Don't get electrocuted!

Morning friends! I have been up since about 3am with my mind running a marathon. Our Sunday school lesson this week is from James 1:1-11, and it's about trials that we face. I woke up and thought of nothing more that how the devil hunts! How he hunts us. Let's dig into the good stuff and see if it can help us......

Bible Verse: Peter 5:8 "Be sober, be vigilant; because your adversary the devil, as a roaring lion, walketh about, seeking whom he may devour." 

Our adversary the devil is prowling about like a roaring lion. Why do we underestimate his power? Would you if you were weaponless on the plains of Africa where lions prowl around? I think not! You would be ever aware of your surroundings, ready for an attack. Heck, most likely expecting an attack. Why are we so naive and don't think  our life should be treated the same way? Ok, let's look at it this way. Satan is an enemy you need to respect like an electrician who has respect for the wires that carry deadly voltage. Just for the record, I have been shocked numerous times while working on the remodel of our new house. I guess I forgot where the wires were insulated at times like a dummy. He knows exactly where the insulation is and he knows how to handle electricity. If an electrician loses his respect for this power, he is going to be in serious trouble. In the same way, if we forget who Satan is and what he can do to us! It can effect us greatly!

Everything may be going great for you right now. You've got money in the bank, a good job, good health, great marriage, awesome life! You're dancing through the forest and picking wildflowers. But behind a tree is a lion so deadly, he can pounce on us and swallow us whole. We've got to be vigilant. Let's be vigilant together and see what the trials of our life are! Most of the time they are Satan doing his best to be a "Wreck-it-Ralph" in our lives! Armor up peeps! Have a great day and God bless!

Helper or Hurter???????

Good morning! Finally got a day off and have a pretty busy schedule today! We are getting a new member added to our family today! The adoption process will be finalized today. I will be picking her up this morning. On another note, have been a knuckle head? Have you ever caused a situation to get ugly? Have you ever not been a helper? Basically, not helped the situation improve? Our behavior can either help or hurt a situation. In our relationships with our family members, friends, and even lost people. Heck, even other Christians. Let's dig into the good stuff and see what it shows us.......

Bible Verse: Romans 10:14 "How then shall they call on Him in whom they have not believed? and how shall they believe in Him of whom they have not heard? and how shall they hear without a preacher?"

The bottom line is, you are either a helper or a hurter when it comes to reaching the world for Christ and/or reaching those closes to you with love. Why? Because, like "Big Brother," the world is watching your "Sunday-go-to-church" behavior and wondering how it compares to your behavior the rest of the week. I know that I can be a total butthead sometimes and I think little horns even pop out of my head a little. We must realize that, this is exactly what the devil wants us to do! He wants us to be buttheads and show our hind ends! Do you do that? Or maybe it's just me. What do people see when then see you away from church? What do you kids see? What do they hear? I know that I so need a Jesus spanking sometimes! Maybe even stand in the corner! 

Ok, let's break this down Barney style! Do people see you giving your time and resources to help others when they're hurting? Do they witness how you treat your family? Or how you entertain your friends? Remember, you have eyes on you at all times! I am guilty! I struggle with being on my game sometimes and letting the secular world take over. So, if you would pray fro me, please say a little prayer and include me in it today! Thanks in advance! Have a great day and God bless!

Got seed???????

Good morning! Well, finished up my last midnight for a couple weeks. Ready to crash, but wanted to jot down a few thoughts. I was thinking a lot last night about worry and what we worry about. Had to wait till I got home to look up a scripture. See, I didn't take my Sword to work with me last night. Here's what I found. Let's dig into the good stuff and see what we can find.......

Bible Verse: Philippians 4:6 Be careful for nothing; but in every thing by prayer and
supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known unto God." 

Do you ever worry? I know I am guilty. I have worried about everything from the kids to the weather. Don't look around and point your finger at everyone else. Don't tell me you never worry! Even the least little bit? And yet the Bible so clearly tells us not to worry about anything but to pray about everything. Why is that so hard sometimes? Heck, most of the time! There are really only two classes of things that we don't need to worry about. Those things we cannot do anything about and the things we can do something about. The best thing you can say about worry is that it is useless. The worst thing you can say about it is that it makes God sad!

Worry is the opposite of faith. Faith of a mustard seed! Hebrews 11:6 says, "But without faith it is impossible to please Him: for he that cometh to God must believe that He is, and that He is a rewarder of them that diligently seek Him."

