But then, indeed, when you did not know God, you served those which by nature are not gods. But now after you have known God, or rather are known by God, how is it that you turn again to the weak and beggarly elements, to which you desire again to be in bondage? You observe days and months and seasons and years. Galatians 4:8-10

Yesterday I was at a bank drive thru window. As I was about pull off, the person behind the window said…”have a happy holiday”. I thought to myself, is it Christmas already?? LOL. I am so use to hearing the word “holiday” to represent Christmas. Sadly the world today has removed the names of religious events and replaced them with “holiday”. This is EXACTLY what Satan wants…us to forget or mask over God’s special days in history.

How will the non-believer know what God has done for them if we continue to mask Christmas and Easter with a fat man in a red suit and a bunny delivering chocolate eggs? When you sit back and think about it, its pretty darn obvious the enemy is doing a good job at masking these special events in history. Good GRIEF! Wake up children of God!

What can you do about it? SPEAK TRUTH! When someone says “holiday” remind them of what that holiday is…Christmas, Good Friday, or Easter. As long as Christians sit back and let the world erase the name of God and what He’s done for mankind, those on the outside will have no clue. We’ve got to fight the lies of Satan with God’s truth and it all starts with you and me. If you believe in God and have put your faith and trust in Jesus Christ, spread the word today by identifying the religious event out loud. The only one you need to worry about offending is Jesus Christ, and I don’t think you want to do that. Name and claim it today! God bless!!!!!

These things I have spoken to you, that My joy may remain in you, and that your joy may be full. John 15:11

There is nothing I enjoy more than coffee, especially when its freshly brewed. That sweet aroma that fills the house, wets my appetite every time. Once poured, I consume it like someone who walked thru the desert for days without water. Once gone, back to the coffee pot I go for a refill of its goodness!

Jesus spoke it so well in today’s scripture. HIS joy is what fills our life with goodness. HIS joy is like that coffee aroma, it fills every aspect of our life; in our work place, relationships, families. Even when tragedy strikes, joy can be found in the child of God who fills their heart with the Joy of Christ. As found in Nehemiah 8:10 …”the joy of the Lord is my strength.”

How much joy is in your life? If its low, maybe you’ve been trying to fill it with other things….relationships, drugs, alcohol, risky behaviors…there’s plenty of temporary pleasures out there that are unhealthy for human consumption. Fill your life with the Joy of the Lord! It never runs out and is always beneficial for you, to sustain you in everything you face in life. Reading God’s word, praying and surrendering those unhealthy things so you can fill your cup with the pure joy of Jesus Christ is the only way to have everlasting joy and happiness. Start filling your life with the Joy of the Lord today! God bless!

And the King will answer and say to them, “Assuredly, I say to you, inasmuch as you did it to one of the least of these My brethren, you did it to Me.” Matthew 25:40

The other day I was eating at one of my favorite places for bbq. I noticed a man sitting by himself with nothing to eat or drink. He was a skinny, frail man with tattoos everywhere you could see skin. It wasn’t hard to tell, this man had been through a lot. As I ordered my food, I felt the need to help him, so I offered to buy him dinner. He gladly accepted. I attempted to talk with him, yet he was very quiet and reserved, but did mention he had recently been incarcerated. All I could do was pray for this guy and trust that God will give him hope for tomorrow.

Friend, do you see the needs of others? I’m sure you do. You can’t go anywhere these days and not find someone holding up a sign, asking for help. There is so much need everywhere, it can be overwhelming if you try to help everyone you see. But, if God gives you the sight to see someone in particular and lays their burden upon your heart, respond in love to that person. God will equip you with the resources to help meet their need. It may be something as simple as helping them load groceries in their car, buy them a cup of coffee or a meal and pray with them and provide a few words of encouragement. You can’t save the world, but when God asks for you help, respond and trust that He will equip you to meet their need.

When you help others, you will be blessed. Pray and ask God to open your eyes to the needs of others and have the heart to respond when God calls you to action. You represent the love of Christ through your good deeds, give someone a good snapshot of God today by helping others. God bless!

And they said among themselves, “Who will roll away the stone from the door of the tomb for us?” Mark 16:3

Upon the death of Jesus Christ, His body was placed in a tomb, sealed by a large stone, and guarded by soldiers. No one was allowed to come to Jesus. Jesus Christ dead body sealed off from the world, many I’m sure hoped “out of sight, out of mind”. Yet as we know from biblical accounts He didn’t stay dead for long. After three days He arose from the dead, the stone was rolled away and Jesus was free from the sting of death and isolation.

Today, Jesus Christ Holy Spirit lives inside the bodies of everyone who believes in Him and accepted Him into their life. No longer isolated from the world, He lives forever more! I can tell you that His presence in my life is real. I feel Him touch everything in my life. I see His hand working daily to pave the way for me as I live out my faith. He is alive and wants to come into the hearts of every man, woman and child.

