Oh, give thanks to the Lord, for He is good! For His mercy endures forever. Psalm 118:29

 Last night my wife and I were talking to our friendly neighbors about the way things were in previous years and how fortunate we are today with God’s blessings. As we talked about the struggles and challenges of yesterday, you could see God’s continual intervention to yield a brighter today and all those tomorrows.

 As I prayed for God to give me scripture for a blog, He sent me to today’s verse. As I read it, I thought only God can align verses to match the conversations of the day. As I prayed, I spent a considerable amount of time thanking God for His blessings. As I thanked Him for specific things, it was like the flood gates opened up to new things I hadn’t considered….like His continual love, grace, and mercy that has sustained me even in times of desperation and feeling defeated. Every aspect of God’s love envelopes the worries and challenges of the day with His overwhelming power and ability to overcome each and every one. “THESE THINGS I HAVE SPOKEN TO YOU, THAT IN ME YOU MAY HAVE PEACE. IN THE WORLD YOU WILL HAVE TRIBULATION; BUT BE OF GOOD CHEER, I HAVE OVERCOME THE WORLD.” John 16:33

 When was the last time you truly spent time thanking God for all He’s done for you, both physically and spiritually? When you do, you recall more and more of His goodness and recognize His presence has been with you, throughout your life, on a continual basis. God is no different than you, He loves it when He is thanked. Take time today to thank Him and see your awareness of His goodness increase over the coming days and weeks. Never stop thanking God for His continual blessings!  

 If we are faithless, He remains faithful; He cannot deny Himself. 2 Timothy 2:13

 There was a time in my life when I wasn’t fully engaged in my relationship with Jesus Christ. Away from the people who had Christian influence in my youth, I followed the crowd of immorality and over time I felt less of God’s presence. I was enjoying the fruits of the world, and the satisfaction drove me to partake more and more of that lifestyle.

 Now we have received, not the spirit of the world, but the Spirit who is from God, that we might know the things that have been freely given to us by God. 1 Corinthians 2:12

 Where did God go? Did He leave me to my own vices? 1 Corinthians 2:12 says that, as a child of God, you receive the Spirit of God, not the spirit of the world. It’s something to really ponder, that the God of this universe gives you His Holy Spirit, an extension of God. And the Holy Spirit NEVER leaves you. Although you may go in the opposite direction of God’s path, He continues with you. It might feel as if God has left you, but when you walk in disobedience, the noise and pollution of sin clouds your vision and ability to hear His still small voice.

 Maybe you are not where you should be in your relationship with God (none of us truly are) and feel as if God has abandoned you. You might be at the point where you’ve simply given up on God and desire to fill your life with the momentary pleasures of this world. Friend, I can assure you God is still right there with you, even on days when you are furthest from His obedience. He cannot deny Himself, who lives inside you!

 Maybe it’s time for you to come back to the Savior, ask for forgiveness of your sinful ways and find that eternal peace, joy, and satisfaction you’ve been seeking in the world. Nothing compares to the blessings God provides when you step back onto the pathway He intended for your life! God bless!

 ‭Romans 13:1 Let every soul be subject to the governing authorities. For there is no authority except from God, and the authorities that exist are appointed by God. 

As we wake up this morning, results from last night's elections are posted. Some of the people I voted for won, others lost. If you are like me, you voted for those you know to be the best fit for the position they were running, based on the knowledge you have of the candidate. It's your privilege to vote and should always make the best choice for the good of your community and country. 

Today's passage sheds a little more light on the selection of leaders. As stated, God is the final authority and He appointes the candidate for each position. You might be thinking, well He chose the wrong person and we are doomed by His selection. 

‭Isaiah 55:9 “For as the heavens are higher than the earth, So are My ways higher than your ways, And My thoughts than your thoughts.

The truth is God's ways and thoughts are higher than ours. God has the ability to see beyond the immediate moment, and plans out the future using those He chooses. We may not see how that person will be beneficial, but God's plan will always be implemented, no matter how much we push against it. 

To be transparent, I struggle to see God's plan with our current presidential administration, but I must trust God as He knows how the president will fit into God's plan to bring a better community and country. I encourage you to trust God, no matter how your vote turned out. God is the final authority and He has everything planned out, He needs us to simply trust Him. Blessings. 

 ‭Romans 12:15 Rejoice with those who rejoice, and weep with those who weep. 

One of the most painful things you experience in life is seeing people hurt, through the loss of a loved one, suffering through a health issue, or broken relationship. This is especially heart wrenching to watch loved ones suffer. I can't tell you the number of times my emotions got the best of me this year and I've cried tears for the many negative events that have happened in people around me. Life has its good moments, but when the bad happens, it can often diminish your joy. 

