Church Is Essential

What I'm about to say doesn't necessarily apply to everyone, but it needs to be said in a general fashion so everyone can think about it. Church ministry teams are hurting and missing opportunities to care for people and meet spiritual needs because people are "holed-up" in their "basements" and not willing to come out and help. Some people have conditions and/or are of an age that they should stay in awhile longer (though it's the aging folks that often show up in spite of the virus because they know the importance of the church). But, I'm pained by otherwise healthy people misusing the command to "love your neighbor," as if it means we can stay locked up in our "cocoons" until all the trouble passes over. (Of course, it's OK to go to work, school, grocery store, big box stores, restaurants, vacation, etc.) "Loving your neighbor" SHOULD mean we get out of our "basements" to help people and meet them in SAFE ways...like we do at our church. The command Jesus gave was an active one, not a passive one. The Good Samaritan was the example Jesus used about how to obey that specific command. The Samaritan got OUT OF (!!) his comfort zone, did something that was dangerous, sacrificed himself for someone else, offered his own resources to help...etc. etc. (It's a good thing Jesus didn't take the approach that some believe is the "spiritual" thing to do. Had He done so, we'd still be lost in our sin!) People should wear their masks, socially distance, wash their hands, but people are hurting and dying right now that don't have COVID-19! There are too many that have died from the virus and my heart is sad/broken for their families. We have had a dear lady die from our church with the virus and my heart aches every...single...day for that sweet, godly family! Having said that, there are more people dying from other things than the virus that are going into eternity without any hope...while we say we are protecting "them" from contracting the virus. It feels very much like we've become focused on saving our own lives rather than helping to save the "eternal lives" of others. God isn't going to make an exemption to Heaven for those that needed the Gospel or His loving care but didn't receive it because of a pandemic. I don't think He's going to say, "Well, you lived during 2020 and those circumstances will allow you special entry into Heaven." God's church can't wait till the pandemic fully ends to go back to active ministry. If the past 10 months have reminded me of anything, it is that the church is ESSENTIAL to people's lives. If it isn't "essential" to some Christians and they can be content staying home in their jammies, that speaks volumes about where churches are spiritually. Every Christian needs the gathering of believers, even in a pandemic! Besides, a lot of people aren't going to take the vaccine, so I guess they'll just stay home forever. We have people coming to services and struggle to fully care for them because we only have a skeleton crew showing up to serve. How about "loving your neighbor" by serving alongside others at church and lending them some help? Why do we use the command of scripture and just apply it to the spread of the virus. A lot of really good people are giving everything right now and are hurting because they don't have enough hands or hearts to love the people that are coming to be loved with the love of Jesus! It's time we take reasonable precautionary measures and then get to work. Lives are depending on it and their eternal destinies hang in the balance. 

There is much to be thankful for on this 2020 Thanksgiving Day. It seems that too often we're only thankful when life feels good and everything seems to be working perfectly. However, if we look deeply enough, we can find reasons to be grateful even if there are challenges we have to endure. Actually, behind almost every problem we face is an opportunity to see God's goodness, His provision and/or His plan being worked out for us. 

So, on this holiday, instead of giving thanks for only the things we think are thank-worthy, let's look at everything in our lives and find reasons to give praise to God! Think differently about your life and see how God is blessing you, even if the blessings come with challenges. Let me show you what I mean... 

• Let's give thanks for the taxes we pay...because it means we are employed.
  
• Let's give thanks for the clothes that fit a bit too snugly...because it means we have had plenty to eat.
  
• Let's be thankful for a lawn that needs mowing, windows that need cleaning and gutters that need fixing...because it means we have a home.
  
• Let's be thankful for the parking spot we find at the far end of the lot...because it means we're capable of walking. 
  
• Let's be thankful for our huge heating/cooling bill...because it means we are comfortable at home.
  
• Let's be thankful for all the complaining we hear about our government...because it means we have freedom of speech.
  
• Let's be thankful for the person behind us in church who sings off key...because it means that we can hear.
  
• Let's be thankful for the piles of laundry...because it means our loved ones are nearby.
  
• Let's be thankful for the alarm that goes off in the early morning hours...because it means we have a job.
  
• Let's be thankful for weariness and aching muscles at the end of the day...because it means we are alive.
  

And, the list could go on!! In all we do we can find reason to give thanks today and everyday for the goodness of God to us, if we only take the time to look beyond the surface struggles to see what most other people totally miss! 

"Give thanks to the LORD, for he is good; his faithful love endures forever." (Psalm 107:1)

 

