For by grace you have been saved through faith, and that not of yourselves; it is the gift of God, not of works, lest anyone should boast. Ephesians 2:8-9

 Gifts are wonderful. They come from someone who cares about you. But the one thing a gift always brings is remembrance of who gave it to you. After being married only four short years, I can look around the house and see gifts my wonderful wife has given me. Thoughtful gifts that bring back wonderful memories in my life, always to be treasured and not discarded.

 There is one very special gift that you can receive from the creator of this universe, and that is the gift of salvation. Salvation is the gift that never ceases to be given and was paid for with the blood of Jesus Christ. God’s Son paid your sin debt on an old rugged cross, over 2,000 years ago. Have you received God’s gift of Salvation? It’s not hard to receive. As today’s scripture says “saved through faith”. Faith and belief that Jesus Christ paid the ultimate cost to provide you an eternal gift and Heaven on the horizon.

 If you’ve already accepted Jesus Christ in your life, take a few moments to reflect the goodness of God and what blessings He’s bestowed upon you. I’m sure if you are like me, you have sweet memories of when He helped you through difficult times, when He blessed you with someone or something special and most of all just the thought of knowing Him as your Savior and friend. His gift of your freedom in Christ is something worth pondering as we draw near to the celebration of His birth. God bless!

 

 But seek first the kingdom of God and His righteousness and all these things shall be added to you. Matthew 6:33

One of my favorite brand potato chips is Pringles. I love their shape (when not crushed), their saltiness, and as the label on the can says: "Bursting with Flavor". They are delicious and I've been known to eat an entire can in one sitting. 

As humans we are always seeking things that add a burst of flavor to our life, such as a new car, new job, new relationship, a shopping experience on Amazon….the list is endless. But pretty soon all those new things seem to wear out, dissolve, and oftentimes burst our bank account, leaving us to question what happened to the good feeling we once had. Can you relate? 

Today's passage in Matthew is a good reminder that when we seek after the Lord, He provides for our needs. Many times these come in the form of blessings, those unexpected things, people, and circumstances that yield a lasting high, a spiritual high that prompts you to humbly say, "Thank you God for your goodness". 

God wants to enrich and bless your life. His purpose for you is to align your desires with His, so He can provide the necessities and blessings beyond your hopes and dreams. Seek His will each day and pretty soon you'll see Him drop packages of blessings in your life at the simple cost of your obedience to Him. God bless.  

 And suddenly a great tempest arose on the sea, so that the boat was covered with waves. But he was asleep. Then His disciples came to Him and awoke Him, saying, “Lord, save us! We are perishing!” But He said to them, “Why are you fearful, O you of little faith?” Then He arose and rebuked the winds and the sea, and there was a great calm. Matthew 8:24-26

 Back in 2010 singer Carrie Underwood came out with a song, Jesus Take the Wheel. A heart moving song about a young lady and her baby on the way to her parents for Christmas. While driving she slid on some ice and her car spun out of control. In a moment her life flashed before her eyes as she let go of the wheel and begged Jesus to take it from her. The moral of the story was her longing for Jesus Christ in her life and how she had neglected her relationship with Him. From that night on, she committed her life to Jesus Christ.

 This beautiful song came to mind as I read today’s scripture in Matthew 8. These poor disciples had the creator of the universe in their boat, yet they lost faith in Jesus Christ during the middle of a storm. What came to mind was the fact that Jesus doesn’t need to take the wheel or calm the storm, He is in the storm, watching over you, allowing it to shape and mold you into His image. Those life storms are meant to strengthen your relationship with Him, sometimes reconnect a lost faith in the One who can do all things through you with the faith of a mustard seed.

 Maybe you are in the middle of a storm, feeling overwhelmed by the circumstances you’ve found yourself. Don’t fret or lose faith! God is right there in the middle of the storm, watching over you and waiting for you to reach out in faith to help you navigate through it. In the process of it all, you will come out stronger and witness the awesome power of His words as He stills your heart amongst the chaos. Find peace and calm in the storms of life with strengthened faith in Jesus Christ. God bless!

