How often has God blessed us with a second chance and we chose to return to the same situation or behavior? We all make mistakes, once, twice, and for some maybe three times. However, when we continue to do that same thing, it’s not a mistake, it’s not an accident, it’s a choice. God removes a toxic person from our life, we chose to let them back in. God shuts doors that are harming us, we choose to open them back up. God opens doors for us, we choose to let fear stop us from walking through. We pray for deliverance but then choose to return to the same thing we asked to be delivered from! I plead guilty. Don’t judge me. I know I am not the only one! God could control us like puppets, but from the beginning He has allowed us to make our own choices. We get to make our own choices, but we do not get to choose our consequences.

This morning as I was reading 2 Kings and 2 Chronicles in the Old Testament, I begin to think about how similar we are to our ancestors. In the Old Testament judgement came against every nation, first in judgement to purify Israel, then in judgement to punish the pagan nations. But even then the Lord was merciful. He offered mercy through Jonah. Then again through Nahum who prophesied to Ninevah about a century after Jonah’s visit because the people had drifted back into their pre Jonah evil ways. (sound familiar). Ninevah had an opportunity to start over and to receive blessings from the Lord God, but instead they chose to return to their pagan and violent ways of the past. In those days, the leaders of the people were known as kings, today’s leaders have different titles. The Kings, like some leaders today, were not God honoring and did not do what was right according to the Lord. Although King David is one of the well-known Kings in the Bible, I personally love King Josiah the most. My grandson has the honor of being named after him. King Josiah did what the Lord approved and followed in his ancestor David’s footsteps, when he could have chosen to follow in the rebellious leadership of his father, Amon. (2 Chronicles 33:23-25). He was not perfect, but the Bible says no king before or after repented before the Lord as he did, with his whole heart and soul. Josiah destroyed every evil thing that his father had built. He instructed that the temple be rebuilt. He located and destroyed that which even his grandfather had missed. He commanded the people to assemble and renew their vow of obedience before the Lord God. Still God knows the hearts of every person in this world, so even righteous Kings or leaders cannot redeem a people focused upon rebellion. So even though Josiah did what was right, the Lord God was angry with Israel and Judah for rebellion. The Bible says Josiah was devastated. He humbled himself before the Lord, tore his clothes and wept before God, so God allowed Josiah to die and be buried in peace. God did not allow him to witness all the disaster He would bring. There goes God again showing mercy. In fact, the entire time God caused prophesies of judgement, He also cause prophesies of hope.

Speaking of hope, let’s fast forward to the present day. The difference between now and the Old Testament is that we have the gift of salvation through Jesus. The Holy Spirit lives within us today. He is our advocate. He is our voice of conscious and He has set us free. Free to do what? Free to accept His gift, confess and repent, seek and receive the Lord God’s forgiveness, free to live a life of abundance that is pleasing to God. Most importantly, free from spiritual death to eternal life! If we look around us at the world we live in and everything that is happening, not only around us but within us, we should realize God is trying to tell us something. We should realize that the enemy is busier than ever because he knows that his time is running out. If you cannot see there is a spiritual battle going on as well as what you see happening physically, I suggest you ask God to open your spiritual eyes. Do not be distracted by the enemy! Spiritual warfare is real, and we need to be equipped to understand the attack and how to fight the battles. I also suggest you read the Books of Kings which describes the history of Israel’s Kings from the end of the rule of David until the time of the Babylonian exile. Why? Because just as we learn from our past today, we can learn from our history of yesterdays. It is relevant not only because the Old Testament teaches us what not to do, but because the theme of the entire Bible is Jesus Christ. Jesus Himself confirmed the fact that He is in the Old Testament. In John 5:46, Jesus explained to some religious leaders who had challenged Him that the Old Testament was talking about Him, “If you believed Moses, you would believe me, for he wrote about me.” The entire Bible is a light that points us to God’s offer of reconciliation, the hope of forgiveness and eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord.
Jesus allows us the choose to repent and return to Him. We don’t have to worry about making the right choice, if we consult Him first. We should celebrate and give praise to the Holy Spirit. He is our hope! We should commit ourselves to a more intentional walk with Him. Do we choose to be like King Josiah and repent, or do we choose to be like the other Kings and choose poorly? The Lord only wanted Israel and Juda to choose Him. Jesus only wants us to choose Him! Why did the people of Judah copy Israel when they saw the horrible things that happened to Israel as a result of them choosing to do their will and not God’s will? Why do this world continue to choose evil over good, as if God is not calling us, when we see the horrific things that God is allowing to happen or doing Himself? I think about Jeremiah, the prophet. Jeremiah delivered the Lord God’s plea to Israel to repent of their sinful rebellion so that He might forgive, reconcile, and restore them, even reunite them with Judah. God challenged Jeremiah to seek out even one person of integrity in Jerusalem, which would have triggered His willingness to withhold destruction from Sodom and Gomorrah, but Jeremiah could not find one. Not one!? God is the same merciful God today, yesterday, and tomorrow. He sent His son Jesus to us, because He does not want to lose one soul! May we learn from the past and be careful to place nothing between us and God. May we constantly check our hearts, with the Holy Spirit so we won’t drift into a rebellious mindset. May we choose to be that one God is looking for. Do we follow Jesus, or do we follow the world? It is our choice, one choice leads to eternal life, and the other to destruction. I choose Jesus, who promises in 1 Thessalonians 4:16-17 that He will return to rule and reign forever. He is the King of Kings! Love and Blessings…

