God's Peace that Passes All Understanding |
|
|
As I write this, it's the day before Thanksgiving, and this is how I feel right now. The holidays are officially here. Before the first one has even started, I'm working on the next one — running around with a list and checking it twice, trying to find the perfect gifts for loved ones. (Yes, I know about online shopping, but I still like to hand-pick some special gifts!) I'm also taking care of elderly parents and trying to love them well in the midst of everything. I also have to make sure that my own family is happy and taken care of. So after the madness of shopping and the long grocery lines, I'm sitting in my car in bumper-to-bumper traffic. And right then, in the middle of stand-still traffic… my car idles. It just stops right in the midst of all the chaos. All I can do in this moment is stop and pray for God's peace that passes all understanding. And it comes to me. I hear the Lord whisper to my heart that His peace is there for me, in this moment and for this entire holiday season. What does peace look like to you this holiday? Consider these practical ways to find God's peace that passes all understanding for you and your family! |
|
|
Prepare. Prepare your heart! How do you do that? First, dig out anything that would hinder an intimate relationship with God. Psalm 51:10 says, Create in me a clean heart, O God, and renew a steadfast spirit within me. — NKJV Many years ago, I taught a group of young children about clutter in their hearts. I used a beautiful bowl, decorated on the inside with bright, beautiful colors, as an example of what our hearts are like. Then we discussed how things like lying, meanness, and jealousy upset God and make our hearts dirty. We wrote down all these things on pieces of paper and then wadded them up and filled the bowl so that we were no longer able to see its beauty. We then talked about how we can "dump" out all the ugliness by asking God to forgive us and create in us 'clean' hearts. The simple act of just coming to God on a daily basis and asking Him to wipe away anything that would make our hearts unclean is a great way to prepare ourselves for Advent. Is there anything that you need to 'dump' out of your heart before the Lord today? Spend time asking Him to create a clean heart and to renew a steadfast spirit within you. He is faithful to do so always. Engage with God. 24/7. Not just in the prayer chair or during your 15-minute quiet time. That is all important — please don't get me wrong. But engage with Him all throughout your day. Talk to Him. Argue with Him. Pray to Him. Surrender to Him. Trust Him. Call upon Him. I love the story in Acts 10 about Cornelius, a Roman army officer who was a devout, God-fearing man and who prayed regularly to God. Scripture doesn't tell us how, when, or where he prayed; it just says that he prayed regularly. We can do that too. Let's engage with God in prayer all day long… in the shower… in the grocery lines… in the standstill traffic. Remember that you can pray to a living God who sees you and knows your every need. Don't stop engaging with God after your quiet time, but continue throughout the day and even right up until you lay your head down to sleep! Align your heart. Proverbs 3 teaches us how to align our hearts with God. This scripture starts out by telling us not to forget the things that God has taught us (v. 1, NIV). Then it goes on to tell us to store His commands in our hearts and to never let love and faithfulness leave us (vv. 1, 3). In verse 5, we're told to Trust in the Lord with all your heart and lean not on your own understanding. Aligning our hearts in preparation for Jesus means that we remember what God has taught us, we live out love and faithfulness, and we trust God for all things. When we do this, we will know the true reason for the season. Carve out time to dig into God's Word. It is so important that we know God's Word. His Word is living and active and sharper than any double-edged sword. It is our powerful weapon that we need to hold on to and speak into every situation of our lives. I know the Bible can be intimidating — it's a big book, after all! But it is a big book of His promises. If you are just starting out and opening the pages of God's Word for the first time, I encourage you to carve out regular time to memorize a verse or two. And if you don't know how or where to start — try the Psalms. Every day I open my Bible to the book of Psalms for that day. For example, today is November 23rd, so I open up to Psalm 23, one that you may be familiar with. And in the midst of all the chaos going on, it brings a calm to my spirit. I find great peace as I read, "The Lord is my shepherd…" That is all I need! Enjoy. There is so much to enjoy this season. Take a moment to truly enjoy the reason for the season. Jesus is our greatest gift. Prayer Precious Lord, I pray for our world this holiday season. Today, more than ever, we need the peace of Christ to surround us. We need healing in our world. Where anger rages and division runs rampant, we need Your PEACE to flood our hearts. As we scurry around to fill our Christmas stockings, we need You to fill our hearts with Your Word, Your promises, and Your truth. I pray that each and every one of us would open our hearts to receive the greatest gift of all — Jesus — who was born in a manger and now reigns as King of Kings and Lord of Lords! Amen. Written for Devotionals Daily by Anne Neilsen, author of Angels. * |
|
|
Peace does not come naturally. It's God's supernatural gift to us. This season, stop and ask Him – all day long – to show you His love and give you His peace that passes understanding. Come share your thoughts with us. We want to hear from you! |
