Alone With Your Thoughts

 "Set your minds on things that are above, not on things that are on earth."Colossians 3:2

Jumping to conclusions, assumptions, speculating,  wrong thinking, judgments can all surface when you are alone with your thoughts. There is a TV reality show called ‘Alone’ where ten survival experts are dropped off on various remote locations usually in Artic and have to survive with limited things they are allowed to bring. 

This time of aloneness is a huge challenge as there are no other people, no cell phones, no electricity and they are allowed to bring one photo with them. That’s it. Could you do it? Find food, boil water, build a shelter and so forth. One of biggest challenges is loneliness. That is what causes some contestants to ‘tap out’ and go home. The winner is awarded $500,000. 

What do you do to keep your mind not wandering where it shouldn’t be? In order to have and maintain healthy relationships it is essential to keep your mind from bouncing all over the place. Try even a day of aloneness for practice. No cheating. Talk to God. Keep focused on above. 

PRAYER: Lord help me practice the discipline of a controlled and a peaceful mind, learning to let go of stinking thinking. In Jesus’ name. Amen. 

Release Wrong Thinking

 Finally, brothers and sisters, whatever is true, whatever is noble, whatever is right, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is admirable—if anything is excellent or praiseworthy—think about such things.Philippians 4:8 NIV Bible Gateway 

It is pretty easy to start thinking wrong. You have control of your mind so turn off the wrong thinking faucet that keeps dripping unhealthy unproductive thoughts and start thinking about God.

Today’s verse says it in a nutshell. Think on things ‘above’ or in other words what the Almighty would be pleased with. Turn off sources of hate and anger in your life that may be causing you to get in a negative hateful mode. 

Use caution on social media. It is not the Bible and many people can spew all kinds of lies and filth on it that have no business in your thought life. 

PRAYER: I need your help every day Lord to get up and get going and put you at the head not the tail. Forgive me for times I neglect talking to you in prayer. In Jesus’ name. Amen. 

Not Friendly

I get many of my devotion titles from license plates I see or things on tee shirts. This was on a tee shirt I saw on a recent visit to Kings island Amusement Park near Cincinnati. Wow why would someone want to put that on a shirt? 

Everyone is different and some may find humor in saying “leave me alone” but yet God wants us to be friendly and reach out to hurting and lonely people. Perhaps the young woman with that on hurt deep inside and that was her way of reaching out. 

Do you notice people around you or are you too busy in your own life things pass right by you?Take time today to pray for people you see while you are out and about. You never know what is burdening people so be kind. 

PRAYER: Lord help me blow things off instead of getting upset and I pray for hurting souls who just need Jesus. In Jesus’ name. Amen. 

Do You Know Where You Are Going?

If you declare with your mouth, “Jesus is Lord,” and believe in your heart that God raised him from the dead, you will be saved. Romans 10:9 NIV Bible gateway 

Many people today don’t care to go to church as they don’t want to do ‘religious’ things they find dull or boring. Big trick of Satan to paint being a believer boring as when you truly are saved and ‘born again’ you want to find a dynamic church to worship in weekly. 

You can accept Christ as savior and then fall away for a time being tricked and tickled by cultures lies and misrepresentation's. It saddens me to see those raised in a dynamic church get sucked into the darkness this world offers them. Many times they trip in the darkness but still run away from all things Jesus. 

Friend do you know for sure if you dropped over dead today when you opened your eyes you would see Jesus? This world is nothing compared to what awaits you. If you gave not asked Christ into your heart why not do it right now. Get on your knees if able and cry out to the most Holy God to set you free from Satans lies, lures, and traps. Also pray for those you know who are blinded by Satans lies to come back to Jesus. 

PRAYER: Father thank you for hearing my prayer and setting me free. I pray for the list to encounter Christ and the back slidden to return. In Jesus’ name. Amen. 

Jesus Who?

"Then beware lest you forget the Lord, who brought you out of the land of Egypt, out of the house of bondage."Deuteronomy 6:12 

The state of Kentucky boasts many beautiful tourist sites and lots of history like Daniel Boone and Abraham Lincoln. Beautiful small mountains and rolling hills. The Bluegrass State. The state is known for distilleries and horse racing but is also the home to The Ark Encounter and Creation Museum. Part of the ‘Bible belt’ meaning lots of churches and so forth. 

As I observed mankind on my recent visit to Kentucky to spend time with my adult son Matthew I wondered how many people really knew or cared about a ‘walk with Jesus’ but were having so much earthly pleasure He had been written off. Actually I could be observing any of our 50 states and apply same scenario. How many people truly could care less about eternity. Sad to think I know. 

As you go about your day smile at people even those who are outwardly different and hold different views morally, politically and ethically. No one is won to Christ by being smacked over the head with a Bible. God is on the throne and rules and reigns even when it does not seem that way. Love people the way God would. Go places and share His love. Prayer walk areas when you can. Keep on keeping on for the Kingdom of Heaven is at hand. Don’t be surprised. Be ready. 

PRAYER: Lord I need you each day to help me walk and talk wisely. Use me to help share Christ with a lost world. In Jesus’ name. Amen. 

Side Effects

“For the wages of sin is death, but the gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord.”Romans 6:23

When you take medicine it will usually list the side effects which sometimes are scarier than taking the prescription itself. All sorts of bad things listed that could happen to you probably listed just so you can not sue the pharmaceutical company when you might get something bad going on. 

In life there are side effects too of when you don’t follow Christ. Satan will tempt you to sin and lie to you. 

Your conscience will speak to you and that is the Holy Spirit. Deep down you know something is not right but feel compelled to keep on. Cry out to God and He will rescue you. 

PRAYER: Father you can redeem those who have fallen into sin. Convict hearts to turn back to you or to turn to you for the first time. In Jesus’ name. Amen. 

Little Turtle Trail

Trust in the Lord with all your heart and lean not on your own understanding; in all your ways submit to him, and he will make your paths straight."Proverbs 3:5-6

I was watching ‘The Last Song’ on a recent flight a film made on Tybee Island, Georgia several years ago. In one scene featured a raccoon scanning for turtles eggs as no momma was protecting them. When they hatched the newborn marched off to the vast Atlantic Ocean hoping to make it to adulthood hood but facing fierce challenges from predators much larger than them. 

Why am I talking about God’s creation the sea turtle in my devotion you ask? Because it gave me the idea of how believers and non believers go out into the world mostly unprepared for what lies ahead and the attacks the enemy will throw at you. If you pray, read God’s word, hang out with the right kind of people you have a better chance of making it safely to your Heavenly home after you first have asked Jesus to be Lord of your life   

If you were to take your last breath today do you know for sure you would wake up in Heaven? 

PRAYER: Today Lord I thank you for your protection if I stay under your protective umbrella so to speak, in Jesus’ name. Amen.