Author: Brian Keith

Brother Brian currently serves within the Archdiocese of Los Angeles Catholic School System. He is in his sixteenth year of teaching and is serving as the Director of Technology in his present school.

Teaching Our Children

9 “But take care and watch yourselves closely, so as neither to forget the things that your eyes have seen nor to let them slip from your mind all the days of your life; make them known to your children and your children’s children” ~ Deuteronomy 4:9 (NRSV)

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Teaching children is a huge task and awesome responsibility entrusted to every adult by our loving God.  For it is God who grants the birth and formation of all life in every corner of the universe. God is an all-powerful God, for He alone is Alpha and Omega – the beginning and the end.  Now that I have said this, putting it in this context, we must place all our duties squarely upon the teachings of God found in the Bible. Our children deserve nothing less. So today I will highlight the main responsibility  that every human being holds in the education of all our children which is love in different forms.

3 “Children are a heritage from the Lord, offspring a reward from him.” ~ Psalm 127:3 (NIV)

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The Lord God is first and foremost loving,  He loves all of us (His children) with absolute perfect agape love.  He calls all of us to love each other with the same perfect love, though hard enough with adults we are called to love all the children equally.  For God’s love for us results in children who He entrusted as offsprings in many ways a living testament to their family and living representative of their ancestors.  With that view, (Parents), why would you do anything else but love them with all your heart and soul as the Lord God loves you?

Yet, in today’s current time the news is filled with parents leaving their children at home to go play a stupid video game, others leave their children in a hot car during the heat of the summer with the windows closed to go shop, trusting parents leave their children with nannies who are unqualified and end up hurting the innocent child, and parents who say to family members, teachers, and or friends after shipping their kids off to the grandparents house or to camp, “Finally, I have some alone time!”

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My friends – you have children! In participating in this sacred duty you gave up your alone time, your personal time, your privacy, and your personal belonging and space! You chose to love, raise, and teach your children everything they must know to survive and be productive human beings who also is God fearing, God loving, and God-centered adults! That is your duty as a parent. The school community you have placed your child in was not setup to replace you, (the parent). My friends as parents, (YOU), are your children’s first and most important teacher!  The children live with you… not the teacher, the children listen mostly to you, (the parent), not the teacher, the children watch everything, (you – the parents), do, say, and watch on T.V. and incorporate those habits – good or bad mostly from you, not the teacher.

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As a parent I admit making mistakes, looking for help, being pushed around by society and societal norms which are absurd and not grounded in the biblical teachings given to us by God.  The hard truth is some parents don’t place their children first, some parents go after money, career, personal happiness instead of finding happiness within their children. That was never my sins as I wanted to give my child every advantage in life and often times was persecuted for that, other people who called themselves professionals took all my time away from my child.  In the end, I found myself alone and without my child all for teaching the Bible, uphold Christian morals, showing the truth, and uncovering the lies being spread. I hope those examples stuck!  So, it angers me whenever I see or hear parents complain about spending time with their children, as that is all I wanted to do with mine.

Here is a list of things which parents are responsible for in raising a child, all within moderation and using a just hand;

  • Love absolutely and fairly in everything you do and say.
  • Discipline your children for the things they do wrong namely,
    • Disrespecting others
    • Cursing
    • Stealing
    • Bulling
    • Lying
    • Cheating
    • Acting a fool
    • Not being responsible for their own actions
    • Not being loving or showing mercy
    • Not living up to their word
  • Teach your children to respect – give appropriate consequences
  • Teach your children values
  • Teach your child obedience – for it is a learned skill
  • Teach your children politeness and proper etiquette
  • Teach your children responsibility
  •  Teach your children humility
  • Teach your children good manners
  • Teach your children to be friendly – but also wise
  • Teach your children honesty
  • Teach your children not to be rude
  • Train them in everything you know about your life, so they can pass these lessons on to their children
  • Make them educated in all their academics – teach them the excitement of reading, learning, and exploring the world around them

Everyone Else

In all these activities be Godly, find your wisdom from the lessons found in the Bible. There is no excuse to do this as the bible is online and made accessible to everyone in the world. This brings me to Everyone else who are not parents. Your duty is to not harm the children, do not influence them in wicked ways, do not place hardships upon them, and do not turn them from God.
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For the Classroom Teachers

Educate each child with passion, and excitement, show there is more than one way and that there is wisdom in the very act of learning. Look at all your students with love and care for each one of them without prejudice. Be the students best example always, and be the parent’s parent in the education of the children. Always defuse difficult news with compliments and meaningful questions – seek not preach. Push your students to learn and to love learning by challenging them and by giving them expectations. Set the bar and live it in the classroom, this will show you both serious and care for them by presenting material that they can reach. Help students and parents set goals, set aside time, and above all listen to all stakeholders. Discipline with purpose and allow the child to know why they are being corrected. Let them think about their actions and give them the space to save face and apologize. Remember, no one wants to hear they are wrong or have wronged another person. Be sensitive and be responsible for all your words and actions. Lastly, educate the whole child by addressing all the things in the list above.

Amen,

As always, I humbly invite you to stay connected by sending me a message at listeningfaithfullyblog@gmail.com, or by visiting Listening Faithfully Facebook page.

Don’t forget to become part of this awesome community by signing up at Listening Faithfully Community Page. In addition, I have started a new page where you can also visit me at fb.me/listeninfaith and send me messages at m.me/listeninfaith.

Finally, another means of direct communication is by sending me a tweet on Twitter at Brian Keith@Listeninfaith, or become a part of our spiritual group:Friends who Like Listening Faithfully…. “Let’s grow together as children of God” 

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GENESIS – BIBLE STUDY

Announcing Listening Faithfully Bible Study

GENESIS

7 “Ask, and it will be given you; search, and you will find; knock, and the door will be opened for you.” ~ Matthew 7:7 (NRSV)

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I humbly invite everyone to join me – Brian Stark as I review the first book of the Holy Bible – GENESIS in the month of August. This event begins August 1 – September 3. This inspiring reflection approach will leave you thinking about the creation of our world as never before. The questions asked will drive discussion and deepen understanding.
The method of delivery will be short assigned readings, periodic podcasts, and an answer sheet via Google Forms to help you get ready for the big event – Connecting Live through Google Hangouts! Each session will be recorded and posted on the Listening Faithfully Facebook Blog Page for those who could not attend.
If there is a question – ask, if your heart is yearning for answers – search, If you want to come to the table – knock and the door will be opened for you.
I look forward to meeting all of you soon.
Join the Bible Study Group Today! – Click Here!  
Please take the survey… Click Here!
Contact Me at listeningfaithfullyblog@gmail.com so I can add you into the Google Hangout pool in preparation for our group meeting.
Amen,

 

As always, I humbly invite you to stay connected by visiting Listening Faithfully Facebook page.