“But tell the people of Jerusalem that the Lord says, “I will give you a choice between two courses of action. One will result in life; the other will result in death. Those who stay in this city will die in battle or of starvation or disease. Those who leave the city and surrender to the Babylonians who are besieging it will live. They will escape with their lives. For I, the Lord, say that I am determined not to deliver this city but to bring disaster on it. It will be handed over to the King of Babylon and he will destroy it with fire.” (Jeremiah 21:8-10)

“Go up and down the streets of Jerusalem, look around and consider, search through her squares. If you can find but one person who deals honestly and seeks the truth, I will forgive this city. Although they say, “As surely as the LORD lives,” still they are swearing falsely.” LORD, do not your eyes look for truth? You struck them, but they felt no pain; you crushed them, but they refused correction. They made their faces harder than stone and refused to repent. I thought, “These are only the poor; they are foolish, for they do not know the way of the LORD, the requirements of their God. So I will go to the leaders and speak to them; surely they know the way of the LORD, the requirements of their God.” But with one accord they too had broken off the yoke and torn off the bonds. Therefore a lion from the forest will attack them, a wolf from the desert will ravage them, a leopard will lie in wait near their towns to tear to pieces any who venture out, for their rebellion is great and their backslidings many.” (Jeremiah 5:1-6)

“Josiah was eight years old when he became king, and he reigned in Jerusalem thirty-one years. He did what was right in the eyes of the LORD and followed the ways of his father David, not turning aside to the right or to the left. In the eighth year of his reign, while he was still young, he began to seek the God of his father David.” (2Chronicles 34:1-3)

“Neither before nor after Josiah was there a king like him who turned to the LORD as he did—with all his heart and with all his soul and with all his strength, in accordance with all the Law of Moses” (2 Kings 23:25)

“For God so loved the world that He gave His one and only Son, that everyone who believes in Him shall not perish but have eternal life. (John 3:16)

“For it is by grace you have been saved, through faith—and this is not from yourselves, it is the gift of God, not by works, so that no one can boast.” (Ephesians 2:8-9)

“There is therefore now no condemnation to those who are in Christ Jesus, who don’t walk according to the flesh, but according to the Spirit. For the law of the Spirit of life in Christ Jesus made me free from the law of sin and of death.” (Romans 8:1-2)

“However, as it is written: “What no eye has seen, what no ear has heard, and what no human mind has conceived”- the things God has prepared for those who love him, these are the things God has revealed to us by his Spirit. The Spirit searches all things, even the deep things of God. For who knows a person’s thoughts except their own spirit within them? In the same way no one knows the thoughts of God except the Spirit of God. What we have received is not the spirit of the world, but the Spirit who is from God, so that we may understand what God has freely given us. This is what we speak, not in words taught us by human wisdom but in words taught by the Spirit, explaining spiritual realities with Spirit-taught words. The person without the Spirit does not accept the things that come from the Spirit of God but considers them foolishness, and cannot understand them because they are discerned only through the Spirit. The person with the Spirit makes judgments about all things, but such a person is not subject to merely human judgments, for, “Who has known the mind of the LORD so as to instruct him?” But we have the mind of Christ.”
(1 Corinthians 2:9-16)

“For our battle is not against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the authorities, against the world powers of this darkness, against the spiritual forces of evil in the heavens” (Ephesians 6:12)

“Finally, be strong in the Lord and in his mighty power. Put on the full armor of God, so that you can take your stand against the devil’s schemes.” (Ephesians 6:10-11)

“If my people, who are called by my name, will humble themselves and pray and seek my face and turn from their wicked ways, then I will hear from heaven, and I will forgive their sin and will heal their land.” (2 Chronicles 7:14)

Growing up, my parents expected us to behave sensibly and responsible. My mother was strict and did not have a problem using physical discipline (which now would be considered child abuse). My mother demanded obedience. I was raised to know the difference between right and wrong, and that there were consequence when you chose to do wrong. Our character is the sum of all the qualities that make us who we are; our values, our thoughts, our words, and our actions. Our character is much more than just our reputation. Our reputation is only what others see and think about us. Our character is who we really are, even when no one is watching.  

I believe God puts a moral knowledge within us. The Holy Spirit is our voice of conscience, the voice of reason, wisdom, good sense, and good judgment. When we make it a habit of listening to and obeying the Holy Spirit, it builds our character. When we go through storms, it builds our character. God cares more about our character than religious performances. As Christians, we should seek to do what is right and acceptable before God and our brothers and sisters. We have to decide whether we will lie or tell the truth, do the job right or fake it through, take the easy road or the right road, etc. Life is filled with temptations, obstacles, frustrations, inner struggles and dilemmas that we all have to cope with, things which will test our character.  