 For God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten Son, that whoever believes in Him should not perish but have everlasting life. John 3:16

 As a hobbyist and woodworker, I always put forth my very best in what I’m making. From the wood I select and the materials the come together to make the product, I spare no expense or time to ensure the finished product is worthy to have my name put on it.

 God, who is holy, pure and without sin, created the world and mankind. Shortly afterwards, Satan temped man and woman and they fell prey to his tactics. As a result, a great divide between mankind and God occurred, making it impossible for God to complete His work in His creation. That divide was bridged when God sent His Son, Jesus Christ, to planet earth to provide us a living example of God’s character and to make payment for mankind’s sin. After three days in the grave, Jesus came back to life, defeating death and winning victory over Satan.

 God continues to invest His best into each human being He creates. He provides them the free will to chose eternal life by believing in His Son.  You are His creation and He has plans to do great works in your life. You might not feel worthy of His free gift of forgiveness of sins. That’s ok, He has an unabundant supply of love, grace, and mercy to make you whole and acceptable in His sight. Complete His plans for your life by coming into the perfect will of God today and see what great and mighty things He can do in your life. God bless!

 Pleasant words are like a honeycomb, sweetness to the soul and health to the bones. Proverbs 16:24

 Yesterday my wife and I were blessed to join my daughter and her family to my grandson’s fall festival at his school. While there, we met up with some of their friends and had wonderful conversations about life, and a recent vacation they enjoyed in Canada. As my wife and I returned to the car we commented on how nice it was to converse with them. It’s like we connected with them in every way and left a good feeling in our hearts.

 Sticks and stones may break my bones, but words will never hurt me.

 This old saying dates back to the mid-1800s. The truth is, words do hurt and can penetrate the heart, leaving scars that can last a lifetime. Many children would rather take a good whooping than to be chewed out by their parents. Words spoken oftentimes are associated with one’s opinion of that person. I know there are “negative people” who I’d rather avoid than to have a one-minute conversation. How are the words that come out of your mouth?

 I encourage you to let today’s verse in Proverbs 16:24 sink in. Do your words bring encouragement, kindness, and reflect God’s love towards others or do your words seem to have “teeth”, ripping and tearing others down, bringing insults and sometimes even seasoned with hatred? A good way to measure the quality of your words by observing if people are drawn to you or shy away.

 Words can oftentimes indicate the health of your heart. If it’s been hurt or angered, the words that proceed from your mouth can be ugly. A healthy and joyful heart will usually be seasoned with a sweet tone, just like a honeycomb. If you find your words not pleasant to others, ask God to help heal your heart and mend those broken relationships that have been harmed by hateful speech. God will restore you and mend relationships when your heart and words have been restored, sweetening the soul of yourself and others. God bless!

 

 

 Whatever your hand finds to do, do it with your might; for there is no work or device or knowledge or wisdom in the grave where you are going. Ecclesiastes 9:10

 After working a career of 33 years, I have had a lot of free time in retirement. Schedules and deadlines are not required and time seems to be endless. But, if you know me, there is rarely any time the grass grows under my feet. I stay very busy and time does seem to fly by quickly. I guess the ole saying “time flies when you are having fun” is true.

 Today’s verse is a good reminder that you are here for just a brief while and eventually, like everyone else, will find yourself buried in a grave. No longer will you have time to spend with your family, witness to your neighbors, take care of those necessary repairs that seem to add up over time. No one knows the “set time” of their departure. That said, it’s important that you live life with purpose and do not sit idly by thinking you’ll “get around to that one day”. That one day might never come and the only one regretting your lack of initiative is those who are left behind to pick up the pieces or find themselves without a Savior because you never made time to have “that talk”.

 What’s on your list to do? Your life is important not only to yourself, but others who depend upon you in whatever role you have in their life. Make each day count because tomorrow might never come. God bless!

