IT's TIME TO COME HOME - 2023

This is the 7th year of these writings.  In the Bible, 7 often stands for completeness.  I evaluate each year if I continue to write, but if I do stop... this is likely the year that it ends, and I move on to other things.
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The Bible is filled with verses that are asking people to return to the Lord.   If it is stated that often, it’s likely very important.  The Lord’s key is under the mat during our short time on earth.  The hand that we don’t deserve and didn’t earn has placed the key where we can find it.  The Lord of all things is asking for you to accept his son as your savior (the only key)… and to come home to him.  
 
I have mentioned this before, but every single person is longing to be with God in the garden of Eden.  As it was before; it will be again for some of us. The depression, sadness, anger, hunger inside for many people is due to the void.  They are far away from home and need to find their way back.  Rich or poor, all or nothing on earth is meaningless without first accepting Jesus as your savior (coming home).  I hope this year’s writings helps you understand how to help others find their key and make the choice to be saved.
 
Zechariah 1:3
Therefore say to them, ‘Thus says the Lord of hosts, “Return to Me,” declares the Lord of hosts, “that I may return to you,” says the Lord of hosts.

The Challenge - December

Peace be with each of you!
 Without God, life is meaningless.  Let’s all choose to live a life full of meaning.  It has been a pleasure to share these writings with you for the last 7 years. They will stay on the site if you ever want to share or revisit.  I hope they have made you think and grow in your relationship with God. 
 
God is unchanged and clear on the expectations:

• Follow the example set by Jesus Christ, believe in him
• Repent of your sins
• Obey the 10 commandments with a focus on loving the Lord and your neighbor

 
That is the DAILY challenge I leave you with:

• Pray for Wisdom for God to be first in your life
• Pray to have your eyes and ears opened
• Pray that God helps you understand his plan for you
• Be ready to help others and share your story of faith

 
If you truly do this and spend time in God’s company each day….. it will change your perspective on life; therefore, it will ensure your future is spent in Heaven with your Lord and Savior.

This life is guaranteed to have hard times, but that should not stop you from praying and praising God regardless.  We need bold people and businesses to stand up and share the gospel.
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LOVE, FORGIVE, PRAY, REPENT …. I pray for you to accept the challenge and for your journey in Christ. 

Apostles' Creed
I believe in God, the Father Almighty,
maker of heaven and earth;
 
And in Jesus Christ his only Son, our Lord;
who was conceived by the Holy Spirit,
born of the Virgin Mary,
suffered under Pontius Pilate,
was crucified, dead, and buried;
the third day he rose from the dead;
he ascended into heaven,
and sitteth at the right hand of God the Father Almighty;
from thence he shall come to judge the quick and the dead.
 
I believe in the Holy Spirit,
the holy catholic church,
the communion of saints,
the forgiveness of sins,
the resurrection of the body,
and the life everlasting. Amen.

Matthew 10:16
16 “Behold, I am sending you out as sheep in the midst of wolves, so be wise as serpents and innocent as doves.
 
Mark 12:28-31
28 And one of the scribes came up and heard them disputing with one another, and seeing that he answered them well, asked him, “Which commandment is the most important of all?” 29 Jesus answered, “The most important is, ‘Hear, O Israel: The Lord our God, the Lord is one. 30 And you shall love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind and with all your strength.’ 31 The second is this: ‘You shall love your neighbor as yourself.’ There is no other commandment greater than these.”
 
Isaiah 35:5
5 Then the eyes of the blind shall be opened,
    and the ears of the deaf unstopped;
 
Romans 9:14-16
14 What shall we say then? Is there injustice on God's part? By no means! 15 For he says to Moses, “I will have mercy on whom I have mercy, and I will have compassion on whom I have compassion.” 16 So then it depends not on human will or exertion, but on God, who has mercy.
 
Galatians 1:10
10 Am I now trying to win the approval of human beings, or of God? Or am I trying to please people? If I were still trying to please people, I would not be a servant of Christ.

Prayer - God's Cell Phone - November

​Focusing on God is the ticket; nothing else matters… as crazy as that sounds in our world today.  The reason is that if your totally focused on following God.. then you’ll be doing the right things in every aspect of your life.  The right things are not easy things.
 
