Isaiah 26:3 - Peace That Surpasses All Understanding.
Isaiah 26:3 - Peace That Surpasses All Understanding.
Isaiah 26:3 (NKJV) You will keep him in perfect peace, Whose
mind is stayed on You, Because he trusts in You.
It isn't easy finding peace in a violent world. This task was
no less daunting for the people in the Bible who followed God in
the midst of brutal and oppressive times. Isaiah lived in such
times. He saw Israel (the northern kingdom) conquered and destroyed by
the Assyrians, who then turned their sights on Judah (the southern
kingdom). Yet he spoke of knowing peace - not just any peace but perfect
peace. In fact, he said that if we trust in God and fix our thoughts on
him, he will not only give us perfect peace, but will keep us in
perfect peace.
The key to knowing God's peace in a violent world is to fix
our thoughts on him and trust him. When we fix our thoughts on him,
the dizzying tornado of stress and confusion fades into the
distance. Circumstances may change, but God doesn't change. He is "the
eternal Rock" (Isaiah 26:4) - immoveable, unchangeable, firm, and
steady. We can entrust ourselves to him.
No matter what circumstances you face, keep your thoughts on
and your trust in God. He will give you peace. [The One Year Bible
for New Believers re Isa.26:3, 4]
Your attention is a precious commodity, and myriad voices are
vying for it. Your to-do list screams at you. The circumstances that
pop up unexpectedly demand an immediate reaction. The people in your
life are probably a little more polite about getting your attention,
but they still expect a response. And the to-do list, the urgent
circumstances, and the people you live and work with all have important
concerns. You have God-given responsibilities with all of them. But their
cumulative voices can be relentless. Meanwhile, you're sometimes just
looking for a moment to breathe.
It's impossible to remain aware of God consistently when
we're under such assaults. We have to prioritize, placing Him at the
top of our list even at the expense of other worthy goals. If we
want to have any awareness of His closeness, any sense of His
Presence, any hint of His voice, we have to clear the clutter out of our
minds, sit with Him, and be still. There's no other way.
This is where we find out the depth of our desire for God.
Would we simply like to experience Him? Or are we desperate for Him?
The way we prioritize our time reveals a lot. If knowing Him is more
urgent to us than the voices that demand our attention, we'll make room
for Him and eventually experience Him deeply. If not, we won't.
We have to determine to make hard choices and then brace for
the assault against them. That doesn't mean we neglect our loved
ones and responsibilities, but we do have to remember which
relationship is our life. Seeking God's Presence and fixing our thoughts on
Him takes time, but it's vital. And it speaks peace to every other
voice that seeks our attention.
Lord, I fix my thoughts on You. I choose to spend time
sitting in Your Presence each day, to turn my heart toward You in brief
in-between moments, and to expect You to step into my circumstances and
relationships. [The One Year Experiencing God's Presence Devotional by Chris
Tiegreen]
There are two ways for our sense of God's Presence to
increase: for us to draw near to Him by "practicing" His Presence and for
Him to draw near to us by manifesting His Presence. Brother
Lawrence, the famous monk best known for practicing the Presence, became
an intensely focused worshiper. He saw many around him trying to
experience God's love by learning methods and principles, and it seemed
unnecessarily complicated to him. He chose instead to intentionally worship as
constantly as possible, to fix his thoughts on Jesus' Presence. This, he
learned, made all the difference. Theological training wasn't the key to
experiencing God; focusing on God was the key to experiencing God.
When we fix our thoughts on Him, He keeps us in perfect peace
- or perfect shalom, actually. Not only does He put our hearts at
rest, He gives us that sense of wholeness and fullness we seek. Isaiah
26:3 delivers a powerful truth that can affect our satisfaction in
life for the rest of our days: when we are able to focus on God in
trust, He is able to grant us shalom. The satisfaction every human
heart hungers for, so elusive and frustrating to so many throughout
history, can be ours. We don't get it by striving for it but by trusting
in the One who offers it. All we are required to do is keep our
thoughts on Him as He truly is.
This is why so many Christians who are born of God's Spirit
are still discontented and somewhat empty. They have God's life in
them but are too distracted from Him to benefit from His Presence.
But it doesn't have to be that way. If you keep your trust fully
focused on Him, you will live in perfect shalom.
Father, help me keep my focus. Turn my eyes toward You. I
want to experience Your perfect peace in all its fullness. [The One
Year Experiencing God's Presence Devotional by Chris Tiegreen]
We are constantly talking to ourselves, sometimes verbalizing
our thoughts even when nobody else is around. But most of the time,
the self-talk just goes on in the mind - no one else hears the
monologue. Perhaps we might plan what we are going to say to someone,
rehearsing various lines of conversation to see which one goes best. Or we
might mentally practice the piano or compliment ourselves on how we
rocked the interview or how slim we look because our self-discipline is
working. Sometimes we complain to ourselves about the weather, criticize
ourselves for the blunder at the office, or fuss about the way we look.
