| Good morning everyone, Our theme for this month: “Renewed hope” Our Bible verse for today: “You will keep in perfect peace all who trust in you, all whose thoughts are fixed on you!” Isaiah 26:3 (NLT) Our thought for today: “This is the best thing you can do” In Isaiah 26:3 the prophet was essentially channeling Solomon. What I mean is that Isaiah had momentarily departed from his usual pattern of prophecy and narrative to give us a short proverb. A proverb is a general life-principle that applies broadly, and which is not meant to be 100% specific in 100% of the cases 100% of the time. That’s the case with Isaiah 26:3. It does not mean that God will keep you in a state of perfect, flawless peace as if you were floating on a cloud in heaven without a care for the rest of eternity. “Perfect peace” is a Hebrew phrase that means the same as “shalom.” In English “shalom” is translated simply as “peace” but in Hebrew the meaning is much deeper. In Hebrew “shalom” is a wish for the person to experience a rich, full, prosperous, and satisfying life. It is a wish for good health, strong relationships, and the blessings of God to be upon them. The greeting “shalom” is often repeated for emphasis as in, “Shalom, shalom!” In other words, “I wish you a double blessing!” That’s the kind of peace Isaiah was referring to, and his meaning was that the best frame of mind you can achieve will come to you when your thoughts are focused on God. So, the more we keep our thoughts on Him, the more “shalom” we will experience, and the better life will be. This isn’t new to us. We know this. Paul told us in Philippians 4:6-7, “Don’t worry about anything; instead, pray about everything. Tell God what you need, and thank him for all he has done. Then you will experience God’s peace, which exceeds anything we can understand. His peace will guard your hearts and minds as you live in Christ Jesus.” And in Philippians 4:8, “Fix your thoughts on what is true, and honorable, and right, and pure, and lovely, and admirable. Think about things that are excellent and worthy of praise.” Nothing you do will bring you more peace of mind and help you to achieve a renewed sense of hope more than keeping your mind fixed on Jesus. God bless, Pastor Jim (If you like what you’re reading in these daily devotionals, and if you would like more content from Oak Hill Baptist Church, join us on Sundays at 10:00, in-person if you are nearby or, if you are geographically distant or if you just can’t make it, online at www.YouTube.com/@oakhillbaptistcrossville |
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Oak Hill Baptist Church 
Good word. Thank you