My downfall!

Romans 12

 ¹⁴ Bless those who persecute you; bless and do not curse. ¹⁵ Rejoice with those who rejoice; mourn with those who mourn. ¹⁶ Live in harmony with one another. Do not be proud, but be willing to associate with people of low position.^[c] Do not be conceited.

 ¹⁷ Do not repay anyone evil for evil. Be careful to do what is right in the eyes of everyone. ¹⁸ If it is possible, as far as it depends on you, live at peace with everyone. ¹⁹ Do not take revenge, my dear friends, but leave room for God’s wrath, for it is written: “It is mine to avenge; I will repay,”^[d] says the Lord. ²⁰ On the contrary:

Sometimes these verses really hit me square between the eyes. I am not good at following through with these commands. I'm not good at living in harmony with those I think have mistreated me. I don't like to build relationships with those who create conflict in my life. I would much rather seek revenge than live at peace. At the very least I would prefer to just avoid them. Lord forgive me. 

I need to change. I'm hoping I am not the only one who has this problem. I can look back and see that most of the time I AM in control of living at peace with my enemies. But, I usually choose not to. It is not for us to avenge and repay. We/I am not to pay evil for evil. We are supposed to live at peace with EVERYONE, not just the people we like. 

Dear Lord, Forgive me for how I treat people. Help  me to love those that I do not love. Help me to be more like you Lord in how I treat my enemies. Help me to leave avenging wrong to you. Change me Lord! Amen!

Where would Jesus preach?

Acts 11

 ⁹ “The voice spoke from heaven a second time, ‘Do not call anything impure that God has made clean.’ ¹⁰This happened three times, and then it was all pulled up to heaven again.....................

 ¹⁵ “As I began to speak, the Holy Spirit came on them as he had come on us at the beginning. ¹⁶ Then I remembered what the Lord had said: ‘John baptized with^[a] water, but you will be baptized with^[b] the Holy Spirit.’ ¹⁷ So if God gave them the same gift he gave us who believed in the Lord Jesus Christ, who was I to think that I could stand in God’s way?”

 ¹⁸ When they heard this, they had no further objections and praised God, saying, “So then, even to Gentiles God has granted repentance that leads to life.”

After Jesus death and resurrection, the disciples started preaching to the gentiles, or non-jewish, people. It wasn't easy. It was so against there upbringing. But, slowly the Holy Spirit changed them. If it weren't for that change, you and I would not be followers today. 

Who are the present day gentiles? Who are the people no one wants to preach to? What group of people do christians ignore? I think one of those groups are bikers, drug dealers, hookers, drunks, addicts, and the like. Don't you think Jesus himself would go to preach to these people. I don't think he would spend as much time in churches as we do. I think he would go to them. Who needs him more? Where are you being called to preach? Where would Jesus want you to preach? Find it and GO!

The Arrogant should tremble

Romans 11

 ¹⁷ If some of the branches have been broken off, and you, though a wild olive shoot, have been grafted in among the others and now share in the nourishing sap from the olive root, ¹⁸ do not consider yourself to be superior to those other branches. If you do, consider this: You do not support the root, but the root supports you. ¹⁹ You will say then, “Branches were broken off so that I could be grafted in.” ²⁰ Granted. But they were broken off because of unbelief, and you stand by faith. Do not be arrogant, but tremble. ²¹ For if God did not spare the natural branches, he will not spare you either.

Rich Mullins has a song that helps us realize we need God!

I have had so many times in my life where I thought I was invincible, only to come crashing to Earth. Christians are just as arrogant, maybe more, than non-christians. Somehow we take God's promise and take that to mean WE are untouchable. Our Arrogance can really get us into trouble. God brings us to our senses. All the gifts and blessings we have are from the GRACE of God. They are not by our own power. They are not because of our great works! We must remain humble and pray for God's strength through all times. When things are going great and we feel invincible we need to praise God for his blessings and his wonderful Grace.

I'm not special!

Acts 10

 ³⁴ Then Peter began to speak: “I now realize how true it is that God does not show favoritism ³⁵ but accepts from every nation the one who fears him and does what is right. ³⁶ You know the message God sent to the people of Israel, announcing the good news of peace through Jesus Christ, who is Lord of all. ³⁷ You know what has happened throughout the province of Judea, beginning in Galilee after the baptism that John preached— ³⁸ how God anointed Jesus of Nazareth with the Holy Spirit and power, and how he went around doing good and healing all who were under the power of the devil, because God was with him.

