‘People do not live by bread alone, but by every word that comes from the mouth of God.’

Matthew 4:4


You might be surprised that the bible has a lot to say about food and lots of other things that we put into our bodies. When it comes to food or drugs most of us skip over most of the verses on the subject. Can you remember the last time you stood in front of a mirror or maybe even better in front of your refrigerator or pantry and read the words from 1 Corinthians 6:19-20, “Don’t you realize that your body is the temple of the Holy Spirit, who lives in you and was given to you by God? You do not belong to yourself, for God bought you with a high price. So you must honor God with your body.” Who wants to hear that, right? We need to not only hear it, we need to listen to it and heed God’s word in every area of our lives.

I know throughout most of my life I have paid little attention to those verses in comparison to others. After all, I grew up playing sports and was active and could eat pretty much whatever I wanted and stay thin. We probably all have our favorite go to passages and chapters that we love to read often especially when we want to be encouraged. When I come to passages like 1 Corinthians 6:19-20 I prefer to gloss over them quickly to avoid the conviction I feel, and instead I just thank God for His amazing grace. Now at almost 65 years of age I am reaping what I have sown for years. I am not young any longer and I can’t just eat whatever I want and it’s a lot harder now to lose the weight I both want and need to shed.

Here’s what I know now. All diets are an inside out approach to health. Man really can’t live by bread alone even though my wife who loves bread might be willing to try. The truth is, successful diets begin in your spirit, not your stomach. What makes dieting so difficult is found in the spelling. The first three letters of the word DIET spell DIE and our flesh doesn’t want to die. Here is something to think about today when it comes to your diet, regardless of your weight. Your diet is not just what you eat, Its anything that you allow into your being. Its what you watch, its what you listen too, its what you read, its the conversations you have with the people you associate with. Our diet then is what we put into our body physically, emotionally and most important spiritually. We are spirit, soul and body and we really can do all things through Christ who strengthens us and as Jesus said, “apart from me (Jesus) you can do nothing.”

The key our success in anything worthwhile in this life begins in our spirit, its begins by looking to God in prayer and meditating on the words of 1 Corinthians 6:19-20, “Don’t you realize that your body is the temple of the Holy Spirit, who lives in you and was given to you by God? You do not belong to yourself, for God bought you with a high price. So you must honor God with your body.” The good news today is God has promised to help us if only we would humble ourselves and ask Him.

“And the Holy Spirit helps us in our weakness. For example, we don’t know what God wants us to pray for. But the Holy Spirit prays for us with groanings that cannot be expressed in words.”

Romans 8:26

I LOVE YOU!

Who God Says I Am

As promised, here is my sermon from Sunday that I didn’t get to preach. God had different plans for us but the message is still true and I am writing today to share it with you. Let me begin by asking you a few bible questions. How many crosses were there on Golgotha the day Jesus was crucified? How many people died that day? How many went to heaven with Jesus that day? How do we know these things are true? I am pretty sure most would respond “Because the Bible Says So” and you would be correct. So, here is my question for you today. If you can believe the questions I just asked you if they are true and you said yes, why is it so hard to believe all the amazing things God says about you? After all, they are all in the Bible.

I am going to share a bunch of verses with you today that I hope and pray you don’t just believe that they are true. My prayer today is that you believe they are true for you! If I was to put a title on this it would be, “Who God Says I Am”.

*I am alive with Christ (Ephesians 2:4-5).  “that even though we were dead because of our sins, he gave us life when he raised Christ from the dead. (It is only by God’s grace that you have been saved!).”

*I am complete in Him Who is the head over all rule and authority—of every angelic and earthly power (Colossians 2:10). “So you also are complete through your union with Christ, who is the head over every ruler and authority.”

*I am free from the law of sin and death (Romans 8:2). “And because you belong to him, the power of the life-giving Spirit has freed you from the power of sin that leads to death.”

*I am free from oppression, and will not live in fear (Isaiah 54:14). “You will be secure under a government that is just and fair. Your enemies will stay far away. You will live in peace, and terror will not come near.”

*I have the peace of God that surpasses all understanding (Philippians 4:7). “Then you will experience God’s peace, which exceeds anything we can understand. His peace will guard your hearts and minds as you live in Christ Jesus.”

*I have the mind of Christ (1 Corinthians 2:16; Philippians 2:5). “For, “Who can know the LORD’s thoughts? Who knows enough to teach him?” But we understand these things, for we have the mind of Christ.”

Philippians 2:5, “You must have the same attitude that Christ Jesus had”

*I am born of God, and the evil one does not touch me (1 John 5:18). “We know that God’s children do not make a practice of sinning, for God’s Son holds them securely, and the evil one cannot touch them.”

*I am holy and without blame before Him in love (Ephesians 1:4; 1 Peter 1:16).  “Even before he made the world, God loved us and chose us in Christ to be holy and without fault in his eyes.”

1 Peter 1:16, “For the Scriptures say, “You must be holy because I am holy.”

*The Spirit of God, who is greater than the enemy in the world, lives in me (1 John 4:4). “But you belong to God, my dear children. You have already won a victory over those people, because the Spirit who lives in you is greater than the spirit who lives in the world.”

*I have received abundant grace and the gift of righteousness and reign in life through Jesus Christ (Romans 5:17). “For the sin of this one man, Adam, caused death to rule over many. But even greater is God’s wonderful grace and his gift of righteousness, for all who receive it will live in triumph over sin and death through this one man, Jesus Christ.”

*I have received the Spirit of wisdom and revelation in the knowledge of Jesus, the eyes of my heart enlightened, so that I know the hope of having life in Christ (Ephesians 1:17-18). “asking God, the glorious Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, to give you spiritual wisdom and insight so that you might grow in your knowledge of God. 18 I pray that your hearts will be flooded with light so that you can understand the confident hope he has given to those he called—his holy people who are his rich and glorious inheritance.”

*I have received the power of the Holy Spirit and He can do miraculous things through me. (Mark 16:17-18; Luke 10:17-19). These miraculous signs will accompany those who believe: They will cast out demons in my name, and they will speak in new languages. 18 They will be able to handle snakes with safety, and if they drink anything poisonous, it won’t hurt them. They will be able to place their hands on the sick, and they will be healed.”

Luke 10:17-19, “17 When the seventy-two disciples returned, they joyfully reported to him, “Lord, even the demons obey us when we use your name!” 18 “Yes,” he told them, “I saw Satan fall from heaven like lightning! 19 Look, I have given you authority over all the power of the enemy, and you can walk among snakes and scorpions and crush them. Nothing will injure you.”

*I am merciful, I do not judge others, and I forgive quickly. As I do this by God’s grace, He blesses my life (Luke 6:36-38). “36 You must be compassionate, just as your Father is compassionate. 37 “Do not judge others, and you will not be judged. Do not condemn others, or it will all come back against you. Forgive others, and you will be forgiven. 38 Give, and you will receive. Your gift will return to you in full—pressed down, shaken together to make room for more, running over, and poured into your lap. The amount you give will determine the amount you get back.”

*I am renewed in the knowledge of God and no longer want to live in my old ways or nature before I accepted Christ (Colossians 3:9-10). “Don’t lie to each other, for you have stripped off your old sinful nature and all its wicked deeds. 10 Put on your new nature, and be renewed as you learn to know your Creator and become like him.”

*God supplies all of my needs according to His riches in glory in Christ Jesus (Philippians 4:19). “19 And this same God who takes care of me will supply all your needs from his glorious riches, which have been given to us in Christ Jesus.”

*In all circumstances I live by faith in God and His shield extinguishs all the flaming darts (attacks) of the enemy (Ephesians 6:16). “16 In addition to all of these, hold up the shield of faith to stop the fiery arrows of the devil.”

*I can do whatever God calls me to do in life through Christ Jesus who gives me strength (Philippians 4:13). “For I can do everything through Christ, who gives me strength.”

*I am chosen by God who called me out of the darkness of sin and into the light and life of Christ so I can proclaim the excellence and greatness of who He is (1 Peter 2:9). “9 But you are not like that, for you are a chosen people. You are royal priests, a holy nation, God’s very own possession. As a result, you can show others the goodness of God, for he called you out of the darkness into his wonderful light.”

*I am born again—spiritually transformed, renewed and set apart for God’s purpose—through the living and everlasting word of God (1 Peter 1:23). “23 For you have been born again, but not to a life that will quickly end. Your new life will last forever because it comes from the eternal, living word of God.”

*I am God’s workmanship, created in Christ to do good works that He has prepared for me to do (Ephesians 2:10). “10 For we are God’s masterpiece. He has created us anew in Christ Jesus, so we can do the good things he planned for us long ago.”

*I am a new creation in Christ (2 Corinthians 5:17). “This means that anyone who belongs to Christ has become a new person. The old life is gone; a new life has begun.”

*In Christ, I am dead to sin—my relationship to it is broken—and alive to God—living in unbroken fellowship with Him (Romans 6:11). “So you also should consider yourselves to be dead to the power of sin and alive to God through Christ Jesus.”

*The light of God’s truth has shone in my heart and given me knowledge of salvation through Christ (2 Corinthians 4:6). “For God, who said, “Let there be light in the darkness,” has made this light shine in our hearts so we could know the glory of God that is seen in the face of Jesus Christ.”

