All posts by ljmonson

Church, Culture, Devotions, Peace

To protect the peace.

Ephesians 6: 14-17 “Stand firm then, with the belt of truth buckled around your waist, with the breastplate of righteousness in place, and with your feet fitted with the readiness that comes from the gospel of peace. In addition to all this, take up the shield of faith, with which you can extinguish all the flaming arrows of the evil one. Take the helmet of salvation and the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God.”

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I have never served in the military. I admire and pray for those who protect and serve. It is difficult to relate to the metaphor Paul was using here. Belts, breastplates, feet coverings, a shield, flaming arrows, helmets, and swords are all about war.  It seems that it is not politically correct to sing, “Onward Christian soldiers, marching as to war”. Today’s church is one of inclusion, worship songs, and integration with the community. As I write this morning I wonder, is the church becoming so culturally aware, that it has lost the war makers?  Is the price for cultural awareness in the name of peace, restricted the Gospel strengthened warriors of faith? Where is the “Stand Firm”? Where is the armor?  Where is the call to prepare for the current culture war?  A war where truth, righteousness, readiness, faith, salvation, the Spirit, and the Word of God are the implements. 

I pray for the readiness that comes with the Gospel of Peace.  I pray for my fellow Christians who are ready for battle. To protect the peace.

#Just Larry

Devotions, Motivation, Personal

Peace is a process

James 1:2-4 – Consider it pure joy, my brothers, and sisters, whenever you face trials of many kinds because you know that the testing of your faith produces perseverance. Let perseverance finish its work so that you may be mature and complete, not lacking anything.
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James the brother of Jesus urges us to be filled with joy when we endure trials of every kind. Hebrews says that Jesus suffered the cross with joy (Hebrews 12:2). Acts reports that Peter and the apostles rejoiced that they were counted worthy to suffer for Christ’s sake (Acts 5:41).
This is just crazy talk for anyone in the slough of despond. It seems impossible when life is dealing you one disappointment after the other. There have been times when I must look up to see the bottom. One of the requirements which I demand of God is peace. I need it. I crave it. It is my preference over struggle and turmoil. Yet here James is telling me my life is a trial, a training ground. I am to be filled, crammed to the brim with joy in trials. My faith is being stress tested to a point where it is counted as persistence. Don’t get me wrong here, I assume my survival in trial will result in a better me. Even so, I don’t want a better me. I want peace. I demand of God an inner, incomprehensible, sweet peace. I don’t want to suffer. I don’t want trials. I don’t want to endure. I don’t want to work at it. I want to shortcut to that place where I am, “lacking anything.” I acknowledge it is a process. But Lord, at least give me a little less struggle and a little more peace!
# Just Larry

Devotions, Life

My Peace Meter

Psalm 40:1-3 I waited patiently for the Lord; he turned to me and heard my cry. He lifted me out of the slimy pit, out of the mud and mire; he set my feet on a rock and gave me a firm place to stand. He put a new song in my mouth, a hymn of praise to our God. Many will see and fear the Lord and put their trust in him.
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The peace that comes from being in the right relationship with God is not the peace of this world. There have been times in my life when I have taken a step forward only to slide two steps in the opposite direction on my peace meter. Peace in our current culture is vastly inferior to God’s peace. To those who don’t have God in their lives, peace depends on having favorable circumstances: if things are going well, then we feel peaceful; when things go awry, the peace quickly dissipates. Jesus made the distinction between His peace and the world’s vacillating peace: “Peace I leave with you; my peace I give you. I do not give to you as the world gives.”
It is fundamentally a choice: peace with God through trust or to settle for the less, offered by the world through circumstance.
Just Larry

Devotions, Life, Mercy

Get my brakes fixed, second.

Matthew 6:25,26 “Therefore I tell you, do not worry about your life, what you will eat or drink; or about your body, what you will wear. Is not life more than food, and the body more than clothes? Look at the birds of the air; they do not sow or reap or store away in barns, and yet your heavenly Father feeds them. Are you not much more valuable than they?”
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No one likes to be told what to do! Jesus, are you telling me about how I should live my life? “Do not worry about your life”, sounds like a command. I may not worry as much as others I may know, but there are times when an emotion that could well be characterized as worry does pop its head up in my life. But Jesus, does this mean that when my brakes on my old pickup start to grind and the pedal is as soft as an over-ripe peach, I should not worry about going down the interstate at 70 miles an hour in rush traffic?
Perchance, I think what he is really saying is “Don’t let worry become my conditioned and continual response to circumstances out of my control. I must rely moment by moment on his provision, promises, and plan. First, I must realize God is the source of my peace, and second, get my brakes fixed.
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Just Larry

Culture

What is Wisdom?

What is wisdom? It is not academic, or philosophic, or even intellectual. Wisdom is not knowledge. A person can have a PHD and not be wise but an educated fool. We live in the most skilled, knowledgeable, technically advanced generation ever. But we also live in the most profane, violent, self-centered, and the most divided generation ever. We have knowledge and it results in nothing but chaos. We need wisdom in our government, in our marketplace, in our homes, in our churches, and in our lives. For without wisdom, we are nothing but the sound of waves bashing itself against an immovable shore all sound and fury signifying nothing.
We need to heed the words of James: If any man lacks wisdom, let him ask of God. The “IF” in the beginning of this phrase tells me of four kinds of people. First, there are some that have it and no one listens, second some don’t know they need wisdom, third there are some that know they need wisdom but don’t ask, and fourth there are some that need know their lack and ask of God. It is this fourth type that God will endow with wisdom.