Don’t forget to become part of this awesome community by signing up at Listening Faithfully Community Page. In addition, I have started a new page where you can also visit me at fb.me/listeninfaith and send me messages at m.me/listeninfaith.

Finally, another means of direct communication is by sending me a tweet on Twitter at Brian Keith@Listeninfaith, or become a part of our spiritual group:Friends who Like Listening Faithfully…. “Let’s grow together as children of God” 

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Give It To God!

Try Something New!

22 “Cast your burden on the Lord, and he will sustain you; he will never permit the righteous to be moved.”~ Psalm of David, 55:22 (NRSV) 

What I find interesting is that when people hear they can put their troubles aside they don’t. Instead, they elect to hold on to all the nasty feelings and roll around in it and seek answers that are on their own terms.  What I find is people trust in themselves more than their loving and forgiving creator. So my first message today is simple when you have doubts give them to God, when you have worries that keep you up at night give them to God, and if there is something you know is wrong done to you to someone in your family or a problem you cannot solve then give it all to God.

I recently was told of a new Bible called, ‘The Message’ by a friend of mine named Fr. Tom who is a retired Preist.  I wanted to get his opinion on several other Bibles I had purchased as it relates to the translation. Well, as always Fr. Tom shocked me with The Message. So I went to the store and bought a copy  even though I was a little nervous because it’s not written like any other Bible I have ever read! What is awesome about it is that the author scripted the Bible to be more fitted to our generation.

So I wrote all that to say this, The Message has the same message as does all my other Bibles regardless the verbiage.  God still wants you to give him all your worries.

22 ” Pile your troubles on God’s shoulders-he’ll carry your load, he’ll help you out. He’ll never let good people topple into ruin.” ~ Psalm of David, 55:22 (The Message)

Therefore, my brothers and sisters if you have never really given your problems to God, trust in this message, trust in the fact that there is a God who loves you so much he is willing to take care of all your problems for you. Try something new!

7 “Cast all your anxiety on him, because he cares for you.” ~ 1 Peter 5:7 (NRSV) 

Try This on for Size!

6 ” So be content with who you are, and don’t put on airs. God’s strong hand is on you; he’ll promote you at the right time. 7 Live carefree before God; he is most careful with you.” ~ 1 Peter 5:6-7 (The Message)

Live freely before God is hard if you’re not trusting God with your pain, mistakes, worries, regrets, sorrows, problems, and / or hopes, dreams, and wishes. Living freely before God is hard if you’re too busy hiding everything you’re into.  Living freely before God is impossible if you have never called on him, never asked a single question, never listened to his words and promises, and never truly developed a real relationship with him. Thus, if you have never done any of those things then this is for you….

7 ” Look at me – I shout ‘Murder!’ and I’m ignored; I call for help and no one bothers to stop, God threw a barricade across my path – I’m stymied; he turned out all the lights – I’m stuck in the dark. He destroyed my reputation, robbed me of all self-respect. He tore me apart piece by piece – I’m ruined! Then he yanked out hope by the roots. He’s angry with me – oh, how he’s angry! He treats me like his worst enemy. He has launched a major campaign against me, using every weapon he can think of, coming at me from all sides at once.” ~  Job 19:7 -12 (The Message)

Blaming God is not the answer to your problems, Job was being tested by Satan. Perhaps God is doing the same with you, testing you, seeing if you will come to him. Statements your heart is too engaged in that pulls you down look like this;

1.) “I’m completely in the dark!” – Then get up light a candle and ask God for help.

2.) “My life is just an illusion of security!” – Open your eyes and look around, God’s promises are real and are the very definition of security!

3.) “I have no place to hide!” – Why are you hiding in the first place? God knows everything, he is everywhere, and the best part is you are never alone so talk with Him he’s calling you!

4.) “Why is God not on my side?” – Who said that he wasn’t on your side? God wants everyone to be saved and to meet Him in heaven and live an eternal life with Him! The word, ‘EVERYONE’ is all inclusive because God is all inclusive. Ask for His forgiveness and pray, know He hears you, loves you, and forgives you of all your trespasses as if you had never done them!

*If you have any more statement’s that pull you further into the nine-hole then write to me and I will add them to my next reflection and back them up with Scripture.

God is always the answer, He is always there with you, he is never off ignoring your problems rather he wants to be engaged in solving them. Put yourself in God’s shoes – millions of people are praying to you, millions of people refuse to pray to you for help. Who are you logically going to help first? Just saying! Just calm down and think with a level head, God sent his only son Jesus to die for you, for me, for the world! What more do you want?

CLOSING PRAYER

by Germaine Copeland (Gold Letter Edition – Prayers that avail much – 2012)

Adoration:

“Your Name Be Honored as Holy”

Our Father in heaven, I honor Your name as holy.

Praise the Lord, oh my soul! I call on my entire being to praise Your holy name. You have my adoration and love this day.

I praise Your name, Elohim, the Creator of the heavens and the earth, who was in the beginning. It is You who made me and You have crowned me with glory and honor. You are the God of power and strength. I honor Your name as holy!

I praise Your name, El-Shaddai, the all-powerful One of blessings. You bless me with blessings of the skies above and of the deep springs below. I honor Your name as holy.

I praise Your name, Adonai, my Lord, and my Master. You are Jehovah – the Completely Self-Existing One, always present, revealing in Jesus, who is the same yesterday, today, and forever. I honor Your name as holy.

I bless Your name, Jehovah-Jireh, the One who sees my needs and provides for them. I honor Your name as holy.

I praise Your name, Jehovah-Rapha, my Healer and the One who makes bitter experiences sweet. You sent Your Word and healed me. You forgave all my sins and healed all my diseases. I honor your name as holy!

I praise Your name, Jehovah – M’Kaddesh, the Lord who makes me holy. You have set me apart for Yourself. I honor Your name as holy!

Jehovah – Nissi, You are my Victory, my Banner, my Standard. Your banner over me is love. When the enemy – the one who hates me – comes in like a flood, You lift up a standard – a mighty wall – against him. I honor Your name as holy!

Jehovah – Shalom, I praise Your name. You are my Peace – the peace which exceeds anything I can understand. Your peace will guard my heart and mind as I live in Christ Jesus. I honor Your name as holy!

I bless You, Jehovah – Tsidkenu, my Righteousness. You made Christ, who never sinned, to be the offering for my sin so that I could be made right with God through Christ Jesus. I honor Your name as holy!