Being Vulnerable During Covid-19

These past 24 weeks have been filled with so many ups and downs that it’s hard for me to keep my equilibrium. After a wonderful beginning to 2020 in January and February we were met with the lockdowns due to the covid-19 virus. For ten long weeks, beginning March 22nd, we had one virtual service each Sunday morning with some additional virtual content we provided daily and weekly. Not until May 31st were we able to reopen our church buildings and then only with many precautions that were required and are still being required. After preaching online for those several weeks, it didn’t matter to me how many adjustments we had to make to be together again. All of the effort to gather as the church was well worth the hard work in order to be under one roof to worship God as a church family. The ensuing  weeks since May 31st,  through the summer and early fall, have also been filled with many emotional ups and downs. Those early weeks of the regathering started slowly, but we seemed to build a little each week, even if the numbers in attendance didn’t always reflect it. There was a feeling that we could gather as the church safely and we were becoming adjusted to our new “safe” routine. Of course, we had people taking vacations and getting away after being kept home except for essential activities and work. And, as the fall arrived, I had great hopes that we would begin to regain our momentum that was lost earlier in March and start seeing more people show up again to worship on the weekends. But, though our numbers grew some, we still didn’t see the return that I hoped we might see. We are averaging about half (or a little more) of the attendance we had prior to the pandemic, but I don’t think we are going to get back anywhere near 90% or 95% of what we had prior to the shutdown anytime soon. I have mixed emotions about what we are going through. On the one hand I understand that some people should definitely not come out until this virus is more under control. On the other hand, I am disappointed that others haven’t begun to re-join us weekly. Is it their concern for catching the virus that is keeping them away? Or, is it a whole lot of “convenience”  wrapped in a little bit of “fear” that is preventing them from venturing out to the gatherings? I see people that aren’t quarantining from other places like stores, malls, restaurants, games, etc., but who won’t venture out to be a part of their local church. In some ways I think the last several months of pushing our online services has increased the desire in some people for the church to primarily meet online.  However, that isn’t what a church does or how the Bible defines the role of the church. Meeting together is central to how a church functions in scripture and we are even commanded not to forsake the assembling of believers. When much of the church is not gathering together, it feels a little like having half your physical body not showing up for work on any given day. It cripples you or, at least, handicaps you for an extended period of time. We have been operating with a skeleton staff compared to the number that were helping prior to the pandemic. The pressure is on a few serving when we need to spread out the responsibility because “many hands make for light work.” Add to these things the fact that we are dealing with the wrangling over masks or no masks. Some won’t come because a few (very, very few) don’t wear a mask and others won’t come because we ask them to wear a mask. It all sounds so crazy to me and there is no way any pastor or church could have ever expected to be battling these kinds of issues a year ago. Christians disagreeing with one another over a piece of cloth or paper covering their nose and mouth? I fully understand why some are staying home, if they are sick or have underlying health issues. But, otherwise healthy individuals quarantining from the church when they aren’t doing so elsewhere is painful and hard to understand. I believe that as a pastor I should be eternally optimistic and filled with faith! I am both of these things. I believe that God’s purpose is being worked out even in difficult circumstances and I know that His church will survive (and thrive), no matter how long this pandemic lasts. But, my concern is what this is doing right now to Christians and their children as I watch some drifting away from the faith and excusing it (maybe not even recognizing it) while using the covid-19 virus as their cover. What is God showing us right now? What is He doing in His church during these days? Is He shaking the “boat” to loosen the grip of those just “hanging on” so that we can eventually sail powerfully into the days ahead? Is He growing us and teaching us that our confidence can’t be in people, but only in Him? These are just a few of the many questions that have been floating around in my head for weeks now. I pray every day for strength and wisdom to maneuver through this maze of challenges to lead His church into the future. I know He is hearing me and I pray we will soon see His answers. All I want is to see people saved and growing in devotion to Jesus Christ.

One Pastor's Perspective...

Just one pastor’s perspective (mine): This lengthy process of dealing with Covid-19 has been the most challenging period I have had to maneuver in 42 years of ministry. Ministry always presents obstacles and opportunities you have to overcome and navigate. But, there has never been anything like this present challenge. Everything in you says that the work of the church must move forward, but daily the resistance to making progress in that direction becomes increasingly more difficult and hard to overcome. So little is known about this virus and the regularly changing mandates are frustrating, to say the least. And, that’s not to mention the differing viewpoints from equally qualified scientists that only lead to people’s differing viewpoints about the virus. There is no way to completely fulfill the mission of His church when we are unable to meet regularly. Add to that the understandable fact that so few feel confident to venture out to services and you find yourself challenged with how to stay connected with them, as well as how to do what the New Testament commands us to do as a church body. “Forsake not the assembling of ourselves together” isn’t a suggestion, it’s a command. Being together accomplishes things that can never be fully realized through online services. I’m thankful for the opportunity to be able to continue sharing Biblical teaching and encouragement online, but the accountability needed for developing deep spiritual life is missing. Discipleship best takes place in person, not online. A drift is already taking place as some people become adjusted to “worship” at home and it becomes increasingly more commonplace. It’s too easy to tune in the service and tune out what God is really saying (i.e., we become consumers of "spiritual goods").  Add to these things the way some Christians have turned on each other over masks, six feet distancing, dismissal from services by sections, separate entrance/exit patterns, and dozens of other similar matters, there is a growing disunity that can sometimes be palpably felt among segments of church communities everywhere. Too often we look at others as if they are unloving for not doing exactly what is requested by the church to protect those in attendance. Or, we feel disconcerted, thinking others are being duped by the government into surrendering their constitutional rights to life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness. Add to all this the growing number of conspiracy theories about our current situation and you sometimes feel like you are sinking deeper into a quagmire of complete irrationality. None of these aforementioned matters take into account other types of things such as the difficulty of singing with a mask (singing is a mandate in worship), feeling close to people you can’t touch or get within six feet (fellowship/relationship), being able to baptize new believers (a church ordinance), etc., etc. Just so you know, preaching to a camera is one kind of difficult, but preaching to faces you can barely see is another kind of difficult altogether. And, when you are in a service where the pews are nearly full and when they are barely full, there is a totally different experience to the worship services (For you sports fans, it is the difference between a stadium full for the game and one that is almost empty. The game gets played, but there is a completely different experience in the two different settings.). My observation is that some people are already drifting spiritually as they are kept from worship services by the legitimate concerns about the virus. New patterns of life on Sunday are being developed that will affect a lot of Christians for more than just the time we have to deal with this virus. Some of these things may not be rectified even when a vaccine is developed. And, there will be a host of people that won’t take the vaccine for a variety of reasons...some legitimate and others not so much. If these challenges only lasted for a few weeks then the impact would be somewhat limited, but we are looking at the end of the year or longer before the vaccine or therapeutics are developed. This whole situation is having significant temporal impact on businesses, schooling and personal lives that will last for years to come. It is also having a significant impact on the spiritual lives of people that will have long term ETERNAL consequences. Just consider the children and the worship patterns they are developing during these difficult times. I could go on like this... My desire in writing is to say we need God’s help! Those of us in ministry need your prayers as we try to keep the mission of Christ in the forefront and keep people growing in grace. Unity among believers isn’t a suggestion, it’s a matter of obedience! Our churches need your support financially to maintain the work that has been done so that when the day comes that we are together again as the “whole” church we don’t have to dig out of a financial hole that further hinders us from getting up to ministry/mission speed quickly. Hang in there with me, church. We are doing all we can to reach you, love you and lead you. We are trying hard to get the Gospel out as best we can while we wait on the Lord for His help. Our culture is in decline as the darkness engulfs our communities. The church is to be the light in the darkness, even if we can’t meet together as freely as we’d like! Don’t lose faith! Don’t leave the straight and narrow path of following Jesus! Don’t neglect your church family! Don’t be divisive, but love one another. This will pass and we WILL REBUILD!  God still has a plan for all of this we face right now!!

x

A Word From The Wise (i.e., Solomon)...

“Interfering in someone else’s argument is as foolish as yanking a dog’s ears.” (Proverbs 26:17 NLT) 

I've come to the last of my thirty-one thoughts for thirty-one days from the thirty-one chapters of Proverbs.There is so much more in this book to be discovered, so keep reading it and pondering it's wisdom from yourself. It is precisely the kind of proverb we are considering today that is the primary reason I love reading the book regularly. 

