thoughts by John Grant Archives - Page 2 of 20

Published October 17, 2023

The Roadblocks of Life

“Do not be quickly provoked in your spirit, for anger resides in the lap of fools.” Ecclesiastes 7:9

When I looked out of the front of my house, I noticed that the local authorities had placed barricades saying “road closed”. They also erected similar signs in several places as far as a half mile away, along with detour signs. Surprisingly many cars ignored the warnings and came right up to my driveway to turn around. One man even got out and tried to remove the barricades and another drove through the side yard and out the front of my neighbor’s yard.

We don’t like roadblocks, do we?

Roadblocks slow us down. They get in our way. They are an inconvenience. They impede our progress. For some reason, we think the signs are for people who don’t have as much sense as we do.

God will sometimes position roadblocks in front of us that call for our immediate decision to stop or go in another direction. We need to listen to the leading of the Holy Spirit and go in the direction He tells us to go.

I’ve heard of people at railroad crossings who saw the red lights flashing, bells ringing, the train approaching, and still they attempted to race across the tracks. Some people have been fortunate to “outrun” the train. Some people have not been so fortunate.

The same is true of people who drive around roadblocks set up during flooding. These people see the water running over the bridge, but the water appears low enough to go across safely. Regrettably, halfway across, the vehicle they’re in stalls and they have to be pulled out by a rescue team. Or worse, the driver gets washed away.

How many times have you and I been so headstrong and plowed ahead ignoring all the visible signs to stop? If you disobey the Spirit’s leading, the odds of ending in failure are greater than the odds of ending in success. When things aren’t working according to your plans, you must believe God has put the roadblock up for your own protection.

Roadblocks, whether placed by man or by God are for our protection. Sometimes God wants to protect us. Sometimes He wants to lead us in a different direction. And, sometimes God wants to just slow us down and wait. Whatever the reasons, roadblocks are there for our benefit. God wants us to grow and sometimes that means going in a different direction.

How do you respond to the roadblocks of life?

By John Grant
Used by Permission
John Grant is a former Florida State Senator and is a practicing attorney

The Ever Present Holy Spirit

“Where can I go from your Spirit? Where can I flee from your presence? If I go up to the heavens, you are there; if I make my bed in the depths, you are there.” – Psalm 139:7-8

One hymn that blesses me most begins with “Holy, Holy, Holy” and ends with the trilogy of “God in three persons, blessed Trinity.” As Christians, God is within us in Himself, His Son and the Holy Spirit.

I remember when my wife was explaining her faith to a Jewish girl, who commented that her faith had one god and ours had three. My wife explained the trinity to her.

Both faiths worship the same God. We as Christians recognize that He sent His only son as Messiah on earth to save His people. Jesus paid the ransom for our sin and then went back to heaven, but did not leave us alone.

The Spirit will not prompt us to do anything that goes against Scripture. Make sure we’re listening to the voice of the Holy Spirit, not the voice of your own desires. We know which is which by checking this voice against the truth of God’s Word.

God made us. Jesus paid for our sins and the Holy Spirit lives within us. Once we ask Jesus into our heart, He plants the Holy Spirit there for all of our life, as counselor, guide and provider of peace, knowing our weakness and revealing Jesus purpose for our lives.

TAKE ACTION: When you awaken, whisper the name of Jesus to become aware of the ever presence of the Holy Spirit within your heart. He is there ready to lead, guide and keep you focused on Jesus.

Lord, I thank you that you have not left me alone and that the Holy Spirit gives me leading, Godly wisdom and reminds me of my sin. With the Holy Spirit, I can take each day step by step and live my life for Christ.

By John Grant
Used by Permission
John Grant is a former Florida State Senator and is a practicing attorney

Right on Time

“My times are in your hand; rescue me from the hand of my enemies and from my persecutors.“ Psalm 31:15

Watching the Olympics, I was impressed that in almost every event, timing was the most crucial element. Often fractions of a second separated a gold from a bronze medal. It was not just the overall finishing time, but the timing going into a curve or over a mogul. Many athletes said after their event: “My timing was just right,” or “My timing was off.”