*As I hear God’s Word, I set my heart do what it says and I am blessed in my actions (James 1:22, 25). “22 But don’t just listen to God’s word. You must do what it says. Otherwise, you are only fooling yourselves.” James 1:25, “But if you look carefully into the perfect law that sets you free, and if you do what it says and don’t forget what you heard, then God will bless you for doing it.”

*I am a joint-heir with Christ (Romans 8:17). I am more than a conqueror through Him who loves me (Romans 8:37). “17 And since we are his children, we are his heirs. In fact, together with Christ we are heirs of God’s glory. But if we are to share his glory, we must also share his suffering.”

Romans 8:37, “No, despite all these things, overwhelming victory is ours through Christ, who loved us.”

*I overcome the enemy of my soul by the blood of the Lamb and the word of my testimony (Revelation 12:11). “11 And they have defeated him by the blood of the Lamb and by their testimony.”

*I have everything I need to live a godly life and am equipped to live in His divine nature (2 Peter 1:3-4). “3 By his divine power, God has given us everything we need for living a godly life. We have received all of this by coming to know him, the one who called us to himself by means of his marvelous glory and excellence. 4 And because of his glory and excellence, he has given us great and precious promises. These are the promises that enable you to share his divine nature and escape the world’s corruption caused by human desires.”

*I am an ambassador for Christ (2 Corinthians 5:20). “I am part of a chosen generation, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, a purchased people (1 Peter 2:9). So we are Christ’s ambassadors; God is making his appeal through us. We speak for Christ when we plead, “Come back to God!”

1 Peter 2:9, “9 But you are not like that, for you are a chosen people. You are royal priests, a holy nation, God’s very own possession. As a result, you can show others the goodness of God, for he called you out of the darkness into his wonderful light.”

*I am the righteousness of God—I have right standing with Him—in Jesus Christ (2 Corinthians 5:21). “For God made Christ, who never sinned, to be the offering for our sin, so that we could be made right with God through Christ.”

*My body is a temple of the Holy Spirit; I belong to Him (1 Corinthians 6:19). “19 Don’t you realize that your body is the temple of the Holy Spirit, who lives in you and was given to you by God? You do not belong to yourself.”

*I am chosen by God, forgiven and justified through Christ. I have a compassionate heart, kindness, humility, meekness and patience (Romans 8:33; Colossians 3:12). “33 Who dares accuse us whom God has chosen for his own? No one—for God himself has given us right standing with himself.”

Colossians 3:12, “12 Since God chose you to be the holy people he loves, you must clothe yourselves with tenderhearted mercy, kindness, humility, gentleness, and patience.”

*I am redeemed—forgiven of all my sins and made clean—through the blood of Christ (Ephesians 1:7). “7 He is so rich in kindness and grace that he purchased our freedom with the blood of his Son and forgave our sins.”

*I am redeemed from the curse of sin, (Deuteronomy 28:15-68; Galatians 3:13). “13 But Christ has rescued us from the curse pronounced by the law. When he was hung on the cross, he took upon himself the curse for our wrongdoing. For it is written in the Scriptures, “Cursed is everyone who is hung on a tree.”

*I am called to live a holy life by the grace of God and to declare His praise in the world (Psalm 66:8; 2 Timothy 1:9). “8 Let the whole world bless our God and loudly sing his praises.”

2 Timothy 1:9, “For God saved us and called us to live a holy life. He did this, not because we deserved it, but because that was his plan from before the beginning of time—to show us his grace through Christ Jesus”

*I am strengthened with all power according to His glorious might (Colossians 1:11). “11 We also pray that you will be strengthened with all his glorious power so you will have all the endurance and patience you need. May you be filled with joy,”

*I have been rescued from the domain and the power of darkness and brought into God’s kingdom (Colossians 1:13). “13 For he has rescued us from the kingdom of darkness and transferred us into the Kingdom of his dear Son”

*I am saved by God’s grace, raised up with Christ and seated with Him in heavenly places (Ephesians 2:5-6; Colossians 2:12). “5 that even though we were dead because of our sins, he gave us life when he raised Christ from the dead. (It is only by God’s grace that you have been saved!) 6 For he raised us from the dead along with Christ and seated us with him in the heavenly realms because we are united with Christ Jesus.”

Colossians 2:12, “12 For you were buried with Christ when you were baptized. And with him you were raised to new life because you trusted the mighty power of God, who raised Christ from the dead.”

*My life is rooted in my faith in Christ and I overflow with thanksgiving for all He has done for me (Colossians 2:7). “Let your roots grow down into him, and let your lives be built on him. Then your faith will grow strong in the truth you were taught, and you will overflow with thankfulness.”

*I am greatly loved by God (John 3:16; Ephesians 2:4; Colossians 3:12; 1 Thessalonians 1:4).

John 3:16, “For this is how God loved the world: He gave his one and only Son, so that everyone who believes in him will not perish but have eternal life.”

Ephesians 2:4, “But God is so rich in mercy, and he loved us so much.”

Colossians 3:12, “12 Since God chose you to be the holy people he loves, you must clothe yourselves with tenderhearted mercy, kindness, humility, gentleness, and patience.”

1 Thessalonians 1:4, “4 We know, dear brothers and sisters, that God loves you and has chosen you to be his own people.”

*I press on each day to fulfill God’s plan for my life because I live to please Him (Philippians 3:14). “14 I press on to reach the end of the race and receive the heavenly prize for which God, through Christ Jesus, is calling us”

*I am not ruled by fear because the Holy Spirit lives in me and gives me His power, love and self-control (2 Timothy 1:7). “For God has not given us a spirit of fear and timidity, but of power, love, and self-discipline.”

*Christ lives in me, and I live by faith in Him and His love for me (Galatians 2:20). “My old self has been crucified with Christ. It is no longer I who live, but Christ lives in me. So I live in this earthly body by trusting in the Son of God, who loved me and gave himself for me.”

*I humbly submit myself to God, and the devil flees from me as I resist him in the strength that God provides (James 4:7). “7 So humble yourselves before God. Resist the devil, and he will flee from you.”

*I am the salt of the earth (Matthew 5:13) “13 “You are the salt of the earth. But what good is salt if it has lost its flavor? Can you make it salty again? It will be thrown out and trampled underfoot as worthless.”

*I am the light of the world (Matthew 5:14-15). “14 “You are the light of the world—like a city on a hilltop that cannot be hidden. 15 No one lights a lamp and then puts it under a basket. Instead, a lamp is placed on a stand, where it gives light to everyone in the house.”


If you have read this far just know I am very proud of you! Remember, you are not who you think you are and you are not who the world believes you are. You are who God says you are! Not only are all these verses true, if you are in Christ Jesus today each and every one of these verses is true for you. Read them often, meditate on them even longer, but most of all, enjoy them!


“What is man that You are mindful of him, And the son of man that You visit him? For You have made him a little lower than the angels, And You have crowned him with glory and honor. You have made him to have dominion over the works of Your hands; You have put all things under his feet, All sheep and oxen—Even the beasts of the field, The birds of the air, And the fish of the sea That pass through the paths of the seas. O LORD, our Lord, How excellent is Your name in all the earth!”


Psalm 8:4–9


I LOVE YOU!

“By his divine power, God has given us everything we need for living a godly life”

2 Peter 1:3


What I am about to tell you could get me killed by manufacturers and advertisement companies alike. What if I told you that you could have it all, would you believe me? Truth is, you already have it all. You don’t need to ever buy another thing in order to find fulfillment in this life. Commercials for the most part are a lie. Today you and I will be bombarded with literally hundreds if not thousands of advertisements trying to convince us how much better our lives could be “if only” we purchased whatever it is that we are being sold.

If you are a follower of Jesus Christ and you are still searching daily for things to make you feel whole or to satisfy some longing in your heart I want to encourage you to stop. Why are you looking for something you already have? What I mean is there is nothing you will ever possess in this life that will add anything to your life that you don’t already have in Christ Jesus. Nothing, and I mean absolutely nothing this life can offer you can ever satisfy you at a deeper level than the place Jesus Christ already occupies in your heart.

Listen to the apostle Peter in the book that bears his name, “We have received all of this by coming to know him, the one who called us to himself by means of his marvelous glory and excellence. And because of his glory and excellence, he has given us great and precious promises. These are the promises that enable you to share his divine nature and escape the world’s corruption caused by human desires. In view of all this, make every effort to respond to God’s promises. Supplement your faith with a generous provision of moral excellence, and moral excellence with knowledge, and knowledge with self-control, and self-control with patient endurance, and patient endurance with godliness, and godliness with brotherly affection, and brotherly affection with love for everyone. The more you grow like this, the more productive and useful you will be in your knowledge of our Lord Jesus Christ. But those who fail to develop in this way are shortsighted or blind, forgetting that they have been cleansed from their old sins” (2 Peter 1:3-9).

Peter writes to remind us we already have everything and I mean everything you can possibly need to grow into the person God created you to be. Stop buying into the lie that what you need is something or someone other than what a deeper relationship with the Lord Jesus Christ will provide you because the truth is, you don’t. Remind yourself and others today that everything we could possibly need to live and enjoy this life to the fullest God has already provided, “if only” we would look to God in Christ because Jesus satisfies!



“Yet true godliness with contentment is itself great wealth. After all, we brought nothing with us when we came into the world, and we can’t take anything with us when we leave it. So if we have enough food and clothing, let us be content.”

