Our Very Present Help in Time of Need

 "He heals the brokenhearted and binds up their wounds."

(Psalm 147:3)

As I drove west, across the rain-soaked farmlands, on my way to a day of fishing in the desert, I noticed a small flock of sheep out my right side car window. And one little ewe lamb was walking with a very pronounced limp—a grimace of pain in her eyes. But just as striking, was the larger sheep just to her left side and slightly behind her. I got the strong impression that he was caring for her... watching over her.

He had her back.

I was so moved by this that I got tears in my eyes and felt compassion for that little lamb. And I had to call my wife immediately and tell her about the lamb and the larger sheep watching out for her, and how much I loved her. My wife loves all animals, but especially sheep and little lambs. 

We had a tender moment on the phone. 

She said, "I'm the little sheep with the broken leg."

I said, "I have your back honey."

This is the beauty of how Jesus made the Body of Christ—His eternal family.

Certainly, this kind of loving care for one another directly applies to all married couples. 

But not just to married people. 

This is the kind of love and care we should all have for one another. We are to come alongside one another, and care for each other, and bear one another's burdens. (Galatians 6:2)

I heard a story several years ago about a little girl who was afraid of the dark and wanted to get in bed with her mother. 

Her mother said, "Honey, you need to go back to bed and just pray to Jesus and He will take away your fear." 

The little girl said, "Mommy, I know that. But tonight, I need Jesus with skin on."

That's what we, as the Body of Christ, are to be for one another—Jesus with skin on.

God can absolutely heal all sickness, disease and injuries.

But, in my experience, more times than not, He instead chooses to bring His people alongside those with sickness, disease and injuries, and calls us to bind up their wounds, comfort them, and just love them.

He sends us to nursing homes to comfort an aging man or woman who lost their spouse, and now lies there alone, desperately in need of someone to spend time with them, bringing God's love, mercy and comfort to them in their time of need.

He calls us to love, support and care for orphans in the slums of India, where children with Aids have lost their parents to Aids, and due to the cruel Caste System there, they are outcast and left to die on the streets because no one wants them. They are labeled "untouchable."

He sends us to befriend and comfort people who have gone through a painful divorce and just need someone to encourage them and be a good listener. 

We are to rejoice with those who rejoice, and weep with those who weep.

To be Jesus with skin on to people.

That is how God can be a very present help in people's time of need. 

He has the Body of Christ—His Church—spread across the entire  planet, called to be available to help those who need His help, loving those who need His love.

And sometimes, all we need to be is available. 

We don't need to be a Pastor or a super-anointed Bible teacher. We just need to be available to love the hurting people who God places in our lives.

A dear friend of mine shared the following truth with me a few years ago:

"God does not call us based on our ability—He calls us based on our availability."

I have never forgotten that.

And if you feel that you are not properly equipped to minister to hurting people in this way, my friend also encouraged me with another profound truth:

"God does not call the equipped—He equips the called."

None of us come naturally equipped to be Jesus with skin on to anyone. We are born sinners. With men, this God-kind-of-love is impossible. 

But with God, all things are possible.

Jesus said, 

"Without Me—you can do nothing."

When we, in our absolute weakness, take the step of faith to call on Jesus to give us His love, compassion and strength, to reach and minister to those with needs that far exceed our ability to help them, He will empower and enable us to do great things.

God alone is able.

All He calls us to be is avail-able.

—Are you available?

—God is Love, and Love Never Fails.

Honorable

"You people draw near to Me with your mouth, and honor Me with your lips, but your heart is far from Me." 

—Jesus

Honorable.

Here are a few definitions of the word:

• Performed or accompanied with marks of honor or respect.
• Consistent with an untarnished reputation.
• Characterized by integrity.
• Guided by a high sense of honor and duty.

What does the word honorable mean to you personally? More importantly, what does "honorable" look like in your life? In your daily practices? 

In your obedience to God? 

The Bible says, "Man looks at the outward appearance—but God sees the heart." (1 Samuel 16:8) 

Talk is cheap. 

It's way too easy to talk a good game—to appear like a righteous person.

But what does God see when He looks at your heart?

One of my life-changing verses from the Bible, and that which I most desire to live by, is John 14:21. 

Jesus said: 

"Whoever has My commandments and keeps them, is the one who loves Me." 

That one verse strips away all religious sacraments, liturgy, good works, holy appearance, and lofty speeches.

