Active Peace Will Mess Us Up

For a child is born to us, a son is given to us. And the government will rest on his shoulders. These will be his royal titles: Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God, Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace.
(Isaiah 9:6, NLT)

These will be his royal titles: Prince of Peace. . .

I have found that Christmas is a tough time for many individuals. Anxiety peaks, stress builds, and individuals feel stretched and often hopeless. A common cause of internal unrest during Christmas time can be traced to broken relationships.

What can be done?

Active peace reduces anxiety and stress created from broken relationships. Active peace brings down barriers and walls that separate humanity. The difficulty of giving active peace comes from the fact that one must first have peace.

The prophet Isaiah spoke of Christ as the Prince of Peace. Christ demonstrated ultimate active peace by coming to close the great divide between God and humanity. The peace of God is always active, never passive. Peace comes through Christ.

The thing is . . . the active peace of Christ messes with our human response. Our “rights” are exchanged for forgiveness and love through active peace. Thoughts, feelings, and actions are transformed as you and I invite the work of peace to rule in our mind, heart, and soul. Active peace activates our change which activates our ability to make a difference in the world.

Change your corner of the world.
Receive the active peace of Christ.
Allow the active peace of Christ to “mess” with your thoughts, feelings, and actions.
Give peace.
Learning with you to let active peace mess with the mind, heart, and soul,
Shalom,
Kerrie

(All devotions written by Kerrie Palmer ©2007 All Rights Reserved)

Job Opening: Encourager

For a child is born to us, a son is given to us. And the government will rest on his shoulders. These will be his royal titles: Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God, Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace.
(Isaiah 9:6, NLT)
These will be his royal titles: Everlasting Father . . .

There are individuals placed throughout this world that have the distinct gift of encouragement. One encourager has consistently given me a word of encouragement just at the right time. While encouragement takes little effort and is easily dispersed, it seems we in the Western World are more quick to criticize than to encourage. In actuality it is a matter of the mind. Encouragement strengthens an individual, discouragement weakens.

Corrie ten Boom, holocaust survivor and author of the Hiding Place, impacted my thinking of how to approach life. Years ago, I sat under her teaching during a cold, snowy weekend. She outlined the responsibilities of Christ-followers, which includes encouraging rather than discouraging people. A good rule of thumb, she explained, was to give ten authentic encouraging statements before saying anything negative. Of course, it is almost impossible to be discouraging after coming up with ten encouraging statements.

The prophet Isaiah spoke to the people in an era of discouragement. He encouraged the people, promising a Savior would come, delivering them from their plight. He described the Savior as Everlasting Father. He was, is, and always will be God. I can’t imagine a more encouraging word, but to know that Christ was, is, and always will be with us . . . the Everlasting Father.

Make a difference in the world today.
Accept the job of a Christ-follower: Encourager.
Take time to encourage individuals in your corner of the world.
Ask God to give you encouraging words that will matter.
Give authentic words that build up rather than tear down an individual.

Learning with you to speak encouragement,
Shalom,
Kerrie


(All devotions written by Kerrie Palmer ©2007 All Rights Reserved)

God Cares: He Has A Plan

For a child is born to us, a son is given to us. And the government will rest on his shoulders. These will be his royal titles: Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God, Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace.
(Isaiah 9:6, NLT)

These will be his royal titles: Mighty God . . .

We are celebrating Tim today. He came home from Korea and completed our family on December 19, 1988. As our story goes, I began praying about adopting a child from Korea when I was five years old. It doesn’t make sense when you take into account that we did not talk about adoption nor did I know anything about Korea . . . but it is a fact . . . I began talking about and praying about adopting a child at age five. There is no explanation other than God placed the desire into my heart, which was a connection point with the plan of God.

I could write books about the gift of having Timothy in our life . . . and, yet, there is so much more to come . . . the plan of God is incomprehensibly expansive. No one can argue how miraculous it is that Mighty God cares what we do with our life . . . in fact, God orchestrates the desires of our heart in such a way that we become an integral part of His plan for humanity. Yikes! Think about it . . . we have a daily opportunity to be an integral part of work of the Mighty God.

