“Peace is something that we all desire, yet often feels elusive in today’s world. Even before the pandemic hit, the fast pace of American culture combined with the ever-increasing usage of technology has many of us feeling frantic and frazzled. Cheryl Elton has made it a life goal to pursue Christ’s perfect peace, and today she shares what she has learned through Scripture and experience about finding peace in a chaotic world.” (From Hope Unyielding podcast show notes)

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With warmer days and summer around the corner, one of my spring rituals is putting away the winter coats and sweaters for another year, and bringing out the short-sleeved shirts and shorts.

Many of us give much care to the upkeep and choosing of clothes. And surely we wouldn’t consider going out into the world without clothes on!

Yet as we begin each new day, how often do we venture out without putting on our spiritual clothes—the presence of Christ?

And all who have been united with Christ in baptism have put on Christ, like putting on new clothes.  (Galatians 3:27 NLT) 

Each new morning, the sooner we “put on” Christ by communicating with Him, the better equipped we are for the day at hand.

Romans also exhorts us to “clothe” ourselves with Christ’s presence:

The night is almost gone; the day of salvation will soon be here. So remove your dark deeds like dirty clothes, and put on the shining armor of right living. Because we belong to the day, we must live decent lives for all to see. Don’t participate in the darkness of wild parties and drunkenness, or in sexual promiscuity and immoral living, or in quarreling and jealousy. 

Instead, clothe yourself with the presence of the Lord Jesus Christ. And don’t let yourself think about ways to indulge your evil desires.  (Romans 13:12-14 NLT) 

For any Christ-follower, it is imperative that we set our heart’s focus on Him daily—spending time in God’s Word and prayer; being mindful of His presence throughout the day, as He brings His word to our minds.

Just as we wouldn’t think of wearing a bikini in a snowstorm or a winter parka on a 90-degree day, it’s worth considering the spiritual clothes we are habitually reaching for.

Are we quenching the longing for God in our hearts with busyness, food, TV, social media, shopping, or another person?

Are we “putting on “ the wrong clothes? 

In every detail of life, God promises us His presence. He tells us He will never leave us or forsake us.

In His presence, peace comes upon us and our ears open to hear His voice.

Today, He is inviting you to still your heart in His presence so He may prepare you for the day.

What spiritual clothes will you put on?

Copyright © 2019 Cheryl Elton

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Do you have a quiet place you go to be alone with God? A place where you pour out your prayers and praises and seek His counsel?

For me, during my early years as a Christian in high school and college, a local park and nearby beaches were my special places. I loved to sit and watch the tide roll in, reminding me of God’s faithfulness as I quieted my heart in His presence. Today, I have my comfy chair at home.

Quiet time with the Lord is imperative if we want to maintain peace in our lives. Jesus tells us in this life there will be trouble—but in Him we find peace.

I have told you these things, so that in me you may have peace. In this world you will have trouble. But take heart! I have overcome the world. (John 16:33 NIV)

Seasons of trials, conflict, afflictions, and adversity are inevitable in this life. The world is a volatile and unpeaceful place, and tuning in to the news often inflames uncertainty. If we let it, anxiety and worry can easily consume us on every front.

A respected ministry leader and teacher I know once suggested that peace is our greatest spiritual weapon.

And the God of peace will crush Satan under your feet shortly. (Romans 16:20 NKJV)

God’s peace is the only weapon that can work instantly, to crush Satan under our feet! Only by maintaining peace in our minds and hearts will we be able to hear from God when the storms come.

For though we live in the world, we do not wage war as the world does. The weapons we fight with are not the weapons of the world. On the contrary, they have divine power to demolish strongholds. We demolish arguments and every pretension that sets itself up against the knowledge of God, and we take captive every thought to make it obedient to Christ. (2 Corinthians 10:3-5 NIV)

The antidote to so many of our struggles is found in His presence. There is no greater habit we can incorporate into our lives than quiet time with Him in the secret place each day.

Silencing our hearts through prayer and His presence, God brings His Word to our remembrance, He gives us wisdom; He speaks His counsel into the depths of our hearts.

