When Do We Seek Peace?

You, Lord, give true peace
    to those who depend on you,
    because they trust you.

Isaiah 26:3 

 

We've spent a long time hearing about riots, arguing about politics, people protesting this or that.  Then the elections began NOT with "here's what we will do to bring peace" but with "I may be a horrible person, but my opponent is WORSE!"  Now that the elections are technically over, the unrest continues.  

 

Then we deal daily with "office politics"...what some call favoritism or 'brown nosing.'  It seems that every where you turn, people are unhappy and seeking to convince others to agree with their opinion by taking extreme measures.  And during all this unrest and noise, we hear no one speaking of peace.

 

Peace...TRUE peace is the knowledge that no matter what happens, God is still God and He is in control and loves us!  When we focus on THAT, then we will begin to understand peace.  You see, peace doesn't mean I'm right and you're wrong; peace doesn't mean you're right and I'm wrong.  Peace means God's plans for us will be completed in spite of all the fighting and arguing and tantrums and inattention.  God is patient.  God loves you.  God has a plan.  God is the One to Trust (It's even on our currency).

 

Step back from the politics for just one day and focus on God's love for you.  And you will begin to sense His peace fill you.

Who Are You Grateful For?

 Every time I think of you, I give thanks to my God.

Philippians 1:3 

 

Have you ever stopped to think about all the people God has brought into or through your life?  I will be honest, there have been people God has brought through my life that I haven't been fond of, but the more I thought about it, God was teaching me through that person even though we may not have agreed on anything.

 

Yes, it is true that we may not like everyone.  And, yes, it's also true that some people are an "acquired taste."  You may not like them at first, but then they grow on you. God made each of us unique, yet similar.  We are drawn to people who think rather like we do and enjoy the same things we do.  

 

But think about the people who have been or are part of you life that you are grateful for.  Family and friends, of course.  But what about those who challenge us?  What about those who make us think?  

 

During this Presidential Election, I have seen all sorts of people expressing their views.  Some I agreed with, some made me think, and some I completely disagreed with.  But here's my point, I'm still grateful for those people!  

 

People!  Let's face it, we are on this planet together, Thank you for being here!

Apathy

So whoever knows the right thing to do and fails to do it, for him it is sin.

James 4:17

I admit it, there are days when I just have the attitude of "Why even bother?".  I can sit in my recliner and zone out pretty much all day, (ask my Bride).  I have coursework I should be doing but "I just don't feel like it."  Ever feel that way?

Sadly, this is quickly becoming a mindset that is truly setting in to many of us.  We just don't seem to care much anymore.  

   *  Doing a job we were once so gung-ho about?  Nah, no one notices so why bother?
   *  Getting up to go attend services?  Nah, no one will miss me so why bother?
   *  Work ethic? Nah, who cares? I'm stuck in this spot forever so why bother?

When we become apathetic, every single aspect of our lives becomes tainted.  We slowly just stop caring.  Then we have the audacity to wonder why our lives have turned out so far from what we imagined.

How do we solve the issue of apathy?  When we notice it creeping into our lives, confront it and do the right thing the best way you can.  Always do your best!  

What I Am Thankful For

Shout out praises to the Lord, all the earth!
Worship the Lord with joy!
Enter his presence with joyful singing!
Acknowledge that the Lord is God!
He made us and we belong to him;
we are his people, the sheep of his pasture.
Enter his gates with thanksgiving,
and his courts with praise!
Give him thanks!
Praise his name!
For the Lord is good.
His loyal love endures,
and he is faithful through all generations.

Psalm 100 

 

I am thankful for the opportunity to spend another day with my Bride.

I am thankful for the companionship of Woody.

I am thankful for the peace and quiet.

I am thankful to NOT be on Harbison Blvd this weekend.

I am thankful for those who love me, often in spite of myself.

I am thankful for the opportunity to have a job that I LOVE and for the bosses who let me do it.

I am thankful for God's blessing of having enough to each and enough to share.

I am thankful for elastic waistbands.

I am thankful for those who are protecting me today.

I am thankful for those who God has chosen to bring to mind us to discuss.

I am thankful for YOU!

I am thankful for a church home where the pastors are actually REAL people, without facades?

I am thankful for the chance to take a nap.

I am thankful for the little things like being able to turn on the faucet and have fresh water.

I am thankful for having coffee!  LOTS AND LOTS OF COFFEE!!

I am thankful for the chance to be thankful.

 

What are you thankful for?

Against the Wind

Friends, when life gets really difficult, 

don’t jump to the conclusion that God isn’t on the job. 

Instead, be glad that you are in the very thick of what Christ experienced. 

This is a spiritual refining process, with glory just around the corner.

