A fool despises his father’s instructions, but he who receives correction is prudent. Proverbs 15:5

 During my career, I became a supervisor in the last 14 years of employment. During the first part of my promotion, I had to hire someone to fill a recent vacancy. During the interview process, one candidate stood out among the rest, but my manager advised not to choose that person based on his experience. Well, I chose them and things went well at first, but several years following, that person became the thorn in my career and made life short of miserable. Looking back, I wished I had heeded my manger’s advice.

 Growing up I always heard the advice to: “listen to your elders”. Those who’ve lived much longer, have gone through the painful experiences that have given them wisdom to share with those much younger and with very little experience. What if we took their advice with all seriousness, our lives would probably be less burdensome and stressful. But, we always think we know best and have to learn the hard way.

 Without counsel, plans go awry, but in the multitude of counselors they are established. Proverbs 15:22

 Maybe you are young, coming up through the ranks in your job, or maybe you are simply a teenager or young adult learning how to navigate life. Take my advice, seek counsel on matters from those who’ve done it before you and heed their wisdom, it might just save you much grief and make life a little easier. Those seasoned people have resources available to help you grow and develop into a person of wisdom without the pain of making wrong choices. Life doesn’t give you second chances, use what God has given you through the advice of others. God bless!  

 Phillip found Nathanael and said to him, “We have found Him of whom Moses in the law, and also the prophets, wrote – Jesus of Nazareth, the son of Joesph.” And Nathanel said to him, “Can anything good come out of Nazareth?” Phillip said, “Come and see”. John 1:45-46

 Most larger cities have neighboring towns that are small and people believe not much good comes from them, whether it’s the people, lack of businesses, or issues with crime. Many people have a prejudice towards those smaller towns without really knowing the people of those communities. Truth be told, there are probably many good people in them and their lives are much better off than those in the big cities.

 That was exactly the case in today’s verses. Prophets foretold that a Savior would come out of Nazareth, yet when Phillip told Nathanel he found Jesus Christ of Nazareth, the Savior of mankind, Nathanel had doubts because of where He came from. In Nathanael’s mind, nothing good could have come from that community.

 The same could be said of some people’s view of churches and the people who attend their services.  Unchurched people have a prejudice towards church attendees because of what they’ve heard through other’s opinions, actions of those who claim to be “Christians”, or bad news published in the media about church leaders who’ve fallen prey to worldly lusts. Because of their prejudices, they don’t’ want any part of a church or the people who attend them. Sadly, this is the case for millions of people, some who live right across the street from a church. Maybe you fall into this category.

 If church attendance is not on your Sunday morning agenda, I encourage you to stop relying on your personal opinions, and be like Nathael, come see for yourself what really goes on in that church building. You might be pleasantly surprised by the love that greets you upon entry, and the sound doctrine that is preached from the pulpit. You might actually see those half-hearted Christians kneel at the altar, seeking God’s forgiveness. They are no different than yourself, people just living life in this world, trying to be better people for God to bless. Why not make plans to attend a church this Sunday and see it for yourself.

 

 For You, Lord, are good, and ready to forgive, and abundant in mercy to all those who call upon You. Psalm 86:5

 Back in high school, something bad happened between myself and one of my closest friends. We both went to the same church and actively involved in our youth group. Because of our spat, we didn’t talk to each other for months on end and it impacted the dynamics of our youth group. A group of us attended a Christian youth conference and at that conference God removed the hurt, resentment, and anger between us and our friendship was restored. Since that time, I have always tried to quickly settle up any disputes I have with others.

 Today’s verse provides encouragement for God’s children, as He is always ready to forgive and even forget our trespasses against Him. To be honest, there isn’t any living human being who can forgive as easily as your Creator.  

 Sadly though, there are many people today who believe God is unwilling to forgive them for the sins they’ve committed, isolating themselves from the blessings of His love, grace, and forgiveness.  Even some Christians battle with the question, how can God forgive me for disobeying Him?

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

 Maybe you are one of those who struggle to understand how God could forgive you, especially if your life is a complete wreck from making poor decisions. God’s love for you goes beyond human reasoning. As proof, He came to planet earth in the form of human flesh and made things right with mankind by dying on a Roman cross, as payment for all your sins: past, present, and future. All you have to do is come to Him with a repentant heart, asking His forgiveness and know that He is ready and able to restore the wonderful relationship He longs to have with you. Confess your sins today and be free from the chains that bind you to your past. God loves you enough to forgive even the worst sin.

 

 Romans 8:38 And I am convinced that nothing can ever separate us from God’s love. Neither death nor life, neither angels nor demons, neither our fears for today nor our worries about tomorrow—not even the powers of hell can separate us from God’s love. 

I just learned of someone I know who is going through a divorce after being married for less than 2 years. No doubt we live in a fallen world where relationships end for various reasons, breaking the bond of love between them. 

Today's verse provides encouragement for us that nothing in this world can separate us from God's love. Sadly there are many people who look at God from a worldly perspective and believe that certain things they do can break the bond of God's love, leaving them to question their eternal salvation. This is one tool Satan uses to make God's children ineffective, by creating doubt and worry. 

Friend, you can't even begin to wrap your mind around God's love for you. It's totally unconditional and never ceases, no matter what you've done. Yes, sin distances you from Him, but His love, grace, and mercy is always readily available to restore your eternal union with Him. Never doubt the love God has for you. Come to Him with an open heart and be ready to receive a love like nothing you'll ever experience in an earthly relationship. God bless. 

 And whatever things you ask in prayer, believing, you will receive. Matthew 21:22

 A while back I was with my granddaughter and we were watching cartoons. With each commercial, a toy was advertised and she would say, “I want that Pappa”. After an hour her wish list was pretty large with all the toys she wanted.

