Give Thanks Always

Ephesians 5:20 (KJV) Says, "Giving thanks always for all things unto God and the Father in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ;"

 As instructed by the above verse of scripture we should give thanks to God always, and for all things.  We must be grateful for all things that are divinely allowed to enter our lives including difficulties knowing that in the end God will use them for our good. There are blessings given to us by God not only while things are going well for us, but in the midst of, and as a result of the storms we face also. We need to recognize and be thankful for all of them no matter the form in which they come.  Far too often God is not given the praise, honor, and glory he so truly deserves for the blessings, miracles, and answered prayers he gives each of us.

If we have been blessed with a loving and supportive family, great friends, good health, a roof over our head, a bed to sleep in, a vehicle to drive, a job, food to eat, a coat in the winter, and other like things we should thank God daily for these blessings. We all have something to be thankful for.  It is human nature to get so busy and become so accustomed to having our basic needs met and having wonderful people in our lives that we take it all for granite. Not only do we take our blessings for granite, but we fail to give God the thanks he so greatly deserves for bestowing them upon us.

It is vital that we recognize the fact that  all we have comes from God. In some cases failure to give God credit and thanks for all we have comes from a lack of  humility. It is a huge mistake to take all the credit and glory ourselves for all that God does for us. For instance, if we get a job promotion, and proclaim that it is solely because we deserve it secondary to our hard work, dedication, and loyalty to a company there is no humility in any of that.  When we fail to give glory and thanks to God as we brag on all we've accomplished, then we are more than likely headed for a fall. Psalm 75:5-7 (KJV) Says, "Lift not up your horn on high: speak not with a stiff neck. For promotion cometh neither from the east, nor from the west, nor from the south. But God is the judge: he putteth down one, and setteth up another." This doesn't solely apply to promotions given at places of employment, but to all aspects of our lives. When we are lifted up in any area of our lives we must remember to thank God, and give him the credit and the glory for it.

With the Thanksgiving holiday fast approaching more people will be focused on the blessings God has given them in their lives. This is a great thing, but  I want to encourage you as Christians to remember to put God first in your life and thank him everyday. Don't wait for a holiday or an emergency to remember where God is. Get up every morning, and thank him for all he has done, is doing, and will do for you. When we actually take the time to consider all that God does for us, being thankful to him should come extremely easy.

If you have a prayer request and would like me to pray for you, send me a message and I will be more than happy to do so. Happy Thanksgiving, and May God bless you.

God's Plan For Your Life

Jeremiah 1:5 (KJV) Says, "Before I formed thee in the belly I knew thee; and before thou camest forth out of the womb I sanctified thee, and I ordained thee a prophet unto the nations." Jeremiah 29:11 (KJV) Says, "For I know the thoughts that I think toward you, saith the Lord, thoughts of peace, and not of evil, to give you an expected end." Ecclesiastes 3:1 (KJV) Says, "To every thing there is a season, and a time to every purpose under the heaven."

Each of the above verses of scripture tell us that God has a plan for our lives, and that there is a time and purpose for all things. Just as God called Moses to lead the people of Israel out of bondage in Egypt, and Gideon to deliver the Israelites out of the oppression of the Midianites he has a purpose for your life. God has a plan for each of us, and he had that plan in place before he created us. 

In order to know the plan God has for us we must first accept Jesus Christ as our personal Lord and Savior, and in so doing we become one of his disciples. I Timothy 2:3-4 (KJV) Says, "For this is good and acceptable in the sight of God our Savior; Who will have all men to be saved, and to come unto the knowledge of the truth."

Another important key to discovering the plan God has for us is reading and studying the Bible. Psalm 119:105 (KJV) Says, "Thy word is a lamp unto my feet, and a light unto my path." We should also go to him in prayer and ask him to reveal to us the plan he has for us. We should ask him to lead, guide, and direct our path. James 1:5 (KJV) Says, "If any of you lack wisdom, let him ask of God, that giveth to all men liberally, and upbraideth not; and it shall be given him." Philippians 4:6 (KJV) Says, "Be careful for nothing; but in every thing by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known unto God."

We should also listen to the Holy Spirit which comes to dwell within us after we are saved by God's grace. John 16:13 (KJV) Says, "Howbeit when he, the Spirit of truth, is come, he will guide you into all truth: for he shall not speak of himself; but whatsoever he shall hear, that shall he speak: and he will show you things to come." We should also listen to Godly men and women that God has placed in our lives. Proverbs 12:15 (KJV) Says, "The way of a fool is right in his own eyes: but he that hearkeneth unto counsel is wise." Proverbs 15:22 (KJV) Says, "Without counsel purposes are disappointed: but in the multitude of counselors they are established."

If we build a strong personal relationship with God and put our faith and trust in him we will fulfill the plan he has for us. Proverbs 3:5-6 (KJV) Says, "Trust in the Lord with all thine heart; and lean not unto thine own understanding. In all thy ways acknowledge him, and he shall direct thy paths." Philippians 1:6 (KJV) Says, "Being confident of this very thing, that he which hath begun a good work in you will perform it until the day of Jesus Christ."

As the above scripture tells us God has a plan for our lives, but beware that Satan has too. When we allow ourselves to become so busy that we don't make time to pray, read and study God's Word, attend worship services, and fellowship with other Christians we are following Satan's plan. He loves to distract us and keep us so busy with the things of the world that we have no time to strengthen our personal relationship with our Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ. He loves it because when we fail to spend time with God we are not likely to know what his plan is for us, and therefore we will not be able to follow it. Not only will allowing ourselves to become busy with worldly things result in us  failing to learn what God's plan is for our lives, but it will leave us no time to witness to others in hopes of leading them to Christ. In short, the truth is, when we allow our schedules to become packed with worldly tasks, we are not likely to have time to serve God in any capacity.

If you have the desire in your heart to serve God and follow the plan he has for your life, then I encourage you to strengthen your personal relationship with him. I encourage you to listen and pay attention as he leads, guides, and directs you. I urge you to put God first in your life, and that means making certain he's number one on your schedule each and every day.

If you have a prayer request and would like me to pray for you, leave me a message, and I will be more than happy to do so. May God bless you.

When You Feel Broken

Genesis 1:26-27 (KJV) Says, "And God said, let us make man in our image, after our likeness: and let them have dominion over the fish of the sea, and over the fowl of the air, and over the cattle, and over all the earth, and over every creeping thing that creepeth upon the earth. So God created man in his own image, in the image of God created he him; male and female created he them." Jeremiah 1:5 (KJV) Says, "Before I formed thee in the belly, I knew thee; and before thou camest forth out of the womb I sanctified thee, and I ordained thee a prophet unto the nations."

The above verses of scripture make it clear that God created each and everyone of us, and that he created us in his own image. They also make it clear that before we were formed God knew the plans he had for our lives. In short, God is our divine creator, and as such he knows everything about us.

In my younger days I had my share of vehicle trouble, and I remember on one occasion my car was running really rough and it shut off every time I stopped at a stop sign or red light. I attempted to take the inexpensive way out, and began asking various individuals what they thought might be causing these issues. I purchased several parts beginning with the least expensive first and working my way up in cost all in an attempt to fix the problem myself, and save money. None of the parts I purchased solved my problem. After spending about two weeks of my time, and a ridiculous amount of money, I opted to take the car to the dealer to have it repaired. They repaired my car within a couple of hours, and the money I spent was well worth it.

My point in the above example is that I spent time and money in an attempt to repair my car before coming to my senses, and taking it to the people who actually designed and created it. It stands to reason that the company who created, designed, and built my car would know exactly how to repair it.

Like my car there are times in each of our lives, when we feel broken. We may be suffering from an illness or be in pain over the loss of a loved one. We may be experiencing feelings of rejection, or struggling with financial issues. We may have had a spouse walk out on us, or had a boyfriend or girlfriend abandon us. We may be having difficulty finding employment, or having issues with a family member. We all face trials in our lives that can and often do leave us feeling broken.

When we find ourselves in these type situations most of us do exactly what I did, when I was facing car trouble. We immediately begin trying to figure our what we can do to solve our problem. We talk to other people asking for advice, we pace, we worry, we lose sleep, and we do all we know how to do in an attempt to resolve the problem on our own. It is usually when all efforts have been exhausted that people cry out to God for help.

What a mistake we make, when we cry out to God as a last ditch effort. Just as the car dealership was equipped to repair my car because they created and designed it, God created and designed us and he is more than capable of solving any problem we have. When we are facing issues in life we should never put off calling on God for help until the last minute proclaiming that we are going to pray about it because we don't know what else to do. We should go to God first taking our problems to him in prayer knowing that as our creator and designer he is expert in repairing us when we feel broken. He is all-powerful, all-knowing, and sovereign over all there is.

The next time you are facing something in your life that leaves you feeling broken, I urge you to take it to God in prayer. Put you faith and trust in him knowing he can comfort, strengthen, and help you with whatever it is you're going through. I encourage you to cast your cares on God, and wait patiently for him to repair your broken spirit. I urge you to remember that he knows what's best for you, and that his timing is perfect. The next time you're feeling broken, I encourage you to seek repair from the expert, Almighty God.

If you have a prayer request and would like me to pray for you, leave me a message and I will be more than happy to do so. May God bless you.

