Red Carpet Treatment

In their hearts humans plan their course, but the LORD establishes their steps. Proverbs 16:9

Recently the Oscars aired on television and there is always hype about the proverbial ‘red carpet’ and what and who we should be looking for. Frankly followers of Jesus should have little interest in this particular Red Carpet and instead stay on God’s Red Carpet leading to the arms of Jesus. 

Did you know worship leads you down the ‘red carpet’ into the presence of the Holy Spirit? By this I am referring to true praise and worship of the Lord not just occupying a seat and checking the block but your heart is far from church and worship. 

Do you want to walk on God’s red carpet being in full and complete surrender to Him? When you are in deep and meaningful worship you are ushered into the presence of the Almighty. There is nothing like it. Do you want to fall completely in love with Jesus and yearn for his presence? Cry out to Him. Ask Him to deliver you from darkness into his marvelous light. 

PRAYER: Lord Jesus I am in awe of your goodness to mankind even when we don’t deserve it. I thank you for many dynamic churches that preach the truth in love and for the powerful worship leaders who lead in praise. I ask you raise up a generation to call you blessed and get on fire for the kingdom. Lead me to the rock that is higher than me. In Jesus’ name. Amen.

Who Wants To Be A Millionaire?

For the love of money is a root of all kinds of evil. Some people, eager for money, have wandered from the faith and pierced themselves with many griefs. But you, man of God, flee from all this, and pursue righteousness, godliness, faith, love, endurance and gentleness. 1 Timothy 6:10-11

Money seemingly seems to be what our Western culture is always striving for. Media hype doesn’t help this obsession with wealth with bigger is better home shows, fancy car commercials, the desire for a Fifth Avenue look for females. And then the lottery, need more be said. 

In the classic Christmas movie ‘It’s A Wonderful Life’ George Bailey played by the late Jimmy Stewart asked his guardian angel Clarence Oddbody if he happened to have $500 on him where Clarence says “oh we don’t use money in Heaven” and Stewart’s character replied “its comes in pretty handy down here bub”, when Stewart’s character was contemplating suicide over a financial loss.

Sure money is needed to manage day to day but is it necessary to put other things in jeopardy to pursue wealth? Often children are sacrificed, family time suffers, and even marriages can crumble. Focus on serving God, doing your best at your Earthly job and have a savings plan for emergencies and use the money you are blessed with to help others too. Remember you are a steward of what God entrusted to you. It really belongs to him anyway. 

PRAYER: Lord I am thankful to live where I do and for my home, cars, food where so many in other countries aren’t blessed like most in the USA. Help me find ways to reach out and share my blessings. In Jesus’ name. Amen. 

A Believers Checklist

"Have faith in God," Jesus answered. “Truly I tell you, if anyone says to this mountain, 'Go, throw yourself into the sea,' and does not doubt in their heart but believes that what they say will happen, it will be done for them. Therefore I tell you, whatever you ask for in prayer, believe that you have received it, and it will be yours. Mark 11:22-24

All three men in my family are aviators one who flies for a living and one formerly with the Army.  Each of them before flying needs to follow a checklist before starting the engine and going airborne and if they fail to they could jeopardize not only their life but any with them.

As a believer there are certain things you need to do to have strong faith and not doubt. Also making your faith journey a daily priority before engaging in the secular world. Getting your armor of God on by reading the word of God. 

Are you all in for God or just a Sunday follower? Ponder that. Do you stay positive and encouraging or do you often speak negativity? Do you run the race to win daily or hang up your running shoes til Sunday? Ok so your job today is to have faith and believe and cut negative thinking out of your life. 

PRAYER: Lord I want to be your vessel to be used by you to help advance the kingdom. Show me anything I my life where I cause others to stumble and help keep me on the path of righteousness. In Jesus’ name. Amen. 

            https://youtu.be/7Za7-Q8YURM 

I love faith based movies. Mark your calendar for this one. A true story.

Are You A Cynic?

Let no corrupting talk come out of your mouths, but only such as is good for building up, as fits the occasion, that it may give grace to those who hear. Ephesians 4:29

The dictionary definition of a cynic is a person who believes that people are motivated purely by self-interest rather than acting for honorable or unselfish reasons. Those who think people can’t actually have good in their hearts and there is always an ulterior motive. Sad isn’t it that people exist who have such a poor view of goodness and mankind they would have poor thoughts about them.

There are kind people in the world. There are kind people in political circles too. There are those who are indeed genuine but when another person holds some form of hate or jealousy obviously they would have wrong thoughts about them. If you find yourself in any way like this stop and ask God to forgive you and give you a heart of love for all people and anyone who is doing something for wrong reason let God handle it. You will be happier if you do.

So today look around for goodness in those around you not judging or condemning them. And pray for those you disagree with or feel you can’t trust. Today’s verse says lots and for me it means if I can’t find good things to say then don’t open my mouth. Your thinking has to be cleaned up too if you find yourself dwelling in the sewers of life your thoughts will be like garbage. Turn off worldly negative thinking and things that perpetuate it. Yes maybe not watch the opinionated lopsided news and purify your mind by listening to worship music instead. Go have a great day!

PRAYER: Lord Jesus I am thankful for Christian radio and TV and Christian books and news. I want to be set apart for you work in the kingdom. If I have had bad thoughts about about anyone and help me pray instead. In Jesus’ name. Amen.

Lent: What’s It All About?

