DON’T BE A FOOL

This morning as I was doing my morning time with the Lord I came across Ecclesiastes 7:8-9 which says “Better is the end of a thing than the beginning thereof: and the patient in spirit is better than the proud in spirit.  Be not hasty in thy spirit to be angry: for anger rests in the bosom of fools.”

I remember I used to have the worst temper.  I had a short fuse and an impatient heart.  I would snap at the least little thing.  I wanted everything when I wanted it.  I did not want to wait in a line, or get behind a slow driver, or wait for something to come in the mail.  I was impatient with people, impatient with circumstances, impatient with life, and I was miserable. 

Shortly after I was saved, I started praying that the Lord would help me with my impatience.  It was kind of comical, because the more I prayed the more I was thrust into situations which needed my patients.  Without realizing it I was asking God to put me in situations where my patients would be tested.

When I went to the grocery store no matter how short the line was it was always the slowest line.  I remember standing in lines at various stores in town, watching the longer lines zip right by.  I would run over to stand in the fast line, only for the line to suddenly stop for one reason or another.

If I was on a trip, it would seem I was always behind the driver who had no idea they were driving below the speed limit.  I would get to mad and irritable that I would have to pray to God the help me be patient and enjoy the slow speed. 

Ecclesiastes 7:8-9 tells us that being patient and angry shows us to be fools.  I do not know about you, but I do not want to be labeled a fool.  Let’s learn to be patient with our circumstances, patient with each other, and patient with ourselves. 

Let’s go into this new year with a commitment to have a more peaceful year by being more peaceful ourselves.  See we want things to change but we usually try to get that change to start in somebody else.  Maybe this year we try to change ourselves.  Call on God to help us and remember if you do not know the Lord as your personal savior; calling on Him to come into your heart is the best way to start.

KEEP MOVING FORWARD!

Don’t look back. You’re not going that way.

Sometime when we come to the end of the year, as we are now, we tend to want to look back over our lives.  What was it we did right, what was it we did wrong.  While this may seem like a good idea, the Bible tells us a different story.

See what happens when we look back is we tend to dwell on all the negative things we did.  We tend to rehash old conversations in our head.  Someone said something that hurt us.  Maybe we made a mistake that everyone was talking about for a while.  We look at the choices we made and wish we would have made different ones.

The Bible tells us in Philippians chapter 3 that we should forget those things behind us and press forward toward the things in front of us.  We are called to finish this “race” strong.  We are called to press on toward the mark.  What does that mean?  Look at it like this.

Think about a person who competes in a race.  They compete to win a prize.  The goal is to finish the race.  The prize we are looking to attain is eternal access to the Father.  Our goal is to finish this life strongly.  What about a soldier?  The Bible calls us soldiers in God army.  Soldiers are there to fight a good fight and to win the battle. 

In both of these instances, the athlete and the soldier will hinder their objective if they are dwelling on the past.  Why bog us down focusing on our past mistakes?  Even focusing on past wins is not a good idea.  Focusing on past mistakes will keep us bound to the mistake.  Replaying the image over and over in our heads will cause us to make the same mistakes over and over again. 

Focusing on past wins can cause us to be overconfident.  When we become overconfident, we tend to let our guard down.  Maybe we do not feel the need to prepare or keep ourselves ready.  This is one reason the Bible tells us to stop looking back and start pressing forward.  Make new goals for this next year.  Focus on what you will do to attain the objectives you have set for yourself.  Maybe we pray a little more, fast a little more, read our bibles a little more. 

Maybe we ask God to show us the direction he has for us this upcoming year.  Maybe we ask Him to lead and guide us.  If we must look back, maybe we repent for any area where we were disobedient.  May we all focus strong this upcoming year.  Let’s make it our best year ever.  No resolutions, just a plan to keep moving forward.

MERRY CHRISTMAS!

I am so excited about Christmas!  It is the best time of the year, but not for the reasons you may think. 

Christmas decorations are great!  Christmas lights are beautiful!  Giving and receiving presents is fun!  But Christmas is the time of year that was chosen as the date to celebrate the birth of our Savior.  Although this is not actually the date of His birthday, this is the date we celebrate His birth.

There was a push a few years ago to stop saying Merry Christmas.  Those in positions of power wanted us to start saying “Happy Holidays” to not offend people of other faiths or people with no faith.  That same group of people was for a while successful with pushing the “X-mas” plan.  Literally removing Christ from His day of celebration. 

