Even though we live in a world that is getting darker, we can thank God that it is still very unlike what it was in Paul’s day. Paul suffered much in many of the places he went to.

The verse for today reveals God’s intention for believers. He desires to give us hope in our daily lives. This is not a wish that you only have hope on Sundays, but 24/7.

God also desires that we have joy and peace, which will come to us through faith in Him and His promises. We are to focus on His ability to keep and protect us as long as we are in His will. He will not permit anything to touch us, except He should allow it.

The reason God does this is so that we may have hope – and have an abundance of it. He wants us to keep in mind that He is still in control and that He will win over all evil.

It is the Holy Spirit that gives us that kind of hope. In order to have it, we must be in tune with and obedient to His will. His power gives us these blessings.

When we are with Christ in Heaven, our battles and strife will be over. It will be glorious on that day when our feet touch the streets of gold, and our eyes behold His beauty. Our hope lies in the finished work of Christ on the Cross and in His ability to bring us Home when it comes time – which may not be long.

Christians can run into difficulties, hardships, temptations, and trials often. We need God’s help every day.

Our battle is a spiritual one and the real enemy is a spiritual one. He and his forces cannot be hurt by fleshly means. Our flesh is weak, and it suffers from spiritual battles. Paul talked about it, in his case, as causing his outward man to perish.

Now, most of us do not experience what Paul went through, but the daily problems still cause weariness of our flesh. The question is: Where do you go to help find relief?

Of course, the answer ought to be to the secret place – where we can meet with our Help and peace. We are told that our Father will hear us in the secret place of prayer. And when we commit to Him our problems, and ourselves, He can give us the peace that passes the understanding. There is none greater.

God’s peace within our hearts produces calmness, quietness, and trust in Him that He can take care of it. At other times, in the secret place, we can find solutions to our needs, joy, direction, and strength for the day.

What is your need today? You can be sure that if you want to please God, that time spent in the secret place of prayer will help. Like Paul, you can also find strength from His presence to “faint not” (quit).

Our world seems to have less and less peace these days. There certainly are wars and rumors of wars filling the news media today.

When Jesus was speaking to a mixed audience of believers and non-believers, He told them: “Suppose ye that I am come to give peace on earth? I tell you, Nay; but rather division” (Lu. 12:51). Just two verses before this, He told them: “I am come to send fire on the earth.” He does not intend to send peace to an unbelieving world.

To the Christian, however, those who are His born-again children, He has a very different message. To His disciples, He said: “Peace I leave with you, my peace I give unto you: not as the world giveth, give I unto you. Let not your heart be troubled, neither let it be afraid” (Jn. 14:27).

God wants us to have peace in our hearts. It is a calming peace, a peace greater than the troubles around us, and a peace better than anything the world can give us.

People of the world often have anxiety – and lots of it. They treat it with pills, drugs, and counseling sessions with psychologists. Christians can go to the Lord in prayer at any time and get their peace restored. What a blessing that is!

The last thing that needs to be said about peace is that God wants us to have peace with other believers. In Mr. 9:50, Jesus said: “Salt is good: but if the salt have lost his saltness, wherewith will ye season it? Have salt in yourselves, and have peace one with another.”

Do you have peace in your heart right now? Jesus is the only Source of real peace. It is a fruit of the Spirit. We must obey and fellowship with Him often to maintain the wonderful peace He gives.

The Bible has a lot to say about anger. Generally, it is not good.

The Bible does not forbid anger, but it does say that there is a time and a place for it. The text verse for today allows anger, but it also gives two conditions for it:

1. Do not sin when you are angry
2. Do not maintain your anger after sunset.

When we get angry, we are often one step away from sinning. If we are quick to be angry, as many people are today, we need to heed Ec. 7:9, which says: “Be not hasty in thy spirit to be angry: for anger resteth in the bosom of fools.”

The fruit of the Spirit is longsuffering and peace. Anger usually demonstrates a lack of both. Although the Bible often tells us that the Lord is angry at certain sins, His anger is always righteous. It is never because He is out of control – as we may be when we get angry.

The Bible also warns us in Pr. 14:17: “He that is soon angry dealeth foolishly: and a man of wicked devices is hated.” Being quick to get angry often demonstrates a lack of Spirit control. It can quickly lead to sins of the mouth, and more, which can destroy your testimony in seconds.

