Peace

What does the Bible say about peace?

Well, a lot of things.

Open Bible has 100 verses on peace! (I will post a link below)

Here is one of my favorites…

John 16:33 ESV

“I have said these things to you, that in me you may have peace. In the world you will have tribulation. But take heart; I have overcome the world.”

It’s no surprise this was at the top of the list as voted the most helpful.

Do you struggle to find peace? I sure know I do.

My mind never shuts off, it’s always going. Sometimes that’s a good thing and other times it’s a terrible thing. It can feel burdensome.

Often I am anxious or worry. I make up scenarios in my head. Or I think of things that anger me and what I wish I would have done or said.

In reality all that is truly fruitless.

It can be quite the struggle.

But Bible verses like John 16:33 sure help. Since Jesus has overcome the world and our peace is found in Him we need not to be burdened by the problems of the world, we can take our normal emotions to Him. We can take our sadness, our anxiety, our worries to Him. We can take our anger, hostility and pain to Him. We can take all things both good and bad to Him who is our peace.

This week, I will pray for those who read this for peace, I ask if you have the time to pray for peace for me as well.

Thank You and Have a Blessed and Peaceful Week,
Chris

Daily Bible Reading

Monday – Acts 1:1-11

Tuesday – Psalm 97

Wednesday – Revelation 22:12-14, 16-17, 20-21

Thursday – John 17:20-26

Link:
https://www.openbible.info/topics/peace

The Journey: Six Years Later

After re-posting, “The Journey” for Throwback Thursday, I had meant to write a follow up to the series but honestly with everything that has gone on in six years it has been a bit overwhelming. I realized today I don’t need to fill this follow up with all these details on my life but just focus my attention on God.

God has continued to take me on this journey, molding me and changing me along the way. I am much better man the more I submit to Him and His Word.

The past few years I have gotten more into theology, invested my time in church and have became a deacon. I give all glory to God for these next steps in my journey.

It hasn’t been all great, it has been a tough road in these six years since I last wrote “The Journey” but what I can tell you is God has been there the whole way. It sounds cliché but its true. My wife and I have experience death of loved ones, financial strain, marital problems, doubt, fears, anxieties but God has always been there and He has blessed us even though we don’t deserve it.

He does this because He loves us and He loves you who are reading this!

I don’t know what my future hold but I know God has always been there and will always be there because He is the One who Was, Is and is Yet to come.

Have a Blessed Week,
Chris

Daily Scripture Reading:

Monday – Acts 16:9-15 

Tuesday – Psalm 67 

Wednesday – Revelation 21:10, 21:22 – 22:5

Thursday – John 14:23-29

Leave Worry Behind

Throwback Thursday from March 2017. A lot has changed since I wrote this. First I want to emphasize there is nothing wrong with taking medicine for anxiety. I actually now take a natural supplement that has really helped. Also I want to say how amazing God is. I still have some anxiety and struggles but He has changed me so much. I thank the Lord for all that He has done for me.

The Good Word

One of the hardest things to do is leave your worry behind. Through out the Bible God tells us to trust him and to not worry. Yet it is something we do on a day to day basis, our health, our family, our jobs, our money, even daily tasks. God doesn’t want you to do that, he wants you to trust in him.

I have very bad anxiety and struggle daily with this. In the past I’ve read books, online articles from doctors, had medicines suggested to me. But the best solution has always been to just take a deep breath and let the Holy Spirit flow through me. It gives me a sense of calm.

If satan tries to get into your head, quote scripture at him, just like Jesus did and then send him away. Focus on God in every moment, praise him always.

Read what God did for…

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Blessings Will Come

With everything going on right now, and in the past two years, I think this is the best entry for this week’s Throwback Thursday.

The Good Word

Remember God is always there.

Fear not He is with you in your suffering and anxiety, combat what is distressing you with the power of God.

Remember He will never forsake you.

Jesus told us our Father in Heaven values us more than the birds in the air who He provides for.

He also said He has a place prepared for us when we pass away.

God will take care of us on Earth as it is in Heaven.

Trust in Him, the blessings will come. You know this because He provided His grace so you’re already blessed!

Keep watch and look out the blessings can come from anywhere or from anyone.

The Lord will provide because He loves you.

Have a BLESSED week,
Chris

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Trust

Proverbs 3:5 ESV:

“Trust in the Lord with all your heart, and do not lean on your own understanding.”

In all moments both good and bad we must trust in the Lord.

