Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation. The old has passed away; behold, the new has come. 2 Corinthians 5:17

New beginnings are the word at the conclusion of every year. People always talk about their hopes that the new year will be better than the past. I myself am looking forward to 2019 and hope it continues to be good and I grow in Christ.

As a Christian, we are renewed daily by the grace of God. No sin goes unforgiven. And with the newness of each day, you should be encouraged to live a better day for the Lord. Putting behind the past sins, failures, heart breaks and look forward to what God has instore for you.

As you conclude this last day of 2018, ask God to help you let go of the past, renew your heart and look forward to what God has in store for you in 2019. He will bless you when you focus on His light as you move forward throughout the year! Happy New Year friends! God bless!

 For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life. John 3:16

The good life. Many seek happiness in relationships, hobbies, and other pursuits. But how long does the happiness last? Everything has an end, except your relationship with God. Sadly, people overlook the importance of their relationship with God and go after temporary things that satisfy for a while, maybe years, but everything has an end.

Today I encourage you to take your eyes off the world for a while and focus on what God has done for your life through your personal relationship with Him through Jesus Christ. His love is eternal, never ending and will see you through everything you experience in life. Don’t rely on your happiness through the temporary things of this world and diminish your hope and joy. God loved you and gave His Son so you could experience a good life that will never end. Have a blessed day!

For God gave us a spirit not of fear but of power and love and self-control. 2 Timothy 1:7

Yesterday I spoke about the need to make changes in your life if you want to see a change in 2019. One of the greatest obstacles to change is our fears. Fears of the unknown, will we be able to change, what if we fail, will we be alone…these are just a few fears that face us when we desire to make changes in our life.

Today’s scripture is a good reminder that we serve a God who is powerful, full of love for His children and has the ability to lead you in a way that keeps you aligned on the right path of life. Trusting in His care is essential to take the first step to change aspects in your life that need to be changed for the better.

What stands in the way of positive changes in your life? Take those fears to God, through prayer, and seek out His wisdom and voice of direction as you change your landscape for this coming year. God will help you make those changes if you simply trust Him to help you overcome those obstacles and win the battle for a better you! God bless!

If anyone will not welcome you or listen to your words, leave that home or town and shake the dust off your feet. Matthew 10:14

As 2018 comes to a close, many people are looking forward to the new year and what 2019 has in store. The beginning of the new year is a fresh start for so many desiring a better life and more blessings. But truth be known by the end of January, most seeking a change will be right back in the same slump. As humans we are creatures of nature. We don’t change too easily and find it almost automatic to live within the patterns of life we’ve been accustomed.

Change happens when you change your surroundings, the people and things that occupy your space. If you are truly seeking a change, it might be necessary to cut loose those things and people that are toxic to your life or hold you back from make those important changes. Yes, there will be some sadness in the loss and you will find yourself in a new and unfamiliar territory, possibly all alone, but trust me, the change for better will be worth it. So, kick off the dust from the past so you can walk cleanly into the new year!

A time to weep, and a time to laugh; a time to mourn, and a time to dance;

Ecclesiastes 3:4

This is the first Christmas celebrated without my grandmother. She lived to be 99 years old and died just 2 days short of her 100^th birthday in September. At Christmas I was thinking about her and the sadness of her being gone. But, then a thought occurred to me about what she was doing and my sadness turned to joy. As a child of God, she celebrated the birth of Christ with Jesus in Heaven. What an awesome way to celebrate Christmas, with the Savior Himself.

I’m sure you have experienced loss of a loved one, and special moments like Christmas, makes it that much more difficult. If your loved one is a child of God, you can rest assured they are in a better place and have more reason to celebrate than anyone. They are with the Savior. Just know that your time to weep is replaced by laughing and mourning into dancing. Your loved one is at the feet of Jesus, praising His name. Find comfort in those thoughts as you continue through this holiday season! God bless!

