And as it is appointed for men to die once, but after this the judgement. Hebrews 9:27

I hate to break it to you, but no one is getting out of here alive. We all have an appointment with death. Either by natural causes, suicide, an accident or murder; you have an exact date and time death will come knocking. Unfortunately, no one knows when that will occur. Many people try to extend that exact time through exercise, healthy living, living in a safe neighborhood..all those things are good and well but…..

One of the most common mistakes people make in life is putting off what needs to be done. Getting life insurance, living a healthier lifestyle, forgiving those who need it, telling loved ones how much they mean to you…the list is endless. Here lately I have seen and heard of people whose date with death was called too early and very unexpectantly.  

Friend, don’t delay what needs to be done before death. There are no second chances in life and its up to you to do right, forgive, love and be important in the lives of those who are close to you. One of the most important decisions you’ll ever make is to accept Jesus Christ into your life. He is the only way to secure your home in Heaven. This is one decision you never want to put off.

As today’s verse reminds us, we all have an appointment with death. Don’t delay the important decisions of life because tomorrow is never promised.  Do right today and find peace and blessings fall upon your life! God bless!

When you lie down, you will not be afraid; You, you will lie down and your sleep will be sweet. Proverbs 3:24

How’s your sleep? Hopefully its been good. When sleep is good, it seems like everything in life is good. But, when stress and the troubles of this world come knocking…sleep eludes us and we are up and down all night, fretting over things that are out of our control. Does that describe you? Maybe its time to turn your focus away from those troubles and let God take control.

Easier said than done, but it can be done when you learn to trust God with every element of your life. For me, I’ve found that praying about the situation and for the people involved in it changes things. Prayer directs God’s attention onto your problems, like squirting water on a fire. Your fire of trouble might be big and take a lot of prayer, but trust me, every minute in prayer is one more moment God is working to extinguish those flames of adversity.

Better sleep requires more prayer. Drugs, alcohol and prescription meds only cushion the problem. Prayer works to douse those flames so you can sleep with ease. Over time you’ll see your sleep is sweeter and you are refreshed for the new day. Trust God with your problems and see Him take you back to that restful night’s sleep you use to have as a child. God be with you and bless you friend!

But someone will say, “You have faith, and I have works.” Show me your faith without your works, and I will show you my faith by my works. James 2:18

This is my favorite time of year. All the hard work from farmers yields the fruits of their labor. Fruits, nuts and fresh vegetables for sale along the roadside or at fairs. Somehow all of these delicious foods appear and taste better than what’s sold in the stores. Fall is in the air! 😊

Today’s verse focusses on faith and the results of faith..”works.” So often people get the two turned around. They think that good works will save them, sadly this is not true. Faith is what saves someone from an eternity in Hell. Faith and trust in Jesus Christ to forgive sins and be free from eternal punishment. As a result of that faith, fruit should grow from your life. Fruits like spiritual growth, helping others in their walk with the Lord, leading a lost person to the Lord through your actions or words, serving God through your local church….the list is endless. Time devoted to God shows the depth of your faith.

Hows your spiritual life? Are you generating fruit for the Lord or are you simply a pew sitting Christian waiting on a blessing? I can assure you every minute you devote to God nourishes your relationship with Him and blessings will befall you as you continue to produce Godly fruit through your obedience to Him. Grow fruit today by spending time doing the Lord’s work. There are many lost souls hungering for God, be that fruit! God bless

My brethren, count it all joy when you fall into various trials, knowing that the testing of your faith produces patience. But let patience have its perfect work, that you may be perfect and complete, lacking nothing. James 1:2-4

These past 5 days have probably been some of the most challenging times I’ve experienced in a while. Between a tragic death at my work and a mix of turmoil, I am emotionally and physically drained. But through it all I was reminded that God is in control when I feel out of control. As I faced each crisis, I turned to God for help and I could clearly see Him working through each situation. For me, I was reminded to be patient and wait upon Him to work and get me through to the next item that required my attention.

Hopefully today will be a better day at work and for the people I come into contact with. I always need to remember that God has a plan and purpose for everything I encounter in life. And the same is true for you! Good or bad, God can use each moment to develop His character through your life. Patience, love, forgiveness, kindness, compassion; the list is endless, but they are good and you can nurture these traits through every trial in life.