I don’t know about you, but I am an impatient person and like things done in my own way and in my own timing. Are you waiting for God to answer your prayers right now? Waiting is one of the hardest parts of the Christian life for me. It is hard for me to put aside my timing and my life planning in order to trust His.

Maybe you’ve been waiting for God for a while, but still things aren’t turning out the way you hoped or expected them to. Does it seem like your hopes and dreams are never going to be fulfilled?

Sometimes it’s hard to understand why God doesn’t allow things to happen now. An important lesson that I am continuing to learn is that God works things out in His own perfect timing. As we wait for God’s timing, He may allow us to go through certain trials.

God has plans for your life.

He knows everything about you. He made you. You can trust Him. He’s always right on time.

God, I surrender my life to You in every respect. Help me live every day to the fullest on Your timetable and to be filled with the joy of knowing that You are in control. Amen.

Identify one area where you are struggling to trust God’s timing. Hand that concern over to Him in prayer and tell Him you’re choosing to trust His good plans for you.

By John Grant
Used by Permission
John Grant is a former Florida State Senator and is a practicing attorney

Choices

“Stand at the crossroads and look; ask for the ancient paths, ask where the good way is, and walk in it, and you will find rest for your souls.” Jeremiah 6:16

Taking our little daughter to the ice cream store for a treat was always a challenge. She never could decide which flavor she liked and ask for a sample spoon of each. Once she had sampled all, she would say that she had eaten all the ice cream she wanted.

Life is full of choices especially in this fast paced world where we are all stressed up and don’t know which way to go. There are choices, often conflicting. In this life, we have to make many choices. Some are very important choices. Some are not. Many of our choices are between good and evil. The choices we make, however, determine to a large extent our happiness or our unhappiness, because we have to live with the consequences of our choices.
The best way to make choices is to not make significant ones alone.

“For by wise guidance you will wage war, And in abundance of counselors there is victory.” (Proverbs 24:6)

“Where there is no guidance, a people falls, but in an abundance of counselors there is safety.” (Proverbs 11:14)

But there is even a better way.

“Do not be anxious about anything, but in everything by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known to God.” (Philippians 4:6)

Be anxious for nothing stands in contrast to worrying which reveal a lack of trust in God’s sovereignty and power. As believers, we need to realize that our confidence in life does not come from ourselves but from the a All Powerful God of the universe. That is why Paul tells us not to worry about anything. If we worry we are basically saying that God cannot handle it. By contrast we are to take everything to God in prayer and His peace will guard our hearts and minds. Believers, who stand firm in Christ, respond to trials and endure hardship with thankful prayer. Here are some prayers to pray for choices in our lives.

Choices allow us to love or not… help us choose love.
Choices allow us to choose right or wrong… help us choose right.
Choices allow us to choose the light or the dark…. help us choose light.
Choices allow us to choose between good and bad… help us choose good.
Choices allow to choose between good and best… help us choose best.

Choices allow us to choose You... help us draw near to YOU.

By John Grant
Used by Permission

John Grant is a former Florida State Senator and is a practicing attorney

First Things First

“But seek ye first the kingdom of God, and His righteousness; and all these things shall be added unto you.” Matthew 6:33

If you have difficulty living the Christian life, it’s because your priorities are wrong. If your priorities are right, your life will be right.

If your first priority is God, the rest of your life will fall into place. There is incredible power in having the proper priorities. As a matter of fact, you could sum up the problem of most people’s lives with this one sentence: They fail to put first things first.

He didn’t say seek Him first, but after your second cup of coffee. He didn’t say seek Him first, but after you’ve read the paper or watched your favorite morning news show. He didn’t say seek Him first, but not before your spouse and/or family. He didn’t say seek Him first but not before your career, career goals or work. He didn’t say seek Him first just behind any personal goals and dreams you might have.