As we approach the time of Easter, pray for those who are outside the faith. As Christians, we have a duty to share the good news of Jesus Christ. There are so many who live each day with Jesus still locked up in some tomb, not knowing who He is and what He can do in the life of a believer. He is no longer isolated, share Him with friends, family and coworkers. He is alive, carry on His plan of Salvation today. God bless!

But Jesus still answered nothing, so that Pilate marveled. Mark 15:5

As Jesus stood before Pilate and the crowds, they all refused to believe who He actually was, King of the Jews, the Son of God. The crowd’s disbelief stirred hatred and they simply wanted Jesus put to death. As you read the bible, you will never see Jesus asking to be pardoned. He willingly went to the cross to die for your sins and mine. Nothing needed to be said, Jesus knew what He had to do.

As children of God, we are fortunate enough to have the Holy Spirit residing in each of us. This wise Spirit speaks truth into our heart and mind. Follow it without question. People may challenge your beliefs, your decisions, your actions…that is fine. Sometimes the best thing you can say is nothing. You have wisdom and Godly direction going for you, don’t stir the pot by pleading with others to understand you. They never will.

God has a plan and purpose for your life. Live it out each day, without wavering. Your actions and words should be the example others need to see to understand you serve a God who never changes and always does the right things in life. Serve God faithfully and be blessed today.  

And the Lord said to Joshua: “See! I have given Jericho into your hand, its king and the mighty men of valor. You shall march around the city, all you men of war: you shall go all around the city once. This you shall do six days.

Joshua 6:2-3

Shortly after arriving at work each day, I walk around my office in prayer. Asking for God’s hand of protection against me and the people I work with, pray for a spirit of continuity, ask God for wisdom and guidance and thank Him for my job and the blessings He bestows upon me. Ever since I’ve been doing this, things seem to go a little smoother at work. Yes, there are those tough days, but God’s hand is always moving ahead of me.

Every day we face an enemy who attacks us to try and take away our joy and peace. Some days that little rascal does a good job at making our day miserable, but in the end, he has been defeated by the God we serve. Why not do like Joshua and his army, march around your battle field and pray. Seek out God’s hand of protection, provide wisdom and strength and ask Him to fight the battle on our behalf. Spiritual warfare is bigger than you, so lean on the One who is equipped to defeat the enemy.

Your battle might be a family issue, march around your home. It might be a financial opportunity, march around your bank. There might be trouble brewing in your church, march around your church. Whatever your battle, you can win it with God’s help by marching forward, in prayer, and claim the victory today! God bless!

The work of righteousness will be peace, and the effect of righteousness, quietness and assurance forever. Isaiah 32:17

Just being transparent, the past few weeks have been challenging to say the least. A lot of things going on at work and in my personal life; trying to find some peace and understanding has been very difficult. As I soul searched for resolution, I found parts of my life were a little out of synch with God. Just a few days ago I made some changes and within less than a day, started to see the hand of God working again, which brought some ease to my burdens. Things just seemed to flow and “fit” as they should.

This brief experience was a simple reminder, God blesses obedience. At times we get overwhelmed with responsibilities and fulfilling personal needs, and through these things we veer off course just enough to fall off the path God intended for us to follow. Distractions are Satan’s number 1 tool he uses to thwart the plans of Christians. A smoke screen if you will, causes us to lose sight of what’s truly important and we find ourselves pursing things outside God’s will. Can you relate?

If you could rate the “peace” in your life right now, how much of it do you possess? If little, maybe its time to do a spiritual check up of your behavior, thoughts and focus. Are you following after Jesus Christ or has He taken a backseat for the moment? Jesus said, “I am the way, the truth and the life. No one comes to the Father except through Me.” John 14:6. The only way to move forward in life, spiritually, is to have Jesus in front of you, not in the back seat. He has the power to turn chaos into calm. Its His specialty. Find peace and order today when you surrender everything to His will. God bless!

For I know the thoughts that I think towards you, says the Lord, thoughts of peace and not of evil, to give you a future and a hope. Jeremiah 29:11

There is nothing more wonderful than knowing someone is thinking about you and praying on your behalf. Over the years I’ve had people send me cards, text messages or in person tell me they thought about me and prayed for God’s blessing, wisdom and direction. Its an awesome feeling and certainly lifts my spirit.

Is someone thinking about you and praying on your behalf? You might be going through a difficult time in life, feeling all alone, even isolated from others. Social media is great to connect to others, with hundreds of people out there, yet you can still feel so alone. Depression can set in as you feel like no one cares or loves you. I know that feeling well, been there and its not a good place to be.

Friend, I can assure you that God is thinking about you. He created you, He allowed your existence. Not to be isolated and all alone, but to feel His presence in your life. I believe God puts us in momentary states of being alone, so we can put our total focus on Him. Oftentimes we get so busy developing and growing relationships, that we overlook God. That saddens His heart. God blesses those who acknowledge Him daily and make Him the cornerstone of their life.

