1 Peter 2 - God is Good

Verses 1-3 state, “(1) Therefore, rid yourselves of all malice and all deceit, hypocrisy, envy, and slander of every kind. (2) Like newborn babies, crave pure spiritual milk, so that by it you may grow up in your salvation, (3) now that you have tasted that the Lord is good.”

Once again, a perfect three step program to glorifying the Lord. First, rid ourselves of our sinful past. Remove the malice and deceit. Avoid hypocrisy, envy and slander, which harm one another and bring disgrace to our Lord.

Next, we must not only seek the spiritual “milk”, but crave it! Seek spiritual nurturing from the Lord and all His goodness, through prayer, scripture, teachings of spiritual leaders.

Finally, for we have experienced the Lord’s goodness, seen His glory, been saved by His mercy and grace, and because we know it, we must live by it and share it with others.

Lord, thank you for your goodness, mercy and love. Help me to rid my life of evils and seek Your spiritual nourishment, to grow in Christ and glorify You. Amen.

1 Peter 1 - Praise God!

There are many, many great verses and lessons learned throughout this chapter, but I still get choked up on verses 3 & 4, “(3) Praise be to the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ! In his great mercy he has given us new birth into a living hope through the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead, (4) and into an inheritance that can never perish, spoil or fade—kept in heaven for you,”. If nothing else, that is more than enough. God gave His only Son to die for our sins, that we may be forgiven. God raised Jesus from the dead, which gave us new hope and established our inheritance forever! As Peter said, Praise be to God! We owe Him so much, more than we could ever repay. He is so worthy of our praise, and we are so unworthy of His love, yet He loves us unconditionally!

Thank you, Lord God for Your mercy, grace, love, forgiveness, and so much more. Thank you for loving us enough to send Your Son, Jesus, to take our place in death and pay the price for our sins. Thank you Jesus for willing giving Yourself as a sacrifice. I praise and worship Your Holy Name. I can never repay Your sacrifice and love, but I can and will praise and worship You! Amen.

James 5 - I'm in Trouble, What do I do?

Here is a great 4 point guideline for facing and coming through troubles in your Christian life, all in one chapter.

First, (13) “Is any one of you in trouble? He should pray…”. Period, point blank, take your concerns to the Lord in prayer. Let’s face it, we already tried running our lives, that’s how we ended up in trouble in the first place. As Philippians 4:6 says, “Do not be anxious about anything, but in everything, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God.” God already knows your trouble, so take it to Him, trust in Him, rely on Him.

Secondly, you have taken your trouble to the Lord, but it’s been 3 seconds and you’re still in trouble, well be patient, all things in the Lord our God’s time, not our own. (7) “Be patient, then, brothers, until the Lord's coming. See how the farmer waits for the land to yield its valuable crop and how patient he is for the autumn and spring rains. (8) You too, be patient and stand firm, because the Lord's coming is near.” You took you’re trouble to the Lord to let Him handle it, because we as humans obviously couldn’t, then why do we expect God’s infinitely wise and perfect solution to be on our time and schedule? Aren’t we the ones who messed it up to begin with? Why do we want to have any part of it now? Leave it with God on His terms, in His time, for He knows infinitely better than we do. God loves us unconditionally, more than anyone else, so He wants the very, very best for us; sometimes perfection takes time, be patient, persevere, and trust in the Lord! (11) “As you know, we consider blessed those who have persevered. You have heard of Job's perseverance and have seen what the Lord finally brought about. The Lord is full of compassion and mercy.”


Thirdly, when God answers your prayer, solves your problem, relieves you of your trouble, let Him know how thankful you are for it. (13) “… Is anyone happy? Let him sing songs of praise.” This is a crucial step, we often as humans take all of our troubles to God, but forget to (or flat out don’t) thank Him for it. God is so good, He has loved us so much, given us so much, cared for us when no one else would, He deserves our praise just for being Him, how much more praise does He deserve for answering our prayers, A LOT MORE! Don’t leave this step out guys, PRAISE THE LORD!

Finally, when you are blessed, remember you are blessed and don’t hoard your wealth or mistreat others less fortunate than you. Remember you are blessed, God gave to you to be a good steward and be a blessing to others. It is all God’s anyway, and He can take it all back anytime He wants. See what happens to those who are not good stewards of wealth: “(1) Now listen, you rich people, weep and wail because of the misery that is coming upon you. (2) Your wealth has rotted, and moths have eaten your clothes. (3) Your gold and silver are corroded. Their corrosion will testify against you and eat your flesh like fire. You have hoarded wealth in the last days.” The wealth disappears, even worse, you have corrupted your soul! It is awesome to be blessed by the Lord, remember that and be a blessing to others.

Dear Lord, thank you for being You. Thank you, God that we can bring our troubles to You and You take care of them for us. Thank you, Lord for Your infinite wisdom and patience with us, even though we lose our patience. Help us to endure and persevere until Your time comes to answer our prayers. Dear Lord, let us always remember to praise and worship You, for You alone are worthy to be praised! Lord, please help us to be proper stewards of Your blessings, so we will not hoard, but will cheerfully give to bless others and show Your goodness, so we all can live life more fully and abundantly. All these things I ask in Jesus’ name. Amen.

James 4 - Our Will or God's Will?

Humans like “things”, our society says “you deserve it”, the commercials say “you need it”, our emotions say “we want, deserve, AND need it”, but why and for what reason? Usually, if we’re honest, to satisfy selfish pleasures. That is why we want riches, fame, expensive items, etc. We want these things, and some will do anything to get them, including immoral and unethical methods, which of course is wrong and not pleasing to God.

James 2 & 3 says, “2You want something but don't get it. You kill and covet, but you cannot have what you want. You quarrel and fight. You do not have, because you do not ask God. 3When you ask, you do not receive, because you ask with wrong motives, that you may spend what you get on your pleasures.” This sums it up completely.

We don’t have, because we don’t ask God. We try to get things our way, without God’s will, but that way we don’t get things or we don’t keep them. Why? Because we did not seek God’s will. So when we do ask God for them, why don’t we receive? As James says, check your motive! Do you want the riches and things to further God’s will, or do you want them for YOUR will? It makes a difference, in fact, ALL THE DIFFERENCE.

