Indiscipline

"My son, do not make light of the Lord's discipline, and do not lose heart when He rebukes you, because the Lord disciplines those He loves, and He punishes everyone He accepts as a son."  Endure hardship as discipline; God is treating you as sons.  For what son is not disciplined by his father?  (Hebrews 12:6-8)


I guarantee that today's passage of scripture and Daily DEVO will be the least read or 'liked' on my facebook page this week.  Why?  Well, it's because the topic of discipline is just not very popular with most folks.  As a father, I do not take pleasure or enjoy discipling our children, but know that I must to ensure that they learn right from wrong and grow up into fine young men.  


Who loves a child more-the father who allows a child to do something that will cause the child harm or the father that corrects and trains his child and then punishes the child to help teach the child right from wrong?  


If you ever need proof or confirmation that God loves you, look back into your past and the recognize the times where God has lovingly corrected you.  His discipline is a sign of His undying love for each one of us.  


Praise be to God, who disciplines those He loves!

I'm Your Captain

Take delight in the Lord, and He will give you your heart's desires.  (Psalm 37:4)


Long before a ship sets out on a voyage, the captain takes the necessary time to plot out the course of the journey. This ensures that the ship stays its course and arrives safely at its destination.  I had the bright idea of painting the kitchen over Memorial Day weekend, and if I was considered the captain of our ship, we'd be headed for certain peril as I didn't exactly prepare for all of the work that the painting entailed.  Our kitchen is slowly but surely coming together, but for the moment it looks like a disaster area, and I still have no idea how we are going to paint above the cabinets.... 


The same principle holds true for the course of our lives.  Without goals or objectives, we will wander aimlessly through our lives.   With God as our captain, if we are willing to follow His goals and objectives, we will stay on track and finish the journey we are destined to make, reaching our final destination-eternity in heaven!

Dreams

I will run the course of Your commandments, for You shall enlarge my heart.  (Psalm 119:32)

 

Some good friends came to visit us from out of town this past week.  During our conversation, we discussed how hard it is to find a job with the economy being the way it is.  I recall feeling like such a failure with my past employer after spending several months interviewing and pursuing a sales position that ended up going nowhere.  Everything worked out for the best and according to God's perfect plan, but it is easy to feel like you are not living up to your potential when you are essentially being rejected by potential employers.

 

The truth of the matter is that God has given us all great potential.  In fact, our true potential is so great that we often times sell ourselves short by failing to realize how great it is because we don't realize how great God is. 

 

God is infinite, awesome, and omnipresent in each of our lives.  When He pours Himself into us, we tap into His potential, which is far greater than our own.  There truly is NO limit to what we can achieve, accomplish or do with our lives once we understand this.  Don't sell yourself short-believe and you will achieve more in this lifetime than you can imagine and dream bigger dreams! 

You've Got A Friend

He who loves God must love his brother also.  (1 John 4:21)

 

As summer nears, I can't help but reminisce about the fun I used to have with all of my college buddies attending endless concerts and festivals all over the country.  Granted, this part of my life was certainly different than it is now; I had no responsibilities, no family, and wasn't exactly in church, either.  Regardless, I was growing up, I was wild and foolish and my past experiences have shaped me into the man that I am today.

 

It was actually post graduation from Auburn before I truly accepted Christ as my Lord and Savior and when I did, it created a divide among my circle of friends.  The same people that I ran with for so long didn't seem to want to have anything to do with me once I became a "Holy-Roller" and a "Jesus Freak."  Truth be known, I am still the same wild, foolish, and fun-loving guy that enjoys concerts and festivals, I just also love Jesus.   

 

Even though we all are different human beings with differing perspectives, ideals and views of this world, we should all be able to live in peace with one another.  Despite our differences, we should be loyal in our friendships, which allows us to disagree with each other, yet remain committed to a long-term relationship with each other. 

What's My Name?

God's gifts and His call can never be withdrawn.  (Romans 11:29)


I recently remembered a time where Elliott was so mad at me for not letting him watch TV that he demanded that his last name be something else other than 'Fisher.'  God's call on our lives is much like our family name; even when you feel dishonored by your family, you still keep your family name.

