Can anyone hide himself in secret places, So I shall not see him? Says the Lord; do I not fill heaven and earth? Says the Lord. Jeremiah 23:24

Have you ever been to a new place? Yes you have the address and maybe written directions...but as you travel, you realize something isn't right. So you turn on your GPS navigation system to find your exact location and let it guide you to your intended destination. Until that GPS connects to satellites in the sky you have to wait til it gathers data and sends you on your way. ‎

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I find in our Christian journey, we think we have an idea where we are going and we continue on our path...yet so often we don't stay connected to God. We trust in our own wisdom or selfish pursuits. Eventually we end up in trouble and cry for God's help. Thankfully He is always there waiting to establish an intimate connection once again. Until that has been established, we will continue to flounder and put ourselves at risk of being robbed by Satan in the "bad streets" of life. 

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Don't leave your bed each day without establishing that contact with God. If you keep your ears and heart open, He will guide you around every roadblock and divert you away from danger that lurks all around you. Stay connected to God....he is just a prayer away. 

God bless. ‎

If God is for us, who can be against us? Romans 8:31

Happy Friday the 13th. For some people the number 13 lined up with a Friday spells bad luck. Especially with a full moon occurring as I type this blog.  I'm sure there are some who fear even leaving their house today, worried something bad will occur. Thankfully we only have 2 months where 13 falls on Friday this year; January and October. ‎

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For the believer in Christ, we have more than "luck" to hold on to. God promises to protect us from the toxic world in which we live. Yes, there will be those today who have something bad happen...it's because we live in a fallen world...a culture counter to Godly standards. But, God....He is in control and has a plan for each negative thing that happens in your life everyday...not just on Friday the 13th. 

The most important thing to remember is He is greater than any situation we face. Good or bad, it's part of His plan to grow you in more dependence upon Him. Rest assured He protects your soul once saved. Your earthly body might be destroyed, but eternal life will be much sweeter and trouble free than this life we live. 

So, if something bad happens today, don't blame it on Friday the 13th....trust God is working this negative event to bring a positive outcome in either your life or someone else's life. Keep the faith! God bless. ‎

Pray without ceasing. 1 Thessalonians 5:17

 

Whats the first thing you do when you have good news, are sick or just lonely? Most people pick up the phone and call someone. As humans we have a need to be heard and associate with other people. God designed us to stay in communication with people. Even the most diligent hermit will speak to someone in time.

 

God desires the same of us. As Christians we put our faith in God to see us through each day…minute by minute, hour by hour, day after day, week after week…into eternity. He LONGS to stay in constant communication with you. Prayer doesn’t have to always be kneeling or sitting down with eyes closed. You can carry on a constant conversation with Him throughout the day. If someone had a voice recorder attached to me for 24 hours, you’d think I was nuts…I am always talking to God. Whether it’s a praise for something even simple like a vacant parking spot or a positive conversation with one of my kids. In times of sickness or faced with a challenging situation I always ask God….what will He do to help me get through this moment.

 

When we stay in constant communication with God, we are more apt to follow His will and find life more meaningful. Our awareness of His blessings…big and small become so evident….I can’t tell you how much this sustains my faith in God just by truly “seeing” Him work in my life. Give it a try today to stay in constant communication with God. Ask for His help, seek Him in your day…..your day will be more fulfilling and you can walk in confidence knowing the creator of everything has your back! Have a blessed day friend!

But whoever drinks of the water that I shall give him will never thirst. But the water that I shall give him will become in him a fountain of water springing up into everlasting life. John 4:14

 

I looked at the nutritional value label on a bottle of water recently. To my surprise I discovered that water has no nutritional value whatsoever. The funny thing is….we need it to survive. Without water we will die.

 

The bible is the same…..a lot of people look at the bible as just a book and don’t consider it to have much value. But, don’t be mistaken friend, the bible is the true word of God. Every passage written was inspired by God as His authors obediently wrote the words that still read and sought after from 2000 years ago. Inside the bible are words of encouragement, healing, instructions for living a holy and righteous life…..all of which are meant to keep you and me safe from the Devils schemes and pitfalls.

 

From the pages of old testament prophecy about Jesus to the end of time, God’s word still remains the top seller. Don’t just look at the bible as some book of rules and limit its value. For the Christian, it provides guidance for living a God honoring life. Read it today and every day…watch your life become more Christ-like and see God’s blessings rain down on your life.