1 Timothy 6:6–8


I LOVE YOU!

“All praise to God, the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who has blessed us with every spiritual blessing in the heavenly realms because we are united with Christ.”

Ephesians 1:3


Have you ever heard the expression, “Love the giver more than the gift”? It’s pretty straight forward and it’s sad we even have to remind ourselves and each other to not forget. The danger we read over and over again in scripture happens when we fail to love God more than the benefits of being loved by God. When that happens we can easily find ourselves becoming ungrateful. Ingratitude happens when we value what we get more than we value the person with whom we receive the gifts. The Bible teaches us that “even sinners love sinners for what they get in return” which is to say the world will love you as long as you are providing a service or fulfilling their wants or needs. But, when your giving stops, more often than not, they are gone.

Grace is different. God’s grace produces a different kind of love. God’s kind of love is a preferring others over ourselves kind of love. God’s love isn’t based on reciprocation, God’s love is based on a choice. God chooses to love us, often times in spite of us. I know me, and I can be unloving, but not God. He loves perfectly all the time, its His very nature. John 3:16 tells us that God so loved the world at His own expense when He gave His one and only, His only begotten Son for us. God’s love cost Him everything and yet it cost us nothing. We are the recipients.

So, how do we make sure we never lose our gratitude? First and foremost we pray and ask God to give us a heart of gratitude. Cultivate a heart and mindset that is thankful all the time. The bible says, “In everything give thanks for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus.” Never grow tired of saying “thank you” to people and to God. Don’t take credit for the blessings in your life as if you deserve them. Don’t forget, “every good and perfect gift comes from the Father above...” Heaven isn’t the big Costco in the sky where we just go down the aisles and load up on our hearts desire. Heaven is where God is, His throne is there and He is seated upon it. Remember heaven is about a person, it’s about a relationship, and the greatest gift God has ever given to this world is the gift of Himself. Make it your aim every day to fall more in love with the giver than you do that countless gifts He gives to us. When we do, even the gifts themselves will mean so much more.


“The thief’s purpose is to steal and kill and destroy. My purpose is to give them a rich and satisfying life”

John 10:10


I LOVE YOU!

“Pride ends in humiliation, while humility brings honor.”


Proverbs 29:23


It’s easy to read the title and think that this is a slam against the LGBQT+ groups who celebrate Pride Week and Pride Month throughout the year. I have nothing personal against those groups using the name PRIDE to express themselves. In truth my heart hurts for anyone, myself included who ever thinks of pride in a positive light. The Bible makes clear pride is the oldest sin in the universe and is what led to the fall of man. First, there was Lucifer in heaven and the Bible teaches us of his downfall, literally and figuratively that happened because of his pride. Then there was Adam and Eve. It was their pride that led them to go against God’s Word and believe the lie that if they ate the forbidden fruit they would be like God. Pride separates us from God, and God from us.

The way to avoid pride or to eradicate it from our lives when it seeks to raise its ugly head from within us is to immediately humble ourselves before God as nothing kills pride like humility. After all, it was James who under the inspiration of the Holy Spirit wrote down these words in James 4:6, “God resists the proud but gives grace to the humble.” Don’t believe the lie, pride is nothing to celebrate. Pride is deadly, it always has been and it will always be. Keep this in mind today, only humility can get you out of what pride got you into! Therefore, humble yourself in the sight of the Lord and He will lift you up!



“Haughtiness (Pride) goes before destruction; humility precedes honor.”


Proverbs 18:12


I LOVE YOU!

“Let not your heart be troubled; you believe in God, believe also in Me.”

John 14:1-4


After being in the car for hours I would complain to my parents, “When are we going to be there?” The answer was often the same, “5 more minutes”. My parents would say that in hopes I would sit back and relax thinking we would arrive shortly. Reading in John’s Gospel something a friend of mine once told me came to mind, “God is never there when you want Him to be there but He is always on time.” It’s taken me years to understand what my friend told me is absolutely true. Here in John 14 on the night before Jesus went to the Cross and died for us making heaven possible to those who look to Him, He gathered His disciples together to reassure them that everything that was about to happen was all part of a grander plan and obviously because of the time gap between then and now Jesus wanted them and us to learn how to be patient as we wait.  

Read what Jesus said to comfort His disciples then and how those words can and should bring comfort to you and me as followers of Jesus now. Jesus told His disciples in John 14:2-4, “In My Father’s house are many mansions; if it were not so, I would have told you. I go to prepare a place for you. And if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come again and receive you to Myself; that where I am, there you may be also. And where I go you know, and the way you know.”

It’s been 2,000 years since Jesus spoke these words and sadly for some those words are “falling on deaf ears” as the saying goes as many have gown tired of waiting and have moved on. 2 Peter 3:9 reminds us, “The Lord is not slack concerning His promise, as some count slackness, but is longsuffering toward us, not willing that any should perish but that all should come to repentance.” When I consider how long its been since Jesus spoke these words to His disciples that He would come again to receive us to Himself and I study my bible I understand more fully that Gods process is often slow because God is more interested in the process than He is the outcome. Can you think of any valuable lessons you have learned while you are waiting? No wonder, “love is patient.”

Jesus will return one day just as He said, it could even be today! When He returns He will come for those who have placed their hope and trust in Him and He will take us home to the father’s house where a place is being prepared for us. Until then we need to hold on to His words, “And where I go you know, and the way you know.” We know Jesus is in heaven today and the way each of us make our way to Heaven is trusting in Jesus words when He said speaking of Himself, “I am the way, the truth and the life, and no one comes to the Father except by Me!” Time has a way of revealing our patience and our trust. It could really be, just 5 more minutes so keep trusting Jesus!


“Wait on the LORD; Be of good courage, and He shall strengthen your heart; wait, I say, on the LORD!


Psalm 27:14


I LOVE YOU!

“One day Jesus said to his disciples, “Let’s cross to the other side of the lake.” So they got into a boat and started out.”

Luke 8:22

There’s a valuable lesson to be learned in this story. If God says it that settles it. You can trust anything and everything Jesus says. If He said get in the boat and let’s cross over to the other side of the lake you can rest assured you are going to make it safely to the other side. Read the rest of the story here for yourself and see what happens.

Luke 8:23-25 says, “As they sailed across, Jesus settled down for a nap. But soon a fierce storm came down on the lake. The boat was filling with water, and they were in real danger. The disciples went and woke him up, shouting, “Master, Master, we’re going to drown!” When Jesus woke up, he rebuked the wind and the raging waves. Suddenly the storm stopped and all was calm. Then he asked them, “Where is your faith?” The disciples were terrified and amazed. “Who is this man?” they asked each other. “When he gives a command, even the wind and waves obey him!”

Obviously the disciples didn’t take Jesus at His word. A great reminder for me and you today! If Jesus tells us something in His Word we do well to believe Him, to trust that He is faithful and even if a storm comes our way, He is more than able to calm the wind and the sea. In Jesus, the destination is secure so focus on the journey as that’s where the lesson’s of life are learned.


“So faith comes from hearing, that is, hearing the Good News about Christ”

Romans 10:17

I LOVE YOU!

“And whoever compels you to go one mile, go with him two.”

Matthew 5:41


I came across a quote that left me laughing as I tried to imagine the scenario. It said, "Before you judge a man, walk a mile in his shoes. After that who cares?… He’s a mile away and you’ve got his shoes!” Ha! Immediately I thought of Jesus and one of His most well known teachings in all the Bible, “The Sermon on the Mount.” Have you wondered why in Jesus teaching up on the Mount of Beatitudes that He told His disciples if someone forces you to go with them one mile not to stop once you reach mile one, but keep going on to mile two with them on your own without being asked? Under Jewish law if a person was moving and had a lot of stuff to carry or was transporting a heavy load that would require additional help they could go to their Jewish neighbor and tell them they needed their assistance and their neighbor was compelled under the penalty of law to lend a hand even if they didn’t know their neighbor, like them or you had no desire whatsoever to get involved. The law had the final say and for good reason. It took all the emotions out of a decision not to mention the thinking.

In the sermon on the mount in Matthew 5 Jesus runs through a list of, “You have heard that it was said” meaning, “you have been taught or instructed” and then Jesus adds something onto the end of the law as if to amend it or in this case double it which would make it seemingly twice as hard. I express seemingly, as in reality when you do something under the law you don’t really have an option to obey without being penalized for failing to comply which most often removes any satisfaction or delight in obedience one might have felt. Yet, on the other hand, if at the end of the first mile where the law frees you to cease offering assistance and in your freedom you choose by an act of your own free will to keep helping your neighbor by going the extra mile you have really sent a message to your neighbor and most likely helped ease a tremendous burden. I like the saying, “Love always goes the extra mile” and it’s true.

If you have ever had to move from one house or apartment to another you know the pain of having to box up everything you own and then carry the items through entryways that seem almost impossible to pass through leaving you to wonder how and the heck you got the items through the door to begin with? Then you have to load all the items into some organized fashion into a vehicle for transport only to do the whole process in reverse once you arrive at the next destination. I personally loathe moving and I for sure don’t want to burden others to assist me when I do because I know how I feel myself about everything involved with relocating. And yet, every time I have had to move for whatever the reason, the Lord has provided a true friend who didn’t just go one mile with me, or even two as Jesus instructed His disciples. It’s an amazing show of Christ’s love when someone in essence says to us when we are feeling the weight or burden of life, “I’m with you for the long haul” as that is exactly what Jesus was implying in His teaching. Jesus was telling His disciples that to be a true follower of His we would need to be the kind of person who doesn’t just seek meet the minimum requirements regarding what is required by the law but would instead be the kind of people who just like Jesus, go as far as was need to go to get the job done.