I’ve never pulled a dog’s ears, but I assume it wouldn’t have a good outcome. Of course, the obvious response of the dog is the reason he uses this analogy. Dogs in the ancient world were not as domesticated as today. They were mostly wild, more like jackals. Consequently, you were making trouble for yourself when you aggravated a dog and it was your fault if you got bitten (like getting stung because you poked the hornet's nest). It could even be deadly, if the dog had rabies. This proverb basically says that we should stay out of other people’s arguments and you won’t get hurt. Interfere in other people’s fights and you might get "punched"! I’d go a step further and say, stay out of everybody’s “business” in general (whatever it is) unless they invite you in to help them. As an example of what I’m saying, I have a love/hate relationship with social media and this proverb expresses some of my reasoning. Why does everybody have to know everybody else’s business? It only invites people into things where they really don't need to be. Of course, there are times when it can be a positive influence, but I’ve seen so many negatives, as well. I love it when people post pictures of their families or travels online. Or, they use social media to encourage, edify and spread the truth of God's Word! Anyway, it’s usually best to “mind your own business” and pay attention to the things going on in your own world. (Please read Prov. 20:3!) Paul put it this way, “Make it your goal to live a quiet life, MINDING YOUR OWN BUSINESS and working with your hands, just as we instructed you before. Then people who are not believers will respect the way you live, and you will not need to depend on others.” (1 Thessalonians 4:11-12) There is a world full of busybodies that think they have a right to "get all up in everybody's business." You’ve probably met him/her...always asking probing questions about private matters, sharing an opinion about something that's not even their concern, or telling you something “juicy” about another person. I can’t help but scratch my head sometimes wondering how they know the things they are passing along. As we know, what a lot of people pass along is usually something less than edifying and mostly gossip. People seem to love prying into other people’s business and occasionally I’ve had to ask someone to politely “butt out!” I have never thought it was a good idea to "yank" a "dog's ears" and Solomon agrees!  

A Word From The Wise (i.e., Solomon)...

“As the beating of cream yields butter and striking the nose causes bleeding, so stirring up anger causes quarrels.” (Proverbs 30:33 NLT)  

This proverb actually advises people to strive for peace and harmony through humility and righteousness. I know it doesn’t say it that way, but that’s the essence of the proverb. It does this by reminding us that when you agitate people, you end up “stirring up [their] anger” and that only leads to “quarrels." The first two illustrations in this verse show how “beating” and “striking” both get specific responses. So, irritating and/or provoking someone is going to make that person mad and bring on the responses of "quarrels" and contentions. Again, it’s sort of back to a another proverb that says, “A gentle answer deflects anger, but harsh words make tempers flare.” (Prov. 15:1) Being able to avoid an argument or keep from making it worse is the mark of a mature believer. Sure, there are times when you have to confront problems and get unpleasant matters resolved. However, most of the time when you force the conversation or pursue it at the wrong times it only amplifies the problems that already exist. If someone is pushing (“stirring”) you and you feel your temper rising, the best thing you can do is to ask them to wait until a later, set time to discuss the matter. Then, get away and gain your composure and prepare to talk about the “problem” and not attack the person. Anger will almost always make us attack the person rather than the problem. Nothing constructive ever comes from doing so and it usually degenerates into something even worse than the original problem. Another way to say it is, “Don’t push the other person’s proverbial buttons.” I see this a lot in relationships where couples know that certain things they say or do are going to “get under the skin" of the other person. Sometimes it’s intentional and they want to “stir up anger.”  At other times it’s accidental and completely unintended. Again, we have to be able to sit down and resolve issues in a mature fashion. For instance, in a relationship, one person can’t always have his/her way to the exclusion of the other person. A marriage relationship is a partnership that requires two adults being able to learn each others strengths and weaknesses so they can help the other person become better. Sometimes there are things that have to be resolved in a manner that accommodates all persons involved, but it will almost never happen when you are “stirring up anger” rather than maintaining a calm, cool composure. Things to remember:

• You are responsible for how “YOU treat” others.
• You are also responsible for how “YOU react” to others who mistreat you.

Responding in an appropriate fashion takes growing in Christ and with it, you get better with proper actions/responses over time. We all have to work at this because it doesn’t come naturally. It takes God’s help!

A Word From The Wise (Solomon)...

“Fearing people is a dangerous trap, but trusting the Lord means safety.” (Proverbs 29:25 NLT) 

Every time I read this verse the first thing I think of is peer pressure. Different people deal differently with peer pressure. And, it’s not just something kids and teenagers have to confront. At every level of life there is peer pressure and “fearing people” makes us all do some funny things at times. Maybe there's not a way to totally avoid peer pressure, but recognizing its power against you is a major step forward. Of course, I’m speaking of peer pressure when it’s toward the negatives rather than the positives in life. Peer pressure can have a good effect when it’s caused by people that are moving in the right direction. That’s one reason a church is so vitally important in every believer’s life. Among fellow believers you find godly peer pressure that helps you follow God. We can’t always help who is around us, but we can always help how they influence us...for good or bad. I think helping our children learn to recognize peer pressure and know how to respond to it is one of the really important things we teach our children. Helping them choose their friends wisely and showing them how to be leaders are also part of the process of childrearing. Most children are followers by nature rather than leaders and that’s OK. It’s just that we have to teach them what to do when they are pressured to do something they have been taught not to do...or vice versa. It’s in those moments that they are going to have to lead rather than follow. And, they are definitely going to feel peer pressure at times. We ALL feel it at times! I have been in circumstances where I had to make the decision whether I would do what I knew was right or whether I would cave to the pressure placed on me. When we find ourselves in those situations, we have to take refuge in the “safety” the Lord gives. Inevitably those that are pressuring us to do something we really don’t want to do or know we shouldn’t do...will only turn up the pressure. It may be for a time we'll be the butt of every joke they make, but God will be pleased when we do right for His glory. My experience is that whenever I made the right choice to push back against negative peer pressure that the end result was the feeling of peace rather than guilt from giving into it. 

A Word From The Wise (i.e., Solomon)...