Strong Faith

Genesis 12:1 (KJV) Says, "Now the Lord had said unto Abram, Get thee out of thy country, and from thy kindred, and from thy father's house, unto a land that I will show thee." Genesis 12:4 (KJV) Says, "So Abram departed, as the Lord had spoken unto him: and Abram was seventy and five years old when he departed out of Haran." Exodus 3:9 (KJV) Says, "Now therefore, behold, the cry of the children of Israel is come unto me: and I have also seen the oppression wherewith the Egyptians oppress them. Come now therefore, and I will send thee unto Pharaoh, that thou mayest bring forth my people the children of Israel out of Egypt." Exodus 4:13 (KJV) Says, "And he said, O my Lord, send, I pray thee, by the hand of him whom thou wilt send." Matthew 14:27-29 (KJV) Says, "But straightway Jesus spake unto them, saying, Be of good cheer; it is I; be not afraid. And Peter answered him and said, Lord, if it be thou, bid me come unto thee on the water. And he said come. And when Peter was come down out of the ship, he walked on the water, to go to Jesus."

The above verses of scripture are all examples of strong faith demonstrated by each of these individuals. Abram, who God later called Abraham, was called by God to leave his country and his family, and go to an unknown land that God promised to show him at the ripe age of 75. We are never to old to be called by God in service to him. Abraham answered God's call. Take a moment to ponder how much faith it took for Abraham to leave his family, his country, and all that he was familiar with and answer the call of God. Abraham, without a doubt, demonstrated strong faith.

Moses was a shepherd who kept his father-n-laws sheep, and he was called by God to lead the Israelites out of bondage in Egypt. Moses wasn't a good speaker, and he felt less than capable of accomplishing what God was calling him to do. Answering God's call meant that Moses, a shepherd of poor speech, would have to go before Pharaoh himself. Moses had to have strong faith in order to do what God ask him to do, and he demonstrated just that.

Peter and those in the boat with him were facing high winds and a rough sea, when they spotted what appeared to them to be a ghostly figure walking toward them on the water. Jesus knew they were afraid so he told them who he was, and to have no fear. Peter then said if it is in fact you, Jesus, allow me to walk to you on top of the water. Jesus told Peter to step out of the boat and come toward him. Peter did so. He stepped out of a perfectly good boat, onto rough water, in high winds, and began walking toward Jesus. Many people would have rowed the other way as fast as possible clinging tightly to the security of that boat. Peter, however, stepped out of the boat demonstrating strong faith.

Do you feel there is something God is calling you to do? Something that you feel you are not capable of? Do you have personal weaknesses that you feel make you inadequate for what he's called you to accomplish? Do you feel you're to old to answer God's call? Do you feel called by God to do something that will lead you into unfamiliar territory? Something that will require you to demonstrate strong faith?

If you know God is calling you to do something that you feel you're not qualified for and could never accomplish, I urge you to remind yourself of these and other great biblical examples. It is not what we can do that we must consider, but rather what God can do working through us. I encourage you to step out in faith, and do whatever God is calling you to do knowing that we can do all things through him. I urge you to put your trust in God and demonstrate strong faith in whatever he calls you to do. Remind yourself of  the examples set by men such as Abraham, Moses, Peter, and others knowing that just as God worked through them he can work through you.

If you have a prayer request and would like me to pray for you, leave me a message and I will be more than happy to do so. May God bless you.

The Father of Lies

 John 8:44 (KJV) Says, "Ye are of your father the devil, and the lusts of your father ye will do. He was a murderer from the beginning, and abode not in the truth, because there is no truth in him. When he speaketh a lie, he speaketh  of his own: for he is a liar, and the father of it. I Peter 5:8 (KJV) Says,
"Be sober, be vigilant; because your adversary the devil, as a roaring lion, walketh about, seeking whom he may devour:"

The above verses of scripture make it crystal clear that the devil is a liar, that he is our enemy, and that he roams the earth seeking to devour us. We are warned to be vigilant in watching out for him to avoid falling prey to his wiles. The devil will tell us lie upon lie in an attempt to lead us astray. He will tempt us with things of the world, such as material possessions, money, and anything else he feels we may be tempted by in the flesh. He will use other people in an attempt to lead us away from God. If we allow it, he will use our minds as a landfill to dump his trash hoping it will prompt us to believe his lies, turn our back on God, and follow him. He will place doubt in our mind about God, his Word, our capabilities, our appearance, our worth, and anything else he feels may impede our faith, service, and worship of God.

Satan wants you to believe that he's more powerful than God, that God's Word is not true, and that living the life of a Christian is boring. He wants you to believe that church and Christian fellowship are not important. He wants you to believe that God is standing in heaven with a lightening bolt in his hand waiting for you to make a mistake so he can hurl it down at you. He wants you to doubt God, and to believe that this world is all there is. He wants you to believe that you're all alone, that nobody loves you, that you're useless, that there is no hope for you and your situation. He wants you to believe that God doesn't care what happens to you.  He wants you to believe that God doesn't exist.

We have all had Satan come against us in our lives, and he will continue to do so. As a matter of fact the more you grow in your faith the more apt he is to kick it up a notch in the hope you will fall. Stay strong he'll move on when he realizes your faith is unwavering. The good news is that we have been warned in God's Word to be vigilant in watching for him. This enables us to recognize his lies for exactly what they are and prevents us from allowing him even the smallest victory.

Knowing these things to be true of Satan, I urge you to remain vigilant in watching out for him. I urge you to remember who you are in Christ, if he attempts to place any doubt in your mind as to your worth or your capabilities. Remember you are a child of God, and with him working through you all things are possible. Remember that God loves you tremendously, so much so that he sent his only Son to die on the cross for your sins. Don't allow Satan to convince you that the Christian life is anything other than a life filled with joy, comfort, and divine peace. Don't allow him to convince you that God doesn't hear your prayers. Remember that God always hears your prayers, and that he answers them in his way and in his time both of which are perfect. God knows what is best for us. Don't allow yourself to give into the temptations of this world which are temporary, and unsatisfying. Recognize whatever lies or antics Satan uses in an attempt to knock you off course as coming from him.

Put your faith and trust in God, and live your life in a manner that you know is pleasing to him. Be confident in your beliefs, and rebuke Satan every time he attempts to lead you astray by tempting you or telling you lies. The instant a negative thought enters your mind, recognize it as coming from Satan, and remind yourself immediately of who you are in Christ. Stay your course remembering that God loves you, and there is no problem or issue to great for him to handle. Know for certain that God hears your prayers, and that his timing is perfect. Remain steadfast in your faith knowing that with God on your side Satan doesn't stand a chance.

If you have a prayer request and would like me to pray for you, leave me a message and I will be more than happy to do so. May God bless you.

The Whole Truth

Matthew 5:17-18 (KJV) Says, "Think not that I am come to destroy the law, or the prophets: I am not come to destroy, but to fulfill. For verily I say unto you, till heaven and earth pass, one jot or one tittle shall in no wise pass from the law, till all be fulfilled."

The above verses of scripture were spoken by Jesus as he made it clear he had not come to destroy the law. He wanted it understood that the New Testament gospel is not contradictory to the Old Testament law. Note that Jesus used the word verily which means truly or certainly, when making clear the Old Testament law will stand until heaven and earth pass. In order to emphasize that he meant every part of the law he stated not one jot or one tittle shall pass from the Old Testament law until every statement even the smallest of them is fulfilled. A jot is the smallest letter of the Hebrew alphabet, and a tittle is a small projection on the edge of certain Hebrew letters to distinguish them from one another.

The Old Testament laws were to be taken seriously, and therefore Jesus emphasizes the importance of keeping even the smallest of them. He did not mean however that the law should become a burden on the souls of men. Let me explain with an example. The Pharisees were so focused on the law, and abiding by it that the Jews of Jesus' day thought them to be the most religious in all Israel. There religion, however, was for the most part an outward show of self-righteousness.

Jesus wanted to make sure we understand the contrasts between the outward behavior demanded by the law, and the inner attitude of the heart desired by God. When we opt to accept Jesus Christ as our personal Lord and Savior, we have the desire in our hearts to live our lives in a righteous manner which is of course pleasing to God. As we do this we are fulfilling the law, and it is no burden at all. For instance, the law says thou shalt not kill, and the spirit within believers allows us to control our anger so committing murder should not be something we need to feel burdened by. The law, however, given in the Old Testament stating that we shall not kill still stands.

Another example is that the law states we should not retaliate against others, and our spirit as believers knows we are to forgive even our enemies. If we have a forgiving spirit then we do not need to be burdened by the law that tells us we are not to retaliate because as believers and followers of Jesus Christ retaliation is not something we would seek.

In summation, as believers and followers of Jesus Christ we will fulfill the law without it being a burden to us because we have the desire in our hearts to live righteous lives that are pleasing to God. When we live our lives in this manner we abide by the law without having to be burdened by it.

With this point made, we must remember that the New Testament does not contradict the Old Testament. It is extremely important that we understand that the Bible in its entirety is the Word of God, and that each and every Word of it is true, relevant, and necessary. I've heard people dismiss things in discussion by making statements like "well that's in the Old Testament", or "I go by the New Testament," and what a mistake that is. To make statements like this is to discount or discard a large portion of the Word of Almighty God. The Bible is our instruction book for life given to us by our Lord and Savior, and to ignore even one Word of it is not acceptable. There are 66 books in the Bible, and God never intended for us to discount the 39 that make up the Old Testament.We cannot nor should we ever attempt to pick and choose the portions of the Bible that we feel are the ones that count, or still hold true. The ones that count and still hold true are and will always be each and every one of them. The Bible in its entirety is the whole truth.

