A C.A.R.E. package or some other gift to a relief agency serving the needy in all parts of the world.
PRAYER
A SOMETHING - IF YOU ARE GOING TO PRAY, YOU HAVE TO PLAY
We all know that one of the major SOMETHINGS that God wants us to do is to PRAY. Unfortunately, many people feel that when they have offered a prayer, the task is complete; they can forget about it and go on to other things. The mistake here is that when you have prayed, you are not finished, you have just begun.
An athlete can practice all of the plays, learn all of the rules, can keep in top physical condition but if the athlete does not actually play, all of the preparation is in vain. Likewise, a cook can read the recipe and have all of the ingredients on hand, but if the cooking is not done there are no positive results.
Prayer is the same way. As an example, if we pray for peace, we must also play, that is take part in whatever SOMETHING that God would have us do to make peace a reality rather than just a hope. When we pray for peace, we must also include the words of that meaningful song, Let there be peace on earth and let it begin with me.
What are the SOMETHINGS that God might want you to do as you play, do your part in bringing the Angels song, of peace on earth and goodwill to all mankind, to reality.
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A C.A.R.E. package or some other gift to a relief agency serving the needy in all parts of the world. |
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Sending items to a military person that they can distribute to children and others who live in war torn areas. |
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Volunteering your time and talents in Soup Kitchens, Food Pantries and other ways in which your community seeks to help those who are struggling and just need a little boost and your love. |
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Identify movies, TV programs and other media where violence is portrayed. Then write to the TV Station, the theater, the vendor and the advertisers and let them know that they are contributing to violence in the world. As far as I am concerned, individual letters, written from the heart, are more effective than petitions that are signed. If you need addresses, let me know what you need by using the form below and I will attempt to get them for you. |
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Working among the youth as a mentor, a coach, a chaperone, a Big Brother or Big Sister. |
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There are so many ways that we can PLAY our part in seeking the peace that we pray for. You are only limited by your imagination. |
If you have some suggestions of how you have brought peace to this troubled world, or even to one person, please use the e-mail form and let me know.
As I share your response with others it is yet another way of doing a SOMETHING that God wants you to do.
Let us not just be prayers, let us be Star Players on God’s team and do those SOMETHINGS He has for us to do.
God’s Peace. See You At The House.
Ron would like to hear from you.
Click here if you need addresses of places to send your letters.
12/20/06
Many people have just made their annual New Year’s Resolutions. By the end of the month, most of them will probably be either broken or forgotten. Yet, resolutions can be a good thing. Sometimes the reasons that resolutions are hard to keep is that they are based on either things that we say we will give up, but don’t really want to give up, or things that others think we should do, but we really don’t want to do.
I would invite you to join with me in a New Years Resolution to pray two simple, two sentence prayers each day. At night before going to sleep: "Lord, thank you for this day. Lord, what do you want me to do tomorrow?" And in the morning: "Lord, thank you for this night of rest. Lord, what do you want me to do today?"
Just a reminder that just to pray the words is not enough, as I talked about in an earlier THOUGHT -- If You Pray You Have To Play. I have used these two prayers for many years as they were taught to me through the way an excellent Pastor, who was my mentor, lived his Christianity. He was always seeking that Something that God wanted him to do. Every weekday morning this Pastor walked the few blocks from the church to a coffee shop where he met with several people from the community. On his way he would pass a beauty shop and would wave at the owner as she was getting ready to open for the day of business. He didn’t know her and had never spoken with her. One morning he waved, walked past, stopped, turned around, walked back, and went in the door. She didn’t say hello. Tears came to her eyes as she said, "I prayed this morning and asked God if he would send someone to help me. I need help." The Pastor never made it to coffee with his friends that morning; God had Something He wanted him to do."
Will you resolve to daily pray, Lord, what do you want me to do tomorrow and Lord, what do you want me to do today?
God’s Peace. See You At The House
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WHO DIDN’T YOU PRAY FOR TODAY?
If I asked you who you didn’t pray for today, you might think that to be a strange question. Possibly you would try to think of friends or relatives that might be in need of prayer; maybe you would try to think of any natural disasters that were taking place. Yes, you could probably think of some.
Now, if I ask you if you prayed for Osama, for the head government officials of Iran or North Korea, for the leaders of the Terrorist movements in Afghanistan, Iraq, Palestine and other countries, or for those who are members of secret terrorist cells in many nations of the world, what would your answer be? My guess is that you would say, No I didn’t. You might also add that these are evil people. What good would it do?
I thought that for many years. In 1959, while I was in Seminary, I had a classmate who taught me a valuable lesson. In our first year we would take turns being the liturgist and lector for the Chapel Service.
Whenever it was Larry’s turn, in his prayers he always included a prayer for Nikita Khrushchev, at that time the leader of the Soviet Union. I always said to myself, what good will that do? Khrushchev will never listen to God.
Many years later, after the Iron Curtain had fallen, the Berlin Wall had crumbled and all without a Major War, I often mentioned in Sermons that I felt that prayers such as Larry's that were uttered many years before had much to do with the change in the Soviet Union.
Jesus prayed for His enemies, "Father forgive them for they know not what they do." Paul tells us to "Pray without ceasing."
WHO DIDN’T YOU PRAY FOR TODAY?
God’s Peace. See You At The House.
01/07/07
I often take my wife to the mall where she walks her schedule of miles. Yes, she is able to drive herself, but I value the time of reading and thinking while she is walking. I enjoy this time in the car and the opportunity to wave at or talk with people entering or leaving the mall. I try to park in the same space every time, facing Southwest. When I look out of the front window, I am seeing the entire Main Mall Entrance. This morning that space was occupied so I parked in the same space, just one parking lane over. I was still seeing the Main Entrance out of my front window, but this time I was facing Northwest.
The point of that long introduction is this. Even though they walked right in front of my car, the people who usually wave or visit did not see me. A friend exited the mall the same time my wife did and asked her why I was not waiting for her today. They all looked where they thought I should be, but they didn’t see me. Did they really look? Are you like me? Have you looked in the place where you knew something was supposed to be, only to give up in frustration? Later you found the item in an easily seen place. Did I really look?" Did you really look?
Now apply this same thinking to Spiritual Life. How many times have you asked God for something in prayer only to conclude that God did not answer? Have you looked only where you expected the answer to be? If so, ask yourself if you have really looked? Then before you start looking again, remember that God has said, "My ways are not your ways." We have not really looked until we have asked God to open our minds, our ears, our eyes and our hearts so that we might find His answers. Don’t be afraid of what answer God might give you. If it is an upsetting answer, remember that if God led you to find it, He will also lead you in your response.
GOD’S PEACE SEE YOU AT THE HOUSE
01/28/07
