If we live in the Spirit, let us also walk in the Spirit. Galatians 5:25

‎

For me, I always like to see a "yield" sign vs. a "stop" sign. Stop means stop. It slows my travels. Where a yield sign allows me to keep moving if the traffic is clear. But...if a car is coming I have to give way to them. Yielding the right of way keeps me from having an accident, but the decision to yield is up to me. 

To live a life in Christ, we must learn to importance of yielding our ways to Him. God wants and expects us to keep moving through life, yet there are times when we have to wait for Him to allow us to "go" or when he asks that we surrender up something He knows is not good for us...we must obey and yeild to it. Unless we learn the importance of yielding our life to Christ 24/7, we will eventually crash. Spiritual repairs can take weeks and months to be repaired from our selfish will. 

Why keep your spiritual vessel in the repair shop? God wants you on the path of life, making an impact for Him with blessings along the way. Yield your entire life to His direction and purpose and you'll have uninterrupted travels and less heartache. Yield the right of way and stay safe! God bless.  

Turn away my eyes from looking at worthless things, and revive me in Your way. Psalm 119:37

While in High School, I ran high and low hurdles in track. The key to success when running this race is to keep your focus ahead. One distraction will put you out of sync and cause you to have an accident while leaping over the hurdle. 

After God lead me to this verse, I sat back for a few minutes and thought about my life. How many times I turned my attention away from what I knew was right and pursued something outside His will.  Trust me, I crashed every time. Yet, God was right there, helped me up and encouraged me to keep running and look straight ahead. And that I did after each wreck. As I've progressed through life, those distractions don't seem to get my attention any more. I've learned that this race called life is mine and it's up to me how I get to the finish line. 

Believe it or not, you too are running with me. We are all running the race of life. Where is your focus? If it's not on God's truth, then you are distracted and eventually it will be a hurdle that will cause you to crash. Fewer hurdles come when we completely keep our focus straight ahead. Never forget that friend, life will be a little easier. Maybe it's time to rid yourself of the hurdles already in your lane. Cut them loose and never allow them to distract you again. Keep running...God is with you all the way!

And when He had given thanks, He broke the bread and said, "Take, eat, this is my body which is broken for you; do this in remembrance of Me.". 1 Corinthians 11:24

Known as "The Lord's Supper", was one of the final meals Jesus had with His disciples in which He told them to remember Him when they broke bread. Jesus gave His life for our freedom to live victoriously in this world. We should always remember His great sacrifice for our sins and praise Him. Thank him today for your freedom. 

If you are blessed enough to live in a country where freedom to move about unrestricted, free to worship God and live without the threat or fear of persecution for your beliefs, you need to be thankful for the many lives who died so freedom can rein on through time. Take a moment to remember and thank those who gave their all for your freedom. 

Thank those who have served and continue to serve. Although they might not be on the front lines fighting, they have given up their freedom to serve their country and support all facets of the military and it's operations here and abroad. 

Take a few moments and thank God and the people who work for your continued freedom. Pray for the families of those who have lost loved ones....they need our prayers. Finally, live your life in a respectful manner, never taking your freedoms for granted. You can do your part to memorialize those who have served, continue to serve and the fallen so you live each day in freedom. Happy Memorial Day. Thank you for your service! God Bless.  

But above all these things put on love, which is the bond of perfection. Colossians 3:14

You know of someone who everyone draws to? It's like they are a magnet, bringing people in around them....like dogs running to the food bowl. What is it about them that brings them in? Most likely it's their character, their attitude and how they make others feel. I have known only a few people in my life that when they come in a room, everyone wants to be near them. 

Jesus Christ was that way. People were drawn to Him because of the love He showed the crowds. He took time to be with them, instructing and healing. When someone feels loved by another, they are drawn to that person. Love is a powerful emotion, it's like super glue that holds two things together.

What kind of person are you? Do you find people drawn to you, or tend to shy away? How is your attitude? Do you make time for others? As Children of God, we are to resemble Christ in our life. Others should be drawn to us because of our Christ like character. 

