My Thoughts - My Journey

Gifts of the Holy Spirit.....The Holy Spirit is manifested through a variety of spiritual gifts to build and sanctify the church, demonstrate the validity of the resurrection, and confirm the power of the Gospel. The Bible lists of these gifts are not necessarily exhaustive, and the gifts may occur in various combinations. All believers are commanded to earnestly desire the manifestation of the gifts in their lives. These gifts always operate in harmony with the Scriptures and should never be used in violation of Biblical parameters.  (Hebrews 2:4; Romans 1:11, 12:4-8; Ephesians 4:16; 1 Timothy 4:14; 2 Timothy 1:6-7; 1 Corinthians 12:1-31, 14:1-40; 1 Peter 4:10).

Solomon was crushed by the realization that on his own, he could not fashion a happiness or satisfaction that would endure beyond the momentary. In Ecclesiastes 3, he turned his expression of frustration on God who made him, concluding, “He has put eternity into man’s heart” (3:11). In this passage eternity refers to our deep and abiding awareness of something outside the boundaries of our senses. We are unique because we hunger for something the experiences of this planet ca nnot satisfy....a quest for eternity. The implications of Solomon’s statement are staggering....people are looking for the eternity God created for us to long for, but no one can find it on their own. What Solomon tried in vain to fill is woven into the fabric of human existence.  God designed us so we can’t find fulfillment or lasting enjoyment apart from this eternity. The more we try to satisfy our deepest longing by good and bad horizontal means, the more likely we are to miss God’s vertical invitation to e

This is so awesome! Imagine the Holy Spirit speaking to God on our behalf. For those that believe that the Holy Spirit gave us the Bible and then went back to heaven......wonder how they handle these verses.  smile emoticon  For me, it is very comforting. "And the Holy Spirit helps us in our weakness. For example, we don’t know what God wants us to pray for. But the Holy Spirit prays for us with groanings that cannot be expressed in words. And the Father who knows all hearts knows what the Spirit is saying, for the Spirit pleads for us believers[l] in harmony with God’s own will. And we know that God causes everything to work together for the good of those who love God and are called according to his purpose for them." Romans 8:26-28

Notice the text below....Jesus "stands at the door." He does not just open the door and walk in....He isn't going to knock the door down and force His way in. He knocks.... The next move is up to you and me. We must open the door and ask Him in. If you have not opened the door and accepted Jesus into your heart and life....He is standing, knocking...waiting patiently on YOU. † “Look! I stand at the door and knock. If you hear my voice and open the door, I will come in, and we will share a meal together as friends.Those who are victorious will sit with me on my throne, just as I was victorious and sat with my Father on his throne. Anyone with ears to hear must listen to the Spirit and understand what he is saying to the churches.” Revelation 3:20-22

Know that you are never alone. In the midst of sorrow, trials, heartbreak....He is right beside you. He will heal you, restore the broken, and He will fight the battles in your life....right along with you. Doesn't mean that all will be perfect in this life, but through Him, we will always win.....eternally. He is our Deliverer! Amen! † "The LORD is my rock, my fortress, and my deliverer; my God is my rock, in whom I find protection. He is my shield, the power that saves me, and my place of safety." ~ Psalm 18:2

Have you called on the name of the Lord in trusting faith? It is your beginning journey toward an eternal home. No one verse is all encompassing; however, we find eternal hope in these two verses. For "Everyone who calls on the name of the LORD will be saved." Romans 10:13 "And it shall come to pass that everyone who calls upon the name of the Lord shall be saved.: Acts 2:21

"But when you give a feast, invite the poor, the maimed, the lame, the blind, and you will be blessed, because they cannot repay you. You will be repaid at the resurrection of the just." ~ Luke 14:13 Do we "REALLY" take this scripture to heart and live accordingly? During this time of thanksgiving and celebrating, let's step outside our comfort zone and reach out to those who are in need. Great are His rewards! †