God has really impressed this matter on my heart over the last year. To be quite honest, I started a business a few years ago to make money, serious money. I planned to give God his share and give above that to charitable causes, but I planned to spend a whole lot on myself, my family and friends too. Don’t misinterpret me, having wealth and nice things is not necessarily wrong, God wants His children to have life abundantly; however, He wants them to do it IN HIS WILL, not on their own. As James said, if it is God’s will, it will be done, if it is yours, it won’t happen.

That is what God has shared with me over the past year, while I started the business for myself, He has shown me how I need to use it to follow His will, for His purpose, not my own. Through the past month, through fasting, prayer, and following His will, God has shown me a new purpose, how to help and save His people, and by focusing on His will, not my own, I see now how many, many more people can receive His blessings, all by changing my selfish motives. Not to say I will be a pauper, but God has shown me how many others can be blessed by my work other than myself and my family, God will use me for His will to give to me and others; we all win. As James said, out of God’s will, nothing! In God’s will, life more abundant.

I know that was a long, possibly confusing message to support scripture, but I say all of it for this purpose: if you are struggling, needing something, hurting, don’t try to get it on your own, take it to the Lord. You do not have because you do not ask God.
However, when you do ask, search your motive, if you simply want to further your selfish desires and pleasures, don’t count on it. However, if you are truly intent on God’s will being done and your need can glorify God and further His will, then He will bless you abundantly, this I know and have seen. All glory and praise be to God, for He is good all the time.

James 3 - Wisdom

Verse 13 states, “Who is wise and understanding among you? Let him show it by his good life, by deeds done in the humility that comes from wisdom.”

To me, this verse shows us the requirements of wisdom. That is, someone who is wise will live a good life, full of good deeds done in humility from wisdom. I am reminded of the “self proclaimed” gurus on television and books, constantly proclaiming why you should listen to their wisdom, for they have done great things. However, as I recall, a lot of the “great things” were done out of selfishness, or at the very least, without humility.

This also lets us know who to seek advice from and from whom to ignore it. That is, when you are given advice, ALWAYS CHECK THE SOURCE. Is it from someone you trust? Are they helping you with wisdom? Or are they giving bad advice? A good way to check is to see their fruits. Are their good lives full of good deeds without “hogging” the credit? If so, they might have great wisdom to give. Do they “toot their own horn”, brag on their accomplishments, and tell you exactly what you’re doing wrong OR exactly how they would handle the situation? If so, this doesn’t sound like wisdom to me.
Remember, check your source. When in doubt, compare it to the Bible’s teachings, if there is any contrast, go with the Bible.

Dear Lord, thank you for Your wisdom and instruction. Please be with us dear Lord to discern true wisdom from the lies of the world. Allow us to help and support one another to further Your plan for Your glory. Amen.

James 2 - Faith AND Action Required!

James poses a great question, “(14) What good is it, my brothers, if a man claims to have faith but has no deeds? Can such faith save him?” You see, it is easy for us to say we have faith, show up to church, sing praises to glorify God, raise our hands to give Him praise, say “amen” during a sermon, say we have faith in God, we believe in God’s promises, and we really, truly might, but do we DO anything to back our faith? Or are we just “fooling ourselves” with “warm, fuzzy” claims of faith as we sit back and do nothing? As James poses in verse 14, without action, is there truly faith? He answers this in verse 17 and again in verse 26. “(17) … faith by itself, if it is not accompanied by action, is dead.” “(26) As the body without the spirit is dead, so faith without deeds is dead.”

Wow, this one rocked me to my core, I am shameful, scared, and thankful all in one. I have truly been seeking the Lord over the past year, more intensely over the last month and He has been laying things on my heart, I believe, to test my faith. Most, I have responded to, with glorious results; it is awesome to see the power of God at work! Admittedly and shamefully, some I have been afraid of or timid to approach, out of fear that I am not qualified to address these issues, it is not my place to speak, I have no authority over these issues. All of that may be true; however, God qualifies me to address, God says it is my place to speak, God has authority over these issues, and my faith in His holiness demands that I take action. So I must move forward, trust in my Lord God, profess my faith through action, and watch His glorious plan work miracles. I know it can and will happen, God is good all the time. I have just let temporary fear hold me back, momentarily, but I must also remember, God is with me, His will be done! I must move forward with a spirit of boldness, to do His will, and I will do so with full faith in the One True God. Mark 10:27 “…all things are possible with God." Please pray for me as I seek God’s will and take action to support my faith and His plan.

If you are facing similar “nudging” from the Holy Spirit but, like me, were or are afraid to move forward, remember 2 Timothy 1:7 “For God did not give us a spirit of timidity, but a spirit of power, of love and of self-discipline.” God bless you as you take action to support your faith, so others can benefit from God’s goodness by our actions, Him working through us, and He can receive the glory for the great things He has done, is doing, and will do.

God bless and keep you.

James 1

Verses 2-4. "(2) consider it pure joy, my brothers, whenever you face trials of many kinds (3) because you know that the testing of your faith develops perseverance. (4) Perseverance must finish its work so that you may be mature and complete, not lacking anything." Wow, what wisdom and challenge in these verses!

Not many people like facing trials and problems, none that I know, but the verse here says we not simply to like the trials, but consider facing them PURE JOY! That's a tall order, until you see what is being said. Its not the trials themselves but the fact that we're facing them, there is something to be learned from them, something God can use to make us stronger, a test of our faith and dependence on God. If we pass the test of faith, endure the trials, emerge from the other side victorious, not because of what we did, but from what God did for us, thru our faith. We are rewarded for our faith and trust in God with growth and maturity built thru perseverance.

I am reminded of what my father always told me when facing trials, he would remind me about tempered steel, how it was much stronger than un-tempered steel, how it keeps it’s edge and usefulness longer, how it is superior to un-tempered steel. But to temper steel, you must heat it to its breaking point, put it under extreme pressure (through heat) to burn away the impurities, so only the good, strong attributes remain. That is what verses 2-4 remind me of, God uses trials to make us stronger, more mature Christians so we can be complete, like the tempered steel; therefore, we should rejoice when facing trials, because if we endure, we are going to be much, much better.