 But thanks be to God, who gives us the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ. 1 Corinthians 15:57

 I’ve you’ve watched much football; you know that the kicker is an important part of the team. Even when the team fails to carry the ball through the endzone for a touchdown, the kicker, on the fourth down, can win the game by just making a few extra points, kicking the ball through the field goal.

 As a child of God, you might feel like a failure at times, succumbing to the lure of sin and have let down those closest to you. We all have failed at times, and sadly it leaves one to question his/her faith, even questioning if you are still saved. The struggle is real for many Christians today. This world is full of evil and one can easily get caught up in a tangled mess of sin.

 Therefore, my beloved brethren, be steadfast, immovable, always abounding in the work of the Lord, knowing that your toil is not in vain in the Lord. 1 Corinthians 15:58

 Friend, if you are on Team Jesus, you have victory through Him! His love for you is greater than you could ever imagine! Nothing you fail at will result in losing your place in Heaven. Jesus is your victor, your field goal kicker and He will always score points, even when you don’t succeed. As verse 58 says, be steadfast and immovable! Never give up when you sin, Jesus paid for your weaknesses and has already won the game! Find victory on Team Jesus, every day! God bless  

 …Repent, turn to God, and do works befitting repentance. Acts 26:20

 Years ago, at my work, we hosted the first annual West Point Lake Triathlon. This event involves athletes swimming, bicycling, and running. The last part of the triathlon involves athletes parking their bikes (after riding 25 miles), and running several miles across the dam and back. As the first group of runners exited the bicycle area, they turned left, heading towards the same path they went on for the bike route, which was the wrong direction. It wasn’t until they got to the main intersection that a volunteer told them they had made a wrong turn, so they turned around and got headed in the right direction. Thankfully, this being the first year’s event, the athletes were very understanding and had fun participating. Since then, we made it clear how to access the running path.

 Sin has a way of creeping into your life. You are going along and wham, a brief distraction occurs, and you find yourself caught in the middle of a sinful act. Unfortunately, many acknowledge their sin, ask forgiveness, but fail to turn from it. It’s like they go through it and continue down the same path hoping not to fail in that same area.

 Today’s brief verse in Acts 26:20 reminds us of the steps towards repentance of sin: repent, turn to God, and do works befitting repentance. Turning around from that sin and towards God redirects your focus away from the temptation and looks to God’s holiness and light to help you navigate out of the darkness. In this process, you rejoin the spiritual race and head down the right path.

 The sins you battle will always be out there, it’s up to you to redirect your focus, so you can overcome the lure of temptation. Turn to God when seeking forgiveness so you can truly repent of your misguided steps.  

 

 When a man’s ways please the Lord, He makes even his enemies to be at peace with him. Proverbs 16:7

 After 57 years of life on this planet, I’ve experienced some trying times. Most of those involved someone else who was against me or tried their best to bring me down. Each time I surrendered the battle to God, through persistent prayer and humbled myself to the obedience of Christ. In time, God worked through my situation that eventually brought healing and peace.

The Lord lifts up the humble; He casts the wicked down to the ground. Psalm 147:6

 If you are living life, at some point you will have a conflict with another person. The best way to deal with the issue is to yield to God through obedience and lifting it up to Him in prayer. God has a way of taking your troubles and diluting them with His mystical powers that can’t be comprehended in our simple minds. From His view, He sees the path forward and works out your troubles to bring glory to Himself and peace and healing between you and your enemy.

 Maybe you are in the middle of an ongoing conflict. Remove all pride and humble yourself before God and He will come to your aid and bring a form of peace that you could never have dreamed possible through your own efforts. God bless!

 

 

 12“I still have many things to say to you, but you cannot bear them now.” 13“However, when He, the Spirit of truth, has come, He will guide you into all truth; for He will not speak on His own authority, but whatever He hears He will speak; and He will tell you things to come. John 16:12-13

 Wow! Can you imagine the knowledge Jesus shared as He spoke to His disciples? He had so much to share with them in His brief time on earth, yet He still couldn’t fill the day with all His wisdom. Since Jesus departure to Heaven, many question if He still speaks to people today. Verse 13 sheds light on that very question.