Living life as a follower of Jesus Christ and abiding in the law is no burden. It  is not a life filled with stress secondary to focusing on the law, and it is not one made up of demonstrating that we obey the law by self-righteous behavior as the Pharisees did. Quite the contrary it is the greatest life anyone could ever live. It is a life filled with divine peace, comfort, happiness, and so many more great blessings. It is a life where the law exists, but is not a burden because it is obeyed and covered as we live our lives in obedience to God.

I encourage you to read and study the Word of God in its entirety, and to build a strong personal relationship with him. Remain steadfast in your walk with him, and never allow anyone to convince you that something is not relevant because it is written in the Old Testament. I urge you to know who you are in Christ, and know firsthand what his Word states. Doing so will prevent anyone from misguiding you whether purposefully or inadvertently because they themselves have been misled.

If you have a prayer request and would like me to pray for you, leave me a message and I will be more than happy to do so. May God bless you.

Hearing From God

John 10:27 (KJV) Says, "My sheep hear my voice, and I know them, and they follow me." Jeremiah 29:13 (KJV) Says, "And ye shall seek me, and find me, when ye shall search for me with all your heart."

The above verses of scripture make it clear that God speaks to us. If we are born again believers in Jesus Christ, living our lives in a righteous manner, searching for God with all our heart, we will hear from him. Most of us have set out to accomplish something in our lives, and had the experience of feeling as though our heart was simply not in it. When this happens the end result is less than satisfying. Therefore knowing that hearing from God is of such importance we must make certain we are searching for him with all of our heart just as the Word of God instructs us to. We should never go at building a personal relationship with our Lord and Savior half-heartedly.

You may feel that God doesn't speak to you, but the truth is God will speak to anyone who seeks him. Often times people miss God speaking to them because they are not seeking him, or because when he does speak it goes unrecognized. God uses several methods in which to speak to his children, and there is no limit to his means of communication with us.

God communicates with us continually through his Word, the things we see, sounds, thoughts, and various other methods of communication. For instance pray and ask God to shine light on his Word so that you are enlightened to any and all things he wants to share with you, and when you begin reading and studying your Bible he will do just that.  He also communicates with us through sight, and I know this firsthand because I have experienced it more than once in my life. For example there was a time not long ago that I felt anxious about something, and I was allowing that anxiety to steal the divine peace that God had so graciously given me. I took my issue to God in prayer, and I confessed my feelings to him. I told him that I knew he worked all things together for my good, and that I trusted him with all my heart. Shortly after praying this prayer I walked outside on the back deck and at that very moment several doves landed on the lawn. As you know, doves are a symbol of peace, and my divine peace was restored by God through sight at that very instant. If I have a decision to make, and I go to God in prayer asking him to guide me in making that decision he will direct me by giving me a sudden thought that leaves me with no doubt as to what it is I need to do.

I urge you to seek God with all your heart, trust him, and lean on him in all things. Don't allow yourself to get so busy with life that you fail to spend time with God, and build a strong personal relationship with him. Put God first in your life, and pay attention to all he has to share with you. He is there for you always, he wants to communicate with you, he wants you to hear him, and you will if you choose to seek him with your whole heart.

If you have a prayer request and would like me to pray for you, leave me a message and I will be more than happy to do so. May God bless you.

Miry Clay

Psalm 40:1-3 (KJV) Says, "I waited patiently for the Lord; and he inclined unto me, and heard my cry. He brought me up also out of a horrible pit, out of the miry clay, and set my feet upon a rock, and established my goings. And he hath put a new song in my mouth, even praise unto our God: many shall see it, and fear, and shall trust in the Lord."

In the above passage of scripture the psalmist tells us that he cried out to the Lord when he was in need, that he waited patiently on him, and that the Lord answered his plea. The psalmist was pleading with the Lord to deliver him from his enemies. He cries out to God describing his current state as  being in a horrible pit, and in miry clay, before the Lord pulls him up and sets his feet on a rock. He then speaks of how happy he became when God pulled him up out of that pit, and he praises God for it. He further states that when others witness what the Lord has done for him many of them will come to trust in him also.

Most if not all of us have experienced the feeling of being in a pit or walking through miry clay at one time or another in our lives. In fact, most of us have felt that way more than once. When things in our lives don't go the way we had hoped and we suffer some disappointment or loss, it can and often does bring us down. When we face hardships in our lives or a loss of some sort, it is quite normal to experience emotions associated with disappointment and hurt. When we find ourselves in a state where these emotions have us feeling as though we are in a pit or walking through miry clay, however, we have allowed ourselves to go too far before crying out to God.

Psalm 46:1 (KJV) Says, "God is our refuge and strength, a very present help in trouble." Knowing this when we find ourselves in trouble of any sort whether we are suffering from financial hardship, feeling down, feeling overwhelmed, suffering persecution by others, struggling with addiction, going through a divorce, having medical problems, whatever our problem is we should immediately cry out to God and plea for him to help us. We must then put our trust in him completely, and wait patiently for him to answer our prayer. God is more powerful than any problem we have, and he loves each of us tremendously.

If you are facing a trial of some sort in your life, I urge you to put your trust in Almighty God knowing that there is no problem in the world he is not capable of solving. Things that are impossible for us to accomplish are never impossible for God. He is all powerful meaning he has power over absolutely everything. If you have suffered a loss of some sort and it has left you devastated, I urge you to cry out to him and ask him to give you strength and comfort in your time of need, and to wrap his loving arms around you. I urge you to ask him to set your feet upon a rock.

If you are facing a trial that has left you feeling as though you are in the bottom of a pit or walking through miry clay, I urge you to cry out to God for help. Remember who you are in Christ. Remember that you are a child of God, and that he loves you tremendously. Put your trust in him and wait patiently knowing that he wants you to have a joy filled life. Remind yourself that his timing is perfect. I urge you to go to him in prayer immediately and allow him to lift you out of the pit or pull you out of the miry clay, and set your feet upon a rock. Praise God always, and when he answers your plea what a testimony that is to others as they witness your walk, and all that he has done for you. I encourage you to remember that all things are possible with God, that he is your refuge and strength, and that he is there for you every second of every day. God doesn't turn his back on us in our trials he is right there waiting for us to come to him. I urge you to stand on the many promises God gives us in his Word, and to remember he has never nor will he ever break a single one of them.

If you have a prayer request and would like me to pray for you, leave me a message and I will be more than happy to do so. May God bless you.

A Personal Testimony

Proverbs 22:6 (KJV) Says, "Train up a child in the way he should go: and when he is old, he will not depart from it."

The above verse of scripture taken from Proverbs is self-explanatory, and I can honestly say I was blessed to have parents and grandparents who through their teachings and by their example helped me to build the strongest foundation anyone could ever have. The foundation on which I stand is that of the unshakable Lord Jesus Christ. When we are taught to love the Lord, put him first in our lives, be respectful, and live our lives righteously, even when we stray and we all do, the great lessons we were taught do not leave us.

My Mom was the disciplinarian in our home, and my Dad backed her one hundred percent. This created a united front that we as their children grew to respect and recognize as concrete. They taught us right from wrong, to respect our elders, and to do the right things in life. My grandparents loved us tremendously, and they too taught us many lessons. Whenever I had a problem I could go to my parents or grandparents to discuss it, and bank on the fact that I would leave with a feeling of peaceful resolve. I went to them time and time again with various issues, and each and every time they were able to help me. Their perfect record when it came to assisting me was made possible because their lessons and answers came directly from the Word of God.

Along with the lessons I learned at home and from my grandparents, I also learned a great deal via worship services, and church related activities.  I attended a small church in Smyrna, Georgia from the time I was born until I was a teenager. I attended Sunday School, worship services, and Vacation Bible School. I was in the church choir, and sang duets with my twin sister beginning at age five. I also participated in plays, and any other activities that were made available to me. It was during this period of my life that I came to know Christ, and to accept him as my personal Lord and Savior. I was blessed with parents, grandparents, and an aunt who attended the same church, and exhibited for me in their everyday lives what it meant to be a Christian. I was surrounded by people who truly loved me, and they taught me so much, and the greatest of these teachings was to love the Lord, and to put him first in my life.

Things were going great for me into my teenage years, and my love for God continued to grow. A single phone call on the evening of March 2, 1978 at 9:30pm, however, drastically altered my life; a phone call I will never forget. This phone call was from my aunt, my mom's sister, and she had called to advise my mom that something was seriously wrong with my grandfather, their Daddy. My mom and dad rushed out the door, and headed to my grandparents home immediately after hanging up the phone. That instant I began thinking about the last visit I had made to my grandparents house. We had gone to visit them on Tuesday of that same week, and I had been in a less than pleasant mood because I wanted to do something else that day. I wasn't disrespectful to them, but it was more than likely obvious that I wasn't happy for some reason. My grandfather meant a great deal to me, and I loved him dearly. As the thought of my last visit raced through my mind, I rushed to the bathroom of our home, and I hit my knees. I literally begged God to at least let my grandfather live long enough for me to see him one more time so I could tell him how much I loved him, appreciated him, respected him, and how much he meant to me.

