Oh, sing to the Lord a new song!

For He has done marvelous things:

His right hand and His holy arm have gained Him the victory. 

The Lord has made known His salvation: 

His righteousness He has revealed in the sight of the nations. Psalm 98:1-2

As you awake on this Sunday morning, you have so much to be thankful for in life. You see God had a plan before He created earth and humans. He longed for our fellowship with Him. But as His creation we were unworthy to stand in His holy presence....so He gave us Jesus....our sacrafice, our Savior from our impure, sin stained life (Colossians 1:21-22). 

As believers in Jesus Christ and accepting Him into our lives, we can stand in His presence. His presence lives inside of us through the Holy Spirit. I can tell you, the Holy Spirit is alive and well in believers who believe in Him and harness the power available to us as children of God. We are richly blessed. 

Each day is an opportunity to sing a new song of thankfulness for His rich mercy and love through the plan of salvation. Share that song of joy with those around you not only in church but in a world longing to find true peace and eternal life in heaven. Have a blessed Sunday friends. 

The eyes of the Lord are on the righteous,

And His ears are open to their cry. 

Psalm 34:15‎

‎

A good parent will always keep his or her eyes on their child at all times, especially when away from home. And the cry of someone's child may sound routine, but for that child's parent...their cry is anything routine. Upon hearing their cry the parent's total focus is on the child to see what they can do to take away their sadness. 

How true this is with our loving Lord. He cares for us just like a parent does for their child. His eyes are always on us and he is ready to guide and direct us in the way we should go... through the voice of the Holy Spirit living inside of us. And when we are in a dire situation and cry out to Him, His loving presence saturates our life and provides the necessary healing and strength to move forward. 

Maybe you've never looked at God in the role of a parent. We should, for He created each one of us with our own characteristics and qualities and imperfections. He loves you so much, He offered His Son, Jesus Christ, as a sacrifice for the very thing that seperates you from Him...your sin. God became part of the human family so that we could become part of His heavenly family. 

Spend time this weekend thanking God for His presence in your life and the profound love He has for you. As Christians, we are blessed to know the world's creator considers us His children and loves us unconditionally. 

May you all have a safe and blessed weekend.

Jesus said to him: "You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart, with all your soul, and with all your mind."  Matthew 22:37


Jesus was asked by a lawyer, "which is the greatest commandment in the law?" His response was the above verse. Do you love the Lord your God with every part of your being? Lets break it down.


1. Heart: Your heart is the one organ that keeps you alive. If it stops, you are dead. So to love with your heart means God is the driving force that keeps you spiritually alive in all circumstances; through every trial, burden or tragedy. No matter what happens in your life, He is your very passion! Your love and commitment to Him never ceases.


2. Soul: As believers in Jesus Christ, our soul will one day be joined with Him in Heaven. As we go through life knowing this, our desire should be  to grow and mature our spiritual life so we will be ready for that blessed homecoming in Heaven! Our soul is like a hungry person....we need His nourishment to feed us through his word in the bible, in prayer and listening for His soft voice which encourages us and gives us direction in life.


3. Mind: Your mind controls everything you do. Nothing your body does happens without your brain telling it what to do. To love God with all of your mind means that He is everything you think about, everything you live for in life. God consumes your every thought and action. Nothing you do in life happens without passing it through God. Why? Because your desire is to be within complete obedience to Him.


Loving someone in this manner means you have a heart's desire for them, you want to spend time with them, they are the beat in your heart, they drive you to love back and they consume everything in your life. Do you love God in this way?  If you find it difficult to completely love God, you need to surrender more of yourself and "let go" of the things that hold you back from being a complete and obedient Child of God!


Loving God in all areas of your life will result in blessings far more abundant than loving anything or anyone else in life. Trust me...I know personally how He will bless you through a surrendered life to Him. Happy Friday everyone and God bless!

For this is the love of God, that we keep His commandments. And His commandments are not burdensome.
1 John 5:3

As humans we have a tendency to avoid or turn our back on rules we don't want to follow.  Maybe your battle is speeding down the highway...like seriously who drives 55? Lol.

