Day Four: PEACE

Day Four ~ PEACE

Key Bible Verse-

John 14:27  Peace I leave with you; My peace I give to you.  Do not let your heart be troubled, nor let it be fearful.

Thoughts to ponder-

We live in a world filled with hustle and bustle, comings and goings, people to meet, things to do, life to schedule, organize and control. Many people try to live at the speed of light, to do more, see more and be more. No wonder we find ourselves overcome by worry and anxiety; lacking tranquility and serenity. God left us an answer for all of that through Jesus Christ. He was the embodiment of peace.

In the Bible, we almost always see Jesus portrayed as taking things in stride, very little ruffled his feathers.  Even when He turned over the tables in the temple, we know it wasn't just that He lost His cool  because the Bible says He took time to make a whip. What happened in the temple was peace and strength under control.  The only other time I know of that we see Jesus under strain is in the garden before His crucifixion when He is praying not His will but the Father's.  He submits Himself to the peace of His Heavenly Father.  When everyone else around Him was anxious, He had the ability to quiet their fears and doubts quickly.  When I read Mark 4:39 where it states "and He said to the sea, peace, be still" I often wonder if that wasn't a command intended for the disciples as well.

Peace is quiet tranquility, mental calm and serenity. But most importantly it is a gift of spending time with God and learning to trust Him.  The more we put our confidence in the Lord for every detail in our life and the more we relinquish control of our life to Christ, the more we purposely shift our focus to the things of God,  the more peace is available to us.

Challenge/Action Step- 

Busyness can often interfere with our rest and therefore our peace.  Take an inventory of the areas of your life that are the most stressful. Would more resting in the Lord bring about a greater connectedness to God's peace? Are you able to refocus on Christ in the midst of a chaotic life? Ask God in prayer today to reveal to you His peace and specific ways you can embrace it in your own life.  

Prayer for today-

Thank you Father for sending us your peace in the form of your son Jesus.  May the activity of life fade away enough for us to be able to rest in your peace. Teach us how to bring our thoughts into submission of your will where peace reigns.  Reveal to us your heart for our lives and enable us to trust you with every part of who we are and what we do.  ~ Amen

Thanks for joining me today as we begin this 

journey to understand and further develop the

fruit of the Spirit in our lives.  Please take a minute to leave a 

comment here or join Cherry Fargo of Being ReMade on Facebook

for further discussion on Living The Fruitful Life.

Day Three: JOY

Day Three - JOY

Key Bible Verse- 

Hebrews 12:2  "fixing our eyes on Jesus, the author and perfecter of our faith, who for the joy set before Him endured the cross despising the shame, and has sat down at the right hand of the throne of God." NASB

Thoughts to ponder- 

In scripture, joy is an inner result of our outward expression of our relationship with God in service to those around us.  Jesus went to the cross for "the joy set before Him".  It was His outward expression of the Father's love for us.  Our reconciliation to a personal relationship with God was the joy Christ was willing to die for in service to us while we were still undeserving.

In like manner, we are to be in such a close relationship with the Father and Christ that we experience joy in serving others and revealing God's glory to them.  Joy is all about what God has done and is continuing to do in our lives and the lives of those we love.  (Which if you remember from yesterday, loving others is a choice.) Joy differs from happiness in the sense that happiness is often rooted in our circumstances, our personal desires and hopes. To truly experience the calm delight of  joy, we must look beyond our selves and our hardships and walk closely with God for the sake of His purposes.  

Challenge/Action Step- 

Since God puts people in our live for a reason take a minute to think about the people you know that are the most joyful, how are they different from other people you know and what can you learn from them?  Ask God to reveal to you way you can practice joy and make a list of the things He shows you.  Please share one of those things with us in the comments below.

Prayer for today-

Jesus, Lord of all,  thank you for dying on the cross for us.  I pray today that you would give us a deep understanding of your great love for us .  Help us to know the joy of making a difference in the lives of others for your glory. ~ Amen

Thanks for joining me today as we continue this 

journey to understand and further develop the

fruit of the Spirit in our lives.  Please take a minute to leave a 

comment here or join Cherry Fargo of Being ReMade on Facebook

for further discussion on Living The Fruitful Life.

5 Things Mom Really Wants For Mother's Day

Here it is, down to the wire and you may or may not have gotten mom a gift.  If you haven't, may I make some suggestions?  They may be better than any store bought ones you could come up with.

#1 -  A little free time.  What can you help with to make that happen?  Wash some dishes, take out some trash, do some laundry, sweep and mop, all done with out being asked! Not only does it free up a little time for her but it helps her to know that she is raising (or has raised) great kids. And if you're grown and can afford, hire a housekeeper to help her out once in awhile.

#2 - A coupon book for doing various chores or nice things for her. This is actually one of my favorites.  I love it when my kiddos take the time and make the effort to do something special for me. I may never use all those coupons but for me it is definitely the thought that counts and I bet it is for a lot of other moms too.

#3 - A play date with you.  Yes, I did say that.  Set aside some time to do something with your mom that she really loves.  It may not be up your alley but she will be thrilled that you are willing to do something with her that she enjoys. Moms love sharing who they are and what they are interested in with you.

#4 - To know that she is appreciated.  Lots of moms make lots of sacrifices and do lots of things that they are really not fond of doing just for their kiddos. They do it out of a genuine love for their child.  Let her know you recognize that, say it aloud or write it in a card, write a poem or a song, whatever you do best. Just make sure she knows you appreciate her hard work and sacrifice.

#5 - Your prayers.  Being a mom is a fabulous thing.  It also one of the most challenging things women do.  We need our children's prayers for wisdom, strength, mercy & grace.  Not every mom had the best example growing up but I think most moms are doing the very best they know how to do. Your prayers will encourage her and inspire her.  Write a special prayer out and give it to her for Mother's Day, I bet you bring tears to her eyes.  Not many other gifts are going to do that.

If you are a mom, please share in the comments below, the best Mother's day gift you have ever received.

Happy Mother's Day to all of the fabulous mom's out there.  May it be full of blessings!