“So he called him in and asked him, What is this I hear about you? Give an account of your management, because you cannot be manager any longer.”        (Luke 16:2).

The character and actions of a godly steward stand in stark contrast to that of the unjust steward.  ( See also Luke 16:10-13 )

All good stewards do the following:

Are you that faithful and wise servant being described here in Luke 12:42-43 ?

“The Lord answered, Who then is the faithful and wise manager, whom the master puts in charge of his servants to give them their food allowance at the proper time? It will be good for that servant whom the master finds doing so when he returns.”

Don’t let anyone convince you that you can’t do what God expects of you.  A steward has authentic responsiblility and carries it out faithfully.  By God’s grace, you can do what He has planned for you.

** comments on stewardship taken from the Word for You Today (Sep/Oct/Nov 2009)

Looking back over the past year I consider it nothing but a miracle that I could handle one of the saddest times in my life so well.  My Dad had been the victim of Parkinson disease for more than 20 years.  It is so sad to see a loved one who is so intelligent be reduced to such a state of dementia and helplessness.  Finally Dad quit walking and had to be admitted to a nursing home.  I always prayed through the years for his healing.  Well, the Parkinson’s was pretty much under control for the 6 years he was a resident in the home.  Things seemed to settle to a “normal” routine until last March.  He started to lose a lot of weight and he developed a cough.  Tests unfortunately came back as terminal lung cancer. NOBODY in Dad’s family had ever had lung cancer or any kind of cancer.  Of course right away I started making my bargains with God if he would heal him.  Unfortunately this wasn’t to be.  But I started seeming an appreciation for a man I so dearly loved.  I spent all the time I could with him.  So many prayers went up on his behalf.

Looking back I truly believe I received a blessing called time to spend and talk with a loved one.  I would sit and talk with him and through his dementia we had memorable talks.  I would tell him I loved him.  See, my idea is so many people don’t have this extra time and it would be sorely regretted.  Well, Dad lost his fight in May.  I had been asked if I thought God had answered my prayers because he didn’t get better.  I seriously believe that when a healing is prayed for God will ask us if we want to be healed or do we want the promise of something much better in heaven.  I also believe my prayers were answered because he didn’t lay and suffer long.  I find comfort in the fact that I will see him again someday.

No, my prayers weren’t exactly answered the way I would have liked but I do know I was heard.

How to Have Your Debt Paid in Full

The current national debt of the Untied States is an amount so staggering, few can grasp it. It’s one of the big reasons why national help with health care is so hotly debated, and people worry so much about Social Security.

There is an even bigger debt, though, than the tens of thousands of dollars owed by each man, woman, and child in the United States. And, it, too, is a debt each person owes.

What is that debt? When we see someone do something wrong, we all like to think “They’ll get what’s coming to them.” That faith helps us overcome the incredible evil that is all around us. It is a debt that wrongdoers owe. In fact, people released from prison are sometimes said to have “paid their debt to society.”

The problem is, we all commit wrongs, called sins. We all have a debt – and the combined total of that debt is great far greater than the U.S. National Debt. Think about all the lies that have been told. With so many people in the world, there are far more lies per second than the amount the National Debt increases per second. That’s not even counting the number of times people steal, hurt others, act mean, and so on. This sin debt grows higher and higher every day.

We can pay off credit cards bit by bit. Sometimes, we can agree to pay a certain amount, and a case will be closed. But, in order to do this, you have to not charge any more, right? You can’t pay a minimum balance of $100 on a credit card and then spent $150 per month on that card. It wouldn’t make sense. The debt would never be paid. And, this doesn’t even take into account the interest on that debt. More must be going to pay the debt than the amount added to the debt, in order to spend it down.

In order to get out of debt, we have to work to manage things so we are spending less than we take in. that includes interest. And, we need to manage thigns so we aren’t racking up so much interest we can’t repay.

Think about that debt that we owe because of our human nature, then. Each of us owes a debt because of those things we say, think, or do that are wrong. They’re usually not like the “debt to society” that is paid for with prison. Most of them are things that need a simple apology, or something else. But, even that is not enough to pay off the debt of sin.

It’s important to apologize sincerely, of course. It helps a lot when we do. But, the problem is, by the time we apologize for a particular sin, things have been added to that sin, like interest. For instance, let’s say we have told a lie, and later apologize and change our heart attitude, so we don’t tell that same lie anymore. In the meantime, someone found out that we lied. An amount of trust will have vanished, that had been there before. It will take more effort to build that trust back up. That trust is like an interest payment for the debt that we took on when we sinned. In a way, then, that lie indirectly causes something to be stolen, as well. And, it isn’t even the only thing that can be lost. Someone may act on that lie, and wind up losing money, losing a relationship, or something else based on it, when that thing should never have been lost.

As much as we try, we can’t be perfect. Even if a person sins 3 times a day – and even if you believe you’re a “good person,” I’m sure you’ll accept that there are 3 times a day – that’s over 1,000 sins a year.

Think about it. We get cut off in traffic, and we curse the person even though they could have a sick relative they’re rushing to visit in the hospital. We say something to hurt or tear others down instead of building them up. We rush to selfishly do something instead of thinking of others first. We commit adultery in our heart through how we look at another. As we can see, then, the debt of sin is huge.

It’s one we can’t repay. We can’t even repay the sin debt on each individual sin. But, to make matters worse, we add to that debt every day. We add to it through mean-spirited things, gossip, selfish thinking, and many other things that not only hurt people, they hurt God. What an enormous debt we owe!

Our debt to society isn’t paid with prison, though. The wages of sin is death. It’s separation from God’s perfect love and goodness forever., in a horrible place filled with sin. God, in His justice, must keep sin from His perfect Heaven, because in His love, He provides a perfect place once this life is over. It’s a place filled with goodness, where there’s no pain, no suffering, and no tears.

But wait, you ask: If the wages of sin is death, if we have all this sin, how can we reach that place? How can that debt be paid?

Thankfully, the story doesn’t stop there. The wages of sin is death, but the gift of God is eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord. It’s a free gift.

See, that debt was so huge, that no person could pay it. No person could pay it, because each person would have to pay his or her own sin debt. So, god came to this world, in form of a man. Jesus Christ was 100% man and 100% God while here on Earth. He paid all your sin debt when He died on the cross for you, and rose from the dead.

Think about it. It wouldn’t do to be 51% good and 49% bad, because that sin debt would still be there. Yes, we should try to be good. But, you can’t repay a debt just by promising to not go any further into debt. The debt will still be there. But, that’s what people do when they trust in being good. They try to ignore those little debts and just focus on not having any more debt. But, that debt still has to be paid. No amount of good work can cause that debt to be paid. Thankfully, the sin debt has been paid in full. Jesus Christ is God in flesh. He, God the Father, the Holy Spirit, all His disciples (though they were tortured and killed for it), Jesus’ miracles, and the Old Testament all testify that He is the sinless one, who became sin for us.

That’s how he took on our debt. He marked it “Paid in full” when He shed His perfect blood, as the sacrifice for our sin. All the lambs that were sacrificed from the very beginning were a sign of what Jesus Christ would do someday. He was the sinless Lamb of God. He laid down His life so we could be saved from our sin debt. And then, He rose from the dead the third day.

