But each one is tempted when he is drawn away by his own desires and enticed. Then, when the desire has conceived, it gives birth to sin; and sin, when it is full grown, brings forth death. James 1:14-15



Well, those skinny, long bugs that seem to take over my yard this time of year continue to hover around the two doors that lead into my house. Every time a door is opened, I think several manage to slip in and fly around the house. But, once inside they have nothing to eat or drink and eventually die. I keep asking myself why they think its better inside my house when they have everything they need outside. Then a thought crossed my mind……



Like these bugs, we too as Christians find things appealing that are outside God’s will. Oftentimes we even know it, but the lure is so sweet, that we often forget who we are in Christ and turn our back on His goodness. As we get closer to the door of temptation, we simply slip inside once the opportunity presents itself. Once inside, a person might feel a moment of satisfaction, but in time the realization that what lured you in was simply a lie and now you are trapped, alone and without God’s blessings.



The key to living a life free of sin is to avoid it at all cost. “Submit to God, resist the devil and he will flee from you.” James 4:7 Trust me, the lure of sin is great and has bumped the strongest of Christians off track. But when you remain close to God and realize all that He offers, Satan doesn’t stand a chance at tempting you to take part in something that ends in disaster.

You are only as strong as the foundation you build upon. Build your life on the foundation of God and the principles found in the bible. When you do, the lure of temptation will be diminished. God bless!

²⁸"LORD, if it's
you," Peter replied, "tell me to come to you on the water." ²⁹"Come," he
said. Then Peter got down out of the boat, walked on the water and came toward
Jesus. Matthew 14:28-29



Today’s passage comes from Matthew, where Jesus walked on the water, out to the boat the disciples were in. They were amazed to see Him walking on the water, yet Peter’s curiosity in the moment caused him to follow Jesus by walking on the water with Him. Upon his request and Jesus invitation, Peter stepped from the safety of the boat and onto the water. He took some steps, but was overcome by fear when he saw the waves around him. It didn’t take long for Peter’s faith to wain and down he went, only to have Jesus save him.



Oftentimes God asks us to step out of our comfort zone and trust Him. Just like Jesus’s invitation to Peter, God knows you can do it and He will keep you protected if only you trust Him enough with each step of faith when you do what He asks of you.  So often we reason in our mind that staying in our comfort zone is the safest place to be and we won’t have to worry about failing God. Thankfully God’s grace is our insurance policy of safety, knowing that even when we fail Him, He has our back and forgives freely.



Maybe you are at a point in your life where you want to pursue God at a higher level, but your fears of failure keep you stuck in the boat of mediocracy. Pray and ask God to give you the faith to step outside of the boat so you can do great and mighty things, walking by faith and not by sight. God will bless you when you trust Him with each step moving towards Him! God bless!

For you have died, and your life is hidden with Christ in God. Colossians 3:3



Over the weekend I went to Atlanta with my girlfriend and her daughter and her boyfriend. We had an amazing time and enjoyed great fellowship. One of our stops was at an awesome Italian restaurant for dinner. The inside was beautifully decorated and was just a wonderful as the food itself.



As we were eating diner, I noticed a large group had gotten up and left and the busy boys were cleaning the table. They removed the tablecloth, exposing the table beneath. Goodness, I was shocked to see this dirty table that was held together with tape and literally looked like it was on its last leg. I started to think from that point…..



Before excepting Christ, we were separated from Him by our sinful lives and non-acceptance of His forgiveness of sins. But once we’ve accepted Christ, His blood covers our sinful life and we are viewed as a clean soul. Our lives might still carry the scars of our sinful past, but God’s love blankets our past and makes us beautiful in His sight.



Maybe you struggle with your dirty past and feel like your life is barely held together due to the darkness of your life. Trust in Jesus Christ, your Savior, and know that your past life is covered by His blood. He no longer sees your dirty life, but a new creation. Have confidence today knowing your sins are forgiven! God bless!

He said, “It is finished!” and bowing His head, He gave up His spirit. John 19:30



Nothing I like better than Fridays. Once I finish the work day, its 2 days of freedom to rest and relax….if only I could do that…lol. Between Monday and Friday a whole lot happens for most of us. Between work, responsibilities at home and the daily decisions, Friday can give us a sense of accomplishment that we finished well.



