I Peter 1:24-25 NKJV

[24] because “All flesh is as grass, And all the glory of man as the flower of the grass. The grass withers, And its flower falls away, [25] But the word of the Lord endures forever.” Now this is the word which by the gospel was preached to you.

Don't you just love it when you are using an app on your phone and after a few minutes the phone times out, shutting off access to your app? A few weeks ago I discovered the Bible app on my phone never closes or times out my phone; it stays open and available until I decide to close it. 

Today's verse reminds us how fragile life can be, especially the things we rely on daily. But there is one thing that withstands the test of time, God's word. It never fails to provide wisdom for all of life's circumstances, struggles, even victories. But it's only useful if you use it daily. 

Studies have suggested that 87 percent of American homes have at least one bible in their possession. I just wonder of that percentage how many are collecting dust and never read.

We are so blessed in this country to have the freedom to possess a Bible, as other countries like North Korea or China would throw you in jail for even reading a Bible. 

A good indicator of Bible usage is the worn edges, the marked up pages with notes and highlights. If your Bible still looks new after several years, you are missing out on a wealth of information and wisdom.

Trust me, your time spent reading God's word will change your heart for the better. Everything else around you will wither and fade away, but the words on the pages will never shut you out of God's abundant love, grace, mercy, and give you hope for each day. Pick it up today! 

 I Corinthians 10:13 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 the temptation will also make the way of escape, that you may be able to bear it.

I was horrible at math, as a matter of fact I was able to navigate through college without taking one single math class. If I did, I'd probably still be trying to pass that class. But one thing I know, to work out a calculation, you need to insert numbers into the formula, otherwise you'll still have nothing to the right of the equal sign.   

Well Dave, what does math have to do with sin you ask? Sin is like a mathematical formula, it requires the temptation, the contemplation, and the actual act itself. When all three are calculated, it will equal sin. So what am I saying? 

If you read today's verse you'll understand several things. No sin is uncommon to man; man has been sinning forever and your same sins are played out by millions of other people (so don't think you are the only one battling it). Secondly, God gives you enough freedom (or free will) to choose to do it or not do it. Third, He always provides a way to escape from it. At some point in the 3 part equation there's an exit door to stop computing sin. 

Here's where the rubber meets the road…..in order for sin to complete itself, you have to insert yourself in the equation. At any moment you can stop opening that bottle of liquor, close your computer when tempted to look at unclean images, cut a phone call short when the juicy gossip starts, say no to a conversation with the opposite sex you know won't be good for your marriage, or exchange your shopping trip you can't afford with a Saturday of house cleaning. God gives you opportunities to not sin, you just have to make the decision to not do it. Simple, not hardly, but with God's help you can overcome anything that you believe has you held captive to Satans bindings.

I John 4:4 You are of God, little children, and have overcome them, because He who is in you is greater than he who is in the world. 

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

 My wife is really good about choosing what she eats. She watches her calorie intake and has said on numerous occasions…”I’m not going to waste my calories on something I don’t truly enjoy”. Me on the other hand, doesn’t always stick to a rigid diet and oftentimes I take in more daily calories than I can burn over the course of a week. And, my weight is a good indicator that I’m not doing a good job restricting my diet to the healthy things. More on that later!

 This morning God put a thought into my mind, “what’s the substance of my prayers”. Do I spend more time asking for forgiveness than praising God? That thought hit me hard this morning, as it should, making me think about my relationship with the Father. My actions, my thoughts, and the words that proceed out of my mouth are under constant attacks from the dark forces of evil. God knows I need help on the battle field, so I can spend more time giving praise than asking for His forgiveness.

 You might be thinking, Geez Dave, what’s your problem? Romans 3:10 says: “There is none righteous, no, not one” and Isaiah 64:6 says: “And all our righteousnesses are like filthy rags”. No matter how well we try to live the Christian life, we always fall short in our daily lives, including me. And, as  you grow in your faith, you begin to see your shortcomings more and more. God help us, God help me!

 God always welcomes your prayers, no matter their content. If seeking forgiveness is important, then pray for it. At the same time, commit yourself to living on a strict spiritual diet of words, actions, and thoughts (just like my wife’s dietary plan), so you don’t waste your life on fruitless things that require more time praying for healing and forgiveness. When you do, your prayers will be full of positive content, brining God all the glory and praise He rightly deserves! God bless!  

 Psalms 46:10 NKJV

[10] Be still, and know that I am God; I will be exalted among the nations, I will be exalted in the earth!

