Good morning and happy Tuesday. It felt so good having a day off yesterday. So good in fact I forgot today was Tuesday and thought it was Monday again. Reminds me of when I find myself back in the grove with my Bible studying and relationships period. With God and people. It's just refreshing to get that second wind feeling and push forward through the stuff of the day and come out unscathed by it all. Trust and faith in Jesus is the only way this is possible. Staying in relation and then being removed only for a day puts the importance on the relationship. It's like thinking its Monday and finding out its really Tuesday. I'm stoked. I love the fact that it's Tuesday. I love when I refresh my time with God and feel so good inside about it. Like a new start. But isn't that what He offers us anyway?  He cracks me up with His reminders of the things I should already know. I love Him so much and I've wasted a lot of my life missing Him. Not any more. I hope you feel the same. In love always. <>< 

Good morning and happy Monday. Did you know that there was another apostle selected  by the others to replace Judas?  Yeah me either. It's in Acts 1:12-26. He's mentioned there and never again. Why? Why does God have this in the Bible if this guy is never going to be mentioned again? Heres what I've learned from it. Some men and women, about 120 of them, prayed and sought Gods council and therefore thought they were making a godly decision. But in the end none of it mattered. All the things that God wanted to have done got done in spite of their choices, good or bad; right or wrong. It's in the Bible because Luke wants to show us that we need to seek Him but He will still get His work and plans done in spite of our good or bad decisions. These guys got a twelfth man and as far as we know he did nothing much at all. So the church grew anyway. God doesn't need us; He wants us. He will use whatever mess we've made of it and bring His plan into being. I love that. And if we're close to Him we may be a part of what He's doing. I just thought this was an interesting bit to really ponder. God is awesome and so loving. We have to be careful though not to be taking credit for what He's doing or done. Give all glory to God and live for Him by serving others. In love always. <>< 

Good morning and happy Friday. After you've been a Christian for a while and come to that point where you really do trust and feel you don't have to worry about some things, like the end of the world or the out pouring of the Wrath of God, what do you need to be thinking about?  I found myself saying this the other day in a study on Revelation, I don't need to really know or worry about this stuff. I just need to keep trying to do follow God's will. And thats true to a point, but why would it be there for all the generations to read if it were not important? So now I feel like I can get a better grip on this and try and learn more about what God says to us in all the books. Daniel didn't understand why Mr. Miagi had him sanding floors or waxing cars, but there was a reason he needed to know what he was doing. He was being trained without the knowledge of it and learning discipline at the same time. Is that ringing a bell with us now?  We're being trained in all areas. God is showing us all we need to know to be with Him in His kingdom for eternity. Study His word. Learn how to apply it to your life today so that it is still alive just as when it was written. God makes no mistakes and if the creator of life has said or what's something said, I need to know it and begin to live it. Get in your Bible daily. Make it a habit that leaves you feeling like something is missing if you don't read it that day. He is speaking to us through all of it. Learn and listen and you can fight your demons with His power. In love always. <>< 

Good morning and happy Thursday. I wonder how Noah's wife was treated at the market while her husband looked like a fool to the rest of them? How were his kids treated as well?  How much faith do you have to have to follow someone who has faith to follow what God has told him to do? His family believed in his faith in God. He was such a godly man that his family would take the same ridicule that he did. Does your family think you're nuts? Would they follow you if you were to tell them of the impending danger they face and to follow you to safety?  Well danger is ahead and impending death will happen. Are you leading them to safety? Is your life an example that ls worth following? Are you following Christ in a way that others see it in you and would be willing to have what you have? That should be the mark we all try and live to. Jesus gave us that example and many regular guys did a good job of staying the course. It's not easy and it's not without trial. But steadfastness will stand out as to the glory of God and help others see Him. Build a boat for others to see and question what you drives you. Answer them with, Jesus.  In love always. <>< 

Good morning and happy Wednesday. Job was a man that sat well in God's eyes. Loved so much that God knew Job would not waiver in his love for Him. So I have to wonder why He allowed Satan to do the things he did to him? Then I realize that God knew how much Job loved Him. He knew he would never turn away from Him, no matter what. As I go through a trial, I wonder if God knows how much I love Him and He trusts me not to turn away from Him. Job is our example of perseverance. To be able to go the distance and trust God to have it all in control and in our best interest to serve Him. What trial are you facing that you're ready to give up on? What trial seems to be too big to handle? How long can you stay the course and not waiver from God's purpose for you?  God is good or He's not. So if He's good and you have faith in that, why are you questioning Him? Be the Job of today for all around you to see what the love of God does for everyone. In love always. <>< 

