PRAYING FOR PEACE

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In Christ, Mark

The scriptures. May God bless the reading of His holy word.

I rejoiced with those who said to me, “Let us go to the house of the Lord.” Our feet are standing in your gates, Jerusalem.

Jerusalem is built like a city that is closely compacted together. That is where the tribes go up — the tribes of the Lord — to praise the name of the Lord according to the statute given to Israel. There stand the thrones for judgment, the thrones of the house of David.

Pray for the peace of Jerusalem: “May those who love you be secure. May there be peace within your walls and security within your citadels.”

For the sake of my family and friends, I will say, “Peace be within you.” For the sake of the house of the Lord our God, I will seek your prosperity.

Psalm 122

This ends this reading from God's holy word. Thanks be to God.

Peace be with you. These four simple words are spoken in churches and between people constantly. They echo the words of the scriptures and especially as we look at the New Testament epistles as Paul and Peter used them to open up their words to the early Christian churches and their membership.

As I wrote about at the end of the 119th Psalm, we all long for peace in our lives as well in the world around us. Peace is a valuable commodity that is important to us. It was important to the Lord as well. Look at these passages:

(Jesus speaking) Peace I leave with you; My peace I give you. I do not give to you as the world gives. Do not let your hearts be troubled and do not be afraid. John 14:27

(Jesus speaking) “I have told you these things, so that in Me you may have peace. In this world, you will have trouble. But take heart! I have overcome the world.” John 16:33

(Peter speaking) You know the message God sent to the people of Israel, announcing the good news of peace through Jesus Christ, who is Lord of all. Acts 10:36

(Paul speaking) Therefore, since we have been justified through faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ, through whom we have gained access by faith into this grace in which we now stand. Romans 5:1-2

(Paul speaking) Therefore, remember that formerly you who are Gentiles by birth and called “uncircumcised” by those who call themselves “the circumcision” (which is done in the body by human hands) — remember that at that time you were separate from Christ, excluded from citizenship in Israel and foreigners to the covenants of the promise, without hope and without God in the world.

But now in Christ Jesus you who once were far away have been brought near by the blood of Christ. For He Himself is our peace, who has made the two groups one and has destroyed the barrier, the dividing wall of hostility, by setting aside in His flesh the law with its commands and regulations. His purpose was to create in Himself one new humanity out of the two, thus making peace, and in one body to reconcile both of them to God through the cross, by which He put to death their hostility. He came and preached peace to you who were far away and peace to those who were near. For through Him, we both have access to the Father by one Spirit. Ephesians 2:11-18

What do you see as the common thread through these scripture passages?

I hope you see that at the heart of true peace is Jesus. He is the One who left us with His peace and because of that we find our peace through Him, the Prince of Peace (Isaiah 9:6). He also brings us to peace with God, mediating and interceding for us with the Father.

So what will happen for a person who truly commits themselves to being a Christian?

They will adopt the ways of Jesus to include a life attitude of peace.

Given this truth, it’s little wonder that Jesus said this during His Sermon on the Mount as He delivered the Beatitudes:

Blessed are the peacemakers, for they will be called children of God. Matthew 5:9

When we adopt peace as Jesus did by allowing Him to live and abide within our hearts and minds, then we will become as He was, a child of the God Most High.

Let’s now connect this to our scripture passage from the 122nd Psalm and what it has to say about the matter of peace. Look at those verses:

I rejoiced with those who said to me, “Let us go to the house of the Lord.” Our feet are standing in your gates, Jerusalem.

Jerusalem is built like a city that is closely compacted together. That is where the tribes go up — the tribes of the Lord — to praise the name of the Lord according to the statute given to Israel. There stand the thrones for judgment, the thrones of the house of David.

Pray for the peace of Jerusalem: “May those who love you be secure. May there be peace within your walls and security within your citadels.” For the sake of my family and friends, I will say, “Peace be within you.” For the sake of the house of the Lord our God, I will seek your prosperity.

A psalm of praise for God’s holy city, the psalmist prays for the peace of Jerusalem, that there would be peace within its walls which would benefit his family and all others who dwelled there.

