FoTS - Peace

"And the peace of God, which surpasses all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus." - Philippians 4:7

Paul wrote that to the church in Philippi. Why was he writing to them about God's peace? It was Paul's first church in Europe. Dear to his heart for sure. The city had been taken over by the Roman Empire - notorious for crucifying and burning Christians. They probably ALL could have used a little peace in their lives back then.

How about you? How's your life going? A little stressful at times perhaps? King David wrote about what HE thought peace looked like - still waters.

"The Lord is my Shepherd. I shall not want. He maketh me to lie down in green pastures. He leadeth me beside still waters. He restoreth my soul." - Psalm 23:1-3

It's interesting when we remember that David's descendant, Jesus, would day calm an entire sea.

What does peace look like in today's world? Safety perhaps. Strong doors on our homes with sturdy locks and hinges. It might also come in the form a steady job with an equally steady income. Knowing that there will be food on the table and clothing to wear can bring peace. But that's not the kind of peace that Paul was referring to.

Paul spoke of a peace that could not be understood. A peace that "surpasses all understanding." God's peace.

And how do we attain God's peace? By knowing Him. By "abiding in Him." Knowing that our eternity is sure brings tremendous peace. We might not fully understand it, but we fully receive it.

"And he arose, and rebuked the wind, and said unto the sea, "Peace, be still." And the wind ceased, and there was a great calm." - Mark 4:39 

Questions:

1. What are the things that give you peace in your daily routine?
2. Can you recall a time when you felt great peace? What were you doing?
3. In a perfect world, what would a peaceful day look like to you?
4. How can you obtain peace when your world is spinning out of control?
5. It seems that the world is never at peace. Why not?

Anxiety?

Do you find yourself getting anxious from time to time? Worrying perhaps about how a particular situation on your life will get resolved? This story might be helpful for you.

So often, when we are feeling anxious or worried, we are merely concerned with ourselves. Isn't that true? "I feel this way. I am worried about that."

"I, I, I, I ..." That sounds like an old Fritos commercial. "Ai, yi, yi, yi. I am the Frito bandito."

We need to turn our inward focus away from ourselves and focus outward towards God. Upward, not inward. We need to focus on God and not on our present situation. We need to focus on who HE is, not on who we aren't.

Psalm 46 is a great reminder of God's attributes and not our shortcomings. Read it and see if you don't feel less anxious at it's end.

"God is our refuge and strength, an ever-present help in trouble. ²Therefore we will not fear, though the earth give way and the mountains fall into the heart of the sea,

³though its waters roar and foam and the mountains quake with their surging.

⁴There is a river whose streams make glad the city of God, the holy place where the Most High dwells. ⁵God is within her, she will not fall; God will help her at break of day. ⁶Nations are in uproar, kingdoms fall; he lifts his voice, the earth melts. 

⁷The Lord Almighty is with us; the God of Jacob is our fortress. 

⁸Come and see what the Lord has done, the desolations he has brought on the earth. ⁹He makes wars cease to the ends of the earth. He breaks the bow and shatters the spear; he burns the shields with fire. ¹⁰He says, “Be still, and know that I am God; I will be exalted among the nations, I will be exalted in the earth.” 

¹¹The Lord Almighty is with us; the God of Jacob is our fortress." - Psalm 46

Did you notice that verses 7 and 11 are identical? Perhaps it is important and worthy of remembering then.

When we focus on who God is, and we remember that "He will never leave us nor foresake us," what do we have to be anxious about?

"Be strong and courageous. Do not be afraid or terrified because of them, for the Lord your God goes with you; He will never leave you nor forsake you.” - Deuteronomy 31:6

"Who of you by worrying can add a single moment to your life?" - Matthew 6:27

Knowing God's Attributes

Frito Bandito Commercial

The Cure For Anxiety

A lot of people are worried these days. Anxious about life, Nervous about the future. And rightly so. But what can we do about it? How can we get rid of it?

"More coffee please!" would be the cry of some. "Can I have another?" might be someone else's solution.

This picture might be a mom who has had too much of there kids. But from another point of view we are actually looking at the solution for anxiety - prayer.

