Tag: trust

Expectations

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Expectations

There are things in this life I grew up knowing, believing with all my heart and soul. I believed in the Holy Spirit, I believed in the power of God, and the mercy of judgment that would one day befall me, and those I know. I spent my life wondering where I would be, and try to be the man God would see me be. I wanted to be a good Godly man. I wanted to be someone important to someone else. I wanted to be loved by someone as much as I loved them. I am the kind of man who expects myself to stand tall and firm that this life is precious and short. Our time here is not determined by our own making much of time, but that line is determined by God almighty. I can remember events in my life that shaped my understanding of life, and it quickly reminded me that this life is both short and important, and we as brothers and sisters in Christ must stand tall and be there for one another. I am the type of man that if a few days goes by that I don’t hear from a close friend I reach out to them. I am a man that I will send over a dozen hello’s to people just to let them know I was thinking of them and that they are important to me. All of God’s children are important, who are we to forget that it’s the fellowship, the relationships in this life that’s what’s truly important. We share the Gospel, and we rejoice the Lord with one another. Who are we if we forget our friends?

Proverbs 18:24 “One who has unreliable friends soon comes to ruin, but there is a friend who sticks closer than a brother.” We love Christ but we forsake our brothers. We should be ashamed of how we treat our friends. When we have so many ways in this generation to connect with others, we find ourselves busier and busier and no longer find or make the time for the important people in our lives. Luke 6:31“Do to others as you would have them do to you.” I don’t want to be remembered as the kind of man who let evil happen to my friends without ever stepping in to tell them they are loved by me and God. I want to be the man that reminds them they are loved as often as I can. This world is a cold place, and the least we can do is add a little love to those around us. The few seconds it takes to send a text, or a message, or a phone call, it’s truly a shame people have let life, let the Devil pull us apart. We must change our ways, and we must do better. We must be better because Jesus commanded us to strengthen your brothers. Luke 22:32“but I have prayed for you that your faith may not fail. And when you have turned again, strengthen your brothers.” We are told over and over to stand watch, to help carry the cross. Galatians 6:2 “Bear one another’s burdens, and so fulfill the law of Christ.” We don’t truly know the hell someone’s going through, and we won’t know if we don’t make connections.

We must fervently love to bring light to a dark world. We must live in Christ and trust the Holy Spirit to guide us in the direction we must travel. While today I admit I truly struggle with the lies of the Devil, I find myself harassed with tears, and feeling lost in the woods by myself. I have cried now for two days straight as I have been assaulted and beaten down. I have felt abandoned and forsaken by those with whom I had given my heart. I trusted, and put my own heart on the line with someone and that heart is broken. Despite the time I’ve spent trying to heal, every now and then something happens to open that wound. I searched for over an hour to find someone to call, so I could hear a friendly voice. Sadly, after all my time searching, I eventually gave up hope on anyone taking the time to answer my request. No one would and two hours later I would fall asleep to my own tears, with just a prayer and my dogs to comfort me. Now I realize how far we’ve come away from the Lord. I realize now how the only true blessing we can count is that of Jesus Christ and the blood to renew us from sin. This life will end one day, and the tough lessons learned, Jesus is the only true place we can put our hope. Love people but understand they are human, and we all fall short to the glory of God. We all fail our brothers and sisters, and while we hope to be there, the truth is, the only true thing we can depend on is God’s love.

 

 

 

 

 

400 Already

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400 Already

It seems like it was just yesterday when I started my little blog. It seems like a blink of the eye and I’ve already hit 400 posts and in less then a year. In that time I’ve experienced so much pain, and at the same time joy. While I’ve not gotten to where I want to be yet, I know that I’m not done yet. I know that I have work to do still, and I will keep fighting the good fight till the day I’m called home. Like the 400 years of silence in Israel where nothing was heard from God, I know that in all things patience is so important. While God was quiet for those 400 years, without them the coming Savior’s mission wouldn’t have been feasible. In those 400 years the Roman Empire grew, and with it infrastructure, roads, and networks of trade and goods to move around more freely. To spread the Gospel these roads would be paramount, along with the ability to influence so many nations in a much larger area then would have previously been able. The 400 after Malachi the situation for the Jews did not bode well. The 400 years also known as the silent years can be broken down into four distinct periods.

