No Words

 Words make up a huge part of our existence. 

Just look at the amount of words I use every week!

Though words seem to have taken on a different look in this digital world. If texting were a job criteria many young people would be more than qualified. However, much of the "words" they use are not really words. The shorthand, slang and symbols baffle many of the older, and not so older generation!  People communicate without words!

But don't we do that sometimes anyway? with our facial expressions?  our body language?  

We can manage to communicate without words.

Sometimes we haven't the words.... in grief, tragedy, sadness we have no words to comfort others, or to cry out to God.

But it causes me to think of the verse....

📖 In the same way, the Spirit helps us in our weakness. We do not know what we ought to pray for, but the Spirit himself intercedes for us through wordless groans. Romans 8:26

we don't need words.....

📖 Give ear to my words, O Lord;
    consider my groaning.
2 Give attention to the sound of my cry,
    my King and my God,
    for to you do I pray. Psalm 5:1-2  (ESV)

He knows what we need even without words....

📖 God knows our very hearts

would not God have discovered it,
    since he knows the secrets of the heart? Psalm 44:21

we cry out to Him in our heart, our soul.

📖 My soul yearns, even faints,
    for the courts of the Lord;
my heart and my flesh cry out

    for the living God.  Psalm 84:2

I love this quote:

Charles Spurgeon wrote: “There are two types of prayers: those expressed in words, and the unspoken longings of silent meditation. Words are not the essence but the garments of prayer.”

My prayer for you today;

🙏Lord, sometimes our emotions are bare and raw, and there aren't words to cover them. I am grateful that You do not require them to bring comfort, peace and stillness to our souls.  Please cover all who have no words today. Amen❤️

Peace Source

Last week I blogged about Peace Pockets (CoffeeTime With A Dear Friend Peace Pockets September 13, 2023) about being peacemakers in our own small area.

But before we can spread peace, shouldn't we HAVE peace?

I used the scripture;

📖 Peace I leave with you; my peace I give you. I do not give to you as the world gives. Do not let your hearts be troubled and do not be afraid. John 14:27

Because our peace comes from Christ. We must first and foremost have a relationship with Him, believeing that He took the punishment for my sin, for your sin, died and rose again, so that you and I can have eternal life with Him.

And many of us feel that peace

that passes all understanding. 

📖 And the peace of God, which transcends all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus. Philippians 4:7

..but as life moves on we have a tendency to let life push out, squash down, squeeze in peace.

So how can we have that peace that passes understanding?

Trust In Him

  📖 Therefore, since we have been justified through faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ, .Romans 5:1

Listen to Him

📖 The mind governed by the flesh is death, but the mind governed by the Spirit is life and peace. Romans 8:6

Follow Him

📖 but glory, honor and peace for everyone who does good: first for the Jew, then for the Gentile. Romans 2:10

Be Filled With Him

📖  But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, forbearance, kindness, goodness, faithfulness,  gentleness and self-control. Against such things there is no law. Galatians 5:22-23

Serve Him

📖 For the kingdom of God is not a matter of eating and drinking, but of righteousness, peace and joy in the Holy Spirit, because anyone who serves Christ in this way is pleasing to God and receives Romans 14:17

It may seem difficult,  maybe even impossible. 

But Jesus said;

📖 “I have told you these things, so that in me you may have peace. In this world you will have trouble. But take heart! I have overcome the world.”

John 16:33

We can not create peace ourselves, that is why He came!

📖 Jesus said to the woman, “Your faith has saved you; go in peace. Luke 7:50

🙏My prayer is that you have faith that brings you peace that only He can give.❤️

Peace Pockets

 We are called to be peacemakers, as I said a couple weeks ago in my blog BE Attitude I believe it speaks more than of war, but of peaceful living; 

📖 Blessed are the peacemakers,
    for they will be called children of God. Matthew 5:9

{those who choose love over enmity, compassion over criticism, stillness over strife}  Coffee Time With A Dear Friend BE Attitude August 30, 2023

I am listening to a new book, a historical fiction set in WWII era, and a line from the book struck me...."remembering when the world was at peace." The first thought that popped into my head as "Has the world ever been at peace?!"

