In the apostle Marks gospel, chapter 5, is an important lesson on faith. It is a story of Jairus, a synagogue ruler, and his daughter, who was dying. Jairus had beseeched Jesus to come and heal his daughter but on the way to his house they received news that the girl had already died. Then it says that Jesus overheard the news but ignored what was said. In fact, he replied to Jairus: “Be not afraid, only believe” (Mark 5: 36; KJV). There are times when we need to do the same. People may bring us negative reports and talk doubt and unbelief when we are trying to operate in faith. This is when we need to do what Jesus did in the story above and ignore the contrary reports.

Hang around people who are full of faith and who will encourage you to keep believing. As Jesus said to Jairus, just keep believing regardless of the situation because God said: “So shall my word be that goeth forth out of my mouth: it shall not return unto me void, but it shall accomplish that which I please, and it shall prosper in the thing whereto I sent it” (Isa 55:11). God is also alert and active watching over his word to perform it (Jer 1:12). In other words, if you are standing in faith on a promise from God’s word, in his Bible, it will come to pass just as you have believed.

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“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. “(John 14:27; KJV) The word peace here is a beautiful all-encompassing word meaning the perfect peace and confidence that comes with our salvation. Confident in our relationship with God and our eternal life, no matter what our situation is or what is happening around us in this world.

This peace is so different from what the world can offer; the world can only speak hollow words of wishing and hoping. God can actually give us peace. Our peace is a part of salvation, a fruit of the Spirit (Gal 5:22). The world maybe in turmoil around us but we can walk in God’s peace.

We will not have this peace passively by just laying back and waiting for it. As with all of our Christian walk, we have to do our part. In Psalm 199 and verse 165 we note that we will have great peace if we love God’s law (word). In Isaiah 26:3 we see that if we focus our minds on God and trust him, he will keep us in his perfect peace.

So, like every aspect of our walk with God we need to be in his word, building our faith and then his peace will envelope and surround us. Search the Bibles for verses on peace, meditate them. The battle is in the mind. Renew your mind in God’s word (Rom 12:2). Let the Prince of peace (Isa 9:6) bring you to inner stillness and peace: “Be still and know that I am God” (Ps 46:10).

Meditate God’s word today and allow him to bring that peace and stillness to your inner being. 

“The righteous shall flourish like the palm tree: he shall grow like a cedar in Lebanon. Those that be planted in the house of the Lord shall flourish in the courts of our God. They shall still bring forth fruit in old age; they shall be fat and flourishing” (Ps 92:12-14).

According to these verses God’s children, his righteous ones, are going to flourish. We will have long, useful and fruitful lives. Not only that but we will grow old gracefully and still be fruitful and contented in old age. Now that is a promise!

However, all of this is also dependent on something, which is found in verse 13. In verse 13, we see that the condition is that we have a heart’s desire to be planted in his house and flourishing in his courts.

Does that mean we have to live in church all week? I don't think so. What that means is that we need to be in the presence of God as much as possible and then all these wonderful promises will be the result of that. Being in God's presence doesn't mean you have to spend all day on your knees; you can be mindful of his nearness while you are at work, shopping, doing chores or whatever. We can fellowship with God wherever we are and whatever we are doing. We need that desire for a close relationship and intimacy with him.

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King Solomon gave us some sound advice on living a healthy life (Prov 3:7-8). He exhorted us us to not be wise in our own eyes but to fear and worship the Lord and to turn from sin. The king continued that this will bring us health. So, what does not "being wise in our own eyes" mean? I believe it means not being proud but being humble and trusting God rather than yourself.

 In the New Testament we also read a similar verse where man is taught: “not to think of himself more highly than he ought” (Rom 12:3; KJV). If being healthy is important to us (and I assume it is) then these verses above would be a good ones to pay attention to.  

Interestingly, in the next chapter of Proverbs, King Solomon outlines what we can do to experience health and healing. In Proverbs chapter 4 and verses 20 and 21 we are encouraged to pay close attention to the word, so much so that it becomes rooted in our hearts; this the King writes, will also bring health and healing.

We read in the New Testament that: "out of the abundance of the heart, the mouth speaketh" (Matt 12:34). If we have an abundance of the word for healing and faith for healing, on the inside of us, in our hearts, then we can speak those words over our bodies to effect healing and health.

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There are many places in the Bible where we are promised long life. In the book of Genesis God promised us 120 years (Gen 6:3) and he reaffirmed this in Exodus chapter 23 and verse 26 (KJV): "the number of thy days I will fulfill”. Again, in Psalm chapter 91 and verse 16 we read: "with long life will I satisfy him and show him my salvation."

So, what can we do to live a long life? We are taught that: "the fear of the Lord prolongs days" (Prov 10:28) and that to obey God’s law and commandments will add: “length of days, and long life and peace” (Prov 3:2). The men (or women) that seek wisdom will also see long life (Prov 3:16) and in Deuteronomy (Deut 5:16) we were commanded to honor our parents with the promise that we would the enjoy a long and prosperous life.

These are all great promises but in order to receive them we have to believe them and receive them by faith. If you feel you just cannot believe them then spend time reading them over and over and speaking them out loud till you get a revelation of them and have faith in them (till you get them in your heart and not just your mind; Rom 10:17). God's word is powerful, never fails but always achieves his objectives (in other words it gets the job done) (Isa 55:11). His promises are yes and amen (2 Cor 1:20).

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