No one can serve two masters; for either he will hate the one and love the other, or else he will be loyal to the one and despise the other. You cannot serve God and mammon (money). Matthew 6:24

Money, often said to be the "root of all evil". Although necessary to live, it oftentimes becomes a hindrance in our walk with the Lord. Our culture is centered around buying and possessing things. The mind set seems to be if we shop, we'll feel better....and the more we have (either money or goods) the more secure we feel. 

As Christians, our security is in God, not money or possessions. Yes, He may bless you with a good paying job, but He expects you to use your money wisely. Our ultimate goal is to share the love of God through our actions and financial support for missions either here in the US or abroad. God often blesses us with abundant resources because He knows we have the capability to serve Him through wise spending. He allows us the free will to either trust Him with our spending or spend it on worldly things that don't matter. 

Money can actually bring us closer to God, especially when we have little of it in our bank account.  I can't tell you the number of times things were tight for me financially, yet God placed before me an opportunity to share what little I had with a specific mission. My obedience to His calling resulted in blessings far greater than I could have imagined. 

What's in your wallet? $5, $10, $50 or $100....God can use your last dollar to bless those in need and continue to provide you opportunities to further God's love to a world that is lost. Take your focus off money and turn to God for financial stability and wisdom, then be obedient to His calling and give where He directs. Your obedience will result in abundant blessings my friend. Give today! God bless.

Adam replied to God, “I heard Your voice in the garden, and I was afraid because I was naked; and I hid myself”. Genesis 3:10

 

I saw a lady in church yesterday who had used hair coloring to mask her gray. Her natural color was showing near her scalp as it must have been a while since she got it colored. For many women who color their hair, it’s a frequent occurrence to purchase hair coloring or visit the beauty salon to have the hair color of choice….expensive as it is….its all in the name of beauty. Who wants to show off gray hair?

 

As humans, we have sin in our life and we try to mask or hide it by doing good things and having abundance of material possessions….all in the name of “looking good” to others. But deep down behind those expensive walls and good deeds resides sin, continual sin that takes a lot of grace and forgiveness by our loving Savior Jesus Christ to cover with His blood. No amount of good deeds or our successful living removes the stain of sin….only by the blood of Jesus Christ.

 

Maybe you have been trying to live a righteous life through your good deeds and successes. No amount of deeds or success will save you, only Jesus Christ. Once you accept Him into your life, your sin stained life turns to a righteous white in His eyes. Stop trying to do it on your own and accept Jesus, so you wont have to mask the sin any longer, just admit your sins daily and live a confident life knowing your eternal home is in Heaven! Come to Him today and receive your eternal coloring….never again will you thirst in this lifetime! God bless!

And whenever you stand praying, if you have anything against anyone, forgive him, that your father in heaven may also forgive you your trespasses. But if you do not forgive, neither will your Father in heaven forgive your trespasses. Mark 11:25-26

Have you ever washed your car then driven down the road and had a huge bug splatter on the windshield? That clean windshield is now marred by bug guts. As you drive down the road, your eyes constantly go back to the bug splatter....eventually it will drive you nuts and you'll get a rag to clean it off. 

Today's passage talks about forgiving others. As a Christian your sins are forgiven...no doubt. So how can our "unforgiveness" of an offender cause Jesus to not forgive our sins? First off, your salvation in Christ is like that newly cleaned car. Once dirty, now clean by the precious blood of Jesus Christ sacrifice for your sins. But, if we hold back forgiveness towards someone,  it's like that clean window now messed up in bug splatter. That person becomes your focus...and your view of God is limited at best. 

You see, God is all about love and forgiveness. If you are one with Him, how can He forgive your sins if you counter what He stands for and His very purpose in your life? Unforgiveness hinders our relationship with God. Until we remove that offender from our view of God, we won't have the "clear" view needed to be in total communication with Him. Forgiveness is a must in a Christian's life. 

Forgive and forget. Tough words, even tougher when the offender has done something so painful to you. Yet, as Jesus Christ hung on the cross and endured the physical and verbal abuse of his offenders...He still had enough love in His heart to forgive them. "Father, forgive them for they know not what they do.". If Jesus can forgive the ones who took His life, you can forgive your offenders with His help. Restore your relationship back to good by forgiving others....you will have that clear view of God in your life once again. Forgive someone today. God bless.