It pierces and reveals the heart.

If you love Jesus—really love Him—you will keep His commandments. You will obey His Word. Anything less, proves that you don't love Him at all. It actually reveals that you don't even know Him:

"Now by this we know that we know Him; if we keep His commandments. He who says, 'I know Him' but does not keep His commandments, is a liar, and the truth is not in him. But whoever keeps His word, truly the love of God is perfected in him. By this we know that we are in Him." (1 John 2:3-5)

Anyone can sit in a church week after week. You can read a Bible. You can talk the spiritual talk. You can look the part.

But if obedience to God is not your way of life, then you are not in Christ.

Jesus said:

"Why do you call me "Lord" but not do the things that I say?" (Luke 6:46)

It's all about love.

Love is a verb. It requires action.

If you truly love Jesus and are thankful for what He did for you—giving you the free gift of eternal life—then you will be honorable, and obey His Word.

—Do you love Him?

—God is Love, and Love Never Fails.

Rivers of Living Water

"If anyone thirsts, let him come to Me and drink. He who believes in Me—as the Scripture has said—out of his heart will flow rivers of living water.”

(John 7:37-38)

I have always been mesmerized by rivers.

Rivers flow out from their source. 

One of my favorite rivers is the Henry's Fork of the Snake River. It literally flows out of the ground at Big Springs, Idaho. Water from Henry's Lake, along with snow melt, seeps into the volcanic caldera which lies underneath a huge portion of the eastern part of the state, and it gushes forth at Big Springs, immediately transformed into a full-fledged, living river. It is one of the clearest, most beautiful rivers you will find anywhere on earth.

Flowing rivers bring life.

Always moving, flowing outward, downward, watering crops, bringing much needed moisture to parched lowlands, cool drinking water to those who thirst, calling spawning fish home, providing refreshment—bringing much-needed life.

Lord, thank You for the life your living river brings.

The polar opposite of rivers are ponds. 

Ponds are self-contained—having no inflow or outflow. They slowly stagnate, surface thickening with parasitic insects, algae and pond scum. Robbed of oxygen, they slowly dry up, and eventually, they die.

Do you see any examples in these two metaphors with real life?

How about in your life?

Jesus said:

"If anyone thirsts, let him come to Me and drink. He who believes in Me, as the scripture has said, "out of his heart will flow rivers of living water." But this He spoke concerning the Spirit, whom those believing in Him would receive." (John 7:37-39)

I can see my own heart in both of the previous water examples.

Fortunately, I've had times where I remembered my Source and allowed His life-giving water to flow out of my heart, providing desperately needed mercy, encouragement and love to those around me.

Sadly, I've had far too many times when I was like a self-contained pond. Self-focused, stagnate, allowing no healthy inflow, and therefore, no life-giving outflow was coming out of my heart. The pond scum of self-absorption was choking the life out of me to where I was no good to anyone.

When we become inordinately self-focused, we are so blinded by self that that we cannot see others all around us who are in need of God's love and encouragement.

This kind of self-focus is self idolatry.

May God forgive me for all the times my heart was like a self-contained pond.

We have to choose to allow the river of the Spirit of God to flow into our hearts. And then we have to allow His living water to flow out onto others. Those living rivers were never meant to stay locked in a stagnate pond.

Is your heart flowing out like a river?

Or self-contained like a pond?

—God is Love, and Love Never Fails.

He Always Attacks Your Back

"Be sober, be vigilant; because your adversary the devil walks about like a roaring lion, seeking who he may devour."

(1 Peter 5:8)

Several years ago, I read a story in the paper about a hunter who was hunting alone in the mountains near Elko, Nevada. A group of hunters found him, dead; his back half-eaten away. Apparently, a mountain lion had stalked and then killed him in a surprise attack. He never even had time to raise his rifle to defend himself.

He never saw the attack coming.

I regularly fish in a place known to be frequented by mountain lions. But I rarely, if ever, fish alone.

And for good reason...

I need someone to watch my back.

We must heed the warning from the writer of 1 Peter and be sober and vigilant because we have an adversary. And like the mountain lion in the picture above, he hides himself, lying in wait for those who carelessly stroll through life, trying to go it alone.

He always attacks your back.

Sheepherders lose wayward sheep who stray from the flock and wander away from the protection of the shepherd. The roaming lion seeks out the young, the sick, or the weakest members of the flock.