I am nobody special. God has certainly blessed me and my family. But, I am not special. In the United States, we think of ourselves as being special, God's chosen people. We have thought of ourselves as a nation set apart by God. We have thought of ourselves as being a "Christian" nation. I'm not bashing our country. I love the USA and will defend her with my life. But, we are not special. All nations that do what is right and fear the Lord are treated the same. The Holy Spirit has been given to all those who fear and love the Lord. The blessings are the same. 

The early Jewish Christians thought of themselves as being set apart. But, God continually made it known to them, this was not true. He opened the eyes of Peter in this story about Cornelius. Peter was amazed but he could not deny what God had done. 

God loves all of us. He does not show favorites. Praise God!

A little Knowledge can be dangerous!

Romans 10

 ¹ Brothers and sisters, my heart’s desire and prayer to God for the Israelites is that they may be saved. ²For I can testify about them that they are zealous for God, but their zeal is not based on knowledge. ³ Since they did not know the righteousness of God and sought to establish their own, they did not submit to God’s righteousness. ⁴ Christ is the culmination of the law so that there may be righteousness for everyone who believes.

 ⁵ Moses writes this about the righteousness that is by the law: “The person who does these things will live by them.”^[a] 6 But the righteousness that is by faith says: “Do not say in your heart, ‘Who will ascend into heaven?’”^[b] (that is, to bring Christ down) ⁷ “or ‘Who will descend into the deep?’”^[c] (that is, to bring Christ up from the dead). ⁸ But what does it say? “The word is near you; it is in your mouth and in your heart,”^[d]that is, the message concerning faith that we proclaim:

I'm not a biblical scholar, but I did sleep at a Holiday Inn Express! I love those commercials. A little knowledge is definitely dangerous when it comes to knowing the word of God. So many people think they are experts. I have found my knowledge of the scriptures is changing all the time. Just when I think I have read it all, I am hit with something new. The Bible is the living word of God. It is not something to be mastered. As your life changes, the Bible changes with you. 

We need to be zealous for the word of God. We need to keep the word near us. We need to read it and live it with our hearts. Our faith is not really faith if we are not close to the word of God. I have gotten so I can spot a "Wordless" Christian a mile away. They speak in cliches, religious speak, and don't really have the word in their heart. READ GODS WORD! READ IT! STUDY IT! LIVE IT! Don't just rely on what you've heard. Don't be spoon fed on Sunday mornings. Chew on the words yourself. Open your heart to the Holy Spirit speaking to you THROUGH the word of God. Not many really give it a chance. I can speak from personal experience that I can't get enough because how it speaks to me where I am right now. It speaks to every situation I have ever faced. Wether Good times or Bad. Through loss or gain. It is alive. It is relevant. It is real! 

3 Days!

Acts 9

Saul’s Conversion

 ¹ Meanwhile, Saul was still breathing out murderous threats against the Lord’s disciples. He went to the high priest ² and asked him for letters to the synagogues in Damascus, so that if he found any there who belonged to the Way, whether men or women, he might take them as prisoners to Jerusalem. ³ As he neared Damascus on his journey, suddenly a light from heaven flashed around him. ⁴ He fell to the ground and heard a voice say to him, “Saul, Saul, why do you persecute me?”

 ⁵ “Who are you, Lord?” Saul asked.

   “I am Jesus, whom you are persecuting,” he replied. ⁶ “Now get up and go into the city, and you will be told what you must do.”

 ⁷ The men traveling with Saul stood there speechless; they heard the sound but did not see anyone. ⁸ Saul got up from the ground, but when he opened his eyes he could see nothing. So they led him by the hand into Damascus. ⁹ For three days he was blind, and did not eat or drink anything.

This is my absolute most favorite story in the Bible. I have always been so fascinated with Paul. I have mentioned this in the past. His conversion is amazing. But, I have always been so curious about what happened in the 3 days after his encounter with the Lord. We know how he went blind and we know about his healing. But, we don't know much about the days in between. So, How would you react to being stricken blind? Paul knew what had happened to him and we do find our in a couple of verses that he was praying. We also know he had a vision of Ananias coming to his rescue. 

I believe that directly after the events on the Road to Damascus, God began to prepare Paul for his ministry. Paul was a very smart man and had great knowledge of scripture. Even being blind I am sure he began to search the scriptures. I am sure he racked his brains reviewing what happened. He argued, battled, and quizzed the maker of Heaven and Earth. I'm sure God spoke to him. He was convinced to change his perspective. God took away his sight, but opened his eyes to the true meaning of scripture. Paul was at the lowest point of his life and yet God was working. God is always at work in our lives. Even when we are weak and all hope is gone. God is at work. His plan is in motion. Paul prayed to God. He saw visions from God. He was healed. He went out to fulfill Gods plan. God changed Paul in 3 days. I bet if we opened ourselves up to God for 3 days, he would change us too! God wants your attention. He wants 3 days of your focus. He will speak to you. He will bless you. He will heal you! Try it! you never know how God will use you.