As I read this, I began to ponder how often we pray for peace in the world around us. Shouldn’t we be doing this constantly as part of our daily prayer discipline?

I say this because it seems there is always some place where we find unrest and its associated strife flourishing. We find it in the world’s nations and we find it within our own nation. We find it in our communities and sometimes that includes our churches. We find it in our relationships, often times in our affairs with those who are closest to us. And there are times where we have inner turmoil, so much so that our hearts and minds are void of peace.

Friends, we need to follow the way of the psalmist and pray for peace, knowing through the scriptures that we can find it perfectly through Jesus Christ.

We need to pray for the peace of our world. We need to pray for the peace of our nation. We need to pray for the peace of our communities and our churches. We need to pray for peace in all our relationships in life and especially if the conflict is within our own families. And finally, we need to pray for the peace of mind and the peace of heart to live life every day, serving the Lord faithfully and peacefully while dealing with whatever circumstances might come our way.

As we look at the world around us, it might seem that peace is impossible. But when we think about Jesus as the Master of peace, then I think we’ll realize that there is nothing beyond the work of His almighty hands, that there is nothing that He can’t bring tranquility to.

Always remember, He is the Prince of Peace and thanks be to God that He is only a prayer for peace away.

Won’t you call on Him today?

Amen.

In Christ,

Mark

PS: Please share this with anyone you feel might be blessed by it.

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EVER WATCHING OVER US

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In Christ, Mark

The scriptures. May God bless the reading of His holy word.

I lift up my eyes to the mountains — where does my help come from? My help comes from the Lord, the Maker of heaven and earth.

He will not let your foot slip — He who watches over you will not slumber; indeed, He who watches over Israel will neither slumber nor sleep.

The Lord watches over you — the Lord is your shade at your right hand; the sun will not harm you by day, nor the moon by night.

The Lord will keep you from all harm — He will watch over your life; the Lord will watch over your coming and going both now and forevermore.

Psalm 121

This ends this reading from God's holy word. Thanks be to God.

If I were to pick my top five Psalms, the 121st Psalm would be on that list.

What makes it so appealing?

I think it’s because of the great comfort it brings me every time I read it. 

For as I go through life day-by-day, I need reminded that I am not going through it alone. I need to remember that the Lord is ever watching over me, in good times and bad. Look at the words to the psalm and the associated assurances it brings us:

I lift up my eyes to the mountains — where does my help come from? My help comes from the Lord, the Maker of heaven and earth.

Scripture tells us that the Lord is our ever present help in times of trouble (Psalm 46:1). The One who holds creation power in His hands, the Maker of heaven and earth is always willing and able to come to our aid. Given this, why should we fear anything in life?

He will not let your foot slip — He who watches over you will not slumber; indeed, He who watches over Israel will neither slumber nor sleep.

The Lord watches over us and never rests in the care He has for you and me. No, He will never be found slumbering but rather ever looking over us and looking out for us. The same Almighty Ally of Israel is for us today.

The Lord watches over you — the Lord is your shade at your right hand; the sun will not harm you by day or the moon by night.

The Lord is our Shield, our Great Protector and Defender. He keeps us from harm and shelters us in the shade of His powerful right hand.

The Lord will keep you from all harm — He will watch over your life; the Lord will watch over your coming and going both now and forevermore.

The Lord watches over every instance in our lives. He watches all our comings and goings, providing traveling safety along all our journeys. And He just doesn’t do in only in the here and now. No, the help of the Lord is forevermore, eternal and unfailing, persistent and consistent, everlasting and unending.

Friends, our Lord is not a distant Lord who is too righteous, holy, and powerful to commune with His people. No, our Lord loves and compassionate and engaged, caring about every aspect of the life He blesses us with.

Rejoice and be glad in this. For the Lord is ever watching over us and for that we should be grateful.

Amen.

PS: One of my favorite female contemporary Christian singers from a few years back was Susan Ashton. She sang a great song based in the 121st Psalm and I thought you would enjoy it. Here’s the link: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2Pguhv10e3E

In Christ,

Mark

PS: Please share this with anyone you feel might be blessed by it.