I felt confident that God would answer my prayer because after all, I had been living right, attending church, Sunday School, Vacation Bible School, loved the Lord, and was doing my very best to walk in obedience to him. A few hours later my parents returned home, and my mom was draped in what I recognized as the quilt that my grandparents kept on their bed. I glanced at her and without saying a word she gave me a nod that let me know my prayer had gone unanswered. My grandfather passed away, and I never got the opportunity I had so desperately begged God for.

I became bitter and angry at God, and full of questions. How could God do this to me? Why hadn't God given me the chance to see my grandfather alive one more time? How could a God that loves me so much have let this happen, when I was doing all I could to walk in obedience to him? I allowed my bitterness, confusion, and anger to consume me, and I strayed from my walk with God. I began going out to parties, going to places I would have never gone before, hanging out with people who were negative influences on my life, and I began to drink on a regular basis. My parents did all that was humanly possible to discourage and correct my behavior, but through it all I remained on a self-destructive course that lasted a number of years.

It was along this course of self-destruction that I came to realize how strong the foundation my parents and grandparents had led me to truly was. No matter how much I drank, where I went, who I was with, or any other factor the Holy Spirit was with me. I had absolutely no peace, no happiness, and no fulfillment of any sort. Misery, unrest, discontent, sadness, grief, loneliness, anger, and bitterness had replaced the peace, comfort and happiness I once knew. I was under constant conviction by the Holy Spirit, and let me tell you it was torture.

Because of all I had been taught, and all that had been demonstrated to me by my parents and grandparents, the most important of the things being to love the Lord, I wound up back on my knees. I asked God to forgive me for all the anger and bitterness I had carried for all those years, I asked him to forgive me for all the sins I had committed and I repented of those sins, and I thanked him for watching over me throughout it all. I thanked him for his forgiveness, and for loving me when I didn't deserve it, and a relief and peace came over me at that instant that words could never do justice.

I urge you to help your children and grandchildren build the greatest foundation possible, and that is the Lord Jesus Christ. As you see by my testimony when they have been taught what it means to truly love the Lord and to live in obedience to him, when they have accepted him as their personal Savior, and they have felt the happiness, peace, and comfort that comes along with that, they will carry him with them wherever they go. If they stray they will never do so without feeling drawn by the Holy Spirit to get back on the path of obedience to Almighty God. I can tell you firsthand that out of all the things my parents and grandparents did for me growing up, teaching me and demonstrating for me the love and power of God is the greatest of them all.

If you have a prayer request and would like me to pray for you, leave me a message and I will be more than happy to do so. May God bless you.

Sin Weight

I John 1:7 (KJV) Says, "But if we walk in the light, as He is in the light, we have fellowship one with another, and the blood of Jesus Christ His Son cleanseth us from all sin." John 8:12 (KJV) Says, "Then spake Jesus again unto them saying, I am the light of the world: he that followeth me shall not walk in darkness, but shall  have the light of life."

The above verse of scripture taken from I John tells us that when Jesus died on the cross for our sins we were washed clean. It doesn't say partially clean, but clean. Once we ask forgiveness for our sins, repent of them, and accept Jesus Christ as our personal Lord and Savior we are new creatures in Him,, and our sins are totally washed away. Both of the above verses of scripture tell us that Jesus is the light of the world. Knowing this to be true because it comes directly from the Word of God then why would we ever allow ourselves to feel as though we are walking in darkness? The answer to this question for many people is sin weight.

There are many people who feel as though their sins have somehow been so great that there is no way God could ever forgive them, and so they continue to carry them around feeling weighed down and burdened by them. The truth of the matter is that God will forgive us if we go to Him in prayer and ask Him to. The problem for people carrying sin weight is not that God hasn't forgiven them, but that they cannot forgive themselves.

We must remember that there is no one perfect, but Jesus Christ. Every human being sins, and that is documented in God's Word. Romans 3:23 (KJV) Says, "For all have sinned, and come short of the glory of God." We must also remember that sin is sin. Not one place in the Bible can we find a list of sins in order of their severity. There are people who would like for you to believe that such a list exists, and that the sins they have committed are so minor that they failed to make the list, but this is simply not true. Jesus suffering and dying on the cross for our sins, He himself being sinless, was the ultimate sacrifice. It was a sacrifice of such magnitude that it paid every individuals sin debt in full.

The price Jesus paid for our sins to be washed away was enormous, and we must not hold onto some sin that we as human beings feel is so great that the sacrifice He made for us didn't quite cover it. God forgives us when we ask His forgiveness and repent of our sins turning away from our wrong doings. This is not to say that we should commit sin purposely knowing all we have to do is ask forgiveness and we will be forgiven. It is to say that even as we  live our lives in obedience to God being human, we will still commit sins for which we are to ask forgiveness and repent.

If you are carrying around the weight of sin and you are a born again believer, I urge you to remind yourself of the great sacrifice paid for that sin, to ask forgiveness for it, to repent of it, and to let it go. I encourage you to remember that you are a child of God, that you were created in His very own image, and that he loves you tremendously. I urge you to remember that He is loving, kind, forgiving, merciful, and all things good. I urge you to step out of the darkness, and walk in his light remembering who you are in Him.

If you are carrying around sin weight and you have never come to accept Jesus Christ as your personal Lord and Savior, I urge you to do so immediately. Simply go to God in prayer ask Him to forgive you of your sins, repent of those sins, tell Him you believe that Jesus was born, that He died on the cross for your sins, and that He rose again. Ask Him to come into your heart, and be your Lord and Savior. The greatest and most important decision you will ever make in your life is to accept Jesus Christ as your personal Lord and Savior, and my prayer for you is that you do so while you have the opportunity.

If you have a prayer request and would like me to pray for you, send me a message and I will be more than happy to do so. May God bless you.

Perfect Peace

Isaiah 26:3 (KJV) Says, "Thou wilt keep him in perfect peace, whose mind is stayed on thee: because he trusteth in thee." II Corinthians 4:18 (KJV) Says, "While we look not at the things which are seen, but at the things which are not seen:  for the things which are seen are temporal; but the things which are not seen are eternal."

In the above verse of scripture taken from the book of Isaiah, we are promised that if we keep our minds on God and trust Him He will provide us with perfect peace. Please note that He doesn't just promise us peace, but rather a perfect peace. This is a peace that is only attainable by keeping our focus on God, and trusting Him with all things. It is a peace that is divine, and can come only from our Heavenly Father. The above verse of scripture taken from II Corinthians  instructs us to look at the things which are not seen because the things that we can see are of this world, and are only temporary. The things we can't see are eternal, and those are the things we should be focused on. We can't see God's plan for our lives, but we know we can trust him because he doesn't make mistakes, He has power over all people and things, He loves us tremendously, He has never broken a promise, and His timing is perfect. When we surrender our life to Him and allow Him to lead, guide, and direct our path we will find perfect peace, comfort, joy, and security of a magnitude so great it cannot be matched by anything earthly.

We all search for security whether it be in our jobs, in our finances, our relationships, or any other area of our life we feel is out of control. Many people somehow feel that if they could gain control of everything in their life they could finally feel secure, relax, and be at peace. The harder we try to control events in our own lives, however, the more things seem to spiral out of control and the more agitated and frustrated we become. The reason for this is that true security and divine peace are not of this world, and we can never attain them without God's help.

If we desire divine peace we must remain focused on God, and put our full trust in Him. We must focus our attention on His presence, and not on things of this world. If we build and maintain a strong personal relationship with God through prayer, reading and studying His Word, meditating on it, listening and looking for him to lead and guide us, attend worship services, and fellowship with other believers leaving all our problems to God we will experience His perfect peace.

Trusting God and surrendering our life fully to Him seems to be something many people resist for various reasons of their own. You could ask these same individuals if they thought they had more control over situations that arise than  Almighty God does, and they would more than likely say they did not, but yet they continue to fight for control in their lives refusing to let go and trust Him.

Why would anyone want to struggle so desperately to hold onto issues and situations that they have absolutely no way of controlling, when they could turn it all over to God who is all-knowing, omnipresent,  and all-powerful? There is nothing to difficult for God. When you look at it that way it doesn't seem even remotely reasonable to struggle so hard for control in lieu of turning things over to Him.

Do you struggle and work hard at attempting to gain peace in your life? Do you leave God out of every problem and situation you face? Do you go to God only after you're frustrated and exhausted, exclaiming you don't know what else to do? If so, I urge you to change the order of things, and take your cares to God first. Build a close personal relationship with him, and be constantly aware of His presence, and His power. It is only in surrendering to Him that we can finally learn what it means to truly relax, and experience perfect peace. I urge you to simply let go and let God.

If you have a prayer request and would like me to pray for you, send me a message and I will be more than happy to do so. May God bless you.

God's Blessings In My Darkest Hour

Psalm 46:1 (KJV) "God is our refuge and strength, a very present help in trouble."

God will give you strength and comfort, and He will wrap His loving arms around you as He walks beside you through your storms. I encourage you to praise him for his goodness even in the midst of those storms.

Praising God even in times of trouble is extremely important first and foremost because His Word  instructs us to do so. Secondly, when we choose to praise Him in our storms He blesses us. He will provide love, comfort, strength, and  all we need to make it through even the mightiest of storms. I know first hand that if you pay attention you will recognize that God blesses us in bad times just as He does in the good.