 Jesus said that we are to believe we’ll receive anything we ask for in prayer. That sounds pretty open ended, and the old saying, “be careful what you wish for”, comes to mind. When people begin a new relationship with Jesus Christ, they are like a young child, asking for everything they want. When God doesn’t come through with the request, it leaves doubt in the mind of the baby Christian. But overtime spiritual maturity develops in that person and they soon discover what Jesus meant when He said to believe you’ll get what you ask for.

 God is certainly capable of giving us everything we want; but He can also see what harm certain request can bring to our relationship with Him. With that said, by Him not giving us certain things, He is still responding to our request by protecting us from harm. I can think back to many times in my life when I asked God for something and He said NO or didn’t give me what I wished. As I matured, I developed confidence in God’s responses, knowing HE will give me what’s best for my life and our relationship.

 When you come to God with your request, be prepared for His NO at times, knowing that is His response because He cares for you and wants what is best. Trusting God with every request will always have an answer, just be open minded to which way He delivers. God bless!

 Therefore do not cast away your confidence, which has great reward. For you have need of endurance, so that after you have done the will of God, you may receive the promise. Hebrews 10:35-36

 Discouragement comes in many forms: a struggling relationship, a mundane job, repeated health issues, continual debt….the list is endless. Because of discouragement, one tends to sink into a state of mind that simply wants to give up, throw in the towel, or run from their problems. That is exactly what was happening to the early church of believers in Jesus Christ. Under great persecution for the belief in Jesus, some turned away from their faith and went back to the Old Testament traditions, believing that would make life easier on them. Sadly, they missed out on the blessings God had in store for those who continued in the faith.

 No doubt in today’s society, living the life of faith in Jesus Christ can be challenging. I see so many opinions about life that have no biblical foundation to support their beliefs. Yet, there are groups of people who want you to believe their opinions are better than the time-honored tradition of faith in Jesus Christ and the morality of the bible. Don’t fall for their deceptive beliefs.

 Let today’s verses give you the encouragement to sustain your faith, no matter the pressures you might experience to believe something other than the bible. Your faith and belief in Jesus Christ should be the foundation of your life and anything that counter’s God’s word should not even be considered. Speak the truth to those who Satan has blinded, so they can realize their darkened mind (2 Corinthians 4:4) and see the light. Your reward for sustaining your faith will bring you blessings, now and forever! God bless!

 Do not rejoice when your enemy falls, and do not let your heart be glad when he stumbles. Proverbs 24:17

 Karma comes in all shapes and sizes. I’ve seen things backfire on people who’ve tried to attack me and their plans only hurt them in the process. I’ll be honest, my thoughts were, “that served them right”, and a good feeling came over me. But, is that how God wants us to truly respond when our enemy falls?

 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

 As a child of God, you must realize that judgment should only come from God. He is the ultimate authority over your life and when you take action to revenge your enemies, you place yourself in a vulnerable position, and most likely your plans will backfire on you. Trust me, it’s happened to me and it’s embarrassing, and totally out of character for the life I proclaim as a Christian. So what are you to do?  I want to share a few verses that touch on this subject. Before you read them, take just a few seconds to think of any enemy you have and how these verses can be applied to your current situation.

 Therefore, “If your enemy is hungry, feed him; if he is thirsty, give him drink, for in doing so you will heap coals of fire on his head. Romans 12:20

 Do not be overcome by evil but overcome evil with good. Romans 12:21

 You might want to take a sledgehammer to the person who hurt you emotionally, mentally, even physically. There are limits to what you should endure, but responding with goodness, will only dilute the potency of their attacks and eventually they will either stop or become your friend. Many times people attack others out of jealousy or pride, but when you respond with goodness, you draw them into the presence of Christ, living in you. Pray for them and let God take it from there friend. One final verse I want to share:

Pursue peace with all people, and holiness, without which no one will see the Lord. Hebrews 12:14

 Then she said, “Sit still, my daughter, until you know how the matter will turn out; for the man will not rest until he has concluded the matter this day.” Ruth 3:18

 Waiting, it’s something many of us, including myself, have a difficult time doing. Waiting to hear about a job interview, waiting to get pregnant, waiting to get accepted into a college, waiting, waiting, waiting….what are you waiting for? I recall many times in my life when I was uncertain of how my future would turn out and I had to wait for things to line up. As much as I wanted to pursue a different path, something told me to wait. God came through with the perfect plan for my life and now I’m reaping the benefits of time waiting for direction.

 Today’s passage comes from the book of Ruth. Ruth was a young lady, who was married to a man who died early in life, and she remained by the side of her mother-in-law, Naomi. Naomi was also widowed and decided to return to her homeland of Bethlehem. Ruth could have stayed, but she followed Naomi with the hopes of starting a new life. Through a series of events, she met a wealthy man, Boaz, who married her and conceived a son, who was part of the lineage of Jesus Christ. Ruth had to wait for Boaz to make the decision to receive her as his wife.

 God has a plan for you too! Sometimes the waiting takes days, maybe weeks, even years as we read about Abraham and his wife Sarah. God’s timetable is much different than your desires and plans, but they turn out perfectly when you remain faithful to the Lord, patiently waiting for His direction. I asked earlier in this blog, what are you waiting for? Pray to God that He will give you the patience needed to wait and the vision to see His plan unfold at the perfect time. Your faithfulness will yield a greater blessing than you could ever have imagined! God bless!

 But now, O Lord, You are our Father; We are the clay, and You our potter; And all we are the work of Your hand. Isaiah 64:8

 My sweet granddaughter, Ellie, loves to play with play doe. Every time she comes to my house its “Pappa, can we play with play doe”, and of course we get it out and start making things with it. On one occasion, we found all of the play doe had hardened because the lid hadn’t been put on tightly and it dried out. Off we go to the store to buy more play doe.

