Bless the Little Ones

       My nephew Joseph is special. He preached his first sermon at his fifth birthday party--yes--five years of age (which was caught on tape). After he and his friends had enjoyed a fun-filled day of pony rides, food and the breaking of a piñata, we all gathered excitedly in my sister's family room to hear him speak.

       "Joe" had been trained in the Word of God each of his five long years at that time, and he did nothing but reverberate what he had learned. It was amazing! I have watched the dvd (converted from VHS) many times, but each time I watch it, I get blessed all over again. 

       Children are entrusted to their parents' care when they enter the world. They come expecting to be nurtured and trained to become successful adults. Their undefiled hearts and minds are pure and unspotted by the world. 

       Our responsibility as the people of God is to teach them His ways and give Him a generation of Christian leaders who will go out and represent Him in the world. 

        Who has God entrusted to you? Children mean so much to Him that it should cause us to stop and think hard about how we treat them. Teach the children about Him. Love them and give them hope so they can live the abundant life found only through Jesus Christ.

Scripture Links:  Proverbs 22:6; Luke 18:16; Matthew 18:6 

To Receive Jesus as Lord ad Savior:(Sinner's Prayer) Dear God, I am a sinner. I need a savior. I need Jesus. I believe Jesus died for my sins and rose on the third day. I ask Jesus now to come into my heart and to become Lord over my life. Satan h; as no more power over me. I say with my mouth that Jesus is Lord. Father, help me to live for you, and thank you for saving me. John 3:16.

To Rededicate Your Life to the Lord (after falling away):Dear Heavenly Father: I confess to you that I have sinned. You said if I confess my sin you are faithful and just to forgive me and to cleanse me from all unrighteousness. I turn away from sin and turn to you, and I ask you to forgive me. I forgive myself also. Father, thank you for forgiving me, remembering my sin no more and allowing me to have right standing with you again. In Jesus' name, AMEN.

New Beginnings

"Nobody can go back and start a new beginning, but anyone can start today and make a new ending."---Maria Robinson
       Sometimes it's hard to close the door on the past. Hurts we have not been healed of bring fear and resentment. Songs remind us of certain people and places. 

       Staying connected to things that are over and done with can have a great effect on our futures. Through all the mistakes and poor choices I have made in life, the thing that motivates me to keep moving is the thought of waking up one day and finding myself in the same old place of misery! I simply cannot not bear the thought of that.
       As history tells it, warriors of an ancient African tribe would not wish their enemies to fall at the hand of the sword; neither would they wish them to die of sickness. The most damaging pronouncement they would make over their enemies was that they would remain the same.....that they would never grow or progress in life. That was what they believed would surely cause them to die.
       Many of us are dying on the inside, simply because we are not progressing.....because we are prisoners to our past.
       The 10 lepers in II Kings had a choice. They could have continued to sit at the gate of Samaria, or they could have gotten up and gone into the city where there was famine. If they went into the city they would have been captured by the Syrian army and would have either been killed or their lives would have been spared. They looked at their choices and decided to get up and do something, because they finally realized they would surely die if they stayed where they were.
        I encourage you to get up and do something today. What's the alternative? If we're going to be miserable, we might as well be miserable doing something, right? Funny thing....I've discovered that every time I get up and do something, my misery always goes away.
        Don't sit there until you die. God has created you for a purpose, a purpose you can fulfill like no one else. You are in the driver's seat...you get to start a new chapter in your life today, without anyone's permission. New beginnings...
Scripture Links: II Kings 7:2-4; Philippians 3:13-14

To Receive Jesus as Lord ad Savior:(Sinner's Prayer) Dear God, I am a sinner. I need a savior. I need Jesus. I believe Jesus died for my sins and rose on the third day. I ask Jesus now to come into my heart and to become Lord over my life. Satan has no more power over me. I say with my mouth that Jesus is Lord. Father, help me to live for you, and thank you for saving me. John 3:16.

To Rededicate Your Life to the Lord (after falling away):Dear Heavenly Father: I confess to you that I have sinned. You said if I confess my sin you are faithful and just to forgive me and to cleanse me from all unrighteousness. I turn away from sin and turn to you, and I ask you to forgive me. I forgive myself also. Father, thank you for forgiving me, remembering my sin no more and allowing me to have right standing with you again. In Jesus' name, AMEN.