Archaeology confirms so much of the Bible. The testimony of people like John Newton, author of “Amazing Grace,” who have been radically changed, proves that it’s possible, and it happens. Most importantly, His Holy Spirit moves in peoples’ hearts to tell them how much God loves them.

See, God is just, but He is also a God of mercy and forgiveness. God wants to forgive your sin debt. He hung on that cross, suffering agony for hours as He endured the wrath of God the Father, as the sinless substitute for each of us. Then, as He died, He cried out, “tetelestai,” which means “It is finished!” The entire debt had been paid!And, he rose again the third day; He had defeated death, so all who believe can rise with Him.

That repayment must be accepted, though. If you knew it was free, you wouldn’t refuse a person’s offer to pay off all your credit cards and other debts, right? And yet, until that person paid them off, you would still have debt, because you wouldn’t have accepted it.

In the same way, Jesus paid all your sin debt for you. And, He just needs you to accept that He did, and receive it by simple faith. God is love. He wants to pay your sin debt. You just need to:

Accept you’re a sinner, that your sin debt keeps you from His perfect Heaven, that no amount of good work can get you there;

Believe that He is God in flesh, that He died on the cross and rose from the dead for you, personally, to take all your sin debt away;

Choose to turn away from your sins, and trust Him to save you from your sin and forgive you, and to come live in you through His Holy Spirit.

That’s all it takes. It’s a free gift. I know it can be hard for some, but that’s okay; He understands. He knows You, and loves You. He’ll help you have faith if you just trust Him to; before trusting Him to forgive your sin debt, just call in your heart, “ Lord, I’m not sure if you’re out there, but I’m giving this a try, and I trust that if You are real, You will hear and answer.”

Of course, once we receive Him as our Savior, and He comes to live in us, we still sin. We have a human nature that causes us to sin. But, we have Jesus Christ living in us so we can turn to Him and get help, so we don’t sin. And, whatever happens, He will forgive and cleanse us, if we just confess our sin to Him.

The Holy Spirit living is us is His guarantee that He will never leave us, nor forsake us. He will keep working in us to get us to be good. He might have to work pretty hard to get some peoples’ attention if they wander far away in sin. But, He will always lovingly guide us back, and watch over us, and help us. Because, God is love. And, He loves you. He wants you to be totally free from the burden of sin.

Psalm 34:1

I will bless the lord at all times.  His praise shall be continually in my mouth.

Wow, his name shall be continually in my mouth.  All the daylong I need to bless the name of the Lord.  Have I gotten this wrong?  Have we as a Christian people gotten this wrong?  Devotions.  There is nowhere in the Bible that talks about devotions.  We get so caught up in making sure we do our “quiet time” with God, make sure we have our “Bible time”.

We sit down, and we do it, and we open our Bible, and we read it, and we pray and then we get up and continue on with our day.

That is not the way it was meant to be.  It was not meant to be something we do but something we live.

Not just 10 minutes, not just for 30 minutes, not just for 2 hours a day just sitting down.

His praise shall continually be in my mouth — all the day long.

There are so many ways to do that.  Praising, worshipping, talking.  There are so many songs based specifically on the Psalms.  So many old time hymns, so many new songs.  Yes, a lot of the music is just screaming, trying to replicate what is popular in the culture and appeal to them.  Yet, there is so much good stuff out there that sings the praises of God.

Why can’t we be like my three year old who makes up songs and sing praises to the Lord?  Just make up words and a tune – whether it sounds good or not.

How can his praise be continually on my mouth when I am arguing with my spouse or trying to figure out the next best way to just make money?   Yes, with my financial coaching, I am in the business of helping people concentrate on honoring God with their money.  But it goes way beyond that.

No, I need a paradigm shift in my thinking, in my actions, and in my attitude.

And it is more than just singing.  I look out at my green grass and the dawn rising early this morning.  And I praise his name for what I see.  I can close my eyes or I can lift my head up and hold up my hands and praise him out loud.

Praise him continuously.

As I walk in my kitchen I can praise him for who I am and what I have.  Yes, I can do this.  His praise can continually be in my mouth.

So, magnify the Lord with me and let us exalt his name together.  Join me in the new paradigm shift in thinking and in actions.  Let us bless the Lord at all times and may his praise be continually in my mouth — and in yours.

I love you Lord, and I lift my voice — to worship you.  Oh, my soul rejoice.  Take joy, my King.  In what you hear.  May it be a sweet, sweet, sound.  In your ear.

First Haiti has a devastating earthquake. Then, a large quake hits near Japan. Now, Chile has one of the largest in recorded history, at 8.8! The number of major quakes in recent years seems to be increasing. These three came in just 2 months. An enormous 2004 quake not only caused the Asian tsunami, it sped the earth’s rotation momentarily. It’s enough to make people wonder if the end of the world is near.

Earthquakes are scary, as unlike bad weather, they come without warning. Aftershocks can occur for days, weeks, sometimes months. They cause terrible destruction. The increase in intensity in recent years is much like that of birth pangs that a woman feels before giving birth. Interestingly, Jesus uses the same analogy when he speaks of the end. And, “earthquakes in diverse places” – very different places, some of which don’t normally have them, thouhg some will – are one of the signs.

In Matthew 24, Jesus tells his disciples of the destruction of the temple in Jerusalem. They ask Him several questions. First, they ask when that destruction would happen, and then they ask about the signs of the end of the world. Jesus takes much more time on the second question than the first. He knew He would inspire His Word to be written, and that it was much more important to answer the second. Matthew 24-25 and Luke 21 each cover different aspects of what Jesus said.

Notice, first, that He answers the part about the destruction of Jerusalem in Luke 21:9. This is important because it gives us context to assure us that Matthew 24-25 is about the future, His coming and the end of the world. There are false Christs now, but there were also false Christs back then. There was lots of commotion, but the end – that is, the end of the world – did not come in 70 AD. Luke 21 talks more about the end, but also says that “before these things” – before the great earthquakes, famine, etc. – the disciples would be persecuted, and there would be a time of great trouble in Jerusalem.

However, the destruction of Jerusalem was horrible, but it was not the worst ever in history, as Mat. 24:21 says the end will be. That event in 70 AD was a picture of something that would happen in the future. We know because Matthew 24:15 says that before the end – during the Tribulation – there will be another temple. An abomination – a horrible, blasphemous thing – will be set up in the temple. That didn’t happen in 70 AD. Quite the opposite, in fact; no stone was left upon another. (The “Western Wall,” or “Wailing Wall,” now in Jerusalem is from an old Roman fort built after that.)

There’s another reason we know Jesus is speaking of the end of the world in Matthew 24. the first word of Mat. 25 – “Then” – shows Jesus is talking about the same subject. He’s drawing an analogy to situations in the end times. Yes, the parable of the talents later in that chapter has numerous spiritual applications for the Church, but there is a plain, literal meaning to Scripture, too.

“So, wait,” you ask, “you mean these earthquakes in diverse places are a sign we’re definitely near the end of the world?” Not quite. We are close – I don’t know how close. It is not given to us to know the day or the hour.

But, other signs also point to us being near, if not in, the end times: Famines, pestilence (major diseases), iniquity (lawlessness) running rampant, the love of many becoming cold (we talk about love, but that true, unconditional love isn’t there), and so on. These things are increasing more and more, just like birth pangs. There is, in fact, a site called “Rapture Ready” with a “Rapture index” that measures all of these. (The entire site is filled with good material, and forums, for those who wish to know more.)

