What about the human race?

I was sitting in my car at a traffic stop the other day when a neatly dressed young woman came toward me soliciting donations for her cause. I make it a point to listen even if I decide not to donate. So when she approached me, I smiled as she said: "Would you like to make a donation to save stray dogs and cats? Any spare change would be appreciated." I responded without a moment's hesitation, "I'm more concerned about saving lost humans." Looking puzzled for a minute, she asked. "Really. What do you do?" "I'm a Christian. Do you attend a church?" I asked. "Yes, I do." she answered proudly. "Wonderful, then you should know all about saving humans." Our conversation ended there as the traffic light had turned green.

The next day, I was on my way to dinner with a friend when an older woman, dressed in a 60's throwback floral patterned skirt with matching top, approached us on the street. As we made eye contact, the woman thrust some literature in both our hands and began to lecture us about the cruel and inhuman treatment of chickens. Thrusting the sheets of paper back in her hand, I explained that my friend and I were heading to dinner, and really didn't want to spoil our appetites. Having said that, we started quickly walking away. Well, this really seemed to set her off so much that she chased after us shouting more chicken atrocities. My friend and I retreated into the safety of the restaurant. We found a quiet table and turned our attention to the menu placed before us. When the waitress came back for our order, we both ordered the chicken.

There are so many causes being promoted nowadays that clamor for our attention and support. But when I think about the human condition in the world today, I am burdened by the fact that concern for human life seems to be at an all-time low. Witness senseless killings in Niger, ethnic cleansing in places like Myanmar, ISIS backed fighters killing innocents, crazed dictators brandishing their nuclear weapons, racially motivated killings in the U.S., wars with no end in sight— women, children, the elderly being sacrificed, and for what? Where is the campaign to save the human race?

Humans need saving more than cats, dogs, chickens, tigers, whales, elephants, prairie dogs, kangaroos, rhinos, and the other 241 million species listed under a "save the" search on the Internet. I know of only one person who campaigned specifically to save human life—in fact it was His life's work—and that was Jesus. Many don't want to give Him credit, but the fact is His gospel of salvation has saved lives by the millions the world over, and is still doing it today. Jesus Christ came into the world to save humankind, not animals or ecosystems. Look around you. I bet you know at least one person—perhaps two or three— who need saving from something, The Good News is that there is something you, and they, can do about it. It's not about joining a religion; it's about having a relationship with the only one who came to save the human race. Questions are expected and welcomed. Find answers at peacewithgod.net Can your journey toward peace be any closer?

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.

Jesus' resurrection takes the fear out of dying

Death is not a blind alley that leads the human race into a state of nothingness, but an open door which leads man into life eternal.— Dr Martin Luther King Jr

Several years ago, I was talking with a friend, and just happened to mention that a famous Broadway producer we met on a cruise had died. My friend looked straight at me and said, "I'm ready." I didn't realize what she meant until a few days later when I received a call that my friend had died. As shocking as the news was, I took comfort in the fact that she didn't fear death. You might say she looked forward to it because she was a Christian.

Christians die like everybody else, and often from all the bad things in this world that kill everybody else. The difference is when Christians die, they know they won't stay dead forever. According to Christian belief, anyone who believes in Jesus Christ will never really die. This truth is rooted in God's unshakable promise of eternal life to anyone who accepts his Christ.

For this is how God loved the world: He gave his one and only Son, so that everyone who believes in him will not perish but have eternal life. John 3:16 NLT

I haven't faced the moment of death personally, but I have been present when others have. You can tell a lot about a person by how they face the moment of death. Their last words, the look on their face say a lot about the kind of life they lived. For instance, some people curse God as they are dying, others make last-minute pleas for forgiveness, which God does honor.

And then, there are the true Christians. You can tell by the radiant look on their faces, as they lay dying, that they must see heaven open up and angels descending to take them home. When my mother died from MS at age 83, she had that look. I was happy for her, and I admit a little envious because I knew without a doubt she was heading for a place where she'd be more alive than she'd ever been in life. For the believer in Christ, death is the fulfillment of this scripture:

And we are not afraid but are quite content to die, for then we will be at home with the Lord. 2 Corinthians 5:8 TLB

Easter marks a sacred time on the Christian calendar because it symbolizes Christ's victory over death, and by association, the victory of every believing Christian. Essentially, that's what Jesus' resurrection means in a world of believers and non-believers. Refusing to believe doesn't change or negate the reality of what Jesus accomplished. The Scriptures tell his story:

Jesus died a physical death on the cross and was raised by God's spirit from the dead. Christ's resurrection is evidenced by the empty tomb in Jerusalem, by the written testimony of his disciples in the Gospels, and by the more than 500 sightings of others who encountered  Jesus after his resurrection prior to his ascension into heaven.

