So Much ANGER!!

I watch a lot of videos via You Tube or Facebook. Mostly music or concert videos. Lately though, I've been sucked in by fighting videos. You know the ones, where someone films a fight taking place with their phone. It seems like they are taking place everywhere. Wal-Mart. McDonalds. Football games, both professional and college. Road rage. People fighting in the streets. Even at little league games. I've seen parents fight with each other, or the umpire because of a bad call. Oh man!

My question is, why? Why is everyone so angry? It doesn't seem like it takes a lot anymore to get people to start throwing hands and beating on each other. One car cuts another one off and bam, they are brawling in the road. Swinging fists, tire irons, whatever they can get their hands on. Playing a game and another player bumps into you and it's on! Even the fans in attendance at these games are fighting. They fight the other teams fans, and just this last weekend, I saw fans of one team fighting one another. Wow! So much anger!

It seems like it has only gotten worse the last couple of years. Ever since the pandemic put everyone into solitary confinement, people don't know how to act when they go out in public. It seems like everyone is out for themselves. How dare you interrupt me. Try to get in front of me. Don't you know it's all about me?

Jesus tell us to put others first. He urges us to be kind to each other. Forgive each other.

Ephesians 4:32 Amplified Bible

32 Be kind and helpful to one another, tender-hearted [compassionate, understanding], forgiving one another [readily and freely], just as God in Christ also forgave you.

If we forgave each other for things that have been done against us, what a different world we would live in.

Colossians 3:13 New Living Translation

13 Make allowance for each other’s faults, and forgive anyone who offends you. Remember, the Lord forgave you, so you must forgive others.

We need to remember that none of us are perfect. We are all going to mistakes once in a while. It's how we handle those mistakes that will make a difference. Forgive. Move on. If someone cuts you off on the highway, I'm sure that you have done it to someone yourself. That strike or out that a little league umpire missed, will that really set you off? If you think you are so good at it, then why aren't you doing it? 

My point is this. Be kind and forgiving to each other. Everyone has a bad day every now and then.

Hebrews 12:14 New International Version

14 Make every effort to live in peace with everyone

One of Jesus' names is The Prince Of Peace. May we all have His peace in us, so we can be an example to others.

Demons Chase.

How many of you remember how it feels to be chased? Chased around the school yard. Being chased while playing tag. Being chased by a chicken, dog, or any other kind of animal. It was exhilarating, fun and sometimes kind of fearful. The thought of being caught. Oh, wow!

How many of us after accepting Jesus into our lives have had past demons come chasing us? Things that we thought that we had long buried when we became believers. 

Then comes some kind of tragedy, loss of life (loved one, friend, etc. etc.), loss of a marriage or relationship, loss of a job, loss of a house. Anything bad happens to us, and all of sudden demons start chasing us again.

Demon alcohol. Don't worry son, just a little drink won't hurt you. I will make all of your pain go away. False statement. Drinking will not take away your pain. It might make you forget what happened momentarily, but in the end, it will still be there.

Demon addiction. Pornography, drugs, gambling. Anything that used to make us feel good in the past will come calling again, if we let it. We revert back to our old selves when things like this happen. It's like a default mechanism. 

When this happens, we feel terrible. Like we let Jesus down. I can't believe I went back to those lifestyle choices, even for a minute. How will Jesus ever forgive me? Good news is, He will! Do you think that He thought that you would never sin or fall down again. He knows that we are still human. 

Look, if we slip once in a while or fall once in a while, we ask for God's forgiveness. We confess what we did, He will forgive us.

1 John 1:9 The Voice

9 But if we own up to our sins, God shows that He is faithful and just by forgiving us of our sins and purifying us from the pollution of all the bad things we have done.

As long as we are still on this side of Heaven, we will sin. Our old demons will come back to haunt us. They will try to trick you and deceive you, but it's all a lie. They'll try to make us think that what we have done is so bad that God could never forgive us or love us anymore. Lies I tell you. Lies!

John 10:29 New Living Translation

29 for my Father has given them to me, and he is more powerful than anyone else. No one can snatch them from the Father’s hand.

We are God's. No matter how hard our demons try too chase us, we can not be snatched out of His hand.

What a comforting thought. We are victorious in Jesus! 

1 John 5:4 Amplified Bible

4 For everyone born of God is victorious and overcomes the world; and this is the victory that has conquered and overcome the world—our [continuing, persistent] faith [in Jesus the Son of God].

So fear not. We have God on our side. No matter the demons that chase us again and again, God has us in the palm of His hand!

God Bless!

But God..............