Therefore brethren, stand fast and hold the traditions which you were taught, whether by word or our epistle. Now may our Lord Jesus Christ Himself, and our God and Father, who has loved us and given us everlasting consolation and good hope by grace, comfort your hearts and establish you in every good word and work. 2 Thessalonians 2:15-17

As I look back over my life from childhood to the present moment, I recall family traditions around the Christmas holiday. As a child they remained pretty much the same. But, as grandparents passed and I got older those traditions changed over time. I recall once while in college I spent Christmas alone in my room while working in Colorado. There for a moment it was pretty sad, but I overcame my loneliness with thoughts of my loving family and God’s love for me.

Maybe your Christmas traditions have changed over the years and things aren’t as exciting as they use to be. There is one tradition you can put your hope and trust in and that’s the birth of Christ. He is the reason for the season and it’s a tradition you can always find comfort, grace and His presence when you focus on Him.

I know it can be difficult, especially when those traditions you’ve loved have whittled down to a few hours with friends or family. You have a Father who loves you and wants to show you what His presence can do in your moments of loneliness this holiday! Look to Him friend, He’s waiting to embrace your moment and fill your heart with His love! God bless and Merry Christmas!

Yet indeed I also count all things loss for the excellence of the knowledge of Christ Jesus my Lord, for whom I have suffered the loss of all things, and count them as rubbish, that I may gain Christ. Philippians 3:8

According to a recent survey I read, the average amount of money spent by an individual for Christmas this year is $794. That’s a lot of money and I’m sure many have spent well over that amount. The cost of Christmas is costly and unfortunately many go into deep dept to show their love towards others.

As we celebrate Christmas tomorrow, consider the cost of Christ. He didn’t cost you a dime, but He gave you everything so you can have the freedom to live life knowing your home is Heaven bound. That eternal gift was given out of unconditional love. Nothing you did or will do can earn it, its freely given to you and those who receive Jesus Christ as their personal Lord and Savior!

What stands in the way of a perfect relationship with Jesus? Might be a person, hobby, habit…anything that hinders that sweet relationship with the Lord is bad. I encourage you to give it up to Christ, as a sacrificial gift, so you can have a closeness with Him like no other. I too have had to surrender things and people from my life for a closer walk with Him. Trust me, He will bless and reward you when you put Him first in your life. Merry Christmas!

But God demonstrates His own love toward us, in that while we were still sinners, Christ died for us. Romans 5:8

The other day I was riding through the Walmart parking lot and saw one of the dirtiest vehicles ever. This Suburban had two broken out windows and covered in mud from front to back. My first thought….well we wont go there. But, as I rode behind the vehicle I noticed something written in the dirt on the car…..”I love you”.

Yep you guessed it, God started talking to me. As humans we are born into sin. There is no way around it. We might be the cleanest person on the outside, but our inside is an abomination to God. As we live each day our lives are riddled with sin and trespasses that make it impossible for God to look at us. And that my friend is exactly why God sent His son, Jesus Christ, to make payment for the sins of mankind. Jesus took on sin with His body and died for all of your trespasses and mine! And the beautiful thing in His death, He arose from the dead, clean and ready to clean the hearts of mankind!

Where is your relationship with the Lord? Maybe you don’t feel worthy of God’s love. Your life has been nothing but religious and you’ve lived a selfish life that you wouldn’t want to share with God. Trust me friend, the broken windows of your heart and the filthy life you’ve lived can be inscribed with His simple words…I love you! He died for you because He LOVES you, no matter how dirty your life has been. There is no better time than this minute to accept His love by asking Jesus to come into your heart, forgive you of your sins and know that from this moment forward your eternal destination will be Heaven!

As we approach the celebration of Christmas, lets remember its because of His love for us. Jesus is the reason for the season. Come clean through His love today! God bless!

The heart is deceitful above all things, and desperately sick; who can understand it? Jeremiah 17:9

Have you ever heard the old saying…”Whose calling the shots?” I recall years ago this statement being said frequently, it means who is making the decisions around here. Today’s passage references the heart and that’s what I want to focus on this morning in today’s blog. Whose calling the shots in your life, your head or your heart?

