Peace Within Reach - helpful journals, podcast prayers, inspirational music videos, faith talk

What's Wrong with Me?!

2012-05-10T02:45:00Z

  I went to a healing seminar and service the other day. It was a great experience! What is a
healing service? We read from the Bible where God/Jesus did miracles of healing on people.
People were healed blindness and from paralysis. They were raised from death back to life.
They were even freed from demons. (A miracle is something that God does directly; it is
something that is supernatural.) After reading from the Bible, we prayed specifically for healing.

    They needed some volunteers, and since my shoulder had been hurting for about three
months, and a chiropractor could not heal me, I raised my hand to volunteer. It is not like I
have cancer. I just had a sore shoulder. If the prayers did not work, I would not be upset.
Four people prayed specifically that God would heal my shoulder. They prayed, “In the

name of Jesus, take away Fred’s shoulder pain.” “Heavenly Father, what a testimony this
would be for Fred’s ministry work if you would heal his aching shoulder.” “Please do it,

God." "You made our bodies; you know exactly what is wrong with Fred’s shoulder. Please
fix it very soon.”
After about ten minutes of prayer, we took our seats. They asked us volunteers if our
pain was gone. My pain in my shoulder was still there. Another volunteer, a woman who
also had a sore shoulder, had little or no pain anymore.
I wondered, “what is wrong with me!?” For the next seven days, I continued to
personally, specifically pray for my shoulder. I wanted to see God heal it, for my faith in
him. I also thought much about “strongholds” in my life that could be getting in the way of

my relationship with God. Strongholds are areas of sin that God might want me to work

through in order for him to heal my shoulder. One week after the healing service, the
shoulder pain was still there but it was good that I had worked against some wrongs, some

sins, in my life. I prayed, “but God, I have an MRI (an expensive X-ray) scheduled in a few

days, and my insurance recently changed so it will cost me a lot of money. Please heal my

shoulder soon.” One day before my MRI, he healed it! The pain went away by about 50%
and over time it healed completely. Thank-you my Heavenly Father. May I write, “our
Heavenly Father?” If you do not know it, God is interested in adopting you into his family
too, as his child. --- www.peacewithinreach.com Fred Wilgenburg

Do you want peace that will not go away? Check this out.

2012-05-09T02:56:00Z

Just click the following: Steps to Peace
(Open the links on the left sidebar under Check Out Our Other Ministry Sites. The full PeaceWithinReach booklet can be downloaded for free.)

"Letters from Home" by Mark Schultz

2012-05-07T02:55:00Z

www.youtube.com/watch?v=uuvbBwsMTgI
Heads up: An inspirational, heart-tugging, tear-jerking music video in honor of our veterans. May God bless all or our soldiors who seek to bring freedom to us and others around the world!

"Help me overcome my unbelief!"

2012-05-06T02:53:00Z

    How should we pray? There’s not a specific way that a person must pray in order to be heard by God because God doesn’t only hear our words in prayer; He also knows our thoughts and attitude as we pray. When praying, our attitude and thoughts are much more important than our words. There needs to be some trust in the One to whom we are praying. In other words, we need to know that God cares about us and He always hears us. You might be thinking, “Slow down. I don’t know of, nor feel God’s care yet.” Good point. When entering a time of prayer, we need to at least desire to know God more. An example here is the man in the Bible (Mark 9:24) who had a start in believing in God. He appropriately said, after seeing his son miraculously healed, "I do believe; help me overcome my unbelief!"
    In my work, occasionally I meet people on the street who are drunk or high on drugs and not thinking clearly, and who actively live in ways which dishonor God. (Not saying any of us live perfectly.) Sometimes at that moment, they want me to pray with them, and for them. Though I usually pray for them, I tell them first that God will listen to our prayers when our thoughts are focused on Him and when we truly want His will for our lives.
    When we pray, it can also be helpful in focusing on God by seeking out a quiet place, such as a room where we can be by ourselves to avoid distractions. Some people close their eyes and hold their hands together to avoid distractions. Some people kneel on their knees or even lay prostrate on the floor to pray, out of humbleness before God. Others fast from food to help them focus on prayer. Do what allows you to best focus on God.              ---www.peacewithinreach.com by Fred Wilgenburg

Do you want peace that will not go away? Check this out.

2012-05-05T02:56:00Z

Just click the following: Steps to Peace
(Open the links on the left sidebar under Check Out Our Other Ministry Sites. The full PeaceWithinReach booklet can be downloaded for free.)

"Stop the World" by Matthew West

2012-05-02T02:52:00Z

www.youtube.com/watch?v=-Ehm4T3QtMw
Heads up: Helps to put things back in perspective. To stop trying to live without the LifeGiver.