Devotions

Peace in the Morning

Psalm 147:1-6 – “Praise the Lord! How good it is to sing praises to our God, how pleasant and fitting to praise him! The Lord builds up Jerusalem; he gathers the exiles of Israel. He heals the brokenhearted and binds up their wounds. He determines the number of the stars and calls them each by name. Great is our Lord and mighty in power; his understanding has no limit. The Lord sustains the humble but casts the wicked to the ground.”
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This morning as I rub the sleep from my eyes and start a new day, I am amazed by the very presence of God in my life. My mind at this moment is settled on Him. I bask in the light of his love and care. In my brokenness, I am bandaged and healed. I look out at night and am overwhelmed at the number of stars, each with a name. The Lord sustains me.
My thoughts this morning, my focus is a powerful indicator of my level of trust. What I allow to fill my mind with, is not on autopilot, jumping from one thing or the other without end. What I think is done for a reason. I must take thought on my thoughts. I must assess what troubles me and what brings peace and joy. When I do this, I am embarking on an important process of the renewal of my mind. Open my mind, Lord. Renew my mind. I will trust in you for my hope.
May your thoughts be a sign of your nearness and Love of Jesus.
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Just Larry

Devotions

Peace is in my perspective

Romans 8:37 ”But in all these things we overwhelmingly conquer through Him who loved us. For I am convinced that neither death, nor life, nor angels, nor principalities, nor things present, nor things to come, nor powers, nor height, nor depth, nor any other created thing, will be able to separate us from the love of God, which is in Christ Jesus our Lord.”
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The National Science Foundation reports the average person has about 12,000 to 60,000 thoughts per day. Of those thoughts, 80% are negative and of these negative thoughts, 95% are repetitive. I am not average.
Our thought patterns change our behavior. It fills us with half-truths and outright lies. It is a much easier task to find flaws and criticize than to be dazzled by greatness. I believe that my life of thought can be more than negative repetitive thoughts.
I want peace. I crave peace. I demand peace. There must be more than the turmoil around me. I reach out in my thoughts for the better. I crave the mind of Christ. I must focus my mind on the inexpressible excellence of Jesus. It all starts with trust. When our minds start to fear, doubt, and uncertainty, there is an alternative: Trust. We can trust in God to reveal the better, the positive, the peace. Nothing, not even our own negative thoughts can separate our peace. Peace is evidence of trust in a perfect connection to God.
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Just Larry

Assurance, Bible Study, Devotions, Motivation, PINOGAM

Rise and Shine and Give God the Glory

Philippians 4:4-7 – Rejoice in the Lord always; again I will say, rejoice. Let your reasonableness be known to everyone. The Lord is at hand; do not be anxious about anything, but in everything by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known to God. And the peace of God, which surpasses all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus.

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It was no easy time in Philippi when Paul wrote these words. In hard times it is very difficult to “rejoice”. Even more to “rejoice in the Lord, all the time”, without ceasing, continually, without interruption. It is simply crazy talk.  How can I rejoice when the car needs tires, my children are being overwhelmed by their own trials and health situations? When I get close to anyone in any meaningful conversation, I keep feeling their pain, their struggles and, it robs me of my joy.  How can I be full of peace and joy in a world that is all about division, and selfishness? Then Paul piles on with “don’t worry about anything.”

Then when life seems so frustrating and less than meaningful, we find the solution: “In every situation, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God” God’s guarding peace is promised to who pray, with thanksgiving, about everything. No matter how bad or troubling is our situation, we are to pray and give thanks about it all.  Then we will have peace in our situation. And this peace will transcend our ability to understand it.

Devotions

Miracle of Peace

Thought for March 28–

John 14:26-27 “The Advocate, the Holy Spirit, whom the Father will send in My name, will teach you all things and will remind you of everything I have told you. Peace I leave with you; my peace I give to you.  I do not give to you as the world gives.  Do not let your hearts be troubled and do not be afraid.”

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Everywhere I look, there is everything but peace. Wars,  political infighting, and the declining health of those I love, all wanting to steal my inner tranquility.

Like B. J. Thomas sang, “The rain keeps falling on my head, And just like the guy whose feet are too big for his bed, nothing seems to fit,” Life doesn’t conform to my standards.  Yet there is still a feeling of peace in my soul.  Praise God!  My sins are forgiven.  I have declared to be at peace with God.  God is at peace with me. Today I will experience the peace that is simply incomprehensible. I trust in a God that loves, cares, draws, forgives, restores, destroys fear, and limits trouble within my heart.

I live with peace within myself, I live in peace with one another, I live at peace with God.  When things change inside me, things change around me.”

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Devotions, Miracles, Ramblings

Don’t worry, be happy!

Thought for March 27

Matthew 6:25,26  “Therefore I tell you, do not worry about your life, what you will eat or drink; or about your body, what you will wear. Is not life more than food, and the body more than clothes? Look at the birds of the air; they do not sow or reap or store away in barns, and yet your heavenly Father feeds them. Are you not much more valuable than they?”

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The words of the Lord say, “Do not worry about your life.”  This sounds like a command. Worry is my only place to vent when I face the unknown. Come on Jesus this is crazy talk!  Everyone worries. Worry is a part of every person’s life. I may not worry as much as others I may know, but there are times when an emotion that could well be characterized as worry does pop its head up in my life. But Jesus, does this mean that when my brakes on my old pickup start to grind and the pedal is as soft as an over-ripe peach, I should not worry about going down the interstate at 70 miles an hour in rush traffic?

Perchance, I think what he is saying is “Don’t let worry become my response to circumstances out of my control.  I must rely moment by moment on his provision, promises, and plan. First, I must realize God is the source of my peace, and second get my brakes fixed.

“Worry never robs tomorrow of its sorrow, it only saps today of its joy.”  Leo F. Buscaglia

#Just Larry