The brain is a powerful thing God has given us. It retains information from life and hopefully gains wisdom along the way to aid us in making wise and logical decisions. The brain controls every organ in the human body, including the heart. You could say the brain controls everything in our life. But, for so many (me included) our decisions are sometimes influenced by our heart and not the wisdom of our brain. Our heart feels and is moved by the moment of emotions, temptations and energy. Left to our heart, we will do things that are normally outside our character or what seems wise.

What decisions in life face you today? They might involve relationships, financial issues, employment opportunities…the list is endless. I strongly recommend you consult your head and not your heart. Your heart has no wisdom and can easily be swayed in a certain direction, meanwhile your brain is telling you NO! Listen to your brain and follow it’s wisdom. Its purpose is to guide you, along with God’s help, to keep you on the right path and to avoid difficult situations. The main purpose of the heart is to sustain life, don’t ask it to do anything more than its purpose. Trust your brain and rely on it’s years of wisdom as you navigate this thing we call life! God bless!

I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me. Philippians 4:13

I don’t know about you, but life can be pretty demanding. Between the responsibilities at work, home, family, relationships and even church, the weight of the world can weaken even the strongest people. I think that’s why you see so many people taking medication and using drugs to help them cope with the pressures of life.

Today’s scripture is the best prescription for the struggles of life, seeking after Jesus Christ for strength. I can’t tell you the number of times I have found myself feeling the weight of the world on my shoulders and when I turn to Jesus for help, He always comes through with a spiritual renewing of my mind, blesses me with a smoother path and encourages me when I am totally discouraged. When I think I can do it on my own is when I find myself buckling to those pressures the most.

The key is to always seek after Him in the good times and bad times. The road of life has many challenges indeed. But with Him as your guide and providing you the strength to get thru it all, you will make it another day with His help! Seek after Him today! God bless!

So, because you are lukewarm--neither hot nor cold--I am about to spit you out of my mouth. Revelation 3:16

Yesterday the temperature warmed up to near 60, so I decided to fire up the Harley and go for a ride. 60 degrees isn’t too bad for riding, but you do have to layer up with leathers to protect yourself from the wind and cold. As I was moving down the road, I could feel little parts of me getting cool, but thankfully the winter weather gear did a good job overall protecting me. I thought to myself in just a few short months I won’t have to wear any of these thick clothes and will be looking for some relief from the heat. It’s Georgia weather at its best!

As I pondered the hot and cold riding, this verse came to mind last night. As a Christian it can be difficult trying to maintain a consistent lifestyle pleasing to the Lord. Yes, we are covered by His grace for forgiveness of sins, but we still want to do our best for Him. This world makes it easy to fall into a sinful habits. We must dress for the conditions at hand:

Therefore, since we are surrounded by such a great cloud of witnesses, let us throw off everything that hinders and the sin that so easily entangles. And let us run with perseverance the race marked out for us. Hebrews 12:1. In our spiritual journey, when the heat is on and we are burdened by the weight of the world, we need to throw off anything and anyone that hinders our walk with the Lord. I’ve learned that a lot here lately and I need to continue doing so. The things of this world can weigh heavy on a child of the King. Although worldly things might be nice, they aren’t meant for you to live for, you are to live for Him, Jesus Christ. He is the reason for your journey. So, throw off the worldly things when the heat is on so you won’t be weighted down for the journey.

Therefore let us lay aside the deeds of darkness and put on the armor of light. Romans 13:12 Sometimes our journey will seem cold, dark and dreary. Maybe you’ve headed down a road that looks good, only to find it turn to dirt and full of big potholes. You are out there all alone and you can feel the Devil’s presence all around you. Time to leather up and put on the armor of light. When you dress yourself for battle, you are showing God you are ready to win the battle you are struggling thru. Honestly, the battle is the Lords. You might think you are dressed for success, but its God who has won and will continue to win your battles when you show Him your commitment to stay in the fight! So, when you are feeling cold and lonely, put on the armor of His light so you can see your way out of the darkness and back on the main road of life.

The spiritual journey is just that, a journey. If you are going to stay consistent in your walk with the Lord, you MUST dress for the conditions of life. When you do, your journey will be more comfortable and enjoyable as you seek out new adventures. God bless!