Pray with Fred -- May 1 12

2012-05-01T02:59:49Z

"Frustrated, I cut the night short"

2012-05-01T02:39:00Z

In my job of directing the Center of Hope, I lead a Sports Night for young men. Some of the guys frequently are in trouble with the law. They have become my friends. At Sports Night we keep it simple --- 2 hours of competitive basketball and 10 minutes of “men talk.” They are real serious about basketball, and “unserious” about men talk in which we talk about relevant life issues and we pray.

A few weeks ago, I expressed frustration as several of them just started leaving after they got their share of playing time. I was frustrated that they did not respect my desire to have the “men talk” which I worked hard at preparing. Out of frustration, I cut the night short.

They felt bad, and I felt bad, so the following week went much better as we both apologized/made up. You see, in my perspective on life, God has awesome, unique plans and a purpose for each of my friends. In my perspective, God loves them and has a great place in this world for them, far beyond the “drop-out” attitude that so many of them have grown up with, and have, and the alcohol and drug use, and the sleep-half-the-day-away in order to party-all-night-attitude.

But also in my perspective is the Center of Hope’s ministry verse, I Corinthians 3:6 of the Bible --- “I (Apostle Paul) planted the seed, Apollos watered it, but God made it grow into a plant.” I disrespected God’s place in the person’s life. Another way to illustrate that is that we as people are the nursing staff who do the prep work, but God ultimately is the heart surgeon. Out of my care for my friends, I mistakenly disrespected where they are in their life journey, and I went and laid out my personal expectations for them. So, my perspective remains the same, but I need to adjust how I live out that perspective. It’s a work in progress. Yeah, we’re still having our “men talk” but I’m more careful to seek out relevant topics, and to let them talk.

Do you want peace that will not go away? Check this out.

2012-04-30T02:55:00Z

Just click the following: Steps to Peace
(Open the links on the left sidebar under Check Out Our Other Ministry Sites. The full PeaceWithinReach booklet can be downloaded for free.)

"Starry Night" by Chris August

2012-04-27T04:20:00Z

Music Video
Heads Up: Enjoy the awesome Creation pictures. A quote I've read is, "peace is seeing a beautiful sunrise and knowing who to thank." In the song we are challenged to "give our lives to the Only One who gives (us) everything." Yeah, ultimate peace is to see something amazing, and to personally understand that it's not just by chance, but there's a creator, and a maintainer of it all.

"Rodney sold himself for $10"

2012-04-24T16:37:00Z

    I write this feeling frustrated and confused by what we human beings will do to ourselves to escape reality, or to fill a void in our life. Drinking too much alcohol can do this; it can take a person out of reality for a while. Sadly, the consequences are often painful --- the least of which is probably a hangover. Noah, who was usually an exemplary man of God early in the Bible (Genesis 5-9), once used alcohol to escape life for a while. It worked, but with the result  of a lot of “pain” for his family. In his drunkenness he lay naked and exposed. His youngest son Ham saw his father laying there but he didn’t cover up his father’s embarrassment. Rather, Ham told his brother’s Shem and Japheth about it, and they appropriately covered up Noah. When Noah sobered up, he blessed his sons Shem and Japheth, but he cursed Ham, saying, “Cursed be Canaan (Ham). The lowest of slaves will he be to his brothers.” For many years following that, Ham and his descendants were slaves. I’ve often wondered, Noah was the elder, the father in the family, the one who should know better. He went out and got drunk and then exposed his nakedness. Shouldn’t he be cursed?
    This subject is fresh on my mind because of two recent incidents. Just the other night a 23 yr. old man named Dustin, drunk and driving too fast, lost his life as he drove his car into a tree. How sad.
    Not too long ago, my “street friend” Rodney (age 40), tightly-gripped in an addiction to alcohol, stumbled toward me and fell into my arms full of sadness and very drunk. Crying, he slurred out how he sold himself for sex with another man in order to have $10 to buy some more booze. He shared how he felt dirty, used, worthless, and wanting to die as I drove him to a place to sleep it off.
    Drunkenness, drug highs and lows, sexual highs and lows, and other experiences are sometimes used to escape reality for a little while. How sad, in light of the fact that we as people, as mere human beings each have the natural capacity and ability to be in a personal relationship with God, the Creator and Maintainer of the world, and to be filled by Him. But also, how great, how hopeful, for each person!
    Let Him fill the voids in our lives with peace and purpose. Let’s escape to Him so He can help us through real life troubles and hurts, in contrast to foreign, rogue agents like alcohol, drugs, illicit sex, etc., which usually ultimately take away more than they give.   --- by Fred Wilgenburg

Pray with Fred --- April 22,12

2012-04-22T16:07:00Z

"City On Our Knees" by TobyMac

2012-04-20T04:19:37Z

Music Video
Heads Up: Cool video, but have you wondered if you are the sinner, or the saint sung about? Both? Me too. I am a sinner because I am human; the way it's looking that will be until the day I die. I am a saint because I am in a personal relationship with God --- I have received Jesus as my Savior and Lord. He makes this all-to-human sinner (me), a saint. So, how about you? Maybe you are close to that place where we meet, that "city on a hill...with one king." But does TobyMac mean church or heaven?

