Let There Be Peace

“Let the peace of Christ rule in your hearts, since as members of one body you were called to peace. And be thankful.” – Colossians 3:15

The joy we can experience in life is completely dependent upon our ability to seek it with our heart.  There will always be others who have a difference of opinion or perspective on something in your life.  Your choice is in how you choose to deal with that difference of opinion.  In most cases, when we feel passionately about something and another offers an opposing view, we become defensive and try to justify our position.  The simple fact of the matter is that you both are probably right, based on the life experiences that have led each of you to this point in your respective lives.  This is not to say that we shouldn’t hold firm to our beliefs and convictions, but we must also understand that the other person has that same right.  Joy is taken quickly when frustration ensues and tempers rise.  Finding peace is only accomplished through patience, love and enough grace to understand that God has created each of us uniquely.

We are created uniquely with a personality, gifts, talents, passions and desire in a way that can best glorify His purpose in our life.  This is a great thing in that when we are joined together our experiences, our passions and our desires can complement one another for the greater good of the whole.  This requires acceptance and understanding of the uniqueness of each individual, and the grace given to each to create a stronger body of believers.  What you and your brother or sister in Christ have in common is greater than the small differences that separate you.  Accept them for their differences and embrace the bigger purpose that God has placed before all of us to further His kingdom on earth through love, grace and mercy.  Pursue the challenges we face as humanity, bound together by the common good from the Father above.  In the 1950’s there was a song that went something like this:

“Let there be peace on earth, and let it begin with me

Let there be peace on earth, the peace that was meant to be

With God as our Father, brothers all are we 

Let me walk with my brother in perfect harmony"

Be thankful for the love we have been given from God above and for the grace He has demonstrated through the redeeming sacrifice of His Son.  In this world you will have trouble, but God has overcome the world and has brought you eternal life.  In that you can be thankful and filled with joy.  Be blessed my friends and bless others in the process.

Finding Me - Day 21

October 7, 2014

Well, another year has come and gone.  Each one is filled with ups and downs, good and bad, and blessings that abound.  As I take a moment to reflect on my last year upon this earth I can truly say that the Lord has provided and shown favor upon me.  Sure there were hard times, things I said which I wish I could take back and days that didn’t go the way I wanted.  But, putting all of those aside and moving forward, I think about the great things that have happened and about the possibilities that lie ahead.

We have a tendency to get wrapped up in the negatives of life.  It’s human nature to dwell on the “could haves” and “should haves” rather than wonderful blessings that come our way.  Each day we gather at the dinner table as a family and thank the Lord for the wonderful events of the day.  We circle the table and point out the “highs” for the day (the best parts) and the “lows” for the day (areas that need prayer or help).  Each person must have more highs than lows, which forces our reflection on the goodness that each day brings.  It’s a little thing, but it truly helps us realize just how blessed we are each day.

Day 21: I Am Blessed
“Praise the Lord! How blessed is the man who fears the Lord, Who greatly delights in His commandments.” – Psalm 112:1

God intends for His children to prosper and be blessed.  He is the provider of all that we have and in Him we must be thankful.  For by His hand we are given eternal life and there is no greater blessing in all of life.  By His hand we are given love to share with others, we are given peace each day to find rest in His presence.  Find the way each day to reflect on all the goodness in your life, and do not dwell on the negative, for there is no value in that.

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A Continuous Thanksgiving

Read It, Learn It, Live It, Share It

“And they will come from east and west and from north and south, and will recline at the table in the kingdom of God.”  – Luke 13:29

In America, we prepare our hearts for the joy and the happiness of being together as family and friends for a celebration feast we call Thanksgiving.  A time for reflection, gratitude, good food and fellowship with those we love so dearly.  We spend time recalling the blessings in our lives, from the smallest to the greatest.  We acknowledge the gifts of love, life and the joy that we are given each and every day our feet hit the floor.  Every breath, every waking moment we are given to share the love of the Father and the peace of knowing our eternal destiny is secure in His graces.  We recognize the salvation provided through our Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ, by whom we are given the assurance for life eternal with He and God the Father. 

