love

A Lesson From Kenya

/ pastorpete51 / 4 Comments

If I give away all I have, and if I deliver up my body to be burned, but have not love, I gain nothing. 1 Corinthians 13:3 ESV

This past Saturday we had a special speaker at our monthly prayer and praise meeting at Sunshine Village. Our friend Sandy had just returned from the Generations Christian church trip to Kenya. There the team visited the work of Mission of Hope International (MOHI) and this past week she came to speak twice at senior communities where I visit. After the first meeting I discovered that the video recording didn’t come out, but the second time around I was thankfully able to capture her message. The exciting heart of the lesson that Sandy shared is a great one for all of us. “You don’t have to give everything away….and you don’t have to join a monastery, to do God’s work.” The core of the matter is whether we are living in and sharing God’s love. Has His love made a difference in our lives, and are we allowing His love to flow out of us to others. I pray you will be touched by Sandy’s testimony and that you will be motivated to ask God how you can serve Him right where you are. But, strangely enough we all must begin serving by being served. Has Jesus Christ served as your Savior, and washed your heart clean from your sins? Only i you can honestly say yes to those questions will you be able to seek how He would have you pour that love out to others, whether it is on the mission field, in your neighborhood or in nursing home ministry. Have a blessed week everyone and my prayer is that this week’s video will touch your heart and draw you closer to Christ.

Crossing the Finish Line

/ pastorpete51 / 3 Comments 
My running days are over
Now slow walks are more my style
Though some days God is asking me
To go the second mile

And He’s teaching me His patience
To be kind in what I say
With truthfulness spoken in love
Forgetting hurts from yesterday

He reminds me of Golgotha
Where all His strength had failed
And how love held Him steady
As His hands and feet were nailed

That kind of love means courage
That will trust in God’s design
And when all else has failed goes on
To cross the finish line!

Love suffers long and is kind; love does not envy; love does not parade itself, is not puffed up; does not behave rudely, does not seek its own, is not provoked, thinks no evil; does not rejoice in iniquity, but rejoices in the truth; bears all things, believes all things, hopes all things, endures all things. Love never fails. 
1 Corinthians 13:4-8a NKJV

Crossing the Finish Line
By Peter Caligiuri
Copyright © 2023
All rights reserved
Photo by Pixabay on Pexels.com

Loving in an Age of Hate

/ pastorpete51 / 15 Comments

Seeing the news of yet another school shooting it is sadly clear that we are a long way from God’s plan for our lives. Some of us are overwhelmed with sadness, some are understandably angry and a few simply move on with a fatalistic shrug. But what should we do? How does God intend for us to face hatred? Jesus never says to hide from evil, or pretend it isn’t a reality. Instead He gives us a bold and revolutionary command.

But I say to you, Love your enemies and pray for those who persecute you, 
Matthew 5:44 ESV

How in the world should we be expected to pray for these kinds of people? But, crazy as it sounds, in the midst of tragedy, there is nothing better than prayer. Prayer reaches the heart of God and brings His comfort down. Prayer helps us to remember that just as Jesus slept in the storm, God, with all of His resources is still with us in the center of chaos. Though all of our enemies may not be changed by our prayers for forgiveness, there will always be a Paul for every Steven and a centurion at the foot of every cross who will be touched. We need to remember in the midst or our indignation and sorrow that when we far from God and enemies of the faith, Christ died for us. What reason can we give to refuse His grace to others. I end today’s post with a song I wrote a few years back and recorded with a couple of the young people from our church. I pray that the words may bring comfort and hope to your hearts as you walk with the Lord Jesus through this dark time. He gives us hope and the ability to love others even in this valley and gives us the assurance that our Father’s home awaits us where we will live with Him forever!