Good morning and happy Friday. How does it make you feel when someone asks you to pray for them? Do you say you will and then don't or if you do is it a short quick prayer to say you did it? How are we as Christians treating our brothers and sisters in our prayer life? It used to make me feel uncomfortable when someone asked me to pray for them. Looking back I see God making me do it and getting me out of my comfort zone. Since those days I've found I have no more comfort zone, at least one that's a problem to deal with. Why are we so apprehensive to speak to our Father on the behalf of someone else. Is it because we'er forced into the light before the throne and we don't want to see ourselves as we are? We are to approach Him with boldness and confidence, not the arrogant kind, but the humble and serving kind. So when you're feeling that sense of being nudged in a direction that feels uncomfortable it's because it is and God is needing you to move. He's got work for you to do and you're holding up the works. When we can get to that place of transparency, prodding and nudging are no longer needed and like a grown up has more responsibility, so do we as children of he most high, to our brothers and sisters. We owe it to them and most certainly to God for all He has done for us. It's the least we can do. We should feel honor and blessed and loved when asked to move. It means we're being prepared to move closer to Him. It's good to tell people you love them. It's better to show them. In love always <>< 

Good morning and happy Wednesday. I love to watch UFC fights. I like to see warriors rise to the top. A lot of my pre game pep talks to my daughter involved the heart of a warrior. So it was no doubt that I would love the movie "Here Comes the Boom". Very predictable and all that corny Hollywood film stuff, but if you look beneath it all you see a lot of heart. Love for people and kids and the right thing being done for the right reasons. I can always get behind that. The heart of things, the center of it all. Our heart is very important to all aspects of our life and eternity. So to me a warriors heart takes on a whole new meaning than it did growing up. Same idea, just focused on other venues. Jesus is who we should have a warriors heart for. A never give up, fight to the death for mentality, but with more compassion to love and serve than to fight. Weird twist isn't it?  The heart and its emotions are a strange mix that if left for us to tend to on our own would surely lead us to destruction. That's why there's a God shaped hole there that only He can fill and if left to Him will be a peace and commitment like never before. But a warrior doesn't surrender, especially not his heart. It's about seeing the right things in life that need to be done for the right reasons that will allow a warrior to give up his life for others.  Now you have a true champion. And the example of this was done on Calvary's hill by the greatest of all time. His life for ours. After you've given your heart to Jesus, who are you going to give up your life for while you're here? In the warriors code there is no surrender, but surrender we must. Surrender today to the will of God in your life and be His champion for someone besides ourselves. In love always. <>< 

Good morning and happy Tuesday. I was just reading about a homeless man who had a diamond ring dropped in his cup by mistake. He held on to it until the lady returned to get it. At this point this story could go in a number of ways. Stop right now and think about how you think it goes. Yes it goes good, he returned the ring and then it got better. The lady's husband set up a fund for him and the wife helped him connect to a long lost sister in Texas who has brought him to live with her. Perfect ending to a perfectly wonderful story. Very worthy of the headlines it received. Here's what got me the most. When asked about his fortune and the way things turned out he said this, "What has the world come to when a person returns something that doesn't belong to them and all of this happens?" Now ponder that along with how you thought this story would go. If you saw him returning the ring and that's all, you saw the world as it should be really. If you saw him return the ring and then all the good stuff follows his good deed, you're seeing as the world does. This man had been in this state for nearly twenty years and he expected nothing for doing the right thing. He got it. He knows how it should be. He's blown away by how this is such a big deal in the eyes of others. Not taking away from the gratitude of the people who lost the ring. They are blessed and became a blessing. That's also how God wants us to be. The people directly involved are not who he is talking about. It's the media attention and exposure by others who think this is a huge deal. It's our perspective in things and for Christians its about us seeing through God's eyes, not the worlds. How great this would have been for everyone if no one knew about it, at least to the extent it got. A small light in dark room is seen by all. A bright light in small room is blinding. Think of all the big rooms we're in. Just be a small light of Jesus and see if the world isn't attracted to Him. Jesus taught us the simple things of life because they are the most powerful ways to reach some someone. This little light of mine, you know the rest. In love always. <>< 