For some, they avoid church and don't read their bible because they don't want to hear how to live their lives according to God's standard. Many people look at the bible as a bunch of unreasonable rules and don't want to hear the truth.

My friend, I can honestly say, the truth will set you free! As I have slowly worked to remove a lot of the "world" from my life, I have found more freedom in Christ. His holy word of instructional living is for our benefit; to protect us from harm and evilness, to give us eternal hope for tomorrow and by following His commands...blessings are sure to follow.

Don't turn your back on God and his commands. By living an obedient life, you will find yourself free from the wordly drama and things that so easily entangle you in emotional strongholds and fear. It simply boils down to how much of "you" are you willing to surrender for a life of "true" freedom.

Pray for God's spirit to give you strength and lead you daily in your walk with Him. He will do it and your life will be more meaningful. Have a terrific Thursday and God bless!

Everyone who is called by My name, whom I have created for My glory; I have formed him, yes, I have made him.
Isaiah 43:7

A while back I was frustrated by someone's actions and was quick to judge them because they were different than me. In that very moment, God revealed this thought..."every person on earth is God's creation". God allowed their existence....He created them.

That's a heavy thought. Why would God create and allow some people's existence...for their evilness is so evident. I've found that I can't question God for His creation because that would be judgmental.

But, I do know God created me for His glory. My existence on earth should be a reflection of His love and grace to those around me. Possibly, my life can impact others through the Holy Spirit living inside me. That's exactly why you and I were created.

Is your life changing the world around you? If not ask God to ignite the fire inside of you to live a more Christ centered life and help bring others to Christ through your actions and words. It's a tall order, but it's what we were created to do.
Live for Him today and see positive changes in others.
God bless!

"He who is without sin among you, let him throw a stone at her first".
John 8:7


In John 8: 3 - 11 we read about a woman caught in the act of adultery and brought before Jesus and the accusers questioned him about the law of Moses.....death by stoning the adulteress. Jesus response to the crowd was basically....let the first one who is without sin throw the first stone. He proceeded to write in the dirt with his finger. It is thought he was writing out sins of the accusers.


There is such a powerful message in this one incident that we can learn.....no sin is greater or lesser than any other sin. Jesus considers all sin wrong. Sin is the reason Jesus came to earth, to provide a sacrifice for our disobedience. His life was tempered in holiness in the flesh of a human body. Jesus life shows us the true thought process of God.


The bad news is we are all sinners. Our fleshly minds can easily sway towards disobedience. When we do, we distance ourselves from God and His goodness and purposeful blessings. It is so important to stay in tune with God on a daily basis through bible reading, study and much prayer. By doing so, we will be less likely to look at other's sin and focus on keeping our life on track so we can be a useful tool in the hands of God.


There is something even more powerful at the end of this story. Jesus asked the woman: "Woman, where are those accusers of yours? Has no one condemned you? She replied "No one Lord".
Jesus replied to her in the most awesome statement: Neither do I condemn you; go and sin no more.


WOW.....can you imagine facing Jesus and He pardons your sin? Fortunately, you can imagine it, because Jesus can pardon your sin if you accept Him into your life and have the desire to live for Him on a daily basis. When you do ask Him into your life, He resides in your heart and erases the sin of your past and forgives you of future sin. By doing so we can have a deep and personal relationship with God!


Have you received Jesus pardon? If not, simply pray to Him, asking for His forgiveness of  your sin and express your desire to have Him reside in you and start living a life pardoned for all eternity. Have a blessed Tuesday!  

"In your seed all the nations of the earth shall be blessed, because you have obeyed My voice"
Genesis 22:18


One of my favorite stories in the bible is about Abraham. He was faithful to God and obedient in all matters. Abraham and his wife Sarah longed to have a child. God promised Him a child, but took 25 years to fulfill that promise. Years later, God tested Abraham's obedience by instructing him to offer his son Isaac as an offering on an alter. 


