Monday, April 27, 2020

Verse of the Day 4/27

Verse of the Day 4/27

Isaiah 26:3   You will keep in perfect peace

    all who trust in you,
    all whose thoughts are fixed on you!  New Living Translation (NLT)

Saturday began a new chapter of my life, that of being on furlough.  For the first time since college I looked to the week ahead having no job to go to Monday.  It feels strange and it would be easy to become worried or possibly angry.  But as God would have it, today's verse came up in my read through the Old Testament plan on Saturday.  As is often the case, by being in His Word day by day, He speaks to me and tells me just what I need to hear.  It is not the I have "perfect peace" on my own, in fact I don't think I have perfect peace.  But it says God will keep us "in" perfect peace.  It is something from Him, outside of us, and He surrounds us with it when we fix our thoughts on him.

In the notes in my eBible, I have the following quote from A.W. Tozer who rights, "The only fear I have is to get out of the will of God, there's nothing I want, and in the will of God there's nothing I fear, for God has kept me in His will.  If I am out of His will, that is another matter.  But if I'm in His will, He's sworn to keep me..... And He's able to do it, He's wise enough to know how to do it and He's kind enough to want to do it.  So really there's nothing to fear."

I realize that furlough is not the same as losing your job.  It is not as stressful and does not bring the anxiety as many other trials and challenges may bring, but it is a reminder that "God's got this" and that if I keep my focus on Him, He will keep me "in" perfect peace.

O soul are you weary and troubled?
No light in the darkness you see?
There's light for a look at the Savior
And life more abundant and free
His word shall not fail you, He promised
Believe Him and all will be well
Then go to a world that is dying
His perfect salvation to tell
Turn you eyes upon Jesus
Look full in His wonderful face
And the things of earth will grow strangely dim
In the light of His glory and grace

If you know of someone else that is going through some kind of trial this morning, encourage them "there's light for a look at the Savior", to look to Him and that the things of these times "will grow strangely dim in the light of His glory and grace".

Philippians 4:6-7 Don't fret or worry. Instead of worrying, pray. Let petitions and praises shape your worries into prayers, letting God know your concerns. Before you know it, a sense of God's wholeness, everything coming together for good, will come and settle you down. It's wonderful what happens when Christ displaces worry at the center of your life.    The Message (MSG)

I'd encourage you to spend time in His Word every day.  When you do He will bring to you those words you need to hear, like "Fix" your thoughts on this, to let  Christ "displace worry at the center of your life".

--   In Christ,  Mike    Folllow the Verse of the Day blog at http://mikesvotd.blogspot.com  Ephesians 1:7 In him we have redemption through his blood, the forgiveness of sins,  in accordance with the riches of God's grace.  NIV    

Isaiah 26:1-4 English Standard Version (ESV)

You Keep Him in Perfect Peace

26 In that day this song will be sung in the land of Judah:

"We have a strong city;
    he sets up salvation
    as walls and bulwarks.
Open the gates,
    that the righteous nation that keeps faith may enter in.
You keep him in perfect peace
    whose mind is stayed on you,
    because he trusts in you.
Trust in the Lord forever,
    for the Lord God is an everlasting rock.

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