Peace of Mind: Where's the app for that

You may have seen the television commercial featuring a character by the name of "Mayhem" who goes about creating all kinds of trouble for his innocent, unsuspecting victims. After each disaster he causes, Mayhem is heard to say,

"If you had [blank] insurance you'd be protected from mayhem like me."

Most people buy insurance to protect them from the unexpected—a sudden illness, car accident, house fire, travel mishap, and even death. People live each day with the element of surprise hanging over their heads. They leave home each day, drive to work, drop the kids off at school, board buses, trains and planes to go about routine activities— all without any certainty or guarantee of how their day will end.

Like mayhem, there is a real life character who also preys upon the lives of people for no other reason than to harm or defeat us. His name is Satan. You may be familiar with his other names—the devil, the accuser, thief and the father of lies. The bible calls Satan "the god of this world" because he rules earth and is responsible for all the evil and wickedness in the world (2 Corinthians 4:4). You see his influence in people who steal, lie, cheat, quarrel, murder, bully and inflict harm on others (Romans 1:29-32). In the bible Satan is depicted as a roaring lion on the prowl looking for someone to attack (1 Peter 5:8).

Satan could care less whether you are a Christian, some other religion or no religion at all. He's an equal opportunity destroyer who hates God, and wants to destroy everything that God has created. But here's the Good News. the God of the bible provides an insurance policy against Satan's attacks backed by faith in his Son, Jesus Christ. The bible says that Jesus came into the world to destroy the power of the devil over humankind.

God's insurance policy comes with an ironclad guarantee that anyone who calls on the name of the Lord will be saved (Romans 10:13). The only stipulation is that you accept the salvation that Jesus' death and resurrection provides. God's insurance policy is activated by saying a simple prayer like this:

Jesus, I confess that I am a sinner. I believe you died on the cross for my sins. Please forgive my sins, come into my heart and help me live the rest of my life for you.  

If you recited the prayer and meant it with all your heart, starting now whenever mayhem strikes, you'll have peace of mind knowing God's got you covered.

God with us

In my distress I called upon the Lord, and cried unto my God: he heard my voice out of his temple, and my cry came before him, even into his ears.—Psalm 18:6 KJV

It should be a comfort, if you are a Christian, to know that God hears you. The question is—do you have faith enough to believe it? I encounter people all the time who say they are Christians but who are weak in the knees when it comes to believing God for what they need. They don't have confidence to approach God's throne of grace themselves so they ask others to do it for them— "Please pray for me." No question intercessory prayer is a powerful ally, but our personal prayers are what's needed to move God to act on our behalf. The Bible clearly states in James 5:16—

The earnest (heartfelt, continued) prayer of a righteous man makes tremendous power available [dynamic in its working].—AMP

With that kind of power right at our fingertips, prayer should be automatic in every situation we face. Nevertheless, God is gracious to answer our unspoken prayers as well as the prayers of others for us. Sometimes, when someone experiences an instant or miraculous answer to prayer, you know without a doubt that it came from God. At other times, He may delay the answer or give a partial answer so that we might labor in prayer until the answer comes.

God knows everything about us before we even open our mouths to tell him. He wouldn't be God if He didn't. He's the omniscient, omnipotent (all-knowing, all powerful) God, nothing is hidden from His sight. David wrote in Psalm 139:2—

I’m an open book to you; even from a distance, you know what I’m thinking.
You know when I leave and when I get back; I’m never out of your sight.
You know everything I’m going to say before I start the first sentence.

So, you ask, why pray if God knows everything? One reason is because God commands us to "pray without ceasing"... because this is the way God wants those who belong to Christ Jesus to live (1 Thessalonians 5:16). The other reason is our prayers unleash God's power into the situation. Angels spring into action at God's command to rescue believing Christians who cry out to Him. That's what prayer does. Here's a simple analogy: You have a car at your disposal to take you anywhere you want to go, at anytime. You have the keys to the car. But if you don't put them in the ignition and start the car, it will never do what it's suppose to do. It's the same with prayer—it works best when you use it.

A final thought, if God is ever present in a believer's life, then the reverse must also be true—the believer is always in God's presence. Now that's reason to rejoice and pray.