I am currently walking through the mightiest storm I've ever faced in my life, and the entire way I've seen God show up, and I've felt his presence as He provides me with the strength and comfort I so desperately need. I very recently lost my Daddy. He was my hero, a man I loved, appreciated, respected, and admired tremendously, and God has been with me every step of the way.

I talked to my Daddy on the phone on a regular basis. I would phone him for a chat, and he would also phone me for the same. These chats are now treasured memories that coincide with the precious memories made during the time I spent with him over the years. One evening Daddy phoned me like he had so many times before, but there was something different about this conversation, and the tone in his voice. His tone was serious and he told me he had been thinking about some things that he wanted to tell me. He wanted to discuss events, occasions, and memories that we had shared throughout my life. We discussed things we had never discussed before, and I knew then that he wanted to have this conversation because he was ill. I attempted to joke with him, and told him he didn't have to talk about anything he didn't want to because he was going to live to be at least a hundred years old. His response was that he felt he needed to talk about these things, and that he wanted to do so while he had the opportunity. I listened intently with a lump in my throat the size of a softball and tears rolling down my cheeks. We had a long, in depth conversation. It was priceless. I shared this story to point out that God afforded us the opportunity to have that conversation. I recognize it as the great blessing from God it was, and I praise and thank Him for it.

I caught a cold, and couldn't visit Daddy the week prior to his going into the hospital, but I recovered from that cold quicker than any cold I've ever had. With my cold gone I was able to spend  the following week with him. We sat in his living room all day Monday and Tuesday talking and watching television together, and I truly treasure those hours of uninterrupted Daddy time. I was able to visit him in the hospital that Wednesday and Thursday, and be with him at his home Friday through Monday which was the day the Lord called him home. God cured my cold with a quickness affording me this opportunity, and I recognize it as another blessing rained down on me in the midst of my storm.


 Daddy was admitted to the hospital on Tuesday, and was discharged on Friday.  From that point forward I had one friend, who rarely left my side, other friends and family volunteering to do anything I needed or wanted them to do. God bless them all. We were given the option of sending Daddy to a hospice facility or taking him home and having hospice come out. My siblings and I chose the latter. We placed a hospital bed in his living room and opened the blinds so he had a view of his front yard, because he loved the outdoors. Daddy had many visitors that Friday evening, and all day and night on Saturday. Sunday morning we were advised by hospice that he didn't have much time left here on earth, and so from that point forward my siblings, my Daddy's siblings, our cousins, friends, and other family members remained with him. I was able to reunite and once again grow close to family members and friends that had over the years drifted away. It was over the course of these few days that I saw what an impact my Daddy had on so many people, how he had touched so many lives, and how much he loved and was loved in return. My siblings and I gathered around my Daddy's bed in the early evening on Monday, and we told him how much we appreciated him, respected him, loved him, and what a great Daddy he had been to each of us, and within moments God called him home. Over the space of those few days God provided time for those who loved Daddy to spend precious moments with him. God showed every individual present what unconditional love truly looks like by working through Daddy and the multitude of visitors who came by to express sympathy, and to say how much he meant to them. God afforded my siblings and I priceless moments with our Daddy in his final days, He demonstrated for us what it meant to love one another unconditionally, to love our neighbors as we love ourselves, and gave us a visual that confirmed our Daddy obeyed that commandment. God blessed us with this lesson in the eye of the worst storm any of us had ever faced.

We had an appointment at the funeral home the next morning to make arrangements for Daddy, and my siblings and I were accompanied by four of his sisters, our cousin Gail, and a man Daddy thought of as a brother. My siblings and I agreed on everything with ease because we knew our Daddy well, but there were a couple of things that we did not agree with his 2nd wife of only three years about. She is not our mother. Daddy had no children with this woman. Wanting no discord, I interrupted that meeting, and ask everyone to join hands so I could pray. I told God He knew my Daddy, and that he was a peaceful man. I ask God to intervene on the decision making and lead us all to a peaceful compromise allowing us to continue making the difficult decisions that were before us. God showed up and blessed us with the strength, comfort, and peace needed to carry out the planning of our Daddy's funeral service, and we did so without incident. Yet another praise in our storm.

Finally, during the viewing held for my father, I saw so much love, support, comfort, and unity among family and friends that it was overwhelming. Without hesitation a great friend, at my request, sat with me as I watched the tribute to my Daddy made up of photographs that were put to music. I wanted to watch it, but it wasn't something I felt I could do alone. She was there for me at a moment when I needed her and I'm so very grateful for that. God's timing is perfect, and may He bless her. I looked up at one point and was shocked to see a friend  from my elementary school years standing in the hallway; a friend I love dearly. I had not seen her in years, and when I saw her standing there it truly meant a great deal to me. She affirmed to me how much she loved our family, and I responded by telling her that I felt the same way about hers. After all these years, she once again referred to us as "buds." Her being there touched and warmed my heart. Yet another blessing from God in the midst of a storm.

I was standing alone at the grave side, when I felt an arm go around me in comfort and I was so very grateful.  I looked to my right and saw another long time friend who I also love dearly. She showed up and stood by me literally when I needed her most. Thank you God for putting her right there at that exact moment. I was reunited with family members, friends I had grown up with, friends I had worked with, and I saw numerous smiles on the faces of those people as they shared their memories of my precious Daddy. I witnessed God blessing me and my family in many ways, and He did so repeatedly in our darkest hour.

I encourage you to pay attention as you walk through the storms you're faced with in life. You don't have to look hard to see God's blessings, or feel His strength, comfort, and loving arms around you in times of trouble, you just have to pay attention. He's there blessing you, giving you strength and comfort, and wrapping His loving arms around you. I urge you to praise and thank God for all He does for you, and to remember that He is working for you, and blessing you even in your darkest hour.

If you have a prayer request and would like me to pray for you, leave me a message and I will be more than happy to do so. May God bless you.

Gifted

I Corinthians 12:4-11 (KJV) Says, "Now there are diversities of gifts, but the same Spirit. And there are differences of administrations, but the same Lord. And there are diversities of operations, but it is the same God which worketh all in all. But the manifestation of the Spirit is given to every man to profit withal. For to one is given by the Spirit the word of wisdom; to another the word of knowledge by the same Spirit; To another faith by the same Spirit; to another the gifts of healing by the same Spirit; To another the working of miracles; to another prophecy; to another discerning of spirits; to another divers kinds of tongues; to another the interpretation of tongues: But all these worketh that one and the selfsame Spirit, dividing to every man severally as He will."

The above passage of scripture tells us that there are various types of gifts all given to individual believers by the Holy Spirit. It also tells us that some people are given the same gifts and utilize them in different ways. Although our gifts may vary or be alike, the same God works through each of us. This passage of scripture also makes clear to us that the manifestation of the Spirit is given to EVERY man which clearly informs us that as believers in Christ we are ALL gifted.

Many believers go through life without ever recognizing or acknowledging their God given gift or gifts.  These gifts are to be utilized by God when working through us in service to Him. We are born with a freewill, however, and can therefore choose whether or not we will surrender our lives to Him, and follow the path He has laid out for us. Some believers although aware that there are things they are gifted at, fail to recognize these areas of skill as the God given gifts that they are. If every member of every Christian congregation worldwide identified their spiritual gift or gifts, and used them in service to the Lord the work that would be accomplished for the Lord would be astounding.

Not only are we given gifts from God, we are created by Him in his very image. I urge you to take a moment to ponder the fact that you were created by Almighty God Himself, in His own image, and that you are gifted.  If you are one who suffers from low self-esteem, the next time you feel down I encourage you to remind yourself of who you are in Christ, and of the gifts He's given you. I further encourage you to step out in faith allowing God to use the gifts He's given you by working through you to do work in service to Him.

Allowing your God given gifts to waste is compatible to owning a fine tuned piano that no one ever plays. There is no way to hear the beautiful music that can come from such a wonderful instrument, if it is left alone to collect dust. I encourage you to remember who you are in Christ, and to use your God given gifts in service to Him. I have no doubt that in so doing you will experience a joy, comfort, and a divine peace like you have never before known.

If you have a prayer request and would like me to pray for you, leave me a message and I will be more than happy to do so. May God bless you.

Anchored

Hebrews 6:18-20 (KJV) Says, "That by two immutable things, in which it was impossible for God to lie, we might have a strong consolation, who have fled for refuge to lay hold upon the hope set before us. Which hope we have as an anchor of the soul, both sure and steadfast, and which entereth into that within the veil; Whither the forerunner is for us entered, even Jesus, made a high priest for ever after the order of Melchizedek."

Beginning at the end of verse 18, we find that three pictures are used to demonstrate the security of being in Christ, and being anchored to Him. It is first described as being a safe retreat for us as were the six cities of refuge set aside in the Old Testament for those in need of a safe haven. Being in Christ provides us protection, strength, comfort, and a divine peace which is far greater than any earthly peace could ever be, and it provides us with anything and everything else we could ever possibly need. Secondly the above scripture makes clear that our hope in Him is sure and steadfast just like a well-placed, unbendable anchor. As believers, our anchor is  not located in the deepest sea, but rather in the highest heaven. The third figure mentioned above is that of a forerunner, and our forerunner is Jesus. He is positioned in the sanctuary of Heaven, and has opened the way before us, that we may rest assured that we will eventually and certainly enter in with Him.