When a person chooses to live their life by the grace of God going the second mile isn’t as difficult as most might think because every step taken after after mile one is done by our own free will. It’s much harder to do the things for others when we feel compelled to do them rather than when we are free to choose to serve others in love. The law, you could say wears a person out where on the other hand grace empowers us to do and accomplish more and to feel good in the process. Those who seek to be justified by the law soon find themselves lacking joy in their obedience compared to those who seek to go above and beyond the law by the grace that God provides in showing love and compassion to others resulting in a deep sense of satisfaction.

Try it today, loved one, go above and beyond what’s needed to get done in the grace and power that only God supplies. The evidence of God’s presence in your life will be witnessed as you will be able to do whatever is needed with joy and without murmuring, back biting, and complaining. And best of all, you will be serving like Jesus serves you and communicating to others by both your attitude and words and actions that you too are walking in grace and in it for the long haul.



“But Ruth said: "Entreat me not to leave you, Or to turn back from following after you; For wherever you go, I will go; And wherever you lodge, I will lodge; Your people shall be my people, And your God, my God. Where you die, I will die, And there will I be buried. The LORD do so to me, and more also, If anything but death parts you and me."

Ruth 1:16-17
 

I LOVE YOU!  


“Faith shows the reality of what we hope for; it is the evidence of things we cannot see.”

Hebrews 11:1


When the Bible talks about hope it means something entirely different than what most people define hope to be. If you ask people what the word hope means to them it’s no surprise to get a definition that aligns more with a wish than with a promise. To hope in the Lord is to hope in a sure thing. Not only is our God faithful and true, He is trust worthy. Jesus said in John 10:37-38, “Don’t believe me unless I carry out my Father’s work. But if I do his work, believe in the evidence of the miraculous works I have done, even if you don’t believe me. Then you will know and understand that the Father is in me, and I am in the Father.” Basically Jesus was saying, “I walk the talk and I talk the walk” because they are one and the same. If Jesus said it, He did it, and everything He did, He promised He would do.

It’s no wonder then that the psalmist would declare, “No one who (hopes) in you will ever be disgraced, but disgrace comes to those who try to deceive others. Show me the right path, O LORD; point out the road for me to follow. Lead me by your truth and teach me, for you are the God who saves me. All day long I put my hope in you” (Psalm 25:3-5). Because God is for us we don’t need to go into today with blind optimism. We can approach today with radical hope! "They say a person needs just three things to be truly happy in this world: someone to love, something to do, and something to hope for.” Let your hope be in Jesus to carry you forward remembering…


“The faithful love of the LORD never ends! His mercies never cease. Great is his faithfulness; his mercies begin afresh each morning. I say to myself, “The LORD is my inheritance; therefore, I will hope in him!”


Lamentations 3:22–24

I LOVE YOU!

“and there will be great earthquakes, and in various places plagues and famines; and there will be terrors and great signs from heaven.”

Luke 21:11


In my curiosity I have learned a lot as I have sat these past few months and watched and listened to what many of you are seeing with your own eyes too. The very things the Bible warns us that will happen in the last days are happening right before our very eyes. As Jesus lays out the warnings of the events that will take place in “the last days” he also reminds us of something very important as well. In the gospel of John, (John 16:33) Jesus says, “These things I have spoken to you, that in Me you may have peace. In the world you will have tribulation; but be of good cheer, I have overcome the world." That is important to keep in mind each day as we watch the events of these last days unfolding right before our very eyes.

It was in Luke’s gospel, (Luke 21:28) that Jesus said, “Now when these things begin to happen, look up and lift up your heads, because your redemption draws near.” Jesus doesn’t want us to be caught off guard or taken by surprise, nor does he want us to become disillusioned or depressed. Jesus wants His bride to understand the times and be ready for Him when He comes for her in the clouds and to live with anticipation. The apostle Paul gives us a detailed list of what life will be like before Jesus returns in a letter he wrote to a young pastor named Timothy. Read the following examples and decide for yourself if they describe what is happening in the world today, and if in fact we are living in the “last days.”

People will be lovers of themselves (2 Timothy 3:2)
People will be covetous (2 Timothy 3:2)
People will be boasters (2 Timothy 3:2)
People will be proud. (2 Timothy 3:2)
People will be blasphemers (2 Timothy 3:2)
People will be disobedient to parents (2 Timothy 3:2)
People will be unthankful (2 Timothy 3:2)
People will consider nothing as sacred (2 Timothy 3:2)
People will be unloving (2 Timothy 3:3)
People will be unforgiving (2 Timothy 3:3)
People will slander others (2 Timothy 3:3)
People will have no self-control (2 Timothy 3:3)
People will be unusually cruel (2 Timothy 3:3)
People will have no interest in what is good (2 Timothy 3:3)
People will betray friends (2 Timothy 3:4)
People will be reckless (2 Timothy 3:4)
People will be puffed up with pride (2 Timothy 3:4)
People will be lovers of pleasure more than lovers of God (2 Timothy 3:4)
People will have a form of godliness but deny God (2 Timothy 3:5)
People will take advantage of women, weakened by sin (2 Timothy 3:6)
People will always been learning but not coming to knowledge of truth (2 Timothy 3:7)
People will resist the truth (2 Timothy 3:8)
People will have corrupt minds (2 Timothy 3:8)
People will have a fake faith from a depraved mind (2 Timothy 3:8)
People will not progress in fake faith and fail miserably (2 Timothy 3:9)

If you read that list and thought, that describes perfectly the events taking place in the world today and you are asking, “what do I do?” Do exactly what Jesus instructed us to do, look up! Don’t live in fear, choose to  live by faith in the One who loved you and gave His life for you! Follow Jesus and walk in His ways. Read your bible every day and pray and obey. And if you miss a day just don’t miss two! Keep your eyes on Jesus and keep looking to the clouds for He is coming sooner than later!

“Let not your heart be troubled; you believe in God, believe also in Me. In My Father’s house are many mansions; if it were not so, I would have told you. I go to prepare a place for you. And if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come again and receive you to Myself; that where I am, there you may be also.”

John 14:1-3

I LOVE YOU!

“He comforts us in all our troubles so that we can comfort others. When they are troubled, we will be able to give them the same comfort God has given us”

2 Corinthians 1:4

A Nicholas Sparks quote from the movie, “A Walk To Remember” comes to mind today, “There are moments when I wish I could roll back the clock and take all the sadness away, but I have the feeling that if I did, the joy would be gone as well.” Not necessarily the way I would like to begin a devotional but it is what it is. Twenty years ago today she died. Just seventeen years old and with so much of life ahead of her at seventeen. It’s hard to believe it’s been that long since Danielle Marie Gould left us for heaven. I wish to God I could say that all these twenty years later the pain is gone and the hurt doesn’t hurt any more but that is just not true. Yes, we have all adjusted in our own ways, life goes on as the saying goes, or just the part without her. The hole her death created will never be filled and for me I think I prefer it that way. It’s my personal reminder of her impact on my life and that no matter what, no one will ever fill the void of what once was filled by her.

I read something not too long ago, just a couple of sentences that have stuck with me and really helped me put grief into perspective. It said, “Grief is really just love with no place to go.” I so get that, and for me and many others it’s true. Our grief regarding Danielle is knowing that because she is not here with us physically, we can’t give her the love we would hope to give. Our love for her never ceases but now builds and builds over time with no outlet and then suddenly and usually without warning that love that has been pent up within begins to pour itself out. Love flows from the corner of our eyes, making its way down and out both the mouth and nose. It often times continues down to a lump that grows in the throat and finally becomes a hollow pain in the chest. Yes, I too believe it’s true, “Grief is just love with no place to go”.

So all these twenty years later I find I have more hopes and dreams about what might have been than what actually was. But what was, was so real and true, so much more than what I deserved. Danielle was a gift to us when my wife and I first met her. She had become our daughter Bree’s BFF all the way back in grade school where they met. I loved Danielle from the first time I met her. There was just something about her. Back then, she was a small spunky freckled face little girl wearing those cute denim coveralls with bangs that were cut straight across her forehead. Even as a young girl she walked with a happy hop in her step. Everything about her expressed happy, from her smile to that sparkle in her eyes, and oh that laugh. Contagious, loud, and every now and then even a little obnoxious.

Raised in a Christian home Danielle loved Jesus from her earliest days and as she grew older her faith in Jesus grew stronger as it became her own. When she passed away at seventeen she was living what some would say was her best life. She was as beautiful on the outside as she was on the inside. She had a very strong walk with the Lord and was committed to not only knowing Jesus but also seeking to make Him known in every facet of her being. At seventeen she was entering the era of boys and boyfriends and had just begun to pray earnestly for her own “Mr. Right”, a young man who would seek to love her like Jesus loves her. She obviously set the bar too high we would jokingly say after she left, so high in fact that the only one who could meet her expectations was the Lord Himself. So, on August 20, 2004 Danielle crossed the threshold from this life into eternity where she met her “Mr. Right” face to face. Our loss was heavens gain.

