A Symbol Of Peace And Rebellion

It’s week 80 of Three Line Tales, and here is the photo and my response. 🙂 If you’d like to join in the fun, just click the link! 😉

photo by Annie Theby via Unsplash

🌼 The VW bus magically transports me to days before I was born 🌻

🌷 When it carried flower children to the whimsical place of their choosing. 🌹

🌺 A symbol of peace and rebellion, it is now ready to carry people once again. 🌸

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I Lift Your Precious Name High!

When I feel I’m on my own,
I remember I’m not in this alone,
God’s sitting upon His throne.

I need a Wise Guide,
My Shepherd to abide,
Here, right by my side!

Gone astray; I need to be led.
Defeated; I’m in over my head.
So scared; fears I want to shed.

I pray without a sound,
When I’m feeling down,
And feel His peace surround!

“I know that You are always there;
You’ll never go anywhere;
For some reason, You care.”

“You paid the price that was due;
Holy Spirit, come dwell here too;
I need you, Lord, I need you!”

“You love me, and I don’t know why,
For a sinner like me, you’d die;
I lift Your precious name high!”

Island of Peace

I’m traveling on the open sea
In this rickety boat,
Hoping to stay afloat,
Wondering if it’s the end of me.

This life is this vast ocean,
Wearing us down,
Tearing us down –
Trying to drown us in sin.

I have heard of a refuge of calm.
I really want to get there,
But cannot find it anywhere –
No land to be seen, not even a palm.

Jesus is the Island of Peace.
I did not have to look,
I just had to open a Book –
Oh, will His wonders ever cease?

Once I had read it carefully,
It was quite clear,
He was always here –
Waiting patiently on the shore for me!

There are times I may drift away;
Because of a storm of sin.
But He welcomes me again –
And in His loving arms, I shall stay.

**Special thanks to Denny (his blog is here) for unintentionally inspiring this with the comment I linked to. 😊

The Goal

I feel like a square peg, being forced into a round hole.
The dark parts along the corners are being stripped away.
I’m leaving a part of myself behind, but isn’t that the goal?
To become closer to You, my Lord, each and every day?

Jesus, take me; and like Play-Doh in Your hands, mold me!
You died for us, so we may live, and I want to live for You.
Please, make me brave and strong according to Your glory.
You paid that hefty price on the cross, so that we could live anew.

Our Joy, our Strength, our Comforter, our Peace;
I need You to see, Son of God, I need your Light!
May Your love for us sinners never cease,
Pillar of Cloud by day and Pillar of Fire by night!

You love me, one among all Your sheep, as you love all;
You know my heart, You know my soul, oh Heavenly Father,
With You, my Shepherd, by my side, I know I’ll never fall;
With your Strength behind me, I shall never falter.

I realize that no matter the hardships we face,
For You, we wholeheartedly and undoubtedly strife;
You are there with us, walking with us, full of grace,
The One who Resurrected, The One Who gave His Life!

James 1:2-4: Count it all joy, my brothers, when you meet trials of various kinds, for you know that the testing of your faith produces steadfastness. And let steadfastness have its full effect, that you may be perfect and complete, lacking in nothing. (ESV)

James 1:12: Blessed is the man who remains steadfast under trial, for when he has stood the test he will receive the crown of life, which God has promised to those who love Him. (ESV)

We all have times when we feel down; hardships, trials, and tests of faith can do that to anyone, and during those times, it is hard to remain steadfast. But with faith in Him, we will persevere to reach the ultimate goal!

God is a God of Peace

God is a God of peace.

I remembered reading that in the Bible somewhere, so I researched where all “peace” was used in the Bible as a Bible study one day, and I thought I would share my findings here. 🙂

The amount of times that “God of peace” is referenced in the New Testament is almost overwhelming. Many are greetings, which is why it is written within the first four verses of the books in question. To save space, I’m not going to add them all to this post, but here are the references I found if you’d like to see for yourself: 1st Corinthians: 1:3, 2nd Corinthians 1:2, Galatians 1:3, Ephesians 1:2, Philippians 1:2, Colossians 1:2, 1st Thessalonians 1:1, 2nd Thessalonians 1:2, 1st Timothy 1:2, 2nd Timothy 1:2, Titus 1:4, Philemon 1:3, 2nd Peter 1:2, and 2nd John 1:3.

Here is the one I was looking for:

1st Corinthians 14:33: For God is not the author of confusion, but of peace, as in all churches of the saints.

Knowing that God is a God of peace is great, but in my search I stumbled across this:

Philippians 4:7: And the peace of God, which passes all understanding, shall keep your hearts and minds through Christ Jesus.

Isn’t that amazing? He, full of peace, keeps our hearts and minds through Jesus! But how has He done this?

Colossians 1:19 & 20: For it pleased the Father that in Him should all fullness dwell; And, having made peace through the blood of His cross, by Him to reconcile all things unto Himself; by Him, I say, whether they be things in earth, or things in heaven.

He made peace through the blood He shed on the cross! However, He isn’t just a God of peace…

Ephesians 2:13 – 18: But now in Christ Jesus ye who sometimes were far off are made nigh by the blood of Christ. For He is our peace, Who hath made both one, and hath broken down the middle wall of partition between us; Having abolished in His flesh the enmity, even the law of commandments contained in ordinances; for to make in Himself of twain one new man, so making peace; And that He might reconcile both unto God in one body by the cross, having slain the enmity thereby: And came and preached peace to you which were afar off, and to them that were nigh. For through Him we both have access by one Spirit unto the Father.

He is our peace! Isn’t that an amazing thought? How incredible is this?! He tore down the walls so that we may directly speak with Him so that we may have peace.

1st Peter 5:6 & 7: Humble yourselves therefore under the mighty hand of God, that He may exalt you in due time. Casting all your care upon Him; for He cares for you.

John 14:27: Peace I leave with you, My peace I give unto you: not as the world gives, give I unto you. Let not your heart be troubled, neither let it be afraid.

He wants us to cast our troubles onto Him — He wants us to have this peace because He loves us! So there you have it: what started as a “where is that verse in the Bible?” turned into a long, joy-filled study in His Word. 🙂

Grace be to you and peace from God the Father, and from our Lord Jesus Christ. (Galatians 1:3; but basically, almost all of the verses I mentioned above in the third paragraph too.)