We are also told to get rid of anger by sundown. Forgive that person in your heart quickly lest it lead to bitterness and ongoing anger. We must do this because the thoughts we have before we go to bed are often the first thoughts we have in the morning – which would allow the anger to perpetuate.

Thank God that His Holy Spirit can control our anger. Confess uncontrolled anger to God as sin and ask Him to help you control it by His Spirit. Remember that there are often only a couple of seconds between a situation that is apt to make you angry and asking God for help.

This well-known verse is known to many believers, but it is questionable that many know what it means. The first thing that stands out is that it is the Holy Spirit’s fruit – not ours.

He is the producer of these fruits, and not us. That means that when the Holy Spirit is in control that He will produce a supernatural level of these qualities that will likely surprise you at first.

Instead of getting angry at something that would usually upset you, you will find yourself experiencing an unusual degree of calmness. The same is true for the other fruits mentioned.

These nine qualities are not generated by us. We do not have to work them out, but we must be willing to let the Spirit work in those circumstances, so that He can produce the fruit in us.

It is interesting that the first fruit mentioned is love. Remember that God is love, and a person without love, or who has obvious hatred toward an individual or group of people, is not walking in the light. Paul mentioned that “the love of God is shed abroad in our hearts by the Holy Ghost which is given unto us.” (Ro. 5:5).

Christians also will not be suffering from anxiety when the Spirit is in charge. They will have the peace that passes the understanding. Our world is becoming less Christian friendly. If you want His supernatural peace, surrender to do His will and He will give you the fruit of the Spirit. Remember that this speaks of an inner peace – not necessarily an outward one.

The world continues to try and find solutions to bring peace to a troubled world. It will never find the peace it is looking for. Offers and agreements of peace are drawn up – but warring sides are not interested, allowing the violence and death to continue.

There is only one Source of true peace and it is Jesus Christ. He alone is able to say to the storm “peace, be still,” and it obeys Him. He also came to “guide our feet into the way of peace” (Lk. 1:79).

Individuals – even believers – often cannot find the peace they seek because they are looking for it in the wrong place. Peace of heart does not come through wealth, prestige, loved ones, security, or fame. Jesus Christ did not come to give peace to the world, but to His faithful disciples. The text verse reveals that inner peace can only be enjoyed by those who have a right relation to the Word of God and its principles.

Many believers today remain troubled in heart and mind – but they do not have to be troubled. Jesus said: “Peace I leave with you, my peace I give unto you: not as the world giveth, give I unto you. Let not your heart be troubled, neither let it be afraid” (John 14:27). The words “let not your heart be troubled” reveal that it is a choice. You either want to obey God or you do not.

The peace that the faithful and obedient believer can have is one that is not offended easily. They know Who it is that takes care of them. Psalm 23 also says that they “shall not want.” It is hard to have a troubled mind when we have a Savior that protects, provides, loves, answers prayer, and can be contacted day or night.

Christian, are you troubled right now? Remember His prayer promise in Philippians 4:6,7, which says: “Be careful for nothing; but in every thing by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known unto God. And the peace of God, which passeth all understanding, shall keep your hearts and minds through Christ Jesus.” You can have His peace and joy again.

Have you honestly prayed about it and left the results to Him?

Immediately after Jesus told the woman caught in adultery “Neither do I condemn thee: go, and sin no more,” He gave the words of this verse to her and to all those around Him.

These verses reveal that God does not give forgiveness to those who plan to go on sinning after they make a profession of faith. He seeks repentance – a change of heart and mind toward sin – with a whole-hearted desire to serve Him.

If He did not have such expectations, there would be no point in making us “new creatures” in Christ. At true salvation (yes, there are many who only think they have it – but do not) God gives to the believer everything needed for victory over sin.

The text verse says that the followers of Christ “shall not walk in darkness.” “Old things are passed away.” However, God always gives a choice. Walking in sin can no longer satisfy and He will chasten those who continue to rebel against His leading.

To believers who seek to draw nigh to God and follow Him, He promises to give them “the light of life.” It refers to the guidance of His Spirit through this dark world, and wisdom to know how to please God.

When a Christian strays from God’s chosen path – even a little bit, they lose His guidance, peace, and joy – and other fruits of the Spirit. They start walking in darkness – alone without His leading. Getting right, confessing your sin with a true desire to serve Him faithfully, is the key to returning to the light God wants to give you every day.