Jesus talking....."“He who is without sin among you, let him be the first to throw a stone...." ~ John 8:7 Who is qualified to throw stones at another? Not one of us. As humans, we might consider our sins as having different degrees; thereby, allowing us to cast stones at another IF their sin is worse than ours. Sin is sin; however, the consequences or results of various sins are different. One might lie, one might cheat, one might murder, another might commit adultery....varying results; however....sin none the less. Jesus said let the sinless....those with NO sin cast the stone. We must be careful and lay our stones down. Amen! †

DO GOOD QUIETLY~ To do a good thing is a good thing.  To do good to be seen is not!  Expect no credit for good deeds. Give financial gifts in secret.  Don't fake spirituality.  Don't make a theater production out of your faith..."Watch me! Watch me!" (Read: Matthew 6:3-4)

"I am the LORD, the God of all mankind. Is anything too hard for me?" Jeremiah 32:27 Join me in praying "BIG" prayers, according to His Word, believing nothing is too hard for God. What seems "BIG" to us is never too huge for our Father God to handle. Give Him your sorrow, your pain, cancer, diabetes, heart problems, job loss, marriage problems, children issues, heartbreak ~ whatever it is.....He wants you to give it to Him. The God of the Universe made everything we see,  and everything we can’t, with a word. From the simplest cell to the intricacy of our brains, He designed and created it all. There are no limitations to His power. He can....and does....send angels to protect us and He does restore health to our bodies. No matter how hopeless the situation seems, God is more than able to step in and do what no human can do.  If we hesitate to give God our impossible "BIG" situations in life, just how that must grieve the heart of our Heave

"Never stop praying." 1 Thessalonians 5:17  We must be aware that Satan will do everything in his power to distract us and try to keep us from having an attitude of prayer and thankfulness. He knows the more time we spend talking with God, the more we will depend on Him and trust Him with our whole hearts. Having a heart attitude of prayer simply means developing a focus on joy and gratitude.

When you do what you can do, God will show up and do what you can’t do. Take a step of faith! God laid this message on my heart to share right at this moment. I don't know who it is specifically meant for, but I believe there is someone or someones out there who need to know that God has your back.... Go ahead and take your leap of faith! 

No matter what happens during our journey, He has overcome this world. “I have told you all this so that you may have peace in me. Here on earth you will have many trials and sorrows. But take heart, because I have overcome the world.” (John 16:33) However, we, as believers, are to be His mouth, hands, and feet. No matter the issue….racism, homosexuality, etc., we are to be the salt and light. In the analogy of light to the world, the good works of Christ’s followers are to s hine for all to see. “You are the salt of the earth, but if salt has lost its taste, how shall its saltiness be restored? It is no longer good for anything except to be thrown out and trampled under people’s feet.” (Matthew 5:13) salt was used then, as now, as a flavor enhancer. In the same way that salt enhances the flavor of the food it seasons, the followers of Christ stand out as those who “enhance” the flavor of life in this world. Christians, living under the guidance of the Holy Spirit and in obedience to C

WOW!!! Sad...Sad...Sad!!! Unbelievable!  Remember Sodom and Gomorrah......To this day, the area where Sodom and Gomorrah were located remains a desolate wasteland. Sodom and Gomorrah serve as a powerful example of how God feels about sin in general, and homosexuality specifically. In Leviticus 18 we read that homosexuality is an abomination to God. In Jude 1:7 we read a strong warning: "And don’t forget Sodom and Gomorrah and their neighboring towns, which were filled with im morality and every kind of sexual perversion. Those cities were destroyed by fire and serve as a warning of the eternal fire of God’s judgment." As followers of Jesus, we MUST stand up and be vocal against the direction our government is sending us. We MUST turn our country around or what kind of world will young children grow-up in? What a pull this sinful world has on our young and it is the adults in charge that are leading the way. White House Lit in Rainbow Colors After Supreme Court

Was Jesus politically correct? Many times He went against the grain to accomplish His mission. As followers of Jesus, it is time we went against the grain and stood-up for what is right even though it isn't politically correct. Keeping silent, being passive, hiding in the shadows of those who are not afraid to voice their agenda and fight for it is exactly why we have a rainbow Capitol tonight. If we are His righteous, then we MUST be vocal about what is right.  As Christians, we should hang our heads in shame for allowing our country's leaders to blatantly go against our Holy Father and Creator God.