1 Peter 4:12-13

 

Several years ago, Bob Seger performed a song called "Against The Wind".  How many times have you gone through days where you felt like you were fighting against the storms?  How many times have you felt as though no one understood you or what you had to endure or face?  

 

When times get rough, we are quick to say that God doesn't give a rat's hairless tail about us, but that's just not true.  Think about this, everything we endure is because God wants to Teach Us or Reach Us.

 

When I was younger and got in trouble (no, I wasn't perfect), my parents would first "get my attention" and THEN we would discuss what I needed to improve.  I didn't like either method, but I guess I turned out to be a passable human being.  

 

If God didn't love us, why would He bother trying to Reach or Teach us?

 

Morning Blessing

I know many have had such a difficult week so far.  

Today, I would like to leave you only this blessing:

Now may our Lord Jesus Christ himself and God our Father, who loved us and by his grace gave us eternal comfort and a wonderful hope, comfort you and strengthen you in every good thing you do and say.

2 Thessalonians 2:16-17 

Gratitude or Greed?

Greed causes fighting;
    trusting the Lord leads to prosperity.

Proverbs 28:25 

 

Is it just me, or do the Christmas decorations and "Black Friday Previews" seem to come earlier and earlier?  I was having coffee (go figure) with a friend (yes, I have friends) and said, "We should just do away with all the holidays from September until February and have just ONE holiday celebrated throughout the month of December."  Surprisingly, they agreed with the idea.  It seems like we can't get through Labor Day before the Christmas ads start creeping out and it only increases.

 

When I was a child, I was given the Sears Wish Book and got to choose 3 items I hoped for that were less than $50 and I may get one of them or something completely different that my parents thought more appropriate.  Then there were the requisite clothes, socks, and underwear.  Oddly enough, at my age now, the prospect of socks, t-shirts, and underwear are the most exciting part for me.  Toys and gadgets, while appreciated and enjoyed) come in second place.

 

But year after year, we see hordes of people lining up in front of stores sometimes for days, just to get the few specially priced items stores use to tempt shoppers.  Then when the doors open, chaos ensues!  People begin to stampede and trample other human beings.  Fights break out over STUFF!  Insanity becomes the rule of the day!  And it's fueled by GREED!  And then there are the overwhelmed store employees who have to try to deal with the mobs of greedy, frustrated, angry, demanding people who act as though no one matters except them.

 

We seem to have completely forgotten to be grateful and thankful because GREED takes over and we lose our wits.  For some Greed is a sport.  For some, Greed is a lifestyle.  But in the end, Greed is nothing more than GREED!

 

Learn to be grateful.  Gratitude is a gift that will continue to give and has no expiration date.  It cannot be purchased because it is a free DECISION! 

Being Thankful for Being Thankful

Always give thanks to God the Father for everything, in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ.

Ephesians 5:20

 

What are you thankful for?  What makes you thankful?  Is it your stuff?  Is it your family?  Is it your job? Is it your looks? 

What are you truly thankful for?  As we approach the day we have designated as the day to give thanks (for heavy meals and sports and shopping), take just a moment to actually focus on what you are truly thankful for.

Consider this: 

     1. Breathing

     2. Your ability to read this

     3. Being able to see the sunshine

     4. Knowing that you are loved and cared for.

     5. The ability to LEARN from mistakes.

     6. Being able to enjoy a meal or a dessert (yum)!

     7. How about the ability to be Thankful!

Being thankful is a choice! Being unthankful is also a choice!  Which choice will we make?

Enduring or Preparing!

God blesses those who patiently endure testing and temptation. 

Afterward they will receive the crown of life 

that God has promised to those who love him.

James 1:12 

 

Have you ever thought you were stuck, or being punished, or feel you've been banished to some faraway land of the forgotten?  I have.  I have felt as though I were being banished where I would have not much really to accomplish.  I have also been stuck in a place where my every move was monitored and my supervisor's idea of supervising was standing directly over me pointing out how wrong my every move was in his eyes.

It's horribly inconvenient to feel stuck.  It's easy to feel extremely demeaned to be put somewhere you didn't ask to be or doing something you don't like doing.  Our minds, believe it or not, are geared to seek the negative FIRST.  We are wired to believe the worst because things to change to suit us immediately.

But look at what James tells us.  First, we will have challenges and we must be patient and keep doing what we know is right (that's called ENDURING).  Second comes the promise, "Afterward they WILL receive the crown of life."  Enduring challenges has its rewards.  And here's the best part, God is the one who promised the rewards!

Be patient and keep doing what is right!

Kick In The WHAT?

And whatever you do or say, 

do it as a representative of the Lord Jesus,

 giving thanks through him to God the Father.