The exact same principle holds true for our spiritual gifts, which are given to all believers upon accepting Jesus Christ as their personal Lord and Savior.  Because we are children of God, we are given special gifts and are expected to use them to perform certain tasks for Him.  Sometimes, we squander away our time and we don't use our gifts to bring glory to God and expand His kingdom on earth.  Regardless, God does not take the gifts away from us; we just miss out on all of the good and blessings God has in store for us.

Every day that you greet the morning, you are given another opportunity to use your Spiritual gifts to live out God's will for your life-don't waste another day!!

Ignoreland

So submit to God.  But resist the devil and he will flee from you.  Draw near to God and He will draw near to you...So whoever knows what is good to do and does not do is guilty of sin.  (James 4: 7-8, 17)

 

Have you ever been ignored by a friend or family member? If so, you understand how much it hurts to have someone you love show no interest in you or what you have to say.  I have been both ignored and have been the one to ignore and take relationships for granted and we should all be more deliberate with our relationships, especially with our loving Father. 

 

When we ignore God and disregard Him by failing to pray, reading the Word, or obeying His will, we hurt Him because we are essentially rejecting His desire to be close with His children.  Not to mention, we miss out on many of the blessings that He has in store for us.  We have to learn the discipline of spending time with God and not neglecting Him.

 

For some strange reason, I have been neglecting my relationship with God recently.  It took it happening to me from someone I love and care dearly for to begin to understand how God must feel when I ignore Him. We are all here on this earth to glorify God and there is no better way to do so than by taking time out of our busy schedules and spending it with Him.

Oh My God

To You, O Lord, I lift up my soul.  O my God, I trust in You.  (Psalm 25:1-2)


Our son, Elliott, has followed in the steps of my dorkiness by getting into the realm of pretty much any and every 80s based cartoon and movie that I loved: super-heroes, Star-Wars, Transformers, GI Joe, Voltron, etc.  Regardless of my extensive knowledge about the various characters and story lines that I have enjoyed since my youth, Elliott sometimes questions me because he has heard something different from one of his buddies at school.  Keep in mind, we are talking about three and four year-olds here....

We are all called by God to trust Him alone to meet our needs.  God's only requirement is that in addition to trusting Him fully and completely, we are also to obey Him.  We are foolish to ever think that our ways are better than the Good Lord's and I can't possibly recall the many times in my life where I listened to myself and failed to be obedient. 

We must trust completely that He is good and His timing is always right and that things will be done according to His will.  It's when we fail to trust Him and do it our way that things fall apart. 

The Heart of the Matter

Freely you have received, freely give.  (Matthew 10:8)

 

 

We all make mistakes from time to time and sometimes end up hurting the people we care about the most.  Lord knows that any member of my family or friends could attest that I have made my share of mistakes.  The only way to bring healing to a broken relationship, friendship, or marriage is by forgiveness.

 

 

Forgiveness allows both parties to move forward in the relationship with renewed freedom and strength.  Even if you are not at fault,  you can find peace by extending forgiveness.  We have all been freely forgiven by our Father who loves us more than we can comprehend, so we must be fast to offer it freely to others.

Fixin' To Die

Therefore we are always confident and know that as long as we are at home in the body we are away from the Lord.  We live by faith, not by sight.  We are confident, I say, and would prefer to be away from the body and at home with the Lord.  (2 Corinthians 5:3)


Well, it's another Monday and you are reading this post, so I am assuming that the world did not end on Saturday night at 6pm as predicted by Harold Camping.  It's humorous for anyone to give credence to an end of the world prediction when God clearly states that neither Jesus nor the angels in heaven know when it will happen.  Certain people all over the world gathered and hosted end of the world parties and some even went as far as to quit their jobs with eager anticipation of Jesus' return.  For others, this news caused great fear and anxiety.

The one thing that we should all understand is that when our lives end and we are with our loving Father in heaven, it's actually going to be greater than anything we can possibly fathom or comprehend.  I believe that is the message that Paul was trying to convey to the church in Corinth.