To be a witness for Christ, we have to walk a separate road than the popular road. The popular road belongs to the world. We can’t have both, God and the world. Our character is influenced and developed by our choices. Daniel “resolved not to defile himself” in Babylon (Daniel 1:8), and that godly choice was an important step in producing an unquestionable integrity in his life. Because Joseph was a man of integrity, he was falsely accused and thrown in jail. (Genesis 39:1-20). “But the Lord was with Joseph and showed him steadfast love: he gave him favor in the sight of the chief jailer.” (Genesis 39:21). God stands by people of integrity like Joseph, and before long the prisoners are placed under his care and the Lord blesses his work and Joseph’s reputation is enhanced. “The integrity of the upright guides them, but the unfaithful are destroyed by their duplicity.” (Proverbs 11:3).

What characteristics should describe a true Christian? How is the true follower of Christ to live? We can find the answer to these questions in our instruction book on life, the Bible.  When we surrender our life to God, we gradually conform to what God has revealed to us about His nature and will. (1 John 1:4-7). We seek to live a life that is pleasing to God. To be a Christian means to follow Christ, to strive to be like Christ. We fall short most times, but we have the desire to know God’s will, strive to obey it, and we repent when we are disobedience. As Christians there should be a change that happens in our character. It is a process. It takes practice. It takes prayer. It takes connecting with the Holy Spirit living inside of us, and it takes knowledge and the study of God’s Word. As the saying goes practice makes perfect. We can develop our character by controlling our thoughts, practicing Christian virtues, guarding our hearts, and keeping good company. Christians should set a good example for others to follow, and their godly reputation should be evident to all. We can’t do it alone. We need the Holy Spirit and God’s grace. At the end of the day, our character should match our witness for Christ. Love and Blessings…

“For we aim at what is honorable not only in the Lord’s sight but also in the sight of man.”
(2 Corinthians 8:21)

“A good name is to be chosen rather than great riches, loving favor rather than silver and gold.” (Proverbs 22:1)

“Whoever walks in integrity walks securely, but he who makes his ways crooked will be found out.” (Proverbs 10:9)

“And endurance produces character, and character produces hope.” (Romans 5:4)

“Blessed  are those whose way is blameless, who walk in the law of the Lord!” (Psalm 119:1)

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This past week was a great example of living in the moment. Spending time with my family was priceless! If we put away distractions long enough to enjoy what we are doing while we are doing it, life can be amazing. When we are blessed to see another day, and enjoy family, we should rejoice and enjoy every moment.  
The moments we spend with our Lord and Savior is even more priceless. Spending time with family and friends is great. But there is nothing greater than the moments we spend with Jesus. We can talk to Him every moment of everyday. God invites us to spend time with Him anytime and all the time. It does not matter how early or how late. He is available for a quick cry or for a lengthy conversation. If you feel the need to pray quickly and in a less than ideal situation, go right ahead. You do not need to be anywhere special for God to hear you. He will understand your distress and cares only that you love and need Him. He welcomes us into a relationship with Him, a constant and endless sharing of our joys, gratitude, needs, questions, and concerns. He is never too busy for us. I just love this truth because all we know in this life is busyness. Sometimes we miss the most precious moments because we are too busy or distracted. Even the most loving person we know can’t always be there for us. But God is always there for us. He is all-powerful (omnipotent), all-knowing (omniscient), and everywhere (omnipresent). He is sovereign over all, and nothing is too hard for Him (Jeremiah 32:17). Access to God is always open, no restrictions. In the New Testament, Paul’s words advice each person who want to communicate with God to “pray continual” (1 Thessalonians 5:17). Prayer is not just about asking God for something. We must also thank God for all of His blessings. Thank Him for the things that make us happy and make our life better. We must thank Him for every moment we have here on this earth. And we can show our gratefulness by living each moment to its fullness. Ask God to guide you on the path you are meant to follow. Ask Him to lead you and show you the right decisions and the ways to better yourself as a person, as well as the world and people around you. Pray for those who you feel need prayer. Pray for your family, your friends, and even your enemies. Ask God to show them His love and to also help them find their way when they are lost. You do not have to use big words or long repetitive prayers to talk with God. Talk to Him as if he is your best friend, because He is. And don’t just talk, listen as God speaks to you. Spending time with Jesus without distractions gives us moments of peace and joy and a lifetime of priceless moments!  
Love and Blessings…

“This is the day the LORD has made; We will rejoice and be glad in it.”  
(Psalm 118:24)

“And in the morning, rising up a great while before day, He went out and departed into a solitary place, and there prayed.” (Mark 1:35)

“In these days he went out to the mountain to pray, and all night he continued in prayer to God.” (Luke 6:12)  

“but whose delight is in the law of the LORD, and who meditates on his law day and night.” (Psalm1:2)

“And I will ask the Father, and he will give you another Helper, to be with you forever, 17 even the Spirit of truth, whom the world cannot receive, because it neither sees him nor knows him. You know him, for he dwells with you and will be in you.” (John 24: 16-17)

 “But seek ye first the kingdom of God, and his righteousness; and all these things shall be added unto you.” (Matthew 6:33)

