Isaiah 26:3 - Peace That Surpasses All Understanding.
Isaiah 26:3: Peace That Surpasses All Understanding.
Isaiah 26:3 (NKJV) You will keep him in perfect peace, Whose
mind is stayed on You, Because he trusts in You.
INTRODUCTION
It isn't easy finding peace in a violent world. This task was
no less daunting for the people in the Bible who followed God in
the midst of brutal and oppressive times. Isaiah lived in such
times. He saw Israel (the northern kingdom) conquered and destroyed by
the Assyrians, who then turned their sights on Judah (the southern
kingdom). Yet he spoke of knowing peace - not just any peace but perfect
peace. In fact, he said that if we trust in God and fix our thoughts on
him, he will not only give us perfect peace, but will keep us in
perfect peace.
The key to knowing God's peace in a violent world is to fix
our thoughts on him and trust him. When we fix our thoughts on him,
the dizzying tornado of stress and confusion fades into the
distance. Circumstances may change, but God doesn't change. He is "the
eternal Rock" (Isaiah 26:4) - immoveable, unchangeable, firm, and
steady. We can entrust ourselves to him.
No matter what circumstances you face, keep your thoughts on
and your trust in God. He will give you peace. [The One Year Bible
for New Believers re Isa.26:3, 4]
COMMENTARY
Hear the confidence in these joyful words. This worshiper has
experienced God's deliverance and provision; this person's faith has been
strengthened and trust in the Lord has grown. But that doesn't mean life is
easy.
A sense of peace is not determined by your circumstances but
by your state of mind. When you focus on God, His majesty, and His
love for you, what is happening around you matters less. Pondering
the character of the good and holy God you serve, remembering His
faithfulness to His people through the millennia and to you personally, and
standing strong in the truth and the promises of His Word - this kind of
focus gives you a different perspective on what is going on in the
world around you. You are mindful of who is in control and whose plan
is unfolding.
Consider this analogy: A woman can brave labor pains because
of the joy of receiving a child. Likewise, God's people can endure
suffering because they know God will deliver them. Seeing your situation
from the perspective of this truth brings peace. Keep your mind fixed
on Christ, regardless of what is happening all around you. [Being
Still With God Every Day by Henry Blackaby]
I am confident that you know a toddler or two who demonstrate
amazing mental abilities. It isn't unusual to see amazing rates of
mental development when a child has good nutrition and a stimulating
environment. Then life happens. Far too many people allow their mind to get
lazy, and it tends to think along the path of least resistance. It
spends too much time wandering, which gets it to worrying, criticizing,
and complaining. To solve such mind problems, pop culture articles
on mental discipline urge me to memorize and meditate. If I am to
believe such experts, the all-too prevalent human condition of mental
laziness is best cured by intentional memorization and the mind is best
focused by meditation. The suggestion is memorize anything from the vast
storehouse of written works and spend time every day meditating.
Memorizing, they say, exercises the lazy mind, and meditation focuses it.
In most cases popular culture suggests that meditation means
working hard to think about nothing, or dwell on just one thing in an
attempt to still the mind. The idea is to tame the racing,
out-of-control mind by focusing on breathing, because that is one body function
that we can regulate. When brought under control, the wandering,
worrying mind supposedly becomes more responsive and receptive to our
present situation, leading to better mental health and greater mental
powers.
My guess is that in such pop culture observations and
injunctions you can see some powerful support for Christian Bible study,
meditation, and prayer as methods of focusing and disciplining the mind. Is
there any better, more uplifting material to memorize than promises of
God? Daily Scripture memorization and rehearsal is, no doubt, the
best possible way of exercising the mind and keeping it sharp and
ever expanding. Prayerful reading of God's Word and quiet, unhurried
meditation on His promises provide multiple benefits. It not only nurtures
and grows the all-important life in the Spirit, but also helps the
body processes and enhances mental health.
Lord God, Creator of my mind, is this the only channel of
communication that I have with You? I pray for clarity of thinking and for a
mind dedicated to loving and serving You. [God of Wonders by David
Steen]
As you work to renew your mind, stress will undoubtedly try
to pull you away from your goals. The everyday problems often tempt
us to make unhealthy choices out of convenience or as a temporary
fix for stress.
It can be easy to get stressed out when we focus on our own
limited resources instead of focusing on the unlimited resources through
our heavenly Father. When we choose to focus on God, he provides
perfect peace. We can fix our thoughts on him by meditating on things we
know about him or on promises from his Word. For example, he is
faithful, he is all-powerful, he is wise. "Your love, LORD, reaches to the
heavens, your faithfulness to the skies. Your righteousness is like the
highest mountains, your justice like the great deep" (Psalm 36:5, 6).