Don't Make Permanent Decisions With Temporary People

          A few of years ago I encouraged a group of high school graduates to watch their associations when they got to college. "Don't make permanent decisions with temporary people," I said.
       A "temporary" friend can be a one:
       1)  who may have a good heart but does not know enough
             about the Word of God to know how to behave;
       2)  who makes most of their decisions for personal gain and
             does not understand the importance of giving;
       3)  who does not have a history of demonstrated loyalty;
       4)  whose friendship is based only on your status or what you
            can do for them
       Temporary friends come in many forms. Some can "front" for a while, and a little time may pass before their true nature surfaces.  Others will own up to who they are, but if we become emotionally involved with them in one way or another we may simply ignore what they are saying.
      Several years ago someone who was trying to tell me who he was said to me, "Believe what I say."  Because I had my head in the clouds and wanted him to be someone he did not represent at that time, I ignored what was in front of me.
       Unfortunately, if we don't wake up, our involvement with temporary people can cause us to make life-altering decisions. God tells us think about the paths we place our feet on and consider the ways we are going. 
       His wisdom will always tell us what to do, where to go and who to go with. His ways are ways of peace. God is the most permanent, consistent person we will ever know, so if we will listen to Him today, He can certainly help us avoid the pitfalls of life.
 Scripture Links:  Proverbs 4:26; Haggai 1:7; Proverbs 4:7; Proverbs 3:16-18

To Receive Jesus as Lord ad Savior:(Sinner's Prayer) Dear God, I am a sinner. I need a savior. I need Jesus. I believe Jesus died for my sins and rose on the third day. I ask Jesus now to come into my heart and to become Lord over my life. Satan h; as no more power over me. I say with my mouth that Jesus is Lord. Father, help me to live for you, and thank you for saving me. John 3:16.

To Rededicate Your Life to the Lord (after falling away):Dear Heavenly Father: I confess to you that I have sinned. You said if I confess my sin you are faithful and just to forgive me and to cleanse me from all unrighteousness. I turn away from sin and turn to you, and I ask you to forgive me. I forgive myself also. Father, thank you for forgiving me, remembering my sin no more and allowing me to have right standing with you again. In Jesus' name, AMEN.

Intelligent Design

       I bought the most beautiful chrysanthemum the other day for my desk at work. As I stared at the intricately-designed flowers, I did not hesitate to acknowledge it had to have an Intelligent Designer. Things this beautiful don't just evolve.

       Hmmm....I wonder how the ocean's tide knows exactly how far to come ashore in the mornings and in the evenings. And, how do you suppose the leaves on the red maple tree in the school yard know when its fall? It's funny---each year about the same time, these leaves turn to a stunning mixture of fire red, orange and brown colors, without a command or without being fed anything different. 
       And did salmon get some type or orientation to know they are supposed to feed and grow primarily in salt water, but then return to their native fresh water to spawn? 
        A "big bang" (by explosion or heat expansion, pick one) doesn't bring new and continuous life to everything around us, so it doesn't take much to see we do, indeed, have a Creator who is the Ultimate Designer-----and He didn't even have to go to school for it!   

Scripture Links:  Colossians 1:16; Genesis 1:1; Revelation 4:11

To Receive Jesus as Lord ad Savior:(Sinner's Prayer) Dear God, I am a sinner. I need a savior. I need Jesus. I believe Jesus died for my sins and rose on the third day. I ask Jesus now to come into my heart and to become Lord over my life. Satan h; as no more power over me. I say with my mouth that Jesus is Lord. Father, help me to live for you, and thank you for saving me. John 3:16.

To Rededicate Your Life to the Lord (after falling away):Dear Heavenly Father: I confess to you that I have sinned. You said if I confess my sin you are faithful and just to forgive me and to cleanse me from all unrighteousness. I turn away from sin and turn to you, and I ask you to forgive me. I forgive myself also. Father, thank you for forgiving me, remembering my sin no more and allowing me to have right standing with you again. In Jesus' name, AMEN.

Love Letters to God - Part IV

I Corinthians 13:7, 8

“Love bears up under anything and everything that comes, is ever ready to believe the best of every person, its hopes are fadeless under all circumstances, and it endures everything [without weakening]. Love never fails [never fades out or becomes obsolete or comes to an end].”

