Know Peace or No Peace

A true woman trusts God.

She resists the temptation to worry and manipulate, because she has relinquished control to Him.

• Philippians 4:6-7 "Do not be anxious about anything, but in everything, 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.

  Why do you think it is so easy to worry?  Why does the evil one trip us up so fast with worry?  Paul lets us know that we miss out on the peace of God when we are worrying.  To be "anxious" is to be pulled in different directions. Isn't that what worry does?  It is hard to think straight because our mind is going in different directions.  Our mind is fast to run down a wrong road when we worry. Worry is counterproductive.  Warren Wiesbe said that in a "worry study" it was reported 92% of what we worry about never is true or comes about in our lives.   Anxiety and prayer are two great opposing forces in our Christian walk.  What does Paul say is the antidote to worry?  Thanksgiving and prayer. 

• Instruction: Prayer, petition, thanksgiving.
• Result:  Peace of God will guard your heart and mind.

  If I want the results, I must obey the instructions.

  "Why pray if you are going to worry?  Why worry if you are going to pray?"

Father in Heaven, Forgive us for worrying.  We say that we trust You, yet we are quick to let our hearts and minds become anxious.  We thank you that you are a loving, forgiving, gracious God.  You are supreme in all your ways.  We thank you that we are able to come to you with every need in our lives and that you hear us.  We thank you that there is nothing too difficult for you.  We thank you that we are blessed by you and every good thing comes from you. You are all wise and all knowing.  You are sovereign and rule over all the earth, yet you care for the smallest details in our lives.  We thank you for the peace that you bring into our lives...

  Continue in prayer and allow God's peace to guard your heart and mind

No Worries!

A true woman trusts God.

She resisted the temptation to worry and manipulate, because she has relinquished control to Him.

• Isaiah 26:3 " You will keep in perfect peace him whose mind is steadfast, because he trusts in you."

  I can't even begin to tell you how many times I have used and tested this verse.  I am for the most part not a worrier. A manipulator - Yes; a worrier- No- As I confessed yesterday. Part of the reason that I can say this is directly because of this verse.
  When I feel worry starting to take over my mind I put this verse into action.  Here is how;

1.  I begin by staying this verse aloud. "God will keep me in perfect peace when my mind is stayed on Him."
2.  I think about God.  I make my brain list everything I know about God.
3.  To keep my mind stayed on God, I recite the alphabet and attach an attribute of God to each letter.  A-Almighty, B-Banner, C-Comforter, D-Deliver, etc.
4.  My mind is worry-free and full of God.

  I know that my situation probably has not changed, but neither has the Truth about God.  My mind is steadfast and confident in Him.
Personalize this verse.  "God will keep her (your name) in perfect peace whose mind is steadfast, because she (your name) trusts in God."
  Take the challenge.  God will keep His promise.  And the results- No Worries!

Our Little Secret

A true woman trusts God.

She resists the temptation to worry and manipulate, because she has relinquished control to Him.

• Psalm 16:8  "I have set the LORD always before me.  Because He is at my right hand, I will not be shaken." 

When looking back on my life, I can't always say this verse has been my reality.  I have not always set the LORD before me.  As a young child, I learned how to try to get my way.  You know what I am talking about; crying at the right moment or being extra nice and helpful.  Then in High School, manipulating situations with really cute boys- like I "just happened" to be walking down the hallway as his class was getting out, or "just happened" to show up at the same pizza parlor.  Then in my marriage,  I know how to get my husband to say "yes" to my way.  (Let's keep that our little secret!)  I don't think I am alone.  I am sure you have had your manipulating moments as well.  So now, I am faced with the challenge to change years (for me 50+) of living one way to living God's way.  In trusting Him, I surrender to Him.  I abandon my ways to watch Him work in my behalf.  I rely and have confidence on God's character, abilities and strength.    And that way of living, need not be a secret!


Let me hear your little manipulating secret.