“Blessed are those who fear to do wrong, but the stubborn are headed for serious trouble.” (Proverbs 28:14 NLT) 

I’m not sure if there are very many people that “fear” to do wrong anymore. It seems like “anything goes” and most people aren’t ashamed to flaunt their evil. Actually, most of them don’t even consider it as evil! I'm concerned about the things our children and grandchildren will be exposed to in the years to come. Part of the problem is that people are shortsighted and don’t understand that even if you get away with something here, it doesn’t mean you won’t answer for it when you stand before God. Our society has thrown off all restraint in the pursuit of their sinful passions. This proverb says that the one who is “blessed” is the one that fears “to do wrong.” They have an understanding of eternal things and know the eternal God. They know the consequences are more than temporary, they may well be eternal. We can’t stop what society around us does, but we can personally live in light of what we know to be the truth about God. A healthy dose of “fear” is good in the believer's life. This is not the fear of losing your salvation, but fear of meeting Christ knowing that you have flaunted His ways, His will and His Word. While the believer is assured of being with Christ in Heaven, there is still the reality of the Judgment Seat of Christ. It’s there that our works will be examined as to whether they were worthy of our Savior and whether we followed His instructions. Some of them will be rewarded, but others will result in our “suffer[ing] loss.” (cf. I Corinthians 3:15) We need to ask God to make us sensitive to things that displease Him and to convict us when we are wrong. We simply don’t want to go on in our “stubbornness” and meet the consequences of doing life our way. Maybe our society doesn’t know right from wrong anymore, but those of us that know Jesus have no excuse. We have a Bible that explains what God requires of us and it’s our lifelong task to learn what it says so we can do right. We must filter everything we do through the truth of scripture. Ask yourself often, “What does God say about this?” Don’t trust your emotions to make decisions in areas where you don’t know if God has something to say about a matter. Christianity seems restrictive to some people, but God knows what is best for us...now and when we meet Him in Heaven. We might talk our way out of some things here, but that won’t happen in His presence!

A Word From The Wise (i.e., Solomon)...

“As iron sharpens iron, so a friend sharpens a friend.” (Proverbs 27:17 NLT) 

There’s nothing like a true friend that won’t just tell you what you want to hear, but will tell you what you “need” to hear. A lot of people will never make the effort to develop these kinds of godly friendships that have that level of trust. Our spouses are our first and most important friends! They should have the right to speak into our lives anything that we need to hear. It’s always difficult to hear constructive criticism from a family member, but they know us better than anyone else and see things no one else sees. They also love us more than anyone else will ever love us. But, there must be others to whom we give access to our lives and can speak the truth to us in love. I’m not suggesting we need a lot of these types of friends, but everybody that wants to live godly needs some. I suggest that some of these friendships be with older, godly people and not just those who are our peers. There is nothing like having someone in our lives that has the wisdom of experience, as well as biblical insight, that we can consult when needed. We might also be surprised how much we help that older friend, not just how much he/she helps us. The best place to build these friendships is in a local church setting! Friendships like these can’t be forced, but usually develop naturally out of spending time with other people seeking God. It’s not like we go to somebody and say, “Will you be my friend?” The friendships I’m talking about develop over time and happen naturally. As your friendship grows we give these individuals increasing privileges to say to us whatever needs to be said. We don’t have to accept everything they say or tell us to do, but it’s helpful to hear an outside perspective. It needs to be people that love us enough to encourage our walk with God and aren't afraid to tell us when you get “too close to the edge.” There’s also the larger body of friends like many of us have in a Life Group or Sunday School class that become invaluable to us along our faith journey. They share life together with us and encourage us to be faithful to the Lord in a less personal way. We just need people along the journey of life to help us stay true to our faith. We all have a tendency to drift spiritually and “a friend sharpens a friend” by helping us stay focused on the Lord and the right way to live. 

A Word From The Wise (i.e., Solomon)...

“If your enemies are hungry, give them food to eat. If they are thirsty, give them water to drink. You will heap burning coals of shame on their heads, and the Lord will reward you.” (Proverbs 25:21-22 NLT) 

These two verses are repeated in the New Testament in Romans 12:20. Solomon says that the right way to handle your “enemies” is exactly the opposite of the way you want to handle them. The natural response we feel when our enemies hurt is to let them suffer. I know the feeling well! Through the years I’ve often thought of what I’d really like to say or do to someone that mistreated me or hurt me deeply. I haven’t mastered this truth yet, but I’ve learned that you get better results when you don’t do what they are expecting you to do and God is more glorified through it, as well. What I’m talking about is sort of a “surprise attack,” though it’s not really an attack at all. When he says we will “heap burning coals of shame on their heads” by doing good to our enemies, he’s not talking about doing good so they really get “burned up.”  It’s an illustration of something that was done in the Middle East when a person felt sorry for their actions. To show their contrition, they would carry on their head hot coals in a pan as a sign of their sorrow and repentance. So, when Solomon says to do good to our enemies (“give them food,” “give them water”) he’s telling us that by our good deeds toward the offending parties we have a greater chance of bringing them to the recognition of their wrong and leading them to true change. Does it always happen? No, but it is always right to do right because it is right. It also protects your testimony and puts them in a place that they will be without excuse when they stand before God. This was Peter’s advice, “Be careful to live properly among your unbelieving neighbors. Then even if they accuse you of doing wrong, they will see your honorable behavior, and they will give honor to God when he judges the world.” (1 Peter 2:12 NLT) The fact is...God is going to judge the world one day and He will settle the score with our “enemies” in a just and righteous way! It will be our “honorable behavior” that will be part of the witness against them. Let's ask God to help us leave vengeance and justice to Him and do the opposite of the way we feel when our enemy is suffering in some way! 

A Word From The Wise (i.e., Solomon)...