Check yourself and ask God to make you more like Him. Ask Him to help transform those "rough" edges in your life to smooth them out. As your attitude and character changes, you'll find more people drawn to you because the love and concern you show them. Put on love today, the world needs to see the love of Christ. 

God bless. 

She (wisdom) is a tree of life to those who take hold of her, and happy are all who retain her.

Proverbs 3:18

Wisdom, something gained over time, through life's experiences, that helps you make better choices and right decisions. In today's verse, wisdom is compared to a tree. If you know much about a tree it has a strong root system that grows wider and deeper each year, providing more strength and ability to tap into new sources of water and nutrients. It's green leaves collect the suns rays to produce it's own food that makes it grow each year. If you were to cut into the tree, you would see growth rings. Each ring's width represents how well it grew by utilizing the resources around it to grow. 

Reality check, how tall is your tree of wisdom? Have you used years of poor choices to help make better decisions for tomorrow? When we learn from our mistakes and avoid duplicating them over and over, our tree grows and gets stronger. Right decisions and living within the will of God provides much nutrition and helps you grow in wisdom. But, you need to keep your heart and mind well fed with God's word and choose to do right. Wisdom doesn't come easy, it takes years of seasonal droughts and periods of powerful storms that grow and strengthn you. 

Wisdom is gained with every storm of life. Use them to grow your wisdom bank, so your future choices and decisions will be sound and God honoring. Soak up God's word to provide the internal nutrition needed to grow big and tall. The shade of wisdom you provide others will be refreshing to those who find comfort in receiving your wise words. Have a blessed day friend.

He who is not with Me is against Me and he who does not gather with Me scatters abroad. Matthew 12:30

In the game of football, players on the field are either playing defense or offense. The defense is protecting their goal and always feeling the push, the pressure from the opposing team. The offense is always moving ahead to reach the goal. The offensive team is usually the most recognized because they score points to win. 

The Christian life is like those players. Let me explain. If you are not living an obedient life in Christ then you are on the defense, always pushing against everything and everyone to protect "your way". You don't want "God's way", so you are always pushing back...trying to defend yourself. That battle of living a "self-pleasing" life will wear you down, and certainly won't have God's blessings...or help. 

If you are with God and live within His will, you are on the offense. Always moving forward, towards the goal. You are on God's side when you follow behind Him, every step of the way. And the greatest reward is scoring points. If you are on the winning team, life will be more rewarding than trying to defend your own persoanl pursuits. 

So whose side are you on? Evaluate your life and switch sides if you recognize any selfishness in your thoughts and actions. It's easier to advance than push against God's winning team. Play offense with God and rack up points for Him. Your reward awaits you in Heaven!

God bless.

   "This little light of mine, I'm gonna let it shine, this little light of mine, I'm gonna let it shine, let it shine, let it shine.".

Do you remember singing that song as a child growing up in church? It was one of my favorite songs. Simple, yet has a message for all believers....let your spiritual light shine through your life. 

The world we live in is darkened by the satanic influences of the devil; I truly believe this. If we, as children of God, are going to impact the world for Him, then we need to let His light shine. Does your life reflect the character of Christ? It might in some areas....other areas maybe not so much. Ask God to help you work in those parts of your life that hinder the light of Christ....break the chains that bind and hold you back from being spiritually free to share Christ. The world needs your light. Be a light today. 

God bless. 

Serve the Lord with fear, and rejoice with trembling. Psalm 2:11

As a child of God, have you taken time to think about who it is you serve? God our Father, is the creator of all things. Everything in the Heavens and on earth are His masterpiece. With one word spoken, he can create, destroy, alter and stop anything He chooses. He is the eternal King who deserves our reverence. 

Does the way you live your life reflect the respect you have for God or do you go about your day living for self. The bible says you can't serve two masters (Matthew 6:24). If you truly are a child of God, you will recognize His authority and follow in His ways of obedience. Anything less is disobedience and blessings can't be found when you walk away from God and dishonor Him by your waywardness. 