"Way to go, Tammy!"

2012-04-19T16:02:00Z

Tammy’s sharing about her difficult life journey was helpful to me. She has been a widow for 15 years after her late husband died of a heroin overdose. She was left to then raise her 2 children on her own. Presently Tammy struggles with major health problems --- cervical cancer which in her case stems from a promiscuous lifestyle as a teenager. Some of that promiscuity began shortly after she was sexually assaulted when she was 15.

Wow, presently, Tammy thanks God for her life! She thanks God for the “little” things like the sun which warms the earth and the oxygen we can breathe each second to stay alive. She thanks God for her 2 kids, even the oldest one whom she conceived in a very messy setting.

Tammy keeps in perspective who God is, and where God has been, in light of her journey of life so far. This allows her to ask some helpful questions of God --- Why did you allow terrible things to happen to me? Why didn’t you stop me? Why? Why? Tammy said God answers her, sometimes. But keeping it in perspective has allowed Tammy to go on, even now having more peace than she’s ever experienced before. Thank-you for being an inspiration, Tammy!

Pray with Fred --- 4/17/2012

2012-04-17T23:43:00Z

"We Live" by SuperChick

2012-04-17T04:17:00Z

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=C_whi9GmAO8
Heads up: powerful words and images; as we don't know when the end will come, live, LOVE, making the most of life however you can

"Religion about a person's relationship with God, not status"

2012-04-14T23:45:00Z

    Religion was originally, and is still supposed to be, about a person's relationship with God, with his/her Creator. Yes, commands, laws, and principles are laid out by God in His Word, and they are to be followed out of commitment to, and praise to, the One who gives a person life. That life is physical --- body and mind, and it is spiritual --- peace, purpose, forgiveness, eternal life.
    If religion becomes other than the above, if it becomes just tradition, or for status, or to become a better person by following good life principles, then it is dishonoring to the original focus --- God, and He will not bless the "religious" person. Besides, religion that is just tradition, or for status is ultimately meaningless before God, therefore hopeless and depressing. Keep it straight, for God wants to personally love, guide, and save each person.   --- www.peacewithinreach.com by Fred Wilgenburg

Pray with Fred --- April 12, 2012

2012-04-12T23:41:00Z

"Clint went to jail. Dustin --- in critical condition"

2012-04-09T16:42:00Z

  A horrible incident took place involving two people I know. On our local TV news, there was a brief announcement that a person was stabbed with life-threatening injuries. The next day, I learned the details.
    Clint (21) stabbed Dustin (23 years). Dustin's wife and children were also there. Clint went to jail and is now in prison and Dustin was in critical condition in the hospital. What senseless violence upon our fellow person, one who is uniquely made in the image of God.
    Made in God’s image means that Dustin, like each person, has the capacity to be in a personal relationship with God. God has fitted Dustin with unique abilities and personality, partly according to Dustin’s one-of-a-kind DNA/genetic mix that he received from his parents. God has special purposes and a will for Dustin’s life. Jeremiah 29:11 of the Bible reads, “For I know the plans I have for you, plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future.” God is holy and full of love, so violence was never a part of God’s original plans for humanity, nor for Dustin and Clint. (Don’t kid yourself, Dustin has been the assailant at times, too.) In the “book of life” that God has for each person, there would be peace, joy, and a life full of meaning, and of making a difference. Incarceration is probably not a part of that because God is holy and He wouldn’t have plans/desires for people to commit crimes.
    But He can sure take us from those low places like incarceration, and make us much better. That’s the message to share with Clint, as I had shared with his 19 year old brother, Taylor, who was charged with 2^nd degree murder a few months earlier, in another city.
    What chapter in your “book of life” are you in? Do you think the life you are living is aligned with God’s special plans for your life, which are guaranteed good? No, I’m sure I’m not in perfect “alignment” either. The beauty of it is, gracious God keeps saying, “Let me now take you from here and show you the way.”         www.peacewithinreach.com by Fred Wilgenburg

"Live Like That" by Sidewalk Prophets

2012-04-09T16:18:00Z

http://youtu.be/S0cMVmr11bY
Heads Up: This is a challenge to be real in our walk with God, to start with working our own walk with God before worrying about other's walks with God. (Yeah, that's a personal challenge to me.) In noting that, I think about I Peter 3:15 --- "But in your hearts set apart Christ as Lord. Always be prepared to give an answer to everyone who asks you to give the reason for the hope that you have. . . ." My goodness, can they see a hope within me without me telling them about it, so they'll ask me to state the reason for it!? I sure hope so.