She who is truly a widow, left all alone, has set her hope on God and continues in supplications and prayers night and day. 1 Timothy 5:5

It seems marriages are being torn apart left and right. Couples who’ve endured some of the most challenging times simply give up after years of sacrifice and defeat in the battles they encountered. But what about the widow? The man or woman who was deeply in love with their spouse, then lost them due to an illness or accident. Forever gone, they have left a hole in their life and heart.

God spoke to me yesterday about this topic and impressed upon my heart that a widow should be a “window” for Christ. That void is real and your love for your spouse was genuine. Why not transform your life into a widow so others can see the love you had by talking about your spouse, sharing those special times and displaying a love for him or her just as if they were still with you today. By doing so, you allow others to see the example of genuine love and might be an encouragement to a couple who is struggling in their marriage.

Just because you are a widow doesn’t mean your marriage has ended. It’s a beautiful story to share with others and an opportunity to show the love of Christ to a world who encourages giving up over fighting for the marriage.  Share your story with others this week and see a change in the lives of those around you! God bless!

Remember that Jesus Christ, descended from David, was raised from the dead according to my gospel: 2 Timothy 2:8

The other day I was driving along and came upon a sharp curve in the road. As I slowed my speed and entered the curve, I thought to myself, this is pretty dangerous and if someone isn’t careful, they will fly off the road and hit a tree. No longer did I finish my thought when I looked up to see a memorial cross along the roadside. Sure enough, someone died in that bad curve.

God spoke to me at that very moment. As we go through life, we can oftentimes see trouble ahead. We think we’ve got a handle of our circumstances, but quite often we aren’t equipped to tackle what very well could be a trap, set up by Satan himself, to derail our life. The best advice I can give you is to always remember Jesus Christ when you see danger or a challenge ahead. He already paid the price with His life and opened the door to a personal relationship with you. Upon receiving Him into your life, He promised never to leave nor forsake you.

As you approach those twist and turns in life, remember Jesus Christ. He can help keep you safe no matter the challenge or struggle. He is simply one prayer away…Jesus..take the wheel of my life and help me get through this day! God bless!

And the people spoke against God and against Moses; “Why have you brought us up out of Egypt to die in the wilderness? For there is no food and no water, and our soul loathes this worthless bread.” Numbers 21:5

After years of enslavement, the Israelites were freed through the leading of Moses and the power of God. Once separated from their enslavement, they were questioning God’s next move and how they would survive in the place they had to go before He delivered the “Promised Land.” I’m sure many of them thought they were better off while being slaves as their basic needs were met. As we read further in scripture, we see that God did feed His people and cared for their needs for 40 years.

 When someone breaks away from something they were enslaved to, they might find life more difficult because they have to cope with the changes that face them. Some might be tempted to go back to the comforts they were used to. Drugs, alcohol, pornography, wild living, casual sex….and more. These things can become addictive and enslave us. The void they fill is real, but in the end can destroy lives and character.

Maybe you are trying to give up something to better your life, and you feel like you are in the wilderness, feeling all alone and longing for those simple comforts you found while in bondage. Don’t take a step backwards. God is with you and will provide you the willpower to make it through another day as you move towards your promised land of reward for your commitment to staying free of those addictions. Keep your focus and replace old thoughts with thoughts of how life will be better once totally freed from your enslavement to sinful ways. God loves you and will help you today and every day! Call upon Him in the wilderness of life! God bless!

The fear of the Lord is the beginning of wisdom, And the knowledge of the Holy One is understanding. Proverbs 9:10

As a child, I had a healthy respectful fear of my dad. He was a big man, in comparison to me. When he spoke, I listened. After a few times of being disciplined, I knew very well who was in charge and that if I wanted to have a painless life, I needed to heed and follow his instructions.  As I grew into my teenage years, I began to develop this appreciation for my dad in knowing that his rules and expectations were for my own good, so I could succeed in life. Still today his words of wisdom resonates in my mind.

As Christians, we have a loving Father in Heaven who cares deeply for us. He knows the things that will throw us off course and provides wisdom for a less painful life, if we simply heed His instructions. How do we get there? Just like me as a kid, I figured out who was in charge of my life. To your surprise, its not you! As a child of God, you were bought with a price and the moment you surrendered your life to Him, He assured you a place in Heaven and His commitment to be with you for all eternity. God often allows moments of trials and tribulations to come our way as a form of discipline to correct our behavior and bring us back on the single, narrow pathway He provides.

Have you figured out who’s in charge of your life? If you seem to encounter a lot of problems and heartache, maybe you need to rethink who is directing your life. Gain that healthy respectful fear of God and follow His instructions closely. When you do, your find favor with God and His hand protects you. Fear Him, for He loves you unconditionally! God bless!

