This One Shall Be Their Peace

 Micah 5:5

The Lord Our Peace (Jehovah Shalom—Judges 6:4) is come

and will come again.  The God of Peace be with you

(Rom 15:33, 16:20; Phil 4:9; 1 Thess 5:23; Heb 13:20

              Hurried and harried, Christmas can leave us blurried, flurried, and be-frazzled.  Be still and meditate on this: on “Cease striving and know that I Am God.”

Christmas can stir up things from the past and present.  Let the peace of God rule in your hearts as the guardian of your minds.

When rest and peace will not come, we come to Christ.

I create the fruit of the lips: Peace, peace to him that is far off and to him that is near, saith Jehovah; and I will heal him.  But the wicked are like the troubled sea; for it cannot rest, and its waters cast up mire and dirt.  There is no peace, saith my God, to the wicked.  Isa 57:19-21 ASV

Christ bore the “dis-ease” of all our sins.

But he was wounded for our transgressions, he was bruised for our iniquities; the chastisement of our peace was upon him; and with his stripes we are healed.  All we like sheep have gone astray; we have turned every one to his own way; and Jehovah hath laid on him the iniquity of us all.  Isa 53:5-6 ASV

Speak the truth in love with one another: Eph 4:   Col: 3

Mercy and truth have met together; righteousness and peace have kissed.  Ps 85:10 NKJV

Be thankful:  Let the peace of Christ rule in your hearts, since as members of one body you were called to peace.  And be thankful.  Col 3:15

Meditate in Christ:  You will keep him in perfect peace, whose mind is stayed on You, because he trusts in You.  Isa 26:3 NKJV

Meditate to keep His commands:  Great peace have they who love your law, and nothing can make them stumble.  Psalms 119:165 NIV

PRACTICING INNER PEACE

PRACTICING INNER PEACE

By Dwight Cunkle

Four Practices to develop inner peace (meditate on these):

1. Keep internal calm by disciplining external senses (what I see or want to see because of my flesh and pride or unholy desires).

2. Establish in ourselves an intention to love all people and live in harmony with everyone. Listen for their heart and with your heart, not just for the facts or to fix it. Be in the moment.

3. Keep our conscience clear within, toward God and  between us and others. Practice confession of fault and sin (openness).

4. Must accustom ourselves to bear unpleasant things and insults without becoming upset or agitated.

I don’t want to be controlled by shame and blame but by the peace of God. Many of us were raised in a shame-based matrix: interpreting life and people and ourselves through the lens of what’s wrong. Exchange that for a view of the world through God’s love, mercy and goodness.

Also, many of us grew up with many anger, adrenaline and control issues-either our anger or the anger of others around us. We need God’s help to be emotionally aware of how our emotions impact others around us-spouse, children, church or work.

Romans 13

Keep out of debt and owe no man anything, except to love one another; for he who loves his neighbor [who practices loving others] has fulfilled the Law [relating to

one’s fellowmen, meeting all its requirements]. 9 The commandments, You shall not commit adultery, You shall not kill, You shall not steal, You shall not covet (have an evil desire), and any other commandment, are summed up in the single command, You shall love your neighbor as [you do] yourself.

THOUGHTS ON INWARD PRAYER AND WORSHIP

THOUGHTS ON INWARD PRAYER 

AND WORSHIP

By Dwight Cunkle

From the writings of Thomas Kelly, born a Quaker, in 1893. He was educated at Harvard, and wanted to "make his life a miracle." But the strain and striving broke him. In that he learned to order mental life on two levels at the same time - inward prayer and worship, while working and relating     outwardly.

I have found that my wife is much better at this kind of     prayer without ceasing-going about her many duties all day while having prayer continue. As we seek God and find him try these steps from Kelly's writings:

1. Inwardly, quietly repeat a phrase or simple prayer such as, "Lord, Jesus, have mercy on me a sinner." Or "The Lord is my Shepherd." Or "One Spirit"".

2. Let inward prayer be your last act before sleep and first upon waking.

3. Practice continually turning and centering in God in    worship and surrender and listening.

4. Order mentally both gently inwardly in devotion while   outwardly at work, play and relationship. Gradually the two become more one than just "a prayer time" verses my other responsibilities and relationships.

5. Allow a longing for God God to draw you: "presence in the midst," Shekinah of the soul," "a subterranean sanctuary of the soul,"colonies of heaven," "continuously at home in him," able to say 'No' or 'Yes' with equal confidence to thoughts and feelings and choices as they come before us because we are inwardly at rest in abandonment to his will and in union with him.

You shall seek me with your whole heart and you shall find me Jer 29:14

Dwight

WHAT YOU AREN'T SAYING IS LOUDER THAN WHAT YOU ARE

WHAT YOU AREN'T SAYING IS LOUDER THAN WHAT YOU ARE 

by Dwight Cunkle

 

 

This week I substitute taught second grade at Kaiser. Several times I spoke with anger and treated a few students with disrespect when they misbehaved. I need more practice in thinking and loving a child who needs boundaries. It is wrong to look down on someone who lacks training and who needs father’s love. Christ humbled himself and shared our weakness to help us.