Humanity has not been left alone to figure out how to fit into the plan of God . . . He created human beings to have desires of the heart . . . interest and passion . . . a point of connection . . . to be aligned with His plan. God guides individuals through His Spirit to manage life, gives power to live beyond pressures and problems, and energy to participate in His work. Seriously . . . why do we get so wrapped up in the details of circumstances when God has a plan? It seems like it would be obvious . . . a duh answer. . . turns out humanity can make life very complicated.

Christ came and revealed the way to live.

The prophet Isaiah told us that Jesus Christ was Mighty God. While He took the humble form of a baby, He remained Mighty God. Mind boggling isn’t it?
And so it goes . . . when we connect our life with God . . . develop a personal relationship and participate in His plan for the world . . . well, it is just down right astounding.

So, what is the plan that Mighty God has for you today and tomorrow?
What are the desires that Mighty God has put on your heart?

Celebrate today as a faith marker day: Mighty God has a plan for you to be a part of His integral work today!

Look beyond your circumstances.
Connect with God through the connection point of interests and passion.
Enter into His plan today.
Celebrate living in His plan.


Learning with you to surrender desires of the heart for Mighty God’s plan,
Shalom,
Kerrie

(All devotions written by Kerrie Palmer ©2007 All Rights Reserved)

Words of Comfort

For a child is born to us, a son is given to us. And the government will rest on his shoulders. These will be his royal titles: Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God, Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace.
(Isaiah 9:6, NLT)

These will be his royal titles: Wonderful Counselor . . .

I sat in the dentist office, waiting for Timothy. To be honest, waiting while listening to drills created some discomfort. . . as I thought about the drill in my son's mouth. In the midst of the busy and professional office, the Spirit whispered words of comfort into my soul. . . “Do not worry” . . . “Be anxious for nothing.” [See Philippians 4:6]

Isn’t it amazing when the words of God take form in your mind? Those words began to my prayer . . . as God reminded me that I could trust Him through the process . . .
The prophet Isaiah told us that Christ would be our Wonderful Counselor. Accordingly, Christ told followers not to be troubled:

And I will ask the Father, and he will give you another Counselor, who will never leave you. He is the Holy Spirit, who leads into all truth. The world at large cannot receive him, because it isn't looking for him and doesn't recognize him. But you do, because he lives with you now and later will be in you. No, I will not abandon you as orphans -- I will come to you. (John 14: 16-18, NLT).

Christ-followers never need to go through anything, great or small, alone. He will guide us through every situation.
Receive the gift of the Spirit as Counselor.
Be aware of His presence.
Seek Him .
Receive His Word.

Release . . . relax . . . rejoice.

Learning with you to seek the Wonderful Counselor,
Shalom,
Kerrie

(All devotions written by Kerrie Palmer ©2007 All Rights Reserved)

Do You Know?

For a child is born to us, a son is given to us. And the government will rest on his shoulders. These will be his royal titles: Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God, Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace.
(Isaiah 9:6, NLT)

And the government will rest on his shoulders . . .

My friend often plays the role of a homeless woman in drama productions. Before and after the presentations she stays in the role, connecting with people that cross her path. It seems like we hear how often people ignore the homeless and needy. In actuality, there have only been two occasions when people turned away from her. The great thing . . . the really great thing . . . there are people that responded to her out of love, the most powerful component of living.

Do you know that kind of love?

The book of Isaiah prophesized that the power held in this world through government would ultimately be under the authority of Christ. While governments are motivated by political position, Christ dominates with the power of love. When all is said and done . . . love overpowers whomever, whatever . . .

Do you know the overwhelming love of God?

Is it possible to manage life with the kind of love that overpowers everything and anything?
The true miracle of Christmas is receiving the love of God.

Do you know someone that needs a gift of love?