Note: If you are unsure of or want a closer relationship with the God of the Bible, you'll find help at Peace with God.

Life after death: Everybody talkin' 'bout heaven ain't goin" there

Jesus said, "In my Father's house there are many mansions. I go to prepare a place for you...John 14:2-3

A surprising fact is that most people believe they are good enough to go to heaven. Why? Because they feel that they are a “good person.” Are there “good people” who think they are going to heaven but in reality will not be going? --- Jack Wellman

Just about everybody has an opinion about heaven --- some believe, some don't believe and some don't have a clue. Yet, heaven is widely thought of as the place most people want to go when they die. Even though they may have no idea what it takes to get in. So often, when a loved one dies, it's an automatic assumption in the minds of some people that he or she is up in heaven looking down on them. Mostly, they tell themselves this because it helps ease the pain of loss and keeps their dearly departed one close. 

Another common belief is that heaven is a place where good people go after they depart this earth. The problem is most people like to think of themselves as a good person. But is being a good person good enough to get you into heaven? The thing is everybody talkin' 'bout heaven ain't goin' there. And that's the truth.

With so many misconceptions out there about heaven, I wanted to find out what the average person on the street really knows or believes.  For my survey, I wanted the opinion of  Millennials since they are the next generation poised to assume responsibility for leading America into the future. How Millennials feel about God and religion will have a definite an impact on the kind of society they create. 

I conducted the survey at a local shopping mall and at a commuter train station. I interviewed a racially mixed sampling of males and females between the ages of 18-34 that I selected at random.
Here's what they had to say in response to questions about heaven:

1.) Do you believe in heaven?

• 64%  yes
• 36 % no

2.) What do you know about heaven?
Some of the more interesting responses:

• I know it's a great place and I want to go there. (Age 24)
• I do believe there is something out there. I don't really believe in heaven or hell. (Age 18)
• It's a place people will go if they do something good with their life and they'll be reunited with loved ones (Age 25)
• It's a better place and hopefully, one day I [will] see my family, the ones who've passed away. (Age 29)
• I don't think much about heaven or know much. (Age 23)
• It's the place where your soul hopefully goes if you've been on good behavior. (Age 27)
• I heard that God died for our sins and once we die we live in eternal peace. (Age 20)
• Not like a Christian heaven, but I believe that after you die you don't have to put up with worldly woes. (Age 25)
• I was raised as Christian so I know about heaven as much as the Bible says and as much as Evangelical Christians will tell you. I am very atheistic at this point. (Age 27)
• I know absolutely nothing except what's recorded in the Bible. (Age 34)

3.) Do you expect to go to heaven when you die? If yes, why? If no, why?

• 64%  yes*
• 21 % no
• 15%  not sure

*Among the reasons given, "because I'm a good person" topped the list; also mentioned was "belief in God or Jesus."  

4.) Do you currently attend a place of worship like a church, synagogue, mosque or temple?

• 43 % yes
• 57%  no*

*Among the "no" responses, "used to attend church" and "worship at home" were among the reasons given. 

I wasn't surprised by the mixed responses I got from Millennials on heaven. However, it should be noted that those who demonstrated any spiritual or biblical understanding of heaven were in the minority. You can draw your own conclusions, as to what this means, especially if you're the parent of a Millennial or a member of the clergy. At the very least, it probably suggests that, as parents and as clergy, we haven't done a good enough job  preparing the Millennial generation in this area. While Millennials may not be focused much on heaven right now, they still need to know what's ahead for them and what the options are.

The fact is Millennials are at greater risk of dying young from gun violence, motor vehicle accidents, drugs and suicide than any previous generation in America. Millennials have already experienced the pain of death of their peers and acquaintances, and aren't as reluctant to talk about dying or life after death as you might think. When Millennials write "R.I.P." on the makeshift memorials of their friends, we need to come alongside them to help them understand what it really means. So that when it's their turn to stare down death, they'll have the peace in their heart that's beyond comprehension. 

As for the question, "Do you expect to go to heaven?" A majority answered "yes" and gave this reason: "because I'm a good person" or "because I believe I'm a good person." I thought the comment by a 27 year old woman was the most revealing. Although she does not believe in heaven, she feels that she couldn't meet all the "stipulations" required to get in, anyway. Good people do go to heaven but not just because they're good. Likewise, bad people can also go to heaven, in spite of having been bad. Heaven isn't a place for only good people.

