Category: finding peace

So then, just as you received Christ Jesus as Lord, continue to live in him, rooted and built up in him, strengthened in the faith as you were taught, and overflowing with thankfulness.
— Colossians 2:6-7

If we look to the life of Christ for principles of managing our time and talents, we notice that Jesus always ensured his “yes” was “yes,” from the smallest to the biggest commitments. He also fought to block out noise and create room for silence, stillness, and reflection, which we see all throughout the Gospels as he retreated to “lonely places.” We need to center our lives on Jesus.

Jesus is our center! He is the hub around which we turn. Rather than trying to add on to the truth of Jesus, we must learn to accept it and trust it in child-like faith. But that child-like faith must be nourished and grown. As Jesus remains our central focus and our hearts remain thankful to God for his grace, we will that our faith is strengthened and that Jesus is more real than ever.

Holy and Righteous God, help me to find you in the quiet place of prayer and devotions. Protect me from the noise and distraction of the world around me. Close my ears to the noise so I clearly hear your instructions for my life. Please give me eyes to see evil and avoid it. Please give me wisdom to know deceptive and false teaching when it is placed before me. Empower me to live a thankful life of holiness so that I can live in Jesus to your honor and glory. In Jesus’ name I pray. Amen.

[To the apostles, Jesus said,] “But you will receive power when the Holy Spirit comes upon you. And you will be my witnesses, telling people about me everywhere — in Jerusalem, throughout Judea, in Samaria, and to the ends of the earth.”
— Acts 1:8 NLT

Everywhere! That pretty much covers the world, doesn’t it? The amazing thing is that this ragtag bunch of disciples, who were nobodies from nowhere, did it. Through the power of the Holy Spirit, they began a movement that has endured time, cultural differences, geographical distances, persecution, martyrdom, apathy, and misunderstanding. When the power of the Holy Spirit animates and motivates Jesus’ followers, they are compelled to care about all peoples and share the message of Jesus to the ends of the earth!

Loving Father, I know you want all people to experience your love for them in Jesus. I pray that the Holy Spirit will work in me, convicting me of my prejudices, calling up compassion for the broken of the world, propelling me to reach out to people around me, and moving me to give up myself and my resources to share the message of Jesus wherever I can in the world. I pray this for your glory and in the name of Jesus, my Lord. Amen.

Many are the plans in a man’s heart,
but it is the LORD’s purpose that prevails.
— Proverbs 19:21

“What are your plans for today?” If you are like me, you prayerfully try to plan your day. You make appointments with people in the future so you can address their needs, hear their concerns, or discuss issues and projects. But, we need to always live humbly, recognizing that none of our plans will be of value unless those plans come from the Father! A simple man believes anything, but a prudent man gives thought to his steps. — Proverbs 14:15

Holy God and righteous Father, please bless me as I seek to discern your will in my decisions today. I recognize that each breath that I take is a gift and that each success is because of your grace. Please use me to your glory and help me find your path for my life. In the name of Jesus I pray. Amen.

Do nothing out of selfish ambition or vain conceit, but in humility consider others better than yourselves.
— Philippians 2:3

Humility is recognizing who God has made us to be and using that recognition to serve and redeem others. Living in humility as Jesus did, we don’t just practice the golden rule, but we go one step better — we treat others better than we would treat ourselves. Are we instructed to do this because we’re unworthy or unfit? No! Jesus was worthy and glorious, but he chose to treat others better than himself when he sacrificially gave himself to redeem them. It’s a high standard. It’s a hard standard. It is not for wimps. But it is ultimately glorious.

Almighty God, thank you for adopting me as your child and making me holy and precious to you. Please help me to see myself as you do, and then, as one of your precious children, empower me to serve others in ways that help them see your glory. In Jesus’ name I pray. Amen.