Someone is thinking about you, loves you and wants the very best for your life. God will bless you with friendships and a relationship that is right for you when you keep your focus on Him. Through your relationship with God, you have available the best wisdom to make sound decisions and the power to make the impossible possible. Find blessings through your relationship with God first, then everything else will fall into place. God bless!

Let no one deceive himself. If anyone among you seems to be wise in this age, let him become a fool that he may become wise.

1 Corinthians 3:18

Have you ever done something that made you look foolish? Maybe you indulged in a new venture that failed, started a relationship totally out of your character that ended in disaster or in your anger spoke your mind only to make yourself look bad. We all have done things that resulted in making us look foolish.

The advice I can give you today, don’t fret over the incident. Learn from your mistakes and become wiser as you take a new step forward. Each new day should be a learning experience. You might be knocked back a few steps, but if you gain wisdom from the negative experience, you are moving forward in life.

Secondly, live your life with the wisdom God implants in your mind. Through “life lessons” and His wisdom, take each day with a steady pace, never rush your decisions, always always always think through your choices and lean on God for wisdom and understanding. Our enemy, Satan, loves nothing more than to make you look foolish so you will feel unworthy of God’s love and deep in regret. He wants to push you into making quick and unsound decisions. Block him with God’s protective hand.

Are you recovering from some poor choices? Lean on God for healing, learn from your mistakes and seek Godly wisdom, through prayer and reading the bible, so you can make smarter decisions as you navigate this thing called life. God bless friends!

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

Matthew 18:21-22

Last night I went to see the movie “I Can Only Imagine”. What a very powerful and emotional story told about Bart Millard, lead singer for Mercy Me and his life as a child growing up in an abusive home. Monster was how he described his dad. But through God’s power and strength, Bart was able to find forgiveness towards his dad, and his dad found Jesus Christ saving grace. One of the best movies I think I’ve ever seen. I encourage you to go see it. Get there early as tickets almost sell out. It’s a movie of a lifetime!

Today’s passage we find Peter asking Jesus how often we should forgive someone who sins against us. Jesus replied 77 x 7, that equals 539 times. Whew, that’s a lot! As you know Jesus’s story, he continues his life, right up to His death on a cross, paying your sin debt.  His sacrificial act opened a way for you to be completely forgiven by God for your sins, only through accepting Jesus Christ into your life.

If you are a child of God, His Holy Spirit lives inside you. It should be in your nature to forgive those who have hurt you, come against you or who continually make your life miserable. You say that’s a tall order to follow, I totally agree it is. But, ONLY through the power of God, can you find forgiveness like an unlimited pool of refreshing water to draw from when your enemies have diminished you to almost nothing. Christ’s very act on the cross is the example we should live by daily.

Who has hurt you or continues to bring grief into your life? There is an opportunity to show forgiveness and kindness to your enemies. Yea, they’ll think you might be crazy, but God sees your forgiveness and will bless you richly. Through your forgiveness, you have the opportunity to transform a monster into a child of God. Never stop forgiving. Its something that can change a life. Jesus changed mine and yours, find forgiveness in your heart today. God bless!

I love the Lord, because He has heard my voice and my supplications. Because He has inclined His ear to me, Therefore I will call upon Him as long as I live. Psalm 116:1-2

In my life I have encountered disappointments, failures, heartbreak, personal attacks and challenges greater than I can even begin to describe. Although they have set me back a few steps, I’ve never quit because of the God I serve. He has my back 24/7. He stands by me when everyone else has left. He has held out His hand to pull me up from my troubles. God has never let me down.

Maybe life has thrown a few curve balls your way and things don’t look too good from where you stand at this moment in time. Call upon the Lord for strength to keep going, courage in times of fear and healing when the personal attacks from others have penetrated you to the core. When you acknowledge God in your times of crises, He responds in the right way. He sees beyond that mountaintop that is shadowing you. You might not see anything physically change, but I assure you, He is there, by your side, to protect and comfort you, as you take the next step forward.

The daily grind of life can overwhelm you, but with God ALL things are possible. Call upon Him today, every day, in good times and bad. He longs to hear your voice calling out to Him. Let Him know you are thankful for His presence in your life. He is one prayer a way from help and thanksgiving. God bless!  

Therefore, as through one man’s offense judgment came to all men, resulting in condemnation, even so through one Man’s righteous act the free gift came to all men, resulting in justification of life.

Romans 5:18

Sin. Its been around since the beginning of man. From Adam eating the forbidden fruit, to the last sin you committed, it’s almost unavoidable. Sin separates us from God. He is so pure and righteous, He can’t even look upon sin. Yet, from the ashes of mankind’s folly, God made a way for you and me to find forgiveness through His abundant grace and love. Jesus Christ is the “Man” who provides the “justification of life” so you and I can walk in confidence that we are saved, no matter how badly we mess up.