Good morning and happy Monday. We all have made mistakes in our lives. We continue to make them now. The difference between then and now is that we know God better and have closer relationship with Him. When people see our trials and struggles that's one thing, but when they see us messing up and just flat out doing it wrong, that's when judgement comes from the world. Satan then launches full on with the guilt and unworthiness feelings so we will turn back to him. What a powerful message we send when we stand firm in the mess we made and claim victory in the name of Jesus. Who then can stand against us? As the world bears witness to this, you will also see one of two things happen. People will no longer want to be around you or they will want to know the God you serve. It's amazing to me, but not really, how God takes such things and brings people nearer to Him. We are walking billboards for Christ, so when we're doing something stupid and wearing a sign that says Christ follower, it's easy for them to turn on us. It's by the grace of God and the blood of Jesus we can stand firm, confess our sin, and claim the victory over satan. Who does that? Or who just let's it bring us down a little and then come around later after they've walked away in their own victory of not seeing God in our lives? The Egyptians gave their gods power by seeing a nation forget their God and seeing that, in their minds, He had abandoned them. By not honoring God, even when it was bad, they could claim victory and thus gave power to the other side. It's still true today. We each have an Egypt to be lead out from. Small or large it's ours to get through, and when we do, God is glorified. Stand on the rock of Christ today. Claim the victory He's already won. Live the life He's laid before you and let others see what life in the light really is about. In love always. <>< 

Good morning and happy Tuesday. I written many times after being at a funeral. Today is no different. He's my age and has two boys my youngest daughters age. I was one of his first friends when he moved here and never saw him again after he moved to another part of town. Now he's gone. It was a beautiful service that left me and I hope others there with some questions to answer. Have I done enough to let my family know I love them? Have I passed on enough to my kids to not forget what the lesson was? Is my faith strong enough? Strong enough to let God be in control of my life and of the people I love? We're  told to be prepared for that day, a day we don't know when will come. The answer to those questions come when we understand how deep our relationship is with God the Father. How close are you to Him today? When you can answer that e/question with a definitive answer you can take heart that everything else will take care of itself. Our lives are too short not to have the answers to these questions, find them somewhere, find them soon.  In love always. <><

Good morning and happy Monday. We are never promised tomorrow, not even our next breath. As I've gone back to work after this time off, I'm hearing more about people who have passed away while I was gone. One in particular struck me when I heard it. Since I've known him, he was always talking about the days of his retirement. He had bought a place on a lake and was fixing it up over the last years of his working days. I really liked this guy too and he was the kind that would love for you to come and stay a weekend fishing with him at his place. He didn't have but a few more years till his retirement when on the way home from work he was in a car wreck and killed. Most all if his life was spent preparing to retire. Now I'm not saying not to prepare for retirement. I'm am saying that you have to plan to go on to heaven also. Now Max was a bit older than me and his dying, as sad at is it, didn't feel quite close to home for me. But today my wife and I are going to a funeral for a friend my exact age. It just got close to home, again. God knows our time to the second. He knows the things He needs us to do. He's placed us in lives to have an impact and influence on others for Him and eternity. It seems we don't think about eternity much until someone passes on. It should be what we're working for today. As we get that "lake house" ready, we should be making sure our house we're in is in order first. The retirement years will come to many and most will be ready but will most be ready to stand before God and give account for their lives. Plan for the future and live for today. In love always. <>< 

Good morning and happy Thursday. Happy Valentines Day. Saint valentine was an early Christian who was in prison in Rome. Legend has it he performed weddings for soldiers forbidden to marry and to minister to other Christians. To me this is love. To give of yourself so that others can know our Lord. This day has evolved into a day for couples to express their love for each other. It's a wonderful thing, but I wish we were doing that everyday instead. Some are and do but most of us men folk don't do well enough at it. If you're one I the few, bless you and thanks for showing the rest of us up. But really, we need to show our love for each other more often and more so that others see how we love. Not only do we need to do this with each other, but we need to show it to our Lord and savior more and let that love for Him be seen by the world. The world around us watches us all the time. They are looking to condemn us or find what it is we have inside that makes us the way we are. It's the Holy Spirit inside that gives light to the world. That's a true Valentine's day gift. To give of what's inside so others can see and know Him. Give your love to others; this day and everyday. In love always. <>< 

