Love made perfect

President Franklin Delano Roosevelt once said in a speech to the American people during one of the darkest days in this country's history —

 The only thing we have to fear is fear itself.

We are living in some dark days in America and the world right now. Where are the bold, calming and optimistic voices of reason? Where are the voices of elected leaders on the issues that concern us all? 

In many ways, the silence has only added to the fear—fear of outsiders, fear of terrorists, fear of each other. Fear has replaced reason. 

Fear is causing some people to act or react in ways that they might not otherwise if fear where not a factor in their decisions. And, too often the consequences have proven deadly. Innocent lives destroyed, lives torn apart all because of someone else's fear. "Nameless, unreasoning, unjustified fear," as Roosevelt noted, has a paralyzing effect that blocks any effort to find a solution. But how can we conquer fear?

The only thing that can conquer fear is love. And the only way to know love, in its purest form, is to know God.

But if we say we love God and don’t love each other, we are liars. We cannot see God. So how can we love God, if we don’t love the people we can see?The commandment that God has given us is: “Love God and love each other!"1 John 4: 20-21

 God is love. To find out more about God, click on this link, peacewithgod

The day a broken wheel fixed a broken life

This feel good story is about a chance encounter over a broken wheel—

I was rushing to down 7th Avenue in New York City early that morning to catch the train to Canada when suddenly a wheel fell off my luggage. There I was in the middle of the sidewalk, people busily rushing past me on their way to work, and I'm standing there with this wheel in my hand. I start complaining aloud: "God, look what happened. I never would have chosen to bring this bag if you had not put the thought in my mind to go back in the house and swap the one I had picked for this one. Now what do I do? I can't go to Canada like this."

Getty Photo

As I'm standing there perplexed, I look up from the wheel in my hand to see this woman. I notice her because she looks out of place among the rush hour crowd. She's walking slowly in my direction, gazing in store windows and pulling a tattered looking suitcase behind her. I take a long look at her and surmise from her appearance that she's been wandering the street for some time. She looks weary and sad. She's not dirty but her clothes don't look fresh either. And she didn't seem in any hurry to go anywhere.

Just at that moment, I felt myself move toward the woman as if compelled to speak to her. Showing her the wheel in my hand, I remember saying: "See this wheel in my hand. It came off my luggage. Sometimes the wheels of life fall off and leave us stranded with no place to go. But we can't let it defeat us; we mustn't give up. We have to continue moving forward. Our destiny lies ahead of us. God has a better plan for your life but you'll never know what that is if you quit now..."

This woman's face lit up as I was speaking to her. I had her full attention. I don't even remember all of what I said to her. I just remember her expression. And honestly, it was like an out of body experience for me. So unexpected. I asked her to take one of the Gospel to Go cards from the lanyard around my neck because I still had my luggage and the wheel in both hands. She did as I asked, and we parted ways.

When I reached Amtrak train station, I was surprised to see a Kmart next door; and even more surprised that it was open at 8:00 am in the morning! So I went in, purchased a screw and washer set to re-attach the wheel knowing that it had accomplished its purpose that day.

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

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

God bless you

"God bless you." People say this to each other all the time particularly after a sneeze. It probably never occurs to most of them that these words can unleash the power of God into a person's life. Are some people really able to command blessing on other people just by speaking it? The answer is, yes.

Funny how most people will accept "God bless you" from a total stranger without even thinking about what it means or the significance behind it? All they know is that it sounds like a good thing and makes them feel special.

But there's more behind the words, God bless you, than you think. God's blessings have power to change lives. When you say, "God bless you" to someone, you are inviting God to bestow his favor on them. Here's what that looks like:

In biblical terms, to bless is to declare God’s truth into someone’s life and to announce God as the gracious, sovereign Lord who intends to flood His children with goodness and joy. When we pronounce a blessing, we serve as witness to the truth that God’s generosity and power have by no means been extinguished. --- In-Touch magazine

Most people will admit that the thought of being blessed by God is a good thing, whether they think they deserve it or not. Few people realize, however, that God 's blessings don't depend on how deserving a person is. God blesses everyone, believers and unbelievers alike. That's just his nature. The Bible says:

The Father who is in the heavens causes His sun to rise on the evil and the good, and sends rain on the just and unjust. --- Matthew 5:45 

God looks upon his creation with love, and more than anything, his blessings are simply the way that he shows it. The common understanding of being blessed by God is that we receive good things from Him. People often say that they feel blessed in response to the good things that happen in their lives. Blessed because they got the job they wanted, or maybe, got out of debt; blessed because they got into the college they wanted on a scholarship; blessed because they were healed from a serious illness or maybe, survived a deadly accident; blessed that the bullet just missed...and the list goes on. 

God makes no secret of the fact that his blessings are meant to win over the hearts of everyone he desires to come to him. His blessings serve to remind us of how good he is.

The Lord appeared to us in the past, saying: 'I have loved you with an everlasting love; I have drawn you with unfailing kindness'. --- Jeremiah 31:3

Perhaps, the blessing behind the blessings is that God offers forgiveness even when we sin and turn our backs on him. The Bible makes it plain that Jesus came to earth to offer humankind the way back to God. That's why when Jesus was asked why he spent so much time hanging around with sinners, he answered:

 It is not the healthy who need a doctor, but the sick. I have not come to call the righteous, but sinners to repentance. --- Luke 30-33
God showed his great love for us by sending Christ to die for us while we were still sinners. Romans 5:8

Anyone can pronounce a blessing, but God gives those who believe in him special authority to use his name to bless others. Next time someone sneezes in your presence, smile and ask their name. If they comply, now you can make it personal, "God bless you, Carolyn." Hopefully, when you say or hear those words from now on, you'll think about the real blessing behind them, embrace the practice and share your new insight with someone who doesn't know the God behind every blessing. 

God, I need your blessing on my life today. I realize that my sins have separated me from you and I am sorry. Please forgive me. I accept Jesus as your sacrifice for my sins. I ask Jesus to come into my life right now and help me to live for you from this day forward.

Leave a comment if you would like prayer, or go to peacewithgod.net if you would like someone to pray with you. Be blessed.