If you are facing trials today, my prayers go with you, but remember to have faith in God and His control on your life, rejoice that you are facing a trial of change, endure the trial, persevere, learn what must be learned, experience what needs to be experienced, so you can mature and be complete, “not lacking anything”. It may be tough and we may not understand “why”, but we don’t have to, God does, all we have to do is have faith in Him and endure. God bless and keep you.

Hebrews 13 - Pleasing GOD

Throughout this chapter, there are many great points of the new covenant, Jesus’ greatness, love, sacrifice and consistency; however, verses 15 & 16 stuck out to me today.

“(15) Through Jesus, therefore, let us continually offer to God a sacrifice of praise—the fruit of lips that confess his name. (16) And do not forget to do good and to share with others, for with such sacrifices God is pleased.”

Wow, right there in black and white, things we can do to show sacrifice and please God. When we (continually) confess praises and sing joyful songs of praise to the Lord our God, God is pleased. When we do good things for others, big or small, God is pleased. When we share with others, blessing others with God’s abundant blessings on our lives, God is pleased. In short, a 3 step way to please God everyday:

1. Praise God
2. Do good
3. Share with others

God is so wonderful and gracious to me, the very least I can do is try to please Him and glorify Him in all that I do.

Now, keep in mind, no amount of praising, good deeds, or sharing will get us into Heaven. You can’t “buy” your way in, only through the Son, Jesus Christ, can we approach the Father; John 14:6 “Jesus answered, "I am the way and the truth and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me.” Therefore, we don’t do these things to “get to Heaven”, rather we do them in thanks because Jesus paid the price for us to “get to Heaven”, and we show our appreciation by pleasing God. Do you want to please God? Then start right now; He is waiting.

Hebrews 12 - Disicipline

“This hurts me more than it hurts you”. “I’m punishing you because I love you.” “If I didn’t care, I wouldn’t punish you”. I heard these statements, or ones like them, a lot growing up. I never really understood them, how could you love me and punish me? But as I got older, I realized exactly how much my parents loved me, more than anything else in this world. They did punish me because they loved me, they punished me to keep from doing self-destructive things that would harm me, both physically and spiritually.

Because they cared enough for me, they didn’t want me to make mistakes that would jeopardize me, and they cared enough to do it even when I would dislike them for it. They endured pain and heartache from me, rebelling against punishment, saying hurtful words, but they still loved me enough to do what was best for me, and I thank them, love them, and respect them for it. For without them guiding me, disciplining me, directing me toward God, I shudder to think what would have happened to me. I thank God for them and their dedication to Him and to me.

Now, however much my earthly parents love me, God loves me infinitely more, as He loves each and every one of us. Therefore, because He loves us, we must be disciplined. “(6) because the Lord disciplines those he loves, and he punishes everyone he accepts as a son." (7) Endure hardship as discipline; God is treating you as sons…” Therefore, our responsibilities as children of God are to:

1. Endure the situations we are facing, we may not like them (who does like punishment?), but we can endure, they are not forever, but God is
2. Seek God’s will, in all things His will be done
3. Learn from the situation, so we may further understand God’s will AND will avoid the action that led to the punishment. “live and don’t learn” should NEVER be anyone’s motto
4. Put our faith in God alone, lay down whatever is keeping us from Him
5. Know that God loves us and has a purpose for our situation, He can work miracles in seemingly “hopeless” situations
6. Thank God for His love, that He loves us enough to correct us when we stray

You see, situations, even really, really bad ones, are temporary. Just like a spanking, grounding, lecture, etc., they have an end and are for a greater purpose. Yes they are uncomfortable, even painful, but they help us to avoid even GREATER pain and disappointment we would have experienced on the same wrong path. If the situation, no matter how painful, keeps us from making a greater mistake, then it was worth it; that is what discipline is about. That is why it can only be done out of love; for if God didn’t love us, He wouldn’t care what we did, how it harmed us, or the pain we brought upon ourselves. However, since He DOES love us, He guides, directs, disciplines us sometimes gently and (when we don’t listen) sometimes a more forceful, but it is all to experience His greater glory and His abundant blessings that He has waiting for us.

If you are experiencing trouble, turmoil, pain, bad situations, please spend some time with God. Ask Him to search you, to reveal to you what you need to learn to follow His will. He will guide you and direct your paths because He loves you like no one else ever could. God bless you, keep you, and guide you to His abundant blessings.

Hebrews 11 - Faith

Verse 1, “Now faith is being sure of what we hope for and certain of what we do not see.” Our faith is what empowers us, sustains us, helps us endure to the finish, for we KNOW not think, not hope, WE KNOW God has delivered, is delivering and will deliver all of his promises. For God is good all the time, He is faithful, He is just, He loves us unconditionally, and He asks us to have FAITH. (V6) “And without faith it is impossible to please God, because anyone who comes to him must believe that he exists and that he rewards those who earnestly seek him.” This whole chapter tells of many, many historical figures who put their faith in God and were blessed. (If you have not read it do so now). I can tell you from personal experience, I am blessed beyond belief and thankfully astonished (but not surprised) daily at how our God, the One True God, the Living God, answers prayers and rewards faith and obedience.

When you can’t see solution, have faith. When you feel you can’t go on, have faith. When life feels not worth living, have faith. When your burdens seem too much, have faith. When you feel there is no hope, HAVE FAITH. God is there, He is with you always. There is nothing that you will face that you and God cannot conquer. Sometimes we can’t make it, we aren’t strong enough, but God ALWAYS is. In those times we have to realize we can’t make it alone, but we CAN endure and conquer with God, have faith!

Thank you Lord for Your greatness, mercy, love, faithfulness, blessings, and promises. Thank you, dear God, for blessing Your children. We are not worthy, but You love and reward us still. You are the only One worthy of praise, oh Lord, and I praise You in the highest.

Hebrews 10

Verses 35 & 36, resounded in my heart, mind and soul today. They touched me so deeply, so I have to share them. “(35) So do not throw away your confidence; it will be richly rewarded. (36) You need to persevere so that when you have done the will of God, you will receive what he has promised.” Wow, what a powerful message! It gives us a three step program to follow.

