Pandemic Sized Problems

Hello friends.  Long time no see.  I don't know about you, but man doesn't life seem to get a little out of control real easy?  I know it has for me.  This has a lot to do with the fact that it has been a few years since I have used this platform for communication and devotionals.  But, pandemic times call for pandemic measures!!

This pandemic is definately new to me, and probably you as well.  With the exception of a few members of my church that may remember living through the plagues of Egypt, Black Death, and the Spanish Flu of the early 1900s.  😂  Many times we tend to always focus on the bad, the fears, the stress, and I could probably go on and on and on.  Not to mention the stress on our families as we try to help our students learn at home.  I know many teachers who have had their eyes opened to the challenges on trying to teach online, and parents pulling their hair out trying to help their own kids.  I'm actually living on both sides of this equation right now.  With my wife and I both being educators, it adds an interesting twist to our daily routines.  And we sometimes beg for a little more "social distancing."

There are also things we have to do without.  Sitting down in a restaurant, nope.  Going to the movies, nope.  Finding toilet paper, good luck.  But the thing I miss the most, going to church.  Now, I do follow a couple of pastor friends of mine and watch video clips of there sermons.  I also keep up with my pastor via text, email, and the occasional phone call.  Not to mention keeping up with church members on Facebook.  But it is not the same.  I miss the personal interaction with my church family on a regular basis.  I find myself craving the opportunity to get back to fellowship with my church family.  It almost feels as though I am being malnourished in a way.  I miss the fellowship, the teaching, the prayer time, and singing in the choir.  I feel that too much more of this could cause me to become weak from my 'malnourishment.'

But this 'pandemic problem' is no different than many of the trials that we face, and will continue to face in our lifetimes.  There are two important things to remember when facing trials:

1.  They have a purpose
2.  They don't last forever

James 1:2-3
"Consider it all joy, my brethren, when you encounter various trials,  knowing that the testing of your faith produces endurance.  And let endurance have its perfect result, so that you may be perfect and complete, lacking in nothing."

Have we taken time to ask God what it is that He wants us to learn from this?  Have we looked for ways to actively grow our faith in this time?  Are we making the most of our opportunities to share our faith with others as it grows?

There is an end in site with this pandemic.  I challenge you to look for blessings that may be hidden in disguise.  Look for ways to grow your faith in the midst of these trials.  Be comforted by the grace that God has given you in your current situation.  Take joy in the process, because you know what the end reward will be.  Most importantly, don't forget to share with others.  Check in with those you miss.  Call and encourage your pastor.  Keep studying and praying as an individual, and with your families.  I may not be able to go to church, but i can still be a part of it until I can.

Thanks for reading, and God bless you all!

Preparing for the New Year!

Alright everyone, how many of you have already made your New Year's Resolutions that you know you will not be keeping?  HaHa...I know right.  This is a time in which we always seem to stress some sort of renewal in how we live our lives.  Most of the time they deal with losing weight, exercising more, reading more books, or managing our money better.  Maybe others set goals for their work and school.  But, no matter how hard we try in the beginning, we usually fail.  And you know what, that's ok.  We are human.

Is it not great to know that we have a Savior who looks beyond our imperfections if we truly belong to Him?  Even with all the things we try to do, we will still fall short of the glory of God.  But, the true message of Grace covers a multitude of failures.  The bible is full of individuals who strived to serve God to their best ability, and yet had their own shortcomings.  David's lust, Peter's denial, Abraham's lies, and Moses' inability to follow directions are just a few examples of true powerhouses for God, that were still human and made their mistakes.

There seems to be a misconception among some that Christians can reach a point to which they no longer sin.  I have had discussions with many of these individuals and still fall back to this verse:

Romans 3:10
"as it is written, there is none righteous, not even one."

and...

1 John 1:8
"If we say we have no sin, we are deceiving ourselves and the truth is not in us."

So what do we do?  Do we just give up because we will mess up?  Absolutely not!  Our purpose in life is to serve God, and to try to be Christ-like as much as possible.  We still must push forward to the prize that is before us.  This life is short compared to the eternity that we have before us, and the reward in heaven is great.  We have a job to do, and even though we will make mistakes, we must continue on in our witness of Christ to the world.  If we sit back and do nothing, think of all the opportunities we will have to share Christ that will never happen.

So.....what does all of this have to do with the new year you ask?  How about a New Year's resolution that focuses on something you are going to try to do for God, instead of yourself.

Psalm 98:1
"O sing to the LORD a new song, for He has done wonderful things, His right hand and His holy arm have gained the victory for Him."

I challenge all of you to come up with a new year's resolution for the Lord.  Even if we fail, He will still win the victory.  It can do nothing but strengthen us and our witness for Him, and bring honor and glory to Him.  And not because we are anything great, but because who we serve is!

Thanks for reading, and I pray God's blessings on you all in 2015!

What Am I Thankful For?

God has blessed my family and I more than we deserve in this life.  Is my life perfect?  Not hardly.  We face many trials and tribulations as everyone else does.  There is a misconception going around in which people believe that Christians all live wonderful lives.  In a way that is true, but not in the sense they believe.  We deal with sin, suffering, shame, loneliness, and heartache on a regular basis.  However, the difference is the grace in which we live, compels us to the hope of more to come.  Our faith in Christ Jesus provides the foundation of this hope.

When I struggle, I think of the ways in which God has blessed me.  It really is true, that when you count your blessings, you begin to forget the things that make you feel down.  One of my greatest blessings is my children.  God has seen fit to send my wife and I three beautiful children.  Even more, they are growing in the love of the Lord.

There are numerous verses that speak of how God blesses us.  But, today I want to thank God for the bad in my life as well.  My wife told me once, "With each trial we face, we get a chance to see God in action!"  Every bad thing that comes, shows me more of who I am, and gives me a chance to grow in my faith.

Romans 5:3-5
"And not only this, but we also exult in our tribulations, knowing that tribulation brings about perseverance; and perseverance, proven character; and proven character, hope; and hope does not disappoint, because the love of God has been poured out within our hearts through the Holy Spirit who was given to us."

So in this time of Thanksgiving, I pray you will be thankful for everything you have experienced in this life.  Because God is always in control.

Thanks for reading, and God bless you all!
Happy Thanksgiving.

Work in Progress

What a wild ride life has become.  Life is full of twists, turns, and curve balls that we must navigate through.  I can see where many people struggle through this life in the midst of all of these changes and challenges.  With all of the new developments in my life, this is the first opportunity that I have had to write again.  However, I have felt great encouragement these last few months in the direction God is taking me in life.

In this busy life, numerous things can cause us to lower our dependency on our Creator, and hence drive a wedge between us.  Sometimes we develop a sense of self reliance to where we try to make God fit into a neat little box that suits our own purpose.  On the other hand, we sometimes can doubt our own worth when faced with adversity.