What Jesus did made death merely an event, not a dead end. Christ's resurrection took the sting out of death. No wonder Christians don't view death in the same way others do. Christians see death as a home-going. Christian songwriters write songs like Soon and Very Soon and I Can Only Imagine that celebrate the certainty of an afterlife. Christians know that one day they will see this Jesus, who died not only for their sins, but also for the sins of everyone. No one needs to hold onto a fear of death because Jesus is alive.

Therefore, since we have been made right in God’s sight by faith, we have peace with God because of what Jesus Christ our Lord has done for us.  Romans 5:1 NLT

This post is dedicated to the family and friends of the 150 people who died tragically in the Ethiopian airliner crash (March, 2019), to those persons who lost friends and family in the Alabama tornado (March 2019) and to survivors of natural disasters and wars everywhere in the world.  

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

Get in the boat: A tale of redemption

"For if a man belongs to Christ, he is a new person. The old life is gone. New life has begun." 1 Corinthians 5:17 NLV


One morning a man woke up and found himself all alone on a deserted island in the middle of nowhere with no idea how he got there. As he looked over his surroundings, he saw an old wooden marker lying face down in the sand. He picked it up, turned it over, and brushed away the sand to reveal these words painted on one side, "Island of Despair." The man had a sinking feeling that he was not in a good place. And that if he didn't find a way off this island, he would surely die there. But the island was surrounded by shark infested water. And he had no weapon to fight them off. From all he could see, his situation appeared to be hopeless.

It wasn't long before the man heard the sound of an airplane approaching. When the plane came near, the man started waving frantically hoping the plane's pilot would see him. As the plane flew over the island, the man watched a wooden crate fall from the plane's open cargo door and land in the sand a few feet from him. He ran over to retrieve it. Using a large rock, the man broke the crate open to reveal its contents. Inside he found several bottles of water, a hot meal and a Bible. Attached to the Bible was an unsigned note, which read: "This plane makes a food drop on this island every Friday at noon. We are praying for you." For now, the man was just grateful for a hot meal.

A week went by and the man realized that it was time for his next food drop. As he searched the sky for the plane, he could hear the sound of the plane's engines at a distance. Like clockwork, Friday at noon the plane flew over the island and dropped another wooden crate filled with water and a hot meal. Attached to a water bottle inside was an unsigned note, which read: "We're still praying for you."

The plane continued to drop food on the island every Friday at noon for as long as the man remained there, along with a note letting him know that someone was praying for him. But as long as the man got his weekly food drop, he seemed content to stay on the island. If he wanted to be rescued, he didn't act like it and did nothing to help his situation.

One Friday morning, the man awoke to darkening skies and the sound of thunder in the distance. A storm was coming. Thick dark clouds rolled in, and strong winds swirled over the island. The sea waves rose higher and higher and threatened to flood the tiny island. The man feared for his life. His eyes searched the sky anxiously for the plane; hoping the pilot would see the danger he was in and send help his way. With no place to hide from the storm, the man dug a deep hole in the sand with his hands and laid down in it. As the storm raged on around him, he remembered the words of a prayer he'd heard as a child and cried out, "Jesus, please help me."

At that exact moment, the man lifted his head and looked toward the sea. On the horizon he could just barely make out the shape of a tiny boat. It appeared to be aiming straight for the island. "Who'd be crazy enough to be out boating in this storm," the man thought to himself. It was the only boat he'd seen since being stranded on the island. The man kept his eyes on the boat as it came closer and closer.

Finally, the boat came close enough for the man to see that it was a small row boat with the word, "GRACE" painted on its side. The lone man inside the boat was steering it with a single oar. Under these conditions, it was a miracle the boat made it to the island at all. Thanks to the storm, the sharks were gone, but the huge rock formations that engulfed the island, kept the row boat from reaching land. This meant that if the man wanted to be rescued, he would have to get in the water and swim a short distance to reach the boat. The man knew this was his only chance, but looking at the high waves and choppy sea, he was afraid he wouldn't make it to the boat alive.

