Galatians 1:10 For do I now persuade men, or God? Or do I seek to please men? For if I still pleased men, I would not be a bondservant of Christ. 

One of the dangers of serving in the church is to get caught up in pleasing those in leadership. Finding gratification from the preacher or other leaders will result in failed expectations. They are men (or women) who God appointed to lead, but they are also human, and they are not capable of seeing your heart’s desire to serve. 

I sometimes find myself guilty of seeking the acknowledgement from my church leaders, whereas my focus should be on God. They might not see the literal blood, sweat, and tears, I've put into the work of the church, but God sees and keeps record of my loyalty and will reward me in ways that far outweigh any human recognition. 

Colossians 3:23 And whatever you do, do it heartily, as to the Lord and not to men, 

Maybe you are seeking some approval from leaders in your church. Just remember, that will never fill your cup like the blessings of God. Stay prayed up and seek after God's approval and you'll have the motivation to give Him your best. 

For we walk by faith, not by sight. 2 Corinthians 5:7

 Fall is my favorite time of the year, as it brings in cooler temperatures, beautiful colors on the trees, a refreshing breeze, and unwelcomed pollen. Well, we haven’t had much of the Fall ingredients, but the pollen has definitely arrived and my sinuses are suffering. As we get ready for our Judgment Journey production at church, I still have a lot to do and my body wants to lay low and do very little. Don’t have time for that, so I’ve been praying frequently for God to restore me back to good health so I can finish the work which began over a year ago.

 When doing the Lord’s work, you’ve got to know Satan will do all he can to disrupt progress. He threw a hurricane at us this past week and through much prayer, God protected our community, and the various scenes of our production from damage and flooding. I see in the news another potential storm will be brewing and again has our community in its sights. Prayers for God’s protection must continue for the show to go on!

 Life is like that, you know. We set out to achieve some special tasks, and it’s met with resistance. When that happens, doubt and discouragement can easily creep in and reduce your confidence to the point you want to simply give up. Today’s verse encourages us to walk by faith, and not let the visible troubles discourage you. God is on your side and He knows what it takes to accomplish the task. Why not trust Him with it through prayer and faith in His ability to see it through, not matter what the external circumstances looks like? I can promise you, if its His will, He will do everything in His power to help you accomplish the work you began.

 Maybe you are facing a big project at work and you can already feel the resistance from others, it’s a troubled relationship and your partner doesn’t seem to care about what happens, or maybe it’s a poor health report and the news doesn’t appear to have a positive outcome. Take it to God in prayer and have faith that He will provide you His very best! He will do it because He loves you. You are His creation, Your Heavenly Father, and He loves to embrace your troubles with you. If you have faith as a mustard seed, you can tell this mountain to move and it shall be moved. Matthew 17:20

 

 

All Scripture is given by inspiration of God, and is profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for correction, for instruction in righteousness. 2 Timothy 3:16

Have you ever wondered how God thinks; what He likes, dislikes, and the wisdom He is willing to share? You go to church and hear a sermon about a certain topic, then at some point, you talk with someone else who has an opposing opinion about the same subject, leaving you to wonder what is the truth.

 Thankfully, God never meant to leave His creation in the dark. He inspired everyday people to write down His thoughts, wisdom, and life’s guidelines for living a life pleasing to Him. It’s called the Bible, and today’s verse is proof of the true authorship. Think about it, the God of this universe has provided us the instruction book of life.  

 You shall not add to the word which I command you, nor take from it, that you may keep the commandments of the Lord your God which I command you. Deuteronomy 4:2

 If you search for a bible, you’ll find there are countless versions of God’s word. Man has taken God’s word and simplified its words over the years to make it easier to understand. In the process, they have added or taken away critical words, even scripture. The NIV bible is one of the easiest to read, but many scriptures have been removed or the intent of a verse has been changed. I’ve found the best bible is the King James, or New King James version. Do your research, but know that certain versions have been modified from the original intent.

 For the time will come when they will not endure sound doctrine, but according to their own desires, because they have itching ears, they will heap upon themselves teachers; and they will turn their ears away from the truth, and be turned aside to fables. 2 Timothy 4:3-4

 Unfortunately, there are preachers that water down God’s word or completely remove scripture from their sermons to suit their audience. God help these preachers who will stand before God one day to give an account for their deceptive teaching.

 Navigating life is difficult, but God’s word provides the best instruction to get you through each day under the guidance of your maker. You won’t know what God thinks unless you read your bible. Listen to your preacher and check out his instruction to make sure He is giving you biblical truths. If not, change where you worship. Blessings.

 

 

 Then Peter came to Him and said, “Lord, how often shall my brother sin against me, and I forgive him? Up to seven times?” Jesus said to him, “I do not say to you, up to seven times, but up to seventy times seven. Matthew 18:21-22

 Do you ever struggle with certain sins? They seem to draw you away like a kid in a candy store and you find resistance short of impossible. Once the sin is committed, guilt follows and you begin to question God’s forgiveness.