“So, wait,” you ask, “are we really that close to the end? How do I prepare?” Like Jesus with His disciples’ questions, I will only gloss over the first, because the second is most crucial. Yes, we are getting close, but unlike a sonogram, these “birth pangs” can only be estimated. We just know they keep growing.

As for how to prepare, be confident that the Church has not replaced Israel. There will be another temple – in fact, Israelis have been preparing for it for years. God will once again deal with his chosen people as a nation, not just as individuals. Before He does this, though, something will happen which you can prepare for: The Rapture. “For the Lord Himself will descend with a shout, and the voice of the archangel, and the trump of God, and the dead in Christ shall rise first. Then, we which are alive and remain shall be caught up with them in the clouds, to be meet the Lord in the air. And so shall we ever be with the Lord.” (1 Thess. 4:16-17)

To know you’ll be caught up with Him, it’s as easy as ABC.

Admit you’re a sinner, that you fall short of God’s perfect glory. When sin was brought into the world through man’s disobedience, it spread everywhere, and caused all things to start decaying. We all fall short of His perfection through our sin. We don’t’ always mean to sin, and some people try really hard to be nice al the time. But, we can’t; we’re not perfect. That sin keeps us out of Heaven, except a price was paid to get us in.

Beleve that Jesus Christ died for your sins and rose from the dead. He is God in flesh, and he paid that price to get you into Heaven. It was the perfect sacrifice, the just for the unjust. He took the punishment you and I and everyone else deserves for our sin – for the fact we fall short of God’s perfection.

Choose to receive Him as your Savior by simple faith. That means heart knowledge, not just head knowledge. Call on Him to save you from your sins, receiving what He did by simple faith, as being for you personally. Because, He died for each of us personally. He had each person on mind who ever lived when he died on that cross, and frose again. All you have to do is receive Him.

If you do, He will come into your heart and change you on the inside, helping you be more like Him in His love, compassion, goodness, peace, and so many other wonderful things. He’ll give you peace so you wojn’t have to worry about all the problems of this world, and so you can get through them with His help. Because, we don’t know how long it will be before He comes for us. But, whether we rise first, or meet Him in the air, we have His promise that He will come for us before things get as horrible as it will in the Tribulation.

These things we see here, these massive earthquakes and such, are only the beginning of sorrows. But, Jesus has promised to help us through, if we just trust Him – with our souls, and then with our lives. And, if He says it’s our time to leave this world, by knowing Him as Savior, we can be certain that we will be forever with Him, in that awesome place where there is no pain, no suffering, and no tears.

The recent apology from Tiger Woods had been debated by many. While he has convessed what he has done, he still has quite a few sponsors who are leery at best and ignoring him at worst.

Can he recover his legacy? And, will (or can) he be forgiven?

the answer to both lies in the public. Forgiveness is something people seem rather willing to give if it is sincere. One thing that is important to remember is this: Forgiveness doesn’t mean saying something was right. In fact, in saying it needs forgiven, it’s flat out saying it was wrong.

There are, of course, different levels of wrongdoing. What Tiger Woods did was to sin – committing adultery – on a mass scale. There were no crimes involved. However, it was still an incredible breech of trust. While very few have committed crimes, a much larger percentage of people have at least looked on other adults with lust in their hearts, committing adultery in their hearts, as our Lord Jesus Christ says. Indeed, all of us need forgiven – if not for that, for some other sin.

We can do nothing to earn that forgiveness ourselves, just as Tiger Woods can do nothing to earn our forgiveness. Forgiveness is something that must be given freely. It is not earned or deserved. It is always a free gift. For by grace ar eye saved through faith, and that not of yourselves, it is the gift of God. Not of works, lest any man should boast. One must receive what Christ did for them by simple faith – trust that Jesus Christ, God in flesh, lived a perfect life and died on the cross to take the punishment for your sins, as your substitute, and that He rose from the dead the third day. He did all that was needed to get you to Heaven.

A person can work to regain trust, of course, and that will be important. it’s a hard thing to do – which is why the Apostle Paul warns of the need to finish well in the Christian life. It looks as though Tiger Woods wants to do that. But, the Bible doesn’t tell us to trust others. It says to forgive one another, as God for Christ sake hath forgiven us.

Trust must be earned by showing oneself trustworthy in small things first, so they can be trusted in larger things. A young teen I know is mature enough to watch her siblings. She would like to babysit outside the family, for anyone. But, she is just now working to earn her parents’ trust with those younger siblings. Once she does that, she will have the privilege of watching other peoples’ children. As she gets a larger resume and more references, more people will trust her, if she does a good job.

But, if she were to mess up – let’s say she takes her eye off a younger child and he gets hurt – she will be forgiven right away. that is, her parents will still love her. They might decide she’s not ready yet to be trusted with certain responsibilities, but that doesn’t mean they will love her any less.

This is an important concept when it comes to rebuilding his legacy, and Tiger being forgiven. Whenever he plays again, he is going to have to earn that trust. It’s up to the public to decide to put their trust in him again. In the cynical world we live in, it’s easy to wonder what people we can trust, but we can’t just refuse to trust anyone. it will take time for Tiger Woods to rebuild his legacy, but it seems quite possible for him to do so. The public, though cynical at times, does seem ready to let him build that trust up with them again. It’s just like in the Bible, when the Apostle Paul started out, just after his conversion. It took him a while to be trusted by those in Jerusalem, till Barnabas was willing to take a chance. However, that doesn’t mean the early apostles didn’t forgive the former Saul of Tarsus. It just means that they understood only God could be trusted completely.

However, forgiveness – which is also up to the public – is something that isn’t earned or deserved. In fact, true forgiveness means forgiving Tiger Woods before he ever made his apology; just as Jesus called out ont he cross, “Forgive them, Father, they know not what they do.” He certainly can be forgiven; because all of us have sinned and need forgivness, which was given to us through the wonderful cross, and the shed blood of Jesus, as the remission for our sins.

Do you feel worthless?  Do you feel like you’re a mistake?  Don’t Believe It!

You are special – You are uniquely and beautifully made!

I remember as a child, my mother told me in the heat of an argument that she was sorry I was born.  When I was in my twenties, she told me the story how she tried to abort me 3 times.  These statements surely had a negative affect on me well into my 30s.  Thank God, he has healed me from the stings of these words.  Today, I look at these happenings in a very different way….despite the fact that my mom tried to abort me several times…God willed me into existence.  What incredible plan God must have for my life.  It made me also realize that my words might have hurt people and that we need to be careful about what we say to one another.  The subconscious can’t take a joke.

Words are one thing.  I can only imagine the abuse some of you might have had to endure.  Some of you might had to endure not only verbal abuse but also physical and sexual abuse.  Watching the movie “Precious” gave a glimpse of what that would be like.

Abuses like that can make you feel worthless and full of shame.  I understand that there are even symptoms of guilt with being sexually abused, making you feel like that somehow it’s your fault you have been abused.  Let me make it perfectly clear…these are all lies of the enemy, who wants nothing less than to kill and destroy you.  Don’t you believe it!

You are special!
There is only one like you and God has a plan for your life.  He willed you and me into existence.  Let’s take a look at what the Bible says about your and my existence.