Want to be richly blessed in life? Live obediently, respect His authority and give Him praise in all things. By doing so, you show the world who reins in your life. 

Have a blessed day.
‎

 In Him also we have obtained an inheritance, being predestined according to the purpose of Him who works all things according to the counsel of His will.

Ephesians 1:11

When someone dies, there is usually an inheritance. It might be certain possessions, money or opportunities that reward the receiver. Unfortunately when this occurs, jealousy shows its ugly self in the other family members who feel cheated out of certain inheritance blessings. If there is more than one family member involved, the inheritance is usually never enough. 

If you are a child of God, you have an inheritance that never runs out and is evenly portioned to those who believe in Jesus Christ and accept Him into their life. Eternal security in Heaven is the end reward. But what about the now? Jesus Christ promises you His Spirit, who lives inside every believer. Through His Spirit, you have a special inheritance that provides daily wisdom, guidance and protection from the enemy, Satan. 

God blesses His children every day through His presence in your life. Your final reward is Heaven. Live each day like it's your last, share with those around you the love of Christ and what He did on your behalf so they too can enjoy the plentiful inheritance He graciously gives to those who call out His name. Share your inheritance with others today. God bless.  

Not that I speak in regard to need, for I have learned whatever state I am, to be content.

Philippians 4:11

Contentment. It means different things to different people. Being in a state of "contentment" usually takes some effort and is short lived; interrupted by negative circumstances that flow as freely as a well fed stream. Trouble and discord seem to be commonplace in life as we age. 

How can we find true contentment when everything is going wrong and the trials of life seem to be insurmountable? Finding contentment involves seeking God in your everyday life and surrendering all things into His care. Oh yes, easier said than done, BUT, if you are really in tune with Him, you know He will carry your burden, He will lighten your load. Even if the weight is bringing weakness to your bones, contentment and joy can still be found in Him. 

He supplies all your needs, riches and pours out blessings. What's in your hands? If it's the worries of today, your cupped hands have no room to receive God's blessings. Let loose of your problems and hold out empty hands ready to receive His sufficiency for the day. Contentment is one simple step of faith in Him. Trust Him in everything. God bless.  

The Lord is my portion, says my soul, Therefore I hope in Him. Lamentations 3:24

Every now and then someone will say "my heart is full", meaning something special has happened. Maybe finding the love of your life, all your kids are with you at the same time, or you received an answered prayer. All of these things are wonderful, yet temporary. Yes the feeling of joy in this special blessing might last a while, but eventually the fullness will dissipate. 

What is enough in life to maintain that constant feeling of joy? The Lord. Is He enough in your life to bring joy in all circumstances? Do you awaken each day with the thrill and excitement to see what He will do in your life? If you are like me, I never get enough of the Lord in my life. I oftentimes get distracted with the problems of life and forget to let go so God can work them for His glory.

The only way to satisfy the thirsty soul is to stand my the fountain of life....God himself. Stay close always and reach out for His love, His wisdom, His grace and His blessings. He wants to fill your cup to "overflowing", stay close to Him and experience completeness. Is He your portion? Seek Him today. God bless.

The Lord will give strength to His people; The Lord will bless His people with peace.

Psalm 29:11

How does a family member hold it together when they experience a loved one's passing? How does a parent let go of their child to experience freedom away from home? How does one stand in front of their enemies with bold confidence? 

If you are a child of God, you possess a power unlike those outside the faith. God's Holy Spirit is constantly working in your life to sustain you in the difficult times. He senses the need to give you that inner peace, that eagerness to trust and the confidence that is unmatched. Unless you  are willing to open your heart to His strength, you will be struggling to keep your head above the circumstances that face you. That's why it's so important to stay in constant touch with God and continually relying on His strength to sustain you even in the most dire situations. 

God never intended for His children to go at life alone. He lives on the inside, ready to flex His spiritual muscles so you won't crumble under pressure. Won't you rely on Him in all areas of your life? By doing so will give you the peace He so wants to give you. Have a blessed day friend. 

