When Life is Shaken

The changes in our government, our way of life and our world have threatened to shake us all to the core. In light of these events especially the news from The Ukraine I was encouraged by what Pastor Rick Warren wrote today.

Everything on earth will eventually crumble—except the church. No business, school, government, or nation will last forever. Only the church will last forever, because it is built by Jesus, and he’s focused on building his family.

Jesus says in Matthew 16:18, “I will build my church, and all the powers of hell will not conquer it” (NLT).

Are you feeling shaken? God has a place of refuge for you not only in Heaven but also right here on earth. That place is a family…His family , and when we need them the most we have fellow believers to pray with us, come alongside or even just listen. Have a blessed day no matter what that day is looking like in your part of this planet. Jesus’ promises will still be standing long after every evil plan on earth has fallen!

Every Detail His Design

 
 
Every Detail His Design

 The Lord is my Shepherd. I have everything I need. Psalm 23:1 ESV 

Drifts of snow on lonely hills
 Pot-holed city streets
 Blossoming of lilacs
 Each keep their chosen beat
  
 To the melody that God composed
 Through slow and racing days
 Each calling our attention
 To His almighty ways
  
 Yes - everything we need is ours
 But not all things we would
 Every detail his design
 Of all things for our good 

Every detail His Design by Peter Caligiuri
copyright 2021 all rights reserved

12 Gifts of Christmas / Day 4- Faith

Truly I tell you, if you have faith as small as a mustard seed, you can say to this mountain, ‘Move from here to there,’ and it will move. Nothing will be impossible for you.” Matthew 17:20 ESV

When I was a young boy I hated moving. It wasn’t so much the packing of my little suitcase or the new address or bed that bothered me. What I struggled with was being the new kid (again) with not fitting in, not knowing where my seat would be in class and wondering if I could make friends. It felt like my life was just one big problem that no one knew the answer for. Now that I am an old guy I still have problems but I have found that I can bring them to God. But today, while I am busy asking in faith for God to help me with my problems and give me blessings; it occurs to me how little I have paused to use my faith to ask for others. What kinds of mountains do the people around me face? I really admire one guy from our men’s group who, always asks His waiter or waitress “How can I pray for you today?” Maybe you and I don’t do that very often because we have been afraid of what people might say, or maybe we have just been too busy with our own problems.

As Christmas nears why not ask for God to help us see into someone else’s world? After all God saw us. He came and to Bethlehem became a part of our world. He willingly chose to be the new kid on the block, to not fit in, to be rejected and to die in order for our mountain of sin to be moved. What mountains are our friends and neighbors facing? Why not give them a Christmas gift of faith and come and be a part of moving their mountains today?