Author: reallifesecrets

There are 7 Secrets to Life — LIVE, READ, LOVE, FIGHT, BELIEVE, LIVE & PRAY. Live you life by them and you will find lasting happiness, peace, and fulfillment. Life was meant to be so simple. We are the ones who complicate it. God wants us to enjoy life to the fullest!

First or Last?

Good question to ask yourself! What am I talking about?

He sat down, called the twelve, and said to them, “Whoever wants to be first must be last of all and servant of all.” Mark 9:35

That was Jesus asking. Your answer?

Jesus put Himself last because He is first. He gave up His life for you, me, and every other person who has and will live. Jesus is first because He is the Son of God.

If you truly want to get closer to God you need to move to the back of the line. You need to be last to be first.

OK. What does this practically mean today and tomorrow. You need to think more about others than yourself. It’s that simple. But the thinking part has to play out in actual actions. Jesus healed, put Himself in harms way, and eventually gave up HIs life. We don’t have to go to those extremes. We can walk before we run.

Help someone. Anyhow. A lot of people out there need a lot of help. Give. Anything. Just do something for someone before you do for yourself.

Enjoy the rest of this weekend!

Jesus Didn’t Teach Us To Be Civil

Jesus did not teach us civility to one another. He taught us to love one another. A love that goes way beyond civility. A love that puts the other person first and us second. And Jesus wasn’t just a good pontificator as many so-called “Christians” are today—He walked the talk of love. After all, Jesus sacrificed His life for you and me.

Look around you today. Not much civility. And certainly no, if any, love. That’s where you and I come in. We need to spread some love and hope that it’s catching. Because the world desperately needs some love.

Do your part today and I’ll do mine. Smile, help someone in need, pay something forward, lend a helping hand. Spreading love isn’t hard if you just take yourself out of the equation. Jesus taught us how to do it. We just have to listen—and do it.

Walk the talk today. LOVE!!! 

Light People, Dark People

There are dark people and light people in this world. Light people try to shine the light of Jesus in their lives for all to see. Dark people either keep that light from shining or simply do not have the light of Jesus in their lives.

Shining the light of Jesus, who is all light, is not difficult. It starts with a smile, goes on to reaching out to others in needs, and burns the brightest when “love” becomes the way you live your life. Living in darkness is pretty simple and easy—it’s living your life for yourself and not others.

Living in light or darkness—your choice. All I can say is that living in light is illuminating. Living in darkness is simply that—dark.

Have a great day in the light! 

He Is. I Am.

When Moses asked God His name, God replied, “I AM WHO I AM.” Fast forward to Paul’s letter to the Corinthians where he wrote (1 Corinthians 15:10), “But by the grace of God I am what I am.”

God is. We are—by His grace. God is everything. We are a part of that everything. Not a preordained, predestined part, but a part with many possibilities. How far we go, what part we play in God’s everything is up to us.

Make this new year of 2017 a time to realize your potential, tapping into God, the I AM of life.

Wishes for a joyful, healthy, peaceful, and blessed New Year!!!

Never Too Late to Come Home!

The truly amazing thing about God is that in His house it’s never too late to come home. No matter where you have been or what you have done, God is the prodigal father waiting for you with open arms of forgiveness. That’s the true meaning of hope in this world of ours.

New Year’s resolutions are great because a new year makes you feel like you have a clean slate. Well, with God every day is a clean slate—it’s simply never too late to come home.

Make your resolutions. Look inward and outward to make yourself a better person. But don’t ever hesitate to go home. Because God is waiting with an open, warm, and forgiving embrace.

Come home!!!

Merry Christmas!!!

I don’t just wish you a “Merry Christmas” today. I wish all of you, regardless of whether you celebrate Christmas or not, the true meaning of Christmas—joy, love, and peace in your life today, in 2017, and beyond.
 
It’s bad enough we live in a divided world, but our country is more divided than ever before in modern history. So, not just for one day, but for all days, let’s each try to spread some joy, love, and peace. If we are going to heal, we need to heal ourselves and help others heal.
 
Merry Christmas!!!

Great Time to Start Living in Love

If there ever is a time of year to start living in love it is now. What does “living in love” mean? Let’s start with what John tells us:

Love means living the way God commanded us to live. As you have heard from the beginning, his command is this: Live a life of love. 2 John‬ ‭1:6‬

Did you get that? It bears repeating: “Love means living the way God commanded us to live.” That means that the definition of “love” is living “the way God commanded us to live.” That means forgiving as God forgives us, giving others the shirt off our backs, not judging, etc, etc. If there are any questions about how to live start reading at Luke 6:27-34.

This season celebrating the birth of Jesus—hopefully in our hearts—is a great time to look at your life and ask, “Am I truly living in love?”

It’s never too late to start living in love!

Advent Starts in the Heart

The Advent season of preparing for Jesus’ birth is a time for reflection on our lives and our own rebirth in Christ. Use each day leading up to Christmas day as time to look back only with a mind of looking ahead, growing, and positively moving forward. It’s a time to recommit to Jesus and focus your life in starting the New Year off on the right foot. It’s a time to strengthen your connection with God and reconnect with Him if you strayed. It’s simply a time to renew, starting in your heart.

There are a lot of distractions this time of year—eating too much at Thanksgiving, Black Friday, Cyber Monday, and the list goes on. The important thing is to work through the distractions in remembering what this time is about. There’s a reason why there is a “Christ” in CHRISTmas. It should be a season of remembering, giving, and rebirth.

I’m not suggesting detaching from the world. Quite the opposite. I’m talking about being a shining example of what this time of year should really be about.

Use this Advent season wisely. Start today. And have a GREAT one!  

Victim or Victor?

Which one are you? There are people who go through life constantly playing the “victim” card. Someone else is always to blame for their plight in life. There are others who see themselves as the “victor” over someone else. And I think there are a large group who can’t answer the “victim” or “victor” question. What’s wrong with this picture is that everyone—and I mean EVERYONE!!!—should confidently answer “victor” but just not in the way you may be thinking. Continue reading “Victim or Victor?”

Perfect or Sinner?

In my case this is an easy answer. Sinner. I’m pretty good at being a sinner and pretty bad at being perfect. But that’s life. We are imperfect children of a perfect God.

I think one of the keys to life is acknowledging that you are imperfect—a sinner—but constantly trying to strive for perfection. To repent and not try to sin again. Unfortunately, there are too many people out there who believe that they are perfect in every way.

Perfect or Sinner? Pharisee or Tax Collector? What/who are you? Did I lose you? Read Luke 18:9-14 to answer the question. It’s one of the absolute best Bible verses on living life.

And remember: “All who exalt themselves will be humbled, but all who humble themselves will be exalted.” (Luke 18:14)

Have a wonderful day!!!