No temptation has overtaken you except such as is common to man; but God is faithful, who will not allow you to be tempted beyond what you are able, but with temptation will also make a way of escape, that you might be able to endure it. 1 Cor 10:13

 

After living the Christian life for 40 plus years, I can tell you some days are a challenge to stay steady on the narrow path of life. So many things out there that attempt to divert my attention from God, and let’s not forget the enemy is always attacking with the goal to discourage to the point of wanting to give up.

 

Maybe you are battling a sin that you just can’t seem to avoid. You feel like you are in quick sand, slowly sinking and struggling to keep yourself moving beyond it. Can you relate?

 

Today’s passage gives us hope that God does NOT allow temptation to overcome us. And the most awesome thing about God’s children battling sin, you have a way out. You might not feel strong enough to break the chains that hold you back, but you must be willing to let go of your passion for pleasure and seek after the eternal rewards through obedience.

 

If you are in tune with God, you know He will supply all your needs to get you to overcome this sin, this addiction, this behavior that has its grip on you. You just have to be willing to let go and trust God as you move further away from the temporary to the eternal. Reach out your hand to God and He will pull you out. Reach out to Him today! God bless!

 You are of your father the devil, and you want to do the desires of your father. He was a murderer from the beginning, and does not stand in the truth because there is no truth in him. Whenever he speaks a lie, he speaks from his own nature, for he is a liar and the father of lies. John 8:44

 

Growing up one of my favorite TV shows was Star Trek. One of the characters on the show was Spock, whose nationality was Vulcan. One character trait of Vulcans is they never lie. It simply is not in their nature to lie, therefore when he spoke, you knew he was telling the truth.

 

As a Christian, you should model after Christ and be truthful in your words and actions. When you lie, you side with the devil and your witness is tarnished. It might feel like the right thing to do at the moment, but a lie usually has to be covered up by another lie and eventually when the truth must be told, you won’t be sure what to say. I heard a statement once said….”when you tell the truth, you don’t have to remember what you said.”

 

“Lying lips are an abomination to the Lord, but those who act faithfully are his delight.” Proverbs 12;22

Whose side will you be on today, The Father of Truth or Father of Lies? I hope you will side with your Heavenly Father and be truthful in everything you say and do. Ask God to help you walk the line of truth and find your day without guilt and shame. The truth will set you free! God bless!  

 

 For this is the message that you heard from the beginning; that we should love on another. 1 John 3:11

 

If you’ve spent much time reading the bible or attending church, it’s pretty clear we, as God’s children, are to love others. God is love and those who follow Him should express that love to those around us. By doing so, we provide a picture of God’s character by how we live our lives and interact with others.

 

So, what are the characteristics of this love we are to show the world. I think the perfect example is found in 1 Corinthians 13 4-7:

⁴ Love suffers long and is kind; love does not envy; love does not parade itself, is not puffed up; ⁵ does not behave rudely, does not seek its own, is not provoked, thinks no evil; 6 does not rejoice in iniquity; but rejoices in truth; bears all things, believes all things, hopes all things, endures all things.

 

I’m sure there are people in your life who can be hard to love because they don’t respect you, treat you bad or have done harm to you or your family. Its those people who truly define our relationship with Jesus Christ. He loved you enough to take your worst upon Himself and nail it to the cross so you can be loved by Him. He went to the cross being mocked and hated, yet still said…”Father forgive them  for they know not what they do.” Luke 23:34

 

The world needs to see the unconditional love Jesus gave to you through your life. Are you going to love others as God instructs? Love defines God’s character. Show His love to a lost and dying world. God bless!

 Why are you cast down, O my soul? And why are you disquieted within me? Hope in God; For I shall yet praise Him, The help of my countenance and my God. Psalm 42:11

 

You ever find yourself in a “rut”? Life just seems to overwhelm your soul; things don’t appear to be going in your favor and all you want to do is crawl under a rock and hide? Have you been there?

 

Satan’s primary goal for God’s children is isolation. When you are isolated from everyone else, its easier to hear his lies and deception. “You are no good, look at your life and all these failures.” And he continues to keep you focused on the bad things. Eventually you find no hope at all and shut down. Friend, this is NOT where God wants you to be!

 

Today’s verse has the answer to your troubled spirit: “Hope in God, for I shall praise Him.” Let’s recap what we know: God is greater than Satan and anything you face in life. Focus on failures will get you nowhere. But, focus on God and His blessings will result in strength and hope, there by giving you traction to move forward through life’s “muck” and climb higher. God will get you there when you keep a steady focus on Him and not your weakness and failures.