 Today’s scripture reminds us that as children of God, we are to allow the hand of God mold and shape us. We are to be pliable in His hands as He works in our life to create something beautiful. Sometimes the pressure He applies can be painful, but necessary to soften the hard areas that keep us from taking on the form of Christ. Looking back, I can see many times in my life when I endured life’s pressures to the point I was ready to give up, but soon afterwards I got a glimpse of what He was doing and now I can see how important it was to go through those tough times to get where I am today.

 When we live our life outside God’s perfect will, just like the play doe, we too become hard and God can’t use us in the manner He planned. After a brief hiatus, we eventually surrender our stubbornness to God and He has to apply the appropriate pressure to make us pliable again. As I type, I ask myself why then do I put myself in that situation? Maybe you too have experienced the same stubbornness and have felt His pressure, squeezing out the bad, so He can use you again for His glory.

 Prayer for today: God, help me to stay within your hands of protection as you mold and shape my life into something beautiful. When I get off balance, gently bring me back to the center of your perfect will so I don’t have to feel the pressure of your loving discipline. I want to be at the center of your perfect will today and every day.

 Commit your works to the Lord, and your thoughts will be established. Proverbs 16:3

 2.38 billion people claim to be Christians. That’s a lot of people, and maybe you consider yourself a Christian. The main focal point of any Christian is Jesus Christ. He is the only way to the Heavenly Father. But how do you truly know if He is the center of your life?

 When faced with a crisis, what is your first thought? Do you think to yourself, “how am I going to handle this situation” or “what can I do to resolve this problem”? Or do you think, “God, help me” or “God, what is your plan for me in this issue”? Your first thought is usually the center of your being. If your first thought starts with “I”, then most likely Jesus isn’t the center of your life. Stop reading for a moment and just focus on that thought.

 Now ask yourself the hard question and be truthful, am I the center of my life or Jesus Christ? It will take some hard soul searching to really understand who’s in charge of your life. If it isn’t Jesus Christ, and you proclaim to be a Christian, you have some work to do to reprioritize your relationship with Him. How do you replace “I” with “Jesus”?

 Prayer is essential to strengthening your relationship with Him. Reading your bible provides wisdom and guidance for the daily challenges you face as a foreigner in this world. And most importantly, obedience to God’s word helps transform the way you behave, think, and speak as you align yourself with the standard He expects you to live by as a child of God. When faced with a problem, your first thought will include Jesus in the equation, because you’ve committed your works and thoughts to Him.

 Seek after the wisdom and guidance of Jesus Christ and your first thought will always be, “what would Jesus do in this situation”. Make Him first place in your life today, your relationship with Him is dependent upon your priority to make Him number 1 in your life. God bless!

 Cling to your faith in Christ, and keep your conscience clear. For some people have deliberately violated their consciences; as a result, their faith has been shipwrecked. 1 Timothy 1:19

 Many years ago, I began to watch a late-night television program that I shouldn’t have watched, but the craziness of it captured my attention. The first time I watched, I thought how vulgar and rude this guy was. As the week went on, I found myself drawn to this program every day and eventually nothing that happened on that show bothered me in the least. Eventually I became so desensitized to its madness, that it influenced my thought process, which hurt my relationship with God.

 As a child of God, it’s important to keep your conscience clear, as that is the tool the Holy Spirit uses to warn you of impeding danger to your faith and relationship with Jesus Christ. Ignoring the Holy Spirit’s voice, directing you away from something, will only put you in dangerous waters, literally shipwrecking your faith. Examples of this is a casual conversation with someone of the opposite sex that leads to more conversations and eventually a mutual interest in each other, setting yourself up for an affair. Short changing someone because you felt justified will eventually lead you to cheating others and pretty soon find yourself a thief. Breaking the “rules of the road” will eventually either get you a ticket or possibly in a wreck. There are a million situations to find yourself silencing your conscience, even justifying your actions, but in the end will result in catastrophe.

 God blesses us with His Holy Spirit for a reason, to keep us out of trouble, keep us acting like Christians, and most importantly maintaining a close relationship with Jesus Christ. The next time the Holy Spirit warns you of danger, don’t discard His warning, take heed and turn the ship around before you run your faith aground. God bless!

 Now it came to pass in those days that He went out to the mountain to pray, and continued all night in prayer to God. Luke 6:12

 Have you ever had to make a life altering decision? Maybe it was for a big purchase, a lifetime relationship, a career move, or decision to have children. There are many difficult decisions you’ll have to make in life as you grow older and those decisions can have long lasting effects.

 That was the case with today’s scripture. The day before Jesus chose His 12 disciples, He left the group of people following Him, and went to the mountain to pray to God for His wisdom, which carried Him into and through the evening hours. That’s a long prayer, but it was necessary for Him to gain proper insight from God. As a result, He chose the right men for the job, who remained faithful and carried the message of Jesus Christ into all parts of the world. Because of these 12, we have a wonderful resource of wisdom and guidance in the God inspired scriptures of the bible.

 Maybe you are facing a life decision that will not only impact you, but those within the circle of your influence. Make time to pray to God for wisdom and guidance as you seek out His perfect will for your life. I’ve done this very thing in my life, and God worked perfectly in each move I made throughout my career and personal life. Sometimes the doors I wanted to open remained shut, yet others opened to blessings I never saw coming and now I can say that without a doubt, God’s hand was always guiding me.

 He will do the same when you seek after Him through prayer, and not just a short quick prayer, but quiet time, away from others, so you can communicate with Him on an intimate level. What can you pray about for your decisions today? God bless!

 Train up a child in the way he should go, and when he is old he will not depart from it. Proverbs 22:6

 Our youngest daughter and her husband just had a baby girl. As I watched them cuddle this precious life, all I could think about is how their lives will be changed forever. All the love, care, nurturing, and the life events they’ll oversee; (learning to drive, getting a job, going through school, getting married…etc), they have a huge responsibility ahead of them. From a Christian perspective, they are responsible to ensure that sweet baby girl is brought up in a home where the love of Christ is shared, talked about, and learned at home and in church. I know them well, and I know they will provide all that God expects of parents raising a child.