The woman said to Him, "I know that Messiah is coming" (who is called Christ). "When He comes, He will tell us all things." Jesus said to her, "I who speak to you am He.". John 4:25-26

Have you ever found yourself talking to someone important without realizing who it was? Today's passage is a brief snip it of the story about Jesus meeting the Samaritan woman at the well. Jesus had a dialogue with this woman, describing her life, and the whole time she had no clue who He was. Through prophecy, she heard about Christ and knew one day He would be in their presence....she didn't know it was at that moment she'd encounter Him. Can you imagine how she felt knowing she had a conversation with God's son? 

Have you had an encounter with Jesus Christ? He knows every detail of your life. He knows the good and bad, yet He wants you to receive His love. He already paved the way for a personal relationship with you, by sacrificing His life for your sins. The only way to encounter Christ is to come to Him with a believing heart, open and ready to receive His pardon of sin. Once you accept Him, He remains with you for all eternity; His Spirit takes up residency in your heart and life. 

Don't wait til you bump into Christ! He is everywhere, waiting for you to call out to Him. Won't you encounter Him today with a prayer of acceptance and live a life free from the heartache of the world. He provides the joy and peace that can only be found in Him. Call on Him today. 

God bless.

And the Heavens will praise Your wonders, O Lord; Your faithfulness also in the assembly of the saints.

Psalm 89:5

Once again I was blessed to visit the Smoky Mountains National Park this week. As I rode and hiked through the park, I couldn't help but think about God and how He created this beautiful sanctuary of plants and animals, all for our enjoyment. The enormous mountains, abundant water flowing in hundreds of creeks, variety of plants and wildlife, and the labor of men and women who constructed the roads and trails to allow access to see and explore. I truly believe God smiled when He spoke this place into existence. 

As a child of God, you know who the creator of life is and the world around you. Although you might never get to see spectacular mountains or the unending oceans the world right around you is a wonder itself. God created you and placed you right in the environment you call home. He knew just where to place you, just as He did the mountains and wildlife in the GSM. Is your life a "living wonder" to others? Do people see the beauty of God's presence in your life? We are to be "set apart" from the world for others to see God's goodness, grace and love. 

You may not think of yourself as one of God's "wonders", but you are. Live life like a mighty mountain, standing tall for Christ. Let love flow out from you, unending like the ocean's vastness. Move the hearts of people through generous giving of your time and resources. The world needs to be awed by His creation....show others His wonders through your life. The world is watching you. 

God bless. 

But the path of the just is like the shining sun, that shines ever brighter unto the perfect day.

Proverbs 4:18

I had the privilege to hike the Alum trail in the Great Smokey Mountains yesterday. As I walked on the path, I found its character much similar to life. As I began the trail was smooth, level and straight. But not too far on the journey, I encountered turns, steep inclines and even single wide logs that helped cross deep ravines. My fear of heights was put to the test, but I made it safely to the other side. 

As we go through life, we encounter those twist and turns....the challenge us to keep our momentum. Satan uses those parts of the trail to tire us and make us become lazy in our faith. Before too long we find ourselves backtracking. That's not good, because as a child of God you were meant to grow in your faith, not go backwards. So keep moving no matter how tired you become...God will sustain you. 

There will be times when you have to face something bigger than you. For me, I knew if I wanted to reach the top I had to cross the ravine with the only means possible. I did it with faith and trust in the log. When faced with a medical issue, relationship failure or any life event, trusting in God is the ONLY way to make it over the obstacle. It might be scary, you might not feel strong enough....embrace the hand of God. He will see you through. 

One of the most important things to do is stop and soak up God's blessings. It's necessary to look at the good things of life. If you gaze at the bad things, it will bring discouragement. Satan uses that crack to slide in his poison and toxify  your mind. Always think positive and gaze upon His beautiful creation. 

Life is a journey. The path is clearly marked out for you if you continually keep your focus on Him, trust Him in the scary times and never turn back. Trust me, the journey might be challenging, but the view from on top is amazing. Keep moving upward! 

God bless!!!!

