Not that I speak in regard to need, for I have learned in whatever state I am, to be content. Philippians 4:11

Well, it’s Monday morning and the reality of going back to work is setting in. For many, this is one of the most difficult days of the week. It’s hard to get back into the work groove, especially when it’s a job you aren’t fond of. Even if it’s a good job, it’s still challenging to start on day 1.

Be content is the message for today. Although that job might not be the best, has its difficulties or is just one routine day after another, it is a job, providing you financial resources to survive. Be content in your current state and thank God for His blessings. Without a job you might be in serious trouble, like homeless or struggling to provide for your family.

How can we be content when things aren’t the best? I believe we need to take our eyes off our selves and the problems we have and look to God for direction, trust in His care to meet our needs and be thankful in all circumstances. When we do these things, we can learn to be content in all matters of life. God knows your needs and He provides what’s necessary when you look to Him in confidence…knowing He blesses you according to His will.

No matter what happens in life, find contentment through your faith in Jesus Christ. Believe that God knows where you are in life and is watching over you with His protective hand. NOTHING comes to you that hasn’t been permitted by God. He will equip you for the day! Trust Him in confidence and find contentment in every day. God bless!

I am taking a few days off from my blog. I encourage you to visit Dr. Charles Stanley's daily devotional. They are amazing and inspire me as I write my blogs. God bless and have a safe and enjoyable weekend!

https://www.intouch.org/read/magazine/daily-devotions

Therefore be imitators of God as dear children. Ephesians 5:1

Our children are fun to watch. We see some of our characteristics coming out in them. Hopefully the best ones come out in them! 😊 But one thing that is really interesting to see is their behavior. Many kids follow the behaviors of their parents. A young toddler will push his toy lawnmower through the yard like his dad mowing grass, a daughter will cover her face in makeup, just like her mom. Kids follow their parents, so be careful what your kids see.

As a child of God, our behavior should resemble Christ, whose Holy Spirit lives inside of each believer. You can read about His character in the bible and learn from Him. Today’s scripture encourages all believers to live out your faith and show the world what Jesus Christ looks like through the words you say and your actions. Nothing will give the world a good view of Jesus Christ than the child of God.

If you are like me, you recognize your weaknesses and failures to live up to His standards at times. That’s why I come before God every morning on my knees in prayer asking for His forgiveness….and HE willingly gives me that grace….and grace for every believer. But to really grow into the Christian God intended for me to be, and you, we must turn from the ways of the world and learn from God through His word and the wisdom His Holy Spirit speaks into our minds and hearts.

As a parent, there will be times when you don’t provide the best example to your kids. Love them and let them know that you mess up at times. They will appreciate your honesty with them. When you mess up spiritually, come to God, asking for His forgiveness and help you grow in your faith so you can be the example He wants you to be for those around you! God bless!

He gives power to the weak, and to those who have no might He increases strength. Isaiah 40:29

A few days ago I looked down at my phone and it was already below 75% strength and it had been unplugged from the charger only 2 hours ago. I thought to myself by noon I won’t have any battery strength unless I reconnect it to a power source. Can’t get too far away from a plug with this phone.

Can you relate this to your life? Seems like you haven’t gotten very far into the day and your strength, mentally and emotionally, is zapped? There is a source of power that never leaves you powerless. God will provide the strength and power you need to push your way through the day if you stay connected to Him. Too often we get tangled up in the affairs of the day and lose sight of God. Satan is the mixer that loves to bring strife and difficulty your way so you don’t think about God, yet focus on those things and people who drain you.

Just like a cell phone that has a lot of apps turned on….they will drain that battery. So it is with things in life..the more challenges you have the more you are weakened. Always stay connected and center focused on God. When trouble comes, take a moment to pray for God’s hand of protection and guidance so you can stay strong to work through the issues of life. The poorest decisions are made when we are not at our best. God provides all that’s necessary to get you through the day. Stay plugged in to Him continually and you’ll never run short of strength and power. God bless!

You did not choose Me, but I chose you and appointed you and bear fruit, and that your fruit should remain, that whatever you ask the Father in My name He may give you. John 15:16

As a child of God, do you realize that God had His eye on you when He welcomed you into His family? He wanted you to be with Him for all eternity. He appointed you into His holy family. When you stop and think about the God of this universe wanting you, it should make your commitment to Him that much greater.

Sadly, many accept that they are saved and go about their everyday life without a plan and purpose to continue God’s appointment for their life. Talk about missing the mark. But, when you keep this in mind and seek after God’s will for your life, you fall in line with His plan and start living the purpose He had for you as a Christian. When you are following down the perfect plan He has for you, He provides what you need for your life journey.