Instead of looking at life through what we see, maybe we should look at ourselves as God sees us.  We are His creation, and we were created for His purpose.  No matter how low we are, He loves us.  I stumbled onto a video that I felt was an incredible depiction of how God sees us.  Are we perfect?  No...definitely not.  However, we are a work in progress.  We just have to allow God to finish His work in us.  Hope you enjoy.

Thanks for reading/watching, and may God bless you all!

Thoughts for the New Year

Is it just me or has 2012 flown by?  It seems to have come and gone in a whirlwind, and left many of us wondering at what all has happened over the past year.  Did we accomplish our goals that we set out to do?  Did we make a difference somehow in this world that we live?  Many times a lot of us make new resolutions for what we want to accomplish in the upcoming year.  Things that we hope will last more than a week, when in reality they don't.  Still, we have this hope for future things.  And as Christians, we sometimes find ourselves asking what can we do this year?  And, can we stick to it?  It all seems to focus around change.  Yet, there is always a fear of the unknown when change comes around.

Jeremiah 29:11-13
"For I know the plans that I have for you,’ declares the Lord, ‘plans for welfare and not for calamity to give you a future and a hope. Then you will call upon Me and come and pray to Me, and I will listen to you. You will seek Me and find Me when you search for Me with all your heart."

This verse really rings true to any believer.  In whatever we plan to be different for this year, God already knows about it.  And as long as we are seeking His will in our lives as the driving force for the changes that we want to make, we have no reason to fear.  All of us were born with a purpose.  A purpose designed by God before the creation of the world.  He knows our beginning, our end, and everything in between.  And the plans are for our own good.  Contrary to what you may hear from some people, everything that happens in our lives is for our good.  God does not delight in bad things happening to us.  He has a future for us, and that should give us hope for what is to come.  And when we pray, He listens.  When we seek Him with all of our heart, we will find Him. 

So now that we have no reason to fear this new beginning, what now?  I have three things that I believe will help us as we look forward to 2013.

1.  Forget the Past  
 
Philippians 3:13-14
"Brethren, I do not regard myself as having laid hold of it yet; but one thing I do: forgetting what lies behind and reaching forward to what lies ahead, I press on toward the goal for the prize of the upward call of God in Christ Jesus."

Whatever has happened last year, be it good or bad, it is in the past.  We cannot go back and change what has happened in our lives.  Many people spend a lot of time dwelling on this.  A famous quote I hear a lot "If I knew then, what I know now" comes to mind.  That is a chapter in our lives that has come to a close.  We must leave it in the past and reach forward to the future and what God has prepared for us in it.  There are new challenges, new opportunities for service, and new blessings on the horizon.  In the end, there is a robe and a crown of life waiting on us.  That is what we are working toward.  We must live each day with the end in site.  Thinking of heaven makes every little thing that happens here seem not worth worrying about.

2.  Wait on the Lord

Isaiah 40:31
"Yet those who wait for the Lord Will gain new strength; They will mount up with wings like eagles, They will run and not get tired, They will walk and not become weary." 

We must understand that things will happen in God's timing and not our own.  His plan has been laid out in our lives, and nothing is going to change that.  We must take comfort in that, and let God lead.  Many times we tend to take matters into our own hands.  Because lets face it, none of us are very patient people in this day and time.  I know that I am not.  And when we do, we tend to make a mess of things.  But God has a time and place set aside for everything.  And His timing is perfect.

Ecclesiastes 3:11
"He has made everything appropriate in its time. He has also set eternity in their heart, yet so that man will not find out the work which God has done from the beginning even to the end." 

3.  Treat Each New Day as a Special Gift



Lamentations 3:22-24 
"The Lord’s lovingkindnesses indeed never cease, For His compassions never fail.  They are new every morning; Great is Your faithfulness.  “The Lord is my portion,” says my soul, “Therefore I have hope in Him.” 

Each new day is just that, a new day.  And each new day is a gift from God.  His love, compassion, forgiveness, mercy, grace extend to us brand new each day.  He is always there for us.  So, we likewise, need to be there for Him each and every day.  How can we do this?  We need to talk to Him, seek Him, and search for ways to serve Him.  We should be in a constant state of prayer.  Yes, He already knows what is on our hearts.  But, it is still important for us to pray.  Because our faith is based on a relationship.  And you cannot have a good relationship when one party is not communicating.  We seek His will in our lives by reading and studying our bibles.  The scripture is a written account of how He wants us to live.  If we try to model our lives based on these scriptures, we find ourselves drawing closer to His will in our lives.  Lastly, we need to serve.  Our main commandment is to witness to the lost.  This is not only done by the conversations that we have with others, but in the way that we live.  Our actions show who we truly are.  They are our biggest witness to this world.  We need to share the good news of His birth, and His death for all of our sins.

Perhaps you may be reading this today, and have never accepted Jesus as your Lord and Savior.  If not, all of the hope that is mentioned above is not in your life.  For without Christ we have no hope.  I urge you to seek Him.  He can take anything that you are going through right now, and turn it around.  He can take your life and give you hope.

2 Corinthians 5:17
"Therefore if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creature; the old things passed away; behold, new things have come."  

He is the only one that can do this for you.  If you are seeking, I encourage you to click the tab at the top of this page for the Plan of Salvation.  Read through this, as it explains the need that we have for Christ.

I hope that you have enjoyed reading this devotion, and I hope that it helps with the hope of this new year.  I pray God will bless you all in 2013! 

Getting Older

WOW!  Time sure does seem to fly by.  There are so many things going on in our lives that we sometimes forget to stop and look at what is going on around us.  Two weeks ago, I hit a milestone in my life.  I graduated into a new decade in my life.  I finally turned 30.  I will be honest, it was not something that I was looking forward to at first.  But, then I realized that it was just another marker in my life.  Something that I could definitely use as sort of a window to my past and to my future.  So what I am going to do in this post is to examine the decades in which I have lived, and then, look to the future as to where God would have me go.

0-10 years

Luke 18:15-17
"And they were bringing even their babies to Him so that He would touch them, but when the disciples saw it, they began rebuking them. But Jesus called for them, saying, “Permit the children to come to Me, and do not hinder them, for the kingdom of God belongs to such as these. Truly I say to you, whoever does not receive the kingdom of God like a child will not enter it at all.”

These were the great years.  These are the days that we all as adults wish that we could go back to sometimes, because life was simply and easy compared to what we go through today.  There was no worry on bills to pay, no job to rush to, no "responsibility" whatsoever.  I had a pretty good childhood.  I did not have as much as everyone else did.  But, my parents worked hard to provide a good life for us.  There was never a time that I had to wonder whether I was loved or not.  I also did not have an understanding of the world that my parents had.  Everything seemed so simple and easy to me.  Much the same as a new believer.  The concept of faith in Christ is not truly a hard concept to understand from a child's perspective.  Many times you can tell a child that something is true and they will just blindly trust you.  We need to be the same in our walk with Christ.  We need to be at a point that we put our full faith and trust in Christ, and all that He teaches.  And we cannot try to put our own spin on our salvation.