I remember a quote that said, “When you love someone you see the world in their eyes and you see their eyes everywhere in the world.” Its true. Even twenty years later there are many things that when I see them I am reminded of Danielle. The colors green and orange. Those big crinkle-cut French fries with seasoning salt on them or mint chip ice cream (she liked hers in milk). Ballerina’s and someone dancing as they walk. Skipping, Danielle loved to skip as she walked. Like I said, even her walk communicated happy. When I see young kids with their hands raised high in worship I think of her. When I see an old black Ford Focus car, especially if all the windows are down and it looks like the person driving is singing. Loud laughter from a young female always makes me think of her. So many files of my brain are filled with thoughts and memories of her. Though we know as believers in Jesus, to be absent from the body is to be present with the Lord, we still grieve her loss but now we understand that our grief is a good thing. Today, on the twentieth anniversary of her death grief is our reminder that our love for Danielle just comes from hearts overflowing with love for her that has no where else to go.


“So show them your love, and prove to all the churches that our boasting about you is justified.”

2 Corinthians 8:24

I LOVE YOU!

“Therefore, angels are only servants—spirits sent to care for people who will inherit salvation.”

Hebrews 1:14


I always enjoy stories where people share about how a mysterious person showed up in a time of need and helped them or comforted them while they waited for help to arrive. I have read numerous accounts where someone was involved in a terrible accident of some kind and when they were found by emergency personnel and rescued they wanted to thank the person who stayed with them by their side throughout their ordeal. Almost dumbfounded, the first responders will say there was no one with the victim, they say they were trapped all alone and yet the victim swears there was this person who was there to comfort them and who promised they would not leave them until help arrived. It’s as if these helpers were angels from heaven as no one is able to account for their presence at the scene of the accident other than the person who was in a life threatening situation.

Have you ever taken time to study what the Bible says about angels? Here are just a few verses in scripture to think about today. Psalm 91:11-12, “For he will order his angels to protect you wherever you go. They will hold you up with their hands so you won’t even hurt your foot on a stone.” In Exodus 23:20 we read, “See, I am sending an angel before you to protect you on your journey and lead you safely to the place I have prepared for you.” My favorite verse regarding angels is found in Hebrews 13:2, “Don’t forget to show hospitality to strangers, for some who have done this have entertained angels without realizing it.”

Just like the stories you hear at accident scenes where a person is described as being present but no one but the victim could see them tells me that angels take on the form in the appearance of mankind. That’s exciting to know as that means you and I could as the Scriptures say, “entertain angels unaware.” I truly believe from the scriptures we just read above each of us has a guardian angel if not more! It was Christmas of 1980 when I was driving up to my parents house in Lake Isabella during a winter storm. The Kern River canyon was known for rock slides and that night unbeknownst to me a major rock slide had taken place and Cal Trans had just reported the Canyon road was closed. The problem was I was already in the canyon when the announcement was made and I was completely unaware of the danger that was ahead. As I came around one of the many blind corners the road was covered with a rock debris field due to a slide the jagged edges of the rocks punctured two of my tires and they immediately went flat. Sitting there on the side of the road stranded in the pouring rain no vehicles were coming from behind me as the road was now closed to traffic. I had no idea of the events taking place as there was no reception in the canyon.

After about 30 minutes of just sitting there in my car I saw headlights coming towards me from the east, the direction where I was headed. An old and what I would have called “Hippie Van” from the 1970’s pulled up and an elderly woman (angel) rolled down her window and said, “Come with me and I will get you out of here.” She proceeded to tell me that the canyon was closed due to major rocks slides. She said she lived up in the mountains outside of Lake Isabella and was listening to the radio when she heard the news and she felt the Lord telling her to go help the people in distress. She told me I should thank Jesus for my flat tires as those flat tires saved my life. No idea what she meant made perfect sense as we came around another sharp bling curve. In what would have been my lane was a huge bolder that had fallen on the road weighing a few tons. Had I not got a flat tire I would have rounded the turn where the boulder was and I would have either hit it head on or maybe I would have swerved to miss it and drove over the edge of a steep cliff into the waters of the Kern River below. Needless to say, I had angels watching over me that night and one driving a “hippie van.”

The good news today is we don’t have to go around looking for angels today, they are all around us, sent from above! Just thank God today that they are there for you, working on our behalf. And not only are angels watching out for us, the angels in heaven celebrate with us too. Luke 15:10 reminds us that every time a person turns to Jesus for salvation the Bible says that the angels of heaven rejoice over us! Keep your eyes open as there really are angels watching over you!

“Therefore, since we are surrounded by such a huge crowd of witnesses to the life of faith, let us strip off every weight that slows us down, especially the sin that so easily trips us up. And let us run with endurance the race God has set before us.”

Hebrews 12:1

I LOVE YOU!

“Make every effort to keep yourselves united in the Spirit, binding yourselves together with peace.”

Ephesians 4:3


We don’t make unity or manufacture unity. We just keep the unity going that Jesus provided in his body on the Cross. Unity is something that was provided for us, a gift to us. Imagine the pressure on you and me if it was up to us to have to come up with a way to be unified with God and other people. Needless to say it would be impossible as the requirements would vary from person to person as the old saying is true, “You can’t please everybody but you can make everybody miserable.” The good news is unity begins with God. He created the means and provides us with the ability to come together and stay together as we don’t hold ourselves together, God holds onto us. All things were created by Him and for Him. He holds it all together in the palm of His hand.

Unity begins by coming to Christ and becoming a member of His body, the church. Unity is a work of the Holy Spirit as it is He who places us into God’s family. The source then of unity is Christ. Coming to Jesus is what unites us, what makes us family and provides us with the power to live as one. Sin separates, Jesus unites plain and simple. Just like in marriage the mystery of unity is revealed in, “What God has joined together let no man separate” the scriptures remind us. God is the unifier, not us. Unity is the supernatural work of the Spirit in the heart of every child of God.

Unity isn’t an option then, it’s a way of life in the Spirit, it’s simply how God operates. The Father, the Son and the Holy Spirit working in perfect unity. We don’t need to stress over unity or even strive in the truest sense for it. What we need to do is be grateful for it. Life without Jesus is hard, it’s a constant grasping at the wind, it’s like trying to grab water, always reaching for something that's elusive, only to be disappointed that we can’t lay hold of that which we are reaching for. Unity on the other hand is the position from which the child of God lives and operates from. We already have everything we could ever need satisfied in Christ Jesus.

The book of James says we have not because we ask not and that selfishness is what causes people to war against one another. Unity is not just possible in Christ, it’s a way of life, it’s not the end result, it is the source, the beginning, the very basis of all that we think, we say and we do. It’s understanding we don’t fight for victory today as followers of Jesus, we fight from the place of victory. The battle is the Lord’s, the battle has already been won! The same is true with unity. We don’t need to try to figure out ways to unite. If we are in Christ we already are united. What we need to learn to do today is how to think and feel, to live and act as people who are already united, because that is what we are, united in Christ Jesus.


“How wonderful and pleasant it is when brothers live together in harmony”


Psalm 133:1


I LOVE YOU!

“Will You not revive us again, That Your people may rejoice in You?”


Psalm 85:6


Listening to Pastor Jack Graham last week he said something I have not been able to stop thinking about. He said, “If we can live without revival, we will.” I kept thinking what did he mean by what he said? When he speaks of revival what does that actually mean and what does it look like? Gotquestions.com defines revival like this, “Revival refers to a spiritual reawakening from a state of dormancy or stagnation in the life of a believer. It encompasses the resurfacing of a love for God, an appreciation of God’s holiness, a passion for His Word and His church, a convicting awareness of personal and corporate sin, a spirit of humility, and a desire for repentance and growth in righteousness. Revival invigorates and sometimes deepens a believer’s faith, opening his or her eyes to the truth in a fresh, new way. It generally involves the connotation of a fresh start with a clean slate, marking a new beginning of a life lived in obedience to God. Revival breaks the charm and power of the world, which blinds the eyes of men, and generates both the will and power to live in the world but not of the world.”

As I considered Pastor Graham’s words I couldn’t help but think why would anyone want to live without being revived? Solomon said it best, “apart from God all is vanity, grasping at the wind.” 1 John 5:11-12 states in the clearest possible way, “And this is the testimony: that God has given us eternal life, and this life is in His Son. He who has the Son has life; he who does not have the Son of God does not have life.” What I appreciate along with you who love Jesus too is that God would be so gracious as to revive us, to awaken me from my stagnation and usher me into the fulness of life that is ours in Christ.

If you feel far from God today or distracted by the cares of this world that seek to choke out our faith, don’t delay another day! God is as close as a prayer. Invite the Lord just like King David did to do a fresh work in you. Cry out to Him, “create in me a clean heart O God and renew a steadfast spirit within me” as God promises He will. Revival is possible because we serve the God of what I like to call “the second chance.” The mercies of God really are new every morning and great is His faithfulness. Look at it this way. What a shower or bath is to the refreshment of our physical being, revival is to our soul.