All of that was in an attempt for remove Christ from history!  Christ will stand!  What He did will be remembered and celebrated.  As I said last week, He gave us the greatest gift ever.  The gift of access to the Father. 

Sometimes it is easy to go with the flow.  Sometimes it is easy to not push back.  Maybe it is easier to just say “merry x-mas” or “happy holidays”.  Maybe it is easier to follow the crowd rather than lead.  I get it, standing up for what you believe can sometimes be hard.

Let’s all make a plan!  Let’s all shout Merry Christmas from the roof tops!  Christmas is just not Christmas without Christ!  We will not X Him out!  We will not stop saying His name!  We will proudly proclaim the one for who the day is about.  He literally divided time!  Think about that!  He literally divided time! 

Merry Christmas Everyone.  May you have a joyful Christmas.  May it be filled with peace and love.  May you eat to your heart’s content and may your gifts be accepted with love and humility.  When you say your prayer around your dinner table, remember who the day is really about.  Not Santa, not reindeer, not presents, not even decorations.  The day is about our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ!

THE GREATEST GIFT

Simple hand-drawn nativity scene with stable, wise men, shepherds and star.

This time of year is a good time of reflection.  All during the year we get caught up in our daily activities and we sometimes fail to pay attention to what is in fact worth paying attention to.  We spend our time shuffling with appointments for the kids, appointments for our work, appointments for ourselves.  We exhaust ourselves with work of one kind or another.

Whether you work for yourself, work at home, or go to a building; work takes our time away from spending time with Jesus.  Before Jesus came to the earth there was no way for people to spend time with the Lord.  There was no access to the Throne Room for the everyday person.  Only the High Priest could access the Presence of the Lord, and then only on certain days.  Before Jesus came we were on the outside of the veil and not allowed in.

Now of course most of us know that we have access because Jesus Christ Died and rose again so that we might have access.  So that we could be called children of God.  So that we could have a personal relationship with the Lord.  This ladies and gentleman, is the greatest gift ever.

Though we were flawed, though we are a stiff-necked people, though we gave Jesus no thought, He paid the price for us. He gave us the opportunity to have access to the Throne Room.  He gave us the opportunity to have communication with Him. 

Before Jesus came to the earth, we had no hope of spending eternity with the Lord.  We were doomed to spending eternity absent from the presence of the Lord.  There is no hope in absence of the Lord.  The gift Jesus gave us is the gift of a life eternally in the presence of the Lord.

Besides an eternal life with the Lord, we can spend time with Him here and now.  Anytime we say a prayer, anytime we whisper a need for help, anytime we are feeling lost or alone, anytime we need the Lord to intervene in our lives.  We can run straight to the Lord because Jesus made a way.

The bible says in Matthew 27:51 that the veil was torn from the top to the bottom.  This tells us that we can all have access to the presence of God not just the High Priests.  What a great gift!  The gift of access to the Father!  This is what Christmas is all about.  Once we have asked Jesus into our hearts, He gives us the gift of access.  This is the greatest gift ever.

PAY ATTENTION TO THE LITTLE THINGS

text Pay attention . Man wearing white blank t-shirt

About thirty-two years ago I was in a bad place emotionally and mentally.  I was hooked on drugs, I was in a bad relationship, I was unhappy.  My mom had been trying to help me, but I was in the grip of a lifestyle I could not get out of.  I was literally in bondage to the very thing I hated. 

My mom had given me a bible and asked me to read it.  I was desperate, I read it.  I did not understand it, but I read it.  During this time she would come to my house and bring me into my bathroom to look at myself in the mirror.  She wanted me to start to like myself.  She wanted me to tell myself that I was loved by myself.  At that time I could not even look at myself in the mirror.  Telling myself I was worthy of love was out of the question.  I did not even like myself, I certainly did not love myself.

That little beginning sparked a change in me that caused me to cry out to a god I new nothing about.  In fact I did not really know there was a one true God.  My beliefs were twisted and infused with a few different religions so that I had really created my own belief system.  But, like I said, I was desperate.

One morning while at my then boyfriend’s mom’s house, I picked up the Triplicate newspaper.  I was absentmindedly scanning through the pages reading the classified section.  I saw an advertisement for training to become a real estate agent.  The small thought came to my mind to give it a try.

If any of you knew me back then you would know that there should have been no possible way for me to pull that off.  I would have to do schooling, I would have to pass tests,  Someone would have to believe in me. I certainly did not believe in myself. 