As Jesus took His last breath on the cross, He said “It is finished!” No doubt Jesus devoted His entire life to God, His Father. Every decision He made, every word He spoke, every action He took and every thought that crossed His mind, His dedication to following God in complete obedience was fully witnessed and accounted for in the bible. Jesus finished His life’s mission well. Can you say the same at the conclusion of each week?



As Christians, we have God’s Holy Spirit living inside of us. At any given moment we can draw upon His strength, wisdom and encouragement to live our lives in Godly obedience. As Friday rolls around, take a moment to account for this past week. Did your actions, words and decisions reflect Godly principles? Is this week worthy of God’s recognition of your obedience to Him? If you are like me, you want to believe you lived it well for God and finished the week receiving God’s blessings.



Next week is on the horizon, prepare now to finish well by praying and staying in God’s word so you can absorb its wisdom and direction for the days and weeks to come. Its Friday, did you finish well? God bless!

Beloved, do not think it strange concerning the fiery trial which is to try you, as though some strange thing happened to you. 1 Peter 4:12



Ever have one of those times in your life when you can feel circumstances or people coming against you at every angle? It seems like a relentless attack upon your being and all the while your energy and hope seems to diminish. Yea, I can raise my hand and recall various times in my life when I was on the brink of just giving up.



Today’s verse is a good reminder we are simply foreigners in this world, as children of God. If the world hates you, keep in mind that it hated me first. ¹⁹If you belonged to the world, it would love you as
its own. As it is, you do not belong to the world, but I have chosen you out of
the world. That is why the world hates you. John 15:18-19 As a child of God, you are an enemy of Satan. Satan will use circumstances and people to try and drive you crazy, robbing you of all joy and strength.



Why does God allow these things to happen? I truly believe every situation is God’s way of testing us, to see if we’ll simply call upon Him for help. When we do, He steps in with His power and wisdom to cool the flames of adversity and provides a path through the storm so you can come out stronger on the other side.



If you are a child of the King, don’t be misled to think life will be easy. But, it can be a life grounded in faith and trust in God who controls all things and has won the victory over your enemy. The sweet rewards of our faithfulness is just what we need along this journey we call life. Trust God today when the fiery trials come your way. God’s ready to help you through them and will bless you through the ordeal. God bless!

For through Him we both have access by one Spirit to the Father. Ephesians 2:18



Try contacting someone of importance and you’ll find a wall between you and them. The only way to speak to someone of importance is through an appointment. Frustrating at times, it may take days, even weeks to make an appointment to discuss something with them.



Thankfully the most important person on planet earth makes Himself available to everyone 24/7. Through the Holy Spirit, living inside of every believer, we can talk directly to God Himself and ask those important questions we need answers to in life. He doesn’t place Himself behind closed doors, or is too busy to hear from you. No, HE is always available and ready to respond when called upon.



Maybe you are going through a time when you need God’s direction and wisdom. Ask Him without reservation. Maybe you are in a financial crunch and not sure how the bills will be paid, ask for His help. God is a master at solving problems and helping us through life. He knows the challenges we face and wants to come through for His children. Seek Him every day through prayer and watch Him respond to your needs. No appointment necessary! God bless!

And let us consider how we may spur one another on toward love and good deeds, ²⁵ not giving up meeting together, as some are in the habit of doing, but encouraging one another—and all the more as you see the Day approaching. Hebrews 10:24-25



So, its Sunday morning already. Wow, the weekend seems to have blown by rather quickly. One last day to sleep in right? Maybe this morning you are considering church attendance, but the thought of staying home and resting sounds better. I mean you can worship God at home right? Read a little bible passage, and pray. Sounds good, but lets look at what church attendance does for the child of God.



Matthew 18:20 says….”Where two or three gather in My name, there I am with them. Don’t know about you, but I  want to be where God is. I have personally seen the presence of God in my church and how uplifting His Spirit is in the presence of His children gathered together.



When I’m at church, I have an opportunity to talk with other believers and they ask about my well-being and pray for me when I am in need of help. I do the same for them. Together we are greater in numbers than me sitting at home, alone without conversation and encouragement from my brothers and sisters in Christ. 


Just as today’s verse talks about those who get out of the habit of attending church; I’ve experienced this….when you stop doing something routine, it becomes a habit and eventually you don’t even  consider church attendance important. That’s a bad habit to get into and can seriously damage your relationship with God.



The spiritual feeding and nourishment I get from singing praises and hearing a message from God through the sermon helps me learn and grown in my faith. I never miss an opportunity to learn more from God’s word and what a privilege it is to attend church without fear of persecution. Church attendance grows your knowledge of God.



