And you shall be holy to Me, for I the Lord and holy, and have separated you from the peoples, that you should be Mine. Leviticus 20:26

 When I began my career with the US government, I had to swear an oath to the United States constitution. At that point I knew things were serious and my loyalty to the government was paramount if I was to succeed in my chosen path. All throughout my career I was loyal to the government. Every day was full of tasks to be accomplished and I can say that I tried to do my best with each responsibility assigned to me. Today I am enjoying the fruits of my commitment to the government.

 As Christians, we are supposed to be holy to God in our actions, thoughts, and words that proceed from our mouth. Why? Because we are to represent God to those outside the faith. If you are familiar with scriptures in the bible, you know that His ways are counter to the ways of the world. Living a holy life takes dedication and effort to keep yourself unspotted from the world. Living a holy life, as hard as it might be, is a continual sacrifice to God, giving Him your best, by living a life surrendered to His will. The blessings that come with a committed life to God are tremendous and will help you sustain your faith each and every day.

 Are you a child of God? If so, take inventory of your life. Do your actions, thoughts, and words resemble holiness? If so, continue on and grow in your faith and commitment. If you struggle to live a holy life, draw upon the power of the Holy Spirit to help you change your ways, even cutting out things, people, and places that yield anything but holiness in your life. It’s a two way street, and expecting God’s blessings will only come when you make a true choice to live a holy life. God bless!

 Ephesians 5:8 For you were once darkness, but now you are light in the Lord. Walk as children of light. 

“The Real McCoy” was a statement used to describe someone authentic, true to their word, and someone you could trust. This common expression has been used in many business dealings throughout history. 

Today's verse encourages Christians to walk worthy of the light of Christ. By doing so, you reflect the heart of Christ to those outside the faith. Are you the real McCoy? Can people see Christ in your life by how you act, and the words that proceed from your mouth? 

Many people claim to know Christ and put on their best to resemble a child of God, yet inside their soul is a darkness that has never truly been exposed to the eternal light. If you could see through the imitations, you'd see a lost soul headed for a Hell meant for deceivers of the spirit. 

Come to your Savior with a repentant heart, surrender your ways for the Lord's will. He will fill you with an eternal light that won't dim, even in the darkest moments of life. You will be the “real McCoy” for others to see their way to Christ. 

 Colossians 3:23-24 [23] And whatever you do, do it heartily, as to the Lord and not to men, [24] knowing that from the Lord you will receive the reward of the inheritance; for you serve the Lord Christ. 

While ordering breakfast at McDonald's this morning the cashier appeared agitated and I asked how her day was going. That opened the door for her to share her frustration with her coworkers not doing their fair share and how the manager isn't on top of her game. I told her all she could do was her best and not worry about how her fellow coworkers acted. 

I can't tell you how many times I had to fall back on today's verses during my career. There were times when I felt like no one else was invested in “the job”, putting more work on me. It got bad at one point until I adopted the attitude that I'm working for the Lord, no matter who is beside me or ruled over my position. It really helped me keep my head up and maintain a positive attitude. 

Maybe you are currently experiencing the same frustrations or will one day. Let today's verses remind you that your job is a blessing by God and you should do your very best when others fall short. Your outlook will be positive and possibly land you a better job or position in the workplace. God bless. 

 I Corinthians 3:16-17 NKJV

[16] Do you not know that you are the temple of God and that the Spirit of God dwells in you? [17] If anyone defiles the temple of God, God will destroy him. For the temple of God is holy, which temple you are.

I recall, in my younger years, living on a farm, Mom would fuss at Dad for tracking in dirt from his work boots, bring in a watering hose (a long hard black hose covered in dirt) to thaw out, and a few times we'd have a newly born baby calf in the laundry room to warm up. Yeah, messes were made, but that's life living on a farm. 

As children of God, we have to always keep today's scripture in mind and filter out those things, people, even places we go that will bring the dirtiness of the world into our lives. You are a temple of the Holy Spirit, therefore you should always keep it as pure and holy as possible. Satan tries to convince you that bringing the world into your spiritual temple is acceptable, reasonable, and worth it. The equation he uses will always benefit YOU, but not God. 

Let that thought sink in for a few minutes. Is there anything in your life that is pleasing to you, but not God? 

If you've identified some things, people, or places unacceptable to God, make every effort to remove them before they become a permanent stain on your soul. God will bless your obedience for putting Him first and keeping His home pure and undefiled. 

Matthew 24:42  Watch therefore, for you do not know what hour your Lord is coming.  

 Having predestined us to adoption as sons by Jesus Christ to Himself, according to the good pleasure of His will. Ephesians 15

 When I was employed as a park ranger, I’d visit area schools and talk to students about career opportunities. One suggestion I’d always offer is to find out what you enjoy doing, then find a career that aligns with what pleases you the most. I’d ask kids what they wanted to do and why. I got various responses. One student said he wanted to be a doctor because they made a lot of money. I prodded him further by asking if he enjoyed school and he said not really. Boy, is he in for a big surprise. The average person achieving doctor status will require 10 additional years of education and training. Hopefully he will find this out and chose a different path.