Do you realize your importance in God’s plan? Do you know the direction He wants for your life? If not, start today by praying for God’s will to be revealed and read your bible for guidance and direction. I can’t tell you the number of times, and I mean many many times, God has laid scripture before me as a road map for each and every decision I need to make. When I’m in the groove of God, He supplies EVERYTHING I need to sustain and make my way through another day. YOU are an appointed child of God. Live like it every day and find His sweet blessings along the way. God bless!   

The Lord upholds all who fall, and raises up all who are bowed down.    Psalm 145:14

Have you ever fallen in front of a crowd? People are quick to offer their help to get you on your feet, but for you it’s quite embarrassing and you are quick to get back up without anyone’s assistance. Can you relate?

Our journey with the Lord can be quite similar. We try to live right, do right, but sometimes we fall either by sinning or partaking in something foolish. The guilt and shame knock you down. You try hard to get back up, but  Satan is there to quickly remind you of your weaknesses and says…you aren’t a good person and discourages you from getting back up.

God never intended for you to stay down and feel defeated. By His loving grace, you are saved and forgiven. When you sin, Jesus is right there with His hand, ready to steady you back up on your feet and wash away the muck of your sinful past and foolish actions. He never once reminds you of your past as Psalm 103:12 says….”As far as the east is from the west, So far has He removed our transgressions from us.” So if you battle your past, just know its Satan whispering lies to you, again. ☹ Don’t listen to him, he is worthless and lost the battle.

Satan’s number 1 goal is to knock down every Child of God. A soldier is no good when he is down. But, through Jesus Christ, you can stand up firmly and keep your journey moving forward as you battle the sins and challenges of life. Trust in the Lord with every step and have confidence in knowing He is there to help you, sustain you and keep you marching forward towards Heaven! Keep on trucking! God bless!  

And God is able to make all grace abound toward you, that you, always having all sufficiency in all things, may have an abundance for every good work. 2 Corinthians 9:8

Growing up on a farm made for so many wonderful memories. One thing I always looked forward to was the food and drinks delivered in the field around noon. Working all day in the field, then seeing mom pull up with a car load full of cold beverages and delicious food made the hard work more tolerable.

As Christians, we have been tasked with serving God. God has a plan for your life and wants you to participate in His plan to reach the lost, help the needy and be an example of Christ to those around you. At first, you think there is no way I can possibly live up to God’s standards, serve Him with my busy schedule and help others when I can barely help myself. Sound familiar? I can assure you, God will bring you nourishment through blessings as you serve Him in the field. All He is looking for is obedient children of God, willing to put Him first in their life, serve Him and let Him take care of the needs to get the job done.

Maybe you are out there trying to tackle life, but have little or no time for Godly work. Feeling drained? Let’s work together this week to do less of me and more of Him! When you allow Him to be your priority, He delivers those sweet blessings right where you are, at just the right moment. Trust me, I know first hand how He provides when nourishment is needed. Work for the Lord and He will work in all areas of your life! You can count on Him! God bless!

So the churches were strengthened in the faith, and increased in number daily. Acts 16:5

There is strength in numbers. When a task needs to be accomplished, no doubt, the more people you have there to help, the easier it is to accomplish it. The church is no different. Our churches need people in them to support the church, its missions, and support for one another. God can do anything with a few people, but what He can do with many people is amazing, IF people make the decision to show up!

Maybe you are sitting there this morning, as a Christian, questioning if you want to attend church. As a child of God, you should have the desire to attend a church and get plugged into God’s word, be active in serving and pray for those in your circle of worship. They need you, just as much as you need God and them. It’s a team effort and if you are sitting on the bench at home you are doing no one any good be staying away from God’s house.

I encourage you to find a church and start attending. You might not feel comfortable at first getting involved, but trust me, God will make a way for you to fit in and do His work. There is strength in numbers, and your number is special to God. When you make time for Him, He makes time for you! Find God’s blessings in the house of the Lord today! God bless!

Brethren, if a man is overtaken in any trespass, you who are spiritual restore such a one in a spirit of gentleness, considering yourself lest you also be tempted. Galatians 6:1

Have you ever ridden with someone in the car and had to tell them to “slow down”? If you have kids who drive, I’m sure those words have been said on numerous occasions. Why, because we know that at a fast speed the chances of having an accident increase dramatically or the police will stop them and issue a costly fine.

