The Grace of God Ignites Faith!

For the grace of God has appeared that offers salvation to all people. It teaches us to say “No” to ungodliness and worldly passions, and to live self-controlled, upright and godly lives in this present age, while we wait for the blessed hope—the appearing of the glory of our great God and Savior, Jesus Christ, who gave himself for us to redeem us from all wickedness and to purify for himself a people that are his very own, eager to do what is good. These, then, are the things you should teach. Encourage and rebuke with all authority. Do not let anyone despise you. Titus 2:11-15 NIV

Remember hearing anyone say, "if not for the grace of God, there go I?"

Usually, this statement is made by people who look upon the tragedies endured by others--homelessness, addiction, loneliness, dissonance, isolationism, all those things that set them apart from the "normalized" view of the world. And it's true, if not for the grace of God, where would I be?

I could have been lost in sin, but Jesus stepped in

Reminded me of His love and why He came from above,

To shoulder all I could not handle on my own,

And not only to me, has His love been shown.

Whenever I see, helplessness and despair in the eyes of others,

I'm reminded to help all my sisters and brothers,

In Christ for if it had not been for His grace,

I could be standing in their place.

I could be as despicable as those who hate,

But in this life, loving others was always my fate.

So, how could I give up or give in to defeat,

When His Grace has my made my triumph complete?

A word of encouragement for all who read and see just how much we have to be thankful for in spite of the greed and corruption we see emanating from the White House and those court jesters in charge.

We have an opportunity to change the landscape and our fate by voting out those who are abdicating their constitutional responsibility and electing those who care about all people and will uphold the constitution--no matter what. Congressional representations should not be shackled with party partisanship, but bonded to serve all Americans--no matter who voted for them. That's what it means to be a true Patriot.

 

With this in mind, I still implore those who will to support my impending run for president in 2020. The foundation is being laid and more information will be updated on a regular basis as need warrants, but for now, I am encouraged and inspired by the Grace of God to move forward in the face of immeasurable odds.

Courage is the discovery that you may not win, and trying when you know you can lose. - Tom Krause

I will not allow any negative thoughts or dastardly deeds by others to deter me. I will continue to fight the good fight of faith and prepare to enter the White House in 2021 as the next president of the people. Hope you'll join me in this venture so we can all celebrate the victory and triumph of being Everyday Americans!

Learning To Rest!

For though I might desire to boast, I will not be a fool; for I will speak the truth. But I refrain, lest anyone should think of me above what he sees me to be or hears from me. And lest I should be exalted above measure by the abundance of the revelations, a thorn in the flesh was given to me, a messenger of Satan to buffet me, lest I be exalted above measure. Concerning this thing I pleaded with the Lord three times that it might depart from me. And He said to me, “My grace is sufficient for you, for My strength is made perfect in weakness.” Therefore most gladly I will rather boast in my infirmities, that the power of Christ may rest upon me. 2 Corinthians 12:6-9 NKJV

There are so many things that happen to us in life that are simply not in our control. Some of our life events cause us to be over anxious and frenetic and some have even caused people to seek escape from the problems by committing suicide--which is never the answer, for then we leave those behind to handle those things we refused to face.

Let's face it--life happens--to everyone, some of it good, some bad, some absolutely horrible, but when we are in Christ, we can rest--assured of His grace and mercy--and know He will work it out for our good.

So when the world is careening out of its orbit--we don't have to sway into fray--we can lean entirely on God's Word, the firm foundation of our faith and weather any storm that comes our way. In life--storms come and they go--and we have shelter in the arms of our Lord! Nothing the enemy does--no fiery dart shall ever thwart God's plans for our lives and if we only Believe.

Believe that He is our comforter when we need to be comforted.

Believe that He is our healer when sickness and disease attempt to make us fearful.

Believe that He is our Father who gives good gifts.

Believe that He is our provider and He will take care of us.

Believe that He is Alpha and Omega--the first and last--and He has us covered with the blood of Jesus.

Believe that when we are weakened by the trials of this world--He strengthens us to endure until the end.

Where does our help come from? Our help comes from The Lord! And when we know that He watches over us--we can rest in the knowledge that He knows all about our troubles and concerns and we can rest in Him--never fearful or over anxious about anything or about what anyone may do.

Now--shake off those feelings of dread or fear or anxiety and enter into His peace and rest--troubled no more by those things we cannot control. For if we can control some things, we should control them and thank God for the wisdom He bestows upon us from on high!

Humility!

The fear of the LORD is the instruction of wisdom; and before honour is humility. Proverbs 15:33 KJV

Before destruction the heart of man is haughty, and before honour is humility. Proverbs 18:12 KJV

In the same way, you who are younger, submit yourselves to your elders. All of you, clothe yourselves with humility toward one another, because, “God opposes the proud but shows favor to the humble.” 1 Peter 5:5 NIV

By definition--humility is not an act--an attempt to fool others, but it is the essence of sincerity demonstrated by what we say or do. Per the dictionary--"the quality or condition of being humble; modest opinion or estimate of one's own importance, rank, etc."

When we are truly sincere--saying or doing--from the abundance of the heart, the mouth speaks--and we don't have to tell anyone, we are being sincere, they'll know it by what they see or hear.

Solomon reminds us that when we have reverential fear--respect--of The Lord, we receive instruction from Him because He is the only wise person and then when act upon the instructions given, we do not need to boast of anything--bringing attention to ourselves, but we always point people in the direction of Him and He then allows to be honored by mankind. Solomon also tells us that when a person experiences destruction (defeat) it is because of their haughty heart--arrogance in their thinking themselves superior to others. This is especially true of those who think they are a "savior" and promote themselves as such, saying things like, "I'm the only one who can fix all the wrong in the world."

There is only one Savior and His job has already been completed on the cross. But He has given us power to do all things well through Him. When we acknowledge that it is His grace, mercy and goodness that guided us in all we do that honors Him, He honors us with favor from all we meet. Walking in God's favor, without drawing attention to self, is the greatest knowledge in the world to me--and I know--without living to please Him, I cannot walk in His favor.