Fast forward to today, I did pass that real estate test.  My mom along with my first broker did believe in me.  But above all, that small start with the newspaper, the mirror and my moms bible allowed something to shift inside of me so that years later I could accept Jesus Christ as my Lord and Savior. 

I heard a message at church one time with the title of “Don’t despise the small things”.  That is my prayer for all of you.  Pay attention to the little things in your life.  It could be the Lord leading you someplace you could never imagine going.

WATCH YOUR STINKIN THINKIN!

Have you ever noticed that if you are in a bad mood, you have negative thoughts running through your head.  The more you dwell on the negative thoughts, the longer you will be in a bad mood.  You can prolong your bad mood by continuing to think on the negative thoughts that put you in a bad mood in the first place.   If you are happy you tend to have pleasant thoughts in your head.  Your outlook will normally be positive.  If you are sad, you will normally have sad thoughts taking up space in your brain, which will normally make you sadder.

I do not know a lot of people who can tell me that when they are sad, they are thinking of something happy.  Nor are there people who can tell me that when they are happy, they are thinking of something that makes them mad.

Usually what you are thinking about is what you will be feeling.  But more than that… what we think about is what we will experience.  Our words have the ability to change our future.  What we think about will eventually come forth.    If you are depressed, maybe part of the reason is what you are thinking about. 

Also, what you are thinking about is what you are declaring over your life.  Are you always out of money, are you always sick, are you lonely?  Do you have a track record of being taken advantage of?  Do you expect good things or bad things to happen to you?

There is a reason God tells us in Philippians 4:8 Finally, brothers, whatever is true, whatever is honorable, whatever is just, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is commendable, if there is any excellence, if there is anything worthy of praise, think about these things.

What we think about will come to pass.  Our thoughts can keep us happy or keep us sad.  Our thoughts run our life.  Our thoughts form our outlook on life. Maybe if we try to follow the words of the Lord and think on things that are good, we might end up having a good life.  I am willing to try.  What about you?

CHOOSE THIS DAY WHO YOU WILL SERVE

Biblical phrase from matthew gospel, no one can serve two masters. typography design for use as printing poster, flyer or t shirt

I have been thinking about how divided our nation has become.  Seems to me that lines have been drawn.  Where once we used to be “One Nation Under God”, we have become a divided nation with many gods. 

I am reminded about Soloman in 1 Kings 3:13, where God grants Solomon wisdom and understanding beyond measure, along with riches and honor.  He was the wisest and most prosperous King for a while.  Slowly Solomon began to compromise and let his guard down. Instead of following the ways of his father, David; Solomon began to give way to false gods and idols.  He began to allow his nation to be influenced by outside ungodly forces.

America in the past was a nation fully blessed by the Lord.  There is a reason we were named the superpower of the world.  There is a reason we lived in peace and prosperity for a long time.  We had one God!  Most of the nation believed in the Lord Jesus Christ.  At one time we had a reputation for sending missionaries around the world to spread the good news of Jesus Christ.  A few years ago, we held the record for having the most missionaries sent to us to speak to us about the good news of Jesus Christ.

Now, as I said, we seem to have become the divided states of America.  Lines have been drawn, and we dare not cross them.  We no longer hold the same values we once did.  The good news though is that our leadership, our government has publicly spoken about the Lord Jesus Christ.  Our government has declared that we are a Christian nation.  Different groups have repented and prayed for our nation over the course of a few years.

There is a scripture in Joshua 24 that says, “But if it is unpleasing in your sight to serve the LORD, then choose for yourselves this day whom you will serve, whether the gods your fathers served beyond the Euphrates, or the gods of the Amorites in whose land you are living. As for me and my house, we will serve the LORD!”

My prayer today is that we as a nation would choose to serve the Lord! But not only our nation in general, but that each of us would choose to serve the Lord in our homes!  That we would speak and teach others about the Lord Jesus Christ!

BIRTHDAYS!

When I was a child, I could not wait for my birthday, even though I had to share it with my sister. We were born 2 years and one month apart. So, each year we had a day where we celebrated our birthdays together. There was usually a party, we always had at least one present each, there were usually two cakes (one for each of us) and always our friends were invited to celebrate with us.

As I grew older my excitement grew less and less. Eventually I did not see the necessity of celebrating at all. It was another year, not so big of a deal when you are older.

But I have a birthday coming up of when I was saved! That birthday is a big deal to me! It is the day I was welcomed into the family of God. It was the first day I was called a child of God and God’s daughter. It was the day I felt so clean and so alive. It was the day when the colors of the trees and the sky were so much more vivid. It was the day when it seemed the gray I had been living in was washed away.