"Do not be anxious about anything, but in every situation, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God. 7 And the peace of God, which transcends all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus." - Philippians 4:6-7

First off, 'do not be anxious' is a command.

There are different types of anxiety - good and bad.

Example 1: I was contacted by a friend who I haven't seen in a while. We are having lunch next week. I an anxious for that day to get here. That's good anxiety.

Example 2: My wife gets a text telling her that the person she was just with a few days ago has tested positive. Our minds start racing and we get worried about our health. That's a bad type of anxiety.

When we feel anxiety about something we should turn to God for help and comfort. God wants us to do that and has actually commanded us to do so. Here's another verse to remember:

"So do not fear, for I am with you; do not be dismayed, for I am your God. I will strengthen you and help you; I will uphold you with my righteous right hand." - Isaiah 41:10

When we turn to God in prayer and give everything over to HIS care, the stress and anxiety are lifted from us. Unless we are actually not giving God everything. We tend to want to do things on our own, and that's where our troubles begin.

"Have I not commanded you? Be strong and courageous. Do not be afraid; do not be discouraged, for the LORD your God will be with you wherever you go." - Joshua 1:9

David was pursued by a king who wanted to kill him. He was hunted down, attacked with spears, and plotted against. What did David do? He prayed. And what was the result of his prayers? He was protected and comforted by God.

"When anxiety was great within me, your consolation brought me joy." - Psalm 94:19

What's has been stressing you out lately? What is making you anxious? Package it up and give it to God! Or do you believe that God cannot handle your anxiety? Is your stress too much for the Creator of everything? No! Then give everything to God!

If we cannot give our anxiety to God, we have a bigger problem to be anxious about.

The Best of Times

We were sitting around the dining room table at the farm this past weekend when my wife asked this question of us. "What was your favorite moment from this past (family reunion) weekend?"

"Interesting question," I thought to myself. There were so many moments from which to chose for my answer to that question. Playing disc golf with the boys, conversations with relatives, car bingo. But the best of times this past weekend for me was the time I spent with my niece.

There were two moments really. The first came when the entire family was sitting around the dining room table (we spend a lot of time there. LOL!) at breakfast on Saturday. We were talking and my niece was telling us how she was going to be losing her job. Certainly the worst of times for her.

She had worked for her employer for 12 years and loved everyone and loved working there but the office was closing and she would have to be looking for a new job. Naturally she was nervous and apprehensive about the coming changes.

Eventually everyone got up and left the table to other things and I was left there with my niece. Just the two of us. So we talked and I dug a little deeper into how she was feeling. It's a tough thing when we big changes come into our otherwise comfortable lives. That was a good conversation.

The following day we were getting ready to go to a nearby lake. I went upstairs to get my shoes and notice my niece in the kid's room, cleaning up. I started back down the stairs but then stopped after a few steps and came back up and asked, "Can I pray for you?"

"Sure."

Praying for someone is always the best of times, even during the worst of times. Why? Because we can't get someone a new job, we can't change things when someone dies or is very sick. But God can! I loved praying with and for my niece. Not because I can do anything, but because I know that God can!

"Until now you have not asked for anything in my name. Ask and you will receive, and your joy will be complete." - John 16:24

When any of us go though the worst of times why not reach out to God? He has the power to change weakness into strength and sorrow into joy. Taking someone you love to God in prayer certainly qualifies as "the best of times" in my book. Seek God first in times of trouble. Minimize the times of sorrow and weakness. Turn the worst of times into the best.

"It was the best of times, it was the worst of times." - Charles Dickens, A Tale of Two Cities

What The Lord Has Done In Me - Hillsong

Contact Juggling

Are you good at juggling? I'm not. I taught myself how to juggle in college with some rolled up socks. Although I can juggle (marginally) it doesn't mean I'm any good at it. These days people juggle everyday. We don't juggle balls, We juggle events in our lives.

People develop all kinds of stress in their lives, simply by trying to "keep all of the balls in the air," Is that you? How do you do it? Are you even able to? It takes a lot of effort to keep our busy lives going. How can we ever get the rest we need?

Are you familiar with the art of contact juggling? The balls never leave a persons hands but it often appears like they do. What's interesting is the juggler is always in contact with the objects he or she is juggling. There is a far smaller chance of dropping one of the juggled objects than in conventional juggling.