Dear Father:

Father, you say your love can stand up under anything. So anytime I say, “I’ve had enough. I just can’t take it anymore!,” I am obviously operating in my own power. You said your grace is sufficient for me, and your strength is made perfect in my weakness, so when I am weak, I will actually gain strength if I will come out of myself. That strength is not my own but comes from you and is sustained by you, so I must embrace what you have already placed inside me. So, Father, Help me to decrease so you can increase in my life.

Father, you are always ready to believe the best of every person, so I can believe others are honest and intentionally well meaning. So, I won’t allow opinions or experience to paint biased pictures of others in my mind, because actually, who am I to judge? You certainly didn’t place me on the throne of anyone’s life. And when I think about all my mess ups, including my poor choices that never made the six o’clock news, I can easily keep my mouth closed!

Father, I refuse to give up because of what you have placed on the inside of me. You are my reason for living....you are my hope.

I look at all my imperfections on the outside and recognize you think I am beautiful. I am your beloved. You have an 8 x 10 of me on your mantle. You carry a picture of me in your wallet. You cleared your calendar just to spend time with me today. If I wake up in the middle of the night resisting a troubled heart, you’re right there with me, comforting me and saying, “I’ve got this. You can go back to sleep now.”

You carved my name in the middle of a big heart on a tree trunk in the park. You’ve given me the longest love letter ever written, your Word. All the wealth of man could not produce a sunrise or a sunset, but you did it, just for me. Everything good about Jesus is on the inside of me.

Help me never to exalt the opinions of others over what you think of me, Father, no matter what they think. Actually, the only people who will ever let me down are the ones I lean on, so I have to place value in what others think about me for them to hurt me. You are the One who is for me, all the time, not just when I’m riding on the high places in life. You love me every minute of every hour, even when I am unlovely and even when I don’t make you look good or can’t do anything for you, so I think I’ll place my value on what you say. You’re the sure thing, and nothing else matters.

”Father, I thank you for your goodness and for your Word I have received in my heart. Holy Spirit, I invite you to make your love real to me. Speak to me about the good things I have done; I don’t discount the fact that I still have problems and things to change, but thank you for your kindness that causes you to see me in the spirit. I will think on things that are true, honest, just, pure, lovely and of good report; things that have virtue and praise. Help me to acknowledge that I am accepted in your beloved. Make your true nature real to me and help me to begin to experience the true nature of your goodness, your kindness and your love. Thank you, Father, that guilt and condemnation leaves me right now. I welcome the ministry of the Holy Spirit. 

"In Jesus' Name, I make a fresh and strong commitment today to live the life of love, to let the tenderness of God flow through me and heal the wounded hearts of those I meet. 

"Father, teach me to love even when things go wrong. To be patient and kind when the children are struggling. To overlook the spiteful words of an angry friend, brother or sister in Christ, family member or co-worker. To rejoice when someone at the work receives favor and blessing. Teach me to talk in love, to lay gossip quietly aside and to take up words of grace instead. 

"Lord, Your Word says that Your love is already inside me...that it has been shed abroad in my heart. So today, I resolve to remove every obstacle that would keep that love from flowing freely into the lives of others. I put resentments behind me, and I forgive all those who've done me wrong.

         "Father, I believe the love you have for me, and I receive this Word with meekness, which is able to save my soul. In the days ahead, cause me to increase, excel and overflow with Your love. Be magnified in my life. Cause me to be what this world needs most of all...a living example of your love.”              

 (some excerpts from Andrew Wommack's "As I Have Loved You" and Kenneth Copeland's "Faith to Faith Daily Devotional")

Scripture Links:  II Cor. 12:9-12; John 3:30; Matthew 7:1; Ephesians 2:4; Philippians 4:8; Jer 31:3

To Receive Jesus as Lord ad Savior:(Sinner's Prayer) Dear God, I am a sinner. I need a savior. I need Jesus. I believe Jesus died for my sins and rose on the third day. I ask Jesus now to come into my heart and to become Lord over my life. Satan h; as no more power over me. I say with my mouth that Jesus is Lord. Father, help me to live for you, and thank you for saving me. John 3:16.

To Rededicate Your Life to the Lord (after falling away):Dear Heavenly Father: I confess to you that I have sinned. You said if I confess my sin you are faithful and just to forgive me and to cleanse me from all unrighteousness. I turn away from sin and turn to you, and I ask you to forgive me. I forgive myself also. Father, thank you for forgiving me, remembering my sin no more and allowing me to have right standing with you again. In Jesus' name, AMEN.