Lord God, please surround us with favor as with a shield today. Lord, please strengthen Your wall of protection around us, keeping us safe from temptation of the flesh, tricks of the adversary, and all harm. Abba, please fill our thoughts with Your thoughts and let our words be Your words. You are our strength, our shield and our defense. Father God, I ask that You will send Your forces out to drive back the enemies of Christ that are working so vigorously against You. L ord, I pray that you will break your enemies in Your perfect timing, and bring salvation, restoration and healing to all people who are involved. Please, dear Father, make the hearts of Your believers stronger, more courageous, and place on our lips the words that need to be spoken in order that the world can see You shining through us. I ask You to act in Your mighty power in this situation. Throw the enemy forces into confusion and frustrate their counsel. I pray that You will turn their hearts to Yourself and draw t

If we love….truly love mankind, we will not applaud, cheer, and praise those who are committing acts that our Creator God calls an abomination to Him. To allow souls around us to dwell in their sins while never speaking Jesus….while never teaching His truth, but standing by and upholding them in their wrong choices does not show love and compassion for them in any way, but rather quite the opposite.  Yes, it is certainly the easy way…..the popular way, but not the loving way.  Silence when we see loved ones in sin…..and everyone is to be loved by us……portrays a lack of concern for one’s eternal soul. The world cries-out with words of scorn and condemnation for those who are striving to do exactly what our Creator God and Holy Father expects and requires of us…..We are to speak His truth in love.  “Instead, we will speak the truth in love, growing in every way more and more like Christ, who is the head of his body, the church.” ~ Ephesians 4:15

Above all.....Love God. Second, love everyone else. These two commands come free of stipulations or exceptions. We are to LOVE....period! We are to be the best example of Jesus to this fallen world that we can be. If we live in a box and try to shelter ourselves from sin.....that will never work because we will still be there. As His, we are forgiven; however, it is not a gift to be hidden, but given to others who need it so desperately. We can't bring the confused, lost, sin ners of this world to Christ through anger, harsh words, or violence. We are no one's judge as that position belongs to One much higher, but through His word and guidance, we do know sin. The one who chooses sin over salvation makes their personal choice to do so. We can not applaud them in their sin, but we can love them and we can pray for them. “Teacher, which is the greatest commandment in the Law?” Jesus replied: ‘Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your

So much about our stories can be traced back to God working in our lives, and when we share them, our kids/grandkids can see evidence that Jesus is real and intimately involved with us. Don't only trace the hand of God in your past stories, but also constantly look for ways to exemplify Jesus today. Yes, indeed, let the children have access to Jesus!  smile emoticon "Jesus said, ‘Let the little children come to me, and do not hinder them, for the kingdom of heaven belongs to such as these.’" Matthew 19:14

Being adopted never felt so good....What a blessing!  smile emoticon "So you have not received a spirit that makes you fearful slaves. Instead, you received God’s Spirit when he adopted you as his own children. Now we call him, ‘Abba, Father.’ For his Spirit joins with our spirit to affirm that we are God’s children." Romans 8:15-16

No matter what happens during our journey, He has overcome this world. “I have told you all this so that you may have peace in me. Here on earth you will have many trials and sorrows. But take heart, because I have overcome the world.” (John 16:33) However, we, as believers, are to be His mouth, hands, and feet. No matter the issue….racism, homosexuality, etc., we are to be the salt and light. In the analogy of light to the world, the good works of Christ’s followers are to s hine for all to see. “You are the salt of the earth, but if salt has lost its taste, how shall its saltiness be restored? It is no longer good for anything except to be thrown out and trampled under people’s feet.” (Matthew 5:13) salt was used then, as now, as a flavor enhancer. In the same way that salt enhances the flavor of the food it seasons, the followers of Christ stand out as those who “enhance” the flavor of life in this world. Christians, living under the guidance of the Holy Spirit and in obedience to C