 For you parents who have adult children, what’s expected of you now? Just like someone who’s in a professional career, continuing education is necessary to ensure the employee keeps all he/she has learned fresh in their memory and learns anything new as they go through their years of employment. The same is true of parents with adult children, you must continue to provide unbiased advice as they learn their way through adulthood. Once they leave the home they’ll be exposed to so many varying philosophies about life that some might redirect them away from what they’ve learned as a child, leading them down a path of complete disobedience to God.

 Maybe your adult child falls in that category of living opposite of what they learned in the home and at church. Everything you’ve shared with them about their choices has fallen on deaf ears. They only thing you can do at this point is release them into the hands of God, so He can work in ways you can’t, to bring them back to the spiritual roots of God’s love, forgiveness, grace and mercy. Even if your child is on the straight and narrow, continue to pray God’s protection over them. It would be a shame to see all those years of hard work providing them spiritual guidance to be thrown out the window because you didn’t keep them covered in prayer and continued to provide wisdom and guidance, even as they mature into adults. The effective, fervent prayer of a righteous man avails much. James 5:16

 For His anger is but for a moment, His favor is for life; Weeping my endure for a night, but joy comes in the morning. Psalm 30:5

 Have you ever made someone angry? Maybe it was your parents, or a friend, co-worker, and whatever you did had a lasting effect on your relationship with them. Every time you see them; you relive your offense and their angry response. Avoidance becomes the tool you use to shield your hurting emotions. Many relationships have dissolved in this manner.

 Today’s verse reminds us that even when we sin against God, His anger only lasts a short while. 1 John 1:9 says: If we confess our sins, He is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness. Confession of sin is the eraser that wipes the trespass off the dry eraser board. God holds no grudges and wants to restore His relationship with you quickly. Avoidance is impossible with God, because He is everywhere, and, as a child of God, His Holy Spirit resides in your life.

 Satan will do everything in his power to make you think God is disappointed with you and holds a grudge, especially when you commit what you’d consider a big sin (or repeated sin). Satan is full of lies and wants to make you think that God is avoiding you. God’s silence does not mean He has left you; it’s your opportunity to reconnect with Him through prayer and asking forgiveness.

 The next time you sin, don’t despair. God is ready and willing to forgive you immediately so you can continue to maintain that close bond with Him. Confess, repent, restore, it’s that simple. God bless!

 Then Jesus said to them, “Follow Me, and I will make you fishers of men.” Matthew 4:19

 How many times in your life have you heard someone say, “follow me”? Maybe you were led by a teacher through the school, you took a tour and the guide led you through the museum, or you participated in a sporting event and you entered the field following the coach. There are many instances where we follow people for the intended purpose of going somewhere and achieving something.

 When Jesus started His ministry, He needed people to follow Him, to learn the ways of God so they could carry on His message, with the sole purpose of saving souls. Unless they followed Jesus’ example, they would be clueless to the meaning of unconditional love and the way of salvation for mankind. Thankfully, 11 of the 12 followed Him closely, learning the ways of God, through Jesus Christ’s actions and words, and took the message of salvation to the lost. Today, we are grateful for the many sacrifices these 11 made, even costing them their lives, so we could have the knowledge of God’s love documented in the bible.

 Jesus said to him, “I am the way, the truth, and the life. No one comes to the Father except through Me. John 14:6

 The question I put forth to you, who are you following? There are many things, people, and passions that yearn for your attention, but there is only ONE that can provide you unspeakable joy, unconditional love with grace and mercy, and leads you down the perfect path of morality, integrity, honesty, and truth, and that is Jesus Christ. When you follow Him in obedience, He blesses your life and provides the ONLY way to Heaven. Chose to follow Him today! God bless!

 Blessed be the God and Father of or Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of mercies and God of all comfort, who comforts us in all our tribulation, that we may be able to comfort those who are in any trouble, with the comfort with which we ourselves are comforted by God. 2 Corinthians 1:3-4

 It’s not uncommon these days to hear of people, especially Christians, who are suffering due to circumstances beyond their control. This leaves many, including myself, to ask why God allows such events to occur in the lives of those people who live for Christ.

 Today’s verses provide some comforting words to those who are seeking that very question, “why me”. While Jesus Christ walked the face of earth, He warned that we would have tribulation in this world (John 16:33). The difficulties and trials we face come in various forms from financial struggles, emotional turmoil, even the loss of a loved one. God uses these difficult times to do several things:

 1 Strengthen your faith and trust in Him. God promises to always be with us, even in times of great difficulty, sometimes of our own doing. Once you’ve accepted Christ into your life, God gives you His Holy Spirit, which resides in you. His Spirit prays on your behalf, as He knows exactly what you are going through and what you need to stay strong through it (Romans 8:26-27). As you suffer, you see the hand of God working in small ways to bring comfort: physically, emotionally, and spiritually, which in turn helps to strengthen your faith and trust that God has you in His loving arms.

 2 He uses your difficulty to help others. As you go through each occurrence, you build a history of wisdom and confidence in God’s ability to bring comfort in your brokenness. God will oftentimes place others who are going through a similar difficulty in the path of your life so you can nurture them through it, oftentimes using examples of how God worked in your situation. There is nothing more comforting to someone who is hurting than to have another person be encouraging to them whose gone down that same path.  

 If you are going through a tribulation, don’t push back against it, accept that it is in front of you and pray, asking God to open your mind to what He will do to build your faith and be available to help others in the same manner. As a child of God, you are part of a community of believers, working together through the challenges of life. God bless!

 Jesus said to him, “I am the way, the truth, and the life. No one comes to the Father except through Me. John 14:6

 Back in my college days (a long time ago), I lived in Colorado for about a year. During that period, I would do a lot of hiking in the mountains. I would select a fixed point and hike to it. No matter what obstacles that were in my way (trees, ravines, boulders), I would still keep my focus on my intended destination, working around or through the obstructions, eventually getting to the top. There were moments when I was ready to give up, but the views were spectacular and I knew the top view was the best, which motivated me to keep going.