Do not fail in your confidence! Know that the Lord God has ALL THINGS in control, keep your faith in Him

Persevere, remain in His will. Do not sell the Creator short because of your fear, anxiety, etc. PERSEVERE in HIS WILL, for He is God.

Receive what He promised, be richly rewarded. Yes, that’s the third step, God promised, IT WILL BE DELIVERED.

Give God the praise and glory. I know it wasn’t mentioned in the verses, but it is and should be a very important part of every day life. Never forget to give God the credit, He deserves it and a lot more.

I know the steps don’t make an acrostic, but a powerful, powerful message none the less.
Simply put, if you have a need, take it to God, and LEAVE IT WITH HIM. Have faith that He will take care of it. Matthew 7:7-8 “(7) ‘Ask and it will be given to you; seek and you will find; knock and the door will be opened to you. (8) For everyone who asks receives; he who seeks finds; and to him who knocks, the door will be opened.’”

Thank you, Lord for Your Word that tells us of Your will and how You will always deliver what is promised. Thank you, God for Your goodness and loving us so much. Thank you for Your Son Jesus, who died for my sins, so I may be forgiven and live with You forever. Thank you, Lord for Your grace and mercy, I don’t deserve it, but I will thankfully receive.

Hebrews 9

“(27) Just as man is destined to die once, and after that to face judgment, (28) so Christ was sacrificed once to take away the sins of many people; and he will appear a second time, not to bear sin, but to bring salvation to those who are waiting for him.”

Make no mistake, we all will die, and just assuredly as death, we all will face judgment. Without Jesus, our sins can not be washed clean; therefore, will come up short with sins for which to atone. Jesus was sacrificed, once, one pure and perfect life, given for us all, our only way to pay the price of sin, which is death. Because of Jesus’ sacrifice, we can all cleansed by His blood, but we have to choose to do so. He will not force us. If you haven’t done so, accept Jesus today, for we are not promised tomorrow. As the verse above says, Jesus will return, but this time for salvation to His chosen.

Thank you, Jesus for Your sacrifice, for paying the price of my sins, that I may be forgiven, cleansed and allowed the glorious gift of salvation. That I may rejoice that I don’t get what I deserve, but infinitely better because of You. I thank and praise You, Jesus, King of Kings. Amen.

Hebrews 8 - THEY NEVER HAPPENED

Verse 12 spoke dearly to me and covers what God has been laying on my heart for the past few weeks. It states, “For I will forgive their wickedness and will remember their sins no more.” Through the new covenant, provided by Jesus Christ, we can be forgiven of our sins, but not only that, once forgiven, God remembers them no more! It’s as if they never happened! Praise God! Our past transgressions are completely wiped clean, we don’t have to let the past keep us down. We can move forward confident in our Lord and not be weighed down by past “baggage”.

I have heard this all before, but I never really got it I guess. For I would ask for forgiveness and walk out new and refreshed, but shortly after, satan would start working on me, reminding me of my failures and hopeless and despair would return. God forgave me of my sins, He forgot them, as is in His Word; however, satan didn’t and neither did I.

Thank the Lord, I now know differently. I truly believe His Word and His covenant with us through Jesus Christ. Now when I sin, and I do, and I truly ask for forgiveness, I walk away refreshed, renewed, and confident that, to God, THEY NEVER HAPPENED. They are only brought back up if I ALLOW them to be, and I don’t wish that to happen anymore.

Thank you, dear God for Your new covenant through Jesus Christ. Thank You for the forgiveness and completely washing away of my sins through Jesus’ blood. I worship and praise You in the highest! Please help me to remember that, once forgiven, my sins are forgotten and can no longer plague me. Thank You again Almighty God and precious Jesus. Amen.

Hebrews 7

Verses 24-25 state, (24) but because Jesus lives forever, he has a permanent priesthood. (25) Therefore he is able to save completely those who come to God through him, because he always lives to intercede for them.

Aren’t you glad and thankful that Jesus lives forever as intercedes for us to the Father? He loves us enough to come to earth, to live among us as God in human form, to live as one of us, face our trials and temptations, die for our sins, and reigns with God the Father in Heaven. He loves us enough to do all of that and still daily, constantly intercede on our behalf to God. He defends us, when we sin, He reminds the Father to forgive us, for He died for us.

Thank you, sweet Jesus for Your sacrifice, love and mercy; that You never tire or forsake us, but constantly in Your eternal priesthood, intercede on our behalf. We are not worthy of such love, yet You love us still. Thank you, sweet Jesus, and I praise and worship You.

Hebrews 6

Verse 1 states, “Therefore let us leave the elementary teachings about Christ and go on to maturity,…”. What an awesome message! It is time, as Christians, that we move forward to the plan that God has for us. We have seen God’s glory, we have been saved by Jesus’ blood, to sit down now and be content in the basics of Christianity is irresponsible and useless. I have heard them jokingly called “the chosen frozen”. That is, they come to Christ and then sit in the pew and don’t grow. To just “go through the motions” doesn’t glorify God, it doesn’t further His plan, it does nothing but cripple the message of salvation. What if those before us did just that, not grow; how then would we have been brought to Christ and been saved? We wouldn’t have, and there are millions of others out there, right now, waiting on us to move forward to help them!

We all have talents that God has given us; there is a place for all of us, regardless of skills, to get involved. In addition, we are not perfect by any means, so there is plenty of room for growth, which we should all be seeking on a daily basis. Let me explain it this way, if you still had the same job, the same pay, the same benefits that you had at your very first job (some of us have to think back further than others); you would be outraged! None of us would expect that and we definitely wouldn’t consider it “fair”, yet, many Christians do just that! They do not grow in Christ, but are content to remain at the “first step”.

It’s far past time to move forward to maturity, to follow the examples of Christ, to “promote” to our true calling from God, and bring glory to His name. For He has given us everything, the least we can do is give as much as we can back to Him. Sorry for the “soap box” talk, but I am speaking to myself as much as I am to others.

God, please be with us and bless us to move forward to maturity, to be what You called us to be and bring You glory in all that we do.

Hebrews 5 - "You can catch more flies with honey, than with vinegar"

Verse 2, in reference to the High Priest, it states, “He is able to deal gently with those who are ignorant and are going astray, since he himself is subject to weakness.” This verse stood out to me on how we should treat others as Christians.