God's Choice!

Romans 9

 ¹⁴ What then shall we say? Is God unjust? Not at all! ¹⁵ For he says to Moses,

   “I will have mercy on whom I have mercy,
   and I will have compassion on whom I have compassion.”^[f]

 ¹⁶ It does not, therefore, depend on human desire or effort, but on God’s mercy. ¹⁷ For Scripture says to Pharaoh: “I raised you up for this very purpose, that I might display my power in you and that my name might be proclaimed in all the earth.”^[g] 18 Therefore God has mercy on whom he wants to have mercy, and he hardens whom he wants to harden.

When bad things happen it is so easy to blame God. We can even get mad at him. But, if you look at things realistically. What do we deserve? Does God OWE us anything at all? What have we done for him compared to what he has done for us?

These verses say it all. God has every right to have compassion on those he wants to have compassion. It's God's choice. There is nothing we can do. His mercy and grace are his own. We don't have to worry about measuring up to some standard because the standard is to high. God doesn't have to, but he DOES show us mercy and grace. 

So many people don't choose to follow Christ because they are TOO BAD. Some view God as some Dictator who is smiling as he judges and punishes us. There is nothing further from the truth. We are all TOO BAD. God doesn't measure sin like we do. He doesn't sentence one sin for life and the other sin to death. All sin leads to death and we are all guilty of sin. When we ask God to forgive us and open our heart to him, all of our sin, no matter how big or how bad, is gone. The death sentence is gone with it and we are then given life eternal.  Our sins pain God. He feels our pain. He felt all the pain of our sin when he sent his son to die on the cross. He wiped it out with the most compassionate thing he could do. He sacrificed his own son for us when we didn't deserve it. 

I love knowing that my God is a God of compassion. I love knowing my God is the God of grace and mercy. Thank You Lord. I know I deserve so much worse!

Go!

Acts 8

 ²⁶ Now an angel of the Lord said to Philip, “Go south to the road—the desert road—that goes down from Jerusalem to Gaza.” ²⁷ So he started out, and on his way he met an Ethiopian^[a] eunuch, an important official in charge of all the treasury of the Kandake (which means “queen of the Ethiopians”). This man had gone to Jerusalem to worship, ²⁸ and on his way home was sitting in his chariot reading the Book of Isaiah the prophet.²⁹ The Spirit told Philip, “Go to that chariot and stay near it.”

 ³⁰ Then Philip ran up to the chariot and heard the man reading Isaiah the prophet. “Do you understand what you are reading?” Philip asked.

 ³¹ “How can I,” he said, “unless someone explains it to me?” So he invited Philip to come up and sit with him.

 ³² This is the passage of Scripture the eunuch was reading:

   “He was led like a sheep to the slaughter,
   and as a lamb before its shearer is silent,
   so he did not open his mouth.
³³ In his humiliation he was deprived of justice.
   Who can speak of his descendants?
   For his life was taken from the earth.”^[b]

 ³⁴ The eunuch asked Philip, “Tell me, please, who is the prophet talking about, himself or someone else?” ³⁵Then Philip began with that very passage of Scripture and told him the good news about Jesus.

 ³⁶ As they traveled along the road, they came to some water and the eunuch said, “Look, here is water. What can stand in the way of my being baptized?” ^{[37] [c] 38} And he gave orders to stop the chariot. Then both Philip and the eunuch went down into the water and Philip baptized him. ³⁹ When they came up out of the water, the Spirit of the Lord suddenly took Philip away, and the eunuch did not see him again, but went on his way rejoicing. ⁴⁰ Philip, however, appeared at Azotus and traveled about, preaching the gospel in all the towns until he reached Caesarea.

I love this chapter of Acts. Philip is a great follower of Christ. Why? Because he listened to God and his messengers. He was open to the possibility of meeting someone who needs Christ. He was paying attention and seized on the opportunity. He was also ready. He knew exactly what the Ethiopian was reading. He know what it meant and easily explained it. He shared the message of what Christ had done and he won another convert. God wasn't done with him and whisked him away to reach more. He was busy for Christ!

How many opportunities have I had that have passed me by? How many times has God spoken to me to take action and I didn't? How prepared am I to share? 