As we go through life there will be times when we see our friends or family members driving their life towards trouble. Certain behaviors, habits, relationships (the list is long)….will bring catastrophe to the ones we love. Are we required to tell them to “slow down and change their course”? Scripturally speaking, YES! Come on, you know exactly what I’m talking about. I’m sure at this very moment there is someone in your life that you know is headed for trouble by the way they live. You want to do something to help them, but you feel guilty of your past sins, don’t feel qualified to speak, or just afraid of hurting your relationship with them. Let me tell you, I have had friends correct me and I truly appreciated them for speaking up. Your friend will too. At a minimum your mind will be a little more at ease knowing you tried to help.

So how to go about it? Start by praying. Pray for them that their heart will be soft enough to listen. Ask God to give you the right moment to speak and allow His wisdom to flow from your mouth. When the moment comes to speak, do so in a loving way. Don’t criticize but show compassion and know that their circumstance is difficult and they don’t know they are in trouble. You are there to simply help them, because you care about their life and well-being. After the message is delivered, pray for them that the seed you planted well blossom into something meaningful and that they will change their ways. It’s a process that might take days, weeks even years to see results that need to happen. Don’t give up on them. Your meaningful persistence will one day be rewarded and treasured by that loved one who needed your dedication. Whew…I needed that advice! I hope you can find encouragement to help someone this week. Pray, speak up and help that loved one change for a better direction in their life! God bless!

You are of God, little children, and have overcome them, because He who is in you is greater than he who is in the world. 1 John 4:4

Yesterday while out riding, I came up behind a vehicle that had the following symbols on their back window: “HE>I”, basically saying “He is greater than I”. Whoever was behind the wheel of this vehicle knew that God was greater than themselves. I’m sure they realized that the God of the universe is bigger and better than anything or anyone, and they have an anchor to hold onto.

I’m not sure who your anchor is, but I can attest, God is the greatest and best thing you can have in your life to get you through any life storm, any challenge and sustain you when your strength to carry on has left you completely high and dry. He>I is a good reminder for all of us that God has overcome the world and He will conquer whatever battle you are facing, if you simply put your faith and trust in Him.

What storm, challenge or draining situation has you feeling helpless? Give it to God. He is greater than it and has the best possible solution to get you through the moment. Trust me, He works on your behalf to bring out a better you, blesses you and in the process strengthens your weary soul. I’m living proof He sustains in ever matter of life. Trust Him today as an anchor for your life. God bless!

The way of the wicked is like darkness; they do not know what makes them stumble. Proverbs 4:19

The term “left in the dark”, refers to someone being unaware of a certain situation, or ignorant of certain factors. As I get older, and a little wiser, I see a lot of people left in the dark. Their behavior is sporadic and unplanned. They bounce from one emotion to another without any purpose or passion. People trying to find their way through life by “winging it” often fail.

As Christians its our job to show the light of Christ to those left in the dark. Of course, we can do that by words, but our actions speak just as loudly. Maintaining a Christlike attitude at work, home and out in public is the key to ensuring people see Christ in you. Yea, there will be times when you fail to live up to the standard God has called for you. It should be your goal to resemble Him in everything you do and ask forgiveness when you step out of line. Those left in the dark will never know what Christ has done for them if they can’t see what He’s done in your life.

Are you shining your light into the darkness? Lets work on it together to bring light into the darkest places of our little worlds. There are plenty left in the dark, wont you be the light they need to see the truth and way forward? God bless!

They are plain to him who understands, and right to those who find knowledge.  Proverbs 8:9

Proverbs 8 speaks about the excellence of wisdom. Wisdom is the accumulation of experiences, knowledge and being able to use those resources to make sound decisions. Wisdom is never moved by emotions, temporary circumstances and fear. Wisdom is like a brick fireplace in a home, although the house may catch fire and burn up, that fireplace will still be standing once the smoke clears. Wisdom always stands when everything else fails.

If you are reading this blog, you have probably gone through some things in life that have taught you lessons about yourself and others. Its time to put those experiences and knowledge to work for you as you make decisions that impact today and all your tomorrows. Sadly, people get caught up in the “feel good” moment or times of loneliness and make foolish decisions. Decisions that could impact them for the rest of their lives.

Don’t make that mistake friend! Your life is too precious for poor choices. You are accountable to yourself, others, your work and your future. Take your time and think through each and every decision and choice you make. Regretful decisions can bury you in guilt, stress and suffering over a long period of time. Find a lot of wisdom for life’s answers by reading the bible. I’ve found the book of Proverbs is FULL of wisdom and sound advice. You will be blessed when you practice wisdom everyday of your life! God bless!