 The Christian life is no different. The bible says that we are foreigners in this world, not to get distracted by the tribulations, and fleshly lusts of the world. We are to keep our focus on Jesus Christ, the author and perfector of our faith. By doing so, we don’t get distracted, discouraged, or tempted to give up on our faithful journey to Heaven. The views there are nothing like here on earth and the only way to the gates of Heaven is through a personal relationship with Jesus Christ.

 I can honestly tell you after being a child of God for over 50 years, there is nothing like this relationship. It’s a journey through this life, full of highs and lows, but each one had purpose, to make me stronger in my faith and belief that God is truly with me all the time, and He is. This journey can be yours today if you are willing to surrender all your efforts and will power to journey through life on your own, and let the God of this Universe guide you to Heaven. Ask Jesus Christ to come into your heart, forgive your sins, and commit your life to Him. There’s a special place on top of a mountain with spectacular views, just waiting for you to arrive and enjoy the blessings of a committed life to Christ. God bless!  

 Honor the Lord with your possessions, and with the first fruits of all your increase; so your barns will be filled with plenty, and your vats will overflow with new wine. Proverbs 3:9-10

 The term “return on your investment” can be applicable in many cases.  Essentially it means that you hope to get the most out of what you spend your money on; whether it be a financial investment, a purchase, or a loan to someone who needs help.

 Today’s two verses in Proverbs give some advice on how you can make your possessions have a tremendous return on your investment by honoring God. How can you honor God with your purchases, investments, and generosity? Including God in all your financial dealings, by praying about your next move and seeking His wisdom. He has a way of opening doors to great opportunities that not only benefit you but others as well.

 Over the past few years, both of our daughters (and their husbands) were in the market for larger homes. Both of them prayed for God to guide them in their search. Both found perfect homes, but they were expensive and in both cases they were bidding against others. In both cases, they reached out to the seller to plead their case, and God moved in the heart of the sellers to let them purchase the homes of their dreams. Later we discovered that both sellers were so happy to sell the home to each of them, as they had an interest in either their family situation or careers.

 When you include God in your financial dealings, He always multiplies the return on your investment, especially when you give freely through tithing or donations. In these financially tough times, you want the most out of your investment. Start including God in those dealings and see the results of your faithfulness multiply to overflowing! God bless   

 My son, if sinners entice you, do not consent. Proverbs 1:10

 One of the Christian’s main responsibilities is to avoid participating in sinful activities because sin is what causes division in the relationship between them and God. Because of God’s holiness, He cannot be around sin. If you think about it, sin usually involves more than just one person. A person invites you to go out for a wild night of drinking, someone calls you on the phone to gossip about your neighbor, or a person of the opposite sex starts a flirtatious conversation in hopes of getting you to have an affair with them..the list is endless and there’s usually an open door (temptation) for you to participate.

 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 may be able to bear it. 1 Corinthians 10:13

 As a child of God, you must always be on guard for the temptation to sin.   If you fail to do so, you’ll grieve the Holy Spirit (Ephesians 4:30) and possibly mislead those outside the faith how a Christian should behave.  Satan is very crafty and will try to slide the temptation in, through another person, without much notice, and before you know it, you are in the middle of something you wish you’d never got started. 

 How do you stay on guard? Praying daily, that God would open your eyes to temptation’s invitation and provide the strength (will power) to say no, walk away, or change your thoughts, so you don’t indulge in it. I know it sounds like effort on your part, but truthfully God bears the responsibility to help you, you just have to decide who you’ll follow….Him or sin. God will reward you for remaining obedient to Him!

 And you shall be holy to Me, for I the Lord am holy and have separated you from the peoples that you should be Mine. Leviticus 20:26

 Then the scribes and Pharisees brought to Him a woman caught in adultery. And when they had set her in the midst, they said to Him, “Teacher, this woman was caught in adultery, in the very act. Now Moses, in the law, commanded us that such should be stoned. But what do You say”? John 8:3-5

 Back in elementary school, some children were quick to tell the teacher what someone else had done wrong. We called them “tattle tales”. Although their report about the misbehaving student was correct, they had alternate intentions, by making that child look bad making themselves look good. Sadly, for some people, this tattle tale behavior continues into adulthood.

 Jesus said to them, “He who is without sin among you, let him throw a stone at her first.” John 8:7

 Jesus response to the scribes and Pharisees put them on the same level as this woman caught in adultery. He who is without sin among you, let him throw the first stone. In essence He was saying, no one is sinless, no one is perfect, and his statement I’m sure brought shame to that lady’s accusers. When we see someone’s reputation being tarnished on social media, we are quick to judge, wishing them ill will. I too have been guilty of that, and today’s blog is probably meant as much for me as it might be for you.  What should our response be then when we see someone caught up in wrong choices?

 Confess your trespasses to one another, and pray for one another, that you may be healed. The effective, fervent prayer of a righteous man avail much. James 5:16

 If you are truly a child of God, have compassion on those who have wronged you OR have done wrong in society, and pray for them. There is only One judge, and that is God, leave the judging to Him. You be obedient to pray for that person, in hopes that through their situation, God will intervene to change their heart, by bringing them out of their darkness and into God’s light. God bless!

 As His divine power has given to us all things that pertain to life and godliness, through the knowledge of Him who call sus by glory and virtue. 2 Peter 1:3

 I’ve always had a fear of heights. I feel very comfortable standing on the ground and holding a ladder for someone else. One time I attended a leadership team building event and participants were asked to go through a high ropes course, 20 feet off the ground, with everyone tied in to a safety line. Just looking at the ropes course made me sweat, and as you can guess, I declined. That was just outside my comfort zone.

