What to do when your life needs rebuilding

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Learn to appreciate what God has given you

Enter His gates with thanksgiving And His courts with praise Give thanks to Him, bless His name. - Psalm 100:4

I remember when I was just about eight years old sitting down to dinner at my Grandmother's house. The table was set with her special Devon Cottage dinner plates with their distinctive blue floral pattern. As Grandma stood stirring pots on the stove, I remember being really hungry that day and couldn't wait to get a taste of her home cooking. While she was still at the stove, Grandma called out to me: "Carolyn, say the grace." Something we did before every meal in her house. Looking down at my empty plate and then,  back at my grandmother, I responded, "But Grandma, there's no food on the plate?" My youthful observation made Grandma laugh, but I learned a lesson that day that you don't always have to see God's blessings to be thankful for them. Even though no food was on the plate, I knew I would eat that day, and that in itself was reason to be thankful.

Nowadays, people take so much for granted. For a nation that has been so enormously blessed by God, America is moving toward a society that feels God no longer has a place in its national life. Whole towns and communities have gone so far as to outlaw public mention of God or any expression of Christian traditions and symbols. We're fast becoming an ungrateful nation.

And what about you? How thankful are you for what God has given you? Perhaps you're living in the lap of luxury with no need of anything. You can thank God for blessing you with wealth. Even if you're facing an empty plate right now, you can be thankful for having a plate— trusting God to supply the food. The scriptures tells us that the Lord "will never leave us or forsake us" (Hebrews 13:5). Years ago, I was an eight year old kid saying grace over an empty plate, and from that day to this, I have never gone hungry or had to wonder where my next meal was coming from.

God's faithfulness extends to every aspect of the believer's life because he cares that much for us. As a matter of fact, And not only that God's blessings extend to those who don't believe. Learn to appreciate what God has given you. You can depend on God to always keep His promises.

Help me, my life's a mess

"Decide what you need to live simply and get rid of the rest."

Life gets messy at times, especially when you clutter it with too many things — possessions, obligations, commitments, and even people. And if you're not careful, the clutter can spread to your thinking and emotions in the form of  bad thoughts, including past hurts, grievances, traumas, anger, hatred, negative emotions, disappointments, broken promises and unconfessed sin. Before too long, you'll find yourself buried under their weight. You look for help to move this mountain. But "Who will help me," you ask?

Naturally, your first thought might be to ask a friend or family member for help. But they have their own problems and can't or won't lift a finger to help you solve yours. With no hope in sight, you reach a low point, ready to give up. But wait, when you think there's no hope, there's help available. Psalm 121 was written by a man who knows what it's like to be depressed and alone. He wrote:

I will lift up my eyes to the hills

From whence comes my help?

My help comes from the Lord,

Who made heaven and earth. (Psalm 121)

This man knew that the only one who could help him is God. The answer for a messed up, mixed up, cluttered life is Jesus Christ. Comparing the life of Jesus, the bible says that Jesus never had a place to call home; his only possessions were the clothes on his back. And yet, he considered himself to be rich.

His wealth came from his close relationship with his father. God, the father, God the son, it doesn't get any closer. But, what's even more amazing is that Jesus sacrificed his life for our sins so that we could know that same closeness with God. Jesus came to remove the clutter of sin from our lives, so that we would know the freedom that comes with having our sins forgiven. Not only did Jesus clean up broken lives and heal broken bodies, he changed people's hearts and made them better. Look at what the scriptures say:

Anyone who is joined to Christ is a new being; the old is gone, the new has come. (2 Corinthians 5:16-18)

And you know the best part, you don't have to clean up your own life, or get rid of the clutter yourself or anything of the sort. He'll do it for you, if you ask him. Let Jesus clean up the clutter in your life. He'll forgive your sins, and give your life new meaning. Look up, it's where your help comes from.

Jesus, I need your help. I know I messed things up and I am sorry. Please forgive me. I open my heart up to you. I want you to take control of the clutter in my life. I believe you are the son of God who died on the cross for my sins. Please save me now. Come into my heart and life to be my Lord and Savior. 

 For help finding a Christian community in your area, contact peacewithgod.net

He ain't heavy, he's my brother

Everyday People

by Carolyn K. Erwin

Everyday he walks the streets
head down low with no place to go
looking for life with meaning
around every corner;
but every corner looks just like the next.

What's it gonna take for him to shake
years of neglect from his clothes?
"Hey brother, can you spare a dime," he pleads
as he holds out his hand for the hundredth time.
Until he gets enough to buy the wine
that eats a hole in his aspirations
and leaves him on the street stone cold.
Just sober enough to face another day.

