Day 1 (PEACE) – From Panic to Peace by Nancy McGuirk
“So then faith comes by hearing and hearing by the word of God.” Romans 10:17 (NKJV)
Here I am, lying in bed, staring at the ceiling. No sleep. Body still, mind racing. Panic building.
I forgot to contact Pat today. She’s so sick and probably needed me.
Did my daughter realize she hurt my feelings with that comment?
What if I don’t make my deadline?
I should have exercised today.
Why does life seem darker at night? Not just literally. It’s as though Satan and his minions are
just waiting for me to be alone so they can begin the battle for my mind.
Recently I began to meditate on Philippians 4:6a: “Don’t worry about anything; instead, pray
about everything” (NLT). Did the Apostle Paul really mean not to worry about anything? Is that
even possible? Isn’t worry just part of human nature?
Yes, worry is part of our human nature. Unfortunately when sin entered the world, emotions like
worry did too. However, our fallen human nature always clarifies what being separated from
God looks like. And it often looks like fear.
As God’s beloved children, we are called to faith, not fear. Faith says, “God is in charge of my
life; I will trust Him, even when circumstances might suggest He’s not there. I believe God loves
me and knows what is best for me.” Faith always crowds out fear.
My heart longs to live in faith; however, at times this is difficult. But here’s the key: “Faith
comes by hearing, and hearing by the word of God” (Romans 10:17).
If I haven’t made time to hear from God through His Word, I find my prayers being more of a
monologue of fear-based worry.
But when I make time to listen to God, I’m reminded of His promises and I become familiar with
His voice. As a result, my prayers really do change from panic to praise. In bed at night, a
dialogue evolves (no longer a monologue). When I turn to God with my concerns, I can hear His
response. As John 10:27a tells us, “My sheep hear my voice, and I know them …” (ESV).
God’s Word reminds us to put the kingdom of God first and the things we need will be ours
(Matthew 6:33, ESV). In other words, when I devote myself to God first, all the rest will sort
itself out, and this brings peace.
What is most pressing in your life right now? Whatever that is, put God’s Word there instead.
Replace worry with the truth of God’s love and power. Then we can trust that God will do as He
says: “keep him in perfect peace, whose mind is stayed” on Him (Isaiah 26:3a, ESV).
As I think about God’s promises, panic turns to praise, praise turns to peace and peace turns to
sleep. I begin to understand what Paul meant when he said, “Then you will experience God’s
peace, which exceeds anything we can understand” (Philippians 4:7a, NLT).
It is possible to experience God’s peace. When we learn to cast our cares on God and trust Him
to handle them, faith replaces fear. Worry sees problems, but faith sees the God who can handle
the problems.
God’s Word changes how we cast our cares. When we choose to cast them onto Him instead of
into the air, we’ll find comfort in His promises. Then maybe we can finally get a good night’s
sleep.
Heavenly Father, thank You for watching over me at night. Forgive me for the times I have
worried. Help me to be devoted to You and Your love, not my circumstances. Instead of tossing
and turning at night, I want to remember to turn the pages of Scripture in my mind. I want to rest
in You. In Jesus’ Name, Amen.
TRUTH FOR TODAY:
Psalm 4:8, “In peace I will lie down and sleep, for you alone, O LORD, will keep me safe.” (NLT)
Isaiah 26:3, “You keep him in perfect peace whose mind is stayed on you, because he trusts in
you.” (ESV)
Day 2 (PEACE)-Portable Peace by Carol Stratton
“Peace I leave with you; my peace I give you. I do not give to you as the world
gives. Do not let your hearts be troubled and do not be afraid." John 14:27.
The night before my wedding, my mother-in-law stood up at dinner, clinked on
her water glass and made a small speech. As she looked around the long white
banquet tables, she recalled how her West Coast son had called her in Indiana to
let her know he was marrying me. The baby of their family had chosen a wife,
someone she had only met twice. But for a woman sold out for God, she didn’t
miss a beat. Taking a big breath, she paused before saying, “... and I had a great
peace.” It was the best wedding present she could have given us.