“The godly may trip seven times, but they will get up again. But one disaster is enough to overthrow the wicked.” (Proverbs 24:16 NLT) 

This Proverb goes with the verse right before it (take a moment and read it) and indicates that even if the wicked set out to “take down” the godly, they can’t succeed because the godly just keep getting back up. The old adage I’ve heard many times says, “You can’t keep a good man down.” What it really should say is, “You can’t keep a GODLY man (or woman) down!” He’s talking here about some kind of devastating circumstance brought on the godly by the wicked. However, the principle is true even if you falter or stumble on your own. It’s the “godly” that possess an inner fortitude, enabled by the grace of God, that prompts them to “get up again” and keep going. It’s sort of like watching a prize fight when a boxer is hit with one great, well placed blow and he goes down. The referee begins the countdown and before he reaches “ten,” the fighter jumps back up and is ready to continue. The resilience of the “godly” is such that evil (whether brought on by others or himself) cannot win! He knows he belongs to the Lord! He knows the Lord is compassionate and forgiving! He will not quit! Something to remember...by the term “godly” we mean the one that is sincerely seeking God. There are people that are Christians that are contented to just escape hell and nothing more. But, the one who has a heart to follow God has a resilience that will not let them quit when they get knocked down. You have three great enemies fighting against you. The first is the “world,” which has to do with the ideals, philosophies, ambitions, deceptions of this evil age in which we live. The second is your own “flesh,” which includes all the broken, inner desires and propensities that are opposed to godly living. The third is the “Devil,” which is the tempter, accuser, liar, and destroyer that is always looking to take you down. If we fail to realize that we are on a battlefield rather than a playground, we open ourselves up to a “disaster” reeking havoc in our lives. The number one target of our "enemies" (world, flesh, Devil) is the “godly” who are seeking to honor God with their lives! If we weren't trying to do right, there would be no reason for Satan to pick on us or look for the weaknesses in our “flesh” or “worldly understanding” to use against you. His ultimate goal isn’t just to make you look bad. His ultimate goal is to make your God look bad! Having said all that, when you fall from the enemies blows or by self-inflicted wounds, it is the godly that will not remain there to waller in their squalor! They will not allow their lives to continue to bring shame on their Lord! His glory is their priority and it drives them to get up again and keep moving in the right direction! Let’s stay on our “spiritual” feet and keep moving forward. If we get knocked down, let’s get up again and not give up! We all need more resiliency in our spiritual journey!

A Word From The Wise (i.e., Solomon)...

“Don’t wear yourself out trying to get rich. Be wise enough to know when to quit.” (Proverbs 23:4 NLT) 

The idea of the Proverb is that some people will work as long and as hard as necessary in order to gain wealth! Unfortunately, riches can "fly away like an eagle" (cf. 23:5). As quickly as you get it you can lose it. There is nothing wrong with ambition or even attaining wealth unless it drives you to materialism and keeps you from your most important priorities. Materialism is the general idea that your worth is measured by your wealth (things, money, properties, possessions, etc.), and it’s pervasive in our society. There's a lot that needs to be understood about the dangers of materialism, but what connects with me here is the issue of not "[knowing] when to quit." It's easy in our culture to become a workaholic...and you will almost always be praised for doing so by those around you! There's seemingly a never ending supply of things to do that can keep you from getting healthy periods of rest! Rest doesn't necessarily mean inactivity! Sometimes it's just a diversion from your normal routine to do something you find enjoyable. (It may also includes periods of inactivity other than when you are sleeping.) It's mostly a matter of disengaging from your “schedule” to find time away to do something different. The struggle that a lot of us have in a world that is alive with activity 24/7 is in making ourselves STOP for awhile to rest. I have stood by many people that were dying with only days or hours to live and I have never heard one of them say they wish they had worked more or longer hours. Nobody has ever said, "I wish I would have taken one more business trip or made one more sale." However, I've heard some say, "I wish I had more time to be with my family and friends.” Or, "I wish I had more time to enjoy life!” Death has a way of prioritizing things really quick. Total inactivity may not a person's idea of "rest" and if they have young children it may be almost impossible. "Rest" is more than just inactivity! It's about unplugging from work to spend time with your greater priorities! It's about a change of pace so that the ones that mean the most to you can have your presence with them! It's not easy, but it's important! To your family and true friends, love is spelled: TIME...not money or things!

A Word From The Wise (i.e., Solomon)...

“Direct your children onto the right path, and when they are older, they will not leave it.” (Proverbs 22:6 NLT) 

The highest responsibility of all parents is “directing [their] children onto the right path.” I can't think of any other task that is more important, takes more wisdom, involves more effort, or has more eternal rewards. Nothing crushes the heart or breaks the spirit of a parent more than knowing his/her child isn’t on the “right path” and is headed toward some kind of destruction (temporal or eternal). Children don’t have the wisdom or capacity to always make good choices without the loving, godly guidance of their parents. Sometimes that means saying “yes” to what they want to do. Sometimes that means saying “no” to their desires, even though it makes a parent unpopular with them for a time. Our job as parents is not to be our child’s best friend. It’s to be our child’s best overseer, advisor, guide and spiritual example. It's to love them unconditionally and make decisions that are in their best interest! Children are pulled in every conceivable direction to conform to society's norms. Without diligent and careful “thought out parenting” it is impossible to stay ahead of all the pressures placed on kids these days. The expectations and influence of schools, coaches, parents, peers, leagues, media, etc., etc., has turned some of our youth into “neurotics” (or worse) and stolen their childhoods. The formative years of a child’s life should primarily be about the basic skills that will go with them the rest of their lives. It should be about having fun, learning to get along with others, loving family, character development, spiritual development, solid education, etc. Too many parents push their children to be adults before they’ve ever been a child and the KIDS in adulthood are reaping the consequences. We’ve got to ask God to give us wisdom and search His Word for direction to nurture our children according to His will and His ways! Seeing your child grow up to follow God is THE (!!) single most rewarding outcome you will ever know in life. The Apostle John wrote, “I could have no greater joy than to hear that my children are following the truth.” (3 John 1:4 NLT) This verse in Proverbs doesn’t promise that a child will never make a wrong decision that won’t disappoint his/her parents. What it says is that you stack the odds in your favor (God’s favor) when you “direct your children,” rather than letting them chose for themselves. The Psalmist likens children to “arrows” that have to be aimed at the right target. And, the right target is God living in them and through them first, foremost and forever! (cf. Ps. 127:4)

A Word From The Wise (i.e., Solomon)...

“A gentle answer deflects anger, but harsh words make tempers flare.” (Proverbs 15:1 NLT) 

This verse comes back to a common theme in Proverbs having to do with communication. When someone comes at you angry and slinging hurtful words, you'd be amazed at how often you can shut them down by lowering the tone of your voice and quietly speaking to them in a calm reply. Instead of answering in kind, you soften your response refusing to use inflammatory words like they've used with you. There can't be an argument if there aren't at least two people to argue. (Well, there might be some people that can argue with themselves, I suppose.)  When you refuse to engage the argument in the same manner as the aggressor, you take charge of how the discussion proceeds. The problem is that when most of us feel backed into a corner we come out swinging. (I guess that's what you have to do if you are in a physical fight and being attacked.) But, when it's a verbal conflict you almost always come out better answering calmly instead of with "harsh words!" It seems to me that the whole world is angry anymore. Everybody seems to be carrying a "chip on their shoulder," but we have to remember that the wrath of man doesn't produce the righteousness God desires. (cf. James 1:19-20) The next time you feel attacked by someone verbally, do the opposite thing you normally feel like doing. More often than not you'll be amazed at how quickly you resolve problems rather than making them worse!

