Perfect & Constant Peace

You will guard him (her) and keep him (her) in perfect and constant peace whose mind [both its inclination and its character] is stayed on You, because he (she) commits himself (herself) to You, leans on You, and hopes confidently in You.
Isaiah 26:3 (Amplified Bible)

Make it personal... own it!!
You will guard ME and keep ME in perfect and constant peace whose mind is stayed on You, because I commit myself to You, lean on You, and hope confidently in You.
Isaiah 26:3

Peace of Fruit

Galatians 5:22-25 But the Spirit produces the fruit of love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness,gentleness, self-control. There is no law that says these things are wrong.



Those who belong to Christ Jesus have crucified their own sinful selves. They have given up their old selfish feelings and the evil things they wanted to do.


We get our new life from the Spirit, so we should follow the Spirit. We must not be proud or make trouble with each other or be jealous of each other.




Love? Joy? Peace? Patience? Kindness? Goodness? Faithfulness? Gentleness? Self-control? Personally, I'm on a journey and co-operating with the Spirit to have greater "PEACE" fruit in my life!!

TREASURE IN JOB

Last week I went to read Psalm 1; BUT decided to first read the end of JOB. I've read Job and heard messages on suffering and God restoration, but somehow I missed some nuggets before. Don't you just love when you stumble across some treasure?

PASSAGE - GOD RESTORES JOB'S FORTUNE
Job 42:10-17
"The LORD restored the fortunes of Job when he prayed for his friends, and the LORD increased all that Job had twofold.

Then all his brothers and all his sisters and all who had known him before came to him, and they ate bread with him in his house; and they consoled him and comforted him for all the adversities that the LORD had brought on him. And each one gave him one piece of money, and each a ring of gold.

The LORD blessed the latter days of Job more than his beginning; and he had 14,000 sheep and 6,000 camels and 1,000 yoke of oxen and 1,000 female donkeys.

He had seven sons and three daughters. He named the first Jemimah, and the second Keziah, and the third Keren-happuch.In all the land no women were found so fair as Job's daughters; and their father gave them inheritance among their brothers.

After this, Job lived 140 years, and saw his sons and his grandsons, four generations. And Job died, an old man and full of days."
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INSIGHT
I think we all knew that God restored and multiplied Job fortune BUT what I missed before was -

1) Job's family and friends participated in his restoration including that of his wealth -
"They CONSOLED him and COMFORTED him... And each one gave him one piece of MONEY, and each a RING OF GOLD." (some versions say a piece of silver)

2) God restored to Job the same number of children (7 sons and 3 daughters). What struck me in this passage is the EMPHASIS on the DAUGHTER'S - ONLY the GIRL'S NAMES are listed AND it's recorded that they received an INHERITANCE along side their brothers. This was not a woman's world... with all of our modern day rights... they had no rights - especially when it came to the inheritance. This was a historical moment for women, Job's daughters were treated with equality. I believe when God restored and blessed - Job wanted to SAVOUR it ALL. What may have had little value in others eyes... Job now TREASURED!! Job's Vision had INCREASED.

LIFE APPLICATION EXAMPLE
We have a very dear friend, whom we love and respect tremendously. He and his wife have sown generously and blessed hundreds of people. In this past year they have journeyed through some very challenging times financially, but have remained firm and faithful in the midst of it all.

It’s so neat how I “stumbled” supposedly on this passage last Thursday morning and then later Thursday evening - God impresses on my husband to do something unusual, which he shared with those in attendance at prayer. Kevin had our dear friend stand at the front/alter area with a basket, while one by one we consoled him by speaking words of blessing and gave him “pieces of money and rings of gold”. Our friend has been blessed with over with over 4000 dollars!! YIPEE!!

Oh, and one more thing… as if this can get any better.
A man at the meeting was healed. He had suffered for over 10 years with a condition in his legs and “suddenly” they went "snap".. and He was HEALED!!

It was an amazing night - we saw the power of God's healing hand and the power of restoration when loving individuals function as a body!!
When we set aside our "differences" it's incredible what God can restore and what treasure is revealed.
SNAP - SOMEBODY GET HAPPY!!!!

Isaiah 35- Two Versions

Amplified Bible

1 THE WILDERNESS and the dry land shall be glad; the desert shall rejoice and blossom like the rose and the autumn crocus.

2 It shall blossom abundantly and rejoice even with joy and singing. The glory of Lebanon shall be given to it, the excellency of [Mount] Carmel and [the plain] ofSharon. They shall see the glory of the Lord, the majesty and splendor and excellency of our God.

3 Strengthen the weak hands and make firm the feeble and tottering knees.(A)
4 Say to those who are of a fearful and hasty heart, Be strong, fear not! Behold, your God will come with vengeance; with the recompense of God He will come and save you.

5 Then the eyes of the blind shall be opened, and the ears of the deaf shall be unstopped.

6 Then shall the lame man leap like a hart, and the tongue of the dumb shall sing for joy. For waters shall break forth in the wilderness and streams in the desert.(B)

7 And the burning sand and the mirage shall become a pool, and the thirsty ground springs of water; in the haunt of jackals, where they lay resting, shall be grass with reeds and rushes.

8 And a highway shall be there, and a way; and it shall be called the Holy Way. The unclean shall not pass over it, but it shall be for the redeemed; the wayfaring men, yes, the simple ones and fools, shall not err in it and lose their way.

9 No lion shall be there, nor shall any ravenous beast come up on it; they shall not be found there. But the redeemed shall walk on it.

10 And the ransomed of the Lord shall return and come to Zion with singing, and everlasting joy shall be upon their heads; they shall obtain joy and gladness, and sorrow and sighing shall flee away.
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Isaiah 35 (Contemporary English Version)

God's Splendor Will Be Seen
1Thirsty deserts will be glad;

barren lands will celebrate

and blossom with flowers.

2Deserts will bloom everywhere

and sing joyful songs.

They will be as majestic

as Mount Lebanon,

as glorious as Mount Carmel

or Sharon Valley.

Everyone will see

the wonderful splendor

of the LORD our God.


God Changes Everything
3Here is a message for all

who are weak,

trembling,

and worried:

4"Cheer up! Don't be afraid.

Your God is coming

to punish your enemies.

God will take revenge on them

and rescue you."

5The blind will see,

and the ears of the deaf

will be healed.

6Those who were lame

will leap around like deer;

tongues once silent

will begin to shout.

Water will rush

through the desert.

7Scorching sand

will turn into a lake,

and thirsty ground

will flow with fountains.

Grass will grow in wetlands,

where packs of wild dogs

once made their home. [a]
God's Sacred Highway
8A good road will be there,

and it will be named

"God's Sacred Highway."

It will be for God's people;

no one unfit to worship God

will walk on that road.

And no fools can travel

on that highway. [b] 9No lions or other wild animals

will come near that road;

only those the LORD has saved

will travel there.

10The people the LORD has rescued

will come back singing

as they enter Zion.

Happiness will be a crown

they will always wear.

They will celebrate and shout

because all sorrows

and worries

will be gone far away.