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5 Jan 2025

We must be honest

What is truth? Pilate asked this famous question when questioning Jesus before His crucifixion (Jn 18:38).

Earlier, while speaking to His disciples Jesus said:
Jn 14:6
I am the way and the truth and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me.


As followers of Jesus we must walk in truth.

Billy Graham wrote:
'Admiral Jim Stockdale served in Vietnam and spent time as a prisoner of war in the infamous “Hanoi Hilton.” He once was asked which men didn’t make it out of the prison. His answer was surprising: “The optimists.” He went on to explain.” You must never confuse faith that YOU will prevail in the end.” '

In other words, we must speak the truth to ourselves. It’s arrogance to think we can do anything without Jesus.

Phil 4:13
I can do everything through him who gives me strength.

Let’s seek God’s will by faith not by works. Let’s not arrogantly do things with only our thoughts and skills. Instead let’s seek God and wait on Him so we never fail.

4 Jan 2025

We don’t earn love; we receive it. 😱

As beloved children of God what should be our main motivation in life? To become like Jesus and therefore to love like Jesus!

Eph 5:1-2

Be imitators of God, therefore, as dearly loved children and live a life of love, just as Christ loved us and gave himself up for us as a fragrant offering and sacrifice to God.

First, by the power of the Spirit we become like Jesus when we realize we don’t earn love; we receive it. 

1 Jn 3:1a

How great is the love the Father has lavished on us, that we should be called children of God! And that is what we are!

Next, we give this love away. If we try give love to earn favor with God or get something from our Father, then we are not loving but self-seeking. 

1 Jn 3:16

This is how we know what love is: Jesus Christ laid down his life for us. And we ought to lay down our lives for our brothers.

Today let’s thank God’s for loving us! Let’s return His love by loving others. 

1 Jn 4:19

We love because he first loved us.

3 Jan 2025

What a privilege we have to speak to God!

As we grow in knowledge of our Lord Jesus Christ, let’s delight in prayer. Prayer is simply talking to God. God loves when we pray and Jesus teaches us how!

Lk 11:1b-4
“Lord, teach us to pray, just as John taught his disciples.”
He said to them, “When you pray, say: “ ‘Father,
hallowed be your name,
your kingdom come. Give us each day our daily bread.
Forgive us our sins, for we also forgive everyone who sins against us. And lead us not into temptation.’”

Furthermore, Jesus encourages us to pray boldly!

Lk 11:8b-9
…yet because of the man’s boldness he will get up and give him as much as he needs. “So I say to you: Ask and it will be given to you; seek and you will find; knock and the door will be opened to you.”

Lastly, Jesus says His Father will only give us good things with the best gift of all, Holy Spirit!

Lk 11:13b
…how much more will your Father in heaven give the Holy Spirit to those who ask him!

Let’s get into the habit of praying. What a privilege!

2 Jan 2025

Are we known by our love? Our hope? Our light?

In 2025 let’s really make a difference! It seems the time is now.

Rev 3:11
I am coming soon. Hold on to what you have, so that no one will take your crown.

As a son or daughter of the Father, we should be known by love. Therefore by God’s grace, we must encourage one another! We must show kindness! We must be compassionate!

Jn 13:35
“By this all men will know that you are my disciples, if you love one another.”

Our families and friends must know us as seeing the good in people. We must become known for self-control, even under stress and pressure.

Let’s be known as hopeful when most are depressed and cynical; hope is a spiritual fruit. Like Jesus, we stand out as light in this dark world.

Jn 9:5
While I am in the world, I am the light of the world.”

Let’s be known for Christlikeness. Let’s yield to the Lordship of Jesus, allowing the Spirit to control us. I see a door opening for us to bring the Light to those who live in darkness.

1 Jan 2025

Happy New Year!

Happy New Year!
God is good all the time and all the time God is good! Is He ever not good? No!

2025 will have its challenges. There will be good times and bad times. Some of the bad times may seem impossible to overcome. During those times of adversity I pray we’ll be joyful knowing something good will happen.

Jam 1:2
Consider it pure joy, my brothers, whenever you face trials of many kinds,

Let’s start 2025 off with praising God like Jehoshaphat and the Israelites did as they faced a formidable army.