What if we tried juggling all of the events in our lives lie that? And what if we just let God do the juggling for us. I think the end result would be a lot less stressful and a lot more successful.

"7 Cast all your anxiety on him because he cares for you." - 1 Peter 5:7

"7 Submit yourselves, then, to God. Resist the devil, and he will flee from you." - James 4:7

"6 Do not be anxious about anything, but in every situation, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God." - Philippians 4:6

Contact Juggling

Breaking Free

This time of year we can drive ourselves crazy with Black Friday shopping, trying to find those sought after Christmas gifts and getting ready for family meals and get-togethers. It IS a very busy time of year. So how do we handle it? Do what my wife did.

My wife used to get up at 4:00 AM to go Black Friday shopping in Milwaukee. She NEVER gets up that early. So why did she? She wanted to get the best deals, save the most money and to do that she had to get there before everyone else.

This year she did something different. She slept in. She didn't go Black Friday shopping at all, unless you count going to the deli for some potato salad as "Black Friday shopping." She no longer cares. "It's not worth it," she says and she chose not to participate.

We all do strange things for various reasons then, one day, we stop doing them and ask ourselves why we ever did them in the first place.

I did that with my Corvette several years ago. I had purchased the car just before becoming a Christian. Then, after I became a follower of Christ, I examined my ways and asked myself, "What am I doing with this car?"

A kind of maturity comes in our decision making the older we get. Or, the more experienced we get. LOL! My wife got burned out on the crowds and the traffic so she stopped shopping the day after Thanksgiving. Millions of people are still into that sort of thing but my wife is not one of them. She has moved on.

For me and for many other Christians, Jesus has re-prioritized our lives. What once was important to us no longer is.

The Apostle Paul sent a letter to the church in Philippi. They were struggling with their new-found identity in Christ. A demon possessed woman was causing problems for the church so Paul cast out the demon in the name of Jesus.

There's lots of stuff we'd like to change in our lives but we just can't seem to do it on our own. Sometimes we need help casting out OUR demons.

“Be anxious for nothing, but in everything by prayer and supplication, with thanksgiving, let your requests be made known to God...” - Philippians 4:6

I'm building a tiny home and, as much as I'd like to be able to do things on my own, I am physically unable to lift walls weighing hundreds of pounds up onto the tiny home trailer all by myself. Alone, it's impossible. However . . .

"With God, ALL things are possible" - Matthew 19:26

As I read through the New Testament I am amazed at all of the things Jesus did. The innumerable people He healed, the demons He cast out of people . . . all amazing stories to read about.

At the end of THIS story there is a video by Lacey Sturm. I have seen her perform and have listened to her testimony in person of how God changed her priorities. One day she was ready to die, the next she was loving life. What caused THAT transformation in her life? It was the power of God's love and grace!

So when life gets crazy and the traffic in your brain becomes excessive, pray. Ask God to calm the storm inside. When you finally surrender your heart to Him and submit yourself to HIS ways, He will change you and cast out YOUR demons that are sucking the life out of your daily life.  Make your requests known to God in prayer and your anxiety and panic and stress will all fade away. They did in MY life. They will in yours. Break free!


Lacey Sturm's Story
Breaking Free - Skillet (feat. Lacey Sturm)

Maddy

Today I have an amazing story for you. The reason it is SO amazing is because only God could have written it. Only God could have reached down and touched the life of a young girl the way He did this past weekend at Lifest.

Lifest is a large Christian music festival in Oshkosh, Wisconsin, I've written about it before. I have gone there every year for the past nine years with my best friend Gayle. Together, we minister to teens - asking them questions about their faith, providing tickets for them, counseling them as they tell us their stories of life. Deep, personal relationships are formed during this time. Relationships based in faith.

I don't remember the first time I met this soon to be 15-year old kid who is the subject of my blog this morning. It was definitely at church. That's a good place for relationships to begin - based in faith. I really never knew her until a recent series of events brought us together and now we are good friends and we both have proof in our lives about just how amazing God is. This is Maddy's story.

Each year I buy a bunch of tickets ahead of time I give them away to kids in our church's youth group or to other people I know. We get a bunch of camp sites together and we have a great time hanging out with each other and going to hear all the concerts.

