My Thoughts - My Journey

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 assur...

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