 

Although you may feel isolated from everyone else, you are still within the presence of God. He sees your struggle and knows what you are battling. Look UP to God for His hand of help. He’s got you child of God! He loves you and wants what’s best for you, so grab hold and climb higher than your troubles. Pretty soon that troubled heart will rejoice in victory. Focus Up, Focus on God. Amen!   

 Eye has not seen, nor ear heard, Nor have entered into the heart of man the Things which God has prepared for those who love Him. 1 Corinthians 2:9

 

As a child, I always wondered what I was going to do in life. I grew up on a farm and had lots of opportunity to experience that awesome life, but I knew there was something else instore for me. Through a long process of searching, experiencing highs and lows, finding more closed doors than open, I was afforded the opportunity to find a career that encompassed all my past experiences that shaped me into a career as a park ranger. Its been a rewarding experience, but truth is, it took a while to figure it all out.

 

As a Christian, you might wonder what God has instore for you. Thankfully He gives us His Holy Spirit, who provides wisdom, encouragement and guidance as we navigate a narrow pathway through this wide open space we call life. The key to finding your purpose in Christ is to keep your focus on Him and not the distractions of the world. Through deep meditated prayer, sacrificing your time and sometimes going as far as fasting, will help you tune in to God’s specific plan for your life.

 

Have you found your purpose in Christ? He has a plan and its available to you as long as you are willing to pursue Him and remain obedient to His direction. Don’t worry about anything you lack, He will make up the difference as long as you are willing to live for Him. God bless!

 

 

 Finally, brethren, whatever things are true, whatever things are noble, whatever things are just, whatever things are pure, whatever things are lovely, whatever tings are of good report, if there is any virtue and if there is anything praiseworthy-meditate on these things. Philippians 4:8

 

What are ya thinking about? Here’s a few amazing facts about your brain: 1. Stress over long periods can weaken the brain’s ability to learn and remember (that explains my issues). 2. Brain messages travel between neurons in just one thousandth of a second. 3. Each time you have a new thought or memory, a new brain connection is made between two or more brain cells. 4. Your brain generates up to 25 watts of power while you are awake-enough to illuminate a light bulb.

 

I think its safe to say your brain is pretty powerful. Like a rudder on a boat, the brain steers your emotions, actions and keeps your body’s organs functioning every second. What you think about dictates how you live and react to things you experience.

 

So, what do you think about on a daily basis? Do things at work keep running through your mind and hold you captive to stress and worry? Do you think about the negative things you see and experience every day? There’s a lot to think about. Today’s scripture gives some great advice on what we should really be thinking about every day. Go back up and re-read that scripture.

 

So the question to ask yourself….if I focus my thoughts on the things mentioned in this verse, how will I view life? I personally believe your life will be more joyful, encouraging and focused on the better things life has to offer. The truth is you really have to transform your mind into thinking in a new way. Only through God’s help will you be able to change what goes on in your brain and the outcome will be more positive and you’ll begin to see God’s blessings in your life and not the negative. Change your thought process and find joy in the day! God bless

 

 I have set the Lord always before me; Because He is at my right hand I shall not be shaken. Psalm 16:8

 

My motorcycle has a special feature to improve traction control when I encounter wet roads from rain, or worse yet, icy conditions. The other day I was riding home and encountered a spot of heavy rain, so I hit the traction control button, a blue light illuminated on the screen, giving me confidence for the ride in what could be slippery conditions. I made it safely home and thankful for rain gear!

 

As Christians, we encounter things in life that can be a slippery mess. We too have a traction control button called God. All we have to do is pray and seek after His guiding hand and still small voice, as He guides us through the storms we encounter. Confidence in the Lord comes slowly, but surely with every successful journey. It’s important to recall those times when God kept you secure in your walk so you’ll have confidence in Him for the next storm.

 

Before you get in slippery conditions, pray and ask God to help keep you remain secure through the next life storm. He’ll do it and bless you along the way. Safe travels friend!  

 But He said, “The things which are impossible with men are possible with God.” Luke 18:27

 

Have you ever found a task ahead of you that seemed impossible to accomplish? Maybe its starting a new business, a task at work, a home improvement project or simply witnessing to someone God has brought into your life. As a human, your confidence and strength only goes so far and sadly many people give up on God’s mission for their life because they couldn’t do it alone.