11-20 years

Psalms 25:6-8

"Remember, O Lord, Your compassion and Your lovingkindnesses, For they have been from of old.  Do not remember the sins of my youth or my transgressions; According to Your lovingkindness remember me, For Your goodness’ sake, O Lord.  Good and upright is the Lord; Therefore He instructs sinners in the way."

These were the hard years.  This is the time in my life where I truly started to question God and His promise.  No longer was I satisfied with the "just because it says so" answer.  I lost my childhood faith as I grew.  I found that this was a time of many mistakes and repentance.  I rebelled against what I was taught, and surly gave my family some sleepless nights.  But such is true of all those that are of the world.  It wasn't until I was 14 when God truly opened my eyes to who He was.  And how bad that I needed Him.  And I gave my life to Him.  And it was at this time that I failed the most.  I was pulled by the things and temptations of the world.  Much is the same for a new believer.  There are going to be many trials in the beginning.  Temptations seem to be stronger as we begin our faith.  But, those mistakes are not necessarily a bad thing.

21-30 years

Philippians 1:6
"For I am confident of this very thing, that He who began a good work in you will perfect it until the day of Christ Jesus." 

This was a time of growth for me.  I had matured out of the foolishness of my thoughts and actions.  I moved to a point that I knew that I was responsible for my faith, and I knew that I had to act on it.  Did I still make mistakes?  Yes, numerous.  However, I found that my mistakes were important to me.  They showed me where my sins were.  They showed me the way in which I needed to turn.  It is much like the Old Testament Law.  It is not there to condemn us, but to show our sins to us.  I saw the sins of my youth, and I worked hard in these years to learn and increase in my faith.  My mistakes were also a way to show that God was still there.  Because no matter the sin I committed, God was right there with me.  I felt conviction from the Spirit inside of me to repent.  With all this in mind, I began to grow.  I began to study more to seek out God's will in my life.  I also looked to find where my shortcomings were, based on past experience, so that I could make the necessary changes.  This represents the time in a believer's life where they begin to need the meat of understanding.  They have moved on from the milk as described in 1 Corinthians 3 and Hebrews 5.

30+ years

Philippians 1:9-11
"And this I pray, that your love may abound still more and more in real knowledge and all discernment, so that you may approve the things that are excellent, in order to be sincere and blameless until the day of Christ; having been filled with the fruit of righteousness which comes through Jesus Christ, to the glory and praise of God."

And I still have a lot to learn.  I find that there are new ways that I can grow everyday.  Our journey never ends while we are here on this earth.  What does the rest of my life hold?  I have no idea.  But one thing that I am certain in is that I will never be alone.  God has brought me this far, and no matter what, He will always be there for me.  Why?  Because I have put all my faith and hope in Him, and not in anything else.  I depend on Him for everything.  I need His guidance, and His forgiveness.  And my job is to keep on serving to the best of my ability until it is time for me to go home.  As I look to the future now, it is not in fear, but in hope, and anticipation.  What is God going to show me?  What is He going to help me through?  When I look back on these years, what will I have learned?  It is rather kind of exciting now.

Never again will I look at aging as something to be afraid of.  Yet, more of an adventure that is continuing in my life.  My story is not over.  Now, I do know how the story ends, and I take comfort in that.  What is exciting now is what is going to take place between here and then.  Because nothing is more important than my relationship with my Lord.

Thanks for reading, and God Bless You all this week. 

    

How to Survive

Hello again to you all.  I am thankful once again for the opportunity to write again.  As I stated in my last posting, there are a lot of things going on in my life.  There are many new challenges that have to be faced, as all of us have.  And it seems like it never ends.  There always seems to be something changing or going wrong that we have to deal with.  And when it seems like nothing else could possibly go wrong, it does.  And many times in the heat of the moment we may question why God allowed certain things to happen.  We question that if He loved us, that He would not let those things happen to us.  But this is simply not the case.  Sometimes God uses those instances to get us to lean on Him more.  The question that we have to ask ourselves, is what do we really place our trust in.  And I am not saying this flippantly like I know that many do, but I want you to truly ask yourself, when the struggles of this life are upon you, what is the first thing that you do?

Matthew 7:24-27
“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. And the rain fell, and the floods came, and the winds blew and slammed against that house; and yet it did not fall, for it had been founded on the rock. Everyone who hears these words of Mine and does not act on them, will be like a foolish man who built his house on the sand. The rain fell, and the floods came, and the winds blew and slammed against that house; and it fell—and great was its fall.”

How many times in our lives do bad things happen, and the first thing we do is try to figure it out on our own?  Or we turn to that friend, or family member for support and guidance.  Yet we systematically tune out God in the situation.  Or the thought of what God would have us do completely slips our minds.  And when the situation is bad enough, we crack under the weight of it.  But, for the one that has his/her foundation fully settled on the Word of God, we find comfort in the midst of the storm.

About a month ago, our school was shaken with the tragic death of one of our students.  Thanks be to God that he had been saved before the accident.  But the school was in shambles.  It forced all of us to take a good look at our lives in light of eternity.  For no one thought that death could come to them because of their youth.  Many of them had no idea of where to turn for comfort.  No one could fathom the reason for his untimely death.  But was his death "untimely"?  Or was it something that God allowed for a purpose?  I was able to share with a large group of students about the importance of a relationship with Jesus.  About who He was, and what He did for us.  Many of the students that were believers had a certain peace about them that was evident.  They were sad, but at peace knowing that their friend was in the presence of God.  And some of the students took note of how they spoke and acted.  The deceased student's pastor was there with me, and though I had to go teach he stayed.  Later own he told me that a couple of students repented, and gave their lives to Christ.

God has a purpose for all the things we go through.  He had a purpose for taking that student home when He did.  I firmly believe He did for those few that were saved because of it.  But it is not for us to question Him.  We just need to trust in Him.

Psalms 46:1-2
"God is our refuge and strength, A very present help in trouble.  Therefore we will not fear, though the earth should change"

I urge you to check your foundation.  If it is based on the Word of God in Christ Jesus, you will be able to stand firm.  If it is based in something else, it will not last.

Thanks for reading, and I pray that God will bless you all this week! 