Repentance is a wonderful gift from God that always leads to revival and maybe thats what keeps many from experiencing it. Our pride, the original and most deadly of sins the world has ever known keeps us from admitting we are wrong and that God is right. Don’t forget, the first step of to revival and times of refreshing is repentance. But don’t take my word for it, take God’s Word…

“Repent therefore and be converted, that your sins may be blotted out, so that times of refreshing may come from the presence of the Lord”

Acts 3:19


I LOVE YOU!

“He also brought me up out of a horrible pit, Out of the miry clay, And set my feet upon a rock, And established my steps.”


Psalm 40:2


Last week our town experienced an earthquake that measured 5.2 on the Modified Mercalli Intensity Scale. Any time the ground shakes it gets people attention as it should. It’s unsettling to say the least, lol. Are you aware that the writer of the book of Hebrews has a little something to say about earthquakes, “See that you do not refuse Him who speaks. For if they did not escape who refused Him who spoke on earth, much more shall we not escape if we turn away from Him who speaks from heaven, whose voice then shook the earth; but now He has promised, saying, “Yet once more I shake not only the earth, but also heaven.” Now this, “Yet once more,” indicates the removal of those things that are being shaken, as of things that are made, that the things which cannot be shaken may remain.
Therefore, since we are receiving a kingdom which cannot be shaken, let us have grace, by which we may serve God acceptably with reverence and godly fear. For our God is a consuming fire” (Hebrews 12:25-29).

Earthquakes are caused by sudden shifts in the earths tectonic plates along a fault line. Earthquakes serve to remind Jesus disciples that everything that can be shaken will be shaken and everything that we see shaking will one day pass away to make room for the kingdom of God which cannot be shaken. For those of you who are fearful of earthquakes you will be happy to know when God reveals the new heaven and earth there will never be an earthquake again! Thats one more reason to look forward to heaven one day!

Since we are not of this world but remain in it to fulfill the purposes of God we don’t need to live in fear of earthquakes but instead we should devote our days to stirring each other up in love so that we can say with complete confidence even when the ground beneath our feet is shaking, “On Christ the solid rock I stand, all other ground is sinking sand!”

“But none of these things move me; nor do I count my life dear to myself, so that I may finish my race with joy, and the ministry which I received from the Lord Jesus, to testify to the gospel of the grace of God.”

Acts 20:24

I LOVE YOU!

“I have told you all this so that you may have peace in me. Here on earth you will have many trials and sorrows. But take heart, because I have overcome the world.”

John 16:33


I read the following quote the other day that said, “Man’s rejection is Gods protection” that was meant to encourage followers of Jesus in the times in which we live. James the half brother of Jesus Christ put it like this, “You adulterers! Don’t you realize that friendship with the world makes you an enemy of God? I say it again: If you want to be a friend of the world, you make yourself an enemy of God” (James 4:4). James was pointing out the obvious. If you choose Jesus and to follow Him closely, many in the world will reject you simply because you love God and seek to please Him. Sad but true.

Pastor Greg Laurie wrote a book years ago tilted, “The Upside Down Church” which basically says “whatever you see the world doing the church should being doing the opposite” as the world and the church are for the most part polar opposites. Jesus warned us in advance while He walked the earth reminding His disciples, “If the world hates you, remember that it hated me first. The world would love you as one of its own if you belonged to it, but you are no longer part of the world. I chose you to come out of the world, so it hates you.”

So then how is mans rejection God’s protection? I like the saying, “I didn’t realize Jesus was all I needed until Jesus was all I had.” The world’s rejection can lead us right to Jesus. Luke gives us a warning from the very lips of God in Luke 6:26, “What sorrow awaits you who are praised by the crowds, for their ancestors also praised false prophets.” Another translation says, “Beware when men speak well of you for they spoke well of the false prophets before you.” Sadly, people will reject the message of the gospel for many reasons but the most prevalent seem to be that if people admit there is a God that means we are accountable to God and if there is a God then His Word is to be obeyed as authoritative. Much of humanity refuses to be accountable and to live in submission to God so therefore the existence of God must be denied plain and simple.

Believers in Jesus Christ who choose to acknowledge His Lordship and seek to walk in obedience to God’s commands appear to be a threat to those that don’t so the world will quickly seek to silence the message and often times the messenger because the recognition of God demands accountability to God. In other words the worlds motto becomes, “Out of sight, out of mind” where as for the believer we hold near and dear to what 1 Peter 1:8-9 declares, “You love him even though you have never seen him. Though you do not see him now, you trust him; and you rejoice with a glorious, inexpressible joy. The reward for trusting him will be the salvation of your souls.”

Yes, to love God will cost you friendships and relationships with others because the light of Jesus in your life, exposes the darkness in theirs and frankly, you make life uncomfortable for people who do not genuinely love God and who do not seek to live according to His Word. Even if they have not read the Bible they can read you! Thats the good that comes out of rejection. When the world turns away from you, God is right there for you! After all, it was God, not the world who promised, “I will never leave you nor forsake you.” Keep that in mind when you are rejected for putting God first in your life and remember that the power of the enemy is no match for God.

“Bless those who persecute you. Don’t curse them; pray that God will bless them.”

Romans 12:14


I LOVE YOU!

“God opposes the proud but gives grace to the humble.”

James 4:6


I have heard the following statement made at many a pastors conference over the years, “Being in the ministry would be the greatest occupation in the world if it were not for the people.” Meant to be a lighthearted joke about the church, the point being made is working with people is difficult and the more people there are to minister too, the more difficult the ministry becomes. Because conflict is a natural part of life the exercising of our spiritual gifts is of critical importence if the body of Christ to function the way God intended.

In Acts 15 we find a few heartbreaking passages of scripture that describe an event where two men of God who served along side each other in bringing the gospel message regarding God’s love for mankind and His desire to reconcile the world to Himself through Jesus Christ to literally thousands of people. What makes those few verses heartbreaking is that the two men, Paul and Barnabas came to a place where they allowed their personal agendas to distract them from the goal that they hoped and prayed others would achieve. Both Paul and Barnabas understood that Jesus death on the Cross broke down the walls of separation between Jew and Gentile, male and female, slave and freeman. They knew Jesus prayer was that we might be one as He and the Father are one. Sadly, what they hoped for others to enjoy they temporarily forfeited themselves. 

Barnabas primary gift was encouragement and Paul’s was leadership. Exercised under the power of the Holy Spirit these two gifts work in perfect harmony in building up of the body of Christ in love. In the flesh they collide and demonstrate the old saying, “a strength pushed to an extreme becomes a weakness.” Their strengths became their weaknesses because of their stubbornness. Being stubborn over doctrine is needed in confronting heresy but when it comes to personal choice and preference it is destructive. As Pastor Chuck would say, "Blessed are the flexible for they shall not be broken." 
 
Thank God that even when our gifts collide Romans 5:20-21 remains true, “God’s law was given so that all people could see how sinful they were. But as people sinned more and more, God’s wonderful grace became more abundant. So just as sin ruled over all people and brought them to death, now God’s wonderful grace rules instead, giving us right standing with God and resulting in eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord.” Thank God that His grace was greater than the temporary stubbornness of Paul and Barnabas and instead of dividing their efforts God multiplied it. Thank God today that His grace is greater than your stubbornness and mine. Today, lets pray and determine to walk in humility before God and each other as we…

Make every effort to keep yourselves united in the Spirit, binding yourselves together with peace.

Ephesians 4:3

I LOVE YOU!

"For this is how God loved the world: He gave his one and only Son, so that everyone who believes in him will not perish but have eternal life"

Jonn 3:16

Watching the Olympics always reminds me of my dad. He enjoyed the sport of track and field as a competitor and coach and official. He was a “starter” for many NCAA Division 1 track meets and even the Olympic Trials during his day. He even served as an infield event official during the 1988 Olympics in Los Angeles. Growing up my siblings and I heard countless stories and learned many life lessons from our father using sports as the metaphor. I can’t even recall all the real life examples my dad shared over the years where an athlete was defeated simply by quitting too soon. Our dad would remind us kids often, “run through the tape” and “always do your very best” and not just in track but in everything we set out to do.

My dad told me more than once in my life, “Michael, I don’t care what place you come in. All I care is that you always do your best. I will be more proud of you if you come in last place but give 100% than if you win but only give 50%.” My dad tried to live by a simple philosophy in life, “All In”. Are you aware thats what God wants you and I to be too, “All In”. I was reminded of this truth the other day when I read a statement on marriage that said, “Marriage is not 50-50. Divorce is 50-50. Marriage has to be 100-100. It’s not dividing everything in half, but giving everything you’ve got.” In other words the author was saying a winning marriage is one where both husband and wife are “All In”.

In all fairness it makes no difference if you are married or single. The best relationships are realized when everyone involved makes a commitment to go “All In”. After all, isn’t that what Jesus did for me and you when He went to the Cross? God went “All In” when He gave us His Son to die for us. You can’t go any more “in” than to lay down your life for the benefit of another. Consider your own relationships today and your commitment level to them. Don’t worry about how committed everyone else is to you, in the spirit of the Olympics, live by the “GOLDen” rule and just make sure you are “All In” and giving 100% of your best energy to all you do. In the end you will be happy you do regardless of what place you come in. One day we all will receive a prize from the Lord for how well we ran our own race, so remember to keep your eyes on Jesus today as He is both the reward and the rewarder for those who are running to win, to those who go “All In”.