|
|
Do your heart and soul need encouragement, refreshment, and inspiration? |
Anne Neilson's Angels: Devotions and Art to Encourage, Refresh, and Inspire |
|
|
+ Take an extra 20% off $45+ with GG20 |
|
|
Anne Neilson's Angels is an exquisite, artful 40-day devotional inviting you to experience joy and comfort through an original angel painting, a thoughtful reflection, Bible verse, and prayer. Experience hope and comfort through Neilson's incredible, ethereal angel paintings combined with her poetic voice reflecting on poignant topics such as love, abundance, release, identity, and purpose. This stunning, conversation-starting coffee table book . . . - opens with a generous foreword by Kathie Lee Gifford
- offers 40 inspirational devotions alongside beautiful, original angel paintings
- was selected as one of her 2020 Holiday Favorite Things by Hoda Kotb, co-anchor of Today
- makes a heartfelt gift for family and friends for Christmas, birthdays, anniversaries, or as a memorable housewarming present
Let Scripture, prayer, and the beauty of Anne Neilson's Angels nurture your soul today. |
|
|
You'll share an appreciation and love of Anne Neilson's work alongside these well-known fans: - Maria Shriver, journalist, author, former First Lady of California
- Jenna Bush Hager, co-host of Today
- Roma Downey, actress, producer, and author
Let Scripture, prayer, and the beauty of Anne Neilson's Angels nurture your soul today. |
|
|
What Our Readers Are Saying |
"Beautiful book and prayers! The words chosen, the thoughtful content of the each devotion and the beauty of the art help the reader enjoy their devotional time. This book will be a comforting gift for anyone going through a difficult time." — Kathleen S. |
"This book is beautiful in every way. The art and words are inspiring. It is exactly what I needed during this difficult year. I plan to purchase more as gifts. I hope you love this book as much as I do." — Amy W. |
"Love it, love it, love it. Short enough devotionals and beautiful paintings to get your spirit up and going, deep enough that when you take more time to reflect, God speaks. I love it so I gave the book to my daughter and two daughter in laws. They all love them, as much as I do." — Mary S. |
|
|
Entertaining Angels: True Stories and Art Inspired by Divine Encounters |
Experience amazing stories of the angels among us in Entertaining Angels, alongside breathtaking art that will remind you clearly of the words of Scripture: "Don't forget to show hospitality to strangers, for some who have done this have entertained angels without realizing it!" |
|
|
| Angels: God's Secret Agents |
Dr. Graham lifts the veil between the visible and the invisible world to give us an eye-opening account of these behind-the-scenes agents. |
|
|
| And the Angels Were Silent: The Final Week of Jesus |
In the last week of his life, Jesus deliberately sets his face toward Jerusalem—and certain death. This is no ordinary week. Even the angels are silent as they ponder the final days of Jesus Christ. |
|
|
| Precious Moments: Little Book of Angels |
Assure your little ones of God's love, comfort, and protection with this Precious Moments book all about His angel guardians |
|
|
| As a little boy says goodnight to the things and people in his world, he remembers to offer a thankful nighttime prayer to God. |
|
|
Still looking for the perfect gift? We've put together these special gift guides to make it easier for you! Shop our top inspirational gifts for everyone on your list up to 65% off. Plus save an extra 20% off your entire order when you spend $45 or more and use code GG20. Ends December 14th! |
|
|
this devotion with someone who needs it today |
|
|
*Sale price ends on 12/31/23 at 11:59 PM. Limited quantities available. Sale pricing excludes ebooks and audiobooks. Free Standard Shipping for U.S. orders over $35 excluding Alaska and Hawaii. *Offer valid until December 14, 2023 at 11:59 p.m. ET or while supplies last. Offer valid online and by phone only. Take an additional 20% off your purchase of $45 or more with code GG20, after promotions and discounts and before shipping and handling costs are applied. Shipping, gift cards, or customization of products does not qualify towards minimum purchase requirements. Receive free standard ground shipping on non-rush orders of $35 or more, valid within the 48 continental United States or to an FPO/APO address; offer does not apply to Alaska, Hawaii, the U.S. Territories, rush orders, or expedited shipping methods. Offer only available to customers in the United States age 18 and older. To redeem offer, enter promo code during online checkout or provide the code to a representative during phone orders. Cannot be redeemed for cash or combined with any other discount offer. FaithGateway reserves the right to de-activate the promo code in the event of fraud or technical issues and limit quantities of individual items eligible for purchase with this discount. Void where prohibited, taxed or restricted by law. Not valid for resale. *eBook and audiobook purchases are fulfilled by our partner, Glose. Please note that: - To access your eBooks, you can download the free Glose app or read instantly in your browser by creating a Glose account using the same email address you use to purchase the eBooks.
- eBooks fulfilled through Glose cannot be printed, downloaded as PDF, or read in other digital readers (like Kindle or Nook).
- For more information about how to access eBooks purchased on this site, click here for our FAQs.
|
|
|
|
No comments:
Post a Comment