Sound Mind Set Kindred Resources / SPS

Isaiah 26:3-4 encourages:

You will keep in perfect peace all who trust in you, all whose thoughts are fixed on you! Trust in the Lord always, for the Lord God is the eternal Rock.

You know that on any given day, where you place your trust, where your thoughts tend to go, determines your level of peace. Isaiah offers that the only “perfect peace” can be found in surrendering your thoughts to the eternal, immovable, unshakable Rock.

To whom, where, or how are your thoughts being displaced and distracted today?

Listen again to Isaiah 26:3-4 from the Message bible:

People with their minds set on you, you keep completely whole, Steady on their feet, because they keep at it and don't quit. Depend on God and keep at it because in the Lord God you have a sure thing.

Today, can you keep you mind set on God who promises to keep you whole?

This passage promises we will be steady on their feet, because we keep at it and don't quit.

Depend on God and keep at it because in the Lord God you have a sure thing.

Pray: “Father, keep me in Your perfect peace as I trust in You. Keep my thoughts fixed on You. Help me to trust You today, Lord God, my eternal Rock.”

AS ABOVE, SO BELOW.

AMEN.

David writes in Psalm 29:11: The Lord gives his people strength. The Lord blesses them with peace.

In God’s kingdom, strength and peace work in unison. That is why you sense a quiet, calming reassurance when His peace enters your racing mind and struggling heart.

What place of weakness today needs His strength? What struggle needs His peace?

Listen to the passage again from the Message Bible The Lord will give strength to His people; The Lord will bless His people with peace. God knows all about us and what we will be dealing with way before we do and He is quick to come to our rescue at any time.

Notice the passage doesn’t say anything about David’s strength. It says “the Lord GIVES strength to his people”

God’s gift of strength is at the door of your heart right now. His gift of peace is at the threshold to your thoughts in this moment. Open up and embrace them both as His gifts.

Pray: “Heavenly Father, give me Your strength. Please grant me with Your peace.”

AS ABOVE, SO BELOW.

AMEN

Listen to David’s closing words in Psalm 4, verse 8:

In peace I will lie down and sleep, for you alone, O Lord, will keep me safe.

David had many days and nights where his enemies were stalking, seeking to harm him. Living under threat, confessing that he would fully depend on God to protect him while he slept in peace was a strong statement of faith.

Is there a situation in your life right now that feels like a stalking enemy, seeking to harm you?

You believe in your head that God is capable of keeping you safe?

Can you confess that belief out loud to yourself and to God, just like David did?

Trust God with your safety and security. Let your heart find peace.

Pray:

“Father, grant me Your peace as I lie down and sleep, for You alone, Lord, will keep me safe.”

AS ABOVE, SO BELOW.

AMEN.

Jesus said in John 16:32-33:

“Yet I am not alone because the Father is with me. I have told you all this so that you may have peace in me. Here on earth you will have many trials and sorrows. But take heart, because I have overcome the world.”

In Christ, you are never alone. There will always be troubles, trials, and sorrows here on earth, but in and through everything you experience, Jesus is there, offering His peace and encouraging you to “take heart.”

What trial are you walking through today that needs to be overcome by the peace of Christ?

You may be dealing with some things in life that are making you tired, weary, discouraged, dealing with grief, and ready to give up. That’s exactly what it means to lose heart.

When Jesus tells us to take heart it means to: be encouraged, to have hope, to be bold and confident, to not give up, to be of good cheer, to have courage! Whether we take heart or lose heart is simply a choice we make. The way Jesus uses the phrase take heart here in John 16:33 is as an imperative verb. That means that he is saying taking heart is an action, it’s something we do, and that it is a possibility in our lives based off the choice we make…but it doesn’t become a reality until we actually make the choice.

What is one area of your life that you can make the choice to take heart? to be encouraged, to have hope, to be bold and confident, to not give up, to be of good cheer.

Breathe in - inviting Christ’s peace into your day. Exhale, letting go of weariness and discouragement.

Move into the Balance of Christ’s peace, which is with you.

Pray: “Father, I know I am not alone because You are with me. May I find my peace in You and take heart that You have overcome my world.” As above. So below.

Our final passage for this week comes from Jesus, where He again promises peace as only He can give. Listen to John 14:24-28 … Remember, my words are not my own. What I am telling you is from the Father who sent me.  I am telling you these things now while I am still with you. But when the Father sends the Advocate as my representative—that is, the Holy Spirit—he will teach you everything and will remind you of everything I have told you. “I am leaving you with a gift—peace of mind and heart. And the peace I give is a gift the world cannot give. So don’t be troubled or afraid. Remember what I told you: I am going away, but I will come back to you again. (NLT) When life gets crazy and the chaos ensues inside or outside our home, it is easy to forget that His Spirit lives within us. He has left us a gift of heavenly peace of mind and heart. When we are troubled or afraid, He is as close as the breath within. The peace He offers is not a momentary manufactured one, but the kind that has already set the world right and all we have to do is call on and receive what is already there.

Listen to this passage once again in The Message Bible … The message you are hearing isn’t mine. It’s the message of the Father who sent me. “I’m telling you these things while I’m still living with you. The Friend, the Holy Spirit whom the Father will send at my request, will make everything plain to you. He will remind you of all the things I have told you. I’m leaving you well and whole. That’s my parting gift to you. Peace. I don’t leave you the way you’re used to being left—feeling abandoned, bereft. So don’t be upset. Don’t be distraught. “You’ve heard me tell you, ‘I’m going away, and I’m coming back.’

What have you learned about peace this week?

What can you do to work peace into more of your life?

How can you make your home a sanctuary where God is always at home with you and your kids?

We pray you have found peace here this week. Words of peace that connect you to Christ.

Let’s pray together: “Heavenly Father, thank You for the gift of the Holy Spirit and Your gift of peace. I invite You into my heart and home to make them both what You desire. As above, so below.”

Today, once again we will focus on just one verse … Matthew 5:9 … God blesses those who work for peace, for they will be called the children of God. (NLT) In this world of war, trouble, and conflict, we realize peace never comes easy. Sin causes peace to be elusive. So to get peace, to be at peace, is going to take some work, some effort on our part. Yes, God’s brand of peace is a gift from Him, but even that comes at a cost. We have to choose to sacrifice our own ways and surrender to Him to receive His peace.

In our circles of influence, relationships, families, and homes, we can choose to work toward peace. When we do, God will bless and we will be known as His children.

Listen to this verse in The Message Bible … You’re blessed when you can show people how to cooperate instead of compete or fight. That’s when you discover who you really are, and your place in God’s family.

Where in your life, if you were honest, you know you have given up on peace?

Where does peace seem to come fairly easy in your life? Why is that?

Where do you need to work to show people how to cooperate instead of compete?

Let’s pray together: “Heavenly Father, everywhere in my life, especially at home, help me, teach me to show cooperation and not competition. To show who I am in You and my place in Your family. As above, so below.”