God chose you first and is constantly seeking you.  Our pride, jealousy and focus on items other than God are what keep us blind.  God is everywhere around you, asking you to accept his son, accept the love that changes your life.  When I hear someone say that they found God, that makes no sense to me.  It would make more sense to say that someone finally put God as a top priority and now they realize he was there all along. 

God does not change, people do.  
The way to accept and open your eyes to God is Prayer. Time spent in God’s company is the best time. 
 
Don’t ask for the earthly things that pull you away from God, like to be powerful and rich.  Pray like Solomon did for wisdom and the ability to lead/help others.  Read the bible, my favorite is the one-year Chronological Bible… about to start my 5th year.  Pray for understanding.
 
Pray as Jesus said –
Matthew 6:9-13
9 “This, then, is how you should pray:  “‘Our Father in heaven, hallowed be your name,
10 your kingdom come, your will be done, on earth as it is in heaven.
11 Give us today our daily bread.
12 And forgive us our debts, as we also have forgiven our debtors.
13 And lead us not into temptation but deliver us from the evil one.

​Mark 11:24
Therefore I tell you, whatever you ask in prayer, believe that you have received it, and it will be yours.
 
James 5:16
Therefore, confess your sins to one another and pray for one another, that you may be healed. The prayer of a righteous person has great power as it is working.
 
Philippians 4:6
Do not be anxious about anything, but in everything by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known to God.
 
Matthew 6:6
But when you pray, go into your room and shut the door and pray to your Father who is in secret. And your Father who sees in secret will reward you.

God'S People - October

There will be three more months of writings and I’ll move on to whatever God has in store for me.  After this month, November will be about the importance of prayer and December will be a challenge for you.  I’m concerned with years of writings that the point has not been made about who are God’s people. 
 
As the world starts to pick sides as it did in the decades prior to WWI and WWII, it is key to note that God’s early covenant was with all living things (humans, animals, fish and birds).  One God for everything… the book of Genesis defines God’s covenant with Noah and all humanity.  There are a lot of people that feel left out today and also a lot who say they believe in God, but they do not relate it with anything to learn or act upon.  All people are included in God’s covenant with humanity.
 
After Noah, the Jewish people did not start till Abraham and God’s law was not given until Moses.  Was Israel chosen for themselves?  No, they were chosen to be a light for all of humanity.  To show that a small amount of people could accomplish unimaginable things because of their God.  Israel was set apart and God said not to intermarry with other peoples, due to the fact that other nations had their gods and cultures that pulled Israel away from worshiping the one true God.
 
It was a sinful world that needed a way to be forgiven, and it had to be done by fulfilling the prophecies of old.  The suffering was great, and all eyes were watching for the messiah to come re-establish Israel.

It was not at all what earthly leaders or even the devil were looking for..…. they thought it would be done through power/strength….. but God did it through love.  Sin is only cured through sacrifice and God had a plan to send the ultimate sacrifice, the perfect example for all to see.  Sending his only son, the people thought they were winning to kill him…. but they were accepting the sacrifice, nailing the death of sin for everyone on earth that chooses to be a part. 

​It changed everything.  The devil realized he lost the war and has been trying everything ever since to have people focus on themselves and power rather than Jesus and loving their God and neighbor.  It was bold, crazy and mind blowing how God orchestrated a savior for all people on earth and unleashed the Holy Spirit. The lowest bar of requirements is that God asked that you believe in his son, Jesus.  And if you truly believe, then you will put God above the need for pride, money, power and put other’s needs before yours.
 
So, YOU are God’s people.  Take some time each day to think about what an awesome gift and opportunity you have been given. 

Genesis 9:8-11
8 Then God said to Noah and to his sons with him: 9 “I now establish my covenant with you and with your descendants after you 10 and with every living creature that was with you—the birds, the livestock and all the wild animals, all those that came out of the ark with you--every living creature on earth. 11 I establish my covenant with you: Never again will all life be destroyed by the waters of a flood; never again will there be a flood to destroy the earth.”