A Word From The Wise (i.e., Solomon)...

“The guilty walk a crooked path; the innocent travel a straight road.” (Proverbs 21:8 NLT) 

The meaning seems pretty clear...if you do right you have nothing to hide ("a straight path"). If you do wrong or things that can be considered questionable, you are walking a "crooked path." It's similar to saying you have to cover your tracks so you don't get caught. Guilt causes people to lie, to hide, to masquerade, to fear, and to act deceitfully (all indicating a "crooked path"). When we apply this truth to marriage it's clear that a relationship can't thrive when the road we're on is a "crooked path." We must never forget that trust is a basic building block of all good relationships...especially marriage! For instance, when you hide things from your spouse or have to cover your "path" so you don't get caught...you are headed toward the tragedy of broken trust. Trust can be rebuilt, but it always takes longer and is harder than the first time around. We want to live so that anyone can check any "path" we are walking and find it's the "straight road." There's no need to cover up anything because we've done exactly what we should have done. One of the best ways to protect trust in our marriages and prevent being approached by unsavory people trying to lure us into illicit conversations/actions ("a crooked path") is to talk openly about how much we love our spouses and children. It is so important that we guard our lives by avoiding even the "APPEARANCE of evil!" Any violation of trust in marriage is a sin against the covenant we made before God with one another! “Give honor to marriage, and remain faithful to one another in marriage. God will surely judge people who are immoral and those who commit adultery.” (Hebrews 13:4 NLT) 

A Word From The Wise (i.e., Solomon)...

“The godly walk with integrity; blessed are their children who follow them.” (Proverbs 20:7 NLT)  

“Integrity” is a matter of character where who we are privately AND publicly are absolutely consistent with biblical values. That means that all of us are a “work in progress” because none of us are “absolutely consistent” all the time and we won’t be until we reach Heaven. The more consistency we have, the higher the degree of “integrity” we possess. Of course, when there is significant inconsistency between our public and private lives...we call that hypocrisy. “Integrity” is what makes you do the right thing even when you know that no one else is watching or would ever know what you’ve done. “Integrity” is first about the inner man being sincere and genuine while seeking God. Reputation, on the other hand, is about the outer man and what others think of you. If you lack “integrity,” you might cover it up for awhile, but it will eventually affect your reputation negatively. Just remember: a good reputation is like owning some gold, but a person with “integrity” owns the gold mine. If we take care of our character and become a person of integrity, our reputation will take care of itself. “Integrity” deals with many facets like honesty, dependability, work ethic, commitment, responsibility, etc., but my focus in considering this verse relates to our biblical values and learning to live consistently in them. We have to be ruthless with ourselves in removing inconsistency from our lives. David prayed, “Search me, O God, and know my heart; test me and know my anxious thoughts. Point out anything in me that offends you, and lead me along the path of everlasting life.” (Psalm 139:23-24) That’s the way we ought to live every...single...day! And, usually we'll need close friends to help us be accountable in becoming people of integrity. What is really important to remember from this verse is the promise that is included for walking in integrity: our children will be blessed by our lives and can follow us to become people of integrity themselves. This should matter to us more than about anything else in life...that our family sees our integrity!

A Word From The Wise (i.e., Solomon)...

“People ruin their lives by their own foolishness and then are angry at the Lord.” (Proverbs 19:3 NLT) 

Some days I think I’ve heard it all, but then there is the unexpected occurrence that reminds me that people sometimes do “stuff” that just can’t be explained. It's our own “foolishness” that most often gets us in trouble. It’s a word, an action, a thought, a reaction, a choice, a friendship, a place, a decision, a device, etc., when we’re not thinking about God’s will or the consequences of our actions that can cost us big time. The thing about this verse that stands out to me is that the “foolish” person blames someone or something else for the “ruin” they’ve experienced. They fail to take ownership for their sinful deeds and confront them in a scriptural fashion. Blaming God (or anyone else) for our “mess” is fruitless and fails to bring the healing we need from those experiences. Owning our failures and faults is the first step to overcoming them, as well as the way to forgiveness (cf. Prov. 28:13; 1 John 1:9). Confessing our sins means we agree with God that what we have done is wrong! We don’t make any excuses or look to assign blame to anyone else but ourselves. It includes turning from the sin with the intentions of avoiding the same trap again. Unfortunately, all of us have “besetting sins” (cf. Hebrews 12:1) that “trip us up” more easily than others. These areas reveal an especially difficult “sin pattern” in our lives for which we need to take special precautions to live in victory. The great thing about God’s forgiveness, though, is that it isn’t limited to only one failure in one area of our lives per day, per week, per month or per year. His forgiveness is limitless! Of course, we don’t want to presume upon His graciousness either.

A Word From The Wise (i.e., Solomon)...

“Love prospers when a fault is forgiven, but dwelling on it separates close friends.” (Proverbs 17:9 NLT) 

I love this thought because it reminds me that relationships and "love" grow when people forgive others faults. We all sometimes struggle holding onto the pain from the past that comes from what people say or do that wounds us. It's so easy to let bitterness “set up shop” in our hearts and poison every relationship in our lives. You think you are only mad at one person, but it ultimately spills over to others, as well. Forgiveness is not primarily an emotion. It is first a decision that you make to not "dwell" on the offense caused or bring it up to the offending person again. (This presumes the offense isn't something that specifically needs to be confronted according to Matt. 18:15.) Instead, you release the offense to God and discipline yourself to think on other things instead. As you do, the wounds fade into your memory banks and it stops being what is always on your mind. It's "dwelling" on the "fault" that stirs up the emotions inside us that produces the bitterness that ultimately poisons everything. This is not easy with some things that happen in life and the closer a person is to you the greater the difficulty in not dwelling on the offense. That’s why we need God’s grace and help to forgive! It's also important to mention that forgiveness doesn't mean you put yourself back into a situation to be hurt again in the same fashion by the same person. Of course, that assumes we're not talking about a family member or a very close friend! Those closest to us are going to hurt us, just as we will hurt them, at times. It's just the reality of living in relationships with people you care about and love. That's why we need to learn to forgive...so that "love" can "prosper." Lots of angry people in this world are wounded people carrying around the bitterness of past hurts. Let's not be part of that group!