We are told to Go. But, so few of us do. Where are we to go? Well, God has placed us where we are right now. He has sent us to our schools, work, communities, sporting events, recreations, festivals, and a multitude of other places. He has sent us and we need to keep our eyes and ears open to the guiding of the spirit. God does not rest. He has provided us opportunities. We just have to be ready and willing to share. We need to be like Philip. Pray for people to be placed in your life that need Jesus. Pray that you will recognize the need and then prepare to share. Don't just go in "cold turkey". You need to be preparing right now. You need to spend time in Gods word and study it with all  your heart. You need to be open to it's meaning in your own life. You need to realize the experiences God has given you. Develop YOUR STORY and then share it. WHen you are ready it will happen. When you are open to the leading of the Spirit, you will be amazed at where you go. 

PEACE AND LIFE!

Romans 8

 ⁵ Those who live according to the flesh have their minds set on what the flesh desires; but those who live in accordance with the Spirit have their minds set on what the Spirit desires. ⁶ The mind governed by the flesh is death, but the mind governed by the Spirit is life and peace. ⁷ The mind governed by the flesh is hostile to God; it does not submit to God’s law, nor can it do so. ⁸ Those who are in the realm of the flesh cannot please God.

Have you ever met anyone "Hostile" to God. If you spend all your Christian life in Church you probably haven't. But trust me, there are people hostile to God. They hate the Church, they hate the "institution" and they hate anyone who is associated with it.  They view Christ as the enemy to fun and living a full life. They don't know what they're missing. These same people also have a tendency being hostile toward anyone who disagrees with them. They hate their bosses. They hate their families. They hate their life. 

I know what the Bible says about life with Christ. "The mind governed by the Spirit is life and peace." If you've read this blog you know that my life is not always full of peace. But, I can tell you that I AM at Peace even through the tough times. I am completely amazed that I can remain at peace even when I feel the stress and pressure all around me. That has not always been true. But, the more I grow toward Christ, the more I grow in Peace. I may be asked to make some serious decisions over the next several months and yet I AM AT PEACE. I have been through so many troubling times, and survived. I am at complete peace. I do not feel hostile toward my enemies or those that are against me. I am at peace about who they are and what they are doing. I am at Peace because I am focusing on the Spirit. I can't imagine going through life feeling hostility toward other people and certainly can't imagine feeling hostility toward my creator. I am looking forward to eternal life with my God. I do not fear death because in Christ I will not see death. Peace and Life. Peace AND Life! PEACE AND LIFE!

Truth and Consequences

Acts 7

 ⁵¹ “You stiff-necked people! Your hearts and ears are still uncircumcised. You are just like your ancestors: You always resist the Holy Spirit! ⁵² Was there ever a prophet your ancestors did not persecute? They even killed those who predicted the coming of the Righteous One. And now you have betrayed and murdered him— ⁵³ you who have received the law that was given through angels but have not obeyed it.” ⁵⁴ When the members of the Sanhedrin heard this, they were furious and gnashed their teeth at him. ⁵⁵ But Stephen, full of the Holy Spirit, looked up to heaven and saw the glory of God, and Jesus standing at the right hand of God. ⁵⁶ “Look,” he said, “I see heaven open and the Son of Man standing at the right hand of God.”

 ⁵⁷ At this they covered their ears and, yelling at the top of their voices, they all rushed at him, ⁵⁸ dragged him out of the city and began to stone him. Meanwhile, the witnesses laid their coats at the feet of a young man named Saul.

 ⁵⁹ While they were stoning him, Stephen prayed, “Lord Jesus, receive my spirit.” ⁶⁰ Then he fell on his knees and cried out, “Lord, do not hold this sin against them.” When he had said this, he fell asleep.

I love people who tell it like it is. Stephen never pulled punches. He just got through giving a replay of Jewish History and then he opened up with all barrels. He definitely touched a nerve and the people on hand made Stephen pay for telling them the truth. 

In todays society, we shy away from telling the truth if we think its not popular. Politicians just tell us what we want to hear. If it's painful it's not going to be said. When a candidate does  speak the truth, he is open season for stoning. God rewards those who speak his truth. As Christians we need to share his truth with sensitivity BUT we still need to speak the truth. We can't worry about being politically correct or hurting someone's feelings. We need to speak the truth so people can be saved from eternal death. We need to save them and they need to know the only way to salvation is through Jesus Christ. Sometimes sharing the truth will have consequences. Sometimes those consequences could even lead to death. But,  that death is only here on earth. The truth will always lead to life eternal.

My aching Body!