Having been born with a freewill, we can make the choice as to who or what we will anchor to, placing our trust in, depending on, and having faith that it will sustain us. Some people anchor themselves to their careers feeling as though they can depend on their social status, the amount of money they make, or some worldly possession to sustain them, and bring them peace and happiness. These people never consider the fact that their social status can drop, they could lose their job, and all their worldly possessions; or more importantly that these things can do absolutely nothing for us when we are faced with the trials and tribulations that come upon each of us in life.

When we are anchored in Christ we are anchored to a rock. Like a rock that is so heavy it can't be moved so is Christ. I choose to be anchored in Christ because I know without doubt, that I can trust and depend on Him never having to worry He may reject, hurt, abandon, or disappointment me. I choose to be anchored to Christ knowing that in Him I have hope and His freely given, precious gift of eternal life to be spent in Heaven with Him, and my loved ones that have passed on before me. I choose to be anchored to Christ because I know that I have in Him a best friend who is there for me twenty four hours a day, seven days a week to listen, and to lead, guide, and direct me. I choose to be anchored in Christ because I have in Him someone who loves me tremendously and unconditionally, someone who shows me mercy, understanding, and kindness even when I don't deserve it. I choose to be anchored in Christ because I have in him someone who forgives me repeatedly, and because he is my rock, my strength, my comfort, my refuge, and my hope.

 Having made the choice to anchor myself to Christ, I feel His presence in the strength, comfort, divine peace, and in the hope that He freely gives me, and none of these things could ever be remotely matched by anything or anybody in this world. From where do you get strength and comfort? In who or what do you place your faith and trust? Wherein lies your hope? Have you placed your hope in Christ as the anchor of your soul? Do you place your trust, and faith in Him, or do you place it in something else that you are in constant fear of losing? I encourage you to seriously consider what or who your are anchored to?

If you have not come to know Jesus Christ as your Lord and Savior, and you have the desire in your heart to do so, then I urge you to take action immediately because we are not promised tomorrow. Simply go to God in prayer, ask him to forgive you for all your sins, tell him you believe that Jesus was born, that he died on the cross for your sins, and that he rose again, and ask him to come into your heart and be your Lord and Savior.

If you prayed the above prayer and accepted Jesus Christ as your Lord and Savior, congratulations you made the greatest, and most important decision you will ever make. May you forever remain anchored to him.

If you have a prayer request and would like me to pray for you leave me a message, and I will be more than happy to do so. May God bless you.

In Loving Memory

James 4:6 (KJV) Says, "But he giveth more grace, Wherefore he saith, God resisteth the proud but giveth grace unto the humble." Matthew 5:5 (KJV) Says, "Blessed are the meek: for they shall inherit the earth." Matthew 22:37-39 (KJV) Says, Jesus said unto him, Thou shalt love the Lord thy God with all thy heart, and with all thy soul, and with all thy mind. This is the first and great commandment. And the second is like unto it, Thou shalt love thy neighbor as thyself." "Proverbs 22:2 (KJV) Says, " The rich and poor meet together: the Lord is the maker of them all."

In the above verse of scripture taken from the book of James we are told that God gives grace to the humble, and that He resists the proud. Grace by Christian definition is the free and unmerited favor of God. The verse listed above taken from Matthew chapter five tells us the meek meaning those that are quite, gentle, and humble will inherit the earth. This verse also tells us that those that exhibit these characteristics will share in the kingdom of God on earth, and the blessedness of Heaven. In the passage of scripture taken from Matthew chapter twenty-two Jesus gives us the two greatest commandments which are first and foremost to love God with all our heart, mind, and soul and secondly to love our neighbors as we love ourselves. Finally, the verse listed above taken from the book of Proverbs reminds us that God created each and every one of us, and that He views us as equals. This verse makes clear that God does not show favoritism based on worldly possessions, and that the rich and the poor will meet together in Heaven. God doesn't look at us as other people do considering our worldly possessions and social status,  He looks at our hearts. Praise God that all born again Christians will meet together in Heaven, and that worldly possessions and social status won't matter in the least.

I very recently lost my hero, my Daddy, who went home to be with the Lord and I must add that at fifty-one years old this is the most difficult storm I have ever had to walk through. I miss him so very much, and there is a hole in my heart that can never be filled. My Daddy was loving, kind, understanding, humble, gentle, quiet, friendly, caring, forgiving, and possessed many other great Christian characteristics. That being said, this may seem hard to believe but knowing all of these characteristics to be true of my Daddy, I never really thought about them as a whole. I knew he was my Daddy, that he loved me immensely, that he was a born again baptized believer in Jesus Christ, and that he was a great man. During his final days, at his viewing, and at his funeral service I saw the overwhelming results of him having loved God and putting him first, and of his love for people. I witnessed an outpouring of love for him that could not possibly be measured, and this outpouring of love came from all walks of life.

Daddy lived in a modest home, he dressed modestly, and lived an overall humble life. After retiring he enjoyed tinkering around in his garage on lawnmowers, and having various family members, friends, and acquaintances drop by to chat with him while he worked. Strangers dropped in also, but they weren't strangers for long because with Daddy many, if not all of them soon became friends. He sat for hours in that garage ever day with the exception of Sundays listening to others share with him what they were going through in their lives. They left that Daddy's garage feeling better about whatever might have been troubling them, and they left knowing that someone cared.

My siblings and myself gathered around my Daddy, when we were told by his hospice nurse that he was transitioning, and would soon go home to be with the Lord. We love our Daddy dearly, and we wanted to be with him when God called him home. We gathered at his house along with his siblings the morning of the day before his passing, and were amazed by the number of individuals that joined us not only that day, but throughout the night and into the next evening. There were multiple vehicles parked on both sides of my Daddy's house, in his driveway, and in his front yard. These vehicles belonged to family members, friends, and neighbors whose lives my precious Daddy had touched. As I stood on his front porch looking out across his yard my heart overflowed with the demonstration of love these people had for my Daddy. I was in and out of the house where I stood by his bedside talking to him and holding his hand, and I spent some time outside on his porch and some standing in his front yard.

As I stood in the yard various individuals would pull up in their vehicles, and approach me to check on Daddy and to tell me how very much he meant to them, and how sorry they were he was so sick. At one point, a young man I believe to have been around 30-35 years old, dressed in a very nice suit and driving an expensive looking car came over to me crying and told me he was the pastor of a local church. He went on to tell me he met Daddy, when he brought his lawnmower over for repair some years ago. He told me how great a man he thought Daddy was, and how much he enjoyed stopping by and sitting in the garage to chat with him. He went on to tell me that Daddy was like a father figure to him. As I thanked him for his kind words and began to walk away, another man pulled up sobbing profusely. He was dressed in black and was the polar opposite of the pastor that I had just spoken with. He appeared to be in his 40's and he too told me how very much my Daddy meant to him, and shared that he would come by the garage often to sit and chat with Daddy. He stated that he enjoyed his visits in that garage, and that he looked at my Daddy as a father figure. He went on to tell me how sorry he was that Daddy was so sick then returned to his vehicle, and drove off down the road.

The magnitude of the demonstration of what it truly means to be Christ-like in humility, kindness, love, patience, forgiveness, understanding, and all things good as well as what it truly means to love our neighbors as ourselves did not elude me that day. I was overwhelmed  at the number of people who had grown to know, love, respect, and treasure the friendship they shared with Daddy. I saw in those few moments exactly what it means to love our neighbors as we love ourselves. What it means to love people from all walks of life was made visual for me in those few moments also, as were the results of what it meant to treat people equally. I knew my Daddy fulfilled the first greatest commandment loving the Lord with all his heart mind and soul, and on this day God revealed to me that without a doubt Daddy fulfilled the second greatest commandment which is to love thy neighbor as thyself, and even though I knew he obeyed this commandment, it was a blessing to see visual proof of this as a testimony for all to see, even in the face of the worst storm I have ever faced.

Multitudes of people remained at Daddy's house overnight, through to the next day, and into the evening. It was at that time that my siblings and I were informed that we only had moments left with our Daddy here on earth. We gathered around his bed, and each of us took turns holding his hand, hugging and kissing him. We each told him what a great Daddy he was, how much we appreciated how hard he had worked so we could have everything we needed and wanted, and how very much we loved him. With my siblings and I along with a few of his siblings gathered around his hospital bed, our precious Daddy went home to be with the Lord on July 14, 2014 in the early evening.

Daddy had touched so many lives that it was necessary for him to be viewed in the chapel of the funeral home in lieu of a regular viewing room which would not hold the multitude of people that came to pay their respects to him. I could hear him saying that he didn't need such a grand celebration because he was one of the most humble people I've ever known. His funeral service further confirmed that he'd had a positive impact on numerous people and that he loved and treated each of them as equals. This was again reflected in the kind words people shared, and the sermon that was preached. The flood of tears I witnessed were a further testament to what a great man he was, and of how much he was loved. This man was my hero and my Daddy.

 It is my hope that others can learn from my experience and from what I witnessed and that they will be encouraged to live there lives listening to people, loving them, and treating each and every  individual they meet equally. My siblings and I miss our Daddy more than words could ever possibly convey as we loved him tremendously. Praise God  we find hope and comfort in knowing that we will one day see him again.