You have to think to yourself, geez......why did God have to go to the extreme and test Abraham...telling him to slay his only son? Imagine what Abraham was thinking and feeling? But despite his feelings and love for his only son, Abraham was faithful and followed through with God's instructions right up to the moment of slaying Isaac when an Angel of the Lord appeared and stopped him....and provided a ram for the sacrificial offering. Imagine the joy of Abraham!


Obedience for Christians is putting complete trust and faith in God's word and following His commands through scripture and responding to His voice when spoken to us through the Holy Spirit. Oftentimes God calls us to do things which don't make sense and seem out of sync with our feelings and thoughts. But God sees the "big picture", He has a specific plan for your life and knows the path you need to follow.


I say "follow", because God has already gone ahead of you on that path. He has prepared that path just for you...to grow you in your walk with the Lord, to bless you and make you more complete as a child of the living God. Every day is filled with decisions....obedience or disobedience. Who are you going to follow....Godly desires that bring blessings OR worldly desires that take away the holiness from your spiritual life?


God leaves the decisions up to you. But, He promises to bless you through your obedience no matter how illogical or contrary to our reasoning. Like I always say...God blesses obedience. Surrender your life to Christ and live an obedient life....I promise you God will shower you with His sweet blessings. Have an awesome Monday friends and God bless.

Though its waters roar and be troubled,
Though the mountains shake with its swelling.
There is a river whose streams shall make glad the city of God.
Psalm 46:3-4


I had the opportunity this weekend to get out of town and spend some quality time with God in the Smokey Mountains of Tennessee. A much needed trip as I continue to seek out God's direction for my life. I have always been so fond of the mountains. The enormity in size, shape and beauty. Home to thousands of living creatures and plants. Its truly God's creation at its best.


I spent a few hours down by the creek reading God's word and praying. The calm and peacefulness of the water flowing over the rocks reminded me of our journey with the Lord. God allows the trials and tribulations of life to flow through our lives. At times the weight of burdens are powerful like the flow of flood waters raging against us. It feels like the waves of adversity will topple us.  At other times the flow is steady and smooth, carrying on its daily journey to a larger pool of water.


The beautiful thing about the water's flow.....it wears off the rough edges of the rocks which it flows over. Slowly, those big, jagged rocks become smooth stones where the water flows much smoother in time......so beautiful to watch. In the same way, God uses all forms of adversity to smooth out the rough areas of our life, so His Spirit can flow more smoothly in and through us.  As we continue to grow and mature in our walk with the Lord, we look at adverse times as opportunities to polish our spiritual life and grow in maturity. 


The picture of a mature life in Christ, is like the calming waters, smoothly flowing over the rocks as it continues its journey onward. The next time you encounter adverse situations, don't fret! God has allowed the floodwaters to flow into your life to make something beautiful for His glory and blessings to you! God bless friends!

And the heavens will praise Your wonders, O Lord;
Your faithfulness also in the assembly of the saints.
Psalm 89:5

Most of us enjoy a good party. A celebration of some kind: birthday, coming home, graduation or just gathering together with friends. Parties are fun and usually with lots of good food! Unfortunately, parties only last a short while, then they end and everyone has to go home.

As Christians, we are daily preparing for an eternal party in heaven. A time where we will celebrate and praise God, creator of all things. Just think how awesome it will be to one day stand in the presence of our Holy God! Thankfully that party has no ending...only an eternity of praise and worship.

Are you preparing your life for the heavenly party? Everyone is invited....all they have to do is accept Jesus Christ as their personal Lord and Savior and live for Him each day. That's the invitation God gives us. He wants us to attend. Are you holding an invitation? If not, my prayer is that you will ask Jesus Christ to forgive your sins and come into your life forever and accept His free gift of Salvation.

For those who are on the list to attend, I encourage you to invite others...share the good news of Jesus Christ. We have something awesome to look forward to...share that joy with others today. Have an awesome Friday friends and God bless!