We are to deal with other’s transgressions, those who are ignorant of their sins, GENTLY. Why gently? Because we are subject to the same weaknesses and can sin just as easily. Unfortunately, there are some who judge people harshly and abuse them while trying to educate. Sadly, I feel they believe themselves “more holy”, pious in comparison to the lost; therefore, they treat them as inferior “louts” that need to be “brow beaten” into submission. Regrettably, those who are accusing usually fall into sin, showing the rest of the world their “double standards”, which leads to labeling all Christians as “hypocrites” and damaging our chances at saving the lost. This is why many view Christians as “bible totin’, hypocritical, maniac accusers”, bent on condemning and threatening the world with damnation.

In contrast, we should, as the verse states, be treating the sinners, and our own who stray, GENTLY. We should calmly, and in the correct manner, set them on the right path OUT OF LOVE for our Savior and them, as brothers and sisters, not out of being “holier than thou”. For as Matthew 7:1 clearly states, “"Do not judge, or you too will be judged.”

We are all humans, we all sin. Romans 3:23 “for ALL have sinned and fall short of the glory of God,”; therefore, we should gently guide and direct knowing full well it could as easily be us. Quite frankly, it probably was us at some point in our lives, sinning exactly as they are now. In fact, Matthew 7:4 addresses exactly that issue of putting ourselves on a pedestal, while we know full well that we sin too, “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?”

Sure we want to help those who are lost or have lost their way. But we must do it for the right reasons and with love and compassion, gently guiding them back to the light, not judging, punishing, self-righteously accusing; that method will not help anyone and will only condemn ourselves.

Almighty God, thank you for Your Word. Thank You for Your love, mercy and grace. Please forgive me of my sins against You and help me to follow Your word, to gently help those who are lost and astray. Help me not to judge, but rather support, love, and guide them back to You, all for Your glory. Amen.

Hebrews 4

Verses 14-16 further expand on my discussion yesterday.

“(14) Therefore, since we have a great high priest who has gone through the heavens,[e] Jesus the Son of God, let us hold firmly to the faith we profess. (15) For we do not have a high priest who is unable to sympathize with our weaknesses, but we have one who has been tempted in every way, just as we are—yet was without sin. (16) Let us then approach the throne of grace with confidence, so that we may receive mercy and find grace to help us in our time of need.”

God loves us enough to send His Son to earth to live as one of us and to die for our sins. Jesus loves us enough to be human as us, suffer the same temptations and trials, as we do, but WITHOUT SIN. Jesus paid the price for our sins with His blood and death but, praise be to God, Jesus conquered the grave by rising again! Jesus is our risen Savior and our connection to our Lord God Almighty! Therefore, we can approach the throne of grace, as verse 16 states, with full confidence that we will receive mercy and grace which will sustain us in our time of need. Thank you sweet Jesus, I praise and worship Your Holy Name!

So, are you facing a problem? Are you in a time of need? If so, Jesus understands, like no one else could. He paid a terrific price so you may take your needs directly to God the Father, and receive mercy and grace, instead of the punishment we all deserve for our sins. Only through Jesus’ blood are we cleansed of our sins and allowed to commune with the Holy Father. Spend some “face time” with our Lord and Savior right now. Praise and worship Him. Get to know your Lord. Take your needs to Him, and LEAVE them there, trust and believe that they are taken care of, in God’s time.

God bless and keep each and every one of you!

Hebrews 3

This chapter speaks of the dangers of disbelief and turning our backs on God. Verses 12-13 state, “(12) See to it, brothers, that none of you has a sinful, unbelieving heart that turns away from the living God. (13) But encourage one another daily, as long as it is called Today, so that none of you may be hardened by sin's deceitfulness.”

As the verses state, we must not turn away from God AND we must also encourage one another DAILY so we are not taken in by sin’s deceitfulness. Sin can be very alluring, promising everything but delivering nothing but pain, heartache and separation from God. It is easy to look back at the children of Israel and judge, but are we any different? Daily we are tempted and prodded to place our trust and faith in different things instead of God (money, power, people, our own strength, organizations, etc.) and try to “justify” them, all while society is encouraging us to do so. Do not be drawn in by this farce! Do not let deceptions and lies separate you from God. Put Him first, above all else, and He will provide. He loves us like no other could and He wants the very best for us, His children. Why place your trust anywhere else?

Hebrews 2

This chapter shows clearly the importance of Jesus Christ, why He came to earth in flesh and blood and why He died and rose again. There is specific significance shown in verses 14-15, “(14) Since the children have flesh and blood, he too shared in their humanity so that by his death he might destroy him who holds the power of death—that is, the devil— (15) and free those who all their lives were held in slavery by their fear of death.”

Since we, the children, were made of flesh and blood, Jesus became flesh and blood to share in our humanity. He came to die so he could destroy the hold that death has on all humans, that we may have life eternal! That is shouting ground! Because God loves us so much, Jesus came and walked on earth as one of us, to suffer and die for us, so we may never have to perish.

Thank you oh Lord our God for Your unconditional love. Thank you Jesus for Your sacrifice for my many sins; that You loved us enough to be punished and die for sins that I committed, that I may live forever. Please forgive me of my sins and help me to remember that You are always there for me, loving me like no other could. I praise and bless Your Holy Name.

Hebrews 1

Verses 3-4. (3) The Son is the radiance of God's glory and the exact representation of his being, sustaining all things by his powerful word. After he had provided purification for sins, he sat down at the right hand of the Majesty in heaven. (4) So he became as much superior to the angels as the name he has inherited is superior to theirs.

Let there be no question or doubt in your mind, Jesus Christ is the Son of God, He died so our sins may be cleansed, and He now sits at the right of the Father in heaven and reigns over all.

I often wondered when I was younger, why Jesus didn’t come off of the cross, call down angels and punishment from Heaven, and destroy the blasphemers and those punishing Him; that is probably what I would have done, using my human mind and reasoning. I know now He stayed on the cross, endured great pain and punishment, because of His love for us and His obedience to God the Father’s plan of human salvation. He loves us enough to die for our sins, to provide a way for us to be purified and allowed into God’s presence. He trusted God and obeyed His will, even though it brought great physical, mental, emotional pain and death. What many see as weakness, especially those that were there to punish Jesus, was the greatest example of self-sacrifice, love and strength.