Then the Pharisees went out and plotted against Him, how they might destroy Him. Matthew 12:14

From the time of birth up until Jesus died on the cross, the devil used people to try and destroy Him and His purpose here on earth. If you are a child of God, you can expect the same forces of evil coming against you, from people you know who might be your neighbor, co-workers, friends...even family. As long as you live on earth, you are on the devil's turf and he will use anything and anyone to destroy your testimony.

So what can you do to fight back? Pray for your offenders. Ask God to protect you, guide you through each day with His incredible wisdom, and sustain your joy in Jesus Christ. Satan wants to rob your joy and nothing ticks him off more than when he tries to inflict pain through circumstances and people, you keep smiling and praising God. When you express praise, it's like spraying water on a wildfire...it douses the enemy's flames. 

I'm pretty sure if you are reading today's blog you can point to someone or something you know is coming from the devil and it's wearing you down. Give the battle over to God....you can't do it on your own. Pray, pray and pray, keep the faith and dig deep inside to generate a smile because joy extinquishes all attacks from the enemy. 

Go out today with love, prayer and joy and find peace on the battlefield. Have a blessed day. 

By that will we have been sanctified through the offering of the body of Jesus Christ once for all.

Hebrews 10:10

As a parent of adult children, from time to time, you hear them share stories of things they did in their youth that were dangerous or wrong. Things you never knew happened, and quite frankly glad you didn't. If we parents knew everything our kids do, I doubt anyone would have a good night's rest. As you hear these stories, you thank God they made it through life and trust they learned a little wisdom along the way. 

For God, He sees everything we do....everything. Every thought we have, every word spoken and every action we take. Nothing we do is a surprise to Him. Knowing that, the burden can weigh heavily on our hearts to live up to His standards. As fleshly humans, it's impossible to be "saintly" 24/7. Thankfully, we are covered by the blood of Jesus Christ. Our sins are forgiven even before we commit them. Confession of sin is necessary, because it shows God we acknowledge our waywardness and we honor His great sacrafice on our behalf. 

Maybe your past isn't perfect and you feel like you don't measure up as a child of God. Don't let the weight of your past keep you from being a more mature, wiser and an obedient child of God. Thank Him for all He has done on your behalf, acknowledge sin and walk freely by His grace. Your life will have more joy and peace knowing your sins are forgiven. God bless.

Test all things, hold fast to what is good.

1 Thessalonians 5:21

"Justifying wrong doesn't make things right". This was a thought that came to me the other day while walking. So often we want something or someone in our life. We weight out the good and bad and hopefully make wisest choice. Unfortunately, we try to justify the wrong things about something or someone and we allow it to come into our life.....only days, weeks, months....even years, regret our decision. 

Decisions based on "feelings" usually never work out for the best. God gave us a heart to keep us living and a brain to make wise decisions. When we allow our heart to make decisions for us, trouble follows. God gave you a brain....use it! If you find yourself "justifying" wrong things in a relationship, then it won't be any better once you engage in it. Bad is bad....and when you try to make it into "good", you will eventually see why you had to stop and think about it. 

Test all things, hold onto the good things in life. Some of the best words of wisdom you can grasp. Life will be much simpler and without a lot of drama and heartache. Test everything with Godly wisdom and you will find goodness last for years and years. Have a blessed day! 

But if the Spirit of Him who raised Jesus from the dead dwells in you, He who raised Christ from the dead will also give life to your mortal bodies through His Spirit who dwells in you. Romans 8:11

 

Have you ever noticed, everything has an expiration date? Although some things don't really expire, the federal government requires companies post an expiration date on their product. Many good things and food items are discarded simply because a date stamped on the package says it’s no good after that time.

 

Sadly, many Christians appear to have reached their expiration date and are just sitting there doing nothing for the Lord. Capable as they are, they’ve determined in their own minds that the service they’ve provided over the years has been enough and now they are just waiting for the next life. God never created us to expire!! He raised Jesus Christ from the dead for a purpose….to defeat death! Yes, as humans our bodies will die, but the Holy Spirit God gives us, will live on to all eternity.