Great peace she had - and not because of me. Dorothy’s peace was portable as
she carried it inside. Everyone in my husband John’s family knew that when she
arrived on the scene things would calm down. Divorces, depression, sick babies
and homes for sale ... any problem took a new perspective when my mother-inlaw flew through the door. After a flurry of kisses and a predictable cup of coffee
in her hand, the delicate china cup with the thin gold-rimmed lip and “Mom”
engraved on the side, she settled down to the serious business of
encouragement.
Amidst my four unruly children and a kitchen floor that begged for a sweep, she
tackled any domestic crisis. Like sunshine on a February day, she flung open the
curtain of hope and dragged me to the window to admire the view. No pity parties
here.
“Yes, I know your husband lost the big sale,” she’d console, “and you miss your
family, but have you seen the beauty outside? Take a whiff of that clear air
you’ve needed to breathe.”
Raised by a single mother as an only child, she had little support in her life. She
learned to encourage first herself, and then others. When, as a young mother,
she asked Jesus into her heart, she learned what true peace she could have in
her life. Not a particularly outgoing woman, she still managed to share the good
news to many in her small town.
Dorothy hauled that great peace to the emergency room ward where she worked
as triage nurse. No surprise that she became a nurse, getting her GED, driver’s
license, and nursing degree after age 50. She soothed her families troubles,
healing people’s bodies seemed a natural extension of her gift. She worked rings
around younger nurses until into her 70s.
Even as she wasted away after intestinal surgery, that remnant of peace steeled
her family together. And today I can still picture looking inter her determined
deep-set hazel eyes and seeing the unshakeable conviction that God is in
control. I think of her when I read the quote that hung in her living room:
“He will keep him in perfect peace whose mind is stayed on Him.” Isaiah 26:3.
Day 3 (PEACE) – Rest Awhile by Joyce Meyer
Come to Me, all you who labor and are heavy-laden and overburdened, and I will
cause you to rest. [I will ease and relieve and refresh your souls] (Matthew
11:28).
Getting stress out of your life takes more than prayer alone. You must take action
to make changes and stop doing whatever is causing the stress. You can learn to
calm down in the way you handle things.
Jesus invited us to come to Him if we are overburdened. He promised to refresh
us if we are weary, worn out, or overworked. Take time to go to Jesus anytime
you feel that you are going over the edge of peace and into the pit of stress. Let
His presence refill and refresh you.
Come Apart to Stay Together
And the effect of righteousness will be peace [internal and external], and the
result of righteousness will be quietness and confident trust forever (Isaiah
32:17).
If you are feeling compelled to do so much that you are physically worn out, you
may be driven instead of led. Remember, you have to come apart from a busy
routine before you come apart yourself. You have to get away from everything
before you come apart physically, mentally, and emotionally. Give yourself time
to get a good night's sleep.
It is tempting to do everything that everybody else is doing, be involved in
everything, know everything, hear everything, and be everywhere, but it isn't
God's best for you. Be willing to separate yourself from compulsive activity before
you come apart at the seams! Spend time with God, and ask Him to give order to
your day.
Take a Break
Return to your rest, O my soul, for the Lord has dealt bountifully with you (Psalm
116:7).
We all need a break in the action from time to time. Resting isn't just a good ideait is a command of God: "Six days you shall do your work, but the seventh day
you shall rest and keep Sabbath, that your ox and your donkey may rest, and the
son of your bondwoman, and the alien, may be refreshed" (Exodus 23:12). The
Lord added that "even in plowing time and in harvest you shall rest [on the
Sabbath]" (Exodus 34:21)
That means that for one day a week we are to withdraw from common labor and
to rest. Don't work that day, even in the busy seasons. Dedicate that day to
spending time with God, worshiping Him. Start your week off right by getting back
to what is really important-honoring God.
Day 4 (PEACE) – Peace
And the peace of God, which surpasses all understanding, will guard your hearts
and your minds in Christ Jesus. (Philippians 4:7 ESV)
We all want peace. We want peace in the world, and sometimes we fight for it.
We want peace in our countries, so we vote for the person we think will do the
best. We want peace with our friends, so we do what we can to not offend them.