It was the first day I realized there is more to life than what I could see and touch. The day Jesus came into my heart and filled me with joy and with love. It was the day I started to walk the way God wanted me to live.

I am now coming up on my twenty third birthday of being born again. I have lived twenty-three years as a child of God. During these past twenty-three years, God has never failed me. He has never abandoned me, has always provided what I needed. Sometimes that need was physical, sometimes the need was financial, somethings the need was spiritual. He picked me up when I felt down, he comforted me when I cried. He has walked me through life’s ups and downs.

My prayer for you today, is that you call on Jesus Christ. That you ask Him into your heart to be your Lord and your Savior. That you would develop a relationship with Him. If you do ask Him into your heart today. With sincerity of your heart, invite Him in. You will be surprised how many reasons you have to celebrate your first birthday as a Child of God next year.

SOWING AND REAPING

We will be continuing our thought of being deceived.  In a time when so many are deceived and God tells us to not be deceived.  He is warning us to pay attention!  To keep our eyes open!  To not follow the way of those who do not know Jesus the Messiah.

Sometimes there is confusion as many Christians are focusing their attention on heaven. While that is a good thing, we should focus more of our attention on where we will be spending eternity. God also wants us to focus on living here on earth. The Word of God, The Holy Bible, gives us many principles for living a happy, healthy, productive live.

Galatians 6:7-9 says Be not deceived; God is not mocked: for whatsoever a man sows that shall he also reap. For he that soweth to his flesh shall of the flesh reap corruption; but he that soweth to the Spirit shall of the Spirit reap life everlasting. And let us not be weary in well doing for in due season we shall reap if we faint not.

The principle of sowing and reaping is illustrated throughout the Bible. This concept teaches that the actions we take and the attitudes we display will ultimately return to us. For example, when we choose to sow generosity into the lives of those around us, we can expect to receive an abundance of generosity in return from others. This reflects a spiritual law established by God, emphasizing that our behavior and the seeds we plant—whether good or bad—have lasting consequences.

If we sow an unforgiving spirit, we can expect to receive unforgiveness, If we sow an unfriendly attitude we can expect to have few friends, if we are unhelpful to others we can expect little help from others in our time of need, if we sow a critical or judgmental attitude we can expect the same in return.

The same is true if we so kindness we will receive kindness, if we so unforgiveness we can expect others will show forgiveness to us, if we sow generosity, we know people will be generous toward us in return.

God established this principle, of sowing and reaping and it cannot be changed. If you believe in and follow Christ or if you do not, this principle will still follow your life.  God is not mocked.  What he established will be consistent for all.

We can have the ability to choose what our future will look like by the actions we take here today.

WHAT ARE YOU THANKFUL FOR?

There was a time in my life when I was not a thankful person.  I did not see much in my life that would cause me to say, “I am thankful”.  I was sad, insecure, I felt unloved, and my life felt hopeless.  Consequently, having unthankful thoughts kept me in a state of being unthankful. 

At the time I was living in a small two-bedroom home with my then husband and three small children.  We had no electricity, no water, and I was caught in a life of addiction.  I did my best to care for my children, but I was always unhappy and could not wait to get out of this miserable life.

One year during sometime around Thanksgiving, I had the opportunity to watch the old black and white move “IT’S A WONDERFUL LIFE”.  I would recommend everyone watch this movie if you are even a little bit unsatisfied with your life. 

The premise of the movie is that George Bailey is unsatisfied with his life. His whole life had been spent doing the right thing and now he is in a situation where he might go to jail for embezzlement for something he did not do.   He prays that God would help him.  God sends an angel who grants him his wish that he would not have been born.  I could relate.  I had often times wished that very same thing.  You will have to watch the movie to fully understand the whole story.  But in the end, he finds there are a lot of things that he is thankful for.

After watching that movie I myself, realized there were many things I could be thankful for.  My life was still a mess, I still had an addiction problem, I still had no electricity or water.  But I was thankful for having a roof over my head, and I was thankful for my children.     

Little by little my life began to change.  See it’s what you think about that will form the life you will lead.  Eventually, every thought we think brings in the same things we are thinking about.  This is my Jesus tells us think of things that are good.  

Today I most thankful for Jesus who made my life rewarding and full.  He changed my hard heart and my tainted mind. 

This Thanksgiving lets all try to find at least one thing to be thankful for.  Then let’s focus our attention on being thankful all year.  The results in our life will be transforming to our future