Babylonian captivity (605-535 BC)

In around 586 BC Jerusalem fell to an attacking force. Nebuchadnezzar concurred the city and destroyed the temple. With no temple the Jews would find a way to preserve their heritage by creating small groups that would gather around their leaders to hear the scripture. These gatherings would be called “synagogues” literally translated to gatherings. This would pave the way for later Christians to build churches.

 

The Medo-Persian Period (537-331BC)

During this people the enslavement continued for the Jews, but this time the policy was to allow the people to follow their natural beliefs. The temples were allowed to be used again, and slowly the Hebrew texts were translated into Aramaic. This would help move the can down the road to be closer to further teachings of scripture. Slowly the teachings returned to the temples.

 

Grecian Period (331-164 BC)

During this period the Greeks took over largely at the tip of Alexander the Greats spear. This period was called the Hellenization period. After Alexander the Greats death in 323 BC Ptolemy I gained control over Egypt and ruled over the Jews. This period the biggest threat to the Jews was not an army, but culture. Culture would come to their shores and through the Alexandria the influence would spread. At this time the sacred texts would once again be translated into another language and slowly it went to Greek. By the time the New Testament would arrive most of the quotes used would largely be the old Greek translations also called Septuagint. The Syrians would eventually outlaw circumcisions and the Sabbath, along with dietary restrictions. Thus influencing the teaching and watering them down.

 

The Roman Period (63 BC- 134 AD)

After the capture of Jerusalem in the hear 63 BC by Pompey Hyrcanus II was appointed as high priest. Harod took over Galilee. Harod would eventually conquer Jerusalem and would be named “Harod the Great” King of the Jews. He would rebuild part of the Temple and transform it into a marvel. Augustus Caesar would rule over all of Rome. The Harods would rule one after another, as well as the Caesars to follow. This leads into the time of Christ, when Harod feared the rising of the foretold savior he would Slaughter every newborn in hopes to keep his power.

God was working every day to set the stage for Christ’s arrival. Just like a play in a theater you don’t start off one day with an open stage, you must first build the scenery, cast the characters, and the stage. Just like the 400 years setting the foundation for the Great Commission to be possible I feel as if over the last 400 blog posts I too have been laying the foundation for great things to come. All of which of course isn’t actually my doing, but by the grace of God I have come this far, and have faith that I will continue to walk the path paved for me. Every 100 posts I do a short overview of what has come, and what I hope to accomplish in the next one hundred. This year in the last 17 days I’ve had 494 views, 300 visitors. Last year 8,181 views, 4,111 visitors, with a total of 8,675 views, 4,411 visitors. The outreach hasn’t expanded as I had hopped it would, but as it was once told to me, even if I can just reach one, then it was all worth it. With all of that I’ve reached 100 countries, and hope to continue to grow and reach more. I myself have done nothing, and without the graces of God I would have achieved nothing on my own. I hope that as I move forward this year 2018, I shall continue to grow and spread the gospel of the Lord in a way I can reach people and make people interested in hearing the word of God. While we may never know all of which our works may do, as long as it’s pleasing for one the Lord above, nothing else matters. I’ve spent almost a full year now writing, and preaching the Gospel as a Disciple of Christ and I pray I can continue to preach and teach as the days continue to move forward.

As always there have been a few people in my life that have made this possible for me. They have kept my course straight and true. Rev. Glen Newsom my go to for questions, for guidance, and as my teacher and best friend. Dr. M. David Chambers is my Pastor, and the occasional guiding star to make sure my course stays straight. Heather Todd, my close friend that helped start me on this path. Nikinzie, the women behind the man, the closest friend I have other then Glen. She’s my go to, my confidant; she is my friend when I’m in the darkest of places. She is my ear when I need to talk, and my shoulder when I need to cry, and my sounding board when I need to yell. She supports me every day, and I don’t think I’d be where I am today if it weren’t for her support. There was a great quote from X-Men, “Just because someone stumbles and loses their path, doesn’t mean they’re lost forever.” (Charles Xavier) While I have stumbled along the way, I have felt great despair, and sadness, with momentary moments of joy and clarity, I know that while I often question if I’m still on the right path, those around me assure me I am. I know that this path is long, and while I stumble and fall, those around me help me and remind me God’s still with me no matter what. I will keep going, keep writing, keep reaching those around the world and know that my heart and my path will remain true.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

The Good, The Bad, The Ouch

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The Good, The Bad, The Ouch

No matter how nice you may be, no matter how much you do for someone, sometimes people just suck. Yes that’s my official position. Sometimes people are just mean. Sometimes there isn’t a reason for the good and the bad people do. Sometimes people just want to watch the world burn, even if it’s just a small corner of it. Satan loves chaos, he’s the prince of darkness, and the stain of that chaos rings throughout the entire world.

