Turn Your Thoughts

Thou wilt keep him in perfect peace, whose mind is stayed on thee: because he trusteth in thee. (Isaiah 26:3)
 
Turn your thoughts to the Lord often!
 
Training our thoughts can be tough, since it is one of the most common places Satan likes to attack. Even though this is challenging, the positive outcome is worth it!
 
The more you train your thoughts on the Lord, the more peace you will have. When you think upon the Lord and His goodness, the affections of your heart will also begin to turn towards Him.
 
Whenever you experience something good, thank the Lord for it.
 
Even the small, everyday things of life are worth thanking Him for. Think of the Lord when you see the sunset and sunrise. Think of the Lord when you see the flowers in bloom that He sends for you every spring season. Think of and thank the Lord for each meal and for His provision of a house. Think of and thank the Lord for the joy you receive from the friends and family He’s placed in your life.
 
Intentionally placing little reminders around your house and living space can also help. Write scriptures on sticky notes and place them on your mirror, in the car, or at your desk! Play worship music in the background as you cook meals or work on your daily chores.
 
Even unpleasant and painful moments of our day can point our attention back to our Savior, reminding us of how much we need Him.

Today, how can you be intentional in turning your thoughts towards God more? What are some creative ways you can do this?
 
The more we are able to turn our thoughts to the Lord, the more we will become aware of His presence and how close He really is to us, enabling us to experience His perfect peace!  
 
When I read this devotion it blessed me. As hard and distracting as it may be some days, we must choose to think of The Lord in all things. On our bad days and our good days, Praise Him! Praise Him on the mountain top and in the valley. Point your attention back to The Savior.
 
Have a beautiful and uplifting day in The Lord!


Perfect Peace

Thou wilt keep him in perfect peace, whose mind is stayed on thee: because he trusteth in thee. (Isaiah 26:3) 
 
I remember asking Billy Graham a number of years ago about what he experienced when he gave the invitation for people to come to Christ at a crusade. He said, “When I am preaching and giving the invitation, I feel like power is draining out of me.” I understand that, because it is a spiritual battle that rages on. When we are serving the Lord, it can be draining in many ways. It can even be draining spiritually. 
 
Jesus, who was fully God, also was fully man. That means He was human just like you and me. He felt pain. He felt sorrow. He felt hunger. And He could feel weary from a hard day’s work. In Matthew 8, we read that Jesus, tired after a day of ministry, was sleeping soundly. He and the disciples were on a very primitive wooden boat, being tossed back and forth like a cork in the ocean. 
 
How do you sleep in a storm like that? You can sleep in a storm when you’re confident in the will of God. In other words, you know you’re doing what you should be doing. Isaiah 26:3 says, “Thou wilt keep him in perfect peace, whose mind is stayed on thee: because he trusteth in thee.” 
 
Sometimes the worries and pressures of life keep us awake at night. When this happens to me, I’ll pray about it and say, “Lord, I can’t worry about this for a while, so I’m going to let You worry about it. I’m going to get some shut-eye.” I’m being humorous, of course, because I know God isn’t going to worry about it. But I’m entrusting the matter to Him. That is what we need to do when we’re tired and overwhelmed by worry. We need to cry out to God. 
 
When I read this devotion I was reminded of this prayer and I want to share it with you today. I pray it blesses you and encourages you to cry out to God. Trust in Him.  
 
Lord, I come before you ready to pour out my worries, anxieties and fears at Your feet. I am claiming and declaring Your promises for blessings of peace and strength over my life. Bring a peace into my soul that passes all worldly understanding and make me a light for others to see Your strength. Amen.  
 
Have a beautiful and uplifting day in The Lord! 
 
Today’s Reading is Psalm 56:4