 But the Helper, the Holy Spirit, whom the Father will send in My name, He will teach you all things, and bring to your remembrance all things that I said to you. John 14:26

 The Holy Spirit is gifted to each person who receives Jesus Christ into their life.  He speaks on behalf of God, providing the same wisdom and encouragement as Jesus Christ did while on earth. Can you hear His voice? I once attended a bible study and a lady spoke up and said she would sit on her back porch, waiting to hear from God, yet she heard nothing. Maybe you’ve encountered the same.

 Friend, I can assure you God has a lot to say and He wants to provide you all the wisdom and encouragement needed to navigate this life. If you have trouble hearing from God, check your faith, do you truly believe in Jesus Christ and what He did on the cross? Have you received Him as your Lord and Savior? Are you living in purposeful sin? Jesus died for our sins, but when you put your lust for sinful behavior before obedience, God will remain silent until you come to repentance. Finally, ask God to speak to you. Listen within your heart and mind to His prompting, read the bible….He will lead you to scripture that helps answer life’s questions.

 Jesus has a lot to say and He is ready to share with you. Make sure you are prepared to listen. Once you do, you’ll discover a world of knowledge that will bless your life and bring you into oneness with God. Blessings!

 

 Who shall separate us from the love of Christ? Shall tribulation, or distress, or persecution, or famine, or nakedness, or peril, or sword? Romans 8:35

 As news reports talk about the tragic events happening in Israel, one thing stands out, their love of family and country. Stories of young men stepping up to defend their country, parents shielding their children from the horrific acts placed upon them from their enemies. How would you respond in a dire situation?

 For your sake we are killed all day long; we are accounted as sheep for the slaughter. Romans 8:36

 As a child of God, your enemy is all around you. Satan uses people and circumstances to try and wreck your life, sometimes putting you into a situation of great turmoil. So much turmoil, that makes you question why God would allow this circumstance to befall you. The truth is, this world is not your home (Philippians 3:20), and the world is full of evilness, which constantly bombards your life, putting you at risk to default your Savior. But God! His love is evident in each and every attack and your commitment to Him should be as strong as He showed you while hanging on a Roman cross. Your freedom in Christ came at a cost, and one day you might have to pay the ultimate cost in the face of your enemies. Are you prepared?

 Yet in all these things we are ore than conquerors through Him who loved us. Romans 8:37

 Jesus told His disciples: “In the world you will have tribulation; but be of good cheer, I have overcome the world”. God, through His Holy Spirit, lives inside of you (as a child of God). He is consciously aware of everything you face in life and always there to equip you for the moment. No matter what circumstances you face, immerse yourself in His unending love, for He has conquered the world on your behalf and will bless you when you remain loyal to Him. Share that love with others, even your enemies. Jesus loves you!

 Psalms 119:9 How can a young man keep his way pure? By keeping it according to Your word.

Wouldn't life be easier if you had an instruction book to help guide your decisions, prioritize things and people, and provide assurance that everything will work itself out if you stick to that plan? Well, there actually is such a plan and it's available to everyone who seeks the truth, all of this is found in the Bible. 

With the creation of man, history of events that shaped this world today, and boundaries that protect you, all of these and more can be your guide as you navigate life. In today's society, there are hundreds of beliefs and standards that can stir confusion while trying to maintain a straight path. These far out beliefs are orchestrated by a small group, totally blinded of "the truth" by Satan (2 Corinthians 4:4). Those who follow the blind will soon fall off the cliff into the abyss. Do you really want this for your life?

Psalms 119:10. With all my heart I have sought You; Do not let me wander from Your commandments.

You owe it to yourself and your family to walk securely in this unsecure world. Make time each day to read God's word, study it, use it as a reference when making life's choices and most of all have confidence knowing that the author personally experienced the daily challenges you face and will help you when the need arises. God bless. 