One day the group of prophets came to Elisha and told him, “As you can see, this place where we meet with you is too small. Let’s go down to the Jordan River, where there are plenty of logs. There we can build a new place for us to meet.” “All right,” he told them, “go ahead.” “Please come with us,” someone suggested. “I will,” he said. So he went with them. When they arrived at the Jordan, they began cutting down trees. But as one of them was cutting a tree, his ax head fell  into the river. “Oh, sir!” he cried. “It was a borrowed ax!” “Where did it fall?” the man of God asked. When he showed him the place, Elisha cut a stick and threw it into the water at that spot. Then the ax head floated to the surface. “Grab it,” Elisha said. And the man reached out and grabbed it. ~ 2 Kings 6:1-7 So many times we are reluctant to open our hearts to God and express our needs. Maybe we feel they are too insignificant or perhaps we do not have faith that God will answer our plea. Take assurance

Paul said, "You know how full of love and kindness our Lord Jesus Christ was. Though he was very rich, yet for your sakes he became poor, so that by his poverty he could make you rich." ~ 2 Corinthians 8:9 Jesus completely emptied Himself of all earthly riches and glory in order to pay the full price for our redemption. How opposite His attitude was from that of a world that struggles to amass wealth and fortune! LET US LIVE TO GIVE! In the short time we are on earth, let us use our worldly possessions as tools to reach the lost. At the moment of death, we will discard all earthly goods. Let's take a fresh look at our possessions and ask how they can serve to further the Gospel before God calls us home to glory!

"I will show my love to the one I called ‘Not my loved one.’ I will say to those called ‘Not my people,’ ‘You are my people’; and they will say, ‘You are my God.’" Hosea 2:23 To be chosen by God means we are His first choice. When Jesus’ hands were nailed to a cross, His fingers pointed to you and me. He intentionally chose to die for us. He chose you and He chose me and He chooses us every day. God’s Word to Israel reminds us that even though we have made mistakes and migh t feel rejected and unworthy of love, God still pursues us. The message of Hosea is still God’s message to us. God doesn’t love us because we are cleaned up, religious or even because we are a Christian. He loves us because He is love. We didn’t earn His love and we can’t lose His love either. The Bible says, "while we were still sinners, Christ died for us" ~ Romans 5:8 He didn’t choose to love us because we were clean or perfect, He loved us and then we become perfect through Him.. Our va

"I know what it is to be in need, and I know what it is to have plenty. I have learned the secret of being content in any and every situation, whether well fed or hungry, whether living in plenty or in want. I can do everything through him who gives me strength." ~ Philippians 4:12-13 This is a tough pill to swallow. Content in any and every situation? Really? Things happen in our life that we don't understand and the first thing we do is ask the question, "Why?" If asking t he why question doesn’t offer hope, what will? In other words: Now that this is my reality, what am I supposed to do with it? What can I learn from this? What part of this is for my protection? What other opportunities could God be providing? What maturity could God be building into me? Switching from the why to the what questions paves the road to parking our minds in a much better place. Is it always easy? No, but is it a way to find a perspective beyond situations where we feel God has

Of the words spoken by Jesus, none are more important or more poignant than, “It is finished.” Found only in the Gospel of John, the Greek word translated “it is finished” is tetelestai, an accounting term that means “paid in full.” When Jesus uttered those words, He was declaring the debt owed to His Father was wiped away completely and forever. Not that Jesus wiped away any debt that He owed to the Father; rather, Jesus eliminated the debt owed by me and you.....the debt of sin. So when Jesus had received the sour wine, He said, “It is finished!” And bowing His head, He gave up His spirit. ~ John 19:30

"Give me understanding and I will obey your instructions; I will put them into practice with all my heart."   Psalm 119:34   There have been many days in a Christian’s journey when God is reduced to something on a to-do list. Somewhere along the way, we picked up an unwritten checklist of sorts explaining what "good Christians" are supposed to do: Pray. Read your Bible. Go to church. Don’t cuss. Be nice. Being a rule-follower will leave you feeling that something is wrong, a feeling of restlessness, reacting with anger, and feeling hollow….going through all the motions, but don’t feel connected to Jesus. Stop simply reading your Bible because it is a thing on your Christian checklist. Instead, experience  God….Get to know God .   Look at the words in the Bible as a love letter….God’s love letter to a broken spirit. A love letter not meant to simply be read … but a love letter meant to be lived. Read your Bible with great expectations of conne

