Identifying things that make for peace:
* Prayer: I usually wake up praying. I often lie in bed an hour or more and pray over those people and things brought to my attention by the Holy Spirit. I pray, during this time for those persons in authority in various areas: government; ministers (myself included); Pam Padgett who works in ministry, helping me, and also helps me with personal care; individuals in the church; asking God if there is anything HE wants me to write or record to help the church.
* Reading Jesus Ministries Exhortation Blog: I focus on the blog which publishes daily, reading the exhortations, scriptures, and the daily chapter of the Bible. Often God will use this to bring an exhortation to my mind which I need to work on or an exhortation which I need to write on the blog.
* Writing and recording messages to edify the church and instruct in ways of God and to edify in things of God. I have great peace as I write. I try to follow the Holy Spirit and write those things brought to my mind by HIM for HE knows what the people need to see and hear.
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I am very careful to write by the right Spirit. If I have been striving with someone, often I can't write for the church for two days or so until I correct myself by God and have settled the strife in me and am restored by God and at complete peace. (no bones to pick)
Often I pray, Create in me a clean heart, O God; and renew a right spirit within me. (Psalm 51:10) Then I wait for God to settle my mind and renew my heart and bring me peace and joy again before I write or record. Sometimes I rest or sleep. God often works with me when I sleep.
I rarely read the Bible if I'm troubled. Mostly, in prayer, I beg God for help. If I am reminded of a scripture then I focus on that scripture. But I avoid trying to drown my troubles in reading Bible for that might cause me to go wrong way. I just keep still and let God work it out and restore my soul. And set me on right spiritual feet again taking me in HIS way of peace. (I never do worldly things to try to forget the trouble, such as clean out closets or go shopping.)
2 Corinthians 5 Wherefore we labour, that, whether present or absent, we may be accepted of HIM.
10 For we must all appear before the judgment seat of Christ; that every one may receive the things done in his body, according to that he hath done, whether it be good or bad.
11 Knowing therefore the terror of the Lord, we persuade men;
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2 Corinthians 10
4 (For the weapons of our warfare are not carnal, but mighty through God to the pulling down of strong holds;)
5 Casting down imaginations, and every high thing that exalteth itself against the knowledge of God, and bringing into captivity every thought to the obedience of Christ;
We work to get ourselves in peace, without spot, and blameless. (2 Peter 3:14)
We go forth in joy and praise and gladness. Thankful to God for the help HE gives us. Thankful that we belong to HIM and that HE choose us as HIS own and HE provides constant counsel for us as we live on this earth. And when we do fall, God gets us on spiritual feet again. We have everything to help us through God.
Following after things whereby one may edify another:
edify means: to build
In our case as Christians, to build others in the faith in God as we live on this earth.
As the Holy Spirit reminds me of a story, I share it.
Work of the Holy Spirit in the Christian:
John 14:26 Jesus says: But the Comforter, which is the Holy Ghost, whom the Father will send in MY name, HE shall teach you all things, and bring all things to your remembrance, whatsoever I have said unto you.
John 16:13 Howbeit when HE, the Spirit of truth, is come, HE will guide you into all truth: for HE shall not speak of Himself; but whatsoever HE shall hear (from God), that shall HE speak: and HE will shew you things to come.
14 He shall glorify ME: for HE shall receive of MINE, and shall shew it unto you.
I Corinthians 3:16 Know ye not that ye are the temple of God, and that the Spirit of God dwelleth in you?
Galatians 5
16 This I say then, Walk in the Spirit (doing and saying what the Holy Spirit shows you), and ye shall not fulfil the lust of the flesh.
17 For the flesh lusteth against the Spirit, and the Spirit against the flesh: and these are contrary the one to the other: so that ye cannot do the things that ye would.
Now the works of the flesh are manifest, which are these; Adultery, fornication, uncleanness, lasciviousness, 20 Idolatry, witchcraft, hatred, variance, emulations, wrath, strife, seditions, heresies, 21 Envyings, murders, drunkenness, revellings, and such like: of the which I tell you before, as I have also told you in time past, that they which do such things shall not inherit the kingdom of God.
22 But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, longsuffering, gentleness, goodness, faith, 23 Meekness, temperance:
Romans 8:1 There is therefore now no condemnation to them which are in Christ Jesus, who walk not after the flesh, but after the Spirit.
The Holy Spirit brings ideas to our mind. We follow HIM, knowing HE speaks to us God's will for us.
But the devil and our own flesh bring ideas to our mind. The devil always steals, kills, and destroys. And if you follow what devil tells you then you will suffer greatly.
Mostly our own ideas from our flesh are also evil, self-serving.
So our goal is to identify which thoughts are from God so we can follow HIM.
Romans 8:14 For as many as are led by the Spirit of God, they are the sons of God.