He didn’t say seek Him first just behind all the church work and church stuff you’ve got to accomplish
first. He didn’t say seek Him first, but only if all your personal needs and desires are satisfied. He didn’t say seek Him first, but only if you don’t have anything better to do. He didn’t say seek Him first, but only if you feel like it. He didn’t say seek Him first if you feel Him close on the mountaintop or if you’ve hit rock bottom in the valley. He didn’t say seek Him first, but only after you fret and worry about it first

He said seek FIRST His kingdom and His righteousness.

Have you substituted busyness for seeking God, and in doing so allowed something other than God to be your first priority?

How can a Christian make God his or her number one priority? How do I go about seeking the kingdom of God first? The Bible gives us perspectives on how we can make the Lord our first priority.

We simply must put the spiritual priorities of life ahead of the material ones. The world tells us the priorities that matter, but Scripture puts God first in our lives. When we do, everything else that matters falls into place.

In order to be in God’s will, we have to be in His Word. Devotional time is important, but more important is daily reading of the Word, saturating our minds with it and then taking quiet time to listen how God speaks to us about what we have read…. Abiding.

What is it (or who is it) that you are putting before your relationship with God?

By John Grant
Used by Permission
John Grant is a former Florida State Senator and is a practicing attorney

The Ignition Key

“Come unto me all who are weary and burdened, I shall give you rest.” Matthew: 11:28

Remember when you got your first, big, bulky and slow desk side personal computer? I do, and I remember thinking how neat it would be if were to be portable so I could take it home, on trips and wherever I might go. Then came the laptop, which did exactly that. But, even though it is portable, a laptop is still bulky to carry and almost an inconvenience when going through airport security.

But now, I just got something even better than a laptop. It is an ‘ignition key’ that I can plug into any computer anywhere that has access to the Internet. It can hang on my key ring and I can plug it in at a hotel business center, in-room computer or in someone’s office. Instantly, it takes me directly to my desk side computer. No matter where I may be in the world, once I plug in, instantly I am taken to the master computer in my office. It is secure in that is encrypted and can only be understood by my master computer.

Prayer is like that. As a follower of Jesus, I have a spiritual ignition key that I can access the Throne of Grace from anywhere and anytime. And, like my computer ignition key, the message is direct and personal. In Romans 8:26 Paul writes, “In the same way, the Spirit too comes to the aid of our weakness; for we do not know how to pray as we ought, but the Spirit itself intercedes with inexpressible groanings.”

Paul assures us that while we don’t know how to pray, the Holy Spirit intercedes for us. That connects us to the Master in words only He can understand. That is both access and security. Though the heavens may seem distant, as Christians we have that spiritual ignition key that gives us direct, instant and personal access to the Master of the Universe, anywhere, any place, anytime. All we have to go is plug in.

I am glad that my God is all powerful and Master of the universe, but also my personal God, who hears my personal pleas and answers me personally and individually. Aren’t you? Remember to use your personal spiritual ignition key daily. Just plug in and He will give you rest.

By John Grant
Used by Permission
John Grant is a former Florida State Senator and is a practicing attorney

A Life of Authenticity

“Trust in the Lord with all your heart; and lean not unto your own understanding. In all thy ways acknowledge him, and he shall direct thy paths.” Proverbs 3:5,6

The world is full of people pretending to be someone they are not.

Such people are not living a life of authenticity, a term used to describe the degree to which one is true to their own personality, spirit or character, despite external pressures.

Living a life of authenticity is not easy especially for Christians who are confronted with a pagan world and encountering external pressures and influences, which are often very different from our Christian beliefs.

You are capable of living authentically. You have the ability within yourself to stay committed to your core belief system, but it often is not easy. Your core values must be higher than your desire for social acceptance. You have the power to live courageously. You had the wisdom to live peacefully. You have the discernment to choose properly.

Living authentically will bring you personal peace. The ability to remain connected to your highest good will not escape you. Your convictions will be determined by integrity. Popularity will be a bonus but not an expectation.

A large part of the fact that Christian ideas fail to be considered as the popular norm is not for lack of professing Christians, but from the lack of professing Christians committed to life a life of Christian authenticity no matter what may be the push back of modern culture.