Make a difference today.
Ask God who needs love today.
Surprise someone and give love through a tangible way.
Learning with you to know and give the power of love,
Shalom,
Kerrie


(All devotions written by Kerrie Palmer ©2007 All Rights Reserved)

If You Can't See

For a child is born to us, a son is given to us. And the government will rest on his shoulders. These will be his royal titles: Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God, Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace.
(Isaiah 9:6, NLT)

A Son is given to us . . .

I drove in ice fog yesterday and decided that it is on my list . . . to never do again. First of all, the challenge of low visibility and icy roads is nothing in comparison with the drivers on the road. Yikes! There are some downright scary drivers. It might seem like a little thing, but if you can’t see why are you passing cars? Note: There may be another car heading your way in the other lane--refrain from passing cars when you can't see!

That said, how often do we live life with limited vision? We don’t know what we are doing . . . we can't see beyond our own life . . . . but . . . oh well. . . we forge ahead . . . and risk other lives as well as our own. Since the ancient days, humanity has looked for a way to be saved from living with limited perspective. Not one human being will escape from the reality of this world; however, there is a bigger picture to be seen than just our own life and circumstances. Our actions impact others.

How is it possible to broaden our perspective?

The process of seeing beyond ourselves begins with the realization that Christ bridges the gap between God and humanity. Receiving Christ, the gift God has given to humanity, changes how we see ourselves and the world around us.

Slow down. Stop. See beyond yourself. Seek Christ. Ask to see what He sees in this world.

Refuse to start your day without seeking Christ first.
Ask Christ to give you eyes to see what He sees in your world.
See more than your own needs.
Slow down throughout the day to see more than yourself.
Ask God to show you what He sees in specific individuals and/or situations.
Proceed through your day with new vision.

Learning with you to see what Christ sees,
Shalom,
Kerrie

The Stripping of Christmas

For a child is born to us, a son is given to us. And the government will rest on his shoulders. These will be his royal titles: Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God, Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace.
(Isaiah 9:6, NLT)

For a child is born to us . . .

Christmas time is not always easy, especially for those grieving the death of someone they love. I have a grieving friend that says that all the decorations seem . . . well . . . dumb. Another grieving friend feels that cheery greeting cards are . . . well . . . incredibly fake. And, yet, another grieving friend finds all the shopping and cooking . . . well . . . a ridiculous use of energy and resources.

While, the tradition of decorating, greetings, shopping, and cooking can bring pleasure to people; it will never produce the peace which comes through the presence of Christ. The perception of what matters changes after we experience loss. Those who grieve discover a stripping of thought, emotions, and actions. When all is said and done, loss enables individuals to see what really matters.

Take time to look through the “stuff” of Christmas.
What really matters?
Determine what you are willing to lose in order to more fully experience the presence and peace of Christ . . . He came simply as a child . . . willing to put all of His power aside that the world might know something more than the traditions of decorating, greetings, shopping, and cooking.
Learning with you to lose some traditions in order to gain more of Christ,
Shalom,
Kerrie

Risk It All

The Lord is my Strength and my Song, and He has become my Salvation; this is my God, and I will praise Him, my father's God, and I will exalt Him.
(Exodus 15: 2, AMP)

Risk is part of living with faith for my friend. He lives in a place where faith requires a daily decision to risk everything. Under those circumstances, my friend has felt the pressure of a gun place against his head for mentioning the name of Christ. Can you imagine? One of the can-you-believe-this-happened-stories occurred when he and two of his friends decided to go to a store to share their faith. Before they entered, my friend suggested they pray. After taking the time to pray, they began to make their way in; however, the whole building blew up as they walked towards it. A bomb had been hidden at the store. The time they took praying saved their lives. That said, my friend explained, “Faith is always a risk.”

The Israelites risked all they knew about life to follow God. The people sang when God protected and delivered them:
The Lord is my strength: God attaches followers with His strength, which is the power provided for those who believe. In surrender, we find strength.

But this precious treasure -- this light and power that now shine within us -- is held in perishable containers, that is, in our weak bodies. So everyone can see that our glorious power is from God and is not our own. (2 Corinthians 4:7, NLT)

The Lord is my song: The human spirit is transformed through the presence of God.