This year I bought ten tickets and gave them all away. I ordered the campsites. We were all ready to go. Then, just one week before Lifest, God began His plan for building into Maddy's life through a series of incredible blessings. Join me in looking back on the past few days and see just how our amazing God works!

1. I received an e-mail from a friend of mine named Cheri. She works down the street from the company I work at. I had met Cheri several years earlier at a previous Lifest. Hmm, maybe THAT was step number one in this whole series of events! Cheri also volunteers as a Compassion Advocate for Compassion International. Cheri had an extra ticket which she had purchased a year earlier, specifically to give away to someone else. She offered it to me so I could give it away to one of the kids I know. Yes, you're right. She IS awesome! :)
2. I was about to offer the ticket on Facebook, randomly, to anyone who was willing to take it but before I did I just "happened" to glance at the chat window on the right side of the page and noticed Maddy's name. "She likes music," I thought. So I sent her a message and offered her the ticket.
3. Maddy accepted the offer. Although she didn't really know me that well, she knew some of the other teens that were in our group. She always wanted to go, she later told me. She just never could afford it.
4. The morning we left for Lifest I picked up Maddy and met her mom. That's when I learned that Maddy had never been to a concert event like this before. I also learned she had what she called "social anxiety" - feeling awkward in social situations and uncomfortable in large crowds. Camping with a bunch of people and attending concerts with thousands of people makes perfect sense right? Keep that in mind.
5. The afternoon of our arriving, Maddy and one of our adult leaders went to hear one of the artists speak - John Cooper, the lead singer of Skillet. There, in front of hundreds of Skillet fans, Maddy stepped up to the microphone and asked Mr. Cooper a question. This is from one of Maddy's posts on Facebook:

(Photo by Maddy)

"After we got all settled down, Dave and I (Dave is a friend of Bob's and also a security guard) visited Skillet at the Heart of the Artist, ( Q&A ) I managed to get close enough to the stage (This is The Edge Stage) I got to ask the last question before they had to go, so I asked if they could play a song that Jonathan added to my playlist that he made for me, which was "Those Nights." John from Skillet (The lead singer) Said he could, then he asked for my name. I was so excited!"

Later that evening at the Skillet concert . . . more from Maddy. Remember her anxiety in social situations and large crowds when you read this.

"I finally realized that I had been at the wrong stage for where Skillet was playing, so I bolted out of there when War of Ages was over and by the grace of God, I got almost the front row of the GRAND stage. That thing has like thousands of people. THOUSANDS. And I managed to get up in the front. After a couple of songs John, the lead singer, started naming people he'd like to thank, and finally he said, "I'd like to make a shout out to Maddy. Where is she?" He was looking for ME. But some other Maddy must have thought he was talking about her because he was pointing in the wrong direction xD But I got his attention and he recognized me and pointed at ME. "This one's for Maddy and her boyfriend" He said. "I don't remember what it was for again...Some playlist or something, haha," He continued. I tried to get it on film but my camera was being stupid xC "Are you going to sing your heart out, Maddy?" He shouted. I was still messing with my camera so I was nervous and didn't hear. "Hey! I'm talking to you! Are you going to sing your heart out?!" Skip this, I'm done with this camera, I thought. "YEAHHHHHHHH" I shouted back at him. The music started and I sang along to it. It was amazing he played that for me and Jonathan. Truly amazing."

What an incredible example of how God places us in situations for our good and His glory. He took this teenage girl and placed her with a group of people where she could overcome some of her fears, where He knew she would feel safe. He got her a Lifest ticket, He even worked through the lead singer of Skillet to pour His love into this young girls life. What a blessing it was to watch this all unfold!

God works in each of our lives, often without our even knowing it. Sometimes we go through pain. Sometimes we experience great blessings. But no matter what, God has promised that He would always be with us, He would never leave us or forsake us. He can make "Those Nights" we share with our God SO memorable, so life changing, that we can all learn to lean on Him and trust Him, and remove all of our fears, whatever they may be.

"And we know that in all things God works for the good of those who love him, who have been called according to his purpose." - Romans 8:28

Those Nights - Skillet