May 24, 2014: The Formula for Peace
John 8:28-59
Amplified Bible (AMP)
28 So Jesus added, When you have lifted up the Son of Man [on the cross], you will realize (know, understand) that I am He [for Whom you look] and that I do nothing of Myself (of My own accord or on My own authority), but I say [exactly] what My Father has taught Me.
29 And He Who sent Me is ever with Me; My Father has not left Me alone, for I always do what pleases Him.
30 As He said these things, many believed in Him [trusted, relied on, and adhered to Him].
31 So Jesus said to those Jews who had believed in Him, If you abide in My word [hold fast to My teachings and live in accordance with them], you are truly My disciples.
32 And you will know the Truth, and the Truth will set you free
33 They answered Him, We are Abraham’s offspring (descendants) and have never been in bondage to anybody. What do You mean by saying, You will be set free?
34 Jesus answered them, I assure you, most solemnly I tell you, Whoever commits and practices sin is the slave of sin.
35 Now a slave does not remain in a household permanently (forever); the son [of the house] does remain forever.
36 So if the Son liberates you [makes you free men], then you are really and unquestionably free.
37 [Yes] I know that you are Abraham’s offspring; yet you plan to kill Me, because My word has no entrance (makes no progress, does not find any place) in you.
38 I tell the things which I have seen and learned at My Father’s side, and your actions also reflect what you have heard and learned from your father.
39 They retorted, Abraham is our father. Jesus said, If you were [truly] Abraham’s children, then you would do the works of Abraham [follow his example, do as Abraham did].
40 But now [instead] you are wanting and seeking to kill Me, a Man Who has told you the truth which I have heard from God. This is not the way Abraham acted.
41 You are doing the works of your [own] father. They said to Him, We are not illegitimate children and born out of fornication; we have one Father, even God.
42 Jesus said to them, If God were your Father, you would love Me and respect Me and welcome Me gladly, for I proceeded (came forth) from God [out of His very presence]. I did not even come on My own authority or of My own accord (as self-appointed); but He sent Me.
43 Why do you misunderstand what I say? It is because you are unable to hear what I am saying. [You cannot bear to listen to My message; your ears are shut to My teaching.]
44 You are of your father, the devil, and it is your will to practice the lusts and gratify the desires [which are characteristic] of your father. He was a murderer from the beginning and does not stand in the truth, because there is no truth in him. When he speaks a falsehood, he speaks what is natural to him, for he is a liar [himself] and the father of lies and of all that is false.
45 But because I speak the truth, you do not believe Me [do not trust Me, do not rely on Me, or adhere to Me].
46 Who of you convicts Me of wrongdoing or finds Me guilty of sin? Then if I speak truth, why do you not believe Me [trust Me, rely on, and adhere to Me]?
47 Whoever is of God listens to God. [Those who belong to God hear the words of God.] This is the reason that you do not listen [to those words, to Me]: because you do not belong to God and are not of God or in harmony with Him.
48 The Jews answered Him, Are we not right when we say You are a Samaritan and that You have a demon [that You are under the power of an evil spirit]?
49 Jesus answered, I am not possessed by a demon. On the contrary, I honor and reverence My Father and you dishonor (despise, vilify, and scorn) Me.
50 However, I am not in search of honor for Myself. [I do not seek and am not aiming for My own glory.] There is One Who [looks after that; He] seeks [My glory], and He is the Judge.
51 I assure you, most solemnly I tell you, if anyone observes My teaching [lives in accordance with My message, keeps My word], he will by no means ever see and experience death.
52 The Jews said to Him, Now we know that You are under the power of a demon (insane). Abraham died, and also the prophets, yet You say, If a man keeps My word, he will never taste of death into all eternity.
53 Are You greater than our father Abraham? He died, and all the prophets died! Who do You make Yourself out to be?
54 Jesus answered, If I were to glorify Myself (magnify, praise, and honor Myself), I would have no real glory, for My glory would be nothing and worthless. [My honor must come to Me from My Father.] It is My Father Who glorifies Me [Who extols Me, magnifies, and praises Me], of Whom you say that He is your God.
55 Yet you do not know Him or recognize Him and are not acquainted with Him, but I know Him. If I should say that I do not know Him, I would be a liar like you. But I know Him and keep His word [obey His teachings, am faithful to His message].
56 Your forefather Abraham was extremely happy at the hope and prospect of seeing My day (My incarnation); and he did see it and was delighted.
57 Then the Jews said to Him, You are not yet fifty years old, and have You seen Abraham?
58 Jesus replied, I assure you, most solemnly I tell you, before Abraham was born, I Am.
59 So they took up stones to throw at Him, but Jesus, by mixing with the crowd, concealed Himself and went out of the temple [enclosure].
Want to never be alone again? Follow Jesus' example. Always do what pleases God.
29 And He Who sent Me is ever with Me; My Father has not left Me alone, for I always do what pleases Him.
And what does being "set free" mean exactly?
33 They answered Him, We are Abraham’s offspring (descendants) and have never been in bondage to anybody. What do You mean by saying, You will be set free?
34 Jesus answered them, I assure you, most solemnly I tell you, Whoever commits and practices sin is the slave of sin.
35 Now a slave does not remain in a household permanently (forever); the son [of the house] does remain forever.
36 So if the Son liberates you [makes you free men], then you are really and unquestionably free.
I was pondering this a few mornings ago. I have the deepest peace that I have EVER had on the inside. Why? What is the formula for peace? For me, personally, the formula is this. Cleaning my heart out many times a day. When my heart is truly clean, what remains is deep, settled peace. The peace is unshakable. Firm. Rooted. Grounded. In other words, it doesn't budge. At all.
