He Leads You by Peace

He Leads You by Peace TODAY'S SCRIPTURE: For unto us a Child is born, unto us a Son is given; and the government will be upon His shoulder. And His name will be called Wonderful, Counselor, Mighty God, Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace. Isaiah 9:6, NKJV. TODAY'S WORD: The Bible calls Jesus the Prince of Peace. That means He is the ruler of peace. He is the ultimate peace. Having His peace is not like having the peace the world has. His peace is permanent. It never changes and can never be taken away. It’s interesting that the word “peace” literally means “to set at one again.” In other words, when we are one with the Father, when we line up our thoughts, our words and our actions with Him through the blood of Jesus Christ, we will experience His peace in our lives. Anytime you find that you don’t have peace about something on the inside of your heart, when you feel an uneasiness, that’s a sign that you should stop and pray and make sure you are in line with God’s direction. Remember, His plans are always for your good. He leads you by peace and fills you with His joy. When you choose His ways, you become one with Him and experience His peace and blessing all the days of your life! PRAYER FOR TODAY: Father in heaven, thank You for filling me with Your Peace and joy. Have Your way in my heart and remove anything that displeases You. Help me to clearly hear Your voice so I can walk in all of Your ways in Jesus’ name. Amen.

Three Reasons We Need To Walk with Others

 

by Rick Warren

“And now, just as you accepted Christ Jesus as your Lord, you must continue to follow him.” Colossians 2:6 (NLT)

The Bible often compares life to a walk, because life is a journey; we’re not sitting still. Throughout the New Testament, we are told to walk in wisdom, love, light, and obedience. We’re told to walk as Jesus walked. We’re also told to walk alongside other people. Here are three reasons we need to walk with other people:

• It’s safer. Have you ever walked alone at night through a dark alley or down a lonely country road? It’s a little scary. But if you have another person with you, you feel safer.

• It’s supportive. Life is not a 50-yard dash; it’s a marathon. Walking with other people gives you the energy to keep on going until the end.

• It’s smarter. You learn more by walking with others than by walking alone. If you’re walking alone in the wrong direction, you may never realize it. But if you have a friend beside you, one of you is likely to recognize you’ve veered off the path and need to find the right direction.

We also learn some important lessons when we walk alongside other people. We learn how to get along and cooperate with others.

We also learn how to love. Genesis 2:18 tells us, “It is not good for the man to be alone” (NIV). God hates loneliness, and community is God’s answer to loneliness. When we walk alongside other people, we find a community where we learn how to love.

Walking alongside other people also teaches us hospitality. The Bible says in 1 Peter 4:9, “Offer hospitality to one another without grumbling.” What’s your grumble? What’s your excuse for not opening your home to friends?

Maybe you’ve said, “My home is dirty!”

Well, clean it up!

Or perhaps your excuse is, “My home isn’t big enough.”

Can you put three people in it? Jesus says, “For where two or three come together in my name, there am I with them” (Matthew 18:20).

Everybody has a longing for belonging, because God made us for relationships. When we walk alongside other Christians in community, we find that longing satisfied.

Talk It Over

• How has your life been enriched by the people who have faithfully walked alongside you?
• What excuses have you used to avoid practicing hospitality? What do you need to change about your attitude?
• Who are the people in your life alongside whom you can walk? With whom can you learn to walk like Jesus?