Pastor Bill's Thought for the Day

Thou wilt keep him in perfect peace, whose mind is stayed on thee: because he trusteth in thee.
Isaiah 26:3

We have in this verse of Scripture a promise of peace and considering the elusiveness of peace in our present day world this promise should be well worth our investigating.  It is a personal matter!  It is the promise of a personal peace in a world that has known very little peace in a long time.

In a world of violence it is a "calm in the midst of the storm."  There are two things that we must do to obtain this peace and we can do both.  Our mind is to be "stayed on God' and that is a matter of choice.  We can control what we are thinking and we can choose what we read and look at.  We are to "trust in God" and the more that we read His word and think on and rehearse His goodness, the easier it is to trust Him.

There is much in the world that is disturbing to the disciple of Christ and cannot be denied.  It is paraded before us constantly by the media but we must at least give God equal time if we would be "kept in perfect peace."

The media presents the "breaking news" but God has written the final chapter.  "Peace on earth" will come in God's time but peace in your heart and mine is promised for right now.

Malachi lived in a time when the general behavior was marked by rebellion and infidelity but there were those who would not be influenced.  Malachi wrote, "Then they that feared the Lord spake often one to another: and the Lord hearkened, and heard it, and a book of remembrance was written before Him for them that feared the Lord, and that thought upon His name.  And they shall be mine, saith the Lord of hosts, in that day when I make up My jewels; I will spare them, as a man spareth his own son that serveth him."  (Malachi 3:16,17)

Jesus said the time would come when, "...ye shall hear of wars, and commotions, be not terrified:" (Luke 21:9)  There are as many wars and commotions in the world right now as there has ever been but we are not terrified because He also said, "Peace I leave with you, my peace I give unto you: not as the world giveth, give I unto you.  Let not your heart be troubled, neither let it be afraid." (John 14:27)
     (Pastor Bill Cummins, Sheridan, Wyoming, drbc@bresnan.net)