We never stop learning and growing in our walk with the Lord. His work in your life is best accomplished when He has your attention. So, look for growth when the battle is on, God’s plan is growing you into something perfect and complete, lacking nothing! Grow today in the battle of life! God bless!

Then Jesus said to him, “Receive your sight; your faith has made you well.” Luke 18:42

In the passage Luke 18: 35 – 43 we read where a blind man heard that Jesus was passing by. This blind man heard that Jesus performed many miracles and now was his chance to obtain healing. From where he was located, in the back of the crowd, he yelled out for Jesus. After a few cries, Jesus heard him and asked to speak with him. Upon hearing his request to receive sight, Jesus spoke it and he was healed. His faith was all Jesus was looking for in this man.

Maybe you have a request from God. Call out to Him today with your need. And not just call out in hopes that He will respond; call out in faith and believe in Him. He might not heal you in the way you think you need, but He will do what’s necessary to sustain you for another day, to give you hope where hope has been diminished, to give you vision so you can see your way forward and wisdom so you can make better choices in life.

I am a living testament that He does answer our prayers. He might not respond in accordance to your schedule, but His response will align with His plan to bless and prosper you. He knows what’s best for your life, trust Him today with your request as you call out in faith!  God bless!

If you love Me, keep My commandments. John 14:15

While in a relationship, being faithful is a must. Its putting aside your desires for something or someone else and focusing on that one person. When you start exploring for someone better, your focus become obscured and that’s when relational troubles begin. And that’s one road you never want to go down.

As Christians, Jesus Christ gave us one simple command to show our love and devotion to Him, “keep My commandments”. Of course, those can be found in the bible. Therefore, to know His commandments and wisdom for life takes some time spent daily reading His word. You might think you don’t have time to read the bible, but I can assure you there is time in the day, you make priority for what’s important to you. If you find it difficult to spend time reading God’s word, maybe its time to question your priorities. Things, people and pleasures must have more of your focus than God. Its time to step back and reset those priorities so you can align yourself to receive God’s wisdom and blessings when you put Him number 1.

Find time today to read His word. Trust me, there is nothing more important than gaining spiritual wisdom so you can navigate life with confidence knowing God is guiding you. When He is your priority, you show your love and devotion to Him. Seek Him through His word today! God bless!

If your brother sins against you, rebuke him; and if he repents, forgive him. Luke 17:3

 

In my bible this passage text is in red, which means it came straight from the mouth of Jesus Christ. The One who displayed the ultimate form of forgiveness. Jesus has given us a lot of instructions for life, but I think the hardest one for many is forgiveness.

 

Pride often gets in the way of those who can’t forgive and forget. Pride is a stumbling block to completely following the Lords will. Maybe you’ve been wronged by someone, heard words said about you that brought pain or your heart was broken by someone you truly cared about. Friend, its time to LET GO of the pain, anger, hurt and move forward by forgiving your offender.

 

Forgive and forget. It’s a tall order. But, if you truly want to discover freedom in Christ, you will follow His example and get past your pride and emotions to forgive. It’s a freedom only Christ can provide, but the first step begins with you. Find forgiveness in your heart today! God bless!

Desire without knowledge is not good, and whoever makes haste with his feet misses his way. Proverbs 19:2

 

Its obvious on a gear shifter of a vehicle, “D” stands for drive. When in D, you move forward, with foot on gas pedal and hands on wheel you can steer in the direction you want to go. Thankfully there is an “R”, which stands for reverse. This allows you to back up when you’ve made a wrong turn. I’m sure you are following me this morning with my thought process.

 

God laid on my heart this morning that our “desires” drive us. What we desire is usually what we pursue after. It’s where our heart and eyes steer us. Question today, where are you headed? Are you going down the right road? So often we let our desires and emotions determine the road we want to take. That’s fine as long as you have the right knowledge of where you SHOULD be going. The best advice I can give you (and Lord knows I’m speaking to myself), pursue after God’s plan for your life and your desires will be aligned with His perfect route.

