Receive His Peace

"Peace be with you; I give you my peace. Not as the world gives peace do I give it to you." - John 14:28

Wake up in the morning, another day, same routine. Got to get to work. Driving to work… traffic, someone cuts you off. On the train, people shoving and you're standing because someone's got their feet on the only seat left. Get to work, deal with the boss and co-workers… always people trying to get over on you. After work, arguments with your family and friends. And what is the peace the world gives us? Get mad and get even? Show people you don't care about them? And then have a drink to wash it all away?

This isn't the peace of Christ. Jesus would wake up and deal with apostles that never got anything right. So many people calling on Him without ever giving Him a chance to take a break; everybody needed something from Him! Jewish leaders on top of Him, criticizing even the best of His work.

What is the peace of Christ? The peace of Christ means knowing your life has a bigger purpose and remaining in that mind set. He came to do His Father's work. No matter what people said or did to Him, He never let it get to Him because He belonged to the Father, who judged Him for what was in His heart and would reward Him for what was in His heart. You belong to the Father as well. God sees your actions. God understands, and in the midst of all of your routine, God is with you. God will lead you out to where you will find comfort and be restored. Hold on to the peace of Christ.

Today's Prayer:
Jesus, sometimes the day zooms by me and leaves me worn out. I can't find comfort in the world and need Your peace more than anything. Please help me to trust in it. In Your Name we pray, amen.

Perfection

"When what is perfect comes, everything imperfect will pass away." - 1st Corinthians 13:10

This one truth can tell us so much about our lives. How do we know if we've made the right decision about something? How do we know we're on the right path? I've been learning in the last couple of months that what we really want out of life is what God wants for us, because He was the one that put that desire in us. But so many times, especially when we're younger, we don't know what that is. It's as simple as how Paul puts it here: when what is perfect comes, everything imperfect will pass away. The moment that you make a decision about something, you should feel in your being if that decision has brought you peace or brought you anxiety. What is perfect brings you peace. What is perfect will light you on fire so that you shine and never look back on that darkness you have left behind, except to thank God for where He's taken you. When you find what is perfect, in terms of a relationship, a job, a new home, anything, all will fall into place for you. Of course, there are always struggles, but God helps you get to where you need to be. The imperfect bring us fruitless worry, strife, and continuing on that path is like going against the wind in a storm. It can only take you further back in life making a mess of everything else.

But how are you able to make the decision to choose what is perfect? By quietening yourself down, and giving God's voice the chance to break through the noise in your own head. The Spirit within you will feel drawn to what is perfect, without doubts or hesitations, to the will of God for you.

Today's Prayer:
My Lord Jesus, You are perfection in my life. You bring out the best in me and help rid me of all my hurtful imperfections. Help me be quiet to hear You and be able to see the perfect things You have planned for me ahead. In Your Name we pray, amen.

Rejoice In The Lord

"Rejoice in the Lord always. I say it again: rejoice." - Philippians 4:4

Sometimes we experience days that really drain us. There was so much going on from the very beginning that by night time, we haven't even had time to think or wrap our heads around it. Today I had a very long day, and I realized I didn't have time to really connect with God. I've been feeling a bit lost lately and not sure what to do with my future. With all I had to do, I felt my mind so cloudy. I knew I needed to reconnect, or let Him restore my soul as the psalm says. As soon as I got home around 9:45pm, I locked myself in my room and lit a candle. I sat there and let God's presence engulf me. There are so many things I need but I thought of the psalms and this verse from Paul's letter to the Philippians about rejoicing, so instead of asking for anything, I simply let the Lord in and I praised Him. I spent the next hour thanking Him for each and every little or big thing He had done for me today. I even thanked Him for the wonders He had done for His people in the past because it's a testament to what He will continue to do. I opened up my bible and read psalms to praise Him. I said to Him out loud that I love Him and wish to do His will. And now, as I still here and write to you, I feel at peace. During the day I felt so far from Him and lost inside my own head, but now, it's like the storm has settled. I can breathe easily and feel His presence with me.

I encourage you to one day, when you have the time, to dedicate a moment like this to God. Sit with only the intention to acknowledge His goodness because all that you need He already knows. Instead, rejoice in the peace and tranquility that comes from being connected to the Lord, for the gift of being in His presence.

Today's Prayer:
My God, thank You for surrounding me with Your presence. Thank You for meeting me where I was tonight and letting me know that You care and are there for me. In Jesus' Name we pray, amen.

How To Accept Others

"Be humble, kind, patient, and bear with one another in love. Make every effort to keep among you the unity of Spirit through bonds of peace." - Ephesians 4:2-3


I'm an idealist. I take everything for face value and have often been called näive. Honestly, I believe everyone should be able to get along, speak openly and understand one another and it's been super painful to realize that this isn't the case, especially within families. I was reading Ephesians one day and came across this verse above. I was so struck by the word "bear." Saint Paul says we have to bear with one another. Me, being an idealist, thought to myself, "why bear? They were Christians! They're supposed to love each other and everything is supposed to be great!"But obviously, it wasn't if Paul had to address this issue.