For those who have never had a dad in their life or who have, but not in a good way.....Know that you have a Father, Who loves you above all things. He always longs to hear from you, His arms are open with a heart larger than life to show you His love, He gave His only Son so that you can live with Him forever, and He sent His Holy Spirit to indwell within so that you can feel comfort and receive guidance.  Unlike earthly dads many times do, He will never leave you nor forsake you. God, our Holy Creator, is the ultimate Father.....Daddy, Papa, Abba!  "For the LORD is good. His unfailing love continues forever, and his faithfulness continues to each generation." ~ Psalm 100:5

The Bible teaches us that we are all dead in trespasses and sin, we are unable to give ourselves life. We must be born from above, born of the Spirit, and that is totally a work of God, not of the will of the flesh, not of the will of man, but of God. The Holy Spirit blows where He will, like the wind; does what He will with whom He will. This is a sovereign, mighty, divine work. He perfects us into the likeness of Christ....while cultivating the love of holiness, the love  of righteousness, the love of purity from within us. "And the Holy Spirit helps us in our weakness. For example, we don’t know what God wants us to pray for. But the Holy Spirit prays for us with groanings that cannot be expressed in words. And the Father who knows all hearts knows what the Spirit is saying, for the Spirit pleads for us believers in harmony with God’s own will. And we know that God causes everything to work together for the good of those who love God and are called according to his purpose

We must spend time on our knees asking God for direction and just a little more fortitude when we are going through struggles in life. Sometimes, when we're battling something beyond ourselves, we just need to rejoice. It's a good thing we're really not able to make it alone. It's in those times of struggle, failure and ultimately growth that we find out God is enough....He is able and He is willing to get us through whatever we are dealing with. "But he said to me, 'My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness.' Therefore I will boast all the more gladly about my weaknesses, so that Christ's power may rest on me ... For when I am weak, then I am strong." 2 Corinthians 12:9-10

It is not what we can do on our own, but what He will do through us that brings out our strength and power. Put your ever trusting faith and trust in Him and watch amazing things happen in your life. His blessings will be abundant as you reach outside of yourself to help others in His Name.  If there is one homeless, if there is one thirsty, if there is one hungry, alone, depressed, in need of clothing....you get my message. If there is one who has a need and we can supply that need, as a follower of Jesus, we are to do so. Even if we feel we are without ourselves, when we give beyond, He will replace and exceed our giving. We are His message carriers. We are His hands and feet on this earth to be used for His purpose and for His glory. BE THE CHURCH....OUTSIDE THE WALLS! You are welcome. God put these words on my heart to share. Furthermore, this is one of His messages that I frequently talk about. It is in the streets....in our daily lives....that we fulfill Jesus words to us

Make plans to schedule a "Sabbath" rest for yourself. Set that day aside for praise and worship, prayer and Scripture reading, naps and whatever is restful for you. Most importantly, set your Sabbath state of mind on the Lord and honor Him with a day of rest and celebration.  Pausing once a week helps to clear our hearts and minds. This "space" enables us to focus on praising and worshiping the Lord. We find room to rejoice in the work He has enabled us to complete, which balances discouragement over unfinished jobs. It aligns our perspective with what is important and reminds us that these tasks will still be there when we return to work. "Then God blessed the seventh day and sanctified it, because in it He rested from all His work which God had created and made." Genesis 2:3

Paul encouraged believers to embrace God’s promise that He can use all things for good for those who love Him and are called according to His purpose, not only for God’s good, but also our own. Regardless of how difficult our pasts are, as children of God we have a commonality in Christ Jesus our Savior.....God will use for good what the devil intended for evil.  When we allow God to use our pain for a purpose that glorifies Him and ministers to others, we enjoy the blessing o f spiritual healing and transformation like never before. Paul experienced pain and suffering through various forms of persecution: imprisonment, beatings and rejection. He spoke from the wisdom of his own experiences and exemplified the transforming power of God’s ability to turn any mess into a message. "And we know that in all things God works for the good of those who love him, who have been called according to his purpose." Romans 8:28