For You formed my inward parts; You covered me in my mother’s womb.  Psalms 139:13 (NKJV)

I will praise You, for I am fearfully and wonderfully made; Marvelous are Your works, And that my soul knows very well.  Psalms 139:14 (NKJV)

“Are not two sparrows sold for a copper coin? And not one of them falls to the ground apart from your Father’s will. “But the very hairs of your head are all numbered.  “Do not fear therefore; you are of more value than many sparrows.  Matt 10:29-31 (NKJV)

Your eyes saw my substance, being yet unformed. And in Your book they all were written, The days fashioned for me, When as yet there were none of them.  How precious also are Your thoughts to me, O God! How great is the sum of them!  Psalms 139:16-17 (NKJV)

God Loves You!
In this the love of God was manifested toward us, that God has sent His only begotten Son into the world, that we might live through Him.  In this is love, not that we loved God, but that He loved us and sent His Son to be the propitiation for our sins.  1 John 4:9-10 (NKJV)

“For God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten Son, that whoever believes in Him should not perish but have everlasting life.  ”For God did not send His Son into the world to condemn the world, but that the world through Him might be saved.  John 3:16-17 (NKJV)

God Can Help

The name of the LORD is a strong tower; The righteous run to it and are safe. Prov 18:10 (NKJV)

He gives power to the weak, And to those who have no might He increases strength.  Isaiah 40:29 (NKJV)

He heals the brokenhearted And binds up their wounds.  Psalms 147:3 (NKJV)

Fear not, for I am with you; Be not dismayed, for I am your God. I will strengthen you, Yes, I will help you, I will uphold you with My righteous right hand.’  Isaiah 41:10 (NKJV)

Blessed are those who mourn, For they shall be comforted.  Matt 5:4 (NKJV)

“Come to Me, all you who labor and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest.  ”Take My yoke upon you and learn from Me, for I am gentle and lowly in heart, and you will find rest for your souls.  ”For My yoke is easy and My burden is light.”  Matt 11:28-30 (NKJV)

New Beginnings
We can’t undo our past, at the same time however, we should not live with our false past identity.   I surely could have not done it myself.  God has not only healed me, but he has also given me a new identity…one that is based on my true identity that is in Christ.  As a Christian, we are no longer bound by our old identity…we’re a new creation.

Jesus is waiting.  Ask him to give you a new identity.  His word says…”Ask, and it will be given to you; seek, and you will find; knock, and it wll be opened to you.  “or everyone who asks receives, and he who seeks finds, and to him who knocks it will be opened.  Matt 7:7-8 (NKJV)

Check out this beautiful video You are Special – by Max Lucado

Also, check out our articles on We’re Created Different, But We’re All Useful, What is Heaven? A world better than Avatar’s Pandora, Can Your God Do This?, In The Wilderness, It’s not fair! But, why isn’t life fair? And, can it be?, The Comforting Word of God, Salvation, Success and Failure Articles,

Somewhere around age 40 a strange shift happened.  When I was younger, I literally fed on being busy.  And I’m not talking about a healthy busy…you know, living with purpose – having a few places to go, some people to see, etc.  No, I’m talking about insane busy – life on overdrive 24/7.  And I loved it!  I loved having a every single moment so compressed that even Einstein would have said, “This woman is going to upset the time continuum if she adds even 15 more seconds of activity to her day!”

I remember one day in particular.  I was working for a Los Angeles radio station and I was a little late to an appointment (first time ever) so I was flying down the 5 Freeway (just a few miles over the speed limit).  Well, I wasn’t exactly behind schedule – let’s just say I didn’t have an extra 30 seconds to spare.  I was weaving around the “slow pokes” with amazing skill …when a thought flashed across my mind.  ”I am really an important person because I have an appointment!  And better yet, it’s not my only appointment, I have lots of appointments which is why I’m barely going to make it to this one on time.  I have really arrived – I’m busy so I’m important!”

Now of course it is fun to have purpose and commitments, etc, but I hope you can see that this attitude was a little off. And here’s the thing…I really believed it.

Well, again, somewhere around 40 this vague cloud of exhaustion started following me everywhere I went as I sped around on overdrive.  I still believed that being busy meant I had value, but the crazy pace was beginning to wear on me.  After a few years, I still kept up my workday pace, but I started to find myself withdrawing at nights and on weekends.  At first it was just one night a week, but it slowly grew to the point I almost resented having to make any social plans at all…didn’t want to be pinned in.  What if when that scheduled time came around I didn’t feel like it? Everyone wants something from me and I have nothing left to give!  “I gave at the office” took on a whole new meaning.

Again, as I noted this growing behavior, I grew to like it.  Ok, that’s just me – I’m maturing.  But then it seemed that I couldn’t get enough time alone and away from the crowd.  If I had too many social activities on a weekend I would find my anxiety rise exponentially – which also would guarantee a very short fuse the entire next week.  I became aware of how much time I needed to “recoup” from all the workday “performing” and all that I thought others demanded of me.

Well, I’m not a total recluse today, and don’t get me wrong – I know I need my friends probably more than they need me.  But I do still find myself needing to retreat and give myself plenty of unstructured “down time.”  When I don’t, all the activity becomes completely meaningless…even depressing.  I was enjoying some of this precious alone time rattling around in the garden a few Saturdays ago.  Then I remembered a social event I had committed to. Agh!  I watched myself instantly begin brainstorming ways to get out of it, and of course, the internal angst level started rising.
That’s when I thought of Him.  How did Jesus handle it?  How could He stand all those crowds, people pressing in on every side, following Him everywhere He went, trying to catch Him in His words – with not a second to Himself?  How did He do it!?  Oh sure, He snuck off now and then to be alone and talk with the Father. But more often than not, it seems that He somehow managed to push Himself to keep going.  But why!?  I mean, He already had the great networking thing of the 12 apostles going.  Couldn’t they just pass along His teachings?  How could He stand it? How did He keep moving to the next town, and the next town and keep healing, keep teaching…keep on? And all those people!  Endless lines of people that wanted something from Him! Ugh!

But then it hit me – He pushed Himself, He pressed on for individuals. In each incident He had someone’s face on His mind – someone waiting in the next town who needed to hear about the love of the Father…and He had to get there. He had appointments!  Oh, they didn’t think they had appointments.  No, they didn’t know, but He did. I think Jesus had individuals’ faces on His mind and on His heart.  He knew their hurts and confusions, their hopes, their disillusionments.  He not only knew the people who would be changed forever with a word, or even a glance, but He knew exactly where each would notice Him and what would catch their eye or ear.  Yes, these people were usually in crowds, but they were individuals to Him…individuals that He loved.

I wonder if He would have walked all night to meet with me? Would He walk all night for an appointment with you?

Also see Seeking God, Laziness, Success, Peace, Trusting God, Money, How to succeed in tough economic times

We tend to focus on our loved ones here on earth when Valentine’s Day comes around. What about our Heavenly Father? He should be at the top of our list of Valentines.
My Father, Son, and Holy Spirit gave His love to us before anyone did. He brought us to life, touched our hearts, and gave us the power of choice. We should choose, without having to consider, that He receive our love first. Our Valentine Lord looks upon us with the utmost of love and compassion. He shares with us when we are too selfish or greedy to put Him first. He touches us when we whine and complain, when we pray for forgiveness, and when we feel there is no love left for us from anyone. He offers a love that is everlasting.
Yes, today should be an easy day for us indeed. A day to humble ourselves and gracefully bow before our first Valentine of all. Lift up your hearts, pour out your thankfulness, and open your arms to receive the Almighty Love.
It’s all well and good to give gifts and cards to our loved ones. We should be grateful and should show them that we care. For us, seeing is believing. Everyone wants to be accepted and hugged, kissed and shown love. It’s not a bad thing to want to lift the spirits of the people in our lives. We were given these priceless gifts by God. Of course He wants us to show our appreciation to them as well as to Him. Read 1John 4:8 “He who does not love does not know God, for God is love.”