And they were singing the song of Moses, the servant of God, and the song of the Lamb: "Great and marvelous are your actions, Lord God Almighty. Just and true are your ways, O King of the nations. Who will not fear, O Lord, and glorify your name? For you alone are holy. All nations will come and worship before you, for your righteous deeds have been revealed." (Revelations 15:3,4, NLT)

The Lord is my salvation: God has chosen to take action on behalf of humanity. Salvation is not attained by human effort but through the activity of God. Salvation produces the gift of restoration.

It doesn't make any difference now whether we have been circumcised or not. What counts is whether we really have been changed into new and different people.
May God's mercy and peace be upon all those who live by this principle. They are the new people of God. (Galatians 6:15,16, NLT).

Risk it all for Christ to be all in your life today.
Surrender all of your control in every situation.
Receive the power given on the cross . . . confess . . .
”Christ is my strength.”
Receive the gift of transformation through the Spirit of Christ . . . confess . . . “Christ is my song.”
Receive restoration through the peace of Christ. . . confess . . . “Christ is my salvation.”

Learning with you to risk it all for Christ,
Shalom,
Kerrie

Uncomfortable Faith

THEN MOSES and the Israelites sang this song to the Lord, saying, I will sing to the Lord, for He has triumphed gloriously; the horse and his rider or its chariot has He thrown into the sea.
(Exodus 15: 1, AMP)

A fellow student shared a story . . . actually not just a story . . . an amazing true story. He grew up in a place where the government hassled Christ-followers and dictated the churches; however, his family openly professed their faith in Christ and pastored a church without the sanction of the government. My friend's family received routine terrorizing visits from the police during his childhood. The police focused on his father who often would be beaten and imprisoned. Despite their difficulties, their faith grew and their commitment to serve Christ deepened.

Faith that grows in the midst of persecution is authentic faith. Honestly, most Westerners have not experienced persecution of that magnitude for following Christ. Faith is acceptable, often . . . comfortable . . . and rarely a risk.

The Israelites lived a life of oppression and persecution. Their persecutors terrorized them to the end. Their faith soared when they realized that God had protected them and their persecutors perished. They stopped . . . in awe of God . . . and sang . . . imagine the sound of music . . . given the fact that it has been estimated that there were approximately 2 million people . . . a population of a very large city . . . all singing. They did not know the details of their future but they put their faith in God and sang.



How does faith grow?

What is honestly worth the risk to have faith in Christ?

What do you put your faith in?

Take time to assess your faith.

Determine to have uncomfortable faith.

Sing to God.


Learning with you to live with uncomfortable faith,
Shalom,
Kerrie

Are You Aware?

When the people of Israel saw the mighty power that the LORD had displayed against the Egyptians, they feared the LORD and put their faith in him and his servant Moses.
(Exodus 14: 31, NLT)

We had a few snowflakes fall yesterday. I walked out into the church foyer and heard the news, “It’s snowing outside!” Actually, several people told me. I could see the small little flakes fluttering through the air; however, my awareness of the flakes heightened through their excitement.

It made me think . . . humanity is surrounded by the presence of God; however, it is easy to respond to life as if God is not present or in control. Awareness of the presence, power, and peace of God changes the perception of life and ultimately how life is managed. Think about it, the Israelites were in the presence of God.
Did they understand what it meant to be in the presence of God?
Did they understand His power?
Did they have they peace in knowing His presence?
Do we?

The story of Exodus begins . . .
God . . .
Hears their cries . . .
Takes action . . .
Liberates them from the oppression of slavery . . .
Provides a way to a new life . . .
Protects them from the enemy of their past . . .
Opens the Red Sea and provides a dry pathway through . . .
BUT . . .
Only when they saw Egyptians drown would the Israelites put their faith in God.
Through it all, the Israelites perceived that the oppressors, the Egyptians, had enough power to conquer them regardless of the presence and power of God.