How does God honor us? I cannot speak for others, but I can certainly speak to what He's done for me. I have obtained jobs--positions for which I did not meet the criteria--initially--but His favor was showered upon me and not only did I get the jobs, but I learned quickly and was promoted into other positions. Instead of bragging about me, I expressed an interest in the job and learning all I could to be a benefit to the place where I worked. At one job, because of my ability to get things done, within the my first year of being with the company, a promotional position was created--just for me--in order for them to adjust my salary based upon my worth to them (so my boss at that time said). That's God's favor--not my ability. All I did was what I knew to do.

When we truly humble--we don't need to broadcast, "I mean it sincerely, believe me", rant or rave in order to get attention. God already knows our heart and when we honor Him in what we say and do, He honors us with His favor. We don't have to beg for it or pray for it--He simply gives.

Humility--is also not a "tone of voice" especially when the words we speak have not changed their tone. We can whisper hateful, spiteful words and that is not a show of humility. True humility considers the words before they are spoken, before they hit the airwaves and are mindful of those who are going to hear them. We can shout our praise for God and demonstrate humility because it's not about us, but about Him.

Understanding who He is and all He has done for us, ignites humility in all who love Him because our desire is to please Him and not ourselves.

On This Journey--Let Passion Drive!

“Now it happened, as I journeyed and came near Damascus at about noon, suddenly a great light from heaven shone around me. “And I fell to the ground and heard a voice saying to me, ‘Saul, Saul, why are you persecuting Me?’ “So I answered, ‘Who are You, Lord?’ And He said to me, ‘I am Jesus of Nazareth, whom you are persecuting.“So I answered, ‘Who are You, Lord?’ And He said to me, ‘I am Jesus of Nazareth, whom you are persecuting.  “So I said, ‘What shall I do, Lord?’ And the Lord said to me, ‘Arise and go into Damascus, and there you will be told all things which are appointed for you to do.’ Acts 22:6-10 NKJV

Most of us know Paul's testimony about his trip to Damascus to persecute followers of Christ--how his encounter with Jesus--changed him and established a clear path for all who followed Jesus.

From persecutor to champion of the cause--from Saul to Paul--God's grace on his journey in life was due to his passion.

Now, the same grace that saved Paul and put him on the path to securing solidarity for the Body of Christ is available to all who are willing to receive. Much has been said about Paul's conversion, but perhaps the most important thing that any of us need to know is this--in order to be effective at doing anything--passion must drive us!

Paul (as Saul) was taught by the masters of Jewish faith in the law--he understand better than most what the law said, but it wasn't until his encounter with Jesus--contact with The Living Word--that he learned to apply what he thought he knew. At the point of his conversion to knowing how God wants us to treat us, he changed--the scales of blindness came off and he clearly saw how The Law kept people in bondage, making a mockery of a faith they claimed to be in God.

Are we religious or are we Believers in the Most High God? Have we allowed religious traditions to hinder passion for true belief and action on our part? Are willing to have an encounter with Jesus--The Living Word--to set us on the right path--a path destined with challenges and victories? Are we ready for the journey of a lifetime--promoting the Gospel of Jesus Christ with our conduct and not just our words?

The journey--may have it's ups and downs, but if we remain faithful to Him, He will be faithful to us and accomplish all He has put our hearts to do. This journey called life--has not really been lived until we are living it for The Lord! What is your passion?

When We Reach Our Haven!

Then they cried out to the LORD in their trouble, and he brought them out of their distress. He stilled the storm to a whisper; the waves of the sea were hushed. They were glad when it grew calm, and he guided them to their desired haven. Let them give thanks to the LORD for his unfailing love and his wonderful deeds for mankind. Psalm 107:28-31 NIV

How many times have we cried out to The Lord and He responded--knowing it would not be the last time we would reach out to Him when we get into trouble?

I could go all the way back to all those who cried out to The Lord in the Old Testament to illustrate this point, but there's no need. Every time a disaster hits--whether it is acts of terrorism, storms, earthquakes, undisciplined spouses, disrespectful children, the chaos and confusion amidst all the violence or the calamities of hatred, we continue to call upon The Lord. And sometimes, in the midst of our personal storms--we make rash promises to God--and though we are sincere in the moment--God knows--we won't keep the promises. So He waits--until the next time.

What is most amazing is how quickly we develop amnesia when it comes to remembering what we said to God.
 
"God, if you'll just heal my mama, I'll go to church."
"God, if you'll just find my children and keep them safe, I'll serve you."
"God, if you just make my husband leave me alone, I'll get right with you."
And some people are saying,"God, if you just let me win the lottery, I'll give my ten percent."

The list could go on for a few days and many of us either know someone who has prayed like this or we have actually said it ourselves. While we wait to hear from God, some of us actually do better--I guess that's our attempt to convince God we meant what we said and as soon as we get what we want, we go right back to being who we were and doing what we did, forgetting about that conversation with God.

In His infinite mercy and grace--and knowing us from the beginning--He still responds to our cries because that's what a loving Father does.He takes care of His Children.

So in the midst of our next storm, and we cry out to Him, He'll hear us, but maybe, just maybe He won't be so quick to respond since He knows--we won't change our ways for the duration. When He does respond and guides us to our safe haven--professional counselors, doctors, or whoever it might be--we need to take the time to thank Him for His mercy and grace--always extended to us--even though He may not respond as quickly as we'd like.

Lord, have mercy upon us--Your wayward children--and create in us a clean heart and hearing ears so we'll respond quickly to You in obedience to all You tell us to do.

Is This America?

But your iniquities have built barriers

between you and your God,

and your sins have made Him hide His face from you

so that He does not listen.

For your hands are defiled with blood

and your fingers, with iniquity;

your lips have spoken lies,

and your tongues mutter injustice.

No one makes claims justly;

no one pleads honestly.

They trust in empty and worthless words;

they conceive trouble and give birth to iniquity.

They hatch viper’s eggs

and weave spider’s webs.

Whoever eats their eggs will die;

crack one open, and a viper is hatched.

