Windows of the Soul

Peace

Peace Oahu North Shore 2009
Originally uploaded by hyerblogs

Peace be with you. (3 John 15 NLT)

Greetings in the New Testament often begin and end with peace. A friend of mine often ends our conversations, or even voicemails she leaves me with the word “Peace”. When I was a young teenager, the peace sign was cool. But the peace of God is different than a slogan or popular sign of the times.

The peace Jesus and many apostles and writers of the New Testament refer to is God’s peace. Not ours. God’s.

God’s peace is perfect. Yet it is not dependent on our circumstances. It doesn’t get put on hold until everything in our lives is going right. It is peace that is, as Jesus said, “not as the world gives.” It is a peace that instructs us: “do not let your heart be troubled or afraid.” It is a peace that transcends our human understanding simply because it is God’s peace.

How can our circumstances not impact our peace? Peace from God is not about owning something, like a possession. Peace is given. It is a gift. We need to remind ourselves that material things, power, position, slogans, signs, even friends, do not bring peace. God does.

Jesus reminds us that He leaves us his peace. He sustains us inwardly, even as outwardly we may be facing any number of trials, concerns, situations, or even attacks.

Peace is the anchor of the soul in the sea of life. Ask God for his peace. You will be glad you did.

God, grant us your peace. And may we experience that which truly transcends our understanding and know it is You.

Shalom.

C-R-E-A-T-O-R

MauiCoast
Originally uploaded by hyerblogs

I am about to do something new. See, I have already begun! Do you not see it? I will make a pathway through the wilderness. I will create rivers in the dry wasteland. (Isaiah 43:19 NLT)

God initiates new things. Indeed, He is the author of creation! He provides in the most unlikely ways – a pathway in the wilderness, rivers in the dry wasteland, or desert. His creation is new.

The path … it shows us the way. The rivers ... offer life-sustaining drink.

So, we need to be in touch with God, and aware of what He is doing, these new things He is creating. In us. In our surroundings. In others.

He makes a way. The pathway is Christ. It is His voice, saying, “This is the way, walk in it.” And the rivers are the living waters, quenching the desire of our souls, filling us with Himself – His Spirit.

May we always perceive and know you, God - in the newness you bring to our lives, on the path you make known for us to follow, and through the life that comes from the rivers that flow and fill us with your Spirit.

Peace.

Run with Horses

Thickets North Shore Oahu
Originally uploaded by hyerblogs

If racing against mere men makes you tired, how will you race against horses? If you stumble on open ground, what will you do in the thickets near the Jordan? (Jeremiah 12:5 NLT)

This verse is God’s response to Jeremiah’s questions and complaints about justice. Or rather, injustice. Why are the wicked prosperous? Why are evil people so happy? 

God’s answer – it came in the form of a question. If you can’t handle this, how will you handle the injustices ahead?

The point isn’t only that we learn to deal with injustice. The point is to trust God and wait on God regardless of our circumstances. The point is that we would be in the same place if we got what we truly deserved. (Stop and really think about this for a minute.)  And the point is to be strengthened in our faith, knowing that God is allowing what is ultimately best for each one of us.

What happens to us doesn’t catch God off guard. He has it under control.

God, prepare each one of us to run with the horses. Selah.

IDOL (not American)

Sunset on Oahu's North Shore
Originally uploaded by hyerblogs

“Am I the one they are hurting?” asks the Lord. Most of all they hurt themselves, to their own shame. “ (Jeremiah 7:19, NLT)

The Lord is speaking in this verse, and is referencing the persistent sin of idolatry among his people. God tells Jeremiah not to pray for them anymore. They worshipped idols, gods other than the Lord.

The first commandment instructs us, “I am the Lord your God, … do not worship any other gods besides me. Do not make idols of any kind.” (Exodus 20:2-4) Yet they – they children of Israel - worshipped idols, gods other than the Lord. The same may be true of each one of us if we persist in putting other things before God. We are to seek first his kingdom and righteousness, and all these things will be added to us as well. And if we obey His commands, all will go well (Matthew 6:33, Jeremiah 7:23).