 

 Delight yourself in the Lord, and he will give you the desires of your heart. Psalm 37:4  When we continually look to God for direction and follow His will closely, we align ourselves with a good and safe route. And I can speak from experience, there are blessings along the way that refresh and strengthen us when the journey is long and we are tired. His way is always best! Your desires drive you, make sure they are approved by God and you’ll never head down the wrong road. God bless!

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

 

In my motorcycle travels this summer I have run into a number of rain storms. Rain is not your friend when on the motorcycle. Although the rain gear helps, it’s just not safe or fun to ride. Thankfully there are plenty of gas stations around that I can pull into for cover and protection from the storm and either warm up with coffee or refuel my energy with a Gatorade.

 

As you journey through life, you’ll encounter storms that wear you down, worry you and all you want to do is seek shelter from its impacts. Find comfort and protection under the mighty hand of God. He most likely has allowed the storm to cross your path for a purpose. Take advantage of His loving care to see you through the difficult circumstance and gain strength and wisdom through the chaos.

 

Are you riding into a storm? Maybe in the middle of it? Call out to God for help, seek Him as He will provide the necessary shelter and empowerment to work through it as you navigate towards the sunny skies of tomorrow. God bless!  

I have come as a light into the world, that whoever believes in Me should not abide in darkness. John 12:46

I don’t think there is any more explaining with this passage. If you are a Christian, you should no longer abide in darkness. Today, take a few minutes to do a self-examination. Are there any areas of your life that still linger in the world’s darkness? If so, time to pull those roots up and transplant in God’s garden of righteousness. You will be blessed!

One of my favorite things about riding motorcycles is meeting people. It seems a lot of people open up and talk freely. In my travels I have met some pretty cool people. Just every day people living life, doing what they do to get by. When the opportunity presents itself I interject Jesus into the conversation. I have yet to meet one person who hasn't heard of Him or what He did for mankind.

Just think what it would have been like to encounter Him face to face. The impact of his actions, words and love changed people forever. His Spirit is alive today in every believer.

Are you sharing the hope of Jesus wherever you go? By word of mouth, sharing your testimony is enough to plant that seed of hope in someone else. Share Him today. God bless.

But if we walk in the light as He is in the light, we have fellowship with one another, and the blood of Jesus Christ His Son cleanses us from all sin. 1 John 1:7

I don’t know about y’all, but I leave some lights on in my house all night. I never want to wake up in the middle of the night and wander through a dark house. If someone broke in, Id never see them. And light is a good method to prevent illegal activity. When you illuminate your house, there is no place for the enemy to hide and try to steal from you or break in.

Question. Where are you walking? Is your life surrounded by the light of righteousness, or are you walking in areas of darkness? Trust me friend, those dark areas (and you know what they are) harbor Satan and his demons. When you walk in things, places and go thru circumstances that you shouldn’t, you are vulnerable to Satan’s attacks.

If you are a Christian, you should want to keep your path illuminated with the good things in life and walk in obedience. The darkness of this world is no place for the child of God. Steer clear of those dark things, people and places so you wont have to battle the enemy on his turf. Trust me, there is no pleasure worth the damaging effects of Satan’s temptations. Stay in the light and your walk will be smooth and more blessed! Have a blessed day.

There is a time for everything, and a season for every activity under the heavens: Ecclesiastes 3:1

This morning I spent some time reflecting over my life. I’ve seen good times, bad times, challenging times, times of victory, times of defeat. I’ve suffered loss through failed relationships, yet I’ve gained some wonderful friends along the way. Each new season has brought hope and something better, much much better in my opinion. At times I might not be content in my circumstances, but God has blessed me with a new start and direction. These daily blogs I write are words of inspiration from God. If I hadn’t gone through what I did in my past, I wouldn’t be writing today. God has a plan for my life and He isn’t through yet!

For I know the plans I have for you,” declares the LORD, “plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future. Jeremiah 29:11 God has a plan for your life! You might be thinking how can God use me….I’ve been through a divorce, battled addictions, can’t seem to get my act together and fail God miserably. Friend, I can assure you God can use any circumstance, negative or positive, to advance you to something better. His plans are to prosper you, not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future. Have you discovered His plan for your life? He has a “next chapter”; all you have to do is seek after Him for guidance, wisdom and trust that His way is best…so follow closely.