 

As a child of God, you do not have an expiration date, so don’t think you can settle in and cruise the easy life til you meet Jesus face to face. He wants you, and I, to be alive in the flesh to serve Him each day we breathe on planet earth! Find a way to serve Him today and rely on His Spirit to sustain you…even when your body wants to expire early into spiritual retirement….no such thing in God’s book! Keep living for Him daily! God bless!

But that the world may know that I love the Father, and as the Father gave Me commandment, so I do.

John 14:31

‎

Today's verse comes from Jesus Christ. As He was closer to death on the cross, He knew what laid ahead for him. The most horrific pain, embarrassment and mockery that no one would want to endure, yet He knew what He had to do. For His main purpose was to serve as mankind's sin offering. Jesus never ran, He never hid from His captures, He remained faithful to God til the end. 

What has God, your Father in Heaven, called you to do for Him? Walking in complete obedience is one of the ways we show our love to God. When we obey, we are saying..."I trust you enough Lord to follow your commands, go where you want me to go, do what you want me to do and face what lies ahead". What He asks of you might be painful, might face redicule and might even cost you your life, yet He has a purpose and plan for everything He asks and commands. 

Seek Him out today through prayer and even Godly counsel. If you are His child, He ask things of you....wont you show your love to Him by obeying His calling in your life? He will bless you and reward your obedience til the very end. God bless.  

Depart from evil and do good:

Seek peace and pursue it. 

Psalm 34:14

Yesterday while driving home from work, I encountered a driver behind me who clearly was lacking in driving skills and had no thought for safety. She was all over my rear bumper and trying to pass in a road construction zone. Every minute that passed by fueled this anger inside towards this person. Eventually I was able to pull off to the side and let them go around. 

In life we often encounter people who are living their life totally different than ours. Their reckless behavior and selfish attitude can make our blood pressure max out. Thoughts of revenge and wishing ill things upon others who offend us seem to take over.  It's at that moment that we need to pull over mentally and pray for them. They need our prayers and God wants us to keep our cool so we can effectively reflect His character from our life. 

It's difficult to find peace if we allow other people's behavior to influence us in a negative way. Peace comes from God and our willingness to surrender our thoughts and feelings to Him. Prayer helps those who need it and shields us from getting caught up in other people's drama. 

Next time someone cuts you off or offends you in any way, don't bring out the big guns, but shoot them a prayer and ask God to give you the grace to continually reflect Him in your every action and thought. We need more peacemakers in this world. God bless. 

For who in the Heavens can be compared to the Lord? Who among the sons of the mighty can be likened to the Lord? Psalm 89:6

 

Every now and then either someone we know or we our self will meet a famous person and get a picture with them to document this special meeting. For those few moments we feel honored that we got to speak to them, shake hands and share a few words. Following this special meeting we have, you could say, bragging rights. Who have you met that is famous?

 

As children of God, we have the BEST and most famous person living inside us, God, through His Holy Spirit. As scripture says, no one can compare to Him and what He has done for us through His precious Son, Jesus Christ. Because He lives in us, we have a lot to be thankful for and proud to be associated with Him. The creator of the universe resides in you and me! Does your life show the gratitude of this encounter? It should. No one on earth can compare to Him.

 

You may know someone famous and that is cool, but do you know your creator? If not, ask Jesus Christ to come into your life, forgive you of your sins and warm your heart with the presence of God for all eternity! That’s something to brag about! Share your experience with others…..God is ready to meet all your friends and family! Have a blessed day!

First, I thank my God through Jesus Christ for you all, that your faith is spoken of throughout the whole world. Romans 1:8

In Paul's letter to the church in Rome, he was encouraged by their faith in serving the Lord. Their ministry reached out beyond the walls of their church....it reached out worldwide. 

Does your faith extend out beyond yourself? Do others see Christ Holy Spirit inside of you through actions and words? Jesus Christ commanded us to spread the gospel to all parts of the world. It won't happen unless every believer is willing to share their faith within their circle of influence. Out there somewhere is a human being, lost in sin who needs the know the truth. Are you willing to share what God has done in your life with the lost?