But for him a new day never dawns.
It's the same old day repeated 364 times,
new street corner, different part of town.
For someone going nowhere fast,
boy, he sure gets around.

I wonder what goes on inside his head?
If he keeps on living like this
he'll end up dead,
sooner than he wants to be.
But is that so bad?
At least, he'll be out his misery.

You see people like him on the street everyday
and what do you think?
Do you say, "Gee that guy sure stinks.
He should go somewhere and take a bath."
Excuse me, you can run your mouth
but not lend a hand to help
someone whose fallen so low down
he can't pick his own self up.
Instead of criticizin,' try apologizin'
for your glad it ain't me attitude.

Aren't you the one Jesus saved
from a deep, dark pit?
Put clothes on your back,
shoes on your feet
and made you Kingdom fit?

So now you walk around
eyes cast down
pretending not to see
the misery that surrounds you.

Oh what, you too cute
to give a brother the time of day?
How long would it take
to share the Good News and pray
for God to deliver him by his grace,
put him back on his feet,
in his rightful place.

He's an heir to the Kingdom
just like you.
Different strokes for different folks.
We're all just everyday people
in need of Jesus everyday.

Learn to celebrate the little things in life

"Life is a celebration of many splendid things. You only have to look to find just a few...birthdays...happy music...a cup of hot cocoa...best friends...a picnic in the park...puffy clouds...love!...spring rain...flying a kite on a windy day...cuddly dogs...curious cats...a double scoop ice cream cone...a surprise party...colorful fish...a bright, sunny day...chirping birds...weddings...a carousel ride...holidays...a crazy quilt...peace and harmony..." Author Unknown 

When was the last time that you let your hair down, kicked your shoes off, jumped for joy, threw a party for one and really, I mean really, celebrated something? If it's been awhile or if you never have, then you're missing out on one of the greatest gifts known to humankind --- the ability to express joy through celebration.

Life can be hard, a daily grind at times. A 60-80 hour work week, working 2-3 jobs, managing a business, raising kids, taking care of sick children or elderly parents, relationship troubles, being unemployed, homeless, or incarcerated, battling a terminal health condition, a disability or mental illness. These are just a few of life's pressing realities that can leave little time or desire for celebration. And yet, never taking time to celebrate even the small joyful moments along life's journey could make you miserable and your life less than fulfilling.

Finding joy in the journey has proven psychological as well as health benefits. Thousands of years ago, King Solomon saw the wisdom of cultivating a life-long habit of joyful celebration and recorded it in Proverbs 17:22 AMP:

 A happy heart is good medicine and a cheerful mind works healing, but a broken spirit dries up the bones.

Life on earth is far from being perfect. Nevertheless, your view of life determines how much joy you will derive from it. Are you that person who dwells on life's negatives or that person who sees the proverbial silver lining behind every dark cloud? And if you are one of nearly 30 million Americans diagnosed with some degree of depression, the way out may not be easy but it is possible. Authors John Van Sickel and Dr.Walli Carranza offer practical advice for overcoming depression in their respective articles, "6 Practical and Powerful Ways to Overcome Depression" and "How to Overcome Depression Naturally." Both authors agree that changing the way you think and serving others can add to your sense of contentment and joy in life.

After all, life is what you make it. You may not be able to do much about your circumstances (at least for now) but you can do something about your attitude. In spite of life's uncontrollable events and sometimes disappointing experiences, learn to filter out the garbage and savage what really matters. The power to choose is in your hands. Choose to celebrate the little things. Why not begin by thanking God for the gift of another day...

This day belongs to the Lord! Let’s celebrate and be glad today. Psalm 118:24 CEV

The value of having a good friend

After her last remaining friend died, I can remember my 89 year old grandmother saying to me, "All my friends are gone." I was just a child then, maybe no more than eight or nine years old, but I somehow sensed the significance of her statement as well as the sadness it caused her. Instinctively, I took hold of her hand, looked up at her and said, "Don't worry grandma, you'll always have me." Unfortunately, I lost my grandmother later that same year.

Friends serve an important purpose in our lives. The popular song, "That's What Friends Are For," celebrates friendship as something that endures in good times and bad with a kind of through thick and thin attitude that makes it both durable and dependable. Would it surprise you to know that having friends is good not just for the social benefits, but they are also good for your health. An Australian research study found that people with a large network of friends, who exert a positive influence on their lives, live longer than those with fewer or no friends.

