Pursuing Peace

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As with each fruit listed in the passage in Galatians, God not only is our example of peace, but also the source of our peace. We can see from the passages below that God is the God of peace, He is our peace, He gives us peace, and we have peace with God through Christ. God has made all the provision for us to live in peace with Him and with one another.

What is peace? Peace is a state of calm, quiet, and harmony; the absence of strife, anxiety, or disorder. It is not quarrelsome.

God is the God of peace:

Isaiah 9:6 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.Ephesians 2:14 “For He Himself is our peace, who has made both one, and has broken down the middle wall of separation.

Romans 16:20 And the God of peace will crush Satan under your feet shortly.

2 Corinthians 13:11 Finally, brethren, farewell. Become complete. Be of good comfort, be of one mind, live in peace; and the God of love and peace will be with you. Read More

Bust Out the Champagne

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For the past couple years our family has been just bursting with excitement as we have been looking forward to the publication of Nate’s first book with Random House,  Leepike Ridge. It is a fantastic story, hard to put down, and full of profound wisdom. If you want to see how fun it  looks, go to my husband’s blog to see the pictures of the cover. And if you want to get a copy, he’s got the scoop for you there at http://www.dougwils.com/. The release date is FINALLY here, coming May 22, and we are planning a big party to celebrate. I’ve had the champagne chilling now for two years so it ought to be good and fizzy.

When my son was very small I used to pray that God would make him into a great man, and I told him back then that some day our roles would be reversed and I would be sitting at his feet being instructed. That day came long ago for me, but it gives me a great deal of joy to see him shouldering the large gifts God has given him.

Hope you all get a hold of Leepike Ridge. You won’t be able to put it down!

The Root of Grace

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A gracious heart looks upon every promise as coming from the root of the great Covenant, of grace in Christ. Other men look upon some particular promises, that God will help them in straits, and keep them and the like, but they do not look at the connection of such particular promises to the root, the Covenant of grace. Christians miss a great deal of comfort which they might have from the particular promises in the gospel, if they would consider their connection to the root, the great Covenant that God has made with them in Christ. -Jeremiah Burroughs

Is This Really God’s Best?

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Good doctrine protects us from all kinds of errors and all kinds of fears. One of the important things you must know, understand, and believe is that God has planned good for you and not evil. He loves His children. His
Providence rules His world and He governs His people with kindness. “All the paths of the Lord are mercy and truth unto such as keep his covenant and his testimonies” (Psalm 25:10). If you have a solid biblical doctrine of God’s omnipotence, omnipresence, and omniscience, this will protect you from many doubts, worries, and fears about the future, as well as keep you from fretting over the past.

            The unmarried woman can expect to be assailed with temptations to worry about the future: What if I never marry? What if I marry, but it is too late to have children? What if there is no one for me after all? What if I missed “God’s best”? These are questions that are impossible to answer because all “what if” questions are not really questions at all, but doubts. They disrupt your peace and bring troubling thoughts; they rob you of your joy by introducing fictional and future trials. Jesus said not to borrow trouble because each day has enough of its own. These sorts of thoughts are temptations, and God wants you to learn to deal with temptations, whatever form they take.

            Jesus tells us not to be anxious about our lives (Mt. 6:31-33). We are to cast all our cares on Him because He cares for us (1 Peter 5:7).Worrying will only make life miserable. It is fruitless. So how do you deal with temptations that come in the form of “what if” questions? This may seem like a simplistic answer, but here it is: ignore them. Do not answer them; in fact, do not listen to them. Rather, ask what good things God has given you to do today. Focus on today’s duties. This is a fruitful use of your time. Recognize that those “what if” questions are temptations to get you to feel blue, worried, lonely, or anxious. Do not engage in a conversation with yourself about this stuff. Ignore, ignore, ignore. And set your mind on something helpful, something that is profitable. This is how we fear God. And when we fear God, that holy fear swallows up all our other petty fears. Read More