Reality check, how far does your faith in Christ go? If it's not further than your own life, then you aren't doing what Jesus called you to do. Ask God to provide you opportunities to share Him with others and be financially postured to help support missions worldwide. Let your faith be known to the world today, someone needs to know about Jesus Christ's love. Will your faith be heard?

God bless. ‎

Blessed are you when they revile and persecute you and say all kinds of evil against you falsely for My sake.

Matthew 5:11 

It's pretty obvious these days when we see a foreigner come into our presence. They look different, act different, speak a different language. Everything about them is so unlike who we are in America. Thankfully, this country welcomes those outside its borders to visit this great nation. 

As a child of God we are called to live as foreigners in the world. Jesus stated this clearly in John 15: 18-19. Our citizenship is not on earth, but Heaven. We are called to live a different way of life that does not resemble the ways of the world. Anything that resembles darkness should be voided from our life....everything. 

Reality check....do your words, thoughts, actions, reputation go against the grain of the world? If so, you will most likely face ridicule, isolation and a life challenged by the people who live as citizens of the world. As God's children we can expect to be treated poorly if we are truly living out our faith. The world took the life of our Savior Jesus Chirst. That's how much the world hated Him. 

The good news though, He defeated everything the world tried to do to Him. He arose from the dead three days later and now reigns in Heaven and on earth inside every believer. Understand, you will face all kinds of difficulty here on earth, but the One who saved your soul resides in you. You have the victory inside your heart. Draw upon the power of God's spirit to sustain you in the midst of persecution and trials. He will bless you richly when you live in complete obedience to Him. 

Praise Him when trouble comes...He will bless you for your faithfulness! Have a blessed day friend  

Righteousness will go before Him, and shall make His footsteps our pathway. Psalm 85:13

One of my enjoyments is hiking. We are very fortunate in the Southeast to have so many state and federal parks that offer miles and miles of trails. Each pathway was designed and constructed, through thoughtful planning and hard work, for our enjoyment. It always fascinates me how much work has gone into some of the most challenging trails. 

As children of God, we journey through life not alone, but with our Savior Jesus Christ, who resides in us through His Holy Spirit. If we keep our focus on Him, we can hear His wisdom calling out to us in the steps we should take. He has laid out a specific pathway for each believer. Some parts of the trail are smooth and easy traveled: others are more challenging, long and strenuous. Each portion of the pathway has a purpose to grow us, strengthen our faith and provide opportunities to rest and thank Him for guiding us step by step. 

Maybe today you are on the long, strenuous stretch of pathway that seems to have weakened your spirit and you are ready to give up. Stop and rest, draw upon His Spirit's strength to restore you so the next steps ahead won't be so painful. He will restore and sustain your journey if you simply look to Him. Find Him on your knees in prayer. He is faithful and will bless your acknowledgement that you can't do it alone....you need His help. Call on Him today. 

Keep moving ahead, the trail will level out soon!

God bless.

In all your ways acknowledge Him, and He shall direct your paths. Proverbs 3:6

Butter, it's my favorite food! When having bread, baked potatoes or anything deserving butter, I make sure the entire surface is covered. By doing so, it flavors all that I eat. 

God's presence in a believers life is sweet. But far too often, we limit portions of our life to His influence. A prideful heart holds Him back from areas of our life that don't fall in line with His ways...little sinful pleasures we covet and try to keep hidden from God, keeps us from giving Him our "all". In the process, we loose out on His goodness in all areas of our life. He knows what's best for each of us and He wants to sweeten your life. By surrendering yourself to His will, you open all areas of your life to be covered by His blessings. 

What area of your life are you holding out on God? He sees your entire surface and longs to cover all of your life with His love and goodness. Won't you surrender everything to Him today? Life will have more flavor and blessings are sure to follow. God bless. 

And that you put on the new man which was created according to God, in true righteousness and holiness.

