Weekend Words

From The Bible Promise Book Devotional...

Worldly Peace vs. God's Peace

And the peace of God. which passeth all understanding, shall keep your hearts and minds through Christ Jesus - Philippians 4:7 KJV

What do you consider your most peaceful place?  A serene beach with salty breezes and the soothing sounds of the ocean?  A scenic mountainside with crisp air and near silence?  Relaxing on a porch swing, or even just wrapped in a cozy blanket in your own living room?  Whatever the places and circumstances that bring you a sense of peace, they don't compare to the peace of God that passes all understanding.

Worldly peace is temporary and conditional, based on circumstances and feelings.  The peace of God is constant; it keeps (guards) your heart and mind, protecting them from the worries of the world.

The scripture prior to the one above says that prayer and thanksgiving are the way to get the peace of God.  If you aren't feeling the constant, unexplainable peace that God offers, ask yourself: "How are my prayer life and my time in the Word?"  You can't receive anything from someone you're ignoring.  Draw near to God this moment and during this week...  Then stay in constant communication with your heavenly Father who loves you dearly and wants you to experience His wonderful peace!

Whenever my world is spinning with stress, Lord, whisper to me.  Remind me to stop and spend time with You.  You are my only source of peace.  Amen.

From Amish Peace...

Learn It.  Live It.  Share It.

Commit yourself wholeheartedly to these words of mine.  Tie them to your hands and wear them on your forehead as reminders.  Teach them to your children.  Talk about them when you are at home and when you are on the road, when you are going to bed and when you are getting up. - Deuteronomy 11:18-19

Growing up Amish reminds me of what it would have been like to live in the days of Laura Ingalls Wilder.  When I was a fifth grader, the Little House series of books was my favourite.  I loved the passages about Ma making simple oil lamps of buttons, scraps of calico, and axle grease.  Or about Pa hanging a wild boar in the smokehouse.  I liked the idea of waking at dawn, riding in a horse-drawn wagon or buggy, and sitting as a family by lantern light.

History - the kind Laura lived - is still being lived out in some ways.  Today, Amish families not only sit around the living room at night, sewing and reading by lantern light, they also live by many values modern progress has forgotten.  What lessons from the past are worth embracing?  Sometimes the best person to ask - it seems - is an Amish man or woman.  In some ways, our past is their present.

Here are some values to consider: common courtesy, family togetherness, neighborliness, service, and putting others before yourself.  These values are based on the Scriptures, and the reason they don't get passed down is that parents neglect to teach and train their children by them.

Teaching scriptural values should be even more important than teaching our children to brush their teeth, turn off lights when they leave the room, or recycle.  Do we forget to teach these values because we've forgotten their worth?

Spend time reading God's Word.  Ask Him what values He desires you to live out in your own life.  Ask His Holy Spirit to work through you.  And then pass those values on to the children and young people in your life.