Jehovah – Rohi, You are my Shepard, and I have everything I need. Because I trust in You, I will lack no good thing. I honor Your name as holy!

I praise You, Jehovah – Shammah, the One who will never leave or abandon me. You are always there. I take comfort and am encouraged and confidently and boldly say, the Lord is my Helper; I will not be seized with alarm – I will not fear or dread or be terrified. What can man do to me? I honor Your name as holy!

I worship and adore You, El-Elyon, the Most High God, who is Possessor and Maker of heaven and earth. You are Eternal God, the Everlasting Father, the Mighty God, the Merciful God, the Faithful God. You are Trust, Justice, Righteousness, and Perfection. You are El-Elyon – the Highest Sovereign of the heavens and the Earth. I honor Your name as holy!

Father, You have made Your name and Your Word greater than anything, and You have magnified Your Word above all Your name. The Word became a human and lived among us – His name is Jesus. I honor Your name as holy! Amen.

Scripture References

Matthew 6:9 HCSB

Psalm 103:1 GNT

Genesis 1:1-2 NIV

Psalm 8:5 NLT

Judges 6:24 NLT

Philippians 4:7 NLT

Jeremiah 23:5-6 NLT

2 Corinthians 5:21 NLT

* For more information about the names in the prayer please click: BLUE LETTER BIBLE

As always, I humbly invite you to stay connected by sending me a message at listeningfaithfullyblog@gmail.com, or by visiting Listening Faithfully Facebook page.

Don’t forget to become part of this awesome community by signing up at Listening Faithfully Community Page. In addition, I have started a new page where you can also visit me at fb.me/listeninfaith and send me messages at m.me/listeninfaith.

Finally, another means of direct communication is by sending me a tweet on Twitter at Brian Keith@Listeninfaith, or become a part of our spiritual group:Friends who Like Listening Faithfully…. “Let’s grow together as children of God” 

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Special Prayer of Healing: For Sedonia

45 “Then Jesus asked, ‘Who touched me?’” ~ Luke 8:45 (NRSV)

People need Jesus, people instinctually know that Jesus can heal them of their discomfort, pain, and diseases. Normally the healing is intentional, but Luke tells us that Jesus heals through faith and if you have faith then it is your faith that heals you! This is best illustrated when the women confessed to Jesus that it was she who indeed had touched him. Knowing that she had been immediately healed Jesus said to her;

48 “Daughter, your faith has made you well; go in peace.” ~ Luke 8:48 (NRSV)

So, today I called upon all of you; my brothers and sisters in faith, to extend your hand and reach out to Jesus and collectively ask for the healing, the faith inspired, all encompassing healing powers of God to be directed to a very good friend of mine who is suffering from a sudden loss of vision as her retina is coming detached and was rushed into surgery this morning here in Los Angeles. Extend your prayers of healing and make it such a powerful request that Jesus once again asks, “Who touched me?” 

So altogether let us pray for Sedonia so she does not become physically blind.

Prayer of Physical Healing

Dear Lord, God in Heaven hear my voice, feel my heart tremble, look upon my face and know I come to you with the uncertainty of this world, but still I am filled with faith that is placed in you, my God. For it was your words My Lord which spoke:

“7 Ask, and it shall be given you; seek, and ye shall find; knock, and it shall be opened unto you:  8 For every one that asketh receiveth; and he that seeketh findeth; and to him that knocketh it shall be opened.” ~ Matthew 7:7-8. Here I stand Oh Lord of all the Universe, 

Here I ask for healing of Sedonia who is in surgery, I seek your healing hand to extend down to her and take all fear and uncertainty away from her, and I beg of you; my God that the door of your blessings is opened and pours down upon Sedonia in your loving grace. 

St. Lucia {Lucy} of Sicily, patron Saint of eyes

Dear Lord, My King of Kings, my Lord of Lord, my God of Gods, hear my plea as I call out your name in the faith which has been made strong by your love. For again it was you who taught me that it is through unshakable faith that makes us well. So we, the Listening Faithfully Community converge today in faith asking that you heal our dearest of friends and sister in faith Sedonia from every sickness, disease, illness, and the medical problems facing her today and to the end of all time. Lord your hand I know shall be upon her as she faces her fears and endures the pain within her retnia. I also know we receive our healing through faith in you. Therefore, it is right and just to ask these things on behalf of your daughter Sedonia, who I know loves you with all her heart and soul, as we who listen faithfully love you and believe in you through faith alone.

Through your Son Jesus Christ do we pray these things.

Amen

Dear brothers and sisters, I ask you to pray this prayer for our sister in Christ Jesus, Sedonia today at least three times and continue praying this week and next. For it through the collective prayer can we see the heart of God be moved and to heal as a result of our display of unshakable faith.

Ways to Communicate

As always, I humbly invite you to stay connected by sending me a message at listeningfaithfullyblog@gmail.com, or by visiting Listening Faithfully Facebook page.

Don’t forget to become part of this awesome community by signing up at Listening Faithfully Community Page. In addition, I have started a new page where you can also visit me at fb.me/listeninfaith and send me messages at m.me/listeninfaith.

Finally, another means of direct communication os by sending me a tweet on Twitter at Brian Keith@Listeninfaith, or become a part of our spiritual group: Friends who Like Listening Faithfully…. “Let’s grow together as children of God” 

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Special Announcement: Summer Technology Team Drive!

“The righteous gives and does not hold back.” ~ Proverbs 21:26

If I said to you my brothers and sisters that money was not important and that acquiring money was also not important would you believe me?  Many of you would disagree, and many of you would not understand to what I am talking about after first reading Proverbs 21:26.  I want to say now money is nothing more than a tool. Money is the necessary evil we have to content with if we want to live healthy, productive, comfortable lives. Money is not the end all to the end all. So, you might ask why start out this way if I was going to ask for support?  Well my brothers and sisters because I have never used Listening Faithfully to raise money with, I have never asked anyone to give money in the name of God for my own personal gain.  But, today I am going to ask something of everyone on behalf of the Inner City Children I teach and will be teaching this summer. But before I do I am going to ask a question that I need you to really think about.

Do you think of yourself as a righteous person?

In other words do you serve the morally good, do you follow religious or moral laws, ideas, oaths, or even listen to your conscience. If the answer to that is yes then I am speaking to you directly.  This year I opened up the Summer Tech Team at my school for the first time to 2nd and 3rd grade students. I wanted them to join this year because of what I saw when teaching them during the academic year of 2015-16. These two groups have the hunger, the want to learn, and they are so excited to spend 3 weeks during their summer break learning more about computers, about blogging (which is what I am doing right now), and they want to know more about making movies with software, they want to become better typist, and authors…  As a group they really moved my heart!

