, give them early this morning to the
Lord, and let Him replace your cares with the
comfort of His peace. Remember, God's peace is
but a prayer away.
MORNING HYMN
Peace! peace! wonderful peace,
Coming down from the Father above;
Sweep over my spirit forever, I pray,
In fathomless billows of love.
_____________________________________________
Author: Woodrow Kroll
With my soul have I desired Thee in the night;
yea, with my spirit within me will I seek Thee
early: for when Thy judgments are in the earth,
the inhabitants of the world will learn
righteousness.
One of the prevailing themes of both Old and New
Testaments is the constant presence of peace in
the hearts of those who abide in God. The prophet
Isaiah said it this way, "Thou wilt keep him in
perfect peace, whose mind is stayed on Thee:
because he trusteth in Thee" (Isaiah 26:3).
Literally Isaiah said, "Thou wilt keep him in
peace, peace." Or God will keep us in double
peace. He will give us a double portion of peace
when our minds rest on Him.
Likewise in the New Testament Jesus taught His
disciples that His very presence would bring them
peace. He said, "Peace I leave with you, My peace
I give unto you: not as the world giveth give I
unto you" John 14:27). He told His disciples,
"These things I have spoken unto you, that in Me
ye might have peace. In the world ye shall have
tribulation: but be of good cheer; I have
overcome the world" (John 16:33).
The apostle Paul understood the principle of
fixing our minds on God and enjoying His peace.
He counseled the Colossian believers to "let the
peace of God rule in your hearts, to the which
also ye are called in one body; and be ye
thankful" (Colossians 3:15). If our minds are
stayed upon God, His peace will rule the affairs
entertained by our minds. If, on the other hand,
we allow our minds to dwell on the cares of this
world, God's peace will be far from our thoughts.
It is for this very reason that the apostle told
the Philippian believers, "Be careful for
nothing" or be full of care about nothing "but in
everything by prayer and supplication with
thanksgiving let your requests be made known unto
God. And the peace of God, which passeth all
understanding shall keep your hearts and minds
through Christ Jesus" (Philippians 4:6-7). The
peace of God that garrisons our hearts and minds
cannot exist alongside the cares of this life.
Each of us must make the decision whether our
minds will dwell on those things that trouble us
or on the power of God to deliver us. A mind full
of care can be a mind full of peace. The
difference is only a prayer away.
Isaiah was in the habit of seeking God in the
middle of the night. When the thick clouds of
sorrow overshadowed his heart and he no longer
could endure the disappointments of that day, he
did not allow his mind to dwell on those
disappointments, but rather on the Lord's
deliverance. Rather than lay his head on a pillow
of doubt, he would lay it on the pillow of
dependence on the Lord God.
Isaiah continued, "Yea, with my spirit within me
will I seek Thee early" (Isaiah 26:9). The
experience of meeting the Lord in the darkness of
midnight and having his mind freed from fear
enabled the prophet to face the new day, eagerly
awaiting an additional measure of God's
peace. Thus he determined that his spirit would
seek the Lord early, fully confident that the
Lord would answer his prayer: "Lord, Thou wilt
ordain peace for us: for Thou also hast wrought
all our works in us" (Isaiah 26:12).
The pattern for dealing with the cares of this
world is the same for us today. God has designed
us to live at peace with Him, with our world and
with ourselves. But we can do this only as we
turn our cares over to Him in exchange for His
ruling peace. Whatever difficulties you faced
yesterday and wrestled with through the night
last night, give them early this morning to the
Lord, and let Him replace your cares with the
comfort of His peace. Remember, God's peace is
but a prayer away.
MORNING HYMN
Peace! peace! wonderful peace,
Coming down from the Father above;
Sweep over my spirit forever, I pray,
In fathomless billows of love.
_____________________________________________
Author: Woodrow Kroll