Love Letters to God - Part III (conclusion)

Father:

You love me, and there is nothing I or anyone else can do about it. Your acceptance of me is unconditional. You don’t love me more when I do good, and you don’t love me less when I do bad. When I read my Bible I get closer to you and learn more of you, but when I don’t, you don’t love me any less. You didn’t come into the world to make me feel guilty, and you don’t shame me into obedience or compliance. You just have plain love for me. And I know when it’s you talking, because the Holy Spirit does not condemn me. He convicts and convinces me of what is right, .and then, He comforts me. That’s the kind of relationship I need. 

Like the woman at the well---you knew her life and what she had been doing; yet, you loved her. Even though she was convicted in her heart, you did not condemn her. You reached out to her and ministered salvation to her and the people in her city. 

So, if others are looking for me to do something wrong, I’ve got something for them, because it’s bound to happen--I’m not perfect. But, Father, you won’t hold it against me, and I hope they won’t either.

The fact is, your grace is greater than every mistake I have ever made or will ever make. Thank you, Father. 

And oh.....the accuser of the brethren will say, “He doesn’t really love you, because if He did, He wouldn’t have let this happen to you. You made confessions, you gave extra money at church last Sunday,.....you even worked the volleyball game last week when nobody else would step up, and blah, blah, blah. God doesn’t really love you. Can’t you see he’s forgotten about you---that you’re a “has been?” 

But, hold on.....I will ask him this question: “If I am not worth much, then how come Jesus paid so much for me? He paid the highest price that’s ever been paid for anything, for me. And now, because I am your sheep and I know your voice, I realize I cannot afford to let the enemy rent any space in my mind.  I will declare with all that is in me, “My God loves me.........my God loves me........my God loves me.” 

       In fact, it's possible I can yell at my children and forget my spouse’s birthday today and you can turn around the next day and bless my socks off. It is possible that I can go on a shopping spree and mess my finances up for the month and you can turn around the next day and get rid of all my debt and place me in a position where I can give more to the gospel than I have ever given. It is possible, that I can eat a big fat cheeseburger, some chili cheese fries and a funnel cake, and don’t get my proper rest this week, and you can still turn around and totally heal my body and give me new organs tomorrow! Why? Because you don’t move in my life based on my performance. My faith, and my faith only is what pleases you.

My failures, my sense of unworthiness and my awareness of all the things I have done wrong was amplified by satan and by religion, not by you. You said  the mountains will depart and the hills will be removed before your love, your kindness and your covenant of peace and completeness will depart from me, because you have compassion on me. You will have mercy on me. You’re looking at the good in my life, because you see me in the spirit. You are not picking me apart and analyzing me the way I have analyzed myself. If you tell me to be longsuffering and kind with others, you must be that way with me. Thank you, Father.

All things are possible to me, because I believe, and because I believe the love you have for me, I shall see your glory! So, I resist guilt and shame, because you love me.

I am your beloved. You actually love me as much as you love Jesus!  Wow....Nothing shall separate me from your love. - AMEN

Scripture Links:  Ephesians 2:4; Revelation 12:10; I John 3:16; Hebrews 11:6; Titus 3:5   Romans 8:39

To Receive Jesus as Lord ad Savior:(Sinner's Prayer) Dear God, I am a sinner. I need a savior. I need Jesus. I believe Jesus died for my sins and rose on the third day. I ask Jesus now to come into my heart and to become Lord over my life. Satan h; as no more power over me. I say with my mouth that Jesus is Lord. Father, help me to live for you, and thank you for saving me. John 3:16.

To Rededicate Your Life to the Lord (after falling away):Dear Heavenly Father: I confess to you that I have sinned. You said if I confess my sin you are faithful and just to forgive me and to cleanse me from all unrighteousness. I turn away from sin and turn to you, and I ask you to forgive me. I forgive myself also. Father, thank you for forgiving me, remembering my sin no more and allowing me to have right standing with you again. In Jesus' name, AMEN.

Love Letters to God - Part III

I Corinthians 13:6

“It does not rejoice at injustice and unrighteousness, but rejoices when right and truth prevail.”

Dear Father: 

You don’t keep score of my sins or the sins of others, and you don’t expect me to do it either. In fact, once I confess them, you erase them from your memory. 

So the day something bad happened in my life, you immediately went to work to make it turn out for my good. You took my stumbling blocks and turned them into stepping stones. I saw you begin to change circumstances.....and you began to change me. You lifted up my head.