They never even see the attack coming.

No one was there to watch their back.

Honestly, I don't feel like going to church today.

Sometimes I get tired of hearing the same old stories. The same old songs can be boring. And at times, it all seems like a big 'show' to me.

But these thoughts are not from God—they are from our cunning and crafty adversary who seeks to deceive, separate, and destroy us.

Jesus said:

"The thief does not come except to steal, and to kill, and to destroy." (John 10:10)

It is on days like today when I "just don't feel like going to church" that I truly need to be there the most.

Some people have forsaken gathering with the Body of Christ altogether, and they do so to their own hurt.

"And let us consider how we may spur one another on toward love and good deeds, not giving up meeting together, as some are in the habit of doing, but encouraging one another; and all the more as you see the Day approaching." (Hebrews 10:24-25)

When we stop gathering together with God's family, we are not being encouraged, or cheered on to love people, and do good for others who are in need. 

And we are not doing the same for our brothers and sisters. 

God made the Body of Christ—His family—to love one another, to watch out for each other, to care for one another, and to pray for each other. 

To watch each other's backs.

However, sometimes we unknowingly give ourselves over to our deceitful adversary who only comes to steal our joy, kill our fruitfulness, and destroy our relationships.

It's because we separated ourselves from the flock and fell to the back of the pack, where we made ourselves easy prey for the cunning lion who seeks to devour.

For these reasons, we must be sober—awake, alert and discerning. And we must be vigilant—watchful, on guard and attentive.

Our adversary Satan never boldly charges us head first.

—He always attacks your back.

God is Love and Love Never Fails.

Transform Your Vision

"Do not conform to the pattern of this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind."

(Romans 12:1)

We've all heard that we should look at the proverbial glass as being half-full, and not as half-empty.

However, thinking positively by itself doesn't change things at all. 

You actually have to make a change—take action.

First, how about being thankful that you have something in your hand at all. And whether it is half-full, or has just a drop or two in the bottom, think of all the people who have absolutely nothing.

One of the keys to living a joy-filled life is to be thankful for what you have, and stop focusing on what you don't have.  

Last fall I had a life-changing epiphany that the root of unhappiness and depression is an inordinate self-focus.

But knowing that, I am still prone to falling into the self-focus trap every day. Whenever things get tough, it's easy to dwell on my circumstances and get depressed.

So what's the solution?

Transform your vision.

Change your focus.  

Stop dwelling on what you don't have and remember what you do have and give thanks for it.  Don't just "be" thankful, but give thanks.  There is a difference.

The Apostle Paul wrote:

"Therefore, I urge you, brothers and sisters, in view of God’s mercy, to offer your bodies as a living sacrifice, holy and pleasing to God—this is your true and proper worship.  Do not conform to the pattern of this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind—then you will be able to test and prove what God’s will is: His good, pleasing and perfect will."  (Rom 12:1-2)

There it is:  "Be transformed by the renewing of your mind."

What does that mean?

First, we need to change our wrong ways of thinking.

If we don't change our focus and direct it off of ourselves and our circumstances, we can never truly be transformed.  As Paul points out in the passage above, if we are transformed by the renewing of our minds, then we will be able to test and prove what God's will is.

What is God's will?

Jesus said,

"And you shall love the Lord your God with all your heart, with all your soul, with all your mind, and with all your strength. This is the first commandment. And the second, like it, is this: ‘You shall love your neighbor as yourself.’ There is no other commandment greater than these.”

Next, after we change our wrong ways of thinking (i.e. repentance) then we need to replace those wrong thoughts and ideas with righteous thoughts and ideas. Start by spending time reading your Bible every day.

After spending time reading and absorbing God's Word, then we must act on what we have read—on our new way of thinking. This is what Paul means by saying "Then you will be able to test and prove God's what will is."

Specifically, set your focus on God first.  If you are a Christian—a follower of Jesus Christ—you have everything to be thankful for!  Thanks Jesus for what He has done in your life, praising Him, worshiping Him.

Jesus said, "Love the Lord your God with all your heart (your desires and affection) all your soul (your will), all your mind (your thoughts), and with all your strength (your deeds and actions)."

And with all our strength (deeds and actions) He gives the second great commandment, which is like the first: "You shall love your neighbor as yourself." - Test and prove God's will.

If we truly love God, we will love other people as much or more than we love ourselves, with a sacrificial love.

