But Jesus said to him, “No one, having put his hand to the plow, and looking back, is fit for the kingdom of God. Luke 9:62

 Have you ever given much thought to your past? Maybe it’s your childhood, where sweet memories bring you much happiness, or maybe it was a special relationship that you treasured and now is no longer. In our reflection, we oftentimes desire to go back to the “good old days”, to relive those precious moments that seem to stay within our memory. But if you are true to yourself, you probably recognize you’ve come a long ways since then and life is different, and those moments your cherishes probably won’t fit into your life at this moment.

 That’s exactly what Jesus was telling a person who wanted to follow him, but he felt it necessary to take care of other business first. In the eyes of God, nothing is more important than serving Him, worshiping Him, and giving Him your complete and undivided attention. What’s the benefit in that you ask?

 I can tell you after 50 some years of living faith in Christ, nothing and no one compares to the goodness that God provides. He provides you with wisdom to make wise choices, He blesses you when you walk in obedience, and He has so much newness in store for your life, that when you long for things in your past, you miss out on God’s very best. You can even thwart His plans to use you for kingdom work.

 But Lot’s wife looked back behind him, and she became a pillar of salt. Genesis 19:26

 You might be familiar with the story of Lot and God’s destruction of the cities of Sodom and Gomorrah. God instructed Lot, his wife, and family to escape and not look back. She looked back and paid the ultimate price for her disobedience. Don’t be like her, focus on the future and trust in God’s provisions. They might not always be the same as what you’ve experienced earlier in life, but eventually they will bring you to a better place, with God’s ultimate blessings in this life and into eternity. Your future in Christ is worth staying forward focused! God bless!

 

 

 “Therefore submit to God. Resist the devil and he will flee from you. ”

James 4:7 NKJV

Last night I had the pleasure of watching my 19 month old granddaughter. She is persistent in her wants. She wanted to do something that I knew would hurt her, so I picked her up and redirected her to something else. Within a few seconds she was headed for the same dangerous activity. Finally, after 5 times of redirection, she focussed on something else, more safe. 

Temptations come at our weakest moments and the devil tries to fuel the fire by convincing us it's ok to pursue our desires. But, as a child of God, we know the dangers of fulfilling sin. What's difficult is Satan never seems to let up with the temptations, the excuses why you should partake of his temporary satisfactions. Sound familiar?

Today's verse gives us encouragement to remain faithful to God by remaining obedient by not fulfilling the pursuit of sin. It takes much prayer, discipline, and determination to ward off Satan, but over time he will eventually give up and redirect his evil work somewhere else. 

Persistence is the key to preserving your spiritual life from the sins that so easily tarnish your relationship with God. Stay the course, stay prayed up, and stay focused on pleasing the Lord. The rewards of obedience far outweigh the temporary pleasures Satan has to offer. God bless. 

 Then they compelled a certain man, Simon a Cyrenian, the father of Alexander and Rufus, as he was coming out of the country and passing by to bear His cross. Mark 15:21 

“Take one for the team” is a common phrase that means someone to willingly accept an unpleasant task, hardship, or personal sacrifice so that the rest of your group, friends, or colleagues can benefit or avoid discomfort. To be in that position takes courage, strength, and complete surrender.  

 In today’s verse, we read about a certain man named Simon, who helped Jesus by carrying His cross to the place of crucifixion. Jesus was beaten so badly that He could barely stand, much less carry a heavy piece of wood in which He’d die upon. Simon took one for the team of believers that day by carrying that cross, so you and I could experience God’s forgiveness through the death, burial, and resurrection of Jesus Christ.

 And He said to them, “Go into all the world and preach the gospel to every creature”. Mark 16:16

 As a child of God, you should take part in the words of Jesus Christ by sharing the message of salvation to the people around you. It shouldn’t be a painful message to share, yet we are oftentimes are afraid to discuss Jesus with those who are opposed to believe in Him, or want anything to do with religion. But, unless you speak up, how will they know the truth of God’s willingness to forgive sin and have a personal relationship with His creation?

 This blog is not only to encourage you, but myself included, to share the message of Jesus Christ. By doing so, we take part with other believers in spreading the gospel to those outside the faith. Are you wiling to take one for the team of Christ?  

 

 

 Now godliness with contentment is great gain. For we brought nothing into this world, and it is certain we can carry nothing out. And having food and clothing, with these we shall be content. 1 Timothy 6:6-8

 Contentment has been defined as a state of peaceful satisfaction and freedom from worry or restlessness. Feeling content doesn’t shift when the circumstances around you change, especially for the worse. You are able to maintain a sense of inner satisfaction. Can you say you are content in this life?

 The world would want you to believe you are missing out on certain activities, possessions, and relationships. Advertisements, social media, and music try to drawl you into a lustful desire for more. It’s a constant cycle of madness, and one you never fully attain everything you heart desires. God never intended for His creation to experience this emptiness with an overwhelming desire for more.

 Where did it start? Well, Adam and Eve found the forbidden fruit something to be desired, and they partook, bringing in the first occurrence of sin. Searching your heart, what forbidden fruit do you desire? As we saw with God’s first creation, they suffered the loss of the perfect garden, full of everything they needed for life. Mankind continues to suffer from their sin as we toil long and hard in this life.