Send any prayer requests to OurChristianWalk@aol.com

LONGING FOR PEACE

Can I pray for you in any way? Send any prayer requests to OurChristianWalk.com.

In Christ, Mark

The scriptures. May God bless the reading of His holy word.

I call on the Lord in my distress, and He answers me. Save me, Lord, from lying lips and from deceitful tongues.

What will He do to you, and what more besides, you deceitful tongue? He will punish you with a warrior’s sharp arrows, with burning coals of the broom bush.

Woe to me that I dwell in Meshek, that I live among the tents of Kedar! Too long have I lived among those who hate peace. I am for peace; but when I speak, they are for war.

Psalm 120

This ends this reading from God's holy word. Thanks be to God.

A quick look at the headlines today offered the following:

- South Korea, United States Begin Drills as North Korea Threatens War

- Saudis may carry out executions by firing squad

- Philippines, Clan Discuss Ways to End Sabah Crisis

- Western governments struggle with Syria

- Dozen U.S. Troops Shot on Joint Base

- Eleven people shot on DC street corner overnight

- Man accused of killing grandparents in Washington

- Visions of Drones Swarming U.S. Skies Hit Bipartisan Nerve

The sad part of all this is that it seems like we’re reading about similar news every day.

Whether it’s a battle being waged between nations or even within a nation, whether it’s violence on our own streets in America and sometimes within a family, or whether it’s political battles being waged daily over the direction our country needs to go in, there is no shortage of conflict that we read or hear about.

I don’t know about you but it can really get discouraging for me sometimes and I find myself longing for peace.

I get a sense the psalmist was feeling the same way when he penned the 120th Psalm. Take a look for a moment at his words:

I call on the Lord in my distress, and He answers me. Save me, Lord, from lying lips and from deceitful tongues.

What will He do to you, and what more besides, you deceitful tongue? He will punish you with a warrior’s sharp arrows, with burning coals of the broom bush.

Woe to me that I dwell in Meshek, that I live among the tents of Kedar! Too long have I lived among those who hate peace. I am for peace; but when I speak, they are for war.

It’s obvious that the psalmist was living in some hard times, times that left him in distress. As we read his account, we can see that he faced internal and external conflicts.

Internally, he faced people who were liars and deceitful. Maybe you have been in that kind of environment too. I know I have and it’s extremely difficult. It seems some people enjoy stirring up strife in whatever way they can, even if it means lying or deceiving people to do so.

Externally, there was discord as well.

The psalmist shared that he lived in Meshek, among the tents of Kedar, and he obviously wasn’t pleased with the people he lived around, mostly because they did not share his view on peace. We know this because we read that the psalmist was for peace where the people he lived among hated it. And no matter how much the psalmist spoke of living in peace, the others he lived with endorsed war. It obviously was very hard for him.

So what was the psalmist to do in the middle of an environment where peace seemed absent?

He turned to the only One who had the power to bring peace, not only to his heart but also to the place where he lived. Look again at his words:

I call on the Lord in my distress, and He answers me. Save me, Lord, from lying lips and from deceitful tongues.

The word of God speaks powerfully to us here in offering us guidance in handling conflict. When we are going through strife, we should call on the Lord and do so expecting that He will answer and save us from our adversity. Turning to the New Testament and Paul’s letter to the Philippian church, we find the following additional guidance that reinforces the actions of the psalmist:

Do not be anxious about anything, but in every situation, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God. And the peace of God, which transcends all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus. Philippians 4:6-7

Note the key here. We are to trust in God, remembering that there is nothing beyond the work of His almighty hands. The God who fashioned everything we are and everything we see in creation is the God who is for us. So ask yourself this: Is there anything that God can’t take care of?

This is how we can find peace no matter what our world might be like, either internally or externally. When we feel our sense of inner peace disrupted by anxiety or stress or worry or fear, we need only do as the psalmist did, call on the Lord in our distress and bring our concerns to Him. When we do this, when we leave our inner conflicts and concerns at the throne of the One all powerful enough to deal with them, then and only then can we experience the peace that transcends understanding, the kind of peace that no one on earth can give you. It’s that simple.

