365 Days of Spirit-Filled Fruits Challege-Day 272

We watched a movie called “Killing Season” last evening with Robert DeNiro and John Travolta.  At first, I thought it was going to be another vengeance-themed movie but it ended up having some depth and a good message about forgiveness. The basis of the story is about an American soldier who during the Bosnian War shot execution-style, along with his squad, prisoners they had captured who had done horrible things to women, men and children. 20 years later, this soldier is now in the mountains living the life of a recluse, avoiding his family. The man he shot survived and came back to seek vengeance but what he really wanted was a confession from the soldier that shot him. In the end, the confession comes and a beautiful thing happens, there is forgiveness. The vengeful man returns to his life with a smile on his face and the soldier goes to meet the grandson he has not yet met. Bitterness and shame will put up a wall that will keep you from living the life God intended with love and peace. But with forgiveness, our bitterness or shame will be washed clean and we can go out with peace in our hearts and be able to love as God love’s us.

1 John 1:9  If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness.

365 Days of Spirit-Filled Fruits Challenge-Day 61

Peace. We see the peace signs, we here the talk of peace vs war on the news but do we know the real meaning of peace. Some definitions I found may help guide me in discovering what peace is: freedom from disturbance, state of security, state of balance and understanding of self and others, calm, contentment in obedience to law, tranquility of mind, harmony, to be quiet, to be silent, to stop.   This last one, to stop, really made me pause. Stop trying to do it on your own, stop trying to be God, stop over-analyzing everything, stop letting the world dictate your actions and on and on… Peace cannot be attained on our own. God is the only source of true peace and it is through our belief in Jesus that we can obtain this peace. CS Lewis said it well, “God cannot give us a happiness and peace apart from Himself, because it is not there. There is no such thing. If you are searching for peace, I pray you will be lead to the one and only that can give it to you.

John 14: 26-27 But the Counselor, the Holy Spirit, whom the Father will send in my name, will teach you all things and will remind you of everything I have said to you. Peace I leave with you; my peace I give you. I do not give to you as the world gives. Do not let your hearts be troubled and do not be afraid.

365 Days of Praise Challenge-Day 348

I heard the news of the outcome of the election and went to the bathroom and cried. I am saddened by the direction our country is in and looks like will continue to be in. But I went to bed and woke up several times during the night with different words of songs coming to my mind. In the end, God helped me to get passed this moment in our history and see the bigger picture of his plan. He is in control and Jesus has already overcome. The war has already been won. Our real battle isn’t getting the right person elected but reaching each individual person out there that doesn’t know Christ or a “believer” whose view is warped or stagnant. If anything, how the vote went shows how much work we have to do for the hurting right here in our country. But it’s not about relying on the government to help the hurting. It needs to come directly from the body of Christ.  We have to be the example and teach that all our needs come from God and our reliance should be on Him. I am praying for the Lord’s guidance in how to reach out to the hurting, the disillusioned, the stagnant Christians and help them have their needs met through the body of Christ and not through the government.

Pslam 119:105 Your word is a lamp to my feet and a light to my path.