As a believer in Jesus Christ and a child of God,  you are saved. Knowing this very fact should lighten your spirit so you can walk above your circumstances. Unfortunately, we have an enemy, Satan, who tries his best to speak lies of guilt into your ears, telling you that you don’t deserve God’s grace. How could God love someone who did…..whatever your sins. I can tell you for a fact, God does love you and He graciously forgives His children, just like a parent who forgives their child. It’s a God thing and we should never take his grace and forgiveness for granted.

If sin and shame seem to loom over you, come to God in prayer, asking for His forgiveness and help you overcome those frequent sins that seem to be an anchor to your soul. Ask God to help remove that guilt that is self-generated. It is good to acknowledge your sins, but not good to carry the heavy burden of guilt with you all the time. Find confidence in your faith in the Lord. Life is too short to always carry the weight of our past. Go to God today for grace, mercy and unlimited forgiveness! God bless!

So when the woman saw that the tree was good for food, that is was pleasant to the eyes, and a tree desirable to make one wise, she took of its fruit and ate. She also gave to her husband with her, and he ate.

Genesis 3:6

The fall of mankind happened with one wrong decision. God provided Adam and Eve with a beautiful garden, full of food, shelter and comfort. In the middle of that garden was a tree, which God forbid them to eat from. Satan, confronted Eve and tempted her to eat, which she did, then gave to her husband and he ate.

Taking this story to a deeper level….Why didn’t Satan tempt Adam first? In my opinion, Satan always tempts the weaker partner. If he can get the weakest one to fall prey to temptation and sin, then he can use that person to bring down others. What if Adam simply said to Eve, “no, we are not allowed to eat from that tree.” But, he went along with his wife’s poor decision and they both faced God for their disobedience.

I think it’s important to always be on your guard with regards to the people in your life. Friends, family, even your neighbors, can easily influence you to commit sinful acts if you aren’t cautious. Remaining true to God, requires you to say no to sin and do what’s right. Lesson for today, be careful who you allow into your life, never allow them to influence you to sin and God will bless you for your obedience. God bless!

Wealth gained by dishonesty will be diminished, but he who gathers by labor will increase. Proverbs 13:11

What motivates you to do the right things in life? We see something we want and we work hard to acquire it. We attempt to gain someone’s trust, so we become transparent for them to see our heart. We help others by giving of ourselves and time to bless them with our abundance. Doing the right things in life require work on our part; no shortcuts to succeed or do right will ever bring blessings.

When faced with options of doing the right things in life, which route do you take? Today’s society seems to be more interested in getting it done quick and with the least amount of work. We want it now, so we throw it on a credit card and pay later, we reveal just enough and hide the rest of our story in our attempt for transparency, we miss an opportunity to serve God so we throw extra money in the offering plate as it passes by on Sunday. Doing the right things in life half way don’t provide much in the way of return on our investment, time and labor.

Do you have an opportunity to do something right, do something good? Do the right thing by doing it with 100 percent of your efforts. It’s a labor of love so to speak, but it will bring greater rewards when you know you’ve given it your very best. Again, no shortcuts to succeed or do right will ever bring blessings. Do right today. God bless!   

But now, O Lord, You are our Father; We are the clay, and You our potter; And all we are the work of Your hand. Isaiah 64:8

If you’ve ever been involved in making things as a hobby, you take ownership of what you produce. It’s a product using your skills and talents. The end result of your hard work and dedication to getting it right, is something beneficial, something to admire and most likely will bless someone.

Your life is a creation of God. He has a plan and purpose for each person He brings into this world. Its up to you to make yourself available for His loving hands to mold you into something useful, admirable and be a blessing to others. God uses various things, circumstances and people in your life to shape and mold your character. Oftentimes our strongest character traits have been the result of His hand pressing hard into your life through difficulties and life lessons. Without His hand of pressure, you’d simply be a lump of clay on the potter’s wheel with no shape.

If you often ask God why He continues to allow difficulties and challenges in your life, you need to remember His hand is always on your life. During those tough times is when He is doing a special work to shape you. You will never stay the same as long as you allow God to work in your life. All the while He is working to make you into something beautiful and to be a blessing to others. When the pressure is on, just know God is doing His best work in your life and the end result will be something amazing! Have a blessed day!

Come to Me, all you who labor and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest. Matthew 11:28

In the mid to late 1800s people would travel across the country selling magic potions, guaranteed to relieve you of your ailments or troubles. Some were good and some bad. It was all in the presentation of the product that made people buy into their special potion. Even today, there are similar products out there for people to buy in hopes of finding relief for their troubles.