But the good news doesn’t end there for look at what happens after we receive God’s peace.

We will have our hearts and minds guarded in Christ Jesus, our Savior who came to us as our Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God, Everlasting Father, and the Prince of Peace (Isaiah 9:6). Through Him, we have received a hope that secures us not just now but forever, an assurance that life will not end at death but continue eternally.

Is there any better sense of peace than that, a peace that meets us wherever we are today when we long for it and a peace that will envelop us and completely dominate our life after death, the life we will live with God the Father and Jesus His Son forever?

My prayer is that this peace, promised in the word of God, will be yours. It’s only a prayer away.

Amen.

In Christ,

Mark

PS: Please share this with anyone you feel might be blessed by it.

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WHAT WE SHOULD LIVE FOR

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In Christ, Mark

The scriptures. May God bless the reading of His holy word.

May my cry come before You, Lord; give me understanding according to Your word.

May my supplication come before You; deliver me according to Your promise.

May my lips overflow with praise, for You teach me Your decrees.

May my tongue sing of Your word, for all Your commands are righteous.

May Your hand be ready to help me, for I have chosen Your precepts.

I long for Your salvation, Lord, and Your law gives me delight. Let me live that I may praise You, and may Your laws sustain me.

I have strayed like a lost sheep. Seek Your servant, for I have not forgotten Your commands.

Psalm 119:169-176

This ends this reading from God's holy word. Thanks be to God.

What are your aspirations in life?

Answers to this question might vary.

Some people will want to get an education and parlay that into a successful career where they are able to make enough money to have a comfortable retirement. Other people might strive to be the best in some skill they have whether that might be music or sports or any number of other talents. Still others might seek to have a family and raise children.

The world certainly offers us a lot to live for but are we living for the right things? It’s definitely something worth considering as we ponder the matter of what we should live for.

As the psalmist considered this, he made it clear as to what he aspired to do and what he wished to live for. Look at his words from this passage:

I long for Your salvation, Lord, and Your law gives me delight. Let me live that I may praise You, and may Your laws sustain me.

Note the psalmist didn’t wish for the Lord to sustain him in life so he could acquire wealth and success. He didn’t covet a relationship or a family nor did he desire to become the best psalmist that ever existed.

No, the psalmist wished to live solely so he could praise the Lord. It was as simple as that.

Think about it. Why were we created? It wasn’t so we could focus on ourselves. Rather, God created us to serve and worship Him and Him alone. He was to be our focal point, the One we seek to glorify and magnify, the One we seek to lift up before the world in honor and respect.

Ask yourself whether you have done that in your life and perhaps you will be convicted by the question as you realize how self centered you may have been. I get a sense the psalmist was feeling a little like this when he said the following:

I have strayed like a lost sheep. Seek Your servant, for I have not forgotten Your commands.

The psalmist confessed his position before the Lord, knowing that He was His shepherd, the One who led him through life’s ups and downs. And he knew that this divine Shepherd would not rest while one of His sheep was lost. No, this Shepherd would look for His sheep with the hope that He would find them and return them to His flock.

The psalmist sought to be back in that flock, back in the place where he needed to be and reside. He wanted the Lord to sustain his life so he could in turn praise and worship Him. He yearned to be in communion with God so to attain instruction and understanding as well as deliverance and salvation.

He longed for praise to overflow from his lips and song delivered from his tongue. Truly, his heart was fixed on the matter of worshipping God.

As we conclude the study of the longest psalm in the Bible, my prayer is that you will find yourself like the psalmist, ready to shift your focus from yourself toward the Lord, asking Him to uphold and prolong your life, not so you can attain some level of success for you or your family, but rather so you can simply give Him all your glory, honor, and praise.

He deserves nothing less.

Amen.

In Christ,

Mark

PS: Please share this with anyone you feel might be blessed by it.

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NOTHING IS HIDDEN

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In Christ, Mark

The scriptures. May God bless the reading of His holy word.

Rulers persecute me without cause, but my heart trembles at Your word.

I rejoice in Your promise like one who finds great spoil. I hate and detest falsehood but I love Your law. Seven times a day I praise you for Your righteous laws. Great peace have those who love Your law, and nothing can make them stumble.