I was in my thirties when I got my first bike. I taught myself how to ride. I did not have a bike growing up, but I remember watching other kids riding their bike. They would take their hands off the handlebars and scream, “look no hands!” I thought they were crazy. The first time I saw my son do that I was terrified. Actually the first time he rode without training wheels I was scared for him. I haven’t ridden a bike in a long time, but I probably would still hold on to the handlebars like they were stuck to my hands, as I do the steering wheel when driving. And the thought of no hands, I don’t think so! Don’t judge me; I’m a scary cat when it comes to any wheels! However, when it comes to our God, I am learning to have the fearless faith of a child. Because I know God got me! I can let go and say, look God know hands!  I know if I let the bike handlebars go, in my frightened state I would definitely fall. But even if I am afraid or unsure of a situation or circumstances, I can let go and let God knowing that God got me. I’m sure you’ve heard it before. Let Go, Let God. It’s not just a cliché. I know this for a fact because I am a living witness. He has caught me over and over again when I let go. We are human and we are going to struggle with being afraid. God knew that we would be people who struggle with fear.  He knew that in this world darkened by sin, there would be many things to be afraid of. God encourages us to fear not 326 times in the Bible. Over and over again, God says, “Do not be afraid.” God is with us no matter what fearful times we go through. Gods got us! We can’t do anything on our own. But there is nothing we can’t do when God has us. However, it is up to us to take our hands off and let go. Even though I’m scared, even though I have no idea where I’m going, even though I’ve been hurt and abused, even though I’ve been diagnosed, even though I feel terrible, even though I lost a loved one, even though I lost my job, even though I can’t pay my bills, even though…..through it all, God got us. God did not give us the spirit of fear. We have to trust God and let go. If we don’t let go, fears tend to grow, sometimes out of control. The more afraid we are, the less we live the life that God has for us. Being afraid is like being in a prison. The good news is Jesus set us free! As His children, we can trust Him because that is what a  good Father does. When those training wheels were taken off my son’s bike,he trusted the person behind him to hold him up. And when the person let go, he kept going. That’s how our Father God works. When we let go, God holds us up. We still keep going; stopping is not an option when we know God has our back. Father God loves us, Jesus died for us, He will not let us fall! We just have to trust God more than we fear that thing. I would like to ride a bike again; they say you never forget how to, but I don’t know if I will take my hands off the handlebars. Oh but I am so thankful that I have learned to take my hands off when it comes to God. If we are afraid, He will encourage us. If we are weak, He strengthens us. If we are sad, joy comes in the morning. And if we are falling, He  catches us. Do not live-in fear, God got us! Love and Blessings…

“So do not fear, for I am with you; do not be dismayed, for I am your God. I will strengthen you and help you; I will uphold you with my righteous right hand.” (Isaiah 41:10)

“I can do all things (A)through [a]Christ who strengthens me.” (Philippians 4:13)

“For God hath not given us the spirit of fear; but of power, and of love, and of a sound mind.” (2 Timothy 1:7)

“Trust in the Lord with all thine heart; and lean not unto thine own understanding.” (Proverbs 3:5-6)

Who do you look up to? Do you just admire them or do you put them up on a pedestal? Putting someone up on a pedestal and admiring them are two different things. To admire someone means you respect them. You respect their abilities, qualities, or achievements. When we put people on a pedestal, we think of them as perfect with no faults. We look up to them. We expect the impossible from them, we expect them to be more than human. Sooner or later they let us down, they show their human weakness and flaws, then we tend to blame them for letting us down. We only have ourselves to blame! Think of it like this, when you put them up on that pedestal, they have no choice but to look down on you. The Bible says God sits high and looks low. As humans we are all equal, no matter the status, fame or fortune. We all are sinners saved by grace. The only reason anyone is ever superior to you is if you believe they are. Don’t fall into that, “they can do this better, or they look better than I do” trap. There are things you will be better at than others, and there are things other people will be better at than you. It does not matter how smart a doctor, lawyer, or a professor is, when they have trouble with their plumbing, they have to call a plumber! God gave each of us gifts and talents. My mama always told me, no one is better than you and you are no better than anyone else. I live by that. Sometimes people put themselves up on a pedestal, looking down at and being critical of others. It makes them feel superior. How sad is that? I believe that pedestals are lonely places that separate us rather than connect us. God intended for us to love one another and connect to others, not stand out and away from them. God’s desire is for us to love people as they are, flaws and all. That is what Jesus does. I’m thinking it’s a lot of pressure up there on that pedestal. What if I make a mistake? What if my looks fade? What if I’m no longer famous or rich? I would not want to live like that, too stressful. Oh, and beware of the pastoral pedestal. We’ve seen the headlines, high-profile pastors falling off the pedestal he has been put on. Think of the fallout and consequences under those circumstances. He and his family are hurting, and the church now left wondering what happened. Was his doctrine sound that he preached from the pulpit? Was he being a hypocrite, preaching one thing and living another? How does that reflect on the church? On our faith? On God? Mature believers realize that just because a leader sinned, doesn’t necessarily mean his doctrine or preaching wasn’t sound, especially if they know the Word for themselves. Our culture puts leaders on pedestals they can’t sustain. We expect our spiritual leaders to be perfect. The Bible does lay out expectations for church leaders, but it also reveals the struggles early church leaders faced. In 1 Timothy 3:1 the scripture says, “This is a faithful saying: If a man desires the position of a bishop, he desires a good work.” And the next twelve verses list the qualifications required for someone who desires that position of leadership in the church. Yes, as our leaders, they should set an example. But they too are human so I’m sure the struggle is real. When they sin, they need to repent just like we would in that situation. And, just as we would want, they need our prayers, compassion and forgiveness. That doesn’t mean there won’t be consequences. God will hold us accountable for our actions. We should not be worshiping the messenger. We should worship the One who sends the message. The Sender is perfect, the deliver is human. We look up to God and put our faith in Him, not man. We should respect our leaders and pray for those God puts in our life. Let’s not put them or ourselves on a pedestal. We must look up to the one who deserves it, our Lord and Savior. Love and Blessings…

