Peace, a Reflection

Posted on by Bruce Sims

The Orphans and The Widows

The above definition is from the Merriam-Webster Online dictionary. What I’m interested in today, though, is the biblical definition of peace.

I did a partial word-study on peace yesterday and found some things that I was expecting to find, those things that I remembered from previous study, the kind of feel good notions about this word:

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I also, however, turned up some words of God that are less conducive to the always-inspirational Pinterest:

“Do not think that I have come to bring peace to the earth. I have not come to bring peace, but a sword.” Matthew 10:34

This verse was very uncomfortable to read, having just come out of my happy thoughts about how God gives peace. It’s scary, really, especially when you read the immediately following verses, 35-39.

Matthew 10 begins with the complete list of the 12 disciples Jesus called to Himself for His earthly ministry…

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The Results of a Godless Plan

Posted on by Bruce Sims

Lighthouse Devotions by JR

Located on the seashores of Amchit, Lebanon, is the Babel Bahr Lighthouse (pictured above). It points to one of the most renowned Lebanese restaurants in the Mediterranean. The lighthouse has a fully functional rotating light fixture, but it does not serve as an actual navigational aid because the area does not accommodate a deck for ships. It was built exclusively as part of the restaurant’s design. You might say that it is technically the welcoming door to fine cuisine and luxurious dining.

Although Babel Bahr means “door to the sea” in Arabic, the Lighthouse of Babel Bahr reminds me of the Tower of Babel. Babel, from the Hebrew word balal, meaning to jumble or to confuse, was the name given by God to a Babylonian city where the descendants of Noah had settled. Many of you may be familiar with the story, but for those who aren’t here is a short…

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What does savor mean?

Posted on by Bruce Sims

Jessica-Joy Hampton☆

via Daily Prompt: Savor

What does savor mean?

When I typed it in on bing.com, this definition stood out to me:

savour (verb) ·
  1. taste (good food or drink) and enjoy it completely:

As I thought about what to write for this prompt, reading this definition sparked something in me.

What are the things in life that we savor? What SHOULD we savor that we take for granted every day?

My deepest desire in life is to see the world and all the beauty God created for us to take part in. Waterfalls, canyons, animals, and such. And I realized that in its essence, my desire is to savor life.

You know when you take a bite of your favorite chocolate cake or a cheesy slice of pizza after a while of going without? And you take it all in and let the taste just melt into your mouth. That…

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Charity in Focus: PrayerMate

Posted on by Bruce Sims

Project Shine

What Is PrayerMate?

Over the last week I’ve discovered and been using a new Christian App called PrayerMate.

According to their website (http://www.geero.net/prayermate/) “PrayerMate brings all your prayer points together. Whether its your personal prayer points for friends and family, regular updates from some fantastic mission organisations, or the latest PDF prayer letter that just arrived in your inbox, PrayerMate puts it all together in one place and helps you get on and pray.”
Prayer is vital in our lives, and without it the church cannot move forward.
I would really recommend this handy app to keep you to your prayer goals and gather all your prayer points in one place.
The points can be simply sorted into categories, and though there is some payed content, many free devotions and prayer newsletters land in your app each day.

You can choose how often to pray and how many topics you…

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I’ve always struggled with acceptance……

Posted on by Bruce Sims

Booknvolume

I’ve always struggled with acceptance.  I’m afraid I always will.  I think one of the greatest fears humans experience is the fear and painful sting of rejection.  It keeps many from stepping out of their comfort zone.  It paralyzes us with fear.

Those that step into leadership positions, either by a calling or through their own ambition, immediately become targets for their own shortcomings and those of whatever it is they are leading.

The church is one place where acceptance should be found.  Unfortunately, that doesn’t always happen.  Many have walked away hurt, confused and bitter because they have been looked down upon or treated as inferior.

What a terrible thing it is not to be accepted for who you are, regardless of how others think.  It is okay to disagree, it is not okay to judge, dismiss or take humanity from those that we disagree with.

Not being accepted…

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Feeling Raw

Posted on by Bruce Sims

Wordz2Go

Lost in a sea of detachment,
Waves running high around,
Day runs into day,
With fears of running aground.
Time is lost in the telling,
Grief has gripped my soul,
I know you’re safe
Through God’s good grace
But it’s hard to let you go.

Guilt pulls at the anchor,
Threatens to sink the ship,
Your time was clearly close
And yet you died alone.
You slipped away so quietly,
Left us all in shock,
You went home to heaven,
My ship was on the rocks.
Sinking nearly inevitable,
Clinging tight through the ride,
My God has walked beside me,
Carried me through the tide.

Back in shallow water,
Still shifting sand beneath my feet,
Grateful that the anchor held –
The storm is near complete.
In calmer seas of nine months on
You’ve birthed me once again
Your love has made me stronger
And I know I can sail…

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Serving God On The Nile

Posted on by Bruce Sims

Taking a different course for the next couple of Fridays. I believe that serving on a mission is vital to a believer's spiritual growth. Therefore, I will be sharing my reflections that I wrote while I was mission trip in Egypt in 2013.