What lies ahead

Hello again to all of you.  It has been a long time since I have been able to post some of my reflections about how I have seen God work in my life.  This new school year has presented me with more challenges than I ever knew existed in education.  There have been many nights that I just could do no more, and just had to accept the fact that I was not going to be able to finish now and would have to put it off to later.  I have been overwhelmed here lately with all that was going on in my life, both at work and at home.  How can I separate the work from home when I have to start bringing it home?  How can I fit in time with my family with all of the new struggles that I have to combat?  And sadly, I had allowed myself to sink into that cynical attitude of not caring any more, and ready to give up.  Then I got an email from a friend through the Fellowship of Christian Athletes, in which I am the adviser at my school.  In it contained a set of scripture that I have read many times before.  And after reading it, I knew that God was trying to get my attention.  He was trying to get me to see that who I was becoming was not who He intended me to be.  I needed to get back on track.  I shared this thought at bible study with my students before school today.  Here are the verses.

Hebrews 12:1-3
"Therefore, since we have so great a cloud of witnesses surrounding us, let us also lay aside every encumbrance and the sin which so easily entangles us, and let us run with endurance the race that is set before us, fixing our eyes on Jesus, the author and perfecter of faith, who for the joy set before Him endured the cross, despising the shame, and has sat down at the right hand of the throne of God.  For consider Him who has endured such hostility by sinners against Himself, so that you will not grow weary and lose heart."

 There are a couple of key points to this verse.

1)  There are always people watching.  This cloud of witnesses are all those around us that are watching all that we do.  Some look for encouragement from us, and some look for reasons to criticize us for what we believe.  So what are we showing them?  When we allow ourselves to get down and depressed, and succumb to the pressures of the world, what do the see?  The ones who are looking to us for encouragement are not getting it, and we are giving the world more ammo against us.  I was doing damage to my witness with my actions.  This is not who I am.  And it needed to change.

2)  Because of the witnesses, we need to strive to fight through all the things that bring us down.  No matter what is going on in our lives, we need to look at the big picture.  Where are we going?  What are we doing along the way?  We need to rid ourselves of everything that would separate us from the love, joy, and blessings of Christ our Savior.  That is what all of those around us need to see.  Will we fail?  Yes, because none of us are without sin.  But, as my pastor says, someone who is truly saved will not stay down long.

3)  Life Happens.  We need to understand that life is not easy.  There are going to be problems and issues all of the time.  That is why we must endure.  If we allow ourselves to stop and break at every obstacle, we cannot finish our purpose and we have no hope.  <a href="http://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Romans%205:3-5&version=NASB">Romans 5:3-5</a>

4)  We get through by fixing our eyes on Christ.  Everything that happens to us is not foreign to Christ.  He knows every step we will take.  The race has been set before us.  He knows what we will encounter.  And when our race is over, for those that are truly saved, He is waiting there at the end for us.  And He should be our example.  He suffered.  He took on our sin and shame.  He died to pay the price for us so that we could spend eternity with Him.  What greater hope do we have than that?  When we look at what we go through here in this life and compare it to what we have in eternity when we leave, it makes what we are going through seem not all that important.  

Sunday night at church we talked about Romans 8:28.  It tells us that God causes all things to happen for our own good.  Even the bad things that come in our lives are there to help us grow.  They come to teach us to depend on Him more.  I am resolved now that even in the midst of my current circumstance, God's grace is sufficient for me.  Things are hard, and life is always a mystery.  But God is there with me each step of the way.  And if you are saved as well, He is right there with you too.

Thanks for reading, and I pray that God will bless you this week!

Going for Olympic Gold

I love watching the Olympics.  Some of my favorite events are volleyball, soccer, track and field, and gymnastics.  But I have found myself this time watching whatever event that was showing my country compete.  I take great pride in seeing the American flag fly when we win an event.  I love watching my fellow countrymen and women work their hardest to represent our nation well.  There is a lot of training and preparation for them in their pursuit for gold.  And to see it pay off for them in the end is a wonderful site.

This makes me think of how we serve our Lord.  Are we going for the Gold Medal at the end of our lives for Him?  Even the Apostle Paul likened his life to a course that is run.

2 Timothy 4:6-8
"For I am already being poured out as a drink offering, and the time of my departure has come. I have fought the good fight, I have finished the course, I have kept the faith; in the future there is laid up for me the crown of righteousness, which the Lord, the righteous Judge, will award to me on that day; and not only to me, but also to all who have loved His appearing."

The crown of righteousness is  our prize, or gold medal if you will.  We have to make sure that we stay on course through our lives.  So, the question now is how to run the race to gold?  First, we have to have the right preparation.  We must be saved!

John 3:3
"Jesus answered and said to him, “Truly, truly, I say to you, unless one is born again he cannot see the kingdom of God.”"



Salvation is key.  Before we can even reach the podium at the end of our lives we must be saved.  As Jesus Himself said, we must be born again.  We must repent from our sins.  That word repent means to have a change of mind about sin.  We must turn from those sins that ensnared us, and live for the Lord.  And we must acknowledge Jesus as Lord of our life.  That means that we no longer live our lives in what we want, but in what He wants.  We must put Him first in all things.

After this, we must train for the race ahead of us.  How do we do this?  We study God's Word.  We must continually devote ourselves to scripture.  For that is the best way to get to know Christ, and seek His will for our lives.  And along this, we need to pray.  We need to commune with God on a regular basis.  We need to seek His guidance in all things.  This builds our relationship with Him.  This is where our religion is separate from the others.  It is about a relationship with Christ.

Lastly, we need to live what we learn.  We need to be that witness that everyone sees while we run this race.

Hebrews 12:1-3
"Therefore, since we have so great a cloud of witnesses surrounding us, let us also lay aside every encumbrance and the sin which so easily entangles us, and let us run with endurance the race that is set before us, fixing our eyes on Jesus, the author and perfecter of faith, who for the joy set before Him endured the cross, despising the shame, and has sat down at the right hand of the throne of God.  For consider Him who has endured such hostility by sinners against Himself, so that you will not grow weary and lose heart."

The race that is our life, is a long one to run.  That is why we are to run with endurance.  Will we sin?  Yes, of course we will.  We will fall along the track.  But, a true believer will rise up.

James 1:22-25
"But prove yourselves doers of the word, and not merely hearers who delude themselves. For if anyone is a hearer of the word and not a doer, he is like a man who looks at his natural face in a mirror; for once he has looked at himself and gone away, he has immediately forgotten what kind of person he was. But one who looks intently at the perfect law, the law of liberty, and abides by it, not having become a forgetful hearer but an effectual doer, this man will be blessed in what he does."

And when things get hard, keep your eyes on Christ.  For what we have waiting on us in heaven is far greater than anything we have here on earth.  And it is worth so much more than a gold medal here.

Thanks for reading, and God Bless you all this week! 