Again I say to you that if two of you agree on earth concerning anything that they ask, it will be done for them by My Father in heaven. For where two or three are gathered in My name, I am there in the midst of them.” Matthew 18:19-20

About a month ago our church received a grand piano. It was replacing an old piano that had served its purpose for years. Following the service most of the men gathered to help remove the old piano and carry in the new grand. I can tell you the grand was extremely heavy and without the help of 8 men it wouldn’t have been moved that day. Teamwork always helps when the task is too big for one person.

Jesus promised in this passage that where two or three are gathered, He is in the midst of them. And what they pray for, He grants within His will. I have seen this time and time again where the power of prayer changes things. A wife after years of praying for her husband, sees a change in him and he attends church with her; a rare cancer that inflicts someone and when they go into the operating room doctors are stunned to find the cancer completely gone; a group of missionaries protected, by angels, from a group of natives intending to do harm that was summoned by a group of prayer warriors on the other side of the planet. These true stories are great examples of what group prayer can do.

Maybe you are facing something much bigger than you or a burden so heavy has weighted you down. Its ok to ask for help from others to cover your situation in prayer. Prayer changes things, especially when done by many on your behalf. Trust me, ask and you shall receive God’s response. Get that prayer chain going today! God bless!

Jesus said to him, “If you want to be perfect, go, sell what you have and give to the poor, and you will have treasure in heaven; and come, follow Me.” But the young man heard that saying, he went away sorrowful, for he had great possessions. Matthew 19:21-22

At this time of year gift giving is the rave. Everyone is giving gifts to loved ones, donating money to certain charities, and helping those in need. But what can you give to Jesus Christ? HE is the reason we celebrate Christmas.

As I was pondering this question, God laid upon my heart to share the one thing you can give to Him, and that is something or someone who stands in the way of having a perfect relationship with Him. Today’s verse is part of the story of a rich young man who had everything and did his best to live a God honoring life. Sadly, he put his possessions and wealth before following Jesus Christ.

What stands in the way of a perfect relationship with your Savior? Maybe it’s a bad habit, a toxic person, certain thoughts unbecoming of a Christian, a hobby that eats up your time and here is a good one…spending too much time on social media vs reading your bible. If you pray to Jesus, He will reveal what stands in the way of a perfect relationship with Him. Then ask Jesus to help you give it up and don’t go back to it ever again. That is your gift to Jesus.

I love this passage I read this morning….”Give and it will be given to you. They will pour into your lap a good measure..pressed down, shaken together, and running over. For by your standard of measure it will be measured to you in return.” Luke 6:38 When you give up something that stands in the way of your relationship with Jesus, He will bless and reward you more than you’ll ever know and fill that void with more of His presence. What are you willing to give to Jesus today? God bless!

Brethren, I do not count myself to have apprehended; but one thing I do, forgetting those things which are behind and reaching forward to those things which are ahead. Philippians 3:13

Every second that passes by is called “history”. You’ve lived through it and its now in your past. Unfortunately, as humans we often replay the past in our minds to: figure out what happened, what we could have done better and often regret burdens those thoughts. Time spent dwelling on the past can be exhausting and will wear on you emotionally, even physically.

Today’s scripture is a good reminder to leave the past in the history books and focus on what’s up ahead. God has some wonderful plans and blessings for your life, but if you spend time in the past you will surely miss out on what He has in store for you. Your past does shape your future, so forget what’s happened…its over and done with, now focus on the good God has for you! Look ahead and you’ll see the road more clearly that God has prepared for you friend! God bless!

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

Forgiveness, its one of the most difficult things a human can do when they’ve been hurt by another person. Distance between the two is most desired so they don’t have to face each other and relive that pain. But what lies between those two souls are roadblocks to healing.

Resentment, anger, hate, revenge, desiring ill will, are just a few emotions that halt the healing process. As those roadblocks lie between the offender and the offended, they both bleed out what God desires so much for them both….love, peace, joy, contentment. Eventually unforgiveness will turn a good person into something totally unlike Christ.

At some point there has to be a truce, so the healing process can begin. Jesus outlined the number of times you should forgive your offender, seventy times seven which equals 490 times. But what He really meant was to never run out of forgiveness. Jesus gave us the finest example of forgiveness, as He hung on a cross and looked down upon the people who put Him there, He said…”Father forgive them for they  know not what they do.”