Their webs cannot become clothing,

and they cannot cover themselves with their works.

Their works are sinful works,

and violent acts are in their hands.

Their feet run after evil,

and they rush to shed innocent blood.

Their thoughts are sinful thoughts;

ruin and wretchedness are in their paths.

They have not known the path of peace,

and there is no justice in their ways.

They have made their roads crooked;

no one who walks on them will know peace.

Therefore justice is far from us,

and righteousness does not reach us.

We hope for light, but there is darkness;

for brightness, but we live in the night.

We grope along a wall like the blind;

we grope like those without eyes.

We stumble at noon as though it were twilight;

we are like the dead among those who are healthy.

We all growl like bears

and moan like doves.

We hope for justice, but there is none;

for salvation, but it is far from us.

For our transgressions have multiplied before You,

and our sins testify against us.

For our transgressions are with us,

and we know our iniquities:

transgression and deception against the LORD,

turning away from following our God,

speaking oppression and revolt,

conceiving and uttering lying words from the heart.

Justice is turned back,

and righteousness stands far off.

For truth has stumbled in the public square,

and honesty cannot enter.

Truth is missing,

and whoever turns from evil is plundered.

The LORD saw that there was no justice,

and He was offended.

Today's scripture reading is from Isaiah 59:2-15 HCSB

There is nothing left for me to say other than please read the entire chapter and then pause, and think about what it says.

May The Lord have mercy upon us and wash our hearts thoroughly with His Word, creating in us a desire to please Him, more than man!

Do We Remember His Words?

In their fright the women bowed down with their faces to the ground, but the men said to them, “Why do you look for the living among the dead? He is not here; he has risen! Remember how he told you, while he was still with you in Galilee: ‘The Son of Man must be delivered over to the hands of sinners, be crucified and on the third day be raised again.’ ” Then they remembered his words. Luke 24:5-8
Jesus performed many other signs in the presence of his disciples, which are not recorded in this book. But these are written that you may believe that Jesus is the Messiah, the Son of God, and that by believing you may have life in his name. John 20:30,31 NIV

This is the day that many will celebrate The Resurrection of Jesus Christ--but will the same people remember His Words?

In so many situations, Jesus reminded His disciples of God's Word, told them who He was, warned them of things to come, performed miracles in their presence and yet they still did not fully believe or understand that the man--Jesus--was also God in the flesh.

After He arose and appeared before them, their physical eyes did not recognize Him and He again reminded them what was said through Moses and the prophets regarding His coming and all that He must suffer. It wasn't until after He broke bread with them--using the same words as He had during their last meal--that their spiritual eyes were opened and He disappeared. They finally understood.

Those of us living today for the last two thousand years or more--have had access to the Written Word--of The Law and The Fulfilled Promise under Grace. We have the history of Jesus' time on earth as He taught and healed, was betrayed, arrested, beaten, crucified, died, buried and rose again--but do we yet remember His Words?

Do we remember that He said, He had come to fulfill the law?

Do we remember that He said, We are to love God with all our hearts, soul, and mind, and to love one another was we love self?

Do we remember that He said, No man can come to the Father without coming through Him?

Do we remember that He said, "Go out into all the world and preach The Gospel?"

Do we remember the prayer HE prayed in the garden of Gethsemane, "I'm praying just for these with me, but for all who will believe on me through them?"

Do we remember that He came because of Love and hung on that cross when we He could have come down, but Love kept Him on course--to finish the task and it is He who said, "It is finished?"

If we remember His Words and remember that He spoke as The Father spoke to Him and through Him, why do we live as though we are still waiting for a Savior to appear?

We have a Savior and His name is Jesus Christ! There is no other name by which any can be saved other than His. If we lived our lives--with the evidence of our remembering His Words--there would not be so much violence and hatred and peace would rule all over the world.

Now--Do we remember His Words? If not, let's get busy--studying The Word and living The Word so all will know--we remember!

Why We Trust The Word!

All Scripture is God-breathed and is useful for teaching, rebuking, correcting and training in righteousness, so that the servant of God may be thoroughly equipped for every good work. 2 Timothy 3:16, 17 NIV

Although there are many naysayers and doubters in the world who "refute" the bible as we know it as God's Word, we who know and Believe God, know the truth.

All scripture--not some or just portions or selected passages--was written by man as inspired by God to do so--hence--God-breathed into man's spirit and man wrote. That sounds far too simple for those who would complicate God's Word and His intent for mankind, but it is just that simple. Of course, since many believe that the King James Version is the only right version--there lies another complication.

I am convinced that the original language that man spoke was accurately translated by many (not all), but God's intent for mankind remains static--no matter what language is used. My conviction in this area is derived from my relationship with God who has revealed His truth to me by guiding me in search of truth. So, I believe the Bible--any good translation that does not pervert or distort God's Truth--is good for instruction and correction, in guiding anyone to living a life that is pleasing to God.

How do I know this? I tried living without The Word as a guide in my life and almost ended my life when life got too tough to bear. It was The Word that saved me and exposed all the lies the enemy had tried to use against me. It was The Word that showed me how much I am loved by God. It was The Word that convinced me that pleasing God is far more important than trying to please man. It was The Word that demonstrated God's mercy and grace towards all who had fallen short of His perfection. And it was my faith in God that led me to understand The Word for my life.

The desire to please God--once we understand His Word--puts on the path to serving others and that's why The Word is important--so all who know it and trust it can accomplish all that God desires for them to accomplish.

For any who doubt the value of The Word--I offer this challenge--have faith in God and in developing a relationship with Him and then open a bible--with an open mind and willing heart to hear Him. I guarantee--you'll never be the same--once you find yourself in God's Word!

On The Journey--SHIN!

Princes persecute me without a cause,
But my heart stands in awe of Your word.
I rejoice at Your word
As one who finds great treasure.
I hate and abhor lying,
But I love Your law.
Seven times a day I praise You,
Because of Your righteous judgments.
Great peace have those who love Your law,
And nothing causes them to stumble.
LORD, I hope for Your salvation,
And I do Your commandments.
My soul keeps Your testimonies,
And I love them exceedingly.
I keep Your precepts and Your testimonies,
For all my ways are before You. Psalm 119:161-168 NKJV

The 21st letter and stanza--acknowledgement, praise and hope in the midst of any trial.