I wait for Your salvation, Lord, and I follow Your commands. I obey Your statutes, for I love them greatly. I obey Your precepts and Your statutes, for all my ways are known to You.

Psalm 119:161-168

This ends this reading from God's holy word. Thanks be to God.

As a rule, I don’t like films but of the ones I have watched, I would like to share with you some observations.

First, there are horror films, probably my least favorite of all genres. In the ones I have managed to watch, think one of the scariest scenarios is when a person is being pursued by something or someone and finds themselves cornered with no avenue of escape. The victims try their best to hide and avoid detection but most of the time they are discovered by their adversary and end up facing their fate.

Then there are those films where there is secret being kept. One person wishes to keep something from others but in the course of the story, the secret is discovered much to the detriment of the one harboring it. And often, this discovery brings consequences or hurt or embarrassment and scorn on the one who was keeping something concealed.

What we find in both these instances is that things that are hidden usually don’t remain that way. Despite one’s best efforts, what is done under the cloak of secrecy becomes exposed.

How does this apply to our lives as believers in the Lord Most High?

Well, we need to understand that there is nothing hidden from the Lord for everything we do in His sight.

Truly, there is nowhere we can go that the Lord doesn’t go with us and nothing we can do that He doesn’t see.

You see, our Lord is not only omnipresent, meaning He is in all places, but He is also omniscient, which means He is all knowing. How can He be both? He can because He is omnipotent and has the power to do all things to include being everywhere and knowing everything.

Given all this, we need to remember this: the Lord sees everything we do. With Him, nothing is hidden.

The psalmist understood this truth well before we did. Look at his words in this passage from the 119th Psalm:

Rulers persecute me without cause, but my heart trembles at Your word.

I rejoice in Your promise like one who finds great spoil. I hate and detest falsehood but I love Your law. Seven times a day I praise you for Your righteous laws. Great peace have those who love Your law, and nothing can make them stumble.

I wait for Your salvation, Lord, and I follow Your commands. I obey Your statutes, for I love them greatly. I obey Your precepts and Your statutes, for all my ways are known to You.

Note some key phrases here:

1. “My heart trembles at Your word.”

2. “Great peace have those who love Your law, and nothing can make them stumble.”

2. “I obey Your precepts and Your statutes, for all my ways are known to You.”

The psalmist understood the ways of the Lord and it drove his behavior. God gave us this word to bring us to understanding as well and then adjust our behavior as need be to align ourselves obediently with God’s will and way as disclosed through His word.

The psalmist first understood that all of his ways were known to the Lord. 

Have you thought about that lately? I mean, have you really stopped to consider that there is nothing that you have done that the Lord hasn’t known?

Not a thought. Not a word spoken. Not an action taken.

All our ways are known to Him and this kept the psalmist anchored in obedience. In fact, his heart trembled at the hearing of God’s word, mostly because it convicted him of the sinner he was and the consequences that God brought to those who sinned unrepentantly. Rather than live in guilt, the psalmist chose to live in peace, the kind peace that righteous living brings to those who conform their lives to be what the Lord desires. He also realized that obedience to following the will and way of the Lord kept him from stumbling into sin in his life. The Lord always kept him walking the right and righteous path when the psalmist followed His guidance and direction.

Friends, we should be living fearfully, knowing the Lord sees everything we do. Nothing is hidden from His sight and that should compel us to commit to live in accordance with His word and way. As Christians, this means living like Jesus who told us He is the Way and the Truth and the Life, the only way to the Father (John 14:6).

In sum, being Christian is being Christ-like and Jesus was always about His Father’s business.  We need to be likewise, for when we are about His business, we need not worry that He is watching as everything He will see will be of Him and thus pleasing in His sight – and that’s the place we always need to be.

Amen.

In Christ,

Mark

PS: Please share this with anyone you feel might be blessed by it.

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THE NEAR AND FAR OF LIFE

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In Christ, Mark

The scriptures. May God bless the reading of His holy word.

Hear my voice in accordance with Your love; preserve my life, Lord, according to Your laws.

