Wednesday's Word: Be At Peace

Salt is good for seasoning. But if it loses its flavor, how do you make it salty again?

You must have the qualities of salt among yourselves and

 live in peace with each other.

Mark 9:50 (NLT)

Brothers and sisters, we urge you to warn those who are lazy.

Encourage those who are timid. Take tender care of those who are weak.

 Be patient with everyone. See that no one pays back evil for evil,

but always try to do good to each other and to all people.

1 Thessalonians 5:14, 15

Jesus told us that we are the salt of the earth. We are the ones who are supposed to make an impact on the world around us. Our atmospheres should be flavored with the seasoning of the love of Jesus Christ.

In reflecting Jesus' love, we are admonished by Him to live in peace. Paul reiterates this teaching when he tells the church to be patient and to always do good to everyone. It is this Godly peace and unity that glorifies the Father and causes others to be drawn into God's Kingdom.

We cannot live at peace bickering and fighting.  Peace is not found in holding grudges and bitterness towards someone else. We cannot show forth goodness to the world when we are stirring up strife among ourselves.

So, we have to work at living in peace with one another. We have to strive to be patient. We have to rein in our emotions and put forth the effort to do good in the face of evil.

We have to live like Christ.

Are you living at peace? Is there someone that you need to forgive? Do you need to go and apologize to someone else? Today, let's make the effort to live in peace.

Living United

So, yesterday America voted, and in addition to re-electing our President, we put and kept a bunch of other folks in leadership positions for our country. One thing that stands out to me is our glaring need for unity. Too many of us are screaming at each other, creating division, refusing to compromise, and keeping our nation from progressing.

The Bible exhorts us to work to stay united in the Spirit. As believers, there should be no division. No one should find the Body of Christ bickering, fighting, or working against each other. Sadly, the same kind of division that exists in our country is reflected in our churches.

Yet, God wants us to live in unity. He wants us to work together with each other, not against each other. He wants us to live harmoniously using all our different talents, views, and gifts to promote His Kingdom on earth.

In order to be united, we have to remember that our ministry is not about us. Everything we do is for God's glory. Whatever we do should line up with His word and His will. If we can't agree, we have to find a way to move forward without creating division.

When the apostles' began reaching out to the Gentiles, there were questions concerning whether men could eat unclean foods or had to be circumcised. Instead of fighting about things, they waited to hear from God. When God sent His word, they complied and were able to bring many people into God's Kingdom as a result. (Acts 11)

Division and strife only drive people away. As God's children, we are responsible to draw people to the Lord, not push them away.

Today, consider your individual walk and your ministry. Are your actions creating division? Are you working to be united with your brothers and sisters in Christ? Let's all make sure we are striving to be united in our walk with the Lord.

Verse of the Day: Behold, how good and how pleasant it is for brethren to dwell together in unity! Psalm 133:1

United We Stand

Today is a day of remembrance and prayer in America. The tragedy of 9/11 is etched in all of our hearts, and we will not forget the event that dramatically changed our lives.

In remembering this epic event, I cannot forget the unity that was displayed. So many volunteers stepped forward to help. So many people gave what they had, if it was money, expertise, or simply moral support. Communities gathered together to do what they could. People joined hands and bowed their heads together in prayer.

We were a nation united. As a result, we became strengthened and were able to move forward as one.

Today, it saddens my heart to see how divided we have become again. It seems like people can't respectfully disagree. Things are taken to such negative places. There is a lack of respect, a lack of concern for our fellow man, and an influx of vitriol and hate.

Living right outside of Chicago, I can't help but see how far we've fallen away. The increase in violence here is mind boggling. The fact that our teachers just engaged in a historic strike makes me ache for the children who are now missing school. And, don't get me started on the political atmosphere...

How did we find ourselves here again? Why can't we seem to find a plane where we all can exist in harmony with one another?

Today, let's remember the unity that was active following 9/11. Let's remember the patriotism, the sense of community, and the pride we had for our country. Let's choose to live in a way where we can agree to disagree. Let's put ourselves in the other person's shoes and allow ourselves to see things through someone else's eyes.

As Christians, we are to be the example. We are the ones who should speak up for what is right. We are the ones who should be bringing peace to situations. We are the ones who can promote change for the better. Let's make the effort to bring unity to the places we go and people we come in contact with today.

In unity, there is strength. Let's be that strength today.

Verse of the Day: Behold, how good and how pleasant it is for brethren to dwell together in unity! Psalm 133:1

No Set Mold

When Jesus walked the earth, He kicked it with some folks and did some things that the upstanding religious people of the day frowned upon. Jesus went to parties with tax collectors and publicans, He actually paid attention and cared for the poor, He healed on the Sabbath... All of these things were not what the "esteemed" people of the day did.
Yet Jesus did them.

