{"id":3125,"date":"2016-05-11T17:30:42","date_gmt":"2016-05-11T23:30:42","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/kensummers.org\/?p=3125"},"modified":"2016-05-11T17:32:41","modified_gmt":"2016-05-11T23:32:41","slug":"focus-trust-peace","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/kensummers.org\/?p=3125","title":{"rendered":"Focus, Trust, Peace"},"content":{"rendered":"

\"20160510_071452-1\"<\/a>Today was a contrast to the busyness of yesterday. I was able to get to the fitness early and had a workout with my trainer. I actually had a good “walk” without my crutches and made it farther than my previous best. Yesterday morning I attended the early morning Bible study for legislators at the capitol. There is a committed group of representatives and senators who meet weekly for prayer and Bible study. This group has been going on for more than ten years. It is lead by Dan File with Capitol Commission. It was good to see Rep. J Paul Brown from Durango. He has a herd of about 3,000 sheep on a ranch of 900 acres. He is a strong believer and a dedicated public servant.<\/p>\n

BIBLE VERSE FOR TODAY….<\/strong> “You will keep the mind that is dependent on You <\/span>in perfect peace, <\/span>for it is trusting in You.<\/span> Trust in the Lord<\/span> forever, <\/span><\/em>because in Yah, the Lord<\/span>, is an everlasting rock!”\u00a0<\/em> Isaiah 26:3,4 HCSB<\/span><\/p>\n

Worry, fear and anxiety are the plagues against the mind and the robbers of peace. Isaiah spoke God’s word in a time when there was much to create fear, worry and anxiety. God’s people were experiencing the consequences of their rebellion. That impact was on the godly as well as the “sinner.” The lifestyle of the Kings and they way they ruled did not help the situation. The threat of the power Assyrians was real and oppressive.<\/p>\n

It was during the reign of Hezekiah that Israel fell captive to the Assyrians and the “evil empire” turned its attention on Judah. As King Hezekiah sought the Lord, we see the Lord attacking the Assyrians at night without the armies of Judah swinging a sword or shooting an arrow. The verses above are from a chapter that focuses on rejoicing in what the Lord has done.<\/p>\n

The key to peace when fears abound and all that is around is being shaken is to focus not on what is seen but on the Lord and to trust in Him. Isaiah declares, “the Lord is an everlasting rock.!” <\/em>When there is shaking all around and your “knees are shaking” in fear, it is important to have a firm place to stand. The Lord shows Himself as a firm foundation and a strong refuge.<\/p>\n

David declared, “I will say of the LORD, “He is my refuge and my fortress, my God, in whom I trust.”<\/em> (Psalm 91:2 NIV)
\n<\/span><\/p>\n

This last weekend we had some spring rain along with some thunder and lightening. Actually a tornado half a mile wide touched down in northeast Colorado on that evening. Our visitation pastor at\u00a0 Timberline Church was sharing how his almost two-year old son was shaken by the storm and how he tried to comfort him with his presence and assurance that everything was okay.<\/p>\n

When we look at the distress and the shaking of the world around us, we are like that two-year old in relationship with a heavenly father who understands all that is taking place and wants to assure us that He is near and all is going to be “okay.” The key is to keep our eyes fixed on the father and not on the storm.<\/p>\n

There is a song we have been singing at our church that contains the words,<\/p>\n

For we trust in our God
\nAnd through His unfailing love
\nWe will not be shaken,
\nWe will not be shaken,
\nWe will not be shaken<\/p>\n

one of the verses affirms,<\/p>\n

For in the hour of our darkest day
\nWe will not tremble, we won\u2019t be afraid
\nHope is rising like the light of dawn
\nOur God is for us He has overcome<\/p>\n

(http:\/\/www.azlyrics.com\/lyrics\/bethelmusic\/wewillnotbeshaken.html<\/a>)<\/p>\n

Another song we have been singing, addresses freedom from fear through Christ’s love and peace:<\/p>\n

I’m no longer a slave to fear
\nI am a child of God<\/p>\n

From my mother’s womb
\nYou have chosen me
\nLove has called my name
\nI’ve been born again
\nInto your family
\nYour blood flows through my veins<\/p>\n

You split the sea
\nSo I could walk right through it
\nMy fears were drowned in perfect love
\nYou rescued me
\nAnd I could stand and sing
\nI am a child of God…<\/p>\n

I’m no longer a slave to fear
\nI am a child of God<\/p>\n

(http:\/\/www.azlyrics.com\/lyrics\/bethelmusic\/nolongerslaves.html)\u00a0<\/a><\/p>\n

Both of these songs from “Bethel Music” associated with Bethel Church in Redding, California, address the issues being faced by people today in the midst of the storms of life and the shaking of the world around. We are reminded that our minds are to fixed upon and dependent on the Lord. When they are we can experience His perfect peace.<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

Today was a contrast to the busyness of yesterday. I was able to get to the fitness early and had a workout with my trainer. I actually had a good “walk” without my crutches and made it farther than my previous best. Yesterday morning I attended the early morning Bible study for legislators at the […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[1],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-3125","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-uncategorized"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/kensummers.org\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/3125","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/kensummers.org\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/kensummers.org\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/kensummers.org\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/kensummers.org\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcomments&post=3125"}],"version-history":[{"count":2,"href":"https:\/\/kensummers.org\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/3125\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":3128,"href":"https:\/\/kensummers.org\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/3125\/revisions\/3128"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/kensummers.org\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fmedia&parent=3125"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/kensummers.org\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcategories&post=3125"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/kensummers.org\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Ftags&post=3125"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}