You showed me how to avoid situations like this in the future, and how to forgive like you forgive. Not the kind where I say it with my mouth and still rehearse the offense when it comes to mind, or the kind where I subtly cross the person off my list. The right and truth you talk about prevails when my heart is in the right place. I knew I had truly forgiven when I began to feel great compassion for this person. I am so honored to be your workmanship in progress. 

     So, because I have let go of the fear I could have embraced which is ultimately the root of unforgiveness, I am free from the chains of bondage that would surely have entangled my future, my life. 

Father, in you is light, and there is no darkness! Thank you for helping me to keep myself out of darkness. As I walk in the freedom of your light, then the darkness can never overcome me, because light everywhere dispels darkness. I receive the glory you have given me. 

I realize now that if I stay out of the way, you can make masterpieces out of my messes.  You are always on my side! You will do for me what I cannot do for myself. When the battle tried to knock me out, the realization that you really do love me caused me to pull myself up and put one foot in front of the other......one more time.  (to be continued....)

Scripture Links:  Hebrews 8:12; Psalm 3:3; Ephesians 2:10; II Timothy 1:7; I John 1:5; 

To Receive Jesus as Lord ad Savior:(Sinner's Prayer) Dear God, I am a sinner. I need a savior. I need Jesus. I believe Jesus died for my sins and rose on the third day. I ask Jesus now to come into my heart and to become Lord over my life. Satan h; as no more power over me. I say with my mouth that Jesus is Lord. Father, help me to live for you, and thank you for saving me. John 3:16.

To Rededicate Your Life to the Lord (after falling away):Dear Heavenly Father: I confess to you that I have sinned. You said if I confess my sin you are faithful and just to forgive me and to cleanse me from all unrighteousness. I turn away from sin and turn to you, and I ask you to forgive me. I forgive myself also. Father, thank you for forgiving me, remembering my sin no more and allowing me to have right standing with you again. In Jesus' name, AMEN.

Love Letters to God - Part II

I Corinthians 13:5 

“Love is not conceited (arrogant and inflated with pride); it is not rude (unmannerly) and does not act unbecomingly. Love (God’s love in us) does not insist on its own rights or its own way, for it is not self-seeking; it is not touchy or fretful or resentful; it takes no account of the evil done to it [it pays no attention to a suffered wrong].”

Dear Father: 

Your love is not prideful. You’ve told me about the destruction I can bring upon myself when I allow pride to rule my life. Sometimes it can be hard to admit I am wrong, but I’m believing your grace is sufficient for me so in times to come I will resist pride without hesitation. You said you desire truth from the inward parts, and I want to be like you.

You’re not rude or unmannerly; neither are you touchy, fretful or resentful, Father. If somebody does you wrong, you don’t seek revenge or pretend you don’t see them when they walk by, so I won’t do that either. I know everyone needs mercy like I sure have in my life, and I know everybody’s working on something. Nothing can ever be compared to the great love Jesus showed toward me when He made the ultimate sacrifice for me on the cross, so I find it easy to forget about the wrongs done to me. Jesus took on not only my sins, but also the sins of the whole world, so much so that His face was marred beyond recognition. He even took on things that don’t even have a name, and He did it just for me. That’s perfect love.

And, Father, you’re not self seeking, because it wasn’t your way or the highway when Jesus was in the Garden of Gethsemane. He knew death was imminent and He could have gotten up off His knees and said to His disciples, "Dudes, I'm really not feeling this.  This is making me sweat. I think I’m gonna go back to God and see if I can get a replacement. I can always go back to my last job of healing people." But, instead, He commended His love toward me, and with me in mind he fearlessly acknowledged that this whole thing was not about him at all, but it was about me and about us, your people. He trudged his way to the cross, not once even looking back. Now that’s perfect love.

Your perfect love casts out all my fears, and fear is the only reason I would always want my way----because I would be afraid I would lose something by leaving the way open for someone else or by relinquishing to them something I felt I should have. With you, I don’t have to hold onto anything to obtain; I save my life by losing it.  

  So when the lady eases ahead of me in the grocery store line, I’ll just pretend she was there first and give her a warm smile at the checkout counter.

          My distinguishing characteristic is not my morality or my vast knowledge of music. Neither is it my ability to recite the Book of Ephesians or my athletic skills. It is your supernatural love operating through me for other believers. That’s how the world will know we are your disciples and believe on you. Your love is the kind that draws a drug addict out of the gutter and compels a wayward child to come back home. I need to know and deliver that kind of love. 