If you have a prayer request and would like me to pray for you send me a message, and I will be more than happy to do so. May God bless you.

Monday Through Saturday

I Corinthians 3:16 (KJV) Says, "Know ye not that ye are the temple of God, and that the Spirit of God dwelleth in you?" Proverbs 15:3 (KJV) Says, "The eyes of the Lord are in every place, beholding the evil and the good.

In the above verse of scripture taken from I Corinthians we are reminded as believers who have accepted Jesus Christ as our Lord and Savior, that the Holy Spirit dwells within each of us. In the above verse of scripture taken from the book of Proverbs, we are reminded that the Lord sees all things everywhere. There is nothing that goes on that the Lord does not see. The Lord is with us always and he sees absolutely everything. We may be able to hide things from one another, but we can't hide anything from God.

Most self-proclaimed Christians attend worship service on Sunday morning where they fellowship with one another, listen to a sermon, and sing praises to the Lord. This is wonderful, but what about Monday through Saturday? When we go to church as we worship, sing, and fellowship among the congregation we behave like any good Christian would be expected to. The behaviors that separate Christians from non-believers, however, in some cases seem to fade rapidly as the week progresses. It's as if many Christians believe that the only place God sees us or cares how we behave is in church on Sunday.

It is easy to identify a Christian, on Sunday, among a congregation of self-proclaimed believers, but what about Monday through Saturday? Does your behavior demonstrate that you are sanctified and set apart by your Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ? Or, do you find yourself behaving in a manner that makes it impossible to identify you as a believer? Do you walk out of the sanctuary on Sunday morning and forget that the Holy Spirit dwells within you? Do you walk out and kid yourself into believing that you have left God sitting on a pew, and that it is perfectly acceptable to behave in any manner you choose until the following Sunday? Or, do you walk out of Sunday service and strive to be the best  Christian example to others that you can possibly be no matter what day of the week it is?

No human being is perfect, and that is certain. As the Word of God tells us in the book of Romans we have all sinned and fallen short of the glory of God, but if we truly desire to live the best life possible then it is imperative that we do our best to live our lives in obedience to God. We must do the best we can to be the best disciples for Jesus Christ  we can be as we go about our everyday lives. As born again believers in Jesus Christ we should stand out as his light shines brightly through us in this extremely dark world, and his light should shine through us everyday; not just on Sundays.

God wants us to have joy, divine peace, and contentment in our lives. He has many blessings He desires to rain down on us. Just as earthly parents love their children, we are his children and He loves us tremendously. He wants for us the best lives possible, but just as earthly parents don't reward their children for bad behavior, neither does our Heavenly Father reward us, when walk in disobedience to him. I encourage you to start living in obedience to God everyday, and to be a great Christian example for those around you at all times. I know that some individuals believe that you can't have fun and be a Christian, but let me assure you that there is nothing further from the truth. We all have some behaviors and attitudes that need work, but God knows our hearts and he knows when we are sincerely working on correcting any ungodly behaviors. He knows when we are making a sincere attempt to turn away from things we know don't fit who we are in Christ. I encourage you to remember that you are a child of the most high God, that you have been set apart and sanctified, that he loves you tremendously, and to do your best to allow your behavior to reflect each of these things no matter what day of the week it is.

If you have a prayer request and would like me to pray for you, leave me a message and I will be more than happy to do so. May God bless you.

Never Underestimate God

I Samuel 17:33 (KJV) Says, "And Saul said unto David, Thou art not able to go against this Philistine to fight with him: for thou art but a youth, and he a man of war from his youth."  In Judges 6:14-15 (KJV)  the Lord is speaking with Gideon, and the verse Says, "And the Lord looked upon him, and said, Go in this thy might, and thou shalt save Israel from the hand of the Midianites: have not I sent thee? And he said unto him, Oh my Lord, wherewith shall I save Israel? behold, my family is poor in Manasseh, and I am the least in my father's house."

The above verses of scripture are just two examples of  many given to us in the Word of God where individuals we would never deem capable of a task are chosen by God to take on that very task. Saul did not believe for one minute that David being so young and having no experience in war could go up against Goliath who was not only a giant, but a skilled warrior and defeat him. Gideon was called by the Lord to lead Israel out of the hand of the Midianites who were coming against them, even though Gideon himself had no faith that he was equipped or capable of doing so.

Think about all that God was able to accomplish through the original twelve disciples that he chose from among what we would consider common everyday men. Consider all that God used Paul to accomplish once he surrendered his life, and chose to live in obedience to Him. What God can accomplish by working through just one individual who is willing to surrender their life and follow Him is nothing short of amazing.

Each of us are given gifts from God to be utilized in accomplishing all He desires to accomplish by working through us. He can accomplish great things through every individual, if we will surrender our lives to Him, and follow His instructions. We are born with a freewill, however, and it is therefore up to us as to whether or not we will choose to do that.  Many people hesitate to follow God's direction for their lives because they listen to the devil telling them they are not capable. I urge you to remember that the devil is a liar.  Some people listen to others who laugh at the idea of them being capable of what God has called them to do. Do not listen to these type people remembering that God can accomplish whatever He chooses to accomplish working through whomever He chooses to use, and that includes you. Step out in faith believing God, put your trust in him, and remember that the Bible tells us in Philippians 4:13 (KJV) we can do all things through Christ who strengthens us.

Knowing these things and that God has never broken a promise, I encourage you to have faith in God without doubt. I encourage you to pray, read and study God's Word and meditate on it. I urge you to listen for God's direction, and follow the plan He has for your life. Don't ever underestimate yourself, because you see, it is not about what you are capable of alone, but what God is capable of by working through you. As we see in God's Word, the things He's capable of accomplishing by working through those we would deem the most unlikely to be chosen, are without question limitless, and nothing short of amazing. Don't underestimate God. I urge you to surrender your life to him, allow him to lead, guide and direct your path, and watch all of the great work He is capable of doing by working through you. Remember we are never too old or too young for God to use us in a great way. We must also remember without fail to give God all the praise and the glory for everything we do accomplish knowing that we can do nothing without Him, and all things with Him.

If you have a prayer request and would like me to pray for you, leave me a message and I will be more than happy to do so. May God bless you.

Stop, Pray, and Trust God

 Isaiah 55:8-9 (KJV) Says, "For my thoughts are not your thoughts, neither are your ways my ways, saith the Lord. For as the heavens are higher than the earth, so are my ways higher than your ways, and my thoughts than your thoughts."  Jeremiah 29:11 (KJV) Says, "For I know the thoughts that I think toward you, saith the Lord, thoughts of peace, and not of evil, to give you an expected end."
Romans 8:28 (KJV) Says, "And we know that all things work together for good to them that love God, to them who are the called according to His purpose."

The above verses of scripture taken from the book of Isaiah tell us that God's thoughts are not our thoughts and that He doesn't do things in the same way that we would do them. He makes it clear that His ways and his thoughts are higher than ours as He is above us in all things just as the heavens are above the earth. It is for certain that He knows far better than we do what is best for us. The above verse of scripture taken from the book of Jeremiah makes it clear that the Lord wants us to live in peace, and that he doesn't sit around thinking about various evil He can bring upon us. He wants us to have divine peace and joy, and to live joy filled lives here on earth. The final verse of scripture listed above is taken from the book of Romans, and it makes clear that all things come together for good to those who love God, and are following him.

At one time or another, most if not all of us, have found ourselves in situations that are difficult and that we can't understand the reason for. When we do, we don't need to begin whining and complaining. When we are in a tough situation, facing difficulties and hardships, or we are unhappy with where we are in life, we need to stop, pray, and trust God. If we are living our lives in a manner that is pleasing to God and are following Him, then we need to pause long enough to remember that He has a purpose for us to be going through whatever it is we are facing, and that it will all work together for good in the end.

A great example of this can be found in Philippians 1:12-14 (KJV) where Paul says, "But I would ye should understand, brethren, that the things which happened unto me have fallen out rather unto the furtherance of the gospel; So that my bonds in Christ are manifest in all the palace, and in all other places; And many of the brethren in the Lord, waxing confident by my bonds, are much more bold to speak the word without fear."

In this passage of scripture taken from the book of Romans Paul is in prison. Now take a moment to consider that the prison was cave like with dirt floors, and was far from comfortable. Many people in prison are quite unhappy and find nothing positive about it. Paul, however, makes it clear that he sees  the purpose for which God has placed him where he is, and the good that has come out of it. He tells us that the things that have happened to him including landing in prison have served to further the gospel of Jesus Christ. He goes on to tell us that his imprisonment has afforded him the opportunity to spread the gospel  in Caesar's palace, and that many Roman Christians were stirred to preach the gospel during his bondage. He states that they became able to do so more boldly, and without fear. So Paul having a close personal relationship with God saw the good in his situation, and the purpose behind him being in it. Paul didn't see the negative and begin whining and complaining about prison conditions or his plight, but rather he trusted God, and continued to spread the gospel from within those prison walls seeing the positive results that were coming from him doing so.

What a great example Paul set here for us to follow, when we find ourselves in situations that we don't understand or see a purpose for. If Paul had adopted a poor, pitiful me attitude the moment he was incarcerated and focused solely on his own discomfort, then he would have missed the opportunity afforded him to spread the gospel throughout the palace, and the opportunity to stir up many of the Roman Christians to be bold in preaching the gospel without fear. Paul knew and trusted that God had a plan, that God knows best, and that the end result would be good.