Here’s how you test for the genuine Spirit of God. Everyone who confesses openly his faith in Jesus Christ — the Son of God, who came as an actual flesh-and-blood person — comes from God and belongs to God. And everyone who refuses to confess faith in Jesus has nothing in common with God. This is the spirit of antichrist that you heard was coming. Well, here it is, sooner than we thought! — 1 John 4:2-3 MESSAGE

Over the years, many people have speculated on the human identity of the antichrist. However, we must realize that many live under the influence of the evil one. They are influenced by the spirit of the antichrist, just as many were in New Testament times (1 John 2:18). All who do not confess that Jesus is the Son of God, the actual flesh-and-blood person who lived and walked among us as God with us (Matthew 1:23), have the spirit of the antichrist at work within them (Ephesians 2:1-5). The Holy Spirit, our anointing from God, teaches us the truth about Jesus (1 John 2:18-27). We are not fooled by those who deny the truth about Jesus. The Spirit of God helps us safeguard the truth entrusted to us (2 Timothy 1:14).

Father, I know there are many who are sincere, but who have given up the truth about Jesus. I confess that I cannot really comprehend how anyone can be fully divine and also fully human. But what I cannot comprehend, I trust as true because of the testimony of Scripture and the influence of the Holy Spirit on my heart and my mind. Please renew my mind, deepen my reverence, and strengthen my faith that Jesus became human for me so that I can know the grace you have for me. I humbly thank you for this grace in Jesus’ name. Amen.

Therefore, anyone who refuses to live by [Paul’s instructions] is not disobeying human teaching but is rejecting God, who gives his Holy Spirit to you. But we don’t need to write to you about the importance of loving each other, for God himself has taught you to love one another.
— 1 Thessalonians 4:8-9 NLT

God keeps on giving us the vitally empowering presence of the Holy Spirit in our lives. One of the great blessings about this presence is that God pours love into our hearts through the Spirit (Romans 5:5). Along with the great example of God’s love in sending Jesus (John 3:16-17), the Father uses the Spirit to teach us how to love each other (Galatians 5:22-23). We are to be filled with the Spirit as we submit to one another (Ephesians 5:17-21). We share in the fellowship of the Spirit as fellow believers (2 Corinthians 13:14). We live together in unity and pursue peace as the Spirit transforms us to be ever more like Christ (Ephesians 4:3-4). Loving each other is not only a command; it is also part of God’s continuing work in us through the Holy Spirit.

Dear God, I confess that I do not always love others as I should. I ask you to make me like Jesus in my love for others. I am thankful for the presence of the Holy Spirit to help me see those to whom I need to show your love and to empower me to love them when it is difficult. In Jesus’ name, I pray for this grace. Amen.

I urge you, brothers and sisters, by our Lord Jesus Christ and by the love of the Spirit, to join me in my struggle by praying to God for me.
— Romans 15:30 NIV

The Holy Spirit intercedes for us when we pray (Romans 8:26-27). The Holy Spirit pours love into our hearts to give us hope and endurance (Romans 5:5; Colossians 1:9-11). So it shouldn’t surprise us that the love we have from the Holy Spirit moves us to pray for others in their struggles. Praying for others, what is sometimes called intercessory prayer, is a great gift empowered by the love that comes from the Holy Spirit’s presence in our lives. In today’s verse, Paul wanted this Spirit-led and love-driven prayer to focus on his desire to proclaim Jesus, something we’ve focused on for several days. However, this Spirit-led and love-driven kind of prayer can be offered for anything that another brother or sister in Christ needs. Let’s remember that the love we feel for others and the intercession we are given by the presence of the Spirit are there as gifts to equip us to pray for others!

Today, Father, I want to pray for a number of folks on my heart who face struggles of all kinds. Some are family members… some are friends… some are faithful servants of your kingdom doing your work in hard places… some are grieving… some face tough times… some are making hard decisions… some have family struggles… some have great opportunities they don’t want to miss… some are overcoming addictions… and there are many others. Please hear my prayer for them today. In Jesus’ name. Amen.