Jesus, the One who has overcome the world, is in you. Talk to Him often and share your life with Him. Let His peace rule in your heart—the wonderful peace found only in His presence.

Copyright © 2019 Cheryl Elton

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Establishing daily quiet time with God is necessary for anyone who wants a close, intimate relationship with Him. Many of the great men and women of faith throughout Scripture and history have testified to morning being the optimal time.

Yet a wandering mind can challenge many Christians during their quiet time with the Lord. Have you ever started praying, only to find a few seconds later you’re thinking about what you’ll have for dinner that night? Or begun reading the Bible, only to have your thoughts jump to that Facebook post you liked?

The world trains our minds to jump from thought to thought constantly. Television, advertising, the Internet—all with fast moving images—encourage these thought patterns.

But the good news is that with God’s help we can learn to focus and quiet our minds as we develop new habit patterns of silence. We simply need less of us, and more of Him.

For ten years hero of the faith George Müller had regularly spent time in prayer each morning—but he struggled considerably with a wandering mind. So he changed his habit to meditating on Scripture. As he did, he found he would almost effortlessly go into prayers of thanksgiving, confession, intercession, and supplication.

From that time on, prayer was no longer such an effort! Reading and meditating on Scripture provided a natural springboard to praise and prayer. Müller then sustained the habit of Bible reading and prayer for the next 40 years with much more ease.

When relationship with the Lord becomes a priority, He reveals and helps us with the things we need to change, including learning to control our thoughts. 

In the 16^thcentury, St. Francis de Sales wrote:

If the heart wanders or is distracted, bring it back to the point quite gently and replace it tenderly in its Master’s presence. And even if you did nothing during the whole of your hour but bring your heart back and place it again in our Lord’s presence, though it went away every time you brought it back, your hour will be very well employed . . .

We must build new habit patterns of silence, taking the time to tune out life’s demands and distractions, and entering the secret place of His presence. It is only there we find rest.

He who dwells in the secret place of the Most High shall abide under the shadow of the Almighty. I will say of the LORD, “He is my refuge and my fortress; My God, in Him I will trust.”  (Psalm 91:1-2)

If you struggle with a wandering mind during morning devotions, try meditating on Scripture, as Müller did. If you’re not comfortable with quiet, or you struggle with racing thoughts, take heart. Jesus Christ is with you, helping, strengthening, and encouraging you in all your endeavors.

With His help in developing these disciplines, in time we learn to carry His stillness with us, wherever we go.

Let the Prince of Peace Himself welcome you into the new day. He is with you . . . just waiting for your call!

Copyright © 2018 Cheryl Elton

For more on the value of cultivating quietness, see chapter 16 “The Quiet Classroom” in my book Pathway of Peace: Living in a Growing Relationship with Christ

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Yesterday, while heading out the door to go to the movies, my husband announced “I don’t have my phone—but we have yours, right? We need at least one phone with us.”

Funny how for years we lived with no cell phones—now we can’t seem to survive without them! I thought.

For most of us, leaving the house without our phones, we feel lost, even vulnerable, unsafe.

The ability to communicate and get information anywhere anytime has tremendous value, but can also serve as great distraction.

Reaching for the phone—for some while still in bed—is often the first action of the day. Yet this simple act, as innocent as it seems, can quickly distract us. Before we know it, we’re responding to messages, checking emails, reading articles—and we’ve robbed ourselves from entering the day fully engaged with God!

Many heroes of the faith in Scripture spent quiet time with God, usually early in the morning.

David tells us in Psalms:

O God, You are my God; Early will I seek You; My soul thirsts for You; My flesh longs for You In a dry and thirsty land where there is no water. So I have looked for You in the sanctuary, to see Your power and Your glory.  (Psalm 63:1-2)

Listen to my voice in the morning, LORD. Each morning I bring my requests to you and wait expectantly. (Psalm 5:3) 

Daniel had quiet times of daily prayer. Job would rise early to offer sacrifices and pray for his children.

And of course Jesus understood the importance of daily quiet time with the Father. In the gospels we read He often went out early in the morning to seek silence and pray.