Now let’s talk about economics for a second… Money is hard to come by for most of the parents who go to my school. They work two jobs and have little time with their children, (my students), let alone to supply extra stuff like my summer program which the school does not support from their own budget. If there is to be a Tech Team 2016 I have to find the money, simply put!  Do I have some parents who pay upfront? “Yes”,  I do and I want to thank them for doing so. But the larger community of parents don’t because they can’t.  If I allowed that simple fact to deter me from finding the money each year I would have never held not one Summer Tech Team! So, I ask for everyone to donate as much as they feel comfortable with, but to support my entire summer program cost’s $3,000 which is really not that much. So, what does this do for the students? Here is a list of topics I will be teaching this year to my 2nd and 3rd grade computer geniuses:

Philosophy: “Students who have access to the Internet learn can manage their own learning.”

1.) Blogging about Computers and Terminology (This Supports English Language Arts)

2.) Computer Instruction – (They learn all about what makes a computer work putting their little fingers all over the parts! This supports Science & Engineering)

3.) Research computer parts and their costs to build a budget (I integrate Math with Google Sheets)

4.) Google Apps that will be used during the year in their Google Classroom. (This supports the International Society for Technology in Education (ISTE)  Standard: 2 Communication and Collaboration / 6. Technology Operations and Concepts.)

4.1) DuoLingo – language learning platform

4.2) OpenEd.com

4.3) SAS Curriculum Pathways – Analyzing Public Speaking (This Supports English Language Arts)

5.) America’s Navy – STEM for the CLASSROOM (Discovery Education) Robotics and Future Technology – Science Topic “PHYSICS” (This of Course id STEM related – Science, Technology, Engineering, and Math.)

These are but a few of the target projects that students will engage in during the three short weeks they are in the class. The impact is huge as these little ones grow and begin to be immersed into the Next Generation Science Standards (NGSS)

So, I ask you again… If you are a just person, moral person, a righteous person please help by sending a check or money order today.

Donations or gifts to Ascension for the Summer Tech Team 2016 are tax deductible as we are a 503c organization. 

An individual may contribute up to $150 per students tuition or sponsor two for $300. By becoming an Ascension Catholic School Sponsor,  you agree that STEM, NGSS, Common Core, and ISTE is and should be part of the curriculum in all classrooms within our school and by donating today you proudly support our efforts to bring this higher rigor of instruction to our community, families, students, and to our instructors through ongoing training.  By providing your phone number, you are consenting to receive calls where we will reach out to you to thank you for all your support.

When contacting us by mail or phone please provide us with your name, mailing address, email address, and occupation.

Mail: To contribute by mail, please send a personal check made payable to “Ascension Catholic School” to:

Ascension Catholic School
500 W. 111th Pl.
Los Angeles, California 90044

Please include your full name, address, phone number, email address, and occupation in the envelope with a note – “Proud to Support the 2016 Summer Technology Team!”

Amen,

My brothers and sisters, I humbly invite you to contact with me at listeningfaithfullyblog@gmail.com. Let’s open a dialog and share the good news with each other.

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Visit: Listening Faithfully Facebook Page: CLICK HERE  Don’t forget to leave a “LIKE”.

Orlando Shooting – Exhortation to Uprightness

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2 “Because he is found by those who do not put him to the test, and manifests himself to those who do not distrust him.” ~ The Wisdom of Solomon 1:2 (NRSV)

Orlando has suffered a grave attack that is motivated by hate, therefore, hate seeped into the soul of the aggressor.  We can blame the parents who raised him, the wife who loved enough to not get him help, the community which he attacked, and the list goes on. But God is not found in the manner we seek if it through hate. God is found when we come to him not to put him to the test when we open our hearts and beg for forgiveness for our trespasses. But Orlando has also suffered another attack that is quite different from other terrorist killings. One that is not talked that much about – that attack comes from the Christian Community because it was not just people killed but people of the LGBT Community specifically. So this is what I heard and saw and wanted to immediately disavow as dangerous Christian rhetoric that is on the same level of Radical Islam which both is founded within an evil doctrine of repression.

“Pastor Roger Jimenez from Verity Baptist Church in Sacramento told his congregation that Christians ‘shouldn’t be mourning the death of 50 sodomites.”

“People say, like: ‘Well, aren’t you sad that 50 sodomites died?’ ” Jimenez said, referencing the initial death toll in Orlando, which authorities later clarified included 49 victims plus the gunman. “Here’s the problem with that. It’s like the equivalent of asking me — what if you asked me: ’Hey, are you sad that 50 pedophiles were killed today?’

“Um, no, I think that’s great. I think that helps society. You know, I think Orlando, Fla., is a little safer tonight.”

He added: “The tragedy is that more of them didn’t die. The tragedy is — I’m kind of upset that he didn’t finish the job!” ~ Bever, Lindsey, The Washington Post, June 15, 2016

God hates fags.
God sent the shooter.
God hates murderer Omar Mateen.
Omar Mateen & slain fags are in hell.
REPENT! pic.twitter.com/XwkX7jGYpp

— Westboro Baptist (@WBCSaysRepent) June 12, 2016

“Kill the Gays” Preacher Kevin Swanson: “God’s on His Side” ~ by DAWN ENNIS of the Advocate.

Pastor Jimenez, Pastor Steve Drain of the Westboro Baptist Church in Kansas, Pastor Kevin Swanson of the Reformation Church of Elizabeth, Colorado, and so many others from the Baptist / Orthodox Churchs has publically called those who died, sodomites and pedophiles teaching their congregations that there was no tragedy by killing them and that they wished more had been killed.  In no manner, in no place in the bible does it say this teaching is correct. What these supposed learned men are referring to is found in the Book of Leviticus which is one book of four believed to be written by Moses who received this knowledge directly from God.