Other scriptures that remind us of God’s love and how He wants us to love (yes, loving God also means loving the way He wants us to love others) are:
1John 4:10, 1John 4:20, Leviticus 19:18, Luke 6:27 There are more scriptures, of course, just look in your concordance in your Bible under the word “love”.
Although it is usually John 3:16 that is the focus of how God loves us, He also shows us His love in many other ways. Sometimes these ways are subtle and seem more like punishment than love. Have you ever been late to work only to realize that if you hadn’t been late you could’ve been in a wreck? Have you ever prayed for something you didn’t get only to realize later why it was better that you didn’t get it? Have you ever been hurt by someone who told you a blatant truth you didn’t want to hear only to realize later that the person was right and your life has improved because of it? Sometimes when we think God must hate us, we need to remember that we are seeing our present selfish desires, not the long-reaching wisdom and love of our Lord.
Human love can be blind. God’s love is never blind. He knows us better than we know ourselves. So, today I say, “Happy Valentine’s Day, God! Thank you for knowing me best.”

Aaaah!  It is Sunday!  A day of rest!  A day to refuel the soul!  A day to set aside just for you, Father God, to give you glory and praise your Holy Name!

For some of you this day may be Saturday, but I usually spend Sunday as my Sabbath.  This has confused me. It  makes sense  that since Father God spent 6 days creating and spent the 7th day resting that Saturday would be the Sabbath, but most of us spend our Sabbath on Sunday since that is the day we go to church.  Some weeks I have more convictions of this than others so I wind up celebrating my Sabbath on Saturday but still attending church on Sunday.   In doing this I feel I really prepare my heart for worship. But where did the Sunday Sabbath come from if the Bible is really clear on the 7th day?

I once was a member of a small group that had this discussion.  The big issue was how many people worked weekends and could not get to church on Sunday?  So is it okay for people who need to work weekends to spend their Sabbath, their day of rest, their day of isolating themselves to the Lord, the day of praise to the Lord, another day?

I guess in retrospect if you spend your 6 days of work Saturday through Thursday or Sunday-Friday, or whatever your schedule might be then your Sabbath would be the day or one of the days you actually do not have to go to work.  That would be the day you set aside for rest.

Some denominations are very set on what the Bible says about the Sabbath.  Going by our calendar, etc.  But although our calendar was derived from a former does it make it exactly the calendar that God used and did God use a calendar?  He has always existed, He is older than all the grains of sand, He has always been there and will always be, His day is a thousand years.  So what type of calendar did He or would He use?

In conclusion, I believe that each of us has our own personal relationship with our Lord.  We need to rest in Him and His Word each and every day to be drawn closer to Him and have the ability to hear His will in our lives.  But we also need to have our Sabbath, where we do no work in order to glorify His Holy Name and His Word.

Draw near to the Lord today and everyday.  Set aside your Sabbath.  Speak to the Lord of your habits, needs, desires, and the Sabbath.   Allow His Holy Spririt to guide and lead you and listen for God’s Words of Wisdom.

I would love to hear from you and what God leads you to do!

I love you, Father God!  You are my King of Kings, my rock and fortress, without you life would be impossible and with you life is amazing!  All glory and honor to you, Abba Father!  Praise be your Holy Name!

The Apostle Paul seems to have been a sports fan. He likely followed the ancient Olympics, just as we follow the modern Games. In several places, he compares the Christian life to sports. He speaks of people who strive for mastery of various things, as one would strive to excel at Olympic events. He speaks of not wanting to become disqualified. And, writes of how all run, that one may attain the prize, and tells us to run that way, though we shall all obtain that prize.

How should we do that? Obviously, life is not totally about athletics. In fact, Jesus Christ cared deeply about the handicapped of his day, those who couldn’t do much physically. It is, however, a valid comparison, as we consider the things anyone can do, and the things to avoid, as well as the ultimate goal of life.

First, we see that people strive for mastery. The Bible is telling us to work at obtaining the qualities of a strong Christian, as though we were trying to make it into the Olympics. This is vital, because we have a great adversary, the devil, who is constantly going around seeking to devour people. We must put on the “whole armor of God” each day, and practice doing that constantly. Ephesians 6:11-18 tells us about that – the faith, righteousness (not our own, but Christ’s), and so on which allow us to stand. It’s just like one stands at the podium to earn that medal.

Not everyone can do everything. But, everyone can work on the fruits of the Spirit, for instance, in Galatians 5:22-23. By cultivating those, one can grow to be more and more like Jesus, which will allow others to see His goodness in us. And, we can do those things, to the best of our abilities, that mark a good Christian – reading the Bible, praying, giving (time and talent, as well as money), fellowshipping with other believers, witnessing of what Christ as done for us, and so on. Not everyone will be great at first. But, everyone can work on those things some, to the point where they get better each day.

We must, however, not cut corners, Paul warns of not wanting to be disqualified. This can happen in two ways. First, a person could be disqualified by cheating. Think of a runner in the marathon skipping a few miles of the course. They never really finish, and if they train that way, that shortcut means they won’t be as effective. They can also simply fail to meet the necessary requirements. This means they wouldn’t even be able to enter the competition. It would be like an ice skater who never practiced with the music he or she wanted to use. When they try to qualify, they would be so out of sync they wouldn’t get anywhere close to Olympic entry.

Both are seen in the problem of Christians who won’t grow spiritually. They trust Jesus to save them, but ignore the Holy Spirit calling them to improve. They have no limitation that keeps them from giving, or prayinbg, or reading the Bible, or anything like that. They just pay too much attention to the world. Some even fall into sin that harms their own team, like a hockey player who just goes around picking fights with teammates instead of just sitting back and letting them play and try to win.

Finally, Paul advises that – though we shall all obtain the prize – we should focus as it we wanted to finish first.

This verse is not saying to be prideful. It’s merely saying that one must put one’s whole focus on himself or herself, and not pay attention to how others are doing. It doesn’t matter if someone else is pursuing their calling in a different way, or how well they are doing at it. Yes, we must stand fast against sin. However, we should not put such emphasis on others that we ignore our own walk with Christ.

So, how does one become an Olympic-style Christian, and get the most out of life. First, one must commit to those things that draw us near to God. Yes, the Bible says that He who hath begun a good work in you will complete it. It’s His job to guide and direct you. However, let’s say you’re walking a dog. What’s easier? When that dog is well heeled and walks right with you? Or, trying to walk when your dog is pulling after a squirrel or something in the totally opposite direction? Of course, it’s the first one. We need to stay close to God, so it’s easier on us and on Him. This is why Paul warns us not to quench the Holy Spirit. The Spirit is how He guides us toward a Godly path.

We must not let our path become one of self-righteousness, nor let it become a path of sin. Either one can cause us to become disqualified for that race. It might mean a lost chance at some blessing or reward, or it might mean that God will nto hear our prayer because we regard sin in our hearts. It will never mean we lose our salvation, but imagine the shame just as getting to Heaven, and learning you could have done so much more with what you had. That you wasted your life on things that never mattered. That, in itself, would be horrible, and is the reason Paul was so concerned.