The Truth About the Lordship of Christ

 It has been a while since I have had the privilege to read on a regular basis. But the time became available here recently. Now, I love reading any kind of book with a Christian undertone. And, lately I have been viewing quite a few video clips of the teaching and preaching of John MacArthur. I know my pastor references him quite a bit, so I decided to check out some of his books. This is the first book by MacArthur that I have read, and enjoyed it so much I read it in two days. Which I believe is a record for me. Anyway, here is a review of his book, The Truth About the Lordship of Christ.  

Synopsis 
This book explores the doctrine of the Lordship of Christ, and how we should respond to his holiness. It starts with a detailed view of the biblical proof of what Lordship is, and explains what is means that He is the Lord of the Universe and the Lord of Our lives. The rest of the book is a look at how we are to respond to His Lordship. It expounds on the necessity of submission to His authority, holy living, confession, restoration, and the ultimate destination of humankind. He ends the book with certain statements of faith that define what a true christian must believe. I really enjoyed reading this book. But, not only using it as an interesting topic to read about, but as a study tool. I love the fact that everything that the author talks about, he backs it up with scripture. And not just one verse, but many examples of how the bible explains these topics. I also likes the way that he also gives examples of the opposite lifestyle. He shows the differences in the lives of those who are truly saved, and those that are not. He makes the case for the bible and does it in a simple manner that anyone can understand. I think this would be a wonderful book for any Christian to read, to strengthen their knowledge of the bible, as well as any other book by this author. I will definitely continue reading his work myself.  

About the Author
Widely known for his thorough, candid approach to teaching God's Word, John MacArthur is a popular author and conference speaker and has served as pastor-teacher of Grace Community Church in Sun Valley, California, since 1969. His pulpit ministry has been extended around the globe through his media ministry, Grace to You, and its satellite offices in seven countries. In addition to producing daily radio programs for nearly 2,000 English and Spanish radio outlets worldwide, Grace to You distributes books, software, audiotapes, and CDs by the author. He is the president of The Master's College and Seminary and has written hundreds of books and study guides, each one biblical and practical.

If you get a chance, I urge you to read this book.

Thanks for reading, and God Bless You all this week!

This book was provided me free from the publisher by BookSneeze.com blog book reviewers program. I was not required to write a positive review. The opinions I have expressed are my own. 

I Need a Refill

One of the biggest problems that I have with my soccer teams is cramping up on the field. My first question to them is always, "How much water have you drank today?" I always begin the season reminding my athletes of the importance of keeping well hydrated. It prevents cramps, dehydration, and helps them to play better and not be as tired. I tell them that every time they go by a water fountain, to take a sip. I also tell them to lay off the sodas and energy drinks, as they produce the opposite effect. They can cause you to cramp easier, dehydrate sooner, and tend to lessen the amount of energy available during a match. Once I get them off the field, they go straight to the water cooler. This reminds me of a story in the New Testament about the importance of water.

John 4:7-14
"There *came a woman of Samaria to draw water. Jesus *said to her, “Give Me a drink.” For His disciples had gone away into the city to buy food. Therefore the Samaritan woman *said to Him, “How is it that You, being a Jew, ask me for a drink since I am a Samaritan woman?” (For Jews have no dealings with Samaritans.) Jesus answered and said to her, “If you knew the gift of God, and who it is who says to you, ‘Give Me a drink,’ you would have asked Him, and He would have given you living water.” She *said to Him, “Sir, You have nothing to draw with and the well is deep; where then do You get that living water? You are not greater than our father Jacob, are You, who gave us the well, and drank of it himself and his sons and his cattle?” Jesus answered and said to her, “Everyone who drinks of this water will thirst again; but whoever drinks of the water that I will give him shall never thirst; but the water that I will give him will become in him a well of water springing up to eternal life.”"

In this set of verses, Jesus talks about a water that He could provide that is much different than the water we rely on for life. You see, water that we drink physically is a necessity. The average human being could not survive much more than two days without water. Our bodies depend on it for survival. Therefore, we always have this thirst. This need to rehydrate our bodies. It is an instinctive response to ensure our survival. The water that Christ is referring to is a living water that only He could provide.

I believe that Christ here is making reference to the Holy Spirit. Once we become saved, the Holy Spirit dwells in us. It helps us, and guides us. It provides us comfort when we need it. And unlike the constant need for water, the Holy Spirit never diminishes. It does not have to be refilled. How about that for eternal security! Once we truly are filled with this water, we will never thirst again. With this new water comes a new "thirst" however. One that gets a taste of the living water desires to know more about it. We can never seem to get enough of the Word of God. We have a desire to study and find what God has planned for us, and how we can serve Him better. We also have a desire to let others know about this water. We have a desire for others that we know to be able to drink from this water also.

John 4:27-30
"At this point His disciples came, and they were amazed that He had been speaking with a woman, yet no one said, “What do You seek?” or, “Why do You speak with her?” So the woman left her waterpot, and went into the city and *said to the men, “Come, see a man who told me all the things that I have done; this is not the Christ, is it?” They went out of the city, and were coming to Him."

John 4:39-42
"From that city many of the Samaritans believed in Him because of the word of the woman who testified, “He told me all the things that I have done.” So when the Samaritans came to Jesus, they were asking Him to stay with them; and He stayed there two days. Many more believed because of His word; and they were saying to the woman, “It is no longer because of what you said that we believe, for we have heard for ourselves and know that this One is indeed the Savior of the world.”"

So my question to you today is, "How much water have you had today?" Have you been drinking from the living waters that provide life everlasting? Or are you putting your faith in the world that will drag you down like the sodas do to my athletes that I spoke of above. If you read this and are relying on the world to satisfy, and the world to see you through, I invite you to come to the well.

Thanks for reading, and God Bless you all this week!

Journey of Life

I am forever amazed at all the things in life that I have experienced in my short 29 years on earth. Many experiences have been joyful, and some sorrowful. There have been instances in my life in which everything seemed easy. Likewise there have been times in my life that I did not know how I would get through. And there have even been times when I questioned God as to why He was not there. And then times when I realized that He never left my side. I come to realize that the life I have lived, and the remainder of what is in front of me is a journey that everyone has to follow to it's end. The choices that we make, affect what experiences come about, and ultimately what will happen in the end.

The biggest part of this Journey, has been my commitment to serve God above all else. I have submitted my life to follow Jesus Christ where ever that may lead. And one day I will be home. However, I am not home yet. This place that I reside here on earth is nothing more than a path on my journey. And everything that I go through is just there to show me who I truly am.

Hebrews 12:1-3
"Therefore, since we have so great a cloud of witnesses surrounding us, let us also lay aside every encumbrance and the sin which so easily entangles us, and let us run with endurance the race that is set before us, fixing our eyes on Jesus, the author and perfecter of faith, who for the joy set before Him endured the cross, despising the shame, and has sat down at the right hand of the throne of God. For consider Him who has endured such hostility by sinners against Himself, so that you will not grow weary and lose heart."

