And if anyone does not obey our word in this epistle, note that person and do not keep company with him, that he may be ashamed. Yet do not count him as an enemy, but admonish him as a brother. 2 Thessalonians 3:14-15

There is a lot of truth in the old saying…”lay with dogs and you will get fleas.” Sad but true, negative and bad people can affect the good and positive people of this world. Its important to distance one self from those who can have damaging effects on a person’s character and behavior traits. When we separate ourselves from them, it says that you aren’t interested in their agenda and refuse to allow them to influence you.

I’m sure if you think long and hard, there are probably people in your life at work, organizations, social functions, even in your church who aren’t following God’s standards of living. They have their own agenda and want to involve as many as possible, which makes their sin less obvious. There is strength in numbers. Don’t be one of their numbers. Even God Himself had to turn away from His people…”But My people would not heed My voice, and Israel would have none with Me. So I gave them over to their own stubborn heart, to walk in their own counsels.” Psalm 81:11-12

So what can you do about them? Pray from a distance. Let God work in their life through isolation and conviction. Sometimes God clears the field of the disobedient so there is no one left but God and that person. God often uses painful things to get His children’s attention. Its all part of the disciplining process. You don’t want to be a part of that, so keep your distance! God bless!

The Lord is my shepherd; I shall not want. He makes me lie down in green pastures; He leads me beside the still waters. He restores my soul; He leads me in paths of righteousness for His name’s sake. Yea, though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I will fear no evil; for You are with me; Your rod and Your staff, they comfort me. Psalm 23: 1-4

The other day I was driving down the highway when I noticed a car had pulled over and it was apparent that the driver and passenger were swapping places. Been there myself. Driving can be tiring and stressful. Nothing more comforting than having a passenger who is willing to take the wheel for a while and give me rest.

You may recall years ago, Carrie Underwood came out with a very popular song: “Jesus Take the Wheel”. Every time I hear this song, my heart gets emotional. How many times in my life have I forged on through difficult times, thinking I can do this by myself, and not rely on anyone else for help. Truth is, I get tired, stressed out and begin to act in a manner that doesn’t resemble the behavior and attitude Christ wants for me.

Today’s passage is an excellent reminder of who Jesus is and what He can do for you 24/7. He meets your every need. He provides rest for your weary soul, He brings you to a place of peace in the middle of pure Hell and best of all, He restores you to a condition that you can keep on going with His help.

Maybe you are struggling through some great difficulty. Time to swap places and let Jesus take the wheel of your life, so you can rest, find peace and restore your weary soul. He is willing and ready to swap places; all you have to do is pull over in prayer and allow Him to have it all! Let Jesus take your wheel today! God bless!

What then shall we say to these things? If God is for us, who can be against us? Romans 8:31

Throughout history, in every battle, there was one person who carried the flag representing either their country of origin or the military company they represented. The flag bearer was not to fight in the battle but to carry the flag proudly, while soldiers around him fought.

As Christians, we are that flag bearer. We carry the flag of Christ with us every day when we go out into the world and battle the forces of evil. Our job is to simply represent Christ and allow Him to fight the battles we face.

“Beloved, do not avenge yourselves, but rather give place to wrath; for it is written, Vengeance is Mine, I will repay, says the Lord. Romans 12:19.

Don’t fight the battle on your own. Represent Christ in all matters of today and let Him fight your battles. He is the conqueror, He has NEVER LOST a battle, and He wont let you down! Be the flag bearer for Christ today! God bless!

Likewise the Spirit also helps in our weaknesses. For we do not know what we should pray for as we ought, but the Spirit Himself makes intercession for us with groanings which cannot be uttered.  Romans 8:26

My wife and I were blessed to take a trip to the Smokey Mountains and Gatlinburg over the Valentines Day weekend. The weather there had been rainy and they had experienced a lot of flooding with roads closed. With that said, I relied a lot on my phone’s gps to help me navigate there safely.

Before I left I checked road conditions over the mountain and the report gave an all clear. As we got closer though, my gps kept telling me to go around the mountain. As much as I wanted to ride through the Smokies, I eventually took the gps advice and went around the mountain. Not sure why it was steering me in another direction, but by the end of the day, we arrived safely in Gatlinburg.  

Today’s verse is a good reminder that we can count on God to guide us through each day. Oftentimes we are blinded to the hazards of the day. We think we know what’s ahead, but God sees beyond our view and knows when to steer us around the danger that can cause us to have a spiritual wreck. Oftentimes we might even question His voice of direction, but trust me friend, He knows best and has the best route planned for you.

Trust the Holy Spirit (God’s gps for your life) to guide you daily. It  might not make sense now, but His guidance is the best on the market and it will get you through the day safely! God bless!

Man seeks the ruler’s favor, But justice for man comes from the Lord. Proverbs 29:26

We live in a world today where almost anything is accepted. The way in which one choses to live, their dress attire, even whom they partner with in life. As people make poor choices, loved ones around them remain silent, afraid that they might “offend” them by bringing up the fact their life is outside the standards outlined in the bible. Unfortunately, silence seems to be a form of approval.

The truth is we will all stand before the Lord to give an account for how we’ve lived our life. On that day some will have a difficult time understanding their wrongs when everyone around them gave approval through silence. Truth!

Lets take it up a notch.  As Christians, are we held accountable when we’ve remained silent (I’m talking about myself here as well) when we know someone is living life unworthy of God’s standards? I believe so. We know truth, so why not share it with those we love? The truth is they are headed for a lifetime of eternal punishment. We’ve got to stand up for what’s right by speaking out.

Silence is not the way to help others. God will have the final judgement, not man. Share the biblical truth to a world lost in the dark. Its our mission as God’s children!  

Don not be deceived; Evil company corrupts good habits. 1 Corinthians 15:33

I recall as a child growing up this old phone that hung on the wall in my Great Uncle’s house. It was one first used when phones had just come out. There were no numbers to push, only a handle that you’d turn, summoning an operator, and you’d tell her who you wanted to connect with and she’d make the connection.

This morning God spoke to me about connection. You see, when we communicate with someone, we are connecting with them. Through the conversation, we attempt to see each other’s point and come to an understanding. At that point a connection is made and the conversation can lead you to follow the person’s purpose in communicating with you, whether good or bad.

Today’s passage provides great advice. Be careful who you communicate with in life. Although you might have good intentions, the other person could easily sway your beliefs or deceive you. Trust me, I’ve lived long enough to realize that not everyone has good intentions, even the best people. You’ve got to watch out for yourself in your conversations with other people.

The next time you strike up a conversation with someone, ask God to guide and protect you from someone’s wrong intentions or beliefs so you wont be easily swayed in the wrong direction. God bless!