2 Chr 20:21b-22
“Give thanks to the LORD,
for his love endures forever.”
As they began to sing and praise, the LORD set ambushes against the men of Ammon and Moab and Mount Seir, who were invading Judah, and they were defeated.

As we praise Him, He will open doors for us. So let’s expect “Open doors in 2025!” Let’s have great times with God saturated by love.

Rev 3:8a
I know your deeds. See, I have placed before you an open door that no one can shut.

Let’s be fruitful and multiply!

31 Dec 2024

Where would we be without Jesus?

Of all the wonderful things God has done, I’m most thankful for the death, burial, resurrection, and ascension of Jesus Christ. Jesus often referred to this in John’s Gospel as His “time.”

Jn 17:1
(Jesus) looked toward heaven and prayed: “Father, the time has come. Glorify your Son, that your Son may glorify you.

I am very thankful that God loves us so much that He gave Jesus to us as the only possible sin sacrifice that would redeem us and give us eternal life. Where would we be without His love?

Rom 5:8
But God demonstrates his own love for us in this: While we were still sinners,Christ died for us.

What would life be like if there was no resurrection from the dead? What if this life was all there was?

Jn 11:25
Jesus said to her, “I am the resurrection and the life. He who believes in me will live, even though he dies.

Let’s enter 2025 with the praise of God on our lips, most thankful for the “time” of Jesus Christ!

Let’s be fruitful and multiply!

30 Dec 2024

How to be fruitful and multiply

2024 is almost over! Let’s plan to start 2025 pressing toward the goal of becoming like Jesus.

May I suggest getting a Bible and Bible reading plan ready? Perhaps set up or make new additions to your prayer room. Purchase a journal or apps for prayer and life journals. Make a prayer list for 2025. May I suggest praying not only for our church, family, and friends but also for a few enemies? Plan to be at every Bible study and worship service but for required trips or planned getaways. Finally, set some giving goals including a reserve for unexpected needs of others.

If we do the above, I believe we’ll be set up for success! I remember an adage from years ago: “Live for God today and there will be no regrets tomorrow.”

Mt 22:37-40
“Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind.’ This is the first and greatest commandment. And the second is like it: ‘Love your neighbor as yourself.’

Let’s be fruitful and multiply!

29 Dec 2024

Look back and see the spiritual growth 🎉

As we press on toward 2025, let’s pause for a moment and thank God for lessons learned, especially lessons to love God and others more each day.

1 Jn 4:7-8
Dear friends, let us love one another, for love comes from God. Everyone who loves has been born of God and knows God. Whoever does not love does not know God, because God is love.

We’ve been blessed seeing the growth of love in our lives this year. It’s been great to witness the growth of:

Patience
Kindness
Goodness
Faithfulness
Gentleness
Self-control

Sometimes parents make a yearly mark on a wall to record physical growth. Let’s look back and see the marks of our spiritual growth. Let’s praise Him for how much God has graced us to grow in love.

Grace not only saves it teaches us to love!

Tit 2:12
(Grace) teaches us to say “No” to ungodliness and worldly passions, and to live self-controlled, upright and godly lives in this present age.

Let’s learn our 2024 lessons of love well and press on in 2025!

28 Dec 2024

Proper Planning Produces Peak Performance

As we prepare for an amazing 2025 expecting God to do great things in us and for others, we must prepare. Remember the 5 P’s (Proper Planning Produces Peak Performance)!

2 Tim 2:15
Do your best to present yourself to God as one approved, a workman who does not need to be ashamed and who correctly handles the word of truth.

Recall the adage, “A musician tunes their instrument before they play it.”
Let’s go to bed early so we can rise early.
Let’s plan every day, preferably first thing in the morning, to do the following:
1. Read our bible
2. Pray and keep a prayer journal
3. Memorize Scripture
4. Reflect on the day and keep a life journal
5. Worship (I often worship while showering.)

Let’s be passionate about the goal of becoming like Jesus!

Philippians 3:13b-14
But one thing I do: Forgetting what is behind and straining toward what is ahead, I press on toward the goal to win the prize for which God has called me heavenward in Christ Jesus.