As he stood there staring toward the boat, the man in the boat called out to him, "I've come to save you. Don't be afraid. Trust me and get in the boat." (To be continued)...

The meaning of this story

The man in the story represents anyone who is facing a difficult time in their life. You may even feel there's no way out or that you have no one you can turn to for help. On the outside, you look like you're doing OK, but on the inside, you're empty and hurting. Something's not right and you know it. You wonder if you're going to make it. 

The island represents separation from God. You may be on that island right now. The sharks represent sin. When we disobey or do things that go against God, God calls it sin. Sin messes up your life. It traps you, trips you up and you find yourself all alone in a mess of your own making. Because of Adam, everyone is born in sin; but then, like Cain, we commit sins of our own that need God's forgiveness.

The plane represents God's mercy and the crate, God's provision. God still loves us no matter what we may have done. He's not out to condemn us. The Bible says that "while we were still sinners, Christ died for us" (Romans 5:8 NIV).

The man in the boat represents Jesus. Jesus was sent by God to rescue humankind from its sins. The Bible says, "For God so loved the world that He gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in Him shall not perish but have everlasting life (John 3:16 NIV)." Jesus is God's provision for our sins. Jesus risked his own life by dying on the Cross so that our past, present and future sins could be forgiven by God.

The rocks surrounding the island represent the things that keep us from coming to Jesus and accepting the salvation that God wants so freely to give to us. We let lustful desires and the sinful pleasures of this world keep us from coming to Christ. Other hindrances may include pride, anger at God, guilt, fear, or low self-esteem (not feeling you're worthy enough). You would be wrong on all counts. The Bible says that "everyone who calls on the name of the Lord will be saved (Acts 2:21 NIV)." It doesn't matter who you are, or what country you live in; what language you speak or even your family's religion. It's a choice you must make for yourself, which God you will serve.

How does the story end

When we paused the story earlier, the man on the island was trying to decide if he was going to risk everything, get in the water and swim to the boat; or remain on the island and wait for a more convenient time to be rescued. The question is how does he know if he will ever have another chance to be rescued? The answer is, he doesn't know. That's the risk (the risk of doing nothing) he is taking by putting his decision off. 

If this were your story, how would it end? You have a choice between  accepting the salvation God offers through Jesus Christ or rejecting it. The Bible says "Today if you hear his [God's] voice, do not harden your hearts...(Hebrews 3:15 NIV)." What are you waiting for? Jesus is waiting to rescue you. There may never be a better time in your life than right now. 

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.

Drawing from the well within

I've seen a few dotting the landscape mostly rural communities, but I can't really say that I have ever drank from one---a well, that is. As a city dweller, I'm so used to getting water from a protected, chlorinated supply that is conveniently piped into my home. So glad I don't have to go outside in all kinds of weather to drop a bucket down a hole in the ground. As for which is better--well vs tap-- I've heard that well water tastes better; and may even be better for you. But regardless of where it comes from no one would argue that water is essential to life. Makes me wonder if that's what God had that in mind when he created the seas first and had them cover two-thirds of the earth's surface. And even though he created man from the dust, our bodies are composed of 60 per cent water; some organs, like the brain, are as much as 90 per cent water.

Besides being a necessity for life, water can kill. People have drowned in it. Whole communities like New Orleans, La. and Johnstown, Pa. have been flooded by it. Wars have been fought over it (water rights). The BP oil disaster demonstrated how reckless pollution of our waters can devastate both human and animal species. Our dependence on water for survival is universal for human and animal kind alike. Even if we journey into outer space to explore other life forms, the first thing that astronauts look for is whether there is a sustainable water source on the planet.

Jesus often used water as a metaphor for spiritual things. The Holy Spirit is often referred to as "living water" freely given to those who ask (John 4:10). The Bible speaks of water to illustrate the purifying effect of God's Word in making us holy "by the washing of water through the word (Eph 5:26). By contrast, a church that doesn't preach the Word of God, and a people that won't heed and obey God's Word are a dirty bunch---carnal and undisciplined. Who complains of thirst, and then, when a glass of water is set before him, just stares at it?  In the same way, Jesus offers sinners "living water" but to enjoy its benefits, we must come to the source and drink freely. Are you thirsty?