GOD’S WORD FOR  MARCH 1

We are reading from a daily devotional  called “Running To Win” written by Erwin Lutzer  and the late, great D.L. Moody.   Erwin Lutzer is a light in our day as D.L. Moody was in his.  Besides his many ministries, and many books, Pastor Lutzer was Senior Pastor at Moody Church in Chicago for 36 years and now serves as Pastor Emeritus there.  He is  Chancelor and a former professor at Moody Bible Institute, where he taught Theology and Ministry, and now has numerous radio teachings.

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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.”

D.L. MOODY

As long as our mind is stayed on our dear selves, we will never have  peace.  Some people  think more of themselves than of all the rest of the world.  It is self in the morning, self at noon and self at night.  It is self when they wake up and self when they go to bed.  They are all the time looking at themselves and thinking about themselves instead of “looking unto Jesus”  (Hebrews 12:2).  Faith is an outward look.  Faith does not look within; it looks without  It is not what I think or what I feel or what I have done, but it is what Jesus Christ is and has done that is the important thing for us to dwell upon.

ERWIN LUTZER

Peace is what we all long for.  I’ve often thought about those who take a long vacation to a beautiful place in the world and yet they take their own fears and insecurities with them.  Peace comes, not by a change of location, but a change of focus.  Faith in itself does not have the power to transform something hurtful into something helpful.  The old idea that says, “It doesn’t matter what you believe as long as you are sincere,” is nonsense.  The reason that those whose mind is focused on God have peace is because God GIVES them peace;  He is the source of peace. 

“Therefore since we have been justified by faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ.” (Romans 5:1).

As a bonus ~~ Peace with God often leads to peace with others.

Do you need peace?  Then seek Christ;  focus on Him and let the Word of God bring you to a point of surrender.  Give what troubles you into God’s loving hand.

PRAYER

Father, please show me how I can focus on You;  may I be willing to penetrate the darkness and experience the “peace that passes understanding.”  (Philippians 4:7)

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Ps 91:1-2

He who dwells in the secret place of the Most High

Shall abide under the shadow of the Almighty.

I will say of the Lord, “He is my refuge and my fortress;

My God, in Him I will trust.

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Psalm 146:8

the LORD opens the eyes of the blind, the LORD lifts those who are weighed down, the LORD loves the righteous.

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Psalm 18:28

For You will light my lamp; The Lord my God will enlighten my darkness.

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Psalm 94:19

In the multitude of my anxieties within me,

Your comforts delight my soul.

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Philippians 4:6-7

Be anxious for nothing, 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 minds through Christ Jesus.

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2 Timothy 1:12

For this reason I also suffer these things; nevertheless I am not ashamed, for I know whom I have believed and am persuaded that He is able to keep what I have committed to Him until that Day.

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Psalm 138:8

The Lord will perfect that which concerns me; Your mercy, O Lord, endures forever; Do not forsake the works of Your hands.

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2 Thessalonians 3:3

But the Lord is faithful, who will establish you and guard you from the evil one.

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