Like Paul, none of us should live in fear of dying because we can believe with confidence where we are to spend eternity.  For those who believe in Christ, death is merely a prelude to eternal life with God.

The Arms of My Savior

Those the Father has given me will come to me, and I will never reject them.  (John 6:37)


We let Elliott stay up a little later past his bedtime on Friday night, and he was fit to be tied at bedtime.  After throwing one of his "classic" temper tantrums for Alicia, I finally went upstairs to help settle him down for the evening.  As soon as I walked into the room, Elliott screamed "I don't want you, I want MOMMY!"  This hurt my feelings a little, but a few minutes later, I was back in his good graces.  This little incident made me wonder how many times have I rejected God in my lifetime...


Thankfully, God accepts everyone who comes to Him in faith, even those who previously rejected Him.  We can always approach God knowing that He will make time for us and will always listen to us.  In fact, He is always dependable, always loves us and is always there for us.  


God never turns away from us and we can learn how to accept others that may be difficult for us to accept in His loving arms.  

Heavy Things

Stop being perpetually uneasy (anxious and worried) about your life...who of you by worrying and being anxious can add one unit of measure to his stature or span of his life?  (Matthew 6:25, 27)

 

 

Many people I know worry about any and everything, myself included.  Most are trivial such as worrying about what to eat and what to wear, while some are based on what someone will do when faced with a certain situation before that situation even occurs. 

 

 

Most of us are blessed with nice homes, plenty of food, transportation, clothes, and endless other items that we don't necessarily need, so why do we have a problem with worrying?  The enemy enjoys creating doubt in our minds, especially when we face difficulties.  God wants us to know that worrying doesn't add a single minute to our lives; in fact chronic worrying shortens our lives.

 

 

Our loving Father knows our needs before we even go to Him in prayer, so it's in our best interest to stop worrying and focus on the One who is able to meet our needs and is good to us at all times!

Wildflowers

God chose what is foolish in the world to shame the wise; God chose what is weak in the world to shame the strong.  (1 Corinthians 1:27)

Driving the other day, I couldn't help but notice all of the beautiful wildflowers that had grown on the side of the road and in the median along the interstate.  I reminisced back to when I was a young boy and proudly gave my mother what I thought were flowers but were actually dandelions, which of course are only pretty looking weeds. 

Certain weeds can actually be quite beautiful and I know that God still sees the beauty in us even when do things that He finds unpleasant.  Think of the many people in the Bible that did not exactly live their lives beyond reproach.  David was an adulterer that sent a man to die in a war so that he could have his mistress all to himself.   Paul persecuted and killed Christians before his transformation on the road to Damascus. The point being, that we have all let God down at some point in our lives; I know that I certainly have and thankful humility, God continues to love us, forgive us and use us despite our many shortcomings.  

We serve an awesome God and He remains steadfast and patient with His mercy and grace.  Don't ever sell yourself short and think that He cannot and will not use you to advance His kingdom on this earth, no matter what you have done wrong over the course of your life. 

Like A Rock

Great peace have those who love Your law, and nothing causes them to stumble.  (Psalm 119:165)


I went back home to Alabama to visit my family yesterday and while home, I enjoyed reminiscing about the past.  Of course, my past was not exactly upright nor was I very obedient to what I knew was written in God's Word.  Things have certainly changed for me.  I try to spend time in prayer daily, read my Bible, and apply the Word of God to my life.

If we are not allowing God's Word to persuade us, influence our thinking, and impact our behavior, then what are we allowing??  You will constantly have the influence of what other people say to weigh against the written Word of God. Anything that does not line up with God's Word should be dismissed.

God's Word is the living standard by which we all should follow.

Judgement Day

Don't make judgements about anyone ahead of time-before the Lord returns.  For He will bring our darkest secrets to light and will reveal our private motives.  Then God will give to each whatever praise is due.  (1 Corinthians 4:5)


It's just too easy to criticize and judge others these days with social media sites serving as outlets for people to post negativity and spew hatred towards others.  While not guilty of posting negative posts on my personal sites, I am guilty of forming strong opinions about other people, especially after reading what some are willing to share with the world on the internet.  