22 “You shall not lie with a male as with a woman; it is an abomination.” ~ Leviticus 18:22 (NRSV)

This to an untrained eye this passage is a direct commandment that describes a behavior which God Himself has said to be wrong, as something that you shall not do.  As a God fearing man without doing the research I am inclined to read this and think all who do this is evil.  But those who wrote this, if it was Moses or Aaron, existed in a different reality than from us today. So we must always read the Bible with one eye to the source and one eye to the present, always asking how does this apply today. Back then Moses had a different agenda, the people were in the survival mode, and God saw their wickedness and sought to do something about it in a more direct way than from how he operates in our modern world.  So, the setting was Mount Sinai where Moses was attempting to sanctify the people so that the Lord might appear unto them. To do this God specifically told Moses the following;

18 “The Lord spoke to Moses, saying: 2 ‘Speak to the people of Israel and say to them: I am the Lord your God.3 You shall not do as they do in the land of Egypt, where you lived, and you shall not do as they do in the land of Canaan, to which I am bringing you. You shall not follow their statutes. 4 My ordinances you shall observe and my statutes you shall keep, following them: I am the Lord your God. 5 You shall keep my statutes and my ordinances; by doing so one shall live: I am the Lord.'” ~ Leviticus 18:1-5 (NRSV)

The objective was to create a new nation with a new statute, a nation more holy than any that had come before, and a nation with a direct connection to God. Here in America, we like to think we have a direct connection to God. We like to think we are more holy than the rest of the world. We like to believe we are special and try to preserve Biblical Laws that at the time of their creation as they are today were cumbersome, laws which shackled the people. God did this because from the parents who were slaves and born in Egypt and who had grown fat and uncomplacent but also lazy and self-serving and who God loved and wanted to change them by reminding them of where they had come from, could only happen over time. So the promise land was more the children and grandchildren who had been forged by a Godly fire, subject to a higher standard would this new nation arise. For detailed information please click the following link: Journeys and Events in the Life of Moses by  Edward J. Brandt of the Department of Seminaries and Institutes of Religion, The Church of Later-Day Saints.

What is the Relevant Argument?

So the argument becomes less about behavior and more about the time period of the laws that prohibited that behavior. Again looking in the Bible we find a more recent passage that holds the same message that speaks out against the aforementioned behavior.

24 “Therefore God gave them up in the lusts of their hearts to impurity, to the degrading of their bodies among themselves, 25 because they exchanged the truth about God for a lie and worshiped and served the creature rather than the Creator, who is blessed forever! Amen. 26 For this reason, God gave them up to degrading passions. Their women exchanged natural intercourse for unnatural, 27 and in the same way also the men, giving up natural intercourse with women, were consumed with passion for one another. Men committed shameless acts with men and received in their own persons the due penalty for their error.” ~ Romans 1:23-27 (NRSV)

Again, about two thousand years ago people for the sake of not spreading diseases held fast to the moral principle found in these scriptures. A morality clause that upholds the biblical ideas and beliefs of true marriage as it was between Adam and Eve and is celebrated to this very day. Two opposing arguments on how to live is the debate we face today. Nothing more nothing less. No matter which side you come down on our great nation needs to place only one truth before the population which is more superior to any of these scriptures and any scripture on this topic which I have not mentioned. These supreme truths will help solve this delima and help people from all faiths to join hands, this truth will heal all people of all hatred and will promote only Godly interaction with each other and with God Himself. So you might ask what is the Supreme Truth I speak of?

Examples of Jesus

Example 1: Forgiveness even unto death.

39 “One of the criminals who were hanged there kept deriding him and saying, ‘Are you not the Messiah? Save yourself and us!’ 40 But the other rebuked him, saying, ‘Do you not fear God since you are under the same sentence of condemnation? 41 And we indeed have been condemned justly, for we are getting what we deserve for our deeds, but this man has done nothing wrong.’ 42 Then he said, ‘Jesus, remember me when you come into your kingdom.’ 43 He replied, ‘Truly I tell you, today you will be with me in Paradise.’ ~ Luke 23:39-43 (NRSV)

Example 2: Not Judging Others

7 “Do not judge, so that you may not be judged. 2 For with the judgment you make you will be judged, and the measure you give will be the measure you get. 3 Why do you see the speck in your neighbor’s eye, but do not notice the log in your own eye? 4 Or how can you say to your neighbor, ‘Let me take the speck out of your eye,’ while the log is in your own eye? 5 You hypocrite, first take the log out of your own eye, and then you will see clearly to take the speck out of your neighbor’s eye” ~ Matthew 7:1-5 (NRSV)

Example 3: Serving two Masters

24 “No one can serve two masters; for a slave will either hate the one and love the other or be devoted to the one and despise the other. You cannot serve God and wealth.” ~ Matthew 6:24 (NRSV)

Example 4: Supreme Blessedness (The Beatitudes)

5 “When Jesus saw the crowds, he went up the mountain; and after he sat down, his disciples came to him. 2 Then he began to speak and taught them, saying:

3 ‘Blessed are the poor in spirit, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven.’

4 ‘Blessed are those who mourn, for they will be comforted.’

5 ‘Blessed are the meek, for they will inherit the earth.’

6 ‘Blessed are those who hunger and thirst for righteousness, for they will be filled.’

7 ‘Blessed are the merciful, for they will receive mercy.’

8 ‘Blessed are the pure in heart, for they will see God.’

9 ‘Blessed are the peacemakers, for they will be called children of God.’

10 ‘Blessed are those who are persecuted for righteousness’ sake, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven.’

11 ‘Blessed are you when people revile you and persecute you and utter all kinds of evil against you falsely on my account. 12 Rejoice and be glad, for your reward is great in heaven, for in the same way they persecuted the prophets who were before you.'” ~ Matthew 5:1-11 (NRSV)

Example 5: Blind Faith in Jesus Alone

24 “This is the disciple who is testifying to these things and has written them, and we know that his testimony is true. 25 But there are also many other things that Jesus did; if every one of them was written down, I suppose that the world itself could not contain the books that would be written.” ~ John 21:24-25 (NRSV)

Example 6: Love Part 1

18 “You shall not take vengeance or bear a grudge against any of your people, but you shall love your neighbor as yourself: I am the Lord.” ~ Leviticus 19:18 (NRSV) 

44 “But I say to you, Love your enemies and pray for those who persecute you.” ~ Matthew 5:44 (NRSV)

27 “But I say to you that listen, Love your enemies, do good to those who hate you.” ~ Luke 6:27 (NRSV)

27 “He answered, ‘You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart, and with all your soul, and with all your strength, and with all your mind; and your neighbor as yourself.’” ~ Luke 10:27 (NRSV)

30 “You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart, and with all your soul, and with all your mind, and with all your strength.’” ~ Mark 12:30 (NRSV)

Example 7: Love Part 2

21 “They who have my commandments and keep them are those who love me, and those who love me will be loved by my Father, and I will love them and reveal myself to them.” ~ John 14:21 (NRSV)

Summation

God is not found in acts of violence, rather finding peace and forgiveness with the lord comes from self-reflection, self-attainment, self-understanding, and applying the most recent laws of morality Jesus Christ, our Lord and Savour left us with, which when listed in this order do they make perfect sense of how we are to treat our fellow man and how others should treat us.

