Another April's Fool

Well surprise, surprise.......another year, another April Fools day....and guess what? I once again fell "prey" to my son Reece's annual April Fools Jokes....."dummie-me....when will I ever learn?" Way to go Reece-r, ya got me again! Love ya son, dad

It's a heart condition

"it's a heart condition" John 21:17 "do you love me?" Jesus asked Peter three times "do you love me?" Jesus doesn't ask Peter..."are you sorry for what you did?" He didn't say, "now promise me, you won't do that again!" He asks Peter for his heart...its the same for you and I, give your heart, all the rest will follow...
So often I concentrate on my obedience, my conduct, even my vows...but truth is, being a follower of Jesus Christ, is really simple..."it's a heart condition"....if you really give your heart to something, or someone....all the rest follows......be a "Jesus Freak"

"Happy Friday Y'all"

Facing Giants Every Day

“picture in advance” 1 Samuel 17:46 "This day the LORD will hand you over to me" David did it! He conquered the giant Goliath. “Ah, that was fine for David. But you don’t know the trouble I’ve seen.” True, you do not know mine, and I don't know yours...in fact, if I shared my 'Goliaths' with you, its fair to say, you couldn't handle mine....nor I yours....that's how it is! Every day, we all face impossible odds, 'Goliaths'...David’s victory over Goliath is a “picture in advance” of the victory Jesus won for us. Too often, I take on my 'Goliaths' in just my own strength, but God's Word says....Jesus has already won 'em! Help me Lord to remember...Jesus has already done it!   JESUS...You can trust Him!

Lord, help my unbelief

 Nothing restrains the Lord! Do we really believe it? Or does the title of J.B. Phillips’ book describe us: Your God is Too Small. We often feel that God is restrained in one way or another. In reality, the only thing that could be said to restrain God is our unbelief. 1 Samuel 14:6 "Perhaps the LORD will help us, for nothing can hinder the LORD" I confess...too often, I feel that God is just too small. God’s power is never restrained! I do the 'restraining'...in my unbelief. God’s power is never restrained, but His will may be restrained by our unbelief. He may choose not to act until we partner with Him in trust. Read 1 Samuel 14, and you see...God had a trusting partner in Jonathan! Am I willing to "partner with God?"....ooh, good question... Numbers or odds do not restrain God, but unbelief can...

"O Lord, give me a Romans 8:31 heart...If God be for us, who can be against us?"

It usually starts out subtly

"me, compromise?" Proverbs 1:7 "The fear of the LORD is the beginning of knowledge..." God hates evil. God's Word says, If I am to fellowship with God, I must also hate evil. But wait a minute...we've been taught, you know, the world says we're not to hate anything...the world says, we want to accept everybody. "Live and let live," Evil always is looking for you to compromise and to accept it. It usually starts out subtly...I remember growing up (some say, "you can remember that long ago!")...in my Lutheran grade school being introduced to the devil, red...long tail...pointed-ears, and a pitch fork! So, I was determined, I knew what to look-out for...the problem was, he never showed up like that...nope, he (the devil) is way smarter than that! The devil knew, and still knows today, people will shy away from him, if he shows himself in his true form...so he shows up looking very attractive...Romans 7:13 says, "Sin used what was good to bring about my condemnation." Satan comes at me with all the world says is 'good', the so-called better things-of-life...It begins very subtly, even innocently...and because our appetites are insatiable....we always need more, it doesn't take us long we start making compromises...we rationalize..."I deserve it!" And pretty soon, we accept almost everything, anything...we've become a very tolerant society..."Lord, Help us!"

Trials guaranteed

"trials guranteed" 1 Peter 1:6 "even though it is necessary for you to endure many trials for a while." Romans 8:35 "Does it mean He no longer loves us if we have trouble or calamity?" Trials are 'a-fact-of-life' But God says None of the sufferings of this present time can ever separate us from His Love. No matter what the circumstance, we can be more than conquerors through Him who loved us.
Hard lessons in this thing we call life...trials will always be upon us, oh sure sometimes trials ease up for a bit, but hang in there, they'll be back...in fact, some trials seem to never leave, and that's when I tend to question God..."Hey You say, you Love me? Are you ever going to bless me again?" That's my 'circumstances talking again..."Help me Lord, not to always look at my circumstances...Help me to look at You!"

The Lord's Day

"It's The Lord's Day"  Shout with joy to the LORD, O earth! Come before him, singing with joy. Acknowledge that the LORD is God! He made us, and we are his. We are his people, the sheep of his pasture. Enter his gates with thanksgiving; go into his courts with praise. Give thanks to him and bless his name. For the LORD is good. His unfailing love continues forever, and his faithfulness continues to each generation. Psalm 100:1-5