This is frightening! Even with all its security, the world famous, NASA Johnson Space Center in Houston was shot up on April 20th of this year! News reports said: “NASA is reviewing its security procedures after a contract worker was able to take a snubnosed revolver past security and barricade himself in an office building at the Johnson Space Center, where he fatally shot a hostage before killing himself.”

The article goes on to say: “During the confrontation NASA employees in the building were evacuated and others were ordered to remain in their offices for several hours. Roads within the 1,600-acre space campus were blocked off, and a nearby middle school kept its teachers and students inside as classes ended.”

Does this not bring up a question for America? If NASA’s Johnson Space Center isn’t safe from a shooter with a handgun, who is?

A recent political cartoon may answer that question. It shows some kind of tiny cartoon character holding what looks like a shotgun and standing on the trigger of a handgun. The caption reads: “Where America Lives”.

The NASA murder and suicide following on the heels of the Virginia Tech murders shouts to us all that security is not the answer. (What horrible act of violence is next?) Security won’t and can’t protect us. As Hosea says: “They have sown the wind and they shall reap the whirlwind.”

We urgently need to deal with and remove the roots of violence in our society. We desperately need to turn down the violence in the media. And we must begin to find a way to reduce the violence in our hearts.

Motivation Quotation — “Each day stretches before us, awaiting our involvement. Whether we approach our activities with enthusiasm or dread depends on the attitude we’ve cultivated.” –Karen Casey

Commentary — Today is waiting for you and me to see how we will choose to live. And today is full of opportunities to enjoy life and to be helpful to others. Will we grab these opportunities or let them slip by?

According to this week's Motivation Quotation, that depends on what kind of farmer we have been with the field of our mind and emotions. If we have planted only a little positive, inspiring, uplifting seed; we can only expect a tiny positive harvest today. If we have allowed weeds of anger, frustration, negativity, disappointment, vulgarity, and violence to grow unhindered — then we can expect much misery today. It is a matter of inner cultivation.

And the reverse is also true — much positive seed and few negative weeds produce happiness and joy. How have you been farming and cultivating your mind and emotions? The way you feel and act today will answer that question for all the world to see!

A group of us do a regular Friday morning prayer walk in the neighborhood around Second Street. Drug dealers openly stand on the street holding up plastic bags of drugs to the passing cars. There are frequent shootings in the neighborhood and very few of them ever make the news.

During our prayer walk we carry a big yellow, red, and blue flag with the words “Blood and Fire”. The yellow stands for the fire of the Holy Spirit, the red for the Blood of Jesus, and the blue for a holy lifestyle.

Last week there were just three of us: Jeanie, Linda, and me. We had 15 box lunches with us to give away. Two men and a woman were leaning against a fence in front of a house. We gave them a lunch and asked if we could pray for them. After our prayer they walked on down the road.

A guy, named Donald, came out of the house and began to talk with us. He had the smell of alcohol. He said: “Will you pray for me?” and reached out his hands. We began to pray for him.

Donald started crying and kept repeating the words: “Lord, I really want to be free.” Linda and I were holding his hand as we prayed. Suddenly he pulled both of our hands up and kissed them as he continued to cry. After spending some time encouraging Donald we gave him two lunches for him and his wife.

After praying with several people and giving out all the lunches but one, we started back to our cars. A young woman who looked like a zombie was walking toward us. We gave Nicole our last lunch. She is only 22 years old. All three of us put our hands on her and prayed for her. Jeanie and Linda both gave Nicole a big hug. She was smiling as we left.

There are many people in Nashville who need a kind word today — a warm touch, a little friendship and encouragement. A little love and kindness can go a long way.

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Pastors and TV preachers like to lay the law on people and twist their arms to get them to give to their church or "ministry". They even promise people special blessings for giving to their religious organization. Some claim that if you give to their group you will be given "prosperity" by which they mean plenty of money and other stuff.

Now religious organizations do need support, but not blind support. You need to pray about your giving and give where God leads you to give. Churches use almost all their contributions to build and maintain buildings that are used only once a week, to pay utility bills, and to pay pastor salaries (some of them very large).

The Bible, however, speaks often about helping the poor. Churches are slow to do that. I encouraged a woman who couldn't pay her rent to go to her church (a huge one in Nashville) and talk to her pastor about the church helping her. She came back and told me she couldn't get an appointment with the pastor, but the secretary said they don't have the funds to help. (They own church buildings in three locations.) Could they not help their own member?

Jesus speaks several times about giving alms. That means giving directly to the poor. Why not take some of the money you give to support church buildings and pastor salaries and give alms -- personally give it to someone in need. Try it. It is a real blessing to by-pass organizations and give directly to the needy.