Have you ever been in a place where there was no sound? No sirens, no birds singing, no sound of the wind, no air-conditioning running, no one speaking? If you are like me, it's hard to remember a time of total silence. Even as I sit here early this morning outside there is a bug making his sound as loud as a Harley Davidson motorcycle. 

Our ears operate 24/7. That's a good thing and sometimes a bad thing, depending on where you are. As a child of God, God wants you to hear Him speak to you through His Holy Spirit. The challenge is filtering out everything that is competing with Him to be heard. His voice doesn't come in the form of sound, but through the spirit, speaking wisdom, warning, encouragement, and love. How can you hear Him?

You have to be intentional about blocking out the world's sounds to hear Him. That might mean closing the apps on your phone, even silencing it, getting in a place without distractions (your closet is good…if there is room), anywhere you can block out other distractions. Difficult yes, but not impossible. 

I love today's verse. Anytime I read it, I'm reminded to slow down, take in His beautiful creation, and make time to listen to Him. God has a lot to say to all of us, we just have to posture ourselves to hear His sweet voice. What is God trying to say to you today? 

 As you therefore have received Christ Jesus the Lord, so walk in Him. Colossians 2:6 

As a kid growing up on our family farm, I always enjoyed accompanying my dad when he went out to do chores, whether it was feed the hogs, cows, or just take care of anything that needed mending. As I grew, I accepted more responsibility and actually helped him with the task at hand. It was my desire to please him in my work, knowing that he was right there beside me to encourage, instruct, and correct. 

If you are a child of God, YOU accepted Jesus Christ into your life. You chose to receive Him. Let me repeat that, YOU CHOSE TO RECEIVE HIM! I think over time we forget that our Heavenly Father is always with us through His Holy Spirit. Whether we chose not to think about His presence or simply forget He’s there, we leave ourselves vulnerable to the lure of sin. We focus on the pleasure sin brings and forget that God is always present to encourage, instruct, and correct you when headed towards something outside His will.

 Maybe you are a new Christian or have been one for years. Never let a day go by that you forget your Heavenly Father is with you and it should be your deepest desire to please Him in your choices, words, and actions. He’s your perfect “accountability partner”, and if you are truly focused on Him, you’ll be able to hear His soft voice of reason, prompting you to make the right choices, say the right things and act in a holy manner.  God bless!

 Heavenly Father, help me keep my focus on you by speaking to my heart. I give this day to you as you reveal your will to me in everything that I do, speak, and think. May you be blessed and glorified today.

  The Israelites said to them, “If only we had died by the Lord’s hand in Egypt! There we sat around pots of meat and ate all the food we wanted, but you have brought us out into this desert to starve this entire assembly to death.” Exodus 16:3

 Yesterday we went up north of Atlanta to celebrate my oldest son’s birthday. He chose an Italian restaurant for lunch. The first thing he ordered was an appetizer for all of us. The waitress said that it takes a long time to make and might come after we get our food. She wasn’t kidding, as it took a while before the appetizer was served. But, once it arrived on our table, we devoured it and our hunger was temporarily satisfied.

 Today’s passage comes from the story of the Israelite’s exodus from Egyptian slavery. 45 days had passed journeying through the desert and the people complained they had run out of food. We read in verse 4 that God said He’d rain down bread from Heaven for His people to eat. I always wondered why He waited so long to provide bread. I’m sure the Israelite people were worried, seeing their food supply dwindling in the wilderness.

 Like me, you might question why God waits to answer our prayers at the last moment when He could have provided prior to feelings of desperation. I believe several reasons.

1.    1. We won’t be able to truly see the powerful hand of God working unless we are empty, hungry, and in desperation. At that moment, we are willing to accept anything He provides, and most of the time He provides more than we ever thought possible.

2.    2. He won’t provide when we already have what we need because the impact of His provision will be lessened and might make us believe we can provide for ourselves. God wants us to depend on Him and not the world’s offerings. What we generate will eventually run out, but His provision will be like a well of water, providing refreshing nourishment for eternity. John 4:11-15.

 God knows your needs before you even ask Matthew 6:7-8. He provides at just the right moment. So, as you pray, asking for His help, know that it will come at just the right moment, when you are ready to receive it, and it will be enough (sometimes more) to sustain you in this life and beyond.

 3 “Blessed are the poor in spirit, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven.

4 “Blessed are those who mourn, for they shall be comforted.

5 “Blessed are the meek, for they shall inherit the earth.

6 “Blessed are those who hunger and thirst for righteousness, for they shall be satisfied.