Sometimes people put themselves up on a pedestal, looking down at and being critical of others. It makes them feel superior. How sad is that? I believe that pedestals are lonely places that separate us rather than connect us. God intended for us to love one another and connect to others, not stand out and away from them. God’s desire is for us to love people as they are, flaws and all. That is what Jesus does. I’m thinking it’s a lot of pressure up there on that pedestal. What if I make a mistake? What if my looks fade? What if I’m no longer famous or rich? I would not want to live like that, too stressful. Oh, and beware of the pastoral pedestal. We’ve seen the headlines, high-profile pastors falling off the pedestal he has been put on. Think of the fallout and consequences under those circumstances. He and his family are hurting, and the church now left wondering what happened. Was his doctrine sound that he preached from the pulpit? Was he being a hypocrite, preaching one thing and living another? How does that reflect on the church? On our faith? On God? Mature believers realize that just because a leader sinned, doesn’t necessarily mean his doctrine or preaching wasn’t sound, especially if they know the Word for themselves. Our culture puts leaders on pedestals they can’t sustain. We expect our spiritual leaders to be perfect. The Bible does lay out expectations for church leaders, but it also reveals the struggles early church leaders faced. In 1 Timothy 3:1 the scripture says, “This is a faithful saying: If a man desires the position of a bishop, he desires a good work.” And the next twelve verses list the qualifications required for someone who desires that position of leadership in the church. Yes, as our leaders, they should set an example. But they too are human so I’m sure the struggle is real. When they sin, they need to repent just like we would in that situation. And, just as we would want, they need our prayers, compassion and forgiveness. That doesn’t mean there won’t be consequences. God will hold us accountable for our actions. We should not be worshiping the messenger. We should worship the One who sends the message. The Sender is perfect, the deliver is human. We look up to God and put our faith in Him, not man. We should respect our leaders and pray for those God puts in our life. Let’s not put them or ourselves on a pedestal. We must look up to the one who deserves it, our Lord and Savior. Love and Blessings…

“For am I now seeking the approval of man, or of God? Or am I trying to please man? If I were still trying to please man, I would not be a servant of Christ.” (Galitians 1:10)

“Seek the Lord and his strength; seek his presence continually.” (1Chronicles 16:11)

“God is our refuge and strength, a very present help in trouble.” (Psalm 46:1)

“And you shall love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind and with all your strength.” (Matthew 22:37)

“For I know that nothing good dwells in me, that is, in my flesh. For I have the desire to do what is right, but not the ability to carry it out.” (Romans 7:18)

“For all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God,” (Romans 3:23)

“And there is salvation in no one else, for there is no other name under heaven given among men by which we must be saved.” (Acts:4:12)

“Jesus said to him, “I am the way, and the truth, and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me.” (John 14:6)

When I reflect on my time in the wilderness, I see a woman who was holding on by a thin thread. I see a woman who was hurting, physically and mentally. Her world as she knew it had suddenly come crashing down, and she felt like she was drowning. This woman was so overwhelmed that it was hard to breathe some days. Some days she thought she could not take any more. Some days she just wanted to give up. But. She. Did. Not. That woman is me and I am so thankful God did not allow me to give up. Sometimes the boldest thing we can do is take the next breath. I have learned that taking the next breath is easier when you build up your spiritual stamina.  

I think about Elijah the prophet. God appointed this man to go before Kings, bringing the message of warning and repentance. By speaking the prophecies of God, he made enemies, but his enemies could not overpower him. He was a man of deep faith. His spiritual stamina had to be strong. However, this one time it seems his spiritual stamina had weakened. I have read it many times trying to figure out why. Scripture says his enemies could not touch him. So, I guess it is because he was human. We all can relate to that. Scripture says that God had just done an amazing thing, showed up and out for Elijah. And right after, the queen of Israel, Jezebel, threatened Elijah’s life. He was frightened and he fled for his life. He went out into the wilderness to pout. He claimed he was alone, and he sat under tree and said, “I have had enough Lord.” (1 King 19:1-9). You would think he would have no fear after what he just saw God do on Mount Carmel. But before we judge Elijah, if we are honest, we all have been guilty of forgetting how God showed up in past situations. I thank God He has been helping me work on my spiritual stamina. I work on it every day. Because like Elijah I am human, and I want to make sure it is strong. We need spiritual stamina when we are faced with difficult situations; so we don’t just react to the situation. Instead we turn to God and we can remain calm with a certain peace. We can rest, breathe, and wait on God to show up.  