Even more, God has considered all of us His children, on equal footing with Jesus. What a mighty, loving, merciful God we serve! We must also follow the example of Jesus and trust God COMPLETELY and the victory is guaranteed!

Thank you, God for loving me so much to sacrifice Your Son, Jesus, for me and for showing me mercy and grace. To God be the glory for ever and ever.

Philemon 1

Wow, once again so many great things are in this passage, I could talk for days about them. However, I will try to limit it to the four verses below. They span from subject to subject so please bear with me.

First, Paul states (4) “I always thank my God as I remember you in my prayers,”. This is a great example of how a Christian should act. As I have mentioned before, Paul keeps his brothers and sisters in Christ in constant prayer. The best thing you can do for someone, whether they are in need or not, is pray for them earnestly, as Paul did.

Paul also prays (6) “I pray that you may be active in sharing your faith, so that you will have a full understanding of every good thing we have in Christ.” It is not enough for us to be saved through Christ, we must also share what we have with the rest of the world who need Him also. As it was mentioned by Bro. Bill in Sunday school today, Jesus died for EVERYONE, even the murders and pedophiles. We must remember that the whole world needs Jesus and they are not wearing a sign on their forehead that says “pick me”, so we must be actively sharing in our faith. Then, as Paul states, we will “have a full understanding of every good thing we have in Christ”, for the fruits of our labors will bring us great joy.

Paul also said, (22) “And one thing more: Prepare a guest room for me, because I hope to be restored to you in answer to your prayers.” That was how great Paul’s faith was in Jesus and God. “go ahead and prepare me a room, for you have prayed for it and I plan on it happening”. This is how we must pray. Not pray and then worry and wonder if it will come to pass. But PRAY and LEAVE our worries at Jesus’ feet, then get up and plan on it already being done out of FAITH. All prayers are answered in God’s time, not ours; therefore, our faith sustains us until it comes to pass.
Finally, I close as Paul did, praying all the best for his brothers and sisters in Jesus Christ, as I pray for all of you, (25) “The grace of the Lord Jesus Christ be with your spirit.”

Titus 3 - Salvation through Jesus Christ

Verses 3-8 say, “3At one time we too were foolish, disobedient, deceived and enslaved by all kinds of passions and pleasures. We lived in malice and envy, being hated and hating one another. 4But when the kindness and love of God our Savior appeared, 5he saved us, not because of righteous things we had done, but because of his mercy. He saved us through the washing of rebirth and renewal by the Holy Spirit, 6whom he poured out on us generously through Jesus Christ our Savior, 7so that, having been justified by his grace, we might become heirs having the hope of eternal life. 8This is a trustworthy saying. And I want you to stress these things, so that those who have trusted in God may be careful to devote themselves to doing what is good. These things are excellent and profitable for everyone.”

I can’t say it any better than that, but I’ll try to explain my feelings. We were all very lost sinners, before accepting Jesus Christ into our lives (saved) and being forgiven, cleansed and reborn by the Holy Spirit, who lives within us. God did this for us, not because we deserved it or were good, but because of His unconditional love for us. So, we should stress this to the world and devote ourselves to doing good, to give God the glory, for it is great and profitable for all.

If you have not accepted Jesus Christ as your Savior, please contact me and I will be overjoyed to help you do so. He loves you, died for you, wants to give you everlasting live, and wants all the best for you. Don’t wait, accept Jesus now!

God bless and keep you all.

Titus 2

Paul’s words to Titus ring true to us today. This whole chapter speaks of teaching different groups of people. As a youth sponsor, I was especially touched by verses 6-8, which instruct how to teach young men. “(6) Similarly, encourage the young men to be self-controlled. (7) In everything set them an example by doing what is good. In your teaching show integrity, seriousness (8) and soundness of speech that cannot be condemned, so that those who oppose you may be ashamed because they have nothing bad to say about us.”

The first thing we are to teach is to encourage self-control. Wise counsel in a world gone wild. So many young people are searching for their way in life, reaching and jumping from one fad to another, entering deeper and deeper into sin with alcohol, drugs, sex, violence, etc. It is our responsibility to teach them of the Almighty and Unchanging God, and encourage them to have self-control.

With that comes the second part, to SHOW them, lead by example, in EVERYTHING we do. It’s very difficult to warn the youth about the dangers of alcohol, if we also drink. Similarly, it is difficult to tell them to be self-disciplined, if we ourselves are short-tempered, violent and out-of-control. We must instruct and SHOW them by being good examples to follow, glorifying God in EVERYTHING we do.

Finally, we must also show integrity, serious and soundness in our teachings, so we have nothing to fear, those who oppose us will be ashamed, for they have nothing bad to say about us. That type of integrity comes from speaking only the truth AND living the truth.

Lord, please help me to be a proper example of You. To live my life as a testimony to Your greatness. To instruct the youth, with integrity and through example, as you have commanded, so they may live with You in their hearts and bring glory to Your Name. In Jesus’ name I pray. Amen.

Titus 1

Paul is speaking to Titus about the Cretans (people from Crete) when he says, (16) “They claim to know God, but by their actions they deny him.” Wow, how familiar does that sound?

One of the biggest “turn offs” of Christianity to non-Christians is hypocrisy. Saying one thing and doing another. The “do as I say, not as I do” mentality. This is what was happening in Crete and also what is still happening today. There are many today, who claim to know God, who claim to be Christians, but their actions say otherwise. By doing so, they are giving the wrong impression about true Christians and our faith.

True, none of us is perfect, we will all make mistakes (I do daily), but we must center our lives on God, put Him first, and then take action to ensure He shows through us to others. We must follow Christ as our example, die to ourselves daily, and let Him shine through us to others. When we do, our actions will support our claims and minister to a lost and dying world.

Lord Jesus, please forgive me where I fail you. Help me to glorify you in everything I do, so my actions support my claims of Christianity, and share You, our Savior, with those who need You. Amen.

2 Timothy 4 - The Time is NOW

As a forewarning, today’s discussion is harsh, but the truth, please listen. Verses 3 and 4 further expand on yesterday’s discussion. “3For the time will come when men will not put up with sound doctrine. Instead, to suit their own desires, they will gather around them a great number of teachers to say what their itching ears want to hear. 4They will turn their ears away from the truth and turn aside to myths.” This, yet again, is happening now.

