Life Matters - April 29, 2026
It is a universal strength among Christians to desire a peaceful harmonious existence, to live in peace among others of like mind, even to live in peace in the midst of disagreements in the larger society. So long as a core group of like-minded Christians form, to strengthen one another in Christian faith and practical living, to project those Christian values into the larger society through persuasive open discourse and right living, to support one another when there is a lack of basic needs, to care about family, friends, neighbors, and beyond.
We desire peaceful homes so permeated with love and harmony that our homes fairly radiate with it. We want our homes to be a safe place for our children where they learn to play and work harmoniously with seniors, peers, and siblings. To forgive freely, and to love freely within the boundaries of God’s original intention. To forgive and to love even our enemies. To not hold grudges. To deal with personal hurts by taking them to God in prayer. To forgive others by name in His presence. To implore of God, and to receive, courage flowing into us daily from the throne of His grace. These are some of the marks of Christian liberty. ‘O God, thou art my God, early will I seek thee…’ (Psalms 63:1) verse 3 -’Because thy loving kindness is better than life, my lips shall praise thee.’
Which of us have not dreamed of a beautiful home that rings with harmony in the daytime and peaceful repose at night? With the rewards of fruitful gardens, of men providing a practical sustainable living, as ladies make and sustain the homey side of life. Of men providing spiritual and emotional stability, having or taking the time to pray together, as well as to play at times.
Even as a boy, I saw and retained this beautiful picture of a white farmhouse with full-length front porch, a modestly dressed young mom in the front lawn, children playing amongst the ornamental trees, beautiful flower beds, and one towering maple tree, much like the home where I spent the first two decades of my own life. Except that the farmhouse of my younger days was of solid red brick with wrap-around porch, white trim around the windows and overhangs, white porch posts, green hand-pump on the porch for drinking water, green shutters at the windows, green standing seam porch roof, and the 2-story house capped with gray-black slate shingles.
The brick farmhouse with its lawns, its gardens, its flowerbeds, its arbored grapes, its apple and cherry trees, its raspberry bushes, a dandelion here and there etc. is centre to most good memories of my boyhood days. I would be remiss to say there are not also a few negative memories mixed in but those are overwhelmed by thankfulness for the goodness of God in allowing me to be born into the family I was raised in. The call of Christ is not to wallow in foregone failures but rather to live, as best we know how, in peaceful harmony with family, friends, church, and indeed with all we come in contact with. Without compromising the Truth of God’s Word. Being honest about who we really are and clear about our ultimate goal; eternity with Jesus, and to help as many onto His Way as we possibly can through persuasion of the Gospel message. It is the way of the cross for our self-life and the way of rising with Christ to newness of life. We love Life.
The peaceful harmony of Christian living has been viciously torn at from all sides. It has also been subtly tapped into by many a temptation and deception. The deceptive temptations of the lusts of the flesh are many and alluring as we approach these last days. Many are the itching ears and the teachers willing to accommodate whatever the latest itch coming down the pike.
Coming down the pike of late is a temptation unlike any most of us have encountered before. It is a temptation coming in the form of covered ladies, bearded men, strict laws, and of threats to our peaceful harmonious existence. It comes in stark contrast to the scandalous immodesty and the loosely held beliefs of many Americans. It also comes in stark contrast to Biblical faith that desires for all men and women to be saved by peaceful means that speak to the heart and mind of seeking humanity. This temptation does not believe in spreading peaceful harmony, but rather, chaos, confusion, death to those who refuse to live by precepts derived from their false god, Allah, and from their false prophet Muhammed. An uneasy existence may be allowed those who pay; without complaining; a protection tax (jizya) putting Jihadi Islam on a par with the Mafia and other gangsters in the business of extorting money in exchange for ‘protection’ from themselves.
The first temptation, of course, is to naively expect all Muslims to share our desire for peace and harmony. (short of inner change, they don’t all) The second temptation is to abhor and avoid all Muslims, missing opportunities to contrast, and present to them, the peace and harmony that Jesus brought to earth for us, being God manifest in the flesh, dying for our sins, rising again for our justification. The only lasting effective way to defeat Islam is through Jesus being the Way, the Truth, and the Life.
Bibles are being prepared even now for the Iranian people. May the Iranian mullahs surrender quickly and the way be opened for a massive influx of God’s Word to the lovely people of Iran. ‘For God so loved the (Iranian people) world that He gave His only begotten son that whosoever believeth in him should not perish but have ever lasting life.’
Life Matters!