How many times has someone who has authority over us--attempted to misuse their authority and persecute us, simply because we would not conform to doing things their way-in opposition to God's Word? We were not the first to experience this ploy to get us to be deceitful and dishonest and we won't be the last.

Whenever anyone expects us to lie or cheat in order to keep a job or to stay in their favor, we should have the same attitude the writer has. We should abhor lying and deceitfulness with a passion and openly denounce it.

Are we in awe of God's Word enough to keep it--no matter what others do? The more I study and seek God for understanding, the more I realize just how much His Word is so much better than the dictates of man.

In God's Word--there is Life and Liberty--freedom to live according to God's Word, knowing we are pleasing God, whether others find fault with us or not.

In God's Word--there is Justice and Mercy. God's Word is just--not fair--for His righteousness is just and there is nothing in it we can debate--that will change His intent for our lives. This is why we are constantly reminded in His Word that the wicked shall have their judgment for all the world to see and we are regarded--His righteousness, for we have none of our own.

In God's Word--there is Love and Grace--God is love and therefore everything He has done, is doing and will do is based upon His love for us. If we follow His commands--to love Him and one another--the world will be filled to overflowing with Love and we shall peace upon the land because of His favor shown towards us.

In God's Word--there is Peace--His peace that surpasses all understanding. And because we belong to Him, we too can enjoy blessed peace in the midst of chaos and confusion when we live according to His Word.

In God's Word--there is Light--that overcomes the darkness that hangs as clouds because of the wicked imaginations of those who oppose God. Wherever there is darkness, light dispels it and exposes the deeds of darkness. We cannot hide from God, no matter what we think we can do that He won't see or know.

In God's Word--there is healing--for our bodies and for nations under siege--due to differences of opinion and the ravages of war. By His stripes we are healed of illnesses, diseases and with His peace we are healed of frustration and depression over things we cannot control. If those of us who believe Him would simply pray--earnestly--believing He will answer-- and repent of our waywardness, He will heal the land.

In God's Word--there is Truth--for His Word is Truth and His Ways are the true way by which we should live. Whenever God's Word is not revealed as Truth, peace is disrupted and chaos reigns.

How often we pray to God or communicate with Him on any level is not a matter of prescription or formula, but it should be a way of life for every Believer. I pray throughout the day--thanking God and praising Him for His goodness--and I have no idea how many times I do it; I just do it.

My soul loves Jesus and all my hope is in Him for there is no hope in any other! How about you?

On The Journey--Waw!

Let Your mercies come also to me, O LORD—
Your salvation according to Your word.
So shall I have an answer for him who reproaches me,
For I trust in Your word.
And take not the word of truth utterly out of my mouth,
For I have hoped in Your ordinances.
So shall I keep Your law continually,
Forever and ever.
And I will walk at liberty,
For I seek Your precepts.
I will speak of Your testimonies also before kings,
And will not be ashamed.
And I will delight myself in Your commandments,
Which I love.
My hands also I will lift up to Your commandments,
Which I love,
And I will meditate on Your statutes. Psalm 119:41-48 NKJV

With the sixth letter, in the sixth segment (stanza), we see a change in the tone the writer uses. In the stanza before, the writer (psalmist) is demanding (pleading)  God. In this segment, he is conciliatory, expressing what he will do and how much he loves doing it.

If we never do anything wrong, why would we need to plead for mercy? The first line--acknowledging the need and implying past deeds that require mercy. When God bestows His mercy upon us--not giving us what we deserve, are we truly repentant or do we take His mercy for granted?

What I've noticed in many of the psalms noted in the bible is a continued acknowledgement of God's mercy, grace, and love. It would appear that the writers were continually cognizant of the need for His mercy, grace, and love and were not ashamed to admit it. And in this passage, the writer acknowledges that salvation can only come according to His Word (The Lord).

Why? If we have understanding of God's Word, we know how to respond to anyone who attempts to belittle us for our faith. And in this time--the 21st Century, people are just as quick to belittle a Believer for their faith as the heathens were when this psalm was written. Some things never change, but is there truly a change in our response? Are we willing to lay before God, admitting our shortcomings and plead with Him to keep us showered with His mercies and feeding us His Word?

Do we truly trust God's Word or are we continually arguing the merits of His Word with those whose spirits do not know Him? When we trust in God's Word, we have no need to debate the merits of His Word for Holy Spirit has woven the truth into our spirits.

Do we yet have hope in God's ordinances--the principles and concepts by which we should live or do we accept others wrongly interpreting and changing the intent of God's Word to suit themselves? We are admonished in later passages of scripture by Paul that we should be more concerned with the spirit of the law, rather than the letter of the law. In other words, God has a specific intent for mankind's interactions with one another and we must maintain the intent of His Word and not cave to man's fickle roller-coaster understandings that change like the direction of the wind--without notice.

I can actually see Paul in this passage--as humble as the writer of the psalm, after meeting Jesus--saying, "I will walk in freely in Your principles and not be ashamed to tell of Your goodness to rulers everywhere I go." Are we walking freely, living all the principles, and ready to testify of God's goodness?

Do we truly love God's commandments? I don't mean the ten or the various ordinances given to the children of Israel then; I mean do we really love Him and are we really loving others, unconditionally?

When we deliberately take lives, create havoc, stir up hatred, lie and manipulate others so we can get what we want, do we honor God and show love to Him or others?

Many artists have sang songs about love and the need of love in this world, but I have yet to see love cover us as a shield against hatred. The world does indeed need love--pure love--unconditional love--exercised by all and not just a few. We need to learn to separate pure love from lust for many are deceived into believing that expressions of lust are love when they are not.

We know this because of the argument by many who insist that people have a right to love whoever they want to love in their support of same-sex unions. The truth of the matter is they are not talking about pure love--they are referencing the aspect of lust and proclaiming that people should have a right to have sex with whoever they want. Involvement in sex is not an expression of pure love--it is an expression of lusting for another simply as a means to relieve oneself.