Father, help me to come to the end of myself and abandon trusting in myself, and show me through your Word how to love others as you loved Jesus. -AMEN

Scripture Links: Proverbs 16:18; Psalm 51:6; I John 4:18; Philippians 2:3

To Receive Jesus as Lord ad Savior:(Sinner's Prayer) Dear God, I am a sinner. I need a savior. I need Jesus. I believe Jesus died for my sins and rose on the third day. I ask Jesus now to come into my heart and to become Lord over my life. Satan has no more power over me. I say with my mouth that Jesus is Lord. Father, help me to live for you, and thank you for saving me. John 3:16.

To Rededicate Your Life to the Lord (after falling away):Dear Heavenly Father: I confess to you that I have sinned. You said if I confess my sin you are faithful and just to forgive me and to cleanse me from all unrighteousness. I turn away from sin and turn to you, and I ask you to forgive me. I forgive myself also. Father, thank you for forgiving me, remembering my sin no more and allowing me to have right standing with you again. In Jesus' name, AMEN.

Love Letters to God - Part I

I Corinthians 13:4 - Amplified

Love endures long and is patient and kind; love never is envious nor boils over with jealousy, is not boastful or vainglorious, does not display itself haughtily.

Dear Father:

You say your love goes far beyond what I am able to conceive with my mind. My heart’s desire is to experience your kind of love. Your love endures long. You have a long temper, not a short fuse--you are the perfect example of patience. I am so grateful, because I have really needed your patience in my life. People’s patience runs out real fast, but not your’s, Father. You are not just waiting for me to get out of line so you can pour your wrath out on me. You gently teach me, prompt me and remind me to follow your Word. When I do, I see how much it pleases you. 

Your love is kind. I’m sure there were times when you tried to show me the magnitude of your kindness, but I rejected it because I didn’t know you well enough to receive your grace and recognize what you were doing. Thank you for continuing to extend your kindness and not giving up on me. 

And, thank you, Father, for never being envious or jealous. I don’t have to worry about you turning on me or rejecting me for no other reason than because I am who I am. You made me, Father, and you have absolutely nothing to lose by accepting me unconditionally, so I am safe with you, knowing you have my best interest at heart. 

You never boast about your works or show vanity in your speech, and I want to be like you, Father. You do spectacular things, but you are meek and lowly in heart and I can always find rest for my soul with you. Simple things mean a lot to you, Father, so it must be easy to communicate with you. You said if I draw near to you, you would draw near to me, so I am going to believe that and take the first step.

Your ways are amazing, Father. I’m grateful at how you so divinely and meticulously orchestrate things, so I am eager to know more about how you make them happen. It helps me learn  your true nature, makes me more mindful to take a back seat in my comings and my goings and lets you be the driver, as you so perfectly do. And as you say, I will let other men praise my works if it’s in their hearts to do so.

Father, help me to come to know [practically, through experience for myself] Your love, which far surpasses mere knowledge [without experience]; that I may be filled [through all my being] with all Your fullness; that I may have the richest measure of Your divine Presence, and become a body wholly filled and flooded with You....

Scripture Links:  I Corinthians 13:4; Matthew 11:28-30; Proverbs 27:2; Ephesians 3:19

To Receive Jesus as Lord ad Savior:(Sinner's Prayer) Dear God, I am a sinner. I need a savior. I need Jesus. I believe Jesus died for my sins and rose on the third day. I ask Jesus now to come into my heart and to become Lord over my life. Satan has no more power over me. I say with my mouth that Jesus is Lord. Father, help me to live for you, and thank you for saving me. John 3:16.

To Rededicate Your Life to the Lord (after falling away):Dear Heavenly Father: I confess to you that I have sinned. You said if I confess my sin you are faithful and just to forgive me and to cleanse me from all unrighteousness. I turn away from sin and turn to you, and I ask you to forgive me. I forgive myself also. Father, thank you for forgiving me, remembering my sin no more and allowing me to have right standing with you again. In Jesus' name, AMEN.

You're Gonna Do What?

       Okay, I'll call you back in a few minutes......we'll be there at 7:00.....I'll return your cd tomorrow. Promises.

       A promise is all about giving the person to whom it is made a right to expect a specified performance or act. Wonder what life would be like if Abraham Lincoln, as he sat down to sign the Emancipation Proclamation, said, "Uhh, I'll be right back," gets up to go do something else and never signed the papers? 