t’s a sad day when some people’s humanity seemed to be stripped away. Some people change and when they do it’s not for the better. When I returned home from Iraq I knew I had changed. The way I looked at the world was different, the way I looked at relationships and love where all different. I came so close to death I gravitated to people and when I cared for someone I cared deeply because I had realized I never knew when the end would come. Because of that I often held on much tighter then those around me. I don’t know if that’s why I’ve struggled to find and keep the love of another in my life, but the heartache and heartbreak that have plagued my life keep things very difficult for me to continue moving forward.

No matter how far someone falls we must always keep hope that redemption is possible. We must always remember that God is always working on every situation and one-day justice will prevail. Patience is something we all struggle with from time to time. As the struggles come to keep the wound sewed shut on my pieced together Frankenstein Monster looking heart, the day will come when the blessing of the Lord will make the wait worthwhile.

While patience of the heart may be the toughest thing we face, we often don’t have a choice. The day will come when the blessings of the Lord will be gifted to the faithful. Proverbs 10:22 “The blessing of the LORD makes rich, and he adds no sorrow with it.” We may suffer but it can’t be forever. As much as the pain hurts, you must remember to reach out and continue to reach out until the pain is bearable again. Every day I wake I feel the sharp stabbing pain in my chest. I feel the burden of my cross so heavy I feel like it’s dragging me to my knees. No matter how hard I’ve tried this last year I still feel like the wound is fresh and not healing at all. I’ve attempted, but I feel as if I’m floating in stagnant water, barely keeping my head above the murky water. I feel like I’m drowning every day of my life, and every attempt I’ve made at making my life better, and every attempt to improve my path have failed and have left me searching for answers, searching for an absolution.

 

Trust But Verify

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Trust But Verify

In the last year in my life I have been seeking some sign, any sign to show me I’m not what I thought about myself after my separation. Often times when you are the victim of an affair you question your self worth. You question if anyone would ever love you. You question what was wrong with you, what you could have done that was so bad to push the one who loved you away.

In the time I’ve been alone I have met a few people on social media, a variety of social dating sites. A couple years ago I made the mistake of trusting someone I met online. I considered myself a smart person. I was asked for help and I said I wouldn’t do anything to put my family or me at risk. I was told the money would be transferred into my account, and I’d just have to send the cash western union. When the cash arrived in the account I waited 2 weeks the first time before I touched it. The way the scam works is send some ligit money to gain trust. The next deposits wouldn’t be watched so closely, and the withdrawal would happen sooner. The banks would catch the fake funds and the bank would blame the account that was overdrawn, not the depositing source. Ever since then I have believed heavily in the phrase “Trust But Verify”. Coincidently that phrase is also routed in scripture. 1 John 4:1 “Beloved, do not believe every spirit, but test the spirits to see whether they are from God, for many false prophets have gone out into the world.”

The wolf looking for pray will often look and sound like a sweet innocent sheep. What looks like a gift from God may not be a gift at all, but a message from Satan. Even when the most sincere looking person comes into your life and it feels like the greatest gift in the world, I would say the same, trust but verify. If life has taught me anything when you’re a soldier for Christ you never know how long the Devil will try to infiltrate into your life. Even if you are able to verify someone’s motives, the Devil’s motives will always remain. He tries to defile the righteous and sometimes he is able to sway the hearts and minds of those we care about. While I firmly believe in everyone’s ability to change and seek redemption that isn’t always the case. The truth is war changes a person. Sometimes in war there are casualties, but in this war there are no innocent lives. This war for the very souls of mankind the Devil takes no prisoners and no one is safe. Once the Devil finds a loose thread he pulls until an entire life is unraveled. He thrives in the chaos and the rubble that’s left behind after his well-placed sabotages are implemented.

When we are given a gift from God we must cherish it, nurture it, guard it, protect it every day to try our best from allowing the thing that we love the most in this world from being used against us. This is a hard lesson I’ve had to learn. Just because something is a gift doesn’t mean one mans gift isn’t another’s weapon. One man turned my ex wife, but the strings being pulled were the Devils. Sure there’s always free will, but the Devil knows our hearts and He knows just how to get to each of us. The Devil fights to pull us away by using our weaknesses against us. For me that was the need to be accepted, and the need to be loved by family and friends. Take that away from me, and you find me where I was in September of last year. Lost, broken, and alone. The deceiver knew just how to hurt me the most, and hurt me He did. For that instant I fell to my knees and looked at my life without hope. The pain caused was more then I felt I could bare and we can’t survive long without hope.