Your life might be a blended mix of good and bad. Don’t let that hold you back from accepting what God can do through your life! He wants to prosper you today! Seek Him in all things and you will find the perfect plan for your life! God bless!

The righteous cry out, and the Lord hears, and delivers them out of all their troubles. Psalm 34:17

Yesterday while coming home I ran into one of the worst rain storms ever encountered. It was near “white-out” conditions all 17 miles. The rain looked like it was falling from buckets, the wind was swaying trees back and forth and my fear was one would land on my vehicle. The entire time I was keeping a watchful eye out for other drivers (being unsafe) and praying for God’s protection to get me home safely. Thankfully God heard my prayers in the middle of that storm and kept me safe. All I wanted to do was get home.

As Christians, there is no doubt you are either headed for a storm, going through one or just getting out of one. Life storms are no fun at all. They can stir emotions of anger, fear, judgement, and embarrassment. Knowing we will always come across these storms, it’s a good reminder to call out to God when they hit, asking for His hand of protection and wisdom to guide you safely through the difficulty. And it seems like “when it rains, it pours.” When one storm cloud develops, others follow and the burden of the life storm can seem overwhelming. Yet, just remember God is bigger than any storm you encounter and His plan is to grow you through the process to make you stronger in your faith and walk with Him.

The next time you encounter a life storm, call upon God for help! Trust me, He will hear your cries for help and steer you safely through it. I don’t know about you but I can wait to get to my Heavenly home, but until that day comes, I will trust in God to deliver me through every storm. I hope you will  trust in Him to keep you safe as well. God bless!

My son, do not despise the chastening of the Lord, nor be discouraged when you are rebuked by Him; For whom the Lord loves He chastens, and scourges every son whom He receives. Hebrews 12:5-6

While out riding yesterday, I came across a police officer who had a young man pulled over, most likely for speeding. As I rode by, I could see the frustration on the young man’s face, knowing this ticket was going to cost him a lot of money, maybe even his license. Failure to obey traffic laws will result in a ticket.

As Christians, God often allows some form of difficulty to come our way when we are out of sync with His ways, when we get going too fast in life and make poor choices or simply we’ve turned our back on Him. To truly know God is to understand that He DOES NOT want to dominate us, but love us….just like a father would his own son. God loves us and continually watches over us for His and our benefit. We are to represent Him in our daily life. When we do a poor job, He gets our attention through a difficulty. Unfortunately, God doesn’t always spare us of the consequences of poor choices. Yet through the difficulty, His plan is to bring us back into the fold of His love and fellowship with Him.

If you are going through a difficult time, its quite possible God is working through the difficulty to refine you, make you more Christlike and steer you in the right direction. Never discredit what God is doing, even when its painful. Pain generates new growth. Trust God and ask Him to show you the way forward so you can get back in line with His will for your life! Trust me, He will do it and quite possibly let you go with a warning 😊! Difficult times are God’s way of showing tough love, thank Him for caring and follow Him in obedience. God bless!  

Plead my cause, O Lord, with those who strive with me; Fight against those who fight against me. Psalm 35:1

Well, its Monday. A new start to the work week. For many, Monday is always a challenge to get back in the work groove and deal with the challenges that face them, me included. So, what’s the best way to tackle those Monday challenges? Prayer and calling out to God for support.

I personally do this every day, asking God to go ahead of me, to make way for my path, give me wisdom to make right decisions, continuity of the office staff and for God’s hand of protection. And every week God shows up and shows out! I can’t tell you the number of times I see His hand working in each and every situation, to bring things together and provide a smooth path. Yea, there might be some stormy days, but God provides a way through those turbulent waves of adversity and provides sunshine ahead which gives me hope and encouragement.

Don’t go at the Monday challenges alone. Call out to God for help, wisdom and encouragement. He will come through when you acknowledge Him throughout your day! Trust me, He works on your behalf. Let Him into your Monday, and every day! God bless!

Let destruction come upon him unexpectedly, and let his net that he has hidden catch himself; into that very destruction let him fall. Psalm 35:8

You know them, your enemies. They plan things to make you trip up and fall so they can laugh and mock you. It happens every day around the world. From biblical days (as we read in today’s verse) to today, people are evil and want to do harm to others.

