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.