Character makes up who you really are.  Your reputation is what other people say about you, and often times it is a good indication of your true character .  If you strive for godly character, then you strive to have a reputation as someone who has integrity, faithfulness, kindness, and love.  If you are always negative, down, angry, and self-centered, with the world revolving around you at all times, then maybe it's time to re-evaluate things and learn how to turn over your rage and bitterness over to God.  


We are not to judge others despite how easy it is and how common it is in today's culture.   

Give Till It's Gone

They gave according to their ability, yes, and beyond their ability; and they did it voluntarily.  (2 Corinthians 8:3)

 

 

My neighbor and good friend recently opened the doors of his home to a co-worker who is going through a difficult divorce and showed him some hospitality for a couple of weeks.  He mentioned that he just wanted to do something kind and generous for someone else and it made me realize that I always talk about doing things for others, but very rarely follow through.

 

 

Giving is at the heart of being a follower of Christ.  There are various levels of giving; its' one thing to donate some old clothes or items that you no longer want and a completely different thing to give away something that is new and is more valuable. 

 

 

If you know someone who has gone through a difficult time, go shopping for that person.  Find a special gift that shows your love and the love of Christ to someone in need. 

 

 

We all should move out of our comfort zones to give more freely of ourselves, our time, and our worldly possessions.  Jesus gave His life for us on the cross and the greatest blessing is not found in the gift but the one who gives!

What A Fool Believes

I love those who love Me, and those who seek Me diligently will find Me.  (Proverbs 8:17)

 

 

Charlie Sheen's recent meltdown provided some humorous coin phrases such as: "Tiger Blood" and "Winning," but it was apparent to most people that he mistakenly believes he can actually live his life "his way" and still win.  It's unfortunate that he will not be remembered for some of the some of the great acting during his career, but for a downward spiral filled with rebellion, disobedience, recklessness, and pride.  

 

 

Many people sadly live their lives this way; they find their worth in careers, accomplishments, awards, notoriety, money, and fame, but without God everything else is absolutely worthless. 

 

 

God does not bless a life filled with disobedience.  The most important thing that we can do is open our hearts and receive Jesus Christ as our personal Lord and Savior. 

Good

He who did not spare His own Son, but delivered Him up for us all, how shall He not with Him also freely give us all things. (Romans 8:32)

 

 

Before Christ became my personal Lord and Savior, I used to think that becoming a Christian meant living a boring and tedious life filled without laughter, without fun and without pleasure.  I could not have been more wrong....in fact, I would say that life is much more enjoyable and peaceful as a follower of Christ.  This, of course, does not mean that my life is easy or without any trouble, but when I look at all of the good God has done in my life, it's almost unfathomable. 

 

 

The same holds true for anyone who is willing to walk in obedience to God.  His desire is the same for all of His children; He wants us to enjoy a life filled with His many blessings, laughter, beauty, peace, joy, creativity, adventure, success, freedom, good health, comfort, friendships and LOVE.

High and Mighty

With God's help we will do mighty things.  (Psalm 60:12)

 

 

Have you ever felt consumed and overwhelmed by your problems?  I know I have and I am not alone.  Just this week alone, I can identify with people in my circle of friends who are struggling in their marriage, another that's facing a difficulty at work, another who has had to move their family into a hotel room for the next few weeks because of all the storm damage to their home, and another who is struggling with raising their children.  While all of these are serious and difficult problems to face, we sometimes forget that none of them are larger than our God.

 

 

In fact, there are no set of circumstances, difficulties, trials, or tribulations that are larger than our Loving Father.  Try not to look at the size of your problem, but at the size of your awesome God.  We have an awesome and loving God that is always willing to listen and help us accomplish the impossible!

Running

A sound heart is life to the body.  (Proverbs 14:30)

 

 

Being in sales and trying to maintain proper health has been an ongoing struggle for me.  On any given week, I am eating lunch with prospects, clients and insurance carrier representatives several days during the work week.  In the evenings, Alicia and I normally don't eat dinner until after both boys have gone to bed which is late now that the sun sets later in the evenings during the spring and summer. 