And I'm coming to realize that people will always have issues with others, no matter how much love there is. We are all different, and that's ok because it's the way God made us. Some of us are punctual, some of us are always late, but either way, God made us all in those ways. We, and I do this a lot, tend to judge and think that if something isn't my way, then the other person is wrong. I've learned I have to grow as a person and understand that I'm not right all the time and I need to stretch and accept others the way they are. That's why Paul says to bear, because there will always be issues, differences, misunderstandings, but at the end of the day, we need to work in peace to find a solution. We need to treat others with kindness and try our best to understand and accept others for who they are. We need to learn to bear with one another, even when they're not stretching for us.

Today's Prayer:
Lord, thank You for opening my eyes to my own injustices. Thank You for teaching me to understand that different isn't wrong and I'm not always right. I pray that You bring this deep understanding to others so that we may all treat one another with kindness and learn to bear with one another in peace. In Your Name we pray, amen.

Be Still

"Be still, know that I am God." - Psalm 46:11

My nerves were shot today. Anyone that knows me well knows that when it's time to be somewhere and I'm even a minute late, I start freaking out. As you already know, I have my ministry classes on Wednesdays and since I work in the city, I have to make the 6:35 train to be at my station by 7:10 and in class by 7:30. So I had this big $100K proposal to hand in end of day for a television network. I get it done by 11am and email it off to my boss for revisions and for final approval. After asking him about it, guess what time he comes over to talk? At 6pm! 10 minutes before I have to be out the door. Just giving me all the copy points to revise took 25 minutes and I'm sitting there sooo nervous and so upset I wanted to cry! These classes are so important to me and I was about to miss it. I ended up finishing the document and sending it out at 7:15 and then I dashed to Penn Station to take the 7:54 to my stop. For the whole train ride I was nervous and playing with my nails, my nervous trait. Class ends at 9:30 so when I got to my car at 8:30 I sped over to the church where the classes are held. I was even nervous about walking in so late and having missed something important or having my teacher yell at me but nothing happened. She kindly reviewed with me what I had missed. To end class we always meditate on the Lord and when I closed my eyes and allowed my nerves to calm down, my body to relax and my soul to connect to God, I thought of these words, "Be still, know that I am God."

Our lives are always a mad dash. We run from one place to another and hardly ever have a moment to relax and just reflect. This is especially true when we're in a bind and freaking out about something. I forgot to trust God today. I forgot that He commands time and sets all things in motion so if He allowed for me to be late to class, He would make all things good for me. I freaked out and got upset, as if I could do anything to make things right myself…only He can do that. He taught me today that no matter how bad things seem or the pressure coming down on me, I only need to be still, He is God and He is in control.

Today's Prayer:
Lord God, I'm sorry for the times I make the mistake of thinking I could actually control things or that by worrying, I can actually affect something and I can't. Only You matter and only You are all powerful. Help me to strengthen my trust in You during this journey. In Your Name we pray, amen.

Make Peace Before Forgiveness

"So, if you are about to offer your gift at the altar and you remember that your brother has something against you, leave your gift there in front of the altar, go at once and make peace with your brother, and then come back and offer your gift to God." - Matthew 5:23-24

Before Jesus' death, the Jews would sacrifice a lamb or a calf at the temple for the forgiveness of sins. Now, when Jesus came, He radically changed the way the law was practiced because He wanted us to have the law in our heart, instead of just as commandments to follow so that we learn what it really means to follow and love God each day. In His famous Sermon on the Mount, in which He tells us how He wants us to live, He talks about forgiveness and how we need to truly give ourselves up to being open to loving one another. More than just forgiving those that have hurt us, He goes a step further in saying that if you are going to ask God for forgiveness of a sin and you remember that someone has something against you, whether justified or not, whether they forgive you or not, you need to put your sacrifice down and go make peace with that person. Your sacrifice, or your act of asking God forgiveness for your own sins, means nothing to God if at first you do not make amends with those who you have hurt or have hurt you. For us this is a very difficult thing to do, but not impossible. Our God is a just God and justice demands that we forgive and be forgiven if we are to ask mercy of God for our own sins against Him. So if you really want to be in good standing with the Lord in terms of your own faults, then make peace with your neighbors first.

Today's Prayer:
God, it's not easy for me to admit guilt, ask forgiveness, and especially forgive someone who has hurt me, betrayed me and let me down continually. But I trust in You, my Lord, and I know that Your ways are the right ways, so please guide me and help me to do Your will because You know that I can't find it in me at times. In Your Name we pray, Amen.

Prayer of Saint Francis

Everyday as I pray, I ask God to empty me of myself so that only He exists in me. There is so much in me that prevents Him from coming in and working through me; so many sins I need to repent of and so many people I need to forgive and ask forgiveness to. I don't love others as I should and need help seeing that Jesus Christ is in them, loves them, and wants them to be as close to Him as He wants me to be.

That's why I'm asking God to make me His instrument. This is the prayer of Saint Francis of Assisi. Please read it and ask God to let it be your prayer as well.

Lord, make me an instrument of Thy peace;

where there is hatred, let me sow love;

where there is injury, pardon;

where there is doubt, faith;

where there is despair, hope;

where there is darkness, light;

and where there is sadness, joy.

O Divine Master,

grant that I may not so much seek to be consoled as to console;

to be understood, as to understand;

to be loved, as to love;

for it is in giving that we receive,

it is in pardoning that we are pardoned,

and it is in dying that we are born to Eternal Life.