One of the most difficult things to deal with in life is the death of a loved one. Even for the Christian, death is a part of life. Unlike they that do not believe, the Christian has a blessed hope....that is the return of the Savior Jesus to catch up His Church and bring them to eternal life with Him and God the Father. "Even though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I will fear no evil," ~ Psalm 23:4 Between earth and those who have gone into eternity, deat h lies like a dark valley that must be passed in going from one to the other. It is but the shadow of death: the shadow of a serpent will not sting, nor the shadow of a sword kill. It is a valley, deep indeed, and dark, and miry....but valleys are often fruitful, and so is death itself fruitful of comforts to God's people. It is a walk through it....they shall not be lost in this valley, but get safe to the mountain on the other side. Death is full of terrors, but not to the sheep of Christ. When

".....Weeping may tarry for the night, but joy comes with the morning." ~ Psalm 30:5 What glorious comfort we are given in this verse. JOY....What emotions do we feel when we experience joy? Overwhelming happiness ~ Peace ~ Contentment ~ Excitement ~ Celebratory.... JOY!  After all of life's stress, turmoil, and sorrow....JOY will come in the morning. "In the morning".....at our great Homecoming!

"Command those who are rich in this present world not to be arrogant nor to put their hope in wealth, which is so uncertain, but to put their hope in God, who richly provides us with everything for our enjoyment. Command them to do good, to be rich in good deeds, and to be generous and willing to share. In this way they will lay up treasure for themselves as a firm foundation for the coming age, so that they may take hold of the life that is truly life."  1 Timothy 6:17-19 We are not saved by good works.....but, we are saved for good works.

Grace is received by faith......Faith is to "trust in." "God saved you by his grace when you believed. And you can’t take credit for this; it is a gift from God. Salvation is not a reward for the good things we have done, so none of us can boast about it. " ~ Ephesians 2:8-9 Grace is a FREE gift....It can NOT be earned. "For the wages of sin is death, but the free gift of God is eternal life through Christ Jesus our Lord." ~ Romans 6:23 Grace is available to everyone! Everyone who calls on the name of the Lord will be saved. ~ Romans 10:13

This is so good… Doesn't need any additional words from me. Just soak it in and enjoy this message. Galatians 5:13-26 It is absolutely clear that God has called you to a free life. Just make sure that you don’t use this freedom as an excuse to do whatever you want to do and destroy your freedom. Rather, use your freedom to serve one another in love; that’s how freedom grows. For everything we know about God’s Word is summed up in a single sentence: Love others as you love yourself. That’s an act of true freedom. If you bite and ravage each other, watch out—in no time at all you will be annihilating each other, and where will your precious freedom be then? My counsel is this: Live freely, animated and motivated by God’s Spirit. Then you won’t feed the compulsions of selfishness. For there is a root of sinful self-interest in us that is at odds with a free spirit, just as the free spirit is incompatible with selfishness. These two ways of life are antithetical, so that you can

As God’s children, we have a heavenly Father who is worthy of trust. All our obsessive worry over our responsibilities and concerns doesn't change a thing, so we should resolve to try something different. Let’s give up our illusion of control and rest peacefully like children in Jesus’ unfailing care. Rather than grasping and holding on to our worries, we need to release them from our powerless hands and completely give them over to our faithful Father.  Trust is the mark of a  child because a child will, with ease, put their faith and confidence in their parents. Parents allow their children to feel safe and worry-free. Our heavenly Father wants to release the weight of worry and desires to shelter us and protect us. We need to become more as little children........... "But Jesus called the children to him and said, ‘Let the little children come to me, and do not hinder them, for the kingdom of God belongs to such as these.’" Luke 18:16

"You are all sons (& daughters) of God through faith in Christ Jesus." ~ Galatians 3:26 The slave has a master. The son has a Father. The slave is an employee. The son is an heir. The slave is driven by duty. The son is driven by devotion. Are you a "slave" or a "son/daughter?"