       Or, what if Bill Gates had changed his mind and decided to stay at Harvard rather than dropping out and starting Microsoft? Would that window of opportunity have still been open later on?

       Let's bring it a little closer home. How does it make you feel when your spouse or a friend promise to never put you down again and continues to do it?

       Finding promise keepers these days is more the exception than the norm. Young and old alike say what they are going to do and never do it. They fail to realize that the same is true as in old times--your word is your bond, and a person is only as strong as his word.
       And what if Jesus, rather than saying to the Father, "Not my will, but your will be done," got up off his knees in the garden of Gethsemane and said to His disciples, "Dudes, I'm really not feeling this.  This is making me sweat. I'm gonna go back to God and see if I can get a replacement." Where would we be?
       Each time we open our mouths to make a commitment to anything, our hearts should be, with all that is in us, to see it through to the end. Granted things come up and plans change, but communication and heart is key. Jesus gave us His life; He set the standard. How much more can we keep our word to Him and to others? 

Scripture Links:  John 3:16; Hebrews 6:12-14; Proverbs 19:1; Proverbs 20:7; 

To Receive Jesus as Lord ad Savior:(Sinner's Prayer) Dear God, I am a sinner. I need a savior. I need Jesus. I believe Jesus died for my sins and rose on the third day. I ask Jesus now to come into my heart and to become Lord over my life. Satan has no more power over me. I say with my mouth that Jesus is Lord. Father, help me to live for you, and thank you for saving me. John 3:16.

To Rededicate Your Life to the Lord (after falling away):Dear Heavenly Father: I confess to you that I have sinned. You said if I confess my sin you are faithful and just to forgive me and to cleanse me from all unrighteousness. I turn away from sin and turn to you, and I ask you to forgive me. I forgive myself also. Father, thank you for forgiving me, remembering my sin no more and allowing me to have right standing with you again. In Jesus' name, AMEN.

Let Me Introduce You

          I have a friend I'd like to introduce you to. Everyone should want to know her. My life is going nowhere but up since I've become acquainted with her. Her name is Wisdom.

     Wisdom can help you. If you will hear her, you will increase in learning and discretion. She will tell you what to do and what not to do, when (and where) to go and when to stay; what to say and what not to say. She will cause you to profit and show you how to live a long life.

     If you've ever asked yourself "What was I thinking?" when you made poor decisions in the past, then you need Wisdom. If you've done things that have produced death in your life, if you let her in, she can be a tree of life to you. She will give you understanding which will preserve you and keep you. She will help you see why you made the choices you have made and show you how to avoid the same pitfalls next time. With Wisdom as your friend, your path will get brighter and brighter with her.

     All the things you desire in life will never compare to having a relationship with Wisdom, for she will show you what you really need. 

     Get to know her.

Scripture Links: James 1:5; Proverbs 1:5; Proverbs 3:16, 18; Proverbs 2:10, 11; Proverbs 4:18

To Receive Jesus as Lord ad Savior:(Sinner's Prayer) Dear God, I am a sinner. I need a savior. I need Jesus. I believe Jesus died for my sins and rose on the third day. I ask Jesus now to come into my heart and to become Lord over my life. Satan has no more power over me. I say with my mouth that Jesus is Lord. Father, help me to live for you, and thank you for saving me. John 3:16.

To Rededicate Your Life to the Lord (after falling away):Dear Heavenly Father: I confess to you that I have sinned. You said if I confess my sin you are faithful and just to forgive me and to cleanse me from all unrighteousness. I turn away from sin and turn to you, and I ask you to forgive me. I forgive myself also. Father, thank you for forgiving me, remembering my sin no more and allowing me to have right standing with you again. In Jesus' name, AMEN.

A True Friend

       The word “friend” is used very loosely these days. I can think of several phrases to describe a friend in its truest form, but here are my top six. A true friend: 

Friends since elementary school.