It appears that, in society today, you can find any excuse or reason to justify your own self gratifications. “I’m an alcoholic because my parents were alcoholics”, “I rob and steal because no one ever gave me a fair break”, “I tell a little gossip because the people have a right to know”, “There is no devil or hell”, “I’m pretty good, God will understand, I don’t have to be saved, I’ll go to Heaven.” Any of these sound familiar? Just as Paul prophesied, the world will denounce sound doctrine and truth to turn to people who will say the lies and myths that they want to hear, to justify their lifestyles and desires.

Here is what God will understand, His Word and Doctrine. Romans 3:23“for all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God,”. Not a few, some, or even most, but ALL have sinned. There is no amount of “good deeds” that can save you; you simply can’t pay the price necessary for your sins.

However, God loves us enough to do it for us through Jesus Christ. Make no mistake, Jesus is the only way to God. John 14:6 says “Jesus answered, ‘I am the way and the truth and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me.’” Jesus is the only way!

Also, regardless of what “myth” you’ve heard, we will all be held accountable for our own actions. Romans 14:10-12 “10…For we will all stand before God's judgment seat. 11 It is written:" 'As surely as I live,' says the Lord, 'every knee will bow before me; every tongue will confess to God.'” 12 So then, each of us will give an account of himself to God.” Therefore, no matter how we justify ourselves through thoughts, excuses, or even teachings of lies, we will be held accountable for OUR OWN actions. Whether you believe it or not, you will be judged and, without Jesus, there is hell to pay, literally.

I’m not belittling situations in people’s lives, quite the contrary, I’m trying to help. Yes it is tough to do differently than what you’re parents did, or what your friends support, or what society as a whole maintains, but it is not impossible. Jesus can and will help you change, He loves you and is waiting on you to come to Him. He is always ready with open arms, regardless of what you have done, He loves you and is ready to forgive.

Lord Jesus, thank you for loving me, a terrible sinner, enough to die for my sins. Thank you God for Your Word and Truth that I may be forgiven and cleansed of my sins and all unrighteousness by the blood of Jesus. Thank you Jesus, for entering and ruling my life that I may be saved and my life changed, so I may live with You forever. Please help me to spread Your word to others who need You, so they may also be saved, all for Your glory. Amen

2 Timothy 3

2 Timothy 3. Verses 1 – 9, not quoted here, discuss how people will be in the last days. As you read and compare to the current state of the world, you will see striking similarities. In fact, I’m sure you will agree, many in the world are acting exactly as prophesized. But what does that mean for us, what can we do in such evil times? It means we must work harder than ever to spread the truth of Jesus Christ!

To do that, we must be prepared. We must be stronger than ever in our faith, well versed and equipped with the truth, and bold and strong in our daily walk with Christ Jesus. This means increased action starting with daily prayer and spending productive time in the Word!

Verses 16-17 tell us why, (16) “All Scripture is God-breathed and is useful for teaching, rebuking, correcting and training in righteousness, (17) so that the man of God may be thoroughly equipped for every good work.”

There it is, as plain as can be. “All Scripture is God-breathed”, inspired by God to do His will. The Bible is God’s plan and instruction for our lives, so we may obey and bring Him glory.

Scripture has many uses “Teaching, rebuking, correcting and training in righteousness”. If we need to know what God wants us to do, need to know how to teach others of Jesus Christ, need to know how to correct or when to rebuke, it is all in the Word.

By reading the Bible, hiding the Scriptures in our hearts, then we, as children of God, will “be thoroughly equipped for every good work.” Not some nice things, not ready for most things, but equipped for EVERY GOOD WORK! That is glorious, that God has given us everything we need to do His will, we just have to know it and take action.
I want to be part of the solution, dear Lord, not part of the problem. God please help me to do Your will, to read, study, retain and use Your Word to do my part in spreading the Gospel of Your Son, Jesus Christ. To combat evil in this lost and dying world, so Your glory, faithfulness, love, and mercy may be seen, and above all, Your will be done.

2 Timothy 2

2 Timothy 2. (v. 11-13)

(11) Here is a trustworthy saying: If we died with him, we will also live with him; (12) if we endure, we will also reign with him. If we disown him, he will also disown us; (13) if we are faithless, he will remain faithful, for he cannot disown himself.

I can’t say it any better than it is already written; these verses say it all. If we die with Jesus, knowing Him as your personal Savior, then we will live with Him, forever! We must also die daily to our sins and “old selves” to live with Him daily, where Jesus will show through us and our lives, as a witness to others.

If we endure, the trials and tribulations that we face, with our faith and obedience to Him, we will reign with Jesus! There might be rough times ahead, or maybe you’re going through them now, but I’m here to tell you, none of them are stronger than God, not a single one of them can take away the sacrifice of Jesus Christ! So seek God, open your heart to Jesus, and you WILL endure. For you are God’s chosen and He loves you unconditionally.

However, even if we lose faith, see times as hopeless, HE WILL REMAIN FAITHFUL, for He cannot disown Himself! How awesome is our God! He remains faithful to us, even if we are faithless.

But we must never, never disown Him. If we disown Him, he also will disown us. If we turn our back on Jesus, disown Him and His glory, then we also will be disowned. I never want to be in this predicament!

If you don’t know Jesus, seek Him now. Matthew 7:7-8 says, (7) "Ask and it will be given to you; seek and you will find; knock and the door will be opened to you. (8) For everyone who asks receives; he who seeks finds; and to him who knocks, the door will be opened.” We cannot save ourselves with our works, (Romans 3:23) “for all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God,”, but praise be to God and Jesus, we don’t have to, because He loved us enough, unconditionally, to pay the price for our sins. Seek Him now before it’s too late, contact me, I will be overjoyed to help!

Thank you Jesus, for loving me enough to die for my sins, to cleanse me of all unrighteousness, so I may live with You, reign with You, forever and ever. Please help me to remain faithful, to serve and do Your will, to honor and glorify You, in all that I do. Amen.