Having a positive influence in your life is key. Most people tend to choose friends for the qualities that mesh well with their own. For example, someone who enjoys a quiet, peaceable, law abiding lifestyle would not pair well with someone who's a raucous, hard-drinking, social misfit unless he, too, wants to go down that road. It's a proven fact that the company you keep has a huge influence on you:

Do not be fooled. Bad companions ruin good character. -- 1 Corinthians 15:33

How many parents have preached that sermon to their children, only to have those children later admit, "If I'd only have listened to my parents."

Might not be such a bad idea to do a  friendship audit to access the nature and quality of your own friendships or lack thereof. Is your current friend status providing what you need to be the best person you can be? Do your friends exert a positive and stable influence on your life?  Are your friendships mutually satisfying and rewarding? Are you able to be honest, open and vulnerable with your friends and still be accepted? These qualities are meant to be reciprocal, of course.

Makes you wonder if the world would be a better place, a safer place, a more socially responsible place, and so on, if the practice of nurturing quality friendships was given more of a priority in our lives. In his book, Vital Friends: The People You Can’t Afford To Live Without, author Tom Rath says:

 If you ask people why they became homeless, why their marriage failed or why they overeat, they often say it is because of the poor quality, or nonexistence, of friendships. They feel outcast or unloved.

Likewise, the philosopher Aristotle had this to say about the importance of friendship:

In poverty and other misfortunes of life, true friends are a sure refuge. They keep the young out of mischief; they comfort and aid the old in their weakness, and they incite those in the prime of life to noble deeds.

The whole idea of having friends originated with God, who said: "Let us make mankind in our image, in our likeness..." The first friendship ever recorded in human history was between God and the first man, Adam. Think about it. Adam was a friend of God. Not only did Adam have God's ear, he also had his trust. But we know from reading the Biblical account that friendship was broken when Adam sinned.

When a valued friendship goes awry, most people are willing to do whatever it takes to restore it. Well, God is no different. From the moment Adam sinned, God already had a plan in place to restore his friendship with mankind. It took God coming down to earth in the person of Jesus Christ and dying on the cross in full payment not only for Adam's sin, but for those of all future generations.

Christ himself carried our sins in his body to the cross, so that we might die to sin and live for righteousness. It is by his wounds that you have been healed. -- 1 Peter 2:24 NLT 

 God wants to be friends with you again. There's no better friend you could have in your life. why not accept His offer today. Pray like this:

Lord Jesus, I believe that you are the Son of God. Thank you for dying on the cross for my sins. Please forgive my sins and give me the gift of eternal life. I ask you into my life and heart to be my Lord and Savior. I want us to be friends again. Amen.

Peace of mind

You may have seen the TV commercial about a character who calls himself "Mayhem." Good ole Mayhem goes about the neighborhood causing all kinds of trouble for innocent, unsuspecting people. After each disaster that he causes, Mayhem is heard to say, "if you had [blank] insurance you would be protected from mayhem like me."

Like Mayhem in the commercial, there is a real life character whose only purpose is to prey upon your life and mine, and for no other reason than to do us harm. His name is Satan. You may know him by his other names --- the devil, the accuser, the father of lies, the thief or the god of this world. The Bible compares Satan to a roaring lion that sneaks around looking for someone to attack (1 Peter 5:8). Satan's influence can be seen in individuals who do bad things to hurt other people like steal, murder, lie, quarrel, bully, cheat, hate and so on.

Satan loves to stir up trouble and doesn't care who gets hurt. He hates everybody, but most of all, he hates God. He wants to get back at God by destroying everything God created, including you and me. One tactic Satan uses is to try to get you to disbelieve God by telling lies about God. He used the same tactic on Eve in the Garden of Eden, and caused her to disobey God. Eve's was the first sin recorded in the Bible. You'll find the full account in the book of Genesis. Satan hasn't changed much since then. He is still causing people to sin. All the chaos, wars, tragedies and evil in the world today can be traced back to him.

The good news is God offers a life insurance plan that provides complete protection against Satan's attacks. This insurance policy is activated by faith and acceptance of  his son, Jesus Christ. The Bible says that Jesus came for the sole purpose of destroying the devil, and anyone who calls upon the name of the Lord will be saved from Satan's grasp (Romans 10:13).

Satan has no power over those who believe in Christ. And he knows that. One of the biggest lies that Satan will tell you is that you don't need God. If you believe this, Satan's got you right where he wants you. This is what Jesus says about Satan's motives:

The thief  [Satan] comes only in order to steal, kill, and destroy. I have come in order that you might have life—life in all its fullness. John 10:10

Think about it. Who would you trust? The most important decision you have to make is deciding where you want to spend eternity... in the hands of Satan, the destroyer or in the presence of a loving God? It's your choice.

For God loved the world so much that he gave his only Son, so that everyone who believes in him may not die but have eternal life. John 3:16