Christian Reflection and Prayer

Heal my wounded heart.
Grant me the courage to change my heart.
Let Peace live in my heart.

Fill me with compassion for those suffering in war.
Help me care for those in war.
Help me bring Peace to those in war.

Help me stop wars.
Help soldiers stop wars.
Help leaders stop wars.

Fill me with Peace and Justice.
Help me to work for Peace with Justice.
Let there be Peace with Justice among all peoples.
source: World Conference of Religions for Peace

Scripture:

"All honor to the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ,
for it is by His boundless mercy that God has given us the
privilege of being born again. Now we live with a wonderful
expectation because Jesus Christ rose again from the dead.
For God has reserved a priceless inheritance for His
children. It is kept in heaven for you, pure and undefiled,
beyond the reach of change and decay. And God, in His
mighty power, will protect you until you receive this salvation,
because you are trusting him. It will be revealed on the last
day for all to see. So be truly glad! There is wonderful
joy ahead, even though it is necessary for you to endure many
trials for a while." NLT (I Peter 1:3-6)

Reflection:

You know whenever I'm feeling really down, when I let so many
things get to me, whenever things seem to be closing in on me,
I think about these three versus from Peter. When I gave my
life to Jesus Christ, I began to realize that I have a joyful future.
I've been Saved! You see I don't have to live a life of depression,
or die in deep despair. I don't need to go through life thinking
that all the problems, the trials, and the evilness that I have
seen and experienced is going to be the sum total of my life.
First of all there is joy in life now, I have discovered by helping
and serving others because of the teachings and love that I
experience through my savior Jesus Christ brings me real
joy yes real joy. And to absolutely know there is real joy
ahead being reserved as a priceless inheritance for me
through my savior Jesus Christ that I am going to live
forever with my savior not only brings me joy if gives me
a future. I have an eternal future because I love Jesus Christ
You know you can have the same kind of future and you
can have the same kind of joy. Really it's simple "Just
Believe", look to God and tell Him I want to have a future,
I want to know real joy in my life, I'm tired of all the mess in
and around my life, I want to know there is an answer. And
let that answer be Jesus Christ. LET CHRIST IN.

Prayer:
Oh God thank You for Your Grace, I love you, Thank
You for being there for me always. I do believe and will
always believe. THANK YOU GOD FOR BEING GOD!

Quote

St. Claire of Assisi
Spiritual Teacher and Guide, Political and Religious Peacemaker
(1193-1223)
"Go forth in peace, for you have followed the good road.
Go forth without fear, for He that created you has sanctified
you, has always protected you, and loves you as a mother."

Scripture:

"Remember, it is sin to know what you ought to do
and then not do it." James 5: 17 (NLT)

Reflection:

Boy that verse sure makes you think. Doesn't it.
This definition of sin is one we seem to forget.
We sometimes find ourselves walking around
making all kinds of judgment about what sin is.
You see our definition of sin is usually centered
around knowing when something is wrong and doing it.
But it is also a sin to know when something is right
and not do it. For example Jesus teaches to love
our neighbors, to love our enemies. We know that
is what we ought to do, do we do it? As a country
do we love our neighbors, do we love our enemies?
As a person do I love the people at work? Do I treat
them with respect and kindness, no matter how they
treat me? You see we know what we ought to do,
we just don't do it! How can we look at people who
are suffering, who are hurting, who feel real pain, people
who are angry, who are depressed, people who are in
desperate need of love, knowing what we ought to do
and not do it. THAT IS SIN!
Brothers and sisters, this is our sin, why don't we see
it, others do. People look at us, who call ourselves
Christian, and all they see is so called righteous people,
who sit in judgment. You know we are righteous people,
in other words we know what is right we just don't do anything
about it. Remember the opposite of love is not hate, it's
apathy. How do you make Christians care, how do you make
Christians get off their butts and do something. I don't know!
I do know I love Jesus Christ with all my heart, with all my soul,
with all my mine. Jesus taught me not to judge others but to
serve others. Jesus taught me to turn the other cheek not swing
the other fist. Jesus taught me a faith of action, not of apathy.
Jesus taught me what needed to be done and to do it. When,
as Christians, are we going to understand, that knowing what
ought to be done and sitting back on our butts and not doing it,
is a sin. AMEN!

Quote:

Emily Greene Balch
Leader of The Women's International League for Peace
and Freedom, Recipient of the Nobel Peace Prize (1867-1961)

"We have a long way to go. So let us hasten along the road,
the road of human tenderness and generosity. Groping,
we may find one another's hands in the dark."

Prayer:

Lord, make me an instrument of thy peace.
Where there is hatred . . . let me sow love
Where there is injury . . . pardon
Where there is doubt . . . faith
Where there is despair . . . hope
Where there is darkness . . . light
Where there is sadness . . . joy
O, Divine Master,
Grant that I may not so much seek
To be consoled . . . as to console
To be understood . . . as to understand,
To be loved . . . as to love
For it is in giving . . . that we receive,
It is in pardoning, that we are pardoned,
It is in dying . . . that we are born to eternal life.