[Jesus said,] “You’re the first to hear and see [the fulfillment of the prophecies about the Messiah]. You’re the witnesses. What comes next is very important: I am sending what my Father promised to you, so stay here in the city until [the Holy Spirit] arrives, until you’re equipped with power from on high.”
— Luke 24:48-49 MESSAGE

“You’re the witnesses!” Jesus wanted his closest followers to know that they had experienced some things that were world-changing, and they were the first ones to witness these things. Their mission would be great, but they would receive power to help with that mission. That power would equip them and enable them to be witnesses to the world. The power that they were promised is the Holy Spirit. And that Holy Spirit, dear friend, is the same Holy Spirit that lives inside Jesus’ followers today! The early disciples waited for Jesus to send that power at Pentecost, and we are living reminders of that promise being fulfilled and that power being real. Two thousand years later, people across the oceans, from a multitude of cultures, call Jesus Lord because the promise of the Holy Spirit’s coming is true — in New Testament times and in our own!

Father, please forgive us for not believing in the power you have made available to us in your Holy Spirit. Thank you, Jesus, for pouring the Spirit out on us when we gave our lives to you. Now, I ask that you open our eyes and our hearts to see and believe that this promised source of power to witness to your work is available to us today. In Jesus’ name, I pray. Amen.

My message and my preaching were not with wise and persuasive words, but with a demonstration of the Spirit’s power, so that your faith might not rest on human wisdom, but on God’s power.
— 1 Corinthians 2:4-5 NIV

When the good news of Jesus is preached, the Holy Spirit is at work making the message powerful. The “demonstration of the Spirit’s power” may refer to miracles that accompanied the preaching of the message of Jesus (Hebrews 2:1-4). However, in the context of today’s Scripture, Paul is primarily focusing on a greater truth: The message of a crucified Savior doesn’t appear to be wise and persuasive by human standards of wisdom (1 Corinthians 1:18; 1 Corinthians 2:1-3), yet the Holy Spirit is active in the telling of the story of Jesus. The Spirit’s work in the message of the cross gives it seemingly inexplicable power to reach into people’s hearts and call them to Jesus. Nevertheless, for those of us who know the Holy Spirit’s work, this power really is not inexplicable; it is a reminder of God’s grace to give us not only the gift of Jesus but also the gift of the Holy Spirit to help us understand the gift of Jesus!

Words cannot express, dear Father, how precious your love is to me. I realize that everything that I am and have in Jesus is the result of your grace. I believe that my future is secure because of that grace and because of the blessed Holy Spirit who is in me and who helps convict, correct, and console me. I thank you for such grace, in the name of Jesus. Amen.

But you must remain faithful to the things you have been taught. You know they are true, for you know you can trust those who taught you. You have been taught the holy Scriptures from childhood, and they have given you the wisdom to receive the salvation that comes by trusting in Christ Jesus. All Scripture is inspired by God and is useful to teach us what is true and to make us realize what is wrong in our lives. It corrects us when we are wrong and teaches us to do what is right. God uses it to prepare and equip his people to do every good work. — 2 Timothy 3:14-17 NLT

I love Paul’s challenge to Timothy to be faithful to what he had been taught and to remember why he could trust what he had been taught. Paul reminded Timothy that Scripture can make us wise, give us faith, correct us, teach us, prepare us, and equip us in two important ways: (1) through a Spirit-filled mentor or parent, and (2) through the Scriptures themselves, which he describes as holy and inspired (God-breathed or Spirit-inspired). The Scriptures’ power lies in the words the Spirit inspired and the people who show the transforming influence of the Spirit at work in their lives. Why wouldn’t we be eager to let the “sword of the Spirit” (God’s word, Ephesians 6:17) be at work in our lives?

Almighty God, thank you for speaking to us in words. As I place myself under the guidance of the words of Scripture, dear Father, I pray that the Holy Spirit uses them to form me into a person who is increasingly more like Jesus each day. In the name of the Lord Jesus, I pray. Amen.