We want peace in our family, so we work hard to provide for their needs. Lastly,
we want peace in ourselves, so we compare ourselves to others and say we are
much happier with what we have. People spend their whole lives working for
peace. Unfortunately, true peace is not something that can be achieved, it can
only be received.
True peace can only come from God (John 14:27). This peace doesn’t affect our
surroundings, it affects our inner souls. Paul says that it will go deep into our
hearts and minds. It isn’t something that can be explained in a self-help book or
with a few simple steps, it is only something that can be received from God.
Ironically he brought us peace through an act that was not peaceful at all, the
death of His son (Romans 5:9). As a follower of Jesus, we should be the ones
looked to when others need peace. Not because our surroundings are peaceful,
but because our hearts and minds are at peace with God through the death of
Christ on the cross. We no longer fear death, hunger, or not having enough
possessions. We know that our treasure is in heaven and we will one day reign
with the one true Peace Maker.
Day 5 (PEACE) –God Gives Peace by Craig Denison
"Let me hear what God the Lord will speak, for he will speak peace to his people,
to his saints." Psalm 85:8
Peace is a commodity that can only be found with time spent seeking the face of
God. The world can't offer us peace because it has nothing in which to place its
hope, trust, and security. Kingdoms come and go. Leaders move in and out of
power. What societies value changes like the passing of the tides. Our only
constant is God. He has been, is, and forever will be the Creator, Sustainer, and
Lord of all. All authority has been given to him. He governs the change of
seasons. He thwarts the plans of our enemy. And he longs to offer total and
sustained peace to all who place their hope and trust in him.
Isaiah 26:3 says, "You keep him in perfect peace whose mind is stayed on you,
because he trusts in you." Our God has peace in store for us in every situation if
we will choose to keep our mind stayed on him and trust him. The world says that
peace can only come when you've worked your fingers to the bone and have
finally attained all you want. You can only have peace when you have enough
money, friends, the right job, or the right spouse. You can only have peace if
friends, family, and bosses like you. God's way is to draw you into himself and
offer you peace in the midst of your circumstances. He doesn't want you to wait
until everything gets worked out before you can have rest—he's offering you rest
right now.
Psalm 23 says, "The Lord is my shepherd; I shall not want. He makes me lie
down in green pastures. He leads me beside still waters. He restores my soul . . .
. You prepare a table before me in the presence of my enemies; you anoint my
head with oil; my cup overflows" (Psalm 23:1-3, 5). God longs to prepare a table
for you in the midst of whatever trouble surrounds you. He is calling you to keep
your mind stayed on him no matter what lies before you. And he is asking you to
seek his face and find your rest in him rather than toiling and striving for
circumstantial peace.
Romans 8:6 says, "To set the mind on the Spirit is life and peace." It's by the
Spirit alone that you will find life and peace. Stop looking for your fulfillment in the
things of the world. Stop asking the world to offer you what it never had to begin
with. Look toward your heavenly Father for the peace that surpasses all
understanding. May you be filled with rest and peace today as you spend time in
prayer seeking the face of God.
1. Meditate on the truth that God is your sole source of peace and rest. Allow
God's word to mold and shape your perspective.
"The Lord is my shepherd; I shall not want. He makes me lie down in green
pastures. He leads me beside still waters. He restores my soul." Psalm 23:1-3
"To set the mind on the Spirit is life and peace." Romans 8:6
"You keep him in perfect peace whose mind is stayed on you, because he trusts
in you." Isaiah 26:3
2. Where have you been running to for peace? Have you had much peace and
rest in your life lately? Acknowledging your past pursuits will help you make
present changes.
"Trust in the Lord with all your heart, and do not lean on your own understanding.
In all your ways acknowledge him, and he will make your paths
straight." Proverbs 3:5-6
3. Seek the peace that comes from placing your hope and trust in God
alone. Ask the Spirit to fill you with peace in the midst of your circumstances. Let
your requests be known to God, and receive the peace that comes from casting
your burdens on the loving and capable shoulders of your heavenly Father.