Today, many upstanding religious people have their "standards" of what good Christians are to do. They have rules of how they should and shouldn't look... where they should and shouldn't go... and who they should and shouldn't hang around.

I'm so glad that our Father doesn't look on the outward appearance but instead looks at the heart! Jesus told us to go into all the world and preach the gospel. Somebody's going to have to go to the "off limit" places and shine the light of Christ. Someone's going to have to go and touch the "untouchable" and guide them to the joy of the Lord.

Once these people are introduced to God, they may not dress or act the way traditional Christians think they should. Yet, the important part is that they offer up their lives to Christ. Once they allow His love to permeate through them and inward change will come that will far outweigh any outward action they could make.

So, don't be so quick to judge a person's Christianity by their outward appearance. Many of us are going to be surprised to see who's worshipping at God's feet when we get to heaven!

Verse of the Day: ...for the LORD seeth not as man seeth; for man looketh on the outward appearance, but the LORD looketh on the heart. 1 Samuel 16:17

Power of Unity

I pray everyone had a fabulous holiday weekend! It zoomed by, and here we are back to our regularly scheduled programs.

Yesterday we celebrated the life of Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. Dr. King had a remarkable gift that brought together people of all ages, colors, creeds, and backgrounds to fight on one team against the injustices of racism and prejudice. As they were united in their efforts, they were able to bring about drastic changes in our nation.

It's amazing what a united group can do! When people are on one accord, they are able to accomplish great things. It's one of the reasons that God interfered when the people were trying to build the tower of Babel. He knew that they wouldn't exactly reach heaven, but God also knew that a people united in their arrogance and pride were a dangerous bunch. (Genesis 11)

Gideon's army had to be whittled down until they were a group of men who were united in faith and ability. (Judges 7) The Holy Spirit only showed up when the saints were together praying with one mind and heart. (Acts 2) It was a united front that caused the walls of Jericho to fall. (Joshua 6)

There is a saying that a group is only as strong as its weakest link. Are you the weak link in your community? Are you working against the plans of your group? Can you be depended on to work in a team?

Whether it's for an office, church, business, or even a volunteer activity, no one likes to be in a group with a difficult or lazy person. No one likes to have to compensate for the weak link. No one wants to be on pins and needles because so-and-so is always liable to go off. Deep down, we all want to be united and work together.

Let's make today a day that we strengthen our link in the groups we are a part of. Let's make sure we are doing our part to the best of our ability. Let's quiet our murmurs and complaints. Let's stop being so disagreeable. Let's go above and beyond as we push toward our goal.

A house divided against itself is sure to fall. (Mark 3:25) Let's make sure that we are working to bring unity and strength everywhere we go. Who knows what great things we can accomplish once we start working together?

Verse of the Day: Behold, how good and how pleasant it is for brethren to dwell together in unity! Psalm 133:1

United We Stand

It’s heartbreaking for me to watch the direction our country is going in. Our news programs are packed with stories of violence, scandal, and greed. The shows that fill our television airwaves capitalize on fistfights, mayhem, and debauchery. (Yes, debauchery.) The songs our children hear on the radio highlight fornication, selfishness, and the love of money.


In a world that’s been educated to look out for personal gain, we are becoming further disjointed as a people. There is a lack of respect, a lack of care, a lack of unity that is bringing us to destruction.

Even in the body of Christ, the fissures are apparent. People are looking for their blessing, their miracle, their financial breakthrough, their spiritual promotion. We are so busy seeking our own gain that we’ve forgotten about our mission: the lost.

Our Lord told us to love our neighbors as ourselves. (Matthew 22:39) He taught us to be humble before Him as little children. (Matthew 18:13) The Word also speaks of living peaceably with mankind. (Romans 12:18)

Somewhere along our journey, we’ve let those things fall to the wayside. It’s gotten to the point that we don’t even acknowledge strangers on the street.

We all can make strides to become a better body of believers. We are supposed to be fitly joined together, working in harmony for the Kingdom of God.

It’s not about our personal glory. It’s not about what we can gain. It’s about how we can use the tools God has given us to reach a world that is dying by the second.

We can do so much more for the Lord if we can put aside our personal aims and look to unite together with one voice. Jesus said if we seek the Kingdom first He’ll add all those other desires to our lives anyway.

I believe that it’s only a truly united church that will be able to overcome the great darkness that is trying to envelop our nation. Only a united front will be able to combat the strongholds of sin that have taken root in our land.

As we put our personal desires to the back, we can move God’s agenda to the front, and then we can go forward as a body and change the world!

Verse of the Day: ...walk worthy of the vocation wherewith ye are called, With all lowliness and meekness, with longsuffering, forbearing one another in love; Endeavouring to keep the unity of the Spirit in the bond of peace. Ephesians 4:1b-3