 

 

I am a committed runner and run a substantial amount of miles every day, but I often feel that I am only running to prevent myself from gaining a bunch of weight.  Since Easter, I committed to eating lighter and making wiser choices and the results have been remarkable in a very short period of time.  I feel healthier, I have more energy and I have been more focused, due to a healthier diet. (Not to mention, I have shed a few pounds...)

 

 

Most Christians understand the harmful effects from partaking in certain substances, drinking too much, or smoking, but often overlook the benefits of maintain a healthy lifestyle by eating a well balanced diet and exercising.  God commands us to love ourselves which means that we are to do nothing that will bring harm to our bodies. 

 

 

God doesn't want to damper our life experience by any stretch of the imagination, He just wants us to avoid things that cause us spiritual, physical, and emotional harm.  

Rise

So then, my dear friends, just as you have always obeyed...continue working out your salvation with awe and reverence, for the one bringing forth in you both the desire and the effort-for the sake of His good pleasure-is God.  (Philippians 2:12-13)

 

 

Just this week, I was able to use a painful experience from my past to help minister to a good friend.  Without sharing details, this was a dark period of my life where I was essentially running away from God, but in all of His glory, God took my shameful failure and worked it into good for His kingdom. 

 

 

God's awesome power is often found in man's weakest moments.  I recall many of the gripping testimonies I have heard at Celebrate Recovery; people who have lost everything due to a destructive habit, hang-up, or addiction and with God's love were able to completely turn their lives around.  It's hard to wrap our minds around this concept, but God can always produce positive results in all circumstances, even people's pain.  

 

 

If you will allow Him to do so, God will use your life-the good and the bad, to impact people with the good news of the gospel.  During difficult times, it's hard to focus upon God's will and the many blessings He has in store, but you must learn to trust that ALL things work for the greater good of His kingdom! 

Love and Happiness

..we keep our eyes fixed on Jesus, the pioneer and perfecter of our faith.  For the joy set out for him He endured the cross, disregarding its shame, and has taken His seat at the right hand of the throne of God.  (Hebrews 12:2)

 

 

Think for a moment about the things that make you happy....for many it would be your family, friends, a vacation, a concert/music, food, sports; the list could go on and on.  All of these items are good and noble, but they are only temporary and will only produce temporary happiness.

 

 

Joy is completely different than happiness.  In the Biblical context, joy is not a fleeting emotion.  Joy is much deeper and actually an overall attitude or state of being rather than a feeling. Joy lasts, while happiness is circumstantial and does not last.  Simply put, joy is only found in God and He gives it to all of His faithful followers through the Holy Spirit.  The enemy will stop at nothing to rob you of your joy, and one of his favorite deceptions is to tempt us with something that will only produce temporary happiness in the hopes that we will turn away from our loving Father.

 

 

There is a big difference between joy and happiness; hold on to your joy and live in the love, freedom, and peace that only Jesus can offer us!

Sitting, Waiting, Wishing

Commit your way to the Lord, trust also in Him, and He shall bring it to pass.  (Psalm 37:5)

 

 

The more I grow in my faith, the more I understand that God's ways are not my ways and sometimes I must wait before He sends His blessings.  Elijah just turned 9 months old this past week and looking back at how fast time has flown by made me acknowledge the season of waiting I was in for the better part of last year.  Five months into this year, and I am now in a much different season, but I learned a valuable lesson in learning to trust God fully and completely while patiently waiting for God's many blessings. 

 

 

When we don't trust God with our needs, we will live in panic, chaos, and fear because we do not cry out to the One who can meet our needs.  Jesus' disciples learned to trust Him on the Sea of Galilee during a frightening storm that had each one convinced that they would not survive.  Jesus walked across the water and commanded the storm to be still and the sea quickly became calm again.

 

 

If you do not trust the Lord, then who do you trust?  Jesus is waiting with His arms outstretched for you and will lift you up despite the tempestuous circumstances you may find yourself facing.