"The Lord is at hand; do not be anxious about anything, but in everything by
prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known to
God. And the peace of God, which surpasses all understanding, will guard your
hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus." Philippians 4:5-7
You will be robbed of peace as soon as you turn your trust away from God and
begin to live in your own strength. The only source of consistent peace is keeping
your mind stayed on God. You can trust in the reality of God's desire and ability
to help you. You can wait on him if he tells you to wait. You can move when he
tells you to move. Offer your understanding, actions, and emotions to him, and
allow him to be Lord over them all today.
Day 6 (PEACE) – Peace in Him by Daily Disciples
These things I have spoken to you, that in Me you may have peace. In the world
you will have tribulation; but be of good cheer, I have overcome the world." John
16:33
Most of us would agree that tribulations are very much a part of life. They come at
different times for different reasons, but they no doubt come. Do you ever wonder just
where the peace is that Jesus was speaking about? How about in your own personal
life? Do you have peace in your daily routines? Jesus tells us that we will have
tribulation in this world, a definite promise not just a possibility. But our only hope for
peace is in Jesus. We must claim this verse as a direct promise from Him. He has
overcome the world; therefore, we can overcome those things that try to take our peace
by living for Him.
Yet the words sound easier to do than the reality of actually living our lives this way. For
me, my life seemed to be much better when I was in control of my circumstances. If I
could somehow control the factors that influenced my day, then I could produce the
peace I desperately needed. For a long period of time, my day consisted of doing those
things that either mattered most to me or to others who expected a level of performance
from me. I believed that being in control led to greater stability and less turmoil, a winwin for everyone around me.
There were clues along the way that maybe this way of life was not so great for
everyone else around me. One major clue came one night several years ago when my
husband asked me if I was okay. Of course, I was okay. Our lives were good. Our
marriage was fine, rarely a conflict or cross word. Our jobs were more than sufficient to
meet our needs. We were young, owned our own home, had money, and enjoyed many
of the world’s amenities. Why was he asking me what was wrong? He began to express
his concerns to me about—me. I could not listen to him without becoming defensive.
After some discussion, I confessed to him that I often felt like an android, a machine on
the inside but normal looking on the outside. Still, I was not ready or willing to accept
that maybe I needed to change, that I needed help.
Over time, the Lord has led me to make many, many changes in my life. I was deceived
into thinking that I could make my own peace by controlling my circumstances and
situations. The changes have come by surrendering my control to Jesus. There is no
peace in this world without the Lord. I have known Jesus as my Savior most of my life,
but only when I made Him Lord of my life did I begin to know His peace. He left us His
peace. May we all let go of our need to be in control and trust Jesus to help us get
through all things….both good and bad.
Day 7 (PEACE) – You Cannot Have the Peace of God Until You First Have
Peace with God by Greg Laurie
Don't worry about anything; instead, pray about everything. Tell God what you
need, and thank him for all he has done. If you do this, you will experience God's
peace, which is far more wonderful than the human mind can understand. His
peace will guard your hearts and minds as you live in Christ Jesus.—Philippians
4:6-7
One of the first things I remember about the day I put my faith in Christ was the
sense of peace filling my heart. It was as though someone had lifted a heavy
burden from me.It wasn't until later, when I read the Bible, that I learned about
God's promise of peace to every believer. He has given it to us as a gift.This
peace, however, doesn't come from what or who we are, but from what God has
done—how He has justified us in response to our faith. A wonderful byproduct of
this reality is a deep inner peace that floods our soul.
You can't just live as you pleaseBut we can't have this beautiful effect without
the beginning cause. If we are fighting with God—resisting His plan and purpose
for our lives—then we won't experience this supernatural peace.
I think many people would like to have the desirable results and benefits of the
Christian life without having to pay the price. In other words, they would like to
know that they are forgiven and going to heaven when they die, but they still
want to live as they please. They don't want to put their complete faith and trust
in Jesus.
That sort of attitude just won't fly. We can't have the pleasing, life-transforming
privileges of God's peace without first meeting God's requirements. Scripture tells
us through Jesus Christ, "God reconciled everything to himself. He made peace
with everything in heaven and on earth by means of Christ's blood on the cross"
(Colossians 1:20 NLT).
The only way
The only way we will experience the peace of God that passes all human
understanding is through the blood of the cross, the blood that Jesus shed. You
cannot have the peace of God until you first have peace with God.