Colossians 3:17

 

 I like Benny Hill and used to watch the Benny Hill Show on Saturday Nights after my folks went to bed.  The thing that attracted me to the Show, aside from the Vaudeville Skits, were the song lyrics.  The lyrics below are from a song called "Down On The Farm."

"Now when I drive the plough horse I put his blinkers on,
And I say, "Come on there, Joey boy, come on there Big John.
Come on Dick, come on Harry, come on Jake and Carter."
It makes him think he's got some help and he pulls a little harder."

 

So what does this have to do with doing everything as a representative of Christ?  Well, it has to do with morale!  Let's face it, if morale is not where it needs to be, then what kind of representative are we?

 

We all enjoy the pat on the back, the awards, the recognitions, the promotions, because they show someone notices that we are doing something good and we are rewarded, thus raising morale.  

 

However, the truly important aspect of morale is not so fun....because it relies on each of us.      

 

 *  You see, there are some things we can change (and probably should).  

 *  There are some things we cannot change no matter how much noise we make about them or how many times we pound our heads on the wall.  So we must accept these. 

 *  WE are the ones who have to choose our REACTION to the things we can change and the things we can't...THAT is where morale comes in and THAT is how we represent Christ.

I'm not asking you to paint on a smile and pretend all is well.  Be honest!  

I'm not saying to just suck it up and drive on either.  Talk with someone!

I'm not saying everything will come up roses (because roses have thorns), but the thing we can change every time is our perspective of the situation.  

Change what you can;

Accept there are things you can't change;

But the thing you CAN change is your perspective!

What Can I Do?

For once you were full of darkness, but now you 

have light from the Lord. So live as people of light!

Ephesians 5:8

 

Over and over, I hear the same concern: "With all the c*&p that's going on in the world, what can I do?"  This is a valid concern and it's not exactly an easy question to answer.

 

Think about this:

     *  "There's a lot of things happening in the world that we don't like."

     *  "Can I do anything about all that I don't like?"

                     *  No you cannot change everything you don't like about world events.

                     *  BUT you are not helpless!

 

Mohandis Gandhi once said, "You must BE the change you want to see in the world."  And he was not wrong!  If we want the world to be a better place, start with the face you see in the mirror.  Is there anything you see (or know) that you can change about that face in the mirror?  Most likely.  

 

You see, somewhere along the line of time, we have been told that WE can change others to make the world a better place.  But here's the thing, if we try to control other people, that has never ever worked in the past because we aren't robots.  The only person I can change is me!  And in changing me, I will change how I treat others, which may spark them to make changes about themselves, and the circle gets bigger and bigger.

 

We have to decide whether we want to be part of the problems or part of the difference.

Elected....Now What?

I urge you, first of all, to pray for all people. Ask God to help them; intercede on their behalf, and give thanks for them. Pray this way for kings and all who are in authority so that we can live peaceful and quiet lives marked by godliness and dignity. This is good and pleases God our Savior

1 Timothy 2:1-3 

 

Now that the election is over and our votes have been cast, what do we do now?  Well, let me be honest, if your candidate did not win, you need to take your disappointment, anger, frustration, and all other feelings to God and ask Him to give you the peace of knowing He is still the one in control, regardless who got elected. 

 

 If your candidate won, you need to ask God to guide them, help them be a strong and just leader, and give them the wisdom to do what's best for the country.

 

You see, regardless of who is elected, we are commanded to pray for them!

Make Your Vote Your Voice!

Don’t put your confidence in powerful people;
    there is no help for you there.

When they breathe their last, they return to the earth,
    and all their plans die with them.

Psalm 146:3-4 

 

Today is the day we cast our vote for the leader of our country for the next four years.  No, I'm not going to tell you who to vote for and I'm not going to tell you who I will vote for, because that is between each of us and God.

 

The person we elect will be the one who will lead our nation, whether we voted for them or not.  Whether we like them or agree with them or not.  Truth be told, we are commanded to pray for and honor those who have been put in positions of authority.  BUT we are also commanded not to worship them!  Only God is to be worshipped!  Everyone else will eventually return to the dust from which we came.

 

Pray hard about who you would have lead us.  Ask God for wisdom and discernment to see beyond the hype and commercial pleas.  Ask God for clarity to think beyond the mudslinging.  Use your vote wisely and remember that God is still God no matter who sits in the Oval Office.

Grateful For Those Who Work Behind The Scenes

And the King will say, ‘I tell you the truth, 

when you did it to one of the least of these 

my brothers and sisters, you were doing it to me!’

Matthew 25:40

 We see people in the forefront all the time, but how many times do we even give a thought to the people who work behind the scenes to make things happen.

