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The Crosswalk Devotional: A Daily Devotional Chris... - When God Calms You · LifeAudio

• 0:10
  Speaker 1: Welcome to the Crosswalk Devotional. We're glad to have you
• 0:14
  Speaker 1: listening with us.
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  Speaker 2: Today's topic is about how God provides perfect peace for
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  Speaker 2: us in the midst of storms. We'll return with the
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  Speaker 2: devotional after a message from our sponsors. When God Calms You,
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  Speaker 2: written and read by Alexis A.
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  Speaker 1: Goring.
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  Speaker 2: God is our refuge and strength and ever-present help in trouble.
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  Speaker 2: Psalm 46, verse 1, NIV. Have you ever felt overwhelmed
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  Speaker 2: by the stars of life? Do you desperately seek refuge
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  Speaker 2: only to not find relief? If so, then this message
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  Speaker 2: is for you. There's a story about a king who
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  Speaker 2: hosted a contest for artists. The artist was asked to
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  Speaker 2: paint a picture that represents peace. While I have not
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  Speaker 2: seen the visual artwork from the king's contest, I learned
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  Speaker 2: about a modern-day artist named Jack E. Dawson who heard
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  Speaker 2: about this same story and was inspired to paint the
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  Speaker 2: picture of peace. According to Google AI Overview about the
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  Speaker 2: inspiration behind the painting, Artists Jack E. Dawson did not
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  Speaker 2: enter or win an actual arts contest for his famous painting,
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  Speaker 2: Peace in the Mist of the Storm. Rather, he was
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  Speaker 2: inspired to paint it after hearing a traditional parable about
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  Speaker 2: a king's art contest. Dawson heard a story years prior
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  Speaker 2: during a church revival about a king who held a
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  Speaker 2: contest for artists to paint the best representation of peace.
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  Speaker 2: While most artists submitted calm links sunset, and peaceful meadows,
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  Speaker 2: the winning painting depicted a harsh, roaring waterfall, a stormy
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  Speaker 2: sky with lightning, and a rugged cliff. Upon closer inspection,
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  Speaker 2: a tiny bird was tucked safely in a nest within
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  Speaker 2: a crack in.
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  Speaker 1: The rock behind the rushing water.
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  Speaker 2: The king explained that true peace is not the absence
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  Speaker 2: of noise, trouble, or hardship. but rather being completely calm
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  Speaker 2: and secure in the middle of chaos.
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  Speaker 1: What can we learn from this?
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  Speaker 2: I believe this story and painting teach us that God
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  Speaker 2: can calm us and shelter us in the midst of
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  Speaker 2: raging storms. Like the song by Scott Cropain says, and
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  Speaker 2: I paraphrase, God will either calm the storm around us
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  Speaker 2: or he will calm.
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  Speaker 1: Us with his presence in the storm.
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  Speaker 2: Just like the painting of a bird being sheltered in
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  Speaker 2: the storm, we too are safe with God and the
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  Speaker 2: stars of life. I remember when I was in college,
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  Speaker 2: I had to walk a few miles to an assignment
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  Speaker 2: for class.
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  Speaker 1: I usually checked the weather before walking anywhere, but that
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  Speaker 1: day I didn't.
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  Speaker 2: So, I was totally unprepared for the rainstorm that showered
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  Speaker 2: down from the sky at the time I had to
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  Speaker 2: return to the dorm where I lived as a student.
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  Speaker 2: Accepting that I'd be completely waterlogged by the time I
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  Speaker 2: reached my destination, I focused on walking slowly so I
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  Speaker 2: would not slip on the wet pavement of the sidewalks.
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  Speaker 2: After walking carefully for a few minutes, the rain began
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  Speaker 2: to soak my clothes. But before I was completely drenched
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  Speaker 2: in water, a small bus slowly pulled up beside me.
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  Speaker 2: The door opened, and without hesitation, I entered the bus
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  Speaker 2: and thanked the driver for the ride that was going
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  Speaker 2: to provide shelter for me in this storm. He drove
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  Speaker 2: me back to the front entrance of the dorm where
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  Speaker 2: I was staying, keeping the conversation about the weather.
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  Speaker 1: Lighthearted during the entire five-minute ride.
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  Speaker 2: I thanked him again as I exited the bus and
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  Speaker 2: walked a few steps into the dorm where I was
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  Speaker 2: now completely safe from the storm.
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  Speaker 1: Looking back on that day, I sensed God in it.
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  Speaker 2: God knew that I needed shelter and safety, so he
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  Speaker 2: provided it. The same God who did that for me
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  Speaker 2: then can do that and more for you now. Whether
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  Speaker 2: you are going through a physical storm outdoors with rain
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  Speaker 2: drenching you, thunder booming that's scaring you, and lightning flashing
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  Speaker 2: before your eyes, or you're experiencing the trials and tribulations
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  Speaker 2: of life, I encourage you to remember that you are
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  Speaker 2: not alone. Jesus Christ tells us He is with us
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  Speaker 2: in John 16, verse 33, NIV. He says, I have
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  Speaker 2: told you these things so that in me you may
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  Speaker 2: have peace. In this world you will have trouble, but
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  Speaker 2: take heart, I have overcome the world. If you would
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  Speaker 2: like to see the famous modern day painting representing peace
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  Speaker 2: and learn more about it in the words of the
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  Speaker 2: artist Jackie.
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  Speaker 1: Dawson, visit his website.
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  Speaker 2: In closing, I'd like for you to listen to and
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  Speaker 2: reflect on these three songs. Song reflection number one. Sometimes
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  Speaker 2: He Calms the Storm by Scott Kropane. Song of Reflection No. 2,
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  Speaker 2: A Secret Place by Karen Clark Sheard. Song of Reflection No. 3,
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  Speaker 2: Peace by Dacha Ronita Bynum.
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  Speaker 1: Intersecting faith and life.
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  Speaker 2: The next time you feel afraid while experiencing a storm
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  Speaker 2: and you need shelter, will you ask God to provide refuge?
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  Speaker 2: How does it feel to know that Jesus Christ can
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  Speaker 2: give you perfect peace in the midst of any storm?
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  Speaker 1: Further reading.
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  Speaker 2: Ephesians 2, verse 14. Philippians 4, verse 7. John 14,
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  Speaker 2: verse 27. Isaiah 9, verse 6. Isaiah 26, verse 3.
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  Speaker 1: Thanks for listening to today's devotional.
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  Speaker 2: If you liked what you heard today, we want to
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  Speaker 2: make sure you know about our sister podcast, Your Daily Prayer.
• 6:20
  Speaker 1: When you follow Your Daily Prayer, in your favorite podcast app,
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  Speaker 1: you'll get a brand new prayer and devotional each day
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  Speaker 1: so your days begin in conversation with God.
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  Speaker 2: If you're looking to grow in prayer or start your
• 6:33
  Speaker 2: day with your heart focused on the right things, search
• 6:36
  Speaker 2: for Your Daily Prayer in your favorite podcast app and
• 6:40
  Speaker 2: be sure to follow the show so you get a
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  Speaker 2: new prayer delivered straight to you each morning.