Will we learn to love one another--unconditionally--in the new year God has so graciously given us? Or will we continue to think we know more than He does and keep doing things our own way, expecting a different result? Are we truly--insane--as this behavior implies?

I detect in my spirit an even greater need to meditate upon God's Word so when I present my petitions before Him, I will not be guilty of dishonoring Him or attempting to deceive Him. My desire is to come before Him at all times with a pure heart--opening myself to hear Him and abide by His instructions.

His Delight!

Sing to the Lord with grateful praise; make music to our God on the harp. He covers the sky with clouds; he supplies the earth with rain and makes the grass grow on the hills, He provides food for the cattle and for the young ravens when they call. His pleasure is not in the strength of horse, nor his delight in the legs of the warrior; the Lord delights in those who fear him,, who put their hope in his unfailing love. Psalm 147:7-11 NIV

When we have "reverential" fear of The Lord--having a desire to please and trust in Him alone, He delights in us.

The "fear" referenced in this passage is not about being scared or afraid--but in acknowledging that without Him, we can do nothing and our hope and trust is in Him--not what we can do. This fear--is about pleasing Him and not causing Him to be ashamed of anything we do. And make no mistake about it--we can cause Him to be ashamed of us and He will turn His back on us when we willfully live in opposition to His Word.

Consider the parents of those who kill and maim others for no other reason than their boredom. The parents still love them, but they are ashamed of their children's poor decision-making and behavior. How many parents have had to turn in their child for doing stupid or illegal things? Some parents will and some won't.

We have recently seen a situation in which a young man was hiding out in his mother's home and a child was killed by police when they were searching for him. To allow someone to hide out in our house when we know they have committed a crime is not good parenting--they need to pay for their crimes, otherwise, we invite more stupidity to arrive on our doorsteps--which is what happened to this child who was killed. If the father had never been in the home after committing a crime, the child would still be alive. When we do stupid, there is no need to look for fault in anyone other than ourselves.

God takes no delight in our foolishness, but He does delight in our willingness to obey and please Him. We demonstrate our willingness to obey and please Him by honoring His Word on a daily basis and not just on Sunday. For the Lord knows those who are His and though we may attempt to fool others or ourselves about a right relationship with Him, He is never fooled.

Instead of plotting to deceive Him or others, we should utilize the time in praising Him for His goodness and mercy. It is because of His love that we are yet able to do all the things we do. But we must remember that it is because of what He has poured into us that we are able to do anything, well.

Realizing His greatness and the place He has in our hearts and the role He plays in our lives--is cause to sing a new song of praise unto Him. When we know that everything we have or are capable of doing--the gifts He has given--deserve our praise to Him.

Some people think that blessings are only material possessions, but I declare the blessings of the Lord are His mercy, grace and love, and wisdom from above. I know I'm blessed because of His love and I will praise Him with every breath I take! For in my praise, He takes great delight!

Give Thanks!

It is good to give thanks to the LORD,
And to sing praises to Your name, O Most High;To declare Your lovingkindness in the morning,
And Your faithfulness every night,
On an instrument of ten strings,
On the lute,
And on the harp,
With harmonious sound.
For You, LORD, have made me glad through Your work;
I will triumph in the works of Your hands.
O LORD, how great are Your works!
Your thoughts are very deep. Psalm 92:1-5 NKJV

"O Give Thanks" appears 19 times in the King James Version and a reminder to us of thanksgiving--giving thanks 28 times.

If we are yet alive, breathing and able to see, hear, and move; have family that love us and friends who care, we have something we can give thanks to God for and if we have received His Son--the work on the cross--our means of salvation, then we can truly shout--Thank You, Lord!

Every day should be a day of giving thanks for if it had not been for The Lord on our side, where would we be?

I start each day, thanking God for life, health, strength, ability to move, see and talk. I thank Him for the wisdom He is constantly pouring into me and for loving me enough to use me to promote Him. It is His mercy and grace that have kept me thus far and it will be His mercy and grace that keeps me until He desires me to be with Him, for all eternity.

Thank You, Lord! If I had 10,000 tongues, I couldn't praise You enough and there are no words to express my gratitude for all You've done for me. But when we all get together, seated at Your feet, my love for You will radiate through the heavens, just as my love for You is now demonstrated in my desire to please You and You alone. For You and You alone are worthy of all praise!

Those are my thoughts about giving thanks! I pray that everyone who reads this today or whenever, will have just as much or more to be thankful for. He deserves our praise and thanks giving just because of who He is!

Because of His Love!

Because of the Lord's great love we are not consumed, for his compassions never fail. They are new every morning; great is your faithfulness. I say to myself, "The Lord is my portion, therefore I will wait for him." The Lord is good to those whose hope is in him, to the one who seeks him; it is good to wait quietly for the salvation of the Lord. Lamentations 3:22-26 NIV

"The steadfast love of The Lord never ceases, His mercies never come to an end, they are new every morning, new every morning, great is thy faithfulness O Lord, Great is thy faithfulness." The lyrics to this song--based on Jeremiah's insight--are just as true today as they were when Jeremiah first thought them.

It is because of God's love for us that we are not consumed by the fires: of envy, jealousy, hatred, disdain, rebelliousness, defiance, disrespect of others, and unruliness. It is because of His love that He places those whose hope is in Him in situations to warn, correct, guide and rebuke, others.

It is because of His love for us that we are still here, maintaining our hope in Him for peace in the land, joy in the hearts of all who proclaim His as Lord, and desire to live right before Him.

It is because of His love towards all who love Him that we are able to love the unlovable--those who refuse to heed instruction, are rebellious and defiant against authority, and are only concerned with what self wants. Yes, we love all, as we are commanded to love--doing what love does, but we do not have to like people who deliberately oppose themselves to God's ways.

We are admonished to obey authority when we recognize the authority is of God. We are admonished to do all things, decently and in order. We are reminded that God is not the author of confusion, and that means that Satan is. Where there is no order or structure--there is chaos and rebellion.