Call upon Me in the day of trouble and I will deliver you, and you shall glorify Me. Psalm 50:15

Yesterday was very challenging at work. I went through one disappointment after another…all day long. The first frustration set in motion a day of angry words, strong emotions and very little patience. By the end of the day I was completely spent, felt worn out and beaten up. Score 1 for Satan. When I got home, all I could do was get on my knees and ask for God’s forgiveness for not focusing on Him in the heat of the battle and let His Spirit work out the details of the day so I could remain a good example of Christ.

Thankfully today is Friday and I started out my day, on my knees in prayer and asking for God’s help. I already have an agenda of issues that need to be worked through and I know I can depend upon Him to come through, now that I’ve put in a request for His help.  I have confidence in knowing this day will go well.

Maybe you are having a “Monday” on a Friday. Break away for a few minutes from the battle and call upon God for help. It’s a spiritual battle and Satan is pulling out all his weapons to diminish your joy. Don’t let him. Give it to God and see things work out for the better. Trust me, you can’t do this on your own. Your fleshly body can’t fight the demons of Satan, but God can! Call upon Him today and be blessed!

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

On Monday I got very sick. I felt like I was ran over by a train, every muscle and joint ached, I ran a low grade fever and just felt miserable. I asked for prayers from friends on face book and by the end of the day I felt much better. So much better that I was able to return to work on Tuesday…just like nothing had happened.

I truly believe in the power of prayer. When two or more are gathered together, God is in their midst. The same is true when others pray for you, those focused prayers drawl God’s attention to one specific request and He responds accordingly.

Maybe you are battling something bigger than yourself whether it be sickness, financial crises or a struggling relationship. Call for your friends, family and church family to pray for your specific need. Trust me, God is very willing and able to help you, if you simply put your faith and trust in Him through the prayers of others. Give it a try today and see Him work in a mighty way! God bless!

For they being ignorant of God’s righteousness, and seeking to establish their own righteousness, have not submitted to the righteousness of God.  Romans 10:3

On Christmas 2013 I gave my grandmother a journal and asked her to write thoughts on her daily devotions. The first notation talked about the “hypocrite”. She wrote the following….”A hypocrite is one who is just acting a part – they are going through a religious ritual without experiencing any reality at all!” She went on to say “The heart must be involved if it is genuine.”

My grandmother has been studying God’s word all her life, right up to her death at age 99. As a child growing up, she’d share her thoughts and wisdom with me about God’s word, so I knew I’d have a “gem of wisdom” if I could capture her thoughts before she passed. From today’s passage and her words I get the feeling there is an element of hypocrisy we often overlook….not knowing God’s word.

If we are going to live a genuine Christian life, we MUST study God’s word on a daily basis and absorb its truth. So often we get little pieces of the Word and begin to form our own opinion on what God would find good in His sight. We develop our own set of rituals, but the truth is they often don’t measure up to God’s standards.

You might be living right and attending church, but how deep are you in God’s word? Unless you know the truth, your mind and heart will be easily deceived by Satan…..giving birth to the best hypocrite on a church pew. Friend, I speak to myself as I share this message….study God’s word so you know how to live the life God has call you and I to live. We can’t go wrong when we know the truth and are a living testament of our faith in God! Blessing!

Jesus answered and said to him, “What I am doing you do not understand now, but you will know after this.” John 3:7

If you’ve been a Christian for any amount of time, you’ve come to realize that living within the will of God is anything but easy and normal. God often takes us through various trials and tribulations not to break us but to rebuild us into a stronger person. He often times uses pain to tender those areas of our life that we need to strengthen in our walk with Him.

Maybe you are in the middle of a crises and things have got you down and out, a relationship has ended that has torn you into pieces or the hope you had for tomorrow has long gone with one phone call of bad news. All you do is question God.  

Friend, trust in Him. You might not understand why He has allowed you to suffer as you have or had something taken from you that had your heart…but know that God has a plan and purpose for this painful moment and the end result will bring out a better you on the other side of the darkness. Don’t try to understand God, trust Him instead and believe that He has your best interest at heart. Blessings will soon come after the storm has passed! God bless

Nevertheless I tell you the truth. It is to your advantage that I go away; for if I do not go away, the Helper will not come to you; but if I depart, I will send Him to you. And when He has come, HE will convict the world of sin, and of righteousness, and of judgement. John 16: 7-8

You ever have an occasion where you faced something and this little voice inside tells you to stay away or its not a good idea? We often give credit to our wisdom from previous experiences or intuition. Today’s scripture is a good reminder that the Helper, The Holy Spirit of Jesus Christ, is with us and live inside every believer. His Spirit convicts the believer when they are headed down the wrong path and quietly disrupts their journey in an attempt to get their attention before disaster hits. Trust me, I know it all too well.