Your health, your finances, your children, your spouse, your job, whatever the situation, may have you feeling tired, frightened, and overwhelmed. You feel like you are alone and that no one understands. You jump over one hurdle and just when your feet are adjusting to walking again, a new hurdle appears. You cry out that you have had your share of troubles; it is someone else’s turn. You may sometimes want to say as Elijah did, I have had enough Lord. You just want to give up. Do. Not. Give. Up! Do not be like Elijah and forget how faithful God has been through past trials and troubles. Stop, rest, and breathe. God’s response to Elijah’s moping was, “get some rest, eat some food, go back the way you came, and find the others who serve me to support you.” Then the Lord sent an angel to Elijah. The Lord will place the right people in our life who will pray, support, and help us through challenging times. Do not be like the woman I used to be and refuse the help God sends. It is also important to work on building spiritual stamina before the trials and troubles come. We must strive to develop spiritual stamina so when a problem occurs, you do not react out of emotion but out of wisdom. Stay connected to God. Study His Word. When we experience moments or seasons of complete and total despair, it is important that we know God, so we can hear His voice. We must be still and breathe. And that is when God refills, replaces, and empowers. He renews our faith. He replaces fear with hope. He empowers us with strength to go on, strength we did not even realize we had. Giving up will no longer be an option! Love and Blessings…

“Have I not commanded you? Be strong and courageous. Do not be frightened, and do not be dismayed, for the Lord your God is with you wherever you go.” (Joshua 1:9) 

“But those who wait on the LORD Shall renew their strength; They shall mount up with wings like eagles, they shall run and not be weary, they shall walk and not faint.” (Isaiah 40:31) 

My patience is not good when it comes to putting stuff together. I can get frustrated really quick. Then I will say, “I tried following the directions, but they are too complicated, I’ll just try to do it without them!” I’m sure I am not the only one who has done this. Most of the time I end up going right back to the directions! Sometimes we feel this way when reading the Bible, which is our instruction book for life. I know it can sometimes seem overwhelming and complicated. The thing is, when we try to live life without God’s directions, we are not  properly prepared for our life journey. People often talk about winging it when they have to do something difficult, something that they did not prepare for or had time to rehearse, for instance, make a speech or give a presentation. Unfortunately, life is not a rehearsal, and we don’t get a do over. God has given us directions to live life and live it abundantly, which is His desire. (John 10:10). Let me just say, being saved and living the life God wants us to live while here on earth are two separate things. The Bible says if we confess with our mouth that Jesus is Lord and believe in our heart that God raised Him from the dead, we will be saved. (Romans 10:9-10). Paul clearly states that salvation is the gift from God through Jesus Christ our Lord. (Romans 6:23). However, being saved does not mean we won’t have trials and tribulations while on this earth. (John 16:33). How is your life? Do you have joy and peace? Are you blessed and highly favored? How do you face trials and tribulations? How do you treat others? Are you imitating Christ, the man who died so we could live? God gave us the directions for all that and anything else we have to deal with in this sinful and corrupt world. The Bible says satan is the god of this world and he has blinded the minds of unbelievers. (2 Corinthians 4:4). However, we do not have to fear, we can live the life God wants us to, we just can’t do it ourselves, we have to follow His directions. He even gave us a role model, Jesus Christ!

No matter how difficult or complicated the Bible may seem initially, we must continue to read and follow the directions. We must read it, meditate and pray on it, study it, memorizing it if we can. Also attending Bible study groups and listening to Bible-focused messages help our understanding. It’s good to have spiritual leaders and other believers to discuss and pray with you. There are answers in God’s Word to even the toughest problems. When someone is going through a trial or storm, we don’t want to hand out religious cliches or just say have faith, we want to offer real hope and help from God’s Word. In order to do that, we need to know His Word. In order to know His Word, we must read and study His Word. We can’t just go to church on Sundays and wing it until the next Sunday. If we don’t follow directions, we will either mess up or have a headache from trying to fix it and give up. In order for our life to be of God and eliminate unnecessary headaches, we must learn how to be obedient and follow God’s directions. Life situations that causes anxiety or worry such as financial crisis, exams, relationship issues, child discipline, death, and even losing a job, all have easy directions to follow in the Bible. We have God telling us in Philippians 4:6 to “Do not be anxious about anything”. In Genesis 37, we have the story of Joseph which teaches us how to respond in a godly way when fired unjustly from a job, or treated unfairly. The Bible speaks relevantly and authoritatively to problems such as anger, conflict, pride, fear and money. God tells us He is working everything out for our good. (Romans 8:28).