Romans 7--  ²² For in my inner being I delight in God’s law; ²³ but I see another law at work in me, waging war against the law of my mind and making me a prisoner of the law of sin at work within me. ²⁴ What a wretched man I am! Who will rescue me from this body that is subject to death? ²⁵ Thanks be to God, who delivers me through Jesus Christ our Lord! So then, I myself in my mind am a slave to God’s law, but in my sinful nature^[d] a slave to the law of sin.

My body is getting old. When we have home football games, my body is always so sore on Saturday? Sometimes it even lingers to Sunday! Today is no different. I hauled about 100 cases of pop this week, painted the football field, set-up tents, tables, chairs, and set the sideline tarps, plus all the regular duties of homecoming, volleyball and soccer games. I got up this morning to do a little cleanup at the field and went to watch my grandaughter in her Cross Country Meet. All this PHYSICAL activity has caught up to me and I just had to take a LONG nap this afternoon. I meant to sleep for an hour and slept for 3 hours. (It felt good!) When I finally got up, I could barely move. Every bone in my body aches. I feel like I'm about 70 years old.

As I get older and older this "wretched body" needs some serious rescue. Spiritually, I need the same rescue. My spiritual body is also weak. I constantly fight and weary from the battle over sin. Like Paul I know what I should do, but have a hard time doing it. Praise God that he provides the strength and the healing for my sinful nature. What he did on the cross defeats the sin within me. I am healed through Christ. 

It's going to take some time to heal my body. My heart will also be healed, in time, and I will get to spend eternity with my savior. The ultimate healing will be mine.

Wisdom!

Acts 6

 ⁸ Now Stephen, a man full of God’s grace and power, performed great wonders and signs among the people. ⁹Opposition arose, however, from members of the Synagogue of the Freedmen (as it was called)—Jews of Cyrene and Alexandria as well as the provinces of Cilicia and Asia—who began to argue with Stephen. ¹⁰ But they could not stand up against the wisdom the Spirit gave him as he spoke.


I have talked about wisdom often. But, Wisdom is one of my favorite things to pray for. I don't think I am particularly smart. I did great in College and had a great GPA. I earned honors when i graduated with my Bachelors Degree in Mathematics, but I still don't think I'm smart. 


To me, wisdom is better than being smart. Wisdom has a whole lot more to do with knowing God than an I.Q. Oh, to be wise and full of the wisdom from God. Just like Stephen, if you are fortunate to gain wisdom, no one can stand up to you. Once people realize you possess wisdom, you will be a busy man. God is the creator of all things and possessor of all wisdom. 


Please dear Lord supply me with wisdom when I work, when I am with my family, and when I make decisions. Lord grant me a small piece of your perfect wisdom to look at the choices I have an know which is of God and which are not. Please Lord grant me wisdom in speaking to those who do not know you. Give me wise words when looked to for counsel. Grant me wisdom Lord. Amen!

Slavery

Romans 6

¹⁶ Don’t you know that when you offer yourselves to someone as obedient slaves, you are slaves of the one you obey—whether you are slaves to sin, which leads to death, or to obedience, which leads to righteousness? ¹⁷ But thanks be to God that, though you used to be slaves to sin, you have come to obey from your heart the pattern of teaching that has now claimed your allegiance. ¹⁸ You have been set free from sin and have become slaves to righteousness.

In the United States, slavery has blackened the eye of our nation. The battle to free the slaves was the most deadly war our nation has ever been a part of. So when we read about slaves in the Bible, our perspective is nothing but NEGATIVE! Being a slave to sin is just as negative. But, the institution of slavery only gets a negative reputation because the masters treated the slaves terribly. Our slavery to SIN is bad because it leads to our death. But, slavery to Christ or righteousness leads to life. So in that case slavery can be a great thing. 

We don't want to become slaves of an evil task master. We want to be slaves to the creator of the universe. We want to be slaves to the master who promises us eternal life and freedom for following him.

A slave must follow, without question, the master. The slave must work tirelessly for the master. When the master is blessed the slave is blessed. When we honor Christ, we will be honored. A good slave is loyal to the master. A bad slave fights the master and wants to escape. 

Be a good slave to the one who has proven his dedication to you. To be a slave to Christ is the greatest joy anyone could have. Thank You Lord for being my master. Thank You for loving me so much that you died and were raised so i would not have to die and could live forever. 

Why?

Romans 5

 ¹Therefore being justified by faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ:²By whom also we have access by faith into this grace wherein we stand, and rejoice in hope of the glory of God.³And not only so, but we glory in tribulations also: knowing that tribulation worketh patience;

⁴And patience, experience; and experience, hope: ⁵And hope maketh not ashamed; because the love of God is shed abroad in our hearts by the Holy Ghost which is given unto us.