Then David said to the Philistine (Goliath), “You come to me with a sword, with a spear, and with a javelin. But I come to you in the name of the Lord of hosts, the God of the armies of Israel, whom you have defied. 1 Samuel 17:45

The story of David and Goliath is a good illustration of what God can do in the life of a believer. The Israelites were afraid of Goliath, a large man who was a warrior, who had killed many people and everyone was afraid of this dude. When David came to the army camp to deliver supplies, he quickly saw his brothers and comrades were afraid of this guy and David got mad. Why? Because he saw the lack of faith in God that his brothers and sisters had over this evil man. With all his confidence, David elected to fight Goliath using a few pebbles and sling shot. We all know the story, David hit Goliath in the head, killing him and rendering the Philistine army useless.

We all have our “Goliath”. It might be a person, problem, addiction, or thing that seems to overshadow your life, leaving you fearful, helpless and without hope. I encourage you to put your faith and trust in God to deliver you from this giant and trust that the Lord will deliver you from the injustices you have been encountering. He might not claim the victory right away, but God will work in your favor when you trust Him with your problem.

Give your Goliath over to God today and trust Him as He prepares for that battle. Then keep your eyes open to His handiwork and helps you overcome that wall, holding you back from what God wants for your life. Trust Him in every battle, He has already won! God bless!

Therefore, as the Holy Spirit says: “Today, if you will hear His voice, Do not harden your hearts as in the rebellion, In the day of trial in the wilderness, Where your fathers tested Me, tried Me and saw My works for forty years.” Hebrews 3:7-9

Children oftentimes act like they don’t hear their parents when they tell them not to do something or do some household chore. “What? Were you talking to me.” they exclaim. For the parent, it can be frustrating and you pretty much get pushed to the limit, at that time blood pressure rises, voice gets louder and possibly some administration of discipline!

Christians are no different. Oftentimes God calls us to do something: help the neighbor, load groceries for that elderly man you pass by, pray for a certain individual He lays upon your heart. Let me share some friendly advice (and I’m speaking to myself here as well), LISTEN and HEED His call! Just like a parent instructing their kid what to do, or not do, God will initiate a request from you and expects you to respond. When you don’t, you are missing a blessing and are subject to God speaking louder and providing more pressure to conform.

Are Christians God’s puppets? Not at all. But, as His children, He wants our faithfulness, He wants us to be dedicated to Him, because HE CARES about you and wants what’s best. He wants to protect you, grow you into His image and provide blessings down the road you wouldn’t have normally received if you didn’t do as He requested. When God ask you to do something, He has a plan and a purpose behind it. Keep your ears open to His voice, take action and see His hand work ahead of you to prosper and grow you into His likeness! God bless!   

Do not be overcome by evil, but overcome evil with good. Romans 12:21

You know that person. They are in your life, either at work, a family member or neighbor, they don’t like you and they take every opportunity to bring grief into your life. Sometimes I sit back and ask why they have to be so difficult and wonder their heart’s condition. 99.99% of the time I can guarantee you they are miserable inside themselves. They don’t know how to show love, be kind to others and express gratitude. They just can’t do it because their heart is hard and sickened.

So, what can you do? As scripture says, overcome evil with good. No matter what misery they dish out, keep on doing the right thing, be good, pray for them and do not find opportunities to fight back. All that does is stir the pot and releases more of their toxic poison. Kindness has no rebuttal. They might try to speak against your kindness, but it’s the one thing that can reflect back their negativity.

With God, all things are possible. The kindness you show your enemy will hopefully one day soften their heart and help them see their sickened condition. Eventually they might come to you and ask for prayer. “Kill them with kindness”. It works and God will bless you for having a Christlike attitude. Christ did the same for us on the cross….”Father, forgive them for they know not what they do.” Find peace through your kindness and never give up! God bless!

In the beginning, God created the heavens and the earth. Genesis 1:1

Have you ever asked the question, “Is God real”? Back in my teenage years one of my best friends asked me how do I really know God is real. Although I had grown up in church, and accepted Christ as my personal Lord and Savior, I questioned His existence for a brief period of time. I asked my mom, preacher, even a Christian counselor and they all said…pray and ask God to reveal Himself to you. So, I did.

Three months into my quest, I attended a church youth event. All of us had been outside the church running around, playing games. It was about time to go inside, when my youth minister realized he lost his wedding ring somewhere on the church grounds. So, we all set out to find it. As I searched, I said to God…”God if you are real, show me the ring”. I walked around the back of our church and there was a huge white gravel parking lot. It was just getting dark and I could barely see; as I walked across that gravel, something physically stopped my body. I looked ahead and thought I saw something on the gravel, then I heard God’s voice say to me, “David I give you the power to see in the dark. Turn on your flashlight”. When I turned on the flashlight, in the middle of the light’s beam was the ring.