Because, you see, while we must keep an eye on our own running, we have the duty to be an example of Christ for others. In that way, our eyes should be all around us, even though we run the race as if we wanted to finish first.

In another respect, of course, we can’t totally run it to finish first. It’s not just because we must be humble, and give God the glory, rather than credit our own accomplishments. It’s because all receive the same crown who have trusted Christ as Savior. That crowning achievement is the eternal life which was purchased for us through the shed blood of our Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ. It is a pice which can be received by anyone by simple faith. For we are saved by grace through faith, and that not of ourselves, it is the gift of God. Not of works, lest any man should boast.

See, so much in life is going to disappear at the end. The only thin we take with us are souls; Jesus is preparing a place for as many as will receive Him. Everything will be taken care of up there. He just wants as many as possible to receive Him.

So, run the race, keeping your mind on the fact that to get the most out of life, you need to first of all know that you have eternal life. That’s done by simply putting your whole faith in Jesus Christ, receiving what He did on the cross as having taken the punishment for your sins. Then, trusting that He rose from the dead for you, too.

Next, your focus needs to be on things above. And, you need to cultivate those fruits of the Spirit, remain close to God through faith, prayer, and so on, and work toward telling others about Jesus so that as many as possible can join you in heaven someday. Not to get any credit for it yourself, but so that God may be glorified.

Then, if you have trusted him as Savior and faithfully served Him, He can say those words that will mean so much more than any gold medal, so much more than any anthem at a podium. He, the Creator of the Universe, the one by whom all things consist, can say to you, “Well done, thou good and faithful servant.” That is better than any medal – hearing Him tell you that you did a good job.

That’s the way to get the most out of life. It’s by making sure you have received Jesus Christ as your personal savior. Then, having plenty of others that you have won to Christ by planting seeds – through kindness, love, witnessing, and son on – that lead to them getting saved and/or growing closer to Christ themselves. That is how to be an Olympic-level Christian.

A recent finding by archaeologists shows the Bible to be older than many liberal scholars thought. These scholars base their views on man’s thinking. However, the thinking of imperfect man has been proven wrong time and again. Meanwhile, the Bible – which is the Word of God – is perfect and timeless.

The recent finding – written Hebrew containing some of the Law – is among many that sink myths made popular by people who do not want to accept God’s authority in their lives. The desire to see people as all-important is not a new one. In fact, it is as old as time itself. However, it’s important to understand that we are imperfect. And, imperfect people can never create a perfect theory, system, or anything, without relying totally on God to do it.

One of the main theories this finding debunks is that written Hebrew came later. This is based on peoples’ prejudices. People came up with this theory because they wanted to feel superior. If they could say a people group had writing later than them, it might make them feel better.

However, the claim itself of Hebrew being a more recent language is based on the fact that it hadn’t been found to be any earlier. This is like saying, “Because I can’t see across the ocean, there is nothing there.” First, the lack of evidence for something doesn’t prove that it doesn’t exist. All it shows is there isn’t any evidence right now. Second, you have proof each time you meet someone from across the sea. Someone might say, “They could be lying,” but if they bear evidence – such as souvenirs from faraway countires – you would know they are telling the truth.

The Bible has always had that evidence. Joshua and the Israelites brought the written Penteteuch (the first five books of the Bible) into the Promised Land when they settled it. The written Word of God is referred to numerous times in Scripture by people who wrote centuries before Christ. the law was brought out by Josiah, King of Israel, and read before the people decades before the fall of Jerusalem.

The witness of the writers of Scripture shows that the written Word of God was around for centuries before some people like to say it was. This is because God inspired the people to write it. This means that the Holy Spirit moved the writers to write what God wanted them to write, while still allowing them to keep their own individual personalities and styles.

There will always be people who try to scoff. but, this not only shows Hebrew to have been written earlier than liberal scholars thought, it is among a number of findings lately that have proved the existence of King David. Other famous archaeological digs have shown other evidence of the existence of people and groups who existed in Biblical times.

The Bible is clearly very old. The liberal scholars have been wrong consistently when trying to date it. The same holds true with their idea of New Testament dates. The books of the New Testament were all written within the first decades after Jesus’ death, the last being around 90-95 A.D.. In fact, some scholars believe that one of the Dead Sea Scrollsmay contain a small portion of the Gospel of Mark.

Even if it doesn’t, it’s imprortant to realize that the Bible can be relied upon as the absolute Word of God. It should not be torn apart by textual critics. It should be accepted for what it is – the inspired, inerrant Wordof God which was written by the contemporaries of those alive at the time events took place, be they Old or New Testament. the witness of the Bible is true in every area. Especially in that of needing to trust in Jesus Christ, God in flesh, as the sinless substitute for our sins. he suffered, bled, and died for our sins, and rose from the dead, because mankkind is imperfect; and has been since the beginning, when sin was brought intot he world, and death by sin.

However, thankfully, while man is imperfect, God is perfect, and has given us His Word.

After the terrible devastation of the earthquake in Haiti, many are taking a new look at major regions in the United States that could see quakes, those being California, the New Madrid fault line, and, lately, at the “earthquake swarm” in Yellowstone National park. And, people are wondering – can it happen here?

Earthquakes are very scary. Unlike tornadoes, hurricanes, forest fires, and other disasters, which provide at least a *little* warning, quakes provide none. (Some speak of hints like sea lions leaving San Francisco, but that is just a coincidence, as they had left well before the 1989 quake.) This makes them seem much more scary. The supervolcano that is also under Yellowstone make that one appear quite frightening to many.

Unfortunately, we can’t know for certain when the next quake will hit, but we know that they will come sometime. Will it be in our lifetimes? We don’t know for sure. However, one day there will be an earthquake so large, it will be larger than any that has come before it. The Bible which is God’s love letter to us – warns us of that humongous, 20-on-the-Richter-scale quake just before the Battle of Armageddon. That’s just before his Second Coming.

Why does a “love letter” warn of such things? Because any loving person will want to warn their loved ones of impending doom, so they can escape. Jesus did the same thing when He warned His disciples of the year 70 A.D. destruction of Jerusalem decades before it happened He then jumped straight to the end times, which they had asked about, so as to answer their original question; this is why the church age in between is ignored in Matthew 24-25. He wants us to be prepared.

See, God made this world perfect. There weren’t supposed to be any natural disasters. But, something happened when man, by his own free choice (because god didn’t want us to be mindless robots) chose to bring sin into the world. That sin was like an infection, which infected all the earth. It wasn’t just that man faced spiritual death, and would one day face physical death as well. All of creation was infected. Hence, Romans 8:22 tells us that the whole world groans and travails in pain. In fact, “earthquakes in diverse places” is one sign of the end being near.

Thankfully, one day, God will make a new Heaven and a new earth, where there will be no more pain, no suffering, no tears. But, there can be no sin there, either. So, how do we make sure we get there, and how does this help us prepare?

How do we get to that new Heaven and earth?

Each of us has that same “infection” called a sin nature. We have all sinned, and come short of the glory of God. God Himself is just like His perfect Heaven – we must be perfect to approach Him. The wages of sin – what we earn for that sin, that time when we go against His will and choose our own way – is death. That’s a separation from God forever in a place of suffering called Hell, which was only created for the devil and his angels which rebelled. God doesn’t want people to go there.