If we worship money, fame, our jobs, power, people, or any thing more than God, we too, are engaging in idolatry. God is very clear when he says He is the Lord our God and we must not have any other god but him. We are to worship him with all of our heart, mind, soul and strength. That is all of us – our everything. John reminds us to keep away from anything that might take God’s place in our hearts.

Lord, may we always love and serve you only. Be our God and we will be your people. Selah.

Finding God

Originally uploaded by hyerblogs

This is what the Lord says: “Stop at the crossroads and look around. Ask for the old, godly way, and walk in it. Travel its path, and you will find rest for your souls. (Jeremiah 6:16 NLT)

Stop. Look. Ask. Walk. Travel. Find.

Crossroads are an intersection where we can choose to take another direction. We stop, look and then move in our intended direction. God directs us to look around. Check it out. Observe. Then ask. Ask for the old, godly way. Then walk in it - it is obedience to God’s word. Travel that path and we will find rest for our souls.  In quietness and rest is our salvation. It is traveling God’s path.

Our human tendency is to want what we want rather than surrender our lives to God. We are afraid of what God might require of us. So we reserve the right to direct our lives. Yet we are admonished in Proverbs to trust in the Lord with all of our hearts and lean not to our own understanding. In all our ways, we are to acknowledge him, and He will direct our paths. (Proverbs 3:5-6)

God made and formed us, the world, and everything in it. He knows us better than we know ourselves. He knows what will cause our lives to yield their very best.

Our job is to surrender. There are many paths, but only one leads to life. To salvation. It is God’s path.

Ask for it. He will gladly show each one of us the Way.

Lord, may we follow the admonition of this verse today. To stop, look around, ask, walk, travel and find …. You.  Thank you for knowing me better than I know myself.  What is the old godly way? Where is your path? Show me the road. May I find rest for my soul.

Thou wilt show me the path of life: in thy presence is fullness of joy; at thy right hand there are pleasures forevermore (Psalm 16:11 KJV).

Life 101

Mauicoast2009
Originally uploaded by hyerblogs

The thief’s purpose is to steal and kill and destroy. My purpose is to give them a rich and satisfying life. (John 10:10 NLT)

Satan wants to steal, kill and destroy. That is his motive, his purpose and his end, all wrapped up in one. He is, however, a defeated foe.

What does he want to steal? Our love, devotion to God. Our families, joy, trust. Our peace and purity.

What does he want to kill? Our lives, our spirit, our faith.

What does he want to destroy? Our purpose, our focus, our effectiveness. Our witness and our work for God. The imprint of God we leave on the lives of others.

Jesus gives life everlasting. Peace. Love. Abundance.

S-A-T-I-S-F-A-C-T-I-O-N.

The hallmark of his life in us is LOVE. It is a life marked by forgiveness. When we belong to Christ we take on His likeness and character. But one word captures a picture of that life: it is LOVE.

Pure and simple: Love.

May our lives be fully devoted to You, God. May Your love and Your life dwell in and through each one of us, welling up like springs of living water. Jesus, you are our life.

Live in Christ. Love like Him. Laugh with outrageous and contagious joy.

Work

OahuNorthshore
Originally uploaded by hyerblogs

Jesus told them, “This is the only work God wants from you: Believe in the one he has sent.”

Jesus had fed the crowd of 5,000 men (not to mention women and children) and soon they followed him and his disciples to Capernum. Jesus said they wanted to be with him because he fed them. They said they wanted to perform God’s works too, namely the miracles. But Jesus said their work is to believe.

Believe in Christ – the One God has sent.

We don’t tend to see believing as an active sort of work. At least I really didn’t. We tend to see believing as more of a passive sort of thing. Yet, our actions are based on what we believe. And our attitudes are based on what we believe. Likewise, our faith and thus our eternal fate are determined by what we believe.

Belief is work.

Belief is the invisible work of the mind, heart, and soul.

Do you believe?