Dealing with Difficult People……We need God to help us overcome the crazy people!  smile emoticon “Again I say, don’t get involved in foolish, ignorant arguments that only start fights. A servant of the Lord must not quarrel but must be kind to everyone, be able to teach, and be patient with difficult people. Gently instruct those who oppose the truth. Perhaps God will change those people’s hearts, and they will learn the truth. Then they will come to their senses and escape fr om the devil’s trap. For they have been held captive by him to do whatever he wants. “ ~ 2 Timothy 2:23-26 Realize you cannot please everyone. “By myself I can do nothing; I judge only as I hear, and my judgment is just, for I seek not to please myself but him who sent me.” ~ John 5:30 Refuse to play the game. “But Jesus didn’t trust them, because he knew all about people.” ~ John 2:24 Rise above it. “ But those who trust in the LORD will find new strength. They will soar high on wings like eagles.

Forgive people......If we don't forgive, we will stay locked in judgment of that person. There is more pain if you refuse to forgive. However, forgiveness is NOT restoration of trust. “If you forgive those who sin against you, your heavenly Father will forgive you. But if you refuse to forgive others, your Father will not forgive your sins." ~ Matthew 6:14-15 We learn in Proverbs 4:23 that we are to "guard our heart."  We are expected...and commanded...to forgive; however, we are not expected to continue  allow ourselves to be hurt over and over.  I am sure that most of us have some people in our lives that we must love from a distance.   FORGIVENESS SETS YOU FREE!

Your view of God will determine your relationship with Him. Galatians 1:6-7 reads: "I am shocked that you are turning away so soon from God, who called you to himself through the loving mercy of Christ. You are following a different way that pretends to be the Good News but is not the Good News at all. You are being fooled by those who deliberately twist the truth concerning Christ." Here it speaks of "two Gospels"....One is "Rule Based" and the other is "Relationship Based." There really is only ONE Good News and that is what Paul is talking about. Experience the Bible - Find Jesus in the Scriptures - Life is Freedom - Everyday! Which "Gospel" do you follow? One focuses on what YOU do. One focuses on what Jesus has done. One focuses on getting God's approval. One focuses on receiving God's love. One focuses on external duty. One focuses on internal desire. Are you "performance based" or "love b

Everything we do and say tells a story of whom we serve. If we act out of anger and spite, we give in to the ways of the enemy, spreading his darkness. If we honor the Lord with our actions, we serve to further the Name of Jesus and spread His light. At the end of the day, honoring God leads to good things. Anything else leads to confusion, emotional exhaustion and a lack of good things.  If someone hurts us, our job is to obey God by offering an extension of the forgiveness w e’ve been given. But we can also stay healthy in this situation by remembering forgiveness doesn’t mean giving this person access in our life that sets us up for destructive patterns. "So then, just as you received Christ Jesus as Lord, continue to live your lives in him, rooted and built up in him, strengthened in the faith as you were taught, and overflowing with thankfulness." ~ Colossians 2:6-7

Jesus made a deliberate effort to spend time with God. He spent regular time with God, praying and listening. Mark 1:35 says, “Very early in the morning, while it was still dark, Jesus got up, left the house and went off to a solitary place, where he prayed.”  Luke tells us in Luke 5:16, “Jesus often withdrew to lonely places and prayed.” Since Jesus, the Son of God, the sinless Savior of humankind, thought it worthwhile to set aside quite time to pray, wouldn’t we all be wise to do the same?  We need to be intentional in our prayer life.

I was just thinking about how blessed we are....We have the ability to talk to our creator...Through His Son who gave His life for us - for You and Me - No matter what is going on with us, all we have to do is speak it and He listens - our CREATOR - LISTENS to US!!  When we aren't speaking, we have the Holy Spirit making groanings to our Father....yes, on Your and My behalf. WOW ~ What an Amazing Father we serve who loves US so much! †

"But those who trust in the Lord will find new strength. They will soar high on wings like eagles. They will run and not grow weary. They will walk and not faint." Isaiah 40:31 God's promise through Isaiah in the verse above was that when we are weary, we'll soar like eagles. How is that even possible? The underlying promise is that our wings will be lifted and the wind will catch underneath. It's not our strength that causes us to soar, but He lifts you and me up and out of our weary places....in His might. Are you exhausted today? Do you feel faint? You aren't alone. You can trust Him to lift your wings, to give you new strength and power, as you depend on Him each day.

