I will protect the innocent

John 3:19 -- And the judgment is based on this fact: God’s light came into the world, but people loved the darkness more than the light, for their actions were evil.
We need to fight evil. With all of our heart we need to fight agains the wave of evil in this world. We need to stand up against evil dictators. We need to stand up against bomb wearing terrorists and we need to stand up against ruthless gun wielding crazy men. 
I am so tired of hearing the political debate that has paralyzed us against the evil of this world. Our churches preach love and tolerance in such a way that we let the evil of this world win while we cower in darkness. IT HAS TO STOP. YES, we need to love our neighbors but we need to prepare for the protection of God's children. I am talking about school children, but I am also talking about my christian brothers and sisters. Light will never return to this world until we stomp out evil 
What can you do?  Be prepared. I conceal carry. I am NOT ashamed to say it and everywhere I am ALLOWED to carry, I carry. I do not want to take the chance that my loved ones, my neighbors, and my friends will not be safe. 
So, I guess I am a gun toting, bible thumping, right wing Christian. I will go into this dark world and fight evil on all fronts. I will do everything I can to bring people to know Jesus and I will also promise I will stand against the evil that attempts to destroy the lives around me. 
PRAISE GOD for his love and the will to fight!

Thank You Billy!

John1:5The light shines in the darkness, and the darkness can never extinguish it.

1:5 Or and the darkness has not understood it.

Wow! 99 years. He was such a great servant of the Lord. Above the frey, and a leader to the leaders in our country. Billy Graham passed away yesterday. I saw his last post on social media. He was preaching to the end. He was trying to save the lost to his last breath. We have lost a great light in the darkness of this world. 

Who is going to step up and take his place? We can not let the Gospel die with this generation. We are desperately close to the message ending right here because we are too busy. We are too self-centered. We are to focused on wealth, power, and fame. We needed Billy Graham in the tumultuous times of the 60's and 70's. We need him right now. But, God has called him home. WE NEED TO TAKE HIS PLACE. We need to be the light that shines in the darkness. 

Dear Lord, we were blessed with your servant Billy Graham and the wonderful way he shared your message. I love you Lord. I want to be a servant in the likeness of Billy Graham. Not that I can reach the millions he did. But, I just want to save those I meet and live with every day. Dear Lord we pray for this generation. We pray we ALL draw closer to you. We love you and are so blessed to be your children. Guide our lives. Direct our thoughts, our words, and our actions. Shine your Light Through Us! Amen.

All or Nothing!

I Corinthians 10:31 - So whether you eat or drink, or whatever you do, do it all for the glory of God.
I recently read a book "Going All In" by Mark Batterson. This book opened my eyes to the truth that many Christians, including myself, walk through life only partially committed to Jesus. I live and inverted Gospel. I am more interested in Christ following me than me following Christ.  I am now concentrating my prayers and my devotions to one question;
God, What do YOU want me to do? 
I want to serve the Lord in the ways he wants me to serve. I want to get beyond the BORING DAILY ROUTINE of Christian rules and procedures to serve the Lord. I want to open my life to the excitement of a CHRIST CENTERED LIFE. One comment from this book made a huge impact. If life with Jesus is boring, we are not doing it right. We need to CONSECRATE ourselves to the Lord. We need to "set ourselves apart" for the service of the Lord. Do amazing things, not that we create, but we let the Lord do through us. 
Are you ALL IN? Are you just walking through the paces of life as a Christian?  You need to bust out of your routine. Life with the Creator of the Universe is meant to be a thrilling and wonderful adventure!

My most recent example of my AMAZING GOD!

Isaiah 64:4 -- For since the world began, no ear has heard and no eye has seen a God like you, who works for those who wait for him!

I hope I never overlook the amazing blessings God sends me everyday. It is so easy to just cruise through life while things are going well. I can take full credit for all the amazing things God has done for me. I just need to remember my God is unique. There is no one like him and his presence in my life is a gift of eternal magnitude. He has blessed me with the gift of being able to teach. I can not take credit for it. I am not bragging. I am just saying it is not through my own power and strength I am who I am. All I am is through the power of Christ who lives in me. The gifts  and blessings I have show up in some wildly amazing ways!

I have a great example. I have been looking for some unique way to raise money for the Christian Motorcyclist Association Annual "Run for the Son" fundraiser. I have seen so many awesome ways people have raised money and I have never really found that ONE thing I could do. Until about a month ago. Stephanie and I are preparing for retirement so we have been exploring supplemental income opportunities. Through Social Media, we found Varsity Tutors. We went through the process and were approved as tutors to do what GOD has gifted us to do, teach. We both committed that ANY money we make we would give to RFS 2018. WOW! God has honored that commitment. I have made over $500 for our wonderful ministry in just three short weeks. I am booked solid with tutoring appointments. There certainly is no God like my God. 

The more I see the power of God at work in my life, the more I want to serve him. He has blessed me beyond anything I could ever imagine. The more I release control over my life, the more I see his presence and power. PRAISE GOD for his wonderful power, mercy, and grace. 

At some point in your life

Psalm 34:10 New Living Translation (NLT)

10 Even strong young lions sometimes go hungry, but those who trust in the Lord will lack no good thing.

At some point in your life, you will struggle. I suspect that most of us will find a point in our life that seems hopeless. We will think the problems before us are permanent. All of us, from the rich to the poor, from the weak to the powerful, we will all go through a life filled with calamity. David certainly had his ups and downs. This great man of faith had power and fame, yet he also felt many times of hopelessness. I am amazed that he always found a way to praise God. He found a way to look out of his calamity and look to the Lord with joy. 

I am nothing special. I have seen absolute joy in my life and I have suffered times when I thought I could not continue. I wish I could tell you I had the same resilience David had. I am not that strong. However, I can tell you that God is the only reason I am here today. I have cried out in desperation to the Lord and he has always pulled me through. I can NOW look back in JOYFUL amazement because I can see the mighty hand of the Lord. I am a witness to the saving grace and power of my loving savior. I am here today because the Lord loved me so much that he promised to stay with me and help me down this sometimes rocky path of life. 

Turn your life to the Lord. The Lord will see you through. His power is available to everyone who seeks him. I can promise you, from the bottom of my heart, God knows your struggles. When you TOTALLY release your life to him, he will be faithful in ALL TIMES. HE will deliver you from the mouth of the Lion. I praise you Lord! Thank you for bringing me through the trials of this world. Amen!