The Greek word is "Agape"—The God kind of love.

I guarantee you, if you are loving God with all your heart, soul, mind and strength, and then you are loving others as much or more than you are loving yourself, you won't have time to focus on your own problems or your circumstances.

Paul writes in Romans 12, that we are not to be conformed to the pattern of this world.  What does that mean?  

The world is constantly focused on "looking out for number one." Self-help books such as "Getting the Love That You Want" sell by the millions.  The world is always focused on self--not on loving God and not on loving other people as much or more than they love themselves.  Certainly not on loving God with all of their heart, soul, mind and strength.

So, don't be conformed to that worldly, inordinate self- focus of always looking out for number one.

The acronym for J.O.Y. is to focus on:

Jesus first

Others second

Yourself last

Transform your vision today.

And then test and prove God's will for your life.

If you do this, you won't have time to focus on yourself and on your circumstances.

-You will experience J.O.Y.

—God is Love, and Love Never Fails.

A Tale of Two Thieves

"Father, forgive them, for know not what they do."

—Jesus

As Jesus hung on a wooden cross, on a lonely hill outside the city of Jerusalem, on a dark, desperate day 2,000 years ago, crucified at the hands of Roman soldiers, who were compelled to do so by Jewish religious leaders, He prayed for those who nailed Him to His cross, and for those who falsely accused Him—having  wrongly betrayed Him unto death.

Jesus was crucified between two condemned thieves.

As Jesus suffered in agony on His cross, He prayed for His executioners and accusers: 

"Father, forgive them, for know not what they do."

You can read the entire account in Luke chapter 23.

One of the thieves hanging on a cross next to Jesus was named Gesmas.

Gesmas had been convicted of his crimes, and was sentenced to death by crucifixion, which was the most heinous method of Roman capital punishment at that time.

As he looked at Jesus praying for His betrayers, Gesmas blasphemed Jesus, saying:

"If you are the Christ, save yourself and us!"

No remorse or repentance was in the heart of Gesmas. Only pride and unbelief. 

His heart was so hardened by his own hatred and arrogance, Gesmas could not see the goodness of this innocent Man, hanging on a cross next to him. Jesus praying for His killers only enraged Gesmas.

The second thief hanging on a cross on the other side of Jesus was named Dismas.

Dismas was also convicted of his crimes and was sentenced to death by Roman crucifixion.

However, as we read the account of the crucifixion in Luke 23, we see an entirely different response from Dismas, as he hears Jesus praying for His executioners and betrayers, and he rebukes Gesmas:

"Do you not even fear God, seeing you are under the same condemnation? And we indeed justly, for we receive the due reward of our deeds; but this Man has done nothing wrong!"

Dismas was repentant. He acknowledged that his punishment was just. He confessed that he had received the due reward for his crimes. He also reminded Gesmas that his own capital punishment was well deserved.

But Dismas did not stop there.

He then turned to Jesus and called out to Him:

"Lord, remember me when You come into Your kingdom."  

Dismas addressed Jesus as "Lord."

He acknowledged that Jesus is Lord, and he acknowledged before all who stood by, that Jesus was innocent.

"We receive the due reward of our deeds; but this Man has done nothing wrong!"

And Dismas also acknowledged Jesus as King.

"Lord, remember me when You come into Your kingdom."

Jesus—the King of kings and the Lord of lords—answered a remorseful and repentant Dismas:

"Assuredly, I say to you, today you will be with Me in Paradise."

In his last remaining moments on earth, Dismas' first and final act of worship was to acknowledge and address Jesus as Lord and King. His heart was remorseful and repentant. He confessed that his punishment was just. He confessed his guilt before the Son of God, who hung next to him on a cross.

And the promise from Jesus was he would assuredly be with his Lord and King that very day, in a place called Paradise.

The two thieves represent mankind as a whole.

We are all guilty in the sight of God. We all deserve the same brutal crucifixion that Dismas and Gesmas suffered.

Jesus died on His cross for both of these guilty men. He died for the sin of all mankind. He died for you, and for me.

Which of the two thieves represents you?

Will you harden your heart towards Jesus?

Or will you turn to Him, confessing your guilt to Him, and acknowledge and address Him as your Lord and King?

Will you see yourself as deserving of hanging on a cross next to Jesus?

Are you Dismas?

Or are you Gesmas?

You have to choose.