I have determined to live my life pleasing God--obeying His Word and I know that He will honor my desire because He always speaks to me--keeping me from making a fool of myself, and I hear and obey. That's Love!

I look forward to each and every day, waiting to see what The Lord has in store for me. With each challenge He allows to come my way, He has prepared me to respond in a manner that does not dishonor Him. That's Love!

When I am wrong, He doesn't hesitate to correct me and I receive the correction because I know that's what Love does.

It is because of His great Love for me, that I have not allowed the issues of the world to overcome me and land me in the pits of destruction. He has given me strength and insight, courage and boldness to stand firm on His Word, rising above the drama that Satan attempts to use to ensnare and my response to Him--is obedience--I spread my wings and rise above the foolishness of this world and soar with the Eagles. That's what Love does!

The Way We Were!

"All of us also lived among them at one time, gratifying the cravings of our flesh and following its desires and thoughts. Like the rest, we were by nature deserving of wrath. But because of His great love for us, God, who is rich in mercy, made us alive with Christ even when were dead in transgressions--it is by grace you have been saved." (Ephesians 2:3-5 NIV)

Memories light the corners of my mind
Misty water-colored memories of the way we were
Scattered pictures of the smiles we left behind
Smiles we gave to one another for the way we were

Can it be that it was all so simple then
Or has time rewritten every line
And if we had the chance to do it all again
Just tell me, tell me, would we, would we?
Could we, could we?

Memories may be beautiful and yet
So many memories too painful to remember
The way we were

When Barbara Streisand sang this song, it ignited thoughts of returning to a past time, understanding the good and the painful; however, when aligned with this passage of scripture, we are reminded that all of us indeed have a past, and some of it was not too pretty, and yet--we tend to criticize others for traveling the same path, we once took.

Why are we so critical of those who not have yet been introduced to Jesus Christ and certainly have not had time to develop a relationship with Him? It is easier to understand those living in sin who do not know Him more than it is acceptable for those who proclaim to know Him.  The saddest situation that one can see is for born-again Christians to support and promote a lifestyle contrary to God's Word. It would appear that they are more interested in returning to "the way they were" before knowledge of Christ and in keeping others in a position to know God's wrath, rather than His grace.

When Paul talks about our being dead in our transgressions--He references a point in our lives when we were spiritually dead before becoming spiritually alive--ready to receive what Holy Spirit has for us. Unfortunately, for some--being spiritually dead also lead to physical death caused by addictions and rebelliousness and a refusal to do what is right.

We see people on a daily basis whose countenances are bereft of hope and joy. They are simply going through the motions--not really enjoying life, and barely making it to see another day, with the same attitude. If we are truthful with ourselves, we recognize us--in some of those people we see--but thanks to someone who was praying for us or even noticing our bleakness--someone who cared enough to talk to us about Jesus, we are now living with hope and joy and we can smile for no reason, laugh out loud with a heartiness that is infectious and love people--no matter who they are. Thank God we are no longer the way we were, but we have been saturated with the grace of God, without regard to our former ways and we know who has redeemed us and saved us from ourselves.

Today, let's take the time and remember the way we were--before grace--and determine within ourselves to share God's love with others so they, too can know salvation through His Grace and have their spirits quickened through Holy Spirit. If we remember our journey to grace; our desire should be for everyone to make it to receive God's grace for themselves before He returns. That's love!

Defeating Grace!

"What shall we say, then? Shall we go on sinning so that grace may increase? By no means! We are those who have died to sin; how can we live in it any longer? Or don't you know that ALL of us who were baptized into Christ Jesus were baptized into his death? We were therefore buried with him through baptism into death in order that, just as Christ was raised from the dead through the glory of the Father, we too may live a new life" (Romans 6:1-4 NIV).

What shall we say--about sin and the grace given to us--when we didn't deserve it--giving us another chance to get living right for God? What shall we say about God's mercy--that kept us from receiving what we did deserve--when we knowingly opted to live in sin and yet, He loves us so much He was not willing to let us lay in the muck and mire we created for ourselves? Do we really understand that when we deliberately keep sinning--after all He's done for us--we defeat the entire purpose of grace?

There are many--who profess to love The Lord--who have no idea of the purpose of grace--they tend to get grace mixed up with forgiveness and that God will forgive us for what we do--so they keep living in sin--attempting to justify it, by saying, "God forgives!"

Oh yes, He does forgive us when we repent--turn away from doing all things that dishonor Him. But if people are simply mouthing a request to Him to forgive their sin when there has been no change of heart or turning away from what brought them into position to seek forgiveness--they waste their time. God is not deceived and He knows when they open their mouths, hearts have not been renewed in Him.

And this is what we see in our society's celebration of sin--against God--not man and the tragedy is that they refuse to see the sin; they justify it, and celebrate it, and see no need to repent. Without repentance--there is no forgiveness of sin. No court in the land on earth can ever determine what is sin and what is not. They may legalize  what God has called sin, but they can never redefine sin. And what mere mortals have forgotten is that no matter how many times they change what is legal or what is not--God never changes. Since He is the only person who can determine our place of eternity, I'd rather look to His instructions than man's.

For by grace--God's favor towards us--unmerited, unearned--have we been saved by the finished work on the cross. There is no more need for God to come down to offer Himself a sacrifice for us--that was completed over a long time ago--on the Old Rugged Cross, where He gave His life--took on sin so we would not have to suffer the consequence for sin--death. For the wages--the payment, final consequence of sin--is death. Accepting the finished work on the cross in the person of Jesus Christ, puts us into a position to develop a right relationship with Him and to know and understand more about how He wants us to live our lives--sin-free--honoring the grace He has given.

To continue to live in sin and celebrate it as a lifestyle defeats the grace given and we make a mockery of the finished work on the cross. Jesus sacrificed Himself in vain for some since they do not recognize the benefit of His sacrifice. For all who will not repent, they have only the lake of fire to expect as their eternal resting place. What a shame!

