Bugging Or Hugging?

Your speech should always be gracious, seasoned with salt, so that you may know how you should answer each person. Colossians 4:6

Have you ever been told by a family member or friend the lovely endearing words “stop bugging me” or “you’re blowing up my phone” and ouch, you may take a step back and say “did I do something to deserve that” and the answer would be quite simply be a hearty “no” as no one deserves verbal abuse. And I mean no one. 

Being ugly is never justified and hurtful words are like sharp daggers piercing your very soul. The old saying was “if you have nothing good to say then say nothing at all” and that needs to be instilled in children from an early age. Bible teacher Joyce Meyer teaches on the danger of the tongue and the power of words a good deal and she says they are containers for power. 

Deep down if you know your words have wounded someone apologize to them. We all have bad days but taking our junk out on those in our path is not the route to take. If you have been hurt by someone and somehow they feel justified and never apologize then you can still choose to let it go and forgive. Be a hugger not a hurter. Hug others with your soothing words of encouragement and love. 

PRAYER: Father I choose to forgive any person in my past who has belittled me, shamed me, guilted me, trudged on me with hateful words and be a person who can shine your light to everyone in my path. In Jesus’ name. Amen.

Holy Spirit Works In Mysterious Ways

"For my thoughts are not your thoughts, neither are your ways my ways," declares the LORD. Isaiah 55:8

You might just about be at the end of your rope with praying for a family member or close friend to start falling in love with Jesus either again or for the first time. Maybe it is a situation in their life that you feel is taking them away from fellowship and desire for the Lord. The minute you become overly anxious things can backfire on you because The Holy Spirit is working.

So sit, breathe, pray, be still. Repeat. You get the idea. Last time I checked my resume Holy Spirit Junior was not one of my career specialities and I doubt it is yours either so, as much as Satan tempts you to orchestrate and manipulate,  DO NOT DO IT!

Relax and keep praying. Know that miracles happen every day. Surround yourself with likeminded people who can share prayers with you and that you trust. Do not give up as God hasn't given up on you or that special person. Press in!

PRAYER: Oh Lord marvelous are your works each and every day. Your plans are so much greater than what I could do on my own. Keep me still when the enemy wants me to pounce on something. In Jesus’ name. Amen.

Draw Near To God...I Don't Feel Like It!!

(for the law made nothing perfect); but on the other hand, a better hope is introduced, through which we draw near to God.Hebrews 7:19

Can you abide, draw near, be joyful even in the midst of immense hurt, loss,rejection, abandonment, and pain? Probably the answer for many of you whose pain seems unbearable and too fresh is a hearty NO. “How on earth” you may say “should I be  expected to just act like nothing has happened and go on with my life skipping and singing Yankee Doodle?” Point well taken. 

The other side of the coin is the one where the enemy is crouching low ready to make you join his team, the one who is mad at God. Mad at God for reasons that may seemingly be justified when you hurt like crazy. But my friend even though it may not seem like it God does have a plan and a purpose and maybe even if your life resembles Job, this earthly life is not what it is about anyway. 

So draw near to God, regardless of how you feel. Scream out in pain if it makes you feel better. I have done that and just let it rip. Get your Bible and star reading Psalms out loud. You need God in moments like this where you wondered where was He in you life. If you hold on to hope as the anchor of your soul you will get through this immense pain. Trust me. Trust God. 

PRAYER: Oh Lord I need you and my soul cries out for you in a dry and weary land. I hurt for those people who are mad at you or want nothing to do with you. Draw them to you Lord. In Jesus’ name. Amen.

Fool And His Money

Wealth gained hastily will dwindle, but whoever gathers little by little will increase it.Proverbs 13:11

I live in a state that has a legal state lottery and the masses jam the counters at the places which sell tickets in order to try to get rich quick and ‘live the dream’. I always wonder what dream they are really shooting for when many who do win end up with a host of issues they never anticipated. Get rich quick is not all it is cracked up to be so buyer beware. 

If you buy lottery tickets my attempt is not to guilt you into stopping but to make you think how much better off you would be investing that $10 here and $10 there to plan for your future. As I sit here writing this today right next to me is a lottery store. I watch people come and go seeking their fortune. My heart breaks for them in many ways. Learning to earn money and save for the future is the lesson that should be being taught to our children not one of gambling to get wealth. 