Feel like a broke down pack mule?????

Morning! Just got off midnights and wanted to jot down a bit before I crashed. Have you ever wondered why you were going through certain circumstances in your life that were hard or maybe even seemed impossible. Maybe the loss of a job, loss of a loved one, or maybe something that isn't that bad? I have heard people say God won't put more on you than you can handle. I believe with all my heart that when people make that statement they are wrong. God will put more on you than you can handle! He will load you down like a pack mule with more than you can handle. He will do that so you must rely on Him and not yourself. Maybe, just maybe you are going through those circumstances because He has plans for you in the future. Plans to use you in a mighty way through your scars. Plans to make you a witness for many that are going to go through the same type of thing. Let's dig into the good stuff and see what we find.......

Bible Verse: 1 Chronicles 4:10 "And Jabez called on the God of Israel, saying, Oh that Thou wouldest bless me indeed, and enlarge my coast, and that Thine hand might be with me, and that Thou wouldest keep me from evil, that it may not grieve me! And God granted him that which he requested." 

The story of Jabez is one of a man who wanted his influence to be enlarged. Hey listen, God can stretch you, as well. I feel like I have been stretched over the years. Now, I feel God is starting to restore things back to me one by one. Here is the problem, if you ask that God enlarge your influence or to help you be a better witness for Him, remember this! Psalm 4:1 says that God enlarged him when he was "in distress." Yeah, that means when he was struggling and hurting! You can expect that God may use distressing circumstances to do that same thing in you. You may not think so now, but the pain and the scars the pain will be worth it all.

When God enlarges you, He does so to fill you with more of Himself. Don’t be satisfied with God’s filling a small place if God wants to fill a larger place. Have you ever asked God for more? Have you ever said, "God I want more. I want You to enlarge my coasts. I don’t want just a blessing. I want to be used in a mighty way! Let's pray big prayers to a big God. If you know someone who is struggling today and going through some rough circumstances, lift them up in prayer and let them know you are praying for them. Have a great day and God bless!

Stay the course and remember your anchor...........

Good morning! I know I have been gone for awhile. I sat in our Veteran’s Outreach Small Group last night and was sharing about the devotion that I used to share. Well, I am unable share that devotion anymore and it got me thinking. I used to take the time and write my devotions and even had this blog. Who know’s, maybe its just for me, for me put my thoughts down, or maybe someone else is dealing with the same kind of things. Not all the things I write are about my life. Some are things friends share or struggles I know someone else is dealing with, but they are pretty much all problems that we all have at one point or another. So, I am going to try and start writing again. Hope you guys like them and if so, pass them along or not. I do take constructive criticism too! My wife might disagree, but I try! 

Bible Verse: Hebrews 6:19-20“…which hope we have as an anchor of the soul, both sure and steadfast…even Jesus."

So, how is your new year going so far? Going as planned? Have you hit some tough times already? We went on a cruise for Christmas and spent some amazing days out to sea. It brought back memories of my Navy days. What was cool in my eyes, probably wasn’t in many others. See, you could go to sleep and the sea be totally calm, and you could wake up and it be totally rough with a pretty good sea state. Alright, let’s dig into some of the good stuff. The New Year is like the ocean. There are going to be rough winds and waves at times. Heck, we’ll meet ships we never knew and we’ll have all kinds of opportunities as we travel into an uncharted time in our lives. The problem is that we can sometimes lose sight of where we are going and get caught up in the rough waters and storms of life, we must be careful that we do not drift into the narrow shoals or jagged rocks. We must keep our course going true and even at times alter our course to avoid terrible storms ahead.

The worst thing that could happen to us this coming year is that we just let this year happen to us rather than charting a course and going where God has planned for us. More than likely, you won’t decide to drift or get off course. It’ll just happen. You’ll be sailing along at a good clip, and then before you know it you’re off course and heading toward troubled waters or a rocky shore . . that can totally happen unless you have an anchor. I think we totally forget about our anchor and try and sail the seas on our own! Because we are prideful beasts! Yes, I am guilty of being prideful. Don’t tell anyone though!

Can you do me a favor? Take a few minutes to look on this past year. What were some things you did right... what were some things you would do differently this next year? Let’s dare to be different and so much better than we were last year!