The pain you’ve experienced from someone is making you bleed out the goodness of Christ. Cover that wound today with His healing hand and let the process of forgiveness begin. Pray for the one who hurt you, pray for yourself and ask God to smooth the way before you so you can find love, peace, joy and contentment once again! God bless!

He who guards his mouth preserves life, but he who opens wide his lips shall have destruction. Proverbs 12:3

In the movie Hunt for Red October, An American submarine encountered a Russian submarine. The Russian sub and its crew desired to defect to the United States. To let the American sub captain know they meant no harm, they kept their missile tube doors closed, meaning they were not going to fire upon the American sub. It was a brave act, but in the end the Americans were able to help the Russians get safely to US soil.

Today’s scripture talks about the mouth and its destructive powers. It can be used in the form of gossip, negative talk and speaking words unbecoming a child of God. But the only way it damages others is by opening it wide. So many people have been cut down by people’s ugly words and lies told that bring destruction to a person’s character.

God never intended for a child of God to destroy others by the use of words. Today is a good day to check and see if the door to your mouth is closed or wide open, ready to cause destruction of others. Honestly, it’s a battle for many of us, including myself. Why not take the high road today and keep those lips closed? Only speak when you have something positive to say, to encourage others or speak peace in the battles you face. Trust me, your life will reflect better on those around you by speaking only things that benefit and not destroy. 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 (NKJV)

I recall one time when I was baking a cake, after mixing all the ingredients and baking it in the oven I was surprised when it came out flat. It was a total flop. I went back and looked over the list of ingredients and sure enough I left out one important one which made the cake a flat as a pancake.

For the child of God, its so important to make God a part of your every day life. From the moment you wake up in the morning, to the decisions you make throughout the day, to the people you hang out with and where you go, God should be the main ingredient of the day. Without your day guided by His wisdom, His protection and His grace, you will most likely have a bad day, a flop…just like my cake.

As you read this, you might have started your day off without a single thought of God. Take a moment right now and pray that God guides you and reminds you of the importance to always seek after Him, no matter what everyone else is saying. His wisdom, His protection and His grace is just enough to make this day a one blessed by God and the outcome perfect! Have a blessed day friend!

The righteous should choose his friends carefully, For the way of the wicked leads them astray. Proverbs 12:26

Over the years of my life I’ve come to realize one thing. We all have a dark side. That area of our mind that we want to avoid because we know there is nothing good entertained in that portion of the brain. We try our best to do good in life, yet it stays in the background, calling out for us to open the door to darkness.

With that said, its important to choose our friends wisely. No one is perfect by any means, but we must build relationships with people who truly have a heart for the Lord and are grounded in His truth. The key to finding the right friends is through prayer and examining people’s lives; looking for the light of Christ in their life through their words, actions and beliefs. One wrong friend can open that door to darkness and your journey with the Lord becomes hindered and fear steps in and gridlocks your life. No one wants that!

How’s your friend’s list? Do they encourage you to do better in life, or do you find their presence makes it easy for the dark side to come out? Pray diligently for God to put the right people in your life so you can keep the door to darkness closed and experience the blessings of God through the right friends! God bless!

Come to Me, all you who labor and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest. Take My yoke upon you and learn from Me, for I am gentle and lowly in heart, and you will find rest for your souls. For My yoke is easy and My burden is light. Matthew 11:28 – 30

A yoke is a wooden frame that fits around the head or neck of working animals and connects to a plow by rope or chain. Most commonly used on two animals, it was the way to connect the plow to the animals so the farmer could til the soil. The key is for the animals to walk side by side, bearing the weight together. If one animal got ahead of the other, that animal would bear the entire weight of the plow.

How true it is for Christians. As we see in today’s scripture that Jesus helps us as we navigate life. Sometimes we get ahead of God with our own agenda. When we do, we bear the weight of life and its troubles. So often we see things, people or situations we want to be a part of, yet God says slow down, I’ve got this all in due time. When we march ahead of His schedule, we have trouble, stress, confusion and become exhausted by our own efforts. Whew! God is talking to me right now!  