There is an endless road
that lifts the weight
of today's troubles.
Mile after mile
wind in face
the troubles are blown away.
No destination in sight
just a smile
and thanks for the road less traveled.

The eyes of the Lord are in every place, keeping watch on the evil and the good. Proverbs 15:3

It seems these days you can't go anywhere and there is a camera looking down on you, someone taking video with their phone...ect.  And if you don't see the camera, there is always a satellite or possibly a drone flying over watching you.  We live in a "monitored" state.

There is also someone else watching...GOD. He sees everything we do, good or bad. He knows our every move and thought. If He were to hit the "replay" button of the last 24 hours and have you sit and watch...would you blush in embarrassment or feel confident you were as obedient to God's standards as you possibly could have been?

When you look at the big picture, it's not necessarily trying to "live right"...its a matter of your heart's desire to please God by your thoughts and actions. We always pursue the things we love. Do you love the Lord God enough to live a righteous life on a daily basis? It's hard in a world full of selfishness and greed.  But with the power of the Holy Spirit and your motivation to please Him you can live an obedient life.

Tell God you love Him and want to be a pleasing servant. Seek out His will for your life and follow His lead. Your desire to live a more righteous life will result in God's blessings in your daily walk with Him. Have a blessed Wednesday friends.

Hereby knowing we that we dwell in him, and he in us, because he hath given us of his Spirit.
1 John 4:13

As Christians we have the Spirit of God living inside of us. I believe there are three beneficial reasons He gave us His spirit.

1. In our daily battle to live a more rightrous life we encounter temptations that can seem irresistible and our "flesh" is weak. Through His spirit, we are made aware of these temptations and can draw upon the power to resist and avoid following through with sin. It takes a concious effort and heart's desire to be obedient.

2. Through His Spirit we have a direct line of communication with God. It's like we have a built in two-way radio. All we have to do is pray and He hears our voice. And there are times in our life when we don't know how to pray, the Spirit prays for us. Romans 8:26.

3. Once we recieve Christ into our life and the Holy Spirit resides in us, NOTHING can take His Spirit away from us. Our name is written in the Lamb's Book of Life. Romans 8:16 states the Spirit is our identification as children of God. We can live a life of peace knowing our eternal home will be in Heaven one day.

Thank you Jesus for your Holy Spirit. May we always stay in constant communication with you, avoid worldly pleasures and live a more holy and righteous life so our life will be a reflection of your Spirit that lives in us. God bless friends and have an awesome Monday!

Finally, all of you be of one mind, having compassion for one another: love as brothers, be tender hearted, be courteous.
1 Peter 3:8

I challenge each of you to memorize this verse over the weekend and live it! See what happens in your world. So many people out there need our love and attention.

God bless!

My grace is sufficient for you, for My strength is made perfect in weakness. 2 Corinthians 12:9

As Christians we often times forget we have the power of Jesus Christ living inside of us through the Holy Spirit. When faced with difficulties and challenges that appear bigger than us, we tend to worry or focus on them until they consume our thoughts night and day. By doing so, there is no room in our minds and lives for anything good or positive. We become ineffective for the Lord.

God made us...He knows our weaknesses and frailties.  He allows us the opportunity to give our weaknesse...our worries...everything to Him. When we release these to Him in complete faith, He steps in and carries the load for us in a miraculous way.

Don't let your weaknesses, worries and fears overtake you...release them to Jesus today and live a life free from the chains that bind you. Have an amazing day friends and God bless.

There is a way that seems right to man, but in the end it leads to death. 

In the hustle of everyday life, I encourage you to take a break and walk through a cemetery.  There you will find a record of those who have lived their lives, making a name for them self. At the end, it's simply a memory and few words inscribed in stone. 

There in the resting place of the deceased is a peaceful quiet, no concern for time, money or status...just eternal rest. 

What matters most in life isn't our wealth, job or possessions. It's all about a relationship with Christ. For one day we too will rest for all eternity. 