TRUE OR FALSE - Others are more important than me?

__What you’re not saying is louder than what you say.

__Non-verbal gives more than verbal communication:

(Body Language about 57%, Tone of Voice about 36%, Actual words 7%)

__When angry covert messages nearly always are more dominant than what is being said overtly. In other words, if I say something positive to you but use a condescending tone or roll my eyes, etc… you will receive a negative message.

(Keep reading to see how to relate to others without condescension and judgment. This key will help us put on Christ’s mind of love—being concerned about the interests of others above our own. Philippians 2 So if any encouragement, comfort from love, unity in the Spirit, affection, sympathy, 2 complete my joy...,  Do nothing from selfish ambition or conceit, but in humility count others more significant than yourselves. 4 Let each of you look not only to his own interests, but also to the interests of others.

Answers to the above:

#1 is the more true the more emotion is present

#2 the figures are actually an urban myth although the idea sometimes applies.

#3 is TRUE.  

Choose to think descriptively instead of judgmentally:

     When feeling angry or frustrated at someone’s actions try to refuse to place judgment on them. Try to “unpack” what is going on instead of just making evaluations of your and their worth. Comparing yourself with others just places one person above or below another.

     On the other hand, I can admit I feel (disappointed etc…) and recognize their weakness or strength (e.g. they tend to be late or not plan their time well), then make a decision to have good boundaries (e.g. not put myself in a place of dependence on their keeping to my schedule). All the while, I refrain from judging or grading the person. Then I can see them as Christ does. Perhaps I can help them in the humility and love of Jesus.    

This One shall be their peace 

Micah 5:5

The Lord Our Peace (Jehovah Shalom—Judges 6:4) is come and will come again.  The God of Peace be with you (Rom 15:33, 16:20; Phil 4:9; 1 Thess 5:23; Heb 13:20
 

Hurried and harried, Christmas can leave us blurried, flurried, and be-frazzled.  Be still and meditate on this: on “Cease striving and know that I Am God.”

Christmas can stir up things from the past and present.  Let the peace of God rule in your hearts as the guardian of your minds.

When rest and peace will not come, we come to Christ.
I create the fruit of the lips: Peace, peace to him that is far off and to him that is near, saith Jehovah; and I will heal him.  But the wicked are like the troubled sea; for it cannot rest, and its waters cast up mire and dirt.  There is no peace, saith my God, to the wicked.  Isa 57:19-21 ASV

Christ bore the “dis-ease” of all our sins.
But he was wounded for our transgressions, he was bruised for our iniquities; the chastisement of our peace was upon him; and with his stripes we are healed.  All we like sheep have gone astray; we have turned every one to his own way; and Jehovah hath laid on him the iniquity of us all.  Isa 53:5-6 ASV

Speak the truth in love with one another: Eph 4, Col: 3
Mercy and truth have met together; righteousness and peace have kissed.  Ps 85:10 NKJV

Be thankful:  Let the peace of Christ rule in your hearts, since as members of one body you were called to peace.  And be thankful.  Col 3:15

Meditate in Christ:  You will keep him in perfect peace, whose mind is stayed on You, because he trusts in You.  Isa 26:3 NKJV

Meditate to keep His commands:  Great peace have they who love your law, and nothing can make them stumble.  Psalms 119:165 NIV

Jesus: Prince of Peace By Richard Lineberry

Jesus: Prince of Peace
By Richard Lineberry

Peace I leave with you; My peace I give to you, not as the world gives do I give to you. Let not your heart be troubled, nor let it be fearful.
Jesus, John 14:27

Peace might mean different things to different people: a sleeping infant, absence of war, etc. To the original hearers, it meant shalom, i.e., peace, salvation and well being. Peace from God doesn’t just concern the outside world, but has everything to do with the heart.

Jesus, the Prince of Peace, wasn’t over reactive to outer circumstances. He wasn’t anxious at the sight of 50,000 hungry people before Him. He slept though a storm. His trials didn’t intimidate Him for the secret of His peace was His relationship with the heavenly Father.

There are two kinds of peace. There is “peace with God” which comes when one receives the new spiritual rebirth. When our sins are forgiven, the hostility between us and God vanishes. Then we know Him as our loving, caring Father who wants the best for us.

Then there is the “peace of God.” This is the result of spiritual growth and embracing of Christ’s rule over our minds. Finding rest for our souls is the result of “taking His yoke upon us” (Matt. 11:28-29). Prov. 16:7 tells us that “when a man’s ways please the Lord, He makes even his enemies be at peace with him.” God drives back the powers of unrest and disturbance when our minds are stayed upon Him.

Peace of heart and mind are byproducts of learning obedience to God and His Word. Anxieties and fears as well as many illnesses are the result of undisciplined lives that dwell only on the fears this world continually set before us.

My prayer for you today is that God will give you peace in everything that you are carrying. As we worship and experience His Spirit, simply let Him be the object of your affection. Cast your cares upon Him for He cares for you. Let His peace rule your heart.