Good morning and happy Monday. Man oh man God is good. Casting crowns has a song called "Already There". It's about God being ahead of us and us looking back and seeing how all the pieces of our lives fit together that we couldn't understand while it was happening. What's really cool is when you see it happen. I was getting Sunday's lesson ready and had a few of the main topics and ideas ready for class. As a lot of times we get ready to go one way and God needs it to go another. One of the groups brother was in town and visiting our class and church. Well, as I begin to head down the road I was going to, I suddenly started seeing what God wanted said and brought out, in what seems like a simple story of Peter walking out of prison with the help of an angel. As we talked it out we learned about Kirk , the brother's, situation. All that was going on in his life with his wife and the direction and trusting God to lead them. Man it was mind blowing how God showed up and let us all be amazed at His work. In both what was happening in their lives and what was happening at that very moment. We have to be pliable. We have to be ready to move in the direction God is nudging us at the time He says. No delay but with a sense of urgency. You would think that if an angel of God is helping you escape prison and death, that you wouldn't have to worry about anything. Yet the angel tells Peter to hurry and move. It's about being obedient to the Lord and doing what He says when He says. Kirk's anxieties and doubts and worries for his families direction were calmed and the rest of us got to see God do His work in a life right as it was happening. Amazing. We missed regular church as we continued to have our own church upstairs in a room with God. That's what church is any way right? Thank you God for all you do for us. To you be all the glory for this and all you do in our lives. In love always. <><

Good morning and happy Tuesday. 'And He washed me white as snow', there's just something about seeing pure white snow. It's so refreshing and calming and I can't even describe some of the feelings. Mostly, now that I'm growing some, it gives me hope. Hope and thankfulness that my sinning stupid self has been bought by the purest blood of all and made to be clean when the Father looks at me with His eyes of judgement one day. Just like the ground outside today that is dry and dirty and at times looks like a barren waste land, Jesus went to the cross and died for you and me, to cover us and make us white as snow. It's such a beautiful image of love for us. I wish we got more snow here to keep that in my mindset more, but at the same time it makes more appreciative of it when I see it. How much of this sounds like our struggle with our daily relationship with God? How much does our Father know we need Him and need reminders of Him? The more we study and take in The Word, the more we can see and appreciate all His beauty in this world here for us to tell us the story. If you're in the snow today, thank God for the chance to be clean again. He died for us while we were still sinners, sinners we are, thank you for the chance to come to you and be made clean through you. Thank you for the snow. In love always. <>< 

Good morning and happy Friday. Finally got our new little dog all well and better. She's spunky and trying to figure out how the routines of the house are and all the noises and things that go bump in the night. She's a cute little dog that's a little skittish from whatever has happened to her in her young life. It's funny how we treat a dog that has a past like hers. In dog life she's an ex-con out of the prison on reprieve from the governor of her life sentence. She's loved and cared for probably like she never has been in her life. It's really sad to think about but there's a lot of hurting, needing to be loved like never before people in the world too. That's who Jesus came to see and show himself to. To show us the example of love we all should for one another. It feels good to have a dog lick your face out of plain thanks and I love you for all you've done for me. Imagine that feeling ten times a hundred times over from a human being that's completely blown away by the fact that someone cares about them. In Jesus' day, the "regular" folks gave Him all kinds of grief for loving on those who were not clean or had been sinners in their eyes and therefore placed themselves above them as well. Not much has changed in our society today. We still see classes and orders of people based on looks or money or social status. Is this where you place value? We need to find that love Jesus showed us and give it to those who are in need of it. Let the world see Jesus is alive and well in you today. In this month that we celebrate love, my challenge to us all is to show someone we don't know or know well the love of Christ. In love always. <>< 

Good morning and happy Friday. Well, we adopted a new dog yesterday. It was to be her last day if she wasn't taken in. It was just by "chance" that we saw her picture on FB and decided to go get her. She got a reprieve from a death sentence. I wonder how many people there are in the world that get a reprieve by "chance" from a death sentence of an eternity in hell because someone happened across them and "adopted" them into the family of God. Nothing happens by chance and I don't believe in luck. God is in full control. I hope and pray for the same kind of attitude for people who are lost as our new addition got from us yesterday. Our other little lap dog is not going to be happy about all this and sometimes other people won't be happy that you took time to spread a little love to someone they may not think is worth it. Every one is worth love, especially the love that comes from a heart after God. It won't be by chance that you run across a moment of "do I or don't I" when it comes to showing love and compassion to someone. It's not by chance that someone showed you love in a time of your life where some may have thought you were unworthy. Love is the greatest of all things and feelings God has given us. At our very core we are designed to and made out of love. It's such a simple thing to love but yet one of the hardest things to do for us. It was never hard for Jesus, never. He's our role model and who we are to imitate. Practice loving and it will become easier, but first loving Jesus makes it all the more better. Let me start today by simply saying to you, no matter who you are or what you may think of me or my God, I love you. I really do. In love always. <>< 