Genesis 12:3
I will bless those who bless you, and whoever curses you I will curse; and all peoples on earth will be blessed through you.”
 
Exodus 19:5
Now therefore, if you will indeed obey my voice and keep my covenant, you shall be my treasured possession among all peoples, for all the earth is mine;
 
Isaiah 49:6
6 he says: “It is too small a thing for you to be my servant to restore the tribes of Jacob and bring back those of Israel I have kept.  I will also make you a light for the Gentiles, that my salvation may reach to the ends of the earth.”

The Mistake of a Lifetime - September

Matthew 20:1-16
20 “For the kingdom of heaven is like a landowner who went out early in the morning to hire workers for his vineyard. 2 He agreed to pay them a denarius for the day and sent them into his vineyard.  3 “About nine in the morning he went out and saw others standing in the marketplace doing nothing. 4 He told them, ‘You also go and work in my vineyard, and I will pay you whatever is right.’ 5 So they went.  “He went out again about noon and about three in the afternoon and did the same thing. 6 About five in the afternoon he went out and found still others standing around. He asked them, ‘Why have you been standing here all day long doing nothing?’
7 “‘Because no one has hired us,’ they answered. “He said to them, ‘You also go and work in my vineyard.’  8 “When evening came, the owner of the vineyard said to his foreman, ‘Call the workers and pay them their wages, beginning with the last ones hired and going on to the first.’  9 “The workers who were hired about five in the afternoon came and each received a denarius. 10 So when those came who were hired first, they expected to receive more. But each one of them also received a denarius. 11 When they received it, they began to grumble against the landowner. 12 ‘These who were hired last worked only one hour,’ they said, ‘and you have made them equal to us who have borne the burden of the work and the heat of the day.’  13 “But he answered one of them, ‘I am not being unfair to you, friend. Didn’t you agree to work for a denarius? 14 Take your pay and go. I want to give the one who was hired last the same as I gave you. 15 Don’t I have the right to do what I want with my own money? Or are you envious because I am generous?’  16 “So the last will be first, and the first will be last.”
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This story is spot on!  The biggest mistake Christians make is to think that they are better than anyone else.  We are NOT!  There are a very large number of people that moved away from seeking God because Christians (churches) made them feel judged and inferior.  Our God is better than anything… that is the only thing about Christians that should be seen as superior.  Christian’s cheat, lie, steal, hurt, rape, murder…. every vile thing that people with no religion or all other religions do.   We are special because our God loves us, because we worship God and because of his ways and forgiveness.  Nothing about you or me is special without God. This is a slap in the face to today’s society and the way most people feel down to their core these days.  It was radical 2,000 years ago and it is radical now.  It gets to the heart of loving our neighbor.
 
This is why the Bible tells us not to judge.  The most famous apostle, Saul persecuted Christians prior to being converted to be a Christian. (name changed to Paul).  The days are coming when Christians will be the focus of terrible things……unjustly punished and unprotected.  It is already happening, but on a scale where most people don’t recognize it.  The brighter the person’s light… the more it attracts the dark souls whom the light hurts.
 
The mistake of a lifetime is to believe you are better than others because of you….. pride must be lowered, and Jesus must be raised as the main focus in our lives. 

The Parable of the Good Samaritan
Luke 10:30-37
30 In reply Jesus said: “A man was going down from Jerusalem to Jericho, when he was attacked by robbers. They stripped him of his clothes, beat him and went away, leaving him half dead. 31 A priest happened to be going down the same road, and when he saw the man, he passed by on the other side. 32 So too, a Levite, when he came to the place and saw him, passed by on the other side. 33 But a Samaritan, as he traveled, came where the man was; and when he saw him, he took pity on him. 34 He went to him and bandaged his wounds, pouring on oil and wine. Then he put the man on his own donkey, brought him to an inn and took care of him. 35 The next day he took out two denarii and gave them to the innkeeper. ‘Look after him,’ he said, ‘and when I return, I will reimburse you for any extra expense you may have.’
 
36 “Which of these three do you think was a neighbor to the man who fell into the hands of robbers?”
 
37 The expert in the law replied, “The one who had mercy on him.”
 
Jesus told him, “Go and do likewise.”