But for those of us who understand, let's move forward, maintaining our faith in Him and living to please Him so He will give us the desires of our hearts and stamp our names on our mansions in heaven--the place prepared for those who obey God. We accept the grace given and will not allow its purpose to be defeated in our lives. Hallelujah!

Great Is Your Faithfulness!

"I remember my affliction and my wandering, the bitterness and the gall. I well remember them, and my soul is downcast within me. Yet this I call to mind and therefore I have hope: Because of the Lord's great love we are not consumed, for his compassions never fail, they are new every morning; great is your faithfulness." (Lamentations 3:19-23 NIV)

This sounds like a passage of scripture we all could have written. Remembering those days when---we lived any way we wanted to live and reaped the consequences for our rebellion and opposition. When we caved to peer pressure and engaged in all sorts of illicit or immoral behavior. When we thought we were grown enough to do whatever we wanted to do. When our present was more important than our future because we gave no thought to our future. When people tried to tell us we were heading in the wrong direction and we would not listen and actually scorned those who tried to warn us.

And in spite of ourselves and our lack of wisdom and knowledge, God in His infinite mercy and love--showed us compassion when we were not able to show compassion to others and kept us for Himself and His purposes. Hallelujah for our compassionate and merciful and loving God. How great is He! Faithful to those who did not understand faithfulness. Loving those who did not understand how to love self and certainly no one else. Great is Your faithfulness, Lord to those of us who really didn't deserve it.

Never would we have found the courage to live a life pleasing to Him unless someone had prayed for us, had us on their minds, and God responded as only He can--with outstretched arms, willing and ready to forgive us, putting us on the right path, introducing us to His Son and His purpose in our lives.

I know there may be some reading this who cannot relate because they have lived perfect lives all of their lives--well this isn't for them. It's for the rest of us who had to find our way, through the muck and pits--having reached the end of ourselves so we would understand that without God--we have no existence worth living! We rejoice in His love and saving grace, for He didn't have to do it, but He did.

What He did for us--then and now--He'll do for others. It is His faithfulness towards mankind that will save them, just like it saved us. He will wait--until those who choose to live in opposition to Him reach the end of themselves and understand there is no live worth having without God in it and leading it. Though it appears that the world is headed for the lake of fire, God has a plan and His plan will succeed for all who are willing to heed the warnings and know His love.

God's faithfulness surpasses any human being's faithfulness because He doesn't keep a record of our wrongs, but keeps strengthening us to be strong in the Holy Spirit, who is always whispering in our ears and speaking to our hearts, God's Word, spoken to the faithful men of old, so we have continue to have hope, even when it seems like there is no hope for the lost.

Thank You for the mercies that are new every morning! Thank You for the love You keep shedding abroad in our hearts! Thank for the grace we receive to keep hope alive in every situation. Great is Your faithfulness, Lord unto to us! Keep praying for those on the wrong path!

Saved and Knowledgeable Of The Truth!

"I urge, then, first of all, that petitions, prayers, intercession and thanksgiving be made for all people--for kings and all those in authority, that we may live peaceful and quiet lives in all godliness and holiness. This is good, and pleases God our Savior, who wants all people to be saved and to come to a knowledge of the truth." (I Timothy 2:1-4 NIV)

Those of us who are saved--by the blood of The Lamb--and know Truth--as God said it--know what we are to do--in all situations.

We pray--not just for what we as individuals want, but for those in leadership at every level--heads of households, heads of local communities, heads of state governments and national governments, and world leaders--for all in authority--we pray that they will lead with Godly wisdom at all times--considering the needs of all people.

We intercede on behalf of those who do not know Truth that they will be brought into the marvelous light of Truth and know our Risen Savior as we do and will choose to live a life, pleasing to God. When we intercede for others--our focus is not on us, but them and while we're interceding for them--there may be others who are interceding for us and God is glorified in our efforts to consider others.

We give thanks on a daily basis for all God has done for us, all He is doing for us and all He will do for us--not just for things, but knowledge, wisdom, grace, and mercy. We thank Him for healing broken bodies and spirits. We thank Him for peace--in our homes and all over the world. We thank Him for the use of our limbs, for pouring wisdom into the minds of scientists everywhere so they will find cures for all manner of illnesses so all can live--a quality life.

When we discover the benefit of prayer--expecting God's response--believing He will answer--in His own timing--we can navigate life with the assurance that no matter what things look like, God will take of us. In the midst of the storms of life, when it seems like nothing is going right for us, we must remember that we are never alone--and God knows all about our trials and since He has purposed for us a life that will glorify Him, we can rest assured--His plans will come to pass.

No matter what our situations or how long it takes for our loved ones to accept the work on the Cross, if we continue to believe God for their salvation, He will do it and the experience with Him, will put them on the right path--where knowledge of God will become the focus of their attention and they will live a life, abundantly blessed.

Father, in the name of Jesus,

I thank You for us enough to come down to earth, experience life as we know it and not sin, and sacrifice Yourself for us.

I thank You for grace, mercy, and Truth so we might know how to live, pleasing You.

I pray that You will speak to the hearts of every person in leadership of any kind, all over the world--providing them Wisdom from above and direction and instructions so all may live a peaceful life.

I pray that every Believer will continue to seek You in all things, continually desiring more of You--wisdom, grace, and mercy so we may share the knowledge with others.

I pray that every preacher, teacher, evangelist, prophet, pastor--by whatever title they use--will seek You and what it is You desire for them to speak to Your people.

I pray that in every building or place of worship--enclosed or outdoors--that Your Spirit will fall fresh and Your anointing will enable all to do Your Will in all situations.

I stand against the works of the enemy who will influence hatred and violence and living in opposition to You.

I pray all Believers will become so full of You they will stand on Your Word, no matter what the enemy attempts to do to discourage them. I declare boldness and courage shall be their badges of honor wherever they go, exercising wisdom in all things, to Your glory.

All this I believe and praise You for doing, In Jesus' name, I declare it is done.
Amen!

Worldly Wisdom is The World's Way; Grace is God's Gift!