Keep Your Head To The Sky

But you, O Lord, are a shield for me, my glory, and the lifter of my head.  (Psalm 3:3)

There are times when I feel down and out and it's easy to focus on my problems rather than seeking God.  We have all been there before...when things begin to fall apart, we lose our hope, strength and everything changes, our attitude and body language included.   When we are downcast and only able to see our problems, we feel worse and even may consider giving up.

Regardless of who you are, or what you are do, life will always provide trials and discouraging situations.  God is always waiting for us to seek His help, sometimes we have to lift our heads and look to Him.  We can rest assured with confidence that God can guide us through even the most dismal circumstances. 

The next time you encounter problems and feel like giving up, don't focus on all that's going wrong, but keep your heart, mind, and soul focused on the One who will see you through to victory.

Pink Houses

How joyful are those who fear the Lord-all who follow His ways!  (Psalm 128:1)


Growing up, I never truly grasped what it meant to 'fear God' like mentioned in the John Cougar Mellencamp classic 80's tune, "Pink Houses." The word 'fear' evokes feelings of being scared or frightened, but when mentioned with God, it means being awed by His power, grace, forgiveness, and goodness.

When you 'fear' God, you draw closer to Him, and experience much greater joy.  It's almost too simple, but the further you are from our Father, the less joy you have in your life.  I am sure that you can name many folks who could use some more joy in their lives.

Loving respect and awe for God also motivates us to do our best to follow His principles for living.  Fear God because He is awesome and experience the joy and blessings from being close to Him!

People Are People

Beloved, if God so loved us, we also ought to love one another.  (1 John 4:11)

This week has been exceptionally interesting following the President's announcement that Osama Bin Laden had been killed by a group of Navy Seals.  What started out as a proud moment for our country and the brave soldiers that have been his pursuit for over nine years, quickly turned into a heated and political debate on social media sites like Facebook and Twitter. 

Despite my personal, religious, and political views, I realize and respect that other people hold different and opposing views than me. Too often, people feel that they only have to get along with people who are of similar belief, culture, nationality,race, gender, or income level. The truth is that God wants us to treat ALL others with the same mercy, kindness, forgiveness, civility, and compassion as Jesus did.  And what about good manners?  I am not sure if I am more in tune with what people say to each other now that I am 'plugged in', but where has common courtesy gone these days? 

I realize that I have a lot to learn and am not being self-righteous; I guess I just wonder why people can't get along more; we aren't living together as God intends us to....

(I Can't Get No) Satisfaction

I have loved you with an everlasting love; therefore with lovingkindness I have drawn you.  (Jeremiah 31:3)


There is a truth to the Stones' most recognizable classics, "(I Can't Get No) Satisfaction."  When you accept God's love, you experience a deep-rooted satisfaction that simply cannot be found anywhere else, because you have an understanding that despite your circumstances, God is always present and with you.

Knowing that God loves us means that we accept the price that was paid for our forgiveness and we can rest assured that we are wonderfully and fearfully made and cleansed by Jesus' death on the cross.

Understanding these truths about God sets us free from our bondage to sin and the attacks from the enemy that never cease to end while we are on this earth.  God loves each one of us and has prepared an eternal home for us in heaven.

Praise be to His holy name!!!

Alone

Because he has set his love upon Me, therefore will I deliver him; I will set him on high, because he has a personal knowledge of My mercy, love, and kindness-trusts me and relies on Me, knowing that I will never forsake him.  (Psalm 91:14)


Despite the many people I know and am close with, there a occasions when I simply feel alone.  I am sure that I am not the only person who has ever felt this way, but God wants us to know that we are never alone.

Satan does his best to make us feel isolated and alone, but we are not.  Satan also does everything in his power to make us believe that no one else understands how we feel, but it's a lie.  Sometimes the enemy will send someone into your life that is wrong for you, such as an attractive man/woman that shows you attention when you are vulnerable and experiencing difficulties with your spouse.  Again, it's only another deception and a trap set to destroy your marriage.