No one likes to go through trials and tribulations. I feel confident in that statement. I have gone through and will go through tribulations in my life. It is a whole lot easier to look back at those trials than it is to be in the midst of them. Trust me. But these verses are meant to give us a glimpse at the answer to the toughest question of all. WHY? This simple one word question might be the most popular question of all time. I can't begin to tell you how many times I have asked God, Why? and you know what? I always get an answer. I don't get an immediate answer. The answer almost never comes DURING the trial. I only see the answer after I've been through it and have had enough time pass. The answer isn't always what I want to hear. God knows me better than anyone. He knows my weaknesses and he knows what suffering I need in order to strengthen my character. I always get an answer. I have never gone through a trial where I have not grown in the hope of Christ. I will repeat that. I HAVE NEVER GONE THROUGH A TRIAL WHERE I HAVE NOT GROWN IN THE HOPE OF CHRIST!

Eventually, I will be able to have that same hope during the midst of the suffering. As I go through times of pain and then times when the pain ends, I gain experience. As I gain experience, I realize the trial will not last forever. I will make it through. As I gain enough experience dealing with multiple sufferings, I will gain patience. As I gain patience through those trials, I will become more aware my eternal hope which is  Jesus. When we get to the point where we can GLORY in the tribulation, we truly Glorify God and our savior Jesus Christ. When we get to the point where we can focus on Jesus even in the midst of the pain, we will be able to feel the presence of the Holy Spirit and God himself.

I'm not there, but I am moving in that direction with God right by my side. Praise God!

Fighting against God

Acts 5

 ³³ When they heard this, they were furious and wanted to put them to death. ³⁴ But a Pharisee named Gamaliel, a teacher of the law, who was honored by all the people, stood up in the Sanhedrin and ordered that the men be put outside for a little while. ³⁵ Then he addressed the Sanhedrin: “Men of Israel, consider carefully what you intend to do to these men. ³⁶ Some time ago Theudas appeared, claiming to be somebody, and about four hundred men rallied to him. He was killed, all his followers were dispersed, and it all came to nothing. ³⁷ After him, Judas the Galilean appeared in the days of the census and led a band of people in revolt. He too was killed, and all his followers were scattered. ³⁸ Therefore, in the present case I advise you: Leave these men alone! Let them go! For if their purpose or activity is of human origin, it will fail. ³⁹ But if it is from God, you will not be able to stop these men; you will only find yourselves fighting against God.”

Gamaliel was a wise man. Many of us could take his advice. We often forget that God is in charge. We feel like we have to fight his battles for him. But, he is God. He not only fights his own battles, he wins them all. 

Have you ever faced a tough decision and fretted and stressed about it? I certainly have. I constantly worry if I am following God's plan for my life. Am I listening to God or my own sinful, selfish thoughts. Really, this is a silly question for a Christian. When we turn our lives to Christ and trust him to guide us, we don't need to worry or fret. If it's of God it will happen. If it's not, it will fail.

I trust God to guide my life through the mine fields. I trust him to get me through the tough times and continue to move me forward in his plan. I Love the Lord and know he is FOR me, not against me. I don't have to fight God. I know he wishes the best for me and my family. I know that I must accept all my life as a part of his perfect plan. He knows what's best for me. I trust him even if it's painful. I trust him even when the darkness seems to envelope me. He is my Lord and Savior. He has power over all things and over everyone. I do not need to worry. God is in control! I'm not going to fight him. I'm going to trust him.

Good vs Evil - 9/11

10 years ago today. America was attacked by evil. The result was the toppling of the Twin Towers, destruction of the Pentagon, and a plane full of true Americans crashing into the Pennsylvania countryside. It was a sad day. It was a day of awakening. It was a day where our nation came together to face adversity.

We lost many innocent lives on that day. We have lost many good young men fighting that evil over the past 10 years. It truly is about Good vs Evil. I know our country is far from perfect. We are the most Christian nation on Earth, but we have continued to turn our back on God. We have done wrong when we try to topple foreign governments or kill their leaders. We have been arrogant at times and our judgment is not always just. Even in all our sinfulness, we are still a compassionate nation like no other. We contribute money and resources throughout the world to fight aids, hunger, to support human rights, improve the environment, and help the cause of freedom. Those that are trying to kill us are evil.  We are not evil. Our nation is a good and caring nation. We try to help and in our efforts, sometimes we fail. Sometimes we make things worse. But, we must continue to fight evil. We must continue to have compassion for others. We must continue to try to make this world a better place, even at the risk of making mistakes. We can not let evil dictators kill their own people. We can not let women be treated as property. We can not standby when a nation dies of hunger while its military and leaders steal from the country. We can't let the color of someone's skin or their religious choosing determine wether they live or die.