Today, people can find a whole host of ailment relieving remedies found in alcohol, drugs, and other potions that seem to take the edge off your troubles. But at the end of the day, they wear off leaving you right back where your troubles started. Sadly, some get so hooked on these temporary fixes, they can’t stop, always looking for that next high, that next “out of this world drink”. Addictive behaviors are a person’s worst enemy.

Friend, I can tell you the best place to find relief from your troubles is to call upon the Lord God to find rest for your weary, storm tattered spirit. When you put your troubles in the hands of God, He takes the weight off your life and carries them so you can sustain the days of trouble more easily. The truth is, we will never be void of trouble in life. It comes like each passing weather system and never stops. But, the relief God can provide you, last much longer than anything found in a bottle or pill.

What’s ailing you today? Find help not in a bottle, but the bible. Read God’s word for encouragement and wisdom. Pray continually that God will lift your burdens and help see you through another day. I promise you He is faithful and won’t leave you. Find comfort in today’s trouble by turning to God! You’ll be blessed each day! God bless friends!

Then Jonah prayed to the Lord his God from the fish’s belly. And he said: “I cried out to the Lord because of my affliction, and He answered me. Our of the belly of Sheol I cried, and You heard my voice. Jonah 2:2

Recounting the story of Jonah, he was instructed by God to confront the people of Nineveh, who were wicked and came against God. He was to call them out of their evil ways, so they would repent and turn back to God. But Jonah didn’t want to follow the Lord’s instructions, and fled…trying to hide from God. It didn’t work out too well for him. The ship he was on encountered a great storm, caused by God, and Jonah was thrown overboard and swallowed by a big fish. 3 days he was in the belly of the fish, until Jonah came to his senses. In the end, Jonah was obedient and he confronted Nineveh and they repented, accomplishing what God intended to do through Jonah.

I can tell you in my 52 years of life, God’s instructions are always clear, direct and He provides resources to get the job done. As Christians, God’s word is His clear instructions on how we are to live our life. There is no doubting or questioning His instructions, they are meant to sustain your walk with the Lord. Anything outside His instructions is rebellion and those who don’t follow will soon find themselves in a bad situation. Like Jonah, you too can fall victim to your own rebellious decisions and the consequences can be grave. I personally have been there and it’s not a good place to be.

God’s book of life, the bible, and His will for your life must be followed closely. When you remain obedient, He blesses you with a better life. You are always near His presence and can experience power to sustain even the most horrific storms of life. How closely do you follow His instructions and plan for your life? Make the decision today to remain obedient and follow His narrow path of righteousness and be blessed every day! God bless!

And not only that, but we also glory in tribulations, knowing that tribulation produces perseverance; and perseverance, character; and character hope. Now hope does not disappoint, because the love of God has been poured out in our hearts by the Holy Spirit who was given to us. Romans 5:3-5.

Have you ever been hurt emotionally, maybe physically, by someone you truly cared about? I think we all have at one time or another. It’s part of living life with others. Sometimes the pain is so deep that it creates this imaginary wall, keeping you closed in and away from everyone. Although your safe haven sounds good at the moment, you isolate yourself from the good people in your life, who are willing to help you get through your circumstance, to show you real love and welcome you to a new chapter in life.

As today’s passage says, rejoice in tribulations, because they produce a better you, a stronger you, a you that was NEVER meant to hide from life. Each tribulation builds character, so you can journey as a wise spirit, not hidden in isolation. It’s time to tear down that wall friend and get back out there to enjoy what life has to offer. With God’s healing and spiritual protection, you can once again fulfil His purpose through you!

Therefore humble yourselves under the mighty hand of God, that He may exalt you in due time, casting all your care upon Him, for He cares for you.

1 Peter 5:6-7

If you’ve ever had to move dirt around, or anything for that matter, using a wheel barrel, you appreciate this tool. When loaded, the weight of the load is balanced between you and the wheel on the other side of the item being hauled. Somehow it removes some of the weight so you can move around with ease.

If you are breathing, you have burdens every day. Between the responsibilities of life for you and your family, work and other challenges that come your way, it can be a heavy load. Too much of a load placed on the human body and mind can cause you to collapse. This has happens to people every day, hopefully not you.

If you are carrying a lot of burdens today, I encourage you to give them to God. Throw them on His wheel barrel and allow His center wheel to keep the weigh balanced so you can move with ease. God loves you and wants to help you with your weighted burdens. He never intended for you to do it alone. That’s one of the benefits of being a child of God.

Heavy burdened? Give it to God! You are just wasting your time trying to do it all by yourself and eventually you will tire out and give up. God’s wheel barrel is never too full for your problems, big or small. Its Monday and what a better way to start the week than to give your burdens to Him.

God bless!

Set your mind on things above, not on things of this earth.

Colossians 3:2

Have you ever found yourself escaping the realities of life, in your mind, going to a place of peace and happiness? When the pressures and disappointments of life weigh you down, that’s one temporary moment of escape. A renewal of the spirit, of sorts. In those peaceful moments, you push away from everything and discover what is really important in your life.