 Our daughter bought tickets to see the a cappella group Straight No Chaser as a Christmas gift. The concert was the Friday night before Christmas in Chicago at the Chicago Theater. We made all these plans to head into the city. What time the train would leave. What station we would leave from. Where we were going to have dinner, and then head over to see the Christmas tree at Macy's.

Well, we all know what happened on that weekend. Blizzard 2022. Snow, high winds and bitter cold took hold over our area that weekend. The concert ended up being rescheduled for Jan 5, 2023. It was actually for the better as our daughter caught quite the nasty cold that week leading up to the concert. She probably wouldn't have been able to go, if it hadn't been postponed.

So we had to scrap all the plans that we had made and go back to the drawing board. Although we didn't really like to have to start over.

But God...........

Proverbs 3:5 New Living Translation

5 Trust in the Lord with all your heart; do not depend on your own understanding.

So the new date was Thursday Jan 5th. I started researching travel times from home to the city. None of us like to drive in and try to find parking. So we were going to take Metra. We settled on a time that we needed to be at the station for when the train left.

My schedule at work that day looked kind of sketchy. Some of the trucks had the possibility of arriving late and throwing the whole plan off schedule.

But God.......... He arranged my calendar like He always does, so that it all worked out to leave work on time.

Next in line was to go home and pick up my wife whom had to drive 30 minutes home herself to be ready.

But God.........She was there waiting for me to arrive and hopped in the van to go pick up my daughter from her job.

We thought that we might run a little late to arrive to pickup our daughter, but we were actually 5 minutes early. She came out, hopped in the van and off we went. We had a narrow window to get to the train station.

But God..........We arrived 30 minutes early. Enough time to figure out where to purchase our parking ticket, and get on the train.

Now if you know me,  I am not a tech kind of guy. The tickets for the concert were on my phone. I bought the train tickets on the Metra app. In the city we used Uber to get around.

But God........All the apps, everything went perfectly. Uber rides were there waiting for us. Able to get into the theater without any issues, and also ride the train. I was amazed at how well it all worked. I am very skeptical about these kinds of things.

So everything was great. The concert was amazing. Not my kind of music, but they could really sing. Dinner, Uber, Metra. Everything went off without a hitch. Well except for one thing. I lost one of my gloves during all the moving around.

So my encouragement to you is this. If something may seem impossible, or slightly impossible, put your trust in God.

Matthew 19:26 New Living Translation

26 Jesus looked at them intently and said, “Humanly speaking, it is impossible. But with God everything is possible.”

God bless you all.

PK

Am I Doing Enough?

 

I volunteered at an event last weekend (Christmas Eve) and was asked if I wanted a t-shirt. I can never turn down a free shirt. You should see my closet. Upon receiving the shirt, I unfolded it and looked at the front. It is what is pictured above. If you know me, things like this get me to thinking.

I started thinking. Am I doing enough? Am I generous enough? Do I really live that way? The way Jesus calls us to live? I like to think that I am. I mean I volunteer my time doing all kinds of things. Once again, is it enough?

God is so generous to us & since we are formed in His image, we should be just as generous with others.

1 John 3:17 Living Bible

17 But if someone who is supposed to be a Christian has money enough to live well, and sees a brother in need, and won’t help him—how can God’s love be within him?

I mean it's all God's anyway. Who are we to hoard from our brothers and sisters in need. If we have the resources to give, we should give. Joyfully!

2 Corinthians 9:7 Amplified Bible

7 Let each one give [thoughtfully and with purpose] just as he has decided in his heart, not grudgingly or under compulsion, for God loves a cheerful giver [and delights in the one whose heart is in his gift].

I don't know about you but, I love giving. I love volunteering to help out those who need help. I myself could end up in that sort of situation. I don't want to take anything for granted. Never know what tomorrow will bring.

Hebrews 13:16 The Message

16 Make sure you don’t take things for granted and go slack in working for the common good; share what you have with others. God takes particular pleasure in acts of worship—a different kind of “sacrifice”—that take place in kitchen and workplace and on the streets.

So I encourage you tonight. Live/give generously. Be a blessing to someone. You might be someone's answer to prayer. God doesn't withhold from us. He gives abundantly more than we could ever ask for! 

God Bless you all. 

Miss Informed.

 I had a conversation with a someone the other day who is not a believer. I was explaining all of the things that have been happening in my family's life over the last month, and year. I explained that I had an Uncle pass away, a cousin and some friends. A cancer diagnosis and some other health issues. An earth quake affected family on the West Coast. The person that I was talking to said, "I thought that since you were a Christian, nothing bad happens to you anymore." 