 

Friend, God never intended for you to go at life alone. Today’s verse is a great reminder that God can do all things when you turn your weakness and lack of wisdom over to Him. He fills the voids you can’t fill and works out the little details that actually bring blessings to your life. If God has put the task before you, then He will supply all of your needs.

 

What task is ahead of you? Give it to God and let Him carry the load and give you strength to accomplish something greater than you could ever imagine! God bless!

 For we brought nothing into this world, and it is certain we can carry nothing out. And having food and clothing, with these we shall be content. 1 Timothy 6:7-8

 

How content are you in this life? Being “content” to me is feeling comfortable with life and feeling satisfied. As you are aware, we live in a society that bombards us with marketing strategies that stir up a hunger for more. The newest phone, the more advanced vehicle, the newest fashions. The list is endless and yes, even I, get caught up in the lure for more stuff.

 

As a Christian, you need to shield yourself from this marketing scheme as it will only draw you in deeper and deeper, until you loose sight of your purpose in life and loose touch with reality. Quite frankly, if you have food to eat, clothing, a job and a roof over your heard, that’s enough. Consider these things to be true blessings from God, because there are so many who do without these necessities every day.  

 

Your desire should be to give much thanks to God for His blessings and manage the resources He’s provided you to the best of your ability. Unless you put Him first, He will remove these hindrances to your faith and you’ll be left with nothing but yourself and God. Don’t let your blessings slip away, be content with your life and what’s in it. God bless!

 If we confess out sins, He is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness. 1 John 1:9

 

Have you ever struggled to breath? Maybe the air is thick, you’ve just completed a physically demanding task or you found yourself overwhelmed by anxiety. It can be scary when breathing becomes difficult. I have known people with health conditions that struggled to breath and the remedy was giving them oxygen. Once they inhaled O2, they began to calm down and feel better, almost as if a weight has been lifted off of their shoulders.

 

Sin, left unchecked in your life can also leaving you struggling to breath spiritually. Sin is like a weight, and the more you spend time outside the will of God, the more it builds, until finally you need some refreshment of the soul. I speak from experience on this matter and it can be overwhelming and make you feel isolated from the One who saved you.  

 

For me, I start out my day on my knees in prayer, asking God to forgive me, recalling those specific trespasses. When I do, the weight of sin is lifted and I feel as if I can breathe better in my walk with the Lord. I can assure you the same will happen for you, if you humbly commit yourself to prayer and asking for His forgiveness.

 

Forgiveness cleanses you from your unrighteousness acts and thoughts, freeing you to walk closer to God and experience His best blessings. Try it today! God bless!   

 When the day began to wear away, the twelve came and said to Him, “Send the multitude away, that they may go into the surrounding towns and country, and lodge and get provisions; for we are in a deserted place here.” But He said to them: “You give them something to eat.” Luke 9:12-13

 

Today’s passage comes from the story of Jesus feeding 5000 people. As you might be aware, they were in the middle of nowhere with no markets to purchase food. Yet, Jesus tells his disciples to feed the people. After a search of the crowd, they find a young boy with 5 loaves of bread and 2 fish. After Jesus blessed the food, they fed everyone and had 12 baskets left over.

 

I heard this story in yesterday’s sermon, and have been giving it some thought and have a different angle I’d like to share. If you’ve been a Christian for any amount of time, you know NOTHING is impossible for God. He can and will provide for your every need. But, sometimes He takes us out in the middle of no where in life so all we have to focus on is Him. He literally strips away every resource, everything, to gain our attention.

 

Maybe you’ve lost your job, ran into some financial difficulty, or given a not so good health diagnosis. Let this desert moment be a time where you completely focus on God and not your lack of resources to get you through another day. God will provide when you give Him the opportunity to bless you. All He wants is your love and attention. Sometimes He removes all those distractions in your life just so you can see whose really in charge. Trust me, I’ve been there and its humbling, yet awesome to see what God can do with a little faith and focus on Him.

 

Trust that God has something planned for your life even when you have nothing to offer but your faith and focus on Him. God bless!

 Then God said, “Let Us make man in Our image, according to Our likeness”…So God created man in His own image; in the image of God He created him; male and female He created them. Genesis 1:26-27

 

As a public servant, I come across people from all walks of life. From different nationalities, different beliefs, behaviors, rich and poor and everything in between. I’ve seen it all and had to deal with people that sometimes don’t see eye to eye with my belief system. The truth is, its sometimes hard to keep myself from judging others who have different standards and behaviors than mine. During my morning time devotion, God spoke to me about this issue and the theme “created equal” was pressed upon my heart.