 In today’s verses, Peter asks Jesus how often he should forgive someone who sinned against him, Jesus’ reply was 70 times 7. If you do the math, that seems like a lot of forgiveness, but that is exactly how God feels towards you, His creation. From the moment man was created, and throughout the generations until now, He knew no one was capable of living a sinless life. He had to make a way to bridge that gap, that’s when Jesus Christ came to earth to bare the sins of mankind.

 For what I am doing, I do not understand. For what I will to do, that I do not practice; but what I hate, that I do. Romans 7:15

 Even Paul, one of God’s greatest apostles, who spread the gospel to the Gentiles, struggled with repeated sin. Satan will be quick to make you think you are the only one who struggles with certain sins, with the hopes of alienating you from God’s forgiveness. I can assure you; you are not alone in your struggles with sin, and yet the blood of Jesus Christ is available for all of His followers who accept and receive His free gift of forgiveness. Mind you, His willingness to forgive doesn’t give you permission to continually live in purposeful sin. He provides a way out of sin if you are willing to utilize the help of His Holy Spirit (1 Corinthians 10:13).

 The next time you struggle to understand how Jesus could forgive you again and again, let Matthew 18:21-22 remind you of His unlimited ability to forgive.  

 

 James 2:16 and one of you says to them, “Depart in peace, be warmed and filled,” but you do not give them the things which are needed for the body, what does  it profit? 

When someone shares their struggles, the common response is, “I'll be praying for you”. Prayer is great and accomplishes much, but sometimes God expects you to go the extra mile and give them more than lip service. 

Matthew 5:41 And whoever compels you to go one mile, go with him two.  

Jesus' life was the perfect example of serving others, that was His life's ministry, and if you are a genuine Christian you should follow in His footsteps. Yes, life is busy and we often make excuses for the added responsibilities, but you've got to consider, what's my priority? Serving others or serving self. 

As I write this blog, the feeling of guilt confirms I need to do more by reprioritizing my daily tasks. And the wonderful benefit of serving others is it provides a window for them to see Christ through you, and God will surely bless you, either here or in Heaven one day. 

Matthew 25:34-35 NKJV

[34] Then the King will say to those on His right hand, ‘Come, you blessed of My Father, inherit the kingdom prepared for you from the foundation of the world:  [35] for I was hungry and you gave Me food; I was thirsty and you gave Me drink; I was a stranger and you took Me in;  

 Deuteronomy 16:8 Six days you shall eat unleavened bread, and on the seventh day there shall  be a sacred assembly to the Lord your God. You shall do no work on  it. 

Before Jesus was born, God commanded His people to take off a day from work to worship Him. God knew the pursuit of money, through work, and business of life could totally consume them, putting them at risk for not focusing on God. The Jewish people took this to heart, literally preparing themselves so they didn't have to focus on anything but God on that one day of rest. 

Somewhere along the way we’ve lost that sacred tradition, as many businesses remain open 7 days a week and people fill their time off from laboring with pleasures that promote anything but God. No wonder we are living in stressful times. 

Making money to support your family is important, but when it or other endeavors are put before God, you lose out on His blessings and that free time seems to be used up at a quicker rate. 

As we near the weekend, I encourage you to make time to rest and worship God. He has done so much for our country that we should be thankful for His blessings poured out over this great nation. Without our worship, God's hand of protection will be removed, opening us up for physical attacks, like 9/11, to draw us back for dependence upon Him. 

 For whoever shall keep the whole law, and yet stumble in one point, he is guilty of all. James 2:10

 A few weeks ago, I received a warning notice in the mail that I was caught speeding in a school zone. Newly installed radars and cameras have been placed at most of the school zones throughout our city and county in an effort to combat speeding through these areas. I questioned the legitimacy of the notice as I usually drive the speed limit and always cautious, especially around school zones. This one was out in the county, on the open highway, and I was running late for a dentist appointment. I pay closer attention to my speed due to this warning, and thankfully it was just a warning.

 As Christians, we try our best to do the right things, but every now and then we mess up and find ourselves overwhelmed with guilt and shame. Ever experience guilt? That feeling is most likely the Holy Spirit notifying you that something went wrong in your desire to live in obedience and change needs to occur so you don’t do it again. Seeking forgiveness erases that violation of God’s law, through the sacrifice of Jesus Christ. But if the guilt continues, you can probably pinpoint the repeated reminders on Satan, who enjoys ridiculing God’s children. By doing so, he keeps you feeling unworthy of God’s love, grace, and mercy, and sadly, some Christians never break free from their guilt.

 If we confess our sins, He is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness. 1 John 1:9

 No matter how hard you try, you’ll mess up sometimes, and God will always be ready and faithful to forgive you when you acknowledge your trespasses and work to change your ways. We are all guilty, but thankfully we have been found not-guilty by the blood of Jesus Christ and His great love for you and me!