Have you ever wanted something so bad that it hurt? You went to the extent of pleading with God for a new car, the dream job, a boyfriend or girlfriend, your child’s award, your sister coming to Christ, financial support for a mission trip… you add to the list.

Whether it’s spiritual or material, we can get pretty worked up about the thing we have our sights set on. A life of peace has been replaced by a life in pieces.

Then there are those situations you want to escape from. A horrible work environment, bad home life, constant financial distress, a church that you can’t stand anymore… again, you fill in the blank.

This where you can experience God's supernatural peace. Let's see how in today's audio devotional.

KEY PASSAGE:

Proverbs 16:1-3, 9 ESV

The plans of the heart belong to man,
but the answer of the tongue is from the Lord.
All the ways of a man are pure in his own eyes,
but the Lord weighs the spirit.
Commit your work to the Lord,
and your plans will be established.
The heart of man plans his way,
but the Lord establishes his steps.

RESOURCES:

--> Take the Free PERSONAL SELF-ASSESSMENT. It only takes 3 minutes. Download it at www.retreatingwithgod.org.

Visit FRESH FAITH 24/7, a place where you can retreat with God and get to know him more deeply: www.freshfaith247.com.

Connect with Jon at jon@freshfaith247.com

Fear has a way of playing with our emotions. It can rattle us, paralyze us.

Fear has a way of amplifying small, negative thoughts that creep into our minds. We even project things that aren’t likely to happen. Most of our fears never come true.

In the Old Testament, God sent 12 spies into the land of Canaan, which he was going to give Israel. He stated it so clearly to Moses, “Send men to spy out the land of Canaan, which I am giving to the people of Israe.” (Numbers 13:1 ESV).

The spies went in and saw the land flowing the milk and honey, truly God’s wonderful gift. But they observed that the people living there were strong and lived in fortified cities. Out of fear, they reported back, “The land, through which we have gone to spy it out, is a land that devours its inhabitants, and all the people that we saw in it are of great height” (Numbers 13:32 ESV).

We'll examine that story today in our audio devotional.

KEY PASSAGE:

1 John 4:15-18 (NIV)

If anyone acknowledges that Jesus is the Son of God, God lives in them and they in God. And so we know and rely on the love God has for us.

God is love. Whoever lives in love lives in God, and God in them. This is how love is made complete among us so that we will have confidence on the day of judgment: In this world we are like Jesus. There is no fear in love. But perfect love drives out fear.

RESOURCES:

--> Take the Free PERSONAL SELF-ASSESSMENT. It only takes 3 minutes. Download it at www.retreatingwithgod.org.

Visit FRESH FAITH 24/7, a place where you can retreat with God and get to know him more deeply: www.freshfaith247.com.

Connect with Jon at jon@freshfaith247.com

We’re all familiar with the parable of the prodigal son. This was the rebellious kid who decided he had enough of his father and marched off with his share of the inheritance. I’m not sure if his mother was still living, but I can imagine the hurt she felt with her son leaving.

After a season of prodigal living (prodigal means “wasteful”), the son was out of money, out of bounds, out of friends and certainly out of his mind.

That's where the story really gets interesting. Today, we'll discuss what this story has to do with inner peace. We'll uncover something that can kill our peace--from within.

KEY PASSAGE:

1 Peter 2: 1-2 (NIV)

Therefore, rid yourselves of all malice and all deceit, hypocrisy, envy, and slander of every kind. Like newborn babies, crave pure spiritual milk, so that by it you may grow up in your salvation, now that you have tasted that the Lord is good.

RESOURCES:

--> Take the Free PERSONAL SELF-ASSESSMENT. It only takes 3 minutes. Download it at www.retreatingwithgod.org.

Visit FRESH FAITH 24/7, a place where you can retreat with God and get to know him more deeply: www.freshfaith247.com.

Connect with Jon at jon@freshfaith247.com

Why do we find it so hard to surrender to God? An inner conflict rages. A debate echoes in our mind. Intellectually, we know that surrendering to the Lord is the right choice. But our will defies that clear thought. We hold on tightly to the steering wheel of our life.

I think there are several reasons why we fight surrendering to the Lord. We'll explore three of them.

KEY PASSAGE:

Colossians 1:15-17 ESV

The Son is the image of the invisible God, the firstborn over all creation. For in him all things were created: things in heaven and on earth, visible and invisible, whether thrones or powers or rulers or authorities; all things have been created through him and for him. He is before all things, and in him all things hold together.

RESOURCES:

--> Take the Free PERSONAL SELF-ASSESSMENT. It only takes 3 minutes. Download it at www.retreatingwithgod.org.

