Monday, September 14, 2020. Peace Within: Knowing and believing God's word brings peace
Monday, September 14, 2020
Peace Within
Knowing and believing God’s word brings peace
You keep him in perfect peace whose mind is stayed on you, because he trusts in you. Trust in the Lord forever, for the Lord God is an everlasting rock. Isaiah 26:3-4 ESV
Last week we unfolded how knowing and believing God’s character brings peace within our hearts. This week’s topic is very similar: knowing and believing God’s word brings his peace. As we look at this concept, it’s important to note that this week’s posts will have a little different format than the previous weeks. Instead of focusing on a daily passage and then also having “for further reading verses” at the end of our posts, we will be looking at only our “header verse” each day. As we read the selected daily verse at the top of the post, we will then introduce a different “Bible study technique” that will help us to know God’s word in a deeper way. The deeper our knowledge, understanding, and belief in God’s word, the deeper our peace.
Our first Bible study tactic is: using different translations of the Bible. The Bible’s original manuscript was written in the extensive Hebrew and Greek language, so when translating it, many different words can be derived from one single Hebrew or Greek word. For example, our header verses are written in the English Standard Version, which is a “word for word” translation. Listed below are two other translations of the same verse. The first one is in the New Living Translation, which is a “thought by thought” translation, and then the second one is in the Message, which is a “concept by concept” translation. Remember if you watched this weekend’s video, you don't need to have multiple Bibles to access different translations. What you need is right there on your phone or computer and you can choose the translations you want to compare ! Now, let’s reread the header verse above and then compare in the following translations:
You will keep in perfect peace all who trust in you, all whose thoughts are fixed on you! Trust in the Lord always, for the Lord God is an eternal Rock. Isaiah 26:3-4 NLT
People with their minds set on you, you keep completely whole. Steady on their feet because they keep at it and don’t quit. Depend on God and keep at it because in the Lord God you have a sure thing. Isaiah 26:3-4 MSG
What words are different, yet similar in meaning? How did this help you better understand the verses? What else did you learn due to reading this selected scripture in three different versions? What information kept surfacing to the top in all three translations? I am a pretty simple minded person and always looking for key words or short phrases without the fluff so I can better understand the main idea. What boiled up to the surface to me when I mixed all three translations in the pot was: If I want to be steady, stable, and have peace (and I DO want that), there is just ONE who can give me this and He is where I need to keep my focus. I don't need to be analyzing all the thoughts in my head (like I WANT to do), I just need to follow the directions and keep my eyes on Jesus. Also, I loved the word “whole” used The Message. Yes, absolutely I want to be made completely WHOLE by the Lord!
Today, take God’s words to heart. Choose to live them out. Set your mind on the Lord…keep at it and don’t quit…trust in him always… and he will keep you in perfect peace and make you a whole person!
Father God,
We don't often think about all the information at our finger tips and thank You for it. Today we thank You for all the different translations and the ways we can access Your word. What a gift that is. Open our eyes this week to the “tools’ available to help us dig deeper into understanding and knowing who You are and where our source of peace begins. You are our rock and our salvation here on earth as well as in heaven. Let us not forget that for one second. May our eyes be fixed on You, sweet Jesus. Amen.