The word, put, requires action. How do we put our faith in God?
Take time to actively put your faith in God.
Breathe.
Recognize the presence of God.
Be aware of His presence . . . His power . . . His peace.
Be at peace.
Learning with you to live life through the presence, power, and peace of God,
Shalom,
Kerrie

(All devotions written by Kerrie Palmer ©2007 All Rights Reserved)

The people of Israel had walked through the middle of the sea on dry land, as the water stood up like a wall on both sides. (Exodus 14: 29, NLT)


Friends had their baby this week . . . a perfect baby . . . perfectly cared for . . . no problems . . . no challenges . . . loved fully and wholly (PS . . . by the Way . . . in my view . . . babies are the happiness of the world). Except not all babies are loved, some babies are forgotten, mistreated, and/or barely tolerated. While it's true, it seems so unfair.

Think about it . . .

Have you ever wondered how life can sometimes be so difficult, I mean . . . really difficult?

Have you ever wondered how you possibly survived the difficulties you faced in the past?

Have you ever wondered how you will manage any difficulties?

Difficulties are a part of living on earth. How we manage difficulties will be determined if we manage our own way or through the presence and power of Christ. He is the Way through all things in life.

Have you ever wondered if Christ Jesus can really be true?

Have you ever wondered if the presence of Christ has really has made this world different?

While walking through the middle of the sea on dry ground could be considered the most amazing experience . . . connecting with the presence of God through a baby in a manager is out of this world . . . downright . . . unbelievable. Have you ever wondered how the Israelites felt after they walked through the sea on dry ground? There must have been a time of silence . . . there are no words to describe the moment a soul is delivered from the pressures of oppression.

Christ came to make a Way out of the darkness of oppression into the light of liberation.

Take time to wonder . . .

Agree to accept the freedom of Christ within your mind, heart, and soul.

Breathe.

Celebrate the wonder.

Learning with you to take time to wonder about life and learn about the power of Christ,
Shalom,
Kerrie

(All devotions written by Kerrie Palmer ©2007 All Rights Reserved)

DONE!

The waters covered all the chariots and charioteers -- the entire army of Pharaoh. Of all the Egyptians who had chased the Israelites into the sea, not a single one survived.
(Exodus 14: 28, NLT)

The storm of 2007 in the Northwest is done; however, there has been devastation for many people to manage. Power and phone service has for the most part returned. Flood waters are receding. While there will be work to recover from the damage . . . there is a calm after the storm. The storm is done . . . work has begun.

DONE is a powerful word. The word, DONE, can be defined as finished, completed, and concluded.

Imagine the scene. The drama reached a crescendo . . . the Israelites were:
Finally released through a series of divine interventions . . .
Freed with hope for the future . . .
Followed by their past oppressors . . .
Frightened for their life . . .
Found fault with Moses (their leader) for the way things are going . . .
Focused once again on God . . .
Furnished with a way for complete release . . .

The drama ended . . . a quietness came over all the people . . . their oppressors were dead . . . the pursuit over . . . done . . . it was time to begin to live . . . really live without the pressure of their oppressors.

Christ has provided a way for us to move through a process to be freed from oppressive hurt and problems that keep us from really living. He leads us to a quiet place to find His peace that has been issued from the cross . . . the moment . . . God exchanged Himself for the oppression of darkness and turmoil that humanity experiences. In Christ’s words:

"It is finished!" Then he bowed his head and gave up his spirit. (John 19:30, NLT)

The power of oppression and darkness is gone . . .it is finished . . .DONE!
Find peace in every situation through Christ.
Refuse to be managed by problems.
Become quiet.
Seek Christ.
Let go of the pressures.
Receive the peace that has been issued to you on the cross.
Remember Christ’s words . . . done.


Learning with you that the power of oppression is over . . . peace has been issued,
Shalom,
Kerrie

(All devotions written by Kerrie Palmer ©2007 All Rights Reserved)

Life Can Be Messy

So as the sun began to rise, Moses raised his hand over the sea. The water roared back into its usual place, and the LORD swept the terrified Egyptians into the surging currents.

(Exodus 14: 27, NLT)

The storm has passed; however, the path of the storm’s destruction remains. Some individuals had to be evacuated; others remain in the dark today. Floods and high winds have left messes behind them.