Every bad thing that occurs in our lives is nothing more than a trial. A bump in the road so to speak. How we handle this trial, or twist, helps us to identify where we really stand in our faith. As the scripture above says, run the race with endurance. This means that there are going to be many things to deal with along the way. Just because one tragedy occurs does not mean that we should give up on life, and/or question God as we sometimes do. We need to continue to seek God in those times for strength and assurance. And by continuing to fix our eyes on Christ, we can finish strong. Not only that, but we are able to show others who we really are. Not by the things that we say, but how we continue to praise God in all of our circumstances.

Psalm 23:4
"Even though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I fear no evil, for You are with me;"

I count every trial that I have been through a blessing. That have shown me how strong, and sometimes weak, my faith is. They have taught me to rely on God more than I rely on myself and others. They have taught me to look to God for understanding of situations, and not just asking for help. Because everything that God does, He has a purpose for. And we need to realize that it helps us to grow.

Romans 5:3-5
"And not only this, but we also exult in our tribulations, knowing that tribulation brings about perseverance; and perseverance, proven character; and proven character, hope; and hope does not disappoint, because the love of God has been poured out within our hearts through the Holy Spirit who was given to us."

So how is your journey coming? Do you tend to see more mountains to get over, than valleys to ease through? If so, that's okay. Look for what God is trying to teach you and fix your eyes on Him. Because the journey we are on, is nothing compared to the joy and victory we receive at the end when we finally make it home.

Thanks for reading, and God bless you all!

A Lesson in Faith

I am my kids' biggest hero. No matter what may come, they believe their dad can do anything. I love the feeling that I get when they make certain statements about what they are afraid of. For instance, my oldest daughter Morgan: "Daddy will beat up that mean monster if he tries to mess with me." And my son Keith, "My daddy can kick a soccer ball all the way to the clouds and catch it with his feet before it comes back to the ground." Now these are just a few of the things that they say about me that make my head swell with pride. They have so much faith in me. Now, I do not look forward to the day in which they will learn that daddy cannot do all those things. But, for the time being, I enjoy their faith.

This lead me to think on what is faith? How should I show my faith? And, what does faith do for a person. The first answer is easy. Faith by definition is the act of believing without seeing. Do we really believe that God is there, that He sent His Son to die on the cross for our sins, and rose again on the third day? We were not there to witness these events. But do we choose to believe it anyway? I do. Something so simple as to say I believe, just like my kids do in me.

Luke 18:16-17
"But Jesus called for them, saying, “Permit the children to come to Me, and do not hinder them, for the kingdom of God belongs to such as these. 17 Truly I say to you, whoever does not receive the kingdom of God like a child will not enter it at all.”"

We must have this childlike faith. It is not something that we can rationalize. We just have to take it for what it is. Just like our children do when we tell them something. I have found in my little study on faith that there are three things that faith can provide for us. The first, of course, is salvation.

Ephesians 2:8
"For by grace you have been saved through faith; and [a]that not of yourselves, it is the gift of God;"

Our belief in who God says He is and in His Son, is what saves us. Now I am not talking about just acknowledging that He exists. If you truly believe, you will make Him foremost in your life. You must choose to follow Him. Even Satan and all of his demons believe in God and Jesus, but they are not going to heaven.

James 2:18-20
"But someone may well say, “You have faith and I have works; show me your faith without the works, and I will show you my faith by my works.” You believe that God is one. You do well; the demons also believe, and shudder. But are you willing to recognize, you foolish fellow, that faith without works is useless?"

The second thing that our faith gives us is hope. We are going to go through many trials in our lives. It is not because God does not love us. God is always right there. We just have to look right beside us. Many people talk about a silver lining in their troubles. I say that you will never see that silver lining if you do not look up at the storm and look for God. I have been through numerous trials in my life. And I have always looked to God for answers. And He has always been there. Most recently my 8 month old daughter had a very dangerous virus that usually turns into pneumonia and can be fatal for children her age. After the doctor checked her lungs, miraculously, there was no pneumonia. Two weeks earlier, she had a double ear infection. And she had allergic reactions to both of the medicines they tried. And I prayed for God's help and mercy to find something that she could take to clear it up. The doctor gave her a prescription that he had not prescribed for an ear infection in over ten years. Would you believe that that antibiotic is the number one drug used to treat pneumonia? You cannot tell me that this was not God! We have hope in our suffering.

Romans 5:1-4
"Therefore, having been justified by faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ, through whom also we have obtained our introduction by faith into this grace in which we stand; and we exult in hope of the glory of God. And not only this, but we also exult in our tribulations, knowing that tribulation brings about perseverance; and perseverance, proven character; and proven character, hope;"

Isaiah 41:10
"Do not fear, for I am with you; Do not anxiously look about you, for I am your God. I will strengthen you, surely I will help you, Surely I will uphold you with My righteous right hand."

Lastly, our faith grants us power. We gain strength from God in all our circumstances. The way we see that power is to put our faith to work. We must use it every day. All Christians receive a spiritual gift once they are saved(1 Corinthians 12). We need to use it. When we use it, we not only become stronger, but we allow others around us to see our faith in action. And when people see that we live what we believe, that holds more weight than what we say.

Psalm 138:3
"On the day I called, You answered me; You made me bold with strength in my soul."

1 Timothy 1:12
"I thank Christ Jesus our Lord, who has strengthened me, because He considered me faithful, putting me into service,"

So, what is the condition of our faith? Are we living our faith where others can see it? Are we putting our faith to work? I hope you all find this helpful, as it did me.

Thanks for reading, and God bless you all this week!

Just Let Go

I loved playing sports when I was younger. It did not matter what it was, I just wanted to play. I can remember the excitement of tryouts. Doing everything that I could do to impress the coaches so I could get a spot on the team. And, I got the same feeling every time a game rolled around. I would get nervous. I knew that the beginning of the game usually sets the tone for the rest of the game. I always wanted to do my best to get my team out to an early lead, and let that carry us through to a victory in the end. I remember what a lot of my coaches would tell us at the beginning of the game. They would tell us to "Just let go, and leave it all on the field/court."

Now, I am the coach. And I get just as excited about the game now, as I did when I was younger. And I find that I tell my athletes the same thing. Just let go. Drop all fear and anxiousness and go for the prize at the end. Leave everything on the field, never surrender, and success will find you inspite of the outcome. Is this not a parallel to our Christian walk?

Philippians 3:13-14
"Brethren, I do not regard myself as having laid hold of it yet; but one thing I do: forgetting what lies behind and reaching forward to what lies ahead, I press on toward the goal for the prize of the upward call of God in Christ Jesus."