• Is honest - Many forego candor these days and either say nothing or glaze over the truth when it comes to dealing with people. How else do we help one another than by telling the truth, even when it hurts? If I am “trippin,’” would somebody please tell me rather than letting me make a fool of myself?
• Shows unconditional love and unwavering loyalty - It blesses me to know my friends will stick by me, no matter what I am going through and will love me and pray for me when I am unlovable or in trouble. I need to know they are there for me regardless, even when it is inconvenient. A friend loves at all times and stands the test of time. 
• Is a good listener - Sometimes we are so tempted to say to certain people,”Would you please be quiet?” Everybody needs a good listener in a friend. All too often we become self consumed and just can’t stop talking about ourselves! What a way to turn people off. One of the easiest ways to make friends is simply to listen to them. 
• Makes you better - If no one else does, your friend should be the one who challenges you and motivates you to be your best and to follow your dreams. If you find yourself the rescuer in all your relationships, then it's time to reevaluate who you call friends.
• Shares common interests - You should be able to connect with your friend first on a spiritual level, because two people who walk together will end up agreeing on matters of the heart. (So, make sure you agree with what your friend stands for.) Whether it is a hobby, a work ethic, a skill or a personal characteristic, friends share something unique that binds them. 
• Celebrates who you are - True friends are never envious or jealous, because they appreciate your uniqueness and realize God manifests himself differently in the lives of each individual. They rejoice with you in victory and stick by you when you lose. 

       Jesus was the perfect example of a friend. He laid down His life for us. That's the highest form of friendship. It’s a beautiful thing to have a good friend, but it's even better to be one, because you will always get back what you give!

Scripture Links: John 15:13; Proverbs 17:17;  Proverbs 18:24; I Corinthians 13:4; Proverbs 27:17; Galatians 6:7

To Receive Jesus as Lord ad Savior:(Sinner's Prayer) Dear God, I am a sinner. I need a savior. I need Jesus. I believe Jesus died for my sins and rose on the third day. I ask Jesus now to come into my heart and to become Lord over my life. Satan has no more power over me. I say with my mouth that Jesus is Lord. Father, help me to live for you, and thank you for saving me. John 3:16.

To Rededicate Your Life to the Lord (after falling away):Dear Heavenly Father: I confess to you that I have sinned. You said if I confess my sin you are faithful and just to forgive me and to cleanse me from all unrighteousness. I turn away from sin and turn to you, and I ask you to forgive me. I forgive myself also. Father, thank you for forgiving me, remembering my sin no more and allowing me to have right standing with you again. In Jesus' name, AMEN.

We Decide....We Choose

     Early in my career, I worked in a financial services organization where management used a variety of techniques to keep our sales team motivated. One day I noticed a large banner on the wall of our computer room that said, “We decide.....we choose.....and as we decide and choose so are our lives formed." 

     My takeway from that statement was whatever we decide to do or not to do in life, and whatever our choices are, good or bad, they are not just choices. Most of the time they are actually life-changing decisions that mold and shape who we will become.

     When we are faced with dilemmas, our decisions are often shrouded by emotion and short sightedness. Looking at the big picture and counting the cost of our actions may not be considerations at the time, because we are living in the moment.

     Think about the teenager who chose to drive while impaired and caused the death of his younger brother. Or, how about the business woman who compromised her professional integrity by pilfering money from her company, lost her job and went to jail?

     These examples seem to be clear lapses in judgement, but how about the small, less obvious decisions we make on a daily basis? For example, what can a continual display of poor work habits ultimately do to our chances for promotion? How about the unhealthy relationships we maintain in our lives that slowly erode our moral fibers and damage our self esteem?

     Our decisions to choose life by carefully contemplating our decisions can't do anything but take us up. It leaves the way open for us to receive the wisdom of God and helps us avoid setbacks on life. The next time you're faced with a decision (major or minor), stop, pray, listen and then act. You will begin to experience fewer regrets, more victories and a higher quality of life!

Scripture Links: Deuteronomy 30:19; Proverbs 4:26; Proverbs 4:7; Haggai 1:7; Luke 14:28 

To Receive Jesus as Lord ad Savior:(Sinner's Prayer) Dear God, I am a sinner. I need a savior. I need Jesus. I believe Jesus died for my sins and rose on the third day. I ask Jesus now to come into my heart and to become Lord over my life. Satan has no more power over me. I say with my mouth that Jesus is Lord. Father, help me to live for you, and thank you for saving me. John 3:16.

To Rededicate Your Life to the Lord (after falling away):Dear Heavenly Father: I confess to you that I have sinned. You said if I confess my sin you are faithful and just to forgive me and to cleanse me from all unrighteousness. I turn away from sin and turn to you, and I ask you to forgive me. I forgive myself also. Father, thank you for forgiving me, remembering my sin no more and allowing me to have right standing with you again. In Jesus' name, AMEN.