 Today’s verses gives us insight to godly wisdom and His provision. Following God in obedience is paramount to having an inner sense of contentment and peace that only HE can provide. Food, shelter, clothing, are the essentials and He longs for us to appreciate those things, so your search for more will not stretch far into the toxic offerings of the world. Have you achieved this sense of contentment?

 If you are truly honest with yourself, you are probably still searching for things outside God’s provisions. God gives you what He knows you can properly manage. Ask Him to give you a desire for His provisions and be thankful for what He gives you. Honor God with your resources and reign in those ungodly desires, so you can walk in obedience to His will for your life. God will richly bless you in ways that the world can’t.

 Dear God, thank you for your provisions in my life. Help me to live a life pleasing to you and to welcome your blessings with the assurance my wants always fall within your perfect will. Amen.

.  

 Trust in the Lord with all your heart, and lean not on your own understanding; In all your ways acknowledge Him, and He shall direct your paths. Proverbs 3:5-6

 In my carport is a wooden swing. It’s my favorite place to sit to think, reflect, pray, and watch the wildlife in my backyard. No matter what the weather conditions outside, I’m protected from the elements. It’s so relaxing and wish I had discovered the comforts it has brought me earlier in life.

 Looking back over my life, I can tell you life has had its very difficult moments. Moments that left me wondering why am I in this mess, asking God how to get out of this mess, and what was the purpose of this mess. All good questions, and as much as I wanted answers, God had a plan through each and every trial I faced. He might not have provided me with answers, but I learned to trust Him through the trial, all the way to the outcome. Today, I stand weathered by life’s storms, but still here, testifying to God’s goodness and faithfulness.

 Today’s verses provide us a guide to life, where to put our trust. Not in man, because he/she will let us down at times, but to trust God. The path He choses to lead us down might not be clearly understood, sometimes painful (yes painful), and difficult, but the outcome fulfills His purpose, and His plan to grow us into mature Children of God.  

 Commit your way to the Lord, trust also in Him, and He shall bring it to pass. Psalm 37:5

 You might be going through a difficult life storm; sit under the canopy of God’s protective hands, and put your trust in Him to see you through.  

 For You, Lord, have made me glad through Your work; I will triumph in the works of Your hands. Psalm 92:4

 Can you say life is joyful? There’s a difference between happiness and being joyful. Happiness is something temporary, like tasting something sweet, having a great moment, or seeing something beautiful. Being joyful, on the other hand, doesn’t change due to the circumstances around you. It’s stable, consistent, and comes from deep within your soul, no matter what is happening on the outside.

 For the child of God, joy should come naturally. According to Psalm 92:4, God has taken care of the bridge that separates you from His Holiness through the sacrifice of Jesus Christ’s death, burial, and resurrection to life after 3 days. Knowing you are secure in His forgiveness and love should prompt a deep appreciation for His goodness towards you, filling you with joy unspeakable. Sounds good, but does that characterize your life?

 Unfortunately, we oftentimes get bogged down with the issues of life, that turn our focus away from God’s bidding and we find ourselves seeking happiness in the moment and not the true joy God intended for you and me! How can we get to the point where our soul is full of joy and not moved by the negative things of the world?

 The thief does not come except to steal, and to kill, and to destroy. I have come that they may have life, and that they m ay have it more abundantly. John 10:10

 The choice is yours who you’ll allow into your life. The thief OR Jesus Christ? Stay prayed up, keep yourself unspotted from the world, and fill your heart with God’s word. These actions will keep you rooted in joy and not the temporary moments that change like the weather. Joy is something we all need to experience as it prepares us for the next chapter of eternity with our Savior.

 This morning, I was reading one of my daily devotionals and it talked about the importance of having patience with others. Ephesians 4:2 was referenced, “be patient, bearing with one another in love”. At the end of the devotional, it asked to identify two people who I have little or no patience for. To be honest, my list went well beyond two people. Then I had to ask myself, why am I so impatient with these certain people? I’m a people person and will speak to just about any breathing individual. After some reflection, I actually learned something about myself, and I understand now why certain people test my patience. 60 years it has taken to learn something new about myself, and I realize I need to work on a certain aspect of my life so I can better reflect the love of Christ to everyone…even those whom I have not given my complete attention.

 As humans, we are God’s creation. We come with special talents, abilities, and sometimes personal flaws, that go unnoticed in our everyday life. Some struggle to understand their character makeup and it truly impacts the way we interact with others. How can you truly know the real you? What I mean is, how can you peel back the layers of your personality to understand why you do the things you do, how you respond to others, and the talents God has given you.

 For the word of God is living and powerful, and sharper than any two-edged sword, piercing even to the division of soul and spirit, and of joints and marrow, and is a discerner of the thoughts and intents of the heart. Hebrews 4:12

 Hebrews 4:12 literally cuts to the point. God’s word brings light to who you are as a human, a child of God, and what you can do in your life to bring Him glory. Who better to inquire about YOU than your Creator! Jesus said it well in Matthew 10:30 “But the very hairs on you head are all numbered”. If God knows how many hairs you have (or don’t have), He can also enlighten you on why you exist. He has a plan and purpose for your life, and unless you let His word guide you along the route to sanctification, you are simply traveling through life in the dark. Reach your fullest potential by tapping into God’s instruction manual for this life and into eternity.