7 “Blessed are the merciful, for they shall receive mercy.

8 “Blessed are the pure in heart, for they shall see God.

9 “Blessed are the peacemakers, for they shall be called sons[a] of God.

10 “Blessed are those who are persecuted for righteousness' sake, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven. 11 “Blessed are you when others revile you and persecute you and utter all kinds of evil against you falsely on my account. 12 Rejoice and be glad, for your reward is great in heaven, for so they persecuted the prophets who were before you. Matthew 5:3-12 

I have several drawers full of stuff that has value to me and personal items that belonged to family members who’ve passed. Why do I keep these items around? Because they mean something to me and every time I get them out, wonderful memories of my past come to mind. But, the reality is once I pass, those items will have no meaning to my kids and will most likely be discarded. One day I’ll have to help them by going through those things and discard them, saving them the trouble in the future. 

As a child of God, you have something even more valuable than earthly things and possessions. Today’s verses come from Jesus’ teaching of the Beatitudes. As you read them, you’ll find that each one has eternal value. Poor in spirit will inherit the kingdom of heaven, mourners will be eternally comforted, pure in heart will see God, peacemakers will be called “sons of God”, the persecuted will inherit the kingdom of heaven and there you’ll receive rewards that will last forever! The sufferings you endure in this life will pale in comparison to the wonderful blessing that await you when you enter into Heaven. 

Jesus said you will have tribulation while here on earth. Don’t allow the troubles of this life distract you from the eternal rewards that await you for enduring in faith and trust in Jesus Christ. Look at the troubles of your life having “eternal value”, because they will yield something much greater than the good days you experience this side of Heaven. 

Thank you Father for those trials and troubles I face, as I continue to look to you for comfort and strength, knowing that they have eternal value and one day I will be rewarded for sustaining my walk with You!

 For I say, through the grace given to me, to everyone who is among you, not to think of himself more highly than he ought to think, but to think soberly, as God has dealt to each one a measure of faith. Romans 12:3

 It’s in the news on a daily basis, people in high positions are brought down by poor choices, sometimes illegal actions that put them in jail. A recent news article about a traveling preacher who committed sex crimes against children generated a lot of comments on social media. The majority of them focused on religious leaders who seem to frequently commit these horrible offenses, giving non-Christians an excuse to not darken the door of a church building. Many commented the following: who wants to be a part of that if that’s what Christianity is like.

 You might be thinking to yourself, well, I’m not like that and consider yourself a genuine child of God. That’s good, but there’s a danger in having a self-proclaimed evaluation of yourself. Pride can be rooted in those thoughts, making you believe your actions, whether good or bad, are justifiable because you are a “good Christian”. God’s not looking for good Christians. Jesus Christ even said it himself in Mark 10:18: “Why do you call Me good? No one is good but One, that is, God”. So what is God looking for in His children?

 And what does the Lord require of you but to do justly, to love mercy, and to walk humbly with your God. Micha 6:8

 God wants to do a work in your life, but it requires an attitude of humbleness, not focusing on your strengths, but relying on God’s Holy Spirit to fulfill His purpose in you. Spiritual achievements only happen because of the work God is doing. Taking credit for God’s work is a no-no and He considers it pride. Giving God the glory He deserves and living a humble life only happens when you take your eyes of yourself and stay focused on God. When you do, the fruits of your labor will be recognized by God and rewarded in Heaven. Any blessing you receive in this life is simply an indicator that God is living in you and through you for His glory.

 Come to Me, all you who labor and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest. Matthew 11:28

 One of the volunteer activities I participate in is our church’s benevolence committee. Benevolence is a word that describes helping someone in need, whether its financial, physical, or spiritual. Our main focus is to help those who are struggling financially. The process starts when the person in need contacts our church seeking help. They are then passed off to us to hear their situation and make a determination how we can assist them. Sometimes we are able to help, and other times we are not able to meet their needs. It’s a rewarding thing to help people, but at the same time it’s sad to see how much people struggle just to survive day to day.

 I love today’s verse, “Come to Me”! As a child of God, we are given the privilege to come to God for help, no matter what our need, He is always willing to hear us. His love for us goes beyond our immediate need and continues through this life and into eternity. Sadly, many people do not feel their needs are worthy of bringing them to God’s attention and they try to survive on their own. This leads to discouragement and oftentimes people blame God for their situation, when they haven’t even asked for His help.