Look toward heaven and thank God for the blessings in your life. When a gift shows up in your life, do your due diligence to verify it’s origin. Not all may be as it appears. We are taught to have faith in the things that we cannot see, but no where does it ever say to have blind faith.

 

 

 

Taking a Chance On Love

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Taking a Chance On Love

Don’t pass judgment based on others because you never know what awaits you just around the corner. When we are hurt we often try to hide ourselves in a little cave afraid to go out into the day because something out there might try to hurt us again. I often hear people say phrases like, “oh I’ll never get married again.” Or “I’ve given up on men all together.” To me this is presumptuous. The Bible does say to Psalms 118:8 “[It is] better to trust in the LORD than to put confidence in man.” However this doesn’t mean we judge everyone based on one persons failings. Later in the book of Jeremiah 17:5 “Thus saith the LORD; Cursed [be] the man that trusteth in man, and maketh flesh his arm, and whose heart departeth from the LORD.” Don’t misunderstand what the author is talking about. He’s not saying not to trust in man at all. What it’s saying is don’t build your foundation on the faith of man and mankind. Our foundation should be built on Christ. Without that foundation our homes would be washed out to sea when the first storm hits.

Have you ever eaten some place and gotten sick from it? Have you ever cooked something at home and gotten sick? What about going to the store and having a bad experience with one of the employee’s? Do we swear off an entire restaurant chain just because of one bad experience, do we stop shopping at a store just because of one rude employee? What if that employee was just having a really bad day? Or what if the food came to the restaurant tainted and everyone who had that particular meal got sick? We can never know the full story because all we see is one tiny piece of the puzzle and if that puzzle is incomplete we have no business, no right to judge the situation without all the facts.

I personally believe dating is very similar. In dating we put our heart out there on a platter and freely give it up to someone we believe cares for us. Even if they do at the time, people change and people’s motives and desires can lead them to a dark place and those dark places can wind up breaking your heart in the end. Out of roughly 16 billion people on the planet, and estimate half that for the opposite sex to what you are, you cannot within reason say that everyone in that giant lake are bad fish. I have a theory when it comes to dating or marriage that I’ve been wrestling with for a little while now. A friend told me recently that every guy she’s dated have been losers, or they’ve turned into losers by the end and she was tired of being hurt all the time. So, here’s my theory, stop fishing in the same pond. Think about it, we all have types don’t we? We all have a particular type of lady, or man we’re attracted to, but what if that’s the problem all along, what if it’s not the guy or the gale that is the problem. What if we’re the problem? If we continue to fish in the same pond and keep catching the same type of fish, then perhaps it’s time to make the change in ourselves, find within ourselves keeps leading us to the wrong type. We cannot blame the great white for being a blood thirsty hunter, it is what it is, but if we don’t want to catch a great white, don’t fish where they are known to be. If you want fresh water fish don’t fish in the ocean. Sure even some bad fish can come out of anywhere you want to go fishing, but that doesn’t stop, well, shouldn’t stop you from fishing. The only thing you absolutely should do is not stereotype because of a few bad experiences.

Furthermore if someone cheated on you, don’t go into the next relationship full of distrust and suspicion. Each relationship is a fresh start and every person is different. Don’t bring your baggage with you. Leave it buried out back with the other memories of your exes. Have faith each and every day that today can and will be different. When you bring your baggage with you every time you start something new you won’t be able to move forward. You are over encumbered and you are condemning someone else for the mistakes they didn’t make. It isn’t our place to judge so leave that up to the higher power. We often look through our own pain, and that’s like wearing beer goggles, our vision will always be distorted so long as we keep putting our pain up in front of us. So take a chance on love, and let go of the baggage that’s holding you down. That distrust, that anger, that sorrow will only torpedo your new relationship because no one wants to be treated with suspicion and distrust fresh out the gate.

 

 

When The Sun Sets, Resetting for Tomorrow

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When The Sun Sets, Resetting for Tomorrow

Have you ever sat and watched a sunset? How does the sun setting make you feel? I have always loved it because of the colors it creates on the clouds, watching it change almost every minute. The sight of the stars coming out, the moon shining, the vastness of the night sky reminds me of how vast God is, and how small we really are. When I say small I don’t mean insignificant. I have come to realize that every life is extremely valuable and significant. There is so much to be thankful for by the end of every day. Even when we’ve had a horrible day the blessings that continue to flow through our path is immeasurable.