A Word From The Wise (i.e., Solomon)...

“Better to be patient than powerful; better to have self-control than to conquer a city.” (Proverbs 16:32 NLT) 

Patience is the ability to not blow up or give up when "the pressure is on." It enables you to endure the twists and turns that life throws at you! Patience is learned over time and through difficult experiences. However, as believers in Christ, the Holy Spirit will enable you to be patient as you live surrendered to God (cf. Gal. 5:22-23)! I think my mother said to me at least a thousand times when I was growing up, "Patience is a virtue!" And it truly is a virtue! Not many people have it or want it, but it's more valuable than being "powerful." Patience enables you to endure hardships that can make you better after experiencing them. "Power" does little to improve you and it is has the potential to corrupt you. It's great if you have both, but always choose to learn patience over chasing after power. Patience is necessary in every relationship that's meaningful to you and that you want to improve! It makes you faithful to others, even if others are unfaithful to you. Power will exploit your lack of inner patience causing you to lash out when you ought to be silent. Jesus demonstrated patience before Pilate when He was wrongly accused, but He refused to answer. He knew that enduring His suffering was the only way for mankind to have a right relationship with the Father! He had all power at His disposal to destroy the world and set Himself free, but He patiently endured the cross for you and me. Sometimes, for the sake of building better relationships, we just have to patiently "endure the cross" to find the way to peace!

A Word From The Wise (i.e., Solomon)...

“Those who control their tongue will have a long life; opening your mouth can ruin everything.” (Proverbs 13:3 NLT) 

The "tongue" gets us into more trouble than about anything else about us. In the New Testament James said, "Indeed, we all make many mistakes. For if we could control our tongues, we would be perfect and could also control ourselves in every other way." (James 3:2 NLT) The easiest place to let our "tongues" get us in trouble is with the people that are closest to us...in our families and with our friends. We let down the guard and say things to the ones we love the most that we might not say to anyone else. To be honest, I'm less concerned with the verbal gaffes I make with people in general than I am with those I make with my wife, children, grandchildren and friends. They matter more to me than anyone else in the whole world! I don't intentionally want to wound anyone with my words...but we've all done it at times. When we know we've messed up with something we've said, the best thing we can do is quickly apologize and make it right. Don't let the wounds our words cause fester and become a full-blown "relational infection!" And, sometimes we apologize even when our words are true, simply because we didn't say things properly or with genuine concern for the one who heard them. The thing is...we have to be committed to saving our best words for the ones nearest to us. Sometimes the best course of action is to keep our mouths shut and say nothing at all. That's self-restraint and it isn't easy...trust me! Let's learn to praise people, thank them, love them and build them up with our words. And, when we say the wrong thing at the wrong time and/or in the wrong way, let's be quick to make it right. Leave as few verbal "wounds" on others psyche as possible. 

A Word From The Wise (i.e., Solomon)...

“So don’t bother correcting mockers; they will only hate you. But correct the wise, and they will love you.” (Proverbs 9:8 NLT) 

One of the hardest things to hear is "criticism!" Even when it's constructive criticism it still has a sting to it. And yet, Solomon says the wise person does not reject the "correction" of those that love him and has his best interest at heart. A willingness to listen and honestly evaluate the “hard things” someone is telling us demonstrates that we are wise rather than being a "mocker." Mockers (Usually defined as people that will not live by wise, moral teachings and mock those that do. Though, I'm using it in the broader sense of a harsh, hypocritical critic.) only want to hear themselves or the flattery others heap on them. Point out the mockers "blind spot" and they will turn on you quickly! Live out your faith boldly and mockers will heap cynicism on you, too. I don't think we should let every critic "get in our heads" and fill us with self-doubt. But, the wise person opens himself up to hear the people that love him and those they know are sincere in their concerns. We can always sift through the "correction" someone offers and chose whether it is of value or not. If we are transparent enough to learn from others we are definitely going to grow stronger in wisdom! The problem for most of us is that we become so defensive that we miss the opportunities for growth that comes through loving "correction." Don't believe every criticism you hear! Don't reject every criticism you hear! Be open to evaluate criticism as to whether it has any value and can make you a better person. Some criticism has the power to improve our lives after the sting of it has subsided!

A Word From The Wise (i.e., Solomon)...

“Fools make fun of guilt, but the godly acknowledge it and seek reconciliation.” (Proverbs 14:9 NLT) 

There's a lot in Proverbs about the "fool" and several verses in this chapter reference him. The "fool" is someone that lives as if there is no God and thinks they won't ever have to answer to Him. That's why they "make fun of guilt." Their consciences have become so calloused to any sense of right or wrong that they don't recognize God's conviction deep within them. Of course, God can change their condition, if they begin to acknowledge Him and His authority over their lives. Godly people (those seeking God) know when they've wronged someone or offended God! There is a sense of "guilt" or conviction and they don't make excuses for their actions or attitudes. The more we "acknowledge" our guilt the more sensitive we become to it. Ultimately that leads to a growing desire to avoid the things that cause "guilt" and a deepening relationship with God and others! The good thing about "guilt" or conviction (as the Bible calls it) is that it can lead to genuine forgiveness and reconciliation with those that have been wronged...including God! When you feel the inner ache of "guilt," don't ignore it or drown it out. Evaluate whether you are actually wrong and if so, respond to the "guilt" with repentance, confession and reconciliation! It's the only way to live a life of honor before God and to feel good about yourself! By the way, no matter how you "feel" about something, if God says it's right...it's right! If God says it's wrong...it's wrong! Even if you "feel" no conviction (“guilt”) about something the scripture says is right or wrong, you're still not off the hook with Him. If you "know" what you should do and don't do it...you're still fully responsible before God for your actions. (cf. James 4:17) Everybody answers to God ultimately! The "fool" just refuses to acknowledge that fact until it's too late.

Pentecost Sunday, May 31, 2020 (when we start gathering on-campus again)

May 11, 2020

Dear Church Family and Friends,

I’m thankful that over the last several weeks we have been able to continue gathering together online and with our Zoom Bible studies. Finally, the time has come for us to re-launch our Sunday morning worship services, which is why I am writing to you today.