This morning as I sit here drinking coffee, reading God's word, the thought of three families come to mind, who have or are currently going through a time of pain and suffering. As the tears swell in my eyes, today's verse comes to mind. Not that I seek any recognition for my emotions, but it tells me my heart is following God's call for us to weep with those who weep. 

Blessed are those who mourn, for they will be comforted. Matthew 5:4

The tears don't necessarily bring healing, but a call to God for His overwhelming presence to bring comfort and peace to a very difficult moment in your and their life. As I get older, I find my emotions stir easier, in good and bad times. It might be I'm more “seasoned” in life or my awareness of God's Holy Spirit is alive and well within my soul. Whatever the answer, God is always there to comfort us, and He is available to you when you cry out in mourning. God bless. 

 ‭I Chronicles 28:10 Consider now, for the Lord has chosen you to build a house for the sanctuary; be strong, and do it.”

As King David aged, he directed his son, Solomon, to build a sanctuary for the Lord. God gave David special instructions to build it under his son’s leadership. And so, he did as his Heavenly and earthly father directed. 

‭Ephesians 2:10 For we are His workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God prepared beforehand that we should walk in them. 

God has a plan for your life. It might not be to build a sanctuary, but your piece of God's big picture is just as important as the one who's out front, visible to all. Just like a production, its success wouldn't happen without the workers behind the scenes. 

What's your talents, what's your purpose, what is God calling you to do to advance His kingdom? Seek out His calling for you through prayer and studying scripture. In the process of seeking Him, He will reveal what you need to get you started on your specific project. And whatever He brings you to, will also provide the resources to make it happen. All He needs is your loyal obedience to His plan, and just do it! God bless. 

 So the Lord said to Joshua: “Get up! Why do you lie thus on your face? Joshua 7:10 

After an army of 3,000 Israelite soldiers were defeated by the citizens of Ai, Joshua and the Israelite leaders fell humbly before God. Joshua knew he and the Israelites had allowed sin to creep in, angering God, and He allowed this brief defeat. Joshua had a lot of pressure on him as their leader, and after crossing the Jordan and into the promised land, things didn’t seem as if they were going to work out. His humbleness brought him to his knees, to the point of ripping his clothes and putting dust on his head (another way to express deep regret and sadness).

 Thankfully God had not abandoned His people. He told Joshua to GET UP, and get back to business. God instructed him to weed out the sin that had crept into the camp and destroy it. Joshua did just as God instructed by destroying the family who sparked the fire of unrighteousness. Afterwards, the army of Israel overtook the city of Ai and destroyed every citizen, including the king of Ai.

 God has a plan and purpose for your life. When following in obedience, things typically go well as God bless you. But when sin creeps in, God is angered and you find yourself on your knees, humbled, and feeling regretful. We should always bring our wrongdoings before God and ask for His forgiveness. But don’t let that hinder you from the work He wants to continue to do with you.

 Maybe you are feeling guilty about something horrible you’ve done and your life is a wreck because of poor decisions. God doesn’t want you to remain laying flat. It’s time to get up and ready yourself for God’s instructions moving forward. His plans for your life won’t succeed if you remain defeated. God has already overcome your failures and is ready to bring you into a new day, with His blessings, to achieve success as you walk in the path He’s chosen for your life! God bless!  

 ‭Exodus 20:12 “Honor your father and your mother, that your days may be long upon the land which the Lord your God is giving you.

This morning I have been reflecting on my mother's love for me. I can honestly say, no one loved me like she did. Her love was transparent in how she showed me grace when needed, sacrificed often to make sure my needs were met, and most of all she was always there providing wisdom and encouragement. I think back to when she was alive, I didn't appreciate her love as much as I miss it now in her passing. Thankfully my father is still alive and he too has had a positive impact on my life.  

If your parents are alive, embrace them, learn the family history,  give back to them the same love, mercy, and support they've shown you over the years. They are only here for a brief while, so give them the respect and honor they deserve. Once gone, you'll have nothing but memories to carry with you through your life. God bless. 

 ‭Romans 7:19 For the good that I will to  do, I do not do; but the evil I will not to  do, that I practice. 

On my street, next to a major highway, seems to be an easy area  to throw out trash and litter the roadway. In retirement, I've been down there on numerous occasions to clean it up. When I do, people are less likely to litter. But, once someone litters, it's like a magnet for others to discard their trash. 

If you are a Christian, you probably try your best to avoid sin. God expects us to avoid it out of love for Him. But once the door to sin has been opened, it becomes easier to continue in sin, eventually numbing your awareness and feeling guilty. This is a dangerous place to be in your relationship with Jesus. Sin moves you away from God's presence. 