So, God made a way for us to get to heaven. He came into this world in the person of Jesus Christ, who was fully God and fully man. He was perfect. And, while we were yet sinners, Christ died for us. He died for our sins, was buried, and then He rose again the third day. And, the wonderful thing is, that as many as receive Him by simple faith, to them gave he power to become the sons of God, even to them that beleve on His name.

It’s only by simple faith in what He already did that we can get to Heaven. We can’t do it ourselves. Each person must put his or her trust in Jesus Christ to forgive them and save them from their sins, and come make them new on the inside. For if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creature. Old things are passed away, behold, all thigns are become new. Then, he will live in us and help us to grow closer to Him in our love, compassion, and so on. We’ll still have that fleshly nature, but one day, those who receive Him will be changed totally, so they are without in once they die or are raptured. Then, eventually, God will make that new Heaven and earth, and Heaven itself shall descend to that world, and God will dwell with man, as told in Revelation 21.

Okay, so it will come, but not for a long time, right? It probably won’t come for a long while. However, here’s what to do to prepare.

First, pray God saves your soul

The most important thing is to receive His free gift of salvation, by faith in what He did for you on the cross as having taken all the punishment for your sin.

You might die in some other way than a quake, after all. You need to be prepared. That means that when the church age ends, you will be caught up in the air with Him – either as one of the dead in Christ which rise first, or one of those who remain living on Earth.

Second, pray God holds it off

First, the major earthquake the Bible speaks of occurs in the Tribulation period. This doesn’t mean there *can’t* be a major quake before then. But, you can certainly pray that God will hold off the Big One in California, the Yellowstone supervolcano, and so on until the Tribulation period.

See, the church age ends at the start of the Tribulation. Events on Earth during the Tribulation are spoken of in Revelation 6-19. Once the Rapture happens, things will get a lot worse, as far as natural disasters, plagues, and so on, as well as sin.

Right now, there is a lot of sin in the world’s people. And, creation is groaning more and more. It’s not because of anyone’s particular sin. To continue our earlier analogy, it’s just part of that “infection” that has been spreading throughout the world, infecting all of nature with decay. God is all-powerful, He can hold things off. But, that “infection” has an effect. And, God – being just as well – must allow the laws of cause and effect to run their course, unless He intercedes in a miraculous way. If there were no cause and effect, the world would be an even worse place; nobody would know what to expect when anything happened.

Third, pray God helps you through

If there would be a major quake, you can pray that God helps you through it. He gives us grace to help with everything in time of need, but that last word is very important. He provides us with our daily needs, not just those things we want. Having a couple weeks of supplies in event of a major disaster is always wise. Having a couple years is foolish. It’s not trusting in God. Remember, He tells His disciples to seek first the Kingdom of God, and its righteousness, and all these things (food, shelter, etc.) would be added unto us.

Fourth, pray God gives you discernment

This is a vital part of the Christian life. It means knowing when something is of God, and when it’s not.

Stories of looting and such in Haiti can make one worry about what would happen in event of a disaster here. However, that spirit of fear is actually ungodly. God has not given us a spirit of fear, but of power, and of love, and of a sound mind. (2 Tim. 1:7) When the Bible says to “fear God,” it means to hold Him in great reverence, to realize His awesome power and what He could do if He wanted, which helps us realize his great mercy by which He saved us even more. He doesn’t want to destroy us. He never takes joy in punishing, He loves us unconditionally. So, that term never means to be frightened.

First, note that God lives in us through His Holy Spirit , which is fully god just like God the Father and God the Son, Jesus Christ. This is the Spirit we can listen to so we can be guided through life. He doesn’t want us to be afraid and worry all the time about earthquakes, or any other disasters. He wants us to use His Spirit.

It’s a Spirit of peace that passes understanding, of goodness, of mercy. And, it’s one where people should look at us and see a difference. When someone sees a Christian, they should see Christ inside them, and say, “Wow, I wish I had that Spirit of peace.”

It’s wonderful to have that Spirit. But, the same Spirit that lives in us and gives us peace, and the ability to get through all the problems of life, is God. That means He is all-knowing. As such, He can tell us, in our hearts, what is right and what is wrong.

When the Bible says we should not be as little children, tossed to and fro with every doctrine, it’s talking mostly about sound Biblical doctrine. It’s saying, “Don’t just keep changing with whatever man teaches, follow the Bible, which is forever.” However, there is another application which can be made, too.

So often, we hear stories about massive supervolcanoes, or fault lines like New Madrid, or rumors about things like the San Francisco sea lions, and we start to worry. Those little worries become big ones, and eventually we get so anxious that we don’t know what to do. Then, just as that one crisis ends, the next one begins – maybe it’s the H1N1 virus, maybe it’s economic woes, maybe it’s something else.

God doesn’t want us to be tossed about like a little boat on a raging sea. He wants us to have a peace that passes understanding. He wants us to feel safe, so we can know what’s important, and what isn’t. He knows the future, so He can guide us as to what to watch out for, what to just keep track of but not be too concerned, and what we can ignore. God cares for your well-being. It’s not just eternal life in Heaven someday He promises us. It’s eternal life with Him starting the moment you trust Him as your Savior! Hallelujah!

So, when you hear stories about earthquake swarms, or whatever else the media brings up, trust in god to keep you, because He will. This world has a huge infection called sin, which has all of creation groaning and travailing. However, if you receive Him as Savior, you can have Him guiding you through it all; you only have to turn to Him and ask for that help, for He has promised, “I will never leave you, norm forsake you.”

When I talk about American Idols, I’m not talking about the TV show American Idol.  I’m talking about the idea of idols.  Idols can be anything.  Some people might have money, a big house, fame, sex as their idol.  Wikipedia’s definition for Idol is “An idol is a man-made object that is worshiped in some way.”

Now, let me stress that there is nothing wrong with sex, fame or having money, etc. in the right context.  Let’s take money for example.  Many well known godly people in the Bible had lots of money and wealth, like Abraham, Solomon, David and many others.  The question is, where is your heart?  Is your money controlling you?  Are you a slave to your money?  Are you focused on just on the accumulation of money?   When money becomes your focus, in other words your idol, it is then when you’re getting into real trouble.

It’s worth thinking about.  First of all, you will never experience lasting fulfilling success if your focus is on money.  Bill Gates did not make his money by focusing on money.  He had a passion for computers and software and money was a side effect of his passion.  Besides failure, having the wrong attitude about money can cost you everything including your soul?  Here is what the Bible says about money and success.

