Aloha Dearest Family,
I would like to examine a verse that is one of the greatest keys to peace, health, joy
and safety. (Yes, please show me this verse!)
“Thou wilt keep him in perfect peace, whose mind is
stayed on Thee: because he trusts in Thee.” (Isaiah 26:3)
If we “stay our mind” on God, we will have “perfect
peace”. The word “perfect” in this verse means peace. So, the person
that stays their mind upon God can have peace, peace. But what does this
mean? (No really – it’s peace, peace. That’s a lot of peace).
The Hebrew word for peace, shalom, has many different
meanings. Shalom could also mean harmony, wholeness, completeness,
prosperity, welfare and tranquility. In this context, we are told that
those who stay their mind on God, will have “complete well-being” in all
aspects of life. This is available because we TRUST God. The very next verse
says:
“Trust ye in the LORD forever: for in the LORD JEHOVAH
is everlasting strength:”
This is an amazing,
amazing verse so, since there is everlasting strength in the Lord, we can
surely trust in Him – and Him alone.
In addition to these wonderful truths, we also need to
include Psalm 103:2.
“Bless the LORD, O my soul, and forget not all His
benefits:” (Psalm 103:2)
His benefits (which are endless)
are available to the believer when they stay their mind on God and trust Him at
all times.
In
life, we are constantly bombarded by the influences of the world. These come to
us by the media via TV, internet and radio. These influences bring nothing but discouragement
and fear into people’s lives. Fear can steal our peace. Fear always defeats the
believer and keeps us from experiencing God’s best in every category of life.
But I have found that we can CHOOSE what we look at and
what will influence us. The negative thoughts that we harbor are like overgrown
vines and bramble bushes that stand in the way of God and His goodness.
Years ago, when we moved into military housing, we found
that the school where my young son would be attending was not very far away. But
we discovered that to get to the school we had to walk back to the entrance of
the housing complex and then travel back along a busy road to get there. Not
ideal.
Trying
to find an easier way to get to this school, we discovered an old walking path
that had been used in the past, but now was overgrown with vines, bushes and
small trees. This path would be a safer and quicker way to get to the sidewalk
where the school was located.
So,
one Saturday, my neighbor’s family and mine, took axes and hacksaws and started
to clear out the path. It took some time but we finally got through to the
other side. We used this path from then on and also many other families in this
large complex used it as well.
Our
way to God can be just like these vines and briars. Our minds may have let
negative thoughts creep in and start taking root. These obstructions get in the
way and block us from getting to know God and His ways and keep us from
receiving the blessings that He has for us. But we don’t have to live this way.
We could instead choose to start hacking away at the useless vegetation that
has grown up around our minds and replace these negative, defeating thoughts
with God’s perfect words and victorious thoughts. It may take time but it is
necessary if you want to experience the “perfect peace” that God promised us if
we stay our minds on Him and trust in Him. When we renew our minds (put God’s
thoughts where negative thoughts were) to God and His Word, our lives will
surely be transformed.
“And be not conformed to this world: but be ye transformed by the renewing of your mind, that ye may prove what is that good, and acceptable, and perfect, will of God.“ (Romans 12:2)
Love Always, Ray
“Finally, brothers and sisters, whatever is true, whatever is noble, whatever is right, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is admirable—if anything is excellent or praiseworthy—think about such things.” (Philippians 4:8 NIV)
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