If you want the truth, nobody gets into heaven on his or her own merit. You couldn't possibly do enough good deeds in a lifetime to earn a place in heaven. Keeping all Ten Commandments or any other form of human effort on your part won't earn you a place in heaven. The way to heaven begins with seeing yourself as God sees you --- a sinner in need of God's forgiveness: 

We are all infected and impure with sin. When we display our righteous deeds, they are nothing but filthy rags. Isaiah 64:6

For everyone has sinned; we all fall short of God’s glorious standard. Romans 3:23

Heaven is a level playing field, meaning anyone who wants in can get in. The only stipulation, the only requirement is that you accept God's invitation. It's a choice that only you can make. Millennials, please hear this. After you're dead, the opportunity to choose where you'll spend eternity is loss, unless that choice is made before you die. This short video explains everything you need to know to make it into heaven. Need help making a decision? Someone is waiting at www.peacewithgod.net to pray with you.

Amazing grace, how sweet the sound that saved a wretch like me. I once was lost, but now I'm found; was blind but now I see.

---From the hymn, Amazing Grace by John Newton

A New Year's Resolution for a happier new you

Every year on December 31st at exactly 12 o'clock midnight fireworks light up the night sky, champagne corks pop, horns and whistles blow, hugs and kisses are exchanged and well wishes for a Happy New Year greet  people all over the world. Most people view this annual end of the year ritual as a chance to start the new year with a clean slate.

Habitually, some people make New Year's resolutions, but I wonder how many of  these  resolutions are actually holdovers from previous failed attempts? We tend to regurgitate the same resolutions year to year hoping for a different result. According to Clinical Psychologist John Norcross: 

New York, New York

Approximately 50 percent of the population makes resolutions each New Year. Among the top resolutions are weight loss, exercise, stopping smoking, better money management and debt reduction.

Berlin, Germany

Rio de Janeiro, Brazil

Sound familiar?  Millions of people are stuck in this perennial revolving door of making new year resolutions, only to break them days, weeks or months down the road; and revert to the same old way of doing things, to the same habits they promised to change. Let's be honest. Our  human efforts at self-improvement are at best superficial, external, and also destined to fail every time. Psychology professor Timothy Pychyl says that resolutions are nothing more than a form of cultural procrastination :

[In] an effort to reinvent oneself, people make resolutions as a way of motivating themselves. People [really] aren't ready to change their habits, particularly bad habits, and that accounts for the high failure rate.

Then, there are those who believe in willpower (how's that been working for you?). If willpower alone were all one needs most people would have succeeded with that first diet or the first time they tried to stop smoking, drinking, using drugs or whatever else they tried to will themselves to stop doing. Face it, a resolution by itself has no power, according to author S. Michael Houdmann: 

Resolving to start or stop doing a certain activity has no value unless you have the proper motivation for stopping or starting that activity. 

For a resolution to succeed, however, it will  take more than proper motivation. Once you decide you want to make a change— you might make a specific plan, take specific steps, get organized, carve out time, seek peer or professional support but unless you have spiritual resolve you will fail.

A changed life

Spiritual resolve acknowledges that we are creatures created by a loving God for a purpose. As such, we are ultimately accountable to our Creator. Spiritual resolve must undergird any desire we have for a changed life.  Without spiritual resolve and God's help, our human efforts are nothing more than  a house built on sand.  The Bible explains it this way:

When someone becomes a Christian, he becomes a brand new person inside. He is not the same anymore. A new life has begun! 2 Corinthians 5:17 TLB

Trust in God alone for the power to change  by surrendering your old life in exchange for a new life in Christ. You don't have to go it alone trying to make life work. You have a helper to guide you. And you won't have to wait until next December 31 at 12  midnight to take advantage of God's offer. You can begin your new life right now with your sins forgiven and a chance to start your life over. Wishing you a Happy New Year, and an even happier new you!

