No Fooling

“The fear of the Lord is the beginning of knowledge, but fools despise wisdom and instruction” (Proverbs 1:7)

Jesus is Lord that is no joke. This day is the day people get pranks pulled on them. I am sure you have been the recipient of one in your life. And in my family I am a Halloween baby and one nephew is born on April Fool’s Day. That is no joke! 

Do you believe sometimes you feel foolish? I know without thinking you can do foolish things or say foolish things you are sorry for later. 

Do you believe Jesus is Lord? Do you believe you need to spend time with Him daily praying and meditating on His word? If you have little children do you know that if you don’t tell them about Jesus the world will teach them about other ‘gods’ so don’t be a fool. 

PRAYER: Father I need you in my life each and every minute of every day. Show me how to not be a fool. In Jesus’ name. Amen. 

March Madness In A Different Way

 "For God is not a God of confusion but of peace."1 Corinthians 14:33

I grew up in a basketball home having a dad from Kentucky and he and my mom met in graduate school at a basketball powerhouse school University of Kentucky. Even though my March madness doesn’t refer to basketball it was a good attention getter. 

The madness I refer to could be spring fever, end of year exams for students, craziness of summer vacation planning or anything that mentally makes you almost tilt. Add to the mix mental turmoil of relationship issues and you may have a real firecracker on your hands. 

You have to purpose in your heart to stay calm and make time for morning quiet time with the Lord by reading His word the Bible. God wants you to be at peace not all wrought up. 

PRAYER: Lord I thank you for your perfect peace which I have when I keep my mind on you. In Jesus’ name. Amen. 

Holy Spirit What Are You Saying To Me?

Teach me to do your will, for you are my God;may your good Spirit lead me on level ground.Psalm 143:10

At Saturday morning prayer at my former church, Church of the Highlands in Alabama, about 15 minutes from the end of the hour they flash today’s title on the screen. What is the Holy Spirit saying to you? 

Maybe be yourself stop comparing. Perhaps stop being negative and have more hope. Pray and believe God is working. Stop belittling. Stop judging. Stop condemning. Perhaps start welcoming, understanding, and loving more? 

What is the Holy Spirit saying to you today? Are you on social media or so ultra scheduled you have no time to really listen. Hmmm. 

PRAYER: Help me be still. I resist the enemy and he has to flee. Help me stay focused on above. In Jesus’ name. Amen. 

God Never Tires Of Hearing From You

“Cast all your anxiety on him because he cares for you.” 1 Peter 5:7

You may share over and over details of a prayer need and feel like you are overdoing it. My friend God cares and never tires of you crying out to Him. 

I have heard the theory of pray once God heard you don’t have to keep praying and begging Him but He is there and sometimes when you do fully trust your prayers have been heard and relax things begin to happen. That doesn’t mean you totally shut down your prayers for someone you have been lifting up. 

All you do is complain over things or so it seems or get fixated on something and people may grow weary but God does not. He knows your heart. Keep reaching out. 

PRAYER: Father help me as I seek to trust you and wait on you and not drive people nutty with same requests. In Jesus’ name. Amen. 

Control Your Mind

“We demolish arguments and every pretension that sets itself up against the knowledge of God, and we take captive every thought to make it obedient to Christ.”2 Corinthians 10:5

 

One of my favorite shows on the History Channel is called ‘Alone’ where ten wilderness experts are dropped off in remote locations ‘alone’ such as The Artic, Vancouver Island, or Patagonia  with just basic necessities,10 of their choosing, to see which one stays longest and wins 500,000 dollars. Loneliness is a major factor for ‘tapping out’ on their satellite phone more so sometimes than fear of bear attacks, hunger, or a medical emergency. 

When you are alone with your thoughts it is hard. If nothing else fills up the space your mind can go crazy. Right now if you are dealing with something in your life trying to let the Holy Spirit be the doorkeeper Satan will poke at you trying to get you imagining horrible things or trying to get you to step in and take control. Wrong choice by the way. 

You are in a battle between good and evil God and the devil. You need to pray daily to let God convict others and be still while you wait for breakthrough, it is not easy. 

PRAYER:Help me Lord to trust you and put my phone down and wait. In Jesus’ name. Amen. 

Hatred And Unforgiveness

For if you forgive others their trespasses, your heavenly Father will also forgive you, but if you do not forgive others their trespasses, neither will your Father forgive your trespasses.Matthew 6:14-15

Only the Holy Spirit can restore a relationship and when name calling and hatred is festering humanly it seems like a wedge has been drawn that can’t be pulled out mainly cause human pride has reared its’ ugly head. 

Unkind words, name calling, labeling a person are not really in God’s book of terms of endearment. Where did you as a human get a right to put one of God’s creatures down? So you say “but they sinned” and I say “So do you”. 

If you are living in a situation now where people are too stubborn to make up and say they are sorry perhaps it is time to break the ice that is if you want freedom from the ugliness and bitterness. Saying you are sorry is taking the high road then hey ask God to transform you from the inside out. 

PRAYER: No one made me the judge so help me not judge. I ask Lord you bring conviction on individual hearts. In Jesus’ name. Amen. 

Hang On

 

But he said to me, 'My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness.'"Isaiah 40:31

What are you going through my friend? You may notice if you have followed me very long I have a recurring theme of pressing on and not giving up. Each of us have different issues. 

Different stages of life take different adjustments and not all people are alike The emotions you feel can be there because of a host of factors. 

Today what do you need to keep you going? Perhaps read the Psalms, take a walk, pray, but I encourage you to stay away from social media which at times exasperates issues. Live as if cell phones have not been invented and go enjoy your life. Keep praying God is there. 

PRAYER: Help me Lord as I seek to draw closer to you and further away from worry. In Jesus’ name. Amen.