Tag: peace

ABIDING IN Christ . . . again.

I recently wrote about abiding in Christ and what it means in terms of living in Christ and being obedient to His Word, this post is, badly put, what we get out of abiding in Christ.

No, we don’t abide in Christ to ‘get’, and really I don’t think it’s possible because God knows our motivations and hearts. But there is one outcome of abiding in Christ which I want to point out.

It’s the peace of God which shadows us, comforts us, encourages us and rests in us and gives us great joy when we are truly abiding in Christ.

John 14:25, 27 says, These things I have spoken to you while abiding with you. … Peace I leave with you; My peace I give to you; not as the world gives do I give to you. Do not let your heart be troubled, nor let it be fearful.

There is a peace which comes when we abide in Christ that is near impossible to describe.

Phil 4:7 says it well, And the peace of God, which surpasses all comprehension, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus.

Staying in the love of God, being obedient to His Word, which as I pointed out in an earlier post is impossible unless we know what His Word says by reading and studying it. This is abiding in Christ; this is where we experience that peace.

I stepped out of my own peace by not abiding in Christ the other day and it caused heartache both in me and the person with whom I was in conversation. It’s a deep regret. I can attest to the fact that every time I step out of being obedient to His Word, step out of being in, abiding in, being obedient to Christ, it creates havoc, thus no peace.

We think peace is when everything is going well in our lives, but when circumstances throw a wrench in it, peace flits away like a butterfly. That is not the peace of Christ, the deep peace that carries you through whatever circumstance you find yourself in. It’s a deep peace that leads to joy, again, in whatever circumstance comes, if you stay abiding in Christ.

Read about Paul’s life in Romans, or any of his other letters. He talks about peace a lot, he talks about whatever circumstance he finds himself in, he has learned to be content. He knows that peace of Christ for he’s learned to abide, stay in, never leave his position in Christ.

It is my prayer that as you read God’s Word, it will cause you to abide more deeply in the love and peace of Christ, in such a way you never want to leave. But should you step out, it’s my prayer you will earnestly desire to go back and you will want to stay, never depart, and will desire to continue being present in, to be held, kept continually, in the love of God.

Baruch Adonai

Brenda

I was thinking …..

It’s exciting to see another Fall season coming. So many things to look forward to. It’s harvest time, canning, freezing and splitting perennials to thin out the plants. I confess, I had allowed my plants to spread too big and now had one huge job on hand to split and replant them. No worries, it gives me more gorgeous plants to replant elsewhere and share with other perennial lovers.

But the thing I love about Fall the most, is cozying up inside with a hot cup of coffee or chicory, and if it’s cool/cold enough, cuddle up under a blanket with pups laying on or beside me.

This year I decided to try Pumpkin Spice coffee. My son-in-law brought me a Pumpkin Spice Latte from Starbucks and while I liked the flavour, it was too sweet, and the price!! So I decided to buy some of that flavouring from the grocery store. I drink the Silk brand of milk so naturally I tried the smaller size of their Pumpkin Spice coffee creamer.

I was not disappointed. It was really delicious. I added it in every cup of coffee/chicory I drank. It was my Fall treat!

To my surprise though, by the last cup, I noticed an after taste that wasn’t so delicious. It had lost it’s appeal and that’s when I realized, how much like falling into sin it was. Not the creamer, but sin in general.

It starts with thoughts of how everyone else is doing it and how good it would be if you did also. Then it goes on to anticipation and follow through. And, O boy, it’s as good as you thought it would be.

But, in regards to sin, to a child of God, you feel a bit of unease and gradually, distaste and finally you realize the disappointment and that you have lost all enjoyment of it.

Giving it up, getting back to where you were before giving in to any sin, repenting and returning to being obedient to God, peace once again fills you with deep contentment.

What I have found over the years, when you live an obedient life as a child of God, as much as possible, eventually you discover that the peace and joy is more valuable than the sin you once considered so enjoyable. Even when temptation arises, you can more easily turn your back on it and stay in the peace and contentment of God, desire for those prior things has lost it’s appeal, and all I can say in those situations is Thank God and Hallelujah!