Jesus wants to walk this life with you, one step of a time. Take His yoke upon you and walk side by side together, allowing Him to bear the troubles you encounter. By doing so your life will yield a bountiful harvest of blessings and great memories along the way! My yoke is easy and My burden is light says Jesus….take each step in stride with Him starting today! God bless!

The big question in a “relationship”, do you love one another? Couples all seek after that four-letter word. It represents a higher level of trust, care and respect. Defining it can be a bit complicated because everyone has varying opinions about what love is. Someone may love their partner so deeply, but have difficulty showing it, leaving that partner to really question their words.

Jesus Christ pretty much defined love in one simple verse…”If you love me, keep my commandments”. Love is a verb, its action, its following Jesus Christ’s instructions closely and living by His standard of living. His standard is much different than that of the world and may seem unattainable. But I can assure you, if you truly love Him and your commitment to follow Him anywhere and everywhere, then the steps of faith will develop in you a passionate love for the Lord like with no one else on earth.

How much do you love the Lord? Have you put other things or people in front of your commitment to serve Him, obey Him and trust in His word and follow it closely without shame or regret? Matthew 11:30 says…”For my yoke is easy and my burden is light.” When you have a personal relationship with the Lord, He partners with you through life, carrying your burdens, encouraging you to take the next step of faith as you plow through life. The outcome of your obedience is providing nourishing fruit for those you come in contact with each day.

Loving the Lord is an action. Its following His commands closely and remaining faithful when everyone else has abandoned ship. Show your love for Him today in your commitment to walk side by side with Him in complete obedience. He will bless you every step of the way! God bless!

Forget the former things; do not dwell on the past. Isaiah 43:18

Years ago there used to be a TV Ad campaign that said…”Your mind is a terrible thing to waste”.  How true, but there are things your eyes see, your ears hear and your heart feels that are captured in your mind and you wish they had never entered that huge storage bank of data. Certain things, people and feelings are painful and your brain keeps recalling those wasted moments that take up useless amounts of time and energy to process and think over, and over and over again!  If you are like me they seem to be recalled in the middle of the night and sleep becomes a priceless commodity. Can you relate?

Here recently I was able to see something that confirmed my suspicions. Although it was good for me to see, it still hurt in a very painful way and keeps coming back up in my mind over and over again. It’s like I can’t seem to shake it off. The more I try, the more tangled in thoughts I get….kind of like walking into one of those huge spider webs you see in the Fall season. You get so wrapped up in them, then you are stuck. So how does one let go of toxic memories so they can move on? LOL, when you find out, let me know.

Reminder Isaiah 43:18: “Forget the former things; do not dwell on the past.” Easier said than done, but it’s in the book. If we are to move past our mistakes and things that have hurt us, we must work at forgetting them. Where else to look than our creator for help. Jesus said in Hebrews 8:12 “For I will forgive their wickedness and will remember their sins no more.” Only through Jesus Christ can we let go of our past so we can find better days ahead. Its bondage to hold onto the past. Like a ship still tied to the docks, you’ll never sail unless you untie that leash and let go…only to have it be a faded memory.

It might take time for the scars to heal, but they will over time. “Create in me a pure heart, O God, and renew a steadfast spirit within me.” Psalm 51:10. Renew your mind and heart through Jesus Christ and sail away from the drama and pain. God bless!

The fascination of the forbidden is the greatest lure of sin.

The apostle Paul tells us in Romans 7:11 that sin deceives the sinner. The end result of course is death.

Sin deceives in such a way that it causes the sinner to completely lose the way. It gives a false impression, whether by appearance, statement or influence that everything is ok. No one ever receives the full satisfaction that the lure of sin promises.

Sin tricks us into thinking that so long as we have not sinned outwardly and visibly everything is right between us and God. The Word of God informs us differently because God discerns the thoughts, attitudes and intents of the heart (Heb. 4:12-13). Jeremiah said, "The heart is deceitful above all things and desperately wicked" (Jer. 17:9). Our thoughts and attitudes are radically depraved and these lead us to sinful behaviors.