Live each day to the fullest and be thankful for God's blessings. Safe journey friends. 

Jesus said: Let not your heart be troubled; you believe in God, believe also in me. In My Father’s house are many mansions, if it were not so, I would have told you. I go and prepare a place for you. And If I go and prepare a place for you, I will come again and receive you to Myself.  John 14:1-3

 

When we expect company to visit, we usually prepare our house for their arrival. This involves cleaning house, re-stocking the necessities and having food and beverage ready for our guests. When they arrive, we want to them to feel welcome and rest from their travels.

 

As we move through life on our spiritual journey, Jesus Christ is preparing our mansion in Heaven for our arrival. It will be a place of comfort, peace and most of all we will be in the presence of God…holy and pure in all righteousness. The beauty of this place and the awesomeness of God will be overwhelming!

 

Knowing we have a well prepared mansion for us on the other side, should encourage us as Christians to live a life worthy of our Lord’s preparations. God not only prepared a home for us in Heaven, He provided us the vehicle to travel to our eternal home….Jesus Christ. Jesus not only died on the cross for our sins and created the pathway for us to our eternal destination, but He gave us the Holy Spirit who lives inside of us…guiding us through life. No GPS needed! J

 

How is your spiritual journey? Are you just riding along...looking out the window bored OR are you stopping along the way to do the Lord’s work by sharing the good news of Jesus Christ, giving of your time and money to help those in need and thanking God for his blessings along the way? We have an eternal home waiting for us in Heaven….lets do our part and serve the Lord as He has called us to do so when we arrive…he will greet us with “well done my good and faithful servant”.

 

Do something special for the Lord today and find His blessings in your life! God bless friends!

For we are His workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God prepared beforehand that we should walk in them. Ephesians 2:10

God created you. Nothing about you and your body's makeup is a mistake. As a child of God, we are to be useful vessels for His service. He has a plan for your life...using your talents and abilities.

What's truly fascinating is God often uses our weaknesses and disabilities to do great things. Maybe public speaking isn't your specialty, giving money to a charity, spending time with a sick friend or relative or you have a disability that limits what you can do. God knows your strengths, He wants to use your weakness to show His power in your life that will bring Him glory and bless you along the way.

When we do things we are good at, we don't rely on God for help...thus by doing something on our own, we miss seeing God's miracles in our lives. I have personally witnessed things done in my life that I know couldn't have been accomplished through my own abilities

Maybe God has called you to do something outside your comfort zone. Don't fret...trust Him to supply all your needs and watch him use you and your weaknesses to do wonderful works for the Lord. Trust me friend, you will be blessed for your faithfulness. Have an awesome day and God bless!

The fruit of the righteous is a tree of life, and he who wins souls is wise. Provverbs 11:30

Psalm 46:1  God is our refuge and strength, a very present help in trouble.

As strong storms passed through our area, I was on my porch taking pictures when I noticed a partial clearing in the sky and a rainbow formed for a few minutes. The rainbow represents a promise from God. How fitting…..God’s promise in the middle of a storm. He promises to protect us, uphold us and strengthen us in the middle of a storm.

 

I’m reminded of body builders who work-out continuously to build muscle and strength.  During the workouts, the muscles are put to the test….pushed harder each time so they can grow in size and strengthen. After a workout, the muscles are sore….but as the old saying goes….”no pain, no gain”.

 

So true in our walk with the Lord. God allows trials in our life to strengthen our faith and help us grow in pursuit of complete sanctification.  This “spiritual workout” can be and is usually painful, but necessary to strengthen the weak areas of our faith.  I have been through many spiritual trials in my life and I can tell you they have helped me grow in my faith and trust in God. He is ALWAYS there to help us even in the worst of circumstances.

 

Although I don’t look forward to life’s trials, I can always have confidence in the Lord to be there for me.

How about you? Are you facing a trail that looks frightening or painful? God is bigger than any storm you face. Just remember this picture….God’s promise to be our refuge in the middle of a storm. Lean on Him and he will carry you through it! God bless friends!