A Tale of Two Thieves.

—God is Love, and Love Never Fails.

The Razor's Edge

"But everyone who hears these sayings of Mine, and does not do them, will be like a foolish man who built his house on the sand; and the rain descended, the floods came, and the winds blew and beat on that house; and it fell. And great was its fall."

—Jesus

When I was a kid, my dad used to impart fatherly wisdom to me by saying things like, "Do you have to walk off of a cliff to know that it's going to hurt when you hit bottom?"

Another favorite was, "Do you have to stick your hand in the fire to know that it's going to burn?"

These are no-brainers, right?

So, why do we—who have repeatedly heard Jesus' sayings—still choose to play with fire, thinking that somehow, we will not get burned?

Here is wisdom:

"Do not be deceived, God is not mocked; for whatever a man sows, the will he also reap." (Galatians 6:7)

Here's some more:

"There is a way that seems right to a man, but its end is the way of death." (Proverbs 14:12 and 16:25).

That last one is written twice, once in Proverbs chapter 14, and again, word-for-word in chapter 16. God repeated it for a reason. It's because this is the most common folly of man. You know what you are doing is not right, but hey, it seems right to you, so you plunge right in, diving into the deep end of the sin pool.

What "way" have you chosen in your life that may seem right or feel right to you, but you know it is contrary to what God's Word says?

You know what it is.

And the two-fold promise of God's Word is that the end result of your choice is the way of death.

Could be physical death. Could be spiritual death. Could be the death of your marriage, or some other valuable relationship. Could be the death of your career, Or it could be the death of your peace, or your joy.

But make no mistake about it—it's consequential 'end' is the way of death.

And here's the tricky part—if you continue down this path, knowing that the way you have chosen is against God—eventually, He will deem you past the point of no return; "beyond repentance" and He will give you over to your sin.

And you're done.

There's no turning back.

Don't believe me?

"Pursue peace with all people, and holiness; without which no one will see the Lord: looking carefully lest anyone fall short of the grace of God; lest any root of bitterness springing up cause trouble, and by this many become defiled; lest there be any fornicator or profane person person like Esau, who for one morsel of food sold his birthright. For you know that afterward, when he wanted to inherit the blessing, he was rejected, for he found no place for repentance, though he sought it diligently with tears." (Hebrews 12:14-17)

Esau was a profane man. He had this amazing inheritance coming from his father because of his birthright, but he gave it all up for a bowl of meaty stew. He sold his 'sonship' for a moment of pleasure.

And afterward, he painfully tried to take it back and repent. But it was too late for him. It was done.

How about you?

You know what is right, and what is wrong. And you know that the way you have chosen may feel right to you, but in your heart, you know God is against it.

You are walking on the razor's edge.

And the end of your chosen way is the way of death.

You are playing with fire.

Is it too late for you? Are you beyond repentance?

—That's up to you.

—God is Love, and Love Never Fails.

Guard Your Heart

"But I say to you that whoever looks at a woman to lust for her, has already committed adultery with her in his heart."

 —Jesus 

The heart is central to all things.

I once heard an old pastor teach that a wife is the protector of her husband's heart. He quoted from the book of Genesis (chapter 2:21-24) where God made Adam, and then said, "It is not good for the man to be alone." He then put Adam into a deep sleep and removed one of his ribs. And out of that rib, God created Eve to be Adam's wife.

What physically protects the heart in the human body?

The rib cage.

That pastor said he believes the rib God specifically removed from Adam, and then made Eve from, was the rib directly over Adam's heart.

God specifically made Eve to be a companion to Adam—to be the protector of her husband's heart.

It is absolutely critical for all Christians that we guard our hearts.

And for those who are married, you are to guard and protect the heart of your husband or wife. For many years, my wife and I have had a saying about our marriage that we are, "two hearts that beat as one."

So, in the context of marriage, since the man and woman "are no longer two, but they are one flesh", when you guard your own heart you are, in a manner of speaking, guarding your spouse's heart at the same time.

Jesus taught that murder, adultery and every evil thing begins in the heart.

"For out of the heart proceed evil thoughts, murders, adulteries, fornication, thefts, false witness, blasphemies." (Matthew 15:19)

As a new Christian, I remember the first time I heard the passage from Matthew 5 where Jesus says, "But I say to you that whoever looks at a woman to lust for her, has already committed adultery with her in his heart" I thought, 'how can that be?'