We have not yet tasted what life eternal will be yet. However, we keep striving towards that goal. We do not need to live our lives based on the sins of our past. When we become saved we are a new creation. The old is gone and we have put on the new in Christ Jesus. We need to live a life of praise for what Christ did for us on the Cross at Calvary. We need to go through everyday looking to what we will get one day when we meet our Savior face to face. No matter what fears, anxiety, trials we face, we look toward the goal. Which is eternal life with our Savior in Heaven. Paul wrote to Timothy just before he died:

2 Timothy 4:6-8
"For I am already being poured out as a drink offering, and the time of my departure has come. I have fought the good fight, I have finished the course, I have kept the faith; in the future there is laid up for me the crown of righteousness, which the Lord, the righteous Judge, will award to me on that day; and not only to me, but also to all who have loved His appearing."

Thanks for reading, and God bless you all this week!

Taking Shape

Trusting God seems to be something that I struggle with time to time. Now don't get me wrong, I do study my bible and pray regularly. However, there are times when I lean on my own understanding. There are some things that are easy for me to place my trust in. I trust that my alarm will go off at 6 am every morning for me to wake up to go to work. I trust that my wife will have a lunch packed for me and my son before we leave for school(She is wonderful). However, trusting God seems hard sometimes. And I know that this may not make sense being that I am a Christian, but it does happen. And, God is faithful to me anyway. He always finds a way to get my attention, and put me back on the path that I should be.

Jeremiah 29: 11-13
"For I know the plans that I have for you,’ declares the LORD, ‘plans for welfare and not for calamity to give you a future and a hope. Then you will call upon Me and come and pray to Me, and I will listen to you. You will seek Me and find Me when you search for Me with all your heart."

This makes me think of a new pair of shoes. The first few times that you wear them, they hurt your feet. The reason is because you have not broke them in yet. It likes to keep its original shape. After you wear them to begin with, they still go back to the original shape. However, every time that you wear them, it breaks them down even more than the previous time. This process will continue to occur until, the fit is just right, and it does not hurt to wear them anymore.

Is this not true of how God works in our lives? When we become saved, we are a new creation, much like this new pair of shoes. Sometimes we struggle greatly with our old ways. Temptation is still strong, and sometimes we still fall. But, that does not mean that God will give up on us. He will continue to work in our lives, and to mold our hearts to what He wants us to be. But we have to be diligent. We must search for God. We do this by continuing to study, pray, and go to church. All of these things make our hearts easier to mold. It also helps to take away the pain of the life that we once lived in. We can see that there is hope ahead. Every time that we seek out God, and place our trust in Him, it gets easier to place our trust in Him.

Romans 5:1-5
"Therefore, having been justified by faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ, through whom also we have obtained our introduction by faith into this grace in which we stand; and we exult in hope of the glory of God. And not only this, but we also exult in our tribulations, knowing that tribulation brings about perseverance; and perseverance, proven character; and proven character, hope; and hope does not disappoint, because the love of God has been poured out within our hearts through the Holy Spirit who was given to us."

Thanks for reading, and God Bless You all this week!

Hurricane!

It is never a dull moment when you live near the coast of North Carolina. I have lived through several hurricanes in my time. I can remember when Hugo hit when I was a child. I can even better remember Bertha and Fran two weeks apart, Bonnie the next year and Floyd two years later. So when we learned that Irene was on the way, it was just another storm. One of the observations that I made with this latest hurricane, is the number of people in the area that seemed to be so frightened by the thought of a hurricane hitting the coast. People felt that there was emminant danger ahead and feared for the worst. Now don't get me wrong, a hurricane is a serious affair, and not to be triffled with. But, it seems that all of the people that I noticed this way, have not had much experience with hurricanes. Either it be that they have not been a resident for long, or they are just too young to remember some of the storms in the past. This got me to thinking about Paul being shipwrecked on his way to Rome, and all that he went through for his faith. In a letter to the church at Corinth, he summed up what he had gone through.

2 Corinthians 11:23-29
"Are they servants of Christ?—I speak as if insane—I more so; in far more labors, in far more imprisonments, beaten times without number, often in danger of death. Five times I received from the Jews thirty-nine lashes. Three times I was beaten with rods, once I was stoned, three times I was shipwrecked, a night and a day I have spent in the deep. I have been on frequent journeys, in dangers from rivers, dangers from robbers, dangers from my countrymen, dangers from the Gentiles, dangers in the city, dangers in the wilderness, dangers on the sea, dangers among false brethren; I have been in labor and hardship, through many sleepless nights, in hunger and thirst, often without food, in cold and exposure. Apart from such external things, there is the daily pressure on me of concern for all the churches. Who is weak without my being weak? Who is led into sin without my intense concern?"

Paul had gone through more than any other apostle. Yet he still continued. He took it in his stride. You see, the more we are exposed to the storms of this life, and persevere through them, the stronger we become. The less the storms have an affect on us. One of my favorite verses sums this up.

Romans 5:3-5
"And not only this, but we also exult in our tribulations, knowing that tribulation brings about perseverance; and perseverance, proven character; and proven character, hope; and hope does not disappoint, because the love of God has been poured out within our hearts through the Holy Spirit who was given to us."


We face these battles daily over our faith. When these storms do come, we need to keep our eyes on God. He knows what is going on. He understands everything that is happening to us better than we do. By keeping our faith and trust in the Lord, we will survive these storms, and become strengthen by them. If Paul can do it, so can we. So I encourage you today, if you are going through a trial, if the storm seems too great to overcome, turn to God and put your faith in Him. And He will see you through.

Thanks, and God bless you all this week!

I Need a Re-do!

Since I have begun with this blog, I feel that I have become pretty computer savy. I have learned to do things that I could not imagine. However, with all that I have learned to do with computers, I still make some careless mistakes. Sometimes I wish that I would have spent more time paying attention in my grammer classes and computer classes growing up. It is so nice having things like spell check, and grammer check. However, my favorite feature is the Undo button. I have had the occasional erase everything by accident moment when typing research papers and coming up with assingments for my students at school. Thankfully there is always the Undo button at the top that I can click and my work would go back to like it was before my error. In a way, that is how Christ is. At one time in our history man was perfect. There was a time when Adam and Eve were sinless. But, because of their sin in the garden, a curse was passed down to all mankind. We were separated from God. The sin in our lives acts like a divide that pulls us out of the perfect will of God in which we were designed. We were a great mistake in the history of life. With all these mistakes, Jesus came, lived a perfect life, and died so that we could become rightous. He is our Undo button. His love and grace can undo all that we do, and all that we have become. Christ is the only way to cover our sins, kind of like what the older generation used white out for. There is none other holy enough, or great enough to forgive those sins. John 14:6 reads, I am the Way, the Truth, and the Life, and no one comes to the Father but by me. He is our advocate. He is the one that makes intercession to the Father on our behalf. I like knowing that I have an undo button here on this earth. It is nice to know that when I make mistakes in this life, that I have a Savior great enough to undo it for me. Thank God I am saved.