“Don’t you realize that in a race everyone runs, but only one person gets the prize? So run to win! All athletes are disciplined in their training. They do it to win a prize that will fade away, but we do it for an eternal prize.”

1 Corinthians 9:24–25

I LOVE YOU!

“The LORD keeps watch over you as you come and go, both now and forever”

Psalm 121:8


I read a true story yesterday about a bus driver in Dayton, Ohio, who was shot in the chest twice and survived. His name is Rickey Wagner and what makes his story so amazing isn’t just that he survived getting shot in the chest from point blank range, but how he survived being shot twice in the chest.

Rickey had gotten out of his bus and was working on something mechanical. As he got out of the bus he put his jacket on when suddenly a few young men ages fifteen to eighteen, walked up and confronted him. All Rickey could remember was one of the kids saying to the other, “You gotta kill him if you are gonna be one of us” speaking of the gang he was initiating to join. Suddenly, two shots were fired and the kids ran off. Here’s the amazing part of the story. Rickey Wagner survived being shot because he had underneath his coat a Bible. He had put his bible under his coat while he was inside the bus. When he walked outside to work on the bus his Bible was still underneath his coat. The Bible stopped the bullets.

That story brings to mind the words of the apostle Paul who wrote in Ephesians 6:10-17, “A final word: Be strong in the Lord and in his mighty power. Put on all of God’s armor so that you will be able to stand firm against all strategies of the devil. For we are not fighting against flesh-and-blood enemies, but against evil rulers and authorities of the unseen world, against mighty powers in this dark world, and against evil spirits in the heavenly places.
Therefore, put on every piece of God’s armor so you will be able to resist the enemy in the time of evil. Then after the battle you will still be standing firm. Stand your ground, putting on the belt of truth and the body armor of God’s righteousness. For shoes, put on the peace that comes from the Good News so that you will be fully prepared. In addition to all of these, hold up the shield of faith to stop the fiery arrows of the devil. Put on salvation as your helmet, and take the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God.”

You could say God’s Word stopped the bullets from killing Rickey Wagner literally that day and God’s Word the apostle Paul reminds us will protect us from the fiery darts of the enemy of our soul today too. The bible tells us that the devil goes around like a roaring lion looking for people to devour and yet God’s Word also reminds us that if we stand our ground and resist the devil he will flee from us, as the devil is no match for God in us.

Keep this in mind today. God’s Word is truth and the more we know the truth the truth will set us free! Jesus defeated the lies of the enemy by standing on the truth of God’s Word. If it worked for Jesus it will work for us too!


“The name of the LORD is a strong fortress; the godly run to him and are safe.”

Proverbs 18:10


I LOVE YOU!

“Because of the joy awaiting him, he endured the cross, disregarding its shame. Now he is seated in the place of honor beside God’s throne.”

Hebrews 12:2


As I read the story of Stephen being stoned to death in Acts 7, I am humbled by the way Stephen responded to those with whom he was sharing the love of God found in Jesus Christ. It says in verses 54-60, “The Jewish leaders were infuriated by Stephen’s accusation, and they shook their fists at him in rage. But Stephen, full of the Holy Spirit, gazed steadily into heaven and saw the glory of God, and he saw Jesus standing in the place of honor at God’s right hand. And he told them, “Look, I see the heavens opened and the Son of Man standing in the place of honor at God’s right hand!”
Then they put their hands over their ears and began shouting. They rushed at him and dragged him out of the city and began to stone him. His accusers took off their coats and laid them at the feet of a young man named Saul. As they stoned him, Stephen prayed, “Lord Jesus, receive my spirit.” He fell to his knees, shouting, “Lord, don’t charge them with this sin!” And with that, he died.”

There is no question that Stephen cared more about the souls of the men who were murdering him then he did his own life. Like you I read this account and I think to myself, how could Stephen just stand there in perfect peace while being pummeled to death with stones the size of a human fist? The Lord gave me an answer reminding me of an experience I had back in the 7th grade. It was a Saturday afternoon and my Jack Frost Football team was leading 7-6 with just seconds left in the game. I was in the 7th grade, standing about 5’8” tall and probably about 125 pounds. I was playing cornerback when the quarterback on the other team ran a “quarterback keeper” around the end and the only thing that stood between him and the winning touch down was me. He was about 5” taller and about 25 pounds heavier and we met helmet to helmet much in the same way two young rams butting heads would. Dazed, we both fell straight backwards to the ground.

I remember vividly it hurting so bad that I wanted to cry and I wanted to quit. I was thinking I didn’t like the pain that came with playing the game of tackle football. As I stood slowly to my feet I heard a familiar voice yelling out to me, “Way to go Mikey, do it again, do it again.” It was my dad who was standing about 50 yards away down by the end zone. When I heard my dad’s voice I no longer felt the pain. I ran back to the huddle and got ready for the next play. The opposing team called the exact same play. As the quarterback rolled out all I could think about was I could not let him get past me or we would lose the game. The memory of the pain of the previous play was still fresh in my mind but now I knew my dad was watching me and there was nothing I wanted more in that moment than to make my father proud.

Once again me and the opposing quarterback hit head to head and again I fell to the ground. This time though I jumped up and the quarterback on the other team did not. As I stood there I heard my dad’s voice loud and clear, “Way to go, way to go!” and though I am positive there was pain from the tackle, I didn’t feel anything other than joy knowing I had made my dad proud. It was as if the joy of pleasing my Father who loved me far outweighed the pain associated with the physical contact of tackle football.

As I sat there at lunch the other day recounting this story with my friend with whom I was celebrating his birthday I felt the Lord whispering in my spirit, “Now you understand why Stephen could be stoned to death without flinching, and how Paul could get back up and return to the same city after being stoned and left for dead, and why for the joy that was set before Him, Jesus could take the nails for the whole world.” It was their love for their Heavenly Father and making Him proud that was stronger than the pain of suffering. As I sat there at lunch I was in awe how the Lord could use that memory from my own childhood and my love for my father to teach me a far greater and more important lesson about the power of our Heavenly Father’s love in helping his sons and daughters endure the pain we all experience in different ways in this life for Him and get back up and do it again! Oh, the things we are capable of when we know we are loved.

“Love never gives up, never loses faith, is always hopeful, and endures through every circumstance.”

1 Corinthians 13:7

I LOVE YOU!

“And whatever you do or say, do it as a representative of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks through him to God the Father.”

Colossians 3:17


I read a quote the other day that said, “Be The Light You Wish Others To See” and immediately thought of Jesus words in Matthew 5:14-16 where He taught His disciples, “You are the light of the world—like a city on a hilltop that cannot be hidden. No one lights a lamp and then puts it under a basket. Instead, a lamp is placed on a stand, where it gives light to everyone in the house. In the same way, let your good deeds shine out for all to see, so that everyone will praise your heavenly Father.” Jesus understood completely the best and easiest form of learning is visual. Watching and imitating the actions of another is by far the most effective way of helping people come to know Jesus.

Later in Matthew’s gospel we read about “The Golden Rule” which says, “Do to others whatever you would like them to do to you. This is the essence of all that is taught in the law and the prophets” (Matthew 7:12). It’s been well said whatever direction you want others to go, go there first speaking of leading the way and modeling what you would like done. Today and everyday by our actions we have an opportunity to make the world a better place. We can bring light wherever we go if we remember that is our privilege as followers of Jesus, illuminating a path and modeling the way.

Be the light today that you wish for others to see. Be the example that if people followed your lead the day would end even better than it began. Try and see if it works, put it to the test. Begin by making a list of things you might wish that others would do for you today. Think of all the different ways you would hope people would treat you, things they might say and do for you. The list doesn’t have to be long, it doesn’t even need to be written down. Once you put your list together head out and see if you can do those things you would like done for you for someone else. Go for it. Let your light shine today, draw attention to Jesus by following His lead in putting others first day, preferring them over ourselves remembering as you do…

“God has given each of you a gift from his great variety of spiritual gifts. Use them well to serve one another. Do you have the gift of speaking? Then speak as though God himself were speaking through you. Do you have the gift of helping others? Do it with all the strength and energy that God supplies. Then everything you do will bring glory to God through Jesus Christ. All glory and power to him forever and ever! Amen.”


1 Peter 4:10-11


I LOVE YOU!

“God saved you by his grace when you believed. And you can’t take credit for this; it is a gift from God. Salvation is not a reward for the good things we have done, so none of us can boast about it.”

Ephesians 2:8–9


I’ve come to the conclusion that “my life doesn’t look all that much like Jesus, my life looks very much like someone who needs Jesus”. Don’t worry, I am not putting myself down by admitting that. Just the opposite, I am lifting Jesus up. If the apostle Paul would claim to be the “chief of sinners” I realize I am just being a lot more honest if I say that then if I try to convince you of the areas of my life that are a true reflection of Jesus. The more I study the book of Acts the more convinced I am that the Holy Spirit has a desire to play a much bigger role in each of our lives than what we might believe or have been taught.

I just did a devotional the other day titled, “Don’t Lose Your Balance” about living a balanced life in both the Word of God and by the Spirit of God. From what I read in the Bible most followers of Jesus tend to lean one way or the other. Like Pastor Jon Courson said, “All word and no spirit, we dry up; all Spirit and no Word, we blow up; both Word and Spirit, we grow up.” I have been meditating on that all week. As well, I have enjoyed many conversations lately with people who have lots of real good questions about living and walking in the Spirit on a day to day basis who too want to be far more balanced than they are today. Maybe thats you too?