Filling our minds with these truths from his Word will bring
peace into our hearts. And peace of mind is the key to beating
stress.
God's peace is more than enough to lift you above your stress
and to reset your mind. [The Daniel Plan 365-Day Devotional]
PRACTICAL APPLICATION
The more often you turn your thoughts to Me, the more you
will enjoy My perfect Peace. This is a challenging goal, but it is
also a glorious gift. I, the Shepherd of your soul, am always
accessible to you.
You can train your mind to turn from other things and focus
on Me. When you experience something beautiful, thank Me for it.
When a loved one brings you joy, remember that I am the Source of
this pleasure. Post reminders of My Presence in your home or car or
office. It's also wise to memorize Scripture since it is ultimately
about Me.
Turning your thoughts to Me demonstrates your trust in Me.
Even undesired things such as pain and problems can be reminders to
communicate with Me. Focusing on My Presence protects you from getting stuck
on problems - going over and over them in your mind without making
any progress.
Be creative in finding new ways to turn your thoughts toward
Me. Thus you can enjoy the wondrous gift of My Peace. (Isa. 26:3;
1Pe. 2:25; Phi. 4:6, 7) [Jesus Always by Sarah Young]
CLOSING THOUGHTS
Your attention is a precious commodity, and myriad voices are
vying for it. Your to-do list screams at you. The circumstances that
pop up unexpectedly demand an immediate reaction. The people in your
life are probably a little more polite about getting your attention,
but they still expect a response. And the to-do list, the urgent
circumstances, and the people you live and work with all have important
concerns. You have God-given responsibilities with all of them. But their
cumulative voices can be relentless. Meanwhile, you're sometimes just
looking for a moment to breathe.
It's impossible to remain aware of God consistently when
we're under such assaults. We have to prioritize, placing Him at the
top of our list even at the expense of other worthy goals. If we
want to have any awareness of His closeness, any sense of His
Presence, any hint of His voice, we have to clear the clutter out of our
minds, sit with Him, and be still. There's no other way.
This is where we find out the depth of our desire for God.
Would we simply like to experience Him? Or are we desperate for Him?
The way we prioritize our time reveals a lot. If knowing Him is more
urgent to us than the voices that demand our attention, we'll make room
for Him and eventually experience Him deeply. If not, we won't.
We have to determine to make hard choices and then brace for
the assault against them. That doesn't mean we neglect our loved
ones and responsibilities, but we do have to remember which
relationship is our life. Seeking God's Presence and fixing our thoughts on
Him takes time, but it's vital. And it speaks peace to every other
voice that seeks our attention.
Lord, I fix my thoughts on You. I choose to spend time
sitting in Your Presence each day, to turn my heart toward You in brief
in-between moments, and to expect You to step into my circumstances and
relationships. [The One Year Experiencing Gods Presence Devotional by Chris
Tiegreen]
God Can't Give Us Happiness And Peace Apart From Himself Because
There Is No Such Thing. C. S. Lewis
LINKS FOR FURTHER STUDY ON THIS PASSAGE
http://www.abible.com/devotions/2005/20050318-0858.html
http://www.abible.com/devotions/2009/20090923-1428.html
http://www.abible.com/devotions/2012/20121031-1710.html
http://www.abible.com/devotions/2016/20160625-2059.html
LINKS WORTH CHECKING OUT
Most Important Decision in Life:
http://www.youtube.com/embed/WGnEuGwvXqU?rel=0
Importance of Choice:
http://creationhealth.com/CREATION-Health/Choice [click on video]
Seeking God Made Real: http://vimeo.com/31489782
Prayer Made Real: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tc8VdMV26VE
Musical Devotional On Christian Living:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OcotY5K7T0c
LINKS FOR BIBLE STUDIES
Lifting Up Jesus Bible Studies: http://www.liftingupjesus.net/
Amazing Facts Bible Studies:
http://www.amazingfacts.org/bible-study/bible-study-guides.aspx
Discover Bible Studies: http://studies.itiswritten.com/discover/
Glow Tract Video Bible Studies: http://www.bibleresearch.info/
ABible.com: http://www.aBible.com
LINKS FOR BIBLE PROPHECY SEMINARS
The Last Day of Prophecy by Pastor Doug Batchelor:
https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLmGvdtMCf1aJTiC59-lPtuUMEq_uEn0BK
Restoring The Power by John Bradshaw:
https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLRogO1SxoZN15Boa7BMon4BouVMdteVaq
Prophecies Decoded by Pastor Ron Clouzet:
https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PL1A435C5373550657