Those who devise wicked schemes are near, but they are far from Your law. Yet you are near, Lord, and all Your commands are true. Long ago I learned from your statutes that you established them to last forever.

Look on my suffering and deliver me, for I have not forgotten Your law. Defend my cause and redeem me; preserve my life according to Your promise. Salvation is far from the wicked, for they do not seek out Your decrees.

Your compassion, Lord, is great; preserve my life according to Your laws. Many are the foes who persecute me, but I have not turned from Your statutes. I look on the faithless with loathing, for they do not obey Your word. See how I love Your precepts; preserve my life, Lord, in accordance with Your love. All Your words are true; all Your righteous laws are eternal.

Psalm 119:149-160

This ends this reading from God's holy word. Thanks be to God.

As you walk through life, what seems nearer to you: your life circumstances or the Lord?

The reason I ask is because too often we allow the matters of life to wedge in between our heart and the only One who can help us through.

Ask yourself why life seems dark?

One of the reasons is that you have probably let your dark times in life get between you and the Son (Jesus), the Light of the world (John 8:12).

Indeed, just as heavy dark clouds can obscure the sunlight that provides light and warms us, our life situations can block out the Lord and the light He provides, the light that gives us direction and comfort and hope.

Given all this, consider these truths.

First, anytime the dark clouds block out the sun, we have to remember that it is still there. It never left us and is ready to break through the clouds and send the light of its rays upon us at first opportunity.

The second truth is like this but different.

For anytime life brings dark clouds upon you, the Lord is still there, even if you have trouble seeing Him. He is ever near to you and only a prayer away. This is what makes this scenario different from the worldly nature example. We are not held hostage by our circumstances, unable to see the Lord until they clear. No, we can allow the Lord to break through our difficult times immediately. We just need to place Him ahead of them in our hearts, minds, and souls.

The psalmist frames this fact perfectly in the passage for this devotion. Look at the things he was up against:

1. Scheming.

Those who devise wicked schemes are near.

2. Suffering.

Look on my suffering.

3. Danger.

Preserve my life, Lord.

4. Persecution.

Many are the foes who persecute me.

This was his list. I’m sure you could make your own up.

Why is this important?

Because when we sit down and take account of all the things that bring us hardship, we identify the things that could possibly lead us to a separation from the Lord, things that might block out the Son in our lives. In order to defend yourself properly, you need to know who the enemy is.

Now go back to the passage and see these words from the psalmist. For although trouble was around him, he knew the Lord was closer. Look at these words:

Those who devise wicked schemes are near, but they are far from Your law. Yet you are near, Lord, and all your commands are true. Salvation is far from the wicked, for they do not seek out Your decrees.

Do you see the near and far of life portrayed here?

The things that would afflict us, and especially the people who afflict us, are not nearer than the Lord is to us. The wicked appear near but they are really far, far from the Lord and His will and way and salvation. Conversely, the Lord is near, greater than anything we’re currently going through or will go through in the future. His almighty power is always present and available. A power we need to tap into and draw near to when we are trying to persevere through our challenges.

The psalmist did this. He remained close to the Lord despite his adversity and he did so because he knew he would receive the following things by doing so:

1. Communication and preservation.

Hear my voice in accordance with Your love; preserve my life, Lord, according to Your laws.

2. Truth.

You are near, Lord, and all Your commands are true.

3. Enduring guidance and direction.

Long ago I learned from your statutes that you established them to last forever.

4. Deliverance.

Look on my suffering and deliver me.

5. Defense.

Defend my cause.

6. Compassion and redemption.

Your compassion, Lord, is great. Redeem me.

7. Love.

Preserve my life, Lord, in accordance with Your love.

Friends, in the Lord, we have a preserving, delivering, defending, redeeming Father who guides us in truth now and forever. And He does it out of an uncompromising compassion and love for us.

If you’re not experiencing this today, then you need to look up and see the light of the Son shining through your darkness, for He is always with you and ever near.

Amen.

In Christ,

Mark

PS: Please share this with anyone you feel might be blessed by it.

Send any prayer requests to OurChristianWalk@aol.com