Daily devotion

Peace and Truth

/ pastorpete51 / Leave a comment

Has anxiety kept you awake all night? Has fear stolen hours of sleep as you tossed and turned in what feels like a hopeless struggle to find peace? Don’t give up or give in because there is always hope that comes packaged in the form of truth. Think back to the endless peace talks that have failed again and again to bring peace in the middle east. They have failed because a true and lasting peace, whether among nations, friends or between people and God must be built on the foundation of truth.  Any falsehood is a roadblock to peace. The Apostle John gives us this startling vision of how God works the peace process between Him and each other.

But if we walk in the light, as he is in the light, we have fellowship with one another, and the blood of Jesus, his Son, purifies us from all sin. 1 John 1:7

Everything about God’s peace begins with being honest. We have to tell the truth to God; to others and to ourselves. Dishonesty in any area works like an infection in a wound. Operating from even little white lies it is like trying to  bandage things over without cleaning out the source of our infection. But there is always hope in Jesus Christ! No catastrophe, no bungling or sin is too great for God to overcome once we open our doors and invite Him into every area of darkness in our lives.

God is working to bring about our healing but our part is to  tell Him the truth. He already knows everything; but for us to have His peace, we must come clean and confess. Confession is a vital part and the first step of faith. Just as in a court of law, any confession obtained under duress is invalid because it is less than fully truthful. We must confess because we want to from the very bottom of our hearts. We need to tell God, others and ourselves; the truth, the whole truth and nothing but the truth!

If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just and will forgive us our sins and purify us from all unrighteousness. 1 John 1:9

Only God can clean our hearts and only clean hearts can be filled and ruled by His peace. You may feel irreconcilably separated from God, other people or even from yourself, but healing and peace are just a few honest words away. No lie no matter how convincing has the power to calm even the slightest ripple on the ocean of life. But a truth, no matter how small can command the wind and waves and it invites God to rule over our hearts. When God rules on the inside then His peace is assured because He alone can make us lie down in peace and being with Him is the safest place of all!

 

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Top Secret!

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I love watching spy shows especially when they penetrate the most secure locations to rescue a friend. They usually learn the location of where the bad guys have hidden their buddy by picking up on top secret information.

But the good news today is that we don’t need a top security clearance to get access to God. God has put everything we need to know in plain sight in His word. Faith alone in Christ alone can open the door to His most secret place for even the smallest child.

Short Prayers Beat Long Speeches

/ pastorpete51 / Leave a comment

“Two men went up into the temple to pray, one a Pharisee and the other a tax collector. Luke 18:10 ESV

These two guys had a lot in common. . They both had jobs, families and bills and maybe were even neighbors. One morning they both decided to go to the prayer meeting. Maybe the Pharisee even smiled and nodded as he passed the tax collector on the street. But once inside the church door things began to change.

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The Pharisee went up front to the altar and began a long monologue about what a great guy he was. As he recited all his wonderful qualities he smiled then raised his voice for the big finale, “Thank God I am better than that tax collector over there: Amen!”

The tax collector on the other hand woke up that morning realizing what a mess he had made of his life. Maybe he remembered his mother’s prayers and his father’s tears over the life he had chosen to live. So he slowly set out for church where he hadn’t been for years and looked for a private corner to pray. “God forgive me, I’m the biggest sinner in town.” He said. Not knowing what else to add, he said, “Amen!” then turned and left.

As God cupped His ears to listen, He soon grew weary of the Pharisee’s loud but as He listened to the tax collector he began to smile. Then God sent off a special delivery package of forgiveness along with a personal invitation for dinner. On the return address was clearly written, “Jesus friend of sinners!”