The Holy Spirit also convicts the non-believer, calling them to surrender their life to Christ, to believe in Him, receive full forgiveness of ever single sin and to live a life within the will of Christ. I recall that “tug in my heart” from His Spirit when I was 12. I realized that I was lost in my sin and I needed Him to guide me through life and of course receive His unconditional love. I can tell you its real and every day life means more to me than before I knew Him.

Maybe you don’t feel ready to commit to Jesus Christ, but you can feel that “tug in your heart”. Friend, that’s the Holy Spirit calling you to a new life that will be richly blessed if you simply commit to Him today. Praying and asking Jesus Christ to come into your life, forgive your sins and live in obedience to His will…..by praying and studying God’s word.

For those who are a believer, don’t give credit to the wrong person when you feel the conviction of sin. Its God’s Spirit and He wants you to turn from the path you’ve chosen and return to the narrow path of obedience. Don’t take another step in the wrong direction, disaster is up ahead and your next step might be your last.

Praise be to the God and Father of our LORD Jesus Christ, the Father of compassion and the God of all comfort, ⁴who
comforts us in all our troubles, so that we can comfort those in any trouble
with the comfort we ourselves receive from God. 2 Corinthians 1:3-4

I can’t think of anything more painful than losing a child. I know several people who’ve experienced this great loss and I share in their sadness and heartache. We will never know why God takes our child before us as parents, but it happens. The mixture of emotions and feelings can be overwhelming, but through time God can and does mend the brokenness.

Maybe you’ve experienced such a loss and the pain still seems as real as it did last year or 20 years ago. I don’t believe you ever heal from that moment of grief, but I do believe God can bring comfort in those moments when the memories take over and flood your soul with the sadness. The Holy Spirit works as a monitor in your life and request God’s help when you have no strength to cry out for help.. “In the same way, the Spirit helps us in our weakness. We do not know what we ought to pray for, but the Spirit himself intercedes for us through wordless groans.” Romans 8:26

If you are heavy burdened in grief, God knows your pain and comes to you with His comforting hand to hold you. He often brings other people into your life to help you through those rough patches, rely on them as they are one of God’s tools of comfort. God loves you and He knows your loss, as He gave up His ONLY SON for you, so you can live with Him in Heaven. One day we all will be joined with our loved ones and the hope of that thought is enough to carry us on another day! God bless!

My command is this: Love each other as I have loved you. John 15:12

Happy Valentines Day everyone. I hope today is special for you in the fact that someone loves you and you love them. Yes, the traditional celebration of having that special relationship, someone who loves you and you love them is recognized on Valentines day, but it shouldn’t stop there.

Jesus commands us to love each other and He even takes it to another level, to love as He loves us. That’s unconditional love, that’s love never ending, full of grace and forgiveness, a love that is not jealous or envious, a love that never runs out. Love comes from Jesus Christ, through His Holy Spirit, living inside of each child of God. And that’s the power we can draw upon to love the unlovable.

Even if you aren’t wrapped up with someone this Valentines Day, it doesn’t mean you can’t love on others. Show the world around you that as a Christian you love them, as Christ loves you, and that you have a genuine concern for their well-being. Jesus is the perfect demonstrator of love, follow His lead as you make every day a Valentines Day to those around you!

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

She extends her hand to the poor, Yes, she reaches out her hands to the needy. Proverbs 31:20

Proverbs 31:10 – 31 is a passage that describes “The Virtuous Wife”. The qualities of a strong woman of faith resounds above the rest, as she lives out her life, faithful to God and her family. Yet with all her priorities, she still has a heart for those in need. Today’s verse states it well…she extends her hand to the poor, she reaches out to the needy.

She can reach out to those in need because she realizes God’s blessing weren’t meant to be stored up for herself. They were meant to be shared. When God sends blessings our way, they usually overfill our cup. What we do with our blessings will determine future blessings from God.

Like the virtuous wife, are you aware of God’s blessings in your life? Do you see the needs of others in your world? It takes only one simple act…a smile, a touch, an act of service to bless someone else. So simple, and they multiply into more blessings…that are meant to be shared….over and over. Reach out this week to someone in need and see what God can do with your act of kindness. After a while you wont waste a single blessing, but share it with the ones who need to see Christ through your generosity. Go share Christ today thru the act of giving! God bless!  

