And as it is appointed for men to die once, but after this the judgement. Hebrews 9:27

I hate to break it to you, but no one is getting out of here alive. We all have an appointment with death. Either by natural causes, suicide, an accident or murder; you have an exact date and time death will come knocking. Unfortunately, no one knows when that will occur. Many people try to extend that exact time through exercise, healthy living, living in a safe neighborhood..all those things are good and well but…..

One of the most common mistakes people make in life is putting off what needs to be done. Getting life insurance, living a healthier lifestyle, forgiving those who need it, telling loved ones how much they mean to you…the list is endless. Here lately I have seen and heard of people whose date with death was called too early and very unexpectantly.  

Friend, don’t delay what needs to be done before death. There are no second chances in life and its up to you to do right, forgive, love and be important in the lives of those who are close to you. One of the most important decisions you’ll ever make is to accept Jesus Christ into your life. He is the only way to secure your home in Heaven. This is one decision you never want to put off.

As today’s verse reminds us, we all have an appointment with death. Don’t delay the important decisions of life because tomorrow is never promised.  Do right today and find peace and blessings fall upon your life! God bless!

When you lie down, you will not be afraid; You, you will lie down and your sleep will be sweet. Proverbs 3:24

How’s your sleep? Hopefully its been good. When sleep is good, it seems like everything in life is good. But, when stress and the troubles of this world come knocking…sleep eludes us and we are up and down all night, fretting over things that are out of our control. Does that describe you? Maybe its time to turn your focus away from those troubles and let God take control.

Easier said than done, but it can be done when you learn to trust God with every element of your life. For me, I’ve found that praying about the situation and for the people involved in it changes things. Prayer directs God’s attention onto your problems, like squirting water on a fire. Your fire of trouble might be big and take a lot of prayer, but trust me, every minute in prayer is one more moment God is working to extinguish those flames of adversity.

Better sleep requires more prayer. Drugs, alcohol and prescription meds only cushion the problem. Prayer works to douse those flames so you can sleep with ease. Over time you’ll see your sleep is sweeter and you are refreshed for the new day. Trust God with your problems and see Him take you back to that restful night’s sleep you use to have as a child. God be with you and bless you friend!

But someone will say, “You have faith, and I have works.” Show me your faith without your works, and I will show you my faith by my works. James 2:18

This is my favorite time of year. All the hard work from farmers yields the fruits of their labor. Fruits, nuts and fresh vegetables for sale along the roadside or at fairs. Somehow all of these delicious foods appear and taste better than what’s sold in the stores. Fall is in the air! 😊

Today’s verse focusses on faith and the results of faith..”works.” So often people get the two turned around. They think that good works will save them, sadly this is not true. Faith is what saves someone from an eternity in Hell. Faith and trust in Jesus Christ to forgive sins and be free from eternal punishment. As a result of that faith, fruit should grow from your life. Fruits like spiritual growth, helping others in their walk with the Lord, leading a lost person to the Lord through your actions or words, serving God through your local church….the list is endless. Time devoted to God shows the depth of your faith.

Hows your spiritual life? Are you generating fruit for the Lord or are you simply a pew sitting Christian waiting on a blessing? I can assure you every minute you devote to God nourishes your relationship with Him and blessings will befall you as you continue to produce Godly fruit through your obedience to Him. Grow fruit today by spending time doing the Lord’s work. There are many lost souls hungering for God, be that fruit! God bless

My brethren, count it all joy when you fall into various trials, knowing that the testing of your faith produces patience. But let patience have its perfect work, that you may be perfect and complete, lacking nothing. James 1:2-4

These past 5 days have probably been some of the most challenging times I’ve experienced in a while. Between a tragic death at my work and a mix of turmoil, I am emotionally and physically drained. But through it all I was reminded that God is in control when I feel out of control. As I faced each crisis, I turned to God for help and I could clearly see Him working through each situation. For me, I was reminded to be patient and wait upon Him to work and get me through to the next item that required my attention.

Hopefully today will be a better day at work and for the people I come into contact with. I always need to remember that God has a plan and purpose for everything I encounter in life. And the same is true for you! Good or bad, God can use each moment to develop His character through your life. Patience, love, forgiveness, kindness, compassion; the list is endless, but they are good and you can nurture these traits through every trial in life.

We never stop learning and growing in our walk with the Lord. His work in your life is best accomplished when He has your attention. So, look for growth when the battle is on, God’s plan is growing you into something perfect and complete, lacking nothing! Grow today in the battle of life! God bless!

Then Jesus said to him, “Receive your sight; your faith has made you well.” Luke 18:42

In the passage Luke 18: 35 – 43 we read where a blind man heard that Jesus was passing by. This blind man heard that Jesus performed many miracles and now was his chance to obtain healing. From where he was located, in the back of the crowd, he yelled out for Jesus. After a few cries, Jesus heard him and asked to speak with him. Upon hearing his request to receive sight, Jesus spoke it and he was healed. His faith was all Jesus was looking for in this man.

Maybe you have a request from God. Call out to Him today with your need. And not just call out in hopes that He will respond; call out in faith and believe in Him. He might not heal you in the way you think you need, but He will do what’s necessary to sustain you for another day, to give you hope where hope has been diminished, to give you vision so you can see your way forward and wisdom so you can make better choices in life.

I am a living testament that He does answer our prayers. He might not respond in accordance to your schedule, but His response will align with His plan to bless and prosper you. He knows what’s best for your life, trust Him today with your request as you call out in faith!  God bless!

If you love Me, keep My commandments. John 14:15

While in a relationship, being faithful is a must. Its putting aside your desires for something or someone else and focusing on that one person. When you start exploring for someone better, your focus become obscured and that’s when relational troubles begin. And that’s one road you never want to go down.

As Christians, Jesus Christ gave us one simple command to show our love and devotion to Him, “keep My commandments”. Of course, those can be found in the bible. Therefore, to know His commandments and wisdom for life takes some time spent daily reading His word. You might think you don’t have time to read the bible, but I can assure you there is time in the day, you make priority for what’s important to you. If you find it difficult to spend time reading God’s word, maybe its time to question your priorities. Things, people and pleasures must have more of your focus than God. Its time to step back and reset those priorities so you can align yourself to receive God’s wisdom and blessings when you put Him number 1.

Find time today to read His word. Trust me, there is nothing more important than gaining spiritual wisdom so you can navigate life with confidence knowing God is guiding you. When He is your priority, you show your love and devotion to Him. Seek Him through His word today! God bless!

If your brother sins against you, rebuke him; and if he repents, forgive him. Luke 17:3

 

In my bible this passage text is in red, which means it came straight from the mouth of Jesus Christ. The One who displayed the ultimate form of forgiveness. Jesus has given us a lot of instructions for life, but I think the hardest one for many is forgiveness.

 

Pride often gets in the way of those who can’t forgive and forget. Pride is a stumbling block to completely following the Lords will. Maybe you’ve been wronged by someone, heard words said about you that brought pain or your heart was broken by someone you truly cared about. Friend, its time to LET GO of the pain, anger, hurt and move forward by forgiving your offender.

 

Forgive and forget. It’s a tall order. But, if you truly want to discover freedom in Christ, you will follow His example and get past your pride and emotions to forgive. It’s a freedom only Christ can provide, but the first step begins with you. Find forgiveness in your heart today! God bless!