Lastly, God is blessed when He sees His children commit their time to serving Him through worship. God knows you can do 100 different things on Sunday morning, but when you commit your time to Him, He blesses you with more time in the day and brings spiritual uplifting to your soul.



The things I’ve mentioned today are hard to do, sitting at home all alone. Find God in the numbers of believers gathered together in His name. You wont miss anything by attending! See you in church! God bless!

I say to you that likewise there will be more joy in heaven over one sinner who repents than other ninety-nine just persons who need no repentance. Luke 15:7



When I watch movies about war, I’m impressed by the fact that soldiers don’t leave anyone behind. Even when out numbered and under heavy fire, the soldiers help the injured and fallen….no one is left behind.



God looks down at his creation, the human race. He created each person who walks the face of this earth. His desire is for a personal relationship with all of them through the sacrifice of His Son, Jesus Christ. God saw fit to save you and me and all the other children of God. As a Christian, you are one of His soldiers. Your duty is to not leave anyone behind. The question is, do you have that commitment to help someone else find their way to Heaven?



Ask God to put that desire in your heart today, to care for those around you. They are no different than you….simply God’s creation. He longs for a relationship with them, and He wants to extend His loving embrace through you. Living the faith, sharing His love and speaking truth about the saving grace of Jesus Christ is the only way we can ensure no one is left behind in the battle against our enemy Satan. When a soul finds their way home, the Angels rejoice. Give God something to rejoice over today by bring someone to Christ today! God bless!  

Be alert and of sober mind. Your enemy the devil prowls around like a roaring lion looking for someone to devour. 1 Peter 5:8



This time of year, in the south, we have these little skinny bugs that come out of the grass by the hundreds. They are everywhere and fly around with ease. If you keep your door open for just a minute, you’ll find several have flown in and you will be constantly trying to rid yourself of these annoying pests.



Today’s verse is a good reminder to keep the door closed to Satan. He is like those annoying bugs, he is everywhere, just waiting to slip into an open door of your life and cause frustration and annoyance. He uses people, circumstances, hobbies, pleasures, drugs and alcohol, even your family….to gain access to your heart. Once inside, he can cause so much trouble, you’ll be chasing his demons the rest of your life.



Its important to always stay prayed up, looking to God for His wisdom and protection. Stay in His word and learn from the wisdom it provides. By doing so, you’ll be encouraged to close opportunities off to Satan’s tempting ways and live a life more blessed and full of God’s spirit. Keep the focus on God today so Satan can’t get in and ruin your life! God bless!

But the angel said to them, “Do not be afraid. I bring you good news that will cause great joy for all the people. Luke 2:10

 

There is nothing I enjoy more than someone walking into my office and start off by saying….”I have some great news…” Positive news is always welcome and it seems like we have less and less good news to share with one another.

 

Today’s verse goes back in time when God’s Heavenly Angels spread the word that a Savior, Jesus Christ, was born and will save people from an eternal damnation. That’s good news for sure. The question is, have you helped share the good news of Jesus Christ? You hear that challenge at church, bible study and even this blog, but seriously, how interested are you in sharing the good news of Jesus?

 

We live in a world that runs short on good news and people are dying every day without any hope of a good eternal experience because no one took time to share this good news that started over 2,000 years ago. Ask God to help open doors for you to share with your friends, family and co-workers. It might start off by simply doing the right thing and someone asking about your decision to walk apart from the world ways. At that moment you have an open door to share what brings you joy! Share the good news of Jesus Christ today! God bless!

The steadfast love of the Lord never ceases; his mercies never come to an end; they are new every morning; great is your faithfulness. Lamentations 3:22-23



I just love a new day. It’s a fresh start. What happened yesterday is in the history books. The frustration you felt at work, the moment your spouse upset you, the last bill that diminished your bank balance…the list is endless, but its over and done with. Today is a new day. A new perspective on life. A new forgiveness of those who’ve offended you. A day to see God’s hand work in a desperate situation. This is a new day the Lord has given you.



Rejoice in today and forget and forgive all the yesterdays. The only control you have over past events is to chose a new path in this new day and move forward, allowing God to pave the way so you can find refreshment, comfort and encouragement. God bless!

I am with you and will watch over you wherever you go, and I will bring you back to this land. I will not leave you until I have done what I have promised you. Genesis 28:15



While getting ready for work this morning, I looked down and saw a bug moving across the floor of the bathroom. He was small in comparison to the floor itself and had a long way to travel with his short legs. From my view point, I could see where he came from and where he was going. It was a minor distraction, but then I began to think.