We must fight for the freedoms of others throughout this planet. God has given us the ability to choose our own destiny. He does so even if we choose poorly. People need to be free to choose, even if they do so poorly. I will do everything I can to help them choose Christ and eternal life. I want the opportunity to be able to share that message. I don't want to force them. I just want the chance to tell them of the love of Christ. They will need to choose. But, without freedom, they won't even get the chance to choose. That's what evil wants. Evil doesn't want people to have the opportunity to choose because it knows the power of the message.

Today is a day to remember. It is a day to remember those that have lost their lives, but it is also a day to remember that we are in a battle. We are in a battle every single day we walk this earth. We are in a battle of Good vs Evil. The great news is Good will win because Jesus has already won us the victory on the cross. It's just a matter of time. The bad news is, many people don't know the victory in Jesus. The true Battle is being able to have the opportunity to tell them. We all need to join the army to fight that battle. That battle must be won! Good vs Evil. Life vs Death.

The PROOF!

Acts 4

 ¹³ When they saw the courage of Peter and John and realized that they were unschooled, ordinary men, they were astonished and they took note that these men had been with Jesus. ¹⁴ But since they could see the man who had been healed standing there with them, there was nothing they could say. ¹⁵ So they ordered them to withdraw from the Sanhedrin and then conferred together. ¹⁶ “What are we going to do with these men?” they asked. “Everyone living in Jerusalem knows they have performed a notable sign, and we cannot deny it. ¹⁷ But to stop this thing from spreading any further among the people, we must warn them to speak no longer to anyone in this name.”

I have a Bachelors Degree in Mathematics. I loved teaching Math. I especially loved teaching Geometry with all of it's postulates, theorems, and proofs. My mind is wired for Math. That part of me, created by God, is also a big reason why I am a follower of Christ!? Yep, I can prove Christ is who he says he is. 

Today I attended a motorcycle event called "Ride for Recovery". This event is organized by the area county drug and alcohol rehab organizations. At the end of the ride we got to hear the testimony of 4 men. These men know the power of a real GOD because they have seen it. To hear their stories. To hear how they came to be sober and clean from drugs is literally a miracle with no explanation except GOD. To hear how they all, skeptically, came to rely on God to keep them sober is proof enough for anyone. They all had experiences where they tried with God, were successful. Then they forgot God and failed. Then tried with God again and were successful again. They know why they are sober. They know why it's so important for them to keep God at the center of their lives.

I can also tell you, with my own life, why I am where I am right now. I can tell you how I've gotten through tough times. I can tell you how a handle my struggles. It's GOD. I am Proof. These men are Proof. GOD IS REAL. 

Turn to him now. Ask him in your heart. Ask forgiveness of your sins. Ask him to change you from inside out. He's real. I am the Proof!

Faith: Letting God be God!

Romans 4

 ¹⁸ Against all hope, Abraham in hope believed and so became the father of many nations, just as it had been said to him, “So shall your offspring be.”^[d] 19 Without weakening in his faith, he faced the fact that his body was as good as dead—since he was about a hundred years old—and that Sarah’s womb was also dead. ²⁰ Yet he did not waver through unbelief regarding the promise of God, but was strengthened in his faith and gave glory to God, ²¹ being fully persuaded that God had power to do what he had promised.

God promised Abraham to be the father of many nations. Yet, he did not even have any offspring of his own. He was 100 years old and he could feel his body aging beyond his ability to have a child. How could he be so strong in his faith? He did not waver. The reason is in verse 21. He was persuaded that God had the power to do what he promised. 

I think it's been clear that I have been very frustrated lately. But, don't think that I am wavering in my faith. In a very small way I'm like Abraham. I am fully persuaded that God has the power to do the best for me. I do not  understand why and I'm not loving what's happening. But, I have complete faith that God is in control. I don't need to know why. I just need to be patient and let God be God. In my 51 years of life, God has done amazing things. He has never forsaken me. He has never left me and I can always look back and see how his hand has guided me on the correct path. He will certainly not let me down now. 

God is my God. I love him and have faith in his perfect power and wisdom. All Glory belongs to God.  

God's Play Book!