I explained that just because I am a Christian, Jesus never promised us a problem free life. In fact He said that there would be trials and tribulations that would come our way. 

John 16:33 The Message

33  I’ve told you all this so that trusting me, you will be unshakable and assured, deeply at peace. In this godless world you will continue to experience difficulties. But take heart! I’ve conquered the world.”

We were never promised a problem free life. Most people who are not believers are miss informed about this. While we are still living in this world, there will still be death, diseases, natural disasters that will come against us. 

We live with the hope of Heaven and living in Eternity with Jesus. In that day, there will be no more sorrow, tears, disease or death. 

Revelation 21:4 New Living Translation

4 He will wipe every tear from their eyes, and there will be no more death or sorrow or crying or pain. All these things are gone forever.”

Family members pass away and that hurts. A cancer diagnosis, natural disaster strikes. News or events that we weren't expecting, shock us. Good news is........My God is bigger than all of this. 

He is the comforter for those who are hurting. (Matthew 5:4)

He is the Healer of diseases (Luke 4:40)

The restorer of houses and foundations. (Amos 9:14)

So, I encourage you tonight. No matter what news you have been given, a death in the family, a bad heath diagnosis or some kind of physical destruction, put your trust in God. He is still good. He is on the Throne and still in charge. No matter what life looks like at the moment.

God bless,

PK

Eight Plus Hours.

 James 4:14 New Living Translation

14 How do you know what your life will be like tomorrow? Your life is like the morning fog—it’s here a little while, then it’s gone.

Eight plus hours. That is all the time I had left with my mom from the time I got the call that she thought she was going to die, until she actually passed. I didn't know it at the time, that is all the time that we would have left with her.

Vapor, mist, fog, whatever you want to call it, can burn off rather quickly. I've been thinking about this ever since my mom passed three years ago. 

She was 76 when she passed. She was my mom for 52 of those years. I've been thinking about those 52 years. Things I could have done differently. Spent more time with her. Visited her more often. Done more things with her. Definitely taken more pictures of us together.

You think that being my mom for 52 years is a long time right. I can not believe how fast the years went by. Starting school, getting my drivers license, graduating high school, getting jobs, getting married, grand children, etc. etc.

When I was with her in the hospital those last few hours, I thought about my life and what I had done with it. Her life on earth was coming to an end and I wondered if I had made her proud in those short, precious years.

When she took her last breath, I couldn't help but think about the verse above. How our lives are but a morning fog. Here one minute and gone the next. How short and fragile our lives really our.

So I encourage you tonight to take time with your parents and loved ones. You may think that you have all the time in the world, but you really don't. 

Take the time to spend with them. Cherish that time. Hug them and tell them that you love them. Don't wait till the end for them to hear you say that!

God Bless.

PK

How To Make Someone Cry In 3,2,1..................

 The other night while volunteering in the pouring rain, I met a woman who rolled down her window to talk with me while her groceries were being loaded.

The conversation went something like this. 

Her - "nice night were having." 

Me - "why yes, it's beautiful out here." as I leaned towards her window and the rain poured off of the bill of my hat.

Then I proceeded to tell her that there was no where else I'd rather be than right there, in that parking lot, serving my community in the pouring rain.

You could see her eyes start to well up and tears starting to form. She kept saying how thankful that she was that we were out there for her and the rest of the people in line, even in a driving rain storm. She kept talking about her kids and family and the rough spot that they were in and we were an answered prayer for them.

I told her about Jesus. How even He came to serve.

Matthew 20:28 Living Bible

28 Your attitude must be like my own, for I, the Messiah,* did not come to be served, but to serve

I told her that I wanted to be like Him. To serve like Him. Treat others like He does. To love, treat with dignity and respect.

Galatians 5:13-14 Living Bible

13 For, dear brothers, you have been given freedom: not freedom to do wrong, but freedom to love and serve each other. 14 For the whole Law can be summed up in this one command: “Love others as you love yourself.”

Jesus didn't care about the weather when He served people. In fact He didn't even have The Weather Chanel to check the forecast. So if He can serve under any circumstance, so can I.

Hebrews 13:2 Living Bible

2 Don’t forget to be kind to strangers, for some who have done this have entertained angels without realizing it!

This is one of the many reasons that I do what I do every Tuesday night. I'm not saying this to say look how great I am. Trust me, I'm not that great. I'm just trying to be Jesus' hands and feet to my neighbors. Help them out when they are down. Lift them up. Encourage them. Tell them there is hope in Jesus!

God bless

PK