Delight yourself in the Lord, and he will give you the desires of your heart.

 

When you live life well, things go well for you. Obeying the laws of the land keep you out of jail or from getting a ticket, being active helps you stay healthy, surrounding yourself with strong friends keep you motivated for life…its an endless list of positive things you can do…and they all result in good things happening in and through your life.

 

The truth is when you live your life within God’s standards and continue to grow your relationship with Him, He blesses you with good people in your life, He protects you from the enemy and He slips in little miracles through the day to keep you motivated to live for Him.

 

Maybe you’ve been going through some challenging times and bad luck seems to be the only luck you have. Turn your focus on God and start living within His will. You will soon see God’s blessings pour out onto your life and things run a little smoother. Even on those tough days, He will equip you to overcome the challenges and find joy still remaining by the end of the day. Delight yourself in the Lord, and He will give you the desires of your heart! God bless!

Indeed, the LORD will give what is good, And our land will yield its produce. Psalm 85:12

Last night I was cooking up a dish of chicken stuffed with cheese and asparagus. The directions called for it to cook at 350 for 45 minutes AND reach a temperature of 165 degrees. I always play it on the safe side, so I bumped up the heat to 375 and let it cook for more than 45 minutes. It smelled so good and when I pulled it out, it looked ready to eat. But something told me to check the internal temperature. To my surprise it hadn’t cooked enough internally to make it safe to eat. So, back in the oven for 15 more minutes.  

So often we see something we want and we know God is going to give it to us, but He withholds it until its ready for His delivery. During the wait, we ask God why He is withholding something good for us and we can clearly see its right there in front of us. From today’s illustration I believe God delays His blessings because He is making sure our heart is ready to receive what good things He wants to provide.

If I had eaten the chicken that hadn’t been fully cooked, I would have gotten sick. The same with God’s blessings, if we aren’t prepared mentally, emotionally or spiritually, it won’t serve its purpose and could actually hurt us in the long run.

 I know…a long story and text, but the lesson in today’s blog is trust in the Lord when He delays giving you what you expect to receive from Him. He is preparing your heart for something great and when its finally delivered, it will yield a bountiful harvest for not only you but God as well. Wait upon the Lord, for His timing is perfect! God bless!

Jesus Christ is the same yesterday and today and forever. Hebrews 13:8

The other day I attended the Mr. and Mrs. THS event which boys and girls competed to be the Mr and Mrs  at Troup County High School. When I first walked in I noticed the middle section of the stage curtain was green. Then as the production went on, it changed colors. When the event was over and the lights came up I noticed it was white. It had been white all the time, but the colors from the spot light made it appear to be different.

As Christians, we go through times in life where we encounter joy and sadness, success and defeat, accomplishments and failures, gain and loss. With each change, our dependency on Jesus fluctuates. For me personally, there are times when I feel like I need Him more than ever, and times when I feel less needy. But, no matter the occasion, no matter my relationship status with Him, He never changes. His love is so unconditional, its hard to grasp its intensity at times. But I can assure you, just as the colors change in our life, His love never fails us. Its always the same.

Maybe you’ve been through some dark and difficult times in your life and you feel like the changing of your colors are too much for Jesus to love you. Put those thoughts in the can and embrace His unchanging love for you! As a child of God, He loves you no matter what state of dependency you are in. His color, His love and His commitment to keep you for His own never changes. God bless!

Now when Jesus had come into Peter’s house, He saw his wife’s mother lying sick with fever. So He touched her hand, and the fever left her. And she arose and served them. Matthew 8:14 – 15

As I was looking over scripture this morning, I ran across these two verses where Jesus healed Peter’s mother in law. A simple touch brought her from being useless to being well enough to serve Jesus.

No doubt Jesus is in the healing business. If you are a child of God, He wants you to serve Him. Your service might be helping your neighbors, providing financial support for a missionary overseas or simply picking up the phone and giving someone words of encouragement during a difficult time in their life. God wants you to serve Him and is willing to touch whatever holds you back from being all you can be for Him.

What holds you back from complete service to Jesus? Maybe its your health, your fears, financial burdens….its an endless list, but God can cure anything so you can get back to living out His purpose in your life. Call upon Him today to heal you so you are ready to serve Him fully. 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

Trust, its one of the strongest components in a relationship. It’s the glue that holds the bond of two people together. Where there is trust, there is confidence in that other person. They influence your life, through your words, actions and thoughts.  

I can tell you there is ONE you can always trust and that is God. He never lets you down, is always on the lookout for your safety and protection from the enemy. When you stay committed to Him and loyal to His word, He shelters you from the storms of life, He preserves you in the heat of the battle and remains by your side when everyone else has retreated. And because of His loyalty to you, you can count on Him to lead you down a path that is meant to bless your life.

