A Garment Of Praise For A Spirit of Heaviness

 To all who mourn in Israel he will give: beauty for ashes; joy instead of mourning; praise instead of heaviness. For God has planted them like strong and graceful oaks for his own glory.Isaiah 61:3 TLB Bible Gateway

Have you ever just felt weighed down and sometimes you don’t know why? If honest you have to say yes. Sometimes the best thing to do is get out for exercise or better yet start thinking of things you can praise God for. 

It’s okay to have slow or unproductive days every now and then. When you get like this stay off of social media as it is no cure for the ho hum sort of day. 

Don’t be too hard on yourself for blah days and give yourself permission to just kick back every now and then. Now go think of your blessings and be joyful. 

PRAYER: I need you Lord to help me stay focused each day and to keep my eyes on the cross. In Jesus’ name. Amen. 

They’ve Got A Mom And A Dad And They All Have A Story

For I know the plans I have for you,” declares the LORD, “plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future.Jeremiah 29:11

As I sat in the concourse of Louisville International Airport recently I was watching people. I thought to myself these people are all loved by God their creator and they all were born to a female mom and a male dad. Everybody has a story too. Some are happy people some are sad. All people are unique. 

Everyone who is born has a purpose some people find their purpose and others struggle due to various reasons to really know what it is. I hope you know your purpose and are not allowing the enemy to make you feel worthless because you are not! 

Everyone from a ditch digger to a banker is valuable to God. No matter your age you still have a purpose of you are breathing. Each day is a gift from God so rejoice and be glad. 

PRAYER: Father help anyone who is struggling with self worth to find their peace in you. In Jesus’ name. Amen. 

Be Ready

“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

Eat, drink, and be merry. Really. Are you preparing for your real home?Are you beyond a shadow of a doubt that if you were to breathe your last breath you would wake up in Heaven? 

No one knows the day nor the hour of their death or of Jesus’ return. You are born, you grow up live life and then you die. Hopefully time on this Earth was spent doing things for the kingdom of God. 

There are many things to keep you away from the kingdom as Satan who is the prince of darkness finds plenty of distractions to lure you away. Many a grandma and grandpa is on their knees praying for their grandchildren to find Jesus and serve Him. Where is your heart today? 

PRAYER: Thanks Lord for giving us many chances to come to a personal relationship with you. In Jesus’ name. Amen. 

Villain

“For our struggle is not against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the authorities, against the powers of this dark world and against the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly realms”. Ephesians 6:12

Vanity tags on motor vehicles throughout our country amaze me. Some are hard to understand and others you scratch your head and wonder what kind of person has a tag like that to tout themselves for others to see. Such is the one I recently saw that is today’s title. 

A villain is described as a character in a story, movie, play, etc., whose wicked or criminal actions or motives are important to the plot. A schemer or someone sinister. A villain then is evil and opposed to things of God. 

When I see tags like this I immediately feel led to pray for the person. They may mean nothing serious but still it burdens my heart that they probably don’t know Jesus and so make a mockery of evil. I pray today your heart is right with God and when you encounter ‘villains’ in life you remember to lift them in prayer. 

PRAYER: Today Lord help me stay humble so I too do not fall prey to sin. In Jesus’ name. Amen. 

Retired Not Expired

"The length of our days is seventy years—or eighty, if we have the strength; yet their span is but trouble and sorrow, for they quickly pass, and we fly away."Psalm 90:10

So if age is just a number why does the population over 50 years old seek the fountain of youth and dreads thinking about wrinkles, age spots, gout, shingles, neuropathy and so forth. The advertising industry goes nuts with wrinkle creams, belly fat removers, brain supplements and the list goes on. What is so hard about getting older? 

Life is a blessing. Your body is the temple of the Holy Spirit so you should want to take care of it. But to obsess over looking 40 when you are 80 probably is not the way to go in my humble opinion. Enjoy your life. Take care of yourself. Stay in shape for your own wellbeing. Try new things. Don’t just curl up in a ball saying you are too old. 

Live life to the fullest. Sure,  as you age some things will happen medically but still keep a mindset you want to be always learning and active as you can. The younger generations need to develop an attitude of courtesy and respect for those who have been around awhile. Don’t be haughty. Know God is not done with you yet. 

PRAYER: Father thank you for each year of life. Help me follow your word and use me to help others. In Jesus’ name. Amen. 

It’s Not About Me

Love must be sincere. Hate what is evil; cling to what is good. Be devoted to one another in love.Honor one another above yourselves. Never be lacking in zeal, but keep your spiritual fervor, serving the Lord. Be joyful in hope, patient in affliction,faithful in prayer. Share with the Lord’s people who are in need. Practice hospitality.Romans 12:9-13 NIV Bible gateway

It can be easy to become self centered and to think everything is all about you in sort of a narcissistic way without being a true narcissist. Get in a habit of thinking more of others needs than you do your own. 

Stop wallowing in self pity and really truly reach out to another person and help with their needs for a change. This world is structured almost on being self centered especially when it comes to social media and all the selfie culture. 

Start your day with prayer. Jesus first, others second and yourself last what I call the JOY principle. You may think you are the only person with problems. If you are reading this in America your problems are not at all like in the rest of the world. Get up, give thanks, be still and go help another person. 

PRAYER: Lord God give me ears to hear and eyes to see the hurt around me. Keep me from selfishness. In Jesus’ name. Amen. 

Everyone Needs A Little Jesus

“I am the way and the truth and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me.”John 14:6

In 2025-26 someone got the idea of making little one inch high replicas of Jesus smiling with arms outstretched so the theory being you could give them to people who ‘needed a little Jesus’. 

I love leaving these in places where I think someone will need a hug from the Almighty. This world certainly won’t give you love or a hug. If you are on social media too long you can run away screaming “get me out of here”. 

Stop what you are doing and look around you. What do you have to be grateful for. Instead of bemoaning your ‘plight’ in life find a way to be joyful and share joy with others. Now go smile! 

PRAYER:Father use me to help bring a little Jesus to someone’s world. In Jesus’ name. Amen.