Peace and Praise

Some time ago when I was doing a 'word' study - I have been keeping my eye open to what a word means instead of simply what I think (or thought) it means (sure can change what I perceive someone is saying at times) - someone brought to my attention that one Hebrew word for praise is 'yada' or similar to that. The symbol of that word in Hebrew is lifting up open hands toward God. My present understanding of that symbol is that when I praise God I am opening myself to God. So when I say "Praise the Lord" I am now saying 'I open myself to You, Father'. Jesus is called the "Prince of Peace" so when I open my heart, myself, to God I am opening myself to God's kind of peace.

I just got a report from someone who I believe sends me as accurate information as they possibly can that this past weekend we almost became involved in a military 'exchange' with Russia (to put it in mild language) on a VERY large scale level. Are those kinds of reports calculated to bring 'peace'? Not really - point blank, NO!

Yesterday morning I got another message from the "Prince of Peace" as His 'response', or perhaps I should say, 'preparation', to the above report that I had not even received yet.

For anyone who might be interested here is what I received from Jesus.

"As the mind dwells upon Christ, the character is molded after the divine similitude. The thoughts are pervated with a sense of His goodness, His love. We contemplate His character, and thus He is in all our thoughts. His love incloses us. If we gaze even a moment upon the sun in its meridian glory, when we turn away our eyes the image of the sun will appear in everything upon which we look.

Thus it is when we behold Jesus; everything we look upon reflects His image, the Sun of Righteousness. We cannot see anything else, or talk of anything else. His image is imprinted upon the eye of the soul, and affects every portion of our daily life, softening and subduing our whole nature. By beholding we are conformed to the divine similitude, even the likeness of Christ. To all with whom we associate we reflect the bright beans of His righteousness. We have become transformed in character; for heart, soul, mind are irradiated by the reflection of Him who loved us and gave Himself for us. Here again there is the realization of a personal, living influence dwelling in our hearts by faith.

When His words of instruction have been received, and have taken possession of us, Jesus is to us an abiding presence, controlling our thoughts and ideas and actions. We are imbued with the instruction of the greatest teacher the world ever knew. A sense of human accountability and of human influence, gives character to our views of life and of daily duties. Jesus Christ is everything to us, -- the first, the last, the best in everything."

The above was written originally to ministers. I think because it was such very good advice it was later included in a book called 'Messages to young people'. (p. 161)

Wow! Just think of it!. I choose to open my heart to the 'Prince of Peace' and He in turn fills me with His awesome, calming peace that passes all understanding. I think I am beginning to understand just a little bit better what Jesus meant in His promise 'Great peace (trustful confidence in, accepting God's will for me, etc.) will a person have who loves God's law of love and nothing shall offend (make them fearful, angry, lose of control, etc.) them.

Keep your thoughts upon Jesus, remember that Jesus loves you and the things of this earth will grow strangely dim in the light of His great love for you.

In just a few hours from the time I am writing this blog a worldwide celebration of God's love will begin. I hope you will choose to join me in it. As the sun sets this Friday the Creator God of the universe has made an appointment with me - and anyone else who wishes to experience real, genuine, joy and peace - to spend 24 hours in a super, special, time together. Some folks - me included - call that celebration time the seventh day Sabbath. According to the express command of my heavenly King, I have full authority and right to lay aside my everyday activities in order to have extra time with the King of Kings and Lord of Lords as well as with others who are also loyal to Him. What earthly head of government comes once a week to spend a whole day with me. About the closest I have been to a 'very important person' was when I shook hands with Bobby Kennedy. But he didn't even know my name or anything else about me, other than that he was campaigning for something or another.

Every seventh-day Sabbath, however, I am invited to reveal my loyalty to the Creator God of the Universe by not only ceasing my every day 'activities' but in coming to worship Him and experience more 'love' from Him with others who love Him here on this earth. Another wonderful aspect of this time together with God is that as I behold Him, think about Him, share with others about Him, He changes me even more into looking more like Him, talking more like Him, thinking more about Him and like Him and acting more like Him.

I don't want to keep this wonderful peace producing activity to myself, though, so if you are not already involved in it, may I invite you to join me, beginning this evening, for a Sabbath - a rest, blessing, peace time with Jesus.

Sabbath is to be a special time for peace and praise. But I am also learning how to experience it to some extent every day. For that I am grateful to God as well.

Bringer of Peace