1.) Forgive others even unto your last breath. Not for them but for yourself so that you may be forgiven in the eyes of God the All mighty.

2.) By forgiving others you cease to judge them, you stop judging others actions, their words, their plots, their beliefs, and how they live which is different from yourself.

3.) By forgiving and not judging others you are able to decide whom to serve. The question posed to us all from God at birth is simply this, “Will you serve me the Lord your God or will you serve mankind which is imperfect and will some day cease to exist?”  

4.) By cleansing your soul and dedicating your life to God, you then receive the supreme blessings and begin to practice them with fidelity.

5.) Finally, by doing all these things God bestows his most precious of gifts upon you; that of His most perfect love. Your cup will overflow with love and your life transformed through love which enables you to replace hate with love, replace greed with love, replace lust with love, replace laziness with love, replace wrathfulness with love, replace envy with love, and replace pride with God’s most perfect love. In this, you will love others no matter who they are or where they come from or what they believe and how they live. In this way, love equals tolerance for your fellow man and peace is the product. For I say to you my brothers and sisters this is the message all ordained Priests, Deacons, Bishops, Preachers, Ministers,

For I say to you my brothers and sisters this is the message all ordained Priests, Deacons, Bishops, Preachers, Ministers, Pastor, and Church leaders from all faith groups should be preaching about when it comes to any mass killing, any natural disaster, and any act of God; but especially when people who hold a different perspective on life than they do are murdered with such hatred, it should always be meet with love, not condemnation! All religious organizations need to rethink the true message of God, which is love and forgiveness. When a gay is killed every preacher needs to preach how wrong murder is, not glorify it because the one who lost their life was gay! We are all human beings and therefore by default children of God! It is God’s domain to judge not ours! Rather our most supreme commandment is and has always been to, “love one another!” John 13:34-35 (NRSV)

For I leave you with this: 11 “Beware then of useless grumbling and keep your tongue from slander, because no secret word is without result, and a lying mouth destroys the soul.” ~ Wisdom 1:11 (NRSV)

Amen,

My brothers and sisters, I humbly invite you to contact me directly at listeningfaithfullyblog@gmail.com. Let’s open a dialog and share the good news with each other.

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Orlando Shooting – Let Us Pray!

6 “For wisdom is a kindly spirit, but will not free blasphemers from the guilt of their words;
because God is witness of their inmost feelings, and a true observer of their hearts, and a hearer of their tongues.” ~ The Wisdom of Solomon 1:6 (NSRV)

Message to the LGBT Community

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On Sunday, June 12, 2016, Omar Mateen walked into Pulse Night Club and shot and killed 49 people. He did this because they were different from him, they  embraced a different lifestyle than him, they believed in something different than he.  In many ways if we search hard enough all of us could find differences in each other that we completely disagree with, the management of those difference is found in one word, tolerance.  The problem with Omar and anyone else who would kill another person because of differences in belief or lifestyle is found in the innermost place within their soul which has been taken over by hatred, perhaps even by Satan himself.  Their actions can be in some instances a cry for help, but the in the end these actions show a lack of humanity.  I write this though I disagree with the LGBT or GLBT community and the political movement they have been pursuing to change the idea and legal definition of marriage from its biblical roots, though I would never campaign against them, slander them, or take a gun and or harm any member of that community.  We are all people, we all have the right to voice our disagreements and to disagree in a humane manner.  So, instead of focusing on the evil act, let us turn this negative into a positive and allow God to be the supreme judge for everyone who harbor ill thoughts and beliefs within the innermost places of their soul, and let God judge us all based upon are words we speak to each other as well the messages those words relay to the community of mankind. For the reaction of this killing is as important and carries as much if not more meaning than the act itself. True wisdom begins with love and ends with love and on this point, I join hands with the LGBT community in prayer for those lost in such a brutal way… Let Us All Pray.

Prayer of Love

Dear Lord, my supreme savior hear my voice and the voices of the families of the Pulse shooting of which so many you have called home. Dear Lord, I humble myself in the

Dear Lord, I humble myself in your presence as I call upon you to fill my heart with love, love which takes away the pain, love which takes away the heartache of those who have suffered because of this one selfish act.

Dear Lord, my creator I boldly stand against those who believe they have the right to murder for the sake of murder, to take away what you have given, but I do so with my words which you shall be the judge.

Dear Lord, let those who have lost, mourn within the comfort of your love, let them feel your love, let them know your love.

Dear Lord, it is in these things I pray through your son Jesus Christ our savior who died and was raised from the dead and who did these things out of a perfect love.

Please pray these words every night until the United States Government actually takes meaningful action on Gun Control.

Amen,

My brothers and sisters, I humbly invite you to contact me directly at listeningfaithfullyblog@gmail.com. Let’s open a dialog and share the good news with each other.

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The Childlike Measure

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13 “And people were bringing children to him that he might touch them, but the disciples rebuked them. 14 When Jesus saw this he became indignant and said to them, ‘Let the children come to me; do not prevent them, for the kingdom of God belongs to such as these. 15 Amen, I say to you, whoever does not accept the kingdom of God like a child will not enter it.’ 16 Then he embraced them and blessed them, placing his hands on them”. ~ Mark 10:13-16 (NABRE) 

Essential Question

“Are we adults behaving like the little children Jesus blessed?”

 There are many measurements of how to live a Christian life. It seems to me that every page in the Old Testament is giving us moral laws to follow, and the New Testament is no exception. The many thousands of things written can feel at times overwhelming and confusing to most. History is littered with the many thousands of arguments that have arisen since Christ’s death and resurrection because of those words and beliefs that split the New Church into many different pieces each with their own ideas of what a Christian Life should look like to others. We have been arguing for centuries amongst ourselves and in those arguments, we find in our modern age of technology even more ways to be anti-Christian which is laced with temptations that lure us away from God. There is deception of all kinds in our churches and people who profit off those descriptions.  Our sins with each passing century grow ever higher and the smell of our human lies that are designed to allow us to live as we want, do as we will, and not as God would have us live, is simply continuing to mount against us in the halls of Heaven. Perhaps, that is what Jesus was alluding too when he saw the disciples pushing away the children?