Just like the bug crawling across the floor, God sees our every step from His view point. He sees where we’ve been, where we are and knows the path ahead. He has promised to love us and keep us safe in our travels. With that thought, we can knowingly trust Him with every step. We might not see very far ahead, but He does and He prepares the way for us, directing us down certain paths to navigate around disaster. Sometimes He allows us to come near the fire, but not close enough to get burned.



Maybe your journey seems like a long one and there is no end in sight. Simply trust God that He is watching over you. Listen for His voice of direction and heed His warnings. He sees the entire path ahead of you, even when you can’t see beyond this moment. He loves you and has YOUR best interest at heart….so trust Him with every step. God bless!  

Genesis 25:29-34

After reading today’s story about Jacob and Esau, you probably thought, I can’t believe Esau sold his birthright for a bowl of soup. How foolish! But let’s think beyond birthrights and soup. Is there anything of true value that you are trading for something of lesser worth? In other words, what is your “bowl of soup”?

Have you pursued wealth and a career at the expense of family? Maybe your busy schedule has kept you from spending time with God in His Word each day. Some people become involved in extramarital affairs, trading the well-being of their family for the satisfaction of lustful desires. Others sacrifice their health by consuming harmful or addictive substances, or even by overindulging in food. The list of ways we make foolish, shortsighted choices is endless.

Some of the decisions we make today could rob us of the blessings God wants to give us. When you yield to temptation, you’re actually sacrificing your future for momentary pleasure. We can’t afford to live thoughtlessly, basing our decisions on immediate desires or feelings. Since the principle of sowing and reaping cannot be reversed (Gal. 6:7), we need to carefully consider what we are planting. The harvest will come, at which point we’ll reap what we have sown—and more than we’ve sown.

Are you contemplating anything that could have serious long-term ramifications if you yield to the yearning? A wise person evaluates choices by looking ahead to see what negative consequences could follow a course of action. Don’t let “a bowl of soup” hinder God’s wonderful plans for you.

Whatever you do, work at it with all your heart, as working for the Lord, not for human masters. Colossians 3:23




I was talking to my son-in-law the other day. He works at a job moving boxes all day. He has several other people who work along side him, but unfortunately, they don’t do their fair share of the work and it puts the burden on him to make sure the job gets done. As he was sharing his work experience with me, it made me think about today’s verse and how we stand in comparison to the work of Jesus Christ.

Today’s verse encourages everyone to work with all your heart, not by human standards, but by the standard set by Jesus Christ. Simply recalling His life, He worked diligently for the Lord, spreading the wisdom of God, instructing people how to live a righteous life and shared about the benefits of staying within the will of God. Quite honestly you could say Jesus worked Himself to death, death on the cross, for you and me.



I don’t think Jesus wants us to die on a cross, but He does expect us to work at this Christian life with all of our heart and not just a half-hearted commitment to Him. He did all the hard work and opened the door for us to drawl upon His strength, wisdom and encouragement through the Holy Spirit, who resides in each child of God. Examine your life and see what areas you need to improve in doing the Lords work. There is a bountiful harvest out there, God needs workers willing to do their part to carry on His plan to save the world, one soul at a time. Do your part today and work at it with all your heart! God will richly bless you!

“He who believes in Me, as the Scripture has said, out of his heart will flow rivers of living water.” John 7:38



I went on a walk yesterday following a downpouring of rain. The sun began to peek through the clouds and the temperature was just perfect for walking. As I walked along, I noticed rain water flowing steadily down the road’s curbing. Its flow was pretty strong, well after the rain had passed.



As Christians we are to share our conversion experience with others in an effort to win souls over to Christ. Upon your conversion, you received God’s Holy Spirit. His Spirit can equip you to do great and mighty things if you simply draw upon His power, wisdom and strength. From your life, God’s living waters of redemption, grace and love should flow out to others. Once you begin to share the good news of Jesus Christ, you pass along that living water and it keeps going and going….well after your conversion experience.



The question to ask yourself today, is His living water flowing freely from my life, or am I holding it all in? If you had a genuine conversion experience, then His living water of love will flow freely from your life and impact those around you. If you struggle in your walk, ask God, through His Spirit, to help release what He had given you so you can keep His living water flowing onward to a dry and thirsty world who needs to know what floods your soul with God’s great love! Blessings!