Keep Calm: 5 steps to finding peace in a chaotic world

Bon Secours Retreat Center, Marriottsville, Md 

Peace is a hard commodity to come by these days. People are losing their jobs, their homes, and for some, their life savings at an unprecedented rate. Violence is running rampant in cities and in schools; and families are being torn apart. 

Life seems like a roller coaster speeding precipitously out of control. Natural disasters plague us at home and abroad and war seems unending. Many communities grieve over the lost of so many innocent lives. Wars and civil unrest are erupting all over the world. The Bible predicts that things will get worse before they get better. Matthew 24:7 (CEV) reads: "Nations and kingdoms will go to war against each other. People will starve to death, and in some places there will be earthquakes." Not a comforting picture for sure.

And as if this weren't enough, people's hearts have become cold. 2 Timothy 3:1-4 (CEV) reads: "You can be certain that in the last days there will be some very hard times. People will love only themselves and money. They will be proud, stuck-up, rude, and disobedient to their parents. They will also be ungrateful, godless, heartless, and hateful. Their words will be cruel, and they will have no self-control or pity.

These people will hate everything that is good. They will be sneaky, reckless, and puffed up with pride. Instead of loving God, they will love pleasure. Even though they will make a show of being religious, their religion won’t be real." 

These signs of the times are happening now. Just look at the faces of people today, where's the joy, the love, the peace? People don't smile as much, or extend a hand to help a stranger like they used to. 

The search for peace is instinctive to us all. Everybody wants it but not everybody knows how or where to find it. It can't be found in drugs, alcohol, sex, wealth or fame ---many have tried and died trying. 

Peace is not a place, it's a spiritual state of mind. It's not easy to achieve unless you know how. The search for true, lasting peace in a chaotic world begins with you. Here are five steps to achieving peace in your life.


Step 1 - Trust in God even when everything around you is falling apart. God promises, "You will guard him and keep him in perfect and constant peace whose mind [both its inclination and its character] is stayed on You, because he commits himself to You, leans on You, and hopes confidently in You. Isaiah 26:3 AMP



Step 2 -  Pray and ask God to guide you. "With all your heart you must trust the Lord and not your own judgment. Always let him lead you, and he will clear the road for you to follow." Proverbs 3:5-6 CEV


Step 3 - Cry out to the Lord and He will answer you. God promises, "Though he brings grief, he will show compassion, so great is his unfailing love. For he does not willingly bring affliction or grief to anyone."  Lamentations 3:32-33
NIV

Step 4 - Believe that God loves you. He showed his love by sacrificing his Son, Jesus, who was put to death on a Cross, as the final payment for your sins. He put it in writing for all to read: "This is how much God loved the world: He gave his Son, his one and only Son. And this is why: so that no one need be destroyed; by believing in him, anyone can have a whole and lasting life. God didn't go to all the trouble of sending his Son merely to point an accusing finger, telling the world how bad it was. He came to help, to put the world right again. Anyone who trusts in him is acquitted..."  John 3:16 MSG

Step 5 - Accept God's plan of salvation through  Jesus Christ. Peace comes with knowing your sins are forgiven and accepting Jesus Christ into your heart as your Lord and Savior. Romans 6:23 (CEV) says, "Sin pays off with death. But God’s gift is eternal life given by Jesus Christ our Lord."

Knowing where you'll end up after you die puts your soul at peace. This peace is available to you today if you will pray this simple prayer of faith:

Lord Jesus, I believe that you are the Son of God. Thank you for dying on the cross for my sins. Please forgive my sins and give me the gift of eternal life. I ask you into my life and heart to be my Lord and Savior. I want to serve you always. Amen.

Welcome to God's family. To understand more about your new life in Christ, find a Christian church in your area or go to this website, peacewithgod.jesus.net

Marshmallow cross: Taking a bite out of Easter

"Then he [Jesus] said to the crowd, “If any of you wants to be my follower, you must turn from your selfish ways, take up your cross daily, and follow me." Luke 9:23

"But he was wounded for our transgressions...

First, there was the Easter bunny, then Easter eggs and Easter baskets…and now, a chocolate covered marshmallow cross. Like many, I have been guilty of purchasing an Easter egg or two in my lifetime; but I draw the line when it comes to condoning this latest insult to one of Christianity’s most sacred symbols---the Cross. What was once sacred has been profaned.  As if that weren't enough, this sacrilegious little candy confection is being sold at Wal-Mart, a company founded by Sam Walton on the principles of faith and family.