"Now this is our boast: Our conscience testifies that we have conducted ourselves in the world, and especially in our relations with you, with integrity and godly sincerity. We have done so, relying not on worldly wisdom but on God’s grace." (2 Corinthians 1:12 NIV)

One of the problems we have in our society with boasting--being puffed up with pride--is that we tend to think more highly of ourselves than we ought. We boast of our accomplishments as if we do everything on our own, never giving credit to the One who gives us the wisdom and the grace to accomplish--anything.

But there are some who when they are in the spotlight for winning an award who give thanks to God--I believe with the greatest hypocrisy--since God would not inspire them to sing songs with filthy, inflammatory lyrics, influence them to behave in unseemly conduct in movies and television, or in writing books that are total filth.

Then there are the few--who have accomplished much--who have no problem acknowledging God as the driving force behind their achievements.

I believe when we acknowledge our inability to think of doing anything worthwhile in and of ourselves and admit that it was the grace of God who kept us going--headed for the prize then we will have good success. Worldly wisdom--thinking about how we can impress the world or seeking the world's way of doing things doesn't amount to much to brag about. One of the reasons people claim they don't believe in God is because of science.  Well, I believe in science, too, but God created the world before we had use of the term, science. It is His wisdom and grace that has given mankind insight to understanding anything they understand about how He created things. And yet, with all that scientists (those who study and analyze to explain) have accomplished, they have yet to accomplish--recreating anything from absolutely nothing. Everything man has "invented" was because of the things--God had already created.

So, if we're going to brag about our accomplishments, let's give the credit to God who gives wisdom to all when we seek Him for it.

At the age of 46, I completed a Bachelor's degree; at 50 I went back to school to get teacher-certification, at 52 I completed my Master's degree and kept going until at 58, I had completed the coursework for my Doctorates degree. I have written over 25 books, published a gospel quarterly, written several plays, conducted a community choir, served as a volunteer chaplain in prison ministry for over 5 years, as well as in VA hospital, and have been promoting the Gospel of Jesus Christ for over 30 years--because of Him and who He is in my life. Hallelujah! I am still going strong because of Him and everything I do, is to bring honor and glory to Him! He has blessed my coming and going and I know He will continue to do so as long as I focus on the things He has called me to do.

My boast is in The Lord and the grace He gives for me to accomplish all He has planned for me to do. Worldly wisdom--considering my age--would have kept me from doing anything, but God's grace was sufficient and carried me through, reminding me that age is merely a number used by man to measure our time on earth. I can do all things through Him who strengthens me and gives me His wisdom to succeed. And the best thing is--He is not a respecter of persons; what He's done for me, He'll do for anyone who Believes and obeys Him.

Why All The Noise!

"Shout for joy, you heavens; rejoice, you earth; burst into song, you mountains! For the LORD comforts his people and will have compassion on his afflicted ones." (Isaiah 43:13 NIV)

Once the Prophet Isaiah has assured the children of Israel will not allow them to go hungry or die of thirst or heat from the sun, he infers that even the heavens, all the earth, and the mountains should praise the Lord for His compassion and comfort of those who have been persecuted.

The same God, who would not leave His chosen people to their own devices, loved them in spite of them and after a time--giving them room to reflect upon their behavior--He still decided to make sure they had everything they needed and would be saved their persecutors. The same God--will do the same those of us who have chosen Him--and He has received us unto Himself. He will not allow us to suffer lack when we obey Him.

We can look around us and see those who have chosen to live in opposition to His Word and know that their end--will not the same as those who live according to His Word. God is not mocked and He will not bless mess, corruption, rebellion, and disobedience. People may think they're getting away with something, but they are not. And when we understand this, we can keep our faith moving forward, not focused on the foolishness of man, but on the mercy, grace and love of God who will redeem us from the hands of the enemy.

Shout for joy all you people who love The Lord! Sing praises unto Him who loves us in spite of us and will not allow us to suffer lack. Dance in the victory of being an overcomer for we shall overcome all the enemy puts in our path to defeat us--we are more than conquerors. We have a right to make "some noise" over all He is doing for us and will do when we allow Him to guide us in all things! Hallelujah!

I don't know about you, but when I think about Jesus and all He has done, I could dance, dance, dance, all day! Singing a new song, from the depths of my soul as my heart rejoices in His goodness and mercy that endures forever!

Are you ready? Shout in the name of Jesus! Hallelujah! Glory to Your Name, Lord!

This Present House!

‘The glory of this present house will be greater than the glory of the former house,’ says the LORD Almighty. ‘And in this place I will grant peace,’ declares the LORD Almighty.” (Haggai 2:9 NIV)

Though the prophet was speaking to the priests who wanted to rebuild the temple, what He prophesied was not just about a physical building, but building the Body of Christ.

Are we not the temple where the Holy Spirit dwells? Are we not supposed to be consecrated and worthy of His presence in our lives?

For those who think that Old Testament scriptures are "literally" just for that era, I encourage you to look again and not just see what is said regarding the Law, but for those who are living according to the grace shown us so we might know how to honor our bodies in reverence of Him.

In previous versus of Scriptures, the prophet tells the priests that God owns all the silver and gold and He hears the cries of the nations and the nations will receive what they desire--peace in the land. But we cannot have peace in the land until we have peace in our spirits and peace overflows from within to without--into homes, communities, and then the nations.

What we must do now is clean house--clean our spiritual house and rid it of all debris--thoughts that grieve Holy Spirit and cause us not to hear Him. We must rid of ourselves of hatred and biases that do nothing to bring people into a right relationship with God. And being the catalyst--to steering people into receptivity of God's mercy and grace, is what we're really supposed to be building--not the physical edifices that bring glory to us--but the spiritual edifices that bring glory to God.

What about us--right now? Are we ready to see the glory of this present house--in our spiritual temples--be filled beyond our imaginations with God's goodness and His peace?

As long as we harbor bitterness and resentment, unforgiveness and grudges against others, His peace cannot abide within and if there is no peace within, there will be no peace without. Let's clean house--leaving only room for the glory of the Lord to fill it and then know peace!