2 Timothy 1

Verse 7, “For God did not give us a spirit of timidity, but a spirit of power, of love, and of self-discipline.” Wow, what a statement! Too many ties I tend to confuse the words humble and timid; but they are not the same. Sure we are to be humble, not self-serving, self-gratifying, or self-glorifying; we are to glorify God in everything we do. Don’t make the mistake of assuming Christian means weak. We serve the Almighty God, the Alpha and Omega, the One True God! He is never weak, nor are His followers, for He empowers us to do his will.

We are to be humble, that is not to say we should be timid or “pushovers” or “doormats”. When those we love are in danger of losing their way, we must stand strong, unafraid and defend. When the world attacks our faith, denounces the One True God, we must not only defend, we must attack for the honor and love of the Lord.

God has given us a spirit of power, to not be afraid and to have the ability to defend and strike for the glory of God. But also not to be abusive in power, which is why He also gave us a spirit of love and self-discipline.

We defend and attack, not to “be right” or “boost our pride”, but out of love for our Heavenly Father, for Christ Jesus, for our fellow Christians, for our families/friends, and for those who need the Lord.

We should be humble, but never timid, we should never be ashamed of our God, nor should we be timid or hold back when someone’s soul is on the line, I guarantee you, the other side won’t. So, remember you are a child of God, given a spirit of power, love and self-discipline, so stand tall and be proud and let the glory of God and Jesus Christ shine through you to others, who are desperately seeking salvation in a lost and dying world. Lord, please help us to do just that, all for Your glory.

1 Timothy 5 - Wealth

Paul addresses Timothy with an issue that has haunted me for a long time. Is it wrong for a Christian to be wealthy? Growing up, that is what I perceived, with “It is easier for a camel to go through the eye of a needle than for a rich man to enter the kingdom of God.” (Mark 10:25) or quotes like “money is the root of all evil” (quoted incorrectly). Verse 10 states “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.”

This shows to me that how you place the significance of wealth can be sinful. If you seek wealth for your own gain, its only money you’re after, then that is sinful (v. 9). If you place riches before God and trust in money to save you, then that is sinful (v 17). That is, if you place your trust in money and seek it solely for your own benefit, then you are placing wealth in a higher place in your life than God, which is breaking the first commandment, “You shall have no other gods before me (God)…” (Exodus 20:3).

It is not, in my opinion, saying wealth is bad, but if you covet it, it is. (v. 17) “…put their (wealthy) hope in God, who RICHLY PROVIDES us with everything for our ENJOYMENT.” Not just our needs, but everything for our enjoyment. But there is more, to keep from coveting money we are commanded to (18) “…do good, to be rich in good deeds, and to be generous and willing to share”. The Message version says “to be extravagantly generous”. Therefore, being extravagantly generous and willing to share breaks the sinful hold that wealth can have on you. Placing your trust in God, following Him above all else, putting His wealth that He gave to you to use for His glory is not sinful, but what God expects us to do. He blesses us, we bless others, period.

Why is it so hard for a rich person to enter the kingdom of God, because many usually place their faith in money, not in God. That is what, I believe, Jesus was saying in Mark 10. By placing their faith in wealth, they fall victim to many different kinds of sins (as 1 Timothy 10 states). Is it better to live in poverty, trusting in the Lord, rather than be wealthy and be led astray, ABSOLUTELY. However, we are God’s children, He wants the very best for us, not to live in poverty but to be richly blessed. Therefore, we must realize what wealth is, a gift from God. Not ours to horde, but a tool to be used to bless others, for His glory and His plan. If we keep our focus on God, place Him above all else, and use His gift of wealth in that manner, then wealth is not a sin, but a glorious gift from our Almighty Father.

Lord, please help me to remember that wealth is a gift from You, to be used for Your purpose and design, to bless others. Help me to be a proper steward of Your wealth. You have and will richly provide for me, beyond my needs, please help me to follow Your commands and be extravagantly generous to bless others for Your glory, not my own.

1 Timothy 5 - Family

This chapter is mainly about taking care of family and how to treat other people. We are all brothers and sisters in Christ, therefore, it is our responsibility to lift one another up, support one another, and “soldier on” together, all for God’s glory. If not, we are no better than the unbelievers. Paul reinforces this in verse 8, “If anyone does not provide for his relatives, and especially for his immediate family, he has denied the faith and is worse than an unbeliever.”

Too many times we get caught in family squabbles, hurt feelings, and resentment to see the truth. Our family is our responsibility. If a family member is hurting, regardless of what they have done to you, as a believer, you must take care of them. “but they aren’t worthy of my help”, “you don’t know what they did to me”, true; however, is it any worse that what we have done to God? Christ loved us enough to die for us and forgive us of our sins, regardless of what we did to Him. No one has treated us worse that we, individually and collectively, treated Christ, yet He loves us, forgives us, and takes care of us. The least we can do is the same for others.

Lord, help me to forgive those who have wronged me, as You forgave me, and to follow Your word to take care of those in need, especially my family and Your family, as You have taken care of me, Your son.

1 Timothy 4

Verse 1 states, “The Spirit clearly says that in later times some will abandon the faith and follow deceiving spirits and things taught by demons”. Look around today and you will see this in practice.

With the “me” society, where personal pleasure and instant gratification are paramount, following deceiving spirits is sadly the case. There are countless books, cd’s, gurus teaching “spiritual” experiences through self-awareness and everything but the truth, the gospel of Jesus Christ. Be not deceived, John 14:6 says, “Jesus answered, "I am the way and the truth and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me”. No one goes to God without Jesus.

Think about it, how can you do enough to pay for your sins? How can you pay the price or help yourself when we all are imperfect beings? The Bible says in Romans 3:23 “for all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God”. No amount of good works, self-awareness, rituals or sacrifices will get you there, only Jesus Christ. If you don’t know Jesus, then get to know Him now, He is waiting for you and loves you, He died for you to pay the price of sin that you could not pay on your own. If you know Jesus, but have strayed, come back now, He is still waiting for you and still loves you, unconditionally.

Thank you, dear Jesus, for loving us enough to die for our sins, to pay the price we cannot pay, for suffering for us that we may have everlasting life. Please guide, direct, and protect us from deceiving spirits and keep us focused on your one and only truth. Amen.