As Christians, we have this gift, a higher calling you could say, where you can look to God for that peaceful calm only He can bring. I’ve found when life seems like a living hell, God extinguishes the fire a bit and sustains me in my brief moments of difficulty. Let’s face it, if you are a child of God, you have Satan as your enemy. He uses people and circumstances to try to weaken you mentally, physically and emotionally. His number 1 goal is to cause chaos in your life and rob you of your joy.  Why? Because the “joy of the Lord is your strength.”

Maybe you have succumb to Satan’s attacks. Anything but joy can be found in your life. Look up to God for answers, wisdom, healing and strength to sustain. God is at a higher level than your mountains of difficulty, and He sees what’s ahead, and can guide you down the right path. Looking towards God is always the best way to navigate life in good and bad times. He wants to guide you down the better path, follow Him today and find peace and joy in your daily life! God bless!

Behold, I will do a new thing, Now it shall spring forth; Shall you not know it? I will even make a road in the wilderness and rivers in the desert.

Isaiah 43:19

The other day, I watched one of our park rangers till up some ground to plant wildflowers. That hard Georgia clay took two rounds of tilling before it was loose enough to receive those tiny delicate seeds. Once firmly set in the ground, they will produce beautiful flowers throughout the summer season. I can’t wait to see what this year’s flower fields will produce.

Our walk with the Lord is often like that field of flowers. After a period of time, the old flowers die off, the ground becomes hard and it needs some tilling. God often tills our life by allowing difficulties to churn our heart and break up the hardness of our soul, so we will be ready to receive His will for our life. Although we may question God why we have to suffer through the problems and challenges of life, He assures us that He will NEVER leave nor forsake you. It takes a lot of cutting and grinding of your former life to produce that newness of life, guaranteed to bring forth a beautiful field of flowers and blessings.

Just being transparent, I know God is tilling up my life at this very moment. I’ve been undergoing a lot of challenges and faith testing lately. God’s voice tells me to be patient and not worry, as He works to remove those toxic weeds and opens my heart to new things. I eagerly await this new crop of blessings in my life.

Is God doing something similar in your life today? The pressures and challenges of life have you stressed and worried? Friend, be assured God is not doing anything painful without a purpose. He is working your heart’s ground so it will be ready to produce something greater than you could ever imagine! TRUST HIM and be PATIENT with this work in your life. Good things will spring forth from the clay! God bless!

By this the love of God was manifested in us, that God has sent His only begotten Son into the world so that we might live through Him. In this is love, not that we loved God, but that He loved us and sent His Son to be the propitiation for our sins. 1 John 4:9-10

Do you feel loved? It’s the strangest thing, this feeling and emotion called love. You could be in a crowded room, yet feel alone and unloved. You might live in a house full of kids and a spouse, yet not feel loved. You could be part of a big family, and love is the last thing you’d experience. Or maybe you are on the receiving end of someone’s goodness, yet not feel their love.

In my opinion, love is like fuel for a car. Love can carry you places and experience feelings like you’ve never experienced before. Its like glue that holds things together. It’s the solid foundation on which you stand in your relationships with others. It’s the reason people take a back seat for someone in need. Love is powerful and God is the author of love. He is love and those who have a personal relationship with Him know they are loved eternally, without exception to their status, behavior or place in life. God loves those who follow Him!

Maybe today you are one of those who hasn’t experienced the power of love in a while. Your marriage has gone sour and you feel unloved, your kids are grown and seem distant from you; those who help you seem to do it out of obligation, more than love from their hearts. Friend, regardless of your love shortage found in people, God loves you unconditionally. As a child of God, He planted His sweet Holy Spirit inside you to sustain you when all hope seems lost, when you feel like a lonely sailor in the middle of the ocean. God is there in your place of loneliness and difficult circumstances. He LOVES YOU! Dig down in your heart and spirit to find His love and cultivate it through prayer. He will show you His love in many ways through blessings and His presence. Seek Him for love, its right inside your heart. God bless!

Saying, “Father, if it is Your will, take this cup away from Me; nevertheless, not My will, but Yours, be done.” Luke 22:42

As Jesus faced His crucifixion, He asked God to spare Him of the horrific pain and suffering He would undergo, yet in the same moment recognized His reason for being there, to take on mankind’s sins, to be a sin offering. He knew the journey to the cross would be painful, yet through God’s strength He could do it.

We all, at some point in time, have had a “cup” we’d gladly ask God to pass by us. Yet, God knows what’s best for our life and His purpose through us. Those difficult moments that test our faith to the very core, are the ones that reveal how real God is and the great things He can do in our difficulty. I’ve always said, the troubling times in our life are like rings of a ladder, they give us something to step up from, to move to a higher level after we’ve been through it.

