Love In This Crazy World

 “Dear friends, since God so loved us, we also ought to love one another. No one has ever seen God; but if we love one another, God lives in us and his love is made complete in us” 1 John 4:11-12.

It is a crazy world we live in today when what was right is being called wrong and many are being deceived and sucked into this wrong politically correct belief system which is far from God’s word. People get ugly and mean and attack. My friend this is not of God but straight from the pit of Hell. 

When a sitting Congresswoman encourages hatred by asking her followers to attack those leaders who don’t believe as she does that is indeed the epitome of evil. What we believers need to do is not chime in with the vitriol and hate spewing forth but pray and show love. Keep in mind deceiving spirits have captivated many, some maybe in your own family, to not hear the truth. It is a battle of good versus evil, spiritual warfare, don’t be fooled. 

Psalm 35:20 says “For they do not speak peace but they devise deceitful matters against  the quiet ones in the land.” Are you able to love and pray for your enemies?  I am talking about people wanting you to trip and fall. Those crooked people who seem to get by with doing wrong. My friend now is the time for love and in a big way. Don’t let the forces of darkness keep you from praying and loving. 

PRAYER: Lord Jesus we are commanded to pray for our enemies and to love those who are against us. A tall order for sure when humanly I feel like being ugly. Calm my heart Lord and help me remember you are indeed in control. In Jesus’ name. Amen.

Rise Above

You will keep in perfect peace those whose minds are steadfast,  because they trust in you. Isaiah 26:3

Pilots and others who have flown know when flying in the clouds in order to see you pass through clouds and rise above to sunshine. In life it is often time necessary to 'rise above' your circumstances in order to get what God has for you.

Are you in a situation where you need to ‘rise above’ and see the goodness of God? Often times focusing too much on problems simply keeps you hopeless. You have to believe God is in fact working and will keep you in peace if you truly want to be peaceful.

Today tell God thanks for ‘having your back’. Stop using the excuse that ‘you are just a worrier’ as believers are supposed to be giving worries to the Lord. Trust Him. Relax. Pray. Let it go. Now go have a good and blessed day.

PRAYER: Many times I have sunk into a pit and stayed there and made the devil very happy. I had to get out so I could 'rise above' and know you were in control. Help me remember that. In Jesus’ name. Amen.

No Video Signal

Remain in me, as I also remain in you. No branch can bear fruit by itself; it must remain in the vine. Neither can you bear fruit unless you remain in me. John 15:4

Recently I woke up and wanted to watch one of my favorite Christian programs to start my day that being Paul Daugherty followed by Joyce Meyer. One TV was totally dead and the other I could not get the satellite signal to function. So here I am maybe forced to not suck on the ‘baby bottle’ of Christian TV and instead feed myself from the word. Hmmm. Interesting huh?

Technology can often trap us. Being so dependent upon a ‘connection’ that one can become annoyed when they are unable to stream video, chat, check status of friends etc. Actually a vacation from connectivity may be just what the doctor ordered. Not just TV but try not looking at your phone and see if you can do it for say three hours. Granted some who work need to.

Today get your Bible out, the paper kind, and read whatever Psalm and Proverb corresponds to the date so  Psalm 5 and Proverbs 5 then stop and meditate on what they mean. Take notes. Say a prayer. Get real without the help of being ‘tuned in’.

PRAYER: It is a blessing sometimes when I lose my dependency on technology. Help me Lord learn to tune into your word first each day. In Jesus’ name. Amen. 

Happy Birthday America!! 🇺🇸🇺🇸

Now the Lord is the Spirit, and where the Spirit of the Lord is, there is freedom. 2 Corinthians 3:17

Today this young nation turns 242 years old. This country was an experiment in liberty and freedom based on God’s word. Evil forces will always try to distort the true founding of America but we indeed are one nation under one God.

Liberty does not come without a cost. Besides the brave pioneers who journeyed here over treacherous oceans many not making the journey or succumbing to disease later, the Founding Fathers wanted a new land free from tyranny. Battles were fought, lives were lost, and a country was born. 

I am indeed on this day thankful to those brave men and women who caught the vision to risk everything for a new land free from Kings lording over them and where they could worship God. The enemy has been at work to distort the truths but rest assured Jesus is Lord and His  kingdom will stand.

PRAYER: Thank you Lord for America. This land has been so blessed primarily because we followed your word. Forgive those who got into power and distorted your words and allowed for sinful behavior to take hold. Turn evil hearts to Good and let Freedom ring. In Jesus’ name. Amen.

U Turn

You were running a good race. Who cut in on you to keep you from obeying the truth?Galatians 5:7

Some of you reading this may have adult children who no longer seem to run with Jesus but have lost all interest in things of the spirit and opted to fit in with the world’s ways. Maybe some of you fit this definition too and may not want to admit it. The pleasures of this world have captivated you to the point you no longer are excited about Jesus nor Christian activities or even reading the Bible.

You ran the race to win at one time but the Satan lied to you and deceived you and you took his bait. It is time to make a U Turn and run back towards the loving arms of our Father. You make time for everything that is important in life and think God does not matter. “I believe” you may say. I don’t want to go to church when there is so much fun stuff to do on Sunday. If you believe and love Jesus then prove it by finding a church home on fire for Jesus where you can grow closer to God. 

If you are not following after the things of the Lord the things of this world will have power over you and it becomes easier and easier to write Jesus off. He has not written you off and is waiting for you to return. Make that U Turn and do it now!

PRAYER: My heart breaks for those people who have been captivated by Satan and don’t care about you anymore like they used to. Their love has grown cold and they don’t bother stoking the fire by even having prayer or reading scripture. I pray my love never grows cold. I pray for people who fit this category that conviction would come upon them that they need more of you in their lives. In Jesus’ name. Amen.

Click link for a worship song that goes along with this:

https://youtu.be/Jo8dgK4RvWM

Junk Food

Then Jesus declared, "I am the bread of life. Whoever comes to me will never go hungry, and whoever believes in me will never be thirsty. John 6:35

If you are not careful when you travel it can become very easy to load up on junk food, high in calories, but low in nutritional value. Donuts, cookies, soda pop, sweet tea, candy, potato chips. None of it will help you maintain healthy weight and in long run are not the best choices.

‘Junk food’ you can take into your mind instead of a daily dose of God’s Word would be movie star magazines, tabloids, daily newspaper, novels, just anything that really has no edifying value. It can create wrong thinking and does little to grow you up in the nurture and admonition of the Lord.

Does your mind need to be purged of ‘junk’ and filled up on Jesus instead?

PRAYER: It is so easy to get caught up in innocent magazines reading about everyone’s life, or get upset over a news story. I want to pursue peace and joy and give you equal time Lord. Convict me of what I need to let go of. In Jesus’ name. Amen.

The Filling Station

Having been filled with the fruit of righteousness which comes through Jesus Christ, to the glory and praise of God. Philippians 1:11
When a vehicle needs gas you take it to what we boomers called a ‘filling’ station. That is where an attendant pumped your gas, checked the oil, and washed your windows. Your vehicle was taken care of and ready for the journey whether short or long.

As a child of God the Bible is your ‘filling station’. Between gaining valuable knowledge and insight by staying in it daily you learn how to navigate life and are prepared. Just like your car was prepared at the ‘filling station’ so you will be prepared for life when you are filled up with  God’s Word.

Are you going to your ‘filling station’ daily? If not what needs to be done to make it a priority?

PRAYER: Your Word is my daily bread from where I get spirituality nourished and ‘filled’ up with what I need to go through life with hope and joy. Help me Lord to keep the enemy from giving me excuses why it is unimportant. In Jesus’ name. Amen.