Proverbs 11:2
When pride comes, then comes disgrace, but with the humble is wisdom.
 
Proverbs 29:23
One's pride will bring him low, but he who is lowly in spirit will obtain honor.
 
Proverbs 8:13
The fear of the Lord is hatred of evil. Pride and arrogance and the way of evil and perverted speech I hate.
 
James 4:6
But he gives more grace. Therefore it says, “God opposes the proud but gives grace to the humble.”

UNDERSTANDING GOD - AUGUST

​Last month was about Faith and how hard times test us to strengthen our faith.  It is important for each Christian to come to an understanding with God.  Not understand God but come to an understanding.  Anyone who says they clearly understand God has not really thought that one through.  We simply do not know why the planets, animals and people operate the way they do.  Why people are blessed or cursed regardless of being righteous or wicked.
 
When people don’t have faith, it is very hard for them to understand life… why things they think are good and bad happen to certain people.  They say “how could a good God allow such things to happen?”  They could not be farther from understanding, which is God created all things, and he will bless, humble and punish as he wishes.  What we see as the worst; God may see as a path to the best.  Christians must understand and be able to see adversity as God’s will and his blessings as his grace. Without this understanding, it will be a miserable life of blaming God for anything that seems bad to us.
 
Prayer is key to gaining this understanding with God.  These are the topics we have covered this year…. let’s tie them together.  It you keep the faith, seek true happiness, ask for forgiveness, expect adversity, know you are God’s priority, you will be allowed to gain an understanding (now you can see) and your own house (soul) will be clean.  The more we operate like this… the more our Lord will allow us to understand our relationship with him.  This has nothing to do with social status, your IQ or how intelligent you are….. it is all about submitting/humbling yourself before God to gain an understanding of your place with him.  You know where you are going; let’s act like it till we get there.

2 Peter 3:18
But grow in the grace and knowledge of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. To him be the glory both now and to the day of eternity. Amen.

Exodus 33:19
19 And the LORD said, “I will cause all my goodness to pass in front of you, and I will proclaim my name, the LORD, in your presence. I will have mercy on whom I will have mercy, and I will have compassion on whom I will have compassion.

Jeremiah 9:23-24
Thus says the Lord: “Let not the wise man boast in his wisdom, let not the mighty man boast in his might, let not the rich man boast in his riches, but let him who boasts boast in this, that he understands and knows me, that I am the Lord who practices steadfast love, justice, and righteousness in the earth. For in these things I delight, declares the Lord.”

Romans 12:2
Do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewal of your mind, that by testing you may discern what is the will of God, what is good and acceptable and perfect.

Keeping the Faith - July

​Faith is an attitude of trust that God is in control, as the world around you says people can control everything.  Faith is openness to what God has planned.  Last month was about finding true happiness and we have also covered asking for forgiveness.  Repenting, nor true happiness can begin without believing in God’s son as your savior.  If you believe that… then you are showing Faith that you know how your book ends.
 
Faith is easy when life is easy.  Faith is not real until life gets hard.  If you ever wonder why life gets hard, then now you understand why.  It seems bad, but it has a purpose.  For most people, faith is built during hard times and is carried over into an easier life.  Others are born with faith and never waiver, but most struggle with “why” life gets hard… and get caught up in either feeling sorry for themselves, blaming others and being angry with God.
 
One of the most fundamental statements of faith is this: your life is not about you. Faith that your life is about something bigger than yourself is key.  Faith that your rewards are in Heaven is why you can know that suffering on earth is worth it.
 
The last point about faith is that is goes beyond reason.  Strange statement, but Christians are not reasonable people when it comes to their faith.  It is not reasonable that there is a God that created us, gave us free will, went ahead and offered us everlasting life not for anything we did, but only asks that we believe in his son (have faith). 

We will succeed, we will fail… that is earthly life, but faith is why we get back up, pray more often and keep on making this life all it can be.  That cycle continues to the end of our book, when faith meets not reason, but THE REASON: 
Matthew 6:10
Thy kingdom come, Thy will be done in earth, as it is in heaven.