In your struggle, pain, heartache, anxiety and grief we must trust in Him.

When you feel overwhelmed by problems lay them at His feet in prayer.

We may not understand why something is happening but God knows why and He knows all things. He is with you through all things, He is with you to the end.

While we don’t know all like God, we do know what happens in the end.

At the end of our race, at the end of our life, we will be with the Lord eternally.

Knowing this we can trust in God and when we do so we find true joy and true peace.

Have a Blessed Week,
Chris

Scripture Reading Plan:

Monday – 2 Samuel 5:1-5, 9-10

Tuesday – Psalm 48

Wednesday – 2 Corinthians 12:2-10

Thursday – Mark 6:1-13

Bible Verses on Trusting God
https://www.openbible.info/topics/trusting_god

Worn Out

Throw Back Thursday.

This is one of my first blog posts. I look back on this entry and think of two things. One, “Hey that wasn’t so bad.” As I grow in faith and my writing I sometimes expect to find old posts of mine and see bad theology or writing but that was not the case with this entry.

Second and most important I have to say, my goodness has God changed me in the last five years. I still struggle but no where near as bad as in the past. Praise the Lord and all Glory belongs to God.

The Good Word

What gets you worn down? The answer for me is A LOT of things. I am constantly worn down. I struggle with depression, anxiety and obsessive, compulsive behavior. I am constantly worrying about the what if’s in life or how horrible something could go. I make schedules, write out pros and cons, check locks over and over again, reorganize things, I will probably re-read this five or six times before I hit post.

I try all these human made things to make my life the best or most efficient it could possibly be but it just ends up wearing me out worse. I’ll tell myself just to turn to God but then I feel guilty for things I have done, or situations I wasn’t being a good Christian. This leads to me just wanting to shut off from the World and many times from God.

The truth is, that no…

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Offer of Prayer During These Difficult Times

I know it is scary time as we all worry about the coronavirus and its effects on the world.

I know we all in some way are scared, anxious or frustrated with all the shut downs but it is the right thing to do. We all deep down know that. I don’t need to talk about the specifics and dangers of this disease, that is every where.

Instead, here I want to offer prayer and a reminder God is in control.

I am offering prayer for all people out there and if you’re in need of specific prayer please feel free to comment, be as discreet or open as you feel comfortable.

Have a Blessed Week,
Chris

Some Links:
Bible Verses Anxiety…
https://www.biblestudytools.com/topical-verses/worry-and-anxiety-bible-verses/

Wonderful Story from Fox News about a little girl teaching her brother a Bible verse about fear during the virus.
https://www.foxnews.com/faith-values/coronavirus-video-bible-verse-siblings-minnesota-mom

Here is the online sermon from Heritage Baptist Church…

Finally an event called “The Return” is coming up in September here is a video from Johnathan Cahn about it.

F.R.O.G. Fully Rely On God

I once saw a poster at a Frozen Yogurt place called Sweet Frog. It said
F-ully
R-ely
O-n
G-od

I smiled and thought that was nice but soon forgot it.

Really though it is easy to forget.

In the times of success and prosperity you can be proud of yourself and your accomplishments and forget God.

In the times of failure and poverty you can feel shame, worry, anxiety, depression and sometimes anger towards not just your situation but at God.

In all times we must fully rely on the Lord because He will always provide for us.

I think it is best not to take my word for it but instead the word of God.

Here is two links, first to a good list of verses on depending on God and the second on how God provides.

https://dailyverses.net/dependence

https://www.openbible.info/topics/god_provides

Trusting God’s plan

I have a story that has been taking place the last few years. I have been working with my little brother John, he has Autism, I was his in-home instructor, I taught him important life skills and helped him grow to be an independent adult. However his services stopped on June 28th as he is 21 years old and just finished High School.

Leading up to this I wasn’t sure what to do. I was nervous and scared, I wanted to move into another field, preferably an office type environment but I didn’t know if I’d end up working at a grocery store by the end.

To tell this story I must go back a couple years.

It was 2016, I enjoyed working with my brother and felt it was the right place for me, however my wife’s Father was sick and she was taking care of him and also trying to finish school at Notre Dame University in Baltimore. If he passed away we would need to move, my job with John was part-time. It was hard to find places that allowed couples to rent rooms or basements we would need a real apartment.