When you find yourself faced with a difficult situation, I encourage you to trust God. I urge you to remember that his thoughts and ways are not ours, and that he knows what is best for us. We have two choices we can make difficult situations about us, see the negative in them, whine, complain, and miss the good that God intended to come from them; or we can do as Paul did and trust God acknowledging that he knows what is best for us, and that whatever we're facing or going through He will work out for our good.

If you have a prayer request and would like me to pray for you, leave me a message and I will be more than happy to do so. May God bless you.

God Never Changes

Hebrews 13:8 (KJV) Says, "Jesus Christ the same yesterday, and today, and for ever."


As we see from the above verse of scripture, God never changes. He is the same yesterday, today, and forever. We all face changes in our lives which require that we go through periods of adjustment as we grow accustom to where these changes land us.


Some of the changes we face come suddenly, and have a major impact on our everyday life. A few examples of change that can make a major impact on our life are the death of a loved one, losing a job, starting a new job, getting a divorce, getting married, the birth of a child, children growing up and moving out,  and as we all know there are many more that can and do occur. All major changes that come along in our lives require that we go through a period of adjustment.  As Christians, we can find comfort in the fact that God will be with us during the adjustment periods that come along in our lives. God loves us and he will never leave us or forsake us.

Unlike God, people do change as does the world that we live in. As soon as we are born we begin to age, and as we age and go through various stages in our lives, we face multiple changes. With new inventions and growth in technology being a constant, the world we live in is also constantly changing. Some of the changes we face can be very difficult on us. We can experience sadness and great pain as we work to adapt, and move forward with our lives. God understands that these periods of emotional adjustment are necessary before we can move forward, but it is important to note that he does want us to move forward. One example of this can be found in the Word of God when we read about the death of Moses. Deuteronomy 34:8-9 tells us that the people mourned the loss of Moses for 30 days before moving forward following Joshua as God directed them to.

God knows we are only human and he understands our emotions completely because he experienced all of them firsthand, when he came to earth in the flesh. He has compassion and sympathy for us, and he loves us tremendously.

When you go through changes that have a major impact on your life, I encourage you to remember that you are not going through them alone. I encourage you to remember that God promises he will never leave nor forsake you, and that he has not, nor will he ever break a promise. I urge you to remember that God is right there holding your hand, and that he loves you tremendously. I urge you to allow God to be your anchor. He never changes, and he is steadfast, and immovable. I urge you to rely on God not only as you walk through periods of adjustment in your life, but throughout each and every second of every day.

If you have a prayer request and would like me to pray for you, leave me a message and I will be more than happy to do so. May God bless you.

Questions

Leviticus 19:31 (KJV) Says, "Regard not them that have familiar spirits, neither seek after wizards, to be defiled by them:  I am the Lord your God." Leviticus 20:6 (KJV) Says, "And the soul that turneth after such as have familiar spirits, and after wizards, to go a whoring after them, I will even set my face against that soul, and will cut him off from among his people." Deuteronomy 18:10-12 (KJV) Says, "There shall not be found among you any one that maketh his son or daughter to pass through the fire, or that useth divination, or an observer of times, or an enchanter, or a witch, Or a charmer, or a consulter with familiar spirits, or a wizard, or a necromancer. For all that do these things are an abomination unto the Lord: and because of these abominations the Lord thy God doth drive them out from before thee." Isaiah 8:19 (KJV) Says, "And when they shall say unto you, Seek unto them that have familiar spirits, and unto wizards that peep, and that mutter:  Should not a people seek unto their God? for the living to the dead?

In the above verses of scripture taken from the book of Leviticus we are instructed not to consult mediums or sorcerers. The above passage taken from Deuteronomy instructs us that we are not to use divination. An example of divination can be found in Ezekiel 21:21(KJV) where arrows where whirled around in a quiver and the answer to a question was decided by the first arrow thrown out. We are also advised to avoid astrology, an observer of times such as one that reads the clouds, and not to seek after an enchanter, a witch, or a wizard. We are further instructed not to seek after a necromancer. The Hebrew term for necromancer is "one who asks of the dead." All these practices are clearly condemned in the word of God. These practices are considered abominations. In the verse of scripture taken from the book of Isaiah, the prophet warns the people about seeking witches, wizards, and soothsayers in lieu of taking their questions and issues to God in prayer.

We all have questions that we would like answered, and each of us desire advice, when faced with important decisions that occur periodically throughout our lives. There are several worldly avenues made available to us in which to seek answers. We can draw straws, flip a coin, seek a medium, go to a psychic, read our horoscope, seek a witch, wizard, palm reader, or take some other worldly route in search of guidance. As Christians, however, why in the world would we do any of these things which God's word makes clear are abominations? Why in the world would we do any of these things, when we have the privilege to go to God in prayer, and talk to him day or night about anything and everything?

You might say well I go to a palm reader, but I don't believe anything they tell me, or I read my horoscope daily, but I don't put any faith in what it says. You might say I go to a psychic, but only about twice a year more or less just for fun. The truth is seeking answers or help with decisions from any of these sources or by any of these means is an abomination in the eyes of God.  It matters not the frequency of  use or how much faith you put into any of these sources. What is important is the fact that you go to them instead of taking your problems and questions to God in prayer.

When you have a question or you're faced with a problem of some sort, where do you turn? When we honestly consider the power and knowledge of Almighty God, both of which are unlimited, I think we can agree that there is no go to source greater than Him for any and all questions, issues, problems, and worries we may have. The next time you have a need or want of any sort, and desire to seek an answer take your questions to God in prayer. You can go to God in prayer having faith in Him, knowing without a doubt that He understands you, that He has all the answers, He knows what is best for you, and that He loves you tremendously. I encourage you to remember that you can talk to God whenever you choose because He is always available to you. Seek God when you have a decision to make, a question you need answered or help with a problem you're faced with, and remember Psalm 46:1 (KJV) which tells us that "God is our refuge and strength, a very present help in trouble."

If you have a prayer request and would like me to pray for you, leave me a message and I will be more than happy to do so. May God bless you.

Worry

Philippians 4:6-7 (KJV) Says, "Be careful for nothing; but in every thing by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known unto God. And the peace of God, which passeth all understanding, shall keep your hearts and minds through Christ Jesus."  I Peter 5:7 (KJV) Says, "Casting all your care upon Him; for He careth for you." Ephesians 3:20-21 (KJV) Says, "Now unto Him that is able to do exceeding abundantly above all that we ask or think, according to the power that worketh in us, Unto Him be glory in the church by Christ Jesus throughout all ages, world without end. Amen." Isaiah 26:3-4 (KJV) Says, "Thou wilt keep him in perfect peace, whose mind is stayed on thee: because he trusteth in thee. Trust ye in the Lord for ever: for in the Lord Jehovah is everlasting strength:"

The above scripture taken from Philippians instructs us not to worry about anything, but rather to take all of our problems to God in prayer. It doesn't say that we are to split our problems with God leaving some for us to handle on our own; it says take EVERYTHING to God in prayer. We are to give God thanks and ask Him for whatever it is we need. We are to take our problems to God in prayer and leave them there. We are promised when we do that we will be given the peace of God which is a peace so great that it cannot be understood.

We are told in I Peter to cast our cares upon God and that He cares for us. Note we are instructed to cast ALL of our cares upon Him; not just a few of them holding back some for us to worry and panic about. As born again believers in Jesus Christ, we are all children of God and he cares for us tremendously. There is no reason whatsoever we should hesitate to take our problems to Him, put our trust in Him, and have faith in Him without doubt.

The above verse of scripture taken from Ephesians tells us that God is able to do exceeding abundantly above all we ask or think so why in the world would we fail to go to Him in prayer with our troubles? We know that God created the world, and that His power is unlimited yet we often fail to go to Him in prayer when we face storms. I've heard people facing problems say that the only thing left to do is pray, when that should be the first thing any of us do everyday whether we are facing problems or not.

We are promised again in the above passage of scripture taken from Isaiah that we will be given perfect peace if we keep our mind on God, and put our trust in Him. We are also instructed that in the Lord Jehovah we will find everlasting strength. Note it doesn't say strength for the moment, but everlasting strength.

We have two choices when it comes to dealing with our problems. We can go through life having divine peace and joy by putting our trust in God, and taking all of our cares and concerns to him in prayer as the Bible instructs us to do; or we can live our life in a state of worry and panic. It is totally up to us as to which we choose. It is certain that God prefers and desires for us to be happy.

When we fail to trust God and cast our cares upon Him, what are we saying? Are we saying He doesn't know what to do? Are we saying He doesn't care about us or our problems? Are we saying we don't trust Him? Are we saying our problems are to big for Almighty God creator of the universe to handle?

We know that God is greater than any problem we have. We know that He is capable of helping us climb our highest mountains, and we know that if we trust Him having faith without doubt in our hearts we have no need to fear. We know these things because we are told so in His precious Word.

Friends I encourage you to take all of your problems to God in prayer. I urge you to trust Him, and have faith without a doubt in your heart that He will work things out for your good. I urge you to be patient and to wait on Him. I encourage you to do these things, and to live the life filled with divine peace and joy that God desires for you to live.

If you have a prayer request and would like me to pray for you, leave me a message and I will be more than happy to do so. May God bless you.