Good morning and happy Thursday. Tomorrow is my youngest daughters last home basketball game. She won't play in that gym again. She has the playoffs but not in front of the home crowd at the home gym again. I find myself sad and happy at the same time. A new chapter of her life is soon opening as this one is closing. I hope she plays like never before. I hope that she has the best game and the most fun ever. What about our last day in front of the home crowd here on Earth? How well have you been playing so far? Have you got a good season going and maybe make the playoffs?  I think this season has really snuck up on her this year and hasn't really set in that its over. But she may be looking right past that and on to the other side of high school. I know she's been hard at work getting apps ready and paper work filled out. She's done a great job of getting and doing all she can to get ready for college. How focused on the other side are you? Are you getting ready to leave this place and move to other side. As we age and the inevitable gets closer we think more about it. What about the younger invincible folks who think they will live forever? Nothing on this Earth is worth losing a place with God in eternity. One thing is for sure. We will die. It's where we will spend our eternity that should concern us. The life we live here is preparation for our life with the Father. Live like there is no tomorrow. Give of yourself to others and serve Jesus to all who are in need. By serving Him while serving others you are gonna make the all district team and move on to play in the big show. The root to that ability to serve and give is love. Just begin loving if you're not and see how much more life can be when you do. In love always. <>< 

Good morning and happy Wednesday. I was watching a show the other night and in the situation you had grown ups and young adult/teens having a point of view about it. The grown ups were taking the hard line and leaning toward the most callus view and the teens seeing it for just what it was. And it made think about how we and the world see things so differently. On the show the adults were seeing the worst of the problem and the teens were seeing it for what it really was, the truth. It made all the adults step back and rethink what they thought too. So when we speak the truth of Jesus to the world it usually goes against their grain and may take a while for it to take effect. Our job is not to bring them to Jesus but to show them who He is. From there the Holy Spirit takes over and begins the work on the heart. We are the planters of seed by speaking and living the truth. Jesus has changed us and we want the same change for others. Why would we not? Speak the truth and let the world decide for itself. That's really all that we can do. We can't make people think or do think what we want them to, but we can make them rethink the way they see Christianity. That may be all that's needed for a heart and soul to be won over and changed by the Holy Spirit. Go a be the difference in the world today. Live in the truth of Jesus. In love always. <>< 

Good morning and happy Tuesday. Oh when the saints go marching in, do you wanna be in that number?  We've all read about the people of the Bible and we all figure those good guys are in Heaven. Just because we read about someone doesn't mean they've done something amazing. In today's times it seems that way, but back in the day they were messing it up first and the ones most likely to not be written about.  Those are the saints who have gone before us. What are you doing today to be among those marching in? It doesn't have to be much. Stephen simply preached the Gospel and we don't  hear much about him, now most churches have a ministry named after him. God doesn't need us to be stars to the world. He is the star and we are merely the pointers to the Way. So are you pointing people to Jesus or not? Our actions speak volumes more than our words. Living a Christian life out in front of the world is the best way to point others to the light that brings eternal salvation. We all have a purpose and God has a plan for us. It's our job to be there when called and needed. It's not hard to be with those who are marching in. No one may write about you, but in the end of it all as we stand in the presence of God, who really cares? Be the best pointer you can and get your marching shoes on. In love always. <>< 

Good morning and happy Monday. God is Sovereign. Do you trust Him? Really? Have you been worrying about something lately? What have you not given to Him and let go of yourself?  When we were babies we had to trust our parents to take care of us. When we we got a little older and bolder we jumped out on our own but still trusted our parents with the bigger things, food and baths and a house. We got older and a little smarter we took on some more stuff of our own till we were out on our and knew it all. Our life is not our own. It belongs to God. Many don't believe that and those that do still don't trust Him completely. It's a hard thing to do, trust. Who has your deepest darkest secret? Do you ever wonder if they will tell? Do you trust them to keep it? We trust people more than we do God, really. I'm amazed by that. I'm one of those too. It's a tough battle to turn loose of things and let God do His thing. In my older age it is getting easier. Mostly because I can look back and see where people have let me down or betrayed my trust and God has never done that, ever. What I thought was a bad thing when it happened was God moving me out of the way of a bus that would have destroyed me. Since our kids trust us now we really need to be animate about relaying the trust in God as the most important thing in their lives. Let your story be out there for others to see so they see God working for someone else and that it is possible and it does happen. Who better to trust than the one who made and created all things. Why would we not trust Him? Why do we not trust Him?  Give all your worries to Him today. Trust Him to guide you through the storm you're in. Trust Him with everything you have and everything you do. In love always. <><