God is always with us and He can relate to any and everything we can possibly experience in our lives.  As children of God, we can all claim His wonderful promises.  No matter what you are facing or how lonely you feel, take God at His word and know that you are never alone.

He is good and faithful and will never leave your side.

Trust

I trusted in, relied on, and was confident in You, O lord; I said, you are my God.  My times are in Your hands.  (Psalm 31:14-15)

Our youngest son, Elijah, operates on a routine schedule.  He expects a his nighttime bottle at 7 PM sharp and typically dozes off to sleep for the evening upon finishing his 8 0z.  He is a creature of habit and if something causes us to be late with serving him his bottle, he certainly becomes fussy and lets us know that he is hungry. 

Our human nature is much the same way.  We tend to want good things to happen to us now rather than later and we let people know when things don't happen according to our timing.  Trust requires us to place our valuable time in God's hands and believing that His timing is perfect for all things that happen in our lives.  I am not, by any means, suggesting that this is easy, just making a point. 

Not knowing when, where, or how God will answer is what is difficult, but it is during those times of patience that our faith grows and we learn valuable lessons in depending on God. 

When we trust God, we will experience His goodness and faithfulness and we begin to let go of our timing and place it solely in God's hands.  It's a wonderful place, I have heard and I am learning to do more every single day.

Signs

'Unless you people see miraculous signs and wonders, you will never believe."  The royal official said' "Sir, come down before my child dies."  Jesus replied, "You may go.  Your son will live."  (John 4:48-50)

While recently praying for clarity, peace, and direction, I was tempted to ask God for a sign; anything to prove that my prayers were not falling on deaf ears.  I never actually asked for a sign, but once I began to notice God's presence in my life, it became clear and apparent that not only Has he had His hand on me, but He continues to, even when He seems miles away and distant.  

The above verse from John 4 recalls Jesus' second recorded miracle in Galilee.  A royal official approached Jesus with his sick son and pleaded for Jesus to heal him.  The official took Jesus at His word and his son was miraculously healed at the seventh hour, which is when Jesus said that "his son would live."  The official and his family became believers after the boy was healed.  After pondering this verse, the key is not the miracle itself, it's actually the matter of faith that Jesus mentions.

Do we believe without seeing miracles or wonders?  Do we trust that Jesus is ever-present with us?  Do we have faith in His ability to answer our prayers?    Ask yourself these questions and allow His truth into your heart...

Amazing Grace

God saved you by His grace when you believed.  And you can't take credit for this; it is a gift from God.  (Ephesians 2:8)


My dad traditionally waits to the last minute to shop for gifts at Christmas.  It was my freshman quarter at Auburn University in the fall of 1993, and I completely 'bombed' and almost failed out after a quarter of debauchery.  I strategically planned to intercept my grade so that my father wouldn't see them before he went Christmas shopping, but it was too late...he arrived with an arm full of presents for my mother and sister and simply handed me an opened envelope from Auburn University.  My parents were disappointed in me to say the very least, and aside from a few pieces of clothing and the Allman Bros. Box Set, it was a very light year for gifts.

Thankfully, God saves each one of us because of His mercy and grace alone.  He loves us and approves of us regardless of what we do or don't do and He has paid the ultimate price to forgive us of our sins.

The fact that this is God's gift and something that we can never repay, should be a great comfort to each of us and should also provide hope and security.

When you accept God's grace as you accept any other gift that you receive, you will fully enjoy His peace, blessing, and benefits.

Life Goes On

"I am the resurrection and the life.  He who believes in Me, though he may die, he shall live." -Jesus (John 11:25)

There have been some great people who have served their purpose to motivate and inspire others, but no one can make the same claim that Jesus did when He said "I am the resurrection and the life." 

With so much suffering, death, and destruction that took place in the southeast this past week, the joy of Easter Sunday feels like it happened months ago.  No matter how bad, battle-tested, weary, and beaten up we may feel on the inside, we must never forget what Jesus' resurrection means for each one of us. 

Jesus overcame death, so regardless of how tired, broken, or devestated we are, don't forget that He has risen to give each of us new life. 

He is always present and He breathes new life into our inmost being!  Praise be to God!