 

Halloween: How should Christians respond

"Don’t let evil conquer you, but conquer evil by doing good." Romans 12:21 NLT

Halloween is big business in the U.S. According to the National Retail Federation, "Halloween is the second-largest commercial holiday, with Christmas being the first." Halloween spending in the U.S. alone reached $9 billion 2018. Halloween is too big to ignore, and almost impossible to boycott. And it's not going to go away as long as commercial business continues to reap huge profits from sales during its observance. Halloween is celebrated in many other countries around the world.

Most people who celebrate Halloween, have no idea about its pagan roots; or for that matter, its Christian connection. To those who celebrate it, Halloween simply represents a fun time for kids as well as grown ups. There is certainly a counter-culture somewhere that worships the darker side of Halloween. But generally speaking, those folks are not the ones who come knocking at your door asking for treats.

Halloween is a divisive topic for Christians resulting in spirited debates over Halloween's flirtation with evil, and whether Christ followers ought to partake in this holiday. A Gallup Poll survey found that Christians are divided over religious objections to Halloween. Asan alternative, some Christian groups compromise by hosting counter celebrations that capture the fun but not the spirit of the holiday. Some just avoid any observance whatsoever preferring to wall themselves up behind closed doors when the kids come knocking. But what purpose does it serve for Christians to isolate and cut themselves off from a potential opportunity to witness to a ready pool of potential converts?

The biggest trick played on Halloween is Christian kids and adults being bottled up inside churches or homes all night. That’s right! Hiding from the devil in the family life center and surrendering the neighborhood to little Ghouls, goblins, and witches is a victory for old Beelzebub. He’s got the church right where he wants it: inside the four walls, hunkered down behind the stained glass. ---Andy Freeman, The Enemy's Victory

There's a better way. While Halloween in no way deserves the same stature as Christmas and Easter, it does provide opportunities that are unique to this holiday. For example, Halloween gives Christians an opportunity to engage with non-Christians—literally, right on their doorstep. But if some Christians can't see beyond the costumed ghosts, goblins and witches that show up, they will likely miss an opportunity to shine "light" into the dark world of Halloween.

Are some Christians trying to remove themselves from the world? Ignoring Halloween or celebrating it with believers only is not exactly an evangelical approach. Aren't we supposed to "become all things to all men so that by all possible means" we might save some? (1 Corinthians 9:22) Halloween brings our neighbors out into the streets. I can think of various creative ways to seize this opportunity for developing new relationships and sharing my faith. —Mary Fairchild, Christians and Halloween

Perhaps it's time the Christian community develop a more evangelistic strategy toward Halloween that goes beyond avoidance and isolation to focusing on sharing the gospel . Think of it as overcoming evil with good like Jesus did.

Christians should use Halloween and all that it brings to the imagination--death imagery, superstition, expressions of debauched revelry--as an opportunity to engage the unbelieving world with the gospel of Jesus Christ. —Travis Allen, Grace to You

It may mean keeping your door open for Trick or Treaters. And as you hand out candy, put a gospel tract or card in their bag. In other words, re-purpose Halloween by transforming it into an opportunity to let your light shine even brighter for Jesus. Jesus never ran from evil. Instead, he confronted it head-on exposing it for what it was.

 God commands his people to put on the shoes of the gospel of peace daily. Christians are to have evangelism on their minds every day and  look for those opportunities to witness Jesus Christ to a dark world.—Leftbehind.com

In the past, Halloween was mostly about costumes and candy. Today, it's still largely about that, but it can also be about reaching  neighbors who may never have another chance to hear the gospel.

(Updated 10/2019) 

A new year, a new life

At exactly 12:00 am every January 1, fireworks light up the night sky, champagne corks pop, horns and whistles blow, hugs and kisses are exchanged and well wishes for a Happy New Year are on the lips of  people all over the world. Behind this annual celebration is the hope that the new year will bring about a change of fortune, as well as, a chance to wipe the past year's slate clean and start over. But 364 days down the road, the unfortunate reality is that human will and human effort alone are not enough to transform our lives or make them any better.

Human efforts at self-improvement are only superficial and external at best. We believe change is just a matter of exercising our willpower. If we will ourselves to stop doing this or start doing that, it will produce the change we desire. But if willpower alone was all you needed, you would have succeeded with the first diet you tried or the first time you tried to stop smoking, drinking, using drugs or whatever else you may have tried to stop or start doing. Instead, it's the end of another year, and you find yourself back at the exact same place vowing to make many of the same changes you promised to make the year before.

