I’m Free

 

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.

Miracles

 

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 the Gospel of John 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...

Victory Dance

 

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.

Are We Ourselves?

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

Being in sales and trying to maintain proper nutrition has been and is difficult and still an ongoing struggle for me.  On any given week, I am eating lunch with prospects, clients, and insurance carrier representatives several days during normal business hours.  In the evenings, we sometimes normally don't eat dinner until after both boys have gone to bed which is seemingly later in the evenings during the spring and summer.

I am committed to exercising every single day, but often, I feel that I am only exercising to prevent myself from gaining a bunch of weight.  Since Easter, I have remained 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; all in part to eating a healthier diet. (Not to mention, I have shed a few stubborn lbs. along the way.)

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.  

Horizon

 

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

  

Recently, I was able to use a painful experience from my past to help minister to a good friend with a situation that they are going through now.  Without sharing any 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 our weakest and darkest moments.  It brings to mind many of the gripping testimonies that I have heard at places such as 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!

Small Town

 

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' as mentioned in the John Mellencamp's classic 80's hit, "Small Town." The word 'fear' evokes feelings of being scared or frightened, but when mentioned with God, it means being awestruck 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

I am amazed by some of the posts I read on social media sites such as Facebook and Twitter. There are times when I can easily become disenchanted with reading my news feed on Facebook because it is so full of negativity and hate...

Despite my own personal, religious, and political convictions, I realize and respect that other people hold different and opposing views than me. Too often, people feel that they should only mesh with people who are of similar belief, culture, nationality, race, gender, or income level.

The truth is that God wants us to treat EVERYONE with the same mercy, kindness, forgiveness, civility, and compassion as Jesus did.  And what about good manners?  I am not sure if it’s because I am more in tune with what people say to each other now that I am 'plugged in', but where has the common courtesy gone to these days?

I realize that I personally have a lot to learn and am not being self-righteous; I guess I am just wondering why people can't try to get along more often; we just aren't living together the way God intended us to....