I heard someone ask how could a book written thousands of years ago, connect with our twenty-first century problems? He said how can we be sure they apply to the here and now? This is what I know, the Bible is God’s revelation for believers of all ages, times, and places. The Bible says there is nothing new under the sun.(Ecclesiastics 1:9). We share the same struggles common to people of all eras, so we should expect God’s revelation to them to resonate to us. I cannot stress enough the importance of alone time with God. I can honestly say spending time alone with God has helped me to understand even more deeply the Christ-centered perspective the Bible advocates. Spending time with Jesus makes me desire to follow His directions. You will find fulfillment in the Word, you will get closer to Jesus, who will bridge the gap between the Old Testament, New Testament and these modern times. The first truth is, no matter the era, it is the same God, the same Savior, and the same Salvation. (Malachi 3:6). The second truth is Jesus revealed God’s Holiness, he showed us God’s wisdom, and in His death He illustrated God’s love. (1 Corinthians 1:18-2:16). Paul said in Psalm 119:11 that he stored God’s Word in his heart, so that he would not sin against Him. I am trying to do the same. Instead of putting down God’s directions and trying to do it myself, I have learned to seek Jesus for answers. Because even though the Bible was written by man, it was inspired by God.   Love and Blessings…

Let us not give up on God or ourselves as we mature in age. Jesus began His ministry when He was around thirty years old. God used Moses at eighty. God does not do time or age! When we are blessed to age, we must continue to do God’s work. When living by the Word of God, age brings wisdom that is able to help and guide others in need. It is up to us to age gracefully. We can do that by exercising our body as well as our mind. It is our choice what we feed our bodies and what we allow into our mind. I believe what we feed our mind is equally important as what we feed our body. It can take years to rid ourselves of negativity or as some say stinking thinking! God helps us with that when we are in tune with Him. He renews us spiritually daily. So we must not use age as an excuse to not dream or have goals. As long as we have the gift of life, there is much we can still do for God’s Kingdom.The advancement of God’s kingdom never stops. Always remember that you are still alive for a reason. God has a plan and a purpose for you. Go ahead and walk in it! Love and Blessings…

“And if you walk in obedience to me and keep my decrees and commands as David your father did, I will give you a long life”
(1 Kings 5-14)

“Now Jesus himself was about thirty years old when he began his ministry. He was the son, so it was thought, of Joseph,the son of Heli,”  (Luke :23)

“So Moses and Aaron did just as the LORD had commanded them. Moses was eighty years old, and Aaron was eighty-three when they made their demands to Pharaoh. (Exodus 7:6-9)

“Abraham was now a very old man, and the LORD had blessed him in every way.”
( Genesis 24:1)

“Moses was 120 years old when he died, yet his eyesight was clear, and he was as strong as ever.” ( Deuteronomy 34:7)

“Do you not know that you are God’s temple and that God’s Spirit dwells in you? If anyone destroys God’s temple, God will destroy him. For God’s temple is holy, and you are that temple.”
(1 Corinthians 3:16-17)

“Finally, brothers, whatever is true, whatever is honorable, whatever is just, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is commendable, if there is any excellence, if there is anything worthy of praise, think about these things.”
(Philippians 4:8)

“For this cause we faint not, but though our outward man perish, yet the inward man is renewed day by day.” (2 Corinthians 4:16)

“But the godly will flourish like palm trees and grow strong like the cedars of Lebanon. For they are transplanted to the LORD’s own house. They flourish in the courts of our God. Even in old age they will still produce fruit; they will remain vital and green. They will declare, “The LORD is just! He is my rock! There is no evil in him!” (Psalm 92:12-14)

“Now that I am old and my hair is gray, don’t leave me, God. I must tell the next generation about your power and greatness. God, your goodness reaches far above the skies. You have done wonderful things. God, there is no one like you” (Psalm 71:18-19)

I have been told when it comes to friendships, my standards are too high. I have few true friends so I guess that may be true. The question is, is that a good or bad thing? In my humble opinion, I believe people tend to use the word friend too loosely these days. Everybody that is in your life is not your true friend! I do set high standards when it comes to friendships or any other relationships in my life. Someone said to me that everybody they meet is a friend until they prove otherwise. And that’s ok for them. For me, I am thankful for God’s discernment. By using it, I have eliminated a lot of unnecessary drama and hurt in my life. Don’t get it twisted, I love people and I accept everybody as they are. With that being said, as my Mama used to say, ” Some people you have to love with a long handle spoon” (from a distance.) There is also a saying, “keep your enemies close.” Why would I keep a snake close so he or she can bite me? That’s like saying keep the devil close so he can cause chaos and disturb my peace. No thank you. I rather watch that thang from a distance!

A true friendship is one of God’s greatest gifts. One of the noblest friendships in the Old Testament developed between Jonathan and David. They achieved true friendship despite difficult circumstances. The Lord chose David to succeed King Saul. Jonathon traditionally would have been heir to the throne instead of David, so it would have been natural for him to see David as his enemy. Yet when David returned from the battlefield and appeared in King Saul’s court with the head of Goliath in his hand, the Bible says “the soul of Jonathan was knit with the soul of David, and Jonathan loved him as his own soul”(1 Samuel 17:57, 18:1). Jonathan’s love for David is even more remarkable when contrasted with his father Saul. Saul, out of jealousy tried to kill David. Jonathan helped David escape while he tried to soften Saul’s heart (Samuel 19:4-5). Jonathan was a true friend.

