bible verses – Jars of Joy LLC

Don’t Panic. God’s Peace Is Greater.

When you hear the word peace, what comes to mind?

The iconic symbol of the 1960s?
A day soaking up sun by still waters?
A lack of conflict?

I can’t help but think of Gracie Lou Freebush’s “And…world peace,” quote from Miss Congeniality. 😂

But, seriously, what exactly is peace? According to the dictionary, it is freedom from disturbance; tranquility. Sounds pretty nice, doesn’t it?

In biblical times, people would use “Shalom”—or simply “peace”—as a greeting or farewell, much like how Hawaiians use “Aloha” to mean “hello” or “goodbye”. (Sorry, Miss Congeniality quotes on the brain again! 😜) Anyway, we see Jesus offering a peaceful farewell to His disciples after His resurrection, shortly before His ascension into heaven:

“Peace I leave with you; my peace I give you. I do not give to you as the world gives. Do not let your hearts be troubled and do not be afraid.” John 14:27

The disciples are no doubt concerned about what life will look like without their friend and leader. Jesus reassures them and blesses them with the gift of the Holy Spirit who is to be their Helper (v. 26).

As believers, we have this same Holy Spirit who offers us a peace that is out of this world. The best peace this world can provide is temporary, circumstantial, and dependent upon fallible men. But we are told in Philippians 4:7 that the peace we have in Christ supersedes even human understanding; it’s supernatural. In fact, it will guard our hearts and minds! Imagine God’s soldiers standing at the entrance to your heart and brain, defending and protecting you against Satan’s attacks. Such cool imagery!

If you’re struggling with worry today, here are five pointers for finding God’s peace:

Pray. Cast your anxiety on Him because He cares for you (1 Peter 5:7). Surrender what is weighing you down and humbly accept that you need help—we all do!

Spend time in Scripture. Here are some verses to get you started. Write them on notecards; keep them in your purse, or display them on a mirror, nightstand, or desk.

Romans 15:13
Romans 14:17
Ephesians 2:14
Philippians 4:7
John 16:33
Psalm 23

Read Found: God’s Peace by John MacArthur. This book teaches Christians how to experience true freedom from anxiety in every circumstance. It’s a short, easy read with a biblical approach.

Repent of any unconfessed sin and walk in obedience. Isaiah 32:17 states that the fruit of righteousness will be peace. This doesn’t mean living God’s way will provide an easy life, but it does mean we will have an inner tranquility knowing we are following His will.

Talk to a Christian mentor, pastor, or trusted friend. Christians are not meant to be islands; we are to meet, encourage, and help one another (Hebrews 10:24-25). Carefully weigh his or her advice against Scripture.

Let’s steep our panic in God’s peace today, friend. We were not meant to carry the burdens of life alone (Matthew 11:28-30).

Your Season Has a Purpose

As winter hangs on, I find myself longing for spring. I’m eagerly anticipating warmer weather, tulips, and all things pastel. But I’ve been wondering, am I too eager for the next season? Am I missing the beauty of the here and now, like the way the snow glitters in the sunlight, or the magnificent sunsets God paints in the evening? Yes, sometimes I am.

This can be true in life, too. I’m getting to the age now (can’t believe I’m using that phrase) where I can look back on my life and see definite seasons. There were seasons of hard times that I wished would pass. There were things that I longed for so much so that I didn’t keep my eyes focused on what God had in front of me.

Can you relate?

I wish I could tell you that your life will soon be rainbows and sunshine, but unfortunately that’s not always the case. Life isn’t as predictable as spring, summer, fall, and winter, is it? Here’s one thing I know, though: Your season has a purpose.

Scripture teaches us that the Lord works out everything to its proper end (Proverbs 16:4), and that He works all things for the good of those who love Him, who have been called according to His purpose (Romans 8:28). Friend, God wastes nothing.

If you’re in a difficult season right now, it will likely pass with time. However, let me be clear that Jesus didn’t die to give us worldly happiness. He doesn’t promise you will get the job promotion or have the baby you’ve been longing for. But, He does call us to cast our anxiety on Him (1 Peter 5:7) and to seek first His kingdom and His righteousness (Matthew 6:33).

James 1:2-3 says, “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.” Notice Paul tells us to consider it joy. It’s not naturally joyful to face a trial, but we should find joy in knowing we will be strengthened in our faith through it.

So, I encourage you to get on your knees and in your Bible. Your hardship is God’s invitation to a closer relationship with Him. I can think of nothing more beautiful about this season and no greater purpose for it.

5 Ways to Focus on Faith with a Busy Schedule

You hustle hard all day long between your 9-5, helping the kids with homework, and doing the ever-growing heap of laundry. When is there time for your faith with such a crazy schedule?

I’ve wondered the same thing.

Here’s the cold hard truth that I discovered, though: There is no season with more time than another; life is always going to be busy.

You’re probably thinking, “Ashley, I thought you were going to solve my problem. Thanks a lot!”

Hold up, friend. The reality is that we must make time for Bible study. There is no substitute for focused time in His Word regularly. For me, it means getting up earlier and starting with my quiet time. Otherwise, I get sucked into my task list. What’s that time for you? You can find resources to help you in my blog called “Three Resources for Better Bible Study”.

Ok, that’s enough tough love for today. 😉

As promised, here are five tips for staying focused on Jesus throughout your busy day. When implemented, you will feel uplifted and refreshed.

1. Listen to sermons or podcasts. You can do so while you make dinner, on your lunch break, or when you’re showering. If you find yourself distracted, the beauty is you can listen again and again to get the most out of each teaching. I recommend sermons by John MacArthur, as well as messages from Emmanuel Community Church.

2. Trade screen time for Jesus time. If you’re like me, you’re tempted to grab your phone and scroll through social media whenever you have a few minutes. But what would our lives look like if we spent that time in God’s Word? For help staying accountable, try an app like the iPhone’s “Screen Time” to limit your focus on the phone. Don’t know what to read? Find out what passage your pastor will be preaching from on Sunday and read it throughout your week.

3. Start a prayer journal. This might sound like more work, but I want you to focus on writing down and praying for just three things a day. Use your phone, a notebook or whatever is convenient for you. Don’t know what to pray about? Try the JOY method:

JESUS – Thank Him for the blessings in your life and praise Him for who He is.
OTHERS – Lift up a friend or family member in prayer. Chances are someone has requested you pray for them recently. Go with that.
YOURSELF – What’s on your mind/heart? Is there any unconfessed sin weighing you down?

Pray when you’re waiting to pick up your kids from practice, when you’re getting ready in the morning, or when you’re packing lunches. The best part is you will be able to look back at your journal and see the ways God has answered.

4. Listen to Christian music. I do this while I’m working, especially when I am having a particularly bad day. You will be amazed what it does for your mood. Music is also a great companion while you drive or work out. The song lyrics will get stuck in your head and encourage you for days to come. If you don’t have a Christian radio station in your area, try using an app like K-LOVE or Spotify.

5. Memorize Scripture. Again, this may seem like just another task, but it doesn’t have to take a lot of time. Don’t know where to start? Check out Bible Gateway’s verse of the day or follow @bible_verses365_ on Instagram; commit to memorizing just one of those verses a week. Or, check out our sets of 52 Scripture cards, designed to help you memorize verses for a year. Display them on your night stand, desk, fridge, mirror, or anywhere you will frequently see them.

Overall, the key is multi-tasking, time replacement, and short but frequent times with the Lord throughout your day. Let the above ideas act as a springboard for your Bible study time. You’ve got this, sister!