Most Christians I have spoken with tell me they say very little about the Holy Spirit even though He is the third person in the trinity. Many believers tend to focus most of their attention on the Word of God, reading it, studying it, looking for ways to share it and thats commendable! Yet, its easy to get so focused on the Word of God that we forget its the Holy Spirit who authored the Word of God, chose the men who would write down what the Spirit would move them to pen. It’s the Holy Spirit who brings us to Jesus and its the by the Spirit we are Born Again into God’s family and become children of God. In short what most people have told me is they had forgotten the Holy Spirit is a person just like the Father and the Son, and just as personable.

Are you aware Christians are also marked and sealed by the Holy Spirit for salvation and then filled with the Holy Spirit so that we can understand the Word of God, as He is our primary teacher. Let’s not forget its by the Spirits power that we live the Christian life. As well, its the Holy Spirit who provides the gifts that serve as the framework of every New Testament church and the Holy Spirit also gives spiritual gifts to each and every child of God to serve within it and yet most believers admit they are not even sure of what their spiritual gift(s) is. Maybe the most exciting thing of all is when the Holy Spirit comes upon the life of a child of God for the purpose of ministry and we along with those we are ministering with experience a manifestation of God, like I mean God really shows up in our midst in person, the person of the Holy Spirit that is.

Don’t forget why Jesus told us He would pray and ask the Father to send another like himself to be with us. Jesus said that when He returned to heaven He would pray and ask the Father to send us the Holy Spirit to be with us and in us and along side us and to come upon us. God knows this life will wear you out and we need comfort, He also knows we need a helper, someone to be there along side us each day to help us and to empower us and encourage us in our journey of faith. None of us can do what Jesus has called us to do without the Spirit of God in us. That’s right, Christ in you, God with you and the Holy Spirit infilling and overflowing you. It doesn’t get better than that. The Word of God serves as the owners manual for life, to help us connect with God and to better comprehend His overall game plan. The Holy Spirit gives the plans of God life as we learn to walk in the Spirit and not in the flesh.

Remember, loved one, God is always just a prayer away. You don’t have to yell to get his attention. You can whisper as He is right there by your side. God will help you today if you will let Him. All you need to do is pray, “So help me God.”

“But God is my helper. The Lord keeps me alive”


Psalm 54:4

I LOVE YOU!

“When Joshua was near the town of Jericho, he looked up and saw a man standing in front of him with sword in hand. Joshua went up to him and demanded, “Are you friend or foe?” “Neither one,” he replied. “I am the commander of the LORD’s army.”

Joshua 5:13–14


Whenever there is conflict between two people the natural tendency is to choose sides. As Christians we can be the most guilty of thinking God is on our side when we find ourselves in the middle of a fight when in fact, most likely He is not. My point is this. More important than God being on our side is are we on God’s side? Thats the lesson Joshua learned quickly here in the book that bears his name. As Joshua was about to go to battle in Jericho he came upon a man with his sword drawn and asked, “Are you for us or against us?”  But the Lord simply answered, “No,” for the issue wasn’t whose side the Lord was on. It was whose side is Joshua was on.

Whose side are you on is the most important question we can ask ourselves each and every day. As we pray, “Your will be done” we are praying and asking God to help us align ourselves to Him and with Him. The worst thing we can do each day is to seek God in hopes He will bless our plans. That is so short sighted when we do that. You have probably heard the expression, “Be careful what ladder you climb in life for you might just reach the top only to discover your ladder was leaning against the wrong building.”

Joshua chapter 5 is a great reminder to seek the Lord and to want His ways, His will over our own. Every time I read the book of Joshua I am encouraged to seek the Lord more and to set out to walk in His ways and not my own. Not only does the battle belong to the Lord, the victory is His too! The world is constantly pulling us to do our own thing and to go our own way. The goal of life isn’t to get people on our side but to make sure each and every day we are on His side!


“Trust in the LORD with all your heart; do not depend on your own understanding. Seek his will in all you do, and he will show you which path to take.”


Proverbs 3:5–6


I LOVE YOU!

“All the believers devoted themselves to the apostles’ teaching, and to fellowship, and to sharing in meals (including the Lord’s Supper), and to prayer”

Acts 2:42


It’s been well said that a healthy church is a balanced church. When the church was born we find four key components that distinguished the New Testament church from a religious church, you know the kind of church where the people gathered there are just going through the motions of what they believe is their spiritual duty for the week, their obligation. The New Testament church is a body of believers, alive and sharing life with God and one another. About as far as you can get from communism, the New Testament church is about “Commonism” sharing life and preferring each other in love, meeting each others needs as they arise. A healthy church is a balanced church, one where the gifts of the Holy Spirit are both taught and exercised.

You can easily identify a healthy church because it’s balanced in its approach to church. Church is evidenced by the peoples desire to learn the word of God, to gather together with other believers to stir up love and good works, and to break bread together which is two fold. Breaking bread is both sharing a meal and partaking in the Lords Supper together, remembering each time we do are to recall the sacrifice Jesus made for us. And lastly, prayer. A healthy church is a praying church. People who pray together stick together. So, if you want to be a healthy follower of Jesus find a church that helps you maintain your balance. And better still, commit yourself to living a balanced life that brings life to others.  

I like what one of my favorite pastors shared about why it’s so important to maintain balance in the church when it comes to the word of God and supernatural gifts of the Holy Spirit. Pastor Jon Courson said this, “All word and no spirit, we dry up; all Spirit and no Word, we blow up; both Word and Spirit, we grow up.” I love how the apostle Paul explains it in the book of Ephesians where he writes to explain why spiritual gifts are critical to the health and wealth and balance of a healthy church. Paul writes in Ephesians chapter 4, “Now these are the gifts Christ gave to the church: the apostles, the prophets, the evangelists, and the pastors and teachers. Their responsibility is to equip God’s people to do his work and build up the church, the body of Christ. This will continue until we all come to such unity in our faith and knowledge of God’s Son that we will be mature in the Lord, measuring up to the full and complete standard of Christ.
Then we will no longer be immature like children. We won’t be tossed and blown about by every wind of new teaching. We will not be influenced when people try to trick us with lies so clever they sound like the truth. Instead, we will speak the truth in love, growing in every way more and more like Christ, who is the head of his body, the church. He makes the whole body fit together perfectly. As each part does its own special work, it helps the other parts grow, so that the whole body is healthy and growing and full of love”

So there you have it. A balanced church is made up of people whose lives are balanced by being in the word and in fellowship, in the breaking of bread and in prayer. The more we commit ourselves to being the church the more impactful our lives will become for Christ. As we seek the Lord, its Jesus who makes us fit together perfectly and as every member begins to walk in their gift committed to helping each other grow which also means other people are helping us grow too. The end result of a balanced church is the whole body of believers becomes healthy, and not just a select few. Everyone is growing and is full of love. I know you are like me in this, thats the kind of church we all want to be part of and the good news is we can! Don’t let your fears or your doubts or your prejudices keep you from what Jesus has for you. Join me today and pray with me this dangerous prayer, “All of you for all of me Jesus. I want my life to overflow with you. Have your way in me, amen!”

“All word and no spirit, we dry up; all Spirit and no Word, we blow up; both Word and Spirit, we grow up.”

Pastor Jon Courson


I LOVE YOU!

“Do everything without complaining and arguing”

Philippians 2:14

Sometimes in life God doesn’t remove our problems, instead He makes a way through them. Remember in the book of Exodus where God instructs Moses on how to go about getting Pharaoh to let God’s people go? Who would have thought that God would use the Red Sea as the means of escape. You recall the story in Exodus chapter 14. The children of Israel were hemmed in on all sides. They had mountains on both sides and the Egyptian Army on their heels and nothing but tempest waters of the Red Sea in front of them. Oh, and let’s not forget a bad attitude to go along with everything else. I love how God responds to the children of Israel acting like children. Basically God says, “quit your whining and start walking.” Read it for yourself.

Exodus 14:15-18 tells us, “Then the LORD said to Moses, “Why are you crying out to me? Tell the people to get moving! Pick up your staff and raise your hand over the sea. Divide the water so the Israelites can walk through the middle of the sea on dry ground. And I will harden the hearts of the Egyptians, and they will charge in after the Israelites. My great glory will be displayed through Pharaoh and his troops, his chariots, and his charioteers. When my glory is displayed through them, all Egypt will see my glory and know that I am the LORD!”

God often takes us to the edge so we can’t miss what He is wanting us to see and to know. When we face the impossible in the truest sense we are only arriving at the realm of possibility as nothing is too difficult for our God. Try to remember that the next time you find yourself in what appears to be an impossible situation with no way out. God can and does make a way where there seems to be no way. God didn’t remove the Red Sea, He chose instead to part it. What God did for the nation of Israel, He can do for you! Just don’t make the same mistake the nation of Israel did by whining and complaining. Choose instead to experience victory by keeping your eyes on Jesus and watch what He can do for you!

“We do this by keeping our eyes on Jesus, the champion who initiates and perfects our faith.”

Hebrews 12:2

I LOVE YOU!