27 Dec 2024

March forward to victory!

As we look forward to 2025 we must stop and praise God for the blessings of lessons learned through 2024. Giving thanks and praising God is a theme throughout Scripture. Here’s what Miriam said after God defeated the Egyptians after the Israelites crossed the Red Sea. 

Exodus 15:11-12a

“Who among the gods is like you, O LORD? Who is like you–majestic in holiness,

awesome in glory, working wonders? You stretched out your right hand…

As we turn toward the future not knowing how things will turn out, we can know following Jesus leads us to victory even when we’ve never done something before. Here’s instruction before entering the promised land.

Josh 3:2b-4a

“When you see the ark of the covenant of the LORD your God, and the priests, who are Levites, carrying it, you are to move out from your positions and follow it. Then you will know which way to go, since you have never been this way before.”

So let’s march forward to victory in 2025 because God never fails!

26 Dec 2024

Embrace God as a good Father

After all the fellowship, eating, and opening presents with loved ones, let’s give thanks for our Father above.

Jm 1:17-18
Every good and perfect gift is from above, coming down from the Father of the heavenly lights, who does not change like shifting shadows. He chose to give us birth through the word of truth, that we might be a kind of firstfruits of all he created.

Our Father in heaven is always good and loving but some have difficulty understanding God as Father.

Often the main reason is they have had negative experiences with their earthly fathers or authority figures, making it difficult for them to relate to God as a loving and caring Father.

Let’s ask the Holy Spirit to embrace God as a good good Father. Let’s by His grace develop a deep personal relationship with Him, as we pray and study our Bibles. Let’s learn all we can about our Father!

Lk 2:49
“Why were you searching for me?” he asked. “Didn’t you know I had to be in my Father’s house?”

25 Dec 2024

Merry Christmas!

I pray you have a most wonderful time with family and friends! May the love of God fill your thoughts as we celebrate God becoming a man born of a virgin in a humble manger.

Luke 2:10-11
But the angel said to them, “Do not be afraid. I bring you good news of great joy that will be for all the people. Today in the town of David a Savior has been born to you; he is Christ the Lord.

We love you and pray for God’s grace to go with you today!

24 Dec 2024

God promises are always kept, but rarely come as expected...

Merry Christmas Eve!

As Joseph approached Bethlehem with Mary, riding a donkey with the birth of Jesus imminent, I wonder what he was thinking.

Maybe hearing Mary saying she was pregnant and his incredulity about God being impregnator. Perhaps he was recalling the angel affirming her story. Maybe he thought about the urgency to find a comfortable room to give birth. In any event, he knew something incredible was about to happen. But he would have planned this differently!

Mt 1:19-20

Because Joseph her husband was a righteous man and did not want to expose her to public disgrace, he had in mind to divorce her quietly.

But after he had considered this, an angel of the Lord appeared to him in a dream and said, “Joseph son of David, do not be afraid to take Mary home as your wife, because what is conceived in her is from the Holy Spirit.

God always fulfills His Word but His promises kept rarely come as expected. Christmas teaches us that God’s ways are perfect!

“This Christmas season, when the world seems to be in turmoil—wars are breaking out in different places, crime is rampant, many things are happening that are great sins in the sight of God—but in that crib is the Person who would grow up to save us, and He did.”

— Billy Graham

23 Dec 2024

What is the hope of Christmas?

It’s a time of love, joy, and peace. It’s celebrating the birth of the Savior Who provides abundant and eternal life. Christmas is a season of hope, knowing no matter the challenges or difficulties we may face, there is always the possibility of redemption, forgiveness, and a brighter future. It is a time to be thankful for the blessings in our lives and to share that hope with others.

Rom 5:2b-5
And we rejoice in the hope of the glory of God. Not only so, but we also rejoice in our sufferings, because we know that suffering produces perseverance; perseverance, character; and character, hope. And hope does not disappoint us, because God has poured out his love into our hearts by the Holy Spirit, whom he has given us.

This season let’s live with the hope of Christmas in our hearts. Let’s spread the Good News of love, joy, and peace since Jesus, the God of all hope lives in us!

Lk 2:10b
I bring you good news of great joy…

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