 Sadly, there are many people today who reject Jesus Christ’s offer of salvation, a personal relationship with Him, which involves forgiveness of sins, because it’s just outside their comfort zone. There are many reasons for rejecting this free offer, which include: don’t want to give up the worldly pleasures they enjoy, unsure what to expect, offended by so called Christians who live a double standard. The list is endless. Maybe you have an excuse of your own why you don’t want any involvement with church, Jesus Christ, or God.

 Today’s verse gives hope for those who are unsure about this Jesus issue. Once you accept Jesus free offer of salvation, you have everything you’ll need to live the kind of life Jesus lived while on earth for His 33 years. Will you ever be perfect like Him, NO. Is any Christian perfect like Jesus, NO. No one will live a perfect enough life to match the holiness of God, but it’s more about the relationship than your works.

 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

 Friend, don’t let your fears, uncertainty, or pride exclude you from eternity in Heaven.  Take the first step by asking Jesus Christ to come into your heart, ask His forgiveness of you of your sins, and commit your life to Him. After your decision, He will provide what’s needed for your life as a child of God. Jesus is calling to you, won’t you answer today?

 For to this you were called, because Christ also suffered for us, leaving us an example, that you should follow His steps. 1 Peter 2:21

 As you youngster growing up on the farm, I would always try to plant my feet in my dad’s footprints, especially if conditions were muddy or snow covered. By doing so, I knew my footing would be secure and he knew where to go safely. It was difficult at the first, as my legs were shorter and feet smaller, but as I grew, it became easier to keep up with his stride.

 Today’s verse encourages us to keep in stride with Jesus Christ. He is God in the flesh, and provided the perfect example of how we are to live our lives while here on earth (as documented in the bible). As a new Christian, it will be difficult to follow His example, past temptations will try to divert your attention away from Christ’s holiness, but as you mature in your faith, you’ll soon find it easier to avoid those fleshly temptations so you can more easily keep in stride with Christ. As humans, we’ll never reach perfection this side of Heaven, but on the day we enter His paradise, we will be like Him.

 How do you mature to be able to follow in His footsteps? By reading the bible, praying, and turning away from those things, people, and temptations that are toxic to your relationship with Jesus. It truly is a slow process, as it should be, so you can consistently grow stronger in your faith and see that His way is always the safest and secure as you journey through your life. Whose footprints are you following?

 He who trusts in his own heart is a fool, but he who walks wisely will be delivered. Proverbs 28:26

 After years of making decisions, I’ve learned there are two ways it can go: the right way OR the wrong way. I’ve also learned that wisdom is always connected to the right way, and the heart is usually associated with doing things the wrong way. Looking back, I’ve made decisions based on how my heart felt and the majority of the time it caused me a lot of pain and regret. On the other hand, when I relied on wisdom to make decisions, things usually went well and benefitted me and those impacted by my decision.

 How do you know which resource to rely on? As a child of God, you have been gifted with the Holy Spirit, God’s messenger. God always looks out for His creation (mankind) and provides wisdom in the decision-making process. You have a choice to follow the wisdom the Spirit provides, or go in the direction of your heart. God always gives you free will to choose, He never demands you follow His lead (but it’s always best).

 The heart is deceitful above all things, and wicked. Who can know it? Jeremiah 17:9

 Jeremiah 17:9 sums up the heart; its deceitful, wicked, and difficult to understand. Many people have entered into relationships, business ventures, or made large purchases through the prompting of the heart, myself included. Things at first might feel good, look good, and appear to be right, but later, as the dust settles, it’s pretty obvious a rushed decision was made and you knock yourself in the head asking….”what was I thinking”.

 Friend, God wants you to have a life full of joy without regrets. He is always ready to impart wisdom so you’ll make right decisions. Sometimes His wisdom takes time to come to fruition….that’s ok because He is probably working out the finer details to make the end result work in your favor. Pray, read your bible, and keep an open ear for His voice (He actually speaks) as He gives you the wisdom necessary to navigate life’s choices. God bless!  

 

 

 Romans 12:2 And do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind, that you may prove what is that good and acceptable and perfect will of God. 

In today's world of continuing education, online classes are offered where the student can gain a degree from the comfort of his/her home. What's hard for me to comprehend how a student studying chemistry can have a lab class online? There's nothing like learning in an environment in which you study, handling the test tubes, mixing chemicals, and viewing things under a microscope. You can't gain a true understanding by simply reading online. 

The same is true for people who are seeking God's will for their life. Today's verse provides guidance on how to comprehend His perfect will. The first part says to have your mind transformed. God's will usually never aligns with worldly logic, and when you seek out His wisdom with a worldly view it will seem like a foreign language, it just won't make sense. Example: God many times calls people to the mission field who have no experience, limited funds, and a lot of ties to their family at home. A person with a worldly mindset might dismiss this thought. 

Having a spiritual mindset puts you in God's lab of faith, you are able to see the vision, you have the confidence in God's ability to make a way to get you to the mission field, and you will experience God's blessings when you surrender your life to His calling. 

How do you then transform your mind? Reading God's word, staying fervent in prayer, and listening for God's wisdom and direction. When you do these things, God's will becomes more clear and you'll fall in line with everything you need to fulfill your purpose in this life. 

 Behold, I long for Your precepts; Revive me in Your righteousness. Psalm 119:40

 When I retired, I wanted to do something to keep me active instead of just sitting around being lazy (which I never seem to do anyways), so I started going to the gym and walking on the treadmill for 30 minutes to an hour. At first, I struggled to get motivated for exercise, but over time it turned into a habit and my body longed for that exercise. Unless my schedule gets busy, you can find me at the gym, Monday thru Friday, for an hour sometime in the day.

 The author of today’s verse felt the same way as I do about exercise; he longed for the word of God, and because of his reading, it filled him with the righteousness of God. Reading the word of God became a habit for him on a daily basis, and without it he most likely felt empty, spiritually, and probably even physically.

