Not As The World Gives

“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 (NIV)

So,  God had a little conversation with me this week. He actually caught me in my car calling out to the people I thought needed to make a move in my life.  It sounded something like this, “ Come on, Jenny, just make the call!!” Then I felt like Jesus was sitting in the car with me and asked me who I was praying to? Yep, that shut me up!! What was I doing? Was I actually praying and putting my hope in people instead of God? Unfortunately, yes. I had to rethink my entire week of stress and worry.  I thought I was praying and giving this things to God but now I knew I wasn’t.  I was just worrying and speaking into the air.

Being a person who likes lists, I wrote down all of things I was stressed, annoyed by or worried about.  Then I wrote the solution I was seeking and who I was thinking would provide the answer. Here’s my list:

Clean house – energy and time  WHO - ME

Better sleep – sleepy earlier/quiet mind  WHO - ME

New job with no change in income – a call with an offer  WHO – Li & T

Son’s new job – will it go well?  WHO - SON

Family’s health – get better faster WHO – DOCTORS

Book & Photo sales – more readers/interest/friends spread the word  WHO - OTHERS

Now you try it, before we go on….

This is a picture of the peace that the world gives.  This theme sounded very familiar to me so I went back and read my blogs.  Do you know last week I actually quoted this verse: “Then Jesus declared, “I am the bread of life. Whoever comes to me will never go hungry, and whoever believes in me will never be thirsty.” John 6:35. But now here I was so hungry and so thirsty I was shouting to air. I took my list and wrote next to these items how God might give peace.  Here’s my list again:

Clean house – energy and time  WHO – ME        

  GOD -  renewed vision for storage and reassurance I’m doing all I can, so relax.

Better sleep – sleepy earlier/quiet mind  WHO – ME      

  GOD -  healing of pain and a renewed peace of mind.

New job with no change in income – a call with an offer  WHO – Li & T     

  GOD – remembering those times in the past He has placed me in the right place at the right time.   

Son’s new job – will it go well?  WHO – SON      

  GOD – remembering that my kids are God’s first and He’s got them.  

Family’s health – no more doctors WHO – DOCTORS

  GOD – a faith reminder that He is working to Heal

Book & Photo sales – more readers/interest/friends spread the word  WHO - OTHERS  

  GOD – remembering these are His projects and I’m just the vessel.  I write – He Sells.

Take a moment and update your list….

When I wrote this last list I was struck by all the times I needed to remember something about God. How did I forget?  I’m praying about these things.  I’m spending time with Him. I’m reading His word.  What happened to make me forget His love, His power, and His character?   Then I remembered this verse about how to remember who God is. It’s found in Deuteronomy 6:4 -12 :

Hear, O Israel: The Lord our God, the Lord is one.  Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your strength. These commandments that I give you today are to be on your hearts.  Impress them on your children. Talk about them when you sit at home and when you walk along the road, when you lie down and when you get up.  Tie them as symbols on your hands and bind them on your foreheads.  Write them on the doorframes of your houses and on your gates.

When the Lord your God brings you into the land he swore to your fathers, to Abraham, Isaac and Jacob, to give you—a land with large, flourishing cities you did not build, houses filled with all kinds of good things you did not provide, wells you did not dig, and vineyards and olive groves you did not plant—then when you eat and are satisfied,  be careful that you do not forget the Lord, who brought you out of Egypt, out of the land of slavery.

Why did Moses need to tell the people not to forget after God had already been so faithful? Why do we see this so many times in scripture?  I think its because God knows us.  He knew we would forget so He needed to have ways for us to remember. Heck, Adam & Eve forgot and they literally lived with God!!!  Having a mind free to choose and free to judge situations means it is also free to get wrapped up in its own thoughts and reason; thus forget God. But God is faithful not to leaved us there, in the slavery of our minds. He will find a way to rescue us, no matter how bleak the situation. Sometimes, He will even meet us in our car and help us look to Him again.  

Say this prayer with me then watch this video. As this next week progresses believe there is a miracle God will perform in your life too.

**Lord, I’m so sorry for putting my hope in others.  You are my only hope. I believe in your power and your love for me.  I declare my trust that you will work all things for my good. Remind me over and over to bind  your words to my heart and to my forehead**

click the link below to see the video

 GOD IS GREAT