And why is that? The answer lies in the simple fact that you were created by God. Therefore, you cannot recreate yourself---for that to happen, you need the Creator. In Psalm 51, King David recognizes his inability to change himself and prays: "Create in me a clean heart, O God; and renew a right spirit within me." (Psalm 51:10 KJV). King David acknowledges that without God's help his efforts to change himself are fruitless. Paul, an Apostle of Christ, explains the dilemma we all face as human beings: "I have discovered this principle of life---that when I want to do what is right, I inevitably do what is wrong. I love God's law with all my heart. But there is another power within me that is at war with my mind. This power makes me a slave to the sin that is still within me. Oh what a miserable person I am. Who will free me from this life that is dominated by sin and death? Thank God. The answer is in Jesus Christ, our Lord!" (Romans 7:21-25 NLT)

The key to becoming a new you in this new year is surrendering your life to Christ. He alone has the power to change you. After all the Bible says that God created everything that exists and that  includes you. To the sinner, God promises that if you confess your sins, he will forgive your sins and set you on a new path --- the path of right living. To the Christian who has turned away from God to his own way, if you repent, he will forgive your sins and restore you to his family. No sin is so great that it cannot be forgiven if you come to God in a spirit of true repentance. You don't have to wait until the clock strikes midnight on January 1, you can begin your New Year with Christ right now. The Bible declares that "anyone who belongs to Christ is a new person. The past is forgotten, and everything is new." (2 Corinthians 5:17)  What a way to begin the New Year with your sins forgiven and a chance to start your life over. It doesn't get any better than that. Happy New You!

Dear God,

I turn my back on the past life I've lived. I am sorry for the sins I committed
 that have separated me from you. I believe Jesus died for my sins.

And I ask you, Jesus to come into my heart

and help me to live the rest of my life for you.

Did you pray this prayer and mean it? Congratulations, you have been born again into the family of God. Celebrate your new life. To help you understand and learn more about your new life in Christ, find a local Christ believing church in your area or contact Peace with God. 



Come out of your comfort zone

If there's one thing I hate more than anything it's moving. Packing up years of accumulated stuff and  moving it across town, across country, to another state or as in this most recent case, to another cubicle at my workplace just doesn't appeal to me. In the short time I've been on my job, I've been asked to move five times within the same large, open floor plan. Needless to say, I took this latest uprooting hard mostly because I was comfortable where I was.

I had got use to being there. I was friendly with my cubicle mate, liked the limited view from the nearby window and it was close to the bathroom. Then somebody got the bright idea to move us around...AGAIN! Reluctantly, I arrived at my newly assigned digs loaded down with boxes and determined not to like it. At this point I couldn't see any positives. And to make matters worse, I was thrown in with a new group of co-workers who I pegged as "younger, louder and most unfriendly." There was no way I had anything in common with this bunch, nor did I ever think I would. Right now, you're probably thinking that I'm a real SNOB without the "N." But wait, before you judge me prematurely, read on. It gets better.

As I sat there stewing in my own stubborn juices, the Holy Spirit spoke these words to my heart: "Jesus wasn't comfortable either when he hung on that cross for you. He wasn't comfortable when his accusers spit in His face...wasn't comfortable when the soldiers beat him with cords...wasn't comfortable when they forced Him to carry a heavy cross...wasn't comfortable when the people mocked him as He was dying... wasn't comfortable when the soldiers stabbed Him in his side...wasn't comfortable when his tongue swelled in his mouth from thirst...wasn't comfortable as he struggled to breathe his last breath for you and me." Wow, that really got my attention.

Suddenly, I was overwhelmed by guilt and shame realizing now that my present discomfort couldn't even compare to what Jesus had suffered not only for me, but for the whole world. The words of Isaiah 53:5 came back to me: "But because of our sins he was wounded, beaten because of the evil we did. We are healed by the punishment he suffered, made whole by the blows he received (GNV)."  Leave it to God to put things in their proper perspective, and us in our proper place...at the foot of the uncomfortable Cross of Calvary. Followers of Christ are not called to a life of ease but to a life of service, even if it means giving up some creature comforts.