 And it came to pass, when Abraham’s servant heard their words, that he worshiped the Lord, bowing himself to the earth. Genesis 24:52

 Don’t you love it when a plan comes together perfectly? Examples are a wedding ceremony, a job interview, completing a planned-out vacation or simply putting together a project. Much time is spent planning and preparing for the task at hand and when everything works out perfectly you reap the fruits of your labor and life is good.

 Well, that is exactly how it was for Abraham’s oldest servant. Abraham wanted his son, Isaac, to have a wife, so he ordered his servant to go to a specific land and find that special woman (Genesis 24:1-52). To the servant’s surprise, he met a woman named Rebeka, and followed through with His master’s plan. After meeting her family and discussing Abraham’s request, the family was very willing to let her go to marry Isaac. At that moment, the servant was probably thinking…whew, I never thought this would come to fruition.  

 But he said to me, “The Lord, before whom I walk, will send His angel with you and prosper your way and you shall take a wife for my son from my family and from my father’s house. Genesis 24:40

 Do you make God a part of your planning process when faced with a task? The servant questioned Abraham about if the woman was unwilling to go with them and he said an angel will go with you to prosper your way. I’m quite sure Abraham spent much time praying to the Lord, asking for the servant to find the right woman for his son Isaac. As we read through the scriptures, the servant did just that and gave glory to God for answering his request.

 Two points in this lengthy blog. Give God your tasks, no matter what they are and have confidence that He will provide the best outcome. Once completed, be sure to give God the praise and honor He deserves for His faithfulness to you. Whatever your plans, you can be assured His angels are making a way to prosper you. God bless!

 

 And you will seek Me and find Me, when you search for Me with all your heart. Jeremiah 29:13

 This past Saturday my wife and I got dressed and headed out to run some errands. I had on a very bright colored shirt and my wife commented that it wouldn’t be hard to find me in the various businesses we planned to shop. Everywhere we went, if separated while shopping, she could pick me out of any crowd. 

As a child of God, do you try to find God in your corner of this big world? I can tell you, if you are seeking after God, it can be difficult in today’s society. Morality has declined so much that God can barely be recognized out in public.  How can people see God in your community?

 14 You are the light of the world. 16 Let your light shine before men, that they may see your good works and glorify your Father in heaven. Matthew 5: 14 & 16

 From the lips of Jesus Christ, YOU are His light. God is counting on you to make a difference in your corner of the world by how you live and showing others the light of Christ, living in and through you. This world will never give you a glimpse of God, but you can, and God has ordered it to be lived out for each of His disciples (you and me).

 As you enter the world today, give others a glimpse of God. You are His light, shine brightly for others to see out of the way of darkness! God bless!

 

 For the fruit of the Spirit is in all goodness, righteousness, and truth, finding out what is acceptable to the Lord. Ephesians 5:9-10

 In my career as a park ranger, one of the goals to providing a quality recreation experience was to manage the people who came to our parks and campgrounds. As recreation trends changed (and the toys they brought), we had to implement new rules to maintain a level of service all people could enjoy. Yes, some argued with new rules, but at the end of the day, many were happy, safe, and had a great outdoor experience.

 Things in life change: society standards, laws, and how people interact with one another. Some are good and some are not so good. As a child of God, it’s paramount that you maintain an acceptable standard that is God approved. An example would be the attire ladies wear to Prom. Lately we’ve seen these dresses tighter and expose more skin than what’s covered. You’ve got to ask, is what I’m wearing going to honor God or will it ignite a fire of hormones for the boy I’m dating. And truthfully, guys should consider the same for their attire: is it respectful and appropriate for the special occasion. Adult men and women should always check their behavior, thoughts and words spoken in public (and social media).

 What you are doing might be ok by society’s standards, but the true standard is administered by God through His Holy word. In these changing times (and they are happening rapidly), it’s always best to stay in God’s word and consult the bible when making life decisions. God will bless you for staying the course of His morals and character traits. God bless!