Both positive and negative self-talk is normal. Positive is good.
Negative is not. But both too much positive or negative makes us
unrealistic thinkers. Psychologists tell us that the mental illness of
grandiosity or narcissism sets in when more than 69 percent of the monologue
is positive. In contrast, the pathologies of anxiety, depression,
and panic become evident when less than 31 percent of the self-talk
is positive.
God asks us to discipline our mind. Given total freedom, the
mind usually spirals into negative thinking far too easily. "Fix
these words of mine in your hearts and minds" (Deut. 11:18, NIV) is a
call for mental discipline. The promise of Isaiah 26:3 is sure: "You
will keep in perfect peace those whose minds are steadfast, because
they trust in you" (NIV). A steadfast mind is a healthy mind.
Lord, thank You for my mind. May I ever use it to honor and
glorify Your holy name. Teach me the habit of mental discipline through
trust in You. [God of Wonders by David Steen]
PRACTICAL APPLICATIONS
Keep your focus on Me. I have gifted you with amazing
freedom, including the ability to choose the focal point of your mind.
Only the crown of My creation has such remarkable capability; this is
a sign of being made in My image.
Let the goal of this day be to bring every thought captive to
Me. Whenever your mind wanders, lasso those thoughts and bring them
into My Presence. In My radiant Light, anxious thoughts shrink and
shrivel away. Judgmental thoughts are unmasked as you bask in My
unconditional Love. Confused ideas are untangled while you rest in the
simplicity of My Peace. I will guard you and keep you in constant Peace, as
you focus your mind on Me. (Psa. 8:5; Gen. 1:26, 27; 2 Cor. 10:5;
Isa. 26:3) [Jesus Calling by Sarah Young]
I will fill you with joy and peace as you wait in My
Presence. Spending time with Me demonstrates that you really do trust Me.
People who trust mainly in themselves and their own abilities often
crowd Me out of their lives. As you learn to trust Me more, you
increasingly delight in time spent with Me. And the more you wait in My
Presence, the deeper your faith grows - increasing your Joy and Peace.
Because you belong to Me, My Spirit lives in you. You may
sometimes be unaware of His Presence, but He is always aware of you.
Moreover, He is continually at work within you - transforming you into My
likeness with ever-increasing Glory. You cooperate in this process by
focusing on Me. As you become more and more like Me, hope grows within
you. With the Spirit's help, this hope can well up inside you till it
overflows - spilling out and splashing into the lives of other people!
(Rom. 15:13; Isa. 26:3; Rom. 8:9; 2Co. 3:18) [Jesus Today by Sarah
Young]
My word is living and powerful; it is a discerner of the
thoughts and intents of the heart. Because Scripture is alive, active,
and full of Power, it can touch hearts deeply and transform lives
thoroughly. I have changed your life through the wonders of biblical truth.
My Word is continually at work in you, transforming you in the
depths of your being. The more Scripture you have in your mind and
heart, the more readily I can mold you.
Growing in grace is all about transformation - becoming more
like Me. I never change: I am the same yesterday, today, and forever.
So you are the one who needs to change - to be molded increasingly
into My likeness. This is a glorious adventure and an awesome
privilege! Yet it is also painful at times. Change always involves some
loss, and it can trigger anxiety. The remedy is to cling to My hand -
walking with Me in trusting dependence along the path I've prepared for
you. My Word is a lamp to your feet and a light for your path. (Heb.
4:12; 13:8; Rom. 8:29; Psa. 119:105) [Jesus Today by Sarah Young]
Relax in My healing, holy Presence. Allow Me to transform you
through this time alone with Me. As your thoughts center more and more
on Me, trust displaces fear and worry. Your mind is somewhat like a
seesaw. As your trust in Me goes up, fear and worry automatically go
down. Time spent with Me not only increases your trust; it also helps
you discern what is important and what is not.
Energy and time are precious, limited entities. Therefore,
you need to use them wisely, focusing on what is truly important. As
you walk close to Me, saturating your mind with Scripture. I will
show you how to spend your time and energy. My Word is a lamp to your
feet; My Presence is a Light for your path. (Eph. 5:15, 16; Psa.
119:105) [Jesus Calling by Sarah Young]
Do not search for security in the world you inhabit. You tend
to make mental checklists of things you need to do in order to gain
control of your life. If only you could check everything off your list,
you could relax and be at peace. But the more you work to accomplish
that goal, the more things crop up on your list. The harder you try,
the more frustrated you become.
There is a better way to find security in this life. Instead
of scrutinizing your checklist, focus your attention on My Presence
with you. This continual contact with Me will keep you in My Peace.
