Christianity Oasis Forum

[cimi]

March 6
Saturday


IS IT WELL

READ:
Philippians 4:4-7
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The peace of God,
which surpasses all
understanding, will
guard your hearts and
minds through Christ
Jesus. __Philippinas 4:7
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As the high school chorale prepared to sing Horatio G. Spafford's classic hymn, "It Is Well With My Soul," a teen stepped forward to tell the song's familiar history. Spafford wrote the song while on a ship that was near the spot at sea where his four daughters perished.

As I listened to that introduction and then the words sung by the teenagers, a flood of emotions washed over, "Where his four daughters perished" were hard words to grasp as I listened again to Spafford's words of faith. Having lost one daughter suddenly, I find the idea of losing four unfathomable.

How could it be "well" for Spafford in his grief? I hear the words "When peace like a river attendeth my way" and remember where peace can be found. Paul says in Philippians 4 that it can be found as our heart-prayers are voiced to God (v.6). By trustful praying, we unburden our hearts, divest our anxieties, and release the grip on our grief. And we can gain the peace of God" (v.7)--an inexplicable, divine calmness of spirit. This peace supersedes our ability to understand our circumstances (v.7), and it is a guard on our heart, through Jesus, that protects us enough to allow us to whisper, even in the pain, "It is well with my soul." __Dave Branon
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``````````````When peace, like a river, attendeth my way,``````````
```````````````````When sorrows like sea-billows roll--````````````
``````````````Whatever my lot Thou hast taught me to say,`````````
``````````````It is well, it is well with my soul. __Spafford``````````
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Jesus never makes a mistake.

*************Today's Bible REading __ Philippians 4:4-7************

4 Rejoice in the Lord
always. Again I will say,
rejoice!

5 Let your gentleness be
known to all men. The Lord
is at hand.

6 Be anxious for nothing,
but in everything by prayer
and supplication, with
thanksgiving, let your
requests be made known to
God; 7 and the peace of
God, which surpasses all
understanding, will guard
your hearts and minds
through Christ Jesus.

>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>INSIGHT<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<

Paul's letter to the church at Philippi reveals a relationship with
deep roots. In Acts 16, Paul and his team receive the Macedonian
vision and cross over from Asia Minor into Europe for the first
time--arriving at Philippi in northern Greece. There, the first
European converts come to Christ, a slave girl is rescued, and Paul
and his team are beaten and imprisoned. In spite of this treatment,
Paul and company engage in a midnight worship service to which
God responds with an earthquake--drawing the Philippian jailer
to Christ as well. These intense events mark the beginning of Paul's
deep connection between apostle and congregation seen in this
great letter of joy. __BILL CROWDER