Thankfully as Christians, we have God on our side. He sees those snares, those pitfalls that are before us and alerts us to danger WHEN we are in tune with Him. The key is staying in touch with God. I can’t tell you the number of times in my life when I’ve seen God’s hand work to trip up my enemies with their own devices meant to harm me. God is on the side of His children and is on the lookout for you!

God often whispers a direction, remain silent, take this turn, withhold information….etc. Listen closely as God speaks to your heart. His way might not make sense at the moment, but He sees what’s up ahead and is giving you the best intelligence possible. Trust me, when you stay in tune with God, He will allow your enemies to be tripped up in their own net. Trust Him today as you navigate around those who seek you harm. He has your back, and front! God bless!  

And the prayer of faith will save the sick, and the Lord will raise him up. And if he has committed sins, he will be forgiven. James 5:15

You often hear the statement, “there is power in prayer”. And no doubt that is true. In all my years as a Christian, I have found prayer changes things. But, what gives prayer its power? Today’s verse helps answer that question, its faith, its believing in God, it’s the confidence we have in God, knowing His way is best. When we pray, we are giving our problem to Him, totally trusting Him.

How’s your prayer power? Do you pray and not see any changes? Maybe you need to step up your faith and trust in God. “But let him ask in faith, with no doubting, for he who doubts is like a wave of the sea driven and tossed by the wind.” James 1:6 When you have faith in your prayer, it gives that prayer strength to reach God’s ears. Its saying to God…”God, I am giving this _______ to you. I know you will help me work through this and bring about the best result.”

If someone asked you to do something for them, but the way they said it made it sound like they didn’t have confidence in your ability to help them…wouldn’t you be less likely to respond to their request? I think God is the same. So, with your prayer request, have faith in God, trust Him in His response and know its for your own good whatever He does with it. Lift up your prayers in confidence that God will take it and do great things in your life! Then thank Him for His answer! The power in prayer starts with you! Pray strong, pray confident, pray without ceasing! God bless friend!

Then the sea arose because a great wind was blowing. So when they had rowed about three miles, they saw Jesus walking on the sea and drawing near to boat and were afraid. But He said to them, “It is I; do not be afraid.” Then they willingly received Him into the boat, and immediately the boat was at the land where they were going. John 6:18 – 21

Life is like a journey at sea. Some days we have sunny skies, calm winds and everything is going smoothly. Then out of nowhere, a strong wind picks up, waves of adversity come crashing against us and we feel like we are going to sink. Overwhelmed, we are ready to give up. Can you relate?

Today’s passage is a good reminder that Jesus comes to us when we encounter trouble. Oftentimes He comes to our rescue in the form of another person, thing or circumstance. Because we are so focused on the crises or afraid, we often steer clear of God’s helping hand. The first thing you need to remember is God has you in His hands. As a child of God, HE has promised to protect you. Trusting Him when the storms of adversity hit is key to getting thru the brief storm. When you have confidence in God, you can focus on where He is leading you and willingly receive help from the tool He has provided.

Maybe you are in the middle of a raging storm. Trust that God has you cradled in His hands. Next, be on the lookout for His help, and willingly receive what thing, person or circumstance He provides to carry you through it. Jesus will always come to us where we are, be on the lookout for Him today as you navigate troubled waters. God bless!

But this I say: He who sows sparingly will also reap sparingly, and he who sows bountifully will also reap bountifully. 2 Corinthians 9:6

Money, it’s a necessity to sustain us for food, shelter and clothing. Those basic needs are met through God blessing us with financial resources. How you manage your money determines the distance it will go. Sadly, some people try to hoard it, thinking they will be happy spending money on themselves or tie it up in savings, yet overlook the importance of tithing or sharing their blessings with those in need.

One thing I’ve found in my life, when I put God first in my finances, He takes my dollar further than I could ever invest it. The key is to realize that money is His, not ours. He simply allows us a portion of His wealth. What we do with it makes all the difference.

Maybe today you are struggling financially. Either you are not spending it wisely or have put God’s plan for financial success on the back burner. Learn to let loose of the money and give it freely to those in need, spend it wisely and tithe. Investing back into God’s kingdom is the only way to find wealth today and for all eternity! God bless!