I can’t even put into words the moment of truth and the emotions that followed. It was a God moment for sure and I have never doubted His existence, never questioned who He is and what He can do when you put  your faith and trust in Him.

Maybe the concept of God is a little far out for you to believe. I can tell you, just stop and look around at the world. Every kind of tree, plant, animal, the sun and moon, the human body and its complex processes; human life is the perfect example of God’s existence. But unless you seek out God, you will never fully be assured He is real. If you have doubts, ask God to reveal Himself to you. I promise, if you truly seek the truth, He will reveal Himself, leaving you with no doubt He does exist. God bless!

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

Not to be negative, but I think society as a whole has lost the attribute of putting others before self. Every now and then you will see someone give up their place in line or hold the door open to allow others to pass through….these actions leave a lasting impression on the recipients of the good gesture and those who witnessed it.

So, how do we cultivate a heart of compassion for our neighbors, friends and family? Honestly, its most likely difficult doing it with our own strength. The trials and stresses of life can focus our attention on self, and miss golden opportunities to help those around us. So, developing a heart after Christ is the one way we can change our focus. Reading the bible, praying and asking God to transform your mind and heart, for a heart and mind like His. Total surrender of self so you can be of one mind, the mind of Christ.

When your life resembles Christ, you’ll find there is nothing more important than serving others, loving those around you and having compassion on those who need it. It’s a Christ thing and until you grasp His heart and thought process, you’ll continue to serve self. Transform your life today so you can be in alignment with Jesus Christ, our Savior! God bless!  

For I consider that the sufferings of this present time are not worthy to be compared with the glory which shall be revealed in us. Romans 8:18

A few years back, LOL, I ran in track during my Jr High and High School years. Training was painful. Hours spent stretching, weight lifting and all that endless running. But I knew if I didn’t train hard, I wouldn’t be successful on race day. The results of my labor were revealed on the track.

As Christians, we have to decide just how dedicated we will be for the Lord. My previous blog mentioned scripture about focusing on things above and not of this world. Trust me, the world has a lot to offer….pleasures and things that bring a temporary high. But in the long run, they die out and go away, leaving us empty. Pursuing after God, remaining obedient and abstaining from the world’s temptations is the only way you will ever grow and strengthen your relationship with the Lord.

Maybe you are like me, you see things in your life that you want, the passion to pursue something or someone is so great, yet you know it won’t strengthen your walk with the Lord. It’s necessary to abstain and follow after the Lord. That’s called training your spirit for the long race towards eternity. God said it wouldn’t be an easy journey, but its one you are headed towards. Why not make it a little easier and do right, live right and follow the ways of God. Trust me, there are blessings along that journey that will sustain you more than any earthly pleasure. Run hard for Christ, He never gave up as He journeyed towards the cross for you and me! God bless!

Set your mind on things above, not on things of the earth. Colossians 3:2

When I was a kid and visited the dentist, he had me chew on this tablet which coated my teeth with a red like substance to help him identify any cavities I might have. The red substance would settle in any hole in my tooth, so he knew exactly what needed to be fixed.

As children of God, we have to always be on guard for what is a blessing of God and a curse from Satan. I’ve had people and things come across my path that I thought were from God, but after a while, God’s Holy Spirit revealed the truth and I had to step back and far away from something He never intended to be in my life. Without seeing and addressing the bad things and wrong people, they will eat away at your life, especially your spiritual life, until you can’t tell wrong from right. God ways are NEVER confusing and never counter to what He says is wrong. If its wrong, its wrong and you better heed the Spirit’s calling when He says step back.

So how can we tell what’s from God and what is from Satan? By praying, asking God for His wisdom and allow His Holy Spirit to speak to you. The key is to stay in tune with Him. Set your mind on Him, and His wisdom will help you discern what’s good and what’s bad. Set your mind on things above, not on earth and you will be blessed and life will be with less heartache and drama. God bless!

He gives power to the weak, and to those who have no might He increases strength. Isaiah 40:29

The last few mornings I woke up to find my cell phone battery almost dead. I plug it up, but something must be going on with the power cord and not making a good connection or its failing. Thankfully I have a ton of other cords and will need to swap it out.