 And above all things have fervent love for one another, for “love will cover a multitude of sins.
1 Peter 4:


When you read this passage, you might ask...how can love cover a multitude of sins? We know that Jesus Christ, God in the flesh, sacrificed his life on the cross so our sins can be forgiven. Jesus did this out of love for everyone...His creation, so we can have a personal relationship with him. What a true definition of love.


But how about us? How can loving others cover sin? I am quickly reminded of the passage in 1 Corinthians 13 that speaks about love:


⁴ Love is patient, love is kind. It does not envy, it does not boast, it is not proud. ⁵ It does not dishonor others, it is not self-seeking, it is not easily angered, it keeps no record of wrongs. ⁶ Love does not delight in evil but rejoices with the truth. ⁷ It always protects, always trusts, always hopes, always perseveres.


It seems today people are looking out for #1. No longer do you see doors being held open for others, people stop to assist someone along the roadway who are broken down..the list goes on. Its easy to get discouraged and angered by those who offend us in their pursuit of "me". I will admit, its hard for me to love others unconditionally when I have been offended. 


To love others like Christ, we MUST surrender the "ME" and look at others with the eyes of Christ. Our response to someone's bitter attitude and actions towards us can and should be a reflection of Christ's love  in us and through us to them! By doing so, it will throw a blanket on their fire and extinguish the flames of anger, hate and evil.


Love is a powerful emotion. It does things that are not natural by world's standards. Read the passage again in 1 Corinthians 13 and ask God to help you love others unconditionally. By doing so, the love you share with others will be representative of Christ's love for us. You never know...your loving attitude might be enough to open the door for conversation about salvation. Pray for God's love to fuel your thoughts, words and actions and see the world around you change! God bless friends! 

that you aspire to lead a quiet life, to mind your own business, and to work with your hands, as we commanded you. 1 Thessalonians 4:11


Years ago I ran across this passage while pursuing a hobby in woodworking. I found it quite fitting, especially "work with your hands", that I made a sign with this passage and displayed it in my shop.


I love this passage, as its short and to the point. Wouldn't it be wonderful if everyone lived by these simple words of wisdom? In this day and time, it can be difficult to live a quiet life....and mind your own business. LOL, with social media....everyone's business is known to all! If you spend much time of face book (as I use to do), you will find time escapes quickly and for what purpose?


In an effort to reduce stress and simplify my life, I did away with cable tv (200 channels and nothing good to watch), spent less time shopping (doing the Dave Ramsey "get out of debt" program) and now excluded myself from face book. Although the stresses of life still pursue....I have less things to distract me from my ultimate goal....focusing on God!


When Paul wrote this passage for the church in Thessalonica, I believe he knew the secret to a genuine spirit filled life....a simple, less complicated life, fewer distractions equaled more time for a personal relationship with God.  Nothing in a Christian's life is MORE important that a closer walk with God through prayer (a lot of prayer), bible reading and quite time to hear His soft voice!


Does your life seem like a complicated mess? Overwhelmed with debt, activities and drama? Finding time to commune with God may seem like a challenge. But trust me friend....set apart 15 - 30 minutes at the start of your day and dedicate it to prayer and devotion time....and you will see His hand guide you through life's challenges and carry you through life's storms. The closer you walk with the Lord, the less desire you will have for things of the world and your life will be more enriching and eyes open to the beauty of life. Give God your time and find true meaning and happiness! God bless friends!

Welcome to my new blog! Over the past 3 years of life, my faith in God has grown. Through challenging situations, significant life changes, heartbreak and discovering hidden blessings in life's storms, I have slowly removed a lot of the "world" from my life. Less complicated equals less drama...I hope! :) God has led me to write devotions and shared them through face book. Due to an increase in negative news and drama, I have closed my face book account. When I did, I received many emails from friends asking what happened and were disappointed not to read my devotions. So, I'm going to use this blogging post to share my thoughts and God's voice as He directs me to write. I hope you enjoy. God bless!