Living in a Sinful World

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13 God will judge those outside. “Purge the evil person from your midst.” ~ 1 Corinthians 5:13 (NABRE)

In the twenty-first century of which we live, drama is the new law! Social Media is filled with people posting everything about their lives, even the most private accepts and problems they are facing. People are caught up in watching reality TV, they are exposed to sin that is changing our culture and beliefs. Examples of which I speak is “Keeping Up With the Kardashians” where everything from marital issues is perverted to modern fashion which influences and corrupts our children. Another Reality TV Series is “The Bachelor” and “The Bachelorette”, where everything about marriage and dating is glamorized and set in a make belief settings where it’s ok to date more than one person, have sex with more than one person and hold relationships with more than one person!  Another show which perverts marriage and is setting such a bad example for our children as it relates to relationships and marriage is “Sister Wives”. It’s all in the title! One man multiple wives! This lifestyle was prohibited by God thousands of years ago!  So when I say we are corrupting our own children, that this corruption is perverting their morals and the morals of their children who are not yet born, and this corruption will pervert children for thousands of generations to come, then I think it is no wonder or mystery of why our children have no chance at seeing the gates of Heaven! Sure, there will be a handful who will repent, I say a handful because frankly when calculating the billions of people on earth today verse those who want to be real Christians and truly believe in God solely is determined by how their parents brought them up, and how closely to the Bible where those morals linked. Thus, a handful of the world’s population of true believers is a much smaller group than those who see nothing wrong with the world and call themselves Christians!

The Reality of Respect

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18 “If a man has a stubborn and rebellious son who will not obey the voice of his father or the voice of his mother, and, though they discipline him, will not listen to them, 19 then his father and his mother shall take hold of him and bring him out to the elders of his city at the gate of the place where he lives, 20 and they shall say to the elders of his city, ‘This our son is stubborn and rebellious; he will not obey our voice; he is a glutton and a drunkard.’ 21 Then all the men of the city shall stone him to death with stones. So you shall purge the evil from your midst, and all Israel shall hear, and fear.” ~ Deuteronomy 21:18-21 (NABRE)

Respect thy neighbor, respect thyself, respect the world and all of nature, respect others as you would have them respect you. Yes, I took out a few words and replaced them with the word respect, but isn’t that what our world has done with the sanctity of marriage, haven’t we for our own selfish purposes took out words that would hold us responsible for our actions and replaced them with words that make us feel better about our sin? New laws which are giving even the most conservative of Governors a reason to pause, siding with the heretics of this world so they can be reelected. The controversy which I speak is to those who want such perversion and say – HE/SHE bathrooms in public spaces are ok! There is no respect in how people relate to one another because we have taken God out of the equation! No man will fear man’s laws as much as he will that of God’s laws if they are taught in the manner they were written taken nothing out, even those parts that make us cringe! As a teacher in a Catholic School, a place where you would think is steeped in discipline and a healthy fear of God, but sadly no, for all the Nunes have gone and the Priests have not a clue of how children should be raised. Yes, the Bible is unchanged, but how we teach it has changed. Because of these things in our sinful world we find ourselves mired in sin and helpless in teaching respect.  Our children see TV, play Adult rated video games, parents treat their kids more like friends than their children, and the basic teaching of how to act in public has been forever torn apart! So, the next time you look at a rude child, one who mocks you, one who talks back, one who does hateful things to others, one who thinks they are smarter than you, or one who does stupid things just to see what would happen (DUMBASS THE MOVIE), then as an adult / parent  have only yourself to blame!  Education begins at home not in the school building! Laws that suppress educators from fulfilling their job requirements as it relates to teaching discipline, morality, respect, religion, self-worth, love, and forgiveness is the major culprits to green lighting sin in our society! Perhaps, this is what Jesus saw when the disciples rebuked the children?

The Commandments that Matter

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34″I give you a new commandment: ‘Love one another. As I have loved you, so you also should love one another. 35 This is how all will know that you are my disciples if you have love for one another.'” ~ John 13:34-35

Respect and discipline are all part of living a Christian lifestyle. But Jesus commands us that everything stems from love, an innocent like love in the Lord.  From this agape love we find the path to faith and armed with faith we find the path to a disciplined, respectful, honorable, holy relationship with God the Father. From this point is it then possible to show love and respect to others, and teach these things which God has commanded parents to teach to their children. For this duty is a sacred and holy duty given to parents alone!

6 “Train the young in the way they should go; even when old, they will not veer from it.”~ Proverbs 22:6 (NABRE)

4 “Hear, O Israel!  The Lord is our God, the Lord alone!  5 Therefore, you shall love the Lord, your God, with your whole heart, and with your whole being, and with your whole strength. 6 Take to heart these words which I command you today. 7 Keep repeating them to your children. Recite them when you are at home and when you are away, when you lie down and when you get up. 8 Bind them on your arm as a sign and let them be as a pendant on your forehead. 9 Write them on the doorposts of your houses and on your gates.” ~ Deuteronomy 6:4-9 (NABRE)

7 “Fear of the Lord is the beginning of knowledge; fools despise wisdom and discipline.” ~ Proverbs 1:7 (NABRE)

1 “Children, obey your parents [in the Lord], for this is right. 2 ‘Honor your father and mother.’ This is the first commandment with a promise, 3 ‘that it may go well with you and that you may have a long life on earth.’” ~ Ephesians 6:1-3 (NABRE)

23 “Whatever you do, do from the heart, as for the Lord and not for others, 24 knowing that you will receive from the Lord the due payment of the inheritance; be slaves of the Lord Christ. 25 For the wrongdoer will receive recompense for the wrong he committed, and there is no partiality.” ~ Colossians 3:23-25

3 “Certainly sons are a gift from the Lord, the fruit of the womb, a reward. 4 Like arrows in the hand of a warrior are the sons born in one’s youth. 5 Blessed is the man who has filled his quiver with them. He will never be shamed for he will destroy his foes at the gate.” ~ Psalm 127:3-5 (NABRE)

13 “So faith, hope, love remain, these three; but the greatest of these is love.” ~ 1 Corinthians 13:13 (NABRE)  

Wrap Up

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What we teach our children as parents is what our children will do when they are grown. “Be a role model. This can help you teach your children to appropriate behavior, self-control, responsibility, and accountability while increasing their self-esteem.” ~ American Humane Association, (Child Discipline) 

Don’t come to their rescue so easily, don’t rave about them so easily, rather show them leadership! Help your children make calculated risks, have many discussions on making decisions, tell them stories of your childhood so they may bond with you, don’t let your guilt keep you from being a good parent and from making the hard decision. By making those hard decisions you are giving them the proper example, like Jesus, did for the world on Calgary. Teach respect, love, kindness, forgiveness, and mercy and these things will come back to you and make you proud. Finally, become partners with your children’s teachers and follow their examples upholding their expertise within the realm of education. In all these things allow Jesus to be part of your children’s lives allowing them to know God their and your creator.

Amen,

My brothers and sisters, if you enjoyed this message today then I invite you to contact me directly at listeningfaithfullyblog@gmail.com. Let’s open a dialog and share the good news with each other.