Mark 11:22-24
And Jesus answered them, “Have faith in God. Truly, I say to you, whoever says to this mountain, ‘Be taken up and thrown into the sea,’ and does not doubt in his heart, but believes that what he says will come to pass, it will be done for him. Therefore I tell you, whatever you ask in prayer, believe that you have received it, and it will be yours.
 
Hebrews 11:1
Now faith is the assurance of things hoped for, the conviction of things not seen.
 
Matthew 21:22
And whatever you ask in prayer, you will receive, if you have faith.”
 
Hebrews 11:6
And without faith it is impossible to please him, for whoever would draw near to God must believe that he exists and that he rewards those who seek him.
 
Romans 10:17
So faith comes from hearing, and hearing through the word of Christ.

How to find True Happiness - June

This year, we have covered: cleaning up our own life, knowing your God’s priority, helping others find Jesus, sharing the gospel is not easy and accepting responsibility by asking for forgiveness.

I want to cover how to be happy when living this type of life.  The more committed you are… it can be overwhelming...... read Daniel, Ezekiel or Jeremiah.
Let’s look at Matthew 5.  It is the Sermon on the Mount, and it begins with qualities of people that will belong to the Kingdom of Heaven.
 
It is nothing short of shocking….. society would think people to get a heavenly prize would be the strong, powerful, famous, wise, rulers, warriors, visionaries…. and of the top class.  Oh, how Heaven is truly the opposite of what society thinks.  Society says… fill myself up, pump up the pride.. see how great I am…  look at what I control…. LOOK AT ME!!!!!
 
If you want to be truly happy… you have to make it not about you.  Helping others is a very high level of removing pride, to mourn/ask for forgiveness, stay humble/meek/merciful when you could take advantage of others.

I realize it is not logical, but it is 100% true.  Why do you think there are so many people that have all that earthly status… are so unhappy?  Focus on yourself without God, and happiness will slowly or quickly fade away.
 
This might be the hardest to understand.  It has nothing to do with earthly success.  You can be rich or poor and still be with or without God. To live in these Godly ways, you will suffer.  What does that mean? 

We are human and by nature, wrong… so it hurts us to:

• swallow our pride
• to accept responsibility
• to ask for forgiveness
• to give away what we have rightly earned
• to show mercy to those who we feel don’t deserve it
• to promote peace when we want to attack our enemies
• to forgive others when they are persecuting you

 
That is the suffering that is throughout the 8 beatitudes… and Jesus lived them, taught them and is still teaching them.

Let me give Bishop Barron a lot of credit for this writing… he states things much better than I ever could:  The Key to Happiness - Bishop Barron's Sunday Sermon - YouTube
 
Most won’t believe, but those that commit to living life to see the Kingdom of Heaven will understand that there is a different level of happiness, peace and joy that you find when you live out Jesus’s teachings.
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It’s never been easy, so I will be praying for you, me, and everyone to remove our pride and have a servant mindset….. what a change this world would see. 

Matthew 5:1-10
5 Now when Jesus saw the crowds, he went up on a mountainside and sat down. His disciples came to him, 2 and he began to teach them.
 
The Beatitudes
He said:
 
3 “Blessed are the poor in spirit,
    for theirs is the kingdom of heaven.
4 Blessed are those who mourn,
    for they will be comforted.
5 Blessed are the meek,
    for they will inherit the earth.
6 Blessed are those who hunger and thirst for righteousness,
    for they will be filled.
7 Blessed are the merciful,
    for they will be shown mercy.
8 Blessed are the pure in heart,
    for they will see God.
9 Blessed are the peacemakers,
    for they will be called children of God.
10 Blessed are those who are persecuted because of righteousness,
    for theirs is the kingdom of heaven.

Psalm 37:4
Delight yourself in the Lord, and he will give you the desires of your heart.
 
2 Corinthians 12:10
For the sake of Christ, then, I am content with weaknesses, insults, hardships, persecutions, and calamities. For when I am weak, then I am strong.
 
Philippians 4:11-13
Not that I am speaking of being in need, for I have learned in whatever situation I am to be content. I know how to be brought low, and I know how to abound. In any and every circumstance, I have learned the secret of facing plenty and hunger, abundance and need. I can do all things through him who strengthens me.

