Then Jesus said, Father, forgive them, for they do not know what they do. Luke 23:34

Recently married, I have been blessed to experience a sweet and special kind of love from my wife. Her love is felt through the words she says, her acts of kindness and by her presence in my life, I know she loves me.

As I was going to work the other day, I pondered how can I know the depth of her love. God laid upon my heart today’s passage. Then thoughts of God’s love came over me and I think I’ve come up with a way to measure her love for me, and the love of my Father.

What He revealed is love is only as deep as the grace we have for the other person. Just like the relationship we have with God, we will do things that will disappoint or frustrate the other person, but the willingness to forgive and move past those bitter moments, all in the name of love, displays the depth of love one has for another.

Because of God’s love for all of mankind, He sent His Son, Jesus Christ, to earth, to make payment for our sins. He had the best intentions in the world, but the world saw differently and they crucified Him on a cross. Yet, in the saddest moment of Jesus life, He had such a deep love for them, that He asked God to forgive them.

As Christians, we have the Spirit of God living inside of us. That Spirit provides the strength and encouragement to forgive others when they hurt or disappoint us. How deep is your love for your spouse, family member or friends? Add to the dept of your love through grace for them and find your love never run dry for the ones God has placed in your life! God bless!

For the Lord is righteous, He loves righteousness; His countenance beholds the upright. Psalm 11:7

There is nothing more rewarding than to receive a smile and nod of approval from someone we respect when we do something right. I recall as a youth, the smile from mom and dad when I did good in their eyes. They didn’t have to say anything, just their facial expression was enough.

For the child of God it’s the same. When we live rightly, when we do something pleasing to Him, He gives us His nod of approval. There is something else that comes with walking in obedience, His blessings. Isaiah 1:19: “If you are willing and obedient, You shall eat the good of the land.” I can tell you when I make right decisions about life, when I turn from sin, when I put God front and center of my life, I receive nothing but goodness from Him.

I shared something on Facebook from a commentary I read on today’s verse: God cannot love a sinner as a sinner, because he hates impurity by a necessity of nature as well as a choice of will. It is as impossible for him to love it as to cease to be holy. Stephen Charnock.

As a child of God, you will mess up, you will sin and make wrong choices in life. But, through God’s grace and the forgiveness of sins through Jesus Christ’s sacrifice, we are forgiven. But we should NEVER take advantage of His grace by purposefully sinning. Choosing to sin over remaining obedient will result in God yielding His blessings in your life. Chose to walk in obedience and God’s approval should be enough to keep on pleasing Him daily! God bless!

Those who look to Him are radiant; their faces are never covered with shame. Psalm 34:5

There is a rule of thumb when operating a motorcycle: your bike goes where your eyes focus. I quickly learned this lesson in my earlier years of riding. Something caught my attention and I found myself veering towards the direction of where my eyes were focused. Thankfully I was able to steer the bike back centered on the road and avoided running into the ditch.

 

As Christians, we live in a world that is full of tempting pleasures that are outside of God’s boundary for righteous living. But there is something else that can capture our attention; the giant enemies that seek to harm, worry and destroy us through the evil tactics of Satan. No doubt Satan has a bag full of weapons that distract our attention from the centerline of God’s perfect plan and will for our life. That’s why it’s so important to always remain focused on God.

 

I’ve learned over the past number of years that as long as I keep my focus on God, I stay on the straight and narrow path that He purposed and planned for my life. It’s when I look at the distractions and life’s worries that Satan puts up, that I get off course and sometimes crash in the ditch of shame and regret. Thankfully the Holy Spirit is full of grace to help get me back up on my feet and centered in His will once again.

 

What’s distracting you today? It might be financial trouble, relationship issues, fears and worries….the list is endless. Today’s verse is a great reminder that if we keep our eyes focused on Him and not our troubles or life’s distractions, we will never be misled or ashamed. Look to Him today for guidance and safety as you navigate this thing called life! God bless!

Fear not, for I am with you; Be not dismayed, for I am your God. I will strengthen you, Yes, I will help you, I will uphold you with My righteous right hand. Isaiah 41:10

Last night, while working at Judgement Journey, I had the opportunity to talk to a young man who just prayed to receive Jesus Christ as his Savior. We talked about his experiences of attending church and exposure to the plan of Salvation. One thing he said was that he was looking for this magnificent feeling, then he’d know God was with him.

Almost immediately God presented this thought to me. Once saved, you become involved in a personal relationship with God. Communication is the key to keeping that relationship alive. Just like any earthly relationship, without communication, the relationship will become stagnant and little will be shared and learned between the two parties.

A relationship with God, based on a feeling, will leave you to question if God is with you. I can assure you without a doubt, God is with every believer. You might not have this incredible feeling of His existence, but He is real and always with you, just as said in today’s scripture.