Lets face it, life can be draining on us physically, mentally, even spiritually. The challenges of work, family life and maintaining a sense of balance can deplete energy from even the strongest people. As an energy recharge, people often rely on sodas, energy drinks, certain drugs and physical activity to restore the body’s energy. The down side to these things is they only take care of you for the moment, hours later your body goes back to its tired state. How do some people stay energized all day?

I can tell you that my strength comes from the Lord. When I am in tune with Him, He somehow keeps me powered up, when my body wants to power down. Some days I don’t get much sleep, yet God knows what I need to accomplish throughout the day and He supplies the energy that I need. When trouble and heartache come my way, He also provides strength to help me sustain through even the worst trails I’ve ever encountered. God supplies all the power you need to get you through the day and circumstances that you face.

Maybe you only have one bar of strength on your energy indicator. God is the best source for power restoration when you are tired, emotionally unstable or torn and tattered from the trials of life. Plug into God for power and strength to keep you moving forward. He is one simple prayer away from giving you the juice you need to sustain! Call out to Him today! God bless!

I waited patiently for the Lord; and He inclined to me, and heard my cry. He also brought me up out of a horrible pit, out of the miry clay. And set my feet upon a rock and established my steps. Psalm 40:1-2

Have your feet ever been stuck in mud? Working at a lake, oftentimes I find myself walking along the shoreline and get into soft mud, sinking my boots into that Georgia clay. It’s a mess and slows my walk tremendously. As I slowly move towards higher ground, I have to pick up my feet and take it one step at a time. It’s a slow process, but eventually I get there.

Every now and then you may get to a point in your life where you feel like you are walking thru soft mud. Each step is a struggle and at times you fear you’ll sink deep and not be able to take it a step further. Fear and doubt seem to hover over you like a dark cloud. You are not alone. God is with you every step of the way. Sometimes its necessary for circumstances to occur that slow your forward movement. God uses the miry clay as part of His timing to bring something new and fresh into your life. Trust Him when on dry ground and when wallering thru the muck of life.

Are you stuck in the mud of life? Trust that God is going to do something special for you. Pray and ask for Him to help you through this process to be patient and learn something along the way. We learn a lot about ourselves and what God can do for us when circumstances in life slow us down. Trust Him with every step and be patient. You’ll get to higher ground soon, it’s a process of trust and faith in God. Tread lightly friend! God bless!

Then great multitudes came to Him, having with them the lame, blind, mute, maimed, and many others; and they laid them down at Jesus feet, and He healed them. Matthew 7:30

When the President sends his staff to meet with foreign nationals, he expects them to represent the United States. Their actions, words and beliefs are a window view of who he is and what this country stands for and believes in. When you talk to his staff, you essentially are talking to the President.

God did this very thing, by sending His Son, Jesus Christ, into the world to not only save mankind, but give people a glimpse into the character of God. All throughout the bible, you see God is in the healing business. Jesus healed thousands, performed many miracles and displayed a love like no other.  I can tell you beyond a shadow of doubt, God is in the healing business. He cares for each and every one He created, that would be you and me! Sadly, some feel they aren’t worthy of God’s attention and continue in their sickness, troubles and heartache. That is so far from the truth!

Friend, what ailments do you have today? Bring them to God through prayer and belief that He will do what’s necessary to heal you, restore hope and provide a brighter tomorrow. Your troubles are His concern. He may use your circumstances to take you to a new level of life or help turn you away from something bad, but over time He will bring healing and restoration. Start today by asking for His help, keep your eyes and heart open to His handiwork and remain obedient to Him. The further you are from Him, the less you will be able to see and hear His voice. God is in the healing business and He is more than ready to help you, are you ready to receive His help? God bless!

Therefore if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation, old things have passed away; behold, all things have become new. 2 Corinthians 5:17

As I reflect back over the years of my life, from my teenage years til today, I see many changes. I’m not the person I was back in my teens and 20s, 30s even 40s. I’m not the same person I was just a year ago. Time has a way of changing us, either good or bad. I like to think my life has improved over time. Yea, I’ve made mistakes in the past, but those mistakes are what builds a stronger foundation for self-improvement. When we learn and grow from our mistakes, we find a better way of doing things, living life and our confidence grows stronger.

Unfortunately, I meet a lot of people who are stuck in their past failures, their “God forbid sins”, and they can’t seem to move past the guilt and shame. Friend, through Jesus Christ, you can remove the guilt, heal your broken heart and find newness in God’s healing process. You will never heal and get over your past until you are ready to turn a new page. Trusting God to heal you today is the best way to make for a better tomorrow. Believe me, He will transform your life into something better, creating a better you, a more secure and wiser you….if you simply allow Him to begin the healing process.