Sin deceives us into thinking that there is no reason for our guilt. Get rid of the "ought," should" and "must" in your life. Our sins are really not that bad, after all everyone is doing it. Besides there are other people doing a lot worse things than we are. Sin deceives us as to the deceitfulness of sin.

One of the greatest deceptions is that sin deceives us into thinking that God is unreasonable. It is impossible for sinful man to live a pure and holy life, therefore God is unjust, not man. If God really loved us and wanted what is best for us He would let us do whatever we think would make us happy. If it feels good, it must be ok is a deception of sin.

Sin deceives the sinner into thinking the holiness of God is unattractive. It deceives by getting people to think holiness is unpopular, unacceptable, odd, etc. Holiness is not a popular topic in today's society, even in church circles.

Sin's biggest deception is the idea that there is no penalty for sinning.  Sin deceives the sinner to believe Satan’s lie, “You will not die” (Gen. 3:4). Sin always calls God a liar. The truth is, “The wages of sin is death” (Romans 6:23). “The soul that sins will surely die” (Ezek. 18:4).

The Law of God reveals the fact that we are sinners, and that we can never save ourselves. The apostle Paul confessed, “I would not have known what sin was except through the law” (Rom. 7:7). We are reminded over and over again, “There is no one who does good, not even one.” “All have sinned and come short of the glory of God.” Anyone who thinks otherwise is in bondage to the deceitfulness of sin.

Sin deceives us into thinking the law is really the problem and keeps us from becoming what we want to be, and fulfilling what we believe is essential to make us self-actualized men and women.

The Law points its finger and says, “You are the one. You are guilty before God.” Yes, we are guilty because we are guilty. It is true guilt. It declares that we have sinned against God, and broken His laws.

Sin seizes every opportunity to deceive man and creates a powerful rebellion in our hearts. Because the law says “no,” sin puts forth every effort to go ahead and do it. The Law proves to us just how rebellious our hearts are and how strong sin is in us.

Is the Law sin? Give me a break! “The law is holy, and the commandment of God is holy, righteous and good” (Rom. 7:12). The law proves to us that sin deceives us into thinking the law can save us, or that we are self-sufficient, and very religious. The law could never save anyone. No one has ever been saved by law keeping. The law condemns us in order to point us to God’s saving grace in Jesus Christ.

The law awakens us to our sinfulness and points us to the Savior, Jesus Christ. But sin deceives us into misusing salvation by grace through faith. Sin can get such a hold on us that we have no desire to live a life pleasing to God. Sin says, "Go ahead and sin it up so that grace may increase." Sin deceives by abusing the teaching of grace.

There is only one way to be delivered from the deception of sin, the penalty and power of sin, and that is by the atoning death of Jesus Christ and the indwelling of the Holy Spirit. “Wretched man that I am! Who will set me free from the body of this death? Thanks be to God through Jesus Christ our Lord! So then, on the one hand I myself with my mind am serving the law of God, but on the other, with my flesh the law of sin” (Romans 7:24-25, NASB 1995). The deliverer is the Lord Jesus Christ.

You will seek me and find me when you seek me with all your heart. Jeremiah 29:13

In the movie Apollo 13, three astronauts are traveling back to earth in a crippled spacecraft. Because of limited battery power they had to shut off their computer system to save energy for re-entry. During one scene they had to hit the thrusters to excel them into space, getting them home quicker. Without any electrical navigation they had to steer the vessel manually towards earth by peering thru a small window and keeping earth in their view. It was a tricky move, but it worked.

As you navigate life there will be times when chaos abounds and you just want to shut down. Problem is, life doesn’t stop, along with its troubles. Without much energy to navigate life, you need to keep your focus on one thing (and it’s not your problems). Focus on God. Always keep Him in your view and never waiver from your commitment to seek after Him as you speed through life.

When you keep your focus on Him, all of life’s trials and tribulations seem to diminish their impact and God blesses you with a vision to see your way through it all. Keep Him in your view and you will get through this day with hope and blessings! God bless!