Candy manufacturer Russell Stover, who first came up with the idea of a candy cross, didn't seem to think of it as an insult to the faith. In fact, Stover has said that the marshmallow cross was specifically designed to appeal to the Christian market. The success of Stover's candy cross prompted Whitman's and other candy confectioners to join him in casting other Christian icons in chocolate. Among the choices are praying hands and ΙΧΘΥΣ, a christian fish symbol, both available in solid milk chocolate. 

Apparently, there are not enough irate Christians out there, who see anything wrong with taking a bite out of a milky cross and letting it melt in their mouths. What’s next, I wonder? So far, Stover and Whitman have stopped short of molding a chocolate Jesus on the cross; but what's to stop a rival candy maker from beating them to the punch? If all this seems outrageous, it’s because it is.

A sacred symbol of Christianity

He was bruised for our iniquities...

One would expect Christians to be up in arms over this blatant mockery of the Cross, the most recognizable symbol of the faith. Sadly, the response to this outrage from the Christian community and its leaders has been far too tepid. Where is the outcry---store boycotts, protest marches, and pulpit denunciations of those who demean and mock Easter, the holiest day on the Christian calendar? By contrast, I have yet to see candy replicas of the Qur’an or the Torah, or Muhammad or a mezuzah? 

...And by His stripes, we are healed." Isa 53:5 

No self respecting devout Jew or Muslim would stand still for it. Muslims, especially, are passionate defenders of their faith and its symbols. Should a candy cross be any less of an insult to all Christians? Some may choose to sugar coat the issue; others may say it’s no big deal; but I say, “What would Jesus do?” As for me, I stand by the original bloody, wooden Cross of Calvary upon which Jesus was sacrificed for the sins of the world. A marshmallow cross may taste good, but it has none of the power of the original. It's this power that makes Christ’s resurrection on Easter morning that much sweeter.

Blind Faith

"Then Jesus told him [a blind man], "I have come to judge the world. I have come to give sight to the blind and to show those who think they see that they are blind" (John 9:39).

On my way to work one day, I noticed a well-dressed man with a service animal making his way through a crowded shopping mall. It was obvious that he was blind. I was attracted to him because of the confident way he walked full stride through the Mall virtually ignoring the potential obstacles and human traffic continuously coming at him. I was amazed by how he and his dog sliced and diced their way through the on-rush of morning commuters. I was so intrigued by him that I decided to follow him on his journey.

As I hurried to catch up to him, I watched him walk a few feet, stop, turn to his right and walk over to a food concession stand that was open for breakfast. After taking his place at the back of the line, one by one, other waiting customers stepped aside to let him advance to the front. Being blind he couldn't see what they had done, so I slipped in alongside him and whispered softly, "You're next." I stood by to watch as he placed his order. 

With sandwich bag and briefcase in one hand, his service animal's harness in the other, this blind man continued at a brisk pace through the mall corridor, turning corners, going up and down steps. Finally, he arrived at his next destination, which was Starbucks. I stood by just outside the entrance as he walked in and took his place in line. This time he would have to wait his turn in a very long line since no one stepped aside for him. I wondered, "Would he have stayed had he been able to see how long the line was for coffee?" Unfortunately, it was me who couldn't stay long enough to see the end of his journey. I believe, however, that I'd seen what God intended when he arranged this divine appointment for me.

Watching this blind man move with such poise through his daily routine despite not being able to see was a lesson for me in blind faith. Although he couldn't see, this blind man had faith in his service animal to lead him around unseen obstacles and get him safely to his destination. He didn't hesitate, question or otherwise doubt that his dog would do his job. Blindness didn't hinder him because he knew his dog could see even if he couldn't and would take care of  him. His belief enabled this blind man to move resolutely toward his goals each day. I doubt if there is ever a morning that he wakes up and says to himself, "I can't go out today because I can't see." 

Physical and spiritual blindness

We depend on sight more than any of our other senses. You might even say we have more faith in what we see than in what we can't. There's a familiar saying, "I'll believe it when I see it." How many of us have said this about something we thought to be impossible, incredible or unlikely? To be physically blind is one thing; to be spiritually blind is quite another. Jesus spoke out against the spiritual blindness of his day, while healing many who were physically or spiritually blinded. When Jesus cured one, it cured the other. 