I saw that there was a full time library position open, having experience in libraries I figured I’d be able to get the job. I prayed about it and told God if I got an interview I would go, if I didn’t I would stay with John until his services stopped. I applied and I did get an email asking to call to set up an interview. I asked God to give me a sign if I shouldn’t interview. I called and received a “busy” signal. I felt that maybe a coincidence so I called back, someone picked up and I scheduled an interview. Then the very next day I got a call it was the person I spoke to yesterday, she didn’t know why but they needed to cancel all the interviews for the day I had scheduled mine, she asked if I wanted to reschedule, I heard the word “No” come into my head so I simply replied, “No, thank you. now is not the time.” I made a vow to God at that point to stay with John through the end, to see him through. I could feel that’s what God wanted.

Well some time went by and Jane graduated from college. She couldn’t look for a job as her Dad’s health continued to decline. Then one day, he abruptly passed away. My wife was distraught, myself and her whole family were dealing with grief.

But then life continues on. I was so scared, I didn’t understand, was I wrong? Did God actually want me to go for the library job and it was Satan putting those road blocks in my way? I prayed and prayed but finally I stopped, I wasn’t letting God get a word in, I was babbling like the pagans*.

So I listened, then I felt calm and relaxed, I knew it would all be okay. I had to fight the worry for awhile but God was always there. My wife started looking for a job, I kept my word to God and stayed with John. Then one day I felt the urge to help my Wife in her job search, I prayed beforehand and one job stood out to me. I showed it to my wife. She applied, was interviewed and got the job!

We were able to stay in the house for a few months and save up some money before moving into our first apartment together.

Now fast forward to May of this year. I was starting to do exactly what God tells us not to do, worry. I decided I would start applying for full time work, if I got a job offer I would take it, I was with John almost all the way through, I felt like I had to protect myself and help provide with my wife. We got a dog in February, next step is a baby, I need to move on to the next thing.

Over the next two months I applied for just over FORTY Jobs. I only got one reply and it would not be the right fit, to say the least. The last week with my brother was great but I was worried, what was going to come next? My wife reminded me that we had a little nest egg and God would take care of us. She also helped with my resume to bolster it a little bit, she is truly awesome.

Well Monday of this week came, I sent out a few applications. By this morning I had four companies contact me for interviews. Four! I went on my first interview and was immediately hired on the spot. God is good.

I kept my word and so did God.  It took less than two business days for God to find me a position. He will always provide, he has a plan, if we trust Him, his plan for us will be fulfilled.

*”For I know the plans I have for you,” declares the LORD, “plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future.

God Bless

*http://biblehub.com/matthew/6-7.htm

*https://www.biblestudytools.com/jeremiah/29-11.html

Ask for help, there is always hope.

“There is no hope, I’m sorry your husband isn’t going to make it.”

The woman then spent all night with her church praying. Then baffling doctors her husband wakes up.

Have you ever read or heard a story like that? Or maybe even experienced a moment like that?

I’ve read many miraculous stories of God healing the sick. Or a person needing food or money, they pray and somehow someway God comes through. Isn’t it amazing? Do you have faith like that? I wish I could tell you I did. I ask God for help all the time but that doubt does creep in. Especially when things don’t work out exactly how i would want them to or how i think i need them to. But truth faith is not about praising God when things work out. True faith is about believing and trusting in God even when the miracles don’t come. We have to put our faith in God and trust in him. I am guilty of not doing that enough.

Remember the Lord asks us not to worry about things but have faith in him.

Matthew 6:25-27, “25 “Therefore I tell you, do not worry about your life, what you will eat or drink; or about your body, what you will wear. Is not life more than food, and the body more than clothes? 26 Look at the birds of the air; they do not sow or reap or store away in barns, and yet your heavenly Father feeds them. Are you not much more valuable than they? 27 Can any one of you by worrying add a single hour to your life”

God will always come through when you need it.

Always ask God for help. Even in the little things? Especially in the little things. God is infinite he has time for your every need and worry. God has got my wife and i through the deaths of our Dads, unemployment, periods where wondered if we would be homeless, sickness, situations where i was scared and didn’t know what to do. He also helps me find my keys. I’m not ashamed of it. I pray if I need it. Also pray for others, ask for guidance from the Lord. Who knows you could be the answer to someone’s prayers.

God Bless
-Chris

PS-I have a prayer request. My brother Vince is dealing with Post-Concussion Syndrome, related to an auto-accident. He is going through a lot right now, the physical ailments are very rough on him but he also has a lot of anger in his heart about what happened. Please prayer for my brother’s healing. Also feel free to comment me if you have anyone in your life you want prayed for.