Do you trust the Lord enough to listen for His voice of reason and follow in complete obedience? You can trust Him in everything He asks of you. Trust Him completely, follow in obedience and do not allow your thoughts to intervene in His plan for your life. He knows best and loves you child of God. Trust and obey, for there is no other way to be happy in Jesus but to trust and obey! God bless!

⁶Do not be anxious about anything, but in every situation, by prayer and petition,
with thanksgiving, present your requests to God. ⁷And the peace of God, which
transcends all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ
Jesus. Philippians 4:6-7

Far too often we encounter a problem or concern that appears to be bigger than our ability to work through it. And truth be known, it probably is sometimes. But after years of living a life with Christ, I can assure you HE listens to His children and responds to every request by providing His loving best. The key to getting His help is our surrender to let go and let God take over.

When we release our problem into His hands, He knows exactly how to respond because He can see over the mountain top and has the best route planned for your journey through the difficulty. The cool thing about God is He sprinkles little blessings along the journey so you know He is working on your behalf and personal interest. I’ve been there and experienced these things first hand. And when you walk, remain quiet so you can hear His soft voice of wisdom and encouragement. He often speaks in the quietness as a whisper so you know its really Him. The world yells and screams, but not God. His soft voice is calming and will be enough to carry you on another day.

Bring your request before God and find the perfect response. God is watching out for you friend and knows the way to go. Trust His soft-spoken voice and relax in His presence as the peace of God guards your heart and mind as you take each step of faith! God bless!

For we are his workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God prepared beforehand, that we should walk in them. Ephesians 2:10

Ever ask yourself what you are good at in life? For some it’s their job, position they hold, a hobby, being a spouse or parent, for a few its simply looking and feeling good…so much so they inspire others to better themselves. Unfortunately, we often focus on our weaknesses and not our strengths. Many today are so down on themselves that their negative focus hinders their strength and they become useless for what God has gifted them in life.

Today’s scripture is a good reminder that WE ARE CREATED TO DO GOOD WORKS! God created you with specific strengths and talents to serve Him. When you take your eyes off the negative and focus on what He has gifted you with, you can do far more and bring blessings upon yourself. Lets start this week off not focusing on our weaknesses, but our strengths and ask God what He wants to do with our talents and be willing to do more to serve Him. God bless!

When wisdom enters your heart, and knowledge is pleasant to your soul, discretion will preserve you; understanding will keep you, to deliver you from the way of evil, from the man who speaks perverse things, from those who leave the paths of uprightness to walk in ways of darkness. Proverbs 3:10-13

Several years ago I purchased new bar stools for my kitchen. As my normal routine, I always read the instructions to insure I put it together right and hopefully not have any left over parts. The first one came along slowly, but finally got it all together. As I worked thru stool 2, then 3 and finally 4, it became much easier and I didn’t have to keep referring back to the instructions. The process just flowed naturally.

Our walk with the Lord requires much wisdom to stay in the lane of righteousness. It’s a busy world out there, full of distractions and challenges that can side track even the strongest in faith. That’s why its so important to always stay grounded in God’s word, to gain wisdom and understanding so you can navigate each day with confidence that you are doing it right. As you study more, the decisions in life become clearer and based on biblical truths! When you come upon something new, make time to pray it over and ask God for wisdom as HE truly gives it for those who ask.

Godly wisdom is the perfect tool to keeping you on track with His will and blessings that lift you up and keep you headed towards sanctification! God bless!

He who guards his mouth preserves his life, But he who opens wide his lips shall have destruction. Proverbs 13:3

If there is one thing I’ve learned over the years of my life is its good to keep my mouth shut during storms of life. Those storms have been during an argument with someone, facing a medical issue or fearing something or someone. The truth is turbulent times do not generate good thoughts or words, thus its best to just remain silent.

So, what do you do in place of speaking? Pray. Prayer is like a blanket, it smothers out the flames of adversity, it comforts the needy and provides protection against the elements of the storm. When I’ve been in the heat of battle and remain silent, I have clearly heard the voice of God, speaking to me, with encouragement and wisdom. Those turbulent times are a good reminder that I need the Lord and can’t hear His wise words when I do all the talking.

Maybe you are facing some troubling times or in a battle with someone whose attacking you on a personal level. Pray! Give it over to God and listen to His voice of reason and guidance as He provides wisdom. Your words will cause more damage if you let your mouth run freely. Let God do the talking during your life storms and find protection, wisdom and encouragement in the sound of silence! God bless!