“For what profit is it to a man if he gains the whole world, and loses his own soul? Or what will a man give in exchange for his soul?
Matthew 16:26 (NKJV)

Again, the devil took Him up on an exceedingly high mountain, and showed Him all the kingdoms of the world and their glory.  And he said to Him, “All these things I will give You if You will fall down and worship me.”  Then Jesus said to him, “Away with you, Satan! For it is written, ‘You shall worship the LORD your God, and Him only you shall serve.’ “  Matthew 4:8-10 (NKJV)

Where is the wise? Where is the scribe? Where is the disputer of this age? Has not God made foolish the wisdom of this world?  1 Corinthians 1:20 (NKJV)

But God has chosen the foolish things of the world to put to shame the wise, and God has chosen the weak things of the world to put to shame the things which are mighty; and the base things of the world and the things which are despised God has chosen, and the things which are not, to bring to nothing the things that are, that no flesh should glory in His presence.  1 Corinthians 1:27-29 (NKJV)

You were bought at a price; do not become slaves of men.  1 Corinthians 7:23 (NKJV)

And do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind, that you may prove what is that good and acceptable and perfect will of God.  Romans 12:2 (NKJV)

Command those who are rich in this present age not to be haughty, nor to trust in uncertain riches but in the living God, who gives us richly all things to enjoy.  1 Timothy 6:17 (NKJV)

Adulterers and adulteresses! Do you not know that friendship with the world is enmity with God? Whoever therefore wants to be a friend of the world makes himself an enemy of God.  James 4:4 (NKJV)

Do not love the world or the things in the world. If anyone loves the world, the love of the Father is not in him.  For all that is in the world–the lust of the flesh, the lust of the eyes, and the pride of life–is not of the Father but is of the world.  And the world is passing away, and the lust of it; but he who does the will of God abides forever.  1 John 2:15-17 (NKJV)

“He who loves his life will lose it, and he who hates his life in this world will keep it for eternal life.  John 12:25 (NKJV)

The amazing thing is that when we focus on God, he takes care of us.  His promises are amazing for people that focus on him.  He provides true, lasting and enjoyable success.

“This Book of the Law shall not depart from your mouth, but you shall meditate in it day and night, that you may observe to do according to all that is written in it. For then you will make your way prosperous, and then you will have good success.  Josh 1:8 (NKJV)

And God is able to make all grace abound toward you, that you, always having all sufficiency in all things, may have an abundance for every good work.  2 Cor 9:8 (NKJV)

But his delight is in the law of the LORD, And in His law he meditates day and night.  He shall be like a tree Planted by the rivers of water, That brings forth its fruit in its season, Whose leaf also shall not wither; And whatever he does shall prosper.   Psalms 1:2-3 (NKJV)

The name of the LORD is a strong tower; The righteous run to it and are safe.   Prov 18:10 (NKJV)

then the Lord knows how to deliver the godly out of temptations and to reserve the unjust under punishment for the day of judgment,
2 Peter 2:9 (NKJV)

And my God shall supply all your need according to His riches in glory by Christ Jesus.  Phil 4:19 (NKJV)

Frankly, it’s hard to change some of our attitudes like the one about money by ourselves, however, if we ask God, he promises to help us change from the inside out.

Other related articles Success Stories, Addictions and Struggles, Money, How to succeed in tough economic times.

I have dogs. They’re all rescue dogs. There’s a phrase for these kinds of dogs…wonder dogs, because you “wonder what they are.” Their names are all based on important things I need to be reminded of in my life. Luke, Lily and…well you’ll see.

Three years ago a friend found this little dog in the shelter. He was quiet, tiny, white and sitting alone in a corner. He was called “Wags’ because he constantly wagged his tail. I took him home and named him Ezekiel (Zeke to his close friends) like that powerful prophet in the bible who proclaimed restoration.

I soon discovered he didn’t like to perform “his duty outside” in the rain and cold, he also needed to be “top dog” and he was relentless in his need for giving and getting love. It annoyed me too…the relentless part. He constantly had to be on me, jumping on me, licking my hand or face, and so on. Thankfully he has become more obedient in almost all things. We’re still working on the rainy day mishaps. However, he still remains obsessively loving, protective, and persistent in getting me to love him any way he can…like God. Here’s what I mean.

The Lord has been trying to teach me about a good “four letter word”… love. He’s been at it for many years. It’s always been a very frightening word that I felt was used too frivolously and had lots of other painful connotations. Then one day as Zeke was leaning on me, then lying on top of me, following me everywhere, in general “bugging Me”, I heard a still small voice inside me say “That’s the way I feel about you. I will not give up showing you My love. I have relentlessly pursued you and will not stop until you learn how to let Me love you. I’m not going away and I’m not giving up. I will continue to pursue you until you learn how to receive it. Like Zeke, I think you’re perfect. Like Zeke, I’ll be patient. Like Zeke, I’m never running away.”

Prior to this, I had spent the last thirty-five years being very busy doing good works; going through every open door I could find to achieve my goals and filling my life “with life.” I thought I was doing what the Lord wanted. I was right in some ways and wrong in one big way.

Something significant happened to me in England nearly twenty years ago. It was my last day there after attending a conference. I had time to waste. I wandered across the street to Kensington Park. As I was walking down a pathway I noticed a man covered with all types of birds, swarming around him, over him and on the ground around his feet. I got closer and was amazed at what I saw. This little old man, with tattered dirty clothes, a worn out hat, dirty hands and nails and very thick glasses had birds of kinds eating in his hands, or from his shoulders or as they perched on his head. Some were playing catch with the food he was tossing in the air. They were not afraid of him. They trusted him. Even the sparrows sat in his hand to enjoy the feast. They fearlessly sat next to a type of herring gull and pigeons twice their size!

It was a spectacular sight. I had to find out how such a thing could happen. He explained that he and his wife had come to the same place in the park at the same time of day every day since the beginning of World War II when they were newlyweds. He was not allowed to serve in any military due to his poor vision. She had passed away several years ago but he kept coming to feed their birds. They expected him and he loved his time with them.

On the airplane trip home the Lord explained why I had the opportunity to meet this man and his winged friends. He told me that I too would not be afraid if I could spend time with Him each day and allow Him to feed me and while I got to know Him better. But, as I said earlier, I got side-tracked and kept my life nice and busy so I didn’t have to think about it. After all, I was doing good works wasn’t I? That should have been enough right?

Two years ago, He got my attention due to a lot of different circumstances. One of which was losing my last living parent, my mother. The day I write this is the anniversary of her death.  In addition, all the “usual doors of opportunity and favor” shut tight and I was forced to be still. And that I did. Not with a perfect attitude I might add, but I did it. I had no choice.

Months went by. I didn’t sense any great breakthroughs. I kept reading, crying, pleading, pouting, yelling and searching. I didn’t think anything was changing, including me. But it was… and I was.

You see, I spent these twenty four months relentlessly seeking Him. Each day I began to get better with reading, studying, being silent and listening. I needed to know the purpose for the remainder of my life. I didn’t want the time I had left to be wasted. I wanted to know that my life, my dreams were aligned with His so I could one day hear “Well done good and faithful servant.” Everything that I once thought was important, the purpose for my living, was shifting or some would say being “sifted”.

Then I suddenly realized something.  I could finally hear this still small voice about this love. I was feeling safe, ready to hear about it and to experience it. I wanted to feel that thing that I heard people talk about all the time…unconditional love.  The love that is given without expectations…without asking…without pain.  A kind of love with lots of understanding and forgiveness, even if I make a mistake, like Zeke. It came and began (and still is) penetrating into the broken parts of me, healing me, giving me more power, more peace and more strength than ever before and at a speed that I can handle. It was always there…always available. I was too scared and too busy.

Like those little sparrows, I too look forward to my time with the One who feeds me, teaches me and talks to me. I actually cherish and protect those times. I’m no longer afraid to sit and listen. I don’t do this out of some religious obligation. I do this because I am drawn by this sense of love, safety and the anticipation that I might learn something new each day. If not, it’s alright. I’ve got the time. I’m in no rush. He’s worth it and He thinks I am too!