Good morning and happy Tuesday. A subject of old was brought up the other day, "Why is this happening to me"? It used to be a question I asked until I met a very godly man who simply said why not you. I realized that I'm no better than anyone else to not have trials in my life. A friend of ours home burned down while they were gone on the 4th. They returned to find it all gone. He's a pastor at a church and they love the Lord with all they are. Why them?  Why not them?  Should it be that the house next door be burned instead. Well one of those is his sister. The other is also a member of his family. His Christian family with God. So why would he want either to be harmed or go though this instead of himself. The big difference for most Christians though is, we know where to go for the help to get us through these times. We know how to lean into God and allow Him to hold us through it. It may be a way of getting closer to our Father for those straying, who knows?  But it's the way we handle this and move forward that will make the difference in our lives and that of those watching how we handle it. They may decide they want what we have. So the next time you wanna ask why me, stop and say thank you for the opportunity to be nearer to you and to help others. It won't make the pain or hurt or trauma disappear, but it won't be as bad as it could be without Him. In love always. <>< 

next time you wanna ask why me, stop and say thank you for the opportunity to be nearer to you and to help others. It won't make the pain or hurt or trauma disappear, but it won't be as bad as it could be without Him. In love always. <><

Good morning and happy Monday. How close do you think we are to the return of Jesus? With all that's going on in the world, it feels like it could be any day now. The disciples thought the same thing in their day. But Jesus told them they had work to do, making disciples of all nations. The message is still the same, it's just to us through the the Word of God that we have been instructed. So if the end is so near, how well are we doing at the work given to us? Are we really ready for the return of Jesus? We all say we are but I think we say it because it's been 2000 plus years since the guys closest to Jesus thought they would see Him. We kinda take it for granted that we have time to get it together before "the" day. I know some people who are really living that way. That they figure when they are on their death bed they'll make it right then. Really? Plan for the future but live as though He's coming tomorrow. Be found at work for Him when He comes.  Don't waste a single day. We have a hard enough time on regular basis without intentionally neglecting our Father. Being a Christian was never said to be easy. The road is hard and full of persecution, big and small. Are we afraid of the road and the unknown or are we just too lazy? I trust God at what He says. If I can't believe and trust Him for one part of my life, how can I trust Him for any part of my life. It's either all or none. Let us be lead by you Lord. Let us follow you until the day of your return, no matter when that is. Forgive us of our failure to have faith in you at our weakest moments. Help us to call on you in those times and in the good. Lead us in the plan for our lives and let us trust you to equip us as we step out of our comfort zone and get about doing your will. In love always. <>< 

Good morning and happy Friday. Oh how good it feels to see a light of hope begin to burn. From the smallest ember into just a flicker of a flame. For someone lost in a canyon or forest that little bit  could be the difference in life or death. Being found or staying lost. It's the same with our spirituality, if that little bitty flame isn't tended to when it first starts it dies out quickly. A roaring fire can can go a little while without some attention and be ok, but not the new flickering light. It needs to be loved and given some attention to show that it's good and needed and valued. With that nourishment being given to it, that soul learns to return it and give it to others. It spreads like a wildfire if we let it. Don't give up on anyone or anything that God has before you or in your life. Don't be a fire extinguisher to someone trying to catch on fire for the Lord. Help them to be strong and you will grow stronger too. Tending to their flame will put fuel to yours. Keep the flame of hope alive in the people around you, today and everyday. In love always. <><

Good morning and happy Thursday. We see it on tv all the time, courts being too lenient on criminals or not giving them enough prison time for what they have done. Stays of execution, appeals that drag on forever (said in your best Squints voice). We want justice quickly and to be painful to the one who wronged us. I'm glad "The" Judge is slow to anger and will listen to my appeals. We're funny people. Flawed in more ways than we will admit, and want things to just be our way. The way we see it, they should be concerning us and not even considering anyone else. Designed to be in community with each other but today we separate ourselves. Why is it about us now? What changed over all the years that brought us to a point where we think of ourselves first? What do we do to get rid of that mentality? How do we get back to the root we came from? Daily commune with God. Not for yourself but on the behalf of others. When we begin to go to Him in prayer for others, and I mean really pray, we begin to see others needs before ours.  One, because we put God first and when that happens a lot of things fall into place. Two, we see others and not just ourselves. When you look into the eyes of another human you see a soul in the image of God. Now they have meaning to you. When we see the people of this world as God in them, it should change our view and our ideas. When we are doing life His way we don't have to be so concerned about the justice to be poured out on this earth. And who knows we may have had a hand in saving someone else from the death penalty. In love always. <>< 