Ask for IT - May

​Last month was about how the journey can be a rocky one for Christians and for people interested in becoming Christians.  This month, I have an answer for those who suffer from anxiety and need mental health days to function.

There is nothing clearer in the Bible than we are all sinners and that we must have Jesus to be saved. Christians must in today’s "no responsibility" society… we must accept responsibility for our actions and ask for forgiveness.
How can sinners that know Jesus be forgiven of their sins?…. You ask for it!  
 
I did not try to count them all, but there are hundreds of bible verses that deal with forgiveness and repentance.
Life is a cycle; sin is a cycle…. repentance is a cycle.  God has a way with each of his children to reach them and turn us in the right direction.
 
You don’t have to be Catholic and go to confession to ask for forgiveness…. the beauty of it is that you can ask for forgiveness anywhere/anytime.  Besides the fact of asking… the biggest factor might be that you truly are seeking to be forgiven.  A little harder in a society that finds it offensive that you would need to be forgiven for your actions.
 
Acts gets better, every time I read it.  Read Acts 3:17-21.
 
People can’t remove the need to be forgiven, but they can remove the fact that they feel responsible and believe they don’t require forgiveness.  Ancient Israel went through mean cycles of good times, bad times, repenting… over and over.  The United States is in dire need of repenting… it will be a hard future as we refuse to believe God is the answer.
 
It can start one person at a time.  It is very important to keep the Holy Spirit close and it won’t stay close unless you are praying and asking for forgiveness.  Being forgiven opens the door for you to forgive others.  Super important.
If you’re not in a habit of asking for it…. ASK FOR IT each and every day.  Help others ask for it.  You’re actually asking for what everyone is seeking… inner peace, and you don’t have to take a mental health day to get it. 

Acts 3:17-21
17 “And now, brothers, I know that you acted in ignorance, as did also your rulers. 18 But what God foretold by the mouth of all the prophets, that his Christ would suffer, he thus fulfilled. 19 Repent therefore, and turn back, that your sins may be blotted out, 20 that times of refreshing may come from the presence of the Lord, and that he may send the Christ appointed for you, Jesus, 21 whom heaven must receive until the time for restoring all the things about which God spoke by the mouth of his holy prophets long ago.

1 John 1:9
If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness.
 
2 Peter 3:9
The Lord is not slow to fulfill his promise as some count slowness, but is patient toward you, not wishing that any should perish, but that all should reach repentance.
 
2 Chronicles 7:14
If my people who are called by my name humble themselves, and pray and seek my face and turn from their wicked ways, then I will hear from heaven and will forgive their sin and heal their land.
 
Mark 11:25
And whenever you stand praying, forgive, if you have anything against anyone, so that your Father also who is in heaven may forgive you your trespasses.”

Expect the Waves - April

​This writing assumes you're out there living life, sharing your story when you can and have open eyes to the needs of others.  If you’re really doing it… it comes with ups and downs.

You got to know you’re not in Heaven; you’re on the fallen earth… the devil’s playground.  Every dark force will push against you and others that you are trying to help.  It is a spiritual battle, and it is being fought all around you. The struggle is when you know you’re on the right track.
 
I don’t want this to be discouraging, but you do need to have real expectations…. that I am not selling you earthly bliss.  I am sharing with you a life that is worth living AND you finish with eternity in Heaven (yes, bliss and all that comes with it).

There are going to be people who don’t do business with you, unfriend you, mock you and many who just keep their distance as to not have conversations with you.  The Lord did not make it easy on the disciples, apostle Paul or most any of the outspoken Christians over time… there is nothing that says it will be easy for us.  The Lord has reasons for everything, and they are ALL good.  Read Romans 5:3-5 and then Mark 4:35-41.  It is a famous story for all of us. When it gets hard, even really bad… we have to trust in Jesus.
 
In the same breath, when someone is saved for whatever reason… please make sure you privately or publicly appreciate the moment.  Take great joy in it and thank the Lord for the opportunity to have been involved.
 