I was raised in church. Church was a way of life for me. Maybe you could even call it a social club. Although I went to church at least three times a week, raised my hands, worshipped and spoke in tongues, I continued to embrace sin in my life. Not the kind of sin you're thinking of. I embraced depression, worry, fear, bitterness, among other sins that were easily hidden in my heart (hidden from people, not God).
I am now set free! I have been free for six years now. The first couple of years I was "recovering". Meaning it was a process. And a LOT of hard work. Hard work meaning a LOT of crying out to God. A LOT of worshiping and speaking in tongues. A LOT of reminding satan of his future, rebuking him and cursing him (not swearing at him, just simply saying, "I curse you, devil! I will not listen to your lies one more day!").
I found I couldn't embrace satan's lies and pray to Jesus at the same time. So I had to get satan out of the way repeatedly as I was praying. For example, I would be praising God and a negative thought such as, "You're not healed at all. You're just pretending to be healed," would pop into my mind. So I would pause and rebuke satan. I would cast him and his lies out of my mind, and then I could freely continue to praise Jesus. For the first time in my life, I took control of my thoughts!
You are not a slave to lies from satan that pop into your head. You are in charge of what you CHOOSE to listen to and think about.
Anyway, the first couple of years were the hardest. Even though, over all, they weren't hard at all. What was hard were the years when I was locked in a prison of sin.
Just like verses 34 - 36 describe, I was a slave. A slave to the sins of depression, fear, worry, self loathing, despair and hopelessness, to name a few. Now, I am FREE.
Never again will I allow these sins to separate me from the Love of God.
Now, when I notice a yucky feeling, I find the root of the feeling. Immediately. Otherwise it grows into a worse feeling, which leads me down a "negative thinking" path.
If I can do something about it, I do it. For example, as I was driving to work last week, a nagging feeling that I left the sliding glass door unsecured came into my mind. I went back home and locked it. The feeling left.
However, what if its something beyond my control, like the fact that Scott drives home every day in crazy rush hour traffic all the way from the west side, and there are numerous accidents on this route? I can't control this situation. I have to give this concern to God. Over and over. And pray Psalm 91 over my husband. And know that God and His angels are watching over him.
Get the picture? You are in control of what you choose to think about. Fix what you can fix and turn the rest over to God.
Another tip, don't worry your prayers, pray positively. If you don't know how to pray positive prayers about negative situations, pray scriptures. Find specific scriptures about your impossible situation, and pray them every day. Like medicine, the scripture prayers will work! But you have to pray them every day! If you don't, the worry and fear will creep back into your thinking.
"Wow, Jesus, I love to go back and reminisce about what You've done for me! I will never get tired of telling my story! You are my Healer and my Deliverer! How I worship You! You have done miracles and wonders in ME! I don't deserve Your Love! And yet You Loved me to Your death! Thank You for being my Friend!!! AMEN."
I was raised in church. Church was a way of life for me. Maybe you could even call it a social club. Although I went to church at least three times a week, raised my hands, worshipped and spoke in tongues, I continued to embrace sin in my life. Not the kind of sin you're thinking of. I embraced depression, worry, fear, bitterness, among other sins that were easily hidden in my heart (hidden from people, not God).
I am now set free! I have been free for six years now. The first couple of years I was "recovering". Meaning it was a process. And a LOT of hard work. Hard work meaning a LOT of crying out to God. A LOT of worshiping and speaking in tongues. A LOT of reminding satan of his future, rebuking him and cursing him (not swearing at him, just simply saying, "I curse you, devil! I will not listen to your lies one more day!").
I found I couldn't embrace satan's lies and pray to Jesus at the same time. So I had to get satan out of the way repeatedly as I was praying. For example, I would be praising God and a negative thought such as, "You're not healed at all. You're just pretending to be healed," would pop into my mind. So I would pause and rebuke satan. I would cast him and his lies out of my mind, and then I could freely continue to praise Jesus. For the first time in my life, I took control of my thoughts!
You are not a slave to lies from satan that pop into your head. You are in charge of what you CHOOSE to listen to and think about.
Anyway, the first couple of years were the hardest. Even though, over all, they weren't hard at all. What was hard were the years when I was locked in a prison of sin.
Just like verses 34 - 36 describe, I was a slave. A slave to the sins of depression, fear, worry, self loathing, despair and hopelessness, to name a few. Now, I am FREE.
Never again will I allow these sins to separate me from the Love of God.
Now, when I notice a yucky feeling, I find the root of the feeling. Immediately. Otherwise it grows into a worse feeling, which leads me down a "negative thinking" path.
If I can do something about it, I do it. For example, as I was driving to work last week, a nagging feeling that I left the sliding glass door unsecured came into my mind. I went back home and locked it. The feeling left.
However, what if its something beyond my control, like the fact that Scott drives home every day in crazy rush hour traffic all the way from the west side, and there are numerous accidents on this route? I can't control this situation. I have to give this concern to God. Over and over. And pray Psalm 91 over my husband. And know that God and His angels are watching over him.
Get the picture? You are in control of what you choose to think about. Fix what you can fix and turn the rest over to God.
Another tip, don't worry your prayers, pray positively. If you don't know how to pray positive prayers about negative situations, pray scriptures. Find specific scriptures about your impossible situation, and pray them every day. Like medicine, the scripture prayers will work! But you have to pray them every day! If you don't, the worry and fear will creep back into your thinking.
"Wow, Jesus, I love to go back and reminisce about what You've done for me! I will never get tired of telling my story! You are my Healer and my Deliverer! How I worship You! You have done miracles and wonders in ME! I don't deserve Your Love! And yet You Loved me to Your death! Thank You for being my Friend!!! AMEN."
Comments
Post a Comment