The Day of Pentecost, 50 days following the resurrection of Jesus Christ, was the day the New Testament church was born into existence. The believers were all together in the upper room praying when the Holy Spirit descended upon them to indwell them. When they left that room following their baptism with the Spirit, Peter preached a powerful sermon found in Acts 2, at Jerusalem. Three thousand people received Christ that day and were baptized.

Sunday, May 31, 2020, is the celebration of Pentecost on the Christian calendar that many churches follow. Our leadership team believes it is appropriate for us to begin meeting again on that Sunday as a sort of “rebirth” of God’s church to commemorate the first church that began on the Day of Pentecost so long ago.

I want to familiarize you with some of the things necessary for this upcoming day due to the safe-distancing guidelines.

1. We will offer three morning worship services each Sunday morning starting on May 31, 2020. 
2. The first service will be at 8 a.m. and is for those adults without children (recommended for those 65 or older).
3. The second and third services will begin at 9:30 a.m. and 11 a.m. and are for all ages. 
4. There will be no child care or nurseries for any of the three services during this period of time and families will sit together upstairs in the worship services.
5. Because the 9:30 a.m. and 11 a.m. services are family-style services we will shorten the time of our worship services to approximately 45 to 50 minutes in length. This will allow us time to get you to your cars safely and for us to sanitize the building before the next service begins.
6. If the number attending any service exceeds the allowable number according to the social distancing requirements, we will direct the overflow to an area that will be specially prepared according to the same protocols as the Worship Center. 
7. Seating in the auditorium will be arranged to provide the required social-distancing guidelines. We will be assisting those in attendance to find seating in the auditorium so that we maintain the distancing requirements. 
8. We ask everyone in attendance to wear a facemask during the service for your safety and that of others, except those that are distanced from the congregation on the platform. Please bring your own mask. We hope to have some masks available, but the supply will be limited so it will be best if you have your own to use each week during this time.
9. Until further notice, Life Groups will not be meeting on campus or in homes; however, some are meeting via online gatherings. For more information go to lmbc.org or contact your group leader or the church office. 
10. Everyone will enter through the front doors of the Worship Center on both levels and we will all exit through the Welcome Center doors after each service ends. Special arrangements can be made for someone that has physical challenges and can be prearranged through the church office.
11. Offerings can be placed in the touchless offering boxes around the walls of the Worship Center or you can use online giving or mail your gifts directly to the church office. 
12. We will continue to offer our online services at 9:30 a.m. and 11 a.m. for those that do not feel safe enough to come out to the worship gatherings. 
13. We will also continue to offer online Sunday evening events at 6 p.m., as well as an online Wednesday night Bible study at 7 p.m. 
14. There will be hand sanitizing stations in the lobbies of the Worship Center for your use and we will sanitize the worship center after each service.

I know that I have given you a lot of details and it might seem overwhelming at first. We are more than happy to answer any questions you may have, so please feel free to contact the church office at 304-736-7676 between 9 a.m. and noon or 1 p.m. and 4 p.m.

All of these plans are subject to change, but we believe that we have a workable plan to see the “rebirth” of God’s church on May 31st. As we progress through the following months we will make adjustments and changes as the requirements and guidelines allow. My prayer is that by July things will look different with the Coronavirus and some of these restrictions might be adjusted. We will remain flexible and continue moving forward until we get back to a more normal worship pattern.

I want to close by saying thank you for being faithful with your tithes, offerings, and Faith Promise giving. As you can imagine, we have cut back everywhere we can to save on our expenses, but ministry continues on campus and in homes. Missionaries continue to serve around the world even during a pandemic. We provide vital assistance to people in need of food and other life necessities. We are producing more online biblical content than ever and our staff is working hard daily to stay connected with you. Many of you participated in our Easter offering totaling $22,335.00 which is being used to supplement the general giving to help us maintain our responsibilities throughout this time. What a blessing and encouragement this has been.

I look forward to seeing many of you for the first time since this all began about eight weeks ago. It will feel different for a while, but I believe God is going to do something great through all of this.

With Love For You,

David Lemming

A Word From The Wise (i.e., Solomon)...

“Take a lesson from the ants, you lazybones. Learn from their ways and become wise!” (Proverbs 6:6 NLT) 

I don't think too many of the people I know would consider themselves lazy. Most of us are so busy we don't have time to be lazy. Either extreme (laziness or busyness) has negative consequences for our lives. The greatest struggle for many is taking time away from busyness to rest and refresh their bodies, souls and minds. Busyness comes easy for lots of us...while rest is much harder. Somewhere between the two extremes (laziness or busyness) is a balance that is healthy for every aspect of our lives. It is not laziness when we set aside periods to be alone with our families, take periodic vacations, turn off our cell phones for awhile, stay away from social media for a time, have a regular scheduled date with our spouses, do some fun things with our kids, and other similar types of things we need to do in moderation to just relax. It seems to me that the lazy person fails to say “yes" to the priorities he “ought to get done.” The (overly) busy person, however, fails to say “no” to the things that conflict with right (!!) priorities. I tend toward being too busy, so I’m still a work in progress. The thing is...it’s OK to rest! God built it into the whole universe when He created everything in six days and "rested" on the seventh! We have to develop a rhythm to life that lets us find appropriate periods for both work and rest. Actually, sometimes the most spiritual thing you can do is...sleep!

A Word From The Wise (i.e., Solomon)...

“Deceit fills hearts that are plotting evil; joy fills hearts that are planning peace!” (Proverbs 12:20 NLT) 

God is the greatest Peacemaker ever!! He sacrificed His Son so we can have peace with Him. When we work for peace in our relationships we are acting like God! Stirring up trouble comes naturally! Working at peace comes supernaturally! It's something we need God's help to do! Peace takes "planning" so we can avoid things that cause trouble, as well as finding ways to bring peace where trouble already exists. But, joy fills the hearts of those that work for peace! Joy (this is more than an emotion) is an inner contentedness and confidence that you have done the right thing. Not everybody will let you live at peace with them (Romans 12:18), but we should try whenever possible. Living in a strife filled world is taking its toll on most of us. Being a peacemaker or peacekeeper can also be trying, but it's worth the effort. Work for peace with others seeking their good above your own. Try to understand the feelings of others. Say things to others that show you are "planning peace" with them and not conflict. Don't raise tensions by ignoring people or discounting the importance of their feelings. People need us to lead in making peace and we can do it!! We have to "plan" for peace in our relationships! Our efforts will go a long way at bringing "joy" into our lives!