Our behavior is defined by those around us. As a Christian, I should constantly be in the presence of Christ, as He alone is my source of my authenticity. There is a difference between accepting a doctrine and being committed to the person of Jesus.

God created each of us in His own image, each with a specific ministry and He gave us all we will need to do it. But, oh how often the world tries to tear us away to its standards.

As we begin a new year, let us all commit ourselves to be the person within us that God created us to be and not the person the world would re-mold us into.

Are you willing to be the same on the outside as in the inside? If you will commit to walk through this year with Jesus, you will be the authentic person He created you to be.

Are you looking for a new beginning? Look to the One who makes all things new. Let’s dedicate this year as a year of worship and service to the One who makes all things new, our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ.

by John Grant
Used by Permission

John Grant is a former Florida State Senator and is a practicing attorney

God’s Timing

“My times are in your hand; rescue me from the hand of my enemies and from my persecutors.” – Psalm 31:15

Watching the recent Olympics, I was impressed that in almost every event, timing was the most crucial element. Often fractions of a second separated a gold from a bronze medal, or even no metal at all.

It was not just the overall finishing time, but the timing going into a curve or over a mogul. May athletes after their event said: “My timing was just right,” or “I overcompensated in the first turn and my timing was off.”

I don’t know about you, but I am an impatient type of person and like things done in my own way and in my own time.

Are you waiting for God to answer your prayers right now?

This is one of the hardest parts of the Christian life for me. It is hard for me to put aside my timing and my life planning, for His.

Maybe you are waiting for God, but still things are not happening the way you hoped or expected them to. Does it seem like your hopes and dreams are never going to be fulfilled?

Sometimes it’s hard to understand why God doesn’t allow things to happen straightaway. An important lesson that I am continuing to learn each day is that God works things out in his own perfect timing.

God will work things out in your life if you trust in him. It is possible that you may have to go through certain trials and wait for his answers.

God has plans for your life. He knows everything about you. He made you. He has perfect timing for your life.

Thought: How willing are you to surrender your timetable for God’s? Do you trust Him with your life? Think about how you can better run your life on His timetable rather than yours.

Prayer: Oh, God, I surrender my life to you in every respect, not just my heart in soul, but every aspect, everyday as I live life to the fullest on your timetable and filled with the joy of knowing that you are in control.

By John Grant
Used by Permission

Declare

“Those who live in the shelter of the Most High will find rest in the shadow of the Almighty. This I declare about the Lord: He alone is my refuge, my place of safety; He is my God, and I trust him. “- Psalm 91:1-2 NLT

What is it that we declare about the Lord? Do we, like David, declare “He alone is my refuge, my place of safety”? Do we declare that “He is my God, and I trust him”?

We may say those statements in our minds, say them in our heart of hearts, even say them out loud for all to hear, but do our actions match our declarations? If I say that I trust in the Lord, but my life is riddled with worry, what does that declare about my faith in Jesus.

When we make a declaration on how much we thank God for the gifts, for the talents, for the victories then begin pounding our chests, as if to say, “Look at me. Look what I have accomplished. Look what I have done,” what does that declare about me and my God? I’m not saying that we shouldn’t publicly make our declarations. I just think we need to follow those declarations up with actions that point back to the Most High.

The blessings here promised are not for all believers, but for those who live in close fellowship with God. Every child of God looks towards the inner sanctuary and the mercy seat, yet all do not dwell in the most holy place; they run to it at times, and enjoy occasional approaches, but they do not habitually reside in the presence of God.

That all those who live a life of communion with God are constantly safe under his protection, and may therefore preserve a holy serenity and security of mind at all times. He that dwells, in the secret place of the Most High, shall abide under the shadow of the Almighty; he that by faith chooses God for his guardian shall find all that in Him, which he needs or can desire.

How is your relationship with God?

Do you come to Him casually and occasionally or do you keep Him close beside you?

Is your life pointed to God at all times?

We can find rest in His shadow. He alone is our ultimate refuge and place of safety. He is our God and we can always trust Him.