Before daybreak the next morning, Jesus got up and went out to an isolated place to pray.  (Mark 1:35) 

Establishing daily time with God is necessary for anyone who wants a close, intimate relationship with Him. Although morning devotions aren’t a command in Scripture, it’s clear that many of the great men and women of faith throughout history have testified to morning being the optimal time.

In his book Power Through Prayer, E.M. Bounds writes:

The men [and women] who have done the most for God in this world have been early on their knees. He who fritters away the early morning, its opportunity and freshness, in other pursuits than seeking God will make poor headway seeking Him the rest of the day. If God is not first in our thoughts and efforts in the morning, He will be in the last place the remainder of the day. 

Without setting our hearts with God first thing in the morning, it remains difficult—once we move into the demands and distractions of the day—to be still within, to hold His peace, and to hear His voice throughout the day.

It’s a matter of priority, isn’t it? I won’t occupy myself with other things until my heart is first engaged with You. 

In that precious morning time of Bible reading, prayer, quiet meditation and listening, He fills us with His presence, His peace—and the heart we need to love Him and others through each new day.

What a joyful way to live!

Copyright © 2018 Cheryl Elton

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George Müller talked to God about everything and expected God to answer every prayer.

During his lifetime (1805-1898), Müller cared for more than 10,000 orphans as the director of the Ashley Down orphanage in Bristol, England, and provided Christian education to over 120,000 children in the 117 schools he established.

Yet despite these wonderful achievements and the many lives he touched, he is best known as a man of great faith and prayer. His uncomplicated trust in God for every daily provision continues to inspire people around the world today.

Remarking on his prayer life, Müller once said:

“The most important part of prayer is the fifteen minutes after saying ‘Amen.’”

For many, ‘amen’ marks the end of prayer time.

Not for Müller.

For him, prayer was all about relationship—and ‘amen’ simply signified the transition into his listening time with God.

Some of us give God our shopping list of requests for the day, ask for His blessing, say ‘amen’, and then jump up to rush into the day.

Many never consider or expect that God could even speak to them.

Do we perhaps miss out on the best part?

Isn’t it during the sacred time of listening that God whispers those quiet reassurances of His presence, confirms His word in our hearts, and often gives us the timely revelation word we need?

These were the precious moments of prayer that were most important to George Müller. For he had experienced the sweetness of fellowship with his Lord that only comes through daily dialogue.

All relationship develops trust, and grows closer, sweeter, through communication.

How God longs for us to hear His voice . . .

Are we listening?

Copyright © 2018 Cheryl Elton

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Did you know statistics reveal that 75-90% of all doctor visits are for stress-related illnesses?

The pressures of life are constantly bearing down on us. We all face needs that can result in anxieties about our health, finances, safety, relationships, the future. 

While people try many things to bring peace to their lives, Jesus’ words in John 14:27 remain:

“I am leaving you with a gift—peace of mind and heart. And the peace I give is a gift the world cannot give. So don’t be troubled or afraid.” 

The peace of Christ is something we must invest in daily through our relationship with Him. Just because we were at peace yesterday, doesn’t guarantee we will be today.

This short video offers some great practical tips to more consistently experience God’s peace.

The message beautifully complements Pathway of Peace: Living in a Growing Relationship with Christ.

Enjoy!

Copyright © 2017 Cheryl Elton

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A feeling of finality came over me as I thumbed through, then closed my 2016 monthly planner.

December 31. Another year ended . . .

By the grace of God it had been a good year, despite some unexpected challenges and changes. He had seen us through.

We are grateful.

As I open my new 2017 calendar I pause to admire its clean pages. Each one an empty slate, soon to be filled in with day-to-day happenings, appointments, and special occasions.

A new year brings hope. A sense of new beginnings. A time to redefine goals and sharpen our focus on what is truly important.

To look ahead to new and better days . . .

Like the first blank page of a new calendar year, our new life in Christ is a new beginning—each and every day. 

“Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation; old things have passed away; behold, all things have become new.” (2 Corinthians 5:17 NKJV) 

The same power that raised Jesus Christ from the dead is now the transforming power of Christ dwelling in us—enabling us to put away old deplorable behaviors, and change—becoming more and more like Him.

“For we died and were buried with Christ by baptism. And just as Christ was raised from the dead by the glorious power of the Father, now we also may live new lives.” (Romans 6:4 NLT) 

As we begin the New Year, may we take time to be still in His presence—allowing Him to strengthen us and give us direction for the days ahead—to fill us with His peace, His joy, His hope. 

“Now may the God of hope fill you with all joy and peace in believing, that you may abound in hope by the power of the Holy Spirit.” (Romans 15:13 NKJV) 

Each day, may we be transformed more and more into His likeness as we live in His presence.

Copyright © 2017 Cheryl Elton

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In a Reader’s Digest article recapping interviews of couples married 40, 50, or even 60 years, all said similarly that despite their shared history together, they were still changing, growing, and learning new things about each other.  

A big factor to their marriages’ longevity was developing good communication skills. Most happily married couples will tell you that they have learned to listen to their spouse—(not “agree” but “listen.”)

Relationship is not a one-way monologue, but an ongoing shared dialogue.

What about our relationship with the Creator of the universe? Learning to know Him and listening to hear His voice is a lifetime endeavor—and a journey that marks the Christian life with its greatest joy.

Prayer has many aspects, including praise, confession, thanksgiving, petition, and intercession. But an often overlooked, and equally important facet of prayer is listening.

Evangelical Christian missionary Frank C. Laubach said:

“Prayer at its highest is a two-way conversation and for me the most important part is listening to God’s replies.” 

Hebrews 4 speaks of a promised rest to God’s people. David called it the “secret place of the Most High.” Many never find it because unbelief and pride harden their hearts.

“There remains therefore a rest for the people of God. For he who has entered His rest has himself also ceased from his works as God did from His. Let us therefore be diligent to enter that rest, lest anyone fall according to the same example of disobedience.” (Hebrews 4:9-11 NKJV) 

Resting our hearts in His presence is central to our prayer lives; for it’s in quietness and rest that we hear His still small voice. The Lord leads us beside still waters, and there restores our souls (Psalm 23:2-3).      

As we share ourselves in relationship with God through Jesus Christ, the ears of our hearts remain open to His voice. Much dialogue, and also sitting quietly in His presence and listening to Him speak, is a vital part of our daily prayer time.

In that quiet place, we cease from our own works, and allow Him to do His.

Copyright © 2016 Cheryl Elton

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In 2014, Burger King ditched its 40-year-old slogan, “Have It Your Way” for the more personal “Be Your Way.”

A BK management official noted in an interview that the former slogan focused only on the food purchase, while the new one is about connecting with a person’s greater lifestyle.

In a world where we’ve been conditioned to have everything instantly—our way, right away—little room is left for what’s often the hardest part . . . waiting.

Waiting in line, waiting for test results, waiting in traffic, waiting for an appointment, or a spouse . . . can make us restless, uneasy.

What about waiting on God?

Waiting on Him involves trust—trusting God with all your heart instead of trying to figure everything out yourself—and hope—looking to Him in hopeful anticipation of what He will do.

Waiting on God is being still in His presence, rather yielding to anxiety about circumstances. 

“Be still in the presence of the Lord, and wait patiently for him to act.” (Psalm 37:7) 

Waiting on God is how He designed us to live—staying mindful of His presence as we go about our daily duties, one day at a time. 

“Let all that I am wait quietly before God, for my hope is in him.” (Psalm 62:5) 

The ability to live above one’s circumstances each day comes from a strong and steady relationship with the Lord and a deep dependence on Him.

Renewed strength comes to those who wait upon Him:

“But those who wait on the LORD shall renew their strength; They shall mount up with wings like eagles, They shall run and not be weary, They shall walk and not faint.” (Isaiah 40:31 NKJV)

Take joy in His presence today . . . trusting, hoping, waiting for God . . .

Our lives are in His hands!

Copyright © 2016 Cheryl Elton

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