Today's Scripture
"And Gideon built an altar to the LORD there and named it Yahweh-Shalom (which means 'the LORD is peace')." - Judges 6:24
Thoughts for Today
God, our heavenly Father, is Jehovah [Yahweh]-Shalom: "the Lord is peace."
Ever since the sin of Adam and Eve, man's deepest need has been for peace with God. This longing for peace is expressed in many ways. People look to political reform, New Age philosophies, cults and other factions … searching for peace. Some try to find peace through alcohol or drugs. Some adopt an attitude of "if it feels good, do it." Others look for peace by being good and doing good, volunteering for humanitarian service of various types. But if people find any kind of peace in these kinds of searches, it is a temporary refuge that disintegrates when problems and difficult situations arise.
The only real lasting peace comes from a relationship with God through Christ.
When we receive Jesus Christ as our savior and make him the center of our lives, we receive a peace that is beyond our understanding. "Then you will experience God's peace, which exceeds anything we can understand. His peace will guard your hearts and minds as you live in Christ Jesus." Philippians 4:7 NLT
Consider this …
We may still go through difficult times and stressful challenges, but as long as we trust God and choose to do things his way … as long as we keep our eyes on Jesus and not on the waves pounding against us … as long as we truly believe that he loves us, that he has forgiven us, and that all things will work together for good, we will continue to experience his peace. Jehovah-Shalom, the Lord is peace.
Prayer
Father, I thank you that you are peace. Thank you that you gave me peace through forgiveness in Jesus. Thank you for giving me peace even in the midst of difficult times. My peace is not determined by my circumstances, but by who you are and what Jesus did for me. Help me to keep my eyes on Jesus, not the storm. In Jesus' name …
These thoughts were drawn from …
The Ten Commandments: Applying the Foundations of Living to My Personal Life by Jimmy Ray Lee, D.Min. Knowing that there are absolutes that define moral conduct and ethical decisions is essential for believers surrounded by relativistic values. This guide helps us understand God's boundaries. It shows how the Ten Commandments apply today. It also discusses the biblical laws on which the legal codes of every civilized society are based. This guide is written in a way that helps people see the Ten Commandments in light of today's problems. Note: This curriculum was written especially for small groups, and we encourage people to use it that way. However, it can also be used effectively as a personal study for individuals or couples.
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