Spiritual blindness is also prevalent in today's world, and prevents many people from believing the gospel when they hear it.
  

"For God so loved the world that he gave his only Son, 

so that everyone who believes in Him

 will not perish but have eternal life.

 God did not send his Son into the world 

to condemn it, but to save it...

I assure you, those who listen to my message

 and believe in God who sent me,

 have eternal life. 

They will never be condemned for their sins,

 but have already passed from death into life"

 (John 3:16-17, 5:24, NLT).

Jesus spoke those words concerning himself. Since Jesus is the "Living Word," his words have power to heal and to save anyone who believes in him. "Do you believe?" is the question he asked of the blind, lame and sick before he healed them. Their faith made all the difference in their outcome. The Bible explains it this way:

"But without faith it is impossible to please and be satisfactory to Him. For whoever would come near to God must [necessarily] believe that God exists and that He [rewards] those who diligently and earnestly seek Him [out]" (Hebrews 11:6, AMP). 

The blind man in this story exhibited absolute trust in his dog to be his daily guide and companion. In the same way, God is an ever-present guide and companion of those who trust in Him. This same God, the creator of the Universe, is always available to receive anyone who comes to Him for salvation through faith in Jesus Christ. No other religion can make the claim that you can have a personal relationship with God. The Bible points to many infallible proofs that Jesus was sent to pave the way to God for us. More than 2,000 years have passed since Jesus walked this earth. The good news is Jesus is still opening blind eyes.  

ד  שְׁמַע, יִשְׂרָאֵל:  יְהוָה אֱלֹהֵינוּ, יְהוָה אֶחָד. 

Today, if you hear his voice...

Today was my first real Evangelism Outreach Day. We fanned out across London in teams going into neighborhoods to meet and talk with people on behalf of God, of course, and a local ministry, "Cast Your Cares Upon Him Because He Cares for You." Yes, that is the name. It's a prayer ministry that holds prayer services twice a week for the community. I was paired with a 26 year old woman from Ghana, who shared with me as we walked to our assignment that this was her first time evangelizing in the streets. I smiled and said, "God knew just what He was doing when He paired us up."

God was using me to show her the ropes, so to speak. As we walked to a town square and, later to an outdoor marketplace, I was able to share some insights about discerning who to approach, praying after each encounter and how to engage in conversation with a stranger. She was a fast learner and did an excellent job once she got started. I let her handle all of the encounters since my accent was a dead giveaway that I wasn't from around there. She told me afterwards that she had learned a lot. And whatever fears she may have had were gone. I was so proud of her. I thank God for bringing us together.

I must share one encounter, in particular, that we had with a well-dressed old man. He attracted my attention because he was just standing on the sidewalk with no particular purpose on a busy street. I could see as we approached that he was frail and his hand was trembling (maybe Parkinsons). He appeared to be in his 80's, maybe even 90's. I asked if he needed help (a good way to begin in situations like this). Cynthia asked if he lived in the neighborhood, which he did, so she took over from there. At some point, I heard him say to her, "I don't pray," which surprised her so I took over to explore that question with him a little more.

It turns out that he does pray. However, he is a Muslim, so he believes in God, just not in Jesus as God's son. He believes that Jesus was a messenger of God. I attempted to explain the gospel to him but he kept repeating that Jesus was a messenger. I realized that I was looking at a  man whose time is quickly running out to make the decision to accept Christ into his heart as his Lord and Savior. And unless he does so, he is doomed to spend eternity in Hell. Instinctively, I was moved to pray for him right on the spot. I placed my hand on his shoulder and prayed as Cynthia watched. The opportunity for salvation was right there for him within his reach and he would not take advantage of it. Hebrews 4:7 warns: "Today, if you hear his [God's] voice, do not harden your hearts." This man was blinded (Isa 42:6-7), not so much hardened because he did listen to me. However, he had lived so long in this state, it was difficult to get through to him. Nevertheless, I prayed that God would have mercy and open his eyes before they close for a final time (Luke 12:20). When I finished, the old man smiled at me and kissed Cynthia on the cheek as we parted company with him.

I believe God arranged this encounter to give the old man another chance at salvation. Like everything else He does, I believe God gives us multiple chances until our chances run out. I will never know what will happen to the old man after I return to the States. I can only hope that when next we meet it will be in Heaven.