Finagle

A true woman trusts God.

She resists the temptation to worry and manipulate, because she has relinquished control to Him.

• Psalm 145:14 "The LORD upholds all those who fall and lifts up all who are bowed down."

Even as I typed the words "she resists the temptation to worry and manipulate" my mind raced to remind me of all the times that was not the reality in my own life.    This woman is quick to manipulate and try to finagle the situation.  While looking up the spelling of "finagle" the definition popped up.   

fi·na·gle/fəˈnāgəl/Verb

1. Obtain (something) by devious or dishonest means.

2. Act in a devious or dishonest manner: "they finagled over the fine points" 

Manipulate, finagle, devious, and dishonest are all words with a negative connotation.  All words that I don't want to associate with.  So what is the answer to this dilemma?

• Psalm 145:14 "The LORD upholds all those who fall and lifts up all who are bowed down."

The Word tells me how to live in an upright manner- by bowing down.  When I bow before the LORD and trust Him in every situation, He upholds me.  No finagling needed!

In the Middle

A true woman trusts God.

She leans on Him and depends on Him in times of joy, pain, hardship, uncertainty, and confusion.  

• Psalm 118:8 "It is better to take refuge in the LORD than to trust in man." 

Someone recently told me that they love Psalm 118:8 because it is the very center, from a verse perspective, of HIS book.  Trust in God Not in Man!  He said, "It gives me the opportunity to review the two great commandments, and that God loves us and expects us to love Him first and foremost. That is why its in the center of HIS book.  What would you expect to be in the center of HIS book?"

Are you trusting God today?  Are you finding refuge by running to Him?  Are you depending on Him?  Are you staying right in the middle of HIS book?  In this case it is good to be in the middle. 

p.s.  Invite others on this journey.  Pass on the blog site information to someone who could also use this information. They may be glad you did!

ALL

A true woman trusts God.

She leans on Him and depends on Him in times of joy, pain, hardship, uncertainty, and confusion.

• Proverbs 3:5-6 "Trust in the Lord will all your heart and lean not on your own understanding; in all your ways acknowledge Him, and He will make your paths straight."

    One little word changes everything. Those three little letters have a great impact. In my Bible, I always circle the word "All" because of the great significance the word has in the verse I am reading. In these verses we are told to trust with our all;  "All your heart" and "All your ways".  "All your heart" is your being, emotions, thinking, passion; the real you.  "All your ways" are your daily activities, your movements, your plans, your calendar; your life. He doesn't just want part of your heart or some of your ways.  He requires ALL.  Do you trust Him with your ALL?  

    Dear Heavenly Father;  I give you my ALL.  I trust you with all my heart, all my plans, all my life.  Let these not just be words I say in a prayer, but the actual way that I live my life.  Help me completely depend on you every moment of my day.

Shaken-period

A true woman trust God.

She leans on Him and depends on Him in times of joy, pain, hardship, uncertainty, and confusion.

• Psalm 62:5-8 " Find rest, O my soul, in God alone; my hope comes from Him.  He alone is my rock and my salvation; He is my fortress, I will not be shaken.  My salvation and my honor depends on God; He is my mighty rock, my refuge.  Trust in him at all times. O girlies (my addition); pour out your hearts to Him, for God is our refuge.

While I was typing these verses out this morning, I noticed a few things.  Here they are:

• "my hope comes from Him."  Not from any other source.  Then why do I look elsewhere?
• "my honor depends on God."  God is able to handle my honor.  Then why do I think I have to do it or "what will people think"?
• "I will not be shaken."  I was speaking the words as I typed.  "I-will-not-be-shaken-period".  It made me smile.  Nothing will shake me-period.  Then why do I allow my mind and heart to run away with emotions?

What words or phrases stand out for you?  Let God speak to you through His word.

Got to run.  Catching a flight to Warner Bro. Studios in LA for the scoring of the movie.  Oh, the Jet Set life that I lead!