Thanks for reading, and God bless you all this week!

Gifts from Christ

I love good Christian music. Every time that I get in my vehicle, the radio is tuned into Klove. When I am on my way to work each morning, that is my time to get personal with my God. I listen to the music, sing to the top of my lungs, and sometimes just talk to Him. As I listen to these songs, I feel a sense of His presence and what it is that Christ has done for us. I started reading through the Gospels and looking at all the things that He went through and what it has done for me. I have come up with a few ideas that I would like you to entertain for just a moment. First and foremost His birth gives me Hope. God saw the shape the world was in. He knew that we needed an example to live by so that we could one day spend eternity with Him. Christ left the glory of heaven to be born on earth. He knew He would die, yet He came anyway. His baptism teaches me obedience. As we know with the Trinity, and many verses in the New Testament, Jesus is God. However, He still made a point to be baptized. Did He really need it? I don't think so. But He did it to show an example of obedience to the will of God. His time in the wilderness after His baptism teaches me that all men are tempted by Satan. Of course Satan knew who he was dealing with. He knew that Christ had a power over Him. Yet, he tried anyway to make Him stumble. That lets me know that Satan will keep attacking us, even when we become saved. More so as soon as we profess it and become baptized, when we are young in the Word. His life and teaching show me what true love really is. The greatest commandment as seen in Matthew 22:36-40 “Teacher, which is the great commandment in the Law?” And He said to him, “ ‘YOU SHALL LOVE THE LORD YOUR GOD WITH ALL YOUR HEART, AND WITH ALL YOUR SOUL, AND WITH ALL YOUR MIND.’ This is the great and foremost commandment. The second is like it, ‘YOU SHALL LOVE YOUR NEIGHBOR AS YOURSELF.’ On these two commandments depend the whole Law and the Prophets.” Everything that He taught, the way He lived showed us the example of how to love each other, and how much He loved us. Because of His teaching, He had to die. His death saved me. He was the only true and acceptable sacrifice for my sin. He allowed Himself to be nailed to a cross, and die, so that I could gain forgiveness for my sin, and go to heaven one day. If He had not died, salvation would not be available to us. When He was buried, He carried my sin to the grave. He bore my sin on that cross. He took them from me, and paid the price for my transgressions. When He arose, He gave me justification and a promise. I now have someone in heaven that will go to the Father on my behalf. And because He arose, I know that He will return. I do not know when this day is, but one day, a trumpet will sound, and I will be called up to meet Him in the air, where I will be with Him forever and ever. This is what Christ has done for us. These are the gifts that He gave. If you are reading this and have not given your life to Him, if you have not chosen to receive these gifts, I pray that you do so soon. 2 Corinthians 6:1-2 reads "And working together with Him, we also urge you not to receive the grace of God in vain— for He says, “AT THE ACCEPTABLE TIME I LISTENED TO YOU,
AND ON THE DAY OF SALVATION I HELPED YOU.” Behold, now is “THE ACCEPTABLE TIME,” behold, now is “THE DAY OF SALVATION." Please do not wait too long.

Thanks and God Bless You all this week!

FOOD!!!!

Many of the people that know me, know that I love food. I have heard it said many time that there are people that eat to live, and those that live to eat. I believe that I fit under the live to eat category. It also helps that my wife is a wonderful cook. So much of our society and culture is based around food one way or another. We have fellowships where we get together around a meal to enjoy each others company, we have parties, and socials, and even business meetings centered around food. From a biological standpoint, we require food for survival. It provides our bodies with the nutrients and energy we need to exist. Imagine how hard it would be to go without food. We would not last very long. This reminds me of one of the points that Jesus taught in John 6:32-40. "Jesus then said to them, Truly, truly, I say to you, it is not Moses who has given you the bread out of heaven, but it is My Father who gives you the true bread out of heaven. For the bread of God is that which comes down out of heaven, and gives life to the world. Then they said to Him, Lord, always give us this bread. Jesus said to them, I am the bread of life; he who comes to Me will not hunger, and he who believes in Me will never thirst. But I said to you that you have seen Me, and yet do not believe. All that the Father gives Me will come to Me, and the one who comes to Me I will certainly not cast out. For I have come down from heaven, not to do My own will, but the will of Him who sent Me. This is the will of Him who sent Me, that of all that He has given Me I lose nothing, but raise it up on the last day. For this is the will of My Father, that everyone who beholds the Son and believes in Him will have eternal life, and I Myself will raise him up on the last day." The food here is not of a physical nature but that of a spiritual one. In order to spiritually survive we need the Bread of Life, which is Christ. Our Savior promised that those who truly come to Him will always be filled, and nothing can separate us from Him. What a case for eternal security. What a comfort that we have to know that He will never leave us, and one day we will be with Him in glory.

Thanks and God Bless you all this week!

Praise!

I will always give praise to the One who is Holy, and above all things. I took my wife to the doctor yesterday to get a report on the state of her pregnancy. According to the doctor everything is looking more reassuring. It seems that the pain and contractions are coming from the baby laying in a funny position. The painful and regular contractions seem to be her body's way to try to turn the baby. However, be it she is my daughter, she is very stubborn and wants to stay like she is. I would like to thank all of you that have been praying vigilantly for my wife in this time. It amazes me that as worthless as I am, God still loves me and still cares for me and my family. There is great comfort in that thought. That no matter what, no matter the mistakes that we make, if we are His, He will always be there for us. Even when we tend not to be there for Him. This makes me think of the 23rd Psalm. I know most people think about this Psalm around a time of death. In contrast, I think of it as a way of life.
¹The LORD is my shepherd,
I shall not want.
²He makes me lie down in green pastures;
He leads me beside quiet waters.
³He restores my soul;
He guides me in the paths of righteousness
For His name's sake.
⁴Even though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death,
I fear no evil, for You are with me;
Your rod and Your staff, they comfort me.
⁵You prepare a table before me in the presence of my enemies;
You have anointed my head with oil;
My cup overflows.
⁶Surely goodness and lovingkindness will follow me all the days of my life,
And I will dwell in the house of the LORD forever."

I know that I have nothing to fear in this life, because I am a child of the King. He will provide all that I need. Even in the face of danger, pain, and death I know that He is there. Nothing in this world can do anything to me unless He allows. And if He allows, it is for my betterment to help me grow. As you go through this week, try reading the 23rd Psalm everyday and look for how God is providing for you and looking out for you everyday. Just as what is described in the Psalm of David. And I hope that His goodness and lovingkindness will follow you all of the days of your lives, and when the time comes, you will be rejoicing with me in Heaven forever.

Thanks and God bless you all this week!