What difficulty or challenge are you facing today? You’ve prayed, asking God to take it from you, yet it’s still there, staring you in the face. Friend, I can assure you God has a plan and purpose for this cup. Although you don’t want to accept it, you must have faith, knowing God will see you through it. It’s a test of faith, how strong is your faith and trust in the Lord? Don’t waiver in your faith; just know God has this and will see you through for His purpose and plan. It may be difficult, painful and disrupt things in your life, but it has purpose. On the other side of this difficulty, will be strength, healing and a new life chapter. Go with God every day, trusting Him for the things that come your way! God bless!  

For whom He foreknew, He also predestined to be conformed to the image of his Son, that He might be the firstborn among many brethren.

Romans 8:29

Who is your “super hero”? We all at one time or another had a favorite person we looked up to, sought to be like and desired to have their qualities. Even into adulthood, those super heroes impact the decisions we make and often provide a sense of encouragement to succeed in the steps of the one we treasure.

I can’t think of any better person to model after than the creator of every super hero. God provided a way for us, as humans, to develop characteristics of His nature, His ways and His successes. The Holy Spirit, who lives in every believer, has the power to transform your life into a super hero for the circle of influence you have at home, work and church. Wanting to be the best requires we have a vision set in the right direction. The Holy Spirit provides all the tools necessary for you to live above the “norm” to achieve great successes in life as you face challenges, temptations, heart ache and sickness. You can achieve so much if you simply grow your roots in a foundation that can never be shaken.

Want to succeed in life? You can still look up to that special person you think is pretty cool. Getting to a level of success can be achieved with God’s help. Draw upon His power to make your life a living testimony to others. God has equipped you with those resources, use them and be a super hero to someone today! God bless!  

Therefore purge out the old leaven, that you may be a new lump, since you truly are unleavened. For indeed Christ, out Passover, was sacrificed for us.

1 Corinthians 5:7

How much of yesterday do you carry with you into today? Our past is a building block for tomorrow’s success. Each day has challenges, successes and rewards. Think of them as stepping stones, as you advance forward through life. It’s when you carry yesterday’s failures into tomorrow that you become burdened and stumble. Repeating yesterday’s mistakes are the chains that keep you hindered in your walk with the Lord.

If you are going to make tomorrow a better day, you MUST purge the daily mistakes, failures, and sins by leaving them at the cross of Christ. Jesus Christ took all of your sins and failures upon Himself, so you would no longer be bound to repeated sin and hindered in your walk with the Lord. Before the day concludes, you should come to the Lord in prayer, on your knees, asking for His forgiveness, healing and restoration so you can wake up tomorrow refreshed and unhindered.

What mistakes, sins and failures are you toting around today? Time to purge those at the foot of the cross and start living a life of freedom in which God intended for you to have. He paid the price so you can walk unhindered. Give it all to Him and He will bless your every step throughout today and into all the tomorrows of life. God bless!

Now then, we are ambassadors for Christ, as though God were pleading through us; we implore you on Christ’s behalf, be reconciled to God.

2 Corinthians 5:20

Just being real this morning, I was on my knees praying to God, recalling my sins and failures from the day before. Asking for forgiveness, I was reminded that I am an ambassador for Christ. My life should represent Christ in everything I say, do, think and believe. How do I achieve this ability to represent Christ who is completely pure, sinless and holy; where I am unholy, fleshly and vulnerable to sin?

As humans its impossible to live a perfect, sin free life. Even at our best, God considers us filthy rags in comparison to his purity Isaiah 64:6. Unlike a job that requires an employee to wear a uniform that helps identify who he or she represents, we don’t have a uniform, but we have the Holy Spirit living inside of us. From His Spirit we can draw from His wisdom, power and strength to help shape and mold us into the image of Christ. We wont be perfect, but our life can do a better job representing Him every day as we grow in our walk with the Lord.

The way to get there is growing in our relationship with Him. Studying His word, constant prayer, learning from our mistakes and seeking God’s help to sustain us when temptations come our way are just a few things we can do to help condition us to be better ambassadors for Christ. The Christian life is a growth process. You’ll never learn and grow without mistakes and gaining wisdom along the way. Keep going at it, keep living for Christ, He loves you and will help strengthen you when you need it most. And we all need strength as we battle the world each day. Be an ambassador for Christ today! God bless!

Worship the Lord your God, and His blessing will be on your food and water. I will take away sickness from among you. Exodus 23:25

Today is Sunday. A day many Christians come together to worship God. Fellowship, sing songs, share what’s on each person’s heart and receive a message from God through the preacher. Sundays are the energy boost we need to get our week going.

But, what about Monday, Tuesday..and the remainder of the week? Do you praise God on a daily basis or just on Sundays? Praising God should be a daily activity in the life of every Christian. Prayer, quite time in bible study, acknowledging the blessings of God and thanking Him when He helps you achieve what you feared would knock you down. Worshiping God brings blessings your way. I find when I am in tune with God day by day, hour by hour; things seem to go smoother and I can see more clearly His hand at work in my daily life.