By John Grant
Used by Permission
John Grant is a former Florida State Senator and is a practicing attorney

Trusting God or the World

“Thus says the Lord: “Cursed is the man who trusts in man and makes flesh his strength, whose heart departs from the Lord.“ Jeremiah 17:5

Throughout history, people and nations have depended on financial, military and other worldly strengths for protection and prosperity.

The Israelites of Jeremiah’s day were no exception. They believed they could trust in their army, the diplomacy of their king, and their foreign alliances to protect them from the powerful Babylonian empire.

While they gave lip service to their trust in God, their actions showed where their faith really was: in their military and financial might. God spoke through Jeremiah to warn them that He would not bless those who trusted in anyone or anything instead of Him.

Placing your ultimate trust in anything other than God is idolatry. How can you know if your faith is not truly in God? Ask yourself these questions:

Where do I turn when I experience a crisis?
When I am hurting or afraid, to whom do I go?
When I have a financial problem, whom do I want to tell first?
Where do I seek comfort when I am under stress or discouraged?

Could it be that you are saying you trust in God but your actions indicate otherwise? God often uses other people or worldly sources as His method of providing for you. Be careful lest you inadvertently misdirect your faith toward His provision instead of toward the Provider. God may meet your need through worldly sources, but ultimately your trust must be in God.

The Israelites were so stubbornly committed to trusting in human strength instead of God that, even as the Babylonian army approached Jerusalem, they continued to desperately seek for a person, or a nation, or an army that could rescue them. They realized too late that they had neglected to trust in the only One who could deliver them.

Don’t make the same mistake as the Israelites. Go straight to the Lord when you have a need. He is the only One who can provide for you.

by John Grant
Used by Permission

John Grant is a former Florida State Senator and is a practicing attorney

Living Your Faith

“Whoever claims to live in Him must live as Jesus did.” 1 John 2:6

The wonderful gift of the Gospel is that it changes us not only on the inside (our heart), but on the outside as well (our life). In other words, our lives as Christians should be demonstrated in our daily living. Our lives should validate us on the outside what our hearts believe on the inside.

The spiritual path of a believer in Jesus Christ is not a religious experience. It is a life committed to self-discipline, self-denial and self-commitment to the discipleship of Jesus Christ. To be a servant of God, we must give up the pleasures of self-gratification and selfishness, and learn the power of humility, faith, hope, and love to receive the power of God.

But, you may ask, “How do I live my life for God?” Well, God has given us some very clear instructions in His Word as to how we are to live for Him.

These include the command to love one another (John 13:34-35), the call to follow Him at the cost of denying our own desires (Matthew 16:24), the exhortation to care for the poor and needy (James 1:27), and the warning to not fall into sinful behaviors like those who don’t know God (1 Thessalonians 5:6-8).

Jesus summed up a life lived for God when a teacher of the law asked Him the most important of commandments. Jesus replied, “Hear, O Israel, the Lord our God, the Lord is one. Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind and with all your strength. The second is this: Love your neighbor as yourself. There is no commandment greater than these” (Mark 12:29-31).

It is not possible for those who obey Jesus’ teachings to live lives that are essentially not significantly different than their kind and agnostic neighbors. The life of a Christian should outwardly reflect their inner faith.

Look back at the end of each day and ask yourself if your words and actions have mirrored the teachings of Jesus. As you look forward to the day ahead think about what Jesus would say and do in each situation you face and then live a life so that others would know you are a Christian without your having to tell them.

Lord, I have given my heart to you. I know I am clean on the inside, but help me to not get caught up in the wicked sin of the world and act like the unsaved. Help me to draw apart from the ways of the world and live a Jesus reflected life.

By John Grant
Used by Permission
John Grant is a former Florida State Senator and is a practicing attorney

It Begins with the Heart

“And I will give you a new heart, and a new spirit I will put within you. And I will remove the heart of stone from your flesh and give you a heart of flesh.” Ezekiel 36:26

Recently we attended a presentation by a pedantic cardiologist, who spoke on the gestation process of human life. Most startling to me was the fact that it all begins with the heart.