Luke 15:7
7 I tell you that in the same way there will be more rejoicing in heaven over one sinner who repents than over ninety-nine righteous persons who do not need to repent.
 
Reach out if you ever need help on your journey.  I’ll be praying for you. 

Romans 5:3-5
3 Not only so, but we also glory in our sufferings, because we know that suffering produces perseverance; 4 perseverance, character; and character, hope. 5 And hope does not put us to shame, because God’s love has been poured out into our hearts through the Holy Spirit, who has been given to us.
 
Mark 4:35-41
35 That day when evening came, he said to his disciples, “Let us go over to the other side.” 36 Leaving the crowd behind, they took him along, just as he was, in the boat. There were also other boats with him. 37 A furious squall came up, and the waves broke over the boat, so that it was nearly swamped. 38 Jesus was in the stern, sleeping on a cushion. The disciples woke him and said to him, “Teacher, don’t you care if we drown?”  39 He got up, rebuked the wind and said to the waves, “Quiet! Be still!” Then the wind died down and it was completely calm.  40 He said to his disciples, “Why are you so afraid? Do you still have no faith?”  41 They were terrified and asked each other, “Who is this? Even the wind and the waves obey him!”

God's Priority is YOU, Share IT! - March

So, January you got your own house in order and February you opened your eyes and ears to the needs of people around you.  You are helping them, and they are curious why..… they are appreciative, but skeptical.  You have mentioned your Savior helped you and you’re following that example.

Now what?
There are a lot of ways this can go, but I’ll give you the normal path and hopefully it is helpful.  The truth is that most people don’t want to know much more than you’re a Christian these days.  They are so afraid of the light shining on them that they had rather avoid anything that will make them face their shortcomings.  That is why you will likely need to share your point in a story.  People relate to stories; they allow the light to shine on a character rather than themselves…. at least that is how it plays out in their head.  

It is likely time for you to share your story of being saved and/or a story of someone you personally know.  Very few things are more powerful than sharing this message from God, through you.  And still, it will likely only plant a seed…. Today, people need to be suffering to a large degree to seek the Lord… society is giving them every option to be a victim.  Pray about it and tell your story; let the outcome fall where it may…. You’re God’s messenger and will be blessed for sharing the message.  Don’t think that Matthew 28:18-20 was just for the first disciples. 
 
No doubt, most people have other things as top priorities….the common ones are money, job, family, sports, and the harder ones are types of addiction.  Most of those are not bad things, as long as they are not held to a higher regard than God.  You can’t make them ready…..only when they are ready…. it will be your job to explain how a character (hopefully you) shifted priorities in life to put God on top, how you realized that you were God’s priority, and that your life would only be right when God was your top priority.
 
Keep it super easy, use Jesus’s words:  Matthew 22:36-39
36 “Teacher, which is the great commandment in the Law?” 37 And he said to him, “You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind. 38 This is the great and first commandment. 39 And a second is like it: You shall love your neighbor as yourself.
 
Then advise them to pray, ask Jesus to forgive them and to come into their life.  Let Jesus take over from there in regard to their prayers.  You can take people to the board, but you can’t make them take the plunge.  After that……Be supportive, invite them to church, small group or whatever you feel is best.
 
It is not easy, never has been… and will continue to be hard to bring people to Christ.  I really believe there are 3 lines in Heaven when we get there…. and the shortest, but best greeting line is the line of people you had a hand in saving.  I don’t think it gets any better than that. 

2 Timothy 4:3-4
For the time is coming when people will not endure sound teaching, but having itching ears they will accumulate for themselves teachers to suit their own passions, and will turn away from listening to the truth and wander off into myths.
 
Matthew 28:18-20
And Jesus came and said to them, “All authority in heaven and on earth has been given to me. Go therefore and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, teaching them to observe all that I have commanded you. And behold, I am with you always, to the end of the age.”
 
1 John 1:9
If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness.
 
2 Peter 3:9
The Lord is not slow to fulfill his promise as some count slowness, but is patient toward you, not wishing that any should perish, but that all should reach repentance.