 For My yoke is easy and My burden is light. Matthew 11:30

 Allowing God to help you doesn’t come with any conditions, it’s freely given out of love. Sometimes His response might not always be exactly what we think we need, but it has purpose and benefits that far outweigh anything we might deem important. Trusting God with fulfilling our needs is something He longs for each of His children, that includes you! You might be in a financial jam, spiritually numb, or dealing with a physical ailment that has you struggling to find joy.

 God says, “Come to Me”, where you’ll find rest, ease of your burdens and hope that restores your confidence in the One who loves you without conditions. What burden is weighing on your heart today that you can bring it to Him?

 Ephesians 4:26 NKJV

[26] “Be angry, and do not sin”: do not let the sun go down on your wrath, 

Yesterday I had an unfortunate experience where a young man decided to ride his four-wheeler recklessly through my front yard, nearly striking my house and me as I was cutting grass. Although you'd think this one incident wouldn't bother me much, it's actually just one of many sour experiences I've had living in this once peaceful, quiet neighborhood. So, this incident shook me to the core. 

Today's verse was enacted yesterday as I had to stay up until my anger diminished and I was able to chill. It was midnight before my head hit the pillow, but I'll tell you I slept soundly and woke this morning with a new perspective. It certainly generated much prayer, and an attitude of forgiveness for the thoughts I had in the heat of the moment. 

Attitudes and anger can be a deadly mix, as we've seen this played out in the news, time and time again. People getting killed over a dispute, road rage, and yes a tyrant of rants on social media. We must not allow ourselves to get caught up with the worldly chaos by responding out of godly character. Guilty as charged. 

Today is a reset. Today is a day of forgiveness. Today is a day of hope for humanity and not let the few bad apples spoil the view of the majority. 

Thank you God for your grace, mercy, patience, and love for this weary soul trying to live amongst your creation. 

 Humble yourselves in sight of the Lord, and He will lift you up. James 4:10

 Prior to GPS, people relied on a map to get them to their destination. Sometimes it also required a stop at a service station to ask for specific directions. For many people, especially men, that was a humbling experience to ask for help. The proud and confident driver would often try to figure out directions on the fly, finding themselves even further lost and time wasted. On the other hand, the humble driver who sought assistance would get there without delay.

 Today’s verse in James suggest that if we come to the Lord with a humble heart, He will do everything in His power to sustain us so we can fulfill His purpose for our life. Proverbs 16:5 makes it clear that God can’t stand a prideful heart, it’s an abomination to Him. Pride gets in the way of our relationship with God. It’s like that prideful driver, who thinks he knows best and is unwilling to seek help. The same is true for the child of God, we think we know what’s best for us, even demanding God give us our wants, yet God has something better planned. And sometimes that better plan doesn’t always come in a neat package.

 If you want God’s best for your life, you must be prepared to humble yourself to the degree that nothing else in your life matters as much as God’s perfect will. He has a plan for your life and if you humbly accept it, you’ll have His undivided attention and resources to ensure your journey towards His end game will result in spiritual success.  What part of your life needs to humbly submit to His will?

 See that you do not refuse Him who speaks. For if they did not escape who refused Hin who spoke on earth, much more shall we not escape if we turn away from Him who speaks from heaven, whose voice then shook the earth; but now He has promised, saying, “Yet once more I shale not only the earth, but also heaven. Hebrews 12:25-26

 If you’ve followed the news over the past few months, you know there have been powerful earthquakes that have shook the foundations of many cities, brining down homes and businesses, turning them into ruble. From the images I’ve seen it looks like a war zone. The loss of people’s possessions, even lives, has made it difficult to watch. But the reality is our lives, and the things in them, are so fragile to the power of mother nature and catastrophic events.   

 If you were in a building that shook, knowing it would collapse, what is the one thing you’d take with you that wouldn’t get destroyed (besides your family)? Maybe it would be a photo album, a special gift someone gave you, or a particular thing that has brought you so much joy. We all have things in our lives that matter most to us and would be heartbroken if they were destroyed.

 Today’s verse should motivate us to take inventory of what truly matters in our lives, that would be our relationship with the creator of our world, including you and me. If you’ve spent anytime understanding God, you know that He is always faithful to be there for you, 24/7. Nothing is more important than your relationship with Him. Unfortunately, we allow things of this world, and people, get in the way of a perfect union with Him. God oftentimes takes a “back seat” to our priorities. After a while we can’t distinguish His voice of wisdom amongst the busyness and prized possessions in our lives. We miss the mark.

 If this is you, I encourage you to make God your prized possession. He’s unshakable, and will never faulter, no matter what catastrophe is happening in your life. You can put your complete faith and trust in Him, always!