Romans 3

 ⁹ What shall we conclude then? Do we have any advantage? Not at all! For we have already made the charge that Jews and Gentiles alike are all under the power of sin. ¹⁰ As it is written:“There is no one righteous, not even one; ¹¹ there is no one who understands; there is no one who seeks God. ¹² All have turned away, they have together become worthless; there is no one who does good, not even one.”^[b] 

Have you ever met a Christian who thinks they are better than everybody? I have. They act as Judge and Executioner for everyone, even fellow Christians. But, they are the most critical of non-christians. How can we "Go out into all the world..", if we don't get in there and associate with non-christians? And how can we get out into all the world if all we are doing is judging and executing!

We, as Christians, do not have an advantage. We are sinners. "There is no one righteous, not even one." I love it when a "gang" of christians adopts a non-christian and makes them part of the gang. It can be done without judgement, without sacrificing your values. It needs to be done. How else can you build relationships enough to have the opportunity to share Jesus. Are you going to go up to a stranger and convince them of Jesus love? NO. You need to actually share that love. Show them you care with all the sincerity that you have. I have a great Christian coaching staff that has done this time and again. They aren't perfect. But, many of them have brought in outsiders and made them an important part of the staff. Some of them change and some of them don't. But, they keep trying. They keep building those relationships. They keep loving the people they're around and sharing the Love of Jesus through their actions. We should all take a page out of that play book!

Dear Lord, Forgive us for acting as God and judging those who don't know you. Help us to realize we are sinners. Help us to realize we have no advantage except through the grace you have given us. Help us to spend our time building relationships with people and not looking down on anyone. You love all of them and so should we. Amen!

I am not the creator of the Sun!

Acts 3

 ¹¹ While the man held on to Peter and John, all the people were astonished and came running to them in the place called Solomon’s Colonnade. ¹² When Peter saw this, he said to them: “Fellow Israelites, why does this surprise you? Why do you stare at us as if by our own power or godliness we had made this man walk? 


I have said it before. I will say it many times. I am nothing. As a matter of fact, I am less than nothing. Peter and John would say the same thing. They had just witnessed the power of God through the healing of a lame man. To the people in the temple, John and Peter performed the miracle. John and Peter knew better.


I wish more people were like John and Peter. Our society and this entire planet is filled with people who act as if their own power and "godliness" were the reason for their success. We see it in politicians, business people, pastors, athletes, educators, musicians, actors, and almost every other walk of life. There is no power except that granted by the God of the Universe. Yet, so many people never acknowledge the giver of power. God, in his grace, provides us with gifts and blessings. Yet, we ignore him and his power. We take the credit he deserves. Can we take credit for the stars in the sky? Do we cause the sun and moon to rise and set? What power do we have to change the seasons or create a tree?  We can not take credit for these things and we certainly can not take credit for the blessings God has granted.


Dear Lord, I beg your forgiveness for my arrogance. I know you are the true giver of strength and power. You are the giver of success and failure. You hold all the answers. We have no success except through you. Thank You for those gifts. Thank You for your grace, mercy, and love. Amen!

Acting is better than listening!

Acts 2

 ¹ When the day of Pentecost came, they were all together in one place. ² Suddenly a sound like the blowing of a violent wind came from heaven and filled the whole house where they were sitting. ³ They saw what seemed to be tongues of fire that separated and came to rest on each of them. ⁴ All of them were filled with the Holy Spirit and began to speak in other tongues^[a] as the Spirit enabled them.


This summer when Stephanie and I were on vacation. We were in our camper and  it poured down rain. If you've never been in a heavy rain storm in a pop-up camper, it is loud.  The camper worked great and we stayed "High and Dry" (Thanks Time-Out Campers!) We also had issues with the Wind. It was just like the rain. It was LOUD! But, it would be even more amazing to have the sound of the rain or the sound of the wind WITHOUT THE RAIN OR WIND!


This magnificent day the God of the Universe sent a gift to his followers. He sent his spirit to live with us in our daily lives. Thus the completion of the Trinity - Father/Son/Holy Spirit.  We are so blessed to be given this Spirit of our Lord to guide us and speak to our hearts, minds, and souls. 


My problem, like many others, I don't always listen to the guiding of the Spirit. Even though God speaks to us like the voice of a violent wind or the pounding of a heavy rain, we are deaf to him. I wonder how much easier and fulfilling my life would be if I just listened to the guiding of the Holy Spirit. Sure, I pray. I even ask for guidance. But, saying you want guidance and accepting that guidance are two completely different things. I so often blame God when things don't go well, but many times it's my fault for not listening. It's my fault for not acting on the guidance of this great gift God has given. Please forgive me Lord!