The heart is the first organ to be formed and everything forms around it as other organs and distinctions of the fetus are formed. No brain, no lungs nothing else. The heart forms a circle and then as development progresses other parts are added, but everything begins with the heart.

By Day 22, (three weeks), the heart begins to beat with the child’s own blood, often a different type than the mothers’. Size of a pea. First tubular then forms a ring around it and forms two chambers. Often the heart of the fetus is beating before the mother even knows that she is pregnant. In nine weeks, the heart is fully developed.

God’s purpose predates our conception. Gestation is a journey of the heart. Christianity is like that…. It begins with the heart.

God has a lot to say about beauty, and He’s not referring to fashion tips or face masks! True beauty begins on the inside, in your heart.

Just as our physical life begins with the heart, so too there begins and continues our spiritual journey. Psalms 51:10 says,

“Create in me a pure heart, O God, and renew a steadfast spirit with me.”

Have purity within your heart and never allow others to taint your wishes and beliefs.

The first step in salvation is that of giving our heart to the Lord and then allowing Him to reside there for the rest of our lives.

Have you committed your heart to Him?

By John Grant
Used by Permission

The DNA

“God created man in His own image, in the image of God He created him; male and female He created them.” Genesis 1:27

Someday, my soul will go to heaven, but my body will remain, being properly lowered into the earth where all but the bones will decompose over time.

Generations will come and go and over time, no one on earth will even remember that I existed. Perhaps someday, an archaeologist will dig up the cemetery and find my bones. They will find nothing to identify me, but one thing they will find is that my bones have male DNA. Beside me will be my wife and her bones will reveal female DNA.

Male and female….. there is no other!

The man gave names to all the cattle, and to the birds of the sky, and to every beast of the field, but for Adam there was not found a helper suitable for him. So the Lord God caused a deep sleep to fall upon the man, and he slept; then He took one of his ribs and closed up the flesh at that place. The Lord God fashioned into a woman the rib which He had taken from the man, and brought her to the man. The man said, “This is now bone of my bones, and flesh of my flesh; She shall be called Woman, because she was taken out of Man.” For this reason a man shall leave his father and his mother, and be joined to his wife; and they shall become one flesh. Genesis 2:20-24

In this day and time, where “gender identity” is in vogue, advocates of such thoughts should consult the Bible. People can’t select their gender. The God who created them selected their gender for them.

If a body is left out in the sun and rain, its DNA will be useful for testing for only a few weeks. If it’s buried a few feet below the ground, the DNA will last about 1,000 to 10,000 years. And when the DNA is analyzed, gender will be identified as either male or female. There are no others.

Remember that no matter what modern society tells us …. Male and female…. There are no others!!

By John Grant
Used by Permission

When is God Most Valuable to You?

“The righteous cry, and the LORD hears And delivers them out of all their troubles.” Psalm 34:17

When the wealthy businessman choked on a fish bone at a restaurant, he was fortunate that a doctor was seated at a nearby table. Springing up, the doctor skillfully removed the bone and saved the man’s life.

As soon as the fellow had calmed himself and could talk again, he thanked the surgeon enthusiastically and offered to pay him for his services. “Just name the fee,” he croaked gratefully. “Okay,” replied the doctor. “How about half of what you’d have offered when the bone was still stuck in your throat?”

Are we often guilty of seeing God’s value more in times of need and pain? When things are going well, too often we shove God aside, but when trouble comes, we are quick to call upon Him for help.

But how often are we looking for help in the wrong places? Recently released telephone directory figures reveal that out of 20 million recent callers, those wanting information about churches and religious organizations fell by 24 percent, while those seeking mediums, palm readers and other “spiritual services” jumped 161 percent.

In the midst of the current economic crisis and long term uncertainty, people are seeking reassurance that things will be all right, but they are looking in the wrong places for answers.

Scripture is clear that God is near. He invites us to call upon Him, but not just in times of trouble. He created us for fellowship in the good times as well as encouragement in the difficult times of life. His value is the same, in both good times and bad.