From the time Adam and Eve were banished from the garden...the world has not been a peaceful place

📖 So the Lord God banished him from the Garden of Eden to work the ground from which he had been taken. Genesis 3:23

.....but there have been peaceful "pockets". Moments and places in our history as a planet that peace exists.

That led me to ponder...these pockets; we all have our own...maybe several...our families,  our communities,  our work surroundings.

So what if WE initiate, create, proliferate, peace in OUR pocket?  

📖  If it is possible, as far as it depends on you, live at peace with everyone. Romans 12:18

What if each individual did the same in their pocket!?  Every "pocket" bumping into one another, over lapping, creating larger and larger pockets of peace..

Imagine!?

What a difference it would make!

📖Peacemakers who sow in peace reap a harvest of righteousness. James 3:18

So instead of feeling small and insignificant, unable to make a difference in the larger world, just focus on YOUR pocket, the circle of those around you.

📖 Make every effort to live in peace with everyone and to be holy; without holiness no one will see the Lord. Hebrews 12:14

📖Let us therefore make every effort to do what leads to peace and to mutual edification.  Romans 14:19

And we don't have to muster up this peace from with-in, or figure out a way to create it...He, Jesus, GIVES us His peace!

📖 Peace I leave with you; my peace I give you. I do not give to you as the world gives. Do not let your hearts be troubled and do not be afraid. John 14:27

🙏📖 Finally, brothers and sisters, rejoice! Strive for full restoration, encourage one another, be of one mind, live in peace. And the God of love and peace will be with you. 2 Corinthians 13:11❤️

Blessings and Beyond

 

Some weeks I am late because I am working on a blog idea, tweaking it a bit more each day and then finally get it posted.

Sometimes I am late because inspiration seems to allude me, or I allude it!

This week I waited for something to strike me, I looked through potential ideas I have taken notes on....and all seemed silent, there didn't seem to be an idea or a seed of an idea out there for this week.

AND THEN as I sat down late Wednesday night.....from a rather hectic, running multiple places, my brain didn't seem like it had a  moment to be inspired, kind of day....God is good and He does what He says He will do and tada....Blessings and Beyond!

See Wednesday was my dad's 79th birthday....I know 80 is supposed to be a BIG milestone...but for Dad and our family....79 is a HUGE milestone....because last year we were grateful he was still among us for his 78th, we felt blessed that he was able to use his walker and navigate up the steps and into his home after just over 100 days in hospital and rehab.

In August we had just lifted praises for the fact that they were able to spend their 58th wedding anniversary how ever they wanted (not in a rehab facility!)

Blessings and beyond..is what came to mind....first of all, some of the scenerios we were given at the hospital didn't seem like blessings, and though milestones were celebrated and deemed blessings, there was much more work to be done.

BUT God was/IS giving blessings!

Are we in the frame of mind to see them?  or are we looking for something else?  something bigger?, something, that in our limited scope, is the "blessing" we think we should be seeing?

But He knows far better than we do!

📖 Every good and perfect gift is from above, coming down from the Father of the heavenly lights, who does not change like shifting shadows James 1:17

Because in all those "little" blessings God could see beyond; to full health, restoration, back to "normal", back to life!

📖 Praise be to the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who has blessed us in the heavenly realms with every spiritual blessing in Christ. Ephesians 1:3

It is important that we look for ALL the blessings God gives us....but know that they are just the beginning of what He has for us....He sees beyond today...

📖 Now to him who is able to do immeasurably more than all we ask or imagine, according to his power that is at work within us, to him be glory in the church and in Christ Jesus throughout all generations, for ever and ever! Amen. Ephesians 3:20-21

🙏Lord thank you for today's blessings, help us to see them and appreciate them, live in them and trust You have more....blessings and beyond!❤️

📖 “‘“The Lord bless you
    and keep you;
25 the Lord make his face shine on you
    and be gracious to you;
26 the Lord turn his face toward you
    and give you peace.”’ Numbers 6:24-26

🎵I'm So Blessed Cain