For Now You can See! - February

​The things that you deal with to get your own religious house in order are usually the things that allow you to help others find God.  People that have experience with divorce, deaths, financial issues, addiction are in certain places for a reason…. to use that experience to help others. 

God uses the least of us to help the most people…. never underestimate God’s ability working through you.  Don’t let your past issues make you think that you’re not able to help others…. that is a lie.
 
There is a big step when you’re ready. 
Every day, every hour… you pray for God to open your eyes/ears to see the needs of other people.  Pray for wisdom, clarity, and discernment to be able to see/meet the needs of others.  This will be one of the most unselfish things you ever do.  I can’t tell you what you’ll find, but I can tell you that you will be amazed that you spent so much of your life with your head down taking selfies.  Once you start this type of prayer…. make it a habit to continue.
 
This is the beginning of your journey.  The Holy Spirit will guide you and help you realize more and more that your light shines to others and was not meant to be kept to yourself.  For most, it is a rewarding way of life….but hardly ever easy.  There will be plenty of times when it seems best to revert back to only focusing on yourself. When that happens, take a week for yourself; take a day out of each week for you but return to the habit of helping others.  I’m not saying that your supposed to go to the prisons, shelters, foreign countries and places that might put you in danger…. you don’t have to go that far, there are family members, neighbors, and those you walk by each day that are in need.  Those are the ones that hopefully your eyes are opened, and you can see them in a different light.
 
During your journey, the time will come when those you are helping will ask…. Why are you helping me?  
Give them whatever answer you feel is best, but make sure to start with my amazing Savior helped me and I’m doing my best to follow his example.  That will get the conversation going.  Everyone has their story of how they were saved…. be ready to share it. 

​Psalm 146:8
The Lord opens the eyes of the blind. The Lord lifts up those who are bowed down; the Lord loves the righteous.
 
John 8:12
Again Jesus spoke to them, saying, “I am the light of the world. Whoever follows me will not walk in darkness, but will have the light of life.”
 
John 9:39
Jesus said, “For judgment I came into this world, that those who do not see may see, and those who see may become blind.”
 
Revelation 3:17
For you say, I am rich, I have prospered, and I need nothing, not realizing that you are wretched, pitiable, poor, blind, and naked.

How Clean is your House? - January

Have you ever walked into someone’s house and asked “how do they keep it so clean?”  They have some sort of service or process where they clean furniture, floors, lights and the rest often.  It’s important to them.

Similarly, if Christians want to have an impact on the most people…. we need to be wanting people to ask “how are they so at peace with life?  Do they know a secret that I don’t?”  If you want someone to respect your opinion and allow you to talk to them about Jesus… then your house needs to be in order.  It usually doesn't just happen overnight.  Most people have to deliberately spend time praying, reading the Bible and working on each area with God in mind.  I’m sure there are tons of examples where this is not the case, but I think it holds true in most situations in our times.
 
So, the point is to take some time early this year and get your house in order (finances, marriage, kids, relationships, church, volunteer, other).  None of these will be perfect, but if you’re striving to do better in these areas while putting God first… then you should be able to have peace with your life.  In fact, people going through hard situations that have peace… those people are giving off more light to share than people doing the right things that have it easy.
 
There are some that feel the time to save others is over; that people are too far gone.  I think from a human standpoint, this is becoming more of a reality each day.  However, nothing is impossible with God.  God takes people that society would never pick and has them go down in history as the most amazing God-fearing people that ever lived.  No matter how hard it gets; keep that light shining and attempt to understand people’s situations today.  Just about everyone is going through something. 

Matthew 7:1-5
“Judge not, that you be not judged. For with the judgment you pronounce you will be judged, and with the measure you use it will be measured to you. Why do you see the speck that is in your brother's eye, but do not notice the log that is in your own eye? Or how can you say to your brother, ‘Let me take the speck out of your eye,’ when there is the log in your own eye? You hypocrite, first take the log out of your own eye, and then you will see clearly to take the speck out of your brother's eye.

​Romans 2:3
Do you suppose, O man—you who judge those who practice such things and yet do them yourself—that you will escape the judgment of God?

Luke 12:2
Nothing is covered up that will not be revealed, or hidden that will not be known.