 Today’s question: how much time do you spend reading God’s word? Do you have a longing for it? Do you feel empty inside when you don’t make time for scripture reading?

 Every morning, I make time, first thing, to read God’s word and use several devotionals to guide my studies. In retirement, I have a lot of time to go deep into study, oftentimes studying for hours. I truly believe God allowed me to retire early so I could have this special time to understand God and draw closer to Him. Without my daily bible study, I feel a void, as His words give me wisdom for the day.

 Maybe you are like the average person, you only read it when at church or something comes up and you need a spiritual answer. Getting into the habit of reading your bible might seem insignificant or a burden of your time. But trust me, once you get started reading it daily, it becomes a habit over time and your mind, body, and soul crave it. But, you’ve got to take the first step by starting the routine. And the end result, you’ll have a mindset the aligns with the heart of God. Why not start today! God bless!

 Then Jesus said to those Jews who believed Him, “If you abide in My word, you are My disciples indeed.” John 831

 Years ago there was a slogan that went like this: “What Would Jesus Do”.  That messaged encouraged Christians to live out their faith and life modeled after Jesus Christ. Whenever faced with a decision, that person would ask, What Would Jesus Do, and they had the choice to either follow in Christ’s footsteps or pursue their own path. Still today, many Christians use this slogan in their everyday decision-making process.

 In my personal opinion, today’s verse removes the choice to follow Jesus, but is clear cut by saying, if you are My disciples, you will do what I say. Some of you reading this might take offense to this directive, but if you are truly a child of God, there should be NO choice, you SHOULD follow Christ in strict obedience. There are several reasons I say this:

 1 God knows what’s best for HIS children, that’s why He set boundaries for us to live within. Anything outside of God’s instructions will weaken your faith and make you vulnerable to accepting the ways of the world. James 4:4 makes it clear, that if you are living by the world’s standards, you are an enemy of God.  

 2 As a child of God, you have the responsibility to reflect His character in your everyday life. By doing so, you provide an example for others to follow. Many non-believers might only be exposed to what the Christian life looks like by how you live your life. If you live in the gray, you send mixed messages to those who have the potential to receive Christ. Wouldn’t you hate to know your neighbor, co-worker, friend, or family member went to Hell because the way you lived your life?

 3 When you adhere to God’s standards for spiritual living, you align yourself with His plan for your life and you grow closer to Him. Over time living a Godly life becomes a routine, leaving NO choice but to follow in the footsteps of Jesus Christ.

How you live your life effects your relationship with God, and those around you. Let there be NO choice who you’ll follow. If you abide in My word, you are My disciples indeed.

 

 Luke 12:15 And He said to them, “Take heed and beware of covetousness, for one’s life does not consist in the abundance of the things he possesses.”

Have you ever had difficulty answering the question, “what do you want as a gift for ___?” At this point in my life, I'm saturated with stuff, things I wanted, things I needed, and some I have little use for. This Valentine's Day my wife and I agreed to just have a nice dinner. We both have everything we need and want. I did cheat and got her flowers and some chocolates….

We live in a world of stuff, available at the click of a button or swipe of a card. Maybe you've reached the point of saturation and still feel a void. Friend, your emptiness isn't a lack of stuff, it's a lack of Jesus Christ. 

Satan does his best work putting things, desires, and pursuits in front to keep you preoccupied, distracting you from God's blessings of joy and spiritual fulfillment. I can honestly say I've been a victim of this snare, and can assure you more doesn't bring more happiness, but a longing for more. It's a never ending cycle that can be hard to break. 

If this describes you, ask God to help you be filled with His desires as you pursue the perfect will for your life. God has eternal gifts that never break, grow old, but yield fruits in your life that mirror the image of Jesus Christ. That’s what a child of God should really desire! 

 Jesus said, “When He, the Spirit of truth, comes, He will guide you into all the truth; for He will not speak on His own initiative, but whatever He hears, he will speak; and He will disclose to you what is to come. John 16:13

 The wildfires in California, the multiple plane crashes, and the fraudulent spending in the Federal government has many asking, who is responsible for these things. Until that can be answered, we can expect more of these incidents to occur.

 As a child of God, you have been gifted with God’s Holy Spirit to guide you in your life. In previous blogs, I have mentioned ways you can listen for His guidance. Today’s verse sheds some light on His workings: He will guide you into all truth. The beautiful thing about a relationship with God is He gives you free will. You have the option to chose to follow His Spirit’s guidance, OR you can choose to follow your own path. When you chose to follow your own path, YOU are responsible for either the success or failure it brings. When you follow the Holy Spirit’s guidance, He is ultimately responsible for the outcome of your obedience.

 Just for a moment, think back to two instances in your life: 1. You followed the prompting of God’s Holy Spirit. 2. You followed your own instinct by making decisions opposite of where God’s Spirit was leading. Which choice had the better outcome? If you are like me, option 1 had the better outcome. Yet, time and time again, we think we know it all and our desires guide us down the wrong path, which end up in failure, and possibly negatively impacting the lives of those within the realm of our responsibility.

 YOU are responsible for your words and actions. Make sure you follow the Holy Spirit’s guidance and leave the consequences to Him. He wins every time and so will you! God bless!

 But without faith it is impossible to please Him, for he who comes to God must believe that HE is, and that He is a rewarder of those who diligently seek Him. Hebrews 11:6

 Have you ever been in a crowded room and tried to have a conversation with one person? I recall past family gatherings in which 10 plus people were in the room with everyone talking. It was a challenge for me to listen to the conversation of interest; I really had to focus my attention in that direction.

 As Christians, we are constantly bombarded with worldly distractions: social media, television, podcast, radio, people, agency policies, our own desires…. the list is endless. Believe it or not, God is constantly trying to communicate with you through the Holy Spirit. Can you hear His promptings? If you are like the average child of God, you might hear Him on an infrequent basis, especially in times when you need God’s help. Truth be known, the Holy Spirit was probably already warning you, prior to the trouble you found yourself in, to show you the way around the issue, but you were too deaf to His words of wisdom for all the worldly business and noise. How can you focus on God’s voice amongst all the clamor?