Good morning and happy Wednesday. When a child dies it seems to effect more than just the family itself. It seems to hit with a lot of people outside of the family as well. A community bonds up with a family in its time of grief. This child, not long on the Earth, but effecting people none the less. How will people remember you when you're gone? What impact are you leaving? And you are leaving one, good or bad, you will leave on mark on this Earth. Most of us have not led the life God intended us to but have come to a point of reconciliation. It's not about what we've done or where we've been, it's what we do next that is most important. As much as I would like to have thousands of people show up to my funeral because I was such a "good guy", I would rather have one person just tell me " thank you for showing me Jesus". The world we live in tells us to look at ourselves and boost our own selves first. The world is ruled by Satan and that's exactly what he wants us doing. Live for God and give all glory to Him, and don't worry about what return you get on that investment. When we live like that, our impact on others will be like that of a baby. Give your life for others to know Jesus. You then are living just as He did, serving others and giving of ourselves. Now you are reconciled. In love always. <>< 

Good morning and happy Tuesday. I love music. I love really good, written from the heart, music. It doesn't matter what kind when it comes from the heart, unless it's just pure evil. But I really love when a Christian artist hears the Lord speak to them and they simply pour out His love on the pages. When the words seem to have meaning to anyone at any stage of their life. It crosses all lines and barriers of protest and ridicule. That when you hear it, you can't deny it's truth. You can't dispute that it's real. When we sing of love it transcends all judgement. Now only faith hope and love remain. And the greatest of these is love. Everyone loves. They love others or even love to hate but we all love. And without true love of God within us, nothing we do or say will matter. Only when we can allow His love to be our love will we really understand. Approach each day and situation and moment with God's attitude of love. His kind of love. The kind that forgives and forgets our sins. The kind that watches His kids hurt Him and still loves them more than anything. The kind of love that allows mistakes that hurt us so that we can grow and be better, all the while hurting Him as we continue to reject Him. We can only have this love from first loving Him. Fall in love with Him and then let your life be the proof of His love. In love always. <>< 

Good morning and happy Monday. I kinda took a week off from here, not on purpose but became an on purpose thing later. I had nothing to study for or get ready for last week. Wednesday night class wasn't going because of the 4th and I already had Sunday school ready. No reason to be in the good book last week. So I got a little lazy and didn't do any reading or digging and found myself having a really cruddy week when it was all over. I hate routine, over and over stuff that becomes a habit instead of holding meaning. I need my morning time with God no matter what. I need Him every hour of every day or it seems like I'm just wondering through a day. And then to top it off, I really needed a boost this morning to get it going again. I can't imagine what it would be like to be away for any length of time any more. It gives me motivation to help those you have wondered off a helping hand. Those who don't even know are really in for a shock. But sometimes we get so lost in the colors, they all turn gray. It's good to stop the spinning wheel and really get back to what we know is good in our lives. God has yet to show us all the colors of His pallet, but in the mean time we, I, need to focus on the ones He has shown me. In love always. <>< 

Good morning and happy Thursday. I love the twilight zone shows. I like the way they take ordinary stuff and see it from a whole different angle. I grew up being drug to church and not liking it much as I got older. But what I realize now is that I was given one mans view of things. Our preacher could put the most wired up ten cups of coffee in ya person to sleep in ten minutes. I like knowing how vast God is. I see how we've kept Him in a box so that we can relate to Him. We try to make it all black and white when the only thing that is are the pages it's written on. It's nice to know that God can't be fully understood yet. But that we are given just enough to keep going. I see His love now like never before and it's because of other views and digging deeper in the word instead of having it talked to me on a Sunday morning. It's about allowing God to lead us to those places and grow us in our maturity. You just can't eat on Sunday and expect to be healthy when you're hungry every Friday and Saturday. It's up to us to find our way to that personal relationship with Him so that it is personal and not someone's else's way. When you're feeling kinda blah in your time with God, you're probably in a rut and need to back up and regroup and get a fresh look at the direction you're going. It's hard to follow with your head down. Look up to Him and see Him in a whole new light and follow where He leads. In love always. <>< 

Good morning and happy Monday. A very dear friend of mine had to have his leg amputated yesterday because of an infection to his artificial knee. This would've been the fourth time he's undergone the replacement only to have it return. He could've gotten very sick and died from the infection, and I'm not so sure he wasn't close the last time, to just that. It got me to thinking about what Jesus said about sin and poking out the eye or cutting off the hand that is causing one to sin. Delbert is going to be better off without his knee problems in the long run, but for now he's sad and confused and didn't really want to lose it. How much do we hang on to our things that cause us to sin? How bad do we want to not give it up? How big of a hold does it have on us? I would say that its about as bad as losing a leg. Sometimes we really don't realize how bad it is until it nearly kills us and we have to get rid of it. And by killing us I mean removing us from God. Delbert made a huge decision to let go of some thing that could and probably would kill him. His life will be different now. So will ours when we make the same hard choice in our lives. In love always. <><