Moreover, I will help you sort out what is important and what is not, what
needs to be done now and what does not. Fix your eyes not on what is
seen (your circumstances), but on what is unseen (My Presence). (Isa.
26:3; 2 Cor. 4:18) [Jesus Calling by Sarah Young]
Let Me help you get through this day. There are many possible
paths to travel between your getting up in the morning and your lying
down at night. Stay alert to the many choice-points along the way,
being continually aware of My Presence. You will get through this day
one way or the other. One way is to moan and groan, stumbling along
with shuffling feet. This will get you to the end of the day
eventually, but there is a better way. You can choose to walk with Me along
the path of Peace, leaning on Me as much as you need. There will
still be difficulties along the way, but you can face them confidently
in My strength. Thank Me for each problem you encounter, and watch
to see how I transform trials into blessings. (1Cor. 10:10; Luke
1:79) [Jesus Calling by Sarah Young]
CLOSING THOUGHTS
Years ago, I was enthralled as I listened to a pastor who for
several years had faithfully served the church. His executive
responsibilities had taken him all over this country. As he concluded his
message, he told of one of the most frightening yet thought-provoking
experiences of his life.
He had been on a long flight from one place to another. The
first warning of the approaching problems came when the sign on the
airplane flashed on: Fasten your seat belts. Then, after a while, a calm
voice said, "We shall not be serving the beverages at this time as we
are expecting a little turbulence. Please be sure your seat belt is
fastened."
As he looked around the aircraft, it became obvious that many
of the passengers were becoming apprehensive. Later, the voice of
the announcer said, "We are so sorry that we are unable to serve the
meal at this time. The turbulence is still ahead of us."
And then the storm broke. The ominous cracks of thunder could
be heard even above the roar of the engines. Lightening lit up the
darkening skies, and within moments that great plane was like a cork
tossed around on a celestial ocean. One moment the airplane was lifted
on terrific currents of air; the next, it dropped as if it were
about to crash.
The pastor confessed that he shared the discomfort and fear
of those around him. He said, "As I looked around the plane, I
could see that nearly all the passengers were upset and alarmed. Some
were praying. The future seemed ominous and many were wondering if
they would make it through the storm.
Then, I suddenly saw a little girl. Apparently the storm
meant nothing to her. She had tucked her feet beneath her as she sat
on her seat; she was reading a book and everything within her small
world was calm and orderly. Sometimes she closed her eyes, then she
would read again; then she would straighten her legs, but worry and
fear were not in her world. When the plane was being buffeted by the
terrible storm, when it lurched this way and that, as it rose and fell
with frightening severity, when all the adults were scared half to
death, that marvelous child was completely composed and unafraid." The
minister could hardly believe his eyes.
It was not surprising therefore, that when the plane finally
reached its destination and all the passengers were hurrying to
disembark, our pastor lingered to speak to the girl whom he had watched for
such a long time. Having commented about the storm and behavior of
the plane, he asked why she had not been afraid.
The sweet child replied, "Sir, my Dad is the pilot, and he is
taking me home."
There are many kinds of storms that buffet us.
Physical, mental, financial, domestic, and many other storms
can easily and quickly darken our skies and throw our plane into
apparently uncontrollable movement. We have all known such times, and let
us be honest and confess, it is much easier to be at rest when our
feet are on the ground than when we are being tossed about a darkened
sky.
Let us remember: Our Father is the Pilot. He is in control
and He is taking us home ... 2jesus. author unknown
https://2jesus.org/inspstories/thestorm.html
God Can't Give Us Happiness And Peace Apart From Himself Because
There Is No Such Thing. C. S. Lewis
LINKS FOR FURTHER STUDY ON THIS PASSAGE:
http://www.abible.com/devotions/2003/20030103-1824.html
http://www.abible.com/devotions/2009/20090923-1428.html
http://www.abible.com/devotions/2012/20121031-1710.html
LINKS WORTH CHECKING OUT:
Most Important Decision in Life:
http://www.youtube.com/embed/WGnEuGwvXqU?rel=0
Importance of Choice:
http://creationhealth.com/CREATION-Health/Choice [click on video]
Seeking God Made Real: http://vimeo.com/31489782
Musical Devotional On Christian Living:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OcotY5K7T0c
LINKS FOR BIBLE STUDY:
Lifting Up Jesus Bible Studies: http://www.liftingupjesus.net/
Amazing Facts Bible Studies:
http://www.amazingfacts.org/bible-study/bible-study-guides.aspx
Discover Bible Studies: http://studies.itiswritten.com/discover/
LINKS FOR PROPHECY SEMINARS:
Revelation Today by Pastor John Bradshaw:
https://revelationtoday.com/other-streams/
Prophecies Decoded by Pastor Ron Clouzet:
https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PL1A435C5373550657