That's why it's so important to daily confess sins and avoid them at all cost. You might have good intentions, but Satan will always accompany an act of sin and try to convince you it's ok. It's not ok!

‭Matthew 5:29-30 NKJV‬

[29] If your right eye causes you to sin, pluck it out and cast it from you; for it is more profitable for you that one of your members perish, than for your whole body to be cast into hell.  [30] And if your right hand causes you to sin, cut it off and cast it from you; for it is more profitable for you that one of your members perish, than for your whole body to be cast into hell. 

Jesus was serious about how to overcome sin. You may not need to gouge your eye out or chop off your hand, but just know that allowing sin to multiply will entice you into a habit of sinful living, and God can't bless you for living in sin.

 ‭Proverbs 13:11 Wealth gained  by dishonesty will be diminished, But he who gathers by labor will increase.

Let's face it, under these tough financial times, we look for ways to get ahead. From selling belongings, to picking up extra work, even playing the lottery, we try to find ways to gain a little extra cash to stay afloat while prices are soaring. 

Today's passage is a good reminder of how to truly get ahead financially….working for it. Sadly, there are some people out there willing to get ahead by deception. They might not get caught, but God sees what's going on and the heart's intentions, and eventually those ill gotten gains will backfire, leaving the deceptors bankrupt emotionally, and quite frankly in trouble with the law. Trust me friend, you don't want to go there. 

Your ideas of making some extra cash might be good, even come with good intentions, but make sure they are done fairly and with God's approval. Otherwise, you'll find yourself in worse shape than when you started this endeavor to get ahead. 

 ‭Ephesians 4:17 This I say, therefore, and testify in the Lord, that you should no longer walk as the rest of the Gentiles walk, in the futility of their mind, [18] having their understanding darkened, being alienated from the life of God, because of the ignorance that is in them, because of the blindness of their heart; 

In retirement, I've been busy raising money to help support the rebuild of a special ministry our church offers to the community, Judgment Journey. As I approach people/businesses for donations, I'm met with either acceptance or rejection. Given these challenging financial times it's understandable that some people and businesses don't have the extra funds to donate, and I'm good with that. But in my interactions, I can tell if their rejection is more about rejecting the work of God to help others or financial restraints restrict donating. 

Today's passage was written over 2,000 years ago, but is still applicable to people today. People’s own understanding, or lack of understanding of what God offers, and hardened hearts, makes them reject the truth. This blindness and self absorbed attitude will be the very thing that damns them to Hell. I know it's a bold and harsh statement, but God's word makes it clear, you have a choice who you'll serve, and if you reject Jesus Christ’s gift of Salvation, your eternal home will be Hell. 

Maybe you are reading this blog and you are one who is blind to the gospel truth. Pick up a Bible and begin reading the new testament. Let God's word provide you the truth and not allow personal opinions to cloud your judgment. Eternity is forever, you have a personal responsibility to chose where you'll spend it after this brief life. Choose wisely, God will bless you for accepting His offer of eternity in Heaven. 

 Behold, I stand at the door and knock. If anyone hears My voice and opens the door, I will come in to him and dine with him, and he with Me. Revelation 3:20

 If you have children, you know it can be impossible at times to get them to respond to your text or phone calls. Maybe a few days have passed and you just want to hear your child’s voice. I thought it was just me that felt this way, but after talking to other parents, I realize it’s the norm not to hear from our children as often as we’d like.

 The other day, I was waiting and waiting and waiting to hear from one of my kids (and still waiting), and this thought came to mind: I wonder if God longs to hear from me more often? Yes, I have morning prayer time and on occasion I might slip in an immediate request sometime in the day, but having a genuine conversation with God doesn’t happen very often. And if He feels like me, He is sad when I don’t take notice of His presence and acknowledge Him when blessings come my way, when something beautiful in nature reminds me of His wonderous creation and when I feel His love, grace, and mercy at times when it’s needed most. As I get older, I realize just how human God is, as we are created in His image (Genesis 1:26)

 Pray without ceasing. 1 Thessalonians 5:17

 Maybe you too have a difficult time including God in your daily life, your conversations with Him are infrequent and brief. Look at God from the standpoint of a parent and you as His child (which you are). Make God a part of your daily life by praying without ceasing. It might sound crazy having a conversation with God, but He is no different than you, He wants to be included in your life, each and every minute. And when you include Him, your steps will be directed down the right path and center of His perfect will. After a while, you will clearly see just how involved He is in your life as your commit your day communing with Him.

 The steps of a good man are ordered by the Lord, and He delights in his way. Psalm 37:23