While they were worshiping the LORD and fasting, the Holy Spirit said, "Set apart for me Barnabas and Saul for the work to which I have called them." Acts 13:2

We are in the season known as Lent right now. It runs from 26 February until April 11. Not observed in all churches mostly liturgical ones,  it is still a good time to do what some churches do during 21 Days of Prayer and that is to die to self and ego sort of a preparation time for Easter Sunday when Jesus rose again after being dead in a tomb 3 days. The word Lent means ‘spring’ and is associated with fasting prior to Easter.

My job today is not to get religious on you but to share ways that maybe a non Lenten observer might consider this time as a time to die to self, give up something, and prepare for the most Holy season that being Easter.

Maybe today is the day to give up TV news, hatred in your heart toward anyone, some addictive behavior such as social media or constant need to look at your phone, whatever it is and spend more time thanking God and starting a new morning habit of a quiet time and prayer before rushing into the day. Think what this season is all about and what being a Christian means and further ask yourself if you are really a follower? Now go have a blessed forty days.

PRAYER: Lord I pray for all these who maybe have never observed lent before who are not in Catholic tradition to examine their hearts and start a new spiritual habit getting ready for Easter. Show me Lord what I need to do to be closer to you. In Jesus’ name. Amen.

Don’t Be A Fool!

-"Do not be quickly provoked in your spirit, for anger resides in the lap of fools."(Ecclesiastes 7:9)

Satan is having a hay day with the United States of America and does what he does best and that is try to divide, confuse, anger, and destroy. Many buy right into his schemes. I promise to not get quote unquote ‘political’ but I think everyone knows what I am referring to. 

If you can read today’s verse over and make sure you are not falling into the trap of being called a fool. No matter if it is about politics or with things in general. Anger is Satan’s tool not a believers. Sure we get righteously upset over lies, corruption, deception, ugliness, rudeness, unprofessional conduct, and outright blindness to what is obvious to many followers of Christ but you as a follower need to always pray. Pray that you yourself are not led astray. 

If you feel like ranting on social media take a breath and stop and instead maybe post a scripture or something about love. Try to be loving not hateful and divisive. Pray for those who are being fooled some of which may be fairly close to you. Don’t argue, let the Holy Spirit work. 

PRAYER: Father God I love my freedom here in the United States of America. I pray for those people trying to transform America into something not envisioned by our Founders. I pray for those leaders who have such hatred in their hearts to come to know you as their savior and experience the transforming love of Christ. In Jesus’ name. Amen.

Note: Get involved for 24-7 prayer for our country and its’ leaders and the President with the 24 Hour Call to the Wall by dialing 712-770-4340 and enter access code 543555# and *6 to mute. Or check out their Facebook page 24/7National Strategic Prayer Call. 

Are There Cracks In Your Foundation?

"Therefore everyone who hears these words of Mine and acts on them, may be compared to a wise man who built his house on the rock.” Matthew 7:24

When you build a house or any type of structure you want to insure you have a good solid foundation one built on good solid soil, not on shifting sand or a swamp. Similarly in the Christian life you should be on a rock solid foundation making sure there are no cracks that could make you cave in to the world and cultures ways. 

You need to shore up your spiritual foundation by daily quiet time and less world time. The battles we fight in this world are spiritual in nature against dark forces not mere men and women. If you do not have a firm strong solid foundation and trust God to see you through and realize He is in control no matter what, then you could crack and succumb to a cultural pressure foundation. Don’t let it happen friend. 

Take heart my friend, you are to be in this world but not of this world. You are a city set on a hill so make it your daily mission to shine your light for the kingdom of Christ. Turn off confusing voices such as what you see on the nightly news and even junk on the internet. You become like what you spend the most time with so make it your aim to shoot for the Most High and discipline yourself to godliness. 

PRAYER: This world is not my home and I need daily strength to keep running the race to win. Give me self control to stay away from junk I don’t need to take into my heart and mind. Help me light up the world around me for Jesus. In Jesus’ name. Amen.

Blame Game Not A Game Show

“Why do you look at the speck of sawdust in your brother’s eye and pay no attention to the plank in your own eye? How can you say to your brother, ‘Let me take the speck out of your eye,’ when all the time there is a plank in your own eye? You hypocrite, first take the plank out of your own eye, and then you will see clearly to remove the speck from your brother’s eye. Matthew 7:3-5(NIV) #Biblegateway 

Why is it ever since Adam and Eve sinning in the Garden Of Eden people have been blaming each other for things particularly spouses. I jokingly call it the ‘Adam syndrome’ as Adam said to God when asked if he ate the fruit, “The woman you gave me gave it to me and I ate” and thus the blaming commences.

Someone is always responsible but arguing about it and trying to prove your side does only one thing and that is cause a gigantic rift and hurt as well as built up bitterness and resentment. Husbands are to love their wives and be gentle to them as the weaker sex. Whether it is blaming spouses or someone else say at your workplace it has to stop. 

If you have been blamed first stop and forgive the person even if they don’t ask you to. Next stay peaceful and pray. Prayer is always the first thing to do before opening your mouth and wishing you had not. Give all issues to the Lord and let Him be in the middle. Everything will work out. 

PRAYER: Lord Jesus forgive me if I have ever lashed out at anyone in accusing them of something. I ask you to help me look within myself and help fix anything that is broken that could create tension in relationships. Guard my heart and my mouth. In Jesus’ name. Amen.