Terri's Wellspring

You will keep in perfect peace, all who trust in you, 

all whose thoughts are fixed on you!

Trust in the Lord always, for the Lord God is the eternal Rock.    Isaiah 26:3-4

The gift of God’s peace is priceless. It is a state of mind and heart that reflects a knowing and trusting of Him. It infuses serenity and contentment in the here and now despite the circumstance. It is recognition that God is control and our full faith and trust is in Him. Experiencing His peace is a part of my vision of my best life. Consistent trust in Him, will result in experiencing His perfect peace. We don’t have to be on an emotional roller coaster of ups and downs that changes with the happenings of the day. If we put our solid trust in Him, we can experience His peace that is beyond this world’s understanding. It is His promise to His children.  In a place of peace we can move steadily in our purpose as a bright witness for Him.

Don’t worry about anything; instead, pray about everything. Tell God what you need, and thank him for all he has done. Then you will experience God’s peace, which exceeds anything we can understand. His peace will guard your hearts and minds as you live in Christ Jesus.  Philippians 4:6-7

The Lord gives his people strength.   

The Lord blesses them with peace. 

Psalm 29:11 NLT

God provides peace that surpasses understanding. It dwells in our hearts and minds when we need it most. This peace can quiet any fears, smooth out stress and provide calm in our emotions and in our thinking. Acknowledging our Great God in our situations is an assurance that our Heavenly Father is in control. He is the one that loves us and guides our steps. We thank God for His faithfulness to us and for His blessing of peace each step of the way. We are thankful for God’s peace and the joy that follows that gives us a new song for a new day.   We thank you God for our daily walk in peace.

Now all glory to God, who is able, through his mighty power at work within us, to accomplish infinitely more than we might ask or think.  Ephesians 3:20 NLT

Thou wilt keep him in perfect peace, whose mind is stayed on thee: because he trusteth in thee.  Trust ye in the Lord for ever: for in the Lord Jehovah is everlasting strength.  Isaiah 26:3-4

We seek peace in our hearts, minds and souls. I am so thankful that we serve a God that keeps us in a state of peace even when difficulties come to our door. This internal peace has a strong sustaining power despite the unfathomable. We experience it when we keep our minds on the Father. We want to fix our minds on all of His goodness, all of His righteousness and all of His power. We see the power of our focus in the scriptures in Isaiah 26:3-4 and also in Philippians 4:8-9. We can fix our thoughts on things that are true, honorable, pure, lovely and excellent in exchange for our problems and our shortcomings. Our God is faithful to provide peace, when we focus on His goodness and put our trust in Him.

And now, dear brothers and sisters, one final thing. Fix your thoughts on what is true, and honorable, and right, and pure, and lovely, and admirable. Think about things that are excellent and worthy of praise.  

 Keep putting into practice all you learned and received from me-everything you heard from me and saw me doing. Then the God of peace will be with you. Philippians 4: 8-9

Always be humble and gentle. Be patient with each other, making allowance for each other’s faults because of your love. Make every effort to keep yourselves united in the Spirit, binding yourselves together with peace.  Ephesians 4:2-3

Our relationships with one another are precious. Each interaction is an opportunity to build, nurture and create stronger bonds. Careful selection of our words and our actions are an acknowledgement of the love, respect and concern that we have for each other. Our busyness of everyday living may open the door to being too busy for the things that matter most. Extending our love and time with our family members, our loved ones and our sisters and brothers in Christ is essential for creating an atmosphere of peace and unity. Our passage today encourages us to make every effort to maintain unity, using peace as the strong glue that binds us together. Patience, gentleness, forgiveness and love are key ingredients required for our success. We need His peace to reign in our relationships, in our families and our communities. As we celebrate the birth of the Prince of Peace, let us spread His peace in our homes, our neighborhoods and our congregations showing the world that the Savior is born and lives inside of us.

How wonderful and pleasant it is
when brothers live together in harmony!
For harmony is as precious as the anointing oil
that was poured over Aaron’s head,
that ran down his beard
and onto the border of his robe.
Harmony is as refreshing as the dew from Mount Hermon
that falls on the mountains of Zion.
And there the Lord has pronounced his blessing,
even life everlasting. Psalm 133:1-3

How I praise the Lord that you are concerned about me again. I know you have always been concerned for me, but you didn’t have the chance to help me. Not that I was ever in need, for I have learned how to be content with whatever I have. I know how to live on almost nothing or with everything. I have learned the secret of living in every situation, whether it is with a full stomach or empty, with plenty or little.  For, I can do everything through Christ who gives me strength.  Philippians 4:10-13 NLT

Content (adjective) satisfied with what one is or has; not wanting more or anything else.

Most people strive to find contentment with what they have or who they are by working to get more of what they think will make them happy. It often involves more money, more assets or more power or influence over others. Sadly, it may be a deep desire for both. We see examples in the media daily of people who have reached “success” by society’s standard and have a disturbing lack of peace and contentment.

Paul describes a contentment that comes from within. It doesn’t matter where he is or what he has or doesn’t have, he has learned to be satisfied. It seems rare to find this trait in people today. There seems to be an insatiable appetite for more things, more attention and more power in this world. Paul shares with us two keys: 1) that He learned this behavior and 2) that his relationship with Christ empowers with the strength to do all things. I imagine that Paul’s journey allowed him to experience things where he arrived at a deep knowing in his heart and mind that the Lord ordered his steps. And each step of the journey was empowered with strength and the provision to make it to where God was leading. We can be thankful today that this level of contentment is available to each of us today. We can arrive there, at any point along our journey, knowing that our Heavenly Father is faithful to each of His promises.

I’m glad in God, far happier than you would ever guess-happy that you’re again showing such strong concern for me. Not that you ever quit praying and thinking about me. You just had no chance to show it. Actually, I don’t have a sense of needing anything personally. I’ve learned by now to be quite content whatever my circumstances. I’m just as happy with little as with much, with much as with little. I’ve found the recipe for being happy whether full or hungry, hands full or hands empty. Whatever I have, wherever I am, I can make it through anything in the One who makes me who I am. I don’t mean that your help didn’t mean a lot to me-it did. It was a beautiful thing that you came alongside me in my troubles. Philippians 4:10-13 (Message)