I was told by a professor in college to make sure you know who helps you to be who you are.  He then shared the story of his own Ethics Professor who was in the middle of a conference in his office when the janitor came in to empty the trash.  The other professors in the conference ignored the janitor and gave him looks of disapproval for interrupting their esteemed colleague. Instead, this esteemed Department Head greeted the janitor by name, inquired about his family, even asking about the janitor's sick child by name.  The other professors were astounded and offended.  

After the janitor completed his task and had gone, the Department Head looked at the rest of the highly educated professors and said, "If you don't know the name of the person who empties your trash, you are overlooking the very people who make your life possible!  What would happen if George didn't come empty my trash twice a week?  What about the cooks and servers in the cafeteria?  You might think them to be beneath you, but if they did not do their jobs, where would you be?  Always be grateful to those who help you be who you are, for without them you would be nothing!"   

Think about the people Jesus took the time to get to know:
     * Tax Collectors
     * Prostitutes
     * Manual Laborers
     * Lepers
     * People with issues
     * And how about the criminal on the cross with Him?

Never forget to be grateful to the people who helped you get where you are and the ones who help you in the seemingly smallest of ways.      

Empowerment?

Don’t be selfish; don’t try to impress others. 

Be humble, thinking of others as better than yourselves.

Romans 12:10

I hear quite a lot about "Empowerment."  Entire seminars, programs, communities, and facilities have been dedicated to "Empowerment."  Yet, at the same time, while I'm hearing the call for "empowerment" I am seeing the need more for RESPECT to be the topic to be shared, taught, embodied and lived out.

  

You see, when we have respect for ourselves AND we also respect others, our world will become much more tolerable and tolerant.  The Apostle Paul reminds us that we shouldn't be selfish or try to impress others, instead we are to be humble (not humiliated, but humble also known as respectful!).  

Jesus, Himself, reminds us that we are to treat others as we want to be treated.  So think about how YOU want to be treated and then treat others the same way.  It's really quite simple: If you want to be respected, then BE respectful and in so doing you ARE empowered because YOU control how YOU treat OTHERS!

This means we will need to step out of the ME FIRST AND ME ONLY mentality!

I once had a professor who was to teach our class of learned imbeciles about how to help people who are hurting.  On the first day of class, he walked in an we were all talking amongst ourselves, not realizing that he had entered the room, until he raised his voice and informed us that we had just failed his course, at which point he walked out.  On the second day of class, about half of us bothered to show up and when the professor entered the class, conversation stopped and we gave him our attention.  He told us, "One of the lessons about helping people who are hurting is helping them realize that forgiveness is always an option.  And with that comes respect.  From this day on, I will treat you with the respect and forgiveness or disrespect and selfishness with which you treat me."

To be truly EMPOWERED is to have the power to show respect even if or when it is not shown to you, because YOU have that power!

Details, Details, Details

In the beginning God created the heavens and the earth.

Genesis 1:1 

 

My loving and longsuffering bride hates watching television with me because I pick out errors of detail.  

 

But think about this:  What kind of detail did God put into creating the universe and all that's in it?  Did He start with the tiniest detail and work His way out or did He start with the big picture and then fill in the details?

 

 God is the God of details!  For it is in His design that all the details function together to make life happen and possible.  Imagine if God had been putting Adam together and decided a brain was not needed.  Imagine if, when He put Eve together, God decided she didn't need a mouth.  How odd we'd look if God had not paid attention to the details.

 

Now bring this into your own life.  We aren't expected to be perfect, but we ARE expected to do our best!  God gave us the ability to know right from wrong, an intentional detail we are expected to exercise.  God gave us the capacity to love, an intentional detail we are expected to share.  God took great pains to make sure we are created to fulfill the specific mission He has for us, an intentional detail we are expected to execute.

 

God is in the details!   

HUH?

Do not let anyone fool you by telling you things that are not true, because these things will bring God’s anger on those who do not obey him. 

Ephesians 5:6

Empty words are known my another name...LIES!  Ever had someone tell you something, you believed them, and then it turned out to be a lie?  Have you ever been the one telling the lie?  You see, we really WANT to believe what someone tells us.  

When I was in school, we would have these little gems called "pop quiz" to see if we had learned anything.  I've already admitted that I was not the best student by any stretch of the imagination.   And these little gifts always made me feel like an idiot.

But I learned a secret...if I STUDIED my lessons to learn, instead of just skimming through it just so I could say I read the assignment, then my pop quiz grades improved.  Now, think about this, if we use our mind, we will begin to see that we are more prepared when life's pop quizzes arise. 

  

Today's devotional is short for a reason.  The message is simple: Don't be caught off guard...THINK!!!