"Blessed are the peacemakers." 

-->

 "In Genesis we read that during creation, Darkness gave way to light, that is the order of God's universe. It is not light giving way to darkness. What is your perspective about life, do you see this world God's way or are you the type of religious person that sees light giving way to darkness.  It matters! If you see only darkness, and light giving way to darkness, it will affect all your perspectives, your relationships you positivity, emotional life and thinking.  

It matters because when you view life as darkness giving way to light you see what's best, and good and true: the beauty, the best,  and what's working. It will filter down to your kids, your marriage and all of life." Pastor Eric.  

"The church has lost it's savor."

 "The church as lost it's savor."

  There are currently 60 Christian denominations with about 45,000 churches in the U.S.
The Dept. of Human Services, HUD, estimates there are 40,056 veterans homeless at any given night. 
If each church supported one Veteran: and I mean supporting them completely until they were either able to support themselves or be in a permanent, safe, respectable residence where they were known to all the members and treated as we would have ourselves treated, it would be a step towards restoring Christ's glory in the world. 

If the church then went on to find the most desperately oppressed in our society and, one by one, did the same, we would find favor with God. 

Does your church even consider this? If not, why not?

  When I saw this photo it just moved me so. Here this poor little angelic child sits in the dirt in the midst of her poverty. But by the merciful hand of God she is unaware of much of it. She has found some little discarded thing to entertain herself with and the mercy of God has graced children with the ability to find contentment, even in grinding poverty. I see her mother has lovingly woven her hair, though she hasn't enough to dress her well. 

  To those who know little about the causes of addiction this startling statement may make no sense. But to those who know about it they get this tragic statement. After working with people struggling with addiction for eleven years now and countless interviews I learned that childhood trauma is the link that 99% of addicts share. Addiction is a symptom of complex trauma, and it is a tragedy. 

Christ's call

The call of Christ - Jesus asks, "Will you come with me to the place where the thorns are thickest, to the land where the roses are most rare? Will you follow me down the deep shadows of Gethsemane, up the steep heights of Calvary? Will you go with me where the hungry cry for bread, where the sick implore for health, where the weary weep for rest? Will you accompany me where pain dwells, where danger lurks, where death lies? Will you walk with me through the lanes and alleys where the poor meet and struggle and die? Will you live with me where the world passes by in scorn, where even disciples have often forsaken me and fled? Then is your love complete, my triumph perfected." George Matheson.

My Christian influence for years, was not the above description; it was to study my Bible, worship and praise and keep myself from being stained by the world. Not different from the Pharisaical way of living, good, but one thing I lacked: working, caring and loving the poor. At best but half of Christ's good news.