Storms in our personal lives are similar. Unforeseen problems can seem to gain power and create messes to clean up. Exodus 14 paints a picture of the messiness of life. The Israelites who lived for centuries under oppression are released and then pursued. God provided the estimated two million men, women, and children with a pathway to freedom; however, it takes time and effort to move across the pathway. The Egyptians, the oppressors and pursuers, can’t let go of what they want, and put all of their effort and energy into what they wanted. What a mess . . .

The messiness of life makes me tired. Seriously . . . the picture of the Israelites reflect the process of being released from problems . . . problems become a part of the past . . . release occurs . . . BUT . . . the problems return with a vengeance.

Or . . . the picture of Egyptians reflect the problem of letting go of wants and habits . . . things that don’t belong . . . the process of letting go of what doesn’t belong in life is downright difficult . . . finally what doesn’t belong is let go . . . BUT . . . it is too difficult to let go . . . so all energy and effort is directed to the problem of getting back what doesn’t belong in life.

Then . . . a new day . . . the sun comes up and God issues power to Moses . . . the wall of waters begin moving with a roar . . . and the Egyptians are left to drown. WOW!

Moving through problems can be difficult but God entrusts those who seek Him with power to move through the process. BUT . . . Umm . . . yeah . . . turns out putting energy and effort into whatever does not belong in our life is not a good idea. Life is messy.

Christ Jesus purposefully experienced the messiness of humanity.
Christ Jesus promises to never leave us in our personal messiness of life.
Christ Jesus invites us to come to Him in the messiness of life . . .
Today is a new day.
Let go of what needs to be let go.
Receive the power of Christ to move forward.

Learning with you that how to process the messiness through Christ,
Shalom,
Kerrie

(All devotions written by Kerrie Palmer ©2007 All Rights Reserved)

Which Way?

The Israelites walked through the sea on dry ground with the waters a wall to the right and to the left. The Egyptians came after them in full pursuit, every horse and chariot and driver of Pharaoh racing into the middle of the sea. It was now the morning watch. GOD looked down from the Pillar of Fire and Cloud on the Egyptian army and threw them into a panic. He clogged the wheels of their chariots; they were stuck in the mud.
The Egyptians said, "Run from Israel! GOD is fighting on their side and against Egypt!"
(Exodus 14: 22-25, The Message)

A December storm has blown in . . . wind and rain has inundated Northwest Oregon and Washington. There are coastal flood watches and hurricane force wind warnings. In fact, the high winds have knocked out a good portion of the coast’s power. Accordingly, the winds are preventing the restoration of power. Traffic has been reduced because of high water, covering highways and roads. Those that are outdoors in the stormy weather have been asked to be cautious and on guard for fallen trees and limbs as well as power lines.

It is unbelievable that weather, in this era, can create such chaos. Then again, let’s be honest . . . it doesn’t take much for daily living patterns to be thrown off. I mean really . . . life seems to be going well . . . one thing changes . . . chaos takes over . . . so much for schedules and order. . . nothing seems to go according to plans.

How does chaos occur so quickly when we think everything is under control?

Look at the story of the Egyptians who went after the Israelites in full pursuit. The Egyptians, the Israelites’ former oppressors, were stronger and had more resources than the former slaves. Even so, the Egyptians pursued the Israelites in their own power, going their own way. While the Israelites were weak, they were in the power of God, going where God was going.

Everything seemed to go wrong for the Egyptians when they attempted to cross the Red Sea . . . they lost control . . . chaos occurred. In reality, everything went wrong long before they entered the Red Sea . . . chaos was set into motion when the Egyptians went their own way rather than God’s way.

Circumstances seemingly direct the course of life; however, the direction we take . . . God’s way or away from God . . . dictates the course of life.

Take time to determine God's way.
Examine the way you are going today.
Go where God is going.

Learning with you to go where God is going,
Shalom,
Kerrie

(All devotions written by Kerrie Palmer ©2007 All Rights Reserved)