Maybe you are still living out your mistakes on the same page as your other failures. Its time to tear that page out, chunk it in the trash and ask for God to start a new beginning in your life today! Pray and ask God to come into your life, forgive you, heal you and give you the strength and courage to turn away from past behaviors and learn a new way of living life. I do it every day and He comes through! He will do it for you as well. Trust Him today for the changes that need to be made for a better you! God bless!

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

Back in high school I went with a group of students to visit 5 countries in Europe. The entire time we had a tour guide and trusted him with our daily schedule, provide information about what we saw and followed him everywhere we went. During one site visit, my sweet and loving sister 😊 wasn’t paying attention and took a wrong turn, totally separating herself from the rest of the group. As we boarded the bus, our teacher asked “where is Trish”. LOL. After some searching, he found her and we were able to move onto our next site visit.

As children of God, we have a tour guide, of sorts. God, He knows all things, can see out into the future and has a specific plan for us. So often we want to rush ahead of His plans and pursue things like relationships, employment opportunities, start a family, buy a house…its an endless list of wants and desires. Sometimes we see doors of opportunities starting to shut and we rush like a mad man in hopes of stopping it. When we get to the door, we pull hard on the handle, but it closes, never to open again. I don’t know about you, but after a few doors close, I can get a little frustrated with life. Can you relate?

God has been purposefully closing doors in my life for a reason, to focus on HIM. When my eyes are everywhere, but towards God, I tend to run after things outside His will and until He slaps some sense into me, I’ll run off the edge of that steep cliff and fall, crashing hard. Get the idea? Can you relate?

I think its time we all have to say, “lets stop this madness, stop the disappointments, these heart aches and lets completely turn away from the world and focus on God.” When we do, we are able to LISTEN to HIS soft voice of reason and understanding. We gain wisdom and much direction when we can hear His voice clearly. We need to put our trust in His timeline. Yea, we see something cool up ahead, but its not meant for us to get there quite yet. Who knows, He might not even head in that direction. So, pay attention to Him and follow closely. He has something special instore for you. Lean not on your own understanding, in ALL your ways acknowledge Him and He shall direct your paths. God bless!   

Jesus wept. John 11:35

Last night I watched a re-run of The Masters Par 3 golf tournament. During the program, all time golf winner, Jack Nicklaus’s grandson teed off and got a hole in one! As the cameras focused on Jack, you could see the tears of joy in his eyes as he witnessed this first-time event for his grandson. It was something very familiar to Jack, but a rewarding event to see that young man following in his footsteps.

I truly believe Jesus generates tears for us, His children, when we have successes in life. He is so proud of us when we make the right decisions in life and remain obedient to His way. As a result, He blesses us with things unexpected, answered prayers and advancements in life. Nothing we do goes unnoticed by Him, NOTHING! Knowing this should be an encouragement for us to walk on the righteous pathway and not veer of His course set before us.

Jesus also weeps when we are hurting, failed Him and turned away from His goodness. Unfortunately the human, fleshly side of us often gets snagged by the temptations Satan puts in our path. Without reason or logical explanation, we step off the path of righteousness and pursue personal pleasures that are dangerous for our well being and spiritual life. Jesus mourns for us when we turn our back on Him. Fortunately, He forgives us when we acknowledge our sin and turn back to Him. Just like the story of the Prodigal Son, Jesus welcomes us with open arms and tears flood His eyes when we embrace His ways once again.

What’s happening in your life that causes Jesus to weep? Is it tears of joy or disappointment? I hope its tears of joy. But, if His tears are on behalf of your pain, suffering or path going opposite of His, yield whatever is causing those tears and find comfort in His loving arms. No matter what happens in your life, good or bad, He is always with you child! Embrace Jesus Christ today and shed a tear with Him as joy floods your soul and His sweet spirit. God bless!

If we confess our sins He is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness. 1 John 1:9

How forgiven are you? Would you agree that God has forgiven you of most of your sins or all of them? Sadly, many Christians go through life, recalling their worst sin, and the guilt associated with it keeps them bound from the freedom Christ promises us in today’s scripture. That is exactly Satan’s way of keeping you from becoming who God wants you to be through the freedom He has provided you on behalf of His Son, Jesus Christ.

Jesus paid the price for ALL of mankind’s sin. There is no sin committed that the blood of Jesus Christ can’t wash away. The perfect example was the man crucified next to Christ. That criminal knew who Jesus was and asked that He remember Him upon his death. Jesus said….today, you will be with Me in Paradise (Luke 23:42-43). Just a few hours before his death, this man accepted Christ and Jesus gave Him eternal hope.