The Lord Jesus Christ gave us the definition of a true friend: “Greater love has no one than this, that he lay down his life for his friends. You are my friends if you do what I command. I no longer call you servants, because a servant does not know his master’s business. Instead, I have called you friends, for everything that I learned from my Father I have made known to you” (John 15:13-15) Jesus is the pure example of a true friend, for He laid down His life for His “friends.” The good news is, anyone may become His friend by trusting in Him as his personal savior, being born again and receiving new life in Him. We are blessed if we have at least one true friend here on earth. We are more than blessed if we have accepted Jesus as our friend and savior! Just as Jesus can look into our hearts and see our pain, a true friend sees the pain in our eyes while everyone else believes your smile. Love and Blessings…

The Lord Jesus Christ gave us the definition of a true friend: “Greater love has no one than this, that he lay down his life for his friends. You are my friends if you do what I command. I no longer call you servants, because a servant does not know his master’s business. Instead, I have called you friends, for everything that I learned from my Father I have made known to you.” (John 15:13-15). Jesus is the pure example of a true friend, for He laid down His life for us, His friends. The good news is, anyone may become His friend by trusting in Him as his personal savior, being born again and receiving new life in Him. We are blessed if we have at least one true friend here on earth. We are more than blessed if we have accepted Jesus as our true friend and savior! Just as Jesus can look into our hearts and see our pain, a true friend sees the pain in our eyes while everyone else believes your smile. Love and Blessings…

“The righteous choose their friends carefully, but the way of the wicked leads them astray.” (Proverbs 12:26)

“Do not be misled: “Bad company corrupts good character.” (1 Corinthians 15:37)

One who has unreliable friends soon comes to ruin, but there is a friend who sticks closer than a brother. ( Proverbs 18:24)

“Walk with the wise and become wise, for a companion of fools suffers harm.” (Proverbs 13:20)

“As iron sharpens iron, so a friend sharpens a friend.” (Proverbs 27:17)NLT

I know from experience that sometimes what you think is the worst thing that could happen to you, can turn out to be the best thing that has ever happened to you. And what you think is the best thing that has happened, could very well be the worst. Even in our down or bad days, if we wait faithfully, we can see God’s blessing.The truth is, good or bad, only God really knows. I have shared this story before, and I believe it is worth sharing again.

“There once was an old man who lived in the country with his son. He had a beautiful horse that he loved dearly. One day a rich man was passing through and saw this beautiful horse. He offered the man a lot of money for the horse, but the man refused to sell. Then not too long afterwards the horse broke through the fence and ran away. The village people came and said how sorry they were; they said, “If only you had sold the horse to the rich man at least you would have the money. Sorry this happened to you, this is terrible.” The old man said, “Good or bad, who knows?” A couple of weeks later the horse returned and he had six or seven wild horses with him. The village people said to him, “How wonderful, now you have your horse back and you have more horses. This is great!” The old man said, “Good or bad, who knows?” One day while trying to tame one of the wild horses the old man’s son fell and broke his leg. The son walked with a limp from that day on. The village people came with their sympathy and tears because the man’s son had been injured and now was crippled. They said, “This is the worst thing that could have happened.” The old man said, “Good or bad, who knows?” Then a war broke out and all young men were being recruited to fight, except those who had some type of limitation, like the old man’s son who walked with a limp. The village people were happy for the old man, they said, “It is a blessing that your only son will not have to leave you.” And the old man said, “Good or bad, who knows?” I could go on and on with this story because this life has its ups and downs. 

However, we know all good things come from God. But when life deals us a bad hand, it is important during those times that we have faith. Because God is still in control. He can and He will work it out for our good. Absolutely nothing is hidden from Him, our past, present, or our
future. God works in, with, though, and sometimes in spite of our decisions to accomplish His will for our lives. Yes, even when things are going wrong and out of our control, trust me, they are not out of God’s control. He is still working His purpose for our life in the situation. We can’t always understand at the time, but if we look back at some point in our future we can see the workings of God! I have learned to thank God when life is good, and to thank Him in the storms, I have learned to praise Him on the mountaintop, and praise Him in the low valleys. I refuse to be like the village people in the story and let life’s situations determine my joy. Because like the old man said, good or bad, only God knows. Love and blessings…

“For who [limited by human wisdom] knows what is good for man during his lifetime, during the few days of his futile life? He spends them like a shadow [staying busy, but achieving nothing of lasting value]. For who can tell a man what will happen after him [to his work, his treasure, his plans] under the sun [after his life is over]?” ( Ecclesiastes 6:12)AMP

“But Joseph said to them, “Don’t be afraid. Am I in the place of God? You intended to harm me, but God intended it for good to accomplish what is now being done, the saving of many lives.” (Genesis 50:19-20)

“And we know that in all things God works for the good of those who love him, who[a] have been called according to his purpose.” (Romans 8:28)