I’m sure you’ve all heard the saying ‘never go to bed angry.’ That’s great advice. Usually when we go to bed angry we sleep horribly. There is merit to the thought process of not doing this. There are a few things to keep in mind. First, what is there to be gained by continuing the fight with whoever you’re arguing with? Second, is the argument something you’d argue with yourself? Lets start with the 2nd one. If you are with someone and you argue, and yell and scream you’re really only hurting yourself. The Devil wants to create a wedge in your happiness and when you cannot have a reasonable conversation anymore you’ve gotten to the point where you are not just hurting yourself, but your significant other, and God. When you marry you become one flesh. You must remember how important it is to be that united body under God. Now onto the 1st point, negotiation is a lost art it seems. Why do we not learn to negotiate and compromise earlier in a fight? Why do we not find a way to prevent the argument from occurring in the first place? People will always disagree that’s the nature of individuality and opinions, but that doesn’t mean arguments can’t be avoided. We need to remember that God brings us together to better ourselves.

What about when we are having a bad day, a string of bad luck, we feel like we can’t just catch a break? Life isn’t a video game, there’s not reset button, there’s no saving and picking it up later, but what we do have is sleep, rest, and a new day. What a crazy idea it would be if we could actually let go of our troubles, and start the next day with a fresh perspective, a fresh start, and actually allowing yourself to actually hit the reset button. Really, it’s not so far fetched. If we learn to pray and meditate every night before bed when we pray for peace, pray for wisdom, and pray for the answers to whatever situation you find yourself in. No matter the situation we can use a few simple tools on our tool belt. First, allow yourself to decide what mindset you’re in. Are you in wise mind, or emotion mind? We can often find ourselves in a predicament where we are stuck. We’ve lost the ability to rationalize and be more self aware of the feelings and emotions that are activated in our times of stress. Learning to radically accept, changing your mindset, negotiating, compromising, and in general learn how to be reasonable without passing harmful judgments, time and again making things worse.

The new day gives us a ability to attack a problem differently. The new day gives us a fresh start and when we trust in the Lord to take away or lighten our load nothing is too difficult for our God. 2 Corinthians 4:16 “For which cause we faint not; but though our outward man perish, yet the inward [man] is renewed day by day.” We pray to God every night for renewed spirit and we shall have it. Luke 1:77-80 “77 To give knowledge of salvation unto his people by the remission of their sins, 78 Through the tender mercy of our God; whereby the dayspring from on high hath visited us, 79 To give light to them that sit in darkness and in the shadow of death, to guide our feet into the way of peace.” We must understand that every day we pray and we as for the Spirit to bless us, its just a matter of letting yourself have faith that God is in control. You may wake up in the morning and find yourself continuing to deal with the same situation you were when you went to bed. If the problem still persists try to change your perspective. Try to find the lesson you are to learn. Try to solve the problem using scripture, finding the solution God would be most pleased with. Allow your soul to catch fire with Christ. Allow yourself to embrace your cross with zeal. With every sun rise is a new page, a new chapter and since we never know what our future holds, why not try to embrace the sunrise and see where the wind takes you.

No matter the situation, the hardships, the horrors you may be facing in your life, there’s always hope. Proverbs 24:14 “Know that wisdom is such to your soul; if you find it, there will be a future, and your hope will not be cut off.” This sentiment is echoed again in Jeremiah 29:11 “For I know the plans I have for you, declares the LORD, plans for welfare and not for evil, to give you a future and a hope. “ We may have troubles, but if Christ suffered during the crucifixion a little suffering on our own is nothing. 1 Corinthians 15:19 “If in Christ we have hope in this life only, we are of all people most to be pitied.” As Christians we know we will endure persecution and hardships. We know because we’re told we would time and time again throughout the New Testament. 2 Corinthians 4:16-18  “So we do not lose heart. Though our outer self is wasting away, our inner self is being renewed day by day. For this light momentary affliction is preparing for us an eternal weight of glory beyond all comparison, as we look not to the things that are seen but to the things that are unseen. For the things that are seen are transient, but the things that are unseen are eternal.” This is not an easy thing to do, and it will take time to learn. Because Christ lives we know that we can overcome the toils of the world and reach for the sky every day. We can face tomorrow with fresh tenacity because our God says Christ died so we could live. With each new sunrise we have a fresh start to reach others, minister the word, preach the Gospel, and make the world a better place. Proverbs 27:1 “Do not boast about tomorrow, for you do not know what a day may bring.” When we take each day by it’s appropriate action we find that we put to much stock in our own plans. We try to plan every detail of our lives and how rarely are we correct. James 4:14 “Yet you do not know what tomorrow will bring. What is your life? For you are a mist that appears for a little time and then vanishes.”