Prayer and seeking after Him will bring awareness of His presence, and sometimes you will feel His sweet spirit moving inside you. But the truth remains, He is with every child no matter what you are feeling at the present moment. God bless!

And whatever we ask we receive from Him, because we keep His commandments and do those things that are pleasing in His sight. 1 John 3:22

Last night my daughter and grandson were over to visit. At one point it was time to go and my grandson was not behaving correctly. My daughter told him if he didn’t do as she asked, something he wanted would be withheld from him. Well, after some time of consideration, he corrected his behavior and things turned out a little better for him because of his compliance.

 

You could really say God’s way of dealing with us is very similar. He loves us and provides blessings in our life. But those times when we step out of bounds, He oftentimes withholds His blessings and answers to our prayers. God will never reward bad behavior. He makes that very clear in His word. Even in times when we stray, He continues to watch over us and oftentimes buffers us from complete disaster.

 

Maybe you’ve been trying to get God’s blessings to rain down on you or searching for an answer to a prayer request. If the well is dry and prayers unanswered, you might want to check yourself to ensure you are in alignment with His will.  The difficulties we face are usually the result of our poor choices in life. God will use those difficult times to help us yield to His calling us back to a more disciplined life of obedience. So keep in step with Him, so when your request go up, answers and blessings will come down from God’s goodness! God bless!

I will cry out to God Most High, To God who performs all things for me. Psalm 57:2

 

Life is full of many uncertainties. The future of our health, will our financial resources take care of us when we are old, how will we pay these unexpected bills. The list is endless and no doubt life can bring worries that appear bigger than our strength, wisdom and resources at hand.

 

Yet for the child of God, we have unlimited resources of power, wisdom and healing through the Holy Spirit who resides within us. God’s gift of Salvation and His presence in our lives is enough to help us navigate life. Today’s verse gives some pretty good advice, cry out to God Most High, who performs all things for me.

 

I can assure you with over 40 years of an intimate relationship with God, He has seen me through some challenging times. When faced with something bigger than me, I’ve given it to Him in confidence. Every single time He has come through, far exceeding my expectations to resolve an issue, see me through a tight spot or bring that healing I needed at just the right moment.

 

Friend, no matter what’s facing you today, you have a Savior and God who is very willing and capable of helping you take care of life’s business. By giving it to Him, trusting in His response, you will see something miraculous unfold before your very eyes. Trust me, I’m living proof of His goodness! Give it to Him in confidence, HE’s a God of the Most High! God bless!  

Abstain from every form of evil. 1 Thessalonians 5:22



What is the one statement all kids hear from mom on picture day? “Don’t play in the mud!” Yep, that’s right. A mom who spends time dressing up her children for pictures is always concerned they look presentable for the pictures, which will be viewed by many friends and family.



You could say the same for Christians. We too need to stay out of the muddy things of this world. Today’s verse is a clear statement from God to abstain from every form of evil. From gossip, to drunkenness to murder and everything in between, Christians are to avoid these things. Why? Because they tarnish our spirit and dirty our lives with things opposite of God’s standards. All the while, the world is watching the Christian to see how he/she lives. The standard in which we live by tells the world this is what a child of God look like.



“If you love Me, obey my commandments.” If you truly love Jesus Christ as your Savior, you will have no problem staying out of the world’s mud holes and walk the path of righteousness. In the end, God will bless and reward you for your righteous standard of living. “And my God shall supply all your need according to His riches in glory by Christ Jesus.” Philippians 4:19 Stay out of the mud, child of God, and represent Him well! God bless!  

The joy of the Lord is your strength. Nehemiah 8:10b

 

I once heard a preacher recite this verse. How true it is when we find joy in the Lord, we feel like we are on top of the world. God’s blessings are like stepping stones, lifting us up in spirit and happiness. All of these things make life feel good and we are happy.

 

It’s no wonder Satan tries to rob us of our joy. As today’s verse states, the joy of the Lord is your strength. The strength we have to navigate life can be zapped by circumstances and difficulties we encounter, disappointments from loved ones and friends, or a relapse in our faithfulness to God. The list is endless and our enemy knows exactly our weakness and the vulnerable places in our hearts to target his flaming arrows.

 

When we find our strength weakened, we mustn’t rely on the human element to bring us back up. We must turn immediately to the Lord. He never disappoints and has our best interest at heart. He can turn those disappointments into victories and strengthen our faith at the same time. I know when I’m down about something, I turn away from the world and turn to God for strength. In return, the joy returns to my soul and I find contentment even in the middle of chaos.

 

Maybe you’ve been facing some difficulty and slowly drained of any joy. Stop looking to the world for happiness. Find your strength renewed by replacing your sadness with joy from the Lord. Only He can provide everlasting joy which will keep you strong through the most difficult times in life! God bless!