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Special Prayer for Bailey Prets

A Humble Heart

1 “My heart is not proud, Lord, my eyes are not haughty; I do not concern myself with great matters or things too wonderful for me. 2 But I have calmed and quieted myself, I am like a weaned child with its mother; like a weaned child I am content. 3 Israel, put your hope in the Lord both now and forevermore.” ~ Psalm 131:1-3

Bailey

I write to you today my brothers and sister on behalf of a dear friend who I love with all my heart and soul who contacted me some time ago.  She wanted me to compose this special prayer for a family member and loyal friend that happens to have four legs.  So, today I ask everyone to pray for Bailey Prets, a Dachshund that for many long years has been the inspiration and focal-point of my friend’s love who has requested to remain anonymous and the apple of her eye.  Bailey has been diagnosed with prostate cancer and as of yet we do not know what can be done.  So, with this news, I am greatly saddened and hope there is a cure for Mr. Bailey Prets.

Let Us Pray

Dear Lord in Heaven hear our hearts as we reach out to you with our mortal concerns, with hearts that are not proud nor are they longing for the greater things in this life. No, Lord we reach out to you in prayer with calm concerns that are like a weaned child from our mothers; for we are almost content.

Dear Lord our savior who loved us with all your heart, who through that love defeated death, and who has redeemed us with love and divine mercy. It is to you Oh Lord that we pray for the inspiring love to be sent to our loyal four-legged friend Bailey Prets, for we ask for you to set your hand upon his head to heal him and give him consolation within your spirit as you heal him of his ailments.

Dear Lord hear the many who pray to deliver Bailey into your loving arms as you set his soul at ease and give him everlasting life, but not before his time here is done. Lord, it is to you we pray with the deepest of concerns and love for Bailey that we ask these things for we put our hope in you Lord, Jesus Christ.

In Jesus’s name … AMEN!

OUR FATHER

9 “Pray then like this: ‘Our Father in heaven, hallowed be your name. 10 Your kingdom come, your will be done, on earth as it is in heaven. 11 Give us this day our daily bread, 12 and forgive us our debts, as we also have forgiven our debtors. 13 And lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from evil.'”~Matthew 6:9-13 (ESV)

My brothers and sisters if you pray these words for Mr. Bailey Prets I believe God will heal him, I believe God will give Bailey a new leash on life. I urge you my brothers and sisters to join me in prayer this next week May 1- May 7, 2016 at least once per day for our loyal four-legged friend who desperately needs your prayers.

 

Where Peace Begins

Peace Left by Jesus

27 “Peace I leave with you; my peace I give you. I do not give to you as the world gives. Do not let your hearts be troubled and do not be afraid.” – John 14:27

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Have you ever wondered why some people just seem to never be able to find peace in their lives? Have you ever wondered why they are always sower towards others, nothing is ever fair or just in their eyes, and they seem to enjoy this self-inflicted agony? I’ve known people like this. I’ve seen how they imitate happiness but it never lasts for long. Things that have happened in their lives are never their fault because it’s easier to blame others. Responsibility for their own actions is a foreign idea and never seems to apply to them. So why the misery, why the drama, why do they run so far and fast from peace?

Self-Worth vs. God’s Peace

11 “For I know well the plans I have in mind for you—oracle of the Lord—plans for your welfare and not for woe, so as to give you a future of hope.” ~ Jeremiah 29:11

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To understand this behavior we first must understand why the human race ignores God’s ministry of Peace. At this point, it would be all too easy to say that we are all sinners. Yes, that is part of it, but not the whole picture. Rather we must dig deeper and look for that character flaw that some people exploit more so than others called self-worth. It works like this, many people have lived hard lives, as children they are subjected to crappie things that are at the first outside of their control. The craziness of their lives become addicting, much like a drug. The older they get the more they are told how worthless they are until they begin to believe it. At some point, they begin to expect the bad in life, and they chose to ignore the good. This becomes a routine of bad choices that cascade one after another. Now logically speaking they know they should strive for peace in their life, but they are their own worst enemy as the choices they make repeals peace. These broken people believe that they do not deserve to be happy as every attempt fails. So they ignore that singular voice within their hearts and run away not feeling good enough to receive God’s peace. They run and hide because the cannot believe that God has a plan for them that includes happiness and peace here on Earth. They cannot believe that God wants to take control!  But I say to you my brothers and sisters who are broken, God wants to instill his plan into your heart and take all the bad and turn it into good which glories His love for you!

Remember that Jesus said, “Peace I leave with you, my peace I give to you.”

Every time I read this I feel at peace. Why? Because I believe with all my heart and soul that God’s peace is everlasting. I believe blindly in the idea that Jesus really said that.  I believe that Jesus is real and loved us so much that he would die to give us a chance at receiving that everlasting peace.

So, why can people like me believe and other people just can’t quite make that leap of faith? Because they believe they do not deserve God’s love, because they expect nothing but the bad in life. The difference is I do not expect to be saved rather I hope to be saved according to God’s word. Whereas, the broken person dwells in the expectation that bad is all they can hope for, which leaves them without hope of salvation. Thus, if you give in to hopelessness then you in truth shackle your life to this world and to the expectations of a life mired in sin! You give up on the hope God has for you, the salvation he won for you, and the everlasting peace he left in your care.

Conversion

19 “Repent, therefore, and be converted, that your sins may be wiped away,” ~ Acts 3:19 (NABRE)

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Again, logically speaking the only way out of this hopelessness is to be converted! This means you must die to your sins and be reborn in the glory of the Lord, Jesus Christ! Scary sounding… right? Well to the nonbeliever it is the scariest thing they will ever do. Ok, so how do you convert someone who is broken?  Believe me, when I say it’s easier said than done, but it begins with being the example in every aspect of your life, teaching that God’s grace can be found in everything be it in the good or bad things of this world. Yes, being the example by living your faith, practicing what you preach, do what you say, believe with all your heart, mind, and soul in the words and promises of God. To be a witness to others who need help in believing, who need you to be their a road map to faith, and a guide to those broken down and beaten by this world who expect nothing but bad and show them kindness, love, and mercy. Conversion doesn’t happen overnight, rather it takes time for people to hear, then reacts to God’s call. But know God is calling and He is using you to make that connection!

There is hope, there is love, there is mercy, and there is peace in this world. But the peace we all should strive for is the peace of salvation in the Lord, Jesus Christ!

Amen.

My brothers and sisters, if you enjoyed this message today then I invite you to contact me directly at listeningfaithfullyblog@gmail.com. Let’s open a dialog and share the good news with each other.

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