Hey there, hello to you today and welcome to this episode of The Burt (Not Ernie) Show, where we look at what God has promised His people in the Bible, and we live like those promises are true… and thank God, they are!

You’re listening to The Burt (Not Ernie) Show, featured on the Edifi app and on iHeart radio. Today’s episode is all about God’s promise to give us peace, and more specifically, perfect peace, as it says in Isaiah 26, verse 3. And this is episode number 206.

Isaiah is a large book in the Old Testament. 66 chapters, I believe, and it covers a lot of ground. It is a record of the history of Israel and Judah, it is very prophetic - about specific nations and people groups and what would happen, at times even to the day, as we see in parts of Isaiah 18, that chapter comes to mind, and other portions of the book are exactingly specific, as well. And of course, about Jesus’ birth and life and death and resurrection, it holds so many prophecies that have indeed proved true, exactly true, to perfection. And then, of course, it holds a lot of prophecy about His second coming, His return that will be the most incredible event this world has ever seen.

Sometimes a book the size and the depth of Isaiah can be almost intimidating to read, overwhelming in it’s scope, some parts are historical record, and they read like much of the Old Testament does in Judges or 1 Samuel or the book of Ruth or Esther. But it is intermingled with these astounding portions that are not at all like reading through the book of Ruth or Judges. And we may shy away from it, because it is, frankly, a lot and we might feel like we’re not learned enough or qualified to really understand it.

But is that a good reason to not read it? I don’t think so. God gives us such incredible promises in the book of Isaiah, and I do not think He made those promises so that we would never know them, let alone believe Him for them. Nope. That would not make sense. And a book that has so many powerful promises for us, a book that has been so spot on accurate regarding Jesus’ life on earth, well, that’s a very hopeful, hope-filled book. And we just don't want to miss what it has to say to us.

Which is why we’re going to look at one verse, one topic or theme, from the pages of Isaiah in this episode. You know, to get to the 206th episode of a podcast takes a bit of time, and as this show is focused on God’s promises, I have spent a fair amount of time the last few years reading and thinking about and writing about (as in the podcast show notes and my personal study time) and talking about so many of God’s promises for His dearly loved children (which is what we are, according to 1 John chapter 3, verse 1). And I have yet to be moved off my stance that all His promises are true. Ya know, you get the comments from people on different platforms when clips from the show are shared, and people can say things that are really heart wrenching to read…not what they say about me, because who cares, right? But also, usually what they say is about the Lord, and that is what’s heart wrenching. Maybe they’ve experienced serious hurt or disappointment, maybe they just have no idea who God is or how much He loves them, maybe something else entirely.

But those comments don’t move my needle regarding my belief in who my God is for me personally and as a whole, to all who will come to Him. It moves my needle with heartbreak but not my belief. In thinking about this, the comments and what’s possibly behind those comments, well I wonder if some of those commenters are lacking peace, maybe?

It’s a hard life, in a dark world, for a million different reasons in every stage and season. Inner peace, inner security, that’s missing in so many lives.

The verse from Isaiah that talks about perfect peace, that’s the verse that comes to mind. And that’s the verse I’m sharing with you as one of God’s most beautiful, life-giving promises in this episode.

You will keep in perfect peace all who trust in You, all whose thoughts are fixed on You. That’s what Isaiah 26:3 says in the New Living Translation.

It’s a hefty promise, and as always, our God does nothing but deliver on this.

Does that mean we never have to pause, do a reset, pray, seek His peace, remind one another of verses like this, ponder the fact that Jesus said in this world we will have trouble but we are to take heart, He has overcome the world and that His peace He gives to us, His peace He leaves with us, but not the world’s peace. His peace. It’s a different kind of peace. It’s sitting in the doctor’s office getting really awful news, but you have an inner calm and peace that is so rock solid, you’re able to not endure that hard moment but rather, not be shaken by it. It’s a prodigal’s parent able to fully trust in the Lord and have peace, not be up all night fretting, overcome with dread, jumping at every shadow because the stress level is so high…but having peace right in the middle of the terrible awful disaster of a mess. That’s not the world’s version of peace. It’s beyond the bounds of this world, and I am so thankful that God has promised this peace, perfect peace, to us.

Let me read Isaiah 26:3 from the Amplified now.

You will keep in perfect and constant peace the one whose mind is steadfast (that is, committed and focused on You - in both inclination and character), because he trusts and takes refuge in You (with hope and confident expectation).

That adds some depth to the promise. Perfect and constant peace…that’s what I’m looking for, and I’ll find it when I look for it in Christ Jesus. A steadfast mind, well that sounds pretty good to me. Committed to and focused on the Lord, in all things all of the time. That is an amazing way to live. To have my character so impacted by my trust in God that every inclination I have is aligned toward Him. And why is this promise going to prove true for me and for you? Because we trust the Lord, and we take refuge in Him when life gets hard and we’re under attack or under pressure or facing peril or heartbreak or grief of simply the great unknown. We take refuge in our God in those moments not in a disassociated way, we don’t deny the difficult things in life, but in hope and in confident expectation. That’s perfect peace. That’s your promise.

Now let me share something I read from a missionary to China had to say about how Chinese believers, followers of Jesus, how they read this verse: Thou wilt keep him in perfect peace whose mind stops at God.

Let that sink in for a moment.

Can I repeat that? I feel like it’s too awesome to only say one time.

Thou wilt keep him in perfect peace whose mind stops at God.

In the midst of your troubles, when those scary scenarios start to swamp your thoughts, and thus swamp your life, because where our thoughts go, there our lives go… in those moments, can you and I choose to let our mind STOP at God?

Is this possibly what it means to be still and know that He is God? I think so.

But this happened and then this might happen next and then it may snowball into this, that and the other… But what if my mind stops at God? But this happened, and He is God. Not God of some things, not God now and then, hit and miss, here and there. He is God. Period. My mind, that’s where it stops. At God.

Nothing is greater than our God. Nobody pulls a fast one on our God. Nothing gets past Him. Nothing lets Him down, because nothing holds Him up. He holds all things together, Colossians tells us about the Lord. All things. Nothing left out. Shalom peace, nothing missing, nothing broken.

He will keep you in perfect peace when your mind stops at God.

That’s it for this episode, and I’m so glad you were able to listen today. The highest compliment you could give the show is to share it with a friend. And just on the off chance that somebody might want to hear this, I am working on a Biblical Motherhood project and I have started a Pinterest board where I share some of my content, but also I Pin lots of encouraging content that falls under into the category of Biblical motherhood. If you are a mother or know a mom who would like some encouragement from a Bible based perspective, right here in the show notes is a link to that on Pinterest.

Lord bless you today, and hold your peace and let your mind stop at God today.

See you next time. Bye bye.