 Pray without ceasing. 1 Thessalonians 5:17

 The last part of today’s passage gives you the answer…. diligently seek Him. Like the first paragraph in this blog, you have to focus your attention in the direction of the Holy Spirit. Where should you focus be? Inward. The Holy Spirit lives inside you! Many times you’ve had some type of prompting not to do something, or go a certain way…etc. that most likely is the Holy Spirit guiding you. Over the years of my life, I’ve learned how to listen closely to His voice and truthfully, He is always speaking. 1 Thessalonians 5:17 tells us to pray without ceasing. It’s a continual conversation between you and the Holy Spirit of God. You’ve got to make the decision that no matter what is happening around you, your focus will be on His voice.

 Why is listening to the Holy Spirit so important for the child of God? Because He knows all things and wants to give you the very best life possible, by avoiding sin, misrepresenting Christ, averting disaster, and most importantly living within the will and purpose He has for your life. As Jeus said, “you are in the world, but not of it”. Focus on what God is telling you, minute by minute, and you’ll see your life become more Christlike as you seek Him with all diligence. God bless

 And whatever you do, do it heartily, as to the Lord and not to men, knowing that from the Lord you will receive the reward of the inheritance for you serve the Lord Christ. Colossians 3:23-24

 While employed, I had these two verses posted over my workspace to remind myself, daily, that my work was not for my employer, but the Lord. By keeping these verses fresh in my mind, I was able to excel in some of the most difficult tasks, even ones that I didn’t enjoy doing. As a child of God, everything I did at work was to be a representation of Jesus Christ’s character, values, and plan. My dependency upon His wisdom and encouragement was enough to get me through those tough days.

 Maybe you are struggling to find purpose in your employment, the satisfaction you once had has waned and it’s more of a burden, you’ve got a boss whose expectations exceed what you are capable of producing, or maybe your fellow co-workers aren’t on the same page as you spiritually, making it difficult to maintain a Christlike attitude. I’ve faced each of these circumstances and through much prayer, and focus on pleasing God, I was able to navigate any challenge that came my way. You too can find purpose, encouragement, and a faith to endure at your workplace, or any place where you have a responsibility.

 Let today’s verses be a reminder of who you really serve in your life and always be dependent upon the Holy Spirit for wisdom, guidance, and encouragement to do your best for God.

 The discretion of a man makes him slow to anger, and his glory is to overlook a transgression. Proverbs 19:11

 After 59 years of living life, I’ve learned a valuable lesson (actually more than one), when offended, let it go. For some of you out there, letting go of someone hurting you seems to be impossible, but let me share with you the benefits of “overlooking a transgression”.

 Not too long ago I had a run in with someone I knew and they said some negative things towards me. None of what he said was true, but it felt like a gut punch. Within minutes of the claim, I took a few deep breaths and gave it over to God to handle. I could have easily engaged, plead my case, or said some negative thing back, but I didn’t. Sometimes the best reaction is “silence”, and silent I was. Looking back and knowing new developments, it was good for me to remain silent and let it pass.

 Today’s verse provides some very sound advice on how to respond when you’ve been offended or hurt. Be slow to anger and overlook a transgression. Here are the positive things that come from this type of response:

 1.    You don’t throw gas on the fire. That person is probably looking for you to respond and wants to engage in the conflict. When you respond, you open yourself to a dialog that is usually never good.

2.    2. Your lack of responding says a lot about your character and ability to not let that person get under your skin (which is what they were intending to do in the first place). Not responding/staying calm, is like putting a blanket over their fire and pretty soon extinguishes it completely. Chances are, they won’t mess with you again.

3.    3. Letting go of it and giving it to God, opens the door for you to forgive your offender (which is what you should always do), and brings peace, even when you are faced with turbulence from the offender. You’ll sleep better and not be disturbed by their attacks. God has a larger view and is already working on your behalf to protect you and is pouring out His judgment on the offender.

 Trust me friend, when I say you’ll live a lot longer when you learn to overlook the offenses in life and let God handle your attackers. You’ll have more peace and represent the true character of Jesus Christ. God bless!

 A good man out of the good treasure of his heart brings forth good; and an evil man out of the evil treasure of his heart brings forth evil. For out of the abundance of the heart his mouth speaks. Luke 6:45

 Have you ever heard someone say something and do just the opposite? If the truth be told, I’m sure you’ve probably done that a few times in your life. We, as humans, do a pretty good job giving lip service when needed, but deep in our heart we know and believe something completely different. Some say that what’s in the heart, comes out of the person’s mouth. I don’t believe that is the case; its more what’s in heart, comes out in a person’s actions.

 So, here’s a thought, what if your heart did the talking for you? Let that sink in for a moment and evaluate how well you’d get along with others if they heard what your heart had to say. Hopefully there would be positive things said, seasoned with grace, mercy, and love for others. On the other hand, some of you might be thinking It would be best if didn’t talk to anyone.

 But He answered and said, “It is written, Man shall not live by bread alone, but by every word that proceeds from the mouth of God”. Matthew 4:4

 Today’s verse, Luke 6:45, speaks of both kinds of individuals, those who have a good heart and those full of evil. As a child of God, it’s imperative for you to feed your heart, mind, and soul, with the living word of God. As you read more of the bible, your mind and heart transform its beliefs into a heart after Jesus Christ.  This process can grow slowly or quickly, depending on the amount of bible reading and study you put forth. Either way, it will eventually turn pride into humbleness, hate into love, anger to peace, and revenge into forgiveness….just to name a few.

 Friend, this world needs more good hearts after Christ. When your heart is spiritually sound, you won’t say something that is opposite of what’s in your heart, you’ll be true to yourself and those around you! God bless!