Therefore, since we are receiving a kingdom which cannot be shaken, let us have grace, by which we may serve God acceptably with reverence and godly fear. For our God is a consuming fire. Hebrews 12:28-29

 Know that the Lord, He is God; it is He who has made us, and not we ourselves. We are His people and the sheep of His pasture. Psalm 100:3.

 Over the course of my life, I’ve heard successful business men/women and athletes thank God for what He did in their lives. Many of them have made a huge impact on Americans and it would be easy to take credit for their achievements, but they acknowledge God’s hand in their success. As I reflect over my life, I can tell you it was God working through friends, family, and circumstances that has brought me to this wonderful place I’m in retirement after a successful career. I give God all the credit and glory!

 Whether you are a Christian or not, you must understand that it was God who created you. He permitted your existence and has a plan for your life. Some chose not to believe a higher power had anything to do with personal success, and one day they will find themselves standing before a Holy God, convicted of prideful living. I don’t want to be around when that happens.

 As we see worldly events unfold, they are perfectly aligning with prophecies that are documented in the bible’s book of Revelations. These events occur prior to the great Rapture of Christians, the Tribulation, and the second coming of Christ. No one knows the date and time, but you can be assured that time is coming. Are you ready?

 But you are a chosen generation, a royal priesthood, a holy nation. His own special people, that you may proclaim the praises of Him who called you out of darkness into His marvelous light. 1 Peter 2:9

 God created you to be you. As 1 Peter 2:9 says, you are a chosen generation, a royal priesthood, a holy nation. Receive Jesus Christ into your life, asking forgiveness of your sins, and do everything for His glory. He deserves it…and one day you’ll hear the words of God say….Well done my good and faithful servant; you were faithful over a few things, I will make you ruler over many things. Enter into the joy of your lord. Matthew 25:21

 But God has revealed them to us through His Spirit. For the Spirit searches all things, yes, the deep things of God. 1 Corinthians 2:10

 One summer I came home from college and was hanging out with one of my friends. He asked me if I truly believed there was a God. I had accepted Christ at age 12, yet hadn’t really been questioned about my belief in God. I came home and asked mom, and her reply was to search out for God’s existence, and He will reveal Himself. Following that conversation, I also met with my youth pastor and even a counselor, in search of God’s existence. All of them said, God will reveal Himself to you.

 A few months later, I attended a youth event at our church. We had been running around outside the church playing games. At the conclusion, our newly married youth pastor realized he had lost his wedding ring. Immediately we all started searching the church grounds for his ring. I said out loud the following, “God if you are real, let me find that ring”.

 I went around to the back of the church parking lot; a large area covered in newly poured white gravel. It was getting dark and I had difficulty seeing. At one point, something physically stopped my body from moving and I heard a voice inside my head say, “David, I give you the power to see in the dark”. I looked ahead and saw something in the rocks. I had a flash light in my hand and I heard the voice say “turn on the light”. In the middle of that light’s circle was his wedding ring!

 Still today when I share this story, I get emotional. I had a personal encounter with God. Since then, I’ve never questioned His existence and it actually increased my faith and belief that God is with us continually. He is always looking out for us, even at times when we stray off the path of righteousness, He is there, encouraging us to step back into His light.

 Maybe you question God’s existence. I encourage you to search out the truth. Read your bible (God’s word), ask God to reveal Himself to you. He wants you to know He’s with you and will reveal Himself at just the right moment.

 James 3:13 Who is wise and understanding among you? Let him show by good conduct that his works are  done in the meekness of wisdom. 

Have you ever heard someone say “they are wise beyond their years”? I have only known a few people who fall into this category. And the reality is they have embraced the word of God, and from all appearances live it out in their daily lives. Whether by word of mouth or by their actions, they've encouraged me to walk inside the narrow path of righteousness. 

Godly wisdom makes no sense in a worldly mind, and it can't be achieved by one's own doing. It's a partnership between you and God, through His Holy Spirit living inside you. It's a sacrificial life, completely surrendered to God, willing to follow in strict obedience, regardless of how others around you act, and believe. Very few people in this world mature to a level of wisdom beyond their age. 

James 3:17 NKJV

[17] But the wisdom that is from above is first pure, then peaceable, gentle, willing to yield, full of mercy and good fruits, without partiality and without hypocrisy. 

The Christian life is a process of maturing in Godly wisdom. It won't happen without reading God's word daily and accepting it as the truth of God. As you age spiritually, you become more Christ-like, and others take notice and hopefully they too will be encouraged by the One you live for.