When Jesus visited Mary and Martha – probably not the first time – Mary knew that time spent with the Master would be limited. Both Mary and Martha had the same choice to make.

Mary chose the better option – spending time learning from the Lord Jesus. Martha chose to serve.

Jesus pointed out to Martha that she was “careful and troubled about many things.” Apparently, she worried a lot and had never learned the value of spending time alone with the Lord. This was, of course, the cause of her anxiety.

When we spend time with Christ in Bible reading and prayer, He gives peace and joy. Jesus next statement sums up the benefit of time spent with Christ and shutting out the world for a little while: “But one thing is needful: and Mary hath chosen that good part, which shall not be taken away from her” (vs. 42).

We all can cope better with the pressures of the day when we spend time with God in worship and devotions. Have you chosen “that good part,” today, or will you be “troubled about many things?”

In our world today, the sounds of war and rumors of war certainly are increasing. New nations are rising up to join in the fight in the world’s hotspots. Truly, the world is not having peace – but the believer can.

The above verse is a promise from God. He knows how to give peace when there is none around. The peace He gives is in the heart. It is not dependent on circumstances, place, position (rank), or the prospect of a better day. His peace can calm the heart and mind so that you can think and react the way He wants you to.

Jesus promised to give a kind of peace that is not found in this world. It is a Divine peace that comes only from Him. In John 14:27, He promised: “Peace I leave with you, my peace I give unto you: not as the world giveth, give I unto you. Let not your heart be troubled, neither let it be afraid.”

The text verse states that His peace is available to believers who will:

1. Keep their thoughts on Christ
2. Trust His promises daily.

The only way to do this is to stay much in the Word of God. Start your day with it and end your day with it. It will help you keep your mind and thoughts on Him through the day. Read one or two chapters and pray to start your day, and one chapter before you go to bed. It will make a difference if you also ask God to guide you and help you live what you read.

If you are troubled about events in the world, realize that the Lord Jesus Christ is not at all troubled by it. God’s plan is being carried out perfectly – and He can take care of you.

Someone said: “Why pray when you can worry?” Of course, you know it should be the other way around. If you are worrying about situations in your life, why not take time right now and give it to God? He knows how to guide you through it – or take care of it for you.

Attitudes everywhere seem to be changing. Things that were once highly respected are now disdained and rejected. Some people are said to be “woke.” The current generation shows little respect for anything – even themselves. Pleasure has become the goal of the day and following one’s own will.

It seems that this godless attitude is even prevalent among many professing believers. Even many lost people in this country once had a “fear of God,” which was sufficient to restrain a lot of evil. Now, it seems that the fear of the Lord is not present – except in a few.

How to define “fear of God”? It is not difficult. Proverbs itself gives us a good idea. The phrase “fear of the LORD” occurs 14 times in the book. Proverbs 16:6 says: “By mercy and truth iniquity is purged: and by the fear of the LORD men depart from evil.” This verse reveals that it is an attitude that causes men to “depart from evil.”

It is not a fear that causes one to think that God will beat them over the head with a club when you step out of line. Rather, it is a deep-rooted growing love for God and His truth and fellowship with Him that you do not want to disrupt or lose. The joy and peace gained from that fellowship cannot be replaced by anything this world offers – why would anyone want something else? Of course, as Proverbs 16:6 hints – evil (sin) will be forsaken.

Notice another facet of the “fear of the Lord.” Proverbs 19:23 reveals: “The fear of the LORD tendeth to life: and he that hath it shall abide satisfied; he shall not be visited with evil.” The “life” promised in this verse is not biological life – but an abundant life that only God can give. Notice also the phrase “shall abide satisfied.” It could also be said they will be content – something that very few people have today.

A third verse says: “By humility and the fear of the LORD are riches, and honour, and life” (Proverbs 22:4). True wealth is not measured in dollars and cents – which can disappear faster than it comes.

The things worth having, as one grows in the Lord and in the knowledge of Him, will bring the lasting riches, the honor, and the kind of life that is worth having – without regrets.

The fear of God is very much needed today. The first occurrence of the phrase “fear of the Lord” is in Proverbs 1:7: “The fear of the LORD is the beginning of knowledge: but fools despise wisdom and instruction.” It reveals that you cannot understand God’s ways or will apart from having the “fear of the Lord.” He wants to teach you many valuable things, but you cannot learn them apart from a right attitude toward sin and God.