How can you be found guilty of adultery simply by looking at a woman that way, but you haven't physically committed the deed itself?

It's because God looks at the heart.

"For the Lord does not see as man sees; for man looks at the outward appearance, but the Lord looks at the heart." (1 Samuel 16:7)

If you hate someone in your heart, to God it's the same as committing murder. If you lust after someone who is not your spouse, Jesus said you have already committed adultery with that person.

The moral of the story, is we must constantly guard our hearts against all attacks and temptations from the enemy of our souls, who daily comes against us, trying to undo what good work God has done, and is doing in our hearts.

How do we do that?

First, we are commanded to flee from youthful lusts.

"Flee also youthful lusts; but pursue righteousness, faith, love, and peace with those who call on the Lord out of a pure heart." (2 Timothy 2:22)

So, when sin comes knocking at the door of your heart, don't take a few minutes to examine it, and see if it's as bad as it looks. Get the heck out of there!

And then seek out, and spend quality time with other followers of Christ—with "those who call on the Lord out of a pure heart." God designed the Body of Christ to comfort, encourage and even admonish one another when needed.

Lone Ranger Christians don't survive for long out there, alone in a wilderness of self-sufficiency. Wolves or mountain lions always attack the weak or lone sheep at the back of the pack. There's safety in numbers. We need each other.

Also, we must walk in wisdom. As a wise old southern preacher once exhorted,

"If you know sin lies down that street—DON'T GO DOWN THERE!"

We all know what most easily tempts us and trips us up, and we know where it can readily be found. Don't go anywhere near it. The bible says:

"Therefore submit to God. Resist the Devil and he will flee from you." (James 4:7)

The first step is to submit (surrender) yourself—your heart—to God. In so doing, you have taken the most important step in resisting the Devil.

Some of the best advice I ever heard given to us as Christians, is that we are never to try and do battle with Satan on our own. He is way more powerful than we are. We need only cling tightly to Jesus, and always keep Him between us and Satan. By doing so, Satan doesn't stand a chance.

You don't have the strength in your flesh to resist the Devil. So, do what Jesus did; quote Scripture at Satan when he tries to tempt you.

"Now when the tempter came to Him, he said, "If You are the Son of God, command that these stones become bread." But Jesus answered and said, "It is written, 'Man shall not live by bread alone, but by every word that proceeds from the mouth of God." (Matthew 4:3-4)

The Word of God is living and powerful, and sharper than any two-edged sword." (Hebrews 4:12)

The Word is also called the "Sword of the Spirit."

"Above all, taking the shield of faith with which you will be able to to quench all the fiery darts of the wicked one. And take the helmet of salvation, and the sword of the Spirit, which is the Word of God." (Ephesians 6:16-17)

Too many church goers today place far too little emphasis on the literal reading and observance of the Bible.  And they do so to their own hurt. If God says we can 'stand' in the face of spiritual attack by wielding His Word—the Sword of The Spirit—then why would people want to disregard the Bible as not being literal, or relevant for our modern culture?

What we feed our hearts with will determine what our hearts produce.

Fill your heart with God's Word, and mediate (chew on, digest) the things that are true, noble, just and pure.

But if I fill my heart with ungodly thoughts, entertainment, or images, then I am feeding the old sinful nature (the old man) and I will reap corruption.

"For he who sows to his flesh will of the flesh reap corruption. But he who sows to the Spirit will of the Spirit reap everlasting life." (Galatians 6:8)

A friend once said it this way: "Your old fleshly nature is the black dog, and your new spiritual nature is the white dog. The one you feed is the one that grows."

Finally, the most important and powerful way to guard you heart is through prayer to your Father in Heaven.

"Be anxious for nothing, but in everything by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving, let your requests be made known to God; and the peace which surpasses all understanding will guard your hearts and minds through Christ Jesus." (Philippians 4:6-7)

The Bible is full of instances of "if's" and "then's."  God often exhorts us, "IF you will do this, THEN I will do that."

Do you want to have the peace of Jesus that far surpasses all understanding?

—Then don't worry about yourself. Be thankful to God and pray and ask Him for His wisdom and strength, and pray for the needs of others, and then He will give you the incomprehensible peace He promises you in His Word.

Do you want God to guard your heart and your mind through Jesus Christ?

—Goes without saying, right?

So, what do you do?

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

—God is Love, and Love Never Fails.