 

Today’s verse is the keystone of “created equal”. People, no matter their nationality, belief system or behavior, are a creation of God. Genesis says we were created in the image of God.  That’s pretty powerful! As Christians, we need to have the view of others as God’s creation. Although they might differ greatly from you, they are still God’s creation.

 

“Judge not, that you be not judged”. For with what judgment you judge, you will be judged; and with the measure you use, it will be measured back to you.” Matthew 7:1-2 These two verses come straight from the mouth of Jesus Christ Himself. Stop for a minute and let these words sink in. This right here should be enough for us to stop judging others, because truth is none of us are worthy to judge others.  

 

Lets take it one more step further…

“You have heard that it was said, You shall love your neighbor and hate your enemy. But, I say to you, love your enemies, bless those who curse you and do good to those who hate you, and pray for those who spitefully use you and persecute you.” Matthew 5:43-44  I don’t know about you, but my toes are crunching as I type.

 

Lets wrap this up. We are all created in the image of God. Our view of others should be they are a creation of God. HE ALLOWED THEIR EXISTENCE. Our job is not to judge others, but to love them, and even do good to them through prayer and acts of love. God is love and He wants each of His children to reflect His love to a lost and dying world. We are all created equal in the eyes of God. God bless!

 Your word is a lamp to my feet and a light to my path. Psalms 119:105

 

Last weekend we had a Triathlon event at my work. When I arrived at my work station, I realized no one was helping cars get parked in an orderly fashion in this large grassy field. So, I stepped in and started directing incoming cars to specific spots to park, so to maximize space. By using a flashlight, I was able to get the driver’s attention and provide him direction across the entry point to my location. Without that light, the driver would not have seen which way to go and parking would have been a disaster.

 

Life can be like this, we come into something with no clear direction and don’t know which way to go, much less what to do. Things like coming into a large sum of money, finding a new job, direction in helping a family member who is struggling, working through a bump in a relationship, overcoming an addiction….the list of life’s situations is endless, no doubt. Through the years of life, I have frequently sought after God’s wisdom in the bible when facing something I had no idea which way to go. Sometimes He provided the answer immediately, sometimes He made me search and dig for the answer. But each time I learned something and grew in my relationship with the Lord.

 

You might be thinking God doesn’t care about what you are going through or has no interest in helping guide you through a difficult decision. Friend, that couldn’t be any further from the truth. God created you in His image and He loved you enough to pardon your sins through His Son, Jesus Christ. If you are a Christian, He is invested in YOU and cares about your life. Go to Him in prayer and open your heart and mind to His scriptures. Trust what you read to be true and remain obedient in following His instructions. You’ll NEVER go wrong when you trust and obey His voice of instruction and wisdom. God bless!

 Trust in the Lord with all your heart, and do not lean on your own understanding. In all your ways acknowledge Him, and He will make straight your paths. Proverbs 3:5-6

 

Earlier this week I had 2 days off from work, because I’m working this upcoming holiday weekend. So, of course, I planned to ride my motorcycle on this new road I wanted to explore. According to the map, the road changed names several times as it lead me to my final destination, Hooligan Harley Davidson in Oxford, Al.

 

Just to make sure I was on track, I had my GPS Navigation turned on so I could see the roads ahead. The trip started out wonderfully, many country scenes, open space and fresh air. I thought to myself, “you see more on the backroads.” As I crossed over into Alabama, the road began to narrow and the surface was worn and I actually wondered if I was headed in the right direction. As I slowed down to accommodate for the bumpy ride, I glanced down at my GPS and sure enough, I was on the designated road for this trip. Although I had no idea where I was, my GPS kept me confident as I journeyed along and resumed my enjoyment of backroad riding.

 

As a Christian, I can tell you God has sent me down paths I was unsure of and questioned if the route was in His plans for my life. In times of doubt, I always prayed and sought after His wisdom and will for my life’s journey. Each time He would open a new stretch of road and allowed me to pass through safely. Yes, I might have encountered some emotional bruising and had my heart messed up a time or two, but all those experiences developed in me confidence to trust God when I found myself in uncertain territories.

 

Friend, God will do the same for you. Maybe you are facing some challenging days ahead. Put your faith and trust in Him and He will guide you down a path that will grow you spiritually and develop more wisdom for the future, so you’ll be able to get through more challenging travels. Trust God today with your heart and know that His way is best when you lean on Him. God bless!