My maternal grandma used to say “a fool and his money are soon parted” and oh how very true that is. Money is so necessary in  order  to live but the mentality of many today sad  to say is trying to be just mom and dad when mom and dad took years to get what they needed. Often children are sacrificed on the altar of success as young couples reach to have it all. If you are caught up in this game of lottery ticket buying each week why not for one month try two things. First give the money you were going to  spend to a homeless shelter or give the money to your church on Sunday. Give it a try. 

PRAYER: Father help me to trust in you for what I need and to remember the verse that speaks about if we don’t work then we don’t eat(2 Thessalonians 3:10). Help me Lord to nip activities in the bud that make me feel riches is where it is at. In Jesus’ name. Amen.

How Much Light Is In Your Day?

Your word is a lamp to guide my feet and a light for my path. Psalm 119:105

You are probably thinking I am asking about how long is daylight before the sun sets at the end of the day but what I am referring to is how much of Jesus’ light is in your day? 

Only by having light can you dispel darkness and the darkness in our world now is thick and foreboding. Evil makes itself like an Angel of light and many are sucked into beliefs that are no where in God’s word. Yet the culture wins out. Why? Because without a steady diet of ‘light’ found only in God’s word you can easily be tripped up. The devil loves complacency in believers. 

What are you going to do today? Will you choose to dwell mostly in a dark world full of deception and lies or will you take a good dose of God’s sunshine each day and continually feed on it by listening to worship music in your car and at home? Your choice. Go beyond one hour on Sunday or the devil will get you. 

PRAYER: Lord Jesus I love your word yet there have been many times I don’t choose to start my day with you. Forgive me because I allowed the enemy to distract me. I choose you first and will not allow darkness to win. In Jesus’ name. Amen.

Sweet Sixteen

Our lives are a Christ-like fragrance rising up to God. But this fragrance is perceived differently by those who are being saved and by those who are perishing. 2 Corinthians 2:15

The US is in a frenzy over sports once again with the NCAA Brackets and Sweet Sixteen for basketball. I thought well why not come up with a Christians sweet sixteen to coincide with the round ball sport craziness.

Savior, wellspring, encourager, eternal, truth. Supreme, I Am, X-tra ordinary, Teacher, Everlasting, Emmanuel, Nazarene. There you have it. 12 words describing our Lord and savior built upon the words Sweet Sixteen, who knew round ball  could have a Biblical connotation?

Don’t let sports be your entire center of existence whether it is football, baseball, basketball or a host of many other ones. God created the ability for these athletes to excel and  hopefully give Him the glory when they do. Don’t let any sport become your God. Enjoy then for entertainment but the sport you need is ‘running’  hard after God. Just do it!

 PRAYER: I want to follow hard after you. So much in life takes you out if the center. No matter what Lord you get first billing. In Jesus’ name. Amen.

The Temptations

No temptation has seized you except what is common to man. And God is faithful; he will not let you be tempted beyond what you can bear. But when you are tempted, he will also provide a way out so that you can stand up under it.  1 Corinthians 10:13


This writing is not about the 60’s Motown singers but about Temptations, with a capital T. Everyone goes through them just like the first two humans Adam and Eve. You don’t have to cave. 

Temptation to enter into adultery. Temptation to steal. Temptation to lie. Temptation to have sex before marriage. Temptation to cheat(can anyone say income tax season). Temptations are from Satan. They are more than being tempted to not eat chocolate cake so as to not blow your diet but they are life wreckers.

Maybe you did a minor temptation cave in in your youth such as stealing candy at a grocery or taking money out of your parents wallet as a child. Regardless of the temptation, you know deep down it is terribly wrong because of the ‘little voice’ inside you saying “run run”. 

Remember that God forgives you so let Him. Learn from your past failures so you don’t repeat them. Run your race to win and tell the devil to take a hike when he throws temptations your way. 

PRAYER: Thanks for forgiveness only you can give. I want to stay in the straight and narrow path as I navigate life. In Jesus’ name. Amen.