    India’s caste system is based on a very rigid social stratification system. The system is used by society to rank categories of people in a hierarchy from birth. Although there are four main castes, there are hundreds of subcaste groups. The stratification system only benefits the wealthy Hindus as the lower caste are forced to do menial jobs and be enslaved to the upper caste. Every Hindu is ranked from high to low depending on the work performed.  India's segregation is cemented in 3,000 years of religion, not law. In India everyone knows his/her cast and there is no escape. No matter how well one does in life, they are still considered an untouchable, unclean, and less human. It is a life of humiliation. One man said that he believed that the caste system was God’s will. He went on to say that he felt the untouchables were the result of karma and the result of their unspeakable acts in their previous life. Furthermore, it was stated that Brahmin caste was the creator

The beauty of this day is breath-taking! So gorgeous with a gentle breeze blowing, sun shinning, the clearest blue BLUE sky, trees are green, flowers blooming, birds singing, squirrels scampering while in the background is the sounds of life as His children go about actively living-out our lives.  As beautiful as this Saturday is, there are some who are in a very dark place in their lives. Sickness, loss of loved ones, mistakes in life, financial despair....whatever the burden....the weight has overshadowed their joy. Please lift the hurting souls before our Father pleading for a renewed beginning for all who have lost their way, those who have never known Him, and those who are trapped by the sorrows that come with life. "Throw all your worry on him, because he cares for you." ~ 1 Peter 5:7

God has formed many diamonds, but He made only one you and me. We are unique. We are unlike anyone else who has ever lived or ever will live. He made us because He wants someone exactly like you and me. He has plans for each of us. If you've ever doubted your own worth, or don’t know where to go from where you are, or you’re losing heart … then listen to Father God saying to you, "You are important enough to Me to justify the death of My Son. I want to have a close and intimate relationship with you." "… you are precious in my eyes ... and I love you." Isaiah 43:4

As Jesus was hanging on that cruel and rugged cross, a criminal known to us as a thief, acknowledges that Jesus is the Christ and cries out to Him, “Jesus, remember me when you come into your kingdom.”  The thief asked to be "remembered" because he felt his brokenness and knew that only Jesus could....not just "remember" him....but "re-member" him by healing his broken, sinful life and by putting him back together....making him whole.

"Even though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death...." Psalm 23:4a There is so much hope in this one sentence given to us by our Holy Father. We, His saved children, do not have to fear death as we will never have to experience it. We will merely walk through the "shadow of death." For His saved, we will pass from this earthly life into eternal life. What a blessing!

Make a difference! "Each of you should use whatever gift you have received to serve others, as faithful stewards of God’s grace in its various forms. If anyone speaks, they should do so as one who speaks the very words of God. If anyone serves, they should do so with the strength God provides, so that in all things God may be praised through Jesus Christ. To him be the glory and the power for ever and ever. Amen." 1 Peter 4:10-11

A Christ follower's life should never appear dull, stagnate, or lifeless. We should exude the hope and promise that is ours though an infectious, vibrant, and joyous life that we all share in Him. Our testimony and the story of His loving, saving grace and mercy should be evident to all. Spread His exciting Truth in everything you do....Let His Light Shine Bright! “You are the light of the world. A town built on a hill cannot be hidden. Neither do people light a lamp and put it under a bowl. Instead they put it on its stand, and it gives light to everyone in the house. In the same way, let your light shine before others, that they may see your good deeds and glorify your Father in heaven." Matthew 5:14-16

We can measure the significance of our lives by the size of our accomplishments, or we can trust God to use our small offerings for His great glory.  "Whatever you do, work at it with all your heart, as working for the Lord, not for human masters ..." ~ Colossians 3:23 Heavenly Father, please forgive us for trying to measure our significance by the size of our accomplishments. I want to serve You with all of my heart in big ways and small ways. Give us fresh passion for our daily grind and help us to glorify You in all that we do. In Jesus’ Name, Amen.