Start this week by worshiping God in church, then don’t stop. Carry on the worship. God loves it when you make Him part of your daily routine. As a result, you will be richly blessed. God bless and see ya in church!   

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

James 4:7

The other day I was ready to check out at Walmart. I had a buggy full of groceries and walked up to the check out lanes. All the regular check out lanes were full of people, but the “20 items or less” had no one. So I slipped into that lane and was there for a few minutes checking out. Well, as soon as I do, one man with 2 items (and was in a hurry) came up behind me. He patiently waited, but was fuming because I was taking up the short lane with my full buggy. EEEK! Feeling guilty, I turned to him and apologized for using the wrong lane.

As Christians, we have no choice but to follow ONE way, obedience to Christ. As we push our buggy of pride and self will through the day, we might be tempted to take the easy route, Satan’s lane of temptations and short-term pleasures. They look good, especially when we are hungry and in a hurry for quick satisfaction. But, as soon as we get in the fast lane, God is frowning down upon you, not happy, and on the other side of pleasure comes guilt and regret.

God’s lane may be backed up and you may have to be patient; trust me friend, it’s worth the wait. His lane is full of blessings and fulfilling. On the other side is no regret. When you walk past Satan’s lane of lies, you let him know you don’t need him and you chose to take the narrow way, the only way and that is the way of Christ.

It takes a CONSTANT amount of focus and attention to walk by Satan, but it can be done with God’s help through His Spirit living inside you. Keep walking past the fast lanes of temptation and head for the line of God’s goodness. You’ll never regret God’s way. Have a blessed day friend!

And when they arose early the next morning, there was Dagon, fallen on its face to the ground before the ark of the Lord.  The head of Dagon and both the palms of its hands were broken off on the threshold; only Dagon’s torso was left on it. 1 Samuel 5:4

Looking into some Old Testament scripture today. The “Ark of the Lord” or “Ark of the Covenant” was a wooden chest covered in gold that contained the two stones inscribed with the Ten Commandments. This ark was in possession of the Israelites and considered something very holy. God told Moses to construct this ark with great detail. As the Israelites traveled, they carried the ark with them. It was highly treasured and considered powerful. Some who touched it, died.

In 1 Samuel 4 – 5 we read that in a battle with the Philistines, the Israelites were defeated and the Philistines captured the Ark and took it to the temple of Dagon, an idol who was worshiped by the Philistines. The first two mornings after its arrival in Dagon’s temple, the people found the statue of Dagon face down before the Ark. The second day its head and hands were broken. Can you imagine what the caretakers of Dagon’s temple thought when they saw this? As you read through scripture, you see the Ark brought chaos to the Philistines and they eventually gave it back to the Israelites.

Ok Dave, so good history lesson, but where are you going with this? Let me just share one thought. When you bring your idols before God, they will eventually fall, even fall apart. Nothing you put above God will stand. He should be number 1 in your life. Our God is a jealous God (Deuteronomy 4:24). He knows what’s best for you, and wants to bless you with His goodness. Nothing you find on planet earth can provide enough love, happiness and satisfaction as God’s blessings.

What stands between you and God? Maybe a certain hobby, relationship or possession. You might be feeling foot lose and fancy free right now, but over time that idol will fall and you might possibly fall with it. Don’t be like the Philistines and be overcome with trouble. Put God number 1 in your life and your life will be perfectly balanced and blessed. God bless you friend!

In the day of my trouble I will call upon You, for You will answer me.

Psalm 86:7

As I look throughout the bible, there are stories of people in desperate situations and called upon God for help. I think about David being thrown into the Lion’s Den and remained protected. I think about 3 young men who refused to bow down before a king because the God they served was their only focus, thrown into a hot furnace, God protected them. I think about Saul, who had a hatred for Christians and killed them, yet God healed Him of his hatred, and with one life changing moment became Paul, a great leader for the cause of Christ.

Today you might be enduring an ongoing sickness, a battle with an addiction that you can’t seem to break the chains that bind you, facing an overwhelming situation that can affect the rest of your life, or simply are feeling the continued attacks of Satan and want a reprieve. Friend, no matter what your situation or circumstance, CALL UPON THE LORD! He is more willing and very capable of helping you break those chains, heal your illness, protect you from enemy attack and give you the strength to carry on one more day.

So often we get wrapped around our situation and don’t think to ask for God’s help. Satan does a good job of keeping you in the dark with self-pity, depression and feeling defeated. The truth of the matter is, Satan has already been defeated and tries to mess with God’s children. Bind Satan in the name of Jesus Christ, call upon God to help you and win your battle today. All it takes is prayer and faith. Call upon Him today and find your life’s battles become victories through the powerful name of Jesus Christ! God bless!