Give thanks in all circumstances; for this is God's will for you in Christ Jesus. 1 Thessalonians 5:18

We live in a society where the freedom to express oneself is wide open through social media and other outlets. Once posted, its there forever, to be read over and over by the author and those who take an interest in other people’s drama. Sad that people can get so caught up in a one-sided story, take it as fact, and self-generate negative emotions and thoughts.

Life can be difficult at times, but airing your dirty laundry isn’t the way to relieve the anger, disappointment and frustration.

Today’s scripture is a good reminder that our focus should be on giving thanks in all circumstances. I myself find that difficult at times when I’m going through something almost gut wrenching…but dwelling on the negative only feeds the misery that’s associated with it. When I give thanks, I see the positive side of life and it pretty much shrinks the bad things.

Think of giving thanks as an eraser for the negative things that happen in life. Yea, the mortgage payment will still be there, that person who made you mad is still living next door or your unfavorite family member will be at the holiday gatherings this year. Give thanks for what you have and God’s blessings in your life. Your focus on the positive feeds the soul and takes your mind off the negative things in life. Give thanks in all circumstances and erase the negative. God bless

Listen to advice
and accept discipline, and at the end you will be counted among the wise. ²¹Many
are the plans in a person's heart, but it is the LORD's purpose that prevails. Proverbs 20: 19-21

Over the Thanksgiving holiday I was able to go visit my family. My mom is a lover of birds and has a variety of feeders for birds and squirrels. As I watched the birds, I noticed one thing. When the larger birds sensed danger or something approached them, they’d fly off first. In doing so, they alerted the smaller birds to flee from their feeding frenzy.

As we navigate life, we should always listen to what our friends and family members say to us. Their advice is important and its up to each person to interpret and decide what to do with the information provided. Some heed their warnings and take action to avoid disaster, while others simply brush off the advice and keep on marching towards danger. 

Sometimes we are like those little birds. Its cold and we want to eat on what’s feeding us, keeping us warm, and happy….meanwhile others are saying fly away! Listen to your friends and family. They love you and wouldn’t be offering advice if they didn’t care about your well-being. A lesson well learned!

Thank you Lord for friends and family members who care and have the courage to speak up when prompted! Listen to them friend and heed their advice. And truth be known, that advice might just be coming straight from God Himself thru the messenger of truth! God bless!

Then the Devil left Him, and behold, angels came and ministered to Him. Matthew 4:11

If you’ve ever seen a boxing match you know after so many minutes of fighting in the ring, there is a brief break in the fight and the boxers go to their respective corner to get treated for injuries, given water to rehydrate and advice for their next round. As a boxer, I’m sure they are glad when that bell rings so they can have a moment to recover from the fight.

As Christians we too are in a fight against Satan’s temptations and distractions. He oftentimes uses conflict and difficulty to throw us a left hook. After a few good punches, that child of God needs some relief. Thankfully, we don’t have to fight the battle on our own and we can step over into the corner to pray for relief, wisdom and strength.

If you are a child of the King, you are fighting a fierce battle. Satan’s goal is to keep His children down for the count. Don’t let him get away with it. Stand up with the help of Jesus Christ, bind Satan in Jesus name and reference scripture to push back the evil influences from your enemy. Jesus was successful at fighting back against satan in the proceeding verses of Matthew 4 when tempted. And never leave the corner of prayer too long. It’s a refreshing place to be in this battle of righteousness! God bless!

7 You were running well; who hindered you from obeying the truth? 8 This persuasion did not come from Him who calls you. 9 A little leaven leavens the whole lump of dough. Galatians 5: 7-9

When your spiritual journey is running smoothly, the enemy will do everything he can to trip you up. He oftentimes sends people, things or habits your way that can totally mess up your stride, ruin your reputation and cause grief for yourself and others impacted when you trip up.

How are you running with God? Everything good? That’s great, but be careful. The devil prowls around like a roaring lion, ready to attack one of God’s children. Its important to stay in constant communication with the Lord and look for signature marks of Satan with anything that is new in your life. If you stay prayed up, the Holy Spirit will reveal those little red flags appear. Run like Hell I tell ya and never look back. God bless!