Visit FRESH FAITH 24/7, a place where you can retreat with God and get to know him more deeply: www.freshfaith247.com.

Connect with Jon at jon@freshfaith247.com

Why fight God?

That’s what we’re doing when we don’t surrender to him.

There’s a saying that “What I do is for God is my gift to him.” Baloney. That’s humanism. Self-effort glorified. You’re putting yourself at the center instead of God being there.

Now that you’re shaken up, let me put it in perspective. When we give our all for the Lord, we better do it with the right heart. Otherwise, it’s rubbish to God. Jesus said, “For apart from me you can do nothing.”

Today, we'll explore the reward of surrender.

KEY PASSAGE:

Galatians 5:16-17 (NIV)

So I say, walk by the Spirit, and you will not gratify the desires of the flesh. For the flesh desires what is contrary to the Spirit, and the Spirit what is contrary to the flesh. They are in conflict with each other, so that you are not to do whatever you want.

RESOURCES:

--> Take the Free PERSONAL SELF-ASSESSMENT. It only takes 3 minutes. Download it at www.retreatingwithgod.org.

Visit FRESH FAITH 24/7, a place where you can retreat with God and get to know him more deeply: www.freshfaith247.com.

Connect with Jon at jon@freshfaith247.com

Isn’t it great when you’re hated and persecuted?

Of course not, but surrendering to Jesus might lead to that. There’s a price to pay when we live a life of surrender to our Lord.

He promised, “If the world hates you, keep in mind that it hated me first.” (John 15:18 NIV)

Why is that? Why would we be hated if we’re practicing a loving, serving, generous, sacrificial lifestyle? Let's explore that in today's audio devotional.

KEY PASSAGE:

John 15:18-21

If the world hates you, keep in mind that it hated me first. If you belonged to the world, it would love you as its own. As it is, you do not belong to the world, but I have chosen you out of the world. That is why the world hates you. Remember what I told you: ‘A servant is not greater than his master.’ If they persecuted me, they will persecute you also. If they obeyed my teaching, they will obey yours also. They will treat you this way because of my name, for they do not know the one who sent me.

RESOURCES:

--> Take the Free PERSONAL SELF-ASSESSMENT. It only takes 3 minutes. Download it at www.retreatingwithgod.org.

Visit FRESH FAITH 24/7, a place where you can retreat with God and get to know him more deeply: www.freshfaith247.com.

Connect with Jon at jon@freshfaith247.com

Sometimes, I’m so weary that I can’t walk without nearly fainting. What would it look like to run tirelessly and soar effortlessly?

I come back to the practice of rest. We’ve learned this week that rest isn’t only physical, but it’s also spiritual. It’s not only about pausing, but it’s about praying. It’s not always quiet isolation, but it’s connection with God. As you wait on the Lord, spiritual rest will lead to physical rest. Today, in our audio devotional, we learn how to turn trudging into soaring.

KEY PASSAGE:

Isaiah 40:28-31 (ESV)

Have you not known? Have you not heard?
The Lord is the everlasting God,
the Creator of the ends of the earth.
He does not faint or grow weary;
his understanding is unsearchable.
He gives power to the faint,
and to him who has no might he increases strength.
Even youths shall faint and be weary,
and young men shall fall exhausted;
but they who wait for the Lord shall renew their strength;
they shall mount up with wings like eagles;
they shall run and not be weary;
they shall walk and not faint.

RESOURCES:

--> Take the Free PERSONAL SELF-ASSESSMENT. It only takes 3 minutes. Download it at www.retreatingwithgod.org.

Visit FRESH FAITH 24/7, a place where you can retreat with God and get to know him more deeply: www.freshfaith247.com.

Connect with Jon at jon@freshfaith247.com

God created us to need rest. We can deny ourselves for only so long and then collapse in a heap.

So often and in many areas, we feel that we are indispensable. We convince ourselves that we alone have the talent and strength to get the job done, whether it’s at work, with the kids, serving God, in our marriage or most any area of our life. Our hard work in an unbalanced life has its roots in something very basic. We'll explore that today in our audio devotional.

KEY PASSAGE:

Psalm 37:5-7

Commit your way to the Lord;

trust in him and he will do this:

He will make your righteous reward shine like the dawn,

your vindication like the noonday sun.

Be still before the Lord

and wait patiently for him;

RESOURCES:

--> Take the Free PERSONAL SELF-ASSESSMENT. It only takes 3 minutes. Download it at www.retreatingwithgod.org.

Visit FRESH FAITH 24/7, a place where you can retreat with God and get to know him more deeply: www.freshfaith247.com.

Connect with Jon at jon@freshfaith247.com