Maybe you’ve done some pretty bad things in life. The guilt you are carrying with you is nothing God intended for His children to bare. Trust me friend, Jesus promises to forgive you of all sins. No sin is too big for Him to forgive. Once you’ve asked forgiveness, do your best to avoid that sin and keep your eyes focused on Him, the author and perfecter of your faith! God bless!

Then He came and took the scroll out of the right hand of Him who sat on the throne. Revelation 5:7

This morning the Lord led me to this passage. Revelation is not a book I’ve done much reading, but I should. It contains a lot of information about the future, God’s judgement upon mankind and the churches across the world. Here we find in today’s passage that Jesus Christ is worthy of opening the scroll with seven seals. These can be found in Revelation 6 – 7.

As you read through these verses, its evident that we are close to, if not on the threshold of the “end times”. The question to ask, are you ready to meet your maker? God is the creator of everyone and everything. His presence is so powerful, even the rocks will cry out in praise of Him (Luke 19:20). Will you be able to stand before Him, knowing Him as your personal Lord and Savior? Will He know you?

We just celebrated Easter; the death of Christ and three days later He arose from the dead, conquering death and providing eternal life in Heaven for those who simply chose to believe in Him and follow Him daily. Have you accepted Christ into your life? If not, Hell is your final destination. Not a good place to be for all eternity. Find your hope in Christ today, by accepting Him into your life, trusting that your sins are forgiven and live for Him each day. Your life will be richly blessed as you get to know Him more and more through bible reading, prayer and fellowship with other Christians in church.

Time is drawing closer to the end of time. Are you ready?

Now the Spirit expressly says that in latter times some will depart from the faith, giving heed to deceiving spirits and doctrines of demons. 1 Timothy 4:1

While out riding my motorcycle yesterday I stopped at this Shell gas station. Shell gas is my favored choice because I know its quality fuel and gives me better gas mileage. As I proceeded to pay at the pump with my Shell card, it said “see attendant”. Went inside and quickly found out the station no longer offered Shell gas. Far from any other station, I went ahead and purchased this off-brand gas. It did the job, but I could tell my bike’s performance was not as good as when running on the better fuel.

Good advice is similar to quality gas. It gives you the best octane for better performance, it stands apart from all the other fuels on the market and most of all, it sustains you for the long haul. Good advice can be hard to come by. Talking to some people, you think…yea they know what they are talking about, sounds reasonable, logical and seems to work for them. I ask the question, how does their advice line up with God’s word found in the bible?

In my journeys I have talked to hundreds of people who claim they know God, yet their thoughts and advice can be far from the truth. Once you accept Christ, doesn’t mean you are spiritually wise and understand God’s thoughts and ways. Even the most devout Christian doesn’t understand God completely. Isaiah 55:8

The best advice I can give you, as you live out your life, read the bible, study it, reference it when making decisions. The word of God stands apart from the rest of society. I can assure you it’s got more octane than any self help book on the market today. It has been around for over 2000 plus years and has NEVER changed. Yea, people’s personal interpretation of God’s word has changed, leading people to live counter to God’s word….re-read today’s verse. The bible will give you all the answers you need as you navigate through every twist and turn of life. Start reading it, one chapter a day and find your life more full of wisdom so you can make sound decisions. Trust the book! God bless!

And He was withdrawn from them about a stone’s throw, and He knelt down and prayed, saying, “Father if it is Your will, take this cup away from Me; nevertheless not My will, but Yours be done.”  Then an angel appeared to Him from Heaven, strengthening Him. Luke 22:41-43

Yesterday I had the opportunity to spend some time with my oldest son while playing golf. We had a wonderful time together, talking and sharing information. I was able to learn a few things about what was going on in his life that I wouldn’t have known if I didn’t make time to see him in person. As we went our sperate ways I was reminded about the value of spending quality time with my kids and need to do more of it!  

As Jesus faced His pending death on the cross, He spent some time with His Father, God in Heaven. He slipped away from everyone else to pray and commune with Him. Although this was a difficult time for Jesus, knowing the painful death He would experience, He found encouragement during His time with God, as an angel appeared and strengthened Him.

As we celebrate Easter, I encourage you to start today by spending time with God. Through prayer and bible reading, you can get a better understanding of what God wants for your life and He reveals things that you would never know unless you spend time with Him. God has something very special for each person He created. He created YOU for a purpose. Spend some time with God today, and every day, to discover that purpose and plan He has for your life. Happy Easter everyone! God bless!