The day will come when the entire world will be called to a dinner feast with the Creator.  For it is available to all mankind, from every corner of the earth.  Yes, all mankind, every person young and old, every ethnicity, every color, race or creed, male or female will be invited.  But, all will not join?  The bible tells us that the wicked and unrighteous will be blind, even though they claim to see; and their hearts will be hardened to the truth.  Those who follow His truth are blessed in the grace of the Lord, not because they are special and deserve it, but because in His love, He has provided salvation to those who so choose to accept it.

If you gather as a family this weekend for a Thanksgiving feast, reflect on the blessings that you have received from the Father above.  Recognize Him for His love, His grace and His provision for eternal life.  For this blessing is beyond comprehension, freely available and intended for you and your loved ones around your table.  Take a moment in your morning prayers to Thank God for His provision and His grace, and truly enjoy a Thanksgiving every single day of the year.

             

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Give Thanks with a Grateful Heart

“Enter his gates with thanksgiving; go into his courts with praise.  Give thanks to him and praise his name.”  – Psalms 100:4

When you’ve had a terrible day it is so hard to lift up thanksgiving.  One of those Sunday when you’re running late, the dog runs out the door and down the street in the rain.  Upon catching him, his muddy paws end up leaving prints on your freshly white pressed shirt.  After getting a new shirt and pants, you finally make it to church, only to spill your coffee as you are getting out of the car, and left the umbrella by the door as you walked out of the house.  Determined you put it behind you, walk towards the church and as your foot hits the first step, something clicks and a peace comes over you.  Sure, your shirt is wet with a large brown stain, your hair is dripping and clinging to your head, but as you ascend those few steps, it all seems to vanish.  Bill greets you with a smile and a warm handshake, “I am so glad you decided to brave the weather and come out this morning.  They’re just finishing the second song, go on in and join them.”

Opening the door to the sanctuary the words ring out, “…and I know there’ll be days when this life brings me pain, but if that’s what it takes to praise you, Jesus bring the rain.”  Mercy Me, Bring the Rain, 2006 (listen here)  Closing my eyes I left the music envelope me for just a moment before moving to find a seat.  God was speaking right into my heart.  There is no way around the message from Him that morning.  He deserves our thanksgiving in everything.  We are so caught up in feeling sorry for ourselves and our circumstances we often look right past the blessings that surround us every day of our life.  Face it, we focus on the negative as a society and have difficulty bringing the positive to the forefront and into the limelight.

Every night at dinner we have a tradition at our home.  Perhaps you can find value in it in your home as well.  As the food is being passed around and the eating begins we go around the table answering 2 questions.  ”What was your high for the day?”  followed up with “What was your low?”  The rules are simple you must have at least one high, and you cannot have more lows than highs.  Finally, they must be something that happened that day, not something that will happen or something that happened in the past.  The highs are lifted up as praises and the person is honored and celebrated for the moment.  The lows become actionable prayers for that night’s bedside. 

God is good always.  His love never changes for you, even when it’s raining and the dog has run away.  If you find nothing else to be thankful for and to lift up in worship and praise today, be thankful for that.  You don’t deserve His love.  Your sinful life is filthy in His eyes, but by the grace of His Son dying on that cross and being resurrected from the grave your sins are wiped clean and God sees you as the perfect image of His Son.  There is nothing we can do to deserve His love, He freely gave it for our redemption.  This is worthy of thanksgiving every day, every hour, every minute.

Prayer:,
Heavenly Father,
You have provided grace for us, though we are unworthy and will always be You have provided a way for us to enter into Your presence because of grace.  We lift up our hands to You today and praise Your holy name before all creation.  You deserve so much more than I am capable of giving, so I give all that I have. In Your name we pray – Amen

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