 I share this story to ask, if you claim to be a Christian, why did you choose to do so? Was it because you didn’t want to go to Hell? That makes sense, but if that’s your only reason, then you truly have missed the mark of why accepting Jesus Christ is so important. It’s not as much about being “saved” as it is having a personal relationship with Jesus Christ. Let’s face it, if you truly want to live like a Christian, you know it is difficult in this world to hold true to God’s standards. The effort it takes to stay engaged in your everyday spiritual life can be a struggle.

 Take My yoke upon you and learn from Me, for I am gentle and lowly in heart, and you will find rest for your souls. For My yoke is easy and My burden is light. Matthew 11:29-30

 But, when you bond with Christ (as the verse above says), your personal relationship with Him will make life more simple, easy to follow, because you will want to please God, not just do the right things to “maintain” your Christian status. James 4:8 says when you draw near to God, He draws near to you. Why would you want to live any other way?

 God chose you before the creation of the world. You accepted His invitation to enter into a relationship with your redeemer, Jesus Christ. Pursue that relationship, just as you would with your children or spouse, and you’ll find a rewarding and blessed bond with the One who calls you His own! God bless!

 For He made Him who knew no sin to be sin for us, that we might become the righteousness of God in Him. 2 Corinthians 5:21

 Studies suggest that 68% of all humans will experience “guilt” at some point in their life Almost 11% live with daily guilt, most likely from past mistakes that haunt them throughout their lifetime. Those burdened with guilt could be men and women locked up in prison, spiritual leaders who’ve acted immorally, or maybe this speaks to you. Guilt comes with a heavy weight, almost like an anchor, and it reduces the quality of one’s life, especially when it relates to your spiritual life.

 As a child of God, you need to be reminded of today’s verse. Jesus Christ became a sacrifice for YOUR sins, so you could stand before God, holy and righteous. You might be thinking that your wrongful actions (sins) have negatively impacted so many lives and believe it to be impossible for God to even consider forgiving you. Let me remind you about King David’s immoral actions. David saw Bathsheba and lusted after her, had an adulterous affair with her, she became pregnant, and David had her husband put on the front lines of battle to be killed. After David came to his senses, he repented. Although his life had serious repercussions from his sinfulness, God called him a man after His own heart (Acts 13:22).

 For God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten Son, that whoever believes in Him should not perish but have everlasting life. John 3:16

 Friend, if you believe in what Jesus Christ did on the cross to make payment for your sins and have asked Him to come into your heart to forgive you and make His home in your life, then you are considered “GUILT FREE” in the eyes of God. Let go of that heavy burden of guilt that has been holding you back from becoming a free child of God. God loves you and wants to forgive and forget your past. Live today for Him knowing you are free indeed

Therefore, if the Son makes you free, you shall be free indeed. John 8:36

 Come, and let us return to the Lord; for He has torn, but He will heal us; He has stricken, but He will bind us up. Hosea 6:1

 My wife and I watch one of our granddaughters several times each week. She is now 14 months and wants to explore every power cord, open every cabinet door, pull on the blinds, and attempt to climb on anything her little body can reach. As she attempts to do these dangerous things, it’s necessary for us to stop her actions by saying “no”, swat her hand, or remove her from the activity that we know will only bring her harm. When we do, she whines and fusses, until something else grabs her attention. It’s a busy (and exhausting) day keeping up with her energy level.

 This morning, I opened my bible and this verse in Hosea came to light. As a child of God, we are sealed with His promise of eternal salvation, but most of all His presence in our lives. Just as parents (and grandparents) are concerned about our children’s safety, so is God. He sees us heading toward danger, and His Holy Spirit attempts to summon us back to the narrow path. But just like children, we often are more focused on what’s behind that closed door, that invitation to take part in something dangerously pleasureful, even venture into a relationship that isn’t right for our wellbeing. At that point, God has done His part, and He releases us to be on our own until we experience the pain of disobedience.

 God is always watching and ready to take us back, and that’s the beautiful thing about His abundant love and unwarranted grace. This doesn’t mean we need to freely chose the world than retreat back to God. But on those days when life’s choices aren’t aligned with His will, we can always count on God’s loving hand of discipline to bring us back to a safe place.

 Maybe you’ve been living on the edge of the world, yet still acknowledge a personal relationship with Jesus Christ. Friend, it’s time to find your way back to the narrow path of life. Nothing this world has to offer can yield God’s blessings, only regret and shame. Come back to the One who can heal your worldly scars, give you hope in your hopeless situation, and most of all give you the love you so desire to experience this side of the grave.