In closing let the night wash away the mistakes of the day. Let the sleep and rest you find renew your spirit for the Lord. As the sun rises the next morning and wipes away the stars, so shall it wipe away your tears and worries. Have faith in the dawn, and have faith that in and through God all things remain possible.

 

 

Clouds

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Clouds

Clouds come in rolling like thunder, the crashing waves onto the beach. No matter how cloudy the sky gets know that eventually they will part, and the rays of sunshine will once again light up your day. It can take a lot of faith to weather a storm especially when it seems like it would never dissipate. Job 37:16 “Dost thou know the balancings of the clouds, the wondrous works of him which is perfect in knowledge?” Only God knows the balance of joy and suffering. The faith it takes to muster through, knowing that God is standing with us, and that in time, the seas will calm. We must not fear the storm instead we must embrace them. Storms give needed water to the world, the constant recycling of moisture that without it brings forth death.

Without the storms in our lives, without the trials, we never know our truest potential if we are never brought to the breaking point. It may not seem fair, or just, but the fact remains it is necessary in order for us to truly grow with God. It’s easy to Love and cherish God when the times in our lives are great and when we have no toils at all. Leaning on God when everything is taken away is our true acts of faith. The faithful will be blessed, and this is a promise that God won’t break.

In God We Trust

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In God We Trust

 Do we trust in the Lord? Do we have faith that God is not only in control of the big picture, but the little stuff as well? Does God fit inside the little box we’ve created for Him? Joshua 1:9 “9 Have not I commanded thee? Be strong and of a good courage; be not afraid, neither be thou dismayed: for the Lord thy God is with thee whithersoever thou goest.” It’s easy to say not to be afraid, but are we really free from that servitude? Are we slaves to fear, are we slaves to worry, I believe we are. Matthew 6:24 “No man can serve two masters: for either he will hate the one, and love the other; or else he will hold to the one, and despise the other. Ye cannot serve God and mammon.” Mammon is wealth, or money. The interesting thing about money is the saying on our own money that often goes unnoticed or forgotten.

Do we really give our all to Christ? Are we faithful in our giving, are we faithful in our love, are we faithful in our prayers, our empathy? Psalm 37:4-6 “4 Delight thyself also in the LORD; and he shall give thee the desires of thine heart. 5 Commit thy way unto the LORD; trust also in him; and he shall bring [it] to pass. 6 And he shall bring forth thy righteousness as the light, and thy judgment as the noonday.”

 During the three years Jesus taught, it’s said a minimum of 4 times ‘Ye of little faith’. There is no doubt that we do not have the strength we should. We allow the world to beat us down, to torture us and we give reaction to it. Sure we feel pain, we feel sorrow, but if we have enough faith to trust what we can’t see, trust what we don’t understand, we may actually find peace in our day.

What is peace? Peace is a state of mind, not just peace or war. Finding peace is obtainable in this world, but we must be in a state of constant vigilance. Peace doesn’t mean that war won’t come it just means that when it does it won’t destroy who you are. Be at peace with yourself, and know that God’s will can turn any heart, heal any ailment, forgive any sin, and save any life. 2 Thessalonians 3:16 “Now the Lord of peace himself give you peace always by all means. The Lord [be] with you all.” The Lord gives us the ultimate peace, the peace of forever, eternal salvation.

The final word I leave on this is John 16:33 “These things I have spoken unto you, that in me ye might have peace. In the world ye shall have tribulation: but be of good cheer; I have overcome the world.” Peace is not of this world, it’s of eternity and that is why no matter the trial we face in this world, we can handle with grace and dignity.

I myself have not always handled every situation that way. I’ve been known to over react from time to time. I’ve had times where the world felt like it was falling down upon my head, where I would never be able to breath again, but God as my witness, even when death seemed to be knocking at my door, the post card was sent to death apologizing for the inconvenience, but my reservation had to be postponed once more. The day may come when my body sleeps and wakes no more, but God willing, not any time soon. Sorry death, not today.