Ephesians 4:24

Have you ever noticed when you go to a restaurant, the images of food on the menu don't look like the food you receive? The food in those images ‎were situated just right, used the best meats, buns, veggies and doctored up to entice everyone who walks in the establishment. The company wants their product to look perfect so you'll buy it. 

As children of God, we need to prepare ourselves daily before we step outside our home. Prepare ourselves to reflect His image to a lost and dark world. Preparation for our best is by morning prayer, bible reading and devotion...just to name a few things. We need to reflect on the day ahead and ask God to give us the courage and strength to maintain our Christ like attitude even in the most challenging situations. The Devil will do all he can to mess you up so your delivered product to the world will look like a sloppy hamburger with katchup and mustard all over the buns and meat half in the sandwich. LOL, I know it's a strange analagy, but it's truth. The Devil doesn't want Christians to look like Christ. 

Are you prepared to reflect the image of Christ today when you leave the house? Pray, study and seek out God to help you walk and talk as Christ would. We have many customers out there hungry for love and a peace that only our Savior can give. Reflect His image today through preperation of heart. God bless.

And let us not grow weary while doing good, for in due season we shall reap if we do not give up.

Galatians 6:9

From my youth, I have always been fond of airplanes. It's amazing how they can lift off the ground and soar high. I view a lot of documentaries about planes and some that have mechanical problems while in flight. When an alarm goes off, the pilot remains calm and works through the situation with a troubleshooting guide book. Even up to the final minute before crashing, the pilot still hasn't given up on trying to correct the situation in order to sustain flight. 

How are you flying for the Lord? Is there an alarm going off and you can see danger up ahead? Don't pull the eject lever....give it to God. He has a plan for your "in flight" emergency and will provide you the necessary wisdom and guidance to sustain flight. Yes, it would be easier to simply give up when the problem arises, but all your efforts to live a Godly life and serve Him would be in vain. Hang in there friend....God never intended for you to crash. 

Trouble at work, home, with friends....all these things can send off a trouble alarm. Don't fret! Take a deep breath and ask God to show you the way forward. Your flight might be bumpy at times and you'll wonder how close to the ground you'll get....by faith and trusting in Him, He will sustain your flight. Never give up on your purpose as a child of God. He will bless you for staying on course. 

God bless.  

But put on the Lord Jesus Christ, and make no provision for the flesh, to fulfill its lust.

Romans 13:14

‎

Many places of employment provide employees a uniform to wear. It provides identity for the person that they belong to a certain business, organization or function. At the end of the day, that uniform comes off and no longer display the identity of the company who employs you...yet you are still employed by them.

As a child of God, we have been provided the identity of Christ by receiving the Holy Spirit, which resides in our heart. Although His Spirit isn't visibly seen, God sees us and knows us and always monitoring our behavior. What He requires is we display our allegiance to Him by reflecting outward His ways, His words, His love to those around us. Every morning we need to mentally "put on Christ" in our life so others can see who we truly follow. 

Every word spoken, every good deed and every sacrifice should be a reflection of His presence in our life. Do others see the uniform of Christ in your life? Put on Christ each day and touch the lives of those who need His Spirit the most. God bless.  

 Oh, taste and see that the Lord is good; Blessed is the man who trusts in Him!

Psalm 34:8

Two of my favorite foods (besides donuts) are peanut butter and honey. Peanut butter, by itself, is sticky and can have a dry taste. Add honey to the peanut butter and you have a delicious, sweetened treat! I usually add this combination to bananas or simply eat it from a spoon. 

Life is like peanut butter in a way. Oftentimes our life becomes dry and boring or we find ourselves in sticky messes that bring stress or feeling overwhelmed. But, if you add God to your life, things become more palatable. Although your circumstances might not change much, your outlook will, with God's help. He is available 24/7....always ready to sweeten life with His presence.

Has life become routine? Struggles got you feeling overwhelmed? Spice up your life and walk through the daily grind with God...He will season each day if you simply open your heart and trust Him in all areas of your life. Won't you add Him to your life today?

God bless.