Guard your heart

“do not be anxious about anything, but in everything by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known to God. And the peace of God, which surpasses all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus.”

 

Psalms 18:2
The LORD is my rock and my fortress and my deliverer, my God, my rock, in whom I take refuge, my shield, and the horn of my salvation, my stronghold.  I call upon the LORD, who is worthy to be praised, and I am saved from my enemies.

Psalms 28:1-2
To you, O LORD, I call; my rock, be not deaf to me, lest, if you be silent to me, I become like those who go down to the pit. Hear the voice of my pleas for mercy, when I cry to you for help, when I lift up my hands toward your most holy sanctuary.

Psalms 55:16
But I call to God, and the LORD will save me.

Psalms 62:8
Trust in him at all times, O people; pour out your heart before him; God is a refuge for us.

Philippians 4:6-7
do not be anxious about anything, but in everything by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known to God.  And the peace of God, which surpasses all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus.

Revelation 4:11
“Worthy are you, our Lord and God, to receive glory and honor and power, for you created all things, and by your will they existed and were created.”

Luke 1:78
because of the tender mercy of our God, whereby the sunrise shall visit us from on high to give light to those who sit in darkness and in the shadow of death, to guide our feet into the way of peace.”

Romans 8:31-39
What then shall we say to these things? If God is for us, who can be against us?  He who did not spare his own Son but gave him up for us all, how will he not also with him graciously give us all things?

Acts 2:21
And it shall come to pass that everyone who calls upon the name of the Lord shall be saved.’

It is common for each of us to be anxious about something at different times of our lives.  We don’t have to think back very far to remember these times.  What was going through your mind?  Worry, fret, upset?  God has given us many scripture to comfort us in our times of trouble if we would just trust in His loving hands and power.  If we would seek Him rather than run to “worry”.  If we would trust Him rather than the circumstances that surround us.  If we would learn to cast our cares and worries  on to Him.  The troubles that come our way do not have to be ours to bear alone.  God is ever present and wanting us to acknowledge Him as our rock, refuge, stronghold.  Why do we want to go it alone? Do we actually like to worry, have anxious thoughts, and unable to sleep?  The next time worry, doubt, and anxiousness knocks on your door, ask God to answer it. In His hands we can certainly have a peace that surpasses all understanding.

Perfect Peace

“You keep him in perfect peace whose mind is stayed on you, because he trusts in you”

“and you were not willing!”

 

Psalms 9:9
The LORD is a stronghold for the oppressed, a stronghold in times of trouble. And those who know your name put their trust in you, for you, O LORD, have not forsaken those who seek you.

Psalms 18:2
The LORD is my rock and my fortress and my deliverer, my God, my rock, in whom I take refuge, my shield,

Hebrews 6:18
we who have fled for refuge might have strong encouragement to hold fast to the hope set before us.

Nahum 1:7
The LORD is good, a stronghold in the day of trouble; he knows those who take refuge in him.

Luke 13:34
O Jerusalem, Jerusalem, the city that kills the prophets and stones those who are sent to it! How often would I have gathered your children together as a hen gathers her brood under her wings, and you were not willing!

Proverbs 18:10
The name of the LORD is a strong tower; the righteous man runs into it and is safe.

Psalms 91:1-2
He who dwells in the shelter of the Most High will abide in the shadow of the Almighty.  I will say to the LORD, “My refuge and my fortress, my God, in whom I trust.”

Isaiah 26:3-4
You keep him in perfect peace whose mind is stayed on you, because he trusts in you. Trust in the LORD forever, for the LORD GOD is an everlasting rock.

Have you ever needed peace about something?  What if someone told you that you could have “Perfect Peace”?  We search after it.  We want it and yet at the same time we don’t seem willing to run toward it.  We go after what seems right in our own eyes never approaching the One who can give us what we are desperately seeking.  Paul said we can have “Peace that passes all understanding in Christ Jesus” by faith, trusting and seeking Him in our time of need”.  The peace we seek apart from God is never lasting.  It is a peace that is short lived and lacks any enduring substance.  The next time you are seeking peace – seek and run to Him who is able to give and keep you in “Perfect Peace”

My refuge, my deliverer

“Trust in him at all times, O people;
pour out your heart before him;
God is a refuge for us.”

 

Psalms 7:10
My shield is with God, who saves the upright in heart.

Psalms 18:2
The LORD is my rock and my fortress and my deliverer, my God, my rock, in whom I take refuge, my shield, and the horn of my salvation, my stronghold.

Psalms 84:11
For the LORD God is a sun and shield; the LORD bestows favor and honor. No good thing does he withhold from those who walk uprightly.

Psalms 89:18
For our shield belongs to the LORD, our king to the Holy One of Israel.

Proverbs 2:21
For the upright will inhabit the land, and those with integrity will remain in it,

Proverbs 11:20
Those of crooked heart are an abomination to the LORD, but those of blameless ways are his delight.

Proverbs 28:18
Whoever walks in integrity will be delivered, but he who is crooked in his ways will suddenly fall.

Psalms 62:8
Trust in him at all times, O people;
pour out your heart before him;
God is a refuge for us.

Reading these verses gives us hope in no matter what comes our way God is our strength, refuge, deliverer, fortress, rock and shield.  How do we find this when things around us seem to be falling apart?  I am not sure in the heat of it we can do more than claim it and gain peace by laying it as His feet.  Trust in, rely on, and cling to Him alone.  It is a good time for those of us who’s world is not falling apart to be an encouragement to those who need it.  Stay close to God, listen for His guidance, and obey His leading.