James (4:8) tells us to come near to God and He will come near to us. How close is your walk with the Master? I know that mine could use some “drawing near” and probably yours could too.

Too often I try to be the captain of my ship and the master of my fate, but it is not God’s will for me to do this “life thing” alone. He created me in the beginning and waits to greet me at the end and in between He desires a partnership with me in all I do and in the good times as well as the bad.
(a thought on life from John Grant )

By John Grant
Used by Permission
John Grant is a former Florida State Senator and is a practicing attorney

The Wellspring of Peace

“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

When I saw the headline, it caught my eye: “Take a deep breath before you read this news.” So, of course, I read it. The article was about stress and my, oh my, It seems like I live in the stress capitol of America, at least according to a recent national study. The Bay area’s stress comes from 15.5 suicides per 1,000 people, a 12.3 percent divorce rate each year, an 11.2 percent unemployment rate and an average commute time of 28.3 minutes, among other factors.

Then there’s the global ranking by advertising giant JWT, which puts the United States right at the top of its ‘Anxiety Index‘ with 72 percent of its people anxious about life. That’s about on par with Egypt, which just had a revolution. By contrast, just 55 percent of Australians and 35 percent of the Chinese are anxious.

Clearly, regardless of where we reside in America, we all live in a stressed up country. Perhaps it is the materialism of our society. We work hard to catch up the Jones family down the street and just when we get there, they refinance and leave us in the materialistic dust. People seem to never be satisfied. They want more and more. Maybe they are focused on finding “things” that become more of an ego massaging collection rather than a source of true peace.

I suggest that only a dedication of a life to Christ can bring true, peace, joy and satisfaction. The Bible clearly says it is so:

Psalms 29:11 The LORD will give strength unto his people; the LORD will bless his people with peace.

Isaiah 26:3 Thou wilt keep him in perfect peace, whose mind is stayed on thee: because he trusteth in thee.

John 14:27 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.

Romans 15:13 Now the God of hope fill you with all joy and peace in believing, that ye may abound in hope, through the power of the Holy Ghost.

Galatians 5:22-23 But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, long suffering, gentleness, goodness, faith,? meekness, temperance: against such there is no law.

Philippians 4:6,7 Be careful for nothing; but in everything by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known unto God.?7 And the peace of God, which passes all understanding, shall keep your hearts and minds through Christ Jesus.

Thessalonians 3:16 Now the Lord of peace himself give you peace always by all means. The Lord be with you all.

The joy of life, the means of satisfaction and the source of all peace is not found in the mall, but rather as we draw from the well of all peace, the peace which passes all understanding……. the peace that comes from living a vibrant life comes from knowing Jesus, the Christ in a real and personal way.

Trust Him and your well will never run dry and you too will have a peace beyond all understanding.

By John Grant
Used by Permission
John Grant is a former Florida State Senator and is a practicing attorney

Category: <span>thoughts by John Grant</span>

“Do not be quickly provoked in your spirit, for anger resides in the lap of fools.” Ecclesiastes 7:9

We don’t like roadblocks, do we?

Further Reading

Further Reading

“My times are in your hand; rescue me from the hand of my enemies and from my persecutors.“ Psalm 31:15

God has plans for your life.

Further Reading

Further Reading

“But seek ye first the kingdom of God, and His righteousness; and all these things shall be added unto you.” Matthew 6:33

Further Reading

“Come unto me all who are weary and burdened, I shall give you rest.” Matthew: 11:28

Further Reading

The world is full of people pretending to be someone they are not.

Further Reading

“My times are in your hand; rescue me from the hand of my enemies and from my persecutors.” – Psalm 31:15

Are you waiting for God to answer your prayers right now?

Further Reading

How is your relationship with God?

Do you come to Him casually and occasionally or do you keep Him close beside you?

Is your life pointed to God at all times?

Further Reading

Further Reading

“Whoever claims to